Absolved.

What Goes Around..

[Song: Sucker For Pain - Imagine Dragons]

The mission was entirely uneventful, and after a full day and a night with all of these kids.. I was exhausted. I couldn't understand why Tsunade had wanted an Anbu escort to go along with the group when they already had Team Asuma.

I was so relieved to see the village gates when we got back, I practically ran to the desk to sign in.

"Hey Suna!" Konohamaru called out to me as Iruka walked them back to the school to be picked up. "You're the best! When I am Hokage I want you to be my personal guard okay?"

I laughed and waved at him, realising he was like a tiny Naruto.

"Looks like you've made an impression on my nephew." Asuma laughed.

"He's a good kid." I smiled. "When he's not drawing on our faces while we sleep."

He groaned, rolling his eyes as he lit his first smoke in 24 hours. "Good thing I brought that soap."

He called over to Shikamaru and Choji who were at a snack stand, and waved Ino over from the gate where she was fixing a little girls hair. "Let's go pay Kakashi a visit."

Just hearing his name made me smile, and Asuma definitely noticed with the cheeky grin he gave me.

It was a pretty short walk to the hospital, I was trying not to bounce all the way over. It was strange, last time I'd been in this village everything had seemed so dark, so wrong.. It was different now, somehow..

"How are you feeling today Kakashi?" Asuma slid open the door to the room.

"Asuma Sensei! You really should try knocking first you know?" Ino scolded him.

"What's up guys?" Choji said through a mouthful of chips.

I tuned out, and my lighthearted mood vanished as I peeked around them and saw who was standing in Kakashi's room with Naruto and Sakura.

He had grown up as well over the last few years, but I recognized him just the same.. That dead, robotic expression that had always been on his face..

"Hello there." Riku said with a smile..

A smile? I'd never seen him smile in the few years I'd spent on Hex's team with him.

Kakashi noticed me glaring at the boy and raised a questioning eyebrow. I balled my hands into fists and shook my head.

Had Baki been right about Danzo wanting revenge? Was Riku here for me?

"My name is Sai, feel free to be casual." Riku spoke again, pulling me out of my own thoughts.

I'd briefly heard them talking about Naruto, Riku.. Well Sai.. And Shikamaru getting into a fight or something.. Apparently Ri- Sai was now a part of Team Kakashi.

My stomach turned.

I should be happy, Naruto is back again and Kakashi is in better shape then when I left.. But instead, my past had to come back up.

"Kairi, are you okay?" Kakashi asked me as Ino and Sakura whispered to each other about the new teammate.

I realised that everyone else had settled in around the room while I had stayed outside the doorway. I turned from Kakashi to Sai, who was now looking at me with the same confused look I was giving him.

I ignored him, going to stand by Kakashi's bedside without saying anything.

I heard Shikamaru comment on Naruto missing out on becoming a chunin again and tuned myself into their conversation.