Kakashi was very much looking forward to vacation following that week. Between Gai's job currently being in question, Naruto walking around with a bandage hidden under his headband, Sakura on five-day OSS because of the fight she was in last week, Temari's theft and Kankuro's irritating manipulations, not to mention Hanamaru's family wasn't listening about the severe trouble he was getting into, Takamaru's fight in the gym after school, Shiori's crumple to tears in social studies, and Yuzuhi and Manami following Temari's example and getting into a catfight after school Friday, the Scarecrow was looking forward to a quiet week without students.

The problem, however, was just getting there. There was still a full school week between him and his precious nine-day holiday, and while he couldn't put his finger on it, Kakashi felt something brewing under the surface with the students. He didn't think they'd be stupid enough to try for another food fight, but the English teacher was getting the sense that something was going to happen. He just couldn't find out what. In addition, while he knew something was coming, the feeling he was getting from the students indicated that it wasn't going to be something planned.

Monday morning, he found an email in his inbox from the Haruno family, expressing outrage that their daughter, who wasn't the one who started the fight and was only trying to defend herself, was being put on a five day suspension. The English teacher shot back a response, explaining that while she didn't start the fight, Sakura was a part of it. Plus, the five days out of school would give the students all around a chance to cool off from whatever had caused the fight, preventing retaliations. He also attached the assignments that she would be missing for the week, though he knew that Sasuke and Naruto would both be dropping off once school was over.

While Naruto was back in class, there was no question that Sasuke was helping out his teammate, carrying books and walking him to and from class five minutes before dismissal to avoid the jostling of crowds. With Temari gone, Kankuro and Gaara were huddled together more frequently than ever, and the insomniac redhead was getting more and more testy in class. Given the number of students who had already had to be expelled or suspended, several students were commenting on how teachers seemed to prefer kicking kids out than dealing with whatever issues caused it. On that Kakashi couldn't disagree more, but without knowing the issues, or not having appropriate back up from parents etc, their hands were rather tied.

When F Period came Monday, the Scarecrow was already exhausted and wishing it was Friday. Sasuke and Naruto were waiting at the door, having come up early from their previous class, and Kakashi let them in while Iruka disappeared to make some last minute copies of the test they were having. Once inside, Naruto made himself busy pulling out the neat and precise notes that Sakura had made for him and reviewing them aloud, in a clear manner that he wasn't going to listen to whatever was going on around him.

Curious and slightly amused the English teacher ignored the boys behind him and started putting up the rules for the test on his whiteboard, as usual. He did various miscellaneous things to keep "busy" while Naruto continually went through his notes, out loud, and Sasuke just sort of hovered near Kakashi, clearly wanting to say something.

When the bell rang and the distant roar of students started to rumble down the hall, the dark boy finally cleared his throat. The Scarecrow turned and Sasuke looked up at him, a slightly sullen look on his face, as was usual, before bowing his head ever so slightly.

Kakashi beamed and gestured for him to get back to his seat.

Students started filtering in from all reaches of the building, as they came back from cooking, sewing, computers, and other such specials that they had during E Period. Once the class was settled, the Scarecrow reminded them of the rules of tests in his room (even this late in the year, they needed constant reminding) before Iruka took about half the class over to his room.

As was usual, Kakashi kept filtering around the room, keeping an eye on students he was concerned over, and answering questions from time to time when they appeared. Off in the back corner of the room, however, was Hinata, and the Scarecrow had concerns about her ever since she broke down during the state testing just over two weeks ago (was it really that long?).

With the warmer weather, students had been starting to push the dress code with short-sleeves, tank tops, and very short skirts. Hinata was one of the few, however, that still wore long sleeves. And not just light shirts, but a heavy sweatshirt and bulky pajama pants. While the Hyuga girl was not alone in still wearing such clothing, it seemed... Uncharacteristic. Not only that, but the hitae-ate that Hinata always wore around her neck was currently wrapped snuggly around her left wrist, the carved metal poking out from underneath her sleeve.

It was almost halfway through the class when Kakashi noticed something. He padded silently over to the Hyuga girl and asked her to step outside with him for a moment.

With the class still working silently, Kakashi closed his door and looked down to Hinata, who was pale and shaking.

"Hinata?" he asked gently, trying to radiate comfort and approachability. "Would you please do me a favor?"

