One-Shot. It's a one-shot, I tell you. Sweet butter fudge brownies, you guys kill me.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Sasuke totally wouldn't kill Itachi before learning the truth and thereby declaring personal war on Konoha, Obito and Rin would still have died, but then they would be made into ghosts that only Kakashi would be able to see and would, eventually, become completely corporeal. Gaara would be hugged daily, as would Naruto, and time travel would happen at least twice.

Alas, it is not to be. I would stand on a cliff and shake my fist at the heavens for my fate, but as cliffs aren't exactly a safe house, the victim will just have to be my beloved yet infuriating-one would even go so far as to say enraging-twin sister. Here's to you, bro. I blame you.

A boy leapt through a forest, jumping off trees and traveling distances at a pace no ordinary human could ever hope to achieve.

Unfortunately, this particular boy just happened to take a tumble mid-air, crashing to the ground and skidding out of the bushes to stop at the feet of his archenemy.

"Did I make it?"

"No," his archenemy said distinctly. "You're late, Obito." He then proceeded to go off on a rant about expectations and rules, or something like that.

"Er . . . it's just, I was accosted by this feeble old lady with this big sack," he hedged. "She kept asking me directions . . . I mean . . . ow, dust in my eyes . . ."

No one the noticed the odd look Archenemy Kakashi had on, almost as if he were enjoying Obito's lame justifications.

"Aww, look at me," an all-too familiar voice commented. "I'm so cute when I'm making up the worst excuses ever."

Kakashi twitched, but that was all the acknowledgement he gave to an older, slightly transparent Obito's sudden appearance.

"Don't worry, 'Kashi," Ghost-Obito soothed. "You're cute, too. Your enraging arrogance back then was just adorable."

Kakashi wanted to hit him.

"What's with your headband?" Obito asked. "Did you poke your eye out?"

Ghost-Obito started laughing. "Oh, Kami, the visual image! It kills me!"

You're already dead, you idiot.

"You're the only one who would do that," Kakashi said pointedly. To both of them. "Please don't draw me down to your level."

Obito blinked. "I think that's the first time I ever heard you actually say the word 'please'."

"He's right," Ghost-Obito agreed. "You're slipping, 'Kashi. You know your insufferable younger self would never so lower himself as to display manners, albeit really insulting ones."

Kakashi rather thought Obito was the one being insufferable now. It was hell not being able to verbally abuse him.

Oh wait.

He turned to Living-Obito. "You are a graceless, aggravating, vertically challenged moron."

Ghost-Obito gasped. "Hey! I insult you and you decide to take it out on me?" He paused. "Wait. I don't think that came out quite right . . ."

"That's enough, Kakashi," Minato-sensei interrupted, his peacekeeper tendencies rising to the fore. "So Obito helped out an old lady. Are we done?"

"I carried her bag and everything!" Obito added.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "How often has he done this? Is there an old hag lurking around every corner, deliberately waiting for the chance to detain him? Are they building an army so that, one day, they can kidnap him and force him to become their grandson?" He was really getting into this. "Or maybe, what they actually want is for him to become their minion!" Kakashi continued enthusiastically, immersed in the story taking place. "They'll force him to carry their groceries and if he disobeys, they knit humiliating sweaters that he has to wear all the time. Then, with their plans for world domination set into motion and their unwilling grandson-slash-minion by their side, they can finally bring their treacherous but brilliant scheme to take down the Hokage to fruition!" He finished with a flourish, eyes glinting with fervor.

They all stared at him. Both Obitos looked horrified-and slightly paranoid-by this sudden plot twist that may or may not have made them wary of little old ladies for the rest of their lives, or, as the case may be for one of them, afterlife.

Minato finally broke the silence. "Have you been thinking about this a lot, Kakashi?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Not really."

"Can we go now?" Ghost-Obito asked. "You just traumatized me for life. Both versions of me. Are you happy now?"

Very happy. Ecstatic. Delighted. He would even go so far as to say overjoyed.

