One year

Kakashi slowly felt his consciousness returning, accompanied by a throbbing pain in his head. Frowning slightly, he found himself lying on the floor, arms bound behind his back. His chakra was suppressed, unreachable. The question of how he had ended up here nagged at his mind. For now, he decided to remain calm and not reveal that he was conscious again. His first step was to organize his thoughts and learn more about his situation.

Kakashi focused on organizing his thoughts, knowing he had been in similar situations many times before. Keeping calm was now the most important thing. Everything around him was quiet, no signs of presence. Carefully, he opened his right eye, the hitai-ate securely covering his left eye. His gaze scanned the room, surrounded by darkness, with only a faint light seeping through, revealing fragments of the surroundings.

It was a modest room, sparse in furniture, with only a solitary chair on the other side. Kakashi lay on the cold floor, without any protection, the cold seeping into his body. He pulled his legs up and struggled to rise to a sitting position. A painful groan escaped his lips as he lowered his head and bit his lip. It was obvious that he had been treated roughly. Nevertheless, after a quick self-assessment, it seemed he hadn't suffered any serious injuries, just a few bruises.

As Kakashi lifted his gaze again, memories of what had happened flooded into his mind. Danzo had ambushed him and demanded a conversation. For a moment, Kakashi had let his guard down, and then everything went black. His gaze rushed around the room, searching for an exit. Whatever Danzo was up to, it couldn't mean anything good.

Just as he was about to struggle to his feet, he heard footsteps from outside the room. Kakashi focused his gaze on the door, which soon opened. Four ANBU entered first, two positioning themselves beside the door, while the other two headed straight for Kakashi. With a firm grip, one of them seized his left upper arm, the other his right. They forced him to his knees, their iron grip holding him firmly.

Shortly after, Danzo entered the room, his steps deliberate and purposeful as he approached the chair. With a confident gesture, he took a seat, his gaze fixed on Kakashi. A sly smile played on his lips. "Finally, you've come to your senses," he coolly remarked.

A spark of anger flickered in Kakashi's gaze as he glared angrily at Danzo. "What the hell do you want from me?" he snapped.

"Not so hostile, Kakashi. I've already told you, I just want to have a conversation with you," Danzo explained calmly as he leaned back in his chair. His hands rested on his cane, a hint of authority surrounding him.

Suspiciously, Kakashi furrowed his brow. "If you only want to talk, then why did you have to kidnap me?"

Danzo shook his head slightly. "I didn't kidnap you; you're free to leave. But before you go, we need to discuss something. I need your help."

Kakashi tensed slightly and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What exactly do you need my help with?" he asked in a calm voice, his curiosity palpable. He was willing to temporarily go along with it and find out what the older man wanted from him.

"Ah, so I have your attention," Danzo began, leaning forward slightly. "I need your help to prevent Minato from becoming Hokage again. And if he does manage to do so, I need you to thwart his plans!"

Kakashi's eye narrowed suspiciously. "And why should I help you?" he asked sharply, his voice cutting with anger.

Danzo leaned forward in his chair, a malicious grin on his lips. "Because otherwise, I'll take away your newfound family," he explained in a calm but sinister tone, sending a shiver down Kakashi's spine. Then the smile vanished from his face. "Just like I did once before."

Kakashi felt the blood drain from his face, his body beginning to tremble as his mind processed the words. His gaze dropped to the floor, his breathing shallow. "You killed my father?" he choked out, his voice trembling with suppressed anger and horror.

Danzo leaned back relaxed in his chair, his eyes fixed on Kakashi. "I didn't directly kill him. He did that himself. Let's just say I gave him a little push. It was never my intention for him to take his own life," he said with icy calmness.

"Why?" Kakashi asked, still not lifting his gaze from the floor, his voice barely more than a whisper in the room's silence.

"He was in my way," Danzo replied calmly. "The Third held your father in high regard and had great trust in him. I always kept an eye on that. I wanted to prevent your father from becoming the next Hokage. And when he returned from that mission, I simply saw my opportunity to diminish his chances of obtaining the title. I spread the word in the village about who was responsible for our then precarious situation."

Kakashi's anger slowly returned as he lifted his head and gave Danzo a sharp look. "You're responsible for my father being shunned and despised by the entire village. It was all because of you that he ultimately committed suicide!"

Danzo pondered thoughtfully before responding. "His suicide was his own decision; I had no influence on that." Then he paused briefly as he repositioned himself. "But that's not why you're here. We shouldn't cling to the past; we should focus on the here and now."

Kakashi stared at Danzo incredulously, momentarily speechless. But then his expression became determined. "I'll never help you!"

Danzo sighed softly. "Are you really sure? You've already let him down once, just like your entire team did. Did they all die because of your negligence? What will happen to Naruto if something happens to Minato? Think about it carefully!" His words were delivered with a stern voice.

Kakashi bit his lower lip, the thought of losing Minato again choking him up. But was Danzo really capable of killing Minato? Kakashi doubted it. His sensei was too strong. A faint smile crossed his lips. "I won't be intimidated by you. I don't believe a word you say!"

