I'm not own Naruto (Maybe except Hinata, do you guys allowed me to have her? lol)

Aprilia Echizen: Yes, I like Naruto's dark side too. Maybe what he did to Kakashi's too much. lol Thanks for replying. :)

The Stig's Roleplaying Cousin: It's fine dude. Don't worry about it. Thank you for still support my fanficftion.

Warning: Bad words.

He grabbed Sakura by her shoulders, pinched them slightly, and yelled at her; "FORGET HIM!!"

After this, he calmly walked over to the window, took a deep breath, and jumped through it. Everyone but Sakura was completely oblivious to the tear that rolled down Naruto's cheek before he disappeared into the night.

The cool mint night breeze played with Naruto's hair as he paced through it briskly. It had gotten way longer and more delicate with the years. His face had thinned down aswell, and his cheekbones were now much clearer than before. His eyes were still the same bright blue, only older and wiser. Now, ofcourse, they were dull and dead. But that was just for one reason. One reason that nobody could understand. The emptiness. The cold emptiness that told Naruto that whatever he tried, nobody would fill the gap.

And then there was the fear. The fear of the change. That nothing would ever be the same again. 'Cos, for as far as the boy knew, he'd found a nice home. A nice home with nice people and friends. But then everything had to change. And Naruto hated change. He feared change. Change meant hurt, and hurt meant blood. Blood meant the Kyuubi would go berserk, and that would mean killing. No, not just killing. It would mean that he would make people suffer. Suffer even more than the night the Kyuubi appeared. And making people suffer meant more hate and rejection. This would mean no becoming Hokage. That would be devastating. And he couldn't take any more hate from the villagers. 'Cos if he eventually did unleash all the power of the Kyuubi, he knew that even his friends and loved ones would turn against him, finally realising what a monster he was.

For the fact that even all the people that have been calling him a monster all along, torturing him for so many years, had no clue of what he was capable of. And he, himself, was certain that he had no idea what he could do either, but he knew that he had a power locked inside of him that nobody else could control. Only he, because he has grown with it, bled with it, depended on it, homed it, protected it, been protected by it, and has finally learned to love it. Like a parent loves its child. Unconditional love, they call it.

And Naruto was fascinated by this love. He was truly amazed at how he would always forgive the Kyuubi every time it killed and took control of his body. He was actually shocked that he never really hated the Kyuubi for it. And he was surprised when he noticed how he never blamed the Kyuubi for anything when the villagers sent him dirty looks or abused him.

Kyuubi healed Naruto. It constantly healed Naruto. Because Naruto needed a constant mending. A mending of his broken heart. But Kyuubi didn't mind, because Kyuubi knew it was his fault. Kyuubi knew the villagers hated Naruto because Kyuubi rented a nice big villa in the pit of Naruto's stomach and a tiny appartment in Naruto's heart. Everything in Naruto's body was cold, but Kyuubi's appartmentbuilding was strangely warm. And it got warmer and warmer the more Naruto was with his sensei, the pink-haired girl, the expressionless guy, the Uchiha guy Naruto thought of as a brother, but most of all... when Naruto was near his monster comrade. The Jinchuuriki of Suna. Yes, Naruto's heart would warm up at the sight of him. Because finally Naruto had found someone who understood.

And that's all one like Naruto could ever really desire. Somebody that truly understood. 'Cos not you, or me the writer, could ever understand the pain Uzumaki Naruto was in. Constantly. And so was this Sabaku no Gaara.

But no more of that. For this is not healthy for the young blonde. He hates thinking about these things. He hates thinking about change. He hates the thought as much as he hates thinking about the whole "what-if-there-isn't-anything-after-life-issue". It gets him so depressed...

And so, Naruto picked up his pace, trying to distract himself. He focused on animal cries and rustles of leaves and bushes. And also... footsteps. Rapid footsteps, coming up from behind him. A scent... Yes, he knew this man all too well.

He couldn't say it was a surprise, though. It never surprised him the way Kakashi always managed to find him. No matter where he was, the guy would always magically appear beside him. Like a magic trick. Only without the sparkle-powder. No purple balls of smoke or tracking-devices. Nope, just the guy and his good ol' nose. Perhaps a ninja hound or two..

Or perhaps it was Naruto who was being obvious, leaving clear footprints in the wet forest ground. Whatever the case, he sensed Kakashi walking up to him, aware of the fact that Kakashi knew Naruto sensed his presence.

And so he turned around to face the man.

Kakashi stared back, and neither said a word for a while.

"You're fast." Naruto commented.

"You're sloppy."

"Footprints?"

"Blood."

"Ah.. I see."

