Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden.

Chapter Ten

Some days were really good. Some days, he didn't feel regret and sorrow. Some days, he would just live and go about missions and miscellaneous tasks without harm. But then, other days, it was terrible. Other days, he'd wake up in a sweat, huffing and puffing about the nightmares that would scare him from his sleep. Other days, he would shut himself from the world around him and disappear into the darkness of his mind. But it all really depended.

It depended on one thing.

"Kashi-san?"

Since Kakashi had been transferred into the ANBU black ops, his days had grown busier and he had less and less free time to himself. He was grateful though, because that meant that he would have more to distract him from the voices in his head. But still, even the missions weren't enough. His nightmares were strong, and they never relented. It seemed that the guilt that the young boy continued to grasp on to fueled the dreams he suffered from. No one would have noticed though, for the one known as the "Cold-blooded Killer" was good at facades.

At least, no one but one.

"You look tired today." Kakashi said nothing in return as he continued to sit by the base of the tree on the training grounds. He merely looked up at the girl hanging upside down from a branch, her feet firmly stuck to the tree with her chakra. Her hair cascaded down and out of her face as she gazed at him with curiosity shining in her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Karibi?" Said chunin smiled widely before she flipped around, landing on the ground with ease.

He wasn't sure why, but any free time the young girl had, she spent it around him. He'd never invite her, he'd never ask her to join him, but she'd show up. And although he acted uninterested and neutral towards her, he never shooed her away or made her leave, so Karibi took that as a sign that she was welcome.

Taking a seat beside the 13 year old, the redhead hummed as she leaned back against the tree. Kakashi said nothing more, quietly enjoying his break from the hard training he had been doing. He stole a glance at the girl beside him every so often, knowing full well she knew he was looking; he didn't care much anymore.

"...I used to have nightmares too, you know." She had picked up that small little habit from Kushina.

Kakashi blinked as he turned his head and looked at the 9 year old. She gave him a small smile as she met his gaze. His single eye was enough to show just the amount of astonishment he was feeling, but still, he said nothing.

"It's not very good to hold things in," the young girl said as she tucked some of her hair behind her ears. "...That's what you told me." The ANBU stiffened as he then recalled the very first moment he had spoken with Karibi.

It's important to say the things you want to say before it's too late. Bottling it up inside...it only hurts you.

Deep down inside, Kakashi knew that Karibi was only trying to help. Because she was just kind like that and thinking of others. But advice was always easier said than done. And right now, anything would be easier than to talk about the turmoil in his mind.

"...How did you know?" Karibi blinked as Kakashi tore his gaze from hers, staring down at the grass.

"How did I know what?"

"About my nightmares." The almost 10 year old stared at her companion with a gentle gaze before she shrugged her shoulders, looking up at the sky through the cracks in the leaves.

"I used to have nightmares too," she said quietly as Kakashi listened closely. "They were always so...scary. Sometimes I wouldn't even remember what happened, but I knew just by the way I would wake up that I had one," she explained as she chuckled and sighed.

"...I was always so tired from trying to stay awake. The last thing I wanted to do was sleep. But being stuck with the Rock ninja and sealed inside of that barrel—there was never much else for me to do." Kakashi didn't know much about what Karibi's experiences before Konoha had been like. What he knew of her was what he had learned over the time he spent with her and through reading her file. Hearing her talk about her time before Minato and Kushina and the leaf was almost a little chilling.

"Do you talk about your nightmares?" Kakashi asked with a raised brow as Karibi smiled and nodded.

"Sometimes I do. I tell Kushina-neechan almost everything. And she makes me feel better. And talking about it makes me feel better," she said. "Because then it feels like someone else understands me. It feels like I'm not alone anymore." Kakashi's eye softened as he quickly averted his gaze from the young girl's. He stared down at his right hand as his jaw clenched, his heart pounding against his chest.

