Synchronization

Love Naruto and thought I'd try my hand at a few stories with these amazingly rich and deep characters. I hope you enjoy and will review to let me know your opinions good or bad. I do not have one problem with yaoi, but this story will not contain that genre. I am only stating this for those that do not understand that love is simply love.

I own nothing. Nothing.

Chapter Seven

Kakashi had been shocked when he heard the Hokage's diagnosis the next day while she unhooked the IV from his arm. What in the world? Could he really have been talking with the real Iruka Umino this whole time?

"Are you sure?" Kakashi had demanded as the blonde shook her head.

"No, I'm not, but I have a pretty good hunch that I'm right," Lady Tsunade admitted, "Brat, you've always felt things and seen things on a different level from other people. Your mother was like that too by reading situations so well on diplomatic missions and I have a feeling that you've taken that ability to another level by reaching out to Iruka and trying to pull him back. The blackness you spoke of has me worried."

"The blackness is death, isn't it?" Kakashi asked as his Hokage sighed while the Copy-nin sat up enough to be helped into a robe, "Iruka is that weakened, Lady Tsunade, that death is hovering that close?"

"Pretty much," Tsunade whispered as the Copy-nin cursed before both turned as the door opened and Izumo and Kotetsu entered, dragging a man between them, "What is this?"

"Principal Taro here needs to tell you a few things that happened in the academy, Hokage-sama," Kotetsu growled as the man in question flinched.

"Seems that Iruka was forced into doing the winter survival training and was not allowed to come in to warm up by Taro's orders," Izumo continued while Tsunade helped Kakashi stand and ease into his wheelchair, "Iruka was also responsible for most of the teachers' paperwork and gradings to further punish him. We also discovered that Iruka recently asked for a couple of days off since he realized that he was getting sick, but the dear principal told him to suck it up and act like more of a man. This bastard knew that Iruka was sick prior to his collapse and didn't report on the well-being of his staff."

"Is this true?" Tsunade bit out as Taro paled while Kakashi snarled angrily up at the man, "Taro, into my office here in the hospital now. We need to talk."

Kakashi groaned and shook his head as he wheeled his chair after Taro and Tsunade while the two chunin followed. Kohoha had failed Iruka every chance it could get.

"Foolish, foolish man," Kakashi huffed, watching as Lady Shizune checked over Iruka though the observation window, "You should have known what was being done to you was too much."

"Yes, he should have," Ibiki said as he stooped to be down at Kakashi's level as the Copy-nin looked up in surprise to have been overheard, "That was proper protocol for a shinobi in this village. Why didn't he come to me and let me know?"

"Because he was trying to prove himself to the rest of us," Kakashi whispered, gazing at Iruka's still form again.

"Just as you tried to prove yourself to everyone after your father passed?" Ibiki mentioned as Kakashi hissed and turned to growl at the jonin, "Hear me out, Kakashi. I've been trying to work out how it is that you can reach Iruka when there are others that are closer in relationship to him. Why you out of everyone who cares for that chunin?"

"And?" Kakashi bit out.

"Because the two of you share similar pain," Ibiki determined as the Copy-nin blinked, "You two are so different, but so alike. I think the only person that could convince Iruka to try a shot at living again is you. You are stubborn enough to handle his temper and you care a lot more for others than you like to show. Case in point, Kakashi, you are in that chair because of fighting to save Iruka's life. Keep yourself safe, but don't stop trying. Iruka is needed here. I miss my fresh brewed coffee every morning. No one else knows the secret of coffee like Iruka. Bring him home."

Kakashi snorted as the jonin rose and walked away. That was one odd man. Maybe even more odd than Gai.

"My hip, esteemed rival who makes even the most youthful person pale in comparison, how are you today?" Gai boomed as Kakashi flinched.

Nope. Gai was odder.

"I'm fine," Kakashi sighed as the green creature bounced about, "Gai, what are you up to? I'm not doing one of your challenges today. I'm not in the mood or have the patience right now."

