Author's Notes: Thanks for all the favorites, follows and reviews! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Just giving you a heads-up, I might not be able to post a new chapter in a long time after this week. But, I will be back! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!

Chapter 4

"Ah, no, not exactly," Minato replies, provoking the cutest narrowing of the eyes Minato has ever seen. The gravity of the situation prevents him from laughing, but he manages a slight quirking of the lips in a lopsided smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kakashi, even though visibly shaken and still trying to catch up with the new situation he found himself in, is still himself, something that makes Minato relieved and afraid all at once. If only he were asking me something simpler to answer… Minato thinks and wishes for something to distract his student.

"Well, it means that you don't live alone," Minato replies, putting off replying to the question Kakashi really wants answered, and all the while, he feels guilty about it. Kakashi wants to hear that he has a blood relative, and Minato can understand that much. However, when Kakashi finds out that no such blood relative exists, not anymore, at least… Minato doesn't really want to know what would happen to the already emotionally broken boy.

"Then, I live with someone? A man, right?" Kakashi asks in such a quick succession that he barely takes a breath. He doesn't even give Minato a chance to answer before he continues, "He hasn't come yet. Why not?" Looks like I'm going to be forced to find out… whether I like it or not. There's clear hesitation on Minato's part, even as Kakashi watches him with unblinking eyes and a baited breath.

"He's, um… It's," Minato doesn't know how to tell a boy who has lost everything he thought he had that he has lost much, much more than that. He sighs and falls silent. Kakashi lets out the breath he's been holding in something Minato registers as disappointment. Minato hopes he'd let the question go. Ask me anything else, please. Minato thinks, but judging by Kakashi's silence and expecting look, he hasn't quite lost the determination and stubbornness that made him who he is.

Kakashi's expression turns from expectant to frightened in under a millisecond as the door of his room flings open and bangs against the wall with a loud, disturbing thud. He jumps and sits up in a defensive position, instinctively pulling up his arms to protect his chest and head. It makes Minato sick and makes his insides churn with guilt, "Kushina…" He mutters reprovingly under his breath when he sees the door's assailant.

"I'm sorry," Kushina says and at least has the decency to duck her head to show that she really meant her apology, "I got a little carried away because… I brought ramen, dattebane!" Kakashi manages to slow his rapidly beating heart. He doesn't let his incredulousness show on his face in fear that this crazy redhead would get angry at him for it, "And! I brought a visitor, Kakashi-kun!"

Minato internally sighs. The distraction is welcomed, but… He could see himself repeatedly banging his head against the wall in his mind's eyes. He doesn't, however, because the act would surely make Kakashi fear him even more. The last thing he needs right now is more people to be scared of. Kushina, what are you doing? Minato thinks bitterly and a tad bit exasperatedly, but he keeps a welcoming smile on his face as a blur of bright green that melts his eyes forces its way right next to Kakashi's bed.

He doesn't even have to hear the proclamation to know who it is, "My Eternal Rival! I have come to challenge you again! We shall embark on a most youthful trip up the Hokage Monument using our hands only! I will make it up to the top before you do, Rival! And if I don't, I shall-" Gai abruptly, and quite unexpectedly if Minato were to say so himself, cuts himself short, "You are looking most unyouthful, my Rival," Gai leans in a bit too close for Kakashi's comfort, and the younger boy backs away from him as much as the pillows behind his back allow him to, "It seems your Flames of Youth have diminished quite a lot since the last time we had a most satisfying challenge! Never fear, Rival! I will make sure you are back to-"

"Gai," Minato calls sternly, "Please, be quiet. Kakashi is sick. He needs rest. And he can't do that, if you keep on challenging him like that," Minato says as he gently pries Gai away from Kakashi's side and leads him to nearby chair.

Seeing Kakashi in the hospital isn't all that rare for Gai. If he doesn't know any better, he'd say that his rival wants to make his stay at the hospital a permanent one, "This type of sick is different from all the other types of sick from before, isn't it?" Gai asks. His speech lacks any flourish, and it doesn't sound half as cheerful as Minato is used to. He almost sounds… serious.

"Kind of," Minato says, silently applauding Gai for making an insightful observation but not wanting to make Kakashi feel worse than he already does, "Kushina?"

"I kind of, sort of forgot to tell him why I brought him here, dattebane," Kushina says, looking just the slightest bit embarrassed. Minato internally sighs as he shakes his head.

"You don't have to!" Gai says with his enthusiasm back in full force, but at least, he understands the need to mind his volume, "You have brought me here in order to help nurse my Eternal Rival back to his former health! There will be no punishment this time because this is a task I will not allow myself to fail! Yosh!"

Kakashi watches the whole interaction with something akin to confusion and apprehension shining in his eyes. The other boy looks weird enough. Kakashi wonders if all the other boys outside this room look like him, but he highly doubts it. No one else would look so green, he argues. He doesn't even understand half of what he says. Is this eternal rival he keeps mentioning… me? Kakashi wonders. The notion of having an eternal rival thrills him for a reason he cannot name, or maybe he isn't thrilled, but he's feeling something, that's for sure.

