Dedicated to all my reviewers and friends in the fandom; because I'd give you real presents if I could. Special thanks to Alana for beta-reading, and Shock for this awesome pic from chapter 15 - check it out! XD

Timeline: Covers from the 3rd to the 10th July... loosely.

The only shinobi who didn't seem to be panicking were the group of Jounin posing nonchalantly by a fence in the outer ring of the crowds. Now, in the pessimistic glow of the worried crowds, Iruka and Izumo had somehow found themselves huddled with the group of elite ninja - the Chuunin sensei was simply grateful to be away from the grim speculation of the other academy teachers - their doomsday books were out and accepting bets already - and Iruka, who was finding himself more and more attached to too many of those who would no doubt make up the front lines, wanted none of it.

Instead he held a whispered conversation with a childhood friend - a soon-to-be-promoted-and-sent-to-war childhood friend (and Iruka couldn't quite decide how he felt about that) - while trying to ignore the jealous glances from the older Chuunin and low rank Jounin operatives as they watched him mingle so easily with the Hokage's favourites.

"...so why me?" Izumo was hissing in the teacher's ear as the eaves-dropping Jounin beside them tried not to look interested or smug. He'd been as quiet as possible, but somehow the news of Izumo's imminent promotion had spread wildly, and the young shinobi was having trouble masking his surprise. "Why not you? Or Kotetsu?"

"Because you're right for this, Izumo." Iruka muttered back, trying not to fidget under the cool gazes of the elite Jounin. "They know they'd never get me to up rank, and Kotetsu's intelligence isn't stable enough as a lone operative, you know that. Besides aren't you flattered? The Jounin recommended you of their own volition, you know; it's not like a trick question."

Iruka watched Asuma run fingertips down Kurenai's arm as his eyes searched the crowds for the familiar faces of his students - Iruka had overheard part of their earlier conversation and it seemed that the two generations of the Ino-Shika-Cho teams were visibly, equally nervous. Iruka couldn't blame Asuma for wanting to comfort his students, but recognised the folly of a teacher getting far too attached. Another reason why Iruka would never want to make Jounin-sensei - imagine so intensively training just three pupils? He was far too attached to the kids of this village as it was.

"I know, man, but still..." Izumo sighed deeply as he scanned the crowds. "I just - "

"Good afternoon, Iruka-sensei!" chirruped Rock Lee as he pushed his way through the crowds to his Jounin-sensei, and Iruka cringed internally at the boy's intrusion. His presence in their little crowd made the common bond far too obvious to ignore. Every shinobi in their selective little huddle had been orphaned by the third war - and Iruka couldn't shake the question of how many more would die in this new one. Jiraiya hadn't told him much during Kakashi's time away, but he'd made the threat undeniably clear.

"Afternoon, Lee-kun." Iruka smiled back at the boy, shaking off the sudden dread and turning quickly to Izumo. "Look, we'll talk later. Where's Kotetsu, anyway?"

"Not a clue." Izumo muttered darkly, eyes looking everywhere but Iruka. "Probably still licking his wounds over that bitch."

Iruka frowned at his friend's remark but wisely chose not to comment, wondering what Kotetsu could have possibly done to make things worse between the two of them. Iruka had been friends with the two inseparable shinobi since their academy days - and though they hadn't managed to remain as close as he'd have liked over the years, it was almost frightening to see his two friends so alienated from each other.

Iruka let his attention wander as his friend was pulled into a conversation with Gai and Lee, his distracted mind amazed at the nervousness displayed by the Jounin, despite their affected flippancy. Asuma was still fingering Kurenai's arm, even as they took part in separate conversations - Asuma laughing too loudly at Izumo's almost squirming discomfort, while Kurenai discussed something with a grim faced Anko and Ibiki, both perched dramatically on the fence. Gai was clutching his student's shoulder despite the teen's baffled protests, in an odd mix of support and self-reassurance. A still badly injured Raidou was using Genma as a crutch - although he was being held unnecessarily close to Genma's own torso - and the usually upbeat, flirtatious Jounin looked solemn and broody as he clung to Raidou.

Iruka watched with mild interest as Raidou and Genma spoke in snapping tones to each other, Raidou mouthing something that looked suspiciously like stop it and moron and not a child.

"I meant for the sake of my ribs, you bony fuck!" Genma's voice was obviously far louder than he'd intended - the slightly shrill exclamation encouraging a peculiar moment of silence, save for the slide of fabric as the necks of offended mothers jerked around to find their new 'Example.'

"Language!" Gai's voice was mortified, clamping his hands over Lee's ears, and Iruka - a teacher - used to having to keep a straight face in a classroom, struggled not to laugh at all the commotion caused by one little word. He saw the sly edging of the other Jounin, and gathered in with them, making their huddle smaller, more secure, almost daring the mothers another disapproving 'tsk.'

"Oh what I wouldn't give for a well-timed distraction!" Genma sighed, trying for casual despite his embarrassed flush. He tipped his chin up quickly to rescue the senbon that had been slipping from his teeth.

A sudden gentle breeze of chakra encouraged a small swirl of dust and leaves - announcing the presence of Team 7 as conveniently distracted mothers commented blithely on the attractive transportation jutsu - the new murmurs of 'one day...' and 'such an attractive Ninjutsu...' and the occasional 'show off!' far preferable to the almost malicious glares Genma had received.

"My saviour!" Genma greeted gleefully as the jutsu cleared, revealing Kakashi slouched merrily in the centre of the team, his students varying in their degrees of exhaustion - though even Naruto was panting for breath as he greeted Iruka affectionately.

"Yo!" The Copy Nin grinned, tugging insistently down on the sleeve of his jumper. Iruka smiled secretively at the action, the not-quite-subtle cover up of the fierce bite mark that he had given the Copy Nin the night before. He fought the inevitable blush, paranoid of Izumo's gossip-mongering, as Kakashi continued. "It was my prettiest transportation! Am I late?"

