The Vows - Part 2

Lina watched Kakashi bite down on the cyanide pill from a screen that connected the living world to the dead, and she turned to the gates of Heaven. Moments later, Kakashi appeared on the outside, walking slowly. He neared the gates, which automatically opened for one of the finest shinobi the world had ever seen, and Kakashi squinted his eyes in the bright light.

Where was he? This was different from when Pain had killed him. This was brightness, sheer happiness. Was this heaven? Could he dare to hope? Kakashi blinked in the brightness and his eyes slowly adjusted. He looked around, seeing clouds, gold plated everything, wealth beyond belief. But instead of focusing on any of that, he saw the one person he'd hoped would be here.

"Lina." She looked as beautiful as always, but even more so in the glory of heaven. Her hair was down, she was in a white flowing dress, and her eyes. His favorite feature aside from her hair. They lit up as the two made eye contact. Kakashi hesitantly walked a few steps towards her, but stopped. Could he talk to her? Did he really deserve to? But he needn't have worried. Lina ran to him, a bright smile on her face, and hugged him tight.

"Kakashi." Lina said softly, knowing exactly what was on his mind. It had been on hers too. Even after years of being with Hatori, who was so good to her and kind and perfect, Lina had never felt the same passion as she did for Kakashi. They were, as they said, star-crossed lovers.

Kakashi reached around and held her tight, his chest bursting. This was real, wasn't it? Lina tilted her head up and smiled. "Yes, Kashi. This is real." Kakashi looked down at her and caressed her cheek.

"I love you, Lina-ko." The term of endearment slipped from his tongue as easily as it always had, and Lina's gaze softened.

"I know. And you don't need forgiveness here. Here, it's just you and me, unless that's not what you want." A momentary relapse of hesitation came into Lina's voice, but Kakashi worked quickly to quash it.

"I don't want anything but you." Kakashi bent down to kiss Lina, but she quickly pulled away, taking his hand and leading him further into Heaven.

"Not here. Come, let's go home." She led him down the streets, and slowly he began to recognize where they were. It was a recreation of a time when they were happiest. Their home. Kakashi's pace slowed as they reached the house, and he stopped, making her stop as well.

"What is it, love?" Lina asked, and Kakashi's heart thumped at the term. He shook his head, swallowing hard. "I can't go in there. I don't deserve to." He turned away, unable or unwilling to look at his faults. Lina's gaze softened in understanding and she pulled him forward instead.

"Kashi, come."

"No, Lina-"

"Just come." Lina pulled him up the stone garden path and into the house. It was just like reality. Except…

"Hey. You made it." Asuma sat in the living room. Minato came in from the study on the right, and Kushina barrelled into him with a shriek. Sakumo waved as he popped his head from the doorway leading into the kitchen, and Obito walked up the stairs to see what all the fuss was about, a smirk on his face when he saw who it was, and he turned his head back to talk to Rin, who came up after him. Everyone was here.

"Wait. There's one more." Lina said softly, and pointed down the hall to the opening door. A woman with fair skin and black hair, kind eyes paused when she saw him, and her face lit up. She slowly walked to him, drying her hands.

"Kakashi-kun."

That voice. Kakashi recognized it even after all these years. "Kaa-chan?" Kakashi whispered, and he walked to her. He was taller than her, but not by much. She was beautiful, and smelled just like he remembered, even after so long. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, and felt her reciprocate. He turned his gaze to meet his father's before he bent down to rest his cheek on her shoulder.

"You've grown up so well, Kakashi-kun." Hatake Yuzuna said, stroking her son's back. This was a long time coming. "Your wife told me so much about you. Your friends too."

"Ex-wife, Zuna-chan." Sakumo corrected, but Kakashi shook his head.

"No, wife." He released his mother and turned to Lina, taking her hand. "She's my wife."

Lina looked into Kakashi's eyes and smiled. "If it's what you want."

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't you want it?" He watched Lina bend her head down to hide her expression and he tilted her chin up. He didn't care if he needed to work for the rest of his...death, but he would make sure that she never felt embarrassed or scared of her feelings towards him ever again. "No, love. Chin up for me. Tell me, what do you want?"

Lina looked up at the love of her life. "All I ever wanted was you."

Kakashi nodded and pulled her to him. "You have me. For the rest of our lives-forever. I will never make the same mistake again." He felt Lina's hands reach up and grip his shinobi shirt, and he tightened his hold on her. "I love you, Lina."

Lina nodded into his chest, saying nothing. Kakashi broke away and pulled his mask down. Here, it didn't matter who saw his face. Something that had meant so much to him before meant nothing now. He looked at Lina with a naked face, baring his soul, and asked, "Do-can you still love me?"

Lina looked up at him and nodded. "Always." Kakashi reached up to take her hands in his. "Say it." He pleaded, and Lina bit her lip, a soft blush dusting her face. Her eyes darted around the room at the amused faces, but Kakashi stepped forward so that all she could see was him. "Please, my love." Lina bent her head down and rested her forehead against his chest, nodding slightly.

"I love you, you silly silly man." Lina said half-jokingly as her voice choked up, and Kakashi pulled her into a kiss. Obito whooped as Asuma clapped, and Rin and Kushina grinned, the latter nudging her husband. Kakashi felt the main door open and a familiar chakra entered into the room.

