--Flashback--

tsukiraven: Did you see that? Did you?

Sasuke: ...What?

tsukiraven: Only the most awesome thing in the history of EVER!

Naruto: Huh? Tsuki-san are you trying to make another stupid point?

tsukiraven: No! I'm serious- this was awesome. Okay, well I was playing Final Fantasy VII when I saw--

Sakura: Stop right there. I know what's going on. You and your video game induced hallucinations.

tsukiraven: I'm serious! I really did see--

Clonk!

Sasuke: --throws away bat-- That was pointless and dumb.

--CloudStrife rides by on Chocobo-back, chucking materia at a worn out Reno who is running a few feet ahead of him--

--Everyone gapes--

Kakashi: ...We're just going to pretend that never happened, right?

Sasuke: I'll hide the body.

--Fade out sequence--

tsukiraven: And that is why I didn't update for so long!

Sasuke: How the hell did you get out of that dumpster?

tsukiraven: --polishes nails-- Let's just say I had a little help...

Haseo: Ch. You owe me one now.

tsukiraven: Of course, of course! Anything for you and those wonderfully tight pants of yours.

Haseo: What did you say? –pauses-- Who the hell is he? –points to Sasuke—

Sasuke: Who the hell am I? Who the hell are you? And why do you look, sound, and act just like me?

Ishida: --pushes up glasses-- Look, this whole argument is pointless and redundant. Shall we just get on with it?

tsukiraven: You're my favourite one of all!

Iruka: Why do I even bother anymore?

She doesn't own it. Be grateful!

I'll Cover You, Chappie 23.

Be my lover, and I'll— Oh, lover, I'll cover you!

"Kakashi..." The silver haired ninja groaned, burying his face in the soft cushion beneath him. "Kakashi, wake up." Kakashi ignored the sweet voice, desperate for a little more time in his dream world. A world where clothing and Iruka did not mix.

There was a long sigh. "All right... I guess I'll just have to go and shower alone. All that hot water coursing over my body, that steam engulfing the entire room, my ha--!"

Kakashi groaned from his new position atop his conquered chuunin, snuggling into the smaller man's chest. "And your hands doing what exactly, Iruka?" Kakashi questioned sleepily, his lazy mouth drawn up in a smirk. Iruka grinned, pulling Kakashi into a large hug.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Iruka asked cattily. "You woke up too late and missed your chance- sorry! Maybe next time!"

"Do I get a consolation prize?"

"A wha--?" Kakashi ran his hands up Iruka's chest and his tongue up the tan man's throat, bathing cinnamon skin.

"Kakashi!" Iruka shoved Kakashi off of him where the jounin landed gracelessly in a heap back on the bed. "Stoppit! You're on doctor's orders not to do anything that could cause you unnecessary physical stress for five months! It's been three!"

"Doctor's orders," Kakashi mumbled, rubbing Iruka's exposed hipbone (much to the sensei's pleasure). "Which one- the old man or the young annoyance?"

"Both!" Iruka exclaimed, swatting Kakashi's hand away (much to the scarecrow's dismay). "Now I'm going to go shower!"

"Can I come?"

"No, Kakashi."

"...Please?"

"No!"

---

"Hey there Kakashi-sensei!" Raven greeted cheerily, slapping the man heartily on the shoulder. Kakashi groaned. "How's it hanging?"

"Just peachy." Kakashi said gruffly.

"Got that last payment for my house yet?"

Kakashi groaned and shook his head. Raven's smile widened to Cheshire Cat proportions. "There, there. It's okay, I'm a merciful woman. I'll expect it from you in two weeks!"

Kakashi grunted his acknowledgement and scribbled his signature on a form. "Does this one need Iruka's consent as well?"

"Is he still your only existing family? If so, than yes."

Kakashi smiled despite himself and slid the form into his pant's pocket. "C'mon Doc," he wheedled lightly. "All that nonsense about 'no strenuous activity' for five months... I mean, five whole months is a little overkill, right?"

"Nope." Raven sang, handing Kakashi another form. "Five months, 'Doc's' orders. Call me that again, by the way, and I'll knife you, Hatake."

"Go ahead and try," Kakashi challenged. "I may not be a ninja anymore, but I'm still damn good with a kunai."