"You're a sadistic bastard," Ghost-Obito mumbled as they began to leave. "Evil. I'll bet you just changed the whole of the future with those uncaring words."

Whoops.

A few minutes later, as they were walking, Minato began, "As of today, Kakashi is jounin, like me. For this mission, Kakashi and I will break off into two teams. That makes us more efficient. Every bit counts. As you know, Konoha is at the weakest it's ever been."

"Split up?" Obito asked. "You mean . . ."

"That's right. Obito and Rin, you'll form a three-man cell, led by Kakashi. And me . . . I'll be on my own."

Rin turned her head to look at Obito. "Remember, we talked about this the other day. This is where we each give Kakashi a gift."

"Sorry," Obito muttered. "I must have tuned it out."

"Wow," Ghost-Obito remarked. "That is a magnificent demonstration of assholery I just displayed. Wherefore art thou, Maturity."

Somewhere far, far away.

Minato held up a kunai with writing on the handle. "This is my present," he said with a smile. "A custom-made kunai knife." He threw it to Kakashi, who caught it automatically. "It's a bit awkward . . . but it's easy to handle once you're used to it. It'll be a good tool for this mission."

"Thanks."

Rin dug through her pack, producing a small kit and holding it out with a kind smile. "This is from me. Here," she prompted, waiting for Kakashi to take it. "It's a personalized special medkit. I adjusted things a little, to make it easier to use."

Kakashi nodded to her. "Thank you."

Rin and Minato then looked at Obito, and Kakashi followed their gazes.

Obito shook his head, defiance in his expression. "I've got nothing to give you! Not a thing!"

"Well, that's all right," Kakashi murmured. "You haven't got anything I need."

Ghost-Obito laughed, startled. "Oh, that is nice, Kakashi. Was that comment directed at me? Of course it was." He shook his head, looking shockingly the way his younger self had not one minute ago. "He is me, and you're nothing if not ironic."

Kakashi's lips twitched unnoticeably behind the mask he wore, watching as Young-Obito yelled about how the heck someone like Kakashi got to be a jounin.

"You can't talk to me that way," the future Copy-nin said, amused by the fact that, yes, Obito could and did talk to him that way, and he wasn't the only one. Kakashi remembered a certain 'One Most Unpredictable Ninja' insulting him as casually as he ate ramen.

For a moment, Obito stood there in front of him, trembling slightly. Then he raised an arm and pointed at him, defiant determination in his gaze. "I am Obito, of the Uchiha Clan! You'll see, I'm gonna blaze right passed you." He dropped his arm. "Just wait 'til my Sharingan awakens."

"The Uchiha Clan is made up of elites, right?" Kakashi said evenly.

"Unfortunately," Ghost-Obito muttered.

"You're gonna be an elite?" the future Sharingan no Kakashi asked Obito.

"Yeah," his not-dead friend said stubbornly.

Kakashi lowered his head in a single nod. "I look forward to it."

Obito looked stunned, and he wasn't the only one. Minato's eyes widened, and Rin blinked.

Ghost-Obito burst out laughing. "You always know how to surprise me, 'Kashi! It's fun."

Kakashi smirked slightly. "I'll be waiting for the day your power is equal to mine." He paused. "I suspect I'll be waiting for a long, long time."

Ghost-Obito whistled. "You are a devious little asshole. Your tough love makes me want to beat your face in. Both versions of me."

Young-Obito's eyes flared in anger, but Rin stepped in before he could do anything, just as Kakashi had known she would. "Hey, guys . . . guys, please stop," she said reproachfully. It made Kakashi feel guilty and Ghost-Obito look the same way.

"If we're all done," Minato murmured with steely eyes, "do you mind if I explain the mission now? We're already pretty close to the border."

His tone forced them all to listen, and a moment later, they were sitting on a large rock beneath a tree.

Minato traced a path on the map he'd placed on the floor of the big stone. "See . . . it's this line, here. It shows where the Land of Earth is currently invading Kusagakure. Our enemy is the shinobi of Iwagakure. According to my info, they've already deployed a thousand shinobi to the battlefront. They've advanced even further than before."

