Nightmare
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Naruto › General
Rating:
Adult +
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5
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Category:
Naruto › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
5
Views:
1,317
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Wake Up Onegai
AN: Chapter two of Nightmare. Yes, we're cruel bitches but hopefully you're enjoying this story still regardless of our cruelty to the characters, especially Kakashi. Hopefully he'll forgive me one day ^.^
"....." = speech
'.....' = thoughts
[....] = dream sequence/coma sequence
* = change between real world and Kakashi's world
---------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2: Wake Up, Onegai
["Oi, you're not asleep again, are you? Hatake Kakashi, you have got to be the laziest Jounin I've ever met." The boyish laugh that followed the girl's voice made Kakashi squeeze his eyes tight, still refusing to open them. "You forgot him being the youngest Jounin you've ever met, as well Rin-chan." A girlish laugh this time. "He's so cute when he screws his nose up like that while he's asleep." A loud, audible groan reached Kakashi's ears and his mind suddenly caught up with the words being said. "Rin?" He quickly opened his eyes and sat up, looking around for the two that were speaking, Kakashi slumped slightly when he realized no one was there. It was just him, sitting on the grass and the thick black clouds above, threatening to release the water they were carrying. He gave them a careless stare, then looked around frowning at how...........silent it was.
Standing, Kakashi could see down into the village from the hill he was standing on; he knew this hill. Turning to the side, a sizeable stone caught his attention; the memorial stone. It was a familiar sight and he turned towards it. Though it had the names of many carved into its surface, it brought a sense of peace to the Leaf-Jounin. Even the rain that had started to fall and his footsteps were silent. It was almost as if any noise would cause this place to shatter like glass, or at least that was the feeling he got. The silence was, in a odd sense, deafening.
As he went to call out, a noise stopped him and he looked towards the side of the stone, where a small form was standing. It was a little girl, dressed in all black, her white-hair hanging down across her brow, dripping with the water from the rain. Kakashi's visible eye widened in surprise. Of course, he knew who that little girl was; it was his daughter. "Kaede-chan?" It didn't seem as if his voice was carrying or going any further then his own ears. Perhaps he only thought he could hear his own words in the heavy silence. No, it wasn't silent. Kaede's crying was making noise, but it still seemed as if she hadn't heard her father. Kakashi frowned, but headed over to her, a dreadful, painful feeling creeping up his spine with every step towards his little girl. "Kaede, what's wrong?" He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to reach out, but that feeling latching into his senses told him if he did, he would regret it. Slowly, unsurely, he rose a hand to touch Kaede's shoulder before the little Hatake gave a loud sob and spoke, making Kakashi's eyes widen in horror. "Nani?"
Kaede looked up at him then, sad, teary eyes holding his own stare like a vice. "I told you not to die on me, but you did. Why?! Why did you just give up like that? Didn't you care about me? Did I do something wrong? Why daddy? Why do I have to see your name on this?!" She pointed at the memorial stone and Kakashi felt his chest tighten as he looked at the freshly carved letters that spelt out his name. HATAKE KAKASHI. KIA.
Kakashi couldn't breath. His chest hurt and he placed a hand over his heart as he stumbled away from the stone and Kaede as he heard her ask mournfully. "Didn't you love me?" He couldn't stay here. This was wrong. He wasn't dead; he just wasn't. He loved Kaede too much to just give up. He........he wasn't dead......was he?
He turned, ready to find out just what was going on before something, sharp and painful, sliced into his body. Kakashi's eyes widened as he took a shocked breath in and choked on the metallic liquid filling his throat. Dark eyes looked up at him sheepishly, a small smirk crossing Obito's face as he twisted the handle of the sword, cutting it deeper into Kakashi who gave a pained cry. "What's wrong Kakashi? Don't you want to stay with me? I thought we were friends. I gave you that eye after all." He twisted the blade again and Kakashi clamped his jaw before shaking his head. "Iie! Obito is dead! I'm not! I'm alive!"
He managed to hold a glare down at the shorter form who smirked coldly, something the real Obito could never do and had never done in such a heartless form. The voice that purred back at him wasn't his friend’s either. "Aw. But Kakashi-sensei........you will be soon."]
*
Kaede's eyes snapped open and she shoved herself backwards at the sound of the heart monitor's alarm, now screeching in the previously silent room. She could feel cold metal against her back and she grabbed onto it for support as her eyes rapidly flicked around the room before falling back onto her father. "Daddy?" She shrieked in fright as someone suddenly grabbed her from behind. She managed to catch sight of the heart monitor as its wildly moving lines suddenly went straight. Kaede looked up at Tsunade as she shoved a medic out of the way so she could get her hands onto Kakashi's prone form. "Damnit, you bastard! Don't you dare flat line on me!" The older woman's hands flew though a set of seals and she hit her palms down onto Kakashi's chest, sending a spark of electricity through his body. Kaede was shaking violently and she watched her father's back arch at the shock. Her eyes flicked over to the monitor as one of the lines gave a flick, then went dead again.
Tsunade started yelling at her medics and Kaede pushed herself up against the wall, her eyes focused on Kakashi, only moving to his monitor every now and then before fixing back on him. She slid down the wall and whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't die, daddy. Don't die, onegai." Kaede continued to whisper the words over and over until she wasn't even sure what she was saying anymore. Someone stepped up beside Tsunade and she took a syringe, stabbing it into Kakashi's chest, making Kaede flinch as she injected the adrenaline into the unconscious ninja. At the same time, both female ninja looked up at the monitor. Tsunade stared at it expectedly, while Kaede continued to whisper to herself, hoping to see the lines move, hoping that she would be able to hear his heart beat again. "Get me another! There's no way I'm loosing this stubborn bastard tonight!" Her medics hurried off to fetch another syringe and Kaede looked up at Tsunade and they stared at one another, almost as if the girl had been forgotten.
Perhaps, she had been at the time.
"Oh kami.........Kaede-chan......" Tsunade looked ready to burst out crying before the medic returned and she took the needle, repeating the process over this time, seemingly gentler, her eyes landing on Kaede again as the little Hatake stared at the monitor, waiting on those lines to move. "Onegai.........Onegai........Onegai......" Tsunade's face screwed up as she turned away from the little girl, tears making their way down the Sannin's cheeks and she hissed out between her teeth. "Damnit Kakashi. Don't do this in front of your little girl."
