In a small town in Colorado, there lived a man with gray hair.

He wasn't an old man, however. He was actually quite young. People thought he was rather peculiar-he had the tendency to wear surgical masks in public, and could be seen reading novels of a questionable genre in broad daylight.

His name was Kakashi Hatake, and horrible literary taste aside, he was fairly normal. He was a kindergarten teacher at the local elementary school, and for the most part he kept to himself; he didn't have any girlfriends, nor any children. He lived alone in an average two-story house on an average residential street. His house was normally very quiet, even when he was present in it; there was no coming and going of scads of people. He had only a few friends, people he had known almost his entire life, who would encourage him to open up, maybe try and branch out, meet new people. But Kakashi would only reply, when the subject came up, with (what they could only assume was) a smile, and an insistence that he was happy living as he was.

As for family, Kakashi had few living relations, as his mother had died before he was old enough to remember her and his father had succumbed to cancer a few short years after Kakashi had graduated from college. He had an older sister whom he saw very little, a niece that he saw even less, and a brother-in-law who might as well have been a stranger. Mebuki and her husband Kizashi were constantly traveling, doing consultant work for corporations large and small, all over the continent. They were the power couple: they had met through work, centered their entire relationship in their work, and as a married couple they blazed the trail of their combined careers relentlessly to reach the ends that extended beyond what Kakashi chose to comprehend. Attached to their side, like a stray leaf growing from the trunk of a tree, was their daughter. His niece was their extra baggage, their inescapable responsibility; Kakashi often worried that they might just forget her at an airport one day without a thought. They almost had, once; it was only when airport security announced her predicament did her parents realize she was not with them. From the discussion Kakashi had had with Mebuki about it, she was less than concerned, thinking that the girl should not have run off in the first place.

Mebuki was not thrilled to have a child. The attention his niece needed meant that his sister had less time to devote to her job. It was only half-surprising, then, that one day Mebuki called him to ask if he would take her daughter off of her hands.

"You've always been the one that was better with kids, Kakashi," Mebuki insisted. "And you work at a school that she can go to. It's perfect!."

Kakashi, not unreasonably, was thrown for a loop. "Are you serious?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course I'm serious, Kakashi, why else would I bring it up?" she replied indignantly, as if scandalized that Kakashi would think she was above essentially abandoning her daughter. "I can't handle her. We can't handle her. What else am I supposed to do?"

"Buy a house and settle down."

"We can't do that now, we're right in the middle of a deal! We're so close. Do you expect me to just ignore that? I can't just-"

"Take care of the child you both decided to have?" Kakashi interrupted coldly. "She's your daughter, Mebuki. Your daughter. She comes before anything else. If you are not going to do right by her, you should not have brought her into the world in the first place."

But Mebuki was not listening. She was yelling on the other end of the line, but not at him. "You put that down right now! How many times have I told you not to touch that? Go. Sit. Down." Then, "do you think you can just pick something up because it's there?" There was the sudden ring of a slap, and a small high-pitched whimper. "Don't do it again. I'm sorry, Kakashi, what were you saying?"

"How soon can you bring her?"

It was only a week later that Sakura Haruno arrived at his doorstep, flanked by her preoccupied parents.

Kakashi had done his best to get his home ready for Sakura's arrival: hiding his more mature novels in his closet, cleaning out the spare bedroom down the hall from his upstairs office, stocking his pantry with kid-friendly foods like Captain Crunch and Kraft Easy Mac. He didn't know his niece very well, but having worked with kids around her age, he figured that she would like some of the things that they did. He'd also bought a whole stack of Disney movies, and some colorful plastic plates, bowls, and cups for her to use. He decided that he'd figure the rest out along the way.

Sakura had looked up at him timidly, pale green eyes wide, as he had opened the front door and invited the Harunos in. She was a beautiful child, with her snowy skin, soft pink hair, and of course those piercing eyes-Kakashi didn't know how Mebuki, who he wasn't ashamed to admit was not the most attractive of women, and Kizashi, the man whose face was set in a permanent grimace, had produced such an angel. Kakashi, foregoing pleasantries with Sakura's parents, kneeled down in front of the little girl.

"Hi, there," he said, pulling down his mask and smiling kindly. "Remember me?"

Sakura only nodded, twisting a long piece of hair between her tiny hands.

"Don't just stand there like an idiot-say hello to your uncle!" Mebuki snapped. Sakura barely whispered a greeting and then looked down, hiding her face behind her long bangs.

"Mebuki, as this is my house, I would ask that you refrain from speaking to Sakura in that manner," Kakashi said. The smile he directed at his sister was a perfectly courteous, but his tone plainly hid a threatening edge. She shifted uncomfortably.

Eventually she said, "Where can we put her things? We need to leave-our plane takes off in two hours and I don't want to miss it."

Kakashi directed them to the guest bedroom, where Kizashi deposited two small suitcases-all of the belongings in the world that Sakura Haruno had to her name. Kakashi wondered if Sakura had any toys at all, or books. He would assume not.

"When will you be sending the paperwork to transfer custody?" Kakashi asked when they returned to the living room downstairs. Mebuki gave him a strange look.

"Transfer custody?" Apparently the thought had not even crossed her mind.

"I was under the impression that this was to be permanent," Kakashi said. "Besides, the school will need the signature of a legal guardian in order for her to be admitted. And you won't be here when she starts school, will you?"

"I thought you would have all of that here now. I thought we were taking care of this now."

"I don't cater to your every whim, Mebuki." Kakashi's gaze grew hard and unforgiving. "All of this isn't for you-it's for her. As I said before: she. Comes. First."

