Kakashi knew nothing but excruciating pain. It radiated throughout his entire body from the agonizing hole in his stomach. It was made so much worse by the fact his body was in constant motion and it tore endlessly at his grievous wound. His mind was sluggish and he blacked out almost as soon as he woke up from the pain in an ongoing cycle of suffering and relief.

"...what have I done...please hold on...the village is just up ahead...I wish I'd seen you sooner senpai..."

The quietly whispered litany filtered through the ongoing torture Kakashi experienced with every jarring movement that shook his body. He tried to concentrate on the words, hoping to keep his mind from the pain.

"...ANBU chakra dressing...it should help...oh Kami what have I done...I thought you were him...I should have seen you...I'm so sorry...hold on senpai..."

Strong arms held him tightly, crushed against Tenzō's chest as he attempted to beat Death in a race for Kakashi's life. Kakashi felt a moment of weightlessness as Tenzō dropped from a height and a loud cry tore from his throat as he was jostled violently by the eventual impact on landing. His gut twisted and sent out fresh waves of agony through which he groaned.

"...oh no shhh...I'm sorry...I had to jump down...stay with me senpai...I'll get you help...hang on a little longer..."

Kakashi managed to crack an eye open but closed it again quickly when the view made him dizzy. The speed at which Tenzō was moving was incredible, causing the world around them to look like nothing but a stomach churning blur.

"...we're nearly there...hold on…stay with me senpai...I'm so sorry...There's the hospital! Just a little longer..."

It sounded as though Tenzō had no idea he was even speaking, the words spilling from his mouth in a constant flow of scrambled thoughts. Or maybe it only sounded that way because Kakashi slipped in and out of consciousness so often. He tried so hard to speak, to tell Tenzō everything was okay, but, as with the rest of his body, his mouth refused to work. The poison that Tenzō chose to coat his weapons with had a paralysing effect. It rendered Kakashi unable to move and affected his ability to breathe as it burned through his system.

I'm not going to make it...he thought.

But, he did not panic or feel fear, because Tenzō was there. At his end, that was all Kakashi needed.

"...please help him! Somebody! Help us!"

Kakashi struggled to breathe, wakening to the sound of his own choking as his body was whirled around in dizzying circles. In his frenzied state, Tenzō turned in all directions as he searched for someone to help. His voice was broken and hoarse and Kakashi wished he could calm him. He heard the sound of running footsteps and felt Tenzō turn towards the noise.

"Please...help him..." Tenzō's voice wavered and dropped to a whisper. "...please..."

Then the world tilted sickeningly and as his body hit the ground, torturous pain ripped through him. If Kakashi had the ability to do so, he would have screamed. As it was, all he managed was a pathetic grunt, lost amidst the choking sounds forced from his rapidly constricting throat.

Through his half closed eyes, he saw Tenzō, laying before him. His head was facing Kakashi, his eyes oddly unfocused. His lips moved as if speaking, but no words could be heard. Tenzō's vacant expression was frightening; as if his mind had shut down. Kakashi got the awful impression that the man he knew was gone and he screamed Tenzō's name internally.

Kakashi felt gentle hands turn him onto his back. His head followed the direction in which his body moved and his eyes slipped from Tenzō. Strangers looked down on him, one shouting for more help as the other tore his clothes and tilted his head in an attempt to open his airway. His vision was tinged with darkness as he quickly succumbed to both asphyxia and blood loss. As his eyes rolled back, he felt many hands take hold of his body and lift him onto a stretcher as gently as they could. But the movement pulled at his wound and the intense wave of pain it created caused him to pass out.

In the many long hours that followed, Kakashi continued to waver between tormented consciousness and prolonged merciful darkness. When he was awake, his mind focused on the burning sensation that felt like hell fire coursing through his veins as well as the constant gnawing agony in his stomach. There were times in which he was actually grateful to pass out as it gave him some brief respite from the overload of sensations. While he wasn't really capable of thinking much when aware, he heard everything around him as he continued to slip in and out of consciousness.

"...and how is he?"

