Chapter 9: A Quiet Ending

The blistering wind tore into his exposed skin as viciously as the Ninken tore into enemy shinobi. Kakashi couldn't stand cold weather like this and for good reason too. The Jounin was sure it would claim him in a matter of hours which put a bit of stress onto the whole "finding Rin" thing. He couldn't let her wait for him in this blasted weather. She'd probably be weak from performing that Shikon no Jutsu so many times. Kakashi silently tried to count the number ...so far he was at three, but who knew how many she had really preformed? Hell – he might not have ever seen the "real" Rin during this whole ordeal! What a nightmare...

Kakashi grunted as he slumped down at the base of a large pine tree. The snow was so thick and the wind so fierce – this was surely nothing short of a blizzard. How was he to find anyone on this God-forsaken mountain in this God-forsaken weather?

"Rin...where are you...?"

It was so damn cold. Kakashi's eyelids slowly began to close, ever so slightly. He knew it was wrong. He knew it was going to be the end of him...but it felt so damn good. Just a moment wouldn't hurt. He was so tired...so very tired. And when he slept he never failed to dream of Rin – she was always there in his sleep, even if she proved elusive here in Reality.

"Rin..."

"Yes?"

"Where are you? Where did you go?"

The ghostlike visage smiled softly. "What are you talking about? I'm right here, silly." She was so beautiful in her white robes, her brown eyes sparkling more brilliantly than the ice surrounding them. Kakashi immediately thought of those spirits she'd once spoken of...the ones she'd called "Yōsei". Yes, that's what she was. Rin could bring back the dead to do her bidding, couldn't she? But the Jounin knew she was more beautiful than any of those spirits. Yes, much more beautiful...

"No...you're just a dream. I have...I have to find the real Rin..."

The girl in white laughed lightly, drawing near to him – her body appearing to float in and out of the snowy blasts of wind. She knelt down to place a small hand on his cheek, her thumb running lightly across his skin with a feather-soft gentleness. "Don't go to sleep yet, alright?"

He stared lazily into her beautiful brown eyes, reaching up to grasp her hand in his own. "Will you stay with me this time?"

Rin smiled. "I can't stay here for long...but until someone finds you..."

Kakashi sighed, his eyes closing finally. "I'm so tired...tired of everything. I'm tired of being lonely, of being here without you. I just...want to sleep now..."

"Go ahead then. I'm here to care for you now."

"But you're just a dream, remember?" The girl only chuckled lightly in response, her eyes crinkled in mirth. "I've missed seeing you smile, you know that?" he told her.

"Shh..." she cooed. "I'm here now..."

Suddenly, another blast of icy wind whipped through the mountainside, blinding him with that damn powdery crap they called "snow". "Shit!" he sputtered, blundering about now that he'd been so rudely brought back to his senses. And of course, the girl in white was gone, just as he'd expected. Kakashi staggered to his feet, wondering how he was supposed to warm himself. Starting a fire was out of the question, and (unfortunately) the blanket he'd packed was already wrapped tightly around his shivering frame.

"Rin..." he moaned loudly, though the wind strangled his desolate pleas. "Rin!"

It was too much. It was too cold... the Jounin couldn't even feel his legs anymore. Was he still breathing? He dropped first to one knee, then the other. And after a moment, he gave in and collapsed fully onto the ground. "Am I to die without seeing her? Would the gods be so cruel?" he mused silently.

"Kakashi..."

"At least I can see her in my dreams one last time."

"Kakashi, I'm here now."

"Your voice...it sounds so real. Am I with you yet?" He could just make out a face – the mahogany stains marked her Rin. "Don't go this time."

The girl smiled (was it tearfully?) and nodded. "Alright, I'll stay with you," she promised, gathering the man's shivering body into her arms. "I'll stay with you."

Rin couldn't help but laugh at this whole situation. Here she was, come to Kakashi's rescue. This was most certainly a first for the girl and she didn't doubt that it would be the last. As she hoisted him onto her back and slowly began to trudge forward, Rin wondered what was going to happen next. Yes, she could most certainly revive her former teammate, but what about after that? Would she keep the promise? Could she? The girl sighed heavily, trying to keep her footing while contemplating every aspect of this situation.

"Kakashi-san?"

No answer.

Rin smirked. She knew he wasn't dead – his life signs were still rather strong. Poor man. He was merely exhausted; that must be it.

"Alright then, let's get you warm...and then we'll talk."

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"Mmmm..."

This feeling...it was so dreamlike. Had he died? The man fought to open his eyes, vague recollections of Rin, snow, and death messing with his head. "Where...where am I?"

Something shifted beside him, making Kakashi start suddenly. An enemy?! No...no...this, this was... The Jounin cautiously sat up, noticing there was a thick blanket wrapped tightly around himself and around...