Danzo leaned threateningly forward, his dark gaze piercing Kakashi. "Are you really willing to take that risk? Trust me, I'll find a way to stop and kill Minato. It doesn't matter how strong he is. Everyone has a weakness. Even your sensei. And if necessary, I'll snatch the little Naruto. Think carefully about it."

Kakashi lowered his gaze again. He couldn't allow Danzo to harm Naruto, but he also couldn't act behind Minato's back. The blond had to become Hokage, Kakashi was convinced of that. He had to prove himself to survive. Before Kakashi could think further, Danzo interrupted him. "Let me make you a proposal," he began. "You help me stop Minato, and I'll leave you and your family alone. Doesn't that sound tempting? But if you refuse, I'll take everything from you, and you'll be all alone again."

Kakashi tensed briefly before resigning and giving in. He couldn't take any risks; neither Minato nor Naruto could come to harm. For now, it was best to work with Danzo. Kakashi just had to wait for the right moment. "Agreed, I'll help you. But in return, you keep your hands off them."

Danzo grinned triumphantly and nodded. "Very well! But don't underestimate me. I'll notice if you breathe a word to your sensei. It won't end well for you," he warned, standing up. He turned his back to Kakashi and walked towards the door. Before leaving the room, he glanced over his shoulder once more. "I trust you, Kakashi!" With these words, he left the room, followed by the two Root agents standing at the door.

The two Root agents forced Kakashi to his feet and led him out of the room. Together, they walked down the corridor towards the exit. Kakashi kept his gaze on the floor as he let them lead him out. Danzo had been wrong. Kakashi would never give in so easily. On the contrary, he was determined to take care of Danzo himself. After all, he was one of Minato's Anbu guards. It was his duty to protect his Hokage, and he would do just that.

*********

After they released him, Kakashi immediately headed home. Minato was probably already worried; it was getting pretty late. Determined not to tell Minato about the incident, Kakashi decided to handle the problem alone. Somehow, he would find a way to stop Danzo without Minato having to worry about it.

Kakashi didn't want his sensei to worry, as he surely would if he found out about the incident. The blond should focus on proving himself to survive. Kakashi would take care of the rest, no matter what it meant. He was ready to sacrifice himself for the two of them. Moreover, he was determined to take revenge for his father's death, which he attributed to Danzo. He would make him pay for it.

As he stood in front of the apartment door, Kakashi made sure to keep his chakra calm. Minato shouldn't sense his unease, or he would immediately suspect that something was wrong. With a deep breath, he opened the door and entered. "I'm back!" he called into the apartment and closed the door gently behind him.

Kakashi turned around when he heard soft footsteps. A smile spread across his lips as he saw Naruto approaching him with uncertain steps. A radiant smile lit up his face as he reached out his arms to maintain his balance. After Kakashi took off his sandals, he approached Naruto and squatted down in front of him. "Hey there, little guy! Shouldn't you be in bed by now?" he asked with a warm tone.

As Naruto wobbled and threatened to fall, Kakashi quickly pulled him into his arms. "Gotcha!" he announced, smiling as Naruto clapped happily in his hands.

"What a beautiful sight," Minato said with a gentle smile as he watched the scene. Kakashi immediately looked up when he heard Minato's voice. The Hokage stood casually in the doorway to Naruto's room, leaning against the door frame. His appearance radiated calm and warmth, and Kakashi instantly felt reassured in his presence.

With Naruto in his arms, Kakashi stood up and looked at Minato. "What's so beautiful about it?" he asked, slowly approaching Minato.

Minato smiled gently and crossed his arms over his chest. "That was Kushina's and my wish – for you to be part of our family, a big brother to Naruto," he said with a hint of emotion in his voice.

Kakashi held Minato's gaze for a moment before gently placing Naruto in his arms. "You should put him to bed now."

Minato tenderly cradled Naruto in his arms. "You've been gone for quite a while. Is everything okay with you?" A soft yawn escaped Naruto's lips as he leaned against Minato. The Hokage soothingly stroked his back, a loving smile on his lips.

Kakashi turned slightly to the side. "Of course, time just flew by," he said casually, waving it off.

"Before you go to sleep, I'd like to talk to you. You already avoided me this afternoon," Minato explained, gently adjusting Naruto in his arm.

Kakashi turned his back to Minato. "Let's postpone that until tomorrow; I'm pretty tired," he lied softly. He didn't want to talk to him now, tonight. He needed to sort out his thoughts and process what he had just experienced.

Minato sighed softly behind him. "We won't postpone our conversation again," he said firmly.

Kakashi glanced over his shoulder. "Please, Minato-sensei! I'm really beat," he pleaded, trying to make his voice sound exhausted.

It seemed to actually help; Minato considered for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Then go to bed right away and get some rest. We'll talk in the morning," he said with a hint of indulgence in his voice.

"Okay, goodnight," said Kakashi and immediately disappeared into his room. Exhausted, he leaned back against the door and closed his eye. But his determination didn't let go of him. With a firm gaze, he opened his eye again. He would do whatever it took to protect his precious people.