Minato has been too panicked to notice the small detail that completely slipped his mind when Kakashi asked him about his living place. 'Then, I live with someone. A man, right?' The words echo in his mind, and Minato internally kicks himself for not spotting that little point before now. He remembers a man? Could he… could he be remembering his father? Minato's thoughts skid to a screeching halt because Kakashi remembers something, even if it isn't quite there anymore. Which means… he can still remember other things too! Minato hopes and wishes, and maybe, he can still get himself and Kakashi out of this.

Gai stays for long hours, and Minato notices that Kakashi slowly starts to warm up to him as the group enjoys a meal of hot ramen. He gives Kushina a smile, but he doesn't tell her that she is right.

"Many of the other Academy students are your friends, too, Kakashi!" Gai says with a convincing nod. It's a lie Minato allows Gai to tell, "I'm sure they'd all love to come talk to you soon! They're all very worried," Gai says matter-of-factly. The comment seems to make Kakashi happy for reasons Minato doesn't quite understand. If that man doesn't like me enough to come see me, Kakashi thinks as his mind slips momentarily to think of the man with the long silver hair who looks so much like him, then, at least, I have other people who really care about me.

Kakashi doesn't want to be alone. He's decided that some time ago. Being alone means that he's more vulnerable. Being alone means that he could wake up at any second to find out that all of this has occurred in nothing but his imagination. Being alone means that, if everything happening around him is real, he is that much more likely to get recaptured, and Kakashi will do anything to keep himself away from the Snake from his wildest nightmares.

At the thought of getting recaptured by the man who took everything important away from him, something flares at the back of his neck. Kakashi feels the familiar burning sensation. Fear clutches his heart as he forces his eyes shut and screams, startling the other occupants of the room out of their wits. Don't let it be a dream, don't let it be a dream. Kakashi wills with all his heart, even as his neck burns and his skin feels like it's being forcefully sloughed off of his body.

"Minato!" Kushina's call is urgent and demanding. She seems at a loss as what to do, and she sees the same sensation mirrored on Minato's face. She doesn't spare Gai a look as she tries to pry Kakashi's hands off of his neck to see what is causing this. Minato looks frozen, "Try to calm him down!" Kushina orders. Minato jumps and bolts to do as she demanded.

Neither accomplishes much. Both of them are too afraid of hurting Kakashi further, or breaking what little of his trust they have rebuilt.

As quickly and as suddenly as it has come, the brief bout of pain ends. Kakashi immediately opens his eyes and doesn't find himself strapped to a table made of cold metal, doesn't see a pale man with golden eyes nor does he see syringes holding different fluids. Relief floods his system, even as the pain slowly but surely vanishes.

He sees Minato, his teacher, whose face is etched with worry and fear for him, Kakashi understands belatedly. He sees Kushina, who is a friend, holding his hands and gently stroking them in an attempt to help him calm down. He sees Gai, his eternal rival, who seems ready to bolt to call for the nearest nurse at the order of the adults.

"Kakashi… are you okay?" Minato asks. His eyes still hold the same concern Kakashi could make out, but they also have a certain edge of steel to them that Kakashi doesn't quite get. Kakashi nods, not completely trusting his voice to work properly, "I think… I'll go get a nurse,"

"I'll bring a nurse here faster than you can blink, Namikaze-sensei!" Gai volunteers instantly and heads out of the room before anyone can argue.

"Can you show me where it hurt?" Kushina asks in an uncharacteristically quiet tone. Kakashi points at his neck and lets her come closer to see it. Kushina's eyes widen as she studies the area, but she doesn't say anything, which makes Minato worry even more. She keeps silent for a long while.

True to his word, a nurse comes in after Gai a few minutes later. The nurse asks them to wait outside as she does a quick checkup.

Kushina finally breaks her silence, "I didn't recognize it, Minato," The Yellow Flash gives her a raised brow, "The seal on Kakashi's neck. I've never seen anything like it before,"

-oOo-

He could be right. A traitorous part of his mind says in a low whisper. You're the only one who knows Sakumo, really, really knows him. Sooner or later, Kakashi will want to know more about his father, and it's his right to know too. Jiraiya shakes his head as if to clear it. He's going to need you, Jiraiya. Jiraiya huffs and crosses his arms. The only thing I can do to him is hold him down and make him worse. Jiraiya decides. 'Running away is never the answer, Jiraiya.' He hears his old sensei's words vibrate in his head, and he almost physically grabs his head to block them out. It is for me, Sensei. I'm sorry. At this point, even Jiraiya himself has lost count of how many people he's apologizing to.

No. You shouldn't run away any longer. He tells himself. It's time to act and to do things right! Jiraiya figures that he couldn't be wrong this time. However, if he isn't going to run, and the Hokage won't send him out to fight, then what could he possibly do?

Simple. You're going to track down the bastard that got everyone into this mess. And make him pay for it, too. With a satisfied nod, Jiraiya discovers that he really likes this idea.

-oOo-

Orochimaru knows when Kakashi's seal activates. It won't be long now before they find it, and then, it'll take them even less time to know… that they can't fix it.

Author's Notes: As promised, things finally start to pick up in this chapter! Please let me know what you thought of it :D Thanks for reading!

A Response to the Reviews on Chapter 3:

Tobi Uchiha-chan: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the previous chapter :) Thank you so much for your continued support! It is very appreciated ;)

Guest: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter :D

Until next time!