The Toughest Lesson

Fools Rush In

Kakashi's eye was glassy, though no tears fell. "Mr. Uzumaki, I think we should talk after school. I have to tutor Mr. Uchiha, so could you meet me there?" Naruto nodded. He knew what that meant...pool house. Heading off to lunch, his stomach was upset, nerves on edge. Seeing Sasuke and Hinata, he sat down.

Hinata smiled at Naruto. "Thank you, Naruto. But there wasn't anything to apologize for." She smiled as she smelled the flowers she had brought with her to lunch. Sasuke just nodded his face stoic. Naruto blushed.

"Well, I kinda fucked it up with you three..." Naruto started, but was stopped by Sakura coming up, face flushed.

"Did you all hear what happened? Kakashi-sensei resigned!" Her eyes were bright, but with worry.

Naruto stood up, knocking his tray off the table. "Shit." He ran off, three pair of eyes following him.

Rushing to the office, he barreled in. Ino was there, eating a salad as she worked. Looking up at the intrusion, her eyes got wide. "Naruto! Is something wrong?" Her eyes were wide with worry.

"Yea, actually...is Lady Tsunade in? I really need to talk to her." His breathing was heavy, as he had ran from the lunchroom to the office.

"Um...let me check." Ino went back to a door, knocking. Peeking her head in, she said something, then listened to the response...she then peeked back at Naruto, eyes filled with worry. Saying something else to the room, she then turned to Naruto. "Naruto, Lady Tsunade will see you."

"Thanks!" Naruto rushed past the desks into the office. As Ino left, she shut the door behind her.

"Naruto, what is wrong?" Lady Tsunade eyed the purple eye that was slowly starting to fade from the teens' fight. She had heard about it of course, and was concerned that this new girl might drive a wedge between the Uchiha and Uzumaki.

"Lady Tsunade, you can't accept Kakashi-sensei's resignation! He's the best sensei at this school!" Naruto blurted out, breathing heavy.

Lady Tsunade sighed. Word flew through the high school it seemed. "Naruto, Kakashi's decision is his own. I cannot force him to work where he doesn't want to."

"But, it's not his fault!" Naruto said brain frantically scrambling trying to figure out some way to make this woman not accept the resignation.

Lady Tsunade was shrewd. "What is not his fault, Naruto?" She had said nothing about Kakashi's reason for leaving...yet Naruto said it wasn't Kakashi's..fault.

"His choice for leaving...it's not his fault, it's mine. If I wouldn't have been such an asshole, he wouldn't have resigned." His blue eyes were glassy.

Lady Tsunade's face hardened. She was an intelligent and cunning woman. Hitting a button on her desk, she spoke into the intercom. "Kakashi. My office. Now." Her voice was hard, an edge of anger on it.

Naruto sighed in relief. Lady Tsunade wasn't going to accept the resignation! She realized it was his fault and was mad at him! Fine, great! As long as Kakashi was not going to lose his job that is what Naruto cared about.

There was a knock on the door about then. "Enter." Lady Tsunade said through gritted teeth. The door opened and Kakashi walked in. Surprise registered on his face as he looked between the two. "Sit." She said. Kakashi sat down, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. "You too, Naruto." Naruto did. His happy feeling was starting to waver.

"Damnit, Kakashi, how could you!" Tsunade snapped, her hands hitting the desk as she stood, her back to the two as she turned to look out the window at the lush green lawn.

"How could I what, m'lady?" Kakashi asked, looking questioningly at Naruto, who shrugged.

Lady Tsunade turned around slowly, her eyes blazing. "I am no fool. Do not toy with me." She seethed.

Kakashi sighed. "I didn't mean for it to happen." Naruto looked confused.

"Was that the cause of the divorce?" she asked, back rigid.

Kakashi let out a large breath of air. "Partially."

"You have dishonored your name. Your family's name. And this school." Tsunade said, back still to the two. Anger and disappointment radiated off her. Naruto scrunched his face, looking confused. Kakashi held up his hand to stop Naruto from talking.

"Yes, m'lady." Kakashi said quietly.

"I...I don't understand..." Naruto began. Lady Tsunade turned on him.

"Mr. Uzumaki, the age of consent in Japan may be thirteen, but it is still unacceptable for a teacher to sleep with and form a relationship with a student! It is extremely dishonor..."

"I hit on him! I made the moves on him...it wasn't his fault!" Naruto said, hands balling into fists.

"You are still an immature child!" Lady Tsunade spat. "He is the adult, who knows of his position and responsibilities. You may share part of the blame, but he has to shoulder most." Looking at Kakashi, her voice held nothing but venom. "You have disgraced this school. I cannot accept your resignation...I have to terminate you, immediately."

Kakashi said nothing, simply nodding. "Now wait a damn minute!" Naruto jumped up. "What if..." his brain was racing, trying to think fast before Tsunade could make this official and send Kakashi away..."What if there was a different result..." his brain worked quickly as his heart fell to the pit of his stomach at the realization of the only option. Looking at Kakashi, he realized that this was his fault...all of it. "What if there was a way to salvage this situation, with no harm coming to either the school or Kakashi-sensei's reputation? Secrecy can be a very...useful tool, right?"

Lady Tsunade looked at the blonde as Kakashi was about to speak. "Kakashi, silence. Go ahead Naruto." Lady Tsunade had worked hard to make this school the best in Japan, forward thinking, integrating other areas of the world, while still holding onto a stellar reputation. She had fought with many a stagnant thinker, who assured her she would fail. To have this scandal would set her back immensely. Especially with a sensei of Kakashi's caliber.

"What if...I leave? I mean, I will leave the area. I won't come back til after I graduate...I won't see Kakashi or anything. You can make up some story about having to increase his income to keep him because some other school gave him an opportunity with a raise." Naruto's voice had went quiet with the seriousness of the situation.

"And how do you expect me to take money from my school to give a raise to him?" Her voice was incredulous.

"I'll pay it. With my trust. I can use it now; I've turned eighteen, which was the age my parents requested. Have him give it back to you in cash, let him keep it, I don't care. Just don't dishonor him...he is the best man I have ever met. Consider it hush money." Naruto's eyes shone with earnestness.

"And Jiraiya?" Lady Tsunade asked after mulling the idea for a few moments.

"He already knows about me and Kakashi. I'll explain to him; he's already told me that I could see Kakashi."

Lady Tsunade looked at the two men. Kakashi spoke, "M'lady, you can't ser..."

"You. Have no room to speak, the position you have put me in. I can do whatever I like." She snapped to Kakashi, silencing him. Turning to Naruto, "I like Naruto's suggestion. However, I have a couple of ... conditions." Naruto and Kakashi looked at the blonde haired woman with the angry eyes. "Naruto, you stay at least one more week...no need for you to leave right as this news erupts...no need to make people talk. However, the out of class contact ends now. In addition, I had better not see you here for at least two years...you showing up and starting a relationship with Kakashi right after you graduate would do nothing but dig up old rumors. You do those two things, and I will agree to your proposition."

Naruto nodded without hesitation. Lady Tsunade agreed, shaking Naruto's hand. "We've reached an agreement. Kakashi, you may return to the classroom. Naruto, you need to stay here for a bit more. Dismissed, Kakashi-sensei." Numbly, Kakashi got up and walked out, his world crumbling more around him.