Kojika - Rescue (Edited Version)
Disclaimer: Neither the Naruto nor Harry Potter franchise belong to me. All rights belong to their legal owners. No copyright infringement intended.
This is another version of 'fawn', but one I've abandoned two years ago. It's rather dark, in comparison with what I usually write, so prepare yourselves. I hope you enjoy reading the fleshed out version of Still Waters Are Deep.
Have a great day!
W
PS: I know that Yamamoto is actually spelled Yamato, I just didn't edit this snippet before posting it. I will never write this fic if I haven't even worked on it in over TWO years, so please take that under advisement. I'll edit it today (02/20/2016), but this was one of my first HP/Naruto Crossovers. Before I actually knew what I was writing about. Or how to spell the character names.
(Aged 27)
Yamato and Sakura broke into yet another locked, nondescript cell. It was dark, but a soft whimper and the faint rustle of clothes alerted them to the presence of a living being in there. Both immediately went on the defensive, trying to locate the source of the sounds.
Sakura readied herself to give some medical aid when it became clear that they were not going to be attacked by the captive.
Yamato almost gasped when his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cell and he could identify Orochimaru's toy. Only the luminous green eyes unique to Nara Kohana proved beyond doubt who this was. "Kohana-san," the ANBU-operative whispered quietly.
Her unfocused eyes searched him out, a tiny spark of recognition lighting them to a mere shadow of her previous self.
Yamato remembered the entrancing emeralds which had been the first thing Kakashi had fallen in love with. To be honest, not only him.
"Kakashi?" she barely rasped out, strain tainting her voice almost beyond recognition.
"No, Kakashi-senpai is not here, Kohana-san. Hold on, we'll take you to him. He's on a mission right now. Will you come with us?" Yamato fairly begged. For an ANBU, that is.
His senpai may have seemed to be an arrogant, lazy punk most days when they were both younger, but no one had deserved to lose the last shred of sanity, of family, the way he had.
Kohana-san nodded reluctantly. "Konoha."
That's all he needed to hear. Pulling her on his back, the Mokuton-user fastened her in a comfortable position with some wooden bars so she wouldn't fall off. The beautiful former kunoichi full of life and love had been forced to become a mere shadow of herself. She was only skin and bones, blind and absolutely useless in a fight. Or so it seemed.
Sakura didn't protest or otherwise questioned his decision openly, recognizing his authority. For once.
Naruto, Sai and Sakura leaped from branch to branch, occasionally sending the unconscious woman an uncertain glance. Finally the loud blonde seemed to have reached the end of his rope. "Who is that, Yamamoto-taicho?"
"Nara Kohana-san. She would be your classmate Skikamaru's aunt once removed," the brunette replied quietly.
"Why hasn't he ever mention her then?" Naruto continued persistently.
"Because she was declared dead shortly after Orochimaru's defection from Konoha," the patient captain explained, before anyone could ask another question he added: "Her son had been killed brutally in their home. Kohana-san was not the type of woman that would allow anyone to harm her child if she could help it."
Which opened a whole new can of worms in regards to the assassination attempt at the Hatake compound. Who had been responsible? How had no one ever suspected she might still be alive? Although Kakashi-senpai probably had been clinging desperately to exactly that hope...
Sakura finally joined the quiz. "Why did she ask after Kakashi-sensei?"
"Ask him. But they used to be good friends when they were younger."
"Why did Orochimaru kidnap her?" Naruto wondered seriously.
Yamato sighed, knowing he needed to answer if he wanted any kind of semblance of peace. Otherwise those two would continue to interrogate him. Besides, they needed to realize how much danger they were in until they all reached the safety within Konoha's walls. "Kohana-san inherited a powerful Kekkei Genkai from her mother's side. Orochimaru most likely desired it for himself."
With that, the conversation was over and they sped up as much as possible.
Tsunade-sama immediately focused on the half-dead woman he carried on his back when they entered her office. Yamato gently laid her on a hidden couch so the famous medic could start to work on her as soon as possible.
