Super long chapter ahead, you guys!!!! Well, not super long, but it's not short either. I'm going to have to say this is one of my favorite chapters. Well, hey, enjoy!

Here it comes!!!

"Nori...you've been doing really good lately. You could probably move to kunai instead of shuriken if you'd want to."

"Really, Itachi?! That's so cool! I'm getting stronger, then...right?"

He gave her an Itachi-smile. "Yes, Noriko. You are."

"Sweet!"

"You need to work on your academics, though. If you'd like...I mean, if you want...I could come over and help you study sometime."

"Sure, Itachi! Hey, I think you have a heat rash on your face. It's all red."

"Oh, yeah. I'd better get that checked out."

"Hey, look! It just got worse!"

Nori opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, feeling as confused as a cat that wondered into a dog show. She cleared the dream-memory from her head quickly and took a minute to think. She knew she was in a bed of some sort, and she could smell a medical smell. 'Must be in the hospital...damn. I hate the hospital.'

She sat up slowly, holding her hand to her head. "Ow...damn, that smarts."

"Nori! You're up!"

"Iruka?" She smiled. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled back at her. "Kakashi told me what happened, and what you did for Naruto. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

She smiled again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"No problem." He looked at her inquisitively, with the same questioning look she had seen on his face when he was working out a particularly difficult logic puzzle. "Why did you go so far for a Genin, especially one with Naruto's reputation? From what I know, you really didn't even talk to him until yesterday. Even then, you didn't talk, you saved him."

"Well...I talked to the fox."

"What?!"

"It told me that if Naruto died, it would take over my body and wreak havoc on the village. I didn't want that to happen. Besides that...it treated Naruto as only a container. He's not just a Jinchuuriki. He is a twelve year old boy, and he's also a citizen of Konoha." Her eyes flashed with a stern, disapproving quality, but Iruka knew that it wasn't aimed at him, but, rather, at the other villagers. "He deserves to be treated as such."

Iruka looked at her with a new respect in his eyes. "Nori...I'm very glad you think of it that way. You have no idea how glad I am." He said aloud, while thinking, 'I was worried what she would think of my relationship with Naruto...but she understands him just as well as I do. So...now what's stopping me from asking her?'

"I have some idea." She smiled at him, but for some reason, she felt herself blushing a little. 'What's going on? Why am I...?'

"You know, you should be more careful." Iruka said sternly, breaking the silence and interrupting her thoughts.

She just gave him a big smile and shrugged. "I should. But hey...I saved him, didn't I?"

That smile melted his heart. His expression softened, and he chuckled. "That, you did." Then, he asked, "So...you never told me why you went so far for Naruto."

Her eyes glazed over with the pain of memories that still hurt, even now, years later. She spoke quietly, as if the pain would hurt less the softer she spoke. "I know what it's like to feel useless, to feel ignored. When I was in school, I was the worst in my grade...until Itachi trained me, that is. But even then...I was alone except for him, and, well, you know how that turned out. I know the isolation that Naruto's been put through...I know it, and I hate it. He's only starting to come into our village as a citizen, instead of a Jinchuuriki. He needs to have that chance, the chance to live and love as a ninja, not just as a Jinchuuriki. I couldn't let him die without it."

"That's...well...that's one of the kindest things I've ever heard." He touched her arm gently in thanks. When he did, shivers ran through her, and his face turned red with the realization of what he had just done. He pulled his arm back and looked down, not daring to meet her eyes, and said, "I'd like to thank you for him."

Just then, the door opened, and Team Kakashi walked in. Kakashi was the only one who noticed their slightly red faces. Although he was frowning on the inside, he gave them a double thumbs up and what was presumed to be a wink, and they both just got redder. The younger part of the team took no notice of their discomfort, though, and stood at the foot of Nori's bed, staring at her.

"Nii-san, you look terrible!" Sakura exclaimed, running over to the side of her sister's bed.

Nori burst out laughing. "Well, thank you, dear sister, for the confidence boost!"

Sakura colored. "You know what I meant!"

Nori smiled at her. "I know, Kiddo; I'm only joking. It's not that bad, though. I have a little bit of a headache, but I'm fine other than that."

Sasuke walked over as well. "Nii-san, I didn't know you had that much chakra in you!"

Iruka looked at him in surprise. 'Why's he calling Nori nii-san?'

She grinned. "Well, Sasuke, I'm just full of surprises!"

