Chapter Forty-One: Legacy of Love

At first, he thought she was crazy. It had never been done before; it was absolutely unheard of. Yet, the more she insisted, and the more she made her case, the more Kakashi had to concede that her suggestion was a valid one.

Could he do it? Could he make an executive decision like that? (Of course he could, he was the Hokage; but did he really want to? Was it really a good idea?)

Anko begged him to give it serious consideration, and in the end, he had sighed and agreed to at least think about it. That had been almost three weeks ago.

"I know what you're thinking," he said, holding his head in his hands.

"Well?"

"Anko, this isn't an easy decision to make…"

"Kakashi! This shouldn't even be a debate!" she argued, her flattening her hands on the desk in front of him. "You're the Hokage—you have an obligation to do what's right for your people!"

"I know that! That's why this situation isn't as straightforward as we would like it to be. I haven't brought it up to the Konoha Counsil because I know they would shut it down immediately."

"Then go around them," she insisted. "They're the Counsil. They do not hold a higher authority than you. I debated the pros and cons of this before I even mentioned it to you, and I defended my case. We have no reason not to do this."

He gave her a sympathetic look. "Anko…I know your heart is in the right place, but perhaps this whole situation is clouding your judgement—"

"No, it isn't! I understand your hesitation, but our alliances are stronger than ever. This could only further strengthen them. Besides…" she said, lowering her voice. "He's getting worse. Everyone knows it, they just don't know why, and neither you nor I can explain it to them."

"But it isn't our place; it isn't my place."

"We can't force anything…but what if we just made the suggestion? If it doesn't work, at least we can say that we tried." She walked around the desk, taking his hands and looking into his eyes with a desperate plea. "Think about it… You've been hoping to leave behind a legacy of your own. Why not let this be it?"

She made an interesting point. If it did work, his legacy as the Sixth Hokage would be solidified. But beyond that, wasn't Anko right? Didn't he have an obligation to look out for the wellbeing of all the people in the Hidden Leaf? Surely such an arrangement couldn't hurt the Leaf—only help it. And really, what was the worst that could happen? The proposition could be met with rejection…but at what cost?

Kakashi dropped his shoulders with a sigh of defeat. "Alright, fine. But we aren't going to speak a word of this to anyone until and unless our offer is accepted. Surely you and I can agree that mentioning it now would only do more harm than good should it not turn out the way you envision."

Anko frowned, knowing full well what he meant. "Of course… Thank you, Kakashi."

X-X-X

"You were pretty vague in your request to meet with me," said Kurotsuchi as she sat across from her two visitors, intrigued that they had made yet another trip to the Hidden Stone. "So what brings you here?"

"To get right to the point," said Kakashi. "We have an offer for you, one that I'm sure you can't refuse."

Kurotsuchi's brows rose in curiosity and skepticism. "You don't say?"

"The truth is, we're not here for us, nor on behalf of the Hidden Leaf," said Anko.

"Regardless, before we can discuss our proposition, we must be sure of the Stone's position in regard to our village. You understand."

After a brief moment of thought, Kurotsuchi said honestly, "As Hokage, I'm sure you would agree, Kakashi, that it is not unreasonable to want to stay one step ahead of your friends, as well as your enemies." His silence was her answer. "However, I can assure you that the Stone holds no animosity toward the Hidden Leaf. Rather, we are interested in continuing to forge our growing alliance with each of the other Hidden Villages, the Leaf in particular. On a more personal note, I don't really know you, but I have to admit, I like your wife well enough," she added with a smile.

Anko returned the warm smile before she and Kakashi shared a look of consensus. They then returned their attention to the Tsuchikage.

"If that's truly the case," said Kakashi tentatively. "Then I suppose we should get down to business. We'd like to offer you a trade."

Kurotsuchi sat up straighter. "Oh? What kind of trade?"

The couple shared another glance. "Personnel. Agent for agent."

She narrowed her eyes in mild suspicion. "You should know that the Stone regards its ANBU agents very highly, and expects nothing less than exceptional performance from each one of them. We have little tolerance for mistakes when it comes to the security of our village."

