Chapter 10

Sasuke watched Naruto quietly. It was rare for the blonde to be quiet…or even thinking. But at the moment he couldn't focus much on that fact, since Sasuke was feeling jittery. He had felt the swirl and sway of a jutsu, pulling at the air around him, but it vanished too quickly for him to pin-point where it had come from, or who had cast it.

Naruto looked up, watching Sasuke pace back and forth. "Sasuke." The sudden noise made Sasuke jump slightly. If Naruto noticed he said nothing. "You don't have to worry. Kakashi-sensei will protect you from whomever it is that will come for you."

Sasuke blinked. He figured Naruto would know about him bein watched, being trained by Jiraiya and all, but Naruto didn't understand why he was acting to jittery…none of them did. "Naruto, I don't want protection."

"Oh, right. The mighty Uchiha can protect himself, right?" Naruto said, glaring.

"No, that's not it either. I…I'm going with him."

Naruto coughed, and sputtered. As if he was choking on air, or his own saliva. "What!? How could you?" Naruto said, practically screaming, jumping up from the couch to get into Sasuke's face.

Sasuke made quick 'shushing' sounds, and pushed Naruto back to sit on the couch. "Listen and I'll tell you, alright?" Naruto, although reluctantly, nodded. "Good. Now shut up." Sasuke fidgeted with his fingers, twiddling his thumbs, and touching his pointer fingers together –much like Hinata- before he sighed deeply, and began.

XXXXX

With another leap into the wind, Anko shivered as the chill breeze swept threw her thin robe. "I hate you all right now."

Genma snorted. "Well, you could have changed." Jiraiya nodded his agreement, although he was fully enjoying seeing Anko in her night shirt that reached far above her knees it was much to cold to not have dressed properly.

"Well, the old man said we had to go 'now' so I did." Anko retorted, growling under her breath as she leap to the next roof in line.

"Still could have put some pants on." Genma muttered under his breath.

Jiraiya grinned. The two were bickering like a newly married couple; it was cute…in a way. But Jiraiya highly doubted that Genma could handle a relationship with Anko. It was surprising enough they could get along enough to be friends. "Stop here!" the elder man shouted, effectively shutting up the two Jounin in front of him.

"Why here? The compound is just across the road." Anko whined, hopping from one foot to the other in attempts to warm her bare legs.

"I know that but, from here we can see perfectly well into the compound. Do either of you see Kakashi, or anyone else for that matter?" Jiraiya asked. He hated taking this role, letting the younger shinobi figure it out with little or no hints from the more experienced ninja.

"Well, no. But the light is on in the boy's home." Genma said, pointing to the house in the distance.

Jiraiya nodded. "I sent Naruto there when I saw someone on the roof. Naruto saw him too, but just went to Sasuke. First time he every agreed to an order without complaining."

"Amazing." Anko growled, rubbing her arms fiercely.

"Oh for the love of kami, here!" Genma yelled, throwing his flak vest at her. Unlike Anko, Genma had fallen asleep in the majority of his uniform, and when they were told to leave, he grabbed up his vest and headband and was ready.

Anko was only half able to catch the vest, the part she couldn't catch smacked her in the face; and since it was Genma's vest, it was weighted down with random scrolls, weapons, and of course his 'chewing senbon' which were located in the left chest pocket. "Ouch, bastard. You didn't have to throw it."

"You're a fucking ninja! You're supposed to be able to catch things!" Genma shouted back.

Anko huffed and slipped into the much larger vest. "Not when said ninja is going numb. You're lucky I was even able to get here."

Genma sneered. "I thought shinobi were supposed to bear any kind of predicament, even the weather."

"Let's see how you like being thrown out in the snow in nothing but you boxers!"

"Enough!" Jiraiya roared, again, effectively shutting up the two. "Well now that we've already woken up half the village."

"Oops." Anko mumbled, shoving her hands into the vest pockets, only to get poked by a misplaced senbon.

"Now, Genma. I want you to check out the far northern section of the compound. Anko, the southern. I'm going to look around the area I saw the person, and check up on Naruto to Sasuke. Got it?" The two nodded. "Good." Jiraiya scowled and watched the two leap away to go explore their respective sections.

He shook his head before he too leap into the compound.