Three hours later, Kakashi encountered his anxious team in front of the Hokage's office. "Yo. What are you guys doing out here?"
Naruto, ignoring Yamato's silent miming, opened his big mouth and said morosely (for his standards): "We found some strange lady in Orochimaru's hideout when we were looking for Sasuke. Yamato-taicho recognized her. Said her name was Nara Kohana or something -"
Instantly, an aggravated Kakashi grabbed his jacket, throwing him against the wall. "What did you say?"
Suddenly, Naruto became a little unsure. Sakura's eyes had grown wide, her brain no doubt working through all the possibilities. Sai, as usual, did not react - outwardly at least.
Yamato sighed. He really should have known better than that. "I identified her, senpai. But she's not in good condition, hence why Tsuande-sama is currently working on her."
"What happened to her?" Kakashi asked, seemingly calm again.
"We don't know yet. She's very malnourished though, slightly dehydrated," Sakura's voice trailed off. "And Kakashi-sensei... She is blind."
This shocked the silver-haired Jōnin quite a bit, but only those who knew to read him well would notice.
"Shouldn't someone notify her family?" Sai asked innocuously enough.
This snapped everyone out of their own thoughts.
"Why don't you do that, Kakashi-senpai?" Yamato asked, trying to distract the man he had always grudgingly admired. This broken shell didn't need to endure even more pain. Besides, it was possible that Kohana-san may yet succumb to her injuries.
So the man grudgingly agreed, vanishing through the closest window.
Shikaku stared at the silver-haired Jōnin whom he had always considered his brother-in-law, wondering if maybe the man had finally cracked. Shikamaru, who had been playing shogi with his father, glanced questioningly between the two older shinobi.
"Come again?" Shikaku finally requested.
"Tenzo personally identified Kohana," Kakashi repeated quietly, "while they were on a mission to Sound. Right now, Tsunade-sama is tending to her in her office."
"Ko-chan is still alive?" The scarred Nara clan head muttered wonderingly.
"Who are you talking about?" Shikamaru finally managed to ask.
"Your aunt, my cousin. She was declared dead a long time ago," the elder Nara explained absentmindedly. "What's her condition?"
Kakashi shrugged helplessly. "I'm not sure. Sakura only mentioned malnourishment, dehydration and - blindness."
Both lazy shinobi were visibly startled about this piece of information.
"Where is she now?" Shikaku wondered, assuming a firmer tone.
"Tsuande-sama's office, as far as I know."
"Good. We'll accompany you back, Kakashi," the elder Nara decided, sounding serious. Then, he slouched inside. "Yoshino, they think they found Kojika-chan. We're going to check if it's true or not," could be heard from outside.
Shikamaru mustered the silver-haired Jōnin with keen eyes. "Who is Kohana-obasan to you?"
Kakashi sighed, shoulders drooping a little. "Ko-chan was to me what Choji is to you."
Despite obviously suspecting more behind his words, the Chunin accepted the last Hatake's words for now. He could understand the idea of losing one's best friend and suddenly finding out that she or he may still be alive would be somewhat overwhelming.
Kakashi felt dizzy just thinking about the mere possibility, but reminded himself harshly that Kojika could have died all those years ago. It wouldn't do for him to allow hope to blossom only to ruthlessly crush it a minute later.
Shikaku, Shikamaru and Kakashi all returned to the Hokage Tower, not one of them exchanging a word on the way back. Each was lost in their own thoughts, considering the incredible news.
A tired Tsuande nodded at the three males in greeting, obviously having just dismissed Team Kakashi. Yamato sent the latter a reassuring look before leaving the room. Their blonde Hokage seated herself behind her desk.
"As I'm sure you've already heard, Team Seven freed a captive from Orochimaru's base of operations while searching for Uchiha Sasuke and other valuable intel. This woman bears a startling resemblance to Kohana-san. I've ordered a full blood test to be sure so hopefully we'll find out soon enough if it is, in fact, her or not. Shizune has brought her to the hospital where she'll rest for now. Her condition is still critical, but we can't do anything more at the moment."
