Team Sharingan
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or assorted characters, I'm just messing up the world to fit the delusions coming from my skull.
Chapter 4
"Your family owns this?" Sakura asked as they stood outside what looked to be a former hotel.
"Yeah. I turned it into a private training ground when I was nineteen." Kakashi said. "Its clean, I pay a service to maintain it." He told them unlocking the door. "There's a hot spring out back, its unisex so, you'll have to share or take turns."
Neither teen said anything.
"The training ground is the forest and the mountain. There's a weight room and dojo in the basement." He told them.
He gave them the tour, the kitchen and dining area, the library and the second floor with the rooms.
"Pick what you want. I'm taking this one, it's the one I've used since I came here." He said going to the end of the hall.
Naruto took one to the left of the stairs. Sakura hesitated and walked in with him. He looked at her then nodded as he went and got another set of pillows and blankets from another room.
Sakura put her scrolls down on top of a desk.
Every time I sleep without Naruto, the dreams come. Last night was peaceful, I don't want to be a burden, but…
She turned hearing him come in. "Naruto?"
"Yeah Sakura-chan?" he said, she noticed his voice was still rough. "I…I'm sorry for being a burden…I…"
She was pulled into a hug. "Your not a burden Sakura-chan. If anyone here is its me."
"No. You're a great ninja."
"No I'm not. I'm a loser, the dobe, the dead last. I can't perform jutsu's worth a damn, and the one jutsu I can use, it's a joke."
Sakura held him tight. "No. Your Kage Bunshin is awesome Naruto. It's a Jonin level technique, and not many people can perform it like you do."
"As a joke. You saw Zabuza. He tore them apart like nothing, hell Kakashi-sensei doesn't even take his eyes off his book."
Sakura didn't know what to say. His confidence in himself is shot, no its totally destroyed. Kami, what do I do?
"I'll try to do better Sakura-chan…I'll try and become stronger…but…" Naruto pulled back. "When you can, you should find a better team to be on…one that can truly appreciate your skills…"
"Stop it."
"Sakura-chan…"
"No. Stop putting yourself down. You're my teammate. I don't want another team." She hugged him. "Damn it Naruto. We lost Sasuke, I…I can't lose you too. I just can't."
Naruto hugged her, "I'm sorry Sakura-chan…I'm sorry I'm such a failure." He whispered into her hair as she began to cry into his chest.
Neither noticed the shadowed form of Kakashi step away from their door.
Minato-sensei, help me. They are broken so badly. I don't know what to do. I thought the way I handled them was the right way and now…every action I took seems to have added to the burden.
Kakashi slipped into his room and sank onto a chair. I should have praised Naruto for learning the Kage Bunshin, I should have helped him master it, Kami knows he's got the chakra reserves for it, instead I let him flounder.
Kakashi put his face in his hands. I fucked up so much, I don't know how to fix this.
He looked at the clock. Inoichi will be here soon to start their sessions. I'll work out a training schedule…Minato-sensei, give me a sign, something to help your son.
There was none, and a lone Jonin for the first time in his career didn't know how to make it right.
XX
Meanwhile…
Back in Konoha, Ino Yamanaka was not in the best of moods as she entered her families flower shop. "THE NERVE!" she raged.
Her mother came out of the back wiping her hands on a rag. "Ino dear, your back early, something the matter dear?"
"Shikamaru hit me." Ino said in a tone of disbelief.
"What? Why would Shika do that?"
Ino told her mother everything. When she was done, her mother was looking at her with disappointment in her eyes.
"What?" Ino asked.
"Ino honey, you were in the wrong. Did you even stop to think how Sakura and Naruto were feeling?"
"What they are feeling? Its their fault Sasuke-kun's dead." Ino said.
"Stop it."
Both Ino and her mother turned to see Inoichi coming out of his office.
"Going somewhere dear?" Ino's mother asked.