XXXXX

Kabuto blinked, and smartly took three large steps away from Orochimaru. The man was close to crushing the arm rest of his chair in his grip.

And the worst part of the scene was, Kabuto didn't know what was making Orochimaru like that. Sure, the man had a short temper; okay scratch that- a very short temper. But the man never blew up for no reason. He always had a reason to be angry. And since Kabuto was right there, and he hadn't done anything, that only left one other person, (which actually there were tons of people he could be mad at right then, but Kabuto would give his limbs for Orochimaru to be mad at the brown-haired chuunin).

"Orochimaru-sama. Is there something troubling you?" he asked, pushing his glasses up farther, and cautiously took a step closer.

"That damned child." he growled. Well, that only half answered Kabuto's question. Iruka was most defiantly not a child. So, Sasuke maybe?

Kabuto sighed, he hated having to ask. "What child?"

"Iruka of course! That fucking traitor."

"Orochimaru, in all fairness. Iruka did betray Konoha to be with you. So, well, you know once a traitor always one. How could you honestly believe him like that?" Kabuto asked, trying to reason.

"I know…but he was there. He was right there! He was in the damned compound; Sasuke and him were only separated by a few inches of roofing! And I know that if he just tried, he would have been able to hold his own against Hatake." Orochimaru scowled at the flickering flame of a candle and gripped the arm rest a little tighter, the end broke off in his hand, making Kabuto wince.

"Talk some sense into him then. I know you can." Orochimaru didn't answer. "Why not just put the mark on him. That way he can't do anything against you since you'll have better control over him?" Orochimaru snorted. "You could…kill him?" Kabuto offered, trying desperately to keep the hope out of his voice. He really had a deep hatred for the older, yet smaller man.

Orochimaru scowled, and gritted his teeth together harshly.

Okay, maybe he shouldn't have given that offer to Orochimaru. "I didn't mean it, it was only a suggestion. I apologize." the look didn't leave Orochimaru's face.

"Would you shut up Kabuto?!" Orochimaru snapped, turning around in his chair to glare daggers at his right-hand man. "Get on with whatever you do, I'm trying to concentrate, and I can't with you're idiotic voice in my ear! Get the fuck out of my room."

Kabuto blinked then bowed deeply. "Yes Orochimaru-sama, I'm sorry." he spoke before quickly backing out of the room.

Kabuto closed the door behind him, he knew Orochimaru thought Iruka wasn't worth what he made him put up with. Orochimaru would dispose of him soon. Kabuto just had to wait.

XXXXX

"So-" Naruto said slowly, drawing out the vowel and waving his hand for un-needed emphasis. "Iruka was going to come here…and take you to Orochimaru? Just like that? No fighting, no problems. Just taking you and leaving." Sasuke nodded. That was the general idea of what was supposed to happen. "And then after you trained for awhile, you and him where supposed to kill him? And return to Konoha, or whatever?" Again, Sasuke nodded. "That is the stupidest plan I've ever heard of!"

Sasuke glared darkly at Naruto until he shut up. "Think about it though! Iruka's plan might have actually worked. If he brought me back to Orochimaru, then the snake would trust him. And while Orochimaru would be training me, I would train Iruka in turn to help him out. Then, after we know that I cannot learn anymore from him, we would use both out bloodlines to get rid of Orochimaru."

Naruto nodded. "It's almost ironic, killing Orochimaru with the same bloodlines that he wanted from you."

Sasuke shrugged. "It was Iruka-sensei's idea."

"Do you think it would work?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know. It did sound a little far-fetched, but Iruka knows him better than I do. Maybe he knew what he was doing, or maybe Iruka was planning an elaborate suicide. I don't know." Sasuke sighed and leaned against the wall. "Maybe-" Sasuke couldn't finish his thought as a loud knocking from the door startled him.

Naruto, excited at the thought of a visitor, jumped up and ran to the door before Sasuke could even move, and opened it to reveal Jiraiya. "Ero-sensei, what are you doing here?"

Jiraiya looked down at Naruto, before looking over the blond genin's shoulder at Sasuke. "Oh, well I came here to ask Sasuke a question or two. Do you mind keeping watch outside Naruto?" Naruto scowled darkly for a minute before nodding and heading outside.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, pushing himself off the wall.

Jiraiya closed the door behind himself, and slowly began to approach the boy. "A little over twenty minutes ago there was someone up on this roof. Did you feel it?" Sasuke nodded. "What happened?"

