Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
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EPILOGUE
The campfire crackled and threw long moving shadows over the surrounding darkness. Sakumo sat contentedly on a log waiting for his guest to arrive for a second time. The first time he spoke to his grown up son had been hard for the disgraced nin but it seemed like Kakashi understood his motives and reasoning. He forgave him.
Then his dead son disappeared, for somehow he was welcomed back into the world of the living before he could ask how Kakashi could forgive his father but could not forgive himself.
The fire before him whipped around wildly, announcing the presence of the once again dearly departed Copy-nin. Kakashi walked in and sat down across from his father like he had done it a millions times before. Sakumo noticed the difference in air that his son carried since their last meeting, when before there was an endless exhaustion, now sat a satisfied man who had passed away only minutes before. His son didn't look like he carried the burden of guilt on his shoulders any longer.
"Tell me Kakashi, have you found happiness?" His youthful son smiled. Sakumo was briefly taken aback; it wasn't since Kakashi was a toddler that he'd seen that smile. All the better, his son did not wear the mask that hid truly one of his best features.
"That's me!" A light voice responded in lieu of his son.
Sakumo glanced up at the short, pink-haired woman who came up from behind Kakashi and as if by habit wrapped her arms around his son's neck to comfortably hug him from behind. The young woman smiled brightly at Sakumo like they were long lost friends finally reunited. She reminded him of his own wife, before Kakashi's time, when there existed hope and the radiant beauty of love.
The older generation Hatake understood then. Yes, she's the reason for the changes in his son. Her presence alone had saved his son's smile.
For the first time since his death, Sakumo felt relieved.
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