"Come on!" Kakashi blinked as he found Karibi standing in front of him with her hand held out. She was grinning from ear-to-ear as she waited patiently for his response. "Be my sparring partner." The black ops member hesitated as he stared at the girl's hand. He took a silent breath before slowly reaching out and grabbing a hold of it, and as their hands clasped together, a sudden warmth coursed throughout the former jonin's body; it was almost like Karibi's kindness and hope was spreading through his entire body.

"Be ready. I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a chunin."

"What makes you so sure that I need you to go easy on me, Mr. Hotshot?"

"If you were as skilled as me, you would have already become a jonin by now." A ghost of a smirk was evident on the ANBU's face.

"Alright then! Whoever loses buys riceballs!"

"...Deal."

*Three months later*

"Thank you for coming along, Karibi."

"I'm glad to help! And anyways, I think Kushito likes being outside!"

Kushina and Karibi walked side-by-side, a nearly full-grown, white cat walking alongside the younger Uzumaki. The 9 year old wore a wide smile as she watched her pet meow, chasing after a dragonfly but not wandering too far. She locked her hands behind her back and looked up to her guardian, the older woman smiling fondly down at her before turning her attention to the path ahead.

She was nervous. She had been feeling a bit ill for the last few weeks. At first, she had thought it was something she had eaten, but when Minato and Karibi had shown no signs of discomfort, she had grown a bit anxious. So, after a few more weeks, the wife to the Hokage had finally decided to pay a visit to the hospital. Whatever was wrong with her, she wanted to find out and take care of it as soon as possible.

"Kushito! Wait!" Karibi quickly ran up to the cat as she quickly dipped down and scooped the animal into her arms, preventing her pet from being nearly trampled by a small group of children running across the street. She let out a breath of relief before rubbing the cat behind his ear. "Silly. Can't have you getting run-over, now can we?" Kushina smiled widely before they approached the entrance of the hospital.

"Wait out here, alright? I'll be right out when my appointment is done," the woman assured; there were no animals allowed in the hospital. Karibi smiled and nodded before she took a seat on the bench and waited for Kushito to adjust in her lap. He curled up and rested his head against his paws before purring and closing his eyes. The young girl smiled before she watched Kushina disappear inside the building. She waited for several minutes, and after about twenty minutes, her guardian came out with a wide grin and blushed cheeks.

"Kushina-neechan?" Said woman snapped out of her stupor before she turned to Karibi, who was staring at her with a confused look on her face.

"O—Oh, it's nothing!" Kushina said as she waved her hand. "Let's head back! I'm sure Minato is already waiting for us."

"Ok!" Karibi led the way, and as she did so, Kushina's thoughts began to race.

She was pregnant. She was six weeks along, and from what the doctor had told her, she would be due in October. In hindsight, Kushina probably should have considered that as a possibility as to why she was feeling so haggard and sick lately. But now that she knew, she was beyond happy; she was thrilled. But even though she couldn't be happier, she was a bit worried.

Since Karibi had come into their lives, Kushina, Minato and the young girl had become their own little family. Although Kushina and Karibi were related in some, distant way, they were closer than that. They had raised her since she had arrived to the village, and they had grown extremely close since she began to finally open up to them. But she wondered what the dynamic would be like now that she was pregnant. Karibi was still an important part of their lives, but would she grow insecure? Would she feel isolated with a new baby coming into their lives? The last thing Kushina wanted was for Karibi to feel abandoned or alone; after the girl losing her parents, Minato and Kushina had been sure to show her that they were there for her.

"Hey, Karibi!" The young girl looked to her left, Kurenai stepping out from the dumpling shop with Guy and Asuma behind her. The two boys smiled over at her, the redhead grinning.

