"Kakashi-sensei!" Kakashi was awake in seconds, pulling a weapon from some unseen place. He followed Sasuke's gaze to... an empty bed.
"Naruto!" Kakashi was by the bed summoning Pakkun, "Follow Naruto's scent and tell me where it goes." He ordered.
"Why aren't we going?" Sasuke demanded.
"Because it is likely that Naruto just left on his own. He doesn't like hospitals." Sasuke looked thoroughly annoyed. He wanted to follow his friend and knock some sense into him, but he also wanted to ask Kakashi what he meant.
"The demon's gone? Great! Now my daughter can rest properly." Kakashi and Sasuke turned towards the intruder, angry words forming on their lips but someone bet them to it.
"That's enough Dad! Naruto is my friend and you would do well to refrain from insulting him." Sakura's father eyed her approvingly.
"You hide your disdain well daughter. But you may be truthful when 'it' is not around."
"BE QUIET!" she yelled, "Naruto is a person not a demon and I won't have you talk about him like that." Kakashi and Sasuke watched the exchange with open mouths. Both knew from experience that the tone she was using meant she was getting very angry.
Apparently she got it from her father.
"You are a disgrace to our family! How can you defend that thing."
"Naruto is not a thing! He's a living, breathing human being!"
"How dare you argue with me!" Sakura near screamed as her father scruffed her hospital gown. Sasuke gulped, not only at the temperament of Sakura's father or sakura obviously being unfazed, but also at the slender legs the gown revealed. Kakashi lunged forward just as both Tsunade and Pakkun arrived. Tsunade took in the scene and reached Sakura before Kakashi did, sending her father flying across the floor. He hurriedly stood.
"I don't ever want to see you in my house again!" He then stormed out of the room leaving everyone shocked. They all turned to looked at Sakura expecting to see tears but instead there was a smirk.
"Well I guess I had better find somewhere to live." Sasuke thought for a moment before stepping forward.
"Don't bother. The Uchiha Mansion has plenty of spare rooms. You can stay in one of those." Now everyone turned to look at Sasuke who shrugged.
"Plenty of room, why waste it?" Sakura was overwhelmed.
"Thank you Sasuke-kun!"
Tsunade was looking around the room.
"Where is Naruto?"
"He bolted. Pakkun?"
"He made it to your house. Locked himself in the spare room and shut the shades." Tsunade sighed but smiled as well. Kakashi raised his eyebrow.
"You should be happy Kakashi. He's decided your house is a safe place, or at least that room is." She looked at all of them.
"Sasuke if you'll make sure Sakura doesn't do too much then all of you can leave." Sasuke nodded and both men left while Sakura dressed. Then they all left, Kakashi making sure they made it home before going to his own.
Wandering inside he made his way to the spare room and knocked on the door. "Naruto?" Feeling slightly embarrassed Kakashi pressed his ear to the door and listened.
"What the hell. Is he..." Kakashi's thought was cut off by a thump and several gasps of pain. "Naruto?" Kakashi tried the door and found it locked, quickly picking it he rushed into the room to find Naruto on the floor curled into a ball. Ignoring the flinch he gave when touched Kakashi pulled Naruto into his arms and held the quivering boy tight.
"I'm so sorry Naruto. I failed. I'm sorry. I was supposed to protect you guys." Naruto desperately wanted to reassure his sensei but for the moment the pain was so great. Kakashi had never felt as powerless as he held Naruto until the pain passed. Albeit reluctantly, Naruto pulled away from his sensei.
"I fell of the bed." He joked weakly.
"Naruto I..."
"It's not your fault sensei. You can't hold yourself responsible nor can you protect us forever." Kakashi looked into Naruto's blue eyes and could see no blame there.
"When people don't teach me I still watch and learn." Kakashi cursed himself and sought a more pleasant topic.
"Want some ramen?" he laughed when Naruto's eyes lit up.
While Kakashi cooked the ramen he watched his blonde student out of the corner of his eye. Naruto looked depressed, such a vivid change to his normal state. Kakashi was about to speak when Naruto spoke first.
"Kakashi-sensei what should I get Sasuke for his birthday next month?" Kakashi couldn't have been more caught off guard.
