Hello again!

Thanks to everyone who commented, favorited, reviewed or followed this. Here's the next chapter, this time from Kakashi's perspective.

Warning: Sasuke has a swearing habit.

KAKASHI, THE NIGHT SHIFT

Kakashi read through the report that Sakura had sent with the supplies.

"Hello diary,

Business has been slow this week so I have plenty of time to write. A new set of curfews came again by the mail. It's kind of a nuisance really, I can barely keep up with them! And seriously, they are already starting to affect my business hours. I usually keep the shop open until seven, so I can go out to buy groceries before the lights go out, but now they've given me one seven P.M. curfew! Well, I guess I'll have to do my shopping on another day or close my shop early that time.

I haven't heard anything from my friends this week. I guess they haven't got plans or just didn't invite me.

One of my clients told me a joke yesterday. I'd already heard that one, but I laughed anyway. I mean, I need to be polite to them, right?

Well, I guess that's all for today, so nighty-night!"

Kakashi sighed. It was a bold move from Sakura to mention the curfews in a report, especially the exact time. The villagers were not supposed to write them down, but memorize them and live by them.

Curfews were rules imposed by the new Hokage and her advisors. At the hour of the curfew, the lights in the village went out, and anyone who was found outside would be taken for questioning. This was meant to help the guards find exiles in the village, because they should not know of the rules and would remain outside, where they could be identified.

The seven P.M. curfew meant that they would have to send Hinata-chan on her usual retrieval mission early next week, which of course meant there was a greater risk she'd be spotted in the light of the day. Kakashi did not like these news at all. Of course they could go a little longer without getting more supplies... But then again, if someone got seriously injured that time...

'Friends' in Sakura's message meant the village rule. Sakura hadn't heard of any new plans from them, but wasn't sure if that meant they hadn't any or that she just hadn't found out. 'Clients' were allies in the village, and 'jokes' were information. This bit of information the ally had given Sakura seemed to be old news, though, because the pharmacist had already 'heard the joke'.

I miss Sakura... compared to the knucklehead duo, she made such an attentive student. Such diligent work on these reports, too. Kakashi sighed again, stood up, and pressed a speaker button on the wall.

"Hello?" came an answer from the other end, along with a plenty of static noise.

"Kurenai. Hinata has reported in and brought the supplies. I need to take them to the medics, and take Sakura's report to be copied before council. Could you cover for me in the lobby?" A sigh sounded from the other end.

"You know, you could use the errand people to run your errands. Or me."

"I could use a walk. And Sakura's report is important..."

"You just want me to sit in for you because you can't read porn while on duty."

"...Well, that could certainly be the case, but it might still be one of those other reasons I said. What did I say they were again?"

"You're a pain in the ass. But fine, I'll cover for you."

"Thanks, Kurenai!"

-exile-

Kurenai came to the booth, complained about Kakashi's habits for a while, and then let him go. The masked jonin made a point of pulling his book from his pocket and starting to read while still within her sight, just to rattle her a bit.

It seemed to be helping Kurenai to have someone to mother. Before the coup, she had been making plans to marry and start a family with one of Kakashi's friends. The man - Asuma Sarutobi - had been killed in the coup and his death had hit Kurenai very hard. She'd hardly spoken for weeks, and many had been concerned that she might try to end her life to follow Asuma.

Kakashi and Kurenai's genin team had worked hard to involve her in everything they did and keep her close, both to observe her and support her. Eventually their efforts paid off, as the young jonin slowly became more and more lively. Of course Kurenai would never really be okay - no one from the exile group would.

"Kakashi-sensei", someone said in a monotone voice.

"Sasuke." Kakashi greeted the Uchiha, lifting his eye from his book in a lazy manner. The teen in front of him was dressed in a black-and-white outfit that looked a few sizes too small, and giving Kakashi his standard 'I am bored and angry' -look.

"Say, when will you start wearing the uniform?" Kakashi asked, "You've outgrown that shirt years ago. Or is the skintight clothes thing a part of your plan to restore your clan- Y'know, to get the fangirls' hormones running?"

Sasuke's expression became even angrier with just a hint of concealed embarrassment. "You promised to teach me and Naruto-"

"Naruto and I", Kakashi corrected, trying to sidetrack the teen.

"- Whatever, a new jutsu this week. When will you?" Sasuke was not about to be distracted from this, apparently.

"...Tuesday?"

"Today is Wednesday already."

"Oh. Well, I guess then it will have to be next week-"

"You said this week. You will do it this week." Sasuke's glare wasn't half as intimidating as the boy clearly thought it was. It actually made him look a little constipated.

"Will I, now? I'm not sure I like your tone, young man..."

"Cut the bullshit! I need training if I'm ever going to be strong enough to avenge my clan!"

That's why I don't want to train you, Kakashi thought. Sasuke was reckless and unbelievably stubborn. Kakashi was worried he might, with a little training, get the idea into his head that he was already strong enough to attack the village and get himself killed. He had actually tried once. I will have to talk to Itachi about this, Kakashi decided. He knows how to deflate the poor brat's ego.

