Summary: All everyone wanted was to create their life, their way. No matter what, they would make what they want come to be. Even if it meant killing themselves in the end. Hints of NaruHina, SasuSaku, SaiIno, ect.

Contents: Friendship, Action (not well written, but none-the-less…), Romance (hints), and OOCness.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto


The Life We Try To Reach

Chapter 1

"It was never and will never be enough for you, will it?"

Sakura


Pieces of bark flew across the training field in a hopeless desperation for freedom from this torture. The tree could feel itself cracking and knew it could only take a few more hits till it would fall. And right on cue, Naurto's wrist was caught two inches before his fist could make contact with the groaning tree. He tried to pull on his arm, see if he could move any closer. On just his free will alone, he felt it move a centimeter.

Then he added some chakra, felt it flow and twist in his arm while his muscles expanded. Now Naruto was only an inch away from his target. But he kept the thought close in his mind that he was only doing this to push Sakura and gloat a little if she was slipping. They stood there, both pushing against the extra force that was being added on by both sides. Naruto, already annoyed at being interrupted, grunted in frustration feeling his mind start to slip.

And slip… slipping…

The red chakra scratched at the corners of his thoughts. He blinked feeling his eyes start to enhance and burn and stretch into slits. Blistered lips twitched and then turned over into a growl and split open with blood pouring through as whisker marks became bolder and fiercer. The nails on Naruto's hands became longer, coming out of his fingers while his back started to curve as he went into a crouch. He could almost see the red aura cover his arm.

"Naruto!"

Then, with a few blinks of the eyes, everything was gone; back to normal. His back straightened out and his hand lost all his previous strength. "Sorry," Naruto mumbled as Sakura let go and flexed her hand. It hurt when she moved it, like all her joints were to stiff. He had gone too hard. On everything and everyone.

"You're out here unusually early. Perhaps you're meeting someone," Sakura said, nudging his still form. Naruto let a false chuckle roll over his bloodied lips. It didn't work. Sakura pushed her hair out of the way, opted to put it into a ponytail then sighed as she sat onto the ground in a slow manner. "You've been out here too long. You should get some rest. We have a mission in two days." She took note to his chapped lips. "And you should drink something." Naruto only grunted and started to gather some miscellaneous things he had brought.

A water bottle which had ran out of water some time ago. Enough to make him see dark circles in his eyes and take a second to steady himself. An over-used sweatshirt of his; it was gray and had a stain on it…somewhere. Shoes, that had somehow come off while he had ran, lay close to a beating post. His headband that had been neatly set onto a tree stump and his right next to it. Sakura sighed as she watched him put it into his back pocket. She got up and walked over moving him to face her.

"You can't let something go when it needs so badly to be let go, Naruto." She fixed his sweatshirt as he pulled it over his head in an attempt to hurry and gather his things. He breathed out through his nose as he tied his headband, feeling it pull across his forehead tightly. "I'm sure Hinata-chan would like it much better if your head protector wasn't blocking your hair every time she saw you." The confusion in Naruto's eyes was expected. But it cleared too quickly for Sakura's liking.

"I made a promise Sakura-chan. And that's all that matters to me."

"It's been years," pain flashed in Naruto's eyes and Sakura wished she had phrased that better. She continued still though. "You know I don't care anymore." Naruto's mouth opened. "Yes, I wish everyday that he would walk through those gates as he does in my dreams. I wish he had never left in the first place. I wish I didn't go through this pain and see you constantly put yourself down since that last time.

"But I think it's time we…let go. Kakashi has long since mentioned any new sightings of him and we have no idea if he's even…you know. And I'm not going through a wild goose chase to watch you demolish a building every time it's just an accident. We're going to let this go. We have to let this go. I'm going to let this go. No matter how much we miss," Sakura couldn't continue and choked on her own words as she tried to convince him that he was long gone. He didn't want to come and he wouldn't. But she so wished he would! So, so badly.

Naruto glanced down at her, for he had gotten much taller. Towering over even Kakashi and close to the same height as Shino, the tallest of the rookie nine. That nickname had stuck, but felt so out there now. But it was still used whenever they had gotten together, which had been less and less over the years.

