Chapter 10: Team 5

I will never say it enough, but thanks to my Beta.
Ibara, Ryû and Silk are mine, please do not use!
Thanks too to the people who took the time to review. Please keep doing you! I need you!

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They were all well hidden. Good. And now what? What was he supposed to do? He had attacked Kakashi-sensei right away, but the three kids didn't seem to find this idea entertaining. Maybe he should pretend to drop his guard and see what happened.

Naruto hadn't even finished lowering his defence when a white blur armed with kunai tried to attack him. Ibara was indeed a daredevil, and quite good since he had stopped fighting as soon as he realized it was only a clone. Now Ibara was aiming for the other clone, good. Was that Ryû following? The little bastard!

Ryû had used Ibara's back as a springboard to jump on Naruto's clone. It seemed that the kid was an opportunist since Ibara hadn't been warned; he was now laying on the mud muttering.

Getting out from his hiding place Naruto caught Ryû by the ankle and shook him a little making sure he was a safe distance away from the two bells. Naruto had to drop Ryû, who fell on his head (although he deserved it) because Ibara had just thrown some Shuriken at him. The blond took this opportunity to dash for the trees, leaving his saviour behind. It seemed that Ryû was all talk. Well, at least Ibara cared for his friend. They would make a good team. But, where was Silk?

Silk was still safely hidden in the trees, unaware that he was just behind her. She was still glued to the katana pressed against her breast which meant she wouldn't be able to draw it. Why wasn't she trying something?

"They said I had to wait here… that I would bother them if I tried… I only wanted to help… even if I don't have a bell… should I really stay here?" she whispered softly.

"Well no, I would like to see what you're worth," answered Naruto.

Silk jumped out of her skin but didn't scream; instead she threw half of her Shuriken at him or tried to seeing as how she totally missed him. Holy cow! She had protected her hiding place. Four tree-trunks, one from each direction, were coming towards him and a set of explosive notes was falling from above and underneath a net was closing on him. Thank God he was fast otherwise she would have squashed him! It was a bit messy to set off all traps at once, but still a good idea. She had used this little time to get away.

Naruto chuckled to himself. They were all hidden under a bush. They already had a bit of team work. Too bad Ryû only thought about using the others for his own good, Ibara tried to shun Silk and the latter was trying desperately to be of some use, even if that meant sacrificing herself. Well, she had understood the ninja's way but she was pushing it a little too far, a ninja wasn't supposed to let himself be killed.

"So Silk, you'll be the bait. You will pretend to steal the food. Ibara, you immobilize Naruto-sensei and I'll take the bells for you and me. Ok?"

Oh the clever little bugger of an opportunist! He pretended to use Silk without promising anything in return just because he could. Ryu was going to let Ibara do all the work luring him with the prospect of gaining a bell, while all he had to do was extend his hand and grab the bells. Naruto knew who was getting tied to the post.

Silk obediently went to get the food, moving as silently as she could and using each shadow as a cover. She was doing quite a good job. Ibara and Ryû were standing watch, ready to jump on him. Fine, he would play their game.

"You!" he screamed, with his most frightening voice, materializing behind Silk. She slowly turned toward him completely resigned to her fate. He gently patted her head, amused. Ibara chose this moment to set his trap in motion. Naruto let himself be captured and waited for Ryû to make his move. There he was, sneaking from underneath to grab the bells. Without an effort he got rid of Ibara and began to tie Ryu with some ropes. But he didn't count on Silk who dashed to help him. What? She was helping the one who had used her? She dashed to help the little bugger, cutting the ropes and trying to buy him an escape by throwing herself at Naruto. Time was up.

There. That was better. The little opportunist was tied to the post. Silk was back to clutching her katana, head hung low, and Ibara was glaring daggers at him. Good. He had explained the rules; they couldn't give Ryû any food. He was already expecting Silk to give him some, but the team's future laid in Ibara's hands.

"Oh God I'm hungryyyyyy!" whined Ryû, eyeing Ibara's bento.

"That's your fault! If you hadn't come up with such a shitty plan…"

"You can eat some of my food, Ryû-san," proposed Silk, already feeding him.

"See Ibara? She's nice!"

Silk blushed bright red, her hand shaking a little. Ibara rolled his eyes in despair.

"I can be the bait again if you want," whispered Silk.

Naruto had to use all of his self-control to stop himself from strangling the girl. She was impossible! He would have to teach her a great deal about self-esteem and self-preservation.