"Rin?!" he breathed unsurely, reaching out to touch her face – his fingers trembling and unsteady. So...it hadn't been a dream. She really had found him and brought him home...well, to shelter at least. "Rin?"

"Ngh?" the figure beside him grunted in response, slowly opening one eye to see who was calling her. "Kakashi-san?" Now both eyes were fully open, a slight panic written across her features as she shot upright. "I-I hope this wasn't too presumptuous of me, but you needed warmth...rather badly, and this was the only way I could keep you alive," the girl hurriedly explained.

He said nothing in response, but only gazed deeply into Rin's soft brown eyes, drinking in every detail. His fingers now found their way to her face, her delicate skin so soft to the touch. She was beautiful...and now... "Is it really you?" he whispered, the tip of his nose just touching hers. "Or is this another dream? Another trick?"

Rin sat frozen to the spot, too scared to move or even speak at first. Finally, she managed to tell him, "It's me this time. No more tricks, Kakashi-san. I swear it."

"Were you ever in Konoha?"

The girl nodded slowly. "Yes. When I first returned, it was me. And when you used the Sharingan in the interrogation room...it was me. But after that..."

Kakashi closed his eyes in despair. He'd hoped that the latter situation hadn't been her. "I'm sorry, Rin-chan. I'm sorry for that...for hurting you again."

"What are you talking about?"

He opened his eyes again to stare curiously at her. "What do you mean?"

Rin smiled sadly. "Why are you apologizing to me? It was rightly deserved. In fact, you've done nothing compared to all the pain I've given you over these last few weeks. So don't apologize, ne?"

He nodded weakly, unable to reply. It was true. She'd put him through absolute Hell – especially these last few days when he'd seen her "die". Kakashi hadn't realized how much pain one could endure and not die themselves. "So..." he began after a moment. "What are we to do now, Rin?"

She only smiled and nestled herself against his body. The Jounin realized he'd already instinctively wrapped his arms around her to keep her close. "I promised I'd stay with you now..."

Kakashi had almost forgotten. "Y-Yes..." he said slowly, wondering where she was going with this. This whole situation was so surreal...the Jounin still wasn't sure if it was a dream or not. "Will you come home with me?"

Rin sighed and buried herself deeper into his embrace, searching for every ounce of warmth and comfort he could provide. Then, slowly and with a smile, she looked up and told him...

"No."

"But how will you keep your promise?" he protested in surprise, shock, and disappointment.

The girl's eyes fell. "Kakashi-san...I will come to meet you in another town. I will stay near you always, but I will never return to Konoha...especially now that I've caused so much trouble to everyone there. What will Tsunade-sama say, hm?" Rin glanced at the dying embers of a fire she'd built several hours ago. "And I practically lived in the hospital for several years. I know how things work there...and I'll have none of it. I'd rather live out the last of my life in peace. No observations, no interrogations, no tests."

Kakashi felt weak, light-headed. Yes, that's right...Rin was still dying wasn't she? And she knew they'd try to fix her back in Konoha. That's why she wouldn't come with him. That's why they'd be separated once more. But no. That wouldn't happen. Not as long as Kakashi could help it.

"I'll protect you. I'll protect you with my life."

Ah, the promise of so long ago. He'd never forgotten had he? Rin couldn't resist smiling a little, her dull eyes softening ever so slightly. In that instant, she felt like the old Rin. The Rin Obito had loved. The Rin Kakashi loved. The Rin who could love them back. But then the light faded. He'd made the promise because of Obito. Not for her. For Obito.

"I'll look after you for Obito...Because of that, I'll protect you even if I die. Obito liked you...loved you...you were important to him...Because of that, I'll protect you through life and death."

"Don't bother," she suddenly told him, pulling away from his embrace. "I don't need you to do that. I can take care of myself now, Kakashi-san." The Jounin looked hurt. Rin knew she shouldn't have said that, especially since he was allowing himself to be so vulnerable right now. It was something she knew was rare and precious, yet... "I told you once you couldn't protect me forever...and it's true. Besides, now that Obito-kun has tried to kill both you and me, I am in no mood to honor any promise you made for his sake."

Kakashi stared hard at the girl. "You think I made the promise for his sake?"

"Well, didn't you?" she retorted. "'For Obito' is what you said. Or perhaps you meant something else by that?!"

The Jounin could sense her bitterness by the tone she'd taken. "Rin-chan...yes. At the time, yes. I did promise that because of Obito...but it's different now! You must realize!"

"Realize what, Kakashi-san?"

"Would you quit calling me that?!"

"Oh?" Rin frowned deeply. "And why would I stop? Is it not good enough for you? Is that what you're saying?"

