Past and Present // Kakashi Fic

10. ***

[A/N - this is only a short chapter, but it sets up the next part so just bare with me. Also thank you all so much for the support you have given this fic. much love. xx]

When I came to the sky had grown dark. I turned my head slowly, eyes barely open in the direction of some chatting I could here. Kakashi was sitting in a circle with 3 young ninja around a small fire.

"Kakashi Sensei, who is she?" The pink haired girl asked.

"Sakura, come on! It's clearly Kakashi Sensei's girlfriend!" A loud yellow haired boy interjected, pushing himself closer and closer to Sakura. He looked just like his father.

The dark-haired boy didn't say anything but as she shifted on the log he was sat on I noticed the clan crest on his shirt. My heart started beating through my chest. Uchiha. I had heard Zetsu talking about Itachi's attack. This must be his little brother, Sasuke.

"All right. That's enough Naruto," Kakashi showed just about as much emotion as ever.

I slowly pulled myself up so that I was sitting. Someone had put me on top of a blanket with a jacket rolled up as a make-shift pillow.

"Sensei huh?" All four of them turned and looked at me as I stood up and made my way over to the group. "You've changed a bit since I last saw you Kakashi" I squished my way between him and Naruto. "As have you." I said in the direction of my nephew.

"What? I've never seen you before, crazy lady. Sensei, seriously. Who is she?" Naruto sat down between Sasuke and Sakura looking between Kakashi and I with a confused look on his face, eyebrows pinched.

I turned to face the 3 young ninja, "My name is Mina Namikaze. Sister of the Fourth Hokage, former ANBU member and citizen of the Hidden Leaf village. Pleased to meet you." I said with a smile and a wink.

All three of them stared in disbelief, eyes and mouths wide open. Kakashi was the first to break the silence.

"You were dead." He whispered just loud enough for my ears to register.

I had been so caught up in escaping, getting back to the village, to my life that I hadn't given a thought as to how I would begin to explain this to him. The last time I saw him I threw his feelings in his face.

I turned to face him, he looked as though he could break at any minute. I reached out my hand and placed it on top of his.

"I'm so sorry. Minato needed me to go. It was for the good of the village." He closed his eye, shook his head and stood up. He stayed still for a minute or so before walking off into the trees. I hadn't thought about how hard this would be for him. It may have just been better had I stayed 'dead'.

I stood up to follow when I remembered the others. I turned around and said with a smile, "You guys hold down the fort okay?" and rushed off after Kakashi.