"You're pitiful, Ryû! A girl has to help you! Stop that, Silk-chan you have to eat too. I'm going to give him some of my food, a lady shouldn't starve herself."

Naruto smiled. Well it wasn't exactly teamwork but it was close enough. They would grow well, he hoped. After explaining all that Kakashi had explained to him about the Ninja, they set off and Team 5 was formed.

Silk gently set Ryû free.

"I could have done it myself you know, it's just I don't want to show off too much."

She blushed and smiled before running to catch up with him. Naruto sighed… she was definitely impossible. Sasuke and Sakura had left him tied up, Orochimaru and Tsunade-baachan had done the same to Ero-sanin and here was this cute little girl breaking the tradition. Yep, he would have to teach her one or two things…

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Sasuke was back from his mission. Naruto had just finished his first mission with his team. He had been team 5's teacher for one week already. Ibara was the best one, really reckless but good. Then came Silk who always tried her best but he had to keep yelling at her for sacrificing herself all the time. Ryû was clever but he always manipulated others to do all the work for him and he wasn't very good even if he always bragged. Worse, Naruto suspected he was very scared.

"Really you should see them. They aren't like us at all. Silk is worrying me a little. I'm afraid she will do something reckless and get herself killed."

Naruto bit his lip, his team had given him strength and brought the sun back in his head. He wasn't going to let Sasuke destroy his good mood, even if the bastard was still giving him the silent treatment.

"Can't you at least answer me?"

The dark man only lifted an eyebrow, not bothering to look at him, still cleaning his Anbu equipment. Naruto clenched his fists.

"Are you trying to see when I'm going to break? When I'm going to punch you? When I'll give up? Know that…"

He didn't have the chance to finish his sentence. Someone had just knocked on the door.

"Kakashi, what a pleasure" spoke Sasuke softly, a smirk firmly in place.

"Well I will leave then. See you later, Sasuke."

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Kakashi drank his tea slowly. They hadn't exchanged a word since Naruto's departure. Sasuke had only made tea for the two of them. He was now looking elsewhere, as if he wasn't really there. Kakashi knew perfectly well where Sasuke was, in the past. Lost somewhere in the past, happy or sad memories didn't matter, just memories of Itachi. He had done the same when his father died. He wasn't deceiving himself. He didn't understand Sasuke's suffering, it was totally different from what he had lived, and yet he could guess the shape of his pain. Sasuke was strong, stronger than he had been. Kakashi had stopped eating and sleeping. Sasuke was carrying on.

"You know, I'm really sorry."

Sakura had warned him of the silence. Sasuke only spoke when strictly necessary. So he didn't wait long for an answer.

"Sorry, for being such a poor teacher. I wish I could have stopped you, saved you."

Kakashi tentatively stretched his hand toward Sasuke but a slap prevented him from touching him. The three of them were his first and only team. He considered them like his team mates, like his family… his children.

"I'm sorry I've lost you…"

Sasuke finally looked at him, his eyes harsh. When he spoke his tone was bitter.

"What are you trying to say? That you were right? Do you think I didn't know that?"

"No… Naruto told me. You never really planned to kill him, did you?"

The teen didn't answer. Kakashi just went on.

"I guess at first you really thought you wanted him dead, then you must have realized you wanted him back. Maybe you even planned to let him kill you, or to die with him. I don't know. Maybe you don't either. I'm not judging you, Sasuke. I'm just sorry for not being able to break the link you had with your brother. I'm sorry that you have to suffer like this again."

Sasuke refilled their cups of tea. The silence was back but not heavy. He had just wanted to say it because he felt guilty. The same way he felt guilty for Obito's death. There were so many things he hadn't been able to prevent. He needed to make amendments. That's why he always spent hours in the cemetery, where he had seen her for the first time.

A brush against his forearm brought him back to reality, just in time to see Sasuke's rapidly retracting hand. Kakashi felt a wave of warmth; it was as if he had been forgiven.

"You know Naruto will be a great teacher, I'm glad he's that girl's teacher."

"Silk?"

Saving his tea cup just in time, Kakashi smiled softly behind his mask. It seemed like Sasuke cared more than he let on. Good, Naruto wasn't doing it all for nothing.

"Yes Silk. She's a cute girl. I don't really know her… but she's often at the cemetery. She must have lost a family member. I had only talked to her once, but yesterday Naruto introduced us."

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"Hurry Kakashi-sensei! You've got to come!"

