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Once again, Kakashi found himself sitting in the hospital waiting room. Well, standing. Well, lurking. In the corner. Unnoticed.

Because Iruka was a shockingly popular figure, and he wasn't the only one who wanted to know if he would be all right. There was Izumo and Kotetsu, leaning against each other and both murmuring quiet words for comfort. Mizuki, even, rude and annoying Muzuki, sitting in a chair and leaning forward, resting his head on his hands. But there were also many, many crying children, with bandages over the wrists from the ropes and most curled up next to their parents, underneath their protective arms.

Kakashi felt like he had no place here. So he stood in the corner, mostly unnoticed and entirely ignored, waiting, waiting, waiting for a doctor to come out.

Or, at least, he was ignored until a little blond boy with defiantly dry eyes moved to sit next to his corner. This boy had no parents, was all alone, and he kept looking anxiously over towards the emergency room and wiping at his eyes, tiny shoulders shaking. "Ossan," he began weakly, and Kakashi almost winced at the pain in his sensei's son's voice, "are you here for Iruka-sensei too?"

He just nodded mutely. Why lie?

Naruto looked back at the double glass doors in reply and bit his wobbling lip. "…Do you think he'll be all right? H-he… he s-sounded like he was r-really hurt- like those guys were really hurting him."

It took quite a lot for Kakashi to not answer with a grim smile that those sick fucks were dead. This boy was not a ninja. He was a stranger with death. That would likely not comfort him. Kakashi didn't remember much from his short time as a civilian, but he did remember that death had unsettled him.

Mother dying in child birth probably didn't help that…

"Iruka-sensei will be okay. I have seen injuries worse than his. He will be fine." Kakashi nodded firmly. Yes, he would be. Because he was Iruka, and Kakashi needed him, and…

Naruto straightened upright in surprise. "You saw him?! When? That scary guy in the mask took Iruka-sensei away before any of us could even get a look at him!"

Since when am I just a scary guy in a mask? "I… was already here when that scary guy in the mask brought him here. I am… a…" What? Friend, acquaintance, colleague, stalker?! What?! "I… know Iruka-sensei and got worried."

"Oh. Well… I'm still really worried. I mean… he sounded like he was hurting really b-badly… I've been hit before but never wanted to- t-to s-s-scream like h-he (hic) was…"

Kakashi shifted awkwardly when it looked more and more like the child was about to burst into tears. What was he supposed to do with a crying child? Was he supposed to comfort him? How did one go about doing that?

Thank god he didn't have to figure it out, because the moment Naruto's mouth opened a tiny bit like he was going to wail, a doctor emerged from the emergency room and approached the large crowd gathered for Iruka. Kakashi immediately pointed at him and shook Naruto by the shoulder. "Hey! Look! That's Iruka-sensei's doctor! He's going to tell us how Iruka-sensei is."

This had an immediate affect on Naruto's upcoming sobs. The boy instead jumped to his feet and scampered forward, along with a storm of other children. Kakashi stayed back, still and silent, watching as the doctor yelled for quiet when the children were practically screaming at him.

"Iruka-sensei will be all right!" he called, trying to get them all to calm down and possibly garner a few sighs of relief. "He just needs to rest a bit to recover. And you can visit him, but not now! He is getting no visitors now, and no visitors ever that are as loud as you. He needs rest. Now, I'm not telling the details of his condition to a bunch of children. Is there anyone here who-"

"That's us!"

Kakashi watched as Izumo and Kotetsu stood, Mizuki a half a second after them. Together, the three chuunin approached the doctor, who shared a few soft words with them before leading them to a private room, where they could talk and not be overheard by a bunch of crying and nervous children.

Kakashi stayed where he was. Because Iruka may be important to him… but he was nothing to Iruka.

Like the ANBU operative he was, he vanished away to find out what he wanted to know another way. When Naruto turned around to talk to the masked stranger again, he was gone.

"I thought you didn't care about Iruka-sensei anymore."

"I never said that I didn't care about him."

Lion scoffed. "You don't even know him. You don't care about him."

"…I would like to know what happened."