"Yeah. Kakashi's asked me to help his students over the psychological trauma." He said holding up a bag. "I'll be back when I can, but…"
"I'm coming with you." Ino said standing.
"I don't think so princess." Inoichi said. "You need to think long and hard about your actions and how they have added to the harm done to Sakura and Naruto."
He kissed his wife. "I'll be back tomorrow. I'm going to be going back and forth after this, but I think tonight and tomorrow will be long sessions."
His wife nodded and watched him leave while Ino pouted.
"I know its their fault." She continued and crossed her arms and pouted.
XX
Somewhere dark, bleak and hopeless…
"Milord, I have news."
"What is it?" a shadowed figure said.
"A report from your spy in Konoha. The Uchiha is dead."
"WHAT?"
"He died on a recent mission that went from C-rank to high A-rank possibly S-Rank."
"Damn. Did they recover the body?"
"No master. Reports indicate that it was destroyed by Kakashi Hatake to keep the secret of the Sharingan from being discovered."
"All my plans wasted." The figure on the throne hissed like an angry serpent.
"Kakashi Hatake possesses the Sharingan milord."
"He's too old and I cannot bend him to my will, its like Itachi all over again."
"About the invasion milord?"
Silence. "Continue the plan. If I can't have the Sharingan, we will at least know that in several months time the Village Hidden in the Leaf will burn. No leave, and send for our spy in Suna."
"As you command Lord Orochimaru." The kneeling figure says and leaves with a shushin.
XX
Hatake House…
Sakura sat in the living room trying to read. Inoichi had taken Naruto into the den and had been in there for several hours.
Cha, why can't we do this together? She thought tossing the magazine aside. She couldn't focus on it, and right now didn't care about fashion or make up tips.
Her eyes went to the sealed door again and she sighed.
"Sakura, its okay. You'll have your turn soon enough, and when Inoichi decides your both far enough you'll be talking in joint sessions." Kakashi said. She'd forgotten he was there.
"I know sensei…" she said softly.
"How about we work on those meditation exercises in order for you to learn how to control your new eye."
"Wouldn't it be better to wait for Naruto?" she asked.
"No, because I will be doing the same with him while you are with Inoichi." Kakashi said. "I also plan on working with you together."
Sakura huffed. "Fine."
She followed him outside to the garden where there were benches, a water fountain and hedges.
"Now then, we shall begin with the breathing…"
"I know how to breath." Sakura interrupted.
"(sigh) Sakura, please. I know you think I'm a terrible sensei. I'm trying to fix my past mistakes, and before we can move on you and Naruto need to learn about your new eyes."
The pink haired teen sighed.
"Sakura, if you don't learn this, you and Naruto can die from it. I nearly did when I got mine. It took Minato, my sensei to get my head on right."
She sighed. "Sensei…" she paused, then continued with "Naruto thinks he's a failure…I…he's not, but with everything…"
"I know Sakura. I'm going to try and fix his self esteem up, but your going to have to help." He sighed. "Both of you are so damaged…mentally and emotionally, and physically…your training, I failed as a sensei. I played favorites. If my sensei was alive he'd kick my ass and use his Rasengan mixed with a thousand years of pain."
He looked at her. "Now, close your eyes. We need to center yourself, calm your breathing. Find your core."
"But…"
"No buts."
And for the next hour Kakashi spoke with Sakura and helped her find her chakra pathways never taught in the academy. Naruto joined them for a time and then it was Sakura's turn with Inoichi.
XX
Inoichi sighed as he sealed the scrolls. One was marked SAKURA HARUNO the other NARUTO UZUMAKI. He hated this.
Their so young, many ninja are lucky that they don't experience death until their Chunin with years under their belts. These two, fresh from the academy.
He closed his eyes and prayed Ino was luckier. Am I bad person for being glad this wasn't my daughter that it happened to?
