Rin was discharged from the hospital a month ago today; I had seen her the day before her release and was sent out on a mission the next morning. Lord Hokage had said that it was important that I lead the group of genin that were sent out on a recon mission, joking that it would be good practice for when I had my own team of genin to lead. That had made me chuckle in my own head, he knew as well as I did that, I would never become a teacher let alone a Sensei.

The mission dragged on for longer than it should have. We were to collect information pertaining to Orochimaru and his whereabouts. He had many lairs scattered throughout the Land of Fire and other nations, but we were focusing on the ones closer to Konoha just in case he was active in the area. After a month of searching and finding no trace of him, we retreated with less knowledge than we had left with. It didn't count as a failed mission since we were only looking for possible leads, but it still felt like I could have done more.

.

We arrived in the Hokage's office late in the night. He had been asleep at his desk when we entered, the three genin with me bowing before him as I approached, waking him with our footsteps.

"Ah, Kakashi. I apologize, it has been a long day." He said, waking suddenly. He stood up behind his desk. "I trust everything went well."

I nodded my head. "Yes sir. We ran into no trouble, but also, we found no trace of the target in the area either. He must have moved on to another nation." I motioned to the young ninja behind me. "My subordinates were quite helpful and acted as true Shinobi, I am very proud of them and their actions." I glanced over my shoulder, the smiles on their faces were well worth the compliment.

"I see, very good. You all did well, you are dismissed. Kakashi, I expect your report by the end of the week." He said turning to look out the large windows overlooking over the village. I could tell he had a lot on his mind, and he was disappointed that there was no information regarding Orochimaru's plans, but there wasn't much more that we could do right now.

I bowed to him before leaving. "Thank you Lord Hokage."

We all turned and left his office, parting at the front steps once outside. I never would be teamed with those three again, but they may have been the most tolerable group that I have worked with in a long time. I shoved my hands into my pockets and took my time strolling home under the stars, the village was almost completely dark other than a streetlight here or there. My apartment was a bit out of the way of the main roads so it was always a peaceful walk with the route I would take.

I got to my front door and pulled my keys from my pocket. I had grabbed them from the Hokage's office as I was walking out the door. I always kept them there when I would be on missions, it just felt like the safest place.

Footsteps…

I silently slid my body against the edge of the pillar next to my door before flickering out of sight and appearing behind the figure that was approaching, grabbing their shoulders tightly and spinning them around. "Who are…" before I could finish a pair of arms were around my neck.

"KAKASHI!" Rin screamed, hugging me tightly before letting go. "I heard you were coming back soon, so I've been visiting your house every night to see if you made it home yet." She said smiling at me in the dark, I could make out her features easily now that I was paying attention.

I sighed and let her slide off me. "That's very sweet, but you don't have to worry about me." I chuckled slightly, knowing that was a lie. We both know that I'm reckless with my own life, and with these long missions it's hard to know what may happen.

"I will always be worried about you, it's my job as your best friend." Her voice was stern as if she was scolding me. I rolled my eyes and walked toward my door once again, opening it.

"Would you like to come in?" I asked innocently. "I could make some tea; I won't be sleeping much tonight I'm sure."

She was already walking to the door before I finished my sentence. "I would like that; I have something that I need to talk to you about anyway." She walked through the door and removed her shoes in the entry way, heading for the kitchen as I closed the door and did the same.

I put the pot on the stove to boil and leaned against the counter next to the stove. "Is what you're going to tell me something bad?" I asked with my arms crossed. Never has anything that anyone wanted to 'talk to me about' ended in my favor, usually it was something I did wrong. I rolled my eyes discreetly at my own thoughts.

She was sitting on the counter opposite me swinging her legs. "Not bad at all!" She was getting excited.

"Alright, so…what is it?" I was confused by the whole exchange.

She giggled; the excitement clear on her face. "Lady Tsunade wants me to come back to train with her! She said that even with my memory loss, I should be able to pick everything back up incredibly easy."

I smiled. So that's all she wanted to talk about. I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I don't know what I had been expecting, but with her it could have been anything. I turned and shut the tea pot off and poured the both of us a cup. Walking across the room I handed it to her. "Congratulations Rin. I know that you've been wanting things to get back to normal." I pulled my mask down to my chin and took a sip of tea. I wasn't afraid of her seeing my face anymore, she had seen it quite a few times, so I was comfortable.

She sat there in front of me sipping hers as well. "Thank you…but…" She paused before going on, looking down at my feet. "It's going to take two years just like the last time, I don't remember the training or how long I had been doing it, so I was surprised when she told me that."

"Well that's alright, you'll get the hang of it again. You don't remember the training, so it won't feel like you're repeating it, just that you're learning it for the first time. It should pass by quickly, and I'll be right there if you need me." I shrugged at the last part. I'm sure there will be times that I would need her medical expertise. I have a tendency of getting injured quite a bit.