"Fine. Saturday, one o'clock, the main training hall. Tell Naruto, and don't be late." Kakashi walked away.

"Says the one who is always late!" The teen yelled after him.

Oh, believe me, you will the ones be late for this session, Kakashi thought to himself, amused. You see, I didn't specify which one o'clock our training will take place...

-exile-

There was only one occasion for which Kakashi was never late, and that was the council. Even he knew it would have been disrespectful towards his dead comrades to be late for these meetings. So today, as per usual, Kakashi took his seat by the table at nine o'clock with everyone else, and listened to Ibiki's starting words.

For a reason no one could really remember, Ibiki, a former torture specialist, had become the spokesperson of the council. He opened the debate, gave out turns to speak and summarized the results of the meeting in the end. Perhaps it was his presence. When Ibiki spoke, everyone else instinctively quieted (with the sole exception of Anko). However, everyone on the council - including Ibiki himself - knew who the real leader of the group was. Whenever the council was badly divided on something and a ruling was needed their eyes would turn two seats to Ibiki's left, where sat the fourth youngest member of the council. Itachi Uchiha.

While Itachi had never truly agreed to be a leader to the exiles, he had assembled them and given them a roof over their head. Many owed their lives to him indirectly, some directly. The Uchiha had united them and turned them from a group of lost individuals into a force against the new Konoha rule. For that he, in spite of being relatively young, was treated as the leader.

Kakashi listened to Ino's report of the week without much interest. None of the spy's information was new, and she said so herself at the beginning of her speech. Kakashi thought that saying so kind of defeated the purpose of giving a speech, but didn't comment. The Hokage was keeping to herself - Kimiko Hyuuga had been killed in action - traps were being set in the sewers - punishments for violating curfews were harsher than before... All of this, the rebels had been aware of for a week. Kakashi was trying to keep himself from yawning.

Shino's report was far more interesting. The other spy had, using his bugs, managed to figure out the locations and the types of the traps that were being set in the sewer system. Kakashi listened intently and made notes to his copy of the report, knowing he would have to brief Hinata on it later.

After the spies had spoken, Shikaku Nara opened a debate to discuss what course of action they should take. Since all of the rest of the information was already known, the talk centered on Shino's report of the traps. Kakashi, again, listened carefully. As Shikaku spoke, his son Shikamaru sat next to him, interrupting occasionally with a sharp argument.

Shikaku had survived the attack on the Hokage's council due to an argument with his wife. When the fatal meeting had started, he had been at home, late, being screamed at. His survival was irony at its finest, as the man had often commented that his temperamental wife would someday be the death of him.

As the bombs had been set off at the Uchiha district, the Naras had fought their way out of the village, trying desperately to find their son, who had at the time been practicing with his teammate Chouji and his teacher - Asuma Sarutobi. By the time Shikaku and his wife found the team, Asuma had been killed and Kakashi himself had ran into them, now defending Shikamaru, Chouji and Naruto (a boy from his own team) against some Hyuuga assassins.

As Kakashi now observed Shikamaru make sarcastic remarks at his father's arguments, the masked jonin couldn't help but wonder if the teen somehow held his father responsible for Asuma's death. Shikaku had been on the Third Hokage's council and specialized in strategy and intelligence - and yet, like the entire council, had failed to predict the coup. Shikamaru had worshipped Asuma and probably considered him a stronger father figure than his actual father, so losing him in the attack had hit the boy hard.

The meeting eventually drew to a close, and Kakashi picked up his notes, folded them and put them in the same pocket as his precious book. Not much had been done - the rebel community was years away from being strong and organized enough to attack the Hokage. Right now, survival was what mattered. They had to keep their lives, so that they wouldn't be written out of Konoha's history books.

Kakashi felt strangely anxious. In the old days, whenever he felt this way he would have gone to visit the memorial stone near the training grounds of Konoha and think of his late comrades, but nowadays going to Konoha alone would have been very dangerous.

Speaking of dangerous things...

"Itachi. Can I have a minute?" Kakashi signaled for the younger man to stick around. Itachi nodded and waited for the rest of the council to clear the room.

"It's Sasuke again, isn't it?" the Uchiha guessed easily.

"Yes. Do you think I should start training him again? He keeps pestering me about it, but I'm not certain he's ready." And they needed to be certain. Sasuke had already once tried to sneak into the village without telling anyone, to try and attack the Hyuuga. Itachi had caught him and "convinced" the boy that it was a bad idea. That is to say, traumatized him permanently with a sharingan-induced hallucination.

Itachi sighed heavily. "Don't. Not yet. He is... far too desperate. I'll see if I can make him leave you alone."

Kakashi nodded and thanked the Uchiha before leaving the room. Behind him, Itachi left as well, locking the door. Glancing at his watch, Kakashi sighed as he realized he would have to go continue his shift at the front desk for nearly an hour. Couldn't the council have lasted a bit longer at least?