Mebuki glared at him, sparing a glance for her daughter, who was clinging close to her side. "Fine. I'll get my attorney to draw up the paperwork. Expect it next Monday."

The Harunos all walked to the front door. Sakura was edging close to her mother's side, expecting to leave with her parents. Mebuki looked down at her daughter, and, as if she felt a sudden surge of maternal instinct, knelt down in front of her.

"Um...be good, Sakura. Kakashi is being nice enough to let you live here. So...just be good." She made as if to hug Sakura, but let her arms drop back to her side. She awkwardly patted Sakura's head, and then stood up. "Kizashi, we need to catch the plane."

"Live here?" Sakura repeated. Mebuki did not reply.

Sakura's father spared her only a glance, and walked out the door, Mebuki following close behind. Their daughter stared out the door, motionless, until she comprehended the finality of what was happening. Suddenly aware of the fact that her parents were leaving for what might be longer than they ever had before, Sakura dashed after them. "Mommy!" she cried. "Mommy!" Kakashi quickly darted after her, scooping her up before she could run out into the street. It was as though she intended to follow the now-retreating car all the way onto the main road. She squirmed angrily in Kakashi's arms as he carried her back toward the house, not knowing what else he could do.

When he got inside, he shut the door behind him and locked the door. Sakura, who had stopped squirming, was now clinging to him like a monkey and sobbing uncontrollably. Kakashi stroked her hair as he climbed the stairs, his intent to put her to bed even though it was only two hours past noon. He knew that kids her age, when they were upset, found it a relief to simply drift off into the bliss of sleep, into a place where sadness could not intrude upon their dreams. Sakura was upset about something that she would likely be upset about again and again in the future, both near and distant, and that wasn't something Kakashi could fix-her parents had decided that they simply did not want to deal with raising her, in favor of cultivating their careers, and Kakashi had no power whatsoever to change that.

He had no idea how his sister had become so self-centered. As he lay Sakura on the twin-size bed, pulling off her sandals and the headband that was holding back her mop of pink hair, he heard her whimper "Mommy" in her sweet little-girl voice, in between her sobs, and grimaced with a sudden wave of mournful anger. Mebuki wouldn't be there for Sakura's next birthday, or for the first time she rode a bike, or even, he doubted, her first date. Mebuki was going to miss all of it, and she didn't care. Sakura wailed with the deepest, most aching grief a person could draw from, and the person she wanted more than anything was speeding off to destinations unknow, by then probably reviewing her itenerary for the next week.

Sakura wouldn't let go of the collar of his shirt, so Kakashi lay down beside her and gently combed her hair out with his fingers. He was the only person she had in the world, now; he was the only one in their small, laughable excuse for a family that wanted her. And he would be there for all those firsts.

Sakura's breath evened, her eyes flicking back and forth behind her eyelids. Kakashi imagined that she was tired, more tired than a seven-year-old girl should be. All she'd ever known was plane rides and hotel rooms and board meetings, and yelling and slaps when she behaved as the child she was supposed to be. Her life until that point had been a forest of adults and grayscale meeting rooms; she'd probably never even met a kid her own age.

For the next few days Kakashi let Sakura adjust to her new home. She was slow in warming up to him, and he let her take her time. In the mornings he got up early and made himself some coffee, and then went to Sakura's room to wake her up. He would help her dress and brush her hair, and then they would eat breakfast together in the kitchen. Kakashi learned that while Sakura liked cereal well enough, she preferred warm breakfasts like scrambled eggs or pancakes. Kakashi chalked this fact up to the room service or continental breakfasts at hotels that she had gotten her breakfast from in the past. On Sunday, Kakashi asked Sakura if she was up to going to school with him-and to his surprise, she was.

Come the next Monday morning, he helped her pack up a little backpack, made her a sandwich with some healthy whole-wheat bread and ham (Sakura had informed him that she didn't like the way turkey smelled), and drove with her to Leafbud Elementary school. She wasn't enrolled as of yet, but Kakashi had explained most of the situation to the principal a few days before his niece's arrival, and obtained permission to bring her to school to start "acclimating."

"Uncle Kakashi, why can't I be in your class?" Sakura asked him as he walked her to her teacher Mr. Iruka's room.

"I teach kindergarten, Sakura," he explained. "My class is for kids who are a lot younger than you-five and six-year olds."

"But I'm only seven," she insisted. "That's only a year older."

Kakashi nodded sagely. "True. But you were homeschooled, right?" His niece nodded. "You're already ahead of even the kids your age, I'd bet. Besides, you can relate better to kids your age than to kids younger than you. Don't you think?"

Sakura nodded. "But...but..."

"Hm?" Kakashi stopped, tugging on Sakura's hand when she kept going. "But what?"

Sakura shook her head, her forehead creasing. "Mommy says not to ask questions."

"Your mom thinks kids should do as they're told, instead of think for themselves," Kakashi said, bending down to look her in the eye. "I think-no, I know-that she's wrong. You can always ask me whatever you want, Sakura."

She bit her lip and considered for a minute. "Butwhatiftheydon'tlikeme," she said in a rush.

Kakashi raised his brows, and then grinned. "Trust me, Sakura, they'll like you just fine. I know most of the kids who you'll be in class with; they're all good kids. You'll have fun, sweet girl," he insisted, using the pet name he had adopted for her. She put on a brave face when he said goodbye, and despite her being the insecure one, he felt a wave of reassurance wash away some of the worry he did not know was there.

The morning passed by uneventfully. Kakashi checked on Sakura during the kid's lunch hour. She was sitting by herself.

