Here For You - Kakashi Hatake x OC

Chapter 31: The Future

Mirai was gorgeous for a three-year-old kid. She had Kakashi's amazing silver hair and my blue eyes. She loved playing with plastic kunai and she would always ask her father to read to her about becoming a shinobi. Our ninja ways were rubbing off on her, and we were proud of her, even now. So young, yet so cunning and determined. I had returned to my position as jonin, going on missions here and there, leaving my daughter with my neighbor Ayaka, who I had gotten to know pretty well. She was a sweet 16-year-old girl who mostly stayed home with her younger brother and sister. She had told me it was no problem for her to babysit Mirai if I had to go out on a mission. I trusted her, as she told me many stories of her life, how her parents died and left her with practically newborn twins. I shared some of my stories with her, too, so she would know that she wasn't alone.

There had been a lot going on over the past few years. Orochimaru killed Lord Third. I must have cried for a week. Tsunade was lost and then found to become the fifth Hokage. Sasuke had left the village to gain power from Orochimaru so he could kill his brother and restore his clan. Sakura was still hopelessly in love with him, hoping to see him walk through those Konoha gates once again. Naruto was obsessed with training and becoming powerful so he could beat Sasuke and bring him home. Another war was stirring in the shinobi world as the Akatsuki formed and gained power and fame. I remembered two of them coming to Konoha.

*Flashback*

"Itachi... It's really you." I whispered. His blood red Sharingan eyes stared me down. "It's been a while, Katsumi. I've missed you." I scoffed. "Cut the crap, Itachi. What are you doing here?" He smirked. "That's for me to know... And for you to suffer from." I quickly looked away from his gaze so he couldn't put me under a genjutsu. However, Kakashi had fallen to the ground, and I knew he was Itachi's target all along.

"Kashi!" I breathed, kneeling down and catching him into my arms. Kurenai and Asuma were fighting Kisame, the other Akatsuki member that had accompanied Itachi. "Kashi, wake up," I whispered into his ear, activating my Kazegan. Sure enough, his eyes shot open, but he was in too much pain too stand up. Baka Itachi and his genjutsu. "What do you want from us?" I glared at him, straight into his eyes. No genjutsu could affect me when my Kazegan was activated, and Itachi seemed to notice this. "My, my, those black, soulless eyes... I wonder where you got them? And my visual prowess does not work against you." He was suddenly inches from my face, our noses almost touching, "Tell me, what's your secret?" He said quietly. Kakashi could not move, so I knew that this was my battle, and my battle alone. Fighting my former ANBU comrade.

"That's for me to know, and for you to suffer from," I spat at him, mimicking his words. He smirked and moved his face to my ear. I stood motionless. "I will be seeing you later," He whispered and left, Kisame trailing behind him. I could have killed him right then and there, but something seemed off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, though. I rushed to Kakashi's side and gestured to Asuma to help me get him to the hospital.

We needed Tsunade. Now more than ever.

*End of flashback*

I shuddered at the thought as I sat perched in a tree, Kakashi by my side. He put his hand over my own, "You okay?" I nodded quickly. We were on the lookout for spies, Akatsuki, missing nin etc. I had my Kazegan activated, yet nothing came into view. "There's nobody out here, unless they're doing a very good job of concealing themselves, which I highly doubt is possible. Nothing gets past my eyes." He nodded, "That is true. We should head back then. Mirai is probably missing us." We jumped from our tree and headed toward the village.

I knocked on Ayaka's door and she answered, Mirai holding her hand. "Oh, look, Mirai, mommy and daddy are home now!" Mirai smiled cutely and put out her arms, as if asking for one of us to pick her up. Kakashi obliged and put her up on his shoulder as she squealed happily. "Daddy, mommy, I missed you!" Kakashi grinned, "I told you." We thanked Ayaka and I paid her, although she always insisted that I shouldn't and that she just loved spending time with my daughter, I understood that financial problems were one of her worst. A 16-year-old shouldn't be raising two 3-year-olds, even three, if you counted Mirai. I said goodbye to Ayaka and followed Kakashi home.