"It's ages away. Why look now?" he asked, confused. Naruto seemed to ignore the question.
"What do you do on your birthday sensei?" Kakashi stared at his student , wondering what the hell was going on.
"My birthday has come and gone." Naruto looked saddened by this.
"I'm sorry I was unaware." Kakashi looked to where Naruto's gaze had been centred the whole time, the calendar. On the calendar was the day marked for the celebration of Kyuubi's supposed death.
"Why the rush?" Naruto finally looked at him. For some reason his eyes held a small amount of fear and panic.
"I just like to get everything done before the celebration so they don't sell out of what I want to get." It was a lie. Naruto knew and Kakashi knew it.
"Liar" Naruto gave him a half-hearted glare.
"Fine. When it gets close to Sasuke's birthday they stop selling me stuff. Don't want me to buy something under the guise of a present that could bring harm to him." Naruto's voice held no anger or resentment just acceptance. Kakashi stared at his student.
"When else do they refuse to sell you stuff?"
"Oh, every other day ,unless Iruka's with me. That's when I get to stock up. Can only get ramen though. Cheap enough to buy a lot of."
Anything else he was going to say was cut off as he went into the foetal position to protect himself from the pain which, although lessened, was still quite painful. Kakashi moved to hold his student.
"Please don't" Naruto cried cringing away. Kakashi froze at the change in Naruto's tone. Naruto tried desperately to tear himself from the nightmare that was his past as it swarmed his mind well aware the Kakashi was hearing every plea he made.
"Please stop! I don't want to see this again. Leave me alone!" Naruto flung his arms out. One sending the chair he had been previously occupied, crashing to the ground. The other catching Kakashi in the knee, cause him to stumble and bang his head on the table.
"Naruto your safe" he cried felling dizzy and worried. Slowly as the pain dimmed so did Naruto's shakes. He gazed around him in confusion before it landed on Kakashi's bleeding head. Kakashi watched, shocked, as Naruto backed away, his eyes wide with fear.
"Naruto never shows his fears." Kakashi waited for his head to clear and hesitantly took a step forward.
"I'm so sorry sensei. Please don't hurt me." Naruto frowned at the look of hurt of Kakashi's face.
"What?" he asked, his voice slowly becoming less fear filled. Kakashi kept walking forward until he reached Naruto. Naruto cautiously reached out a hand and brushed Kakashi's face.
"Sensei you're crying. Did I hurt you that much?" he gently probed the wound only to go extremely tense as Kakashi swept him into a hug.
"Naruto do you honestly believe I would hurt you? I know you've been through a lot, more than I know about but please trust me. Tell me what's happened. Let me help you!" Naruto remained rigid in his arms unwilling to believe someone was holding him this way, (apart from Iruka), and he wasn't being hit.
Kakashi continued to hold Naruto only releasing him when Naruto struggled and seemingly panicked. He watched, saddened, as Naruto left the room quickly. Sighing Kakashi leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. This was why he nearly jumped out of his skin when something cool was pressed against his cut and his head started pounding. Wincing Kakashi open his eyes to stare into the worried face of Naruto.
"Naruto?" Kakashi felt weird, as though something wasn't quite right.
"Sensei you don't look so good. Should we go find baa-Chan?" Kakashi grew angry.
"Don't act as though just then didn't happen!" he instantly regretted his harsh words as Naruto drew back startled.
"What do you mean? What just happened? I came in and your were against the wall bleeding from the head." Naruto paused looking confused, "Come to think of it, why am I here?" Kakashi sat there stunned.
"You, you don't remember?" Naruto blinked at his teacher.
"Remember what?"
"You moved in after the last mission. Sakura, Sasuke and I found out about your living conditions." Naruto visibly paled.
"They know. You know." Naruto looked very close to collapsing. Kakashi hurriedly stood, wincing when the room spun slightly.
"I think it would be best that we go see the Hokage-Sama." Kakashi said gently, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder and teleporting them outside her office. He nodded to the ninja's on duty and led Naruto inside.
Ok so anyone left may bash with their reviews on how lame i am to take the long to update. Atleast i made the chapter longer :)
Anywayz please review so i can see how many reviewers are left. REVIEW PRETTY PLEASE.
Oh and can you let me know if you want that story posted or not.