"I tried to convince her to sit with some of the other kids, but she wouldn't," Iruka, her teacher, explained to Kakashi as they stood a little ways away from Iruka's class' row of tables in the cafeteria. Kakashi had known Iruka since his first year teaching. The man had a knack for connecting with problem students and bringing out the best in them. He was of average height, with coarse brown hair he kept tied up at the crown of his head, and a long scar right across his nose, reaching almost from one cheekbone to the other. Kakashi had never asked where he'd gotten it from. Nevertheless, Iruka had a proclivity for friendliness, and Kakashi was glad he was to be Sakura's teacher..

"That's all right," he assured the man. "She just needs time. I'm going to go say hi, if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

Kakashi crouched down next to where Sakura was sitting. "Hi, there. Everything okay?"

Sakura nodded, and Kakashi noticed that her lunch box was empty. She must have wolfed down her lunch very quickly. He wondered briefly if his sister had even been making sure Sakura had been eating enough. "The boys are loud," Sakura said.

"Are they?" Kakashi replied.

"Uh-huh. Especially Naruto. He's always picking a fight with Sasuke." She pointed at two boys, a blonde one who was rather short and a black-haired one who was glaring at the former.

"Naruto and Sasuke are always going at it. They were a menace even in kindergarten," Kakashi said, fondly remembering frequent time-outs and fights with finger paints. Upon hearing their names, the boys looked up. The blond one's sky-blue eyes lit up, and he bounded immediately from his chair to the empty space Sakura was sitting at.

"Mr. Kakashi!" he exclaimed, his voice characteristically loud. Kakashi flicked the boy's forehead.

"That's Mr. Hatake, Naruto," he chided, albeit good-naturedly. "You've gotten so big. How do you like the second grade?"

"It's great! Mr. Iruka is the best!" Naruto clamored. "Why are you talking to the new girl?"

"The 'new girl,' as you put her, is my niece," Kakashi said. "She lives with me now, and she's going to be coming to this school from now on."

"Ohhh," Naruto said, dragging out the end of the word. He looked at Sakura. "Hey, what's your name again? I forgot."

The black-haired boy, Sasuke, by then had come to the table, not to be outdone by his classroom rival. "Her name's Sakura, dummy. Don't you ever listen to Mr. Iruka?"

"Boys, shouldn't you be calling your teacher by his last name?" Kakashi said, a little exasperated. The boys gawked at him.

"He never told us his last name," Naruto said. "He just said that Mr. Iruka is okay."

Kakashi rubbed the bridge of his nose. Now he remembered why he was so glad the two weren't in his class anymore. Not that he didn't like them, of course...

"Sasuke, Naruto," he said, having been hit with sudden inspiration. "Sakura is brand new to Hidden Leaves, and so she doesn't have any friends here. Will you do something for me? As a personal favor?"

The boys straightened. "Uh-huh!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Look out for her, okay? She doesn't know much about the school. Help her out when she gets lost, and things like that."

Sasuke glanced at Naruto. "I don't know if Naruto can help with that. He still gets lost, and he's been here for three years."

"What did you say?!" Naruto demanded.

"You heard me, dummy!"

"Boys," Kakashi interrupted, suppressing a sigh. "Will you look out for Sakura? It would mean a lot to me."

"Yeah, okay," Sasuke said, peering at Sakura curiously. Kakashi knew how his mind worked: Sasuke was wondering what kind of person Sakura was to need the help Kakashi was asking for.

"Yessir!" Naruto cried enthusiastically. His thoughts were easy to figure out-he liked people, and Sakura was people, so he liked Sakura. Ergo, he was more than happy to be her friend. He then rushed to his table and grabbed his half-eaten lunch in his small fists, running back and plopping down into a chair. He smirked at Sasuke, who frowned, and then followed suit, sitting in the chair beside the other boy. Kakashi smiled. Sakura, who had been looking around in slight confusion, smiled shyly, and just like that, she had two new friends.

At the end of the day, Kakashi collected Sakura from her classroom and thanked Iruka for his including her even though she wasn't yet enrolled. Sasuke and Naruto waved good-bye to her, both grinning, and Sakura enthusiastically called out a cheery "See you later!"

"How did you like your class?" he asked her as they walked down the hallway, hand in hand.

"Sasuke and Naruto fight a lot," she said. "I think they're best friends though."

Kakashi chuckled. "Oh, really? That sounds about right." Despite their differences, Naruto and Sasuke could always playing together during recess with the rest of their friends.

"Uh-huh. And they both have really pretty eyes, Uncle Kakashi. And they let me play tag with them during recess!"

The tightening in Kakashi's chest loosened for the first time since seeing his sister. "That's great, sweet girl. I'm happy you had fun."

At home, Kakashi got Sakura started on her homework while he began cooking spaghetti for dinner. After they finished eating, they washed the dishes together, and Kakashi settled Sakura in with one of the movies he'd bought for her, Bambi, sitting down at the kitchen table to look over his student's worksheets. They were learning the alphabet for the first time, and it always made his heart feel warm when he saw those blocky, shaky letters etched carefully, and in some cases haphazardly, onto the dotted lines. The novelty of the children's first writings never wore off. There was something to be said about being the first teacher who got to show them how the language they would communicate with for the rest of their lives could be used.

There was a knock at the front door. Sakura turned in her seat, leaning over the back of the couch. "Uncle Kakashi, someone is at the door!"

"Thank you, Sakura," he said. He pulled his surgical mask up over his nose and mouth, and went to answer the door. He was surprised to find who was behind it.

