Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

The final chapter!

Chapter 5

Sasuke and Naruto walked down the hall in silence. Neither could believe what had happened tonight. Kakashi was always the strong one, someone they looked up to when they were unsure of themselves or going through a rough time. Now, here he was in the hospital because of wounds he inflicted on himself. Where was the strong mentor that they could count on now? Sasuke shook his head in frustration. He couldn't let the anger he was feeling take over him now. Sakura needed them both for support. He couldn't even imagine what she was going through now. He stopped and took a few deep breaths so he could clear the anger he was feeling. When he opened his eyes, he found Naruto staring at him with concern.

"Don't worry, dobe, I'm not going to lose it. At least not now, not in the hospital," he informed Naruto.

Naruto weakly smiled at his friend. Sasuke was known for his quick temper and he worried that his best friend would lose it now. It was good to see Sasuke using the techniques that Tsunade showed him to calm himself after he came back to the village. Sasuke's temper had been much worse when he finally came home. From the stories the Uchiha had confided in him about his time away from the village, the raven-haired nin was justified with his anger. Naruto's thoughts went to Sakura and how she was feeling right now. All he could think of was the sadness that she must be feeling. In a million years, he would never have thought that Kakashi would do this to himself. After all the man had been through, this was the last thing that Naruto had expected him to do. Turning to Sasuke, he reminded him that they needed to check in on Sakura to make sure that she was okay and to ask if she needed anything. The raven haired man nodded and sullenly made his way down the hall with his friend.

Sakura was still curled up next to Kakashi in the bed when she heard the knock at the door. When she looked up, she saw Naruto and Sasuke in the doorway. Both of them hugged her as she came up to greet them. The tears spilled from her eyes as the two men held her. Sakura was a passionate person, fiercely protecting the ones she loved. It would be awhile before the tears would stop.

As she composed herself, Sakura thanked her friends for being there for her family. "Is there anything we can do for you right now?" the blond asked.

She slowly shook her head no. They would need to wait to see what Kakashi's mental state was when he regained consciousness. "We are her for you if you need anything," Sasuke said quietly, "All you need to do is ask."

"Thanks guys," Sakura whispered.

Naruto told her that they would watch over Obito while she was here in the hospital with Kakashi. Sasuke gave her the letter that Tsunade gave him to deliver to Sakura. It was the letter that Tsunade had received from Pakkun. Smiling, she thanked them again and the two men left the room.

Sakura made her way back to the chair that was besides the bed. She debated whether to read the letter again or not. Part of her wanted to know why he did this to himself and their family, and the other part wanted to pound him into next week. Why did he feel the need to end his life? They had a child now and Obito's needs should come first. What was he thinking? The tears started to flow down her cheeks again as the sadness and frustration surged within her. She had to get herself together so she could help him recover when he woke. Not knowing what his mental state would be, she had to prepare for the worst. Slowly, she opened the letter and read it again looking for any clues to help her understand what was going on in his head. Hopefully she could formulate a plan to help him heal.

Three days had gone by, and Tsunade told Sakura that today she would release the sleep jutsu that she had placed on Kakashi. His wounds were well healed and he was out of danger of reopening them. Tsunade couldn't guess what his mental state would be when he regained consciousness. According to what Genma had told her when he brought him in, Kakashi was extremely angry that his plan had been foiled. She prepared Sakura for the possibility that Kakashi would be in the same mood when he awoke.

Sakura told Tsunade that she had spoken to Genma a few times during the last couple of days so she could prepare for the worst. The pink-haired medic told her that she was ready for whatever mood he would be in when he awakened.

Tsunade stared at Sakura to see if her apprentice was mentally ready to deal with her disturbed mate. The look of determination on her face convinced Tsunade that Sakura was ready to help Kakashi any way she could. Sakura was a strong woman and she had every confidence that she would help Kakashi through this dark time in his life. Tsunade also noted that Sakura had dealt with her emotions so she could be the most effective in Kakashi's recovery. Nodding, Tsunade made her way to Kakashi's bedside and undid the jutsu.

Both women stared down at his sleeping form waiting for a reaction. The calm and peaceful look on his face faded and was replaced by a look of pain. Sakura looked at her mentor to see her reaction.

"It may take a while for him to wake fully, but I can't take away any of the emotional pain he is feeling," the Hokage said softly. "Kakashi needs to deal with it in order to heal properly." Tsunade gently patted Sakura's back in support, and told her to summon her if she needed anything as she made her way out the door of the room.

Sakura sat down besides the man she loved, patiently waiting for him to arouse. In her mind, she ran through all of the situations that she had thought up during the days of his recovery so she would be ready. Looking at the picture of Obito, she vowed that she would bring his dad back to him, whole again. She gently caressed the picture of her son, missing him. Kakashi needed to get better soon so she could take care of their child.