"You slit your fingers on the edge of the window."

"Figured as much."

"I think we should take you to the hospital for a check-up."

"Gee, Kakashi, they're just tiny cuts-"

"I'm not talking about the cuts."

"Hmm?" Naruto cocked his head to the side the way he always did when he was confused.

"I'm talking about the way you treated your teammate."

"Oh? Sakura?"

"That's the one."

Naruto turned a little, avoiding his gaze. "She deserved it." he muttered.

"Oh yeah? Did she now?" Kakashi quirked a brow, unbelievingly. "I thought you deserved a nice shake or two."

"I didn't fysically harm her." Naruto scoffed.

"Nope. You didn't. But mentally you did."

"Howso? She cryin' about good ol' Sasuke?"

"She's crying,"

Naruto scoffed again and folded his arms as he rolled his eyes as if to say, "Typical."

"But not about Sasuke." Kakashi finished his sentance.

"What then? Did I hurt her shoulders or something?" there was no sarcasm in Naruto's voice. Worry, actually, was extremely clear, though.

"No, she's crying about you. She's worried about you. You're scaring her. Damn it, Naruto, you're scaring me."

"Then you're all overreacting."

"You're the one who's overreacting, Naruto! Don't you realise yourself how much you've changed?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I don't. So I would really appreciate it if you all just let me be."

"Sorry, Naruto, no can do."

"Why not?" Naruto growled.

"'Cos I care too much about you."

"Oh don't give me that loving-father crap. You and I both know it isn't your style. You don't mention things like that. You're not the kind of guy that goes around telling everyone you love them. You keep your distance and wear a mask. To you, there's no need to tell anybody you care about them. To you, they have to read you well enough to know this themselves."

Kakashi just stared at him in awe before replying casually, "Correct. Which is why I'm telling you right now that I do. Because I don't think you see it."

"Oh I see it. Don't worry." Naruto said rather bitterly.

"Does it bother you?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"... I don't believe it."

"Believe what? That I care about you?"

"I don't believe that you care about me the way you say you do. You care about me the way people worry about losing their homework, or not studying for an exam. You care about me like you care about a stray pup. I'm not one of your ninja hounds, Kakashi."

Kakashi didn't say anything. Instead, he just walked over to the boy slowly, making sure he didn't back away as he did so. When he was only a foot or two away from him, he poked his finger between Naruto's eyes, above the bridge of his nose. Naruto was confused, and Kakashi took this opportunity to pull out some ninja wire at an incredible speed, tying the boy to one of the nearby trees.

"You're not as skilled as you say you are." Kakashi remarked disapprovingly.

"What the fuck?! Cut this damn wire right now you dickhead!!" Naruto yelled on the mossy wet ground. The sight of it reminded Kakashi of a certain display years ago with Sasuke when he lectured the raven about a jutsu.

"And why would I do that?" a tiny smirk was hidden behind Kakashi's mask.

"'Cos I fuckin' said so, that's why!"

"Hmmm... nahh.."

"Ass. You're such a prick, you know that?!"

"Well I'm glad to see you're back to your normal self again."

"Oh just shut the fuck up. Jerk."

"What's with the language, though?"

"That's the way I talk, got a problem with it?!"

"Yeah, actually I do."

"Then spit it out, asshole!"

"It doesn't suit you. I didn't bring you up this way."

"Don't fuck with me. You didn't bring me up at all. I had to teach my fucking self."

"No, you didn't. Why do you keep insisting on that, anyway?"

"'Cos that's the fucking way it goes. Nothing changes and everything stays the fucking same."

"Do you dislike that, then?"

"Hell no. I fuckin' love it." Naruto had an evil-like smirk curved on his lips.

"Then why do you act like you hate it when things stay the same?"

"...'Cos change is even worse."

And that's when Kakashi saw it. The glint in Naruto's eyes. That wasn't the same honesty in his voice, that was fear. Fear of the unknown. And Kakashi knew all about Naruto's fear. He's seen alot of it, and he knows every single one of them. Which is why he decided to tie him up to the tree. He was evil for doing this to his own son, but things had to be done. He had to get the old Naruto back. And to do so, he had to make Naruto face one of his greatest fears. He had to make Naruto ask for his help. He had to make Naruto learn to love again.

And there it was. The preparation for his plan. The first drops of rain pounded gently on his jounin vest and dampened his silver hair, making it lose some of its wild volume. Only half a minute later, the soft raindrops turned into rapid balls of icecold liquid. The clouds were no longer white and the sky was no longer blue. It was a big mass of grey and black.