Beep.
Kaede's eyes widened until she thought they would pop out and Tsunade's head snapped up in surprise at that tiny little noise.
Beep. Beep.
The lines continued to move and Tsunade basically collapsed beside the bed with a near hysterical laugh, making a few of her medics look at one another worriedly. Kaede burst out crying, her whole body shaking with relief. She wanted to scream and shout and, on top of it all, she wanted to be sick. Could someone be so relieved that is made them ill? She wasn't sure, but she knew she felt like throwing up.
It took awhile for Tsunade to get her medics to leave her. Even her threats did little to make them leave, until she threatened to dock their pay. The Hokage leaned against the wall and chuckled as she looked over at Kaede. "Are you alright, sweetie?" "I wanna be sick." Tsunade laughed again, her cheeks streaked with tears and she nodded in agreement with the little Hatake. "That makes two of us." She sniffed and used a sleeve to start wiping those tears away. "I swear, he's only doing it for attention." Kaede gave a choked laugh and nodded. "Yeah."
They looked at one another again and Tsunade held her arms out, waiting until Kaede climbed into her hold before the older woman became a little too emotional again. She cried into the youngest Hatake's hair, while Kaede listened to the woman's heartbeat and the beep of her father's heart monitor.
*
[Kakashi sat up with a gasp, followed by a yelp of surprise as he suddenly went underwater. Opening his eyes again, he realized he had been floating in the river and his sudden movement had shifted the buoyancy and he had gone under. Nothing too surprising. Re-surfacing, he heard a light chuckle right behind him. It was both familiar and impossible. "Don't you hate when that happens?" Kakashi tilted his head up as Konoha's Yellow Flash smiled down at him in amusement, his arms crossed lightly over his chest. The fourth's features softened after a moment and he held a hand out to Kakashi. "Come on, before you catch your death."
He flinched at those words, but reached up to accept his former sensei's hand. Strong fingers closed around his surprisingly thinner wrist before he was pulled up onto the surface of the river and the two men stood in front of one another. "So, you haven't forgotten everything I taught you."
"I knew most of this before I started as your student." The elder laughed and nodded. "Same attitude, too, I see. That, I might have been a little responsible for." His former sensei tilted his head, looking sober for a moment before that familiar smile returned, its edges soft and thoughtful. "You're scared, aren't you?" Kakashi was taken aback for a moment before he gave a stiff nod. "Afraid of dying, right?" Again, he gave a nod and the yellow haired man's smile widened a little more. "You shouldn't be afraid for yourself, as they say death is only one more step in life's little journey." Kakashi shook his head in disagreement. "I'm not afraid for myself. But I can't die; not yet."
"For her?"
Kakashi looked up at his teacher and nodded with a sad smile. "I can't leave Kaede alone. I can't just go and die and leave her without her father. Not like......like..." The other man placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and leaned down so his face was near the Jounin's ear. "Like your father did." Kakashi gave a jolt and found himself staring at a wooden wall. He blinked slowly before turning to face the room. He didn't want to, because he knew what he was going to see. The copycat looked at the open doorway, the light pouring in making it difficult to see the smaller form standing within it, but Kakashi knew who it was. It was a child; it was him. Slowly, he let his eyes fall to the long-ago scene. The grey-haired ninja laid on the ground, cold blood pooling around his still form while dark eyes remained open, though they no longer saw.
The man was dead.
The boy at the doorway slowly stepped into the room, stopping a few steps away from the man's body before he looked up with dark eyes, identical to that of the dead man's, fixing Kakashi with a hard, emotionless look. His younger version pushed his hands into his pockets and sighed heavily. "You're going to do the same thing, you know? You're going to leave your only child parentless, too." His younger self turned away then, and headed back to the doorway before stopping and speaking again. "You're going to be just like your father."
He blinked and the boy was gone. Kakashi turned his gaze downwards to the body still laying in the room. Something was different though. Rounding to the side of the body Kakashi, crouched down and reached out with his hand. It was like he couldn't help but need to see the other's face. Gently, he pushed the body to its side before recoiling at what he saw. 'Just like your father.' He was staring at himself.
Kakashi ran from the house. He didn't care if this was real or not. He just couldn't be in that place any longer. He wasn't like his father, he wasn't going to die, and he wasn't going to kill himself. He was going to live; for himself; for Kaede.
The ground gave out from under the ninja's footing and Kakashi grunted in pain as he fell to the ground. He laid there for some time. It was the rain that made him open his eyes and raise his head, seeing the memorial stone again. With a sigh, Kakashi dragged himself to his feet and slowly walked over to it, before slumping against the cold stone, his cheek pressed to its wet surface and his eyes slid closed again. "Kakashi?" A hand on his shoulder gave him a gentle shake, but he ignored it. "Kakashi, sleeping with the dead isn't really the right thing to do you know." He batted that hand away and could almost picture the humph he got for it before a wheezy cough made his eyes snap open and he looked at Hayate, who smiled at the surprised look on Kakashi's face. "Glad to see you awake, friend. Thought I almost lost you."
"Lost me?"
Hayate tilted his head and gave Kakashi an unreadable look. "You're giving up. Even if you don't want to, you are." Kakashi just stared at the other ninja, confused by what he meant and Hayate sighed before coughing in that old way of his. "I'm never going to miss that." "Nani?" Hayate smiled after his coughing subsided and he let his hands drop between his knees. "Those old coughs.” “You really have no idea, do you? Don't you realize that you're hanging right between life and death?" Life and death? "But, Kaede........"
"She's the only thing really holding you in life, friend. If she didn't love you as much as she does, you probably would already be dead by now." Kakashi thought about it for a moment before slumping against the stone and shaking his head sadly. "It's just another one of these nightmares. You're not real. Leave me alone." Hayate gave Kakashi a sad look before leaning down and whispering in his ear. "I might not be real and this might all be fake; just illusions playing inside your mind because of your coma, but Kaede does love you. Be a father and learn to wake up." Kakashi's eyes slipped closed and he suddenly felt like he was falling into an endless, black void.
He had to wake up.
Please.
Wake up.]
*
"Please wake up, daddy." Kaede turned away from the light filtering through the hospital rooms window. She buried her head into the crook of Kakashi's neck and sniffed sadly. It might have only been two days now, but with each passing hour, Kaede felt like he'd never wake up, that he'd never open his eyes and smile at her again. "Kaede-chan? Are you alright?" She looked over Kakashi to where Naruto was sitting, the blanket that had been covering him slipping down to pool on his lap as he stretched and yawned at the uncomfortable position he had been forced to sleep it. "Do you think he's ever going to wake up?"