Raven sighed. "Sure you are." She turned to look at Kakashi seriously. "How are you though? Really?"

"Okay, I suppose. 'Ruka asks me the same question every morning, you know." Kakashi sighed, shrugging slightly. "Not being a full shinobi is... hard. And weird. I know it'll take me a long time to get used to it, believe me. But I think it'll all work out in the end."

Raven smiled again, shuffling a small stack of papers. "Naruto's optimism seems to have rubbed out on you."

Kakashi chuckled. "And so it seems."

"And the master has learned from the student!" Raven cried in mock celebration, throwing up her hands. "Oh, what a wondrous world we live in today!" Still smiling, she scratched her head and tossed Kakashi a small vile.

"Here," she stated. "That's for the good ol' Sensei. Tell him to make sure he takes four ounces of that with a liquid once a day for two weeks. I want to make sure the poison's totally flushed out of his system. There aren't many side effects to that particular medicine," Raven turned around and began rummaging though a large cabinet, "so I don't anticipate any problems. I don't think that there will be any lasting complications from the poison either." She emerged triumphantly, holding a significantly large bottle containing countless small tablets.

"So my Iruka's all right now?" Kakashi asked softly. Raven smiled and winked at him.

"Of course! Now this," she handed him the bottle, "is for thou! Take two a day, morning and night, and don't mix them with food. Other than that, you should be fine. So I release you with a clean bill of health!"

Kakashi chuckled and stood, lazily reaching into his coat pocket to pull out a rather gaudy orange book. "Thanks, Doctor Aquirii. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help."

"You're welcome, Patient Hatake." Raven smiled, tapping his shoulder. "Now shouldn't you be gone? Stalking your lover boy or whatnot?"

Kakashi shook his head, s shadow passing through his eyes. "No," he muttered. "I won't see Iruka until later, I think.

"He's putting some ghosts to rest."

---

"I was amazed when they told me that I had a visitor. But I never expected you, Iruka!"

Iruka scowled. "Umino-sensei. I don't familiarize myself with people I despise."

Mizuki laughed loudly. "Suuure you don't, Sensei." He ran a hand through his dirty, silver hair. "So, why the unexpected visit? Come to give me a kiss goodbye?"

"The ANBU came to my house," Iruka said softly, running tan hands down a thick metal prison bar. "They told me that they found you. I wanted to make sure."

Mizuki shrugged and tossed his hair over a shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. So why are you really here?"

Iruka glared down upon Mizuki. He no longer felt any shred of attachment- no love, no remorse, only anger.

"It won't last," Mizuki muttered. Iruka blinked, startled out of his revere by Mizuki's sudden words. "Hatake will leave you," Mizuki hissed, smirking lightly. "Tigers can't change their stripes. He'll move onto the next warm body at the slightest provocation, you wait and see. And then you'll be wishing you'd taken me up on my offer, Iruka."

Iruka shook his head. "I really pity you. You just don't get it at all, do you?"

"No," Mizuki insisted. "You don't get it. Love can't last. Fear doesn't last. Even the anger that you feel now will fade away. Power lasts, Iruka, and power makes memories. You should've joined me when you had a chance to."

Iruka blinked and shook his head. "No, Mizuki. What's done is done. What's happened has happened and I," Iruka raised his chin defiantly, "I wouldn't change it for anything. Goodbye."

"Iruka!" Mizuki scoffed at the chuunin's turning back. "When will you learn? You won't last forever! Iruka? Iruka!"

The departing ninja gave the desperate man one last indifferent glance before walking out of the prison into the sunlight, closing the door behind him.

---

"Hey there!" Kakashi called, walking over to the front door. Iruka closed it behind him softly. "How was it?" No response. "Did that bastard do something to you, Iruka? If he did I'll walk down there and kill him with my own hands, I swear it. Iruka what did he say to yo—"

Iruka grabbed Kakashi's shirtfront and yanked him down hard into a passionate kiss. Kakashi shifted for a moment before crushing Iruka's body to his in a tight hug, claiming every inch- inside and out- of the chuunin sensei's mouth.

