Caranril: Ah, it's officially screwed up now, but Kishimoto-sama can do as he likes with his plot lines, so I'm not too worried about it. If you haven't read up to chapter 403 in the Naruto manga, then disregard everything I say. Apologies for the excessively long delay. I will be graduating from college in less than a week, and I managed to find some creative inspiration among packing, memorizing lines, and studying for a Japanese Civilization final to write a chappie.

Thanks to: Grammatical Error (I'm such a bad author too, but hopefully my readers will forgive me, because I'll be done with school forever and can focus on other things. I absolutely lurvs Orochimaru too, but evidence of his homosexuality is just too strong for me to ignore. Yet another fangirl trait...) and Meira Evenstar (You're such a loyal reader. You rock!)

Legolas: Dude, I've been stuck here this entire time. You didn't even give me a vacation. I cannot be a Muse for term papers! FYI, it doesn't work like that.

disCLAIMER: While I do not own Naruto nor any affiliated subjects therein, Kishimoto-sama does and therefore he owns my soul.

Chapter 15: A Pair of Idiots

Despite the summer sun glaring through the crack between the curtains, Sasuke slept until noon. When he dozed off, he had no idea, but for some reason he slept deeply and silently, leaving him refreshed, if not a little panicky from sleeping in so late. He dressed hurriedly and bolted out the door. At this point in his life, he could walk to the hospital in his sleep. He didn't notice the passerby who cheered good afternoon, nor his paler-than-usual reflection in the shop windows. If it weren't for it being mid-day, one would think he was a ghost creeping about. The hospital was strangely empty; flu season was over and dangerous missions less frequent. But as he walked down the quiet hall, Naruto's laugh from Kaori's room startled him. Sasuke peered through the window in the door. Seated upright, clutching a small bouquet of flowers and her kodachi, was Kaori. Pale, sunken-eyed, but completely conscious. Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, Iruka, and Tsunade surrounded her bed. Tsunade smacked Naruto for being so loud in the hospital, but her suppressed laugh was obvious.

"A bit too rowdy for you too, eh?" Kakashi murmured, leaning against the wall opposite the door. Sasuke ignored him and turned away to leave. He wanted to hug her so badly, but just seeing her awake was enough. For now. He couldn't let anyone else see his joy, though. He'd come back later. Kakashi, that smart bastard, already knew how Sasuke felt, but he couldn't resist taunting him anyway.

"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun? Thought you'd gotten rid of her for good?"

"Shut up, old man," he snapped, stalking off.

"Ouch." Kakashi smiled, but it faded quickly. He'd gotten himself into a sticky situation. He was in love with Kaori, and he could feel the physical attraction between them, but she regarded him as a friend and teacher. The one she truly wanted, no matter how she may deny or hide it, was Uchiha Sasuke. The stoic young man reciprocated her feelings, and Kakashi was genuinely happy for them, but he also felt such a heavy sadness in his heart. It wasn't often that he felt things in that particular area of his chest. And he hated it. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he slid the door open smartly. All faces turned to greet his entrance. He caught a flicker of hope in Kaori's eyes, followed by a brief look of disappointment, but she covered it up quickly.

"Took you long enough, sensei," she grinned tiredly.

"I had to find the perfect 'welcome back' gift." He handed her a pair of disposable chopsticks. She stared at the wooden sticks in her palm.

"Uh, thank you?"

"They wouldn't let me bring ramen in here. Hokage-sama said you can't eat solid food yet," Kakashi said. Tsunade glowered, but he eye-smiled innocently. Kaori bowed her head in thanks, then glanced at the door again. Sakura caught her look and cleared her throat.

"Ah, I wonder when Sasuke-kun's going to show up," she said innocently.

"I sent him away last night," Tsunade added, encouragingly, "he probably passed out at home."

"And Sasuke calls me an idiot," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "He hangs out here all the time and doesn't eat and sleep and then gets sick in the process."

"Sasuke's...been here...before?" Kaori asked tentatively.

"Tsunade-sama practically had to force him to leave." Sakura wrinkled her nose. "He was beginning to stink." Kaori managed a chuckle before leaning her head back into her pillows.

"Kaori-san, get lots of rest, okay?" Iruka patted her head affectionately. "We will have to start with the basics."