"Sure he will." Naruto stared at Kaede for a moment as she let her eyes drop; she was getting worse. The blonde hated to admit it, but Kaede was getting more silent and depressed, seemingly by the minute. She only ate if someone put food in front of her, and even then, it wasn't a sure thing. She would lay with her dad or just stare at his heart monitor until she passed out from exhaustion. No one could make her leave. Even by force, she somehow found a way back in or she would just go so................lifeless. It scared Naruto seeing both Hatake like that. Tsunade called it catonic shock but Naruto didn't care what cats had to do with it. What he wanted was for his sensei to wake up and for Kaede to go back to normal.
Of course, Tsunade had tried to explain that it had nothing to do with cats.
Standing, Naruto stretched with a growl and placed his hands behind his head. "I'm going for a walk, okay? I'll bring you back some ramen." Kaede simply nodded, not really paying attention to the older ninja as he walked from the room. She laid there for some time until the need for the bathroom made her regretfully leave her father's side to deal with the problem. Kaede returned a short time later and sat down, sliding her hand underneath Kakashi's larger and warmer one as she watched the monitor and its moving lines. "Wake up dad, onegai." She closed her eyes and sighed heavily before something twitched against her hand. Kaede's head snapped up quickly and she stared at her father's hand as his fingers twitched again. Slowly, his first two fingers curled down to rest against her hand and she could almost burst out laughing with joy at the slight movement. He knew she was there; Kaede was sure of it. "I'm not leaving. Not until you wake up and you know it, dad."
His hand twitched again, making his fingers give her hand a little squeeze. It was weak; far too weak for Kaede's liking, but it was still good knowing she was getting a reaction from the Jounin, regardless of how small. After awhile, the movements ceased and Kaede laid her head down against her father's arm, humming lightly to herself as she rubbed her thumb up and down the side of Kakashi's hand. She hadn't imagined it; he had moved, so he had to be getting better. Kaede just knew he had to be. She gave him a gentle smile and continued to hum lightly as her attention turned back to the lines of his heart monitor. It wasn't going to stop; she had to believe that now. It wasn't going to stop because he had moved.
That's how it went, right? If they moved or made signs of waking up, that meant he couldn't die, right?
*
[It was bright....
So very bright...
Kakashi closed his eyes slowly and let out a heavy sigh. Even with his eyes closed, it was still too bright. It was almost as if there was a blinding light everywhere. The light annoyed him, almost like it was forcing him to react when all he wanted to do was just....
Just stop.
He slowly opened his dual eyes staring up into the brightness. It was warm here and peaceful, something Kakashi hadn't truly felt for a long time. This place made him want to sleep; it made him want to just close his eyes and never wake again. It made him feel like he should never worry about anything again and to be at peace.
"I can't do that...." Turning his head to the side, Kakashi stared at the grass. It seemed almost white. Frowning, the Jounin buried his hand into the 'grass', his frown deepening when he discovered that it wasn't grass, but snow. He knew it should be cold, but it didn't feel like it. Instead, it felt soft and gentle, almost like cotton. It was unusual. Letting the snow fall from his hand back to the ground, Kakashi stared at his hand, still raised, blinking curiously as a snowflake fell onto it, followed by more. Turning his head back to look up, Kakashi watched as the light faded into darkness. Only the falling snow and the snow he was laying on covering the ground showed. White and pure. "Pure as fallen snow." The Jounin tensed at that gentle voice. Slowly, he looked up at Haku, who smiled sweetly down at him. "That's what you said, isn't it? When I died?"
"Hai." He gave a nod and the former Mist-nin crouched down, his hands resting on his lap. "I don't blame you for killing me. It wasn't your choice after all." Kakashi frowned thoughtfully. Did he subconsciously blame himself for the boy's death, even after all this time? He knew that standing on that bridge, his hand buried in the boy's chest, that he had been stunned that he had stepped in front of Chidori. Maybe he did blame himself for not stopping in time. A little, feminine giggle made Kakashi refocus on Haku, who lowered his hand from his mouth and tilted his head to the side. "So, let’s discuss how we're going to get you to wake up, ne?"
"Wake up?" The boy made it sound like he was taking a afternoon nap or something, not lying somewhere in the snow, talking to a teenager who had died years ago by his hand. "I....." He felt tears welling up in his odd colored eyes as he fought to keep control of his emotions like he had for most of his life; that he had both been trained to do and had chosen to do. "I don't want to die."
The Leaf-nin closed his eyes tightly, ignoring the sting of tears running down the sides of his face as slender, yet surprisingly strong arms wrapped around him. He found himself crying against Haku's chest, as the boy hugged him. "It's alright, Hatake Kakashi." It seemed to take forever to raise his hand and grab onto the material of Haku's kimono. His tears pent up from so long, for far too many things, were finally released. He wasn't sure how long he cried for, but when he finally was able to stop he felt.........rejuvenated… Oddly more stable......Alive. No, not alive, but more.......
Hopeful.
Slowly, Kakashi opened his eyes and Haku released him before standing with a happy smile. He looked away from the Jounin and towards something. No, someone that was just out of Kakashi's range of sight. Perhaps it wasn't for him to see, but he knew whoever it was, was there. "I have to go now, Kakashi-sama. You should go back now, too. Wake up and stop worrying that little girl of yours, and...." Haku giggled and bowed towards his former killer. "Don't be afraid." Kakashi wiped the tears from his face, turning to look up at the little Mist-nin, only to find him already gone. That was two now: Hayate and Haku. Both seemed to be there helping him in their own little way, though one had been a friend of sorts and the other......
Kakashi stood after a thoughtful moment. It seemed he had been correct about Haku; he really was a caring child, regardless of how he had been raised. He tilted his head with a soft smile as the snow continued to fall.
The snow really was beautiful.]
*
Iruka sat in the waiting room in one of the chairs, his body reclined and his hands folded in his lap. He stared at the ceiling, once again counting the titles. He figured there was around fifty, as he never finished counting, being as he normally lost count. He was periodically disturbed an odd noise which one only notices in a silent room. As he counted, Tsunade came through the twin doors on the other side of the room and looked surprisingly at Iruka. He continued to count as she approached him. “Iruka? You haven’t been here the entire time, have you?”