"The Leaf shares your sentiments, as well as your commitment to high standards for ANBU agents. Think about the benefits of such a trade. You said the Stone was interested in fostering its relationship with the Hidden Leaf. What better way to solidify that alliance than with a show of absolute trust? The personnel involved in this trade agreement would essentially be loyal to, and working in the best interests of, both villages."

"That would of course be a non-negotiable stipulation to such an agreement," said Anko.

Still skeptical, Kurotsuchi prodded further. "I assume you have someone in mind for this proposed trade?"

"As a matter of fact, we do," said Kakashi cautiously.

"Who then?"

There was a brief, uneasy silence as the Hokage and his wife seemed to brace themselves before Anko replied, looking squarely at the Tsuchikage. "The head of our Intelligence Division."

Kurotsuchi's official demeanor cracked, quickly falling away, her eyes wide and her lips parted in disbelief. She held up her hands. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You said you weren't here on behalf of the Hidden Leaf—"

"We're not," said Anko. "We're here for personal reasons."

"But as Hokage, I have a responsibility to ensure that any and all decisions I make would not harm the Hidden Leaf. As Kage, I'm sure you and I are both acutely aware of the delicacy of this situation, and we would want to be sure that we were working in one another's best interests. The way we see it, the benefits would far outweigh any potential risks."

"Ok, stop. Just…wait a minute," said Kurotsuchi, trying to wrap her head around the direction this conversation had taken, and ultimately the reason for the Hokage's visit. "You're…really offering to give up your top intelligence agent for—"

"Yes," said Anko, the look in her eyes saying everything.

"But if what you said is true, and your ANBU agents are held to standards that are just as high as ours, and if we were to agree to share any and all intelligence as it concerns both our villages, then we wouldn't be 'giving him up' at all. He would still be our agent, but he would also be yours, and vice versa."

Kurotsuchi blinked back at them in disbelief. "You would really do that…?"

Kakashi took his wife's hand as he replied, "This isn't simply a matter of diplomacy; it's a matter of heart. Wouldn't you agree, Lady Tsuchikage?"

X-X-X

Kakashi sat at his desk, Anko standing near the window behind him as Ibiki entered the office.

"Lord Hokage," he greeted formally. "You wanted to see me."

"Yes, thank you for coming," said Kakashi as he took something out of a drawer to his right. "I have something for you."

He held out a scroll to Ibiki, who took it without question. Unraveling it, he began reading its contents before he looked back at the Hokage in astonishment and suspicion. He glanced at Kakashi, and then at Anko, and back again, his expression guarded and wary.

"What is this?" he demanded.

Kakashi's hands were folded as he replied with calm frankness. "Negotiations have been made with the Hidden Stone in order to further strengthen the alliance between our two villages. Of course, the arrangement is only contingent upon the agreement of all parties involved. Ultimately, the decision is up to you…"

Ibiki could easily read between the lines. This wasn't really about the alliance between the Leaf and the Stone at all. But if his hunch was correct, and it undoubtedly was, the question remained: why would the Hokage go out of his way for the sake of one man? And why was that one man Ibiki?

His eyes found Anko, who stood in uncharacteristic silence with a rather subdued expression. Something told him that the scroll he now held in his hands was her doing. That would certainly explain things. Perhaps the Hokage was not all that invested in Ibiki's future, but Anko was, and if it meant that much to her, then Kakashi would no doubt do all in his power to make it a good one.

He rolled up the scroll and clutched it at his side. That little brat…always meddling in his personal affairs. He closed his eyes, silently acknowledging his gratitude.

Ibiki had been trying to push aside his thoughts of Kurotsuchi for weeks, but he'd known before he'd even made the trip with the Hokage that the more time he spent in her presence, the worse he was going to feel when he was forced to return home. He hadn't slept well since that night, and he was lucky to be able to focus on his work. His dark world had become unfamiliar and ever more uncomfortable, and as he lie awake in the early hours of the morning, he imagined her by his side.

Still, the memory of her had not been enough to soothe him, and his mood had only grown sour, his temper more easily triggered. Even his agents had been tiptoeing on eggshells around him, which made him feel even worse.