Hours went by, and Kakashi hadn't roused. He had been tossing and turning while mumbling about the agony he was in. It tore at Sakura's heart to hear him in so much pain. A lot of the ranting was about her and Obito, and how he had failed them both. Sasuke, Naruto, Genma, and Shizune had stopped in to check on her. All of them were concerned and wanted to make sure that she felt their support. She quietly thanked them all and was thankful that she had so many people that she could count on during this difficult time. Sakura made her way to the open window to contemplate the events of the last month. The sun was bright and it was a beautiful day. She hoped that she could help Kakashi appreciate the beauty in life again so they could finally get on with their lives.

Kakashi was in a thick fog and was desperately trying to get out. He was plagued with thoughts of the people that he loved, especially Sakura and Obito. In his mind, he told himself that this is what he deserved by taking the coward's way out of this horrible situation. His father had visited him and was saddened by his choice of running out on his family, just like he did. He took the burden of the legacy he had left Kakashi by not being strong enough to weather through the difficult times in his life and the decision to end it all instead of being there for his son. Kakashi tried to assure his father that the fault lay solely with him by the choice he rashly made, but his father wouldn't hear his explanations.

Kakashi wondered if this was the hell he was destined to live in the afterlife by the choice that he had mistakenly made. Sasuke and Naruto had lost another father figure again by his actions. How would that impact them both being fathers in the future?

And Genma, what about him? Genma tried to stop him from making the worst mistake of his life. Sure, Genma had comrades die beside him in battle, but this was different. Kakashi had knowingly taken his life. Would Genma mentally persecute himself for not being there a few minutes earlier to stop him from taking his life?

His thoughts then turned to his own infant son. Obito would never know his father. Did he damn him to the same tortured legacy? Kakashi painfully thought of all the milestones that he would miss in the boy's life and wondered who would be there to support the boy, besides Sakura. Sure, their friends would help but it would be the same as having a father there to guide and protect him. And Sakura, who would be there for her? Naruto and Sasuke were both married and would have families of their own. They wouldn't turn their backs on her, but it wouldn't be the same as someone being there to support her during the bad times. Would she just settle on just anyone so she wouldn't be alone? Or would she be haunted by his memory and live the rest of her life alone, scarred?

Kakashi chastised himself for being so stupid and selfish. All he had thought of was himself and his pain. He never thought of what kind of legacy he would leave behind and how it would affect everyone else. If only he could go back and undo all the hurt he had selfishly inflicted. Even though he was dead, he needed to try to help his close friends and loved ones survive the aftermath of his foolish decision. He didn't care what kind of hell that he had to endure, if only if he could make things right for all of them.

Kakashi struggled to find his way out of the fog. During his struggle, Obito, Rin, and the 4th Hokage met up with him. Kakashi fell to his knees, hanging his head in shame, and begged for their forgiveness for messing up so badly. Rin gently kneeled down beside him, kissed his cheek, and hugged him tightly. All of them told him that he was human, and they weren't ashamed of him. They all wished that he had made a better choice, but they understood the pain he was in.

"Kakashi," the 4th Hokage said as he comforted him, "you should never give up on life. Your friends and family are there to help you through the bad times. You need to have confidence in their strength and love, if you are lucky enough to receive another chance at life."

Kakashi looked up at his mentor with tears in his eyes and promised that he would.

Obito put out his hand to help his friend up. "We will always be there right beside you to help you, baka," the Uchiha promised. They all smiled at him as the silvered-hair ninja composed himself. Thanking them again, he took off running through the fog to try to make his way back to the ones he loved.

Sakura heard Kakashi moan and went to the bedside. There were tears streaming down his face. She was shocked about what she was witnessing and wondered if he was in physical pain. Quickly, she assessed his physical condition. The only thing she found was his cerebral functions were in overdrive. 'Is he having a nightmare?' she wondered to herself, trying to decide what to do next. While she was considering what to do, Kakashi started screaming.

"SAKURA! SAKURA! Please forgive me!" he pleaded.

Shocked, tears rolled down her face. "Kashi, KASHI! Wake up!"

Kakashi sat up suddenly and was blinded by the bright, white light. He frantically looked around trying to get his bearings and figure out where he was now. He could have sworn that he heard Sakura's voice, but wasn't sure. As he looked around, he found her staring at him with tears in her eyes. Kakashi's eyes were dilated with surprise as he grabbed her to make sure that she was real and to prevent her from leaving his side again.

"Kashi…Kashi, too tight," she gasped.

"Are you really here? Is it really you, Sakura? Please tell me that it's really you, please," he cried as he loosened his grip.

"Ssshhh, it's okay. I'm here, you're not alone. Everything will be okay," she said as she gathered him into her embrace and comforted him. He looked like a lost child panicked by a bad dream.

Soon Kakashi calmed down, but was still disoriented. He wouldn't let go of Sakura because he was afraid that he would lose her again. Sakura patiently sat on the side of the bed as he settled down. Whatever he had experienced had frightened him severely. She had never seen him like this in all of the time that she knew him, which disturbed her. She sighed inwardly, trying to be patient as he reoriented himself. At least he wasn't angry, she thought to herself, but prepared if his mood switched.