Naruto's hair has become shaggier, his tan tanner and his eyes older and wiser. Only with his friends and truly happy, not thinking about him could you see that shine that many had come to long for. His need for the color orange seemed to dissipate only carrying those orange gloves and the undershirt that was underneath his sweater at the moment. The rest had molded into natural colors of brown, black and gray. How the town, even if unconsciously, missed the brightness. Or, for those little few, they loved this drearier Naruto.

"I promised you. And I haven't broken any other promise yet."

"It was never and will never be enough for you, will it?" Naruto looked down at the pink-haired girl who once had so much power to make him do anything but couldn't even read what his eyes said anymore. She was starting to think she never could. But Naruto just shook his head.

"Not till I've dragged his ass back here and made him eat dirt in front of you and hear his apology with my own ears. Not till I see that smile on your face again." He had become obsessed. That's what Tsunade-sama had said anyway in her drunken, yet surprisingly smart, state. And Sakura was starting to believe it.

But day by day, his hope was becoming extinguished, and she could see his will becoming less strong. His punches were just punches and kicks just kicks. He was starting to forget what he had fought for. What stopped Gaara. He was starting to fight for nothing and no one. When he couldn't kill that one opponent and Nagato had crawled away in defeat, using the last of Konan's strength which she had stupidly given him. His body never found and Naruto never forgave himself.

But Pein had no more forces. Nothing threatened Konoha and the Great Nations had gone back to just that. Being great.

"I don't want him back." Sakura bit her tongue.

Naruto scoffed. "I don't believe you. You said it yourself. And in a very confusing manner."

"I was lying."

"No you weren't."

"I'm telling the truth now."

"You're being deceitful."

They were both silent. "I heard you on our last mission. You talk in your sleep sometimes, you know."

"I didn't know that 'deceitful' was in your vocabulary." Sakura smiled as she saw the corners of his mouth twist up and an annoyed look come to his face.

"Shut up." He whined as he turned and put on his other sandal.

"Let's go get something to eat. Maybe some ramen." Naruto nodded.

"Oh, but let me go home first. I'll meet you there in a little bit. Won't take long."

Sakura smiled and 'mm-hmm'ed. As soon as she had left though in a puff of smoke, Naruto cursed under his breath and thought of Sasuke again. He didn't even bother to look at the large tree as he gave it one final kick and heard the moaning of the being as it fell over with a large cracking sound as its roots gave way. He will be brought back. And I will thoroughly beat that smart guy's ass.

The final bang of the tree could be heard everywhere. It even traveled all the way across town and was picked up by a certain pink haired girl's ears whose frown matched the young blond male as he reached his apartment and slammed the beaten door closed.


The moon had been out long. He hadn't been able to sleep for days, so why he volunteered to be first watch, he didn't know. But Kakashi presumed Sai was alert even in his sleep. Yamato though…he's a different story. The gray haired man never could tell what this man was like. Serious, cynical, friendly, sadistic; it was a whirlwind of emotions that he didn't really want to see and didn't care for. Sai was…Sai was Sai. And no matter how you look at it, it was unlikely he would change his false smiles and teasing demeanor.

He shifted again on the stump, wishing he had chosen a tree instead. But he was afraid the movement would wake the two and he wasn't quick enough at the moment to dodge an attack from a lion. Kakashi licked his lips, forgetting about his mask in his tired and delusional state. A small grunt was heard and the mask was loosened and it fell around his neck.

"Well, looky there. And it took me years to see under that thing to be disappointed when all I had to do was get you aggravated."

It's not easy to get me aggravated.

"I recall it being fairly easy."

Fine; aggravated and tired.

"That's fair. But shouldn't you be aware on a mission. Well rested and all that junk. The minute I die, you decide to relax, huh?" Kakashi flinched.

You're wrong.

"You're slipping, Hatake."

Shut up, Obito.

"'A good ninja never shows his emotions.' Wasn't that what you said many times?"

You're not here. It's all in my head.

"You're losing it, Hatake."

I will not lose.

"Don't let anyone down this time."

"I won't."

There was a rustling in one of the tents. "You won't what, Kakashi-sensei?" It was Sai. He had heard him.

Kakashi moved on the stump again and said, "I won't let you get up yet. It's still too early. Go back to sleep." And in a few minutes, Sai's breathing had gotten slightly slower.

