Author's Note: Once again, thanks for all the reviews/alerts/favorites! They make me want to write more :)

Chapter 4

"So, I'm not going back to the academy?" Hiroshi asked from his bed while Kakashi was getting ready.

"Right," he said while a million different things floated through his head. He had to make sure to remember everything and to talk to the Hokage about this situation before picking up their mission assignments.

"Am I just staying here by myself then?" he asked as he stretched himself out in bed, getting ready to go back to sleep.

"No, you're coming with me and my team today. You might remember them. They're the three shinobi that were with me when we first met," he said as the boy got up and started getting ready to go.

"I think I kinda remember," he answered unsurely as he tugged a dark green shirt over his head. "Does this mean I'm going to be helping with the missions?"

"No, you aren't technically allowed, since you haven't passed the academy, so bring something to do, and be quick. I have a few things I have to do before we meet up with the team," Kakashi said with mock frustration. Hiroshi read past it and just gave his dad the 'you're stupid' look that people had probably received from Kakashi before. Either way, Hiroshi did hurry up and the pair disappeared to the shinobi building. "Now stay close to me. I don't need you wandering off."

"I'm not a baby," Hiroshi said in a whiny voice, but, just like the day before, he became his reserved self as soon as they walked into the building. Adults were intimidating enough, but shinobi adults were flat out scary. They all had strange scars or serious looks on their faces, all of which Hiroshi did not like.

"I can't walk with you hanging on my leg," Kakashi said to lighten the mood. Hiroshi let go of him but stayed right at his side, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"Hey Kakashi, who's the kid?" A shinobi asked. Kakashi didn't really know him well, so he just blew him off. While that wouldn't be acceptable as a citizen, if you're a shinobi and you blow someone off, they just assume you're deep in thought or something. The pair made it to the Hokage's office without incident and was lucky enough to catch him before the workload for the day arrived.

"Hello Kakashi. Hiroshi. What brings you two here?" He asked kindly. Hiroshi liked this old man, whoever he was. He was there when the paper work was signed to make Kakashi Hiroshi's legal guardian and had offered him candy. Hiroshi could tell he was someone important, but he didn't know what he did that was so great though.

"Well, I don't think Hiroshi is exactly ready for the Academy, since he's still getting use to his surroundings, so I was wondering if I could take him on Team 7's missions. It would give me more time to go on missions with them, giving Team 7 more time to get accustomed to the routine of having missions before the Chunin exams while still having my guidance," Kakashi said formally. The Hokage smiled and gave a simple nod.

"I believe that is a good course of action for now. We'll have to discuss what the situation will be after they become Chunin when that time comes of course," The Hokage said as Iruka opened the door to the Hokage's office. "And here's the tedious paperwork, yes?"

"Like it is everyday," Iruka said as he dropped a giant stack of paperwork on the Hokage's desk.

"Well, thank you Hokage… We should leave you to your work now," Kakashi said as he waved bye and walked out with Iruka, Hiroshi still standing as close to him as humanly possible.

"I'm assuming you're going to want your missions now," Iruka asked.

"Not yet. I'm running late, so I better go get Team 7, or they may actually maim me this time," Kakashi said with mock fear in his voice. Before Iruka could say anything, he transported himself and Hiroshi to the meeting place of Team 7.

"Wait, you're on time today?" Sakura asked in disbelief as her Sensei appeared.

"Call the local news," Sasuke said dryly. "Who's the twerp?"

"I am not a twerp!" Hiroshi yelled, his shyness melting away. All four shinobi were completely caught off guard.

"This is Hiroshi," Kakashi said once he got over what just happened. "Hiroshi, this is Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura."

"I like this kid!" Naruto said happily. "Any enemy of Sasuke's is a friend of mine! So Sensei, what 'exciting' missions are we doing today?"

"To avoid any attempts you three would make at maiming me, I didn't get them so I would be on time. So, let's go," he said with a satisfied grin hidden behind his mask.
"But that means it'll take even longer because now we have to walk to the academy," Sakura said in frustration.

"Oh well," Kakashi said with a shrug, making all three genin let out some sort of groan. Hiroshi chuckled a bit, relaxing and leaving his dad's side to go meet the new ninjas.

"So you all are ninjas then?" He asked as he walked backwards so he could face all three of them.

"You bet!" Naruto said with a grin. "We're some of the best shinobi in the entire village. Well… me and Sakura anyways. Sasuke on the other hand-" Naruto's sentence was cut off when Sakura smashed his head in with her fist.

"Don't lie to him Naruto! He's only a kid," she said as she smiled at Hiroshi. "And he's so adorable! Are you sure you're related Sensei?"

"Ha ha," Kakashi said as he rolled his eyes. Hiroshi just smiled, happy to be around shinobi that didn't look very scary and to be with his dad. Their trudge to the mission station was almost complete, but was interrupted.

"My arch rival! I told you fate would bring us together again for a contest!" Guy Sensei yelled as he ran over with his team in toe.

"Who the heck is that?" Sakura asked her Sensei.

"A pain in my-" Kakashi started, but was cut off by Guy.

"So what shall it be this time? Rock paper scissors? A race across Konoha?" He asked excitedly. Kakashi groaned at the thought of having to do any of these 'challenges'.

"Sensei, you're so fast I had trouble keeping-" Rock Lee started, until he laid eyes on Sakura. His face turned a bright red as he stopped dead in his tracks. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life."

"Uhhhhh," Sakura said as she started backing up, completely creeped out by this kid. "Sensei…."

"We really don't have the time to do any of this Guy. We're running behind schedule and…. Yeah," Kakashi said, giving up on coming up with more excuses as he hurried his team along.

"You can't keep avoiding me arch rival! We will have to have this challenge soon!" he yelled to them as they hurried into the mission station.

"Goodbye my beautiful pink-haired princess! We shall meet again!" Lee called, making Sakura shudder.

"What was up with their…. Everything?" Naruto asked. Kakashi just shook his head and opened the doors to the area that they received their missions at. Iruka was sitting there with the assignments ready, knowing that they would be back soon. "So Iruka Sensei, do we have some actual important missions to do today, or are we going to build something dumb?"

"Naruto! You know what happened the last time you complained about our mission assignments! We all almost got killed!" Sakura yelled as she started beating Naruto into the floor. Hiroshi back away from the mess as much as he could.

"We do actually have a more difficult D mission here," Iruka said, pulling out the paperwork, "but should I really give it to you after all that yelling?" Naruto, who was on his knees from his beating, crawled over to Iruka Sensei and started begging.

"Pleeeeeeaaaassseeeee Iruka Sensei. Anything that doesn't involve gardening, carpentry, or animals… Pleaaaaaassseeeeee!" Naruto begged, embarrassing his team members.

"Fine. An elderly woman from the land of tea is afraid of thugs and wants shinobi escorts as she travels home. Is that exciting enough?"

Even though the genin agreed to it, Kakashi couldn't help but feel like this wouldn't end well.