"Of course, Kakashi-sensei," she replied meekly.

"Lift your sleeves."

She gave a sound that was between a strangled gasp and a shriek.

"Now, Hinata."

With a stifled snob, Hinata slowly raised the sleeves of her large hooded sweatshirt. On her left wrist was her headband, wrapped firmly around her wrist. The forearm visible was bare and paler than Hinata's cheeks. Her right forearm, however, was covered with pen marks and notes about the unit that he was testing back in his room.

Tears were now starting to stream down Hinata's face and Kakashi sighed. Sometimes his job just sucked.

"I'm going to have to call your parents."

Hinata let out a groan before hiccupping into a sob.

"Come on."

With Hinata trailing behind him, he walked to the corner where Kurenai's science room was and knocked on the door jam. The science class was doing a lab of some kind and the new teacher and a para were circling around, making sure they wouldn't make anything blow up.

Kurenai looked up, noticed Kakashi and the silently sobbing Hinata huddling behind him. She weaved through the groups and stepped outside. She glanced at Hinata and the writing on her arm, and worry creased her brow.

"Kurenai-sensei, would you please contact Hinata's parents?"

The science teacher nodded, her eyes radiating sadness and disappointment. "I'll keep her in here, if that's alright?"

"Of course," the Scarecrow replied.

Hinata rolled her sleeves back down and followed Kurenai back into the science room while Kakashi went back to his classroom. The students hadn't noticed his disappearance, but he kept walking around to reinforce the fact that he was watching and to not try anything stupid. The only students who seemed to notice his change in demeanor were Naruto and Sasuke. Kiba, however, was glaring at the English teacher and glancing back at Hinata's empty seat. Shino, similarly, would glance at the chair in the back corner of the room with concern visible on his spectacled face.

Naturally, at the end of class, Kakashi had a few students at his desk, demanding answers.

"Where'd Hinata go?" Kiba growled. "She studied hard for this and you remove her half way through?" Beside him, Shino merely looked down at the English teacher, frowning.

Kakashi sat back, feeling awful. Hinata was an incredibly sweet girl, if very worried and timid. He didn't want her in trouble for any reason, but he couldn't just let this slide and say, "It's okay to cheat." But the problem was with her parents. The Scarecrow and his team had worked very hard to let Hinata know that they were proud of her, no matter what she did. But with all the pressure to maintain Neji's level of excellence and feeling she had no other recourse thanks to Kankuro planting the bug in here ear during the state tests, it was really no wonder that she finally crumpled to cheating.

He rubbed his visible eye and looked sadly up to her teammates. "I took her to see Kurenai-sensei. Beyond that, it isn't my place to say."

Kiba growled something profane and Kakashi pretended not to hear it as Shino took his friend by the shoulder and led them out of the room, no doubt to see Kurenai. Naruto walked up to his desk, Sasuke standing slightly behind him.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Are you okay?"

The Scarecrow paused. There was no question that he adored his Team 7, but he had to be careful that he wasn't crossing boundaries.

"No, Naruto. I'm not. But--"

"Is it because of Hinata-chan?"

Astute. "In part. However--"

"What happened to her?"

Now Kakashi leveled a semi-glare at the blond student. "I'll tell you what I told her teammates. It's not my place to say. If you're worried about her, ask her."

"Sensei!" Naruto whined.

"I'm not holding your books forever. Come on, dobe."

"Teme!"

The following day, Kakashi's homeroom felt very empty. Sakura was still on OSS and would be for the whole week. Naruto and Sasuke had still came over the previous day to talk and laugh, but Naruto wouldn't be coming in until E Period today. Yondaime had left an email in Kakashi's inbox about a doctor's appointment that morning, just to ensure that the blond knucklehead was still doing well. So Sasuke had stayed in his own homeroom that morning. Hinata, though usually very quiet was nearly silent. She only spoke to Kakashi once, to ask to go to Kurenai's room. Mere moments later, Kiba followed.

The Scarecrow was dreading E Period. Normally, it was his favorite part of the day, since it was Team Time. However today, Hinata's parents were coming in to discuss her cheating and what to do about it. (In other words, start dictating how teachers should teach, what they'd do to apply more pressure on their daughter, etc.) Kurenai had insisted that the whole team be there and Kakashi knew he was going to have to keep a tight lid on his temper. With the Hyuga already after his job, he couldn't afford to give them any more ammunition.