A moment passed in silence, then, with a heavy sigh, the commander began to explain. "Kumo was searching for the Jinchuuriki. They had narrowed it down to Iruka-sensei's class but didn't know which one it was; they assumed Iruka-sensei would know. When they attacked, it was with a genjutsu to put them all to sleep- Iruka-sensei threw it off and put up a damn good fight. But he was outnumbered and out matched; apparently, he managed to wound each of them with a poisoned kunai before they took him down. They were torturing him to try and get him to tell them which one of the students was the Jinchuuriki was- he didn't. Kumo, of course, is denying that they were responsible for this mission and is claiming that the ninja were rogue- there's no way to prove otherwise."

"Bullshit," Kakashi remarked under his breath. "What would rogue ninja want with a Jinchuuriki? Bijuu are only useful for a village. For a group as small as theirs… give me a break."

Lion nodded darkly. "Yeah, exactly. Of course, the fact that there were so many kekkei genkai in that class- even if they hadn't found out Uzumaki's identity, there were still other children to take. We all know how long they've been after the Byakugan… Well, in any case, the situation has been resolved. The children heard the enemy asking him for the Jinchuuriki; Raven used a little genjutsu and now they don't remember- can't risk those children knowing anything at all about the Jinchuuriki, of course. Now they think they were asking him for defense code."

…All I can say is, I am glad those bastards are dead.

Kakashi spent the next few days crouched in a tree outside Iruka's hospital room. He wasn't very keen on letting the sensei out of his sight- he wasn't relying on his fix, no, he was protecting Iruka. Lion had given him a reproachful look about it but otherwise kept silent, and Kakashi was left alone in his tree. He would send Pakkun to bring him meals and even slept on the branch. Tenzou- well, he felt a bit guilty about leaving Tenzou to rot, but… his teammate could protect himself. Iruka- Kakashi just wasn't going to take that chance.

Izumo and Kotetsu were very common visitors. Izumo or Kotetsu, actually- this was probably the first time he had seen one without the other. Apparently, they were covering for each other in the mission's room. Mizuki, for once, was not insulting or annoying- he came by the day after Iruka's rescue and admission and didn't berate him for being captured or make fun of him being injured. Kakashi didn't feel the need to storm in there and kick him out- although seeing the chuunin brought back unpleasant memories, and he curled powerful fists around wood, trying to hold himself in place and hoping, just hoping he wouldn't lose control.

Izumo or Kotetsu were much preferable to Mizuki, needless to say.

"Take it easy, Ruka," Kotetsu murmured during one of such visits, stopping Iruka from blowing a gasket about his students. "I know that Nezuro isn't the best, but he'll take care of your students until you're up and running."

"But they-"

"No way. Stop it, Iruka. They're in good hands."

The sensei sighed, letting his bandaged head drop as he shook it unhappily. Words formed through swollen lips were slightly slurred and and ran together, but were comprehensible enough. "But after what happened- I want to be there and make sure they're all right; people like Hinata, they-"

"Will be fine!" Kotetsu exclaimed, then ran a hand through his spiky hair and slumped back in his seat. "Ugh! Iruka, I swear… you are the only one who would apologize for being ambushed, you know, and you're still trying to do even more for those kids- after keeping your mouth shut about the Kyuubi bra- Naruto, Naruto, sorry!"

Iruka's furious expression calmed to something controllable and he sighed again. He leaned forward slightly to rest his head in his hands, loose hair flowing over tanned skin to his shoulders. Kakashi wondered for a split second how such strands would feel in his fingers before Iruka continued, discounting such thoughts. "Kotetsu… you know how Academy kids are. They're naive and sheltered and, for most of them, this is their first real experience with violence. And most of them always see their Academy sensei as invincible- they know everything, they're the best ninja ever, they can't lose… I just want to see how they are."

"Well, you can see how they are in three weeks, when you go back to work."

"Three weeks is a long time! Do you have any idea-"

Kotetsu groaned in aggravation. "Iruka, just listen to me. Yeah, three weeks is a long time- but whatever they're going through, it's nothing different than what would've happened to them when they graduated in a few years! And you were the one who was interrogated, mind you. Maybe you should be worrying a little more about yourself than those kids of yours."

Iruka still protested on. "But… Naruto. The other kids have their parents, their families- he has no one else… I'm worried about him."

