Fire: This is the epilogue. For those of you who don't want to continue with the first book of the series, don't read this chapter. The epilogue ends on a cliffhanger, and runs right into the first book of the Wait for Me series, Wait for Me: Leaving. If you haven't read it and don't plan to read it, don't read this chapter—

Sasuke: You said that already.

Fire: (sweats) I have? (looks down at the script) Where was I…?

Kakashi: This runs into the first book…

Fire: Oh, yeah! (smiles nervously) If you want to continue reading, please go to my user profile or search for Wait for Me: Leaving on the site search engine.

Sasuke: Can we end this story now?

Kakashi: First, reviews! (pulls a window from the Bag of Reviews) Then we'll end the story.

Fire: He's just cranky because he can't kill Itachi in this story. (reads the window)

Kakashi: If you want to find out what happens to everyone after this story, read the next book.

Fire: It's not mandatory to read the next book. That's why they all stand alone and that's why I loaded them separately. Technically, they're all separate stories that are part of the same larger story. There is a beginning and there's an end. I'm going somewhere with this, but if you want to know what, you'll have to read the next book.

Kakashi: No pressure here. What did the review say?

Fire: What review? I uploaded the epilogue with the last chapter of the story.

Kakashi: Then why am I carrying this bag around?

Fire: You've grown attached to it?

Kakashi: …

Sasuke: Really? (stares at Kakashi and the bag)

Kakashi: That's not possible!

Fire: Now on with the epilogue! (pulls up the epilogue)

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Epilogue: The Wheel that Spins Cannot be Stopped

Travelling on known roads through the entirety of Hi no Kuni took weeks. Travelling on known roads through Hi no Kuni and neighbouring countries took months. And Kakashi also had to search through the unchartered wilderness that covered everything. The source of that wild genjutsu wasn't just going to sit in a hotel, waiting for him with a nice bottle of sake and a hot bath.

The grey-haired jounin was beginning to doubt that he would be able to find the perpetrator. It had been about four months and he still hadn't found them. But, luck was a part of the job too. As Kakashi headed back toward Hi no Kuni after searching through Taki no Kuni, he came across Hoshigaki Kisame.

As a shinobi of Konoha, Kakashi would normally engage in a fight and try to capture him. Kisame was an S-ranked criminal, and he shouldn't just allow him to go. However, that was something that a shinobi should do when he had backup with him. No one was crazy enough to face an S-ranked criminal on his own–except for Naruto, but Naruto wasn't with him at the moment–even if he was strong enough to do it. So, Kakashi was about to let him pass, slip by without causing a commotion, but the mumbling of the nukenin to his sword caught the jounin's ears and he couldn't just let Kisame go.

The Kiri-nin was headed back to Itachi. And from the mumbling, Itachi was the one behind the genjutsu that had fallen over Konoha.

'Chikusho! I should have known!' Kakashi couldn't believe that he didn't think of it right away. Itachi had tried to capture Naruto many times before. It should have been obvious to him. He should have though of it months ago!

But now wasn't the time to beat himself up. Kakashi pulled himself back into the realm of calmness as he followed after the blue-skinned nukenin. There wasn't even a possibility. Kisame was definitely going to lead him to Itachi.

Kakashi was long gone when Itachi returned. He had thought to return with a team of ANBU or strong jounin before Itachi's arrival. But that wasn't what happened. Itachi came back about a day and a half after Kakashi left.

"So, the plan was..." Kisame couldn't see the jinchuuriki in Itachi's hands. "...unsuccessful?"

Itachi glared at his partner. If he could kill him, he would. But then, he would probably be partnered with another brainless idiot. "Obviously."

"It took you two months to fail?" Kisame was good at cruel remarks when he was right, and he was right about this plan's failing. He had said it right from the start. It wasn't just because he hated snow.

"No." Itachi grabbed Kisame by the collar and threw him against the wall, effectively shattering through a stalagmite. "It took two months for you to fail." Itachi had no intention of admitting that he had failed. Itachi never failed. It was always Kisame who failed. It was always Kisame who had to be held back from his killing frenzies.

Itachi had fainted halfway back to their base, the poison completely paralysing his body. But he wasn't going to tell Kisame that he had allowed three tiny senbon to stop him.

"What have you to say for yourself?" Itachi glared coldly at Kisame with his dark red eyes. Now was a good time to remind the blue man why he was in charge.

The Kiri-nin narrowed his eyes at Itachi. Usually, he would fight back. It was Itachi's idea. It was Itachi who had carried it out, and it was Itachi who had failed. He shouldn't have to take the blame. But the thought of Samehada's continuous hunger came into his mind, and he couldn't say that it wasn't partly his fault. He had allowed himself to be swept away. "Nothing," he said before squeezing his eyes tight. If he didn't look into the Uchiha's eyes, the genjutsu couldn't affect him.

But Itachi still had other ways of torturing Kisame, and it was going to be far more painful than any genjutsu.

