A/N: More relationship exploration between Kagome and Kakashi as they prepare for the Chunin exams. Enjoy. xD

Chapter 12

(Kagome)

Kagome made it half way home before she decided better of it and went to her shrine. She turned sharply in the direction of the woods. The calmness echoed in her head and her heart ached with loneliness. When she reached the old building she decided to add a set of drawings for the pair of Mist Ninjas who had died together on the bridge. She sat under a tree and sketched their faces. Haku was a soft, gentle soul and it was reflected in her drawing of him. His eyes shone softly at her from the page. The boy had looked up to Zabuza with such respect and love like that of a son. When she got to Zabuza she drew his face as it had been that day on the bridge; solemn, his mouth free of his mask set in a firm line. After she could no longer stand to look in their eyes she placed their portraits with the others and lit her incense. She knelt in silent prayer until the sun had set and the smoke had vanished in the night air.

"Are you watching over me now?" Kagome asked the stars as she watched the sky from the doorway. "Can you guys see me or are you alone? This world is still so new, so strange. Did you follow me here? Or did you stay there, where you fell? Are you happy? I could live with the pain if you were happy where you are."

The questions hung in the night air like the incense smoke. As she sat watching the stars she fell into a restful sleep. She felt safe under the watchful eyes of her family and friends. Her nightmares appeared to be gone. The peace was beautiful. She had missed it.

(Kakashi)

The meeting had been short compared to the other meetings he'd been to in his time. In a move of over confidence he had put Team 7 in for the exams. Everyone had been shocked. The only name worth mentioning on his team was the Uchiha but in less than two months he was putting them up for promotion. Iruka had called him out almost immediately. The Chunin had called him out almost immediately. He was worried about his former students and wanted to check their progress. Kakashi had agreed, with one condition. Kagome was to be left out. His request had quieted the entire room. They had all forgotten that the girl was on his team.

"Why not? How can you be sure that she's ready?" Iruka yelled.

"I've seen her fight. I know for a fact that if Kagome stopped holding back he could take me in a fight. On top of that she's wanted to take this exam since she left the Academy." Kakashi replied calmly. "Besides, there is your safety to worry about, Iruka. If you were to attack her and manage to take her by surprise she might be truly threatened. She is an injured animal, she wouldn't hold back."

He had watched the argument die on the chunin's lips. If Kakashi hadn't known better he would have been insulted by Iruka's lack of faith in him. He didn't miss the look shared by the Sarutobi family members in the room. He was right, then, in assuming that Kagome had a very important and very large family forming. In that moment he had decided to follow her to the shrine Asuma had told her about. The meeting was dismissed and Kakashi immediately went to Kagome's house.

When he arrive the house was dark and there was no sign that she had made it home the night before. Fear crept into him. With everything he knew about Kagome he could come up with a thousand scenarios to explain what had happened to her. He summoned a ninken immediately. There was no attempt to mask her trail which helped him relax a bit. The longer he followed her the more he knew that she had gone of her own free will. She hadn't bothered to hide her scent because she knew no one would go looking for her. Of course, she was right. The village would not notice her disappearance but her teammates would, he would.

As he followed the trail he found the small decaying building. What really surprised him was the fact that he found her asleep against the decaying frame. She looked so innocent now that she was at peace deep asleep. Well, Asuma, I came. What did you want me to see? Kakashi thought.

He pushed his head into the shrine and waited for his eyes to adjust. At first he could barely make out a series of white rectangles at the very back of the shrine but then they became clear. Each rectangle was a hand drawn portrait. Ten of them he didn't recognize but the last three were startlingly familiar. The first was an actual picture of her family. She hadn't tried to draw them. It was before her before they had found her. The three in the portrait were happy.

The last two were the Mist Ninja who had died barely a week before. She had gone into precise detail in their faces. He remembered the look in her eyes as they had returned to the village. Asuma was right, despite her lack of emotion she did mourn. He sat next to her and leaned against the opposite side of the frame. She could be quite adorable when she slept. It made her look more like the child she was rather than the hardened soldier she always appeared to be.

(Kagome)

By the time her eyes opened the sun was already up. She had fallen asleep at the shrine like she did all too often. It didn't matter but she should head home before she went to meet with the team. As she leaned forward she noticed a dark form in her periphery. Her body immediately tensed. This was her sanctuary couldn't he respect that! Turning to face her guest she found not Naraku but Kakashi leaning against the opposite side of the frame. She relaxed slightly at his calm demeanor.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked groggily.

Kakashi shifted slightly. "I went to your house to speak with you but when I got there I could tell you hadn't been home all night. I was worried so I tracked you here." He purposefully left out the entire conversation he'd had with Asuma considering their relationship.

She jumped down from the doorframe and stretched. "So, what exactly did you want to talk about?"

"I signed Team 7 up to take the Chunin exams." He stated. It wasn't the only thing but it was the only one he was willing to approach at that moment.

"Naruto and Sakura aren't ready yet and we could all use mission experience." She stated simply.

He smiled. She was worried. "After the bridge I think you all are more than ready. The other rookies haven't had anything close to it in difficulty. Besides, what happened to the girl who wanted to take it alone?"

She glared. "Alone, yes, then my failure wouldn't hold back the team but since we're together now we all have to pass most of the exams together."

"It's your choice. I haven't told the others yet. Iruka has requested that he be able to test them before he can believe they are ready and the Hokage and I have agreed." Kakashi mentioned lightly.

"What about me?"

He gave her a serious look. "I wouldn't let him. The idea was for him to put them to the test without them knowing what was happening. I knew better than to allow him to randomly attack you. Considering how you reacted to waking up to me here I think I was right to worry about his safety." He met her glare. "Again the choice is yours."

This time he produced a ticket with her picture on it. She took it. He left her there without a warning and no promise that he wouldn't come back to the shrine. He would be back. She had shown the others his bleeding heart and now he had hers. The look in his eyes told her that he wouldn't. After all their talks he was showing her his hand. He knew the dangers and he was willing to stay. No fear, no hatred. He wouldn't push her. It was all her choice.

A/N: Thanks to Bloodcherry for your lovely review, it is always nice to know that my character development is well received. ANIMEMANGALUV3R, I am truly sorry. Gaara will be in the next chapter but I didn't see how it could fit in this chapter.