Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

The Life We Try To Reach

Chapter 2

"Just because Sakura-san chooses to do nothing, doesn't mean I have too."

– Naruto

"Hello Tetsu."

"Chie."

"Hello Sakura-san."

As said girl, Sakura walked down the street, she watched as numerous lights went up and little kids were scolded by mothers and fathers and other relatives to come inside. She took this time to think. Sakura hadn't felt Naruto's chakra all this time, right after he had calmed himself down. She still shuddered at that memory. Before, there really wasn't anything to think of. She wasn't trying to reach out to his chakra signature at that moment. And he had also been out there all day, probably burning off that energy. It really wasn't anything to worry over. But to not feel anything after that? Not even when the tree had fallen there was no rush of chakra. It's just Sakura could always feel it before. Its presence had always made itself known, never vanishing. Especially since the Kyuubi. Oh, how she had come to miss that.

By the time she had reached Ichiraku, Teuchi had given Naruto about ten bowls. She chuckled as he swallowed down the eleventh. "Naruto," she teasingly chided, "If you eat anymore, you'll burst. And probably close Ichiraku early tonight."

"Don't worry Sakura-chan!" Teuchi laughed. "I'm prepared tonight. And he has set a new record for himself. Fifty-seven!"

Naruto patted the seat next to him in between slurps of his fourteenth bowl. "Don't worry –" Gulp. "Sakura –" slurp. "-san. I –" Another bowl. "Worked up an appetite." After Sakura hit him over the head to not talk with his mouth full, she ordered one bowl and only made it to her third. And they could only talk when Naruto had said he had had enough when he made it to fifty-two. "Close, Sakura-san. Close," he laughed to himself. It was quiet. Not boisterous like it used to be. She felt like it had not been rekindled since that time.

"Naruto?"

"Yes Sakura-san?"

She bit her tongue, deciding against it then rethought that. "Why can I not feel your chakra presence as well as I should? I mean, I've had to really concentrate on it, but every time it is getting lower. Why?"

Naruto stirred the juice he could not drink in the bowl, tilting it this way and that way. "Sakura, there are times when one should speak out and learn what they do not know. Now, now is not that time." He slid sideways on the stool and smiled at her. That smile ended any conversation that could have been made. She wondered if she got mad, would that help. But before completing the thought, Naruto had already squeezed her hand and was off.

"Naruto!" He stopped. He actually stopped.

"Yes Sakura-san?"

She bit her lip. "Bye."

"See ya."

Naruto stuck his hands behind his head, an old habit too old to break. His stomach hurt, and he knew that he had eaten too much today. Past twenty was too much, but Teuchi said he had prepared and Sakura-san… Sakura-san knows things. He tried to strengthen his chakra signal, but his stomach ache was already too much to handle. It was hard enough not puking everywhere.

"Uhmph!" He looked down. "Oh, Naruto-kun! I'm so sorry."

Naruto blinked. "No, that was my fault."

Was it his fault?

"No, it was my fault Naruto-kun. You moved out of the way," she said, her brows furrowing. "I was the one who dropped the water on you. Are you okay Naruto-kun?"

He blinked again, his head suddenly burning. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be? Here, let me help you with that." Naruto knelt down on the ground, picking up some fruit that had rolled out of a bag. "What are you doing out here Hinata? Where's Neji? He usually accompanies you, doesn't he?"

"Uhm, Neji was out late training with Tenten-san and he left early on a mission this morning. He'll be back tomorrow. My sister had come, but she ran off with her team somewhere." Naruto nodded, vaguely listening to her. The burning wasn't natural at all.

"…Sakura-san…"

"Hmm?"

"I heard Sakura-san and yourself are going on a mission. Is that true?"

"Mmm, yes. We are delivering something to Suna for Gaara. Kakashi and Yamato are going with us. Is that all of them?" Hinata looked down in the bag and nodded her head. She furrowed her brows deeper.

"See you, Hinata."

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled without realization. He turned around a pained look on his face.

Something was wrong. She looked to her left, then right, making sure her sister had not come back yet. She walked over towards him and handed him an apple. "It's thanks. And sorry for spilling my water on you, I'm terribly sorry." She watched him look down at his jacket, almost dry. Too fast, she thought. "It's uhm, it's supposedly really good."