He ran a hand through his silver mane, wondering how exactly such a beautiful moment had turned so ugly. "Please just stop...please stop. I want you to know that I may have promised to protect you for Obito, but it became more than that. It was so much more than that!" he whispered, pulling her back to him. "You were mine. Mine to watch. To care for. To protect. Mine and no one else's. I promised myself that I'd never let anyone touch you so long as I was alive."

"Kakashi..." The girl could have kissed him for that, but stoically refrained – the hint of a blush the only evidence she felt anything at all right now. "I still won't come with you," she told him breathlessly.

Kakashi couldn't believe this was happening to him. Here he was with Rin nestled in his arms – so close and yet so far from her. It seemed his chances of ever being with his love were melting away just before his eyes. The Jounin knew he couldn't force her to come back with him. He'd already seen what happened when he tried that... The man looked away from Rin. "So...you won't come back home?" he rasped brokenly, not bothering to hide his despair.

She shook her head in reply. "Give me a reason, Kakashi-san. One reason is all I ask. Tell me why I should go back to that. My last 'homecoming' was hardly pleasing, and there isn't much time to waste. Why should I go back with you?"

The Jounin gazed sadly into her sepia irises with his blue one. "Do you...care for me?" he asked her, his voice hardly more than a whisper.

"Do I care for you?"

"Yes."

"I care for you very much, Kakashi-san. You know that."

"Well, how much do you care for me?"

Rin's eyes softened involuntarily. He could tell this was hard for her, but he needed to know. "If asked, I would die for you...and I wouldn't use another 'puppet' or my reincarnation technique. The true me would die for you, Kakashi. That's how much I care." The girl peered into his eye questioningly. "Does that answer your question?"

He nodded quietly at first, before pushing, "But then, why will you not come home with me? I have your life, and you have mine. Yet, you won't come home with me?" the man pleaded desperately.

Rin grew tearful at his entreaty. Could he ever know how much pain she was in right now? The girl buried her face in his shirt, hiding her shame from him for as long as she could. Oh, how she wanted to go home with Kakashi! She wanted more than anything to see his face every day, feel his arms around her every night...but how much harder was it going to be when Death stole her from Kakashi's embrace? "Kakashi-san?"

"Yes? What is it, Rin?" he replied, no longer bothering with unnecessary honorifics and formalities.

"Promise me," she told him. "Tell me again - but this time, don't do it for Obito."

The Jounin nodded as he tried to recall the words, though they had never been far from him even after all these years. "I'll look after you," he said. "And I'll protect you even if I die. Obito loved you...you were important to him, but you're even more important to me. I love you...Because of that, I'll protect you through life and death. I swear it."

Rin opened her eyes now (for they'd been closed during his oath), crystalline teardrops resting at the corners of both. Yes, yes this could be enough for her. She knew Kakashi would keep this promise, and with this knowledge...she could die.

"I'm tired," she began slowly. "So...can we go home now?"

Kakashi couldn't help but smile, his heart pounding with relief nonetheless. "Of course, Rin. I'll take you home."

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And so it was that Rin returned to Konoha with her old teammate, to live out the rest of her days there at his side. Though many would protest her decision to refuse help, Kakashi always made sure that no one touched her but him. Rin was his now, if only for a little while, and nothing would change that.

Seasons changed, a year came and went, and Rin's time finally came. Her death was quiet, just as she'd expected. However, she was not alone in her final moments. Lying neatly within Kakashi's arms, she fell asleep just as she did every night. But this time, Rin would never wake to see her love's face again.

Kakashi had never hurt so much when he realized this the next morning. People said he was a broken man, but Kakashi always denied it. Yes, he was hurting, but he was not broken. As the widowed Jounin laid his white roses down for Rin, he couldn't help but smile. She'd done so much for him these past few years. He hadn't known one could feel so much love, so much happiness. She'd changed him into a better man, and because of that, Kakashi could never forget her.

"I'll fix us both, because we're both broken, ne?"

The man gazed lovingly at the picture set on Rin's altar. It had been taken just after her return. She seemed so happy – in fact, not a day went by when he didn't see her gentle smile. "You did a good job, Rin," he said lovingly, reaching his fingers out to trace her smiling face. "I think you made us whole again..."

As he turned and walked away, those present swore they could see tears running down Kakashi's face (though he'd deny this as well later on). Yet, their attention was quickly diverted to the sky above, from which a myriad of glittering flakes had begun to fall.

"Snow..." one man murmured. "In the summer?"

Only one knew that these were last tears Rin would ever shed; the very last bit of her sorrow. And despite his grief, that alone was enough to make Kakashi smile beneath his mask.

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- The End -

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Wow! It's done and over with (finally). Thank you so much to all you readers/reviewers – I love you all! Thanks especially to Sakra-chan and Eldr-fire. You guys are great, and Sakra-chan – you're a great beta! Erm, thanks to the patience from all of you. I know I didn't update as frequently as I should have. And...I think that's it? Well, see ya'll around.

- Hikari