He'd go home, wanting peace and quiet only to find tha he couldn't stand the empty loneliness of his dark apartment. At one time, it had been all he'd ever known, but not that he'd gotten a glimpse of something new and beautiful, he felt like he was dying without it.

Not even Anko knew that sometimes after work, he turned to sake to ease the pain of the wretched disequilibrium.

Now, he'd been given a way out, one that didn't leave him in more anguish. As he stood there debating with himself, trying to choose between his loyalty to the Hidden Leaf and his loyalty to his heart, he met the eyes of the only person he could truly call his friend.

Anko could see his hesitation, the inner war behind those flat eyes, and she gave him the barest nod to assure him that it was okay to choose honestly.

Closing his eyes, he turned and headed for the door. Before it could fully close, Anko ran after him.

"Ibiki!" she called as she bounded down the hall.

He stopped, and Anko came to a halt several paces behind him.

"You're going, aren't you?" she asked quietly, hoping that his answer would be 'yes'.

He didn't answer, keeping his back toward her, but his silence was all the answer she needed. She walked toward him, reaching out a hand, but dropped it to her side as she glanced down at the floor.

"Look… You know I've always loved you like a brother. I know you probably don't appreciate someone getting involved in your business, but… You deserve to be happy, and you're not happy here anymore."

"I never really was," he said flatly.

"You're right. That's why I hope you go." She walked around him and met his eyes. "I know you'll disagree, but believe me, you deserve better. You've paid for your mistakes over and over. Now it's time for you to live."

His face softened, and for the first time, he wore no mask as he said "Thank you" with the upmost sincerity.

Anko frowned, a deep sadness in her light brown irises. "I'll miss you…" she said quietly, lowering her gaze.

"Heh… When did you become so damn sentimental?"

She blinked and looked up in surprise at the humor in his voice. He was smiling at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. Anko threw her arms around him, and for once, he returned the gesture, folding his great, bear arms around her.

He would miss her, too—his annoying, surrogate little sister—but he would see her again, and when he did, she would still be the same pain in the ass with the ponytail that she always had been. The same pain in the ass with the ponytail that had gone the extra mile to ensure his happiness. He would always be grateful to her for what she had done for him.

Anko pulled away, and they shared a silent goodbye before Ibiki walked past her toward the stairs. She watched him go, and once he was gone, she let a few stray tears escape from the corners of her eyes.

Lord Third had been taken from her when Orochimaru had infiltrated the village. Now she had to remind herself that she wasn't losing her brother—that she would see him again, and when she did, he would be in a far better place. Still, it hurt to have to let him go, and to have to say goodbye.

X-X-X

She sat on the plush red cushion on the elevated platform at the front of the ceremonial hall, having just finished up a meeting with the squad leaders several moments ago. Grateful for the momentary peace, she scrubbed her face with her hands with a groan. She was no stranger to the duties of a Kage, but recently it had been much harder to focus on the tasks at hand.

It had been more than a month since her initial meeting with the Hokage. It had taken her some time to come to grips with the proposal, but once she had, she'd worked diligently with the Kakashi and his wife to ensure that the agreement would be flawless and would not come at the expense of her people. She had already spoken with her top intelligence agent, who had agreed to participate in the switch.

Now she was anxiously awaiting a response from the Hidden Leaf as to whether their agreement would go through or not. The final decision now rested with Ibiki, and she couldn't bring herself to contemplate the possibility that he would turn down the offer.

"Lady Tsuchikage," came the voice of one of her guards who stood just inside the doorway.

"Yes, what is it?" she asked, somewhat agitated.

"Pardon me, ma'am, but a visitor from the Hidden Leaf has arrived and has requested an audience with you."

Kurotsuchi sat up straighter, her irritation falling away, replaced by the hum of anticipation. "Send them in," she ordered.

"Yes, My Lady."

With a bow, he left the hall, and Kurotsuchi drew in a long, steadying breath. This was it. She was about to get her answer.

No matter the outcome, she reminded herself that she had a responsibility to her village, one that she had vowed to uphold, and she would not let her personal feelings get in the way of working for the Stone's best interests. Like her village, she would have to remain unmoving in her resolve as the Fourth Tsuchikage, even if that meant hardening herself against any unwanted emotions.