Naruto-kun squeezed the apple. Looking down, he said to her, "You really shouldn't trust everything everyone says to you Hinata-chan." He took a bite out of the fruit. "It's good. Very juicy." He licked his lips. The bite marks in the apple were too sharp. Hinata looked up. Naruto-kun had a smirk on his face.

"Naruto-kun," she said, reaching out to touch him then pulled back. "Sometimes it is really better to let go. You do know that, right?" His lip twitched, his eyes turning a darker shade.

"Things are much easier this way, Hinata-sama." Hinata questioned if she should step back then decided against it.

"You do know," Hinata said carefully. "Sakura-san has…let go."

Naruto growled. "Just because Sakura-san chooses to do nothing, doesn't mean I have too." Someone passing glared dangerously at him and he bared his teeth. They made sure to get away quickly. Hinata watched as Naruto realized this and pulled himself together again. He clumsily scratched the back of his head gave Hinata a nod goodbye. She only smiled back.

When he was at a far distance and she watched his retreating form, she whispered, "Bye, Naruto-kun." He stopped and his back looked stiff, then he carried on. Hinata felt frozen, her heart beating fast, knowing that Naruto-kun was in a lot more trouble than he was letting off. The feeling she had just received from him was knowledge enough to know that this was only the calm before the storm.

"Nee-san." Hinata imagined storm clouds rolling across the sky, moving as fast as her heart. "Nee-san?" She wondered if it was something she could help with.

"Nee-san!" Hinata looked over and slightly declined her head and saw her sister.

"Hello Hanabi. Are you ready to leave?"

Hanabi's eyes looked suspicious. "Yes, I have gathered all that I needed. What are you staring at?"

"The sky Hanabi. Isn't it very," she paused real quick, looking up at the sky. "Gray. Isn't it very gray today? Not a dark blue like it should be."

Hanabi only looked at her sister for a minute, contemplating if that was what was actually going through her head and walked away. Hinata followed, glancing back only to see Kakashi-san hurrying to the Hokage's office.

She wondered when he got back. Naruto-kun is going to be happy.

In actuality, Naruto, after feeling Kakashi's chakra signature was far from happy, and Tsunade had to deal with it. The way his brows furrowed and his jaw tightened and how his eyes glanced at the clock furiously were all signs of wanting to get the hell out of here. He glanced back at her after staring at the clock for thirty seconds.

"Tsunade-sama. I would be very pleased if you let me go. It would make me very…" he frowned. He was lying again. And he wondered if she remembered his mission "Happy." Tsunade doubted that. Was about to respond with a fierce "NO" but didn't.

"And why would I let you go on a week long solo-mission that I didn't authorize, is not the least in the village interest and I will have no idea where you are going?"

Naruto bit his cheek, to refrain from a smart-mouthed attack. She waited and closed her eyes for a long time after Naruto opened his mouth and calmly said, "If you are afraid of me looking for Sasuke, there should be no worry. A week would not be in my interest. I would likely ask for a month," he paused took an exaggerated breath and continued. "I do not trust myself for anyone to come along and the only person who I would wish to come is in fact, unable."

Tsunade, interest piqued now, was about to open her mouth then realized and shut it again.

"Do you trust yourself with me – too come along I mean." Naruto stared hard at her, blinked long and hard and she knew the answer once his jaw tightened even more. "How should I trust you when –"

"I didn't say I never trusted you," he growled on the verge of yelling. Tsunade heard Shizune jump in fright outside. "I said I don't trust myself!" Tsunade blinked and saw his sharpened teeth and darker eyes. Then she blinked again and saw the same old Naruto scratching the back of his head. "So yes or no?"

"Go, your week starts tomorrow. If you aren't back in seven days time, I will send out Kakashi and Sakura." His lip twitched but he said nothing, gave her a salute then left.

Shizune burst in the room, looking in the corners, seeing if anything had been broken. "He is having control issues," she muttered. "What can a week do?"