"Kusagakure is situated next to the Land of Fire," Kakashi said soberly. "We should have stepped in long ago."

"For them to be able to storm in like this . . ." Rin said softly, ". . . they must have an efficient system for reinforcement."

"So, our mission is . . . right here." Minato tapped part of the map. "To crush one's enemy at the battlefront requires an immense force of shinobi. Therefore shinobi like us, whose focus is sabotage . . . must deploy in a short, taut unit."

"It's the bridge, then," Kakashi said intently. "You're saying this is an infiltration mission."

"Right! Team Kakashi, your mission is . . . steal into the tail end of enemy territory. Destroy the supply bridge, break up the support operation, and promptly evacuate."

They all said as one, "Yes Sir!"

"And you, sensei?" Obito asked, his expression unusually serious.

"I'll be at the battlefront, hitting the enemy head-on. That should distract them, if nothing else." He held out his hand face-down, and they all placed theirs over his. "So today Kakashi is in charge, got it? We'll stick until the border. From there, we split up and set about or own missions."

"Yes Sir!"

After entering a forest with giant-like trees displaying huge mushrooms on the trucks, they walked for a few miles before Kakashi glanced up, moving his arm out in a 'Stop' gesture, and they stilled.

Kakashi remembered this moment. It seemed Ghost-Obito did, too, for his eyes were sharp as he looked directly at one of the trees, seeing something only he could glimpse.

Something Kakashi could have seen, too, had he retained the Sharingan in his younger body.

They crouched behind a huge tree root.

"Be alert, everyone," Minato said quietly. "There are at least twenty . . . but I believe they're Shadow Doppelgangers."

Kakashi mentally twitched. He had long list of experiences with Shadow Doppelgangers, thanks to Naruto . . . the little brat.

Humor lightened Ghost-Obito's expression. "Ahh, remember that time Naruto decided to use his doubles to completely humiliate yo-"

"Yes, that seems likely," Kakashi spoke over him. "Sensei, if I charge, will you back me up?"

"Let's not rush, Kakashi," Minato cautioned. "Why don't you back me up instead?"

"Pardon me, Sensei, but you did say I am in charge today," the future Copy-nin said calmly. "I want to try a new jutsu I've been working on."

Ghost-Obito's lips curled into a wide grin, his eyes lighting up. "They won't stand a chance."

Kakashi grasped his right arm, sparking a burst of chakra.

Chidori: One Thousand Birds.

"Let's go," he murmured.

Minato reached out, stopping Kakashi.

Kakashi turned his head to look at him. "Even if our enemy is great, this jutsu is greater. I can finish them all. It's named after your alias." He paused. "It was you, Sensei, who said that I am the leader now. Cell numbers must follow their leader. Correct?"

"Correct, Kakashi-taichou," Ghost-Obito said, a smile in his voice.

Minato closed his eyes and retracted his arm, not saying a word.

Kakashi burst through the tree, his sparking, crackling chakra making a mess of the ground as he darted in. Ghost-Obito ran beside him, bright gaze intent on the doppelgangers.

His expression . . . was utterly, absolutely . . . thrilled.

Kakashi dispersed eighteen clones before going at the real one.

"Don't push your luck, runt," the original snarled.

And Kakashi let him slice open his own shoulder.

Minato grasped him by the waist, and Kakashi fell backwards with him, knowing what his sensei had just done.

They appeared behind a tree before Minato stood and slid off his pack, disappearing an instant later to neutralize the enemy shinobi.

"You're insane," Ghost-Obito said as he looked down at him.

Kakashi's expression was calm. Only the one person who was looking saw the light of humor in his eyes. "I know," he said, so low no one but his old, dead friend heard him.

Ghost-Obito snorted and leaned down to sling an arm around his uninjured shoulder. "Ah, don't worry about it, 'Kashi," he said, almost playfully. "We can be insane weirdos together."

Ghost-Obito's touch felt cool and feather-light, insubstantial, as if, if he pressed just the slightest bit harder, he would disperse just like the 'gangers Kakashi had taken care of.