"You should take help once in a while. It could come in handy, no?" Kakashi's showing eye traveled slowly towards his left. There was Obito, in the flesh…or maybe not. He was leaned up against a tree. His black hair had reminded him of Naruto's for an instant, then the idea subsided in his mind, burying itself and then it was like he had never even thought of it. Obito snickered and asked, "Comparing me to the Kyuubi brat now?"

He's not –!

"Oh, don't give me that. Tell me that's not what you were thinking when you first heard the news. You were once in that same thinking pattern as everyone else. 'Kyuubi brat. Monster. My sensei should be standing in front of me. I should not have to look at the abomination that is the cause of his death.' Such a harsh teacher, aren't you?"

Kakashi wanted to say something back, but he knew he couldn't. It was true. But he buried those feelings and never thought of them again. But as he looked at Obito, the memories came when he had thought of killing Naruto But he didn't. Because his sensei also wanted him to be cherished. And that's what mattered. He was now a teammate and friend.

"Friend? Hah, don't make me laugh! You can't have a friend. It's impossible for you to have a friend. Look at me, I thought we were friends and I ended up dead. Does that say anything to anyone? Hopefully it does."

You were my best friend.

"Hatake Kakashi is dangerous. He would abandon anyone on the spot if he wanted too. He left his teammate, Uchiha Obito, to be crushed by rocks. At least his father would have saved him and ruined the mission. But he'd be saved, wouldn't he? Hatake Sakumo would've saved me. But unfortunately for me, he committed suicide and his son never tried to stop him."

That's a lie! I didn't know.

"And instead of feeling sad, Kakashi gladly took Obito's sharingan eye that he had just gotten and prances around with it, not feeling any remorse."

I go to your gravestone every morning. Every morning!

"Even the Kyuubi bastard could save Sauske. What I would've done for him back then. Would've given my left eye for him." Obito chuckled.

I miss you.

"You're slipping, Hatake."

"No I'm not." The air was filled with silence. Obito was nowhere to be seen. Or to be heard. The moon was still in the sky and he could hear Sai and Yamato sleeping, taking calming breaths.

And the wind blew through his hair, trying to tame it and pushing him slightly off the stump. A chill raced up his neck and his head moved to the right. He was here. He could hear the footsteps. They sounded like air. Barely crushing the leaves underneath him.

He wanted to move, race to him and challenge him, bring him back. But he couldn't. His feet wouldn't move and he couldn't even be quick enough to stop a twig from hitting his head. And soon enough, the steps were gone, as was his presence and Kakashi was contemplating whether on telling Hokage-sama that Uchiha Sasuke is close to Konoha. So close, he was surprised Naruto didn't sense him.

"Demon brat."

Shut up.

The tent rattled again. "Sensei, get some sleep. I cannot sleep anymore, so there is no use for me to sit silently in the tent." Kakashi picked a kunai up from the ground and threw at a tree close to Sai's head and of course, he didn't move. "Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yes, I do think it is time for me to get some rest." He picked himself up and headed to the tent. "You may hear some things, but don't worry. I'll still be in there tomorrow morning and we'll head to Konoha."

"Have sweet dreams, Kakashi."

"Yes." And when he made it inside the tent, he gathered up chakra and made the right hand signs and a bunshin was in front of him. He scrawled something down on paper first before speaking to the clone. "Take this straight to Hokage-sama and don't get caught. Don't answer anyone. All I want you to say is we'll be back tomorrow in the late morning." The Kakashi bunshin nodded and was gone in a puff of smoke.

"Goodnight Kakashi." (1)

Hai.

"You're slipping, Hatake."


7 pages

(1) As for this, it is Sai who says this and Kakashi answers in his head because he has been hearing Obito talk to him.

Well?? It's a new story I'm working on. Yes, much OOC in these people I am currently writing about. But it wouldn't be the same to me if Naruto wasn't obsessed with bringing his best friend home or Sakura trying to talk him out of it, fearing only the worst which is yet to come. And then Kakashi being tormented by Obito and sensing Sasuke but doing nothing. I think I'll put Sasuke's point of view in the next chapter…maybe not. I don't know if I could call it angst or drama that I'm putting in here. I guess you guys will have to tell me.

Eva