Sorry for the delay but my life is a mess and I'm doing everything I can to put everything together. It's been difficult.

Anyway here is the chapter. This one it's a flashback like the previous.

Thought/Flashback/Dream

Chapter 2

"Mio concentrate! I'm calling you a while ago," The girl groaned and closed her eyes. She was tired of being pushed around by her sensei, tired of training, tired of listening what she already knew. "Anyway… As I was saying, graduation is right around the corner and I'd like to say that it was an honour teaching each one of you and I know you will be an extraordinary shinobi. I'm proud of you all. Each of you will be a part of a team lead by a Jounin. I…" the bell ringed and the kids more eager to return home began running to the door. "Oi, be careful" Sensei said as he walked to the door.

Mio didn't move, her eyes fowling them slowly, thoughtful, then she stood feeling someone behind her, she turned and looked up to the tall boy with a lollipop in his mouth. Asuma wrapped his arm around her neck and started leading her towards the door where some of their friends were waiting.

"Come on, Mio" someone shouted from the door but she didn't look.

"Come one, you always seem to be dreaming"

"I'm not" she argue and crossed her arms. Asuma smile, kissed her cheek when he saw her eyes softening.

"You're the one who fall from the tree when the teacher screamed to get your attention" Mio felt her face becoming red and struggled to control the blush "And the other day you…"

"Whatever" she mumbled her cheeks pink, he chuckled.

Asuma eyed her as he saw her eyes locked on Kakashi's form, who still sat alone in the room. Slowly he got up from where he sat and began heading to the door. Her deep black eyes looked at him, searching for the boy he used to be.

Since his father's death, he had been different; he had begun treating Mio differently. He avoid her, said nasty words to her, expecting her to leave him alone. But she would always approached him, asking if he was fine, making sure he knew that she was there for him but he became cold and drawn back, not going against any rule, focusing only on the mission and the orders. Mio had tried desperate to keep their friendship, they had been so close since their first meeting but it had been difficult. He wasn't the same.

But she still smile to him, even when he scowled at her. She still approached him when he pushed her away. She was still there for him and she would always be because she loved him, he was her friend and her heart clenched every moment she saw his pain, every moment she saw him alone.

He was wearing his usual dark blue and grey clothing. His mask covering the bottom half of his face leaving only his eyes. He stopped before them and just stared with curiosity to her when he felt her eyes upon him.

Mio looked away.

He wasn't the same, she remember his happy eyes, his laugh. Mio remembered when they had become friends, now he was cold and distant; he didn't spare a word to her and only wanted to know about rules. He was always looking for a fault to criticize anyone, especially her.

She heard his scowl as he passed through them and tears began filling her eyes.

It hurt so much to see him like that, she him so different.

"Kakashi" she called, then he turned to look at her. "Did you forget?" he didn't say anything, he didn't need to and when she turned to him, he saw the pain in her eyes, and felt his heart clenched.

No, Kakashi, you can't feel anything, you don't like her. Stop thinking about her suffering, he scowled himself.

"You're my friend, my first friend" he shook his head, hardening his eyes. "Don't you feel anything?"

"Friends are unnecessary baggage, feelings are unnecessary." She felt the tears filling her eyes again, his heart sank, and he felt pain for hurting her.

"You're being mean, why are you mean? Friends are the ones that help you every day, they are there for you, and they don't let you be alone… Did you forgot everything?"

"I don't need your friendship," he said, he saw her eyes hardening signal of determination and he wondered what would she do. His eyes moved to Asuma briefly and saw his jaw clenched.

The two had become great friends, Kakashi knew. He saw them together, they seem almost brothers. And he didn't understand why had she chosen him.

He cursed again, he couldn't feel jealous about her, about her friendships, he didn't need that. He didn't know what to say or do when he was around her. He had the constant urge to be by her side. But Being a shinobi came first and everything else was just a distraction. He knew, he had repeated that mantra so many times, but it didn't help. His mind was constantly filled with thoughts of her; he couldn't do the same mistake as his father. So, he had pushed her away.

Still, he didn't understand why he felt powerless in controlling is emotions when he thought in her. He needed to learn to control his emotions and he craved that control, desperately.