"Would you untie the fucking rope already?!" Naruto started to get wilder by the moment, probably also aware of the fact that a storm was on its way.

"Mmm... No." Kakashi sat down with a content sigh and leaned his back against a tree opposing Naruto.

"Fucking bastard." Naruto growled as he tried to untie it himself, moving around rapidly and fumbling with the wire was strong and had his hands jammed against the muggy treebark firmly.

The rain had started to pound down on their bodies faster, harder, bigger, and colder. The wind had picked up aswell and raged through the trees, making a mess of their wet hair. And there it was. Kakashi had been waiting for it, and Naruto had been wishing it'd never come.

A loud rumble in the sky made Naruto's eyes spread open wide and had him moving his hands rambunctiously, trying fractionatly to untie the ninwire. Kakashi merely watched the blonde's pathetic attempts, both aware of the fact that he'd fail. And yet, he didn't do anything.

"UNTIE ME!!" Naruto demanded with a scary edge to his voice. His tone was angry, even furious, and his eyes finally held some sort of true emotion. It lingered in his reddish eyes for a moment, stating that the teen was now past furious and was ready to get outraged.

"Woah, calm down. You aren't scared of a little bit of water, are you?" Kakashi quirked a brow, feeling guilty instantly. He knew it was wrong to pester the boy about it, and understood that lightning storms was something many people were afraid of. He just wanted Naruto to admit it himself, to admit that this was something he specifically was afraid of, and not Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't in the least frightened of lightning, he controlled it. But Naruto, on the other hand, had an incredible fear of lightning storms. Most likely because the night of the birth of the Kyuubi inside of him and the death of his parents had been one of the only nights there were lightning storms in Konoha.

Naruto's body twisted and turned in all directions, trying to find possibilities to cut the wire. If he could move that way, he might be able to reach his kunai. If he turned this way, he might be able to free himself, too. So many possibilities, but none eligible to him or the position he was in.

And he couldn't manage to untie himself before his true fear flashed in the corner of his eye, several kilometers away, followed by a loud rumble up above him.

He shut his eyes to hide the fear from his sensei as his body started to shake. It jerked into random positions, pulling on the wire as hard as it could. But it was no use.

"Let me go!!" he pleaded, an unintional begging tone added to his plea.

"You scared o' lightning, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, mentally breaking himself down. He wanted Naruto to shout something in reply like, "Ofcourse I am! You know I am!" but instead, the blonde merely looked the other way as the rain poured down on them.

The Genin bit his bottom lip, trying to calm himself down as he waited for another burst of lightning. He didn't want to see it, so he shut his eyes, impatient, scared, and hurt. Hurt for being 'teased' by Kakashi in this way. Hurt for not being able to face his fears. But most of all, hurt for being proved that he was, indeed, different than Sasuke. And he couldn't pull it off being his raven rival and friend.

When Naruto couldn't hear any lightning, he slowly opened one eye, then another. When both stressed eyes were just open, his heart double-pounded as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. He tried to count the seconds, but his sanity started to slip and he was overwhelmed by fear. He winced when another loud crack of lightning illuminated the dark sky.

"Let me go," he whined, turning more fearful by the second.

"What?" Kakashi asked, though Naruto knew the man had heard him and clearly understood him.

"Let me go..please.."

Kakashi walked over to him and perched down infront of him. "So you admit you're scared of lightning?"

Naruto's gaze dropped to the drenched forest ground as if he were denying this. He, too, knew that once he actually said it, he'd be admitting that he and Sasuke were different, that he was Uzumaki Naruto again, and things would go back to how they were. Wow, anticlimactic how he really wished he could change right now. After all the hate and resent he felt toward change, he wanted it desperately now.

Another crack of lightning and some more loud rumbling had Naruto back to his state of shock. His pupils started to tremble hyperactively within the riverblue pools surrounding them, which had finally returned to being riverblue.

"UNTIE ME THIS FUCKING INSTANT YOU SICK FAGGOT!" he yelled through the pounding rain.

Kakashi didn't deny that it was a sick idea of his, but it did work. He even almost smiled when he saw the bright blue take over the grey in Naruto's fear-stricken eyes. He felt bad for making him so scared, but he was overwhelmed with joy when he realised the Genin was going to be back to normal first thing in the morning. That is, if he got him to admit his fears.

Not that he hadn't already made the blonde admit to them years ago. He remembered that night as clearly as he remembered becoming a jounin.

Team 7 had just finished their mission when raindrops started to leak from the grey clouds. Sakura complained that her hair was getting wet and started bothering Sasuke, asking him how the spikes in his hair stayed so straight. Then she started giving the team a whole documentary about how her hair would become fuzzy and poofy and she wouldn't be able to straighten it well and it would affect her personality and the way she talked. Kakashi had always known there was something holy about girls' hair.