"Why here? Aren't you usually eating Ramen at Ichiraku?"

Naruto kept dragging him, a wide grin showing all his teeth. What the hell was he planning? Why did he say yes for Ramen? He had Come Come Paradise to read!

"Because you're the present, Kakashi-sensei!"

He was the what? A Naruto as joyful and hyperactive as this was not a good prospect. What was going to happen? Was he going to try to see under his mask again

"Pork Ramen for two please," yelled Naruto, forcing Kakashi to sit down.

Well, at least he could keep reading Come Come Paradise. He could hear the people preparing the Ramen, it smelled good. It had been a long time since he had eaten with Naruto. It was one of these days where everything was right, perfect…

A sudden "iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiih" and a bowl of Ramen spilled on his last copy of Come Come Paradise made him rethink that last statement. It wasn't a perfect day at all. With a heavy sigh he raised his only visible eye to look at the waitress and met a pair of mauve eyes on a very very red face.

"K…kakashi-sensei! I'm so…sorry!"

Naruto was splitting his sides with laughter. Silk was trying to save the book and at the same time averting her eyes from the pictures.

"You again? You really can't stand Come Come Paradise, can you? It's the second time you've ruined it…"

"I swear I didn't do it on purpose! I'm so sorry! I will buy you another one!"

This was the last straw for Naruto, who began to bang his fist on the table in a hysteric fit of laughter. He was picturing twelve-year-old Silk trying to buy an adult book. That was too much.

"Naruto-sensei, you're mean! I'm sure you did it on purpose," blamed Silk very softly.

"I thought you would be happy to meet your Kakashi-sensei. It's your reward for your awesome progress, Silk."

"Sensei" yelled Silk blushing crimson.

Naruto ignored her and turned toward his ex-teacher, grinning and visibly very proud of his little joke.

"So, how did you meet sweet Silk?"

"I don't really know her, Naruto. I've just seen her a couple of times at the cemetery and once I bumped into her, which resulted in my Come Come Paradise falling on the mud."

Naruto busied himself with his Ramen. He merely gave a little wave when Ryû came to sit with them. The blond child sized up Kakashi and leaned against him as if to tell him a secret, but he was eyeing Silk with an evil glint in his eyes. "I heard your explanation Kakashi-sensei, is that really all there is? Because you know she's got a crush on you…"

"Ryû!" began Silk, outraged. But she didn't have a chance to finish whatever she wanted to say. Ryû had been hit on the head by Ibara, who also worked at the shop.

"Ryû! You can't go telling a woman's secret like that!"

Naruto nearly chocked on his Ramen while Kakashi merely kept on reading Come Come Paradise, still listening with one ear, greatly amused. He understood why Naruto loved his team. They were cute.

After Silk left with her rumpled dignity, muttering how she was going to make them pay, was soon caught up by both guys and her Sensei. He draped his arms around their shoulders and began to expose a plan.

"Listen, your mission is to see under Kakashi-sensei's mask. If you succeed I will teach you a new move."

"Yeah! I will do it! It will be soooo easy for me!" bragged Ryû. Ibara was already plotting, not breaking contact with his pray.

Silk straightened up and walked straight to Kakashi-sensei. Throwing her team mates a superior look she untied her apron and spread it like a curtain around Kakashi's head, effectively covering him completely.

"There, you can eat without worrying about these morons, Sensei."

A low laugh answered from behind the apron, and a couple of angry yells from behind her. She had won the fight.

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Kakashi gulped his tea and set the cup on the table. Sasuke was grieving, but he was doing fine. With Naruto's report he had expected worse, but Sasuke was slowly healing.

"Maybe you should train that Silk you know? She's always carrying a katana, you should teach her how to use it."

Sasuke continued to play with his tea, tilting it, looking lost. Then he raised his head hesitating for a minute and then very softly said, "Itachi used to make fun of me, saying you could see destiny in the tea leaves."

"Don't think about him," answered Kakashi, patting him on the shoulder.

Sasuke moved his shoulder away, reluctant to the touch. Kakashi tried to talk a bit more, after all Sasuke had spoken but the teen stayed withdrawn in his silence.

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Please don't forget to live a review, even if it's just a word. That is what keeps me going… I need you guys (smile)

Next chapter: Revelations
We will go back to Sasuke and Naruto in the next chapter, it will be the last really depressing chapter, you will see the fight between Itachi and Sasuke.
I hope you don't mind Ryû, Silk and Ibara, I thought they would relax the atmosphere.