"Jiraiya," Kakashi said, raising his eyebrows. "What brings you here?" Jiraiya was Naruto's godfather, and his guardian. He was a giant in comparison to Kakashi, even though the latter was not short by any stretch of the imagination, and had long, bushy white hair that he kept tied back loosely at the nape of his neck. They knew each other through Naruto's deceased parents; Kakashi had been close to the boy's father, Minato, whom Jiraiya had taught during the latter's stint at Hidden Leaves University. "Is Naruto okay?"

"Naruto is fine," Jiraiya said. "I convinced Tsunade to watch him. It's a good thing she hasn't left town yet. I need to talk to you."

"Come inside-Sakura's watching Snow White, and I don't want to leave her by herself."

The two entered the house, Jiraiya stooping so he wouldn't bang his forehead on the doorjamb. Instead of saying hello to Sakura, as Kakashi had expected him to, Jiraiya went straight into the kitchen, motioning for Kakashi to join him. He kept his voice hushed when he spoke.

"The Uchihas-Mikoto and Fugaku-they were found dead in their house."

Kakashi felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. "What?"

"Sasuke walked home from school-he doesn't live far away, you already knew that-and the boy found them. Both already dead, from gunshot wounds."

"How-why-" Kakashi was struggling to get the words out. This couldn't be happening. Just a few hours ago, he and his niece and his two former students had been talking and laughing, without a care in the world. Bile rose in Kakashi's throat, but he forced it down. "Itachi. What about Itachi?"

"He's out of town. On a trip. I don't remember. The police are trying to get ahold of him, but he isn't answering his phone."

"My god," Kakashi murmured, horrorstruck. "What about Sasuke, then? Where is he?"

"At the station. I came here because I need to ask you a favor. I know you have your hands full, but would you be willing to let him stay over here? Just until we get this mess sorted out. I'd have him over with me and Naruto, but there just isn't enough room."

Kakashi nodded, brutally shoving his distress down and focusing himself on the present. "He can stay with us."

"Uncle Kakashi?"

The men whirled around. Sakura was standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. "The movie is over, Uncle Kakashi. I'm sleepy." After sharing a look with Jiraiya, Kakashi went to kneel in front of the little girl, taking both of her hands. He had no idea how Sakura would react to such horrible news. He decided to keep it concise-it wasn't the best time to discuss with her the concepts of murder and death.

"Sweet girl, you can go to bed soon. How would you feel if Sasuke came over to stay for a little while?"

"Sasuke from school?" she asked, looking a little surprised.

"Yes, Sasuke from school," Kakashi affirmed.

"That would be fun," Sakura said, yawning. "He can use the mattress under my bed. I don't mind sharing. But he can't have Dot." Dot was her stuffed rabbit. She slept curled around it every night; she had been doing so ever since Kakashi bought it for her as a present, just the day after her arrival. Even at that very moment she had the toy tucked into the crook of her elbow.

"He won't want Dot. He's...he's not going to be the same as he was earlier, Sakura. He'll...well, he'll be hard to talk to. Just be patient, okay? If he doesn't want to talk, you just let him do that." Kakashi understood to an extent how Sasuke's mind and personality worked, thanks to having to mediate fights between him and his best friend, and guessed that Sasuke would be in shock, unable to cry or even speak.

"Why will he be different?" Sakura asked. "What's wrong?"

"I'll explain tomorrow, Sakura, I promise. Go brush your teeth-I'll come tuck you in in a minute."

Sakura padded up the stairs, Dot drooping over one arm. Kakashi turned back to Jiraiya once his niece was out of earshot. "Why would someone do something like this?"

"Fugaku was the town police chief. I imagine he had a lot of enemies," Jiraiya said darkly. "Kakashi, I need to go and pick up Sasuke. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Go," Kakashi insisted. "I'll be ready for him when you get back."

The next morning, Sakura and Kakashi ate breakfast alone together. Sasuke was sleeping on the spare mattress that Kakashi had stored under Sakura's bed, having arrived very late the previous night. Sakura was unusually quiet. Having only lived with her for a less than a week, he had discovered that his niece was uncommonly perceptive for her age-she saw a lot more than most kids, and it showed when she kept her questions to herself. Kakashi had arranged for Jiraiya to watch Sasuke while he and Sakura went to school. Hopefully Itachi would show up soon, with whoever had custody over the now-orphaned boy, so that Kakashi wouldn't have to take time off from work at such short notice. He had done that the previous week to welcome Sakura, and felt that it would be overstepping his priveleges to do so again.

Jiraiya soon showed up, toting a satchel filled with papers-research for his next novel. He was an English professor at the local university, and novelist on the side. He was also less than a month away from a big move to Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He'd been extended a tenured position at Trinity College. Needless to say, Naruto was furious to have to leave Hidden Leaves with his godfather, as he'd demonstrated through the temper tantrum he'd thrown when told of the moving plans. Kakashi had been present for that one, and it had not been pleasant.

Today Jiraiya greeted Sakura as Kakashi expected. "My, my, aren't you a pretty little thing!"

Not knowing how to respond, Sakura looked questioningly a Kakashi, who nodded encouragingly. Eventually she simply said, "I'm Sakura. Who are you?"

"My name's Jiraiya! I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself yesterday."

Sakura shrugged. "It's okay. You had to talk to Uncle Kakashi."

Jiraiya got comfortable at the kitchen table, spreading his papers out and putting his reading glasses on. Kakashi woke Sasuke for a moment to let him know they were leaving, making sure the boy knew to ask Jiraiya if he needed anything, and bid him goodbye for the day. Sakura hesitated to do the same, suddenly insistently addressing him. "When I get home, we can watch a movie together, okay?" And to Kakashi's surprise, she set Dot beside him on the small mattress. "She hugs really well. You can borrow her if you want. But not for keeps!"