But even if Sakura's story was uninteresting to the three male members, the usually bright Naruto would've listened. But that's just it, the usually bright Naruto wasn't usually bright anymore. Was it the rain? Maybe he was just happier when the sun shined, who knows?

"Guys, let's hurry up." said child suggested, picking up his pace even more, making it hard for his teammates to follow.

"Slow down, Naruto, the mission's over. We just have to get to the Hokage and then we get to go home. Right, sensei?" his pink-haired friend asked Kakashi.

"That's right. But if you want, I can go deliver the report myself so you guys can get home before you catch a cold."

"Alright," Sakura smiled kindly at her teacher, "that'd be really nice, I've heard it's going to storm tonight. Lightning and all."

All but Kakashi appeared oblivious to the shudder going over the spine of the blonde Genin up front.

"Alright, see ya' guys." and with that, he poofed away...

~A while later~

He reappeared infront of his house. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find all the lights out. Had one of the lightningstrikes broken the cables or something? That'd suck... But when he clicked the light on, it worked fine. Maybe Naruto just didn't feel like turning the light on, no big deal. Speaking of which, where was the blonde kid?

A flash of lightning illuminated the room for a moment, making it completely white. He heard a quiet yelp from upstairs. It would've been inaudible if it weren't for the older man's trained ears. And so he made his way up the stairs and knocked on Naruto's door twice before opening it, not bothering to wait for an answer.

At first he couldn't see him, but then he noticed the small foot sticking out from under the bed. He ducked down and turned his head so he could see the frightened 12-year-old cover his ears and press his eyes shut, trying to block out the dangerous electricity.

He didn't really quite know what to do, never being in that kind of state, so he just did what his instincts told him to and pulled the boy out from under the bed. Naruto's body twitched for a second, not aware that there was anybody there yet, but when he peeked open his eyes to see who it was and saw black jounin fabric on a gloved arm, he knew it was his sensei. The man placed him on the bed, where the boy tightened his fingers on the bedsheets and crumpled them up.

"I'm not afraid." he said with a shaky voice, the fear obvious in his eyes.

"I know." Kakashi said, kneeling down on the creaky wooden floor so his eyes were on the same level with Naruto's. He sat there infront of the boy, slightly nervous since he had no idea what to do. But when he saw Naruto's fingers twirling faster and faster around his sheets, he knew how to soothe him. He took Naruto's wrist and put the boy's hand on his fingertips. The blonde absently started curling Kakashi's fingers, almost unaware of it himself. Just like on the day they met for the first time.. Only Naruto was too young then to remember that.

Another strike of lightning and Naruto nearly jumped up on the bed. He would've if it weren't for his stubborn mind telling him not to show the older man any fear on his behalf. He had to show his sensei how strong he was and that he could handle it. He was Uzumaki Naruto! He wasn't afraid of anything!

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled oncemore, and Naruto couldn't help but softly yelp, taken by surprise. His eyes widened in his wave of anger directed toward himself when he realised that he was squeezing Kakashi's fingers. He quickly pulled back his hand and used it to cover his mouth. He shifted uneasily, straightening his back to show that he wasn't afraid. But he wasn't fooling anyone. Kakashi could see right through him and his little act.

Which is why the jounin couldn't help but smile softly behind his mask when an extremely loud rumble of thunder echoed through the room and the blonde hid himself underneath his blankets. Half a minute later, though, he uncovered his head, saw the small glint of amusement in his sensei's eyes and threw the blanket off of himself instantly.

"I'm not afraid!" he repeated. He helplessly searched for determination in his voice, but Naruto, too, realised now how scared his voice sounded. He tried clearing his throat but the lump of guilt telling him he was a coward was in the way.

"I know you're not afraid," Kakashi replied soothingly as he picked the blanket up off the floor. The room was cold, so it was a good excuse to wrap the boy in the soft, warm fabric. When his student - /son – was covered and wrapped in the light-brown checked quilt and couldn't really move anymore since it was wrapped around him so tightly, he sat down on the bed beside him, putting an arm around the blonde. And even through the thick blanket, he could feel the kid shiver in utter horror.

"You don't need to help me. I'm not scared of anything." Naruto insisted, managing to loosen the blanket a bit and get his arms out so he could remove Kakashi's arm. His fear-stricken eyes tried their best to look determined as he looked his sensei in the eye. His hands rested firmly on his knees, cold and wet from the rain he had to forge a way through to get home.

