[43] Sibling

Kagami stayed silent for almost an hour. Yua changed her clothes back to her simple ninja clothing once the Anbu had turned their back. She spent the hour with tears pouring from her eyes and her chakra fluctuating between dangerously low and extremely high. Every time a boom or growl was heard, Yua would surge chakra into the girl forcibly, urging her to go to the Tailed Beasts. But she couldn't move.

And she still can't.

Her body aches all over. The adrenaline wore off almost as soon as she laid herself down and now each movement seems to cause unnecessary amounts of pain. She watches the sky quietly as people rush past her and try to help the Hokage and to revive him. Each and every time she would tell them it's impossible, that he sold his soul to save theirs.

Yet each and every time they would ignore her and would deplete their chakra on the corpse. Kagami glances to her left to see another medical Nin heading over and shakes her head. She pushes her broken hand against the broken tiles and sits herself up.

She uses the extreme chakra from Yua and stands, picking up her fallen leader as the Nin approach.

"Hey! You could be causing more damage! Put him down!" Kagami snaps her gaze to the woman who spoke and glares her down.

"For the past hour, no one has listened to me and you have all continued to dishonour our leader's corpse. It would seem I am the only person here that wants to help him keep his dignity." Kagami falls forward off the edge of the roof, hoping she can make it to the ground before it makes it to her.

She lands haphazardly, stumbling and wavering, the body seemingly getting heavier by the second. She tries to walk forward but her knee buckles, causing her to kneel. She grunts and forces herself up again. Walking towards the group of Joinn who are sitting calmly next to each other, checking for wounds.

They seem to ignore her, thinking she is just another person rushing around diligently to find something to do.

"Brother," The heads turn to see the small girl holding tightly onto the Hokage's corpse with her life, "Help me, please. It hurts."

Kakashi doesn't take time to react like the others do, he just shoots forward and grabs onto the body in his sisters arms and passes it to the passing hospital group who go into shock immediately. They thank Kakashi before sprinting off with the body on a stretcher, screaming for a med team.

"Why?" Kagami's eyes fill with tears again, "Why won't they understand that he isn't coming back? Stupid emotional civillians."

Kakashi grabs his sister by the shoulders and stares into her eyes, her hair still collected in burnt and cut buns atop of her head.

"Kagami, what happened? Why are you crying?" Kakashi is uneasy, he had never seen her show much emotion, let alone cry in front of people.

She shakes her head and falls forward into his grasp, her body giving up on supporting her once again. Her hand starts to throb, her heartbeat in her ears and drowning out the world completely.

"Hey, Kagami?" Kakashi looks down at his sister, worry in his voice. "Kagami?"

He watches as her eyes droop and close, her breathing slowing and her heartbeat becoming dull.

"Kagami?" Kakashi stares at his sister, disbelief in his eyes.

She's not going to die, no she can't. She is the Kagami Hatake. Heads turn towards the siblings as their world seems to stop. A medical group starts to advance to the two as Kagami's head lulls back, falling lifelessly against her brother's shoulder. The medical team sprints forward, panic rising in the area. They ask Kakashi to lay his sister down but he doesn't respond, he just stares at her face.

Asuma rushes forward, tears evident in his eyes and grabs Kakashi, helping Kagami to the floor. He may have lost his father today but he will not lose his friend again. He holds onto the silver-haired males shoulder, making sure he stays conscious.

"Kakashi-sensei! What's going . . . ." Sakura's voice trails off, "On . . . ?"

Ino who is standing beside her processes the information faster than her, her hands flinching to her face and a gasp leaving her lips. Sakura's head tilts sideways as she stares at the top of Kagami's head. Her brain wouldn't process the information.

'Kagami? Kagami that has a fix to everything? Unbeatable Kagami? Is dead?'

That's when it hits her, her head shaking back and forth as she stares at her teammate.

"No," tears raise to her eyes, "No, not possible."

Kurenai steps forward and grabs both the girls by the shoulders and pulls them away from the sight, making sure they can't see her.

"We need another medical team in here, do you copy? Patient, Kagami Hatake, is no longer showing life signs. We need another medical team." One of the women who had asked Kakashi to lay his sister down is speaking into a headset, her eyes dark and serious. She glances around looking for help, many people have gone to follow the Hokage meaning that not many people are left around the area.

"Pick her up," she stares at Kakashi, "Pick her up and sprint to the hospital, I'll be behind you."

Kakashi doesn't protest, he just picks up the disappears, almost instantly appearing within the hospital. He doesn't wait for the doctor to appear, he just races through the crowd of injured and wounded, straight to the operating theater, he has walked the path towards it too many times to count.

He tries to find one that doesn't have the red light on, but seems to have to wait.

s.h.o.u.t.

Three hours, three hours in the waiting room. They had taken Kagami within ten minutes, but she hadn't come out yet. Naruto and Sasuke have both also been taken into emergency. Sakura was taken in for a check up only suffered head injuries and was ordered to stay awake for the night.

Kakashi leans his head back against the wall lightly, he had tried to distract himself by reading Icha-Icha Paradise but he couldn't seem to get his head around it. Kagami and the Third Hokage should have been more than enough to take down the rogue Sanin. Had someone interfered? Was she hadicapped in some way? Did the Hokage order her to stand down? Did she follow those orders?

