Iruka had been grading papers when the news had come in. He was growling over another of Konohamaru's failing tests when the ANBU came.
"Iruka-sensei, Hokage-sama has summoned you. We must go now, and quickly." He grabbed Iruka's arm. Startled and dreading, Iruka nodded. A few hand signs later and they were in the hospital. Tsunade was waiting for them. She dismissed the ANBU with a wave of her hand and dragged Iruka through the hospital, explaining as she did so.
"It's Kakashi. He's dying Iruka, and faster than I can stop him. I need you, you and anyone else who you think can get through to him. Otherwise we'll lose him." She lead him into a room, and Iruka could have died right then and there. It was Kakashi, bleeding and unconscious. Tsunade had already healed the major wounds, but Iruka knew that if Kakashi didn't come back, that it would be pointless to heal the rest of them.
He collapsed next to the bed, taking his lover's hand. He'd never seen Kakashi this bad. Despite the healing, Iruka could still see a faint scar across the copy-nin's neck. Someone had slit his throat, hoping to end him quickly. The jagged path marked it as an attack, not mercy. He heard himself speaking, calling to his love. But Kakashi needed someone stronger right now, someone who knew wounds on such a grand scale.
"Send for Gai-sensei!" He cried to Tsunade. "And…" he hesitated, but it might work. "And Team 7." Loath though he was to let the genin see their sensei like this, he knew that it might be enough to reach Kakashi. Where ever he was hidden in himself. The Hokage nodded, and left as fast as she could.
"Come on, 'Kashi-kun." He breathed, fighting tears. "Come back to us. We can't lose you, not when we've lost so many other's precious to us. Not now, please not now." He breathed his last sentence like a mantra, trying to let his strength and love flow into the jounin beside him. He could not lose Kakashi now. Team 7 could not lose Kakashi now. And, frighteningly clear to Iruka in this moment, Konoha could not afford to lose Kakashi now.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura's voice, terrified and breaking, came from behind her. She knew about them, was aware of their relationship. The genin held Kakashi's hand with Iruka, both silently trying to reach their sensei and friend. Tears were quick to pour from those green eyes as she leaned against Iruka for comfort. Iruka warped an arm around her shoulder, holding the young genin as she sobbed.
A blue-black form on Iruka's other side signaled the arrival of Sasuke. The young Uchiha also knew of his teacher's relationship, Sakura having told him the instant she found out. The academy instructor saw the trembling hands reach out to join their clasp on Kakashi, could see Sasuke's ill-concealed panic. This had to be what it was like for him that night, and now he was facing it again. The boy leaned against Iruka, silently seeking comfort as he gripped Kakashi's hand with Iruka. He would not cry, but misted over eyes told Iruka how close the genin was to it.
Small hands wrapping around his waist told Iruka that Naruto was here. The orange-clad boy could barely look at his jounin-instructor, and was already sobbing. Iruka gently removed his hand from Sakura's shoulder to bring Naruto forward. The yellow haired ninja slowly clasped his hands with the others, responding to Iruka's whispered, "He needs you, Naruto."
They sat like that for a few minutes more, until Gai came. He took Kakashi's other hand, staring in grieved horror at his friend and rival. "Kakashi.." Was all the other jounin could say, gripping the copy-nin's hand tightly. Iruka was about to speak when someone else entered the room, fast as he could. It was Anko. The woman knelt next to Gai, wide-eyed. Iruka was about to ask where she'd come from when the room was suddenly growing crowded.
Genma, Raidou, Ebisu, Jirayia, Asuma, Kurenai, Ibiki, Kotetsu, and Izumo came in. The jounin crowded around the small bed, gripping Kakashi's hands and arms. Each considered the copy-nin a friend and each were doing their best to reach out to him. Leaning against each other for comfort and support, the shinobi of Konoha, genin, chuunin, and Jounin alike stood strong for their friend and comrade.