"How about an eating competition?" Gai grinned out as the Copy-nin groaned.

"You're just trying to get me to eat," Kakashi sniffed as Gai frowned, "Take me to the cafeteria. I'll eat, but I'm not up for a competition."

"Good enough for me," Gai nodded out as he grabbed the handles of Kakashi's chair and began to push his rival down the hallway, "So did Lady Tsunade tell you her theory?"

"Yes," Kakashi hummed, feeling irritated at some of the stares he was getting using the damn chair, "I can walk fine. This is ridiculous."

"This is needed," Gai denied as the Copy-nin huffed, "I've just come from sitting with Iruka. His temperature is rising a little and I'm afraid you might have to use the ice jutsu again. Conserve your strength and try to eat more than you usual do."

"I eat," Kakashi insisted.

"Like a bird," Gai snorted, "The fever is not too high yet and hopefully I'm worrying for nothing, but I just want you prepared."

Kakashi scowled, but understood the reasoning. The ice jutsu was nearly as draining as the sharingan. Soon enough he was set up comfortably at a table with his chosen food surrounded by his comrades. Even Anko, Izumo, and Kotetsu was there and showed respect by looking away so he could eat in peace, but he still wolfed everything down quickly, just in case.

"I don't understand how you do that," Raidou chuckled since he was the closest to see Kakashi's empty dishes.

"Practice," the Copy-nin murmured, "Okay, Izumo-kun, how did you and Kotetsu find out about the principal's dealings with Iruka?"

"What?" Anko voiced, looking to the two chunin, "What dealings?"

Anko tore off to the Hokage's office swearing revenge with Ibiki chasing after her while Raidou, Gai, Genma, and Asuma looked outraged five minutes later.

"Kurenai will do the same when she finds out," Asuma groaned, running a hand down his face in frustration, "She is with Iruka now. Spill, Izumo."

"Ko and I have been poking around since Iruka's collapse," Izumo began as Kakashi leaned forward, "It was Ko that started putting the puzzle pieces together. He's clever."

Kotetsu blushed red and looked down for a moment in embarrassment.

"Well, you are," Izumo insisted before turning back to everyone, "Ko knew that Iruka usually does not do winter survival training since he has a regular, daily class. So he started questioning how that seemed to have changed."

"I discovered that Principal Taro was making it a goal to treat Iruka like dirt," Kotetsu snarled angrily, "He and some of his minions cooked up this whole plan to punish Iruka by forcing the hardest tasks on him and assigned his class to another teacher. All of his students have missed him and I have a whole bag full of get well cards and pictures they made for him. Zumo and I will hang those in Ruka's room for him to see when he wakes back up."

"It was awful to hear some of the teachers' confessions to Ko and I," Izumo lamented with a shake of his head, "Iruka worked so hard out in brutal weather and wasn't allowed inside of the building to warm up during the school day. He wasn't even allowed entrance into the teachers' work lounge anymore. The only time he got to experience some heat was when he filed for the mission room. It's not a wonder Iruka didn't collapse sooner."

"Shows Ru's stubborn endurance," Genma sighed.

"Taro is being dealt with," Kakashi stated with a shake of his head, "Lady Tsunade will give that man his, but sometimes I just want to ring Iruka's neck. As awful as we were to him, I still think he needed to report what was going on. This wasn't just getting the cold shoulder at times…Iruka was dealing with physical and verbal abuse as well as dealing with individuals abusing their power to harass him."

"True, Kakashi," Asuma agreed, "Ibiki was just talking about developing a new system to safeguard all the shinobi in our village before you and Gai arrived. He and the Hokage are trying to keep another case like Iruka's from ever happening again."

The Copy-nin nodded and lapsed into silence as he got lost in his thoughts. He blinked as Gai eventually rose to push him back to the area of the hospital Iruka resided in which was fine because it was his turn to sit with Iruka anyway.

