Chapter 10: Change
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Kakashi pulled her forward. "Well, what would you like to see?"
Kohana scowled, refusing to respond.
Kakashi sighed, "You may as well take advantage of your time outside."
Kohana deliberated this. He was right. The nurses would never let her out and she desperately needed some fresh air. She glanced at Kakashi coolly. "Fine. Take me to the mountainside. I want to see Sensei."
The trek to the hills was quiet. Kohana obstinately looked ahead, trying to dismiss Kakashi's presence. Kakashi understood her demeanor and felt no need to fill the cold silence with chatter.
Kohana had exerted most of her energy by the time they had reached the bottom of the trail leading to the stone faces. She was profusely sweating, and gasping for breath; though Kakashi stuck to the surrounding forest, the heat managed to smolder its way through the shade of the greenery. "Too much", she panted as her body involuntarily slumped against Kakashi's chest.
"I can see that", Kakashi smirked, as he straightened her up.
The black haired girl glared at him. "I've been walking forever. Unlike you, I don't have unlimited stamina."
Kakashi silently chuckled, and lifted her onto his back so that her legs wrapped around his torso while her arms locked around his neck.
She protested, "Don't! I can walk."
Kakashi replied, "You shouldn't exert yourself too much. You've done more than you usually do. Plus, this way is much faster." And within a minute, she was sitting across the Fourth's statue, her legs stretched out in front of her. A new emotion overtook her as she stared at Minato's face. She blinked her eyes rapidly, and hid her face in the nook of her shoulder.
Kakashi noticed her actions and quietly comforted her, "He died a hero's death."
"I know", she replied softly, momentarily forgetting her irritation with him.
"You still can't come to terms with it", Kakashi observed.
Her eyes flashed, her voice frosty, " I don't expect you of all people to understand how I feel."
"I understand more than you think."
She scoffed, not bothering to respond.
Kakashi sighed, "You and I have shared the same loss and when you left for several years, I thought you would have found a way to deal with it."
"I can't rid myself of my feelings and pretend everything is all right with the world."
"How long will you hold the past against me?"
"Do you expect me to forgive you?"
"No, I just want you to listen."
"Listen to your excuses? Tell me, how many have you come up with in all these years?"
Kakashi's voice was slightly cooler when he replied, "You're being immature, Kohana."
"This conversation is pointless. I told you – stop engaging me. I don't want to have to do anything with you."
"I'm afraid that's impossible. I promised Obito I would look after you."
"The same way you looked after Rin?"
"I agree with you. I failed, but it won't be that way again."
"Why should I trust you? After everything you've done, why should I believe you?"
"Because Kohana-chan", Kakashi began, as he too took a seat next to her, "even the worst of us can change."