"Do you think it's plausible that Orochimaru kidnapped her?" Shikaku questioned deceptively calmly.
Tsunade considered him for a long moment. "I think, considering her unique Kekkei Genkai, that she would have held a lot of appeal to Orochimaru and his obsession. Especially because it seemed hereditary."
Kakashi slouched in his spot against the wall. Although he seemed to radiate rage from deep within, his body stayed utterly relaxed.
"Troublesome. What is her ability?" Shikamaru asked curiously.
Shikaku smiled a bit, his mouth crooked. "Kojika-chan had the unique ability to shape-shift into her spiritual animal, which was not widely known. It was a trait brought into the family by her mother. She was also an exceptional healer and kunoichi."
Kakashi nodded to show his agreement with that assessment. "Kohana hated killing. Even if it was necessary. She preferred to incapacitate the enemy, finish her mission and return."
Tsunade sighed. "She apprenticed under me for a year. Clever girl. Her mother had left her clan scrolls to Kohana-chan and taught her their secrets through them. She was a very skilled medic. If it wasn't for her pregnancy, she might have been able to become the second exception to the three rules of medics."
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "Why haven't I ever heard of a cousin?"
Behind him, Kakashi's knuckles turned white, the only outward sign of his inner tumultuous state.
Shikaku sent him discreetly a sympathetic look before focusing on his son. "When Hayato was ten months old, Kohana caught a very nasty disease which weakened her a lot. Iwa and Kumo were acting up again around the same time, so things were quite troublesome. Kojika insisted her husband return to work, despite her illness. Three days after his departure, someone assassinated her protection detail, Hayato-chan, and potentially killed Kohana, although her body was never found."
Shikamaru's eyes had widened noticeably. His huge brain was working especially fast, connecting the dots like lightning. Then, he glanced uncertainly at the silent man leaning against the wall. Shikaku nodded wordlessly, confirming his son's suspicions.
However, Tsunade cleared her throat before any more questions could be asked. "We are fifty percent sure it is Kohana-chan. I suggest you talk some more about the past. Especially you, Kashi-kun. At least Shikamaru, Sakura and Naruto deserve the full truth so in case she wakes up they can easily ascertain her identity."
The masked man sighed, eye closed in defeat. "Got some sake?"
Tsunade handed him a previously hidden bottle from somewhere underneath her desk. "Don't tell Shizune."
They nodded before leaving. Kakashi led the way to the hospital, staying on the roof despite knowing the woman he married might be lying in one of the beds somewhere beneath their feet.
"I'll get Naruto and Sakura," Shikamaru announced, vanishing in the building.
Neither adult seemed to notice or care particularly. Kakashi leaned against the railing, opening the still sealed bottle of alcohol while Shikaku took up a spot in the shade of the water towers. Perhaps he stayed as moral support.
Five minutes later, the three young shinobi joined the two Jōnin on the roof. "Sit down. Tsuande-sama thinks it's somehow beneficial for you to know this so I'm talking about it," Kakashi began unenthusiastically.
All three youngsters perked up, making themselves more comfortable on the floor.
"The 'strange lady' you rescued from Orochimaru's clutches is potentially Kohana-chan. She used to be my best friend when we were younger - and then became my wife after I left ANBU. It was an arranged marriage, but we couldn't complain. Two years in, she gave me a son, Hayato."
Considering none of them had ever seen him toting around a little boy, they all suspected something bad had happened.
"When Hayato was ten months old, I was called in for an important mission. Iwa and Kumo were playing up their strength, so the Hokage wanted us to keep an eye out for them. No one wanted to start another war. After all, one Great Shinobi War had just ended. Initially, I didn't want to leave my family behind, because Kohana had contracted a disease that weakened her immune system and forced her to stay in bed for long periods of time. She was a Tokubetsu Jōnin, with a nice bounty on her head, specialized in medical aid as well as close- and middle-ranged combat. But what interested our enemies the most was her mother's Kekkei Genkai."
Kakashi took a long drag from his newly-acquired bottle, uncaring what kind of an example he was setting right now. (Kushina would have whacked him into the floor for drinking in front of her son.) It hurt too much to think about his beautiful wife, always so full of life, or his only child whom he visited regularly in the graveyard.
