Title: Kakashi Unmasked

Author: xtranew

Fiction Rated: R

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Pairing: ItachixKakashi

Summary: Things weren't supposed to end up this way. A chance encounter after a botched up mission leads to a series of unforeseen consequences. Two unlikely person had met and spent one passionate night together. Two months later, Kakashi found himself pregnant... with Uchiha Itachi's child.

Warnings: This fic will contain some spoilers (for those who didn't read the manga and only watch the anime, this is your last warning), strongly implied yaoi (ItaKaka), angst, and, of course, mpreg (later on). If you can't handle that, then don't read.

Disclaimers: Naruto is a Japanese manga created by Masashi Kishimoto, first published by Shueisha in Japan's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, with an anime TV series adaptation produced by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex. All trademarks and copyrights herein belong to someone else, so put that down before you break it.

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Timeline and Background Story: This fic took place one and a half year after Sasuke's retrieval arc. Since all his students had been more or less abducted/adopted by the Sannin and taken out of his protective (snickers!) care, Kakashi had thrown himself into danger on missions after missions. He didn't take on another team of rookie genins since Team Seven's, even considering gave up on being a jounin teacher and started up with ANBU again. But again he doesn't know what fate has in store for him...

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Author's Notes: I have revised the prologue and added a few things here and there, with many helps from my BETA readers. So this fic is now revised and beta'd. Thanks for my wonderful BETA readers; Kiriko-sama, ariala, and DirtyD that has made this story as readable as it is. Any other grammar/spelling errors were purely my own fault, do tell me if you see them. Please understand that this is my first attempt at writing a fic, plus English wasn't my native language.

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KAKASHI UNMASKED

Prologue

In Which They Meet Again

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Rain. Rain was pouring down from the sky heavily, drenching his jacket and uniform in the process, making his movement more difficult. Even though the rain had been a blessing in disguise for his mission, making his enemies hard pressed to find his trail in their pursuit, now he simply wished that it would stop. He cursed inwardly as he landed on another tree branch. Now there was another reason why he hated rain. Rain made everything slippery and reduced his sight vehemently. A flash of red suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision. That and the sudden increase in chakra around him. Not only one, but several chakra signals appeared.

The first thought, that came to his mind, was that the enemy nins had managed to catch his trail and decided to launch a suprise ambush, to catch him unprepared. Just as he readied himself for the encounter, he saw the red clouds sewn onto his opponent's black coats. Signaling that the chakra signals he sensed weren't just any enemy nins. They were worse than enemy nins actually, because aside from his injuries he could handle enemy nins just fine, but he probably couldn't handle Akatsuki in his condition, or any other condition so to speak.

A kunai was thrown soundlessly in his direction. Only his quick reflexes enabled him to avoid it---barely. Several chakra strings aimed for the kill came at him next. Focusing more chakra at his feet, he was barely able to dodge them all, only to have his head almost sliced off by a huge sword. Survival instinct kicked in, instead of avoiding the huge sword, he managed to synchronize his movement with the sword's powerful swing. Using the sword's movement to gain momentum, he let his body to be swayed away from the sword until he landed safely on the muddy ground.

Several chuckles could be heard from his attackers, confirming his earlier suspicion about being surrounded and the number of his enemies. "Well done, I certainly didn't expect you to dodge all of our attacks, but you certainly proved me wrong." A man with the pale skin and reddish-brown hair emerged from the shadows.

"Just as would be expected from the famous Copy Ninja, don't you think?" A blond-haired man appeared on the another side of his partner.

"He's just lucky." A man whose face resembled a shark made his presence known. All three of them wearing black robes, decorated with the infamous red clouds.

Wasn't this just peachy? Three S-Class missing-nins from the underworld criminal organization known as Akatsuki. Sasori, Deidara, and Kisame. Could this day be any worse? Maybe Itachi will join his friends and make a joint attack at him?

Speak of the devil and he will come for you.