Sasuke looked at Dot, his blank, empty expression unchanged. Kakashi felt a small pang as he came to terms with the fact that the smiling little boy he'd taught was gone-most likely for good.

At almost the second that the schoolday ended, Sakura was waiting outside the classroom for Kakashi to emerge, so that they could go home, Naruto hot on her heels. It was Kakashi's plan to take Naruto home with them, so Jiraiya wouldn't have to make a detour to the school on his way home. When they got into the house, the kids ran straight to the living room, where Sasuke was sitting on the couch. Dot was in the empty spot beside him.

"He ate a little at lunch, but didn't have anything for breakfast," Jiraiya told Kakashi, who had come over to greet him. Naruto and Sakura were talking to Sasuke, who didn't seem to be replying, but they were forging on.

"I'm surprised he ate at all." Kakashi remembered when his old man had died. Everything had tasted like sand to him for months. He could barely finish his meals back then.

Jiraiya shrugged. "He got hungry."

This routine continued for the next three days. Kakashi was contacted by Sasuke's new legal guardian-his grandfather, Madara Uchiha-and was asked very politely to look after him for a little while longer. His uncle and brother would arrive during the weekend for the funeral, and would pick him up then.

Friday night, Sakura was rifling through the shelf of movies beneath the TV, looking for something to watch. She pulled out Oliver and Company, popping it into the VCR and pressing the play button. Naruto and Sakura sat on either side of Sasuke, waiting patiently through the previews. Kakashi had a strange feeling as he looked at them sitting together, like dejà vú. He had seen them all together before, of course, but the feeling didn't stem from that. It was as though he was living something he had dreamed about. He shook his head. Having a kid still had him a little thrown off.

It was Friday, and Naruto was staying over for the night to keep his best friend company, so Jiraiya told him to be good and to mind Kakashi and then departed. Kakashi fished his planner from his workbag and set to organizing his schedule for the weekend and the following week at the kitchen table, adding the Uchiha funeral to his list of events with a heavy heart. The kitchen opened into the living room, so Kakashi was able to keep an eye on the kids while he worked.

Kakashi's thoughts were interrupted by noise. He looked at the couch-Sasuke was hunched over, shaking, Sakura's arms around him protectively, while Naruto looked more lost than he ever had. Sasuke was crying, crying the sort of tears one cries when they have lost the most important people to them in the world. Naruto looked helplessly at Kakashi, who stood up to go and comfort the kids, when he heard Sakura begin to cry too. She hadn't cried since the first day she'd come to live with Kakashi, and now her sobs were filled with the messy, heart-wrenching pain of grief for her friend and grief for herself. Naruto finally threw himself over the two and squeezed his eyes shut.

Kakashi went and kneeled at the foot of the couch, leaning forward to wrap his arms around the three kids. He didn't know how to deal with all of this, how to comfort them, other than to shield them in hopes of dissuading any other cruel misfortune from striking. He was not a religious man, but he wondered anyway what cruel god would let this happen to such undeserving kids.

The next morning, Kakashi woke the slumbering kids up for pancakes. After Sasuke had calmed down, they had decided to build a blanket-fort to sleep in the previous evening, and Kakashi hadn't minded helping with the hard parts pushing the two couches in the living room closer together to make a frame for it. It had seemed to him that they were building a safehouse, something to in which hide away from the world. So after getting breakfast ready, he crawled partially into the small opening that served as an entrance and shook the kids gently awake. Sakura was curled up with Dot under a thick comforter; Sasuke was sleeping on his side. Naruto was splayed out over the pillows and had a foot sticking out of the blanket he was covered with. They were groggy as he got them out of the fort, but after he set plates of food in front of them they gained back their youthful vigor.

Kakashi watched Sasuke. The boy was picking at his food, occasionally eating a bite here and there. That was good. He ended up barely eating half of it by the time breakfast was finished, but it was a start. Considering that he'd found his parents dead only four days ago, it was a miracle that he was willing to eat anything at all.

Sasuke's parents' murder wasn't sitting well with Kakashi. It was disturbing how...explainable it seemed. Fugaku had been cracking down severely on crime in Hidden Leaves: there had been more arrests, more investigations, and more convictions than ever before in the past year. Kakashi ruminated that the murderer could have been associated with that-a disgruntled repeat offender going off the deep end, the relative of a convicted criminal exacting revenge. It was too easy to write it off as small-time vengeance, but there really wasn't any other way to look at it. Hidden Leaves was a small town, albeit succesful thanks to the skiing and snowboarding traffic it got each winter, and murders did not happen as often as they would in the city. The last murder that Kakashi knew of had occurred almost ten years ago.

"Mr. Kakashi!" Naruto bellowed, shaking him from his thoughts. "There's someone here!"

Kakashi went to answer the the door. A familiar face was behind it. "Itachi! I wasn't expecting you this early."

"Hello, Mr. Hatake. May I come in?"

Kakashi stepped aside to let Itachi step over the threshold. Sasuke's older brother was tall for his age, with long black hair that he kept bound back with an elastic band. He was five years older than Sasuke.

"Are you by yourself?" Kakashi asked. Itachi was fairly self-dependent for a twelve-year-old boy, but someone had to have driven him to the house.

"Uncle Obito is waiting in the car," Itachi said, and Kakashi was immediately glad Itachi's uncle had decided to remain there. The last time he and Obito had crossed paths, almost three years ago, they'd beaten each other bloody.