The day seemed to be a strange combination of speeding by too fast, and slow as molasses. One moment, the Scarecrow was certain that time had slowed to a crawl to prolong the horrid wait until E Period, the next, he couldn't believe he was already in SSR and that next period he'd be facing off with the Hyuga clan.

In fact, it was during SSR that he got a call.

"Kakashi?"

"Tsunade-sama? Well, this is a surprise. You coming to the shindig next period?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm calling about Shiori."

"Oh?"

"She won't be in school for the remainder of the year."

Kakashi's voice dropped an octave. "Oh?"

"She's pregnant."

It was like a ballistic missile had struck his back and he didn't see it coming.

"... What?"

"She's currently crying in my office. Took one of those tests at home over the weekend and wanted me to confirm it. Her mother's with her now. If they're pulling her from school, then she's not going to have an abortion. Whether they keep it with all the other mouths to feed in that apartment or give it up for adoption, I don't know."

"She's only twelve."

"And all the parts are in working order, apparently."

"Can she even keep to term?"

"Probably not. I'll bet she'll have a miscarriage over the summer."

"Does she know...?"

"The father? I think so, but she's not speaking up."

Vacation? Where are you, vacation?

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

She hung up. Were there any more bombshells to explode? Really, where were they? Kakashi just wanted them to all explode at once, then he could deal with the fallout and not have to worry about setting another one off. There was also the undeniable feeling that something was coming, but Kakashi really couldn't dwell on that at the moment.

Putting down his phone, checking to ensure that his pretend-readers were all occupied with something else, Kakashi let himself have a small moment as he sank forward and put his head on his desk. He needed a damn vacation. Now.

The Scarecrow didn't notice Sasuke glance back at him.

Taking a deep breath, he sat back up and went back to reading his book. It was the only escape he had at the moment.

Kakashi knew he couldn't stomach lunch, so when SSR ended, he went right down to the guidance office and sat down in the conference room where their meeting would be held. It wouldn't be the first day he'd been without the midday meal and he doubted it would be the last. Besides, with his reputation for forever being late, and the Hyuga anxious to find some reason to have him fired, he wasn't going give them the opportunity to add something to their list of Why-Kakashi-Shouldn't-Be-Working.

In front of him, he reviewed (even though he already knew them by heart) Hinata's grades and various notes on her behavior. With any luck, Kakashi wouldn't have to speak; thereby preventing any fireworks, but he would be prepared. Just in case.

He waited there through first lunch, and one by one, his team arrived. Each, like him, bore folders with the latest up-to-date grades for the timid girl. As they arrived, he told them about Shiori and agreed with their various looks of shock.

Just as second lunch started, the Hyuga arrived. Both parents bore stern looks, as did Hinata's aunt and grandparents. Kakashi felt a shiver go down his spine. Hinata was going to be facing a firing squad about her cheating the previous day. Not just her teachers but it looked like her whole clan was there. Everyone shook hands (Kakashi noted that several Hyuga snubbed him, but he could care less) as Hinata and, oddly enough, Neji arrived.

"Hinata," Kurenai asked gently. "Aren't you going to have any lunch?"

Hinata said nothing, looking down at her hands.

"She ate with me in first lunch," Neji replied coolly.

And Neji, no doubt, either ignored her or had a lot to say. Kakashi really wasn't that fond of the family right now. But he held his tongue. Since Kurenai had the most contact with Hinata's family, she would be leading the discussion. Everyone would offer bits where they felt it necessary and all agreed that the Scarecrow add as little as possible.

"Very well," Kurenai started, but was quickly cut off.

"What's this I hear about my daughter cheating?" Hinata's father, Hiashi demanded.

The science teacher would not be deterred, however. "If you will be so kind as to give me a moment," Kurenai replied sweetly, "all will be explained."

Hiashi nodded, but sent a scathing look to his daughter. Hinata flinched.

"We are here to discuss a few very important things. For starters," Kurenai looked to the timid and frightened girl, and smiled warmly, "all of us believe that Hinata has been putting forth her best effort since day one. I've worked with her after school and watched her work hard on every assignment. I've seen her struggle with concepts and then light up when she understands them. Your daughter, Hyuga-san, is a very, very bright girl."