The brown-haired man’s eyes dropped down to look at the women as he paused his counting. “What? Oh, no. I’m sorry.” He lost his number and dropped his gaze fully to the Sannin, shaking his head as he stood up. He gave an apologetic smile and scratched the back of his head. “I just only got here a while ago. I would’ve said something earlier, but I was afraid I would be interrupting something. I just stopped by to check on things. I hope I’m not intruding on anything?” Iruka gave a soft smile as he looked at her, only for that smile to fade slightly at her condition. She had looked as if she hadn’t slept much lately.
The Sannin shook her head in reply and gave a gentle smile in return. “No, you’re alright. I was just coming back from checking on the others.” The pale-haired woman’s smile faded as Iruka’s did as she looked down slightly. Iruka gave a half worried look as he waited patiently, knowing that something was troubling the woman. “Is everything okay?” Tsunade blinked and looked back up, part of a smile on her face. “Depends on what you mean by ‘okay.” It’s just…” She let out a sigh and rubbed the back of her neck as she looked down once again. “Kakashi’s been stable and his condition hasn’t moved in either direction. The other day we did have a scare, but we managed to get it under control and since then, everything’s been… fine… If you can call it that. Kaede claimed he moved a little, but she hasn‘t said about anything else after the other day.” She paused and Iruka still remained silent.
A few minutes passed and Iruka finally spoke up. “So, how’s Kaede, then?” Tsunade gave a deep frown. “Well, she’s not too much better herself. She refuses to eat and hardly sleeps and when she does, it’s because she’s passed out from exhaustion or from crying. She doesn’t looked the same anymore, either. Her skin tone seems faded and her eyes are shallow and always tired. Nothing will make her quit… I just hope Kakashi wakes up soon. I don’t know how much more we can all take of this, especially Kaede. She’s so worried about that stubborn bastard, that she’s forgot to worry about herself.”
“Sounds like typical, little Kaede for you.” Iruka gave a smile. She was always strong-spirited and determined. “She just so much like him. She won’t give up and keeps her word. Kaede won’t let him go. That little girl’s holding both of them up and I just hope Kakashi doesn’t slip from her grasp.” The ‘dolphin’ paused as a sad shadow began to linger in his eyes. “He’s her entire life and I’d hate to see her have to grow up with a parent. It’s hard to grow up alone…” The Chuunin’s voice trailed as his eyes drifted off to the side. Tsunade gave him a soft look and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, causing him to looked up thankfully. Iruka gave a weak smile. “Do you mind if I see her?”
Tsunade shook her head. “Of course not. Come on.” She lead Iruka back to Kakashi’s room and the Chuunin was slightly appalled himself at the sight of the other ninja and at his almost lifeless form. He felt scared again and most of that fear was for the little girl sitting at the side of his bed. “I’ll leave you alone for a bit. I’d hate to intrude myself.” Tsunade left and Iruka nodded. “I’ll keep it short.”
He hesitated, but soon Iruka found the courage to approach the girl, but did so slowly. She paid no attention to him, as her attention was focused on the heart monitor, her green eyes watching the lines and her ears listening to the beeps. Iruka placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Kaede?” The little girl whipped around in surprise, but her expression stayed the same. That blank look on her face sent a chill down the elder’s spine. He could see what Tsunade was talking about. Her eyes were blank and dark, fatigue occupying every speck of green they held. That usual, lively shine was absent and her youthful glow was gone from her cheeks. He tilted his head with a soft look. “So… How you doing?”
Kaede’s eyes dropped a bit, straying back shortly at her father. Iruka kneeled down and held out her arms and the little Hatake went in for a hug. She started to shake as her eyes started to flood once more with tears. Kaede managed to hold it for a bit, but soon broke down again in his arms. Her voice was void of any hope and it frightened Iruka. That wasn’t like her. “I-Iruka-sensei… I… I can’t t-take it anymore…” she managed to say between sobs. He tightened his squeeze on her small form. “Kaede…”
The little girl kept repeating what she had said, an apology or some kind of gibberish sneaking out every once and a while. The next thing she said sent a shock through Iruka, unable to believe what he had heard. “D-Do you think… that if… I really do l-love him… t-that I s-should… l-let him g-go? L-let him m-move on?” The pain that inhabited her voice was scary and Iruka couldn’t believe that Kaede, of all people, had said it.
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?” Iruka asked the little girl, the surprise wanting to explode from his voice. “Kaede… Don’t say that. Your father wouldn’t want you to do that. He’d want to be with you.” He rubbed her back as she began to cry harder. “But… but… He…” Iruka shook his head. “No, Kaede… Don’t speak… It’s all going to be alright… Whatever your thinking is just because you‘re tired…” His eyes were shining with wonder as he was still shocked. He hushed Kaede whenever she tired to speak. He needed to get her to sleep. She was becoming unstable…
Tsunade watched from a crack in the doorway and shook her head, her eyes narrowing sadly. This was too much on the girl… She was giving up… The older woman just hoped Kakashi wasn’t doing the same. That was the last thing the two Hakake needed.
The younger Hatake continued to cry and Iruka continued to comfort her, trying to ease those thoughts from her mind. It was painful for him to see her this way. She was normally a bright girl, always seeing some positive side to anything, but now, that was gone. She was broken. She wasn’t herself anymore. Iruka started to wish harder for Kakashi to wake up. He too wanted to see the two Hatake back to normal.
