Tangled Web

AU-ish story set in Kakashi's youth. Hope you enjoy. Please review and let me know.

I own nothing. Nothing.

Chapter Five

Minato hurried away and then paused when the Hokage stepped out from the door guarded by Anbu and gestured him inside. The blonde did as was requested and gasped when he noticed his student. Kakashi was awake and looking confused.

"He's been too out of it to recognize me," Sarutobi voiced as Minato nodded.

"Kakashi," Minato called, hurrying to his student's side, "Do you know where you are?"

Kakashi blinked and then his eyes widened in panic. Minato realized belatedly that the boy had tried to shake his head and realized he couldn't move his neck.

"Calm down," Minato soothed, reaching to brush a hand through the boy's hair, "The limit to your movements is just temporary, Kakashi. You are wearing a brace to keep your neck still until you are healed. You will heal up good as new so don't worry. Lady Tsunade reported that herself. Do you understand me?"

Minato barely heard the whispered "hai" through the breathing mask, but Kakashi was hearing and responding well. That was good. Sarutobi moved to get a medic nin while Minato remained.

"Kakashi, you are in the hospital," Minato continued as the boy blinked at him, "Do you remember what happened to you?"

Kakashi closed his eyes and then opened them again with the same look of confusion within their depths.

"Can you tell me who I am and the last thing you remember? I need you to try and remember for me, Kakashi," Minato instructed and slid the boy's breathing mask down to hold his ear to the child's mouth as his student whispered to him, "I see. You're right, Kakashi, I am Minato-sensei. Good job. I'm going to put the breathing mask back on now, okay? You're safe and you will be fine."

"No," Kakashi gasped as Minato paused in replacing the breathing mask, "My pack? Where? Angry."

"They are helping Jiraiya hunt down a criminal," Minato explained as he placed the mask back on Kakashi's face, "I'm sorry I summoned them without your permission, but not even the Inuzuka can track like your ninken."

Minato smiled as Kakashi's eyes brightened just a bit. Despite his student's icy demeanor, Kakashi loved his pack dearly and felt pride in any compliments sent their way. A doctor hurried in and Minato stepped out in the hallway for the man to check over Kakashi.

"Well?" the Hokage asked from the wall he leaned against.

"Kakashi's last memory was from the day before he was attacked, but he knows exactly who I am," Minato sighed, "There is clear memory loss, but his awareness and responses to me belies evidence of brain damage as I hope and pray. The good news is that my student felt the anger of his pack and knew that they had been summoned."

"That's good," Sarutobi breathed, looking relieved, "Brain damage would have terminated Kakashi's connection to his summons so that hopefully does mean that the head injury will not have any lasting effects."

"Out of the way, Asshole!"

Minato and the Hokage glanced up sharply and then watched in amusement as Pakkun tripped an Anbu without realizing what he'd down as he and the rest of the pack raced into Kakashi's room. A soaking wet Jiraiya growled as he swiped at the animals as he came up beside the other nin.

"Blasted dogs," Jiraiya grumped, "Felt their master wake and took off like bats from hell. Ran over two civilians and destroyed a fruit stand."

Minato chuckled before sobering to question his former sensei.

"Anything on the attacker?"

"The ninken got his trail, but the one who did this took to the creek to hide his scent. The attacker is male. There is no way those footprints could belong to a woman. Pakkun had the pack spread out and we were trying to discover the attacker's direction when the big one howled and Pakkun knocked me into the water as he led the way here," Jiraiya fussed, "So the kid's awake?"

"Yes, but has no memories of the attack," Minato groaned, "However, I don't think there is brain damage."

"I can confirm that," the doctor stated as he stepped from the room and sneezed out some dog hair, "Dratted beasts! Anyway, Hatake-san has memory loss, but no permanent brain damage. The child's memories may return as the swelling in his brain goes down and the concussion heals. He was unsure of me and tense, but is sleeping comfortably now with one hundred dogs surrounding him."

"There is only eight," Minato laughed as the doctor huffed.

"You have eight dogs growling and cursing at you to 'back the hell off' and see if you don't think that there is more than eight," the man sulked, "Hatake-san is still delicate and needs serious medical care, but I think he is no longer in critical condition. The child is very lucky that he has such a stubborn nature. His injuries were serious enough to have killed even a grown adult. I must return to my other patients now since Lady Tsunade was called away for emergency surgery. A nurse can fetch me if Hatake-san has need of me."

Minato bowed low and then hurried back into the room with Jiraiya and Sarutobi trailing behind him. He smiled at seeing how relaxed Kakashi looked now that his pack was curled around him.

"We ain't leaving him," Pakkun whispered, glaring up at the blonde, "Boss was frightened and unsure of that medic creature. Pup needs us to watch his back and reassure him."