"Naruto came over here, and we talked but a few minutes later I felt chakra. I don't know who I know I recognized it but still. I think it was a teleportation jutsu since I haven't felt it since."

Jiraiya nodded. "Anko, Genma and I are searching the area, but I doubt they'll find anything. Just stay here unless we come for you. Understood?" Sasuke nodded. "Good. If you need one of us, just flare your chakra and we'll come." The door began to creek open making Jiraiya spin around to prepare for whatever may.

"Sensei, Anko and Genma are out here. They want to talk to you." There was a pause and what sounded like a stifled giggle. "And Anko-san says she's cold and wants to know if she can have Sasuke's pants." Jiraiya scowled.

"I'll be right there Naruto." Jiraiya called out, and turned back to face Sasuke. "We wont be far, but we'll most likely leave the area in a few minutes. Naruto will stay here with you for the night so get some rest while we try to figure out what's going on."

"Alright." Sasuke nodded stiffly. "And tell Anko that my pants are mine and mine alone."

"Sure, sure." Jiraiya smiled, and let Naruto in, as he left to go with the two jounin outside the door.

XXXXX

"Its fucking freezing out here."

Genma sighed deeply. "I gave you my vest, what more do you want?"

"Shut up. I was merely stating a fact; you didn't have to comment on it."

"If you didn't want me to say anything, then you don't say anything. And don't even say you were talking to yourself, because that only makes it worse." Anko puffed out her cheeks, but kept quiet. Silently fuming to herself.

"Alright, alright, stop your bickering. What'd you find? Anything?" Jiraiya asked, approaching them calmly.

"No, there was nothing. But I did find this one thing…" Genma nodded his head forward a little bit, before he jumped onto the roof and stood in the middle. Anko raised her eyebrow. "There's a chakra print here. Like someone was saying, yes they were here." Jiraiya drew his brows together and followed Anko up onto the roof to stand beside Genma.

Anko glared at the roof for a few moments before letting out a loud gasp, "Its Iruka's!"

"What?" Jiraiya asked, giving her a confused look.

"This is Iruka's chakra, I know it is." Anko said, crouching down and lightly running her fingers over the seeming-less blank roof tile. "It's a method we used to do when we got separated on a mission out of the village, back when we were genin. Iruka would always run off and get ahead of the group, and one day our sensei finally got annoyed to the point that he wouldn't try looking for him anymore, because he'd always get lost." Anko smiled, as she stood back up, completely forgetting about how cold she had been only minutes before. "That's when we started leaving a chakra print on the ground, or the tree. That way it was said that we where there, and it made it easier to find the other." Anko frowned slightly. "Iruka was the only one that ever used it, since he was the one who always ran off on a mission in attempts to impress sensei."

"So, you think he was here?" Jiraiya asked uncertainly.

Anko nodded. "My guess is he met up with someone, or someone found him and he didn't know what to do. He wouldn't attack anyone willingly."

"So, you're saying that Iruka ran into someone, and left the print so one of us would find it and eventually you'd know about it?" Genma asked. What was up with all these far-fetched ideas lately?

"Yes, that's what I'm saying!" Anko yelled. "He probably got caught by Kakashi, and lets face it, with this cruddy night light he probably thought it was an ANBU coming to kill him. No matter what we tell everyone else, the ANBU will never believe what we tell them. They take direct orders from the Hokage or Ibiki, and…"

"Anko, Anko shush now." Jiraiya said, running a hand up and down her arm, tucking her into a half hug to comfort her. Anko nodded solemnly. "We should leave. If it was Kakashi who found Iruka, he'll take care of him." Genma nodded in agreement and watched the elder sannin and his female friend began to walk away.

Genma sighed and glared out in the general direction of Kakashi's appartment. "Kakashi…help him please. Something tells me you're the only one who can now."

XXXXX Flashback

An eleven year old Anko growled and stomped her foot, fisting her hands at her side and bit back a scream.

Her and her team had finally gotten another C-rank mission which took them out of the village, and Iruka had vanished within ten minutes of being outside the gates of Konoha, came back to assist with said mission, and then dissappeared again. This was why they had been suspended from out-of-the-village missions for the past month, and Iruka just ruined it for them. Again.

