Guys, I am so so so extremely sorry about the extremely late update. Forgive me. D: But I wasn't just ignoring it and blowing it off or anything, I was thinking about it... but anyways, it's EXCUSE TIME!

Ok, so after I posted the last chapter...

I was gone for two weeks (no laptop or internet or anything)

After that I had marching band practice during the day and was preparing for school

School started (I'm a freshman in highschool, so it was a big beginning)

I'm at school all day then band practice after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Fridays are the football games that I participate in for band.

HOMEWORK

And then once everything was kind of settled down (even though I was still busy) my best friend of about eight years had to get back surgery because her skiliosis (curved spine) got too bad. She was in the hospital for a week and has been out of school for a month, she's still recovering. I visited her a lot. Give me crap about this and I will not be kind.

I had been thinking about the story a lot and had a three-day weekend coming up! Buuut still no. My cousin got married on Saturday, so that day was mostly taken up and then Friday (when we had off) I woke up later than usual, got ready and went straight to my friend's house (the one who had the surgery) just to visit and do her nails for the wedding. Then my mom picked me up and we helped decorate for the wedding, and we got home, I got ready for band, and went to the football game. Then Saturday was the wedding so I had a lot of stuff to do in the morning and we left at like 2 and didn't get home until midnight. And so on Sunday I had to do a whole book project that I had put off. The book was hard to get into. :P So I had to finish reading it, do the whole project on it, and then I had church too and other homework.

So then finally that's all over and band's ending and I want to write and guess what? Left my clarinet sitting outside the school. Laptop taken away for two weeks.

EXCUSES EXCUSES EXCUSES

I AM THE EXCUSE QUEEN :D

I have to admit guys that I probably could have updated sooner if I really tried and had more of a want to write. But on my down time I didn't really want to write, so I didn't.

I love you all soooo much, and I will have more time to write because not only do I have my laptop back but my friend is better and marching band is over.

Anyways, enjoy!

CHAPTER 10: OUT OF MIND

Blank.

Numb.

Nothing.

Naruto's senses were all of those. The only thing he thought was, I hurt her. The only thing he saw was her. The only thing he heard was her laugh. The only thing smelled was cherry blossoms.

The man in the white coat gave a battle cry, lifting the scalpel above his head and plunging it into Naruto's shoulder, dragging the blade down his orange-covered arm. The fabric of his jacket tore and blood spurted out.

The man watched Naruto, ready for him to counter-attack.

Naruto's arm dropped to his side, letting go of the man. He didn't move. He didn't acknowledge his new injury. The man watched warily for another second then took off out of the room.

Naruto was only thinking of Sakura. The man with the raspy voice lying on the cot stared at Naruto's numb expression.

"It was you," he said again, knowing that this was hurting the boy in the orange. He wanted the boy to pay for what he did. "You turned… into a monster, the Nine-Tails they called it. You started to… to destroy us… after we attacked her. You were merciless. So she… tried to stop you."

Suddenly the happy images and senses of Sakura were gone. Suddenly the only thing he thought was, Kill. The only thing he saw was carnage. The only thing he heard was screams of pain and mercy. The only thing he smelled was blood.

"I don't know… what happens when you turn into that… that thing," the man continued to rasp out, "but you didn't recognize her… you just treated her like… she was one of us. You tossed her around… like she was a puppet, you… broke her bones, tore into her-" The man had a sudden coughing fit. "Into her flesh… she screamed, and all you did was grin…"

"Stop," Naruto whispered, his eyes wide but not seeing anything. His mind was reeling, little bits of images and moments flashing in his mind's eye for just a moment before slipping out of his grasp.

"She was worse than the rest of us," the man continued, loving the pain he saw in Naruto's eyes. "Our doctors… almost couldn't tell who she even was… when they came to retrieve all our bodies…"

More uncovered images ran through Naruto's head; blood and claws and her. Feelings from that time surfaced with the images.

