Kakashi Hatake stared down with confusion at the small bundle occupying the space in front of his door. He looked down the hallway - left and right - of the floor his room was situated on. There was no one in sight. He listened carefully for the sound of footsteps but found that there were none. With a sigh, he glanced back down at the bundle and weighed his options. He could leave the thing out in the hallway and hope someone took it, or he could take it in to his room and try to figure out what was going on. Seeing as he was a curious person, Kakashi picked the thing up and brought it into his room.

He made his way into the small living space and placed the bundle on his black couch before he unwrapped the unexpected 'gift'. His eyes grew wide and his mouth popped open underneath his black mask when he caught a glimpse of the thing inside. Well, it wasn't a thing but a baby. A little baby about five months old with a head full of black and silver hair and dark eyes stared up at him with a calm expression. He was surprised he never picked up a chakra signature from her little form. Judging by the light pink blanket the baby had been swaddled in, it was a girl. Crumpled up next to the baby girl was a note. Kakashi picked it up and opened it, smoothing out the wrinkles so he could read it easier.

Kakashi,

This was definitely unexpected. We only shared a night together, yet we still made a little

miracle. Alas, I cannot keep her. My parents were quite unforgiving when they found out that I

was pregnant. They wanted me to marry an important man within the clan and have a family

with him, not get knocked up by a strange ninja from a feuding land.

I was forced to hide my pregnancy from everyone and delivered this little girl in secret. I was

only given a few moments with her before she was ripped from my arms. They were going to

ship her off to some orphanage in another nation, but I begged and pleaded with them not to. I

gave them your name, I told them who you were so she could live a better life. I know how

those kids in those orphanages grow up, how they're treated. I refuse to allow her to grow up

like that - unloved, disciplined too hard, and cared for only because someone is getting money

out of it. I understand if you are upset. A baby was not what either of us wanted, what with our

profession. I only hope you can give her the love and attention that I cannot. Please give her the

love and attention she deserves.

Fear not, I have already named her, so you won't have to worry about that. Her name is Kokoro.

I didn't know if you wanted to give her your last name, so I just gave her mine. The choice is

yours.

Akane Yoshino

Kakashi was shocked to learn that the little girl in front of him - Kokoro - was his. He remembered Akane from a mission he had in Kirigakure. He was to guard her as she traveled back to her home from Konoha. He was only supposed to watch over her, but one night, Akane asked him to lay with her. She said she was lonely and wanted to experience something before she was to be married to an unknown man. One thing led to another and the two spent the night as lovers. It was just some harmless fun between two lonely people. Kakashi never thought a baby would come out of all of it.

Glancing back down at Kokoro lying on his couch, he picked her up awkwardly, not quite used to holding a baby. He started into her dark eyes that reminded him so much of his own. But there was more light in them. More innocence. She looked more like Akane, though. Kokoro's skin tone matched her mother's; a rich brown color. And her hair was the same shade of black - jet black - save for a few strands which held his silvery hair color. Her facial features so closely resembled Akane's, allowing Kakashi to conclude that she would be beautiful when she grew up.

Sighing into the black mask covering the bottom half of his face, Kakashi carefully sat down and thought about his options. He wasn't father material. He had just turned eighteen and was still an ANBU Black Ops. He didn't have time to take care of a child. Hell, he rarely had time to rest! There was no one to feed her, either. She was too young to eat any kind of real food, meaning she needed to be breastfed. He rubbed a hand down his face and slumped against the couch. He thought of his sensei, Minato Namikaze, and wondered what he would do in his situation. He thought back to Minato's son and how ashamed he felt for not keeping his promise by watching over him. How could he, though when the beast that had killed his sensei was now buried within the boy? Not to mention the fact that Kakashi was so swallowed up by self-pity and depression.

Kakashi saw how the villagers treated Naruto, how they treated orphans, in general. He didn't want Kokoro to have to experience that kind of pain and humiliation. He didn't want her to feel alone, like how he felt. He didn't want her to feel like no one was there for her. Standing up and making his way into his bedroom, he softly placed Kokoro on the bed and watched over her until she fell asleep a few minutes later. He left her there with one of his ninkens - Pakkun - as he went in search for someone to help him. He was dead tired - it was morning and he had just come back from a 5 day mission - but he was determined to take care of his daughter. He knew it wouldn't be an easy thing to do, but she was his and he protected what was his.