"Hey, I'm back." Shiranui Genma walked in carrying groceries, and Kakashi saw the recognition hit him before he smirked. "Late as always, Hatake."

"Genma." Kakashi stepped away from Lina and brought Genma into a hug.

"Hayate'll be glad to see you. Yugao's here too."

"Everyone?" Kakashi was dazed at the fact that he could see everyone again, but before he could get over it, the door opened again.

"Lina-chan, come on, we're going to be late!" A trio of teens and a lone jounin walked in. Lina quickly pulled him over to make introductions.

"Guys, hang on. There's someone I want you to meet. This is Kakashi."

Kakashi felt the air cool quickly as the boy walked up to him. "You're Hatake Kakashi?" Kakashi nodded.

Souta looked Kakashi up and down for a moment before holding out his hand. "Thanks for taking care of my girl."

Kakashi stiffened at the sentence and his eyes darted over to Lina, who was rolling her eyes as she blushed. He looked back at the teen and said evenly, "She's my wife. Not your girl."

"Ah, but you divorced her, and went off chasing some other girl-"

"Souta!" Lina protested. Kakashi felt Genma and Asuma step forward but all he could pay attention to was the name Lina had called out. Souta…

"You're Souta."

Souta looked back at Kakashi and saw the recognition. "Yes I am. And if you know my name then you know that she was my girl first." There was no bite to his bark, but the intention was clear. Kakashi felt his back straighten and his gaze hardened.

"Alright, enough. Hanabi, Aoi, Tamaki-sensei, I'm going to take a rain check, okay? Kakashi's here, and he needs to get settled in, same as I did. Souta, stop glaring at him." Lina clapped her hand and broke up the argument as easily as she broke up schoolyard fights. Souta flashed her a smile and nodded. "I told you he'd come around, remember?"

"Yes, yes." Lina mock-sighed.

"Come around?" Kakashi asked, and Lina looked down at her feet to hide her embarrassed face. Souta stepped in to explain.

"When she nearly died before, with the piece of work Danzo? We met her before, and I told her to go back to you because she deserved happiness, and you could give it to her." Kakashi felt a mixture of guilt and happiness at the thought, and Souta promptly punched him in the jaw.

"That's for making me think I was wrong." And then he punched Kakashi in the stomach. "And that's for being so damned late in realizing your mistake."

Lina rushed over to Kakashi and glared at Souta. "Kakashi! Souta, that was unnecessary."

"No, he's right. I deserved that." Kakashi choked out, and Lina led him to their couch. Asuma left the seat to stand against the wall as he lit a cigarette, the rest of the group broken up in small circles around the living room. Lina sat down next to Kakashi and carefully checked his jaw.

"Are you alright?"

Kakashi found himself remembering a familiar scene and decided to give it a try. "I will be if you kiss me." He smirked at the knowledge that Lina was probably blushing red right now, and sure enough, he saw her face turn a familiar shade of pink. Lina bit her lip and lightly shoved his shoulder. "Well, looks like you're fine." She stood up, glaring at Genma who was doing an excellent job of not hiding his smirk whatsoever, but Kakashi stood up and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

Lina felt her body go rigid, and she pushed him away. Kakashi paused, his arm loosening from her, and looked down, but grinned knowingly at the dusting of pink on her cheeks that slowly spread to her ears. He reached down and held her hand instead. "Maa, this will just have to do." He smiled softly at her, his heart warming when she smiled back and leaned into him.

Kakashi glanced around the apartment at the people who had shaped his life, and he leaned back on the sofa in contentment. He was home.

- to be continued

Author's Note: Whelp, I have no excuses. I've been gone for 2 years. 2 YEARS?! Yep, no excuse, you guys deserve more than that. To give you guys a quick update on me (in case you're curious at all), I went back to school, finished school, and am currently in post-graduate school finishing up my first year. To top it off, I'm an international student, so that's fun. I have been wanting to get back to writing ever since I stopped, but life just got in the way. 2 very competitive programs = a very stressed out Chibi Hina-chan!

Oh and did I mention? I'M GETTING MARRIED! Soon…ish. It's complicated. But yes, that's the short rundown on me, but more importantly….

How was this chapter? It's definitely something that I was toying with in my mind ever since the first chapter of The Vows. Things aren't quite as peachy in Heaven, are they? I'm going to be writing a couple of chapters more along this storyline, just to round off the story. I could end it here, but it somehow seems unfinished.

And speaking of unfinished! Coming Home is going to be updated soon! I'm getting back in the zone of writing, but can't quite do it yet! For one, I'm in the middle of exam prep. For another, my notes and the parts of the chapter that I have already written are back home in Canada, so I'm stuck here without my material. But never fear! I will return!

As a side note, I do plan on revamping the story once it's over (eventually). It's riddled with spelling and grammar errors, and sometimes rather unpoetic writing. I'm sure you all can see the difference from where it began to how far it's come.

In any case! I hope you enjoyed this installment of The Vows, and stay tuned for more Coming Home news! (and please wish me luck on my exams, ne?)

Hina