She didn't have time to give her own concerns because Kakashi pushed opened her doors, ignoring the ANBU. "Ah, Kakashi, I got you message yesterday night and was wondering what was on your mind." Kakshi looked at her with one tired looking eye and sagging hair.

"Just a little reunion." He smiled tiredly. "That's all."

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Sasuke-kun!"

"SASUKE-KUN!?"

"Shut up already Karin!" Suigetsu yelled, trying not to lose balance by his immense headache. Karen gave him the finger but turned away again.

"I can't believe Sasuke-kun would ditch us like that!"

"Can't you find him by his chakra signature?" Juugo asked

Karin huffed. "No. I thought I had tasted something funny in my food last night and I think he slipped me something. Plus, his chakra signal is hard to find, especially now."

Suigetsu slid down into a sitting position. "Guess we'll just have to wait. Why don't you stop bitching and hang yourself or something?" Karin punched him.

"I don't know how long this thing is going to last," she yelled at him. "Knowing Sasuke it could last for weeks for all I know."

"Then he doesn't want to be found right now," Juugo said, almost silently. "There is nothing we can do about that."

Suigetsu nodded, agreeing. Though he looked at his orange haired companion closely. He trusted him now, but not so much when he was going on a rampage.

"Guess we'll just wait," Suigetsu said, covering his eyes with his straw hat that he had torn off the head of his latest victim. His nose scrunched up at the stench of blood and his senses went a little wider, knowing Karin was close enough to kill. He didn't. Doesn't mean he couldn't or didn't want to kill the bitch, but he just didn't. He fell asleep listening to the demented girl kill her throat yelling for Sasuke-kun.

Kakashi was stuck in one of those moments when all you could do was drop your mouth, anything your holding and freeze and become a human statue. He didn't mean for his actions to be so out there, but he had not gotten enough sleep last night. Tsunade was cursing, drinking from the newly opened bottle of sake, the scent traveling around the room, the windows not enough to get the liquor stench away.

Kakashi opened his mouth, "So you're telling me…" he had to pause, not really sure what to do. "You are telling me that you let Naruto go off on a week long mission while Sasuke is out there in our woods?"

"Dammit Kakashi," Tsunade yelled. "I didn't know. This is why you should send messages in description to what the hell is going on! I mean…"

"Wait." Kakashi suddenly said. He held up his hand, Tsunade about to criticize him on bad manners then thought this could be important. Kakashi headed over to the windows, checked each one, and went up to Tsunade's desk.

"He doesn't have to know."

Tsunade blinked.

"Naruto may be rash, but he isn't that stupid anymore." Once again, Tsunade was about to open her mouth but didn't. "He doesn't have to know yet. Send Shino and Shikamaru on a routine run through the forest on the third to last day and have them stay there for three days, seeing if Sasuke is staying in the area or if he was just passing by for some reason." Tsunade nodded, knowing that this was probably the best case because Sasuke coming to the village could be good, or bad. Just depends.

She agreed and dismissed him, but he wasn't done. "You do know we have a mission in two days and you let him leave?"

Tsunade cursed herself again. "Hai, hai, I will call Neji-san in. He has no missions as of now. And it will only take a little while. One and a half days with your speed. And I just received notice that Gaara will meet you half way. He is pushing our meeting up sooner. He sounded distressed in his letter, so it will be moved up to an S-rank mission. You MUST protect the Kazekage at all costs."

Kakashi nodded again this time ready to leave. Tsunade heard him mumble, "Naruto hates when he misses out on tough missions," when he left and remembered when he would have died to take this on.

Yeah, where did those days go?

She looked down at her mission book and sure enough, Naruto did have a mission with them. "Damn."

Naruto was out of the village that night, jumping from building to building till he made it to the gates and took one hard kick and was over it in a few seconds. He was surprised the guard's had not felt him but thought of his decreasing chakra signal. He didn't bother to cover his face as he went through numerous branches and trees. There wasn't a scar on his face when he landed, just a few lines of dripping blood, already dry on his overheated skin.

He looked down at himself. So it isn't just the inside of me. I wonder how long my body has been increasing in temperature? I haven't had any missions, so I had no trips to the hospital.