Kokoro threw the kunai, watching as it hit the target. Although it was stuck to the red and white board, it was not sitting in the middle circle. It was a few centimeters south of where Kokoro wanted it. She frowned. She sighed and walked over to where it was. She practiced for hours and still she couldn't get it to where she wanted it. She pulled it out, ready to mope back to the starting point when someone's hand came down hard on her head. She winced at the contact and scowled when it stayed there. She knew exactly who it was.

"Seriously, dad?" she asked him. Kakashi removed his hand from her head and used it to rub his head. A sheepish look overtook his features as his daughter stared up at him. He snatched the kunai from her hands, a sound of protest coming out of Kokoro's mouth as soon as it happened. He motioned for her to follow him back to her starting point and showed her how she should hold the kunai to throw it. Placing it in her hand, he motioned for her to throw it. Both of them watched as it sailed through the air and hit the center with a loud thunk! Kakashi smirked at her and motioned for her to grab it and throw it again. With a determined look upon her face, she threw it again. A frown marred her face. It hit the outside ring.

"You threw it wrong," Kakashi told her with a shake of his head. He ripped the kunai from its position and showed her how to throw it again. She threw it perfectly the first time, and wrong the second time. Kokoro growled in frustration and plopped onto the ground. Her arms were crossed as she stared out at the tree line in front of her.

"You keep reverting back to your form even though I've shown you the correct form. Why?" He, more or less, demanded an answer from her.

"Your way makes it harder to hold it," she complained. "My way makes it easier to hold it."

"Your way messes with the accuracy of the throw. If you want easy, then don't even bother training," he said dismissively. He watched her internally battle with herself for a moment before she rolled her eyes and got up from the ground. She held a hand out, waiting impatiently for the kunai to be in her possession. Kakashi chuckled as he slapped it in her hand and demonstrated the right form for her once more. He watched her watch him closely, intent on perfecting her throw. The next ten times the kunai hit the target with deadly precision. Kokoro clapped for her achievement and turned to her father with glee. He patted her on the shoulder and gave her his infamous eye smile. Satisfied, Kokoro finished her training for the day.

Kakashi led the two of them into their house, grabbing a glass of water for his daughter. He sat down at the table and watched as she gulped it down. She placed it on the table and sat opposite him. Kakashi studied his daughter before speaking. She was only four years of age, yet she was already so pretty. Her black hair had grown several inches, now laying past her shoulders in a tightly coiled pattern. There were more silver strands in her hair, most falling underneath the black strands. Her once dark eyes were slowly changing pigment; the area surrounding her pupils was a light gray leaking outwards into the blacks of her irises. Her eyelashes were long. Her lips a natural pink. Her face was surrounded by baby fat.

'Yes', Kakashi thought, 'she was going to be trouble when she was older.'

"So, what's up?" Kokoro asked. She knew he wanted to tell her something, but she was too impatient to stick around much longer to find out what it was. She wanted to go play outside. She always played tag and hide-and-seek with the other kids her age in the afternoons.

"I have a mission. One that requires me to leave Konoha for more than a week."

"Where are you going?"

"Sunagakure."

"Why?"

"The Hokage is trusting me with something important.''

"And you can't tell me what the mission is?"

"No. Hokage's orders."

"Where will I be staying? Can I come with you?"

"You'll be staying with Kurenai. No, you can't come."

"Why not?" Kokoro asked with a pout. Their conversations always went like this when Kakashi had to go on a mission. Kokoro needed to know this information - where he was going, why he was going, for how long he was going. It was for her sanity's sake. He was all she had, and at four years old, she already understood that. She didn't want to live a life without him, without family.

"Because I won't be able to take care of you while I'm there," Kakashi sternly said. He was not ready to have this conversation with her yet again.

"I won't cause trouble! Besides, I'm almost five!" she raised her voice as she held up five fingers. Her lips were jutted out and her dark eyebrows were furrowed.

"Koko-"

"Please, daddy," Kokoro pleaded as she got up from her seat and made her way over to him. She looked up at him with her big eyes and widened them ever so slightly so that they would start watering. Kakashi put his hands over his head and rubbed them in a downward motion. He wanted to give her what she wanted, but he needed to stay focused during his mission. It was very important.