"Stable and responding to the anti toxin. The poison is slowly dispersing and we hope to see him recover from its effects soon."

"How's his wound looking?"

"Not good. The damage is quite severe but we're working on it."

"And the other?"

"No change. His chakra levels are low and he has some injuries to his feet and legs; shredded muscles as you would see in one who nearly ran himself to death. But I'm more concerned about the fact he is unresponsive to all stimuli. They think..."

"...and is there any improvement?"

"His wound is closing well, but he is still under the effects of the toxin. It's strong stuff."

"Do you have any idea who they are yet?"

"Only that they are leaf ninja from Konoha. This one is familiar to me."

"Wow, they are far from home. Is it possible..."

"...he spoken yet?"

"Not even moved. Kenta is beginning to get concerned, says he should be more alert by now."

"His friend is not doing too well, either."

"No?"

"He has healed fine, and his chakra levels are back to normal. But he doesn't even seem to be aware of his surroundings at all."

"Has Makoto seen him?"

"Yes. She couldn't do anything, says his mind is in pieces. She will try again tomorrow, but..."

"...infection. We caught it in time though, he's healing nicely now."

"Any movement?"

"His left hand twitched earlier, so hopefully soon."

"Has Makoto been back to see either of them?"

"She came to see the other one."

"And?"

"She says he is locked within himself, catatonic stupor."

"That's not good."

"No..."

The constant dull throbbing in his stomach pulled Kakashi from his slumber. He dozed in a numbed state for what felt like hours until he could finally open his eyes. He found himself in an unfamiliar room. Bright sunshine shone through the window, hurting his eyes. He raised a hand to shield them and heard someone move beside him.

"Oh! Hold on!"

He heard someone quickly cross the room, followed by the noise of a curtain being pulled. The room darkened considerably and Kakashi let his shaking arm drop back to the bed and blinked his vision clear.

"Where am I?" He croaked, staring at the man standing at the bottom of the bed. He was a large man, tall and muscular but his face was kind, his aura calming.

"You are in Iyashimura hospital. My name is Kenta, one of the medical staff. And you are?"

"Kakashi...Hatake Kakashi..."

Kenta raised one eyebrow, a bemused smile on his face. "I thought so. We don't often treat celebrities in our modest hospital, but we do hear of them. How do you feel?"

"Sore...weak..." Kakashi replied as his eyes swept the room.

"I'm not surprised. The state you were in, we didn't think you would pull through."

"How did I get here? What happened?"

"Your friend brought you here two days ago. As for what happened, we were hoping you could tell us that."

"My friend..."

Kakashi's mind cleared instantly, his breath catching as he was bombarded with memory after memory. Tenzō climbing the hill, his sweet laughter when Kakashi challenged him to a race. Tenzō terrified, sprinting across the deserted hilltop, screaming for help. Tenzō running him through with a kunai, tearing a hole in his stomach. He pushed the covers down and stared at the large dressing covering his wound, one hand wavering above it, reluctant to touch. His eyes darted back and forth as yet more memories poured through his mind. Movement, pain, shouts and whispers. Tenzō laying on the floor, his eyes unseeing, looking as if someone had wiped his mind...

Stay with me senpai...I'm so sorry...

He gasped then sat upright in the bed with a cry. "Tenzō! Where's Tenzō?!"

Kakashi turned onto his side and struggled against his own infirmity. He pushed the covers away and scrambled weakly to get out of the bed. He ignored the sharp pains from his wound as well as Kenta's words of caution. Kakashi nearly passed out as a wave of dizziness hit, but he continued to struggle, gripping the side of the bed for leverage. He managed to pull his legs over the side and leaned forward to stand when he felt strong hands grab his shoulders.

"Get out of my way." Kakashi snarled, shoving at Kenta.

Kakashi fought against the giant man, twisting in an attempt to get out of his strong grip. He finally managed to free himself enough to push off from the bed only to be restrained again; grabbed by the waist as his legs buckled beneath him. Yet he still fought tooth and nail. Even if he had to crawl to find Tenzō, he would.