"You're always late," growled Anko from her perch on the fence, "but you haven't missed the announcement. That's running late too."

"Oh goody," said Kakashi, resting a hand between Sakura's shoulder blades. "You can go find your mother now, if you want." Sakura gave a wan smile in response before trotting away from the group - clutching at a stitch in her side. Gai had already started screaming about the inhumanity of training his team on This Day of All Days, and Kakashi - after realising his muttered 'it was only an hour' was being thoroughly ignored - simply pulled out his ever-present smut and began to hum cheerfully as he ignored the Green Beast.

Moments later, the Hokage appeared above the gathered crowds, on top of the tower, dignified and formal. Kakashi settled back against the fence - between Gai and Iruka - with an amused noise, while his students slouched in front of them, unnaturally quiet and ready somehow. Iruka wondered what Kakashi had told them to provoke such a dignified calm in the two usually boisterous shinobi.

"Citizens of the Hidden Leaf," announced Tsunade from the rooftop. She looked majestic against the blue sky - white and red formal kimono and Kage head gear almost out of character to her usual casual appearance. Iruka wondered who'd decided she should make such an impression. "I have to thank you most sincerely for gathering here today. I have information of great consequence to share, which many of you have no doubt already guessed the gist of."

Here she paused, and seemed to look straight out the crowd of Jounin. They had all stood to attention automatically at the beginning of her address - though each had seemed to grasp something to support them through their leader's unavoidable words. Asuma and Kurenai were clasping each others' hand, while Genma and Raidou were more subtle, arms looped around each other carefully. Gai held onto Lee's shoulder, while Anko clenched the fence behind her with whitening knuckles. Ibiki's fists were clenched, and even Sasuke and Naruto were stood close together. Iruka found himself wringing his hands before daring to spare a glance at Kakashi, and was shocked to find him slouching nonchalantly, still leaning casually against the fence.

"The Hidden Leaf is at war with Hidden Stone and its allies. The ANBU has been briefed and set targets to attain before the actions of our enemies spiral, but it is obvious that it is now too late to avoid the confrontation. We must show that Konoha cannot be walked over, cannot be defeated, will not be destroyed!"

A shaky murmur ran through the crowds at their leader's powerful declaration; like the rest of the shinobi present, Iruka searched for propaganda in her words. He could find none, and judging from Izumo's slightly awed smirk, neither could he. Iruka had always trusted in his Hokage, because the title was a coveted one, proof of untarnishable loyalty, powerful skill. In his peripheral vision, he saw the grips of his comrades soften, become something less strained and proud. Iruka was no less panicked - and the shrill intensity of the air had only worsened with the confirmation of war - but he felt more secure, at least, for his village - for the kids.

"Until the time comes when we must take the fight to our enemies, I must ask you to continue to trust your superiors, and remain obedient to the Leaf - as you have these last few weeks, and indeed, all your lives. Thanks to our strategists' foresight, and the substantial efforts of one of our Jounin operatives over the last five weeks to infiltrate the Stone, we are confident in our reworking of battle plans, and general preparations for the next important months -"

"Five weeks?" Naruto muttered, and Iruka could see the profile of his brow pinching in concentration as Tsunade continued to talk about the 'lives that would be nobly lost' and the 'necessity of war.' Several heads turned Kakashi's way as the dates sunk into place - Anko gave a low whistle - and Iruka fought the sudden fierce urge to tackle the Copy Nin. It must've been one hell of a mission to receive such a public commendation.

Sasuke's head whipped round, dark eyes wide and young and deviously questioning. "Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hn." Kakashi gave an amused sniff at the inquisitive glances from all sides, his tone flat and ironic as he continued to mutter (much to Gai's chagrin). "That was sweet of the old Jezebel." Sasuke immediately clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth, stifling the protesting squeal.

" - so I must ask you to stay clear of the ANBU training fields until otherwise notified. Citizens of Konoha - please do not panic. Do not regret. And do not forget who we are. Konoha was the first of the Hidden Villages to stand alone. Konoha will be the last to fall. You will all be more fully briefed in smaller groups as necessary. Any questions?"

There were none - and Tsunade's confident grin seemed almost feral from such a distance as she surveyed the sea of gritted teeth and set jaws. There was a storm on the horizon, but the heat wasn't about to break just yet.

The Stone's jutsu - their main line of defence, according to the scrolls Kakashi had brought back with him - had been difficult to analyse, though they were slowly beginning to work out methods of fighting against it. Genjutsu users could see through many of the illusions and distraction techniques developed within the technique - as could the Sharingan and Byakugan blood limits. The main problem with the jutsu had been to find a way for Kakashi to teach the entire technique to shinobi who had never seen its effects. It took three to six shinobi to cast, maintain and activate the various levels of the jutsu, and the first time Kakashi had tried to emulate it - with the use of several clones - he'd collapsed from the over exertion.

Finally, they'd managed to dissect it, teach it, and work around it. The next step would be to teach their new methods to the commanding shinobi at least - though Kakashi and Jiraiya were insisting on giving every shinobi a practise run against the jutsu, lest the Stone refine the technique further and the Konoha forces were left without a reference point.

The higher level strategists had found their work cut out for them - and the interference from Hyuuga elders (who had expressed their considerable doubts in trusting the Hatake's information) had caused the ANBU to clamp down on the information, making it even more difficult for the strategists to attain the help they needed to predict the Stone's plans and decipher the intricately coded scrolls.