It was late May as Kakashi neared Konoha, and it would be early June when he finally arrived. But it was late May when Kakashi came to Otafuku Gai, and he had the misfortune to run into Maito Gai and his team.

Kakashi was surprised. He hadn't thought that Gai would be out on a mission, and an A-ranked mission too! "An A-ranked mission?" Kakashi's voice was calm even though he was surprised that Gai and his group of chuunin was assigned such an important task.

"A mission of utmost importance!" Gai shouted at Kakashi who had given the impression that the mission couldn't possibly be A-ranked if Gai was assigned to it. "We had to meet with the Damiyo!"

Lee nodded vigorously at Gai's side.

"We were assigned because Gai-sensei and Lee were restless," Neji said with his usual calmness. "And I have experience in politics." There was enough politics between the two Hyuuga houses to swamp all the Daimyo allied with Konoha.

Kakashi looked at Tenten. She hadn't said anything. "Nothing. I'm just here to keep them in check," Tenten said as she gestured to Gai and Lee.

And Kakashi nodded. Keeping Gai and Lee in line was a full-time job.

"Are you finished with your mission, Kakashi-sensei?" Lee asked as he remembered why Kakashi had left Konoha in the first place.

"I say we should have sent ANBU after you, Kakashi-sensei. That Uchiha nukenin came into the village and tried to steal Naruto away. He's behind the whole genjutsu," Tenten said, almost as if she was lecturing as she spoke to Kakashi.

"Nani?" Kakashi's eye widened at the news. He didn't care that everyone already knew about Itachi. He had Itachi's location. That was more important. But Naruto had almost been captured. That was even more important! "How is Naruto!"

"He's fine." Neji didn't say anything more.

"He's happy. Sasuke returned. Who isn't happy?" Tenten was even more cryptic.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi wanted to know. "Just tell me what happened while I was away!"

The chuunin stared at Kakashi as they took a collective step back. That shout was uncharacteristic of someone who was usually serene against their hot-headed sensei, but that shout made Gai seem like the serene one, especially when he took Kakashi aside and explained everything.

That was what made Kakashi rush back. Naruto was in the hospital. He was almost kidnapped and killed. Sasuke was back. That was all that was going through Kakashi's mind as he flew through foliage and thin branches, through the night until he arrived at Konoha in the morning.

Now, he needed an excuse to see Naruto. He would probably be out of the hospital by now. That meant that he would be at home, and if he wasn't there, he would definitely be in his hospital room.

But an excuse...an excuse!

'I guess lying a little wouldn't hurt.'

And Kakashi calmed himself before jumping onto the windowsill of Naruto's kitchen.

End Epilogue

End Prequel: Wait for Me: Crystalline Mirage

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Note: GO TO WAIT FOR ME: LEAVING TO CONTINUE THE STORY unless you've read that, then go straight to WAIT FOR ME: FOLLOWING TO CONTINUE THE STORY. THAT'S THE SECOND BOOK IN THE SERIES.

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Fire's babbling:

Fire: That's all for this book. Thanks for reading it all the way through. For those of you who are wondering about the title, it's a metaphor. The wheel refers to the Wheel of Fate. It spins and is unstoppable because fate is unchangeable once it has been decided. This refers to the fact that the foundation for the story that has been laid out will carry onto the next chapters, regardless of what the characters might do in the present. Sooner or later, it all comes back to get them. It's a small blend of "history repeating itself" and the idea that the universe if woven on a tapestry (Greek) and the Wheel of Fate is the spinning wheel that weaves the thread which makes up the fate of the universe. But, that goes into mythology and you don't want me to go into that.

Kakashi: We definitely don't want that.

Fire: Well, thanks again for reading this story all the way through. I know that it's a little longer than the first book of this series, but the other two books are even longer, if that's even possible. (sweats)

Sasuke: I think some of them are angry.

Fire: (confused) Why? Is the story too long?

Sasuke: This is a SasuNaru! Where's the SasuNaru!

Fire: (cringe) It's not my fault! Itachi got in the way. At least, you were with him!

Sasuke: That was Itachi!

Naruto: Don't remind me.

Fire: Well, that's what the first book is for. Remember to go to Wait for Me: Leaving if you want more SasuNaru yaoi.

Sasuke: What a rip off!

Fire: You wrote half of it.

Sasuke: Exactly! I thought I'd get to write more!

Itachi: …

Sasuke: I'm going to kill you!

Fire: If you were confused about anything, review and tell me about it. I'll be happy to explain anything. If you hated it, tell me and I'll write you something better. If you liked it, I want to know, so you remember to review too. I know you're reading this. Just do it!

Kakashi: Yeah. Fire's a control freak. If you don't do what Fire says, the next story might take longer to load, even though it's already finished.

Fire: Urusai! I'll load my stories if I want to!

Sasuke: Too bad Fire doesn't like disappointing the fans.

Fire: Well, see you next story. And remember to review!

Sasuke: Control freak.

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