Chapter 9: Unexpected Return

Rin and Kakashi stood there unable to move as they looked at their old friend. The same old friend that should have been dead. The same one they grieved for. And yet here he was somehow still alive.

All three waited there in that alley way, silent, as if their actions were being halted by some invisible force. Suddenly movement came from all around them as Obito was forced to the ground, a chakra suppression seal coursing through his skin as his one visible eye turned back to its normal state. Rin and Kakashi could only stand their as the Anbu restrained their friend, one coming up to them to ask what happened.

"Are either of you hurt? We felt the chakra of a tailed beast and so we came to investigate."

Kakashi snapped out of his funk as he looked to his fellow Anbu. "We're both fine. Rin used the three tail's chakra to help subdue him."

"I noticed that." All of the ninja looked to the voice at the edge of the alley, all unconsciously standing to attention as they did so. Hiruzen and Jiraiya walked towards the group of people, silence accompanying them. Both stopped as they looked down to Obito, both looking surprised at the supposedly dead man's unmoving form.

"Obito." Jiraiya said in shock as he looked at Rin and Kakashi, both seemingly still just as surprised as him. Hiruzen looked at the Anbu captain, his features now a neutral expression. "Take him to Ibiki and get as much information out of him as possible, and take a blood sample to determine his identity." The Anbu captain nodded as he and the rest of the Anbu disappeared in a body flicker with Obito.

Hiruzen looked to the two young adults as he spoke in a much calmer voice than the one he gave to the Anbu. "Come with me."

XXX

In Hiruzen's office

Rin and Kakashi stood in front of Hiruzen's desk as he sat in his chair, smoking from his pipe. "So you found him spying on you for a while now. Hm. At this point I cannot say for sure that he is Obito despite his resemblance to him. For now I will have Ibiki figure out who he is and if it is indeed Obito then I'd like to know what happened to him these past five years."

Rin and Kakashi only nodded as they let their leader speak. Soon silence fell over the room as Rin looked up to speak to the older man. "Lord Third, can you please tell us if he is Obito. We need to know." Hiruzen nodded as he waved his hand to show them to the door. "I will. For now I will have Anbu around your homes in case he somehow escapes or if he has allies within the area." The two nodded as they bowed and left the room.

Hiruzen looked to Jiraiya, the man only looking at the door the two younger ninja exited from. "You think that was him don't you?" Jiraiya nodded as he began to walk out of the room. "I'm going to T and I. I have to make sure for certain." Hiruzen only took another puff of his pipe as his student left the room. His mind racing with possibilities.

XXX

Rin and Kakashi walked together through the night as they neared her apartment. "I can't believe he's alive." She said with a hint of grief in her voice, tears nearly escaping her eyes. Rubbing her face she gave a sniff as she fumbled for her keys. Unlocking the door she opened it as she spoke to Kakashi. "You don't need to stay. I'll be fine." Kakashi only shook his head as he walked inside. "I'm not letting anything happen to you, and I need to be there when we can see Obito. I've been hating myself ever since we lost him." He put a hand up to the covered eye that was originally his friends. Suddenly he felt Rin hug him as they both began to feel the tears roll down their faces.

After a few minutes they let go of one another as they heard a small sound come from Rin's room. Rin went to her room while Kakashi sat on the couch, looking to the ceiling. After a few minutes he heard Rin's voice come from the hall with a sleeping Naruto in her arms. "He was having a nightmare. I'm going to go to bed. There's some blankets in the closet if you need them." Kakashi nodded as he watched the two go to their room. Sitting his head on the end of the couch he closed his eyes.

XXX

He heard a knocking as he opened his one visible eye. Sitting up Kakashi noticed someone was at the door as he rose to his feet and walked to the door. Opening it he was met with an Anbu who simply said, "Lord Third would like to talk to you both." Before they vanished. Kakashi knew what that meant as he walked to Rin's room and knocked on the door. Waiting a moment he heard footsteps come to the door as it opened, revealing Rin who looked like she had only just woken up.

"It's 4 am." She grumbled as she scratched her head.

"Lord Third wants to see us." Kakashi said with little emotion in his voice as Rin stiffened.

"Do you think…" Kakashi only nodded as Rin gained a small frown. "Let me get dressed. I'll only be a minute." Kakashi nodded as he went to sit on the couch. After 10 minutes Rin came out of her room with Naruto sleeping in her arms.