The Jounin and Chuunin level Kunoichi had all but finished their formal re-training, and their return to active duty coincided with the start of the male ninja's similar re-education. The forceful and teasing natures of the Jounin males, however, led to a more competitive training experience. The ANBU hound seemed to take a particular glee in tormenting Maito Gai about his footwork, while the Locust and the Bear enjoyed tag teaming on Kakashi on the few occasions he turned up in the Jounin ranks.

Gradually, Konoha managed to reach a rushed kind of equilibrium - a lull in the painful, jittering tension. War was imminent, but the week-long silence seemed totally a contradictory atmosphere to the villagers' expecting immediate disaster and full on attacks.

Gradually, Konoha calmed long enough for the reality to set in.

However, Sakura was a great student, a quick study, and despite the Hokage's vague references and high expectations she fought to hold the flighty woman's interest. Sakura wanted to learn, she wanted to prove herself, she wanted to fight and to heal, and do both with such unerring efficiency that the Haruno name would mean something in the ninja world. A childish part of her still hoped that this new strength of hers would finally attract Sasuke, would finally bring him out of that false stoicism, but it was a faulty dream nowadays, one that's allure was more to do with the cool ways she could cast him aside than the old white wedding and litter of squalling heirs.

There'd be a time, once, that if Sasuke had just for a second looked to her as a woman, rather than a meek, silly little stalker, she would have given up the world. And once, she might have chosen to take these difficult lessons, and attain this new strength, to look capable in Sasuke's eyes - because Naruto may have been kidding when he said Sasuke ignored anyone who hadn't bruised him, but it didn't make him any less right. Once, Sakura might have ignored the reality of her situation and continued her childish whims and hopes and dreams - but her superiors had seemed so on edge during Tsunade's announcement, and Kakashi's cheerful calm during their training had shaken her in a way she didn't really understand - and she couldn't deny anymore that a field-able medic would be desperately needed when this war broke.

Sakura was about to get the shock of her life, but she'd proof-read for Jiraiya-sama's smutty books before she balked on her comrades - she was a student of Hokages, and had moved on from the times when she'd hide behind the shield of another's body. To be of use, she had to be ready. And to be ready, she needed Tsunade to get to the point.

"A good medic has to know what to look for," The Godaime drawled, flicking a pen between her fingers in bored agitation. "I'm going to teach you the basics of spotting natural body language."

Sakura had discovered that the basis of field medicine was very similar to the basis for field procedure - Kakashi had drilled them on the basics enough times for the pink haired shinobi to spot the obvious. You look after your med-kit with the same diligence as you would your weapons, the Copy Nin had told her team, over and over again. Often with physical aids - like tying them to a tree or thwacking them with a half-completed mission report. A shinobi might never know when a kunai needed to be used for an amputation, or when antiseptic-thread might be used as a garrotte wire.

It was much the same with other aspects of a shinobi's arsenal, including basic interrogatory and observational tactics. Sakura opened her mouth to say as much, but was cut off smoothly by Tsunade's teasing voice.

"Kakashi has no doubt taught you enough about body language to spot a muscle bunching to predict an oncoming blow, or a shift in eyesight to tell you where the blow will come." Sakura flinched slightly at the Hokage's words. They weren't unkind, but Sakura must've seemed so very naïve to even begin to question the Godaime. "I want to teach you how to spot the natural way a person would walk based on their weight distribution and breathing patterns, how to tell if a comment seems out of place because of an accent or a chakra surge. Certain emotional responses can be ascertained and used to your advantage, which is always helpful in either a medical or battle situation. A medical ninja needs both skills, Sakura-chan, and that is what we will work on today."

It seemed to Sakura, as she smiled encouragingly back at the Hokage, that she'd managed to hold her attention after all; and as the afternoon wore on and she was drilled with clue after hint after sign after test, Sakura decided that no matter what the boys said: she'd been right all along. There was more to being a useful than just hitting things.

"The letter begins, 'Yondaime Tsuchikage-sama,'" The messenger said, he looked horribly nervous, painfully so, his eyes were large and bright and Tak wondered if he'd ever been quite that young. The message he was clutching like a lifeline had been delivered by a bird a mere hour ago. One look at the simple, unbroken jutsu seal on the message scroll had declared its origin - the personal seal of the Godaime Hokage of the Hidden Leaf.

"'I regret to inform you of the untimely demise of your Jounin spy, Senshi Reiko. The Kunoichi was found in breach of item 11' - No, that's seventeen, sorry Yondaime-sama! - " The boy blushed as he stammered his apology, moving on quickly. " '17c of the Third Shinobi War Inter-village Peace Treaty attempting to coerce or otherwise gain information of a military nature, or one deemed classified under items 30a-30r of the aforementioned treaty. Senshi Reiko was interrogated and executed on Tuesday 2nd July of this year, in the afternoon, by one of our Chuunin Operatives...'"

A startled silence descended on the gathered Jounin - a silence not unlike their previous silence, but punctuated by an almost simultaneous intake of breath. Tak reeled, emotionally staggered. Reiko was executed. That much he understood. He thought he might have made some disbelieving sound - the kunoichi of his Gennin team, the genius heir of the Senshi clan - had been killed in the line of duty. Fine.

But by a Chuunin? It was offensive, sickening, the injustice leaving a heavy taste in his mouth. The Tsuchikage's expression hadn't changed from that bland brilliance, but his claw-like hands were clenched around his sleeves, and Tak could see his wizened face tight and clenching through his rage. He'd been fond of Reiko. The Tsuchikage nodded sharply and the messenger continued.

"...Furthermore, due to the aggressive and threatening nature concerning the treatment of my village by Hidden Stone Operatives and their affiliates - to which ends I hold the Hidden Stone wholly responsible - I suggest you are fully and consciously aware of your breach of the Peace Treaty and are too therefore be held in reckoning for any defensive actions the Hidden Leaf feels it is necessary to make..."