"Yo, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi greeted once he was alone with the still man, "You were really put through the wringer, weren't you? Your two friends found out what you went through at the academy. Lady Tsunade is dealing with that now, Iruka, but I'm pretty pissed at you."

Kakashi scowled as he reached to hold one of Iruka's frail hands in his. The Copy-nin sighed at the feel of the chunin's hand. The hand he held had once been a lot stronger looking.

"Iruka, there was no reason for you not to report the treatment you were getting," Kakashi fussed angrily, "The Hokage should have known what was going on at the academy and…dammit! Damn, Iruka. I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at myself. I participated in behaviors that were similar to the treatment my father got…the treatment that led to his suicide. I above most should have seen your suffering. I'm so sorry for failing you, Iruka. You've got to wake soon so we can all beg for your forgiveness."

Kakashi looked up and noticed that Izumo and Kotetsu had hung up the pictures and cards from Iruka's students prior to him entering the room. Grinning, Kakashi tried a lighter conversation and described all the different drawings and written words to the still chunin. It didn't escape his notice that Iruka's face was getting paler with each passing day and the why of that was making him nervous. Iruka needed to wake soon to eat real food to help him strengthen. Another two weeks passed slowly by with little to no change in Iruka's condition. Kakashi had been needed to use the ice jutsu several more times and each time Iruka rallied again, but still the chunin didn't wake or even stir.

"I am fine," Kakashi spat, twisting away as Genma and Yamato tried to force him into bed with Lady Tsunade tapping a foot angrily after another use of the ice jutsu, "I didn't even need anyone except for Yamato's help with chakra this time since Iruka reacted quickly to the cooling."

"Don't care, Brat," the Hokage sniffed, "You still need to rest after using that jutsu. I know you are irritated by all the precautions I am taking, but you don't see what we do, Kakashi. You are very clearly exhausted."

The Copy-nin snorted softly while he was tucked in and watched blithely as the Hokage replaced the IV he had gotten used to wearing when he slept.

"Stop pouting, Brat," Tsunade chuckled as Kakashi rolled his eye.

"I'm beginning to hate the lot of you," Kakashi growled as Genma dared to giggle, "Shut up!"

"Just get some rest," Lady Tsunade snorted as she left.

"My irritation is growing," Kakashi grumped as Yamato sat at the foot of his bed, "I'm not even tired this time."

"You look tired, Senpai," Yamato pointed out as Genma nodded from where he leaned against the wall, "Have…have you been seeing Iruka in your dreams again, Kakashi?"

"No," Kakashi admitted, leaning against his pillows, "I think I might have been searching for him, but I've not made any contact."

"Searching?" Genma repeated, "How do you know?"

"Sometimes I wake up and feel…hmm…how to put it?" Kakashi drawled, "I guess the best way to describe is that I feel like I've just run a cross-country marathon. I'm drained and pretty shaky which is why Lady Tsunade has kept me in that blasted, wheeled contraption."

"Do you think that Ru is keeping you from finding him?" Genma asked as the Copy-nin shook his head quickly.

"No," Kakashi denied, "I find of feel like Iruka is in a really deep sleep. That his mind is trying to help his body strengthen by concentrating on only vital functions for Iruka's survival. We've got to get the fever to break soon."

"It's like he is fighting two battles," Yamato sighed, "One to fight the pneumonia and another to gain his weight back so his system can function better."

"I think he's fighting three battles," Genma stated as the others looked at him in surprise, "Ru has a guilty conscious that is miles and miles wide. I'm sure he believes to a point that he deserved his treatment. Ru always battled self-esteem issues since the death of his parents."

Kakashi groaned softly and closed his eyes in aggravation. Convincing Iruka that everyone regretted their actions was going to be a lot harder than he thought. He felt someone tuck the blankets around him tighter, but he remained still and allowed himself to relax as he drifted to sleep.

oOo

"Finally," Kakashi gasped, finding himself in familiar darkness and hurried forward in hopes of seeing Iruka, "There you are, Sensei. Hello, stupid wall."