After what could have been an eternity, Iruka pulled away, gasping. "Kakashi," he panted, "do you love me?"

Kakashi blinked. "You know I do, Iruka. With all of my being."

"Like really? Forever love?"

"Yes, forever love."

"Then let's be together." Kakashi blinked again, tilting his head in an adorably curious manner. "Forever Kakashi, forever." Iruka laid his head against Kakashi's chest, wrapping his arms around the other man. "I want forever with you."

Kakashi's eyes softened as he watched the younger man in his embrace. "Iruka," he said softly. "I want... I'd like nothing more than to be close to you forever. That's all I want, you know." Kakashi tilted Iruka's face up and met the other's mouth in a deliriously wonderful kiss.

"A forever with you."

---

Naruto yawned, starching out in his spot on the grass. From his right, he felt Sakura touch his hand gently.

"So, everything's all right," Sakura stated simply. "It's all over. Iruka-sensei's okay... and that's that."

"That's that," Sasuke agreed simply, grasping Sakura's other hand tightly.

"I'm glad," Sakura admitted, yawning. "It was all too stressful."

"I know what you mean," Naruto laughed. "And now, back to our normal somewhat less stressing lives!"

"Hooray!" Sakura chimed in. "Actually, I'm starting an internship at the hospital next week." Sasuke smiled and leaned his face against her shoulder, eyes closed. Naruto giggled and did the same, and Sakura couldn't help but blush. "Under Miss Aquirii,"

"Eck, that girl's your Sensei? Good luck."

"Naruto, that's not nice! She helped save both of our Sensei's lives! We should be grateful!"

"Well, what're Sasuke and I supposed to do if you and Kakashi aren't around?"

"... Fight over me?"

"You wish," Sasuke muttered. "Why would we fight over you?"

Naruto scowled. "Hey, you teme, I oughta—"

"...When we both all ready have you?" Sasuke said softly, pressing his lips to Sakura's right cheek. Sakura blushed again.

"You're right. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking."

---

tsukiraven: -sniff—

Sakura: Miss Raven? Is there something wrong?

tsukiraven: N-No! There's nothing... It's just... It's just... Waaaaughhh! -gloms onto Sakura-

Sakura: Eyagh!

tsukiraven: It's over, it's all oveeeer! Waugh! What am I supposed to do with my life now?

Sakura: Um... Wright another story?

Sasuke: Wright a better story?

tsukiraven: But, all of the nice people I've met writing this, -sniff- all of the wonderful reviews I've gotten, -hiccup- all of the death threats for not updating fast enough! Where will my life be without all of that?

Naruto: You'll miss the death threats?

Sakura: You just have to remember that you're not done yet, Miss Raven.

tsukiraven: -big tearful anime eyes- I'm not?

Sakura: No! What about all of those extras you've promised?

tsukiraven: Egads! You're absolutely correct, Sakura! I can't forget my duties!

While we're on the subject of my duties... Yikes. Freakin' yikes. I went waaaay too long without an update, huh. I'm so sorry! –bows-

Do I still have any readers out there, despite this crappy excuse for an epilogue-slash-story? If I do, then I am the luckiest authoress in the entire universe. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You guys make this story worth writing.

Whelp... I guess that's that for this chappie. Please, review. I'm very busy with school and the like right now, reviewing will help keep this story in my mind, and remind me that it exists.

Once again, thank you all so much! I love you all and all I can say is that this chapter is dedicated to everyone who's ever reviewed this piece of fiction. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am.

Also, thanks to everyone in the KakaIru guild on Gaia who may be reading this. You guys rock!

The extras will come soon, don't worry your pretty li'l heads about it! I'm almost done with a one-shot ZabuHaku which I'll post, and then I'll get right on it! So, don't abandon me yet, 'kay?

Iruka: I'd like to thank everyone as well. It's been nice knowing that so many people care about me out there... I don't know what to say to you all! I'm really very grateful! I should be back in the Academy teaching in no time, so don't worry about me! I'm good as new! Thank you!

Kakashi: Yeah, thanks. Without all of the support from you guys, my 'Ruka might not have... –clears throat- Anyway, thanks.

tsukiraven: That about wraps this chappie! So, until next time—

Everyone: Peace Out!