"They're declaring war?" The Tsuchikage murmured; his antique moustache twitching as his lips did. Several of the Jounin smiled grimly, noting the amusement in their leader's voice, the easy confidence. Here was a man they could trust in, laughing at an enemy he told them to respect. "But they're all but defenceless. They have no allies, and have suffered more casualties these past three years than in all the fifteen previous years together. How very intriguing. Is the letter signed?"

"No, Tsuchikage-sama, the letter isn't signed; it's just stamped with Konoha's symbol." The messenger's voice was clear, but grating; the words coming out sand paper rough, too low a pitch for his age, almost. "But there's a postscript, it reads: 'Shinobi of the Stone, the Leaf gladly accepts your offer of war.'"

"Hmmm." The Stone's leader let out a content sound, his grip loosening in his long sleeves. Tak wanted to scream, or tear things apart, but remained waiting, silently begging for the chance to revenge the lives of his team-mates. The silence was absolute; almost pondering in the easy way it seemed to flow before the Tsuchikage decided to break it. "Looks like they're not about to play dead after all."

He seemed so comfortable now, chewing on a banana as he rooted through Iruka's cupboards to add a large pinch of something into the pan on the stove, and the Chuunin couldn't resist stretching out to run fingers over the multitude of scars on the other man's back. It was hard to see most of Kakashi's scars - he'd learnt quickly on the best way for a wound to heal was to patch it up and then leave it, and while Iruka had some pale patches on his knees from picking scabs as a kid, the feared Copy Nin didn't even have those. What Kakashi did have was a collage of battle wounds - easier to feel than to see on his almost colourless skin - although there was one on his collar bone that showed up beautifully when his body was flushed and mottled with the best kinds of tension, and a couple of thick, old stab wounds and slashes littering his abdomen and sides. Iruka felt like a wreck in comparison - the proof of his survival was etched in pale lines across his tanned body.

"You should cover your eye up." Iruka suggested, grinning a little as the Sharingan span once in confusion when Kakashi turned his head. Iruka wasn't sure if he was supposed to talk about the eye, but Kakashi had slept so deeply for so long after over-exhausting himself in yesterday's analysis thing that Iruka's mother-hen instincts were still in a state of flux. "Do you have that chakra to waste?"

"I'm fine." Kakashi said, tossing his head a little to shake hair from his lazy eyes. He was brandishing a spatula and Iruka didn't dare ask what he was trying to cook. "Losing chakra through my Sharingan is only an issue when I'm braced for a fight. Apparently the surge is sort of to make up for how much it'd need to activate in an Uchiha's body, but an Uchiha would have a higher chakra level to compensate anyway. Unless they sucked."

"Oh." Replied Iruka, intelligently; distracted by the neat stab-wound scar low on his left side. "Then why do you bother to cover it up all the time?"

Kakashi shrugged, a sheepish smile crawling across his face, and Iruka knew by the expression he was about to get at least some truth. "Habit I guess. I blacked out a lot at first, before I could control the Sharingan. Without control it's kind of useless to an Uchiha, but it's just dangerous for anyone else. It's better to be prepared with something so temperamental. Besides, I got used to being half blind, it's an icebreaker."

Iruka chuckled at that, imagining the faceless Copy Nin using the excuse to sate his perverted tendencies. 'Oh sorry, you're breasts were standing in my blind spot.' There again, the excuse did sound a little too likely...

"It's just... It's uncomfortable, and having your eye in darkness all the time, it keeps you on edge." Kakashi admitted cheerfully, stabbing viciously at what looked like an egg caked in... something. "I don't need to be on edge here, though. Right? It's safe here."

Iruka grinned, snagging a leg round Kakashi's own to pull him closer. For the famous Copy Nin to feel safe in Iruka's home spoke volumes. Iruka was good at layers, but the compliment was obvious - and if that level of admission didn't deserve a reward then Iruka didn't know what did. The Chuunin had to lean up into the kiss - his short table pulling him down in height as Kakashi stepped teasingly back - and then forward as the heat between them climbed slowly. He bit down chidingly on Kakashi's bottom lip as that spatula came round to swat at the top of his arse, the Copy Nin's muffled laugh turning into a small groan.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this," Kakashi muttered when they broke the kiss, face dropping to Iruka's neck as two hands and a spatula skated hungrily across the Chuunin's thighs. "But lemme eat first, hmm?"

"Are you serious?" Iruka asked, voice teasing as he put a hand to Kakashi's forehead, pushing him away helpfully. "Are you sick?"

"Fooood!" Kakashi whined as he moved back to his breakfast, casting lazy, curious looks behind him as Iruka shuffled pointedly off the table and into one of the chairs around it.

"Fine, I should mark stuff anyway..." Iruka tried pouting, pulling the day's collected homework out of his bag - and would have kept it up if Kakashi's ribs hadn't felt quite so prominent under his flattered fingers.

"What would you have done if you couldn't have been a teacher?" Kakashi asked as Iruka tried to ignore the oddly delicious smells now rising from the other man's concoction as he turned up the heat. He was meeting Naruto for ramen that night, no matter how his stomach or libido protested. "I can't believe I've never asked."

"You have, a couple of times actually." Iruka tried to hide his smug grin, bending his head to read the particularly messy scrawl of one of his brighter students. "Just you're usually so drunk when it occurs to you to ask, I get halfway through my answer and you start ranting about the flea-infested evils of the under 15's."

"I do not." Kakashi scoffed, beginning to shovel the discoloured mess from his pan to a plate and settling opposite Iruka at the table. "Do I? It's hard to imagine myself ranting."

"Oh it's hysterical when you're in full swing." Iruka assured him. "I would've gone into Intelligence."

