"NANI !"

Somehow this was exactly the reaction Kakashi had expected from Naruto. The boy couldn't help but be loud. That's why he'd made sure they were somewhere they couldn't be heard, before informing his former student about Iruka's current location.

It took half an hour before Naruto finally understood why Iruka was in jail and more importantly, why he needed to stay there. It took another half an hour to dissuade the boy from running off half cocked in search of the real killer. Finally Kakashi got Naruto calm enough to have a normal conversation with him.

"Can I visit him?" Naruto pleaded.

"Yes. I'm sure Iruka-sensei would appreciate it."

Naruto relaxed after hearing that news. "Oh well, he'll be out soon right?" He grinned. "Maybe Iruka-sensei can relax a little in there. He's always running around after the kids and grading tests and stuff."

'Relax...' Kakashi wondered how long Naruto would be able to hang on to such innocence. Prison was not a 'relaxing' place in any way.

"Do you think he needs stuff from home? I have a key to his apartment. Oi, someone needs to feed Kuma!"

That would be the orange cat, Kakashi guessed.

"Kuma is his cat. He gets pissed off when he doesn't get his fish. I think I'll go by there now if you don't mind."

Kakashi nodded. "Don't mention me."

"Eh?"

"When you visit Iruka-sensei. Don't mention me."

"Sure, whatever. See you later."

Kakashi had turned to leave when suddenly Naruto yelled after him. "Hey, Catch!"

Kakashi caught the object flung at his head without having to turn around. It was a book of some kind with a completely blank cover.

"Don't share it with anyone! It's not in print yet."

Kakashi looked down at the book with dawning hope. It couldn't be… He flipped it open to a random page somewhere in the middle. Oh yeah, baby! Icha Icha volume 29! He'd been waiting for this for three months. He was going to have to treat Naruto to ramen sometime…just as soon as he'd finished reading.

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Iruka dejectedly sat on his cot. In a few minutes, Ibiki had told him, they would be escorted outside to work. Iruka was both apprehensive and impatient. He'd always been a hard worker, just like his parents, and he hated having nothing to do. On the other hand, this would be the first time he'd have to deal with the other prisoners. After the big jailbreak when Fuujin and Raijin went berserk, Iruka and his team had helped to round the escaped prisoners up. He doubted that the inmates had forgotten about that. Iruka stared blindly at the wall in front of him, pondering his fate.

Finally he heard noises echoing through the hallways. It was time.

Footsteps were nearing his cell and Iruka turned his head, curious to see who'd be unlocking it. He was slightly startled to see the all too familiar face of Izumo.

Izumo didn't seem to be aware of him initially. "Come along, time to work." He spoke cheerily, while fussing with the lock. When Iruka stayed seated, Izumo looked up.

Despite everything Iruka couldn't help but laugh when he saw Izumo gaping at him as if the man had found the Godaime herself in the cell.

"Iruka-kun?" Izumo sounded hesitant, as if he suspected that his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Hi Izumo-kun."

"What happened? Did someone escape? Did they lock you in here?" Izumo jerked the cell door open quickly walked in.

Iruka shook his head in denial. "I'm being charged with murder."

Izumo was gaping at him again. He looked a little like a Koi-carp. Had he been too blunt?

A call sounded from the hallway, snapping Izumo out of his daze. "Oi Izumo, everything alright? What's taking you so long? You need help?"

"Umm, yeah."

Within seconds Kotetsu appeared in front of Iruka's cell. "What's going-"

It was vaguely flattering to see how shocked his friends were to find him in prison, Iruka decided. "Good morning, Kotetsu-kun."

"Iruka-kun? what are you doing here?"

"He was charged with murder." Izumo informed him wide-eyed.

"Eh!" Kotetsu seemed bewildered at first, but then he got a calculating look on his face. He studied Iruka closely, seemed to come to a conclusion and poked Iruka's chest. "You pissed off a jounin didn't you?" Kotetsu shook his head at him "Dumb-ass. What did you do? Dump her?"

Iruka opened his mouth, then closed it again. He could hardly explain what was really going on, but he couldn't admit to committing a murder either. Meanwhile, Kotetsu jumped to yet another conclusion.

"Ah. So it's a guy huh? You sneak! Why didn't you tell us?"

