Title: The sequel

Rating: G

Pairing / Characters: Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura, Tsunade, Nara Shikamaru

Word Count: 1, 071 words

Warnings: Spoilers if you haven't read 'you are my sunshine'

Summary: Naruto is trying to recover from his trauma, a mission comes along for the genin

A/N: Yes, there is a sequel. Yes, this is it. And yes, it's dedicated to everyone who read and reviewed 'you are my sunshine'… this is for you!!!!!!

Panting, he struggled to free himself from the soaked sheets that were tangled around his legs like tentacles. The memory of his screams were still ringing in his ears and his frantic struggles increased, culminating in him falling off his bed and knocking over the bedside table.

At last free of his bed clothes, Naruto flipped the light switch and tried to calm his breathing as the warmth of the light dispelled the shadows.

Reaching for his clothes, Naruto dressed swiftly and left his apartment behind, not even noticing that he'd left the door wide open.

Humming softly under her breath, Sakura climbed the stairs and walked down the grimy corridor that led directly to Naruto's apartment. In one hand she carried a foil covered bowl of ramen, in the other a set of chopsticks and a smaller bowl of fresh fruit salad.

It took several seconds for Sakura to realize that Naruto's front door was wide open, his apartment in darkness.

Frowning, Sakura hesitated on the threshold, calling his name.

'Naruto?'

When she got no response, she stepped inside, putting the bowls down on the table and sliding her hand along the wall to the light switch.

Flipping it up, she blinked against the sudden brightness and stared in shock at what she saw.

Naruto's apartment was completely empty, his blankets strewn across the floor, the nightstand and whatever else had been on it had been knocked over. Fear rising, Sakura tried to remember if anything had happened in the last two weeks since Naruto had left the hospital, but nothing came to mind.

'They escaped once, they could do it again,' she whispered, suddenly terrified for her team mate.

Leaving the bowls on the table, Sakura ran in search of her sensei.

Kakashi glanced up at the knock, putting his book down and opening the door to see Sakura standing there, her face white.

'Kakashi-sensei – Naruto – he's not at his apartment – everything has been knocked over – I –'

'Sakura, calm down,' Kakashi said swiftly. 'Naruto isn't missing, he's here with me. He's asleep.'

Pulling the door open, Kakashi gestured towards the bed where Naruto lay, half under the blankets, a hand tucked under his cheek.

Sakura sagged against the door frame. 'For a minute I thought that…'

Kakashi put his hand on her shoulder. 'He's all right, Sakura.'

For a moment, the jounin studied his student, a slight frown creasing his brow.

While it was true that Naruto hadn't shown any outward signs of the trauma he'd suffered, the nightmares hadn't stopped. In the last three or four days, Naruto had sought out his sensei's company, mingled shame and relief on his face whenever Kakashi had opened the door. Kakashi was more worried than he cared to admit, even though he knew Naruto would not appreciate it.

Sakura glanced from Naruto to Kakashi, and then said softly 'he's still having nightmares, isn't he? I suspected it, he hasn't been himself…'

Kakashi sighed. 'He's been through something extremely traumatic, Sakura. It's difficult to say how long it will take before he begins to recover, because he won't tell anyone what happened.'

'Not even you?'

'Not even me. I know he mentioned some of the things he went through to Iruka, but I don't think he told him everything. When he starts to talk, he'll be ok.'

'So what you're saying is that we just have to wait?'

'I'm afraid so, Sakura,' Kakashi replied gently. 'He needs your support most at the moment.'

Sakura straightened. 'I won't let him down, Kakashi-sensei,' she whispered.

'I know you won't.'

Just then, Naruto stirred, blinking sleepily at Kakashi and Sakura.

'Sakura-chan?'

'Good morning, Naruto,' Sakura said, smiling at him.

Naruto yawned. 'Good morning.'

Kakashi crossed over to the bed. 'Are you hungry?'

'A little,' Naruto admitted, knowing full well that his sensei knew he hadn't been eating.

'I'll make breakfast – and no, it's not ramen.'

Naruto chuckled faintly, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. 'Ne, Kakashi-sensei…'

'Hmm?'

'I still want to be a shinobi.'

Sakura froze, not saying anything as Kakashi turned back to study Naruto. 'I know you do, Naruto. You aren't the type to give up on your dreams, or your way of the shinobi.'

Naruto hung his head. 'It's hard, sometimes. I feel stupid for being scared of the dark, and then I feel stupid for feeling stupid.'

Kakashi knelt down in front of Naruto. 'Listen to me. No one will ever understand what you've been through, or what you've experienced. It's natural to be afraid of something that was used against you. Fear is a very effective tool to torture someone with.'

Naruto's heart lifted. Kakashi-sensei understood, he always did. 'Ne, Kakashi-sensei… will you help me become stronger?'

Kakashi smiled, although it was hidden beneath his mask. 'Of course I will.'

'Come in, Shikamaru, and close the door.'

Tsunade steepled her fingers together, studying the chuunin carefully. 'How are you doing?'

Shikamaru blinked. 'It's been… interesting,' he answered carefully. 'I'm not really sure how to handle him now. We're all trying to treat him as normal, but I don't know if it's what he wants.'

'I think it is,' Tsunade replied. 'He's working through things, he'll be all right in time.'

Shikamaru shrugged. 'All we can do is to be his friends, right?'

'Right.' Tsunade was all business. 'Shikamaru – I have a mission for you, and I'm ranking it S-class.'

'S-class? We're not –'

'I know, but I cannot spare any ANBU members to take the job. The situation is what it is.'

'What do we have to do?'

'The former ANBU members, Mori Isamu and Murai Sachiko, are to be transported to a high security detention centre on the other side of Fire Country. You are to serve as their escorts – and you're to take every available genin with you.'

'Naruto?'

'If you think he can handle it – although I think he'll probably want to go with you.'

'This is going to be difficult,' Shikamaru muttered.

Tsunade's expression softened. 'You're right, it will be. I think it will be good for all of you to do it anyway. You need closure, Shikamaru.'

'Maybe. Well, I'll tell them – but they aren't going to be happy about it.'

'I'll take the blame for it, don't worry.'

But as Shikamaru left her office, he couldn't help but worry about the fallout after the mission was over.