“It’s m-my fault he got hurt… H-had he n-not had to w-worry a-about me a-all the t-time, h-he wouldn’t have g-gotten h-hurt like this… He’d be b-better off w-without m-me… Then, he w-wouldn’t have t-to w-worry about m-me all the t-time…” Kaede cried, causing Iruka’s concern to grow even more. The girl loved her father… Why was she saying this? Kaede just kept going, pouring out some inner feeling that had never made itself known until now. “I s-should’ve been the one… in that b-bed… Not h-him… I should’ve b-been the one w-who got h-hurt… It was my f-fault… I t-taunted S-Sasuke… He came after m-me… N-not d-dad…”
“Oh, Kaede…” Iruka sighed, a tear sliding down his cheek. This was just getting worse and worse and Iruka was afraid. He didn’t know what to do, but he wanted to make it stop. His voice lowered down, almost lower than a whisper and he looked over at Kakashi. He basically mouth his words. “Please wake up, Kakashi…”
--------------------------
Stay tuned for chapter three: Dying Flames
"....." = speech
'.....' = thoughts
[....] = dream sequence/coma sequence
* = change between real world and Kakashi's world
---------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2: Wake Up, Onegai
["Oi, you're not asleep again, are you? Hatake Kakashi, you have got to be the laziest Jounin I've ever met." The boyish laugh that followed the girl's voice made Kakashi squeeze his eyes tight, still refusing to open them. "You forgot him being the youngest Jounin you've ever met, as well Rin-chan." A girlish laugh this time. "He's so cute when he screws his nose up like that while he's asleep." A loud, audible groan reached Kakashi's ears and his mind suddenly caught up with the words being said. "Rin?" He quickly opened his eyes and sat up, looking around for the two that were speaking, Kakashi slumped slightly when he realized no one was there. It was just him, sitting on the grass and the thick black clouds above, threatening to release the water they were carrying. He gave them a careless stare, then looked around frowning at how...........silent it was.
Standing, Kakashi could see down into the village from the hill he was standing on; he knew this hill. Turning to the side, a sizeable stone caught his attention; the memorial stone. It was a familiar sight and he turned towards it. Though it had the names of many carved into its surface, it brought a sense of peace to the Leaf-Jounin. Even the rain that had started to fall and his footsteps were silent. It was almost as if any noise would cause this place to shatter like glass, or at least that was the feeling he got. The silence was, in a odd sense, deafening.
As he went to call out, a noise stopped him and he looked towards the side of the stone, where a small form was standing. It was a little girl, dressed in all black, her white-hair hanging down across her brow, dripping with the water from the rain. Kakashi's visible eye widened in surprise. Of course, he knew who that little girl was; it was his daughter. "Kaede-chan?" It didn't seem as if his voice was carrying or going any further then his own ears. Perhaps he only thought he could hear his own words in the heavy silence. No, it wasn't silent. Kaede's crying was making noise, but it still seemed as if she hadn't heard her father. Kakashi frowned, but headed over to her, a dreadful, painful feeling creeping up his spine with every step towards his little girl. "Kaede, what's wrong?" He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to reach out, but that feeling latching into his senses told him if he did, he would regret it. Slowly, unsurely, he rose a hand to touch Kaede's shoulder before the little Hatake gave a loud sob and spoke, making Kakashi's eyes widen in horror. "Nani?"
Kaede looked up at him then, sad, teary eyes holding his own stare like a vice. "I told you not to die on me, but you did. Why?! Why did you just give up like that? Didn't you care about me? Did I do something wrong? Why daddy? Why do I have to see your name on this?!" She pointed at the memorial stone and Kakashi felt his chest tighten as he looked at the freshly carved letters that spelt out his name. HATAKE KAKASHI. KIA.
Kakashi couldn't breath. His chest hurt and he placed a hand over his heart as he stumbled away from the stone and Kaede as he heard her ask mournfully. "Didn't you love me?" He couldn't stay here. This was wrong. He wasn't dead; he just wasn't. He loved Kaede too much to just give up. He........he wasn't dead......was he?
He turned, ready to find out just what was going on before something, sharp and painful, sliced into his body. Kakashi's eyes widened as he took a shocked breath in and choked on the metallic liquid filling his throat. Dark eyes looked up at him sheepishly, a small smirk crossing Obito's face as he twisted the handle of the sword, cutting it deeper into Kakashi who gave a pained cry. "What's wrong Kakashi? Don't you want to stay with me? I thought we were friends. I gave you that eye after all." He twisted the blade again and Kakashi clamped his jaw before shaking his head. "Iie! Obito is dead! I'm not! I'm alive!"
He managed to hold a glare down at the shorter form who smirked coldly, something the real Obito could never do and had never done in such a heartless form. The voice that purred back at him wasn't his friend’s either. "Aw. But Kakashi-sensei........you will be soon."]
*
Kaede's eyes snapped open and she shoved herself backwards at the sound of the heart monitor's alarm, now screeching in the previously silent room. She could feel cold metal against her back and she grabbed onto it for support as her eyes rapidly flicked around the room before falling back onto her father. "Daddy?" She shrieked in fright as someone suddenly grabbed her from behind. She managed to catch sight of the heart monitor as its wildly moving lines suddenly went straight. Kaede looked up at Tsunade as she shoved a medic out of the way so she could get her hands onto Kakashi's prone form. "Damnit, you bastard! Don't you dare flat line on me!" The older woman's hands flew though a set of seals and she hit her palms down onto Kakashi's chest, sending a spark of electricity through his body. Kaede was shaking violently and she watched her father's back arch at the shock. Her eyes flicked over to the monitor as one of the lines gave a flick, then went dead again.
Tsunade started yelling at her medics and Kaede pushed herself up against the wall, her eyes focused on Kakashi, only moving to his monitor every now and then before fixing back on him. She slid down the wall and whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't die, daddy. Don't die, onegai." Kaede continued to whisper the words over and over until she wasn't even sure what she was saying anymore. Someone stepped up beside Tsunade and she took a syringe, stabbing it into Kakashi's chest, making Kaede flinch as she injected the adrenaline into the unconscious ninja. At the same time, both female ninja looked up at the monitor. Tsunade stared at it expectedly, while Kaede continued to whisper to herself, hoping to see the lines move, hoping that she would be able to hear his heart beat again. "Get me another! There's no way I'm loosing this stubborn bastard tonight!" Her medics hurried off to fetch another syringe and Kaede looked up at Tsunade and they stared at one another, almost as if the girl had been forgotten.
Perhaps, she had been at the time.
"Oh kami.........Kaede-chan......" Tsunade looked ready to burst out crying before the medic returned and she took the needle, repeating the process over this time, seemingly gentler, her eyes landing on Kaede again as the little Hatake stared at the monitor, waiting on those lines to move. "Onegai.........Onegai........Onegai......" Tsunade's face screwed up as she turned away from the little girl, tears making their way down the Sannin's cheeks and she hissed out between her teeth. "Damnit Kakashi. Don't do this in front of your little girl."
Beep.
Kaede's eyes widened until she thought they would pop out and Tsunade's head snapped up in surprise at that tiny little noise.
Beep. Beep.
