Sown

twenty-three

Kakashi stared into the campfire flickering lowly and completely undisturbed. Limbo was still, not even the slightest tickle of wind making itself known in the hours he had sat there. The fire itself never seemed to dwindle and no smoke rose from the dancing flames. It was almost peaceful, the only sound being his breath and the breath of his father beside him.

Sakumo Hatake watched the side of his son's face. He took in the features that had formed over the twenty-six years they had been apart. Kakashi looked so much like himself, from the shade of his hair to the color of his tired eyes. The scar on his left side hadn't been there when the man was still a toddler. It had been somewhat a concern, but learning of the last gift Kakashi had received from a treasured friend was made known not soon after his arrival.

The patriarch was more than pained to see his only child in such a place, a man so young already gone from the world. But he also felt pride in knowing that, if anything, he had passed after serving such a crucial role in the protection of their home and his comrades.

"You've done well, son. Words cannot describe how proud of you I am. The message you passed has no doubt saved thousands in Konoha."

The jounin played with his hands. He found comfort in his father's words.

"But you must have some regrets. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here in this place with me. Would you tell me?" Sakumo watched the other's shoulders stiffen.

Kakashi breathed a sigh, turning his face upwards towards the vantablack surrounding their haven. "I have a lot of regrets. Regrets that I couldn't have done more for Obito or Rin. Regrets that I couldn't appreciate the Fourth's lesson of teamwork before it was too late. Regrets that I couldn't stop my own student from letting his revenge consume him. Regrets that I couldn't have been a better man." He ran a hand through his wayward hair. "And a lot of little things in between."

"Do you regret what you left behind?"

He looked to his father, searching the soft slate eyes that watched him. "I didn't have much to leave behind. The village will rebuild, I've seen it happen before. There are a lot of people I wish I could have said goodbye to, but they should be alright."

"Friends?"

"Yeah," a short chuckle rose out of his chest. "You were right, Gai became one hell of a shinobi. He has a student just like him too. My own students have all been trained by the sannin. It didn't leave me much to do." He cast his vision away from the curious man to his side. "And a woman."

"A woman?" Now this was surprising. Even from such a young age, Kakashi had shown interest in training and becoming a shinobi above everything else. Secretly he had tried to goad his son into talking to the girls in the academy with a tone less biting than his usual one. Like any father Sakumo dreamed of grandchildren from the moment his son was born and even talked at length with his wife about when that day would come. She would never see the day come, and sadly neither would he. But learning that his son had taken the first step in having a life outside of being a shinobi was more than enough. "So you've found yourself a girlfriend?"

"I have." Kakashi smiled for the first time since their talk began. It was a soft, proud smile highlighted through his mask by the campfire. "She's a woman too sweet for her own good. She moved to Konoha from the Land of Iron. Gave up being a samurai to be a farmer of all things."

Sakumo smirked, understanding the irony stemming from their clan name. "What's her name?"

"Hanae."

"Hanae Hatake, huh?" He grinned at the flustered shake of his son's head and correction of the woman's name. "Well, that's quite a tale, son."

"Yup."

He hummed and looked into the fire, "it's too bad. Both of us died far too young. Not as young as Mom, though . . ."

Kakashi stayed silent at the thought of the woman he hadn't had time to know. He wondered if she would be waiting for him further down this path to the afterlife, wondered how many familiar faces would be waiting for him at the end. "Regardless of how it ended, you did everything you could have. I understand what you went through now. Why you broke the law to protect everyone else. . . I'm proud you were my father."

The heartfelt confession swelled Sakumo's heart. After all he had mourned over, all of the haunting thoughts of the pain he must have caused his son, the forgiving tone behind the statement released the vice of guilt keeping him trapped in limbo. "Thank you. . ." He murmured, looking away from his son.

They sat in silence, neither brave enough to look away from the dancing flames. Without warning Kakashi was enveloped in illumination, breaking the darkness of the afterlife they occupied. The jounin stood in shock and looked to his father with a childlike bewilderment.

"What is this?"

Sakumo straightened at the sight. He gave his son a knowing smile, "I guess you really did come here too soon. There must still be things you need to do."

Kakashi's shoulders deflated at the thought of leaving the man he had missed for nearly all of his life. "Dad . . ."

The man in question shook his head, "You go back. Go and see Hanae, I'm sure she's worried. I'm happy we got to talk. And thank you for forgiving me. I think I can move on from this place now." He watched his son disappear, pulled away by the mystic pillar. "I'll go and see your mother again at last . . ."

-

Kakashi roused with a sharp gasp, right eye flying open. He sat, body not nearly as heavy as it should be. He had died, after all, and yet he felt better than he ever had in his life. Despite the dull ache in his chest and chill over most of his skin, he realized his back and cheek were warm.

"Kakashi-sensei!" The yell drew his attention. Choji stood next to Choza, both staring shocked at the man they thought to be long gone. So they survived, he thought. His death hadn't been in vain after all.

But he didn't recognize exactly where they were. Konoha was nowhere in sight and instead they perched on the rim of a massive crater. He gazed around, looking for anything even remotely familiar. "Where am I?"

"Home," a barely audible voice sounded to his right. He turned and took in the sight before him. Hanae sat on her knees. She was beyond disheveled, hair matted and sticking out wildly. Tear marks trailed her cheeks, the only clean spot on her shivering body. "You're home." Her blubbering almost distracted him from the mangled mess of her left forearm.

"Jesus, Hanae," Kakashi groaned at the sight of the jagged bone and blood dripping from her fingertips. The soft touch of her other hand to his cheek brought his gaze back to her face. That mysterious warmth suddenly became familiar.

"It doesn't matter," her voice was shaking. "It'll mend. Bones can heal. It'll be okay. I'll b . . I'll be . ." Hanae trailed off as the tears started again. Her body shook hard and her lips trembled, but she never looked away from him.

It was all so much to take in. People rose from the rubble, lives ripped away so quickly returned as if they had never gone. Joy welled in her heart and filled her being, rushing back in an overwhelming crash. Something she thought that she would never feel again dropped back into her lap without as much of a sound.

Kakashi watched the light return to her dull eyes. Brown irises swimming in endless emotions. She looked so beautiful. Even amongst the destruction she was able to smile, blossoming with optimism and cherishing every little thing, every little miracle that passed through her hands,

He cradled the back of her hand and weaved his fingers loosely between hers. The comforting pressure quelled her trembling and allowed her to breathe again. Such a simple act brought her such comfort.

"You're right," Kakashi breathed and brought her hand higher. "You're too sweet for your own good." He pressed his masked lips into her wrist, kissing the tender skin and feeling the strong throb of life against his lips. Kakashi was sure his father would love Hanae as much as he did.