Edit 10/17/12: Sorry it's been awhile ^^:

However – good news! I've gotten back into Naruto, so I've been itching to write for this story. So, I have actually gotten down to working out an actual plot instead of just winging it, lol.

Unfortunately, for it to work, I've had to change something pretty major: the setting. Since this story wasn't very far along, I hope it doesn't cause any problems - and if so, I apologize for the inconvenience.

In any case, since I made some serious alterations to this chapter, I decided to repost it so all of you on alert will know. I'll have another chapter up in a few days or so. ;)

Disclaimer- As much as I wish I did, I DO NOT own Inuyasha or Naruto, just the plot of this story and any OC's that happen to pop up! XD

—Questions and Answers—

White. That's all it was. White walls, white ceiling, white furniture, white bedding - everything was white.

And it was annoying.

Kakashi never did like hospitals. They were depressing. Why? Because the only reason one ever came was that they were either injured, or visiting someone dear that happened to be injured. Or sick.

Or dying.

That last one? The most depressing of the bunch.

Not to mention it was a waste of time. Stranded in a bed until Kami knows when, unable to do anything? He'll pass...

He may have become a little lazy, but he'd rather be lazy on his own terms...

In one of the sterilized rooms of the hospital, Kakashi stood before a bed occupied by a certain sleeping girl, analyzing her.

A knock jolted him out of his thoughts and he turned to see a man peering into the room with curious blue eyes. "Kushina told me I'd find you here," he said at the teen's questioning look. "I was… surprised," the man continued, entering the room.

The man stepped into the room fully, where Kakashi could get a whole look at him – not that he really needed to.

A mess of shock blonde, spiky hair tumbled over the hitai-ate tied tightly around his forehead, tendrils of which swayed across a pair of brilliant blue eyes set in a moderately tanned face as he approached. The white cloak he had donned swished at his black clothed knees, the flames of red fire that danced at the hem rippling, as if alive; a green vest peeked through the open cloak, worn over a long-sleeved navy blue shirt that had three metal bands clasped along each arm.

"Sensei," Kakashi nodded in greeting as the man walked past him, approaching the bed to grab the medical chart. "I had some free time," he replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

Minato looked up, eyebrow raised with a corner of his lips quirked in an amused smirk. He looked back to the chart, but still amused if the tone he had was anything to go by. "She does clean up nicely," the Hokage commented casually. He flipped a page, and glanced up, his smirk wider than before. "Don't you think?"

Kakashi huffed lightly, looking away stoically – save for the faint red tint coloring the tips of his ears. "I didn't notice…" he muttered evenly – but Minato, who knew the young teen much too well, could detect the faint sulky undertone in his voice.

Minato only bit his lip, shoulders shaking lightly. Flipping another page, he paused, amusement slowly leaching from his face. Minato peered at the jounin beside him. "Well, this is curious," he muttered under his breath, dropping the chart into the frame at the foot of the bed.

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow his way. "Mind elaborating?" he asked dryly. "I don't understand why it's so confusing."

Minato snorted. "Because following the blood trail only to find a puddle of it at the bottom of a well isn't uncommon?" he drawled out sarcastically.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "She's a civilian that was attacked by a rogue ninja. Maybe she jumped into it to hide. That's not exactly unusual..." But even Kakashi didn't seem too sure – the well was deep and if the girl was wounded enough to bleed that much, she'd have a hard time of it getting down in the first place.

Minato only scoffed, eyes narrowing in that usual thoughtful gaze of his. "Of course not. That's if she actually was a civilian."

Now both eyebrows shot up. "You found something? I thought she didn't carry any id, papers, or a headband..." he trailed off suggestively.

Minato sighed. "She didn't," he confirmed.

Curiosity gnawed at him. "So?" Kakashi prodded.

Minato tilted his head to the girl in the bed. "Her wounds. Medics saw that when she came in, it looked as if she was mauled by an animal, which, even with their healing, would take weeks to heal over. Now two days later, they find that after changing her bandages, it's as if she came in with a few scratches?" He crossed his arms, eyeing the girl, scrutinizing.

Kakashi blinked, turning to stare at the Hokage in slight surprise.

Minato smiled wryly. "Now, tell me if that's normal for a 'civilian'."

Kakashi turned to study Kagome's prone body intently. "I guess we'll just have to wait until she wakes up to find out..." he murmured.

o.O.o

Waking up was a slow, drawn out, and somewhat painful process for Kagome.

It started with a slow stir — eyes fluttering, face twitching. Her body shifted and that's when the pain - or, what was left of it - washed over her in a heavy wave. A groan rasped from her lips, eyes now clenching as she struggled between sleep and consciousness.

