With my wide eyes
I've seen worlds that don't belong
My mouth is dry with words I cannot verbalize
Tell me why we live like this

Broken — XXII

Kakashi's mind had stopped working. Had she said that? Had she actually said that? Was something wrong with his hearing? Had Anko actually said she loved him?

"Love is the same as giving someone permission to break you," he muttered finally, reciting the saying like a nursery rhyme, "and trusting that they won't."

Anko laughed quietly. "Yeah. I've heard that too."

Kakashi was still confused. Happy, happier than he had been in a long time. But confused all the same. He looked down at the girl in his arms — the girl who had fallen into his life, beaten and broken, and turned it upside down. The girl who had, just a month early, fallen apart in his grip while he watched, unable to do anything to help. He had seen her destroyed to the point of no return. Was it possible there was a part of her left that could love him, could trust that he would love her too?

Kakashi was confused. But he knew one thing for sure. Anko trusted him not to break her. And he never would. For now…that was enough.

He brushed his lips lightly against the top of her head. "Love you too." He breathed quietly. She shivered with pure pleasure.

"What are you two doing?"

Kakashi and Anko jumped, pulling apart quickly. But Minato wasn't speaking to them — he was speaking to their audience.

"Kurenai!" Anko jumped up, anger taking over her face. Kurenai back off instantly, holding her hands up in defense.

"We were just walking by—"

"And thought we'd stop and catch the show ." Asuma hit his knuckles against the door. "Seriously, this thing's here for a reason."

Kakashi counted to ten before pulling his mask up again, standing, and turning to face Kurenai and Asuma, fixing the spies with a furious glare. They both took a step back, apprehension taking over their features.

"You know what…we're gonna run now." And they took off without another word. Minato raised an eyebrow and looked back at Kakashi and Anko, who were exchanging annoyed glances.

"Do I…even want to know?"

"Probably not." Kakashi answered honestly. Minato was more than happy to accept the answer. He nodded slowly before leaving. He would definitely be happier not knowing what was going on.

Kakashi and Anko just shook their heads before sitting back down on the bed, thoroughly annoyed now. "I'm seriously going to kill Kurenai." Anko muttered after a few minutes of silence, kicking her legs back and forth. "She's just getting to be way too aggravating."

"She cares though." Kakashi reasoned. "They both care — in their own, strange way. They're just…teenagers. They're naturally inclined to be curious. If it was us and their position, and they in ours, you know we'd stop to watch."

Anko didn't want to admit he was right…but he was right. "Oh fine…I won't kill her." She paused for a second, then smiled quite evilly. "That doesn't mean she doesn't deserve a few sleepless nights though…"

"You're not going to tell her she's off the hook?"

"Nope." Anko's lips popped happily on the p. Kakashi shook his head.

"You are truly an evil little monster."

"And you just said you loved me. What does that make you?"

Kakashi thought about that for a second, then smiled and wrapped his arm around Anko's shoulder, holding her tightly against him. "A glutton

"Done!" Kai announced proudly as he finished his puzzle.

"Great job Kai. You've officially finished every puzzle this place owns." Kai smiled and pretended to bow, then puffed out his chest. Anko laughed as she poked his stomach, and his breath came out in a long whoosh.

"Anko-nee-chan!" He complained. Anko was too busy laughing to answer. Kai's face pulled into a devilish smirk and he dove at Anko, tackling her and sending her to the ground. Anko responded by wrapping the boy in a loose headlock.

Kakashi watched them from across the room. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Minato lead two adults and a younger child, maybe five or six years old, in. Kakashi vaguely recognized the child. Her name was Yukiko. She'd been at Konoha until about two years ago.

"Apparently they decided they want a younger sibling for her." Kakashi looked over his shoulder at Asuma, who was watching the small group as well. "That's what my dad told me, anyway."

The parents were walking slowly around the room, observing the younger kids. Kakashi kept a tab on them as he went back to looking at Anko and Kai, who were still holding their mock wrestling match.

"He seems like a rambunctious one." Kakashi heard the father say as they walked towards him. They were watching Kai.

"That's Kai." Minato explained. "He's very well-liked, even by the older kids. He gets along with everyone."

Yukiko peaked around her mother's legs at the small boy. She looked intrigued. "Hey Kai." Minato called, grabbing the boy's attention. "Come over here for a minute."

Kai looked up at the sound of his name and jumped up, dragging Anko over with him. He eyed the adults curiously, but his eyes lit up when he saw Yukiko. "Hiya." He said, giving her his customary grin. Yukiko made a noise in the back of her throat and retreated back behind her mother's legs. The older woman smiled, giving her daughter a nudge.

"Come on Yukiko, that isn't polite."

Kai didn't seem to mind though. "My name's Kai. What's your name?"

"Yukiko." She said in a small voice.

"Yukiko. That's a pretty name. Nice to meet you. Oh, and this is Anko-nee-chan. Don't worry, she only looks scary."

Asuma burst into laughter. Kakashi bit his lip to keep from laughing as well. The look on Anko's face was priceless.

"Traitor." She muttered, sticking her tongue out at Kai, who gave her a quick grin. Yukiko managed a small smile.

