The Spaces In-Between

Untold Power

Kakashi was becoming increasingly disturbed as he delved further and further into the archives that had been pulled.  Several hundred years ago, there was a group that worshipped a red eyed dragon that had wrecked havoc across the world of that time.  It was an ancient beast that was more in lines with the tailed beasts.  They had thought to bind the world under the spell of the dragon, which was reported to rule the lands of dreams and nightmares.  The group was called Akumu Yume and they had performed human sacrifice for the beast.  The details on how the sacrifice that was selected was missing from all the texts.  Yet reportedly, the beast would grant power over the earth if the sacrifice was accepted.  The lands of wind, earth, and fire had come together to destroy the cult and reportedly they were wiped from the earth once and for all.

He leaned back in his seat and silently rolled up the final scroll.  He needed to know what was in that ANBU file.  He carefully returned all of the materials before leaving to head to Naruto's office.  His former student was buried in paper as usual but readily set it aside as he came through the door.

"Kakashi sensei, how are you doing today?"

"It's been an interesting day," he said in a bored tone.  "I have a favor to ask of you, Naruto."

"Whatever you need," Naruto said with a smile.

"There is an ANBU file that I need to see," he handed Naruto the paper that he had been given at the archives.  "I think it might have something to do with the group that attacked us on the road to the hot springs."

Naruto's brows rose up as he looked at the paper.  "I'll send for it.  Why do you think this has something to do with it?"

"Y/N had another dream last night in the place where we used to meet in between worlds," Kakashi responded softly.  "She saw a beast like the one that is mentioned in this file.  I need to know if it is connected."

Naruto steepled his fingers, "So are you thinking that they are after her instead of you?"

"That is unclear, I'm hoping that the file will give some answers.  For the ANBU to be holding it, it must be something sinister."

"Agreed," Naruto said with a nod.  "I'll let you know when the file is delivered to me.  So... how do you like married life?"

Kakashi grinned beneath his mask, "I love every bit of it.  Y/N completes me in a way I didn't even realize I needed."

Naruto chuckled, "It is the same for me with Hinata.  I wish I would have recognized her sooner, in truth, instead of focusing on the wrong one."

Kakashi smiled and gave a nod of understanding.  "How is the baby?"

"He's doing good, not long now until he is here!" Naruto leaned back in his chair.  "It's amazing how much I already love him even when he isn't here yet, believe it."

Kakashi gave a grin, "I can't wait until Y/N is pregnant.  I'm ready to be a father."

Naruto's mouth dropped a little then he laughed, "I never thought you'd say that."

He gave a shrug of his shoulders, "Until Y/N was here, I never even thought about it.  She's the only one I've ever loved."  He stood, feeling like he said more than he intended.  "I'll be watching for your message.  Thank you, Naruto.  I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Kakashi sensei," Naruto spoke with a smile.

Kakashi felt a bit better as he left and started on his way home.  He stopped and got some take home ramen, sweet dumplings, and stopped at the convenience store for a soda for Y/N.  He knew it had been a while since she had one and he remembered it had always been one of her favorite things even since she was a kid.  As he left the store, he noticed a number of citizens were giving him strange looks and were whispering.  That was... odd.

He shook off the looks and continued to the apartment.  Now that he was married, he should consider buying a house.  The apartment was fine for a single man but now that he was intent on starting a family, they needed more space.  He also liked the idea of more privacy.  He could just imagine what his neighbors thought since Y/N got there as she was a rather loud partner in bed and he was really no better.  Plus, he was hoping that Y/N would get pregnant soon as neither of them were getting any younger.

He took two stairs at a time on his way up to the apartment.  As he opened the door, he came to a stop at the guilty look Y/N was giving him as she spun away from the television.  She stood in front of the television and he had to wonder what she was about.

"Kakashi!  I'm so glad you are home!  I missed you!"  She flipped off the television and gave him a big kiss.  "How was your day?"

"Good...  I brought some ramen and sweet dumplings home," he said with a smile.  "And..."

"Eeek!  Is that what I think it is?"

He laughed and nodded, "I'm not sure what flavor you like so I got plain cola."

Kakashi chuckled as she kissed him all over his face before snagging the fountain drink from his hand and taking a long drink from the straw.  Her eyes almost rolled back in her head.  "Oh... that's good."  He set the food on the table then numbly stepped around her to go to the television.  "Oh.. let's just have a quiet night, Kakashi.  No need to..."

He raised a brow at her before flipping it on.  His eyes widened as he saw his own wife on the news broadcast decking a reporter outside Sai and Ino's shop.

"It seems that the Lord Sixth's new wife is also his biggest defender.  When reporter Akimashi Yeto stopped the Lord Sixth's wife and referred to his past names of Cold Hearted Kakashi and Friend Killer, she took no time in laying him out," the female reporter chuckled.  "Let this be a lesson to all of us to always have respect for the Lord Sixth or his wife might get you next."

Kakashi swung his eyes back to Y/N and her face was flame red.  He raised both brows as he stood and came over to her.  "You really knocked him flat?"

"I also told him that if I saw him again he'd regret it," she said softly.

He roared with laughter and wrapped his arms around her.  "Oh my fierce wife!  You have no idea how endearing that is to me. No one has ever stood up for me before."

"I was worried you'd be upset that I made a scene," she confessed.

"Never," he chuckled.  "You did what I never could."

Y/N tightened her hold on him and grinned as she looked up, "So what have you been up to all day?"

"Just some research," he answered vaguely.  "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," she admitted.

They ate in a comfortable silence.  Kakashi's mind, however, was far away as he thought about the information he had come across.  As Y/N cleared the table, he noticed a book on the living room table with a red-eyed dragon on the front.  He picked it up and stared at it for a moment before flipping the book open.  A chill went down his spine as he looked at the very information he had been researching.  He looked over at Y/N.

"Where did you get this?"

"Um, at the bookstore.  It caught my attention because of the nightmare and I thought, I would see if it might have some insight into what my dream meant," Y/N answered as she came back into the room.

"Do you  mind if I read it first?" he asked softly.

"Sure, it's really not my kind of reading," Y/N answered before picking up a different book.  "I was actually looking forward to reading this one tonight."

Kakashi gave her a smile before sitting down on the couch.  He extended his hand to her and she curled up next to him.  He wrapped his right arm around her shoulder as he held the book open with his left.  She opened her own book as they read.  A little over an hour later, he was suddenly sitting up straight and was horrified by what he was reading.  It was a detail not in the archives and one that made his heart almost stop.

"Kakashi?"

The Akumu Yume would select their sacrifices based upon a very unique bloodline or trait.  The more unusual or unique, the greater chance the beast would accept the sacrifice.  Unique... There was nothing more unique than someone from another world.  He almost dropped the book as if it was on fire.  They weren't after him at all, they were after Y/N.