After passing the chunin exam, Karibi's group of friends had expanded. Although she had spent only a little bit of time with him, she was closest with Kakashi, but then there were Hayase and Hana. And after the exam, Kurenai had reached out to her, congratulating the young girl and inviting her out to eat with her and her friends; that as when she had met Guy and Asuma. Since then, Karibi found herself feeling even more at home in Konoha. She now had a group of people she cared about and wanted to protect. And now she was officially a chunin of the village, her sense of duty rose for her village and for her friends and family.

"What are you doing?" the redhead inquired curiously as she opened her arms, allowing her cat to hop down to the ground and rub against her leg.

"We were just about to train. You want to come along?" the red-eyed girl asked, the three quickly taking notice to Kushina and then bowing out of respect. The woman chuckled as she smiled and nodded to the kids. Karibi looked back at her for permission, and without having to say a word, Kushina granted it; it was nice seeing the young girl mingling with others now.

"Who wants to fight me first?"

"Me!" Guy jumped forward with his hand held up high, Karibi grinning and nodding her head as she began walking off with the other three, her cat following her. Kushina gazed after the 9 year old before she sighed and turned back in the direction she had originally been walking in; she had wonderful news to give to Minato.

*Two Weeks Later*

"Kushina's pregnant."

Kakashi had been utterly shocked. Not because his sensei's wife was pregnant, but because his sensei felt the need to tell him. His job from the Hokage was to watch over the woman and keep her safe and in-check during the months that she would be carrying her new baby. The ANBU's job was to make sure no harm reached her or her belly, and to report any suspicious activity to Minato if there was any at all. But why him? Of all the qualified ninja for the job, why was it him? After all of his failures—after all the lives he had failed to save, why would Minato give him the serious duty of protecting Kushina?

Sitting on the snowy rooftop, Kakashi gazed up at the gray sky through his cat mask as the snowflakes fell. Kushina and Minato were currently inside, seeking refuge from the chill, though the one watching over them felt nothing; he was numb. He had been keeping a close eye on the Hokage's wife for a few days now, and the one thing that he had discovered during those days was interesting.

They had yet to tell Karibi the truth.

Kakashi was far too young and naive to really understand why it was Kushina and Minato were keeping the pregnancy a secret from Karibi. Or perhaps it was Kushina and Minato who were the naive ones—convincing themselves that the young girl's heart would be shattered if she learned he truth. They only wanted to protect her and keep her safe, and although Kakashi had assumed as much, he was still confused; he imagined the joy Karibi would feel from the news, and it nearly made him smile.

After keeping the truth from the young girl for a few weeks, Minato and Kushina had finally agreed that it was time for them to speak up. Karibi had gone on a mission with her team and Riku-sensei and wasn't due back until later that afternoon. Having finished his paperwork and meetings early, Minato had returned home and spent the day with his wife. Her belly had yet to show, but the blond could already feel the new presence within his lovely bride.

After a few hours of relaxing, the door to their home opened and in came Karibi, flakes of snow covering her from head-to-toe. She grinned up at her guardians, her cheeks slightly reddened from the bitter wind outside. "I'm back!"

"Welcome home!" Kushina smiled brightly at the 9 year old as she stood up from the couch and grabbed a towel, patting the girl dry. Minato stood as well as he placed his hands in his pockets, watching the pair with a fond smile of his own; they truly were a family.

"It was good! Riku-sensei said we could head home while she reported our missions," Karibi explained, finally taking notice to the man behind Kushina.

"Minato-niichan? You're home early," she pointed out innocently as the Yellow Flash chuckled and nodded.

"There was something Kushina and I wanted to tell you, and I thought it was best if we did it as soon as we had the chance," he began as Karibi frowned; they seemed nervous.

"What's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong," Kushina assured with a soft smile. "It's just...well..."

Kakashi sighed as his cloak covered his entire body, shielding him from the crisp, winter air. He twirled a kunai with his fingers thoughtlessly for a few moments. After a few seconds of silence, a shrill shriek shattered everything, Kakashi jerking and his breath hitching in the back of his throat. He acted on instinct, jumping down from the roof and landing right by the window, and before he could come bursting in, he stopped himself, staring through the glass. He breathed deeply for a few seconds before calming down, his shoulders sagging and a light and quiet chuckle escaping his lips; it had been a long time since that had happened.