A moment later, Rin was healing Kakashi as best she could. This time, he didn't make a sound. Not because of pride, but because it didn't hurt nearly as much as he remembered.

Minato gazed at them calmly. "Kakashi's wound isn't trivial. We'll retreat for now and set up camp."

Kakashi turned his head. "I'm fine."

"What's so fine about it!" Obito burst out. "It's your fault for ignoring Sensei and being reckless."

His ghostly future self snorted. "Ho, kid. You have no idea."

Kakashi looked at Young-Obito. "I told you not to talk to me that way." He paused, debating, then tacked on an exceedingly immature "Crybaby."

Ghost-Obito sniggered. "You're such a brat, 'Kashi."

"Wh-what?" Obito sputtered. "It was . . . I got dust in my eye!"

"'A shinobi must not show tears,'" Kakashi cited. "That is the law."

"Hey, guys, knock it off," Rin said, distressed.

"That's quite enough you two," Minato interrupted. "Kakashi . . . rules and regulations are certainly important. But they're not everything. Remember how I told you . . . at times you must adapt, and take steps appropriate to the situation at hand."

"See!" Obito said accusingly. "Listen up!"

"As for you, Obito . . ." Minato continued, "dust can't get in your eyes when you're wearing goggles. It's fine to speak of self-control, but you must be strong at heart, not just in words."

Ghost-Obito smiled proudly at their sensei. "Well, I don't cry anymore. Hope that's something this me acquires, too."

Kakashi was sure it would be.

"And one more thing, Kakashi. About that new jutsu of your . . ." Minato looked at him. "You shouldn't use it anymore. From what I saw, it's a strike with a single focus. It certainly has speed and destructive power . . . but it makes you move too fast to ascertain the opponent's counterattack. It's still imperfect."

"But it's damn useful," Ghost-Obito added. "The fact that you actually have perfected it makes Sensei's words null and void. At least you'll be able to use it fully soon enough."

Kakashi looked at Minato mutely, but Obito-Tobi-Madara-of-the-Sharennigan could tell he'd heard him.

"Before we part," Minato said, "let me say this once more. For shinobi, the one thing important above all else is teamwork."

None of the new-old Team Seven looked at one another.

Minato exhaled. "Now . . . let's get going."

Ghost-Obito was lying beside Kakashi, hands behind his behind as he studied the night sky above him. "This is when I learn the truth of why you valued rules so much," he murmured.

"I remember," Kakashi said, voice hushed, almost inaudible. Minato had wicked hearing.

Ghost-Obito had better.

"This is when you made your about-turn." Kakashi smiled slightly. "Called me 'leader'."

Ghost-Obito snorted. "Reminds me of Pein. Nagato. Leader, indeed."

They went silent for a few minutes, listening to Minato telling Young-Obito Kakashi's story.

"You met your dad, didn't you?" Ghost-Obito whispered. "When you . . . died."

"I did," Kakashi replied.

Ghost-Obito was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "I'm glad. You know. I mean, not that you died, but . . ."

"I know."

They said no more that night.

In the morning, Rin wrapped up Kakashi's wound. "It's healing," she told him, her touch gentle but firm. "But if you aren't careful, the wound will open."

"Yeah."

"Okay," Minato said steadily. "Let's get going."

They continued walking. When they stopped, it was at an open clearing of long bamboo trees.

"We'll divide here," Minato was saying. "Do your best, all of you. The enemy we met yesterday was a lone scout. But from now on, we must expect team conflict. So be on your guard."

Obito didn't look at them. "Let's go then . . . leader."

Ghost-Obito eyes lit up. "Hah! Glad I got to see this part. When I live through this, I swear you're never going to let me forget it."

"All right," Minato said, smiling. "Ready?"

"Yes Sir!"

"Scatter!"

It went exactly as it had before, until they were walking upon an all too familiar lake.

After a moment, Kakashi stopped and raised his arm. His teammates froze behind him.