The lines continued to move and Tsunade basically collapsed beside the bed with a near hysterical laugh, making a few of her medics look at one another worriedly. Kaede burst out crying, her whole body shaking with relief. She wanted to scream and shout and, on top of it all, she wanted to be sick. Could someone be so relieved that is made them ill? She wasn't sure, but she knew she felt like throwing up.
It took awhile for Tsunade to get her medics to leave her. Even her threats did little to make them leave, until she threatened to dock their pay. The Hokage leaned against the wall and chuckled as she looked over at Kaede. "Are you alright, sweetie?" "I wanna be sick." Tsunade laughed again, her cheeks streaked with tears and she nodded in agreement with the little Hatake. "That makes two of us." She sniffed and used a sleeve to start wiping those tears away. "I swear, he's only doing it for attention." Kaede gave a choked laugh and nodded. "Yeah."
They looked at one another again and Tsunade held her arms out, waiting until Kaede climbed into her hold before the older woman became a little too emotional again. She cried into the youngest Hatake's hair, while Kaede listened to the woman's heartbeat and the beep of her father's heart monitor.
*
[Kakashi sat up with a gasp, followed by a yelp of surprise as he suddenly went underwater. Opening his eyes again, he realized he had been floating in the river and his sudden movement had shifted the buoyancy and he had gone under. Nothing too surprising. Re-surfacing, he heard a light chuckle right behind him. It was both familiar and impossible. "Don't you hate when that happens?" Kakashi tilted his head up as Konoha's Yellow Flash smiled down at him in amusement, his arms crossed lightly over his chest. The fourth's features softened after a moment and he held a hand out to Kakashi. "Come on, before you catch your death."
He flinched at those words, but reached up to accept his former sensei's hand. Strong fingers closed around his surprisingly thinner wrist before he was pulled up onto the surface of the river and the two men stood in front of one another. "So, you haven't forgotten everything I taught you."
"I knew most of this before I started as your student." The elder laughed and nodded. "Same attitude, too, I see. That, I might have been a little responsible for." His former sensei tilted his head, looking sober for a moment before that familiar smile returned, its edges soft and thoughtful. "You're scared, aren't you?" Kakashi was taken aback for a moment before he gave a stiff nod. "Afraid of dying, right?" Again, he gave a nod and the yellow haired man's smile widened a little more. "You shouldn't be afraid for yourself, as they say death is only one more step in life's little journey." Kakashi shook his head in disagreement. "I'm not afraid for myself. But I can't die; not yet."
"For her?"
Kakashi looked up at his teacher and nodded with a sad smile. "I can't leave Kaede alone. I can't just go and die and leave her without her father. Not like......like..." The other man placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and leaned down so his face was near the Jounin's ear. "Like your father did." Kakashi gave a jolt and found himself staring at a wooden wall. He blinked slowly before turning to face the room. He didn't want to, because he knew what he was going to see. The copycat looked at the open doorway, the light pouring in making it difficult to see the smaller form standing within it, but Kakashi knew who it was. It was a child; it was him. Slowly, he let his eyes fall to the long-ago scene. The grey-haired ninja laid on the ground, cold blood pooling around his still form while dark eyes remained open, though they no longer saw.
The man was dead.
The boy at the doorway slowly stepped into the room, stopping a few steps away from the man's body before he looked up with dark eyes, identical to that of the dead man's, fixing Kakashi with a hard, emotionless look. His younger version pushed his hands into his pockets and sighed heavily. "You're going to do the same thing, you know? You're going to leave your only child parentless, too." His younger self turned away then, and headed back to the doorway before stopping and speaking again. "You're going to be just like your father."
He blinked and the boy was gone. Kakashi turned his gaze downwards to the body still laying in the room. Something was different though. Rounding to the side of the body Kakashi, crouched down and reached out with his hand. It was like he couldn't help but need to see the other's face. Gently, he pushed the body to its side before recoiling at what he saw. 'Just like your father.' He was staring at himself.
Kakashi ran from the house. He didn't care if this was real or not. He just couldn't be in that place any longer. He wasn't like his father, he wasn't going to die, and he wasn't going to kill himself. He was going to live; for himself; for Kaede.
The ground gave out from under the ninja's footing and Kakashi grunted in pain as he fell to the ground. He laid there for some time. It was the rain that made him open his eyes and raise his head, seeing the memorial stone again. With a sigh, Kakashi dragged himself to his feet and slowly walked over to it, before slumping against the cold stone, his cheek pressed to its wet surface and his eyes slid closed again. "Kakashi?" A hand on his shoulder gave him a gentle shake, but he ignored it. "Kakashi, sleeping with the dead isn't really the right thing to do you know." He batted that hand away and could almost picture the humph he got for it before a wheezy cough made his eyes snap open and he looked at Hayate, who smiled at the surprised look on Kakashi's face. "Glad to see you awake, friend. Thought I almost lost you."
"Lost me?"
Hayate tilted his head and gave Kakashi an unreadable look. "You're giving up. Even if you don't want to, you are." Kakashi just stared at the other ninja, confused by what he meant and Hayate sighed before coughing in that old way of his. "I'm never going to miss that." "Nani?" Hayate smiled after his coughing subsided and he let his hands drop between his knees. "Those old coughs.” “You really have no idea, do you? Don't you realize that you're hanging right between life and death?" Life and death? "But, Kaede........"
"She's the only thing really holding you in life, friend. If she didn't love you as much as she does, you probably would already be dead by now." Kakashi thought about it for a moment before slumping against the stone and shaking his head sadly. "It's just another one of these nightmares. You're not real. Leave me alone." Hayate gave Kakashi a sad look before leaning down and whispering in his ear. "I might not be real and this might all be fake; just illusions playing inside your mind because of your coma, but Kaede does love you. Be a father and learn to wake up." Kakashi's eyes slipped closed and he suddenly felt like he was falling into an endless, black void.
He had to wake up.
Please.
Wake up.]
*
"Please wake up, daddy." Kaede turned away from the light filtering through the hospital rooms window. She buried her head into the crook of Kakashi's neck and sniffed sadly. It might have only been two days now, but with each passing hour, Kaede felt like he'd never wake up, that he'd never open his eyes and smile at her again. "Kaede-chan? Are you alright?" She looked over Kakashi to where Naruto was sitting, the blanket that had been covering him slipping down to pool on his lap as he stretched and yawned at the uncomfortable position he had been forced to sleep it. "Do you think he's ever going to wake up?"