"Makoto!" Kenta yelled as he struggled to contain Kakashi who thrashed wildly in his arms.

A snap of lightning burst in Kakashi's right hand and he growled angrily as it crackled and whistled. "Let go of me!"

A young woman ran into the room and despite being faced with an enraged shinobi firing off lightning jutsu, she stepped up to Kakashi without any hesitation whatsoever and placed her hand on his forehead. Kakashi instantly felt a wave of unnatural calm wash over him and the Raikiri snuffed out of existence. He suddenly felt so very tired and he sagged in Kenta's arms with a quiet moan as his muscles slackened and body relaxed.

"It's ok Hatake-san." Kenta murmured as he gently lifted Kakashi back into bed.

"What did you...do...?" Kakashi whispered, feeling completely at ease even though he knew he should be seething.

"That's Makoto's speciality. You need to stay calm, Hatake-san. It took two days to fix you and you want to ruin my handiwork by falling out of the bed?"

"I need to see Tenzō..."

"And you will. But first, I need to check that you didn't burst that wound open, and then, we need to talk about your friend."

Whatever Makoto had done to him, left Kakashi in an odd happy daze. He felt strangely unwilling to move. The fear and fury still buzzed at the back of his mind, yet it did not concern him as it had moments before. He knew he should be shouting and fighting his way out of the room, yet he didn't want to even move.

Kenta checked over his wound and tutted while shaking his head. He placed his hands over Kakashi's stomach and closed his eyes. Kakashi felt the warm touch of a healer, most probably repairing fresh damage sustained during his attempted escape. The dressing reapplied, Kenta adjusted the covers then leaned on the edge of the bed.

"You are as strong and determined as the stories tell of you, Hatake-san."

Kakashi merely stared at him, feeling disorientated and groggy under the suppression of Makoto's jutsu.

"The weapon that injured you, sliced through muscle and caused so much internal damage that we nearly lost you. You will need more healing sessions, or it will never heal properly."

"No..."

"Hatake-san, the damage is there whether you like it or not. I will not allow you to further damage yourself, not when the young man in the next room nearly killed himself to save you."

That stopped any further argument from Kakashi.

"There is also the effects of the toxin to consider. Have you noticed the shaking in your body?"

Kakashi only then began to feel the odd sensation; a trembling in his arms and legs as well as tiny shivers in his torso. He nodded.

"The toxin seems to have affected your nervous system. I can not say for certain if this will be permanent, but-"

"I don't...care about me...Tenzō..."

Kenta sighed and looked to Makoto, who cleared her throat and approached the bed. The look on her face showed Kakashi all he needed to know and he closed his eyes as Makoto began to speak. He didn't hear it all, lost in a grief stricken haze as the woman continued.

"...experiencing something so traumatic that the mind shuts down. It splinters and pulls in on itself as a..."

Kakashi opened his eyes and stared at the light above his bed. He barely acknowledged what the two med nin were saying. Tenzō had been improving, Kakashi had seen the signs. Now these strangers were telling him that Tenzō was gone, unrecoverable. He refused to believe it, refused to accept that he had lost Tenzō. They had to be wrong.

"...Makoto is Iyashimura's most proficient sensory med nin and..."

"...several tests and so far nothing...beyond my capabilities and I am so sorry..."

He felt hollow inside, cold and numb. It was as if they had just ripped the heart out of his chest and tore it to shreds before his eyes.

"Hatake-san?"

Kakashi realised he was being asked a question and turned his eyes towards Kenta, who smiled sadly. "When Makoto lifts the jutsu, will you remain calm?"

Kakashi tried to nod, managing only one small tilt of his head. Abruptly, the fuzzy feeling of suppression lifted and he drew in a long deep breath.

"Okay?" Kenta asked, watching Kakashi closely. When Kakashi nodded, Kenta fetched a wheelchair and placed it at the side of the bed. "I will take you to see your friend now."

Kenta wheeled Kakashi to Tenzō's bedside. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he promised to return, then left, closing the door to give them privacy.