Sakura was the first to look at the newcomer. In her usual way, she immediately yet nonchalantly asked, "Who are you?"

Itachi smiled thinly at her, saying, "I'm Sasuke's big brother."

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Sasuke whirled around in his seat. Kakashi expected him jump down from his seat and run at Itachi, but was proven wrong when Sasuke's face started to contort and turn red. The boy exclaimed "Go away!" before darting into the fort that the three kids had slept in.

"Sasuke!" Itachi exclaimed, hurrying after him. Kakashi followed suit, and the two crouched down at the fort's opening, lifting aside the sheets. Sasuke was hunched over with his back turned to them.

"Sasuke, please come out! Uncle Obito is waiting in the car. We're going to go home. Don't you want to go home?" Itachi pleaded insistently.

"NO!" Sasuke yelled. "GO AWAY!"

"Sasuke, why?" Kakashi said. "Itachi is your brother! Don't you want to see him?"

"No! I hate him!"

Kakashi was shocked. Sasuke had always talked about his brother with the highest admiration, complaining about when he couldn't play with him and bragging about his skipping a grade. What had happened to make him say such a thing about the brother he almost idolized?

The hurt on Itachi's face was visceral, but he persisted. "Okay, Sasuke. That's all right. But you can't stay here. Mr. Hatake has been very kind, but don't you think it's rude to stay when you haven't been invited to? I've come to pick you up. Uncle Obito wants to see you very much."

"I don't want Uncle Obito! I want Mom and Dad!"

Kakashi saw Itachi bite his lip. His eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "I'm sorry, Sasuke..."

"What is going on?"

Kakashi and Itachi turned. A man with spiky black hair, not unlike Naruto's, was standing over them. Obito wore a hostile expression when he looked at Kakashi, but he addressed Itachi. "What's the problem?"

"Sasuke refuses to come out," Itachi said.

"Rip that thing down, then."

"Obito, there's no need for that," Kakashi said. "The kids worked hard to put it up."

Obito, frowning, looked over at Naruto and Sakura, who had gotten down from their seats to watch from a safe distance. They were clasping hands from fright.

"Nothing lasts forever," Obito said tersely, reaching the tent in two strides and yanking it away with a snap. Sasuke, now exposed, flinched, pulling his legs even tighter to his chest. "Sasuke, get up. It's time to leave. Stop causing trouble for everyone."

Sasuke sniffed. "Uh-uh. I wanna stay here."

Obito jerked forward, making as if to grab Sasuke by the collar of his shirt, but Kakashi was already on his feet, shoving him back.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Obito bellowed, shoving Kakashi back.

"Everyone deals with grief differently, Obito," Kakashi said, his voice dangerously even. He stepped back from Obito, so he wouldn't feel tempted to start throwing punches. "This is your way-let him have his. He can stay here as long as he wants. Don't do something now that you'll regret later...and I'll thank you to watch your tongue in front of my niece."

Sakura looked terrified, hiding behind a kitchen chair while Naruto stood in front of her protectively, his expression fearful but defiant. Obito observed them, and then rolled his shoulders, scowling as he straightened. "Sasuke. I'll let you stay here one more day. Then you'll go home tomorrow with us and your grandpa after the funeral. That's final. Understand?"

The boy nodded, wiping his nose on his wrist. Obito and Itachi retreated to take their leave, but not without the latter looking at his little brother as if he was about to lose something precious.

The next day, almost the entire town showed up for the funeral of the police chief and his wife. In a sea of black-clad bodies, children explored as though deep within a forest, while two closed caskets waited at the front of the chapel to be buried. Sakura, however, was glued to Kakashi's side, obviously distressed. Kakashi was speaking with Sasuke's grandfather Madara, at the side of whom Sasuke was standing listlessly. Naruto was sitting in the seat he had sat in during the eulogies. The death of his best friend's parents had affected him greatly.

"Thank you for taking such good care of my boy, Mr. Hatake," Madara was saying. He was young, for a grandfather-only in his early fifties. He and his late wife had married young and started a family only a few years later. He was a tall, imposing man, with a mane of long black hair and deep-set eyes. His disposition, though, suggested kindness behind his intimidating appearance.

Kakashi had heard stories about the man's early years; apparently he'd been one wild hellion, kicking up trouble when he got bored. There'd been something about a rivalry with the mayor's son, but clearly he had mellowed out, as the two liked to gossip like old women whenever they were within fifty feet of each other. Age and time had shaped Madara into a wiser man.

"We were glad to have him," Kakashi said. "Sakura enjoyed having someone to watch movies with." He ruffled his nervous niece's hair. Madara offered the girl a kind smile, tinged with the sadness of the funereal proceedings. "I'm very sorry for your loss, Mr. Uchiha."

"As am I," Madara said bitterly, "as am I. They deserved better than this. The only comfort I have is that they passed together. Mikoto, I think, is the only person that ever made that grumpy son of mine laugh-and you should have seen they way her eyes sparkled when he did! They couldn't have lived with going separately."

"They loved each other a lot?" Sakura suddenly asked, her high-pitched voice almost demanding their attention. Madara looked at her, brows raised. "Did they love Sasuke and Itachi too?"

"Very much," Madara said, his tone questioning. "More than anyone."

"They loved them?" Sakura asked. "They really and truly loved them?"

Sasuke was staring funnily at her. Madara cast a questioning look at Kakashi, who mouthed, "Later." (He had foregone his surgical mask in respect for the deceased.) Madara kneeled to look Sakura in the eye, resting an elbow on one knee.

"With all of their hearts. Like moms and dads should."