Iruka blinked up at Kakashi and even seemed to snort in amusement when the jonin kicked at what looked like thin air to him.

"Why does my mind keep showing me you?" Iruka groaned, pulling his knees to his chest.

"Because I'm so pretty?" Kakashi teased as Iruka snorted again, "Iruka-sensei, it is the real me. Kakashi Hatake, in the flesh…er…sort of. The same jonin who you work with and made a real mistake in my treatment of you just like the rest of Konoha."

"Hn," Iruka grunted, "Really? The real Hatake-sama would never apologize to a mere chunin. Nice try, Mind, but this won't work."

"Don't ever refer to yourself as a 'mere chunin' again and the real Kakashi Hatake is very tired of hearing himself called the way his father was referred to," Kakashi fussed lightly as he took a seat next to the invisible wall, "Just call me Kakashi. That whole 'show respect to your superiors' was a crock of bull pulled from my narrow, little mind for feeling questioned which dented my ego, Iruka. I'm just horrified that you had to get so ill for me to realize how wrong I was to be able to realize that I needed to properly apologize. I am sorry, Iruka. Everyone in Konoha is sorry and Anko is making sure we all feel it. Literally."

"Anko-chan?" Iruka said, perking up before sighing and looking back down, "You can't be real. Anko is on a mission."

"Anko finished early and has been sat on by Ibiki numerous times to keep her from slaughtering several shinobi who admitted to being involved in the physical bullying you went through," Kakashi insisted, "I'm real, Iruka. I'm here with you in your mind. I don't know how I'm reaching you at times, but I am here. God, its stuffy here."

"It can get a lot hotter and make one feel so bad," Iruka admitted, eyeing Kakashi carefully, "Let's say I believe you, why are you here?"

"I'm trying to get you away from that," Kakashi admitted pointing to the blackness that still made him nervous, "I'm trying to bring you home. We all miss you and want you well again. Ibiki wants his coffee."

Iruka actually chuckled at that last bit and leaned his head on his drawn up knees. Kakashi fretted at seeing that the chunin looked thinner.

"I still don't believe you're real," Iruka denied, "But it is good to have someone to talk to, even if my mind is telling the image of you to say all the right things."

"I'm real and I'm saying what I want to say," Kakashi urged, "Tell you what, give me a test. Ask me to find out something that I wouldn't be able to know unless I went and asked one of your friends. I'll get the answer and prove that I'm real."

"But I know that answer," Iruka laughed bitterly, "My mind would only give you the proper information that I already know if you are a figment like I think you are, Kakashi-san."

"Ask me to find out something that one of your friends kept from you that you had a suspicion about," Kakashi offered while Iruka looked intrigued, "I'm real, Iruka. I'm going to keep coming here until this damn wall comes down."

"Wall?" Iruka echoed, scooting forward even though it was taking a lot of strength and reached a hand against the barrier, "What? I didn't know this was here."

"I'm going to get this down," Kakashi insisted, placing his hand to where Iruka's rested on the other side of the barrier, "Ask me your question and I'll get your answer."

Iruka stared in shock at the Copy-nin's hand and then looked up into Kakashi's mask covered face.

"Ask Kotetsu what he did to really win that race during survival training in the academy," Iruka finally blurted, pulling his hand back to stifle some light coughs, "I also have another question. Why am I hearing voices sometimes?"

"Because you are hardly ever alone except for late at night," Kakashi grinned out, "All of your friends, former students, and true comrades switch off staying with you so you know to come back to us. Try to listen to what people are telling you. You are very missed, Iruka-sensei. I'll get your answer and I'll come back, okay? I've got to go now. I think I'm running out of time here."

Iruka blinked and gazed at Kakashi wearily before finally nodding. This was a start at least.

To be continued…