Author's Note: Hello all! As promised, I have made another update. March break permits me to do so and I hope that you all will enjoy this lovingly crafted chapter. It may seem a bit more emotional and sad but in the end, you will see it is quite a positive chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

There were many things in this world that Rin viewed as unfair but none seemed to irk her as much as this one particular unfairness did; it was the unfairness of living together with someone but never getting a chance to see them.

Now that Earth's advance on the frontlines had become more defined and it seemed that without more shinobi support, Konoha would surely fall, both Kakashi and Rin seemed to find their lives increasingly busy and most inconveniently so. They were no longer able to meet after their shifts, and sometimes they were lucky if they were able to see each other for more than five minutes a day.

Kakashi's missions with the increasingly successful genin (now Chuunin) team sometimes lasted days and the team would always have to meet early at Konoha's gates to take off in the shield of night.

Rin's job at the hospital was possibly even more stressful. Not only were injured shinobi and ANBU going in and out like there was no tomorrow, but also the vast majority of the nurses had seen this a fit time to become pregnant, creating a lack of available staff. Since only those with seniority at the hospital were allowed to be selective about their shifts, Rin was forced to supervise the graveyard shift, often coming home around three or four in the morning. Needless to say, their schedules conflicted what with him working days and her working nights.

It still allowed for them to prepare lunches and dinners (Rin would prepare dinner before she left and Kakashi would prepare lunch in the morning) but it greatly messed with their sleeping schedules and internal clocks. For Kakashi it was a little better because, having been a shinobi nearly all his life, he'd gotten used to the early wake up times and long hours.

For Rin however, it had taken quite a few weeks to adjust to the new schedule. Her biological clock had never set itself to sleep during the day and work during the night and for the first five to ten times, she'd come home sick to her stomach. Having to sleep during the day, she found, was a very difficult thing to do. She could always hear the sounds of citizens calling each other in greeting or feel the sun peek through the curtains and illuminate the room. There were also many things she missed about the dayshift such as the brighter hospital room, the only slightly injured patients, and the bustle of visitors. She also missed the feel of the warm sun on her face as she walked to the hospital and the sense of security she felt in the light.

Although her schedule was tough, she knew it was not only hard for her but also hard for Kakashi who felt like he was breaking his promise to Obito. The streets of Konoha at night, while not being chaotic or full of crime, were substantially more dangerous and often times when Kakashi was asleep after she left, he would have nightmares about her getting attacked or killed or something equally as horrendous. He had tried the first few times to wait until she had to go to walk her there and make sure she was safe, but both his body and her had protested and finally, he'd given in though not without a long argument.

In the beginning the schedules were hectic but both had been able to deal with them. Now, however, Rin was starting to notice the mental toll the stress was taking on both of them and had decided to do something about it. She set her alarm clock, a possession that Kakashi hated having in the house, to wake her up at the same time in the morning that Kakashi woke up. It had loyally rung at five am, not only waking her up but also waking him up. He'd groaned in annoyance at the noise before trudging out of bed and getting ready. While he was in the washroom immersed in his daily morning rituals, Rin was in bed, forcing herself to stay awake; she needed to talk to him about this and it had to be today.

As soon as he was out of the washroom and dressed, Rin spoke. "Kakashi?"

He looked over at her mattress, surprised. She wasn't supposed to be waking up this early. "Yeah?" he responded, his voice betraying some of the worry and curiosity that he felt.

"Can you do me a favour?"

"Sure…" he agreed, uncertain of where the conversation was going and what she was doing up in the first place.

"Can you wake me up every morning before you leave?"

He shrugged on the sweater she'd given him for his birthday for it was chilly outside, looked at her intensely and refused her request. When she complained, he reminded her that she already worked late hours and was tired and needed to sleep in the morning. He reminded her of how the shift in scheduling had incurred a detriment in her health and proceeded to tell her that he was not going to cause her to be sick. She needed her rest and that was that. Of course Rin had gotten up out of her bed, thoroughly displeased that he had disagreed and had whined like the tired teenager she was, following him all the way to the front door.

Kakashi told her firmly again no, and then added, "Why?" If she wasn't going to let this drop, neither was he. He just hoped that her explanation was short for he was already running late.

Rin looked down at the hardwood floors. "Well…I mean, we never get to see each other anymore. I'm either about to leave or asleep or you've already left or you're asleep. Aren't you getting sick of that?"

He nodded in affirmation at which time she paused. They were engulfed in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments until Rin began to speak again. "And I just don't want that to be the end…I mean, I don't want this lack of communication. There's always a chance that something will happen to one of us…something bad and I know that I'd-" she inhaled shakily, tears forming themselves at the corner of her eyes, "-we both know how fragile a life is and I don't know if you feel the same way as me on this but I know that I'd feel unfathomably guilty if something were to happen to you, God forbid, and the last thing I ever said to you was 'dinner's in the fridge'. It may be different for you, but I strongly believe that since we don't get to talk that often, we should say the things we mean to say while we have the chance to say them!"

Ok, now this conversation was making him uncomfortable. He did agree with everything she'd said but the way she became so emotional about it, near tears, had made him feel not only awkward but guilty as well. On the one hand he knew that she was entirely correct with her thoughts but he didn't want to wake her up for fear of it having some repercussions on her health. He knew she didn't get enough sleep as it was and to wake her up every morning only a couple of hours after her shift ended? It seemed cruel to him.

"I…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say to the girl in front of him.

"It wouldn't be like you were waking me up for good. I'd go right back to sleep after but at least I'd get to say something to you in the morning. Wish you a good day…remind you to stay safe…anything! Just something!"

Kakashi, still standing awkwardly in the doorway, sighed. He was still opposed to the idea but she had a point and she had promised to go right back to sleep after…The sentimental side of him –a side he discovered he had only a year ago – won in the end and Kakashi nodded. "Alright fine but you have to promise you'll go back to sleep after," he told her firmly.

She wiped a couple of tears from her eyes and nodded her head eagerly. "I promise, I promise!"

"Prove it. Go back to sleep now."

Rin obeyed, padding back over to her mattress. Just as Kakashi was about to take off, she noticed he'd left something and piped up, "You're forgetting something!"

Her call alerted him and he was back in the doorway in an instant. What could he have forgotten? Last he checked he was all prepared. It dawned on him only when he saw her bring forth a package. Of course…his lunch!

"Thanks," he commented as she placed the small package in his hands.

Before he had the chance to run off again, Rin smiled up at Kakashi, looking directly into his eyes and stressed to him, "Don't leave without waking me up."

Author's Note: I hope that everyone enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it! Thank you to all my faithful reviewers of chapter 7; I'm very glad that the Inside Ride chapter was so very well recieved. :) Thanks to: chibirain94, ninbunny alchemist, YebbadebbaOnee-chan, Sachie-chan11, snappa, catgirl9696, Sakra-chan, JoiZ.D, and Kakashi88.