"Sure he will." Naruto stared at Kaede for a moment as she let her eyes drop; she was getting worse. The blonde hated to admit it, but Kaede was getting more silent and depressed, seemingly by the minute. She only ate if someone put food in front of her, and even then, it wasn't a sure thing. She would lay with her dad or just stare at his heart monitor until she passed out from exhaustion. No one could make her leave. Even by force, she somehow found a way back in or she would just go so................lifeless. It scared Naruto seeing both Hatake like that. Tsunade called it catonic shock but Naruto didn't care what cats had to do with it. What he wanted was for his sensei to wake up and for Kaede to go back to normal.
Of course, Tsunade had tried to explain that it had nothing to do with cats.
Standing, Naruto stretched with a growl and placed his hands behind his head. "I'm going for a walk, okay? I'll bring you back some ramen." Kaede simply nodded, not really paying attention to the older ninja as he walked from the room. She laid there for some time until the need for the bathroom made her regretfully leave her father's side to deal with the problem. Kaede returned a short time later and sat down, sliding her hand underneath Kakashi's larger and warmer one as she watched the monitor and its moving lines. "Wake up dad, onegai." She closed her eyes and sighed heavily before something twitched against her hand. Kaede's head snapped up quickly and she stared at her father's hand as his fingers twitched again. Slowly, his first two fingers curled down to rest against her hand and she could almost burst out laughing with joy at the slight movement. He knew she was there; Kaede was sure of it. "I'm not leaving. Not until you wake up and you know it, dad."
His hand twitched again, making his fingers give her hand a little squeeze. It was weak; far too weak for Kaede's liking, but it was still good knowing she was getting a reaction from the Jounin, regardless of how small. After awhile, the movements ceased and Kaede laid her head down against her father's arm, humming lightly to herself as she rubbed her thumb up and down the side of Kakashi's hand. She hadn't imagined it; he had moved, so he had to be getting better. Kaede just knew he had to be. She gave him a gentle smile and continued to hum lightly as her attention turned back to the lines of his heart monitor. It wasn't going to stop; she had to believe that now. It wasn't going to stop because he had moved.
That's how it went, right? If they moved or made signs of waking up, that meant he couldn't die, right?
*
[It was bright....
So very bright...
Kakashi closed his eyes slowly and let out a heavy sigh. Even with his eyes closed, it was still too bright. It was almost as if there was a blinding light everywhere. The light annoyed him, almost like it was forcing him to react when all he wanted to do was just....
Just stop.
He slowly opened his dual eyes staring up into the brightness. It was warm here and peaceful, something Kakashi hadn't truly felt for a long time. This place made him want to sleep; it made him want to just close his eyes and never wake again. It made him feel like he should never worry about anything again and to be at peace.
"I can't do that...." Turning his head to the side, Kakashi stared at the grass. It seemed almost white. Frowning, the Jounin buried his hand into the 'grass', his frown deepening when he discovered that it wasn't grass, but snow. He knew it should be cold, but it didn't feel like it. Instead, it felt soft and gentle, almost like cotton. It was unusual. Letting the snow fall from his hand back to the ground, Kakashi stared at his hand, still raised, blinking curiously as a snowflake fell onto it, followed by more. Turning his head back to look up, Kakashi watched as the light faded into darkness. Only the falling snow and the snow he was laying on covering the ground showed. White and pure. "Pure as fallen snow." The Jounin tensed at that gentle voice. Slowly, he looked up at Haku, who smiled sweetly down at him. "That's what you said, isn't it? When I died?"
"Hai." He gave a nod and the former Mist-nin crouched down, his hands resting on his lap. "I don't blame you for killing me. It wasn't your choice after all." Kakashi frowned thoughtfully. Did he subconsciously blame himself for the boy's death, even after all this time? He knew that standing on that bridge, his hand buried in the boy's chest, that he had been stunned that he had stepped in front of Chidori. Maybe he did blame himself for not stopping in time. A little, feminine giggle made Kakashi refocus on Haku, who lowered his hand from his mouth and tilted his head to the side. "So, let’s discuss how we're going to get you to wake up, ne?"
"Wake up?" The boy made it sound like he was taking a afternoon nap or something, not lying somewhere in the snow, talking to a teenager who had died years ago by his hand. "I....." He felt tears welling up in his odd colored eyes as he fought to keep control of his emotions like he had for most of his life; that he had both been trained to do and had chosen to do. "I don't want to die."
The Leaf-nin closed his eyes tightly, ignoring the sting of tears running down the sides of his face as slender, yet surprisingly strong arms wrapped around him. He found himself crying against Haku's chest, as the boy hugged him. "It's alright, Hatake Kakashi." It seemed to take forever to raise his hand and grab onto the material of Haku's kimono. His tears pent up from so long, for far too many things, were finally released. He wasn't sure how long he cried for, but when he finally was able to stop he felt.........rejuvenated… Oddly more stable......Alive. No, not alive, but more.......
Hopeful.
Slowly, Kakashi opened his eyes and Haku released him before standing with a happy smile. He looked away from the Jounin and towards something. No, someone that was just out of Kakashi's range of sight. Perhaps it wasn't for him to see, but he knew whoever it was, was there. "I have to go now, Kakashi-sama. You should go back now, too. Wake up and stop worrying that little girl of yours, and...." Haku giggled and bowed towards his former killer. "Don't be afraid." Kakashi wiped the tears from his face, turning to look up at the little Mist-nin, only to find him already gone. That was two now: Hayate and Haku. Both seemed to be there helping him in their own little way, though one had been a friend of sorts and the other......
Kakashi stood after a thoughtful moment. It seemed he had been correct about Haku; he really was a caring child, regardless of how he had been raised. He tilted his head with a soft smile as the snow continued to fall.
The snow really was beautiful.]
*
Iruka sat in the waiting room in one of the chairs, his body reclined and his hands folded in his lap. He stared at the ceiling, once again counting the titles. He figured there was around fifty, as he never finished counting, being as he normally lost count. He was periodically disturbed an odd noise which one only notices in a silent room. As he counted, Tsunade came through the twin doors on the other side of the room and looked surprisingly at Iruka. He continued to count as she approached him. “Iruka? You haven’t been here the entire time, have you?”
