Hey everybody!! OKay, I know. You all want to kill me right now. I AM SORRY FOR THE SUPERLATE UPDATE. Yes, it has been a Long time, but,. I had a surprise trip to Florida (Disneyworld!!Wootwoot!!) and then I had to make up all the missed schoolwork. So, do you forgive me?

CHAPTER THREE: Hope

Kakashi raised an eyebrow when he saw that only Kotetsu was at the gate. He Rayne and Kotetsu were supposed to meet there at seven thirty in the morning. but, Kakashi being Kakashi, got there at eight fifteen, a decent forty five minutes late.

"Where's Rayne?" he asked the other man as he came to a stop five feet from him.

"She went to drop Kakomi and the twins off at Shizune's. Kakomi was really upset and so she might still be with her," Kotetsu explained as he shifted in his disguise.

He was wearing a black and dark grey out fit that matched Kakashi's own. They were in disguise for the mission. Both of them had removed their foreheadprotectures and Kotetsu had his hair up in a ponytail. The bandage he usually wore across his nose had been removed, making him look completely different.

Kakashi had taken his mask off-- only to replace it with a fake, short, silver beard. His gravity defying silver hair was relaxed down so it was straight and fell to about an inch above his shoulder. His forehead portecter that covered his sharingan eye was replaced with a diagonal bandage.

Both looked like intimidating bodygaurds and were virtually unrecognizable.

"Kakomi was upset about Rayne leaving?" Kakashi asked, worried about how his little girl was gonna handle her mom and dad leaving at the same time.

Kotetsu nodded. "That and she is worried about her parents being seperated. She's confused."

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"Dont go Mommy," the four year old pleaded, clinging to Rayne's leg withan incredible tight grip for one so young.

"Honey, I'll be fine and so will Kakashi. I promise." Rayne knelt down and held her adopted daughter at arms length, looking into her eyes worried. "Kakomi, I've gone on missions before and you have never been this upset. Whats different this time?"

"You'll come back right?"

"Of course I will. Havent I always?"

"But, you also came back for Daddy. And now you dont love him anymore and so you might not come home again..." the young girl explained, her eyes tearing up.

Rayne closed her eyes for a moment. She knew that Kakomi had been upset about her and Kakashi breaking up but, she hadnt known just what she had been thinking. Openeing her eyes she smiled at her adopted daughter sadly.

"Kakomi, I do love your father, its just that..." she trailed off for a moment, thinking of a way to finisgh the sentence. "Its just that he lost my trust by doing something stupid. I still love him though. I will always. But, we cant be together. And Kakomi, no matter how I feel about anyone in this village, you are always a good enough reason to come home. I would never leave you or stop loving you or any of your sisters or brother. Never. Understand me?" she asked seriously.

Kakomi sniffled for a moment before smiling brightly and throwing her arms around Rayne's neck. "Yes, Mommy. I understand. I love you too"

Rayne smiled, hugged and kissed her before standing and waving to Shizune. "I'll be home soon. Thanks for watching them." She then turned and ran to meet Kakashi and Kotetsu at the gate.

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"Sorry I'm late. Kakomi and I had to have a talk." Rayne nodded her greeting to both men as she approached them.

"Is she okay?" Kakashi asked.

Rayne nodded, not meeting his eye. "She was worried I woldnt come back."

"Why would she think that? Didnt you tell her that this wasnt an extremely dangerous mission?" Kakashi asked.

Rayne sighed and looked down. "Of course i did. But...she thouht that I...didnt love you and so she thought that I wouldnt come home. Apparently that means she believed that I would only come back becuse of you and that she wasnt a good enough reason."

"She never said anything like that to me," Kotetsu said, sounding confused.

"What did you say to her?" Kakashi asked.

Rayne looked up, finally meeting his gaze. "I told her that you lost my trust by doing something stupid but that I still...loved you. i told her we couldnt be together but that she and Haine, Haru, and Kasume were always enough of a reason to come home," she explained.

Kotetsu did not look happy when Rayne said she still loved kakashi. But, then again, she had already told him that. They were close and she seemed to think of him as a confidant-- someone she could tell everything to. She had let him see her cry and had let him comfort her. But, she had never made any sign that she had feelings for him other than those of friendship. Still, he knew that the most inportant thing to Rayne was trust and he now had all of hers. He just had to make her see him as more than a friend.

Kakashi stared at Rayne for a moment, thinking over what she said/ She still loved him. He had lost her trust. They couldnt be together.

She still loved him.

A smile spread on his bearded face as he thought about it. Sure, she said they couldnt be together. But, she said she still loved him and so, there was still a chance. When he realized eh was smiling he quickly set his lips in an indifferent line.

"Should we get going?" Kotetsu spoke up, breaking the silence that had surrounded the three.

Rayne nodded and smiled at him, grateful for the break in tension. It was just thne that she realized how different they both looked. She was so accustomed to their facial shapes that she had been able to recognize them even in their disguises.

"You guys look great. No one there will recognize either of you."

Kotetsu smiled but then frowned and asked, "What about you? You have to be one of the most recognizable ninja in the village now."

Rayne smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Thats why Im going to be wearing different clothes, wearing make up and Im not bringing my swords. People apparently have been trained to associate my swords with me. They have been told that if they see a woman with long, curly hair and double katana swords with one sapphire hlt and one ruby hilt, that they should automatically prepare for a taijutsu and sword battle. So, I have left my swords in Tsunade's care. Without them it seems I am virtually unrecognizeable except to those who have seen my face." She sighed at the thought of not being able to bring her beloved swords. They were the only things she had left of her parents. The ruby one was her fathers and the sapphire one her mothers. Although her parents had just been quiet farmers, they had known some taijutsu. But, not enough to save their lives against rogue attackers. She sighed once more but then smiled at Kotetsu, putting the thoughts away for a more appropriate time.

"We meet Hige Tomohiro, my new father, tomorrow at the border. This means we have to make good time tonight," she said, looking up into the morning sun. "And dont forget, from here on you must call me Kira. Kakashi, you answer to Tamon and , Kotetsu, you answer to Haruya. Understood?"

Both shinobi nodded. Rayne smiled slightly before turning and walking past the gate, officially starting their mission.

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Did I apologize for how late this chapter is? Well, Im sorry. The next one will be up in a few days, I PROMISE.

Review thanks for chapter two go to:rukia23 (english muffins and ramen,huh? That could work ;), KittynJenn, SickOfPenNames (Alex, feel better soon. PM when you can.),Starlitangel99 (the jealousy will start VERY soon ;) and last but not least: Keita Pekoe. Thank you all.

Next Up: They meet Hige (Rayne's new Dad) and then finally: Yoro. And, the mission gets started! I am going to have SO much fun with this story!! -insert evil laughter here-