"This Kekkei Genkai allowed her to turn into her spiritual animal, a perfect disguise. Until someone saw her transform once, the whole village had no idea that she had a Kekkei Genkai. One of the spies found out at the same time."
Shikaku nodded to confirm the rather condensed story for his son and occasional teammates.
"When Hayato was ten months old, Orochimaru left the village for good. In the aftermath of his defection no one discovered the massacre at the Hatake compound until I returned from my mission. The protection detail I had hired for the length of my absence was killed brutally. None were left alive. Then, I found my son murdered in his crib; more blood splattered on the carpet and walls. Kohana's body was never found. We assumed they'd have taken her for experiments in order to recreate her Kekkei Genkai."
All three members of the Rookie Nine stared wide-eyed at the silver-haired Jōnin. None of them had expected this. Ever. Kakashi-sensei, that lazy, old pervert, married? A father?
"So now you know," the Hatake added awkwardly.
"What did the woman look like?" Shikaku asked after a long bout of silence.
Sakura flinched a little as all eyes turned to her. "Black hair, green eyes, very pale skin. Noticeably malnourished and fairly skittish. Her vocal cords seemed damaged, because she was only rasping out one-worded questions. She was about five feet tall, smaller than both Yamato-taicho and me. The captive asked after Kakashi-sensei when it became apparent we weren't hostile and agreed to come to Konoha. I tried to stabilize her for the way back."
Both Jōnin exchanged a meaningful look. This did sound suspiciously like their long-lost relative/wife.
"Why do you call her Kojika?" Naruto asked confused.
"We call her 'fawn' because she could turn into one," Shikaku explained patiently. "Troublesome girl always played pranks on us."
Shikamaru almost fell over in his well-concealed astonishment. His father had never spent this much time with him unless playing shogi, except for a few special circumstances. Now he found out he had an aunt who could literally tune herself into a deer. An aunt whom his father had loved a lot, like a sister. To add insult to injury, the legendary Copy-Nin was his uncle by marriage.
"What if it's her?" Naruto asked quietly.
Kakashi looked over the village, avoiding eye-contact. For a moment he contemplated the question. "That depends on her."
Tsunade accepted the freshly printed stack of documents from Shizune, her skilled gaze quickly flying over the black writing. She had read more medical files in her career than anyone else, so she knew what to look out for. "Shizune, I'll be at the hospital. Send the Naras and Kakashi to me if they aren't already there," the blonde Hokage ordered absentmindedly, making her way to the door.
On one hand, she felt incredibly happy to know the student she had mourned for so long had survived despite everyone's assumptions. On the other hand, she regretted that no one had found her beforehand. What horrors had she loved through while they mourned her death? Would Ko-chan even remember them? Most importantly though - how would the already precariously balanced Jōnin named Kakashi handle this piece of news?
A few moments later, the blonde entered an isolated room guarded by loyal ANBU - most of which had either worked with Kakashi before or had served under Dog, his ANBU-identity.
Shikaku nodded to Tsunade in greeting, not moving from his seat by Kohana's bed. He had obviously been watching over her like he used to in their younger years. "It's her, isn't it?" The Nara muttered instead, skillfully masking his emotions. Although the hope and regret in his gaze were all too familiar to Tsuande to remain hidden.
"Yes. The blood test was a perfect match. Where is her husband?"
"Probably at his grave," the brunette replied quietly. "Troublesome talk dragged up memories..."
At this, the blonde kunoichi nodded understandingly. She wondered if Kakashi had ever talked to anyone about the massacre before. Probably not, knowing him. Besides, losing a child, especially one as young and innocent as Hayato-chan, would send weaker men to their knees or into insanity. It was surprising how well the last Hatake had managed to keep himself together. That's assuming he had been sane to begin with. (Which was a rather questionable assumption.)
Shikaku's eyes traced over the broken shell of a woman that used to be his little sister. He almost couldn't bear to look at the emancipated, unconscious form lying in front of him. It hurt too much to think about what had broken his lively imouto's spirits like this.
