Told you I'd update again. Although I'm disapointed with the number of reviews I got I can't complain, I'm the one who leaves readers hanging for weeks before I update. [ Sorry! Anywhere, here's more.

Chapter 12: Kakashi Returns!

"Naruto...? Naruto...? Are you alright?" chimed a sweet voice.

"Huh... Where am I?"

"Don't worry, you're safe now," the voice replied reassuringly.

"What happened?"

"I figured it out. You passed out because you chakra was so low."

"it was that low?"

"Yeah, but you have to remember you're in my body. I don't have as much chakra as you..." it said apologetically.

"That's okay."

Naruto leaned up and found himself in bed, and Sakura's pretty self was sitting beside him.

"Naruto, you're so cute," she said, smiling. His eyes widened as the pinkette leaned closer...

"You mean ...?" He said, suddenly excited. He ran a hand through his blond hair and grinned. "You mean you like me?"

"I do," she whispered. "" wanted to tell you all along but I was scared. Let me show you..." She leaned in closer. Naruto never kissed a girl before... so he would have to improvise. He puckered up and just went for it. It was quick but made a spark of electricity crackle up his spine. He withdrew his head and opened his eyes... And...

Sakura's head turned into Sasuke's!

"WHAT? SASUKE!?"

"Dobe! Didn't you know that we switched bodies?"

"EWWWWW! EWWWWW! SAKURA WHERE DID YOU GO? I JUST KNOW I DIDN'T KISS THE TEME!"

"Naruto!" The blond snapped open his watery eyes and jumped with a start. This time, the real Sakura (Still in Sasuke's body) and Sasuke(Still in his body) were standing before him, with tomato colored faces. Sakura raised her fist...

"Naruto! What on earth were you dreaming about? Whatever it was, keep me out of your dreams!" Naruto's face mimicked hers and turned a shade of red, and he pushed himself further away to avoid her balled fist.

"I... uh... "

"And me, too," Sasuke added, sounding disgusted.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Naruto glanced around. These sheets... were his. These walls... were his. That poster was his, too. He was in his own house! He quickly looked down, and to his disappointment/excitement, he saw his chest. No, he was definitely still Sakura. "What happened, anyway?"

Sakura clasped her hands behind her back, looking uncomfortable. "We figured out that-"

"My chakra ran out because Sakura's body has less chakra than me and Sasuke's?" Naruto said lazily to a defeated looking Sakura.

"Yeah... how did you know?"

"I just did. Did you guys sleep here?" Sakura nodded.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Naruto jumped out of the bed, sending his blankets flying onto Sakura.

"The door?" Sasuke said calmly, for he hadn't moved at all. He got to his feet and went to answer the door. The banging increased with every step. "Hold on," he said irritably, with Sakura at his heels. He yanked the door open and the bright, red face of Ino huffing and panting greeted him. Immediately she stumbled in and squeezed his arm.

"Naruto-I mean, Sasuke! Sakura's mom said you were here... and I went to your house and Sakura was gone, too. I figured this was the only place left..." She fell in the nearest chair. "I... ran... here."

"And we're missing the point," said Sakura bluntly, falling into the seat opposite from her. Naruto came shuffling in from his bedroom, oblivious to the excitement.

"Ino! Why are you here?" he asked. The blond girl sent him a glare that sewed his mouth shut.

"If you shut up, I'll tell you the news. Listen-Kakashi's back!"

"KAKASHI'S BACK?!" They cried in unison, bombarding the girl with questions all at once.

"When did he get here?"

"Where is he?"

"How do you know?"

"SHUT UP!" she shouted, covering her ears. "He got here early this morning! I don't know where he is! My Dad told me! He also said you have a mission today so you can see him then!" She banged her head on the table and took deep breaths. "Can I get some water?" Naruto flew it to his sink and filled a glass, slamming it in front of Ino's face.

"Does he know what happened?" Sasuke asked.

"Naruto," Ino whined, forcing herself to swallow the water. "This is hot!" Sasuke repeated his question

"Well, as far as I know no one told him..."

"Really," said Sakura, a smirk creeping into her face. She looked meaningfully at the others. "You know, we've been working this out on our own. Kaka-sensei hasn't even been there to help us... I think it's time to see if he's a good Sensei, or not." Naruto blinked dumbly.

But Sasuke folded his hands under his chin and closed his eyes. "What do you have in mind?" he asked.

It was early morning, and the sun was just beginning to peek out from the horizon, shedding light on the sparkling grass that covered the area. The few trees that cast long shadows on the ground looked weighted and laden with dew drops from yesterday's rain. Everything looked fresh, with the exception of one thing that was the man underneath the tree, leaning against it's damp trunk.