"Then why--"

"Please," Kurenai interjected. "However, despite her aptitude, her grades, especially on tests and quizzes, fail to reflect her sharp mind and determined spirit. We feel that she suffers from test anxiety, and since it has been undiagnosed for so long--"

"Our daughter has no such condition," Hiashi snapped. "She just doesn't listen. She doesn't work hard enough." He glared at Kakashi. "And I think that the teammates she has might be the cause of it."

Kakashi was prepared for that, however, and wordlessly handed a file to Kurenai. "I beg to differ," she replied calmly, glancing at the file and picking up on the Scarecrow's intended words. "Both Kiba and Shino are doing remarkably well in all their classes. Shino is maintaining an A average in English and Science,"

"An A- in math," Asuma added.

"And another A in social studies," Gai nodded.

"And Kiba has a B+ in English, a B- in science,"

"An A- in social studies."

"And a B- in math."

Hiashi turned to his daughter, where she was looking down at the table, tracing patterns in the peeling wood with her fingertips. "So you have the lowest grades of your team?" he whispered harshly.

"In tests," Kurenai interjected again, "yes. However, in her assignments, she is able to maintain a solid B- across the board. It's tests and quizzes that bring down her grades and we believe that, with the test anxiety, she feels a great deal of pressure to--"

"Have you not been listening to me," Hiashi spoke harshly to Hinata. "Have I raised a failure?" He reached over and grabbed Hinata's wrist, pulling it away from the tracing she was doing. The timid girl let out a small cry. "Look at me when--"

Kurenai, however, had silenced everyone when she suddenly stood up so quickly her chair toppled backwards.

Kakashi glanced sharply at the science teacher. This wasn't the first parent-teacher meeting she'd been to. She'd been watching him handle such meetings all year, and given her interactions with the Hyuga, she was the best choice to lead this meeting. But her current behavior had him wondering.

"What now?" Hiashi growled.

"Hinata," Kurenai whispered. "Not you... You wouldn't..."

"What are you talking about? Can we get on with--"

"Hinata," Kurenai whispered again. "Lift your sleeves."

Tears welling in her eyes, she did so, revealing her pale arms and headband-wrapped wrist.

"Now," the science teacher gulped. "Take of your hitae-ate."

Hinata took a sharp breath and shook her head violently. "No," she whispered.

"Just do it," Hiashi ordered. "Get the foolishness over and done with so we can get back to this report of you cheating."

The girl was still shaking her head violently and Kakashi felt ice pouring down his spine and into his bloodstream. No...

"Take it off, Hinata," Kakashi said quietly. "Kurenai-sensei knows. I think I know. You can't hide it forever."

Sobs were escaping Hinata now, her arms still on the table as she shook her head, continuously whispering "no" between hitched breaths.

"Oh, for goodness's sake," Hiashi growled. He reached out roughly, untied the knot, prompting Hinata to let out a small wail, and ripped off the headband they'd sold back in November.

Kakashi's mouth thinned to a grim line. Hinata's left wrist was paler than the rest of her, and lined with scars. Red crisscrossing marks left, no doubt, by a small knife or razor blade, all along the veins. Most were perpendicular, going from one side of her wrist to another, but there were two that Kakashi could see were parallel, going from the base of her hand towards her elbow. All the scars were an angry red, few of them healed enough to form the white tissue of scarring.

Self-mutilation. Self-Harm. Cutting. Whatever the phrasing, Hinata was an avid practitioner it seemed.

All at once, Kakashi's rage boiled up as he calmly stood. Turned a cold eye, he looked around the room. Neiji, he noted, was incredibly pale and steadfastly not looking at Hinata's wrist, instead, staring at Gai. Hinata's father was looking at her wrist in open mouthed shock while his wife started to cry quietly beside him, leaning onto his shoulder to hide. Neji's mother was holding his hand, also looking at Hinata in shock, and the Hyuga grandparents were looking grimly at their granddaughter. Kakashi didn't bother to look at his team, instead boring his frozen eyes at Hinata's shocked father.

"Are you happy now?" he said coldly, before storming out of the room to avoid letting his hot rage explode.

Back in January, when Kakashi had walked in to see those horrid words marring his whiteboard, the student body had seen him angry for the first time ever. His team, over the years, had seen him angry on very, very rare occasions. The faculty at large, however, had never seen it.