"Well if he actually does follow you around like a deranged puppy then I'm sure he'll pop up here sooner or later-"

"Naruto does not follow me around like a deranged puppy! He likes attention and affection; what, can you blame him? No one else will give it to him so-"

"Yeah, yeah." Kotetsu waved him off and looked up at the ceiling, kicking his legs up and stretching. He looked decidedly like an oversized cat and Kakashi had to smile. "I've heard all about poor little Ky-"

"Kotetsu!"

"Naruto, sorry!" Kotetsu stayed quiet for a moment after that, letting Iruka's anger cool before he cautiously looked up at his friend again. "Look. I'm just saying, if Naruto and these kids are going to be ninja, then they are going to have to get used to getting through things like that without someone holding their hand."

Iruka's tired and swollen eyes narrowed at that. "They are eight years old, Kotetsu. We're not at war anymore! We don't need to thrust these kids into being ninja as soon as possible! I want them to be able to enjoy being civilians and children while they still can, not be forced into our lifestyle just like that."

"…In any case, it's not like you died. They didn't even see you fight, right? You'll be back at work in three weeks, and then they'll see that you're fine and all."

"But they heard-"

"Yes, yes, they heard you being interrogated. Yeah… I admit, that's pretty bad. But, in the end, they survived. And if this is enough to traumatize some of them out of the Academy forever? Well, look at the bright side- at least the weaker children who aren't cut out for this get weeded out before it really matters. If they had become ninja, then they could have died. At least this happened without any of them dying, right?"

"…Right."

But Iruka didn't sound at all convinced, and Kakashi wasn't really sure what to think.

On one hand- Kotetsu's logic was exactly the same as the one employed by the Academy when he graduated. Their final exam was no silly little jutsu test; they had been separated into groups of three and attacked by Konoha chuunin disguised as Iwa ones. Their performance was evaluated and, if they responded well enough, put onto genin teams, given a sensei, and sent off to train for war. Any ninja of Konoha faced real combat situations before ever being given the forehead protector.

But that had been during war. War was when a D-rank consisted of ferrying messages from the front lines to the Hokage, when attack was always possible and battle was always imminent. Nowadays, children often didn't face combat for months after their graduation and almost always finally fought next to their powerful jounin sensei against pathetic thugs or bandits. That was as close to safe as fighting got. Nowadays, genin could get battle experience without risking their lives- and if they froze up, their sensei was always by their side.

And that was Iruka's point of view. Why traumatize children if it wasn't necessary?

Kakashi swelled with pride to know that it wasn't necessary anymore (his existence and work was worth it, it was, it had to be), and was amazed he found himself agreeing with Iruka. He was Hatake Kakashi- poster child for a traumatic upbringing. According to his life, trauma as a child equaled becoming one of the best among the elite.

But his work in ANBU was to keep Konoha safe; to carry on what his sensei had died doing. If Konoha was safe, then there was less of a need for elite shinobi.

His psyche could be- and was- trampled upon and used like a dirty dish rag for the Five Great Nations for all he cared; all that mattered was that it was worth it. And if his work spared others from going through life as he had, then it was worth it. Iruka and his students were proof that it was worth it.

Speaking of his students… why was a pack of them coming into the hospital?

Kakashi peered down from his tree branch to see what looked like Iruka's entire class being led single file inside by some chuunin. Most were sober and nervous, rubbing at still red wrists from the ordeal of three days ago- even obnoxious Naruto was quiet. Kakashi stared until Hinata, the last one, was inside, then looked back at Iruka. Were the kids coming to visit their sensei…?

Ohhh… those kids were numerous and loud and bothersome… disturbing to Iruka… perhaps he should intercede? One little trap would keep those kids occupied for hours and hours and hours. Oh, but there was that tricky little chuunin in the lead… with him there, anything to stop them all would require harm. And the Hokage probably wouldn't like him hurting those kids. Hmm… decisions, decisions…

Kakashi ended up waiting unhappily until the chuunin opened the door, disrupting the conversation between Iruka and Kotetsu. Both turned to look at him, and Iruka's lightly pained expression shifted to one of surprise. "Oh- Nezuro-sensei?! Is there a problem with one of my students- are they all right, are they-"

"You worry too much, Iruka-sensei." Nezuro's voice was definitely too lighthearted, in contrast to Iruka's anxiety and urgency. "Your students are fine. And, if you don't believe me- talk to them yourselves." He turned back to the crowd behind him and slipped outside the room. "Five at a time, and don't be loud or you will get thrown out."