Kakashi looked up with a confused look, mouth full of breakfast, and waited for Iruka to clarify. "If I hadn't been a teacher, I would've gone into Intelligence. I hated the academy when I was there, and completed half the basic Intel training before I got bored of it. Suzume-chan carried it on the whole way, while I got distracted by the Child Psych course."

Kakashi made some interested noise, shovelling food into his mouth blissfully. He was eating at a close to normal pace, at least, compared to his usual inhalation. Iruka was surprised he didn't choke more often than he did. "Sandaime let me complete the courses and gave me higher level interrogatory training, so I could be more helpful than just another crappy teacher. The reason I get all the problem kids is because I'm the only one fully trained to spot the things they might be dealing with. He also had a few of us trained up to man the desks for certain shinobi's returns - so someone impartial could try to better gauge their mental states after particularly harsh missions."

"Well that explains a lot." Kakashi noted once he'd swallowed. Iruka looked up defensively at some teasing note in his voice. "Like why you'd be asked to play point in an ANBU controlled op."

Iruka took one look at that Cheshire grin and back-peddled swiftly. "I don't know what you're talking about. There were quite a few of us trained up, and when I say higher I don't mean higher higher, just - "

"No? I ran into Genma on the way here." Kakashi tugged something from his trouser pocket - a wad of - were they photographs? Iruka felt his face flush. "Your interrogation methods are interesting..." Kakashi grinned teasingly as he fluttered about a picture of Iruka and Reiko, bodies closely pressed as Iruka fished for information. "You have a very personal touch, sensei."

"I - she - it was easier - to let her think - to let her underestimate me!" Iruka spluttered, half shocked that Genma would hand out such information - especially when Iruka was certain the senbon sucking bastard knew about Kakashi's involvement with the Chuunin. "Are you mad?"

"Absolutely!" Kakashi replied enthusiastically, still leafing through the photos with that shit-eating grin plastered all over his face. "You own the standard Chuunin uniform?" Kakashi barely waited for Iruka's nervous nod as he brandished one of the first pictures Genma had taken. "But you never wear it."

"When you spend your days teaching kids how to aim properly, it's best to wear a bit of padding. The Chuunin uniform's totally unsuitable for field work..."

Kakashi hummed around a mouthful of eggs, gulping it down before leering. "But it's so tight!"

Iruka's felt his eyes go wide, forced himself to look down at the paper he'd been marking. He heard Kakashi's content chuckle and the shift of paper as the Copy Nin shuffled through the images noisily. Iruka put a vicious line through one boy's incoherent work as he tried not to rise to the bait.

"This one's cute!" Kakashi exclaimed, sliding a picture of Iruka, Izumo and Kotetsu across the table top. It was a good picture - they looked young and content - like in countless photographs Iruka had stuffed inside his childhood photo albums. Iruka hummed noncommittally. Kakashi laughed as he put another picture over the top of the three Chuunin - the group of plain clothes ANBU and Jounin surveillance teams, led by Genma, all posing drunkenly and laughing.

Iruka heard the clatter of cutlery as Kakashi finished his 'breakfast,' and quietly put away the homework he'd been marking. Looking at the picture of the two groups of friends, Iruka was struck by the fact that sooner - rather than later - they would probably be torn apart by the coming war. Whether by promotion, or trauma; death or fear - there was no guarantee that the people Iruka knew, and loved, and had spent his life with, were coming out alive.

And if that was the road his life was about to go down, Iruka decided as Kakashi settled himself gleefully on Iruka's lap, there were much more important things a man could spend his evening doing. Like making the Copy Nin flush enough to see his prettier scars.

Naruto had always assumed non-shinobi just didn't understand the ninja way of thinking, and consequently had never throughout his childhood thought quite so much of a civilian's taunt as he would a ninja's heated glare. Another theory, Inuzuka Kiba's theory, was that a ninja's typically short lifespan made a person ready to forgive, but also made for creative methods of atonement. A civilian had a lot more time over which to hold a grudge than a shinobi did, and a lot less trained imagination with which to make a point.

So it was that - despite Sasuke's reacceptance of and from the Hidden Leaf being old news - the civilians in the loop had yet to let it go.

Team 7 had been on their way to the training grounds - the boys having bumped into Kakashi on their way to meet Rock Lee and Kiba (though Naruto hadn't been stupid enough to tell Sasuke that!) and skilfully coerced - through poking the Jounin repeatedly while Naruto screamed up at the masked nin - him into an impromptu training session.

The trouble had started after picking Sakura up - her civilian background meant she lived in a predominantly civilian area of the village.

An old, wizened woman had been wiping her door frames clean as Team 7 had passed, taken one look at Sasuke and launched into a scathing tirade. Kakashi had seemed more surprised at Naruto's immediate defence.

"Listen Old Lady! Sasuke may be a bastard but he's our bastard - you don't know what we've all been through - and you can keep your dirty old mouth to yourself!" The blonde shinobi had finished his speech by pulling at his lower eyelid and sticking his tongue out at the corner - a gesture far ruder to her generation than his own, no doubt.

The old lady had dropped her cloths and bucket, hobbling steadily towards Kakashi. She squared up to him fearlessly, her chin pointing angrily towards his chest, obvious seething as the Jounin's single, dispassionate eye barely acknowledged her presence.

"A demon! A traitor!" She spat at the boys, who stepped back to avoid the poorly aimed discharge. Sakura was shocked at the woman's intent dislike, though Naruto seemed vaguely unruffled. A bony finger poked Kakashi in the chest, digging into the zip of his flak jacket. "...And the son of one."

Sakura watched Sasuke watch their sensei - watched him study the carefully, perfectly indolent slouch and wondered if she was the only one who could see the way her teacher's eye was narrowing in that odd sort of smirk. 'Son of a traitor?'

