AN: Well here we are chapter 8, trying to decide how much longer until I end this and start a second book for it. I may do that within the next 2-3 chapters so don't be upset or surprised if this stops being updated and a new story begins after the events of this book. Thanks to all who have stayed with me since the beginning it means a lot. Now on with the story.

Curses of My Father

Chapter 8 – The Road to Recovery

Athena had been in Konoha for nearly 5 weeks before she was released from the hospital and though confined to a wheelchair for now she was already able to move her toes, showing that she hadn't done as much damage to her back as was first thought. She could feel sensation in her legs so that also showed that the damage wasn't as bad as first suspected. Kakashi had been a frequent visitor of hers, the pair found common interests and he even got her into the make-out series. He helped her get into a flat so that it could accommodate the wheelchair.

"Thanks for the help Kakashi, and thanks for lending me the newest book, I can't wait to read it." Athena said smiling up at him as she wheeled into the living room. She looked around her new house, it was plain looking, no paint on the walls and no decorations but she would fix that in time.

Kakashi just smiled behind his mask, he was glad to find a woman who enjoyed the pornographic novels just as much as he did. It was rare to find someone who enjoyed it as much as he did, even rarer to find a woman who wasn't afraid to read it in public. Athena was more than just a mild interest for him now, he knew it wasn't love, at least not yet, but there was something about her that drew him to her.

Athena found herself staring at him more often and wondering what was under that mask, was he horribly scarred, was he handsome, why did he hide his face? She had so many questions that she wanted answers to but she was also too shy to make even a slight comment about it to him. When he would catch her staring and ask her what was up she would always give a vague answer, something to make it seem like she wasn't interested in the least.

It sort of threw Kakashi for a loop because at times he thought she was interested in him and other times she played things off in a way that suggested no interest. He was unsure how to proceed with some of the things that were bouncing around inside his head. Why was the village she was in attacked, was she the real target, did Orochimaru want to kill her so that she wouldn't be able to give away his plans, did she like him? So many questions but how best to approach any of them, he already knew that she didn't remember anything before being exiled from her village and moving to the village she had been found in.

"So I was wondering if you wanted to come for ramen with my former student and myself. Ichi Raku makes the best ramen." Kakashi said.

"I would love to, I love ramen and it would be nice to meet somebody else in the village that I can talk to." Athena said smiling up at him, earning a smile from him in return.

Kakashi felt his heart tug a little as she wheeled over to him and took his hand for a moment, she was beautiful and kind. He had a feeling that Naruto would end up attached to her and he knew for a fact that she would just treat him like a normal person not like a freak or monster as the village did. "Let's go then." Kakashi said wheeling her out of the flat and towards Ichi Raku.

Naruto was already there waiting for Kakashi, he began complaining about how he didn't think it was fair that he was always late to everything. "I have a good reason this time, I was helping Athena here settle into her apartment." Kakashi said holding his hands in front of himself defensively.

"Sorry that we kept you waiting. He really was helping me settle into my place." Athena said offering Naruto a smile. Naruto just stared at her for a moment before blushing slightly and saying how it was no big deal. Athena smiled and wheeled herself over to sit by Naruto while Kakashi sat on his other side.

Athena ordered something that should have been far too big for any one woman to eat while Naruto got his usual and Kakashi just ordered whatever looked good at the moment which was miso soup. Athena and Naruto sat chatting and all Kakashi could do was stare at her and think how beautiful she looked. "So are you that lady that grandma Tsunade was trying to make better?" Naruto suddenly burst out.

Athena blushed and lowered her eyes. "Yes I am that lady. But please use my name, it's Athena." She replied softly. It was clear that she was a little embarrassed because that was probably how most of the young people in the village would see her, just someone that the Hokage was trying to make better. She wanted to be seen as a person not just a subject, but she also knew that she wasn't from here so she would just be a subject for a while.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, nice to meet you!" Naruto exclaimed making Athena and Kakashi smile.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well Naruto." Athena smiled bowing her head slightly as their food came.

Everyone ate in silence, Kakashi sneakily managing to eat while still hiding his face from everyone around him. Athena looked a little sad that she couldn't see his face but she kept it hidden well. "You were right Kakashi this is the best ramen I've ever had." Athena said grinning hugely.

She had already eaten half of the massive order she had placed, Kakashi looked shocked but Naruto was too busy stuffing his own face to really notice how much the petite woman had eaten. "Don't worry I tend to eat a lot, so this is normal Kakashi." Athena said with a giggle.

They all finished eating and Kakashi paid for everyone, Athena left them so that she could go to the hot spring to relax for a bit, the water helped her with getting back to moving again and she liked to relax in the hot water and think. Though she usually tried to figure out why she had been attacked and what the future would hold for her this time she sat thinking about Kakashi. She wanted to get better as fast as she could so that she could become someone worthy of him, unknown to her he already thought her someone worthy of him.

