Dreams of the Past

Family Time

A/N I forgot to add a note on the last chapter. I made Sakura(and the rest of her gen by default though it wont matter) a couple of years older so I wouldn't have to drag out the story years. She is 18 and Kakashi is 30.

Chapter Seven

Family Time

Three days later, Kakashi stood with Sakura and the kid in a crowd of civilians and, by the looks of it, every single Leaf shinobi before Hokage tower. The Sandaime stood on the rooftop balcony, his council behind him. When Sakumo appeared beside them, confused and angry mutterings swept the crowd. The shinobi around them demanded justice for the war they'd been forced to fight. What exactly that 'justice' would entail was unclear.

Someone nearby whispered loudly to his neighbor that the 'traitor' should be thrown in prison. It might have been shocking if he hadn't just survived an attack from his own team. Kakashi-kun took hold of Sakura's hand and seemed to shrink into her side. He was scared, Kakashi realized. Sakumo had done his best to shield him from the worst of the village's backlash. But he could not hide his injuries, and now he was surrounded by a crowd calling for his father's arrest. Hopefully whatever the Hokage said would pacify the village.

Just in case, Kakashi took a step closer to them, standing right behind the kid and wrapping an arm around Sakura's shoulders. She glanced up at him, anxious, before casting a disgusted glare around the crowd.

The Hokage raised his hands, and gradually the harsh tide of voices was silenced.

"Today, I come before you to address a grave miscarriage of justice. Four months ago one of our very finest Shinobi—a man that is in no small part responsible for winning us the last great war—made a decision as captain of his team. That decision saved the lives of his comrades at the cost of the mission. It went against the core tenets of what is asked of us as shinobi. The mission must always be put first. We shinobi are merely tools in the hand of the Hokage, wielded for the protection and betterment of the village.

"But how easily we forget that despite our rules and training and mighty skill, all of us are still human. It is impossible to root out all emotion, to destroy fully the love for our comrades and village. And woe to those who would try.

"Hatake Sakumo may have made a controversial decision, but it was his love for his comrades, and his village, that drove that choice. With such a valorous record, leading countless shinobi into battle with many victories, I trust his judgment.

"Unfortunately, and to my deepest shame, I kept my personal feelings on this matter to myself. In a moment of weakness of character, I chose to allow one of my best and most loyal generals to take the blame for a war I could not prevent. Yes, I knew the manner of vile falsehoods spreading among you like wildfire, but I said nothing. I would have allowed his very life to be destroyed to avoid taking your fear and anger onto myself."

Around them, the crowd was starting to mutter amongst themselves. Shinobi glanced at one another nervously, confused, not a few looking betrayed and angry.

"This new conflict has been festering since the last war ended. Bitterness and hatred, old grievances and new, have been raging violently ever nearer our borders for the last year. Efforts for peace have been frustrated at every turn, but that failure rests with me, with the other Kage.

"I can no longer allow a shinobi I will rely upon greatly in the coming months to be martyred for my sake. This war is not his fault. Not in the least. I must own my failures as his Hokage."

Hiruzen turned from the stunned crowd to face Sakumo. "I can only offer my most sincere apology, Hatake Sakumo, and pray to all the gods that you will forgive me and the village that has wronged you."