The old woman placed her hands on her hips, pulling herself straight in a haughty fashion, displeased when her head barely came level to Kakashi's slouching shoulders. "Makes you wonder what's wrong with the girl?"

Naruto yelped in anger as the woman's vicious voice picked upon Sakura, who felt the cruel words keenly - how dare some old hag think her team reflected so badly on Sakura, when she was the one who - until recently - was always and endlessly the weaker link. How dare this woman insult her team; after everything she had gone through to become a shinobi worth their skill!

Sasuke's eyes flitted calculatingly between the two adults; his injured pride, and resigned fury struggling against his need to maintain his dignity. Kakashi's calm remained flawless. Not moving from that lazy slouch, he turned his head back to smile cheerfully at his insulted students.

"You see?" he chirped, a sardonic darkness ringing through the cheerful tone. "It is a wonderful thing how Konoha bands together so seamlessly in times of crisis, and of war!"

The old woman spluttered as Kakashi stepped around her to continue on his way, ignoring the shouted insults she flung at his retreating back. Naruto and Sasuke followed quickly after, pulling at Sakura to encourage her from where she stood, frozen in her rage.

When they had reached the village's High Street, and were settling down outside the little cafe Kakashi seemed to favour, Sakura dared to breathe again.

"Kakashi-sensei! You diffused that so easily!" she enthused childishly, either not noticing or choosing to ignore the solemn looks of her three boys as she tried to keep her voice steady through her anger. She focused on taking calm, steady breaths, on studying the lessons Tsunade-sama had so recently taught her, to try to curb her furious response. "You stayed so calm!"

Kakashi merely shrugged, hands still shoved inside his pockets as he ordered four teas from the hovering waiter. "Keep it down, Sakura. Konoha loves its gossip and I'd rather this didn't make the Vine."

His visible eye drifted to the boys - and Sakura followed his calculating gaze to where Naruto sat glaring furiously at a solemn, shaken Sasuke. The blonde shinobi gave a savage hiss. "You should've said something to her!"

"Shut up, moron." Sasuke threw back, his tone and Naruto's quick obedience told Kakashi this was an argument they'd had many times before. One day, Naruto would learn that the Uchiha was a different sort of shinobi than himself; that Sasuke liked to torture himself with regret, because it was easier to accept it and go with it, than to try and fight against it. Until they figured each other out, Kakashi thought, it was probably best to just leave it.

Sakura watched her teacher as he analysed the situation, watched as he silently shifted through who knew how many nuances of emotion or intent. Kakashi's face and body language didn't alter - the lack of any outward clue being the only outward clue Sakura had ever seen Kakashi give to his plotting.

"Has it been like that all month?" Kakashi asked quietly, voice much lighter than his expression suggested. Sakura knew how hard it had been for Sasuke, just over a year ago, when he'd first returned to Konoha after so long in Orochimaru's grasp. He hadn't wanted to be here - he hadn't really wanted to keep breathing - and it had taken Naruto and Kakashi weeks to even begin to make an impact on the brooding - failing - avenger. The situation hadn't been helped by the angry and betrayed villagers - and Sakura knew that the more sympathetic Jounin were still calling in favours to keep the village's comments to a minimum.

Of course, without Kakashi here to continuously ensure Sasuke's reacceptance, the villagers had been slightly more...outspoken.

"Why did she call you the 'son of a traitor'?" Sasuke responded, clearly not wishing to talk about his own problems. Kakashi grunted as the waiter returned, hands shaking very slightly with suppressed anger as he gripped the cup. For a brief moment as her sensei had reached for his tea - tea that she already know he would not drink - Sakura saw the row of indentations across the underside of his gloves - he'd clenched his fists hard enough for his small nails to bite half-moons into the leather.

"Drink your tea." Kakashi gently commanded as Naruto - still strangely quiet - began to sullenly pick at the table top. Sakura felt rushed, awkward - even a little voyeuristic - as she sipped at the hot, fruity liquid. Kakashi didn't avert his eyes from the boys until they obeyed; Naruto gulping the tea down and then wincing at the sweet burn against his throat, Sasuke blowing ripples into the liquid before tasting it delicately.

Kakashi looked away finally as the silence relaxed, before continuing in a more amused tone. "Once we're finished we can go hit things."

The silver haired shinobi finally strolled in, students in tow; he looked uncomfortable, strained somehow, and as he handed his thick, obviously detailed report to Iruka almost mechanically it was impossible not to notice Naruto's worried glaring in Sasuke's direction.

"Thank you, Kakashi-san." Iruka smiled, slightly worried - and he noticed Genma shifting curiously beside the Copy Nin, obviously as eager to find out why Team 7 were acting so soberly.

"Have you heard about Ebisu-san?" Genma asked warily, remembering hearing from Yuugao how Konohamaru idolised Kakashi's student, Naruto. "They brought his corpse in this morning."

Kakashi turned intently to face Genma, hearing Iruka gasp behind him him. "His corpse?" Kakashi hissed, struggling to hide his disgust - he hadn't been overly fond of Ebisu, but the man had been an excellent operative. Had he fallen to an enemy so unskilled as to leave evidence of the kill? Or so vicious? "That's sick. That's not their pattern at all."

"He was tracking a right bastard, though. Apparently known for taking... trophies." Genma stated, lowering his voice slightly. "According to Ibiki, no one really expected him to - "

Yuuhi Kurenai's sudden entrance had both men leaning back nonchalantly - as if they hadn't been gossiping about classified information in front of lower ranking operatives mere seconds before. The fierce kunoichi headed intently towards Kakashi, a jerked nod of greeting shaking him immediately into Shinobi Robot mode. Genma straightened up from his slouch on the front of the mission desk, alert at the Copy Nin's back.