He'd spoken hours with Naruto and had realized he would have to go further back with the blond. When he'd entered his mind he began working. Inoichi wanted to weep at the psychological damage the boy had suffered over the years.
All that and I barely got up to the academy years. He thought with a tired sigh. Sakura was as damaged, most because she now realized her actions over the years and she was punishing herself.
She's going to be around him…Kami help us if something happens to one or the other, we'll lose both of them then. He thought.
"Inoichi?" Kakashi asked coming in.
"Hey Kakashi. Are they…"
"Asleep. Between meditation and their session with you, they're exhausted." Kakashi sat across from him.
"How bad?"
"Very. Their on the verge of breaking Kakashi. If they get separated, or worse, if one of them is hurt or killed, the other will shutdown mentally and eventually die as well."
Kakashi closed his lone eye. "They have a bond?"
"Yes. And no, its not from them each having a Sharingan eye. Tell me, when the mission went to shit, and they fought, and were recovering, were they separated at all?"
"No." Kakashi said. "Anytime I tried to move one or the other, they would become restless and Sakura would have night terrors. Naruto would wake and stare blankly at the wall, he'd breakout in a cold sweat. The only time they knew peace was around the other, and they're hyper aware of the other even at a distance."
Inoichi sighed. "Somehow, someway they formed a lifebond. I've never seen its like before Kakashi. The way it formed shouldn't have been possible."
"Do you think the Kyuubi did it? As a way to save Naruto?" the one-eyed Jonin asked.
"Why?"
Kakashi shrugged. "Its awake, I know this much. It went out of its way to keep Naruto alive on the bridge, its given him a healing factor that is scary. Its mutated his Sharingan. He keeps it covered because he's…well he's scared."
Inoichi looked at the tea on the desk that was long cold. "I'm at a loss Kakashi. I can only help them so much. Naruto has more trauma than any ten fully trained ninjas that survived the war, and Sakura is so fragile I'm not sure what might break her."
Kakashi nodded. "She threatened her own mother."
"What?" Inoichi looked up at that.
"When they woke, Sakura was upstairs showering, and Kimura stood over Naruto holding a knife. Sakura had been ready to attack, she sensed the intent. After she came down and woke Naruto, she told her own mother she would have broken her arm."
Inoichi wished he had some sake. "I read your own file Kakashi, about after your teammate Obito died…this is similar, but different on so many levels."
"I know. I'm the only one qualified to help them and yet, it was thru my own actions that this ever happened."
"I mind walked Naruto…"
"He told me." Kakashi said.
"What are you going to do Kakashi?"
"Train them. Help them as much as possible. Be there as I should have been." Kakashi closed his eye. "I should have been there for Naruto growing up, but again, I failed. I won't do it again."
"Are you doing this out of guilt Hatake?" Inoichi asked.
"A bit. The loss of Sasuke was a kick in the balls I needed to pull my head out of my ass and for me to realize the failure I am as a sensei to those two upstairs."
"I'll do another session tomorrow. Are you going to keep them out here long?"
"A month…maybe two."
"Are you going to let any of their friends see them?" Inoichi asked.
Kakashi's eyes hardened. "After the way Ino reacted, I think not."
Inoichi sighed. "I'll talk with her as well. Perhaps we could try in a month or so, bring their fellow rookies together."
"I'll think about it." Kakashi said.
XX
Upstairs Sakura left the bed and snuggled against Naruto who'd taken the floor. She'd listened as he tossed and turned and finally left the bed and once she'd touched him, he calmed. Her lone green eye in the darkness studied him.
Kami, why? Why does he have to hurt?Sakura calmed as Naruto's arm went around her in his sleep. Her tired mind quieted as she rested her head on his chest, his heartbeat lulling her to sleep.
I'll be here for you always Naruto-kun. That's MY promise of a lifetime. Sakura thought as sleep finally claimed her.
AN: Well another chapter, and we continue to move forward at a snails pace. It'll pick up soon, promise.