"M-maybe…Maybe Iruka really did get lost. I mean, we are closer to Rice country than before. We don't really know where we are." Hiro said softly. "Iruka might be lost, and scared. And Sensei isn't helping."

"Hiro stop being a wuss, and help me look for that little jerk before I scream." Anko hissed, sounding too much like their sensei. "I swear, my stress levels are to high for an eleven year old."

Hiro nodded. And listened quietly, letting Anko vent to him.

"-Doesn't even have the decency to say 'bye'. Just gets up and runs. He was there to help finish the mission, but was he there when that crazy lady tried giving her cats to Sensei? No! Was he there when the cats started gnawing on Sensei's leg? NO! The nerve of that idiotic little asshole!"

"Anko!" Hiro gasped.

"Okay, I'll admit he helped a lot when that big fat guy attacked us, but still!" Anko growled, and fisted her hand into her deep purple hair. "He was the one who provoked the fat guy in the first place! You don't tell the man that he looks like a hippo sitting in a chair; you think it to yourself and tell everyone later when he's no where near you."

"Anko!"

"Yeah, alright. So the guy ended up being an enemy that we kinda needed to get rid of, but still. That is not the shinobi way of going about to rid yourself of an enemy."

"ANKO!"

"WHAT?!" Anko screamed, spinning around on her heal to glare at Hiro, who was ten feet behind her. "What are you doing way over there?"

"Just come here." Anko rolled her eyes, but approached her teammate anyway.

"What is it?" Hiro, without answering, grabbed her wrist and placed it upon the tree in front of her.

"Feel that?" he asked.

Anko glared at Hiro. "It's a fucking tree. Of course I feel it."

"No! I mean this." Hiro took his other hand, and placed it against the tree, and slowly began to channel chakra into it.

Anko gasped, and retracted her hand quickly. The warm almost burning feeling still effecting her palm. "What was that?"

Hiro laughed. "Chakra. Iruka remembered the thing we taught him. He came through here. And it's new, Iruka's not far ahead. He's probably admiring the scenery."

Anko's mouth twisted up into an odd smile, and ran ahead, up the trail. And true to Hiro's words, Iruka stood in a clearing less than a mile up the trail, staring at the sky.

"There you are! I was looking all over the fucking country for you, and you're not even doing something helpful! What is so damned interesting about the sky?"

"Hello to you too Anko." Iruka said, trying to hold back his grin.

Both were startled to hear laughing behind then, who ended up being Hiro.

"You jerk!" Anko yelled.

Hiro swallowed the rest of his laugh, and sighed happily. "Our family is so screwed up."

Iruka and Anko raised an eyebrow, and looked at Hiro as if he was nuts. "Family?"

"Yeah. We're like a dysfunctional family. Sensei is the crazy yet strong father, Anko is the psychopathic sister, and Iruka is the trouble making brother." Hiro rationalized.

Anko laughed. "Then what would you be?"

"Anko, do you have to ask? He's obviously the obnoxious and whinny, yet tough little brother." Iruka said, grinning.

Hiro blinked, and spun around sniffling "Y-you really think I'm strong?"

Anko laughed. "Of course we do." she said softly, knowing Hiro thought very little about his own abilities.

"Yeah, and even if you don't make Chuunin this year, me and Anko will refuse to gain rank. That way, we'll always be together." Iruka smiled softly, glancing at Anko to see her nodding as well.

Orochimaru stepped into the clearing just in time to hear the end of Iruka's little heart felt words. He grimaced darkly before speaking up, getting his teams attention. "Hey, we need to head back you know."

"Hai, sensei!" the three called out, watching their sensei nod before turning around to start heading back to the village.

"Together…right?" Hiro asked, uncertainly.

"Yeah, all the way." Anko grinned, clapping Hiro on the back.

"We'll stick together forever! We'll be the best team ever! Like sensei's genin team!" Iruka shouted happily, shooting his fist into the air.

The three laughed together until Orochimaru's voice rang out over their own. "Hurry it up!"

The anger in the voice didn't even put a dent in the young children's mood. Instead they continued to laugh, but in more of a whispered tone, and cheered quietly to themselves.

"Together forever!"

…

…

Hiro died a week later.

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A/N- Well…that was weird. Really weird. But! At least I as able to post twice in one month! Go me!