Kakashi sighs lightly, checking the halls for anyone he knew. His eyes train on his one and only 'arch nemesis' Might Gai. The green spandex clad man walks straight towards him, smiling brightly and flashing a peace sign.

"How are you my youthful friend?" He sits down next to him, his smile not wavering even at the sight of his friends pale and tired face.

"Kagami is still in the theatre, I'm just waiting." Kakashi looks away from Gai and at the white door that seems to never open.

"It's okay, by the power of youthfulness she shall make it through, just like Lee did!" Gai flashes a large thumbs up, earning the attention of many of the people also waiting for a verdict.

Kakashi's eye widens a little. He had forgotten about Lee. He is still sitting in the hospital after his fight with Gaara and Lee.

"If Kagami must stay in hospital after this, she can come and play shoji with Lee and I so she doesn't lose her youth!" Gai turns to the door as well, smiling at it brightly.

'After? He has every faith in her.'

"Gai, do you know much about Kagami?" Kakashi rolls his head to the side, hoping a conversation will distract him.

"No!" The man grins widely, "Only that Lee and Neji find her quite intimidating!"

Kakashi sweat drops at this. Neji Hyuga is probably one of the most intimidating genin there is. Always scowling and wanting to avenge his family line.

'Huh? Sasuke . . . ?'

Lee isn't too surprising though, he would probably break down if a flower died under his watch. Kakashi turns back to his friend.

"What do they say about her?"

"Hm? Well, one time Lee said she rejected his proposal of marriage and proceeded to trap him in a hole in the ground." Gai doesn't seem phased by this at all, he just receipts it as if it was common place, "Oh yes! And she threatened to rip out Neji's oesophagus if he hurt Hinata again, I believe it was because HInata was her only friend at the time."

Gai's smile widens and he gives Kakashi another thumbs up, "Does that help you Kakashi by friend?"

The said man is frozen pale against the wall, his hand covering his eye and his eyes wide.

'My sister is a murderer, I should sleep with my eyes open. She may come for me next.'

They are both brought out of their conversation as the white door opens. It creaks loudly and slowly, as if wanting to raise the anticipation. The doctor comes out, sweat rolling down his face and a tired look seemingly permanently pushed into his skin.

"You can see her now, she's asleep." He walks off down the hall, pulling off his doctors robe as he does, ready to sleep.

"I will go see Lee now!" Gai sprints off down the hall towards the patients who spend long periods of time at the hospital.

Kakashi stands quietly, shuffling in to see his sister. Her face looks peaceful in her sleep. The machine beeps loudly to remind him that she is indeed sleeping and not dead. He takes a second to register that her mask has been peeled off her face to reveal flawless skin.

She has almost no imperfections on her face, the only change in her skin is a light mark under her chin where her pale skin is a little tanner. Kakashi sits down on the chair next to the bed, his eyes examining any wounds. She has a bandaid on her cheek and head, and her arm is completely cast up.

He sighs for what seems the hundredth time that day. He pulls the blanket up and over her nose, hoping to save her any exposure. He isn't absolutely positive, but he gathers that she covers her face for many reasons. One being the same as his; she's beautiful. Kakashi had to cover his face so girls would stop following him around, and if Kagami took hers off, and if she was a little nicer, he is sure she would have the same problem.

It has also come to Kakashi's attention that Kagami's mother could still be alive. She would have to be different from his but he's sure that Kagami must have some clue as to who it is, even if it's just a face.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

He jumps out of his thoughts as the door opens to show Sakura standing with Ino. He gives her a confused look.

"What are you going here, it's getting late?"

Sakura sighs and walks over, flowers in hand, "I'm not allowed to sleep so I got some flowers and came over. I'm going to visit Naruto and Sasuke after this."

Kakashi nods and points to the two chairs on the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry!" The two jump suddenly, scared by the sudden outburst of the now short-haired blonde.

Kakashi's eyes trail to her. She is bowing with flowers also in her hands, tears splashing against the floor.

"I'm sorry I was mean to her! I hope she gets better soon!" Ino thrusts out the flowers in front of her, holding them to Kakashi.

He smiles slightly and grabs them, placing them on the bedside table.

"Sit down Ino, I'm sure she will forgive you."

Ino looks up in shock, she wasn't expecting hospitality from the man, she thought he would be angry with her. But she nods and grabs her own chair and places it next to Sakura's, sitting down quietly.

"Will she be okay?" She whispers quietly as Sakura fills a vase with water from the bathroom.

Kakashi nods, "I'm sure she will."

"She's strong," Ino mumbles, tracing the wrappings on her face.

Sakura comes back with a vase holding both flowers from Ino and herself, arranged nicely.

"After all Kakashi-sensei," she places the vase down and takes her seat, smiling at the man, "She is your sibling."

s.h.o.u.t.

I know, sad and bleh. But whatevs, it will be happier soon.

question of the chapter!

what's your favourite anime? 

let's see if we can have a conversation about it, I have so many.

~shadow