Hello again!

First, I want to apologize for the delay. I had major writer's block - I just couldn't figure out a good beginning. But, here it is! I think it turned out pretty good. It's the last chapter too - I warned you this story wouldn't be epic. (And I'm sorry the beginning is broken up into so many parts, but I couldn't really figure out a different way to write it.)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it! And thanks for all your support and reviews. Really appreciated. I love you all for it!

Chapter 6

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. - Aristotle

Obito stared. He fell to his knees, not believing what his eyes were seeing, not trusting his legs to support him.

Kakashi was bleeding, dying in front of him, because of him.

He didn't move when three ANBU dropped around him, one of them picking up Kakashi and disappearing, another taking the bloody katana out of his hands. The last one grabbed his arms and whirled him away into blackness.

Pain. Lots of it, burning a massive hole in his chest, spreading flames into his lungs and boring into his heart.

And voices. Bits and pieces he couldn't put together.

"Move it, move it, or we'll lose him!"

"Blood pressure's dropping…"

"Get those seals on him now!"

He reached out, trying to grasp consciousness, but it slipped through his fingers like water.

Moments after Obito was taken into Torture and Interrogation, border patrols apprehended Uchiha Takeshi, who had apparently been attempting to leave the village unawares, as if he knew Konoha had no place for him anymore. He was brought in as well, and soon after several ANBU were sent to his dwelling.

There they found a complex seal marked on the floor of one room, and various forbidden scrolls regarding mind/body control and the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Uchiha Takeshi was immediately condemned for use of forbidden techniques, abandoning the village, and attempted murder of a fellow shinobi.

Obito was questioned, the Sandaime himself overseeing it. The young ANBU still slightly unresponsive, in shock, but they managed to get out of him that indeed yes, his father had performed some kind of jutsu on him, but after that he didn't remember anything. Obito was released and sent to the hospital for further surveillance, just in case his father's jutsu had any aftereffects.

He was put into the same room as Kakashi, who was still grasping for consciousness.

It was early dawn. The sun was hardly rising above the houses in Konoha; long fingers of light reached into the small hospital room. They splayed across the still figure in the bed, reflecting off his silver hair, and then brushed against the person in a chair beside the cot.

Obito squinted his eyes as the sun rose. He got up to close the blinds. He didn't like the sun. Curse the sun. Why should it be shining when his best friend was dying, dying because of him? Obito returned to his vigil by the bedside, carefully watching Kakashi's bandaged chest rise and fall slowly. Too slowly.

They weren't sure if he would live. They had done all they could; the only thing to do now was wait and see. But Obito was never the patient one – he didn't know how long he would be able to stand this, this guilt and anger and sorrow that were all swirling around inside him at once.

He only wanted him to wake up.

To say that he was sorry.

Obito buried his head in his hands and cried.

"Uchiha-san? You have to stay in bed; you can't keep getting up like this all of the time. Now, go lay back down while I check Hatake-san here."

Obito wearily moved over to the bed beside Kakashi, lying down. He watched as the nurse examined his friend, her glowing green hands moving carefully over his body. In minutes she was finished and left the room.

But Obito could hear her outside, muttering quietly with somebody in the hall.

"…no improvement…"

"…don't know if he'll ever wake up…"

"…can't stay there forever…"

Anger surged through Obito. He jumped up and burst through the door, pointing an angry finger at the nurse and the med-nin standing outside.

"You're wrong! How can you say that? Kakashi's the strongest ninja you'll ever meet. Don't you ever, ever say that he won't wake up. He doesn't give up that easily," Obito finished, breathing heavily, tears threatening to well up again. Cursing, he reentered Kakashi's room, collapsing into the chair. He ignored the nurse who tried to move him back into the bed, and eventually she gave up, leaving the room in a huff. The tears came again.

It was night. Obito couldn't sleep. He could only stare dully at Kakashi, at the bandages around his chest, the tubes entering his mouth supplying him with air. His hair was too limp, his face too pale. He looked too weak.

Obito got up from the bed once again and crossed over to the window, looking out over the village. The full moon hung low in the sky, directly over the Hokage Monument. It's light made the tears running down Obito's face sparkle, each a tiny point of light where they dripped off his chin. His shoulders shook, the sobs becoming louder. His fingers gripped the windowsill. More tears.

"…You always were a crybaby…"

Obito whirled around.

Kakashi looked at him through one heavy-lidded eye.

