Hey guys, I know it's been forever, and I'm sorry, but life sucks in college. I've had a lot to deal with, two deaths in my family, losing three very close friends, and other things I don't care to mention, and it's been a challenge. However, without further adieu, I present to you CHAPTER SEVEN!!!! Loud applause and cheers Thank you, thank you. .

Same disclaimers apply: I own nothing and no one… except Caruh, Jatchi and Sae.


I went back that night and apologized to Kakashi for being so childish. After accepting my apology he told me that he didn't believe Haku would try to hurt me, and I felt compelled to tell him the other reason that I lost it and left. He listened as I told him about Aden, and was sweet about it, saying comforting things. He also told me he was glad I fought back like I had. We kept talking, probably until dawn as I think I saw the sun shining through the window lightly as I shut my eyes.

A few hours later, when I woke up, Kakashi was gone, but he left me a note to meet for practice. This meant he was "getting lost on the road of life", or visiting Obito. Figuring he didn't want to be disturbed I went to the practice fields, meeting up with the team. After about half an hour they began to complain about Kakashi being late, twenty minutes later they noticed I wasn't complaining with them, and asked why.

"Have you guys ever wondered what he does to be late every day?" I asked them.

"Well, yeah," Sakura admitted, obviously curious as to whether I was going to tell them the answer to this great mystery.

I only partially disappointed them. "He's visiting an old friend that he misses quite a bit," I told them, standing, "and because we've already wasted about an hour of practice, what do you say we start without him?" All three of them seemed to like that idea.

"Me and Sakura!" Naruto called out.

Sakura looked at him, then at Sasuke, and whined, "I want to work with Sasuke though!"

"But, but, Sakura, we'll make a great team," the cute, but immature fox child complained. Sasuke just rolled his eyes. For once in my life, I had to empathize with Sasuke. There was one way to solve this.

"If we're going two-on-two," I spoke loudly to drown out Naruto and Sakura's bickering, "who would you like to work with Sasuke?"

He first looked at me like I'd sprouted wings, than grinned as what had been asked sunk in. "You," he said, the grin morphing to a smirk as the other two caught on.

"WHAT?!" they shouted, both turning their heads quickly in our directions. "WHY?!" (Can you say 'whiplash'?)

"She didn't try to decide for me, so I'll work with the person who gave me a choice," he explained.

Sakura gave me a death glare, to which I shrugged, and Naruto rejoiced at having gotten his way. While they were thus distracted, I looked at Sasuke, who nodded and we vanished into the trees. Our games had begun.

About an hour and a half later, making it two and a half hours after practice was supposed to have started, Kakashi appeared. Of course he appeared right between Naruto and I as we were about to go head-to-head. As we were feet away from clashing, Kakashi's appearance caused us to skid, both of us collapsing on our butts in unison to avoid running into our sensei. He looked between both of us, noted Sasuke and Sakura's whereabouts, and then shrugged.

"Looks like you don't need me to train," he said, and I could tell he was trying not to laugh at mine and Naruto's having fallen for his sake. "Keep going then."

'He expects us to just pick up again?' I thought to myself, slightly irritated before I realized that this was just our teacher's nature, and I gave it up. Standing, I looked at him and answered, "You kind of killed it by popping up right in the middle of everything."

"Well, forgive me," he said sarcastically, "and whose idea was it to train alone anyways?"

"Alone meaning without you?" I asked back.

"Exactly," he agreed.

Naruto answered for me, "Hers." He obviously didn't have a problem condemning me.

As I was about to point out that he was dead for doing that, and that I had to live with this man, Sasuke and Sakura appeared. A few seconds after that it was agreed that I was the sole conspirator in the plot to train without Kakashi. Although Sasuke admitted to agreeing without thinking about how Kakashi would feel about it, before said sensei could turn on me, and a moment later Sakura begrudgingly agreed. It was nice, even if it was only because Sasuke had said anything. I was rather stunned, but glad at Sasuke's out of character support, so I smiled at him in thanks, and he nodded in return. Turning back to Kakashi, I explained we had gotten tired of waiting for him to start practice. He grinned (yes, I can tell) and nodded.

"You three are generous to speak for her," he said, for at that point Naruto had spoken out as well, "but I really wasn't going to get mad. It's a good thing you all decided to take the initiative for once." I breathed a sigh of relief, and then he continued. That's rarely a good sign. "I do need to talk to you Caruh, however, in private."

As I walked over to him, I noticed the other three return to doing nothing, just like we had been doing before the unauthorized training began. Without a second glance, Kakashi jumped into the trees a little ways, and I followed him. When he stopped, about fifty meters away from our little clearing, Asuma was waiting there.

"I thought you wanted to talk in private," I said, confused.

"When I said 'in private' I meant without Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto because they are not your team anymore."

"Huh?!"

Kakashi's eye told me it was confession time for him, a confession he wasn't about to like. "The point of having you join my team Caruh, other than that I am your guardian and there weren't any teams that needed a third member, was to keep you out of the Chuunin exams."

He had good reason not to want to say that. "You wanted to keep me out of the Chuunin exams?" I snapped.

"Well, yes, I didn't think you'd be ready, but-"

Asuma cut in, "There is a team that needs a third member now. I need you to join my team, now that the exams are near, to get used to working with Shikamaru and Ino beforehand so they can enter."

That made sense, but Shikamaru and Ino? "What happened to Choji?"

"He's sick."

"Sick? You shouldn't need me for a few weeks and the Chuunin exams if he's just sick."

Apparently Asuma didn't want to admit it, so Kakashi spoke up, "He got sever food poisoning, Caruh. He'll be out for at least a month, possibly a month and a half."

Who'd have thought? Choji, beaten by food? Oh, the irony.

"So, will you?" Asuma asked, sounding nearly desperate. He had a lot of faith in Shikamaru (with good reason) and Ino (…no comment). So, I needed to start training with them as soon as possible so we could work together as a team.

I looked at Kakashi, and decided to let go of my irritation for the second time that day, before turning back to Asuma with my decision. "It would be an honor," I nodded.

He was clearly pleased with that answer, and he motioned for me to follow him as he jumped off.

Kakashi smiled as I moved to jump after him. "You're ready," he said, before returning to his own team. The compliment was quite a life from how I'd been feeling around him, and I decided to thank him that night, maybe over dinner. With that on my mind, I followed Asuma, my new sensei, to meet my new team.


I've already started on chapter eight, so that'll be updated ASAP, I promise! In the meantime, I'm sorry this was so short, it just worked out that way. Feel free to review, I always appreciate it, and ja ne minna-san!!