Iruka's expression brightened in first disbelief, then joy at the five children who filed into his room. Kotetsu grinned cheekily and moved back, allowing the kids to crowd uneasily around the bed. Their tiny faces were downcast and their stances were meek and unassuming. The first five to visit were Kiba- Akamaru back on his head- Ino- who seemed to have dragged Chouji and Shikamaru with her- and Naruto. The girl was fiddling with something in her pockets nervously, Kiba was trying- unsuccessfully- to hide an oversized card behind his back, and Naruto was holding a smaller one with something stuck in it.

Kakashi frowned. What were the cards for? Why… oh, he remembered Minato once saying something to him about them. That it was nice to bring people cards while they were hurt or sick. But… why was that again…?

Iruka softened at their nervous, anxious looks, reaching out with one hand to lightly touch Naruto's while looking towards the others. "Hey, you guys? There's no need to look so sad… I'm all right. It just looks worse than it is."

Ino bit her lip, green eyes focused on the foot of the bed as she slowly took a small step forward. "…Iruka-sensei… thank you for p-protecting us and k-keeping us safe and fighting those guys for us." Then she nudged her two friends with sharp jabs to the ribs, and they both started, immediately repeating her thanks in their own words.

Iruka's eyes widened. "Oh- oh, you guys, you don't have to-"

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei!"

"Woof woof!"

The sensei looked like he wanted to melt. "Hey, come on, now… there's no need to thank me and please stop looking so sad, I'm really okay, and you don't have to do this, I-"

"Thank you so much, Iruka-sensei, it was really cool how you fought those guys and protected us and- and, um- Ino, what was that last par-"

"Keeping us safe, baka!"

"Oh, yeah, really thanks for that, thank you so much for keeping us safe!"

Iruka looked like an odd mix of pain and happiness at that. "Naruto…" He squeezed his student's hand lightly before looking between the others, clearly touched. "Really, all of you…"

Ino pulled her hands from behind her back to reveal the small bouquet and nudged Shikamaru, who quickly pulled out and handed over a small, decorative card with those weird, red things that Jiraiya told him were supposed to be hearts, but that confused him, because hearts definitely did not look like that. Iruka stared at it for a moment, then his face crumpled as he accepted it and the flowers and gingerly opened the card. "Get well soon, Iruka-sensei- Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji," he murmured aloud, then looked back up at them with a weak smile. "Oh… you three…"

"I made them help me, Iruka-sensei, we all worked on it. Because the sub told the whole class we should make a card for you, but we all disagreed on what was best and… well… it turned into a competition…"

Iruka looked around the small, claustrophobic room for a moment, then chuckled quietly. "So, you're telling me that this here isn't big enough for all the stuff you guys made today, is it?"

"Nope! We made lots of stuff, Sensei. I wanted to get you a puppy but Mom said that was a bad idea, so-"

"Hey! We want to visit Iruka-sensei too!"

Iruka laughed. "You guys seem to be monopolizing me. Why don't you let the others have their turn?" He cast a wary look at Naruto, who was uncharacteristically silent and sad, before glancing appealingly at Kotetsu. The chuunin grunted unhappily and made to go after the five who were about to leave.

Kiba left his large 'Get well soon' banner leaning up against the wall and trailed out along with the rest, while Naruto fumbled along and tried to surreptitiously slip his comparatively small and raggedy card underneath Ino's. Both Iruka and Kakashi noticed, but Iruka was unable to look at it, due to another collection of five tiny bodies, oversized balloons, bouquets, and cards making their way into the room. Kotetsu slipped out, leaving Kakashi alone to guard Iruka against the little devilish screaming and sobbing hellions otherwise known as pre-genins.

The next visits all progressed similarly to the first. Many almost-tears and anxious thank yous and nervous hand-overs of gifts (that still confused Kakashi), but, finally, the last group of five left. Iruka was looking a little tired but also as if he'd never been happier, and that made Kakashi happy, too.

Iruka wasn't his fix, no. He was just a nice Academy sensei and it was good to see how his operation had succeeded.