But the jounin wasn't fooled. Especially when a loud crack of lightning had him shaking oncemore, tightening his grip on his knees and shutting his eyes. He could tell that the Genin was having quite a struggle with himself to try and keep himself from shouting his fear and hiding under the bed again.

"Wakatteru," Kakashi softly repeated, for once in his life not minding having to repeat himself. He watched as his student grit his teeth and straightened his back again, trying his hardest to have a strong and respectful posture. But it weakened and bent again once the thunder followed after the lightning. Naruto still had his eyes pinched tightly shut, not daring to see what he was so afraid of.

"C'mere." the silver-haired man instructed, pulling the boy closer as he leaned back against the wall. The blonde sat beside him, also leaning his back against the cold stone. The blanket was draped over his legs, hiding his shaking hands which were still grabbing hold of his knees.

Kakashi turned so he could look at him, and tried to think of something that might be able to get Naruto's mind off of the storm raging outside. Or perhaps just make him feel better. Anything.

"You know, thunder can tell you how far away the lightning is. The longer it takes for the thunder to come after seeing the flash, the farther away the lightning is. Per three seconds there's like a whole kilometer."

Naruto's eyes had opened slowly, but his shivering hadn't stopped yet.

"You don't need to tell me this, sensei, I'm not afr- eek !!" Naruto's unconvincing words had been interrupted by another flash of lightning. The hard pounding of the rain on the window wasn't making it any better either as it froze the room to bits.

Naruto hid his eyes as tears spilled from them. He was ashamed and embaressed. How could he call himself a ninja if he was afraid of some lightning and a little bit of thunder? How could he prove to the world that he was worthy of being the Hokage if he couldn't even get through a little storm? And to think that his sensei was here to see him tremble in fear.. unforgivable.

Kakashi pulled Naruto's hands off of his eyes and put them on his own instead. Naruto started fumbling with Kakashi's fingers again unawarily, as though it was an automatism. Kakashi turned the boy away from the window with his free hand and gently draped the blanket back over him.

Whenever a lightning strike illuminated the room and Naruto tried to turn around and see, the older man merely turned him around again, not allowing him to see what he was so afraid of. And whenever a soft whimper escaped his lips at the sound of the rumbling of the thunder, he'd hush him and cover his ears. Whenever he'd shut his eyes and shiver, Kakashi would push back a streak of his blond hair and whisper things like, "I know you aren't afraid. You aren't scared of anything."

He'd gently stroke his cheek and wipe away the tears that would find a way out of his scared blue orbs.

And when the storm was nearly over and the rain gently pounded against the window, Naruto's breathing started to slow and he fell asleep. But even when the boy was sleeping, Kakashi didn't leave him. Not only 'cos he'd have to repeat the whole process if Naruto were to wake up and the storm would return, but because he knew he had to be there for him. Like a father should be.

"UNTIE ME, DICKHEAD!! BEFORE I MAKE A FUCKING CORPSE OF YOU!!" Naruto yelled furiously, shaking Kakashi out of his thoughts.

"You can't move, how are you supposed to make a corpse of me?" Kakashi quirked his visible brow, then rested his chin on his hand as if he were bored.

"You're a bastard, you know that? A sick jerk who thinks it's fun to make fun of others. Well I'm gonna' tell you this, fucker, I ain't afraid o' nothin!!"

The jounin, who was perched down a couple of feet away from the blonde, removed his hand and looked Naruto in the eye seriously. "I know. I know you aren't afraid."

Naruto's eyes shot open wide as he remembered that night. The night Kakashi had fought him through his fears. He'd helped him. The only person that actually would... The only person that cared. After all the resentment he'd get from the villagers, he knew he could always come home to somebody who didn't hate him. So why was he acting like such a prat to him? Why was he being so evil? A spoiled brat, that's what he was.

"You.. I..." but Naruto was at a loss for words.

"I didn't... I wasn't... I... I'm.."

His eyes shot from left to right as he searched for the right words. He avoided his sensei's gaze, ashamed of himself for being so insufferable.

"I'm.. I'm sorry."

Slowly but surely, he looked Kakashi in the eye, to find it understanding and forgiving. Not at all angry. And he was thankful for that.

Kakashi cut the wire, but the blond teen didn't move.

"I was... I acted like such a-"

"Naruto." Kakashi's voice caught his attention. The silver-haired man placed a hand on Naruto's head and looked him in the eye deeply. "It's alright. I understand. Now let's go see Sakura, okay?"

It took a while for Naruto to smile and reply. "Hai!"

XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXX

So how is it? Give me your comments, criticisms or suggestions. And I'd love to reply in the next chapter. Thank you.

Ja ne!