The latter won out, her eyes flashing opened when she finally grasped that the air was wrong — wherever she was, it wasn't familiar and that was never a good sign. 'Ninjas... what a weird dream...'came the passing thought as she came too.

She shot up and looked around, alarmed, only to find a woman who looked about a decade older standing above her. Kagome automatically tensed defensively, taking in the also tense figure that stood above her, hands holding vials of viscous, dark red liquid.

Blood.

Probably her own...

"Who," Kagome managed to croak our before her voice failed her.

With easy grace, the woman practically glided over to the stand beside the cot, where a pitcher and cup were placed. She poured a glass of water and offered it to the teen in the bed.

Kagome stared at it skeptically.

The woman, a brunette with her hair pulled tightly into a bun, sighed in light exasperation. "It's not poisoned, if that is what you're wondering," she remarked wryly.

Kagome's lips pursed, but she accepted it with a nod of thanks regardless. It was a reflex by now, and it was always better safe than sorry... "Never know..." she rasped after taking a sip.

The nameless woman snorted. "You seem to be healing very well," she murmured, looking at her pointedly. "I've never seen someone heal so fast," she commented almost nonchalantly.

Kagome's eyes fluttered close as she shifted in her bed, head leaning back into her pillows. She was so exhausted. "Guess I was just blessed with an amazing immune system..." she murmured, relaxing slightly. So she was back home, in a hospital then.

The woman pursed her lips at the answer. "Might I ask what your name is? We didn't find any identification on you..." she trailed off suggestively.

The question didn't really seem to sink in at first, and she responded without a second thought. "Kagome... Kagome Higurashi," the dark-haired woman answered absently, still trying to gather her bearings. "So, you're my doctor then?"

The woman blinked at her, a light of confusion entering her gaze, before it disappeared. Hazel eyes narrowed slowly. "I am the medic-nin that first treated you when you came in," she said slowly, "My name is Karin," she introduced herself. "So, what are your traveling plans? Were you planning on visiting the village? Or just passing by?"

That seemed to catch Kagome's attention. "Wait – what?" she blurted out, eyes snapping open. 'Village? Medic-nin?!' She cast a look around desperately, confused. 'Obviously I'm in a hospital – which only means I'm back home – right?'

She looked up at Karin. "Where – where am I?!" she asked worriedly, one hand brushing against her forehead while the other clenched the sterile bed sheets. "Where's my mother? My brother? Grandpa?"

Karin straightened, an authoritative air making itself known. "The hospital in Konoha," she said gently, yet warily, watching closely for the girl's reaction. "I was told no one else was found near you after you were attacked by the missing-nin." This part she said with sympathy.

Kagome's eyes widened in complete and utter shock. "Kami, it – it wasn't a dream..." she muttered as it all came back to her like a slap to the face.

It seemed Karin didn't need to watch so closely, as the woman's eyes rolled to the back of her head in a mixture of exhaustion and stress.

o.O.o

The next day, Kagome groaned loudly as she stirred once again, eyes roaming aimlessly.

'Oh, that's right,' she remembered with faint bubble of dread. 'I get to play Alice in Wonderland once again– but instead of demons this time, I get ninjas...'

With another groan she rose in her bed, sitting up, and looked over when she saw something from the corner of her eyes.

Kagome blinked when they settled on Kakashi. Squinting, vision still a blur and disoriented, the first thing her mind locked on was a glint of silver. Her next whispered words were automatic, despite how unlikely the possibility.

"I-Inuyasha...?!"

Her response was a mere quirked, dark eyebrow.

Kagome blinked quickly, and as her vision cleared she realized that the person next to her was a stranger, not Inuyasha.

Inuyasha did not wear a mask, a strange head band with some weird metal plate sewn into it, or semi-normal clothes; and his hair certainly didn't stick up in that direction - or in any direction at all. And besides, as far as she knew, Inuyasha did not miraculously look a few years younger all of a sudden either…

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and her eyes trailed down to her hands. 'Well that's not awkward or anything...'

Kakashi on the other hand was inwardly both curious and rather amused.

A moment later, and Kagome chanced another look at the strange boy. Her eyes narrowed as it clicked in her mind. "Hey..." she slurred out, shaking her head from the fogginess. "I 'member you..."

The corners on Kakashi's mouth twitched, but other than that, he stayed emotionless. "Yes, we met a few days ago," he agreed.

"Yea... you're the guy that saved me when he didn't have to..." she said glumly.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "You're welcome..." he drawled out dryly.

Kagome huffed, and looked around her. Slowly, as her senses faded back into her, her eyebrows furrowed. "Where am I?" she breathed out in a questioning whisper.

Blinking, Kakashi blankly looked around the room as well. "A hospital."

Twitching, Kagome shot him a glare. "I know that – obviously. Where exactly is this hospital?" she drew out flatly.