Razor bamboo blades were thrown at them, but Obito burned them all down until each one fell back into the lake. Kakashi glanced up sharply and leapt upwards, towards the enemy above. He fought, but didn't kill, falling back to land on the water when Rin cried out. He and Obito turned to see the other enemy shinobi holding her under his arm, unconscious.

"She has found a new master," the enemy said evenly. An explosion of smoke later, they were gone.

Obito rushed off to find them and get Rin back, but Kakashi said sharply, "Obito! Don't chase them!"

Ghost-Obito looked slightly surprised, then recognition shone in his expression, and he shook his head, letting out a short laugh. "Keep surprising me," he muttered.

"What?!" Obito demanded of Kakashi, eyes flashing. "Do you have the slightest idea what you said just now?"

"Yes, I do." Kakashi interrupted. "From here on, the two of us will proceed with our own mission."

"What . . . what about Rin?!" Obito asked wildly.

"We'll rescue her later. The enemy wants to know our plans. They won't kill her right away. Good thing she's a medic ninja. Even if she is taken prisoner, they'll treat her well. That is, under the condition that she help heal their wounded. The critical point is not to let the enemy know of our plans. If the information gets out, they'll up the security around our target. If that happens, the mission will become even more treacherous."

"You say she'll be all right, but you're just guessing!" Obito burst out. "What if the thugs that grabbed her are just brainless flunkies?! Right now, our top priority is rescuing Rin, not our mission!"

Kakashi gritted his teeth, unhappy with what he had to say. "If we are shinobi . . . we must carry out our mission even at the expense of our comrades. That is the law. If we fail, the war will drag on . . . which may cost us even more lives."

"There you are, guessing again!" Obito said, a razor-sharp edge to his voice. "We risked our lives together! Are you willing to desert her for a mere hypothesis? Every time we were wounded, Rin saved our lives with her medical ninjutsu. Without her, we would've been dead long ago!"

"Of course . . . it was her job."

Obito punched him in the face in an excellent endeavor at breaking Kakashi's jaw.

"Yes!" Ghost-Obito cheered. "Go, me!"

"You know, I've decided," Obito said harshly, "I don't like you!"

Ghost-Obito winced. "Ouch. Sorry," he called. "Don't go me. Come back from the edge. I swear, all those grandmothers we made u-er, helped . . . they'll be waiting for you at the bottom. Turn away, Little Me. Turn away."

Kakashi ignored him. "Whether you like me or not, I am your leader. You still have to obey my orders. Whatever the circumstances, one person alone makes the decisions and pulls the team together. Cell members must follow the command of their leader. Rules are there for a reason. Obito, you have no power. That's why I am the leader of this cell."

Obito grasped one of the straps stretching over Kakashi's chest. "Then lead! Rin needs our help! If you have the power to rescue her, why don't you?!"

The former-future Copy-nin gazed back steadily. "If you give in to your fleeting emotions, and fail an important mission . . . you'll regret it later."

"No, I won't," Ghost-Obito called.

Kakashi paid no mind to him. "That's why shinobi have set rules about suppressing our feelings. You must know that as well."

Obito closed his eyes. He opened them again. "Rin . . . she cared about your well-being. That's why she gave you the medkit. She even stitched a talisman inside for your protection!"

"Medkits and medical ninjutsu . . . it's a great system. Konohagakure devised it to up the mission success rate. But . . . better nothing, than a useless burden. A shinobi needs tools suitable to the mission at hand. Emotion is just a useless burden."

"Do you really mean that?" Obito's expression twisted, angry. "Do you honestly think that way?"

No.

"Yes . . . I do."

Obito slowly let go of him. "Fine. You and I won't ever agree anyway. I'm going to save Rin." He stepped a few feet away.

"You don't understand," Kakashi said sharply. "Do you know what happens to people who break the rules?"

Obito didn't turn away. "I do," he said evenly, resolutely. "And that's why I think the White Fang was a true hero."

Only Ghost-Obito saw Kakashi's expression soften into something . . . almost sad.