"Don't underestimate him," came a calm and flat voice, devoid of emotion, from above him. Snapping his head up Kakashi saw a black haired man wearing a scratched Konoha head protector appeared on an overhanging tree branch. Despite the poor lighting Kakashi recognized him instantly.

The black haired man's face held a great resemblance to the face of his former student turned traitor of Konoha, Uchiha Sasuke, but this man was older and---though he would never said aloud---more frightening. THE Slayer of the Uchiha Clan himself, one of the most wanted men in Konoha history, Uchiha Itachi. In that instant his memory brought forth images of a earlier horrific event involving 72 hours of ghastly pain. This situation just became much more life-threatening. He sincerely wished for a hoard of enemy jounin ninjas over his newest opponents, that he had a higher chance of survival despite his injuries.

Knowing that he wouldn't be leaving unscathed tonight, and that would be assuming he still survive after fighting four dangerous S-Class missing-nins, who were probably even stronger than himself, Kakashi prepared himself for the inevitable. "I'm flattered that four of the Akatsuki members decided to grace me with their presence." He said in a sarcastic tone, he wasn't flattered---far from it, tired and horrified were more descriptive feelings that filled him with inner turmoil. "But what did I do to attract your attention? In case you haven't noticed I didn't bring anything worthwhile with me. Unless you read Icha Icha Paradise.." Kakashi trailed off, his visible eye widened slightly with disbelief. They wouldn't take his beloved novel, would they?

"Nah, we don't have any special agenda in mind for you Copy Ninja, just thought that you could give us a decent fight. It's been so long since we've had one after all." Saying this the red haired man who he identified as Akasuna no Sasori, missing-nin from the Village Hidden In The Sand, readied his puppets and without any warning attacked.

'Oh, wonderful. They think so highly of me, that I'll be just a way to entertain them. Entertainment disguised as a decent sparring match that's it,' Kakashi groaned inwardly. Dodging Sasori's attacks he readied himself to counter them. His mind automatically thinking up many possible ways to defeat the puppets, as the result from his years of training. 'Let's see. My weapon arsenal is low. I've sustained injuries from my previous mission. Not to mention there are four of them. I don't think they would let me live even if I somehow managed to beat Sasori. So my survival rate is... admittedly low.'

Despite all of this Kakashi proved to be a worthy opponent. Without his Sharingan eye activated, he managed to read Sasori's attacks and provided some counter measures of his own. Frustrated with the Copy Ninja, who had deflected all his puppetry techniques and wasn't showing signs of going down anytime soon, Sasori gave a loud cry as he launched his final attack, "Aka Higi : Hyakki no Souen!" Sasori removed a summoning scroll from his back. Opening his right chest compartment he emitted one hundred chakra strings, all reaching into the scroll. From the scroll, one hundred human puppets emerged, each one a defeated and converted opponent from Sasori's previous battles. Forced now only to obey the man's whims and orders.

Kakashi's visible eye widened. This attack is different from all previous ones Sasori used. There is no way for him of escaping the attack without being severally harmed. Except... Deciding his next course of action Kakashi activated his bloodline, one that he had successfully kept hidden during his years as a tensai shinobi of Konoha. A bloodline that many thought had never existed in the first place, overshadowed by Sharingans and Byakugans. For a while Kakashi's form flickered before an immense explosion erupted.

Itachi, who was watching the fight with detached interest, now became shocked at the turn of events. No one, at least no enemy had ever survived Sasori's ultimate attack before. As far as he knew, only the Leader of Akatsuki and he himself had survived it. But it was clear that Kakashi was able withstand it and managed to somehow turn the tables in his favor. Not wasting a moment the Copy Ninja stabbed right through Sasori's chest, impaling the biological core that kept him alive, and effectively killing the man. In just a matter of seconds all three of Akatsuki members were left in stunned silence. They of course had heard tales about the famous Copy Ninja of Konoha, but never did they expect him capable of taking one of them down in an one-on-one fight.

Kakashi staggered on his feet for a few steps after dispatching Sasori. His success was made with a great deal of sacrifice. He was low on chakra and just barely able to keep himself standing. Sasori had landed some good blows on him and injured him badly. With his previous injuries added on top, he wasn't sure how long before he would collapse. Let alone fight the three remaining members of Akatsuki.

