Author's Note- Enjoy!

I don't own Naruto.

"One more," Kakashi slurred as he banged his glass onto the bar. He was slumped on the stool, his visible eye half closed as he unsteadily took a breath and impatiently tapped his fingers on the wooden surface.

"Are you sure it's alright Hatake-san? You've already had an awful lot..." The bartender muttered as she looked down at the wasted jonin. Kakashi lifted his head to meet her gaze, his head swaying as if he could not support the weight.

"Don't be ridiculous! Just one more, one more!" He begged, his words tumbling out of his mouth so quickly that the bartender could barely understand. The waiter sighed before pouring another serving of whiskey into the silver haired mans glass. He muttered a 'thank you' before grabbing the glass tightly and chugging the contents down in a single gulp. He then placed a twenty dollar bill on the counter before sliding off the seat and wobbling towards the entrance.

At this point, the jonin's world was spinning. He had to stop once by the doorway, waving off the concern of the workers before pushing past them and into the dark night. The cold air barely bothered him as he staggered into the darkness. Even as droplets of water started to fall from the sky he did not stop.

Where am I going again?

The tipsy teen finally came to a stop as he tripped over his own feet. Down he went, tumbling around on the damp grass underneath him, arms not quick enough to brace himself in this drunken state. Droplets of rain dripped across his face as he laid motionless with his arms and legs sprawled in different angles. Normally he would have flushed with embarrassment at his outlook but at the moment he wanted nothing more than to stay on the cold, muddy ground.

"Sensei, Obito," he muttered as he began to see images of them walking across the clearing. The mirages walked up to him, kneeling down beside him as he raised his head, "What are you doing out here? Were you looking for me?"

The illusions nodded their heads 'yes' smiling down at him as they both held their hand out for him to grab. This isn't real, This isn't real.

I know, he replied to the voice in his head, I know.

Yet he still stretched out his hand to meet theirs, not surprised when his fingers went straight through their ghostly pale ones. He gave them a sad smile, closing his eyes. It was too good to be true, he knew it was, but he still clung onto his happy memories of his fallen teacher and friend.

"Kakashi," they called, their voices soft at first, "Kakashi."

Their voices became increasingly louder as the two voices started to mold into one. That's funny, they almost sound like Rin now..

"Kakashi!" There was no doubt that it was Rin that called his name as he began to open one tired eye after another. Though his vision was blurred from his state and the rain, he could make out a blob running towards him. The figure continued to call his name, making Kakashi want to cover his ears. Stop yelling, It's giving me a headache.

His eyes started to close again until he felt soft, petite hands grasp his own, wrapping his cold hands into her warm ones. She was bent over him now, he could see clearly, her face filled with concern and relief. Hazel eyes hypnotized him as he laid in the grass, unmoving.

"What are you doing here? Go inside, you'll catch a cold," he warned her, his words slightly slurred though he tried to speak so she would understand. The kunoichi shook her head, a laugh escaping her pink lips as she helped him sit up. His body felt like it had been battered and dragged around for too long as he unsteadily tried to make his way onto his feet. With Rin's assistance he was able to do so, walking a few unsteady steps with his weight on her small shoulders.

"How'd you find me?" He asked, trying to steady his voice so he didn't sound so damn drunk. She didn't reply for a few moments as they trudged through the muddy clearing.

"It wasn't hard. I asked Gai, he always seems to know where you are." she chuckled, momentarily stumbling under his weight before regaining her footing and continuing forward.

Gai's just as creepy as I thought, he scowled in his head.

"Why'd you come here? I would have found my way back eventually," he told her, glancing up at her face.

"I was worried about you, you stormed off all of a sudden," she pointed out, her hazel eyes surprisingly serious as she gazed into the silver haired teens eyes. She wrinkled her nose at the bitter smell of whisky that radiated off of him. She hated alcohol, the taste, the smell, both were awful,"Why were you so upset? Was it something I said?"

"Yes," he muttered, his eyes starting to close again. He wanted to avoid the topic of his little runaway and get drunk stunt. It didn't help that his head had started to pound from the immense amount of alcohol that he had consumed. He let out a groan, his hands slowly moving up to his head, pressing against his temples.

"Why did I make you upset?" Rin asked, still somewhat oblivious to the jonin's reasoning. You can't save everyone, she recalled him saying. When he had said that, perhaps he had been referring to...ah. A pang of pain filled her chest, momentarily making her unable to breath as if someone had punched her in the gut. Seeing Kakashi's worried mismatched eyes at her sudden pause, she shook herself out of her phase and continued walking.