"Basics?" she asked sleepily.

"Yup. You have practically a whole new Chakra system. You probably don't quite know how to use it yet."

"I'm not going to be...punished?"

"Oh you'll be punished all right," Tsunade said severely. "When your strength returns, we will hold a trial to determine what Konoha's course of action will be."

Kaori nodded her head. "I'll accept whatever it is you decide what's best."

Tsunade motioned for everyone to clear the room. They bid farewell with promises to return the next day. Tsunade shut the door tightly.

"Kaori-san, Temujin's country will not press charges for the deaths."

Kaori's eyes cleared up as Tsunade spoke Temujin's name.

"Since there is no form of government at the moment, and people get killed everyday, or so he says, there's really no way to correspond with their justice system. He believes that because Juubi no Tokage is dead that...that's enough. That will also be taken into consideration during your trial." Tsunade paused before leaving. "He also said that he hopes to see you again someday."

Kaori smiled to herself as she drifted into unconsciousness.

Kakashi bowed his head slightly as Tsunade exited. Her fierce blue eyes studied him for a moment.

"I've been over your request and have come to a decision." She planted her hands firmly on her hips. "I want to know why you would ask such a thing."

"What if there isn't a specific reason?" Kakashi responded casually.

"The fact that you added 'immediately' to it implies that there's a reason."

"Is it important that you know?"

"Damnit Kakashi-san! Don't make me order you to tell me." Tsunade's hands clenched into fists.

"Hokage-sama, it's personal," he said flatly. "I've always done just fine at separating work from my personal life, but this time I've gone off track. The only way to fix this is for you to send me on a mission as a shinobi, not as a teacher."

"Or I could retire you."

Kakashi finally met her steely gaze. His shock was apparent on his face.

"How old are you now, Kakashi? Thirty-three? Thirty-four? Most shinobi at that age retire on reserve while raising a family. You haven't slowed down since you were five years old. Usually genius-nin want an heir to carry on their role in society."

Kakashi shook his head. "The only life I know is that of a shinobi. I've tried to have normal relationships, but the only ones I can stand are those I work with, those I risk my life with for our country. And you want to take that away from me? I'd sooner die, Hokage-sama. I'd perform seppuku."

"I assumed you wouldn't follow in your father's footsteps. I guess that's another gamble I lost." Tsunade turned away. "I will grant your request, although not very happily. You and Sakura will depart immediately for the Land of Dragons." The heels of her sandals tapped loudly as she walked away slowly. Kakashi remained for several minutes, flashes of his internal conflict showing in his eye. Accepting his decision, he stepped forward and entered Kaori's room. She was sleeping peacefully, her breathing deep and regular. She would no longer dream of other people's memories; the dreams her mind manufactured would be her own. That was a consolation in Kakashi's heart as it pounded painfully. He had a funny feeling he wouldn't see her again.

"Goodbye, Kaori-san," he said quietly, smoothing his thumb over her forehead. She mumbled something, tightening her clutch on the kodachi in her hands. He allowed himself a smile before pulling his mask down to his chin. He kissed the part where her hair met her forehead in a little peak. She rolled over, away from him, like a sign telling him that this was it. It really hurt. He replaced his mask and left the room, walking all the way to Tsunade's office without looking back. She gave him and Sakura their orders, and they departed Konoha in silence. Sakura had keen senses and could tell that he didn't want to talk. Neither spoke to the other the entire trip to the Land of Dragons. It was a good thing too, because if she asked him what was wrong, he probably would have poured out his heart.

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Sasuke waited in his flat until it was dark before returning to the hospital. For one thing, he wanted to avoid discussions with anyone who had seen Kaori already. For another, she probably would be asleep, so he could see her without her knowing. Why he didn't want her to know he visited her, he had no idea. Probably because she had become a weakness of his, and a visit would expose that weakness. And knowing Kaori, she would find a way to exploit it.

The window was still unlocked. The night was warm and windless, so opening it didn't change the conditions in the room. Perfect infiltration weather. She lay beneath a sheet, her back to him, breathing evenly. He stopped by the edge of the bed and peered over to look at her face. He stepped aside quickly as the kodachi swung out, one aiming for his stomach and the other for his throat. Kaori sat up in bed, her eyes wide open and her body tense. Had he been a regular shinobi, she would have had him. But she had a long way to go to reach his speed.