"Stop," Naruto repeated, louder, not wanting to get overwhelmed with more memories.

"Yeah," another man in the cot next to him said. "You should stop… look at him."

A faint red-orange glow had begun to sizzle around Naruto. His fingernails itched outwards, wanting to become claws.

The man with the raspy voice looked with wide eyes. "Get out."

Naruto didn't move, trying to calm himself.

"Get out!" the man screamed in his raspy voice, making it not much of a scream at all. But it snapped something in Naruto, the orange extending outwards, his eyes flashing between red and blue, his fingernails extending. He ran from the hospital room on all fours, running blindly around the fortress until he burst out of it. He ran through the trees at full speed, as though he could run from the truth and then reoccurring memories of that day.

The chakra seeping out of him gave him speed and agility. Naruto dodged the trees and jumped over rocks. He made it through the forest quicker and easier than before, soon coming up to the hill that cut it off. He raced up and it leapt from the top, arms extended outwards and his legs behind him, ready to land back on all fours.

Time slowed as he looked down.

At the bottom of the hill were his friends. They stared up at him in alarm, then their expressions changed to recognition and surprise.

"There he is!" one of them shouted, but Naruto didn't know who for he had already landed on the ground behind them and took off across the scarred land. They gave pursuit, but they were no match for Naruto in his Nine-Tails state.

"I can't believe we lost him!" Kiba growled, banging his fist against a tree as him and the rest of the team stood around, panting for breath. "He was right there and now he's gone again! Some ninjas we are!"

"Calm down. Naruto has more chakra and power than anyone when he's in the state," Shikamaru reasoned. "It's really not a surprise that he could simply outrun us."

"What's our plan now?" Chouji asked.

Kakashi sighed, looking off into distance where Naruto had disappeared from them. The sun had set and the moon was appearing in the sky. "Well, I don't see much reasoning in going after him. We're all tired out and in no shape to confront him as the Nine-Tails. If Yamato was here, then maybe, but we might as well head back. It's getting dark."

"But what about Naruto?" Lee pushed, gesturing to where the blonde had escaped them. "He could be doing damage as the Nine-Tails right now, and who knows if we'll ever even see him again?"

Kiba nodded slowly. "How can we be sure… that he'll come back?"

"He'll come back," Kakashi assured, a small hidden smile coming to his face. "He's never been able to stay away from her."

The sun was rising when Naruto woke up.

His head throbbed as he pushed himself up from the ground. Birds chirped in the trees around him as morning sunlight shone through the leaves of the trees, dappling the ground. Nothing around Naruto looked familiar, and for a moment he had no clue how he'd even got there.

Naruto sat up and took a deep breath. He let the memories of the night before seep into his brain and wash over him, taking deep, calming breaths to keep the Nine-Tails down. His legs ached from running all night. Naruto's mind whirled with thoughts now that the initial shock was over, and he went to rub his head when he realized it pained him to move his arm. He looked at the ripped fabric of his jacket and pulled it aside to see the jagged gash in his arm. He recalled the man slicing at him with a scalpel, and pulled out what little medical supplies he had.

As he did what he could and bandaged his wound, Naruto unconsciously thought, I wish Sakura was here to heal this.

At that, he froze, the bandaged half-wrapped around his arm. He thought about how badly she needed healing.

"I need… to help her…" Naruto's voice came out quiet yet forceful. He quickly finished wrapping his arm, tying the bandage tight.

He then picked himself up and began walking. He didn't know where he was or where he was going, but walked with a purpose because he knew he would eventually find something.

Naruto's brain worked to find a way that Naruto could help Sakura.

Eeekk, sorry it's pretty short, I'm kind of stumped though on what's going to happen next so I need to think about it. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I'll listen. They might even just help me think.

I will write more now though!

For every review I get I will open up the document this story is in and write at least a sentence or two. XD

Please continue to love meee. T.T I don't want to lose all my wonderful reviewers and followers~ D':