Here For You - Kakashi Hatake x OC

Chapter 23: Memories, Where'd You Go?

"So... I'm Katsumi, of the Abe clan, the last survivor of said clan. I have a unique Kekkei Genkai and it comes with a lethal blood disease. You, Tsunade-sama, healed me, which resulted in me losing my memory... You, Kakashi, are my boyfriend... How old am I?" My heart broke more every second I looked at Katsumi. My Katsi couldn't remember anything. Tsunade and I have spent the last hour trying to jog her memory, but she just seemed to be memorizing the information we gave her. She didn't remember what we had been through, or anything from her past. She couldn't remember me. Pain washed over me. I felt like crying. But I wasn't going to give up on her. Never. "You're twenty-one," I said quietly. She nodded, trying to take it all in. "We will do our best to try and jog your memory," Tsunade said matter-of-factly, even though I could see the sadness in her expression. She left, leaving us alone. My mouth was dry and the palms of my hands were covered in sweat. I wasn't sure about what I was supposed to say. She looked at me with her big eyes. I wish she would remember me. My Katsi would have been hugging me, kissing me, thanking me and Tsunade for helping her. But this Katsi was broken. As was I in this moment. I sat down on the edge of her bed and looked down at her. I could see the chakra necklace I had given her on her neck, and I reached out to touch it. She noticed what I was doing and she looked down at the crystal. I watched her take it into her hands and fumble with it, looking at it attentively.

"It's yours," She said. "What?" "It's your chakra." I smiled softly, "Yes." She turned the stone over in her fingers, "You gave this to me... When I became a jonin." A small smile crept onto her face, "You remember! I should show you things that mean something to you, maybe you will remember..." I frantically thought of what I could show her. "Kakashi..." She muttered. She was trying to remember more, clutching her head. I could see that she was in pain. And it just made my own pain worsen.

"I think you should take her outside, jog her memory a bit," I heard Tsunade speak behind me, "Maybe seeing Konoha will make her remember something. She should be okay to walk." I nodded and turned to Katsumi, "What do you think of that? Can you walk?" She looked up at me and stood up. She stood somewhat shakily, but she said that she was alright. I held her by the waist so she wouldn't fall. She didn't seem to mind, which made me slightly happier. She knew, deep down, my familiar touch. I helped her get dressed into her usual attire. She searched through her pockets, pouch and holster. She laid her weapons, bandages and other trinkets onto the table next to her bed, frowning. She picked up the silver kunai I had given her, "Forever yours..." She breathed. I nodded slightly. "For my birthday..." I smiled at her, "Yes, indeed. You're remembering things already! You'll be back in no time." She hesitantly took the other silver kunai she had, the one her father had given her. She stared at it blankly before putting it aside, looking through her other things. "You don't remember the other knife?" She shook her head sadly. "Your father gave it to you," I said quietly. She picked it up once more, struggling to remember. I put my hands over her own and she looked up at me. I took the kunai from her and placed it on the table. "Don't stress yourself too much. You just survived a pretty dangerous surgery. Please, go easy on yourself." She nodded. "Let's get some fresh air," I took her hand and led her outside.

It was a very hot day. The air was stuffy and it was hard to breathe. "If you're uncomfortable, we can go back inside," I suggested. She shook her head, "I want to remember." I just nodded. I wanted her to remember, too. I wanted her loving arms around me again, I wanted her to call me 'Kashi' again. I missed her, even though she was right in front of me. I decided to show her the apartment she had lived in for almost her whole life. It was bound to trigger some memories. We approached her door, "This is your apartment." She nodded and we entered. Everything looked the same as it had when we left. I was hit with the nostalgic feeling of us sitting at her table, eating dinner, and sitting on the couch, cuddling or reading. I remember how we had slept in the same bed when either of us was feeling bad. I sighed a bit and sat at the table, frustrated with the heat. "You should look around, maybe find something familiar." She walked around, "It's all familiar. I know I live here... I..." She gasped and went silent. My eyes widened, "What is it? Are you feeling bad? Do you want to rest?" She shook her head, "No... I remembered something very... Vividly... But..." I wondered what she had remembered, "What is it?" She looked down, blushing. Blushing? "It's embarrassing." This made me even more curious. "You know, you can tell me anything. We've known each other almost our whole lives. I'm your boyfriend. You know you can trust me." She hesitated and blushed more, "I... It's really embarrassing!" I chuckled at her reaction. "Please tell me?" I cooed. She looked down, blushing even more (if that was possible), but she spoke, "I remember... It was really hot... And... You were here and you... You were sitting at my table... And you were... Shirtless..." She was completely flustered, "And I got... Really... Uh... You know... I... I went to stop my nosebleed... And I told you I had lady problems... Technically, I didn't lie... This is so embarrassing!" She stuffed her face into a pillow and I laughed. So that's what that was all about... I should have known. Then again, I didn't think she liked me in that way. I stood up from the table and sat next to her on the couch, where she still had her face buried in a pillow. "You know, that day was pretty hard for me, too. You came out wearing a cropped top, showing off so much skin, and yes, I noticed that you weren't wearing a bra..." I chuckled and she slowly looked up at me, "It took all my willpower for me not to pounce on you right then and there," I cheekily winked at her and she punched my arm. "Perv." I saw that she was smiling, and that made me smile. "Some things never change," I said and laughed. She laughed along with me.

After she had walked around her apartment for another half an hour, she was getting frustrated, not able to remember much. I decided to take her outside to try and get her mind off things. I didn't know where we should go, so we walked around randomly. "Kakashi, this is pointless," She suddenly said. "I'm so sorry. I can't remember anything. I'm such a failure." I stopped her and pulled her into my arms. "Listen to me. You are not a failure. There is absolutely no pressure on you. You will remember when you remember. Try to just loosen up. It will all come to you eventually." She nodded against my chest, thanking me. I wanted her to be better. "Do you want to go back to the hospital?" I asked her kindly. She thought for a moment, then nodded. I led her back to the hospital and back into her room. She sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry I can't remember much." I shook my head. "Stop apologizing. None of this is your fault. You'll remember soon. I promise." I tried to calm her down. She looked tired. "Do you want to rest?" She nodded and I helped her into the bed. "Thank you," She said quietly. I smiled at her. She suddenly grabbed my hand and I looked wonderingly down at her. "Will you... Stay?" She croaked out. I kissed her forehead, before sitting down into the chair next to the bed.

"Always."