'I wonder if one day I would be good enough for Kakashi to want me like a man wants a woman usually… Lord knows that I'm having a hard time avoiding staring at him lately, he's just so good looking even though he keeps his face covered. And he is kind and funny and oh no get your mind out of the gutter Athena!' she thought as she rested in the water.

Athena sunk a little lower under the water and thought more about her budding feelings for Kakashi, she didn't know if she would call it love just yet but she knew that she was growing to care about him deeply and it would probably come back to bite her in the ass. After all she didn't remember much about her past for all she knew she was already married to some horrible man who didn't love her or treat her good at all. Then she began to wonder if she would ever be going back to the village she had been living in, she missed the children but she knew she needed to be here to heal.

*Meanwhile*

Kakashi was training his squad now but his thoughts were on Athena, he wanted to spend his day with her but he knew that he needed to train Naruto more than he needed to see her. He began to think about a future that he had never before dreamed of, a future where he could settle down with a woman and maybe even raise a family. He had a feeling that he would love to be a father especially if it was to a child mothered by Athena.

"Kakashi-sensei are you ok?" Sakura asked him as she waved a hand in front of his face.

"Hm? Oh yeah I'm fine sorry was just thinking about something." Kakashi replied thankful that his mask hid the slight blush that had risen to his face.

"Well maybe we should just finish up training for today and then you can have all the time in the world to think Kakashi-Sensei." Naruto suggested obviously just wanting to stop having to train.

"Nice try Naruto but you need to train more, all of you do. Otherwise you won't be capable to handle the missions you are assigned to take care of and then you will be forced to stop being ninja." Kakashi said to him. "Which means that you will never become Hokage." He added as incentive for Naruto to keep training a bit longer.

Naruto was silent for a while before sighing and going back to working on his Chakra control. After 2 hours Kakashi decided to let them go and went to the hot springs to rest for a bit and think. It just so happened that he ended up in the men's hot spring that was beside where Athena was. He was humming to himself and began talking to one of the other ninja who was asking as to how Athena was doing. She listened in closely eager to hear how Kakashi talked about her.

"So how is she settling into her new digs? Did she actually take your copy of that horrid novel series?" The other ninja, Ereiki, asked.

"She seemed to be doing ok but she did just get the flat today so it's hard to say, and she happens to think the makeout series is wonderful thanks." Kakashi said pouting, he loved those books, they were his entire sex life because he was single and not sleeping with anyone.

"Yeah right you probably forced those books on her." Ereiki said laughing.

"I did not, I do not force anything on a woman. Ereiki you should know me better, but whatever I've got some thinking to do so I will talk to you later." Kakashi said going to the deeper area to sit and soak. He sat there thinking about how he felt about Athena and what he planned to do about it.

After an hour he had decided that he liked her and could easily love her if he wasn't careful, which he didn't want to be, and then he decided that he wanted to tell her and see how she felt about seeing where things went. He decided to finish relaxing though now that he had made up his mind. Athena was just getting out of the hot springs with the aid of Shizune who had shown up to relax.

Athena unlike Kakashi had been unable to decide upon anything other than that she liked Kakashi and nothing else had been decided. She wasn't sure what to do about it so for now was just going to keep quiet about it. She went home and had some tea and then went to lay down in her bed, she stared at the ceiling lost in thought.

Kakashi was just getting out of the hot springs and decided to go and talk to Athena about his feelings for her, he didn't know how she would react but he knew that he wanted to talk to her about it. He teleported to her flat and let himself in the open bedroom window, when she turned to look at him his heart stopped for a moment. The moonlight on her face was beautiful and she looked breathtaking, he couldn't stop staring.

"Athena can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked softly slowly moving forward but still watching the moon dance in her dark hair. He smiled softly as her mismatched eyes danced with interest.

"Of course I can talk, I'm not sleepy yet." Athena said smiling at him.

Kakashi sat on the side of the bed and gently touched her hair. "The moonlight looks so beautiful reflected in your eyes." He said softly. "I was at the hot spring earlier to do some thinking….. And I have come to the conclusion that I have feelings for you." He continued.

"You….. Have feelings for me….. As in you like me?" Athena asked softly.

"Yes, I do." Kakashi said watching her nervously as he awaited her reaction.

Athena sat up using his shoulders to pull herself up, she crashed her lips to his clothed ones her arms around his neck. "I love you too Kakashi." Athena said after pulling back. "And I am not sure about you but I feel that tonight is going to be long and fun." She added blushing.

Kakashi pulled his mask down slowly grinning the whole time. "Oh I'm sure that it will be Athena." He purred leaning forward and kissing her passionately.

AN: I am so sorry this update took so long to get out to you guys, I started a new job and I have been so busy with that that I haven't had much time to work on this, I promise to get the next chapter out within a month and a half, if it even takes that long. Thank you for following this story as long as you have, I'm planning on two more chapters for sure and maybe a wrap-up chapter if I don't cliffhanger it to a new book….. Please review and again I'm terribly sorry for the wait guys, thanks for being patient. Also yes it's finally happening, they are hooking up XD Sorry if it seems rushed but its how things are unfolding in my mind.