"I've been meaning to catch you since you got back from your mission - I need to talk to you about something." Her crimson eyes took in the other shinobi, the barely contained curiosity of the three students and the more practised attentiveness in her peers' eyes. "In private."

Kakashi hesitated, throwing a questioning, unnoticed glance at Sasuke. "It's personal?"

"Very much so, Kakashi-sempai."

Genma sat back down, eyes still trained on the tense exchange before him. Kakashi didn't say anything for a long moment, scrutinising the woman carefully. "I won't get involved in your personal messes, Kurenai-san."

"It's my body. My health, I mean. Please, Kakashi?"

"I'm not prepared to play councillor Kurenai, and your eyes tell me that's what I'm going to end up doing." Kakashi's words were cold, but Kurenai's expression never faltered. "Unless it's something that would jeopardise our missions - "

"It'll jeopardise a hell of a lot more than just a mission if this gets out, Kakashi!" Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the woman's demanding outburst. She was far less demure towards her team-mates than she appeared in public, yet he knew from experience she had no trouble using her abilities to get her own way. For Kurenai to ask...

Sasuke glowered slightly, muttering something about unprofessional attitudes and Jounin brain damage. Kakashi made some vague gesture towards Naruto, who slapped Sasuke round the head, earning himself a left-hook to the stomach - courtesy of Sakura's old knee-jerk reflexes.

In the time it had taken the three to stop arguing - and for Iruka and Genma to take their eyes from the walking disaster zone the three habitually created - Kakashi had managed to take Kurenai by the arm and... disappear.

"WHAT!" Naruto all but wailed. "If she was in trouble we could've helped!"

"If she was in trouble, Naruto-kun," started Iruka, "She would've taken care of it herself; Kurenai-san is an excellent ninja."

There was an oddly thoughtful look on Sakura's face as she clamped a hand round Naruto's mouth to drag him from the mission room, Sasuke following brusquely after, neither paying any mind to the amused glances of the older shinobi.

x

Yuuhi Kurenai found herself, arm still held in Kakashi's firm grip, standing on the stone head of the fourth Hokage.

"Kurenai." The one word was permissive, curious, expectant. All the things the genjutsu expert had hoped for from the infamous Copy Nin, her team-mate.

"You're the only person I know that will respect my wish to keep this secret." The challenge in her voice was clear.

"You have my word."

Kurenai took Kakashi's hand, placed it over her abdomen, waited. Years of working with the medical genius Rin, and then later from his training in field medicine for both ANBU teams and his Gennin tutoring, made Kakashi almost automatically send out a chakra flare, searching for anything that was amiss. His dark exposed eye widened almost comically when he received one back.

"I think..." Kurenai's usually fierce eyes were uncertain. She coughed a little to clear her throat. "There's really no doubt at all..."

"Is it Asuma's?"

Kurenai's snapping response was immediate. "There's no one else, if that's what you mean!"

"Have you -"

"He doesn't want a baby. I don't want a baby! Bring a child into this world? This war?" Her eyes were bright, pleading again, but Kakashi couldn't tell if it was genuine or not. Sharp nails dug into Kakashi's hand, through the soft leather covering his palms.

"What do you want me to say, Kurenai?" Kakashi held back his shock, his sympathy. He kept his voice as calm as possible, trying to soothe her, trying to allow her control.

"...Tell me what to do?" The rare vulnerability on her face shocked Kakashi deeply, his thoughts racing for his comrade. "I don't know where to go - who to go to without the whole fucking village finding out... the whole fucking world..."

"Go to Tsunade-sama. She's discreet."

"But her staff are not." She was hissing now, and Kakashi felt like he'd spent his life with his head in the sand. He wouldn't want a child either. "You can't know, Kakashi, you can't possibly know the pressure they put on you to just deal with these things - look at Tsume-san! I have to fight, there's no time to raise a child of my own, do you understand?"

Kakashi did understand, but what she was asking for wasn't necessarily what she wanted, and he didn't want to bear the blame of her loss. "What do you think I can do about this?"

"I was good friends with - with Rin." Kurenai couldn't look at Kakashi's face as she said the medic's name name, refused to acknowledge the imminent flash of pain. "At least, for a while. She told me about a mission you took - In Wind Country - involving the Daimyo's daughter and..." A long pause followed her words, and she could almost see those quick little cogs turning in her comrade's brain. He was silent for a long minute, before heaving a quick, decisive sigh.

"Alright... Gai has been asked to deliver a message to the Kazekage about our current problems. The Godaime's hoping that the Sand will agree to watch our backs no matter what the Stone offer their potential allies. Nobody will think twice about you leaving the Leaf if Gai formally asks for a second and suggests you. You can decide what to do on the travel."

"I don't want anyone else to know." Kurenai insisted, voice rising again.

"Nobody else will know, Kurenai!" Kakashi cut her off sharply. "You'll suggest he delivers the message alone, offering to stake out Wind Country to try and gather an idea of Stone's involvement. If you still... if you're sure...you'll then visit a woman who owes me a favour, and she'll take you where you want to go. You'll need a full day's rest at least - if he agrees to work for you, he never liked ninja, so you should lose the hiate-ate - and you'll no doubt be sore, so make sure you've got a convincing enough cover story for Gai." He waited for his offer to sink in. "That's the best I can offer you, Kurenai-chan."

She was silent for too long. It made the air too heavy, made Kakashi feel crowded and tense. Eventually, she drew a shaky sigh and looked up with a confident smile. "Thank you, Kakashi-sempai."

"Kurenai," he said again, some vague guilt stirring underneath it all. "Think about speaking to Asuma-kun. I won't tell him anything, but if he asks I won't lie to him. I owe him that much. So do you."

She grinned widely at him, a little shakily. She never really expected him to help. "It's taken care of."