Through the window, Kakashi could see Karibi jumping for joy with the widest grin upon her face; so they had finally told her.

"Oh! Yay!" the chunin yelled as she continued to jump, having finished giving each of her guardians a tight and warm hug. She clapped her hands together as Minato let out a hearty laugh, Kushina grinning along with the girl. "I can't believe it! I'm so happy! A baby! Is it boy? Is it a girl? Did you pick out a name?"

"It's too soon for all of that, although we have been thinking about names," Kushina said playfully as she glanced over at her husband, the man's laughter simmering down to a chortle.

"We're really relieved to see you so happy about this, Karibi," the blond said gently as he knelt down on one knee. "You're going to be a great big sister, won't you?" Karibi paused as she stared at Minato before looking up at Kushina. They gazed down patiently at her with gentle expressions, an eye watching her from outside carefully.

"A big sister..." she whispered before she slowly began to grin. She laughed as she pulled the two into another hug before she nodded her head. "I promise I'll be the best big sister there ever was, you know!" She'd remember those words and resent herself later.

As the ANBU watched from outside, he'd forgotten about the snow and about the cold breeze. He ignored the voices in his head and the demons grasping on to his ankles and pulling him into the darkness, for there was nothing like the sight of Karibi's genuine happiness. And as he watched the young girl as she carefully placed her hands on the woman's flat belly, he couldn't help but wear a solemn expression.

In a world so dark and cold, there were still people who could shine brightly.

*Two Months Later*

The weather was growing warmer, though it was still chilly. The snow was beginning to melt away, though there was still patches of white here and there throughout the village. As people went about their business, two redheads walked beside each other, the older one of the pair stopped to pick out a few things at a small shop, the young girl waiting patiently at her side as she hummed to herself. All the while, a single eye watched carefully from a dark corner, though it didn't seem to matter.

Catching his gaze, Karibi smiled and waved, Kakashi sighing before he disappeared into the darkness of the alley. He shook his head but continued to follow after the pair, watching as Karibi giggled at something Kushina had said. After a bit more shopping, the two finally began to make their way back home, the silver haired ninja not too far behind. After waiting for the two to walk through the threshold of their home, the silent 13 year old jumped up to the roof with ease, not even a single squeak coming from him. And there, he sat, guarding them with his full attention.

"Karibi? What's that?" Said girl blinked as she looked up, pouring hot water from the kettle into a mug.

"Tea!"

"You don't drink tea," Kushina pointed out with a suspicious look as the little girl.

"It's—It's—It's cold outside, and what better way to warm up!" Not saying another word, Karibi began to make her way to her bedroom, tossing a sheepish smile over her shoulder at Kushina before she shut her door. The woman placed her hands on her hips before she glanced up and smiled softly, shrugging and turning her attention to the couch; it looked rather comfy.

§

"Here!" Kakashi blinked, opening his visible eye and looking up. His pupil constricted as he noticed a steaming mug behind held out in front of his face. He then met a pair of amethyst eyes, raising a brow.

"What is this?"

"Poison. What do you think?" Karibi rolled her eyes as she continued to hold the cup out to Kakashi, who eyed the mug before taking the handle and nodding to her. She smiled before taking a seat, hugging herself; she had forgotten her jacket and was only left in her white, short-sleeved shirt and brown pants.

"So, did you hear about Kushina-neechan? Of course you probably did! Why else would you be here watching over her?" she asked excitedly as Kakashi glanced a her before nodding.

"You must be excited."

"I am!" Karibi said with a grin. "Kushina-neechan and Minato-niichan will be great parents, don't you think?" Kakashi didn't say anything right at first. His mind wandered to the memory of his own father, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment.