"You'll regret every word your saying. I'll make you regret it"

"You think you can, Uchiha?" she was quick, so quick he hadn't seen her move before him, he didn't saw her approach him, didn't saw when she stepped away from Asuma but she was grabbing his collar and he was pressed against the wall, looking to two red eyes. "Mio…" he whispered, amazed by her eyes.

How? When?

He wonder when had she awakened the sharingan, why hadn't she showed it before.

She had wanted to hide her ability. But Why? Wasn't she proud of it?

He didn't reacted, Kakashi had to forced his head to look at her eyes after an awkward few seconds in which his brain seemed only capable of noticing how beautiful she was, with her red eyes and black hair, the anger in her face.

Kakashi cursed himself for such thoughts, he didn't need this, didn't need to see her as more than a ninja. She was nothing to him, not anymore.

"I won't give up on you. I know the Kakashi I knew is still there, so please don't let him die" he saw her eyes turning black, the same eyes he had always wanted to discover their secrets and pushed her away from him. Mio stumbled and collapse to the floor, as a ninja she could had stop her fall but she did nothing. "You're not alone" she whispered, needing him to hear her, needing him to understand.

He approached her slowly. Mio clenched her jaw and fists, the hair in the back of her neck rising with the killing intent the felt from him but she didn't move.

Everyone left in the classroom gave a step back, but not Mio, she wouldn't let him think for a second that she was afraid of him. He was her friend. She wanted to embrace him, make him realize that he wasn't alone in the world as he seemed to think, she was there for him and she would be no matter what.

Kakashi crouched down in front of her and growled lowly, almost like a dog and when he talked, she could feel how much he was angered by her actions and words.

"The boy you knew is long dead, I'm not the same innocent child, I have learned for my father's mistakes and I won't to the same,"

"Your father wasn't wrong in protecting his comrades!" hissed Mio.

"I don't need your pity; I don't need your worry. According with…" Mio's eyes hardened, she knew very well what he was about to say and she didn't what to hear.

"Rules, rules. It's the only thing you know, the only thing you worry about?"

"As a shinobi I don't have the luxury to dream as you seem to always being doing. Do you want to reach me? Then grow up, this isn't a game, this is the real world and the sooner you understand the better"

"You are a Hypocrite you know" he growled lowly and clenched his fists, and then he stood looking at her, his eyes flashing with anger.

"No, I am a realist person; I thought you had understood that as a shinobi you are meant to kill, especially after you became a chunnin" he clenched his jaw and turned to leave but stopped. "I'm a chunnin since I became 6 and you turn one at the age of 7, you should know that to kill is your only purpose" He began walking but when her words reached him, he didn't walk, he stood there.

"I hate you sometimes, you think your right in everything but I tell you something, you are wrong, so wrong. When I turned a Chunnin a realized that a shinobi isn't meant to kill but protect." Mio stood and looked fiercely at his back. "We, ninjas exist to protect our country, our village, our comrades, our precious people, and the future. You are the one that needs to realize that rules aren't everything and when you learn it, you'll regret not have done it sooner," she stopped and breathe deeply, calming herself, he needed to hear what she was about to say, she needed him to hear her "But I'll be here for you, I won't let you fall" he looked briefly to her eyes and saw determination and marvelled how could she be so confident.

"Don't be ridiculous" Kakashi left, passing Asuma and the others in the door, leaving her.

Asuma approached her and saw her expression change from sad to distant.

"He is really a jerk…" whispered Asuma, but she didn't move, she didn't hear him. She seemed distant, lost in thought "Hello," Asuma said as he waved, Mio blinked and the other kids laughed. "You're dreaming again"

"I'm not"

"You shouldn't be thinking about him"

"But…"

"He's not the same Mio, you shouldn't worry about him"

"Asuma…" The tall boy with a lollipop in his mouth embrace her, his hand running up and down in her back.

"I know you still looking for him"

"He's still there, I know"

"Did you see?" she nodded.

"Briefly, but I saw him there"

"You two coming?" someone shouted from the door and Asuma chuckled.

"You aren't giving up on him are you?"

"Never"

"Good…" he said as he helped her stood "We're coming, wait for us" as they walked Asuma looked at her "So, how about you set your head working and tell me who do you think will be part of your team?" asked Asuma, he ruffled her hair, Mio snapped his hand away and looked at him thoughtful.