His head stated to burn again and he continued on, ignoring how his shoes were being burned off and when his bare feet touched ground the leaves and grass caught aflame before dying out. Naruto tried not to touch anything, making sure to dodge trees and keep his hands close to his back as he ran.

Once he reached his destination, morning already blooming on the horizon, his skin and insides burning from the extra heat being added, he walked into the cave

It was fair sized, bigger than his current apartment, having a deep pond and a hiding area. He had found it a few years ago, and would constantly get permission to leave the village for a walk and come here and train. Three rock slabs stood in front of him, beaten thinner than a few years ago. He walked around them, not paying attention to how the rock smoked and turned colors under his now bare, blackened by the burns feet.

He made the correct sings for Kuchiyose no Jutsu and summoned Gerotora. The frog, who had apparently been sleeping, pried open his eyes, tongue sticking out of his mouth. Once he noticed that he had been summoned, he froze, knowing only one man who knew to summon him and why he had been summoned. "Naruto-sama," Gerotora said, muffling a yawn, but still looking worried.

"I have chosen to take the scroll I rightfully own and have truthfully proven to be able to handle. You once said when not even Sakura or Kakashi could feel my chakra, was when there was a chance for me to hold that in me."

"And I also said if –"

"If I couldn't bring my chakra back to that level and even if I didn't try to conceal it. Right now, my chakra signal is probably the level of a developing baby in his mother's womb. I can't bring it up, but I still hold the strength to beat a whole fleet of Akatsuki. Do you still not believe me? I will prove to you that I can not bring it up. I will show you I have the same strength and nothing has changed." Gerotora shook his head, concentrated and gave a humongous up heave and out came a large scroll.

Naruto took it, looking at the seal, started to make handseals and the seal was unattached. All he had to do was open. He looked at Gerotora.

He lowered his head, looking at the scroll that held nothing but destruction in his eyes. "Are you sure about this Naruto-sama? I could take it back right now and have the elders put the fourth's seal on it again. It won't trouble me at all."

Naruto considered this. He considered the possibility that this could go horribly wrong and the rampage that would follow. He considered that he could possibly destroy everyone he loves and everything he has cherished. He considered the possibility of nothing ever being the same.

He considered the possibility of him not doing this. "Thank you Gerotora. Please leave. I wish to not hurt you when everything happens. I don't trust myself."

Gerotora nodded and a puff of smoke filled his place. He watched as it rose to the cave's ceiling, pushing against the wall. He sat an equal distance away from the stones and pond in his drawn circle surrounded by protection and encasement seals, gathering chakra inside of him, felt it stir and breathed in a long, slow breath.

The scroll opened.

He thought of two nights ago. Karin drooling over him was enough of a distraction to slip her something in her food. Once it was his turn to watch, it was the perfect time to get away. In second stage, it only took him a full day's trip to make a three day one. He had felt Kakashi around. His chakra signal wasn't well concealed and would rise occasionally in anger.

But he never heard voices.

"Well, seems dear old Kakashi-sensei is losing his touch." Sasuke increased his chakra and knew Kakshi felt him. He could just see the gears turning. He wasn't that surprised when he didn't chase him. It was only a warning after all.

But as he listened closely, he heard someone emerging from a tent and lowered his signal. It was the man, Sai. The one who was there to replace me.

"Sensei, get some sleep. I cannot sleep anymore, so there is no use for me to sit silently in the tent." Pause. "Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakshi's voice was low, too quiet to be heard by him.

"Have sweet dreams, Kakashi." Sai said.

Sasuke heard one word from the man. "Yes." After that, there was nothing but silence again. Then muffled whispers and the familiar sound of a bunshin disappearing.

"Goodnight Kakashi."

"Yes," Sasuke whispered. "Goodnight Kakshi-sensei."

10 pages

Mmk. So I totally made Sasuke-kun a freak. It's hard getting in a depressed/avenging/sarcastic mood when you woke up so happy and just took a good, long hot shower. Do you know that? And what is Naruto-kun thinking?! Well, I mean, what am I thinking?! I don't know per say, but I guess we'll find out. And what will Shika-kun and Shino-kun find on there little adventure?! The world may never know! (I stole that from something, didn't I?)

…

Don't worry, I don't know either.

Eva.