She placed the mask of formal indifference upon her face as the door reopened for the visitor.

Expecting an ambassador, Kurotsuchi's carefully crafted expression fell away when the tall, imposing figure entered the hall and approached her. She stared at him with a slack jaw and wide eyes as he stepped forward. Upon reaching the platform, he knelt before her, head bowed.

"Lady Tsuchikage."

She had been hoping he would accept the terms that had been negotiated between the Leaf and the Stone, but seeing him there now, she realized she hadn't been prepared for that possibility either. She continued to stare down at him, though his eyes were cast down upon the floor out of respect for her position as a Kage.

She mentally shook herself to bring her mind back to the situation at hand. "So…you've reviewed the proposal then?" she asked, but her own voice sounded almost distant even to herself.

"I have. And I agree to it."

She'd heard his words with her own ears, but she simply could not wrap her head around them. "Why…?" she asked, not meaning to pose the question aloud.

He looked up at her then, the emotions clear in his usually black eyes. "It seems I've fallen in love with the Tsuchikage, and I would do anything to be by her side…as long as she'll have me."

All the tension within her fell away at his bold honesty, and suddenly she felt more like the wind than a rock, her head somewhere in the clouds as she tried to process her surprise and elation.

Regaining her composure, she gave a playful smile, leaning her chin on the back of her hand as she kept her eyes on him.

"I see. Well, as I told the Hokage, we have high standards for our ANBU agents here in the Hidden Stone. Before I make my final decision, I must be sure you meet those standards. If you would, please stand."

Not sure where she was going with this, Ibiki obeyed.

"Good, now turn…turn…" she said, motioning with her other hand.

He gave her a funny look before he slowly turned on the spot.

"Hm, not bad. Not bad at all…" she said airily as he faced her again. Then all inhibition flew out the window as she stood and bounded from the platform into his arms, her feet no longer touching the floor.

Ibiki buried his face in her neck and shoulder, breathing in her earthy scent and letting everything else fall away as he was filled with the sense that he was finally home.

He gently set her on her feet, but they didn't let go of one another.

"I've missed you…" she whispered.

"And you won't have to miss me ever again," he murmured against her hair.

Slowly she pulled back to look up at him, questions in her eyes. "You would really give up your life in the Hidden Leaf for me?"

"I never really had a life there. I'm not so sure I had a life at all before I met you. I always seemed to just be going through the motions. That's not enough for me anymore."

He leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "I'm not going to lie to you; I have lots of scars, and what lies beneath them isn't pretty."

"I've never really cared that much for pretty things. I just want what's real."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I don't make lying a habit you know," she chuckled.

As he pulled back to look into her eyes again, his face betrayed the vulnerability he always tried to hide, and she could tell that despite her sincerity, he was still afraid of something.

"If that's really the case…then take it," he said lowering his head in a show of trust.

Kurotsuchi had often wondered what he kept hidden beneath his bandana, but she had never had the chance to ask. Even if she had, she'd been sure he would likely not want to tell her. Now she realized that it hid a lot, likely scars and memories that he preferred not to revisit.

Tentatively, she reached back behind his head to untie the bandana. As it fell away, she found it difficult to hide her shock. Suddenly the mystery of his cold, stony façade made sense. The gouges, the burn marks, and the puncture wounds were the clear testimony of an unspeakable trauma, one that she didn't blame Ibiki for wanting to bury, but likely one that he could never forget.

Gingerly, she allowed her fingertips to touch the top of his head, but then she pulled them back.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, not wanting to cause him any more pain.

"No." The nerve damage to his skull had been so extensive the he could feel nothing at all, and it often seemed like an apt metaphor for the numbness that had consumed his life for so long.

Assured that she could no longer hurt him, Kurotsuchi reached around to place her hand flat against the back of his head. Then she slid it down until her palm covered his cheek.

"You aren't disgusted?" was the natural question he couldn't help but ask.

"No, not by you," she said, wondering what kind of person was capable of such brutality. "If anything, I respect you more than I already had. I know it wasn't easy to show me… Thank you."