He stormed through the guidance office, his rage radiating off him and making the secretaries flinch and in one case, cower. Ignoring the shut door, Kakashi barged right into Jiraiya's office, where a small fifth grader yelped and ducked her head under her arms.

"Hey!" Jiraiya bellowed, "You know how to knock!"

Kakashi was still shaking with rage. He was only barely aware of another child in the room, but it was enough for him to slip into sign language quickly, explaining that he was needed in the conference room and why.

When Jiraiya saw Kakashi sign that Hinata was cutting, he hissed in a breath and nodded.

"Now, out!" he growled. "You're scaring my student."

Grappling in his fury, Kakashi took a very deep breath and knelt down to the terrified fifth-grade girl. It was shaky, but he managed to radiate a friendly attitude. Still scared stiff, the child peaked out from her elbows.

"I'm sorry for interrupting you," the Scarecrow said, forcing a semi-cheery smile onto his face. "Please forgive me."

She just barely nodded and Kakashi left, letting his rage consume him again as he left guidance and pounded down the halls. Seventh grade lunch would be over by now, so the English teacher mentally pulled up various conversations he'd overheard with his knowledge of student schedules in order to start looking for the students he needed to find.

His first stop was at the art room. He paused outside the door and took a deep breath. As much as he was ready to make heads roll, he couldn't let his anger get the better of him. Another deep breathe.

Walking inside, he saw Shino with the art teacher. Weaving easily through the high art tables and the stools the students were sitting in, Kakashi politely greeted the art teacher. "I beg your pardon, but I need to borrow Shino for a while."

The spectacled boy looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Very well," the old art teacher replied, running a hand over his bald head. "He just finished his project and is free."

"Good," Kakashi nodded. "Come along, Shino."

"Do I need my things?"

"You can get them later." Of course when was a question mark right now, but he didn't need to know that. Kakashi maintained his long quick strides with Shino almost half jogging to keep up. They next went around to the music room. There, Kakashi collected Kiba in a similar manner. With the two hurrying to keep up, the Scarecrow went to his last stop hidden in the back corner of the building where there was a small carpentry shop to give students the basics of woodworking.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto saw him as he came in and smiled. "I just got in, did you come to visit? I'll see you next period!"

"No, Naruto, I'm afraid that I need you."

"Huh?"

Kakashi turned to the teacher, who was a substitute. "May I borrow Naruto for a while?"

"Please," the sub smiled weakly.

With the three students in tow, Kakashi made his way to the front of the building, ignoring their questions on where they were going and what was up.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Naruto whined.

"Why's he gotta come with us," Kiba growled.

At guidance, Kakashi went straight for the secretary, who paled when she saw him approach. Thankfully he wasn't a walking inferno like when he'd first exploded out of the conference room.

"Is she still here, or is she with Tsunade-sama?" he asked.

"Actually, Tsunade-sama is with her now in the conference room."

"Do you have a free room at the moment?"

"Just Jiraiya-sama's room. He's in there as well."

Kakashi turned to the three students he'd collected. "Wait in Jiraiya-sama's office for a moment."

"Sure, but--"

"Now."

"Yes, sensei."

With another deep and calming breath. He walked casually back into the conference room. The room was far more active than when he'd left. Tsunade was packing up her emergency bag and Hinata now had a crisp white bandage wrapped around her scarred wrist. The Hyuga girl was ignoring the circus around her, just sobbing quietly.

Iruka was already talking about classifying Hinata as 504, since she was clearly a special needs student, but the Hyuga were not listening and instead trying to grill Kurenai on why she hadn't called them about their daughters practices, why she hadn't informed anyone, and if she didn't know, why didn't she catch it earlier. Kurenai was still white-faced and not able to answer, being unprepared for such a revelation. Instead, Asuma was jumping in to defend her while Jiraiya tried to talk sense to Hinata's mother, who seemed to be stuck in shock. Gai was also trying to defend his colleague as well as Kakashi, who the grandparents were trying to say all sorts of things about.

It was all very chaotic, and something that the poor, terrified, crying Hyuga girl didn't need.

Nodding at Tsunade, Kakashi and the nurse gently prodded the bandaged girl out of her chair and out of the room without anyone other than Asuma and Gai noticing. In the guidance office, Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya's office, where she could see three very concerned faces poking out. She looked to Kakashi and nodded.

"My office as soon as you can."

"Of course."