"That he does, but he is not safe yet," Minato whispered back, "The attacker knows now that your pup still lives. We need to find this man since he wants Kakashi dead. Another attempt will be made on my student's life. I know this without question."

Teeth were bared as eight dogs looked livid, but they all calmed when Kakashi made a small sound of distress. Pakkun whispered softly into the boy's ear until Kakashi settled again. Minato hid a smile at the tender way each dog nosed or nudged at Kakashi to let him know they were near.

"Allow us to stay with Kakashi until we know he is deeply asleep," Pakkun finally voiced, "Then me, Bull, and Akino will accompany you to hunt down the bastard that harmed our pup. The rest of you will guard Kakashi, understood?"

Bull whined softly as the others agreed firmly.

"I know you want to guard our pup, Bull, but don't you want to bite the one who did this?" Pakkun pushed as the largest dog looked thoughtful and then grinned evilly, "I thought so. Get out, Minato-san. All of you, shoo!"

Minato hid a smile as he exited with the Hokage and Jiraiya following.

"I have never been dismissed by ninken before," Sarutobi drily drawled as Minato laughed, "I guess we can only wait now. Perhaps Genma Shiranui can be the one to bring some light into the identity of this coward once he regains consciousness."

"Which will not be anytime soon."

Lady Tsunade walked over looking exhausted and grim as the Hokage frowned while he exchanged looks with Minato and Jiraiya.

"I did what I could for the boy, but the one who did this stabbed in hopes of killing," Tsunade continued, "Genma's small intestine was severed and one of his kidneys' nicked, but the blood loss was the most traumatic on the child's system. The boy slipped into a coma during surgery despite how quickly we tried to get fresh blood into him and is dependent on life support to keep him breathing. I don't know if Genma will wake again since comas are funny things, but the kid's a fighter and his organs have been repaired. Now we can only wait and see."

"Oh, no," Sarutobi sighed, hanging his head while fisting his hands angrily, "What am I going to say to that child's father when he comes back from his mission? Genta Shiranui-san is going to be horrified that his son was attacked in such a cold-blooded manner right here in the village. Shinobi trust that their family members are safe at home when they leave on missions. The one who did this is going to pay for betraying his village."

"This is a mell of a hess," Minato groaned, scrubbing a hand across his face, "I shudder to think of what that boy's father is going to feel. Where is Genma-kun now, Lady Tsunade?"

"This way," the kunoichi offered as she led the way.

Jiraiya remained on guard by Kakashi's door while the other two men followed Tsunade to look into an observation window of a different room. Genma Shiranui was settled into a bed, still, and white as a ghost. There was a livid bruise on the boy's lower jaw and he lay limp with machines, wires, and IVs attached to him. A mask held a breathing tube, that had been eased down Genma's throat, to help the boy breathe while a pale, weeping Raidou held tightly to one of Genma's hands as Gai sobbed into an exasperated Shikaku's shoulder. Rin and Obito stood near watching everything, looking lost and unsure. Chouza was stroking Genma's hair softly until he glanced up at the window and stepped to the door.

"Have you found the scum who hurt my student?" the Akimichi growled once he shut the hospital door behind him.

"Not yet," Minato denied as the other snarled in anger, "Kakashi woke for a moment, but has memory loss and doesn't remember what happened to him. His pack is caring for him until he sleeps deeply and then the hunt is on."

"I'm coming too," Chouza insisted, "No one puts one of the boys from my team into a coma and gets away with it. I have had enough of seeing children in hospital beds. Kakashi and Genma shouldn't be suffering like this. They should have been safe! This is Konoha! Our children should be protected within the village!"

"Calm yourself," the Hokage soothed as the larger man panted in his rage, "We will never allow any other child to suffer like this again. This person will be dealt with, Chouza-san. You certainly have my express permission to help hunt this criminal down."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the Akimichi nodded out, relaxing just a little bit while he got himself back under control.

"Um…Chouza-san?" Lady Tsunade called as the man looked up, "Gai-kun is strangling Shikaku-san to death."

"That child doesn't know his own strength," Chouza groaned as he watched his old friend turning purple while the Hokage hid a snort, "One moment please."

Gai had to be forcibly removed from the Nara and then calmed by Lady Tsunade's medical jutsu as he swore to run around the globe one thousand time if Genma would wake up and be okay.

"Everyone out. Genma just had surgery and doesn't need a crowd in here while he tries to heal," Tsunade called while herding the children outside, "Raidou-kun?"

"I'm not leaving him," Raidou snapped, holding Genma's hand tighter while swiping at the tear tracks on his cheeks, "Gen needs to know that someone is near so he'll..so he wakes up. I have to stay with Genma."

"I'll let you back here in a moment," Tsunade assured as the youth looked up at her, trying so hard to control his emotions, "You've given blood and Shikaku is going to take you and your friends to the cafeteria to get some food inside of all of you, but especially you, Raidou-kun. Genma will need another transfusion soon. He wouldn't be alive without you. Your blood types are beyond rare, Raidou-kun, so you need to be strong to help your friend, right?"