"...Kashi-san?"

"Hmm?" The young boy looked up from his mug before meeting Karibi's concerned expression.

"What is it?" she asked as the ANBU hesitated.

There were thoughts in his head that always ran rampant. And although he was getting better with his nightmares and managing his guilt, there were still times where he'd revert back to the same stress he would feel before. There were still times where his thoughts would get the best of him and try to tear him to pieces. And although he wanted to be happy for his sensei and his wife, and even for Karibi, there was a part of him that didn't know how to be.

"...Don't you worry?" Karibi blinked as Kakashi spoke, his voice low and his expression dull and sorrowful.

"Worry about what?"

"Don't you worry that...this new baby is going to suffer?" Karibi's eyes widened, the girl forgetting momentarily about the chill that was going down her back. "This world—it's so full of people who are selfish and full of hatred. Don't you worry that this new baby will be born and suffer." Suffer like they had suffered.

Karibi smiled softly at Kakashi before she carefully reached out and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. He slowly looked up and met her gaze, relaxing at the way she looked at him—so kindly and so honestly. That was what made it so easy for him to say what he wanted to Karibi. There was no judgment, no prying, and no trying to fix him. She merely listened. She listened and she tried to understand him. And for someone being so young, she truly did understand the kind of pain he felt. And although she didn't know specifically what kind of pain it was that he was going through, she knew that he was hurting, and that was what mattered.

"This new baby won't suffer, Kakashi," Karibi assured as she nodded. "I don't think Minato-niichan and Kushina-neechan would let that happen," she stated evenly as Kakashi stared for a moment before recomposing himself and nodding.

"And you want to know something else?" The ANBU raised a brow, humoring the young girl as she smiled widely and leaned close to him. "I don't think you'll let this baby suffer either." Kakashi heart nearly came to a stop. He froze as he stared out at the village from the rooftop, Karibi smiling softly at him before she sighed and nodded.

"Boy or girl, this baby is going to be very loved," the 9 year old stated with a confident smile.

And in the end, she had been right about that.

Kakashi looked over at Karibi as she smiled out at nothing in particular. She kept her arms around herself, trying to shield herself from the coldness. It didn't seem like she was going to be leaving any time soon, and so, the shinobi stood to his feet, catching the girl's attention. She watched him curiously as he tugged his cloak off and dropped it on to her shoulders unceremoniously. She blinked and watched as he took a seat back down beside her, now merely in his standard ANBU uniform.

With a smile, Karibi pulled the cloak tightly around herself, feeling far warmer all over. She never noticed the way Kakashi looked back at her, his eyes lingering on her smile.

I've found that I'm moving rather quickly with writing this story. I'm actually going to be posting another chapter of this today since I have the time and I have it finished up! We're moving into Kushina's pregnancy! Naruto is on his way! Now you all just have to see what happens next...who knows how this is all going to play out!

As usual, thank you for reading, following, favoriting and supporting this story :) It all is truly appreciated!

Reviews:

Kit: Hi Kit! First, I would like to take the time to say thanks for reading all of this story! I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to do so. Now, I'm going to clear up some confusion. Kakashi was not 13 with Obitio and Rin. If you do the math, he was 26 years old in the beginning of Naruto, and then 12 years before, when the Nine Tails struck, he was 14, which was well past when Obito and Rin died. He was younger than his teammates, and when he was 13 when he became an Anbu member, which is still past the time in which Obito and Rin died. I made sure to do the math correctly with his age on this one! But thank you for your attempt of correcting me! It's difficult without an actual timeline (Kishimoto should really look into making one XD). Also, I did warn readers that this was going to be a slower moving story. Sorry that it's not quite to your liking, but like I said, it's all coming! Kushina is now pregnant and we all know what happens after that...And Rin dying, well that's always just a depressing thought. Anywho! Sorry to ramble away, thank you for reading! Hope the confusion has been fixed! Thanks again!