"Sasuke," she sighed. "I thought you were another one of those guys. I wondered if they were really stupid enough to try again."

"What?!" Sasuke stepped back over to her bed as she sheathed her kodachi.

"Just a couple people who have tried to kill me. I guess I must've had a guard while I was unconscious cause, well, obviously I'm not dead. But late last night and then earlier tonight someone tried sneaking in and cutting my throat. That's why I've been sleeping with these." She held up her weapons.

"Idiot!" Sasuke spat. "Why didn't you report this? You could be dead!"

Kaori snorted. "It would take a lot more than that to kill me. They aren't trained assassins or anything. Just people thinking they're defending the city."

"Killing that thing must have also killed your senses, because normally you'd be furious that someone would try to kill you." Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed, frustrated at her nonchalant attitude.

"I was at first, but I interrogated the first guy, and I didn't feel so mad after he told me what he felt. I explained things to him, that the monster was gone. I thought he believed me, but another guy came tonight. I don't know if he had anything to do with the first guy or not, but I didn't catch him because I'm on a monitor. It would have sounded an alarm if I chased after him."

Sasuke rested his head in his hands. "Sometimes, I can't believe you."

"Only sometimes?" She grinned.

"Yeah. The rest of the time I just ignore the stupid things you do."

Kaori sneered at him, and he smirked back. There was a moment of awkward silence.

"So, um, you couldn't sleep either, I take it?" she asked. He shook his head. She continued, "I slept all afternoon. Normally it would take me several days to recover, but because it's gone, I recover like a normal person. Oh wow. I'm normal now." Her face lit up with realization, and she punched Sasuke in the arm.

"Ow! What the fuck was that for?"

"Idiot! Why weren't you here when I woke up?" she said hotly. "Everyone else came! They said you'd been here before and that Tsunade-sama sent you home, but you should've heard that I was up. I was so mad that you didn't visit me." She crossed her arms and challenged him with her eyes.

Sasuke glared right back. "Excuse me, but I do have a life. I can't spend all my time sitting around in a hospital waiting for some lazy idiot to wake up."

"Who's the lazy idiot? They had to force you to leave!"

"It's not because I was just sitting around," he mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said...fuck it." Sasuke grabbed her shoulders and smashed his lips against hers. He kissed her so hard that when he pulled away, they were both gasping for air. Her expression was blank, her mind in shock.

"That good, huh?" he muttered sarcastically. He could feel the strong blush in his cheeks, which heated up more as she sat there for several moments, moments that felt like hours.

"I had a dream," she said suddenly, her eyes coming into focus on Sasuke's face. "You said...well you said...something really unlike you. I thought it was impossible, because I didn't think you'd been here at all. But...you were here...right?"

Sasuke nodded. "Apparently, I was unsanitary because I hadn't showered for days. That's why I got kicked out. I think Tsunade-sama burned the chair I was sleeping in."

"'I want you'," Kaori said.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"That's what you said in my dream, 'I want you'." She laughed. "Weird, huh? No way you'd ever say something as ridiculous as that."

Now Sasuke was really getting pissed. Had she completely tuned out the kiss or what?

"Ha, you might as well have said 'marry me' or 'bear my children' or 'play with a hair drier in the bath'..."

That was the last straw. Sasuke was furious. He swung his hand to smack Kaori upside the head, but he missed as she grabbed his own head and kissed him with all her might. Her mouth was so hot and wet against his that he felt feverish. When she pulled away, he could barely see straight.

"That good, huh?" she said, echoing his own words. Her grey eyes stared into his black eyes. Then she opened her mouth in a wide, unexpected yawn.

"Idiot," he said gently, his voice thick from hot kisses. "You can't be your own body guard. Get to sleep. I'll take care of everything. That's what I've been doing all this time anyway." He kissed her nose gently and pushed her back onto the bed, covering her with the sheet. The way she gazed up at him with absolute trust made his heart pound appreciatively. He lay down beside her, his arm snaking across her stomach and holding her close.

"Just sleep," he whispered in her ear, "because I'll always be right here."