Kakashi's eye glinted sharply, and he straightened. "Which brings me to a couple questions Higurashi-san – where were you headed on your travels?"

Kagome's lips pursed. "Who are you," she shot back, suspicion lighting her gaze. "It's only proper to give your name seeing as you already know mine," she told him, stalling for time.

Twitching, the ninja acquiesced, if not reluctantly, "Kakashi – Kakashi Hatake," he muttered dryly.

Mollified, Kagome nodded warily.

Leaning back into his seat, Kakashi eyed her. "So, Kagome Higurashi," he drew out slowly. "Well, Higurashi-san, if you would answer my question?" he asked politely.

Kagome blinked, confused. "What does that matter?" she asked instead.

Kakashi frowned. "It matters," he said seriously – and that was that.

Now Kagome was frowning. "Can I get a 'why'?" she asked, getting a bit irritated.

She had just been tossed in a well while seriously injured only to climb out to find herself in the middle of nowhere before getting attacked less than a minute later, only to be saved by this stranger, who leaves her with a freaking talking dog of all things to "protect her," and then she wakes up in an unfamiliar hospital?

With this stranger watching her? Can you say creepy?

So, it was perfectly natural that she believed she rightly deserved to at least be told where the hell she was and why she was getting grilled for information.

And so her reaction was totally and completely understandable when all the silver-haired stranger told her was a simple, "No."

Her left eye was twitching rather violently now, a tell-tale sign her temper was a frayed string away from being snapped. "Then why should I tell you anything?" she snapped angrily, sitting up.

Kakashi scowled, and he leaned in, gray eye narrowing into a slit. "Because it means the difference between keeping you here or killing you if you were sent to infiltrate the village," he threatened darkly.

Kagome sputtered, jerking back. She wasn't the least bit intimidated; he was young, as young as her or maybe even younger and human to boot. Instead, she was incredulous. "W-what?!" she exclaimed. "I don't even know where I am. All I know is the name of this village, which I've never even heard of, and that's from the lady from earlier!"

Kakashi did a cursory glance, studying her. "Then it wouldn't be much of a problem if you told me where you were headed – we might be able to help you," he said persuasively.

A troubled frown crossed her face, and she looked away, scoffing. "I doubt you can help me with that..."

A curious glint entered Kakashi's gaze. "What makes you say that?" he prompted.

Eyes flickering to him, Kagome's frown deepened. "Ever heard of Tokyo?" she asked blankly, not bothering to expect a helpful answer.

Confusion flashed, and Kagome sagged in her bed. "That's why..." she muttered.

Kakashi only shook his head, moving on. "Are you a civilian?" he demanded.

Kagome could only blink at him. "Er, well, depends on your definition of a civilian..."

He stared at her in obvious exasperation. "Are you a ninja or not?"

Startled Kagome only shook her head. "A ninja?!" she repeated incredulously. "No!"

Kakashi stared at her, eyes glinting perceptively. "Then, what are you?" he asked instead.

Kagome shuffled, biting her lip, wondering what she should say. The truth seemed the easier route – and it wasn't like she was back home, and this place was just like the Feudal Era in the sense of the people here weren't strictly human, so what was the harm?

They probably didn't even know what it meant anyways...

"Alright, alright, I'm a priestess..." she admitted, muscles tensed just in case. "Just stop staring at me like that..." she muttered in irritation.

Kakashi's gray eye widened in surprise. "A prieste-"

He never got a chance to finish his sentence as a loud, earth shaking explosion sounded outside, interrupting them.

The pair looked out of the window only to see smoke billowing up into the sky from a row of buildings, darkening it.

Words- 2,399 (Originally: 1,971)

Yay, Minato! And he's teasing teen!Kakashi! Hehe :3

Again, I hope me changing this isn't too much of an inconvenience. Plus, by doing it this way, I'm hoping it would make it much more interesting! (Seriously, I love Minato and Kushina, and I really want to experiment with their characters lol!) And besides, there's not a lot of stories set in this point of time.

Anyways, how do you like the changes? It's really only that first part, lol. Also, since this is a repost, if you've already reviewed this chapter you won't be able to again (which I'm really sorry for!). I would love to know your thoughts, so if you feel like leaving a review but can't, there's always using the guest review feature or PM - not to say I'm expecting/demanding any of you to review of course, lol. I'd understand if you wouldn't want to do that, so feel free to just wait a couple days to review for the new chapter, if you even feel like it then, haha.

Additionally, a really big thanks to ArmyWife22079 for all your time and help with this story and the plot, and your very helpful feedback!

Till laters!

RainLily^^

A big huge honking thanks to all those who read, alerted, and fav'd this fic, and to these awesome reviewers!

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