The man who stood under the tree had silvery white hair, and looked a little rough and tired, his lazy eye scanning the book he was reading. His shadow was slowly creeping it's way across the ground. Since he had been there it had moved an inch. The man raised an eye at last when he saw three figures running towards him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" cried Naruto. "Sorry we're late! It's just that... we didn't expect you to be so early." The man cast a strange look at who he believed to be Sakura and smiled under his mask, stepping forward to greet his students.

"Actually, I'm only on time. But next time I expect you to be on time, too." He took a moment to take in the sight; he hadn't seen his students in a while, not that he expected anything to change.

"So? Where were you!?" demanded Sasuke in the most obnoxious, Naruto-like voice he could muster. "You left us! You left us with D-rank missions!" Kakashi set down his book-a rare sight-and raised an eyebrow. He appeared to study the 'blond ninja' for a moment, then replied.

"Sorry Naruto, that's confidential. Ah-" he raised a hand"-don't even think about asking more questions. What I'm curious is how many missions you completed while I was gone." His gaze turned to the team's only kunoichi.

"Five," Naruto stated once he realized it was his turn to speak. Kakashi furrowed his brow and glanced at the clipboard that was in his other hand.

"No... "

"Oh, that's right! Sorry, I meant six."

"Correct. And on the schedule..." he yawned, taking another look at the clipboard. "Training. . . ." When he heard this, Naruto sighed loudly.

"It's so wet out, I wish we didn't have to train," he whined dismally under his breath. Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

"Well, after I guess I could take you guys out to lunch, my way of compensating for not being here for so long."

At least I didn't stick them with Gai while I was gone, he thought. Sasuke tried his best to make his eyes gleam.

"Ramen!" he exclaimed, and at the same time noting just how annoying he sounded. "Alright, let's get training right now!" Kakashi chuckled and stood firmly in his place, causing Sakura to furrow her brow.

"Kakashi Sen- I mean, Kakashi, why are you procrastinating?" The man rubbed his head and shrugged.

"Ah-honestly, I just don't feel like training today. I just got back and I'm tired."

That hypocrite! Sakura roared inwardly.

"So how about we get lunch right now?" he asked innocently.

"That sounds great," said Naruto, relieved. About ten minutes later they were at the ramen shop, settling down. As Kakashi stared blankly at the sign above a stove, something appeared to be bothering him.

"You know, I just can't figure it out," he said thoughtfully. This captured his student's attention.

"What is it?" asked Naruto suspiciously.

"You guys just don't seem like yourselves."

"WHAT?!" said Naruto and Sakura uncharacteristically. "Hw did you know?!" Kakashi peered at them curiously.

"Know what?"

"Explain first," Naruto demanded, giving up his act. Kakashi examined them each with a sole eye.

"Well, for one Naruto-you aren't acting as your normal self. You keep speaking on behalf of the others and I can't remember you speaking for anybody but yourself. Two, Sakura-you got a calculation wrong. It's not like you to forget or mix things up, ever. If anything, I count on you to keep track of things. And Sasuke-well, if you were really Sasuke, you wouldn't even have even agreed to come here. You would have insisted on training. So, tell me. Who are you?"

By this time their jaws were dropped, and an uneasy feeling crept into Sakura's stomach as she saw Kakashi's eyes acquire a malevolent gleam. "Better tell me now," he said dangerously. It took no more than a glare for Sakura to fill him in on the entire story.

"And you're a good Sensei!" cried Naruto defensively at Kakashi's stunned expression.

"And you lasted this long..." He said wondrously. "Do you have any idea how unusual this is? You'll have to switch back as soon as you can before your chakra is completely drained!"

"We know," said Sakura. "It's just that we haven't been able to get it back up!"

"Hmmm... Well I have a solution to that. I'll give you each food pills to boost your chakra up for a short amount of time, and then you can transform back." Naruto's fork clattered in his ramen bowl as he twitched.

"I-It was that simple," he said.

"That was all we needed?" asked Sasuke, disbelieving.

"Mmhmm. But look on the bright side, guys. Maybe now you'll have better team work. It's not everyday you get a bird's eyes view of what it's like to live in your teammates shoes." The glares they each returned him sent daggers flying in his chest. "Just wait, one day you'll learn to appreciate this!"

"You did this on purpose, didn't you!" Sakura suddenly shouted, thrusting an accusing finger in Kakashi's direction. However, the man put his hands up defensively.

"Absolutely not," he said firmly. "