He led Hinata into Jiraiya's office, where she took the old guidance counselor's comfy swivel chair, still sobbing quietly.

"Hinata..." Shino whispered, his eyes, and everyone else's, on the bandage encircling her wrist.

The timid girl finally looked up, taking in her surroundings for the first time. She gasped and hurried to pull down her sleeves and hide behind her bulky hooded sweatshirt.

"Hinata," Kakashi stated quietly, "look around you."

She shook her head, putting her hands over her ears.

"You aren't alone, Hinata," Kakashi continued, aware that he was pitching his voice so that she could still hear him. "I'd have Sakura here as well, but she couldn't make it. You have friends. Kiba, Shino, Naruto, Sakura, they're all there for you. You just have to ask."

Hinata shook her head again.

"Have they ever pressured you? Have they ever told you that you're not good enough? Have they ever let you down?"

"Of course not!" Kiba and Naruto growled in unison before glaring at each other and looking away.

"I'm not saying that family isn't important. The fact that you have one is a blessing and that they want you to succeed is all very good. But they can't live through you. You have other people that can support you when your family might not be able to. Haven't you been a support for Kiba and Shino? Well, they can support you too."

"Believe it!" Naruto shouted, before leaning forward and engulfing Hinata on into one of the hugs that he did so often with Sakura and Sasuke.

"Hey! Don't get in there before me!" Kiba barked, also wrapping his arms around the blushing girl.

"...Indeed," Shino agreed, joining the hug-pile. "You've got us. We don't care about your grades."

"Yeah, and what do they measure anyway?" Kiba said. "How well you take a test? Well screw that."

Naruto, who didn't really know what Hinata's home-life was like, only gave an extra squeeze. "You don't have to hurt yourself," he mumbled. "There's always a way."

Finally, Hinata's sobs became great wails as the dam she'd only barely held onto broke. All of her worries and fears poured out as she tried to explain herself in choked sobs and hiccupped breaths.

"It was the only thing I had any control over!" She shuddered in the middle of all the hugs. "It was the only way to stop the pain!"

She continued to wail and cry hysterically, and Kakashi felt it best to give them a moment of privacy. He shut Jiraiya's door behind him and noticed Gai, standing outside of the conference room, with an incredibly pale Neji in front of him. Kakashi let his finely-tuned hearing eavesdrop.

"...Gai-sensei," Neji said in a low voice. "I didn't... I mean, she never..."

The Green Beast nodded solemnly. "Of course you wouldn't know," he replied. "Those who resort to self-injury have so much shame. They are also aware that what they are doing is wrong and are further shamed that they can't stop doing it. Hinata would never let anyone know."

"But..."

"Neji, do you understand why she did it?"

"I..."

"Do you?"

Neji looked down. "My mother is always talking about how her grades aren't up to snuff. They've tried to have me help her at home from time to time, but..."

"You are not a part of her everyday life. You couldn't have known."

Neji just stared at the carpeted floor.

"But there is something you can do for her now."

The older Hyuga child glanced up.

"Be there for her. She feels alone. While my eternal rival has just set up a support system for her within her own grade, she needs support when she comes home as well. What will happen in there, or the results, I cannot predict. But you Neji, don't have to be part of what we adults must do. You can, instead, do what you can from the level of a student."

Neji said nothing and just stood there.

Kakashi waited by Jiraiya's room, where Hinata could still be heard sobbing.

Finally, with a stiffening of his spine, Neji spun around and went straight into Jiraiya's office. At first, Kakashi listened to the protests of Naruto, Kiba, and Shino. But after a few low tones from Neji, they boys quieted and all that was left was Hinata's slow sobs.

Catching Kakashi's eye, Gai gave a thumb's up.

Hinata was kept home Wednesday and Thursday, making Kakashi's homeroom seem even emptier. Sasuke was no longer helping Naruto between classes, and the bandage had shrunk in size. Kiba and Shino were seen frequently within Kurenai's company.

The week had more interesting items to throw at him, naturally. Ryoko, a decent girl, had gotten into a fight with Maname at a baseball game after school Wednesday, and the student rumor mill had heard that Shiori was pregnant and were theorizing on who the father was. Gratefully, the grapevine hadn't gotten word of Hinata, but given how quiet she was, Kakashi wasn't surprised.