Naruto spoke softly. "Why'd you do it?"

Nori looked up in surprise. "What?"

"Why'd you do it?" His voice got louder. "Why were you willing to risk your life for a kid like me?!"

She smiled at him. Her eyes showed the pain of her own experiences, but at the same time, they showed respect and caring. "Naruto...everyone deserves a second chance. You...you never even got your first."

He looked down at the floor, trying not to cry with relief and happiness that someone finally understood. But then, instead of crying, he looked up at Nori and smiled. She smiled back, and somehow, in her heart, she knew that she was now 'nii-san' to a third Genin.

Team Kakashi stayed for about twenty minutes, until Kakashi said, "Well, Team, we've got another mission, and Nori will be needing some rest. Go round up your gear."

"Yes, sir!" The three of them said their goodbyes, and they left.

Kakashi looked at Nori sharply in a no-nonsense way that was a characteristic of the amazing ninja he truly was. "Alright. So, you say the fox actually tied into your body?"

She nodded seriously. "Yeah...it was freaky. Since Naruto was near the point of death, it was able to replace the chakra I was putting into Naruto by giving me its own. If Naruto would have died, the fox could have taken me over, but only if I had put my entire life force into him."

Kakashi nodded in a way that said 'crisis averted'. Then, he got up to leave. When he was in the doorway, he paused, looking over at them. "Hey, Iruka, you'd better get some sleep soon. You've been here for what...36 hours?"

Then, with a small twinkle in his eye, he left.

'Damn it, Kakashi!' thought Iruka in frustration.

The second he left, the twinkle was extinguished. As Kakashi walked down the hallway, he was frowning, although no one could tell thanks to the mask. 'Damn, Iruka. You'd better take care of her, because if you screw up...I'll be ready to take your place.'

Back in her room, Nori looked over at Iruka. "You've been here for 36 hours? Straight?!"

He nodded, embarrassed. "I just...I told you, I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"That's ridiculous!" She smiled. "Thank you."

He laughed. "You're welcome. But...now that you're awake..." He fell over in his chair and fell asleep.

Nori sweatdropped, but she smiled tenderly at his gently sleeping form. She stood up shakily, still weak from the loss of eight percent of her life force. After testing herself to make sure she was back to full health, she picked him up gently and put him in the bed next to hers. Then she got back in her own and acted like nothing had happened at all.

Iruka woke up a few hours later, and after a few awkward moments, he decided to go home. He paused awkwardly at the foot of her bed, his back towards her. "Hey, Nori?"

"Hmm?"

'What the hell. It's like I'm back in school with how weird this feels!' He turned to face her, feeling awkward and young again. "Well...I...I was wondering if...maybe...you'd like to go out to lunch with me when you get out tomorrow?"

She was never quite sure what happened next, although she eventually thanked herself for it. She opened her mouth to say no, as she always did, but somehow it came out as, "Sure! Can we go to Ichiraku?"

Iruka smiled, a mixture of relief and happiness. "Of course. Are you sure you wouldn't rather go somewhere more expensive, though?"

"Of course I'm sure. Ichiraku is the best in the business. I don't care that it's cheap; those noodles are just damn good. Besides, I haven't been there in forever!"

He laughed. "Well, hey. I won't argue. But hey, I have a lesson to prepare, so I'd better go."

She smiled up at him in a way that could only be described as tenderly. "Well, Iruka...I'll be looking forward to tomorrow."

He smiled back at her with the same look given in return. "So will I, Nori. I'll see you later."

She smiled. "See you."

He left, his heart racing ecstatically. 'Oh god. OH. GOD. I can't believe this. I'm actually...she's...I'm definitely...I just...I asked her out on a date. And she said yes. I can't believe this!'

'What the hell?!' Thought Nori. 'What is this? I can't actually...there's no way I can actually have a crush again! He's the exact opposite of Itachi!' She thought about what she had just thought for a minute. 'Actually...maybe this is a good thing. I have a crush on a guy who didn't murder his family. He's sweet, he's strong, he's kind, and he's humble. He's not as strong as Kakashi, Asuma, or Gai, but he's only a Chuunin, and that's to be expected. This...it could end up being just what I need to get over Itachi, once and for all.'

There it goes!!!

Well, there is the gorgeousness that is the 4th chapter. Once again, one of my faves.

Kind reviews, please!

BlackDragon333, out.