Mirai was flapping her arms, pretending to fly as Kakashi ran around the apartment with her still on his shoulders. I quickly grabbed the camera from the bedside table and snapped a photograph. "This is too cute," I beamed, showing it to Kakashi and Mirai. Kakashi smiled and pulled his mask down to kiss me. "We always will be." He set Mirai down as I prepared dinner for the three of us. Mirai was definitely Kakashi's daughter – she had inherited his insane love for eggplant, which is what I made her tonight, alongside mashed potatoes. She seemed obsessed with eggplant, always asking for it.

Mirai seemed very excited for dinner, sitting on the edge of her seat, literally. Kakashi lightly scolded her and told her to sit properly so she wouldn't fall down. I set the dinner on the table and took my place next to Kakashi. "Now, Mirai, what do we say?" Kakashi looked at our daughter. She joined her hands, "Thank you for dinner, mommy." It was the cutest thing. "Enjoy, Mirai." After finishing dinner, Kakashi took Mirai to give her a bath while I cleaned the dishes and kitchen. I looked out the window as I dried the dishes and put them away. Life was pretty good.

Mirai came running to me and hugged my leg. I kneeled down to her and poked her nose lightly, making her giggle. Kakashi came over and picked her up, smiling. Mirai held onto his vest, "Daddy, why do you keep one of your eyes covered?" She asked as he took her to her room, one hand holding her up, the other holding my hand. Kakashi chuckled, "Well, you see, I have a special eye that gives me special powers. Perhaps I will show you someday, when you're a little older." Mirai nodded vigorously as Kakashi helped her climb under the covers of her bed. She looked up to me, "Mommy, why is your arm always wrapped up? Is mommy hurt?" I frowned and Kakashi looked at me worriedly. I quickly gave her a sad smile, "No, mommy isn't hurt, it's a fashion statement." I hurriedly kissed her forehead and bode her goodnight, Kakashi stayed with her to read to her until she fell asleep, but before I could leave the room, he pulled me close to him, "Please don't overthink things again. You know it's not true." He whispered into my ear. A single silent tear escaped my eye as I nodded curtly and went to the bathroom.

I stared at myself at the mirror. I haven't thought about my scars in quite a while. Kakashi had always been next to me, and he had helped me overcome my anxiety tremendously. But that didn't mean that it just went away. I unraveled the bandage on my arm and stared at the carved word in my arm. Failure. I silently hoped that my beautiful daughter would never have to know the pain I went through, the pain Kakashi went through. Losing her loved ones. I wondered if I would ever tell her what had actually happened to my arm. I really wasn't sure if she should know. I wanted for her to have a good life. A happy life. And she would. Kakashi and I would make sure of that.

I wasn't sure how long I stood there, just staring at my arm, thinking. I heard a soft knock on the door and heard my husband's worried voice, "Katsi?" I looked back up and saw that my face was stained with tears. I hadn't noticed that I was crying. "I'll be out in a minute," I said, quickly bandaging my arm and wiping my face. I exited and was immediately greeted by Kakashi's embrace, "I thought you said you wouldn't overthink things." I felt ashamed as I stood there silently. I knew that he wanted to help me, but nothing ever would, and he would never understand how I felt. I would never tell him this, though. "I'm sorry, Kashi..." He pulled away from me slightly and looked me in the eyes, "I've tried my best and I think I've done good. But sometimes I can't help it." Kakashi led me to our bedroom and sat me on the bed, landing next to me. "Katsi, everything will be okay. Look at all we've done, what we've created. Our lives are so much different now. And we have a future, a bright future." He caressed my cheek and I looked up at him. "You're right, Kashi. Thank you... For saving me, for making me who I am today. For our family." He smiled at me.

"You're the one who saved me first."