But once the last group of kids left, Kotetsu came back in, practically pushing Naruto in front of him. The chuunin grumpily left after, shutting the door behind him, leaving the miserable blond staring nervously at the floor and Iruka looking at him as if he were in pain. It was quiet once Kotetsu had left, and just when it was about to become awkward the sensei spoke up. "Naruto…?"

The child shifted slightly. His eyes flicked up to look at Iruka for less than a half a second before he looked back down to his feet again. The sensei frowned. "Naruto. Look at me."

He complied, but only hesitantly, and Kakashi saw the boy shudder the moment his eyes locked with Iruka's. The sensei stayed calm and just smiled slightly, reaching out to lightly hold Naruto's hand again. With the other, he slid the blond's card out from stacks of others, ignoring when he shuffled and bit his lip. It was small, the folds were imprecise, the paper was wrinkled, and it came with none of the other gifts that had accompanied the well wishes of the other students. Naruto seemed painfully aware of just how inadequate it seemed and shifted again. "I- I'm sorry it's not as good as the others. No one would work with me, and they were all running home to get stuff- Sakura-chan got those chocolates from her mom's restaurant, and Ino got the flowers from her mom's store and Chouji got some food from his home, too, and then Hinata kept trying to talk to me, I don't really know about what, and she-"

"Naruto." Iruka cut his student off with a gentle smile as he reverently held up a small little paper square from inside the card, fingering it lightly. "This is a pass for free ramen at Ichiraku's for a month… you've been saving this for a year."

Naruto shrugged. "Well… I didn't have anything else but I really wanted to give you something, and I decided I could give you that because, well, I didn't know when would be a good time for me to use it but I know you like ramen almost as much as I do and I'm sorry it's not as good as everybody else's, Sensei, but I-"

Iruka cut him off again, just as quiet and easygoing as before. "Naruto, I love everything that you all gave me today- and what you gave me? It's my favorite."

Naruto sniffled and wiped at his nose with his sleeve. "W-why?" he asked, voice strained and plaintive.

Sighing, Iruka scooted over a bit and gestured for Naruto to join him on the bed. The blond did so, cautiously sitting on the very edge, his legs swinging back and forth. Iruka pulled him a little closer and continued. "As much as those other things mean to me, yours still means the most because it's from you. I don't care if its expensive or extravagant or not- because it's the thought that counts, right? And I when get out of here, I'll take you to Ichiraku's. My treat. Now, come here and stop being so sad! You gave me a wonderful gift and everything will be back to normal soon, you'll see, I'll be back at school in just three weeks and there's really no reason to be miserable. I know you guys were scared, but you were brave, too, and-"

"We weren't just scared! I- I was terrified that you would… that you would… don't die, Iruka-sensei!"

Both Kakashi and Iruka stared as the child suddenly wrapped himself around his Academy sensei, shaking arms too short to reach all the way around. He just buried his head in Iruka's shoulder and held on tightly. He looked like he was about to burst into tears.

"Naruto…"

"I was r-really scared that they were g-going to kill us, but then I heard what they were doing to you and I thought- I thought- please don't die, Iruka-sensei! I… I don't have anyone else and I really like you and I really don't want you to die! I got scared that they were going to kill you and- please don't die!"

Kakashi watched on, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, like he was intruding in on a personal moment when Iruka wrapped an arm around Naruto's trembling shoulders and let his student bury his face in his chest.

Don't die, Minato-sensei!

That night. All fire and acrid smoke and screams, and one ANBU and the Fourth Hokage stood aghast as their village was destroyed. Kakashi had yelled out a desperate, childish request when his sensei had turned to run and fight- and Minato had been unable to nod. He had just looked at this last student, then left.

Five hours later, he was dead.

Kakashi shivered, suddenly cold and very, very alone. He looked back in through the window and smiled faintly to see Naruto curled up against Iruka, the sensei lightly tracing small circles into the blond's shoulder. "I won't die, Naruto," he murmured. "I won't die."

Kakashi found himself craving that promise, just as much as Naruto. No one could truly swear that, not really- but no one had ever promised him that before. Maybe… maybe, if Minato had, or his father- they wouldn't be dead. He didn't know, but the reassurance from Iruka was as comforting to him as it was to Naruto. He sat there in the tree, letting his fix ease the powerful pull of memories from the worst night in Konoha's history.