"Hai," Raidou nodded out as he drew himself straighter and gently laid Genma's hand back on the bed as he allowed the calmness he'd been taught as a shinobi to wash over him, "I'll be back real soon, Gen. Keep fighting, ne?"

Shikaku nodded his understanding as he saw the Hokage setting up Anbu at Genma's door while he herded the children away with another Anbu trailing. The shadow user would guard the students while Chouza was gone.

"This wasn't supposed to be like this," Sarutobi bit out, stroking hair back from Genma's face while Tsunade hooked another IV to the child as the slow beeps of the boy's heart monitor filled the air, "Children, especially, should be safe within the village walls just as has been stated again and again. This is unacceptable."

"Agreed," Minato sighed before sitting up straighter as a thought dawned on him, "Wait! We've been hoping that my student could tell us who his attacker was, but his pack should have an idea who Kakashi allows into his house. I should have thought about that…we need to speak with Pakkun."

"Genma, stay strong for me," Chouza instructed as he tucked his still student under the covers a little more and softly gripped the boy's shoulders for a moment, "You're going to be okay as long as you keep that stubborn, little attitude of yours. Just keep fighting."

Minato glanced at the child and rage built at seeing the wan complexion, breathing tube, and closed eyes. The image of his own student laying so still in a similar hospital bed flashed through his mind and he made himself a promise—Genma Shiranui would be the last victim.

"Visitors?" Pakkun questioned once he and his chosen companions had stepped out of Kakashi's room to hunt, "Pup didn't allow a lot, Minato-san. There was you and his other teammates at times, the Hokage, Jiraiya-sama, that Gai-boy shows up occasionally to drive my pup crazy, and Baa-chan Ogawa who knew Kakashi's mother and keeps an eye on things around the estate. She is good about keeping Kakashi pantry stocked with food."

"And her son, Sato Ogawa," Akino mentioned before Pakkun and he froze, "Of course!"

"What?" Minato demanded as the trio of dogs growled angrily.

"Sato Ogawa is a retired shinobi from Sakumo's generation," Pakkun snapped, "The man loved the pup's mother and vied for her attentions with Sakumo. There was no question who the pup's mother cared for and she married Sakumo. She died after Kakashi was born due to a weakened heart. Sato blamed Sakumo and was one of the worst in spreading outrageous lies about the man after that mission that went wrong. Kakashi knows none of this since we didn't want him to hurt any more than he already does and Sato's mother has been one of the boy's last links to his parents. Pup can't lose her too."

"We've tried to eliminate as much contact between Kakashi and this man, but he always called himself 'Oji Sato' to our pup," Akino continued, "Made our toes curls, but Kakashi trusted Baa-chan Ogawa and extended the same courtesy to her son to a point. Kakashi does not identify Ogawa as a relative or even extended family, but has allowed the man on the premises when his mother has asked her son to repair something. Sato is physically stronger than most and quite fast to this day which makes more sense on how he could have taken down our pup and the other child so quickly. The scent of the attacker is similar enough, but slightly different."

"He's used a cloaking scent to disguise himself," Pakkun snapped, "But that is the attacker. Sato Ogawa hurt our pup and that child who's now in an unnatural sleep. I'm going to bite him so hard!"

"Interesting," Sarutobi hummed, "Ogawa was released from active duty due to unbecoming behaviors many years ago. He's always claimed himself as a war hero, but that man was unnecessarily brutal at times. I could see him doing something like this if he has lost touch with reality and is obsessed with the idea that Ame Hatake was stolen from him by Sakumo."

"Also makes since why Kakashi was so brutalized," Jiraiya pointed out, "Kakashi is not seen as Ame-san's son by this man, but as Sakumo's and possibly blames the child for another factor in Ame Hatake-san's death."

"But to do that to an innocent child?" Chouza snapped, "Kakashi is just a boy. He'd done nothing to this man just like my student."

"True, but Kakashi is living proof that Ame Hatake-san loved her husband," the Hokage hummed looking deep in thought, "This man cannot be in his right mind to attack a boy for a mere weapon."

"That tanto has become the symbol for Ogawa of Sakumo's power," Minato spat as his eyes returned to that cold, blue rage of yesterday, "He wanted the tanto and Kakashi's death as the ultimate revenge against Sakumo for taking what Ogawa wanted. He wanted Ame-san and the fact that he lost her has driven the man insane enough to follow through with hurting two children."

"Sato Ogawa will be desperate now," the Hokage insisted, "I will send out the name and description to all the police, guards, and Anbu. Sato must be found. Find him while Tsunade and I continue to watch over the children."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the group agreed and left quickly.

To be continued…