Unlike Iwari's, this wasn't a large funeral, no passers-by lingered on the fringes of the congregation, wondering who they had lost and gasping at the unexpected, almost unimportant name. Iwari had just been starting out his career as a Jounin; Ebisu had been forging a line for many years. His wasn't an extravagant service by any means - just big enough to leave a mark, small enough to still be intimate.

Ebisu hadn't been popular, but he'd been respected, trusted - by the Jounin ranks and the Sandaime - and that was enough for him to have made a mark upon the village. Many of the Jounin had been present for the cenotaph engraving, earlier that day, the short ceremony of inscribing yet another name to that list holding a strange sense of importance for the more experienced field shinobi. However, only those close to Ebisu had felt the need to attend the funeral, with some exceptions. Naruto had insisted on showing his support for his friend - the little boy who called him brother and who he had become strangely protective of, over the years - and Kakashi had demanded that the rest of the team should go too. Iruka had gone for his students' sakes - this would be the third father-figure that Konohamaru had lost.

Listening to Ebisu's civilian sister's affectionate eulogy, Iruka found himself clutching at Konohamaru's shoulder, mind racing as he realised with every passing seconds the details that could remind Konohamaru of everyone else he'd ever lost. At the back of the crowd Naruto was saying something to Kakashi, whose eye never left Ebisu's headstone, and Udon and Moegi were clinging awkwardly to their team-mate and each other.

Iruka hadn't thought much of the man while he'd been alive. Growing up, Ebisu had always been the perfect shinobi. He'd never had time for fun or games or pranks or friends, instead remaining always rigid, strict, constantly bettering himself and never happy with what he had. Iruka had resented it, in a way. He'd resented the self-importance that lent him the arrogance to talk down to the lower ranks - as if choosing a suitable career instead of vying to push past one's limits was a degrading, or cowardly action. As if being a Chuunin was a wasteful exercise.

But Konohamaru was a product of the man's strict teaching as much as a product of Iruka's own - and Konohamaru was a bright, light-hearted, deeply affectionate boy who struggled to improve himself for the good of the village. Konohamaru was so much like Naruto, his determination and pure courage to stand up for what he believed in - what his grandfather had believed in - giving him his greatest and most patient source of strength.

Iruka had misjudged Kakashi at first, because of the simple arrogance that was Kakashi-at-a-distance, the man's seeming nonchalance in regards to the lives of his team - lives he protected fiercely and resolutely, lives that had been taught by example to do the same for each other (at least, when they weren't trying to kill each other) - so was it so hard to believe that he may have misjudged Ebisu as well?

Iruka looked back in time to notice Kakashi gently guiding his student's shoulder - and while Sasuke and Sakura never moved, Naruto quickly appeared at the front of the crowd to stand at Konohamaru's shoulder. The Gennin was clinging to Iruka now, left fist clenching in the fabric of the Chuunin's sleeve as he scrubbed at his face with the other hand. Moegi let out a sob, rushing back to her parents where they stood respectfully to the side.

Iruka leant down next to the boy, smiling up at Udon as permission for him to rejoin his own parents. He rubbed soothingly at the Gennin's back, before speaking. "Konohamaru-kun?"

Konohamaru made a tight sound of protest; wet, furious eyes glaring at the headstone as he listened to a woman mourn a brother who had meant the world to his team. Iruka recognised that sorrow, and felt more helpless than ever.

"It doesn't mean much to us, now," whispered Iruka, holding Konohamaru tightly against his grief. "But Ebisu-san would have been proud to die the way he did, for our village, for the safety of his precious team..."

Konohamaru didn't reply, so Iruka didn't continue, just remained crouching in the dirt until Ebisu was safely in the ground and the other mourners had moved away.

"Naruto." Kakashi's deep voice rumbled behind them, and Iruka found himself looking up at the Jounin as his students did. "We should leave be."

"Sure, sensei," replied Naruto, cheerful grin as unfazed as ever as he turned back to beam at the mourning Gennin, thumping him affectionately on the back. "Konohamaru! Don't worry!"

"I won't." Konohamaru growled, and Iruka wondered at the layers of bravado between the two boys - Naruto's eyes were too obviously concerned for his Gennin friend, however unimpaired his grin. "No one was better than Ebisu-sensei."

Kakashi gave the kid a long look, and Iruka unconsciously braced both himself and the ex-student in his grip for whatever monumentally idiotic wisdom the Copy Nin would choose to impart. "Stealth and concealment were Ebisu-san's expertise, though he was often too strict where it didn't count, and found it difficult to adjust a plan or strategy according to sudden events. Nevertheless, Ebisu-san was a truly excellent shinobi."

Iruka had felt Konohamaru's instinctive bristle at Kakashi's unemotional, professional critique of Ebisu. He knew that Konohamaru was probably already idealising the man in his mind's eye, making him noble, perfect, a hero. He felt the tension in the boy's shoulders as he tried to work through the uncaring analysis the Copy Nin had thrown out, and Iruka realised with a shock that he'd merely been repeating Naruto's own consolation - Ebisu had proved himself, even the famous Sharingan Kakashi thought so - surely that would ease Konohamaru's mind?

"It's alright," Iruka whispered as the boy's tension released suddenly, tugging the smaller form into his arms - the way he had at Sandaime's funeral, the way he had for so many students over the last few years. He smiled gratefully up at the Copy Nin as he pulled Naruto away, leaving Konohamaru to mourn. "It's alright!"

It was only about to get worse, Iruka realised, as comforting hushes fell effortlessly from his lips. Konohamaru sobbed into his black top, and Iruka realised too many things.

The graveyard was horribly quiet, the breeze chilling as the dusk settled in its final dominion over the day, and Iruka wondered if all shinobi just grew used to death. Wondered how - and when his comrades had taken to heart a lesson he had so obviously missed.

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