"I'm gonna take him to Kurenai's before we go." Kakashi didn't say anything as he stood up, the two walking out the door.

XXX

T and I Department

Rin and Kakashi looked through the one way mirror as they watched Obito talking to Ibiki. Hiruzen watched the two with interest as he waited for Ibiki to finish. Soon Ibiki rose from his chair as he opened the door and looked to Hiruzen.

"He's ready." He said simply as Hiruzen looked to the other two. "You can both go in." Kakashi and Rin hesitated for a moment before they both entered the room.

Obito watched as they entered and froze. His emotions ran wild as he saw his old teammates once more. The last time he had seen them before all of this was when he had thought Kakashi had killed Rin and went into a murderous rage against the Mist Anbu. But now. He didn't know how to feel.

The other two weren't doing any better as they saw their friend sitting, not making any sort of move. They all just stood there as time seemed to slow to a hult. After what felt like an eternity, Rin finally spoke.

"Obito." He didn't say anything. "Obito, it's you right? Please tell me this isn't some sort of cruel joke. Please tell us it's actually you."

He didn't say anything as he looked away. "Why do you care?"

Rin and Kakashi were shocked at that. "What do you mean? You're my teammate. Why wouldn't I…"

"Because I'm not who you remember!" He yelled, a single tear forming in his one remaining eye.

"What are you talking about? Tell us." Kakashi spoke for the first time since they entered the building.

Obito stared at his former teammates, his eye feeling like a dam about to break. "I've done so much wrong. I've killed so many." Kakashi and Rin didn't say anything as they only stood there and listened to Obito's confession. "I'm the reason the boy doesn't have any parents. If it wasn't for me sensei and Kushina would still be here!"

The one sentence hit like a bomb as the people in and out of the room finally found out who caused the attack with the Nine Tails. Rin put her hands to her mouth as a gasp left her lips, Kakashi looking startled at this revelation.

"And do you know why! It's because I thought I lost you. I lost just one person close to me and I was ready to kill anyone who stood in my way! I'm a horrible person! I should be killed for what I've done." His tears flooded down his face as he collapsed on the table, his guilt finally coming to the surface.

Rin and Kakashi couldn't move for a few moments as they reviewed everything. It was Obito. He was the reason for so much heartbreak. So much pain. They both knew they should have hated him for this. And yet.

They approached the crying man, Rin hugging him from behind as Kakashi put a hand on his back. Obito flinched as he looked up to see them comforting him.

"What are you doing? I'm a monster. Why are you doing this?"

"Because, we know you're a good man. We want to help you and we will. Just please let us." Rin said as she looked into his one eye.

"But everything I've done."

"Was awful. And you will have to pay for what you've done. But until then and even after we'll be there for you." Kakashi said as he looked at his old friend.

"I don't deserve this. You both know I don't so why even help me?"

"Because you're our teammate. Everything you did before we cannot say we supported. As Kakashi said, you did horrible things that you will be punished for. But you're still our friend. And we'll be there to make you into a better person." Rin said as she and Kakashi rose Obito to just feet.

Obito didn't know what to say, and so he embraced his friends. After a few minutes that felt like hours they stepped away from them as he rubbed his face. He looked at Hiruzen who had entered the room. "Lord Third, I know you'll probably still punish me for all I've done. And in all reality I feel I deserve it. But I think you should all know that I didn't survive on my own. I had help."

Hiruzen was curious as to what the boy was alluding to. "And who helped you?"

"Madara Uchiha."

To be Concluded…

END OF CHAPTER

Author's Note: At last. Wow, it's been over a month since I last uploaded anything. Sorry for the wait. I just lost a lot of motivation to write lately. I even started on this chapter right after I finished the last one and then I just couldn't find out what I wanted to do. But hey, it looks like it's almost done. Just one last chapter. Kind of exciting and terrifying if you ask me. Honestly I feel like some are gonna hate this ending. Don't know why but I feel like it's just not gonna be up to everyone's expectations. But we'll just have to wait and see.

OK Review Time:

The beginn of Red Dawn: Alright well, um, I'm sorry I guess. I mean I get it honestly. I think I do remember that actually but this version didn't have that, or if she did then by this point she regrets it if that helps but hey if this isn't your type of story then it's understandable. Thanks for just stopping by and at least reading. Honestly I'll take that over nothing.

Alright welp that's it for now. I promise not to keep you all waiting as long as last time. So I hope you're ready for the end.

Until next time.