When Friday came around, Kakashi was making his rounds in his classes, especially with certain students to make sure they were all right over vacation. F Period, the Scarecrow found out a few interesting tidbits. He'd given a journal assignment, and the students were to write about what they'd be doing on vacation. From there, he took great pleasure in reading over the student's shoulders.

From Naruto and Sasuke's journal entries, he learned that Sakura, it seemed, was going away with her family to sunny Florida, and after much insistence, was taking Naruto and Sasuke along as well. After hearing about Hinata, she was also trying to get the timid girl to go along as well, but it didn't work out. Because, according to Hinata's journal entry, she was going skiing with her family, and Neiji seemed to be hovering near her more often at home.

Kiba's journal entry was filled with a basic itinerary of jobs he'd probably try and do to help his father out, since he'd been forbidden to do any such work during a school day. Shino would help out from time to time, but his vacation seemed to be all about going to the library to read.

Shikamaru was very glad that he had vacation, because he was going to be visiting Chouji every day. With his chubby friend due to come back to school in a few weeks Shikamaru was ecstatic, and bringing everything he could to help catch Chouji up. This apparently included Ino, as she complained in her journal, because Shikamaru wanted them to work on their teamwork so as to avoid any rocky adjustments that might occur. But Shikamaru was being very lazy about it all and leaving it up to her and Chouji to figure out how they worked together.

Temari's grandmother was making her work in the family store throughout vacation, and Kankuro was likely to be alone for most of the week. Gaara, from the tiny paragraph he wrote, seemed to be glad he'd be able to spend time with Yashamaru, but was doubtful that it would occur.

Kakashi continued to wander around the room, reading and smiling. Most of the students in this class would be fine for nine days. Iruka had already filed the paperwork to make Hinata a 504 student; she was in counseling at school and her parents were joining her in seeing a family therapist.

All in all, it had been a crazy and chaotic week, and the Scarecrow was very, very glad that vacation was finally there.

When the last bell rang, students flooded out the doors to either walk or get on the bus, since there were no after school activities. There was an announcement that there was to be a faculty meeting in room 304, but since that room didn't exist, it was code that the teachers could leave with the kids instead of staying to the contracted time.

Kakashi tidied up his room, set out the packets he'd be using when they got back, and did various miscellaneous things. He noticed that Hinata, Kiba, and Shino were still in Kurenai's room and her "worry-free" basket was by the door. Smiling to himself, he walked out the doors and headed to his car in the far corner of the parking lot.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

Surprised to hear that voice, the English teacher turned to see Sakura, smiling brightly, with Naruto and Sasuke on either side of her. The blond was beaming and Sasuke was distinctly looking away. Behind them were Sakura's parents, also smiling.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Sensei," Naruto all but shouted. "We're taking you out to dinner!"

The Scarecrow stood there for a few minutes while he tried to parse the words.

"Excuse me?"

Sasuke was definitely looking anywhere but him.

"Well," Sakura's mother smiled, "I know that you've done a lot for our daughter, and we'd like to thank you."

The father glanced knowingly at Sasuke. "We've heard that you've had a rather rough week. And the kids here all put their resources together and came up with enough money to take you out to eat."

"Of course," said another voice and Kakashi turned to see Yondaime coming up to them, "we didn't think it'd be okay for them to take you alone, so we decided to tag along."

Kakashi smiled brightly.

Some of the terminology might be confusing in this chapter, particularly with the reference to "504". "504" is a section on one of many educational laws set forth by Congress, stating that students who have "special needs" need specialized services. Most special needs are disabilities that people think of like mental retardation, ADHD, needing a wheelchair. However, you can end up as a 504 student temperarily if you have a broken leg/arm, become pregnant, or, like Hinata, need counseling. All it means is that the school has to accomidate your needs. If you're stuck on crutches, that means having an elevator so that you don't have to navigate stairs, or letting you leave early from class to get to the next class without being trampled by the crowds, etc.

Yes, teachers can need a vacation as desperately as the students. Considering the crisis-after-crisis that Kakashi-tachi have been through for the past few weeks, vacation would be sorely needed at this point.

For those concerned about students taking a teacher out to eat, that's why the parents are there. Plus, if you're in a community long enough, you might actually know the parents as friends and go out with them from time to time. This is a little fast for Kakashi to become friends with the Haruno's and Yondaime, but Kakashi needed a bright spot after all this.