Tenzō lay deathly still. He was pale and gaunt, an appearance only exacerbated by the bright light in the room. His eyes, although open, did not see the world around him, simply staring in whatever direction his head lay. His jaw was slack and his mouth slightly opened, creating a look of surprise on his otherwise expressionless face. He was so silent and motionless it scared Kakashi.

If he had been unable see the steady rise and fall of his chest, Kakashi might have believed the man before him was dead. He counted three breaths before he let out a relieved sigh then leaned forward with his arms resting on the bed. He swallowed hard as he looked upon Tenzō's blank expression then took hold of the man's hand and gripped it tightly.

"Tenzō? It's me." He said as he searched Tenzō's face for some flicker of recognition, but there was nothing. "Come on Tenzō, look at me."

Tenzō continued to stare past Kakashi's head, as if looking at something behind him. It twisted Kakashi's insides to see him like this, but he was convinced that Tenzō would hear him, no matter what anyone said to the contrary. He wasn't sure what to say, so chose to go over what had happened in the past few weeks, hoping it might jog Tenzō from his fugue.

"I was so happy the night I found you. There you were, moving in front of the fire, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. But you were lost, and I promised to somehow bring you back. And we were winning, Tenzō." Kakashi pulled himself closer and sighed. "Every day you came back just that little bit more. You were happier and smiled more and I knew you were coming back. When you spoke to Yōkai about me...it reminded me how close we once were. It hurt that you couldn't see me, but I understood why. It was just so good to see you smile again."

He reached forward and placed a hand behind Tenzo's head then gently tilted it forward. He aligned their eyes with the hope that Tenzō might see him. It made no difference. Tenzō gaze remained fixed, his eyes glazed and unfocused. He stared through Kakashi as if he wasn't there.

When Kakashi began to speak again, his voice sounded broken and he struggled to control his breathing. "What happened? What happened to you? You were so close to...breaking through. I...I saw you on the hilltop...running...terrified of something I couldn't see. What did you see? Certainly not me! Then...then you nearly fell, oh gods, the look on your face...I thought I was too late to catch you...but I saved you. I saved you...I...Why couldn't you see me?! I was right there! I was right...there Tenzō...right in front of you...it was always me!"

Kakashi found himself sobbing quietly as he rubbed his hand up and down Tenzō's arm. His hope was fading as he looked into those dark empty eyes, seeing nothing but a soulless shell before him. "I...I promised I'd never leave you, Tenzō...and...and I never will...But please...Tenzō please...don't leave me...not like this..."

He reached forward to touch Tenzō's face, sliding his fingers down his cheek until his hand rested on his neck. "Don't leave me like this, Tenzō...come back to me...I want to take you home...please..."

Kakashi could bear to look at that empty gaze no longer and folded his arm on the edge of the bed then buried his face in it as he wept. His entire world came crashing down around him as he realised that no matter what he said or how much he begged, Tenzō was gone. After everything they had been through, nothing had changed; he had lost Tenzō anyway.

Someone knocked and opened the room door. Kakashi hastily wiped his face and looked up to see Kenta. The large man lowered his head to allow Kakashi to pull himself together, before fully entering the room and walking to Tenzō's bedside.

Kakashi looked to Tenzō once more, his heart breaking when he saw no difference in him whatsoever. He nodded when Kenta asked if he was ready, and let go of Tenzō's hand as he was pulled away.

"He's really gone, isn't he?" Kakashi whispered as they entered his room.

Kenta sighed as he placed Kakashi's wheelchair beside the bed and applied the brakes.

"There is a saying here in Iyashimura: The soul may wander, but the heart will always protect it. For as long as the heart beats, there is hope. Don't give up, Hatake-san, there is always hope, even when you can't see it."

Kakashi found himself physically and emotionally exhausted. The trembling in his body had worsened and he found himself unable to stand. Kenta helped him move from the wheelchair into his bed, then pulled the covers over him. Kakashi was asleep before Kenta had even left the room.

TBC...

I told you to trust me...

All of your support has been wonderful! I hardly feel worthy of the comments but they make me want to write you all the best story I can! Thank you all!