"I don't know but I know they will try to balance each team, which means the best students of this class will be separate."

"So you're certain you won't be in Kakashi's team?"

"Yes. As one of the top student's, he will be paired with one of the last… Probably Obito." Asuma chuckled.

"And you?"

"You"

"I'm not that bad!" he shouted as she moved ahead of him.

"You're lazy, that's the problem" she smiled to him when she turned but in her head, Kakashi was still there.

She saw him sited close to the window, his eyes gazing the sky. In that moment, she could see why Rin liked him. She felt a burning sensation and heat began rising in her cheeks and Mio rested her hands in her face.

"You like him" She looked at him; his dark eyes reminded her of her father's eyes, as his hair.

Obito was unusual calm, maybe it was because it was graduation day or because Mio had asked him, no, she had demanded for him to be silent or he would suffer consequences. And he feared her wrath.

Still, Mio didn't knew how to behave around him when he was so quiet.

He never listen to her, he had always done the things he thought were right, no matter what. He was always late for anything, no matter the importance. He was everything if the opposite of her. The only thing they had in common as the smile and the name, both were Uchiha. But he was always smiling; a big grin in his face, different from her's… And Kakashi seemed always capable of ruining his good mood.

And he was in love with Rin. But Rin was in love with Kakashi. And Kakashi didn't care for any of them.

"You like him" he repeated. Mio looked at him again and remembered the times he had lost, the times he had been beaten by Rin when Sensei pair him up with her during training.

"Of course I do, he's my friend."

"No…" he shook his head. "You like him the same way I like Rin" Mio's cheeks turned pink and she shook her head, trying to deny that fact. It wasn't like she didn't care for him, she did, more than she had realize but Mio believed as a shinobi she wasn't meant to love, not him, not anyone.

"You're wrong," she said and he smile secretly, believing he knew something she didn't saw.

She looked around trying to forget his statement, when she felt his eyes upon her; Mio looked at Kakashi, matching the fire she saw.

The class was buzzing with excitement, everyone was talking about who they may or may not be partnered up with. When their Sensei walked into the room, everyone sat quietly; He made a little speech and then started to naming the groups.

"…Team 3… Might Guy, Shiranui Genma and Ebisu

…Team 4… Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin…"

"Yah!" Obito yelled as he threw his hands up in the air. Everyone in the class looked at him, Mio reached for him and made him sit.

"And Hatake Kakashi," Obito went ecstatic for being on the same team as Rin, to annoyed that his other teammate was an arrogant boy-genius. Mio looked at Kakashi as Sensei asked Obito to shut up and sit with a hint of annoyance, the scowl on Kakashi's face was visible. "….Team 5… Uhciha Mio, Sarutobi Asuma, Yamashiro Aoba…" she looked at Asuma, he wore a big smile as he looked at her. She could see he was happy to be in her team "Team 8… Tokara Yama, Mitarashi Anko, Shiro Kannabi …Team 10…" The next teams Mio didn't hear, she was too focused in her thoughts.

She had been right.

Once Sensei was done assigning the teams, he bid them final farewell before dismissing them. The room filled chatter as the teams came together and started heading to their designated meeting place.

Three years later

Mio reached for the door in her house but stopped when she felt someone inside she didn't recognize. Her eyes hardened and she breathe deeply, she could feel her mother's chakra, sorrowful and stirring. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Before she could opened the door, she heard soft footsteps behind her and Mio tried to relaxed her body, turning to find little Itachi running through her.

"Mio-nee-san you're home!" he said smiling, his hands rising as his big dark eyes looked at her. She crouched down and murmured something; however, Itachi wrapped his arms around her neck in a loving embrace.

"I'm here" she hugged him back, and saw as his parents approached them slowly. Mio lift him and he giggled. "Something wrong?" she asked slowly to Fugaku and Mikoto. His mother looked away from her eyes as tears began filling her eyes. Fugaku approached her and rested his hand in her shoulder, his expression full of sadness and regret.

"You have to be strong Mio," he softly said as he looked to her dark eyes. Itachi tightened his hold in her neck when he felt her body tense. "I know it will be difficult to understand…"

"What are you talking about? What happen?" Itachi looked at Mio, his big and sharp eyes noticing the fear he saw a fraction in her eyes.