Kakashi couldn't tell what Sakura was thinking behind that pensive expression she wore. Madara obviously couldn't, either, but he patted her head anyway and rose with a little difficulty.

After the recpetion, everyone met back up at the Hatake household. Both boys' things needed to be retrieved, as Naruto had stayed over once again. Obito waited uncomfortably by the door, unwilling to accept any hospitality from Kakashi, while Madara sat serenely on the couch, waiting for his grandson. Itachi had gone to collect Sasuke's belongings from the guest room, as had Jiraiya for Naruto's. Currently the three kids were sitting at the kitchen table.

"Say your goodbyes, Sasuke. We're leaving today, and you won't see them probably for a while," Obito said.

Naruto and Sakura looked stricken, fixing Sasuke with identically upset expressions. In the short while that they'd known each other, somehow the three had made a connection that went deeper than time. Naruto and Sasuke had been friends already, but with the addition of Sakura to their small alliance, it was like a missing puzzle piece had been found, and finally they all fit together perfectly. Sasuke's departure was verging on trauma at that point. The boy was biting his lip, hands clenched together.

"G-Grandpa," he said timidly.

"Hm?" Madara said, looking over his shoulder. "What is it?"

"I-I want to live here!"

His words fell like stones into the center of the room. At any other time, they would not have been taken seriously. But his plea held so much sincerity that Madara was taken aback. Obito was beginning to frown fiercely. Kakashi, from his place by the sink, kept his eyes on the boy. "Sasuke. Don't you want to live with your grandfather?" His tone was serious, every bit as serious as it had been when he had reprimanded his sister for her flippancy only a little more than a week ago.

"No!" he said. "I mean-I'm sorry. But Grandpa-"

Madara was not saying anything. His expression remained neutral.

"Mr. Hatake said I can stay here as long as I want," Sasuke finally insisted weakly.

Madara leveled a look at Kakashi. "Did you?"

"I did," Kakashi admitted. "Although I didn't quite mean it like that."

Obito finally lost his temper. "What did I tell you yesterday, Sasuke?! I said that my decision was final. You will not be living in the same house as Kakashi Hatake! I understand that you're unhappy, but you're being ridiculous and selfish. Don't you think that we might want you to be with us? With your family?"

Sasuke scowled and looked down into his lap, saying nothing. Obito continued his tirade.

"We're all sad, Sasuke! You're not the only one that lost someone! Do you think that your father would want you to live here? You belong with your family! You belong with people who love you-"

"I love Sasuke!" Sakura cried indignantly, derailing Obito. Sasuke looked up, his eyes wide. "Just because-just because somebody's family doesn't mean they love you!" Sakura exclaimed.

"It's none of your business-be quiet!" Obito snarled.

"Obito," Kakashi began dangerously, only to find himself being interrupted by Madara.

"Watch your mouth, son," he growled, his brows set angrily. Obito checked himself, letting out a short tch of frustration and turning his gaze to the side. Madara got up and walked to the kitchen table. "You love my grandson, Sakura?" he asked her gently.

Sakura turned bright pink, but persisted, "Uh-huh. And Naruto. And Uncle Kakashi, and Mr. Jiraiya, a little bit."

"Just a little?" interjected Jiraiya, having descended the stairs. He had Naruto's backpack slung over one broad shoulder. Sakura squeaked, but Jiraiya winked to show her that it was okay. "What's all the fuss?" he asked-but his question went unanswered. Madara eyed the trio pensively, as if mentally taking apart a machine to see how it worked.

"Kakashi," he said suddenly. "As long as he wants?"

Hyperaware that a paradigm shift was about to occur, Kakashi nodded. "I didn't think that he was going to want to be here longer than a few days or a week at most, but yes. As long as he wants." Madara grunted in acknowledgement and went back to studying the trio.

"Sasuke, are you sure?" Madara asked finally, regarding the boy very seriously.

Sasuke nodded, almost defiantly, fists clenched in his lap.

Madara put his hands on his hips. "You know, I can't help but think it's a good idea. Sasuke needs to be around kids his age. He doesn't need to be surrounded by sad old folk. And it would be better for him if he didn't have to go through such a huge change..." he was mostly talking to himself by then. "Kakashi, how would you feel about partial custody?"

Kakashi straightened. "Whatever you feel comfortable with, Mr. Uchiha." Madara nodded approvingly.

"I'll take care of the legal issues," he said. "You just take care of my boy. And call me Madara-if we're going to be family, you might as well."

"Don't worry, Mr. Uchiha, we'll take care of him!" Sakura exclaimed, pushing herself up from her chair in excitement. Madara smiled at her.

"Dad, what are you-" Obito exclaimed, only to be silenced by the look Madara directed at him.

"Wait," Naruto said. "Sasuke's gonna live here? I WANNA LIVE HERE TOO!"

"Naruto," Jiraiya grumbled. Kakashi had forgotten he was there.

"I don't wanna go to England, old man! I wanna stay here! All my friends are here!" Naruto cried. Kakashi started rubbing the bridge of his nose. For some reason, he had a feeling that he was about to get more than he bargained for. Way, way more.

"Naruto, you can't just ask to live in someone's house!" Jiraiya said, beginning his attempt to cajole his godson into cooperation.

"Sasuke just did, and Mr. Madara said it was okay!" Naruto whined. "Why can't I live here?"

Jiraiya grimaced. "Well-who would keep me company in England? And-and-Kakashi hasn't said it's okay!"

Naruto turned to Kakashi, his blue eyes sparkling in a way that made Kakashi hear the sound of shackles being snapped closed.

Despite this sense of foreboding, he grinned, and the thought go big or go home flashed across his mind. "What the heck. The more the merrier! Does anyone else have any kids that want to live with me? I may need to renovate."