Iruka blinked. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well, you're obviously being set up. Whoever set you up has to be pretty damn good to fool everyone, so a jounin or an Anbu even. And they must be thoroughly pissed off at you if they're willing to go this far." He looked at Iruka suspiciously. "Did you cheat? I never thought you were the type for that sort of thing."

Iruka shook his head numbly.

"Tss, damn jounin. All crazy." Kotetsu mumbled.

If madness was the only requirement for jounin, Iruka didn't see how Kotetsu could still be a chuunin. It did save him from having to think up his own explanation though, and for that he was thankful.

Izumo nudged Kotetsu. "We have work to do." He turned to Iruka. "We'll talk more later. Just follow the herd outside. We'll be keeping an eye out for any trouble okay? Try not to worry."

Iruka smiled gratefully at his friends, took a deep calming breath and walked out of his cell to line up with the other prisoners.

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Two hours later, Iruka heaved a sigh of relief as they were guided back inside again. It hadn't been nearly as bad as he'd expected. For the first time, Iruka was glad that he didn't have a very memorable face. None of the other prisoners seemed to have recognized him as the ninja that took them back here. Or if they did, they didn't seem to care.

Thankfully he hadn't needed Izumo or Kotetsu's assistance at all. There had been a few lewd comments directed at him, but that had been the worst of it.

Of course he still had the showers to look forward to, but he was fairly confident he'd make it through those unscathed too. He was in good condition, and not only could he fight, but he could fight dirty too. And besides, there was always a guard near. Kotetsu loved having a story to tell, and before shower time his theory about the scorned jounin lover with vengeful tendencies would have probably reached the other guards too.

Iruka had no idea if they'd believe it, the idea was absurd, but they would doubt his guilt nonetheless and likely keep an eye on him.

After returning their tools everyone was locked back into their cells and they were given a simple lunch. Izumo picked up the tray a little later and informed Iruka of the schedule for the rest of the day. Visitors were allowed to come by from 5 pm until 5.30 pm and dinner would be served at 6 pm. After dinner groups of six prisoners at a time would be taken to the showers and have ten minutes to get cleaned up. Iruka's group would go at 7.20 pm.

Iruka's cell didn't have window so he couldn't be sure of the exact time, but he guessed it was around 1.30 or 2 pm. That left him with a lot of time to wait. He didn't expect any visitors to come. Nobody probably even knew that he was here yet, nobody that would visit him anyway. That gave him four hours or so to fill. Now he finally really understood what Mizuki had meant. There really was nothing else to do but train here.

After an hour and a half of vigorous push-ups, sit-ups and kata's the sweat was dripping off of him and he was panting heavily. With a sigh he collapsed on his cot. He'd never really realized how much his training had suffered from his busy schedule. Teaching, grading, manning the mission desk and doing the occasional mission himself…he barely had time to eat, let alone properly train.

At least time wasn't a problem here. Quite the contrary, he still had some hours to go. He could continue his physical training of course, but it would mean that all his muscles would be aching the next day, which would leave him unable to train tomorrow. Trying to sleep now would leave him unable to sleep tonight and then he'd be exhausted again in the morning, so that wasn't an option either.

He could try to meditate of course... Everyone he knew seemed to agree that meditation was an important tool to clear your mind and preserve your sanity as a shinobi. The problem was that Iruka had always been utterly unable to do it. He was good enough at concentrating on something; it was emptying his mind that proved to be difficult for him. He either fell asleep trying or ended up daydreaming. Both were relaxing enough, but not exactly the goal of the exercise.

Maybe this was the time to learn it. There would be no distractions here, and for the first time in many years he couldn't think of some chore or errand he had to do. Yeah, he decided, he would practise meditation. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so ridiculous when he taught the relaxation techniques to his students. He'd always felt like a bit of a fraud when he did that. How could he properly explain a technique to them, when he was incapable of correctly performing it himself?

He made himself comfortable on his cot, legs crossed and his back straight, closed his eyes, controlled his breathing and tried to clear his thoughts.

Outside a bird called. He wondered what kind it was. Maybe it wasn't a bird, but a code sign between ninja? Damn it, he shouldn't be thinking. Pushing the thoughts away he concentrated on emptiness. The light from the hallway colored the insides of his eyelids red. No thinking!

Maybe if he focused completely on his breathing…In, out, in, out, in, out. Damn it, pervy thoughts!

He tried again, picturing only darkness in his mind…

"Iruka-sensei! Wake up, you have a visitor."