He took her hand and placed it against his chest, begging her to understand the seriousness of what he was trying so hard to convey. "I have to warn you, there's a lot more of the same, and all of it is just as dark—just as ugly. I'm not proud of it, but that's the truth."

Kurotsuchi took his face in her hands and smiled up into his eyes. "Then what do you say we create something beautiful?"

She kissed him, and all of his fears and all of his doubts faded away. She had said the words he hadn't thought he'd needed to hear, and right then he knew that she was the beginning of a life he could finally be proud of.

X-X-X

It was late in the day, the sun beginning to set beyond the wall of the village as Anko stood in the warm light beside the window in the Hokage's office. Another day had almost come and gone, and with the news that had come from the Hidden Stone, she was struggling with mixed emotions.

She heard the door open and close, and the quiet tread of footsteps as her husband came to stand beside her. For several moments, they stood together in silence, Kakashi respecting her need for quiet reflection. When he finally did speak, it was with gentle admiration.

"It took a lot of heart to do what you did," he said.

"I didn't do much," she insisted. "You did most of it."

"But I couldn't—no… I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for you. I know it was hard, but I'm proud of you, Anko."

The sadness was evident in her eyes as she continued to stare out the window. "I miss him already. But I'm glad he went," she said, looking to Kakashi.

He agreed with her sentiments. It was bittersweet for sure, but he'd been convinced that this arrangement had been the right one.

Kakashi took Anko's hand, and she leaned into his side as they watched the sun dip down toward the horizon.

"He's not gone you know. Not really."

"I know."

"And just think, the next time you see him, he'll owe you one," said Kakashi in an attempt to lift her spirits.

It worked, and Anko chuckled, a flicker of mischievous humor returning to her face and voice. "Yeah, you're not kidding. He'll owe me big time."

"Well, you have plenty of time to decide how to make him pay you back."

"The possibilities are virtually endless."

"See, now there's your silver lining," he replied with a cheerful smile.

She grinned up at him. "You know me so well."

"Yes, but paradoxically, you still manage to be full of surprises."

"At least you can't say life with me will never be boring, right?"

"Certainly not," he laughed.

And so a new era had begun in the Shinobi world, one filled with peace, hope, and love. In the Hidden Stone, a new love was blooming, and in the Hidden Leaf, a young one was still going strong. Yes, another day had come and gone, but a new one was waiting for them, one that promised to be more beautiful than the last.

A/N: Well…that's all for this story folks. I would have ended it at the wedding, but since I had introduced the secondary couple, I couldn't leave them hanging. I hope you enjoyed how it all tied together. I've had this idea for quite a while, I just had to get there!

Thank you to everyone who stuck with this story from beginning to end, especially those who didn't give up on me when I left this story for a few years. As sorry as I am for doing that to you, it might not have been the same story, and probably not nearly as good had I not taken time away before coming back to it. You can thank graduate school and the most recent dubs for the added psychological insights!

As promised, I have another pitch for you all for another Kakashi/Anko story. It's actually not really a pitch as much as a preview because I decided that I am going to write it. I basically have chapter one written already and I'm posting it now! It's not as 'happy' as this fic, but it's sure to be a good one if I do say so myself.

"Shadow"

Anko is retrieved and brought back to the village by ANBU, her memory fragmented, at which point she's greeted with hostility, suspicion, and loneliness because of her ties to Orochimaru. But as she begins to rebuild her own confidence and make the best of her situation despite her own trauma and what others think of her, she notices Kakashi, witnessing his coldness and his constant attempts to isolate himself. She essentially watches Kakashi from the shadows as he struggles with his own inner demons, the posttraumatic stress, and the darkness that has been consuming him since the death of both his teammates. But she wouldn't watch him in the same way Hinata would later watch Naruto, hiding because of shyness. Instead, she'd try to challenge Kakashi, to confront him, to help him get past his trauma and his isolation only to have to resign herself to the reality that Kakashi needed to face his demons on his own. It would be a shorter story than this one, maybe between 10 and 20 chapters, and would go up until Kakashi met Team 7.

I would also consider doing a one-shot Ibiki/Kurotsuchi spinoff as well if anyone would like that.

Once again, thank you all for your continued support! Much love and best wishes!