Seeing as how her dad was not giving in to her, she muttered out a "whatever", eyes watering, and stalked out of the room. She was in her room for a split second before she re-entered the kitchen. After a snack and a water bottle was secured on her person, she left the house, slamming the door in the process. Kakashi let out the breath he was holding and let his head hang. He knew where she was going, so he wasn't worried her whereabouts. What he was worried about was how to please her and his Hokage. He knew that she couldn't get her way every time. He instilled that in her from the very beginning. But he hated when she was so upset with him. He knew that she just missed him.

He had just gotten back from a long mission. It really wasn't his fault, but he needed to take these missions so that the two of them could live comfortably. Besides, it was his duty as a leaf shinobi to serve the Hokage. While the war had already ended, there was still tension between the nations. He was needed at home with Kokoro, yes, but he was also needed on missions for the village.

Thinking on it a bit more, an idea struck. He stood up abruptly and headed for the Hokage's office. When he got there, he knocked on the Hokage's door, waiting to be called in. The sight that met him was normal; the Hokage was sitting at his desk, smoking a pipe. The Third Hokage was an older gentleman. Wrinkles were apart of his facial features, etched deep within his face, and he had a few liver spots dotted across his face. His hair was white with age and a knowing was buried deep within his eyes.

"Kakashi," was all he said as a greeting.

"Lord Third," Kakashi greeted. "I have a few questions about my upcoming mission."

The Third Hokage put down his pipe and stared at one of his best shinobi. He nodded his head slightly and Kakashi took it as a sign to continue.

"The Kazekage," he started, "has children of his own, right?"

The Hokage hummed and said, "Yes. They're about Kokoro's age. How is your daughter, Kakashi?"

"She's as stubborn and spirited as ever," Kakashi answered. The Hokage laughed as he remembered the few memories he had of her. She was not shy in telling him how much she hated her dad going on so many missions. She made her voice known, and when he told her such, she immediately thanked him and shied away. She was different than the other kids who looked up to him, and he enjoyed that. She reminded him of little Naruto.

"And I'm assuming she is against your next mission, as well?"

"Well, you know her. She speaks her mind and wants it to go her way."

"Yes, qualities of a leader, and of a rebel," the Hokage mused. "I suppose you want to take her with you this time."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, he knew he shouldn't be surprised. The Hokage always knew what was going on somehow.

"Yes. I figure it might do her some good seeing another village."

"I see."

The Hokage picked up his pipe and took a long drag. He saw no problem with it. It might even make the tensions between the two villages lessen. An arranged marriage of sorts, maybe. Kakashi was a renowned shinobi. Many knew of him and his talents, and anyone would be willing to have his daughter marry their son.

"So be it. But I caution you, Kakashi: Don't let her distract you from your mission," the Hokage agreed.

"Of course, Lord Third. Thank you."

Kakashi left the Hokage's office pleased. Kokoro would be happy to not only go on the mission with him but also to see another shinobi village. Her curiosity was astronomical. She wanted to know every and any thing. Kakashi didn't have all the answers. When she came to him with a question he only had the answer of "I don't know" to, she'd get frustrated and demand him to giver her another answer. Again, he'd tell her "I don't know" only for her to search for a book to help satiate her desires. It was hard pleasing such a brilliant child and Kakashi could only wonder if his father felt the same way.

The first thing he saw when he entered his house was Kokoro. She was sitting on the floor reading a book on chakra control. She must have been intrigued by something she saw. He smiled in her direction and set out to bond with her and tell her the good news. He sat beside her and asked her what she was reading. All he received was a grunt, causing him to feel a bit awkward. He briefly mentioned that he could help her with her chakra control, but all he got in response was a huff. Not getting anywhere, he decided to finally drop the bomb.

"I went to the Hokage's office today," he said flippantly. He grabbed his own book - Icha Icha Paradise - from his person and started reading it.

"So what?" Kokoro said with attitude. It peeked her interest, but she was still upset about it all.

"He told me the Kazekage has children of his own, probably about your age."

"Why would I care about his kids?"

"Don't get angry with me, Koko. I just thought you might want a few new friends."

At this, Kokoro looked up from her big and stared at her dad. She couldn't believe what he was implying. Was she finally gonna be able to go with him on a mission?

"We leave in a few days."

A.N.

I am so excited to start this! I am fairly new to Naruto (I'm only only episode 200 in Shippuden) but I've been dying to write one of these! Obviously, Kakashi is way too young to have a kid in the manga/anime, so his age will be bumped up a bit.