Kakashi entered, obviously having been ordered to appear here by someone. His one visible eye clung to the still woman for a long second before he focused on Tsunade. Whereas a day beforehand there had been the barest hint of his 'Will of Fire', now a spark was kindled right in front of them.
"You as her immediate family have a right to know what happened to Ko-chan. If you wake her up, I'll hurt you, so behave," Tsunade threatened. Both males nodded their understanding. "It's apparent that someone has experimented with her Kekkei Genkai, extricating almost all of her ovules (egg cells). She's almost completely sterile now. There are numerous scars all over her body, indicating torture or more experiments. Probably both. She must have defended herself skillfully enough if they saw the need to blind her. Also, Orochimaru has sealed your Hatake Jutsu which would have evoked the same response as her death. It's not surprising that no one questioned further why there was no body with your reaction."
Kakashi looked deceptively calm. The rising Killer Intent, combined with the clearly discernible rage in his eye, betrayed his true feelings though.
"At the moment, Kohana needs to accept extensive treatment for her malnourishment as well as some rehab to get her strength back. Unfortunately, the wounds to her eyes are too old for me to heal and I doubt she will ever regain her status as an active kunoichi. Someone from T&I will have to look through her memories at some point. Additionally, she needs to see a counselor for her experiences as well as new-found sterility."
Kakashi stared blankly at Tsunade, evoking cold shivers despite her long years in battle. He probably knew best how much Kohana had loved being a mother, how many kids she had wanted to have, and how much this revelation would hurt her. It wouldn't hurt her - it would crush her completely.
"I put her on suicide watch. This is an uphill battle with no end in sight. If you bail now, don't come back until I'm six feet under," the blonde Hogake warned bluntly. If she had calculated this correctly, Kohana would wake soon.
As if on cue, the tortured woman groaned almost inaudibly and woke. Only her slightly changed breathing pattern betrayed her. "Kashi?" she whispered raspily, unseeing eyes searching for him.
Tsunade and Shikaku left the estranged couple alone, knowing they would need to talk. However, both inwardly promised to be back soon.
"I'm here," he replied quietly, deep baritone quivering slightly with emotions barely kept in check.
"Prove... It."
Hearing her command, Kakashi chuckled half-heartedly. "Still nagging me?" He leaned in, simultaneously pulling his mask down for her. One of her hands gently traced the lines of his face, feathery touches that mapped his nose, lips and eyes. Then they stopped after coming across the long scar from the eye implantation Rin had done once, an eternity ago.
"Kashi?"
"Hana-chan."
First a lone tear rolled down her cheek, quickly followed by a second and then a third. Kakashi allowed his guard to lower significantly enough to kiss her forehead tenderly. After which they simply kept them like that, comforting and receiving comfort at the same time.
Very carefully, Kakashi embraced the shaking form of his beloved wife, acting as if she would turn into dust the next second.
"Missed you. Sorry," Kohana rasped out, in-between near-silent sobs.
Somehow, this is when Kakashi finally broke down too. Tears falling freely. "There's nothing you have to apologize for, Kojika. I'm sorry for not finding you sooner. Oh, Kami... Do you have any idea how much I've missed you, you troublesome woman?"
She laughed shakily, relaxing further into his embrace. "Love you."
Kakashi stilled for a moment, almost having forgotten how it felt to be loved unconditionally by someone. Then, he tightened his already tight hold on his wife. "I love you too, Kohana."
Her frail fingers held his face, forcing their eyes to meet. "Not your fault. Never!"
They cried until no tears were left. Only then, did she ask him the dreaded question: "What happened to my baby, to Hayato?"
After Kakashi tried - and failed - several times to answer, he simply shook his head. There were no words in his vast vocabulary to describe the gruesome sight of his tiny son cold and bloody in his crib. In turn, this started another round of tears and crying from Kohana.
When they had both calmed down enough to continue, Kakashi brought her up to speed on her injuries. He knew she didn't like to be coddled, especially in situations as dire as this one.