"Sure, in a ninja's world, those who violate the rules and fail to follow orders are lower than garbage. However . . ." He turned his head to look at Kakashi, eyes steely. "Those who do not care for and support their fellows . . . are even lower than that. If I'm scum . . . the rules are no good to me. And if breaking them makes me the wrong kind of shinobi . . ." He turned away. "I'll crush all the so-called shinobi."

Kakashi watched him walk away.

There was a moment of silence.

Ghost-Obito looked at him, a small smile lifting his lips. "You're a softie, 'Kashi."

"I'm really not," Kakashi denied.

"No, you are. You just completely destroyed any respect he-I-ever had for you. And you did it because I had to find my resolution. I had to feel the determination to save Rin that I felt in that moment." He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a way they'd never done when he was younger. "You're a softie."

Kakashi walked forward. "Let's just go save you already."

"I see that smile you're trying to hide," Obito called after him. "You can't keep anything from me! You marshmallow!"

"I'm going to kill you," Kakashi deadpanned as Ghost-Obito caught up with him.

"Nope, sorry, ya can't. Know why?" His grin widened. "'Cause I'm already dead!"

"I'll just go and kill your younger self, then," Kakashi said casually.

"You won't have to, in a few moments."

"Shit." Kakashi began to run.

"Hah!" Ghost-Obito laughed delightedly. "Softie!"

Maybe Kakashi would let the Iwa shinobi hurt Obito. Just a little bit.

(But he knew that he wouldn't.)

He sliced into the man's chest. He didn't kill him, he knew the importance of Obito getting his Sharingan.

Behind him, Obito's eyes were wide. "Ka . . . Kakashi? Why . . . ?"

"Look, I can't leave this up to a crybaby ninja like you, can I?" he said without turning around.

"The silver hair," the enemy said as he steadied himself. "The white light blade . . . could it be . . . the White Fang of Konoha?"

Kakashi raised the blade. "This is a memento of my father."

"Ah, I see . . . just the White Fang's brat, eh?" The man formed the sign, and he began to fade out. "Then there's nothing to be nervous about . . ."

Kakashi inhaled. "Just as I thought . . . even his smell is gone."

Ghost-Obito wrinkled his nose. "Eww."

Kakashi ignored him. Like usual. "We'd have to locate him by the slightest hint of sound."

Obito glanced around. "Where . . . ?"

Kakashi spun around. "Obito, behind you!"

The man sliced into him.

Kakashi fell back, a hand covering his left eye as the enemy disappeared again.

"Kakashi!" Ghost-Obito said in alarm. "Damn it!"

Obito put a hand on his shoulder, an extreme amount of worry crossing his expression. "Kakashi! Kakashi! You okay?!"

"Yeah . . . he . . . he's pretty good. He made sure to throw away the kunai knife he stained with my blood."

Tears had spilled over Obito's eyes.

"Got some dust in your eye, Obito?" Kakashi murmured, a drop of blood making its way down his cheek. "A shinobi shouldn't cry. I'm not dead yet."

Obito pushed up his goggles and wiped his eyes.

"Just keep your guard up," Kakashi said quietly.

There was a moment of silence.

Then Obito abruptly turned, stabbing a kunai outwards.

The enemy shinobi slowly became visible, tremors shaking his body. "H . . . how . . . ? You can't possibly see me . . ." He hissed. "What . . . ? Your eyes?!"

"This time," Obito said calmly, his Sharingan eyes hard, "I'm protecting my comrade."

"Obito . . ." Kakashi murmured. "Your eyes."

Obito looked down at his hands. "Yeah. Sharingan . . . I can see chakra!" He suddenly seemed to remember Kakashi's wound, hurrying back to lean over him. "Kakashi? Are you okay?"

Kakashi lowered his hand.

Obito blinked.

Ghost-Obito's expression blanked. "You. Devious. Bastard." He began to laugh. Hard. "The guy only gave you a small cut on the cheek!" He bent over to hold his stomach, shaking with laughter. "You clever, evil bastard!"

Glad I could entertain you.

"You weren't hurt at all," Obito accused.