Only Madara had to snuffle a chortle. Obito looked livid. Itachi chose this moment to come back downstairs, toting a small blue backpack. "What's going on?" he asked, looking around. His gaze settled on his little brother. "Sasuke, what's the matter?" The boy had resumed scowling and was refusing to look at him.

"Your brother has decided to remain in Hidden Leaves," Obito said curtly. "And your grandfather has consented to it."

Hurt flashed across Itachi's face, but he did not question his grandfather, nor his brother. He simply walked over to Sasuke and embraced him, though the boy remained motionless and unresponsive. When he pulled away, Sasuke refused to look at him. Troubled, Kakashi made a mental note to dig deeper when the time was right, and refocused on the current situation.

Jiraiya had to drag a complaining Naruto out of the house, but Kakashi knew that he would be back. The man didn't want to make Naruto miserable, but that position in Cambridge was a prestigious one-a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He would eventually give in to Naruto's plea, because in the end Jiraiya wanted his godson to be happy. Kakashi was already settling into the idea of raising three children.

Sasuke saw his last remaining family off, and then fixed his attention on Kakashi-the look in his eyes much older than his handful of seven years. And Sakura-well, she was positively glowing with happiness.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Kakashi finalized the change in his lifestyle. He, Sakura, and Sasuke explored Hidden Treasures, the town's only resale store, and found a large bunk bed, the bottom bunk of which Sakura immediately claimed, saying it reminded her of the secret cave in The Little Mermaid. Kakashi bought a few sets of bedsheets, and a lot of extra towels. He made sure to find a timer, too-he knew that someday soon, someone was going to complain about someone else taking too long in the bathroom.

Sasuke returned to school. He and Sakura would enter their classroom together, and at the end of the day they would leave accompanied by Naruto, whose boisterous personality balanced out Sasuke and Sakura's quieter ones. Naruto and Sasuke's bickering picked up again after a while, but this time Sakura was there to mediate (and she usually picked Sasuke's side, as she seemed to have appointed herself his guardian angel). When not at school, they would play together outside the house and at the nearby playground, often with the other kids that lived on their street. Sasuke did not return to being the smiling boy he once was, as Kakashi had predicted-his new scars ran too deep for that. And he would not speak of his brother, when Sakura or Naruto asked about him. But he was sleeping, and he was eating, and Kakashi, from experience, knew that he was going to be okay.

The date of Jiraiya's departure looming, the man finally consented to Naruto's living in the Hatake household. Jiraiya wouldn't let the kids see it, but he was torn up about the decision, having shed tears when he had asked Kakashi to take him on. He trusted Kakashi to care for his energetic godson, but the thought of leaving the boy behind broke his heart nevertheless. Kakashi helped Jiraiya pack up the remainder of his belongings, while the kids ran around underfoot, and when the day came for Tsunade, Jiraiya's old drinking buddy, to drive him to the airport, Naruto and Sakura were bawling while Sasuke stood by awkwardly. Jiraiya hugged each of them, holding Naruto the longest and the tightest, while tears rolled down his tanned face.

At the very end of September, Kakashi welcomed Naruto into his household. The boy was surprisingly quiet about it-Kakashi knew that he was in that stage of happiness that needed no words, despite having said goodbye to his godfather only a little while earlier.

Kakashi asked Sakura the Sunday night before they were all to go to school together for the first time if she wanted to move into his office. He didn't mind the possibility of transforming it into her room, as lately he had been doing all of his work at the kitchen table, while keeping an eye on the children he already referred to as his kids. But Sakura surprised him.

"No, I like having a room with Sasuke and Naruto," she replied simply. "They're my brothers."

Kakashi persisted. "Are you sure? I don't mind cleaning out the office for you, sweet girl."

"Uh-uh. I don't wanna be by myself."

Kakashi considered her words, and ruffled her hair. "Whatever you want, Sakura. The offer always stands."

The next morning, Kakashi got the three ready for school for the first time. Sakura, he already knew, was extremely difficult to wake up, as she was particularly susceptible to the lure of deep sleep, but once she was awake she got ready easily enough. Sasuke would wake up the second Kakashi opened the door to their shared room, sitting up and rubbing his bleary eyes, his messy black hair standing on end. He was sulf-sufficient, brushing his hair and teeth without having to be reminded. Naruto, appropriately, woke up quickly and only gained momentum.

With their hair brushed, their backpacks packed, their lunches made, and their bellies full of breakfast, Kakashi strapped them into his car and drove to the elementary school. All four walked down the halls together, Naruto and Sakura running slightly ahead for fun, and parted only to reach their separate destinations.

As the trio made to enter Iruka's classroom, Kakashi called out to them. "Have a good day, you three!"

Sakura smiled brightly; Sasuke nodded. Naruto grinned and waved wildly. Kakashi mirrored his grin.

His hair was gray, but he was not old. He still wore his surgical mask, but he kept his novels hidden away now, for the quieter moments of his days. He had no girlfriends, but now, he had kids. He was no longer living as he had, and he was still grieving for the loss of his wayward charge's parents; he still harbored deep disgust for his sister's lack of concern for the welfare of her daughter. But he was happy. Despite all that, he was happy.

A/N: The idea for this story came from "It's this Feeling that You Can't Fight." I was writing it as a single chapter, but it took on a life of its own very quickly. I have always seen several similarities between the HP trio and Tea m Seven, so it is only fitting that I dedicate a story such a strong connection. This is the largest project I have taken on to date. I hope I can do both Harry Potter and Naruto justice.