Yukiko's parents talked to Kai for a few minutes, then talked to Minato. Kai, during that time, managed to get Yukiko to thaw out and start talking. They were already quickly on their way to friends.

"Why don't we talk to Sarutobi-sama?" Minato said finally, turning to lead the adults out again. Yukiko took her mother's hand as they left, waving to Kai. Kai waved back eagerly.

"She was nice. Why do you think they were here?"

Asuma, Kakashi, and Anko exchanged looks. They had a feeling they knew. "C'mon Kai, let's go clean up the puzzle."

Anko led Kai away. Kakashi and Asuma watched them silently.

It was always hard, watching a child go, even if they were going to a nice family, like the Mitamis. But Minato found it was even harder to let Kai go.

"He seemed rather attached to the girl he was with." Aito observed as he and his wife began reading the paperwork. They would, of course, talk to Kai before they signed it. But they had wanted to get the reading out of the way first.

"Anko. She's one of the newer kids here. Kai attached himself to her on his first day. They're very close."

"She seemed to get along well with him."

"She likes Kai. Like I said before, most of the kids here do."

Minato was beginning to see where this line of questioning was leading. Kakashi would murder someone if…

Sarutobi, thankfully, stepped in to save the day. "It isn't our place to decide for children whether or not they want to go to foster families. Anko is a special case though. She comes from a bad abuse home, she's a very mistrustful person. I doubt she's very eager to be thought of for adoption."

They looked disappointed. Minato silently thanked Sarutobi. He had just saved the blonde man an earful of yelling…

"I don't get it." Kai said for the millionth time as Anko helped him pack his clothes. "Why do I have to go with those people? Why can't I stay here?"

"You can if you really want to." Anko assured him. "But wouldn't you rather go with them? They seem really nice, and you'll have real home and parents who love you and a big sister—"

"You're my big sister." Kai said stubbornly, dropping the shirt he was holding. "I'm not going."

Anko smiled sadly and wrapped her arms tightly around the boy. "You have to go Kai." She whispered as she pulled away.

"You just said I don't!" He argued.

"I know I did. But you know what, this'll be good for you. You'll finally have a real family. Isn't that what you want?"

Kai's lower lip trembled. "I want to stay with you."

Anko just shook her head. Kai bit his lip, then threw his arms around Anko's neck, burying his face in her shoulder.

"I'll miss you." He whispered, his voice shaking. Anko returned the hug gently, trying to keep her own tears from falling.

"Miss you too."

Kakashi pushed himself up from the wall as Kai and Anko finally made their way back downstairs. Kai walked slowly towards his new family. Anko stepped next to Kakashi, reaching instinctively for his hand.

Minato knelt down in front of Kai. "Got everything?" The small boy nodded silently. "Come on, don't look so down. Will you feel better if I tell you everyone is really going to miss you, and we'll never forget you?"

Kai looked back at Anko, and his eyes lit up. "Yeah, maybe it would."

Minato laughed and tousled Kai's hair. "Atta boy. You better not forget about us, now."

"I won't." Kai promised. As he started to leave, he reached hesitantly for his foster father's hand. The man seemed to like this. He gave the smaller hand a squeeze as he took it.

Minato sighed as he stood again and stretched. It was always hard saying goodbye. He started towards the office area, stopping and looking back at Anko, his mind conflicted. Had they made the right choice, not telling her about her own adoption offer?

Then he saw Kakashi's and Anko's intertwined hands, saw the way she seemed to lean on him for support. Yes, they'd made the right decision. Because as much as Anko would miss Kai, she would miss Kakashi a million times more, were they ever separated. She needed Kakashi. He was the only thing that kept her together, helped her heal.

So many things had happened in what was really an incredibly short time. It hadn't even been a year — hell, it had barely been half a year! — since that innocent day in the restaurant where he first laid eyes on Anko. His life had been turned upside down from that day on as he picked up the daunting task of helping her pick up the pieces of her life and try to put them back together. There had been a lot of pain, a lot of guilt, a lot of loss.

Loss. Kakashi's mind flew once again to Rin and Obito. He had long since given up hoping that the girl was still alive. He hoped wherever Rin and Obito were now, they were together, they were happy. He hoped they could see that they were missed every single day, and that he looked forward to the day he could see them again (though admittedly, he hoped that was very far into the future).

"Tell me what you're thinking about." Anko demanded suddenly, snapping back to reality.

"A lot. It's complicated, it'd take awhile to explain."

"We have awhile." She reminded him. "We have our entire lives to talk about whatever we want."

"Hmn." Kakashi pretended to think. "I don't think I have quite that much to say."

"Then I'll say something. And when I run out of things to talk about, you can think of something else. And if you can't think of anything, then we can just be together. It doesn't really matter what we do. As long as we're together."

Kakashi had to admit, he liked that. He liked that a lot. "Here's to the rest of our lives then." He said, kissing the top of her head.

"And whatever we think of to fill that time." Anko added. Kakashi smiled.

"And whatever we think of to fill that time." He agreed quietly.

Author's Note: Seriously, just shoot me and get it over with. Oh well…epilogue next…special appearance by Orochimaru…don't worry, nothing bad, I said this would have a happy ending didn't I? Just review…—Sam