"Kakashi…Kakashi! You're awake!" Obito rushed to the bedside, collapsing on his knees. "I thought you were never going to wake up…"

Kakashi smiled. "Well, I can see you're back to normal. Good to have you back, Obito."

Obito smiled too. "Same to you."

In the morning, the nurse found Obito curled in the bedside chair, sleeping with a smile on his face. Kakashi was sleeping too, the oxygen tubes hanging off the side of his bed, with normal breathing and a healthy glow back in his cheeks, probably because of the smile that graced his face as well.

Two weeks had passed.

Kakashi was healing, albeit slowly, but he was getting better. Obito was released from the hospital, after they were certain there were no repercussions from the jutsu.

Kakashi and Obito had talked about it. Obito figured that the jutsu had been broken because of the intense emotion inside of him when he had…well; he kind of drifted off at that part. Kakashi knew to say nothing. He was just glad the jutsu was no longer in control.

Soon Kakashi was released as well, back to full health, only given strict orders not

to overdo it. Obito and Kakashi had snorted. Obviously the nurses knew nothing about shinobi life.

Both Kakashi and Obito were present at Takeshi's sentencing: his punishment a lifetime sentence in the Konoha High-Security Prison. Wolf and Lion had stood side-by-side as Takeshi was brought away. The man had glared at Kakashi as he passed by, cursing him and spitting at his feet.

Obito had stepped forward then, bristling, but Kakashi held him back. Obito only watched with cold eyes as his father disappeared from his life, Kakashi's hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay with this, Obito?" Kakashi asked Obito after the sentencing. The two were on a bench outside near the ANBU Headquarters, soaking up the last of the setting sun's rays. "I mean, even after what he did, he still is your father."

"Truthfully, Kakashi, I really don't think of him as my father. He has never shown me any love, or even treated me like a son. He only wants me to help him gain more status as the father who raised an extremely powerful shinobi. Looks like his plan failed, though," Obito said with a forced smile.

Kakashi looked closely at Obito. "Are you sure? He may not have been the best father, but you really don't care for him?"

"I'm sure."

"So what then? Are you going to move out of the Uchiha compound? Where are you going to live?"

Obito gave Kakashi a knowing smirk. "Why, with you, of course!"

Kakashi deadpanned. "What?"

Obito laughed. "Joking, joking. But there is an empty room in your apartment, right? I figured that was a good as place as any."

Kakashi sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I suppose…but I'm a light sleeper and the room's right next door. Get the hint?"

Obito didn't reply, and Kakashi looked at his friend's suddenly serious face in concern. "You alright? Is it something the - "

"No, no, I'm just thinking," Obito said.

Kakashi leaned back against the wall. "Whatever's on your mind, spill it."

"Kakashi, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. About trying to kill you and all. I mean, I know it wasn't really me, but still. I'm not the strongest ninja, but I would never put power before my friends. I don't know what would have happened if I actually did kill you."

Kakashi remained silent, knowing this was not the time for snide comments.

Obito continued. "We used to be enemies, remember? But now you're my closest friend. After Rin-chan and sensei died, you were the only one left. I never would have been able to go on if you weren't there. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that I'm glad you're there, Kakashi. Thank you."

The masked ninja looked at Obito, his eye wide in surprise at this confession, at this deeper side of Obito's feelings. But after a second, he smiled too, eye creasing.

"Same."

Obito stretched out languidly, looking up at the darkening sky. "So, when do you think you can help me move in?"

"Help you? I never knew I had volunteered," Kakashi said.

"Hey, what are friends for?"

"I'm not touching any of your stuff. Besides, you need the exercise. Lifting

boxes would be good for you." Kakashi stood up, stretching.

"What? Hey, I'm not that weak!"

Kakashi just smirked, and began to walk towards home, leaving Obito on the bench.

"Hey! Wait, you ungrateful bastard of a friend!" Obito yelled, sprinting after Kakashi.

The masked ninja continued walking, waiting for the tackle, but all he felt was an arm suddenly slung over his shoulders. He turned his head a bit, seeing Obito's grinning face beside his.

Kakashi waited for any smart remarks, but received none. He gave another look at his best friend, figuring that Obito was actually okay once in a while. The sun flashed off his orange goggles, and Kakashi felt a sense of happiness; utter contentment, expand in his chest, one he hadn't felt in years.

The sun warmed his face and he smiled.