Atonement

Epilogue

"... And that was the story of Konohas' Silver Reaper, Kakashi Hatake." Orochimaru ended the story with a sad smile on his face.

His eyes took in the three intently listening children that all regarded him with pretty similar looks.

Excitement but also sadness.

"Oh wow! That is my favourite story, dattebayo!" exclaimed the blond boy and jumped excited up and down. "Kakashi-sama is so strong! I want to be just like him!"

Smirking the Sannin patted Naruto's hair and told him: "You will be. I have no doubt about it."

A pink-haired girl raised her hand slightly and asked questioningly: "Did Kakashi-sama really protect us as babies? I mean it sounds so absurd!"

That caused Naruto to shut up and look at the Sannin with panic widened eyes. Maybe it was just a story all along and his hero hadn't even known about them. Maybe the Sannin just wanted to make them feel special.

"He really did protect you just like all of us. But you three are a special case, and do you know why? Because he would have let the world burn to the ground if it meant keeping you safe. He loved you more than you could ever understand," Orochimaru replied wistfully and with a certain tone of sadness in his voice.

Because it was the truth. Kakashi would have given up anything to keep these three innocent children in front of him safe. It wasn't just meaningless words and empty promises of a hero because he had already proven them. He had made the biggest sacrifice for those children. Not only did he give his life but he also - and Orochimaru thought of it as an even bigger sacrifice - had let go of his chance of happiness. He had let go of his chance of love - the first in his long life.

"But why?" Sakura asked insistently.

Shrugging, he told the curious girl: "Who knows. He must have had his reasons."

How could he tell them the truth? That Kakashi had been their sensei in another time and loved them enough to do everything in his power and more to keep them safe and from the horrible fate they once had suffered. How could he tell them?

His snake-like eyes wandered to the last of the three children, Sasuke Uchiha. The raven-haired boy had been unusually quiet and distance during the story. Normally, Sasuke would have been clued to the lips of whoever told the story of his older brother.

"Are you alright, Sasuke?" he asked the boy and suddenly the Uchiha was the centre of attention.

"Oi, what's up teme?" Naruto asked bashfully but when he saw tears glistening in his teammate's eyes he quieted down.

"Nothing." Sasuke snivelled and turned away from the others.

Sakura and Naruto exchanged a look before they both hugged the Uchiha at the same time.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Teme."

"I... I'm just thinking 'bout Aniki and Kaa-chan. They miss Kakashi-nii terribly. They think I don't notice but I hear Kaa-chan crying every night and Itachi sometimes disappears for days, especially around his birthday and the 10th of October. I mean... It has been 13 years, but they are still mourning his death and... I just wish I had more than some blurry memories and stories," Sasuke admitted quietly.

Orochimaru had to admit to himself that Sasuke probably suffered the most from the three children about Kakashi's death. The Uchiha family had changed since the 10th of October just like the Namikaze family but Minato had dealt with the death of his student far better, than Mikoto had dealt with the death of the boy she saw as her own son.