Kakashi shrugged casually. "You had to get the Sharingan some way, didn't you?"

Obito huffed. "We nearly died!"

"But we didn't."

"But . . . !"

"Rin," Kakashi reminded.

Obito went quiet and nodded.

Together, they made their way to the cave, ducking inside once they reached it to stand before the Iwa shinobi, who stood up. The shinobi rolled his eyes. "Agh, they're all so pathetic."

"Rin's chakra is disturbed," Obito said. "It's flowing in patterns different from ours."

"She's under the influence of genjutsu. They tried to force her to talk."

The enemy smirked. "Hmph . . . some kids."

"We fought earlier," Kakashi said without taking his eyes off him. "He's quick. Gotta be careful."

"Gotcha."

They rushed at one another. The enemy shinobi used knives hidden away in the bandages wrapped around his arms, but both Kakashi and Obito ducked out of the way. Kakashi leapt forward as the shinobi moved to bring his arms together, to kill Kakashi.

Obito stopped him by using his legs, effectively freezing the man, and Kakashi incapacitated him easily with his blade. He used the shinobi's back to land in front of Rin, cancelling the genjutsu the moment he touched the ground.

She drew her breath in a gasp. "Kakashi . . . Obito . . ."

"We've come to rescue you, Rin!" Obito said, relieved. "You're safe.

"All right," Kakashi murmured, a slight smile touching his lips beneath the mask. "Let's get out of here."

"Kakashi," Ghost-Obito warned. "Get ready."

"That was a pretty good combo . . ." a voice said behind them, "but you're still kids in the end. Remember, you're standing in the palm of your enemy now . . ."

They turned just in time to see the enemy shinobi start to bring down the whole place.

Earth Style: Iwayadokuzushi . . . Rock Breaker.

The ceiling exploded.

"This is bad!" Obito hissed.

"The exit," Kakashi said sharply.

And this time, unhindered by an eye he didn't have, they made it out.

Kakashi then proceeded to beat the living shit out of the enemy shinobi that started it all.

Ghost-Obito looked on in amusement. "Huh. He's not getting that nose back anytime soon, is he?"

After a minute, Kakashi stood and fired up his Chidori. The complete version. Then he turned to face the enemy shinobi surrounding them.

"Break their faces, 'Kashi!" Ghost-Obito called supportively.

He did.

Only three minutes had passed before he stood, surrounded instead by the bodies of those same enemies.

He looked up to see Rin and Obito staring at them while Ghost-Obito grinned crazily.

His old, dead friend walked over to stand in front of him. "You did it," he breathed, eyes shining as bright as the sun. "I'm alive."

"Stay around for a while, hey?" Kakashi murmured.

"Whatever you want," Ghost-Obito said, relief making his voice so loud, Kakashi thought for a moment that it would break.

But it didn't. And in the end, when they got back to Minato, he looked around at them all, his friends, his sensei . . . and he smiled. Widely, and so glad that everyone around him froze.

"You're smiling!" Obito blurted. "You're actually smiling!"

"It is an ability that I have," Kakashi agreed.

"Oh my God! That was a joke!" Obito looked around wildly until his gaze landed on Minato. "Sensei, you've gotta help him! I think he broke!"

Ghost-Obito laughed, harder and longer then he'd ever done before, until tears slipped from his eyes and he was on the ground, trying to breathe through it all.

Kakashi watched him bemusedly before turning his gaze to Minato. "I didn't break, Obito's the one breaking down." Both of them.

"But! But . . . !"

"Calm down, Obito," Minato chuckled. "He's fine. See? Barely a scratch on him."

Kakashi listened as Obito started to argue all the reasons why he was not, in fact, 'fine'. Rin shook her head at her teammate's antics, but there was a smile on her face and she looked as if she didn't mind too much the scene playing out before them.

Kakashi, for himself, was much more than fine. He was happy. Content. It was a good feeling. He would, of course, have to tell them the truth someday, and there was still much to do . . . but that could wait, at least for a little while longer. For now, everything was perfect.

Completely, absolutely . . . finally perfect.