The door behind her opened and closed with force, Mio saw her mother running, tears falling through her eyes, her body shuddering with each sob. She tried to follow her but someone gripped her shoulder from behind, the same person she didn't have recognized the chakra signature before.

"Don't do that, Child"

"Why?" she looked sharply to the man behind her, her sharigan eyes showing again.

"You think I fear your eyes? You're wrong, girl."

"Tell me what's wrong."

"As a shinobi you should had learned that you can't…"

"Tell me!" she almost shouted and Itachi jumped against her. Mio looked at him and ran her hand up and down his back, smoothing him. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry" the little boy rested his head in her shoulder with his arms around her neck.

"Don't be mad Mio-nee. I don't like when you're mad"

"I won't be mad" she whispered.

"Promise?" he asked and she nodded. A little smile appeared in his face. Long minutes passed in silence as no one seemed to want to talk.

"I don't know how to tell you this but…" began Fugaku.

"Your father is dead" said the man behind her.

Mio fell to her knees not caring if she lost control. For too long she hadn't let her mother see her pain, for too long she had tried to control her emotions but the burden was too much, it felt as if it would crush her chest and kill her. How she missed her father's strong arms, which would hold her, how much she would miss his training, his teaching. His voice, his presence, telling her that everything would be all right when she needed.

That was what it felt to lose someone dear? It was this pain he had felt when he had lost his father?

He had lost his father at the age of seven, she thought; she had lost her father at the age 15.

Promise me you will take care of your mother, you'll be strong for her.

Her father's words echoing in her mind made her grip the grass in her hands, her forehead resting in the ground. It was his last words to her before he had left to the mission, before he had left to the war.

The War…

How much she hate it, countless of live had been lost due to this war, due to the Third Shinobi World War.

And now, her father was dead.

I can't take this anymore, she thought as sobs shook her violently not noticing when someone approached her and knelt and held her.

"Don't cry" someone whispered in her ear, Mio wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Kakashi…" she tried to murmur. Then she broke again, tears falling down her face.

Kakashi looked at her. The girl he took pride in calling a friend, the girl he liked even if tried to deny with every fiber of his body. Her dark eyes that always sparkle in delight, her gentle voice that always tried to make him realize he was wrong, the soft voice that called his name, her hands that had held him when he had lost his father, she was broken before him and he couldn't do anything.

"Don't leave me" he heard her say, he felt her arms snake up his chest, her fingernails digging into his shirt.

Mio knew her mother was pregnant, she was waiting and in 6 months, she would be a sister. She didn't knew what to do… She was scared, her mother was turning weak, her body weak and Mio knew, she knew that her mother's body wouldn't had strength to fight. She was scared of losing not only her mother but her sibling too.

She couldn't seem to stop crying. Tatsuya was her father, and on more than one occasion, she found his fussing annoying, but now she would do anything to hear his voice.

"Forgive me" she said as she step away from him, her eyes cast to the ground. Mio felt his cold hands caressing her face.

"It's okay" he whispered "I know what you're feeling" she looked up, shocked and her eyes landed on his pained dark eyes and they weren't angry or distanced like she thought they would. They showed his agony for her suffering, his regret and guilt and something else he seemed to feel for her. And only for her. She shook her head.

"Please..." she couldn't cry. She couldn't break down in front of him, again.

"I'm here" and at his broken whisper, she felt the first tear escaping her eye and running its way down.

"I already miss him" Mio closed her eyes and shook her head. Another tear followed the first one and then another. And she gritted her teeth and fisted her hands, angry at herself for having given into her grief. She was stronger than that.

"Shh..." he whispered as he rested his masked lips against her forehead. Mio was surprised to see his loving side, to feel his comfort and care, but it felt good to be in his arms. Still she wondered for how long he would be this caring person, when would he turn to the distant Kakashi she was so used to see.

Maybe this was a sign of his maybe not.

Then he took a step back and stood.

"How about a Shinobi Kumite?" Mio saw his smile, he was trying to make her forget her pain. Trying to ease her mind.

"I..."

"You can't use the sharigan" he point out.

"You want to fight me?" he nodded, then he reached for her hand and helped her stood "Thank you, Kakashi"

"For what?"

"For being here"

I hope you like and please review.

Sorry for the grammar mistakes.