She shook her head and put her cup down next to her. "No, you won't be…I'm leaving." Tears building up in her eyes. She wouldn't look up at me and I was confused. "Lady Tsunade has business to attend to in the Land of Lightening…so I'll be going with her."

"That's all you're worried about?" I smiled at her as she lifted her head and looked at me. "I go on long missions all the time; I'll be right here when you get back."

She sighed and pushed herself off the counter, wrapping her arms around my torso tightly. "No Kakashi, I'm going to be gone for at least three years." She was crying against my vest. Three years? What could Lady Tsunade be doing all the way in the Land of Lightening for three years? I put my cup down and wrapped my arms around her.

"Don't cry…This is what you wanted Rin. You're so good at being a medical nin…If this is what you need to do, I won't hold you back. I will be here when you get back, no matter how long that takes." I kissed the top of her head softly, holding it for a moment and taking in the incredible smell of her hair. She always smelled like strawberries and I didn't want to forget that smell.

She finally pulled herself away and wiped her eyes with her arm. "I'm leaving tomorrow…that's why I've been checking for you every day. I didn't want to miss you before I left. I couldn't leave without saying goodbye." She looked up at me with so much pain covering her face. It was breaking my heart to see her like this.

"Well let's just make the most of tonight then." Is all I said before grabbing her by the hand and leading her to the living room, pulling her down onto the couch so that she was sitting on my lap, her legs on both sides of mine. She looked down at me with a weak smile just before I leaned in and planted a deep and heavy kiss on her soft lips. Rin relaxed against my body as I felt her hands run up the back of my neck to my hair, her fingers slipping through the spiked mess and untying my headband, letting it drop to the futon.

She pulled away from me for a moment to softly bite my lower lip before going back into the kiss, her lips moving hungrily against mine. This was the first time that anything progressed past what had happened in the hospital room that night when Asuma walked in.

I wanted more.

I moved my hands down her back to her hips, tightening my grip on her trying to control myself while sinking further into the futon as she was forcing her mouth against mine. I was the one to pull back this time to breathe.

She smiled down at me, catching her breath. "I…" she began to say, but I stopped her with a few kisses up her neck, leading up to her ear and giving the lobe a soft nip.

"I know." I said softly, sending chills across the left side of her body, I could feel the shiver against my face as I kissed back down her neck to the space between it and her shoulder, giving it a bite and leaving a small bruise where my lips had been. Her skin was so soft and untouched that the deep red mark wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

She slid her hands across my chest and undid my heavy vest that I was still wearing. I sat up slightly to shrug it off my shoulders, she tossed it onto the floor behind her., had been uncomfortable, and I was relieved to have it off. I used the new flexibility to stand up, letting her legs wrap around my waist before laying her back down on the futon under my body. Her legs bent at my sides and her arms wrapped around my neck.

I leaned my face down to her planting another deep kiss on her lips, this time I was more forceful, letting our tongues meet and dance around each other's mouths, every few seconds stopping to nibble on the others lower lip. It was a fluid motion, like we had practiced this a million times.

Rin had pulled her head back against the cushion, catching her breath once again before running her nails down my shoulder blades over my shirt and down my back sending chills down my body this time and causing my body to press down against hers.

She giggled innocently noticing the change of weight against her. She knew what she was doing to me and she liked having the upper hand.

"You're so beautiful". I said, staring at her deep brown eyes before kissing her on the forehead. I had no idea that this would ever happen, being with her in this way or anything remotely close to it. She was my best friend, but she could have been so much more at one point. I rolled off her and laid on the side of her where my back was against the back of the futon.

She rolled on her right side and faced me, resting her arm around my torso, keeping a tight grip so that my body was as close to hers as possible. "I'm sorry that this had to happen just before I leave." She said, pouting her lip at me causing me to roll my eyes.

"You don't get to apologize for that. I was gone on a mission and you have a dream to pursue." I lifted my free arm up to her head and ran my fingers through her beautiful waves of hair. "Konoha is going to need a medical nin with your skills one day."

She smiled and yawned. "Yeah, yeah. Well the village should have to wait; I just want tonight to last forever." Her eyes threatening to close as she spoke.

"Psh. You don't mean that miss future Hokage." I let my hand leave her hair and run down to her hip, resting it there. "Go to sleep now, you have a long journey starting tomorrow." I watched as her eyes closed and her breathing became heavier. I rested my head against the pillow on the futon and closed my eyes as well, it had been a long month away from home and even though earlier I had been missing my bed, I wouldn't want to be anywhere but in the small space between Rin and the back of the couch.

"I'll be back one day…" She said before a light snore started to escape her body.

I smiled; my eyes still closed. "Yeah I know." I replied quietly as I let sleep take over.