The brown-haired man’s eyes dropped down to look at the women as he paused his counting. “What? Oh, no. I’m sorry.” He lost his number and dropped his gaze fully to the Sannin, shaking his head as he stood up. He gave an apologetic smile and scratched the back of his head. “I just only got here a while ago. I would’ve said something earlier, but I was afraid I would be interrupting something. I just stopped by to check on things. I hope I’m not intruding on anything?” Iruka gave a soft smile as he looked at her, only for that smile to fade slightly at her condition. She had looked as if she hadn’t slept much lately.
The Sannin shook her head in reply and gave a gentle smile in return. “No, you’re alright. I was just coming back from checking on the others.” The pale-haired woman’s smile faded as Iruka’s did as she looked down slightly. Iruka gave a half worried look as he waited patiently, knowing that something was troubling the woman. “Is everything okay?” Tsunade blinked and looked back up, part of a smile on her face. “Depends on what you mean by ‘okay.” It’s just…” She let out a sigh and rubbed the back of her neck as she looked down once again. “Kakashi’s been stable and his condition hasn’t moved in either direction. The other day we did have a scare, but we managed to get it under control and since then, everything’s been… fine… If you can call it that. Kaede claimed he moved a little, but she hasn‘t said about anything else after the other day.” She paused and Iruka still remained silent.
A few minutes passed and Iruka finally spoke up. “So, how’s Kaede, then?” Tsunade gave a deep frown. “Well, she’s not too much better herself. She refuses to eat and hardly sleeps and when she does, it’s because she’s passed out from exhaustion or from crying. She doesn’t looked the same anymore, either. Her skin tone seems faded and her eyes are shallow and always tired. Nothing will make her quit… I just hope Kakashi wakes up soon. I don’t know how much more we can all take of this, especially Kaede. She’s so worried about that stubborn bastard, that she’s forgot to worry about herself.”
“Sounds like typical, little Kaede for you.” Iruka gave a smile. She was always strong-spirited and determined. “She just so much like him. She won’t give up and keeps her word. Kaede won’t let him go. That little girl’s holding both of them up and I just hope Kakashi doesn’t slip from her grasp.” The ‘dolphin’ paused as a sad shadow began to linger in his eyes. “He’s her entire life and I’d hate to see her have to grow up with a parent. It’s hard to grow up alone…” The Chuunin’s voice trailed as his eyes drifted off to the side. Tsunade gave him a soft look and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, causing him to looked up thankfully. Iruka gave a weak smile. “Do you mind if I see her?”
Tsunade shook her head. “Of course not. Come on.” She lead Iruka back to Kakashi’s room and the Chuunin was slightly appalled himself at the sight of the other ninja and at his almost lifeless form. He felt scared again and most of that fear was for the little girl sitting at the side of his bed. “I’ll leave you alone for a bit. I’d hate to intrude myself.” Tsunade left and Iruka nodded. “I’ll keep it short.”
He hesitated, but soon Iruka found the courage to approach the girl, but did so slowly. She paid no attention to him, as her attention was focused on the heart monitor, her green eyes watching the lines and her ears listening to the beeps. Iruka placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Kaede?” The little girl whipped around in surprise, but her expression stayed the same. That blank look on her face sent a chill down the elder’s spine. He could see what Tsunade was talking about. Her eyes were blank and dark, fatigue occupying every speck of green they held. That usual, lively shine was absent and her youthful glow was gone from her cheeks. He tilted his head with a soft look. “So… How you doing?”
Kaede’s eyes dropped a bit, straying back shortly at her father. Iruka kneeled down and held out her arms and the little Hatake went in for a hug. She started to shake as her eyes started to flood once more with tears. Kaede managed to hold it for a bit, but soon broke down again in his arms. Her voice was void of any hope and it frightened Iruka. That wasn’t like her. “I-Iruka-sensei… I… I can’t t-take it anymore…” she managed to say between sobs. He tightened his squeeze on her small form. “Kaede…”
The little girl kept repeating what she had said, an apology or some kind of gibberish sneaking out every once and a while. The next thing she said sent a shock through Iruka, unable to believe what he had heard. “D-Do you think… that if… I really do l-love him… t-that I s-should… l-let him g-go? L-let him m-move on?” The pain that inhabited her voice was scary and Iruka couldn’t believe that Kaede, of all people, had said it.
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?” Iruka asked the little girl, the surprise wanting to explode from his voice. “Kaede… Don’t say that. Your father wouldn’t want you to do that. He’d want to be with you.” He rubbed her back as she began to cry harder. “But… but… He…” Iruka shook his head. “No, Kaede… Don’t speak… It’s all going to be alright… Whatever your thinking is just because you‘re tired…” His eyes were shining with wonder as he was still shocked. He hushed Kaede whenever she tired to speak. He needed to get her to sleep. She was becoming unstable…
Tsunade watched from a crack in the doorway and shook her head, her eyes narrowing sadly. This was too much on the girl… She was giving up… The older woman just hoped Kakashi wasn’t doing the same. That was the last thing the two Hakake needed.
The younger Hatake continued to cry and Iruka continued to comfort her, trying to ease those thoughts from her mind. It was painful for him to see her this way. She was normally a bright girl, always seeing some positive side to anything, but now, that was gone. She was broken. She wasn’t herself anymore. Iruka started to wish harder for Kakashi to wake up. He too wanted to see the two Hatake back to normal.
“It’s m-my fault he got hurt… H-had he n-not had to w-worry a-about me a-all the t-time, h-he wouldn’t have g-gotten h-hurt like this… He’d be b-better off w-without m-me… Then, he w-wouldn’t have t-to w-worry about m-me all the t-time…” Kaede cried, causing Iruka’s concern to grow even more. The girl loved her father… Why was she saying this? Kaede just kept going, pouring out some inner feeling that had never made itself known until now. “I s-should’ve been the one… in that b-bed… Not h-him… I should’ve b-been the one w-who got h-hurt… It was my f-fault… I t-taunted S-Sasuke… He came after m-me… N-not d-dad…”
“Oh, Kaede…” Iruka sighed, a tear sliding down his cheek. This was just getting worse and worse and Iruka was afraid. He didn’t know what to do, but he wanted to make it stop. His voice lowered down, almost lower than a whisper and he looked over at Kakashi. He basically mouth his words. “Please wake up, Kakashi…”
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Stay tuned for chapter three: Dying Flames