"Imposibble!" Deidara said, finaly broken the silence. "How did he come up with a way to deflect Sasori's ultimate attack when no one succeeded before?"

There was no sadness or remorse from the other three Akatsuki members for the loss of their comrade. They had severed their ties to their former comrades and families. Their scratched forehead protectors indicated that they no longer gave any allegiance to their former homes. Each of them joined Akatsuki for their own reasons. Each member thus far had sworn complete loyalty to the faction and to their mysterious Leader, but nothing has been shown to indicate that they considered each other comrades. There was no need to build any kind of relationship with one another, more than the necessary.

Sasori's death by itself didn't seem to bother them, but rather the fact that someone was able to kill him.

A wicked grin slowly spread upon Deidara's face. "He is mine, yeah," he said with relish. Readying his weapons, he eagerly set out to fight the one who managed to beat Sasori.

"No." The flat and chilling tone from Uchiha Itachi halted Deidara in his steps. "I'm the one who will take him. Both of you better go now and report to our Leader about the success of our mission and the loss of our comrade."

No one dared to argue with Itachi. He is their strongest and most dangerous member, not even their Leader has the power to best him in battle. He is too strong, too inhumane. So Deidara sheathed his weapons and turned to leave, but Kisame wasn't as easily swayed. "Itachi, you know we were expected to report in about a week's time right?"

"I know and I will be there when the time comes," Itachi answered, not bothering to spare Kisame a glance.

Kisame nodded. There was no need to stay any longer. Itachi made his decision quite clear. Kisame turned and followed Deidara, who had already left a few moments ago.

Somehow being left with only one Akatsuki member didn't ease Kakashi's worries. Instead they were increased. Who knows what Itachi has in plan for him? At least with the others present he knew that the worse thing happening would be himself being beaten to death.

"It's not nice to send your friends away you know?" Kakashi said, hoping to break the tangible silence that was starting to suffocate him.

"They aren't my friend," Itachi replied, still observing him with his Sharingan eyes.

Kakashi sighed, pushing his forehead protector up so his lone Sharingan eye was now visible. He needed all the advantage he could get, if he was going last long against Itachi. A small voice in the back of his head already spoke of the doubt that he would survive this fight, Sharingan, or no.

"Well, let's begin shall we?" With this exclamation Kakashi moved and attacked.

Kakashi was fast, faster than many shinobi he encountered and killed in all of his fights, but his injured state and near-non-existant chakra levels clearly gave him the disadvantage. It didn't take long for Itachi to gain the upper hand. Kakashi's Sharingan didn't seem to be any help this time. Itachi's Sharingans were far more superior than his single Sharingan eye. Though to his confusion Itachi didn't use his Magenkyou Sharingan this time around. It didn't make fighting him easier, Itachi seemed to have read his every move thus making all his attacks ineffective. Kakashi knew since the beginning what the outcome of this battle would be. This was a battle he could never hope to win. His injuries aside he doubted he could beat Itachi in top form. Can't fault him for trying anyway.

So when he was finally forced to his hands and knees, waiting for Itachi to land the final blow, the ones that would undoubtedly end his life, Itachi surprised him when the missing-nin decided to knock him out with a strike to the back of his neck. "What...?" He trailed off, not understanding the reason why Itachi didn't simply kill him.

"You are more useful for me when you're alive," was the last thing Kakashi heard before slipping into unconsciousness.

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Naruto's Encyclopedia:

Sunagakure no Sato (literally "Village Hidden In The Sand") is one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, located in the Land of Wind.

Aka Higi : Hyakki no Souen (literally "Red Secret Technique : Performance of a Hundred Puppets") is a S-Rank Kugutsu no Jutsu (literally "Finger by Finger Technique") used by Sasori.

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Comments and constructive criticisms are appreciated. New ideas would be welcomed as well. Don't hesitate to tell me if I did a lousy work. I'm new and I still need to learn a lot!