Kakashi couldn't believe that he was still alive and Sakura was at his side. He deserved a lot worse for what he had done and was waiting to see if this was some type of cruel test. His thoughts turned to what he had promised his mentor and friends. There was no way he would mess up this chance even if he thought that he didn't deserve it. His friends and loved ones deserved a better life and he was going to make sure that they received it, no matter what. He knew that they would be infuriated with him eventually, and he mentally made himself ready to bear the weight of their wrath.

He looked up at his angel that was sitting beside him and pulled her into his embrace. Sakura gasped with surprise when he passionately kissed her and apologized for his stupidity. Kakashi held her tight and told her how important she was to him. Gazing into her eyes, he promised to never leave her again. Sakura broke down and sobbed into his chest, happy that her fool realized the magnitude of what he almost accomplished.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Genma were walking up to the door of Kakashi's room when they heard Sakura start sobbing. The three of them burst in the room only to find Kakashi holding Sakura tight, with tears in both of their eyes. The three men were shocked to see what was happening. As soon as Sakura calmed herself, Kakashi apologized to his shocked friends and begged their forgiveness. Naruto smiled and told his sensei that all was forgiven with him as long as he didn't do it again.

Sasuke just stared at his mentor, unsure of how to feel. Part of him wanted to punch him for being so stupid, but the rational side of him knew that it wouldn't help the situation. "Hnnn," Sasuke complained, "you're such a pain in the ass. I'll forgive you if you promise that you will talk with one of us before you do something stupid again!"

Kakashi promised that he would never do anything to hurt himself or them again. "I hope not," Sasuke grumbled, "You're starting to act worse than the dobe over there and I don't have time to babysit anyone else."

Everyone laughed, except Naruto. He glared at Sasuke for a few minutes, and then smiled. Naruto knew that Sasuke loved him like a brother and wouldn't tease him unless he really cared.

Kakashi asked for some time alone so he could talk to Genma but told Sakura not to stray too far. The threesome made their exit so the two friends could talk.

"Genma," Kakashi sighed heavily, "I owe you an apology. I'm sorry I was such an ass and put you in such a terrible position. Thank you for stopping me from making the biggest mistake of my life. I'll never be able to thank you enough."

Genma stared at his friend. He pinched himself to make sure he was hearing right. Kakashi never apologized for anything. He looked closely at his silvered-haired friend's head trying to see if he hit his head or something, but didn't find any bruises or cuts. "Tsk, you're a pain, Hatake," he joked, "but I'm glad you're back. You really had me worried there for a while. If you ever do that again, I'll…I'll…hmmm…I'll kill you myself!"

Both men laughed together, happy that the situation didn't turn out for the worse. Kakashi became serious and told his friend of his adventure in the fog. Genma listened intently, amazed of the insight his friend had obtained through his ordeal. After Kakashi's tale was done, the two men sat there quiet, reflecting on what had transpired.

"Kakashi," Genma finally said.

"What?"

"You know, you owe me big time now," Genma teased as Kakashi groaned.

"Yeah, I know," Kakashi playfully admitted. 'More than you could ever know, my friend, more than you could ever know.'

3 years later

Obito raced past his mother at break neck speed, with his puppy at his side. He was trailing his father that was hidden in the trees behind their home. "There he is!" the young boy screeched as the ninken lunged at their prey. As soon as the puppy grabbed his foot, the figure poofed in a cloud of smoke and a log appeared. The young boy moaned when he saw that his father used a substitution jutsu to thwart his capture.

Kakashi came out behind the trees chuckling at his son's disappointment. "That was much better, Obito. You almost had me," he said as he messed his son's silver hair.

The young boy smiled as he looked up at his father. Kakashi told Obito to go practice with his shiriken while he checked in on Sakura. Obito happily took off to practice on the tree with the target that his father had set up for him. Kakashi walked over to his wife who was nursing their daughter. The sunlight in her pink hair looked like a halo. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek, not wanting to disturb them. Sitting beside her, he reached down and kissed the newborn's fuzzy pink head. Taking her small hand, Rin wrapped her fist around his finger as she ate contently. "Another beautiful day," he smiled at his wife. "Getting used to being a mother again?" he teased.

Sakura smiled and assured him that she was, even with the 2 a.m. feedings. Kakashi pulled her into his arms and held his two girls, thankful that he was there to experience the joy with them both. As they watched their son hit the bull's eye, both were glad that they were a family. Kakashi kissed Sakura's head and thanked her for giving him two beautiful children. She smiled and leaned into his embrace.

Looking to the blue sky, he thanked his father, all of his friends, and his mentor for making him realize that there is more to life, and what really matters is being loved and appreciating the special people around you.

Thanks for all of the reviews and to all the people following this story! I appreciate all of your support!