"I couldn't save them, Obito, Sensei, My father," he admitted faster than she had expected. She assumed that it was because he was wasted, after all a sober Kakashi would not let a single word of explanation out. She let out a sigh that she had been holding in, her eyes staring at the muddy earth below them, "I couldn't do anything about them, couldn't help them, couldn't save them. That's the way that life goes Rin, you have to understand that, it's-"

"-Reality, I know," she muttered, "But the reason I wanted to be a medic nin was so I could save people, not watch them die. If I had been quicker or more skilled, those jonin may have at least had a chance."

"Shinobi are surrounded by death, if you don't want to see death then don't be one," he told her before quickly adding on an apology as he saw the kunoichi flinch,"Sorry."

"It's fine," she tried to smile at him, failing. What if he was right? Maybe she wasn't cut out for the job if she was so easily upset by death or blood? Maybe it was just not ment to be and this was a sign to turn back before things got ugly? To her surprise, Kakashi began to speak again, his voice much more sober now as they crossed into Hatake property.

"That doesn't mean you can't save people though. Yes, medic nins have to see death but they can also see life. The birth of a newborn child, the sound of the steady heartbeat of the shinobi that they save. Though they may see death, they are there to offer light in a time of darkness." he told her, his eyes clear of their previous haze. Rin blinked, shock running through her as she processed his words. Though they may see death, they are there to offer light in a time of darkness.

"Rin, Your a great Medic Nin," he told her honestly as they entered the house,"Don't dwell in the darkness, be the light that guides them through."

When did Kakashi get so wise? Rin wondered as they slipped off their muddy shoes. Perhaps during the years that they had not seen each other, he had matured. She could see it now, the growing wisdom and intelligence in his eyes. She could only imagine the things that he had had to see during his work in the ANBU. She cleared her throat, a blush making it's way to her cheeks at his flattering compliment. It was rare for Kakashi to compliment anyone, she would take his words with gratitude.

"Thank you," she whispered, smiling softly. He smiled back, making Rin nearly choke. This was the first time that she had seen Kakashi smiling without his mask on and the sight that greeted her was the cutest thing that she had ever seen. She blushed harder, looking away in hopes that he did not see.

"Go take a shower, you reek of alcohol," she changed the subject, wrinkling her nose at the mention of the drink she despised. She gave him a playful shove towards the bathroom.

"Alright, alright," he said, raising his arms in defeat as he let her push him towards the bathroom, "Although I recommend that you take on as well, mud face."

"Mud Face?!" she asked in horror. Pushing past him and into the bathroom she looked into the mirror and nearly fainted at the horrendous sight that reflected back at her. Her usually neat face paint was mixed with mud that had been on Kakashi's cloths when she had found him. She cringed as she continued to stare at the cave woman like girl in the mirror. When she turned around to look at Kakashi, she nearly fainted in surprise.

While she had been glued to the mirror the silver haired jonin had taken the time to take off his shirt which laid forgotten on the floor. She gawked at the teen for a few moments before she jumped in the other direction, an odd noise coming out of the back of her throat at the sight.

I've seen Kakashi shirtless so many times, she reminded herself, why am I acting like this now?

Maybe because he was thirteen back then, she mentally face palmed. Of course he had changed, it had been five years now after all. She took a peek at the jonin's shirtless form, blinking at the firm muscles that had developed. She noticed his ANBU tattoo on his left shoulder as he brushed past her to get to the shower. He turned the water on before looking at Rin expectantly. It took her a minute to process this and when she did she was out the door in a flash.

Slamming the door shut behind her she grabbed the teens dirtied shirt, walking through the now familiar hallway and into the laundry room. She placed the shirt in the growing pile of dirty cloths placed in the laundry basket before turning away. She walked back down the hall, turning right to enter the second bathroom installed in the house. Turning the lights and sink on, she splashed cool water on her face. She stood over the sink for a few seconds before turning the sink off and wiping her face dry with a towel.

Turning the lights off she walked towards Naruto's room which was right next door, a smile on her face as she entered the dimly lit room. She found a peacefully sleeping Naruto who clung onto his sheets, mouth wide open as he let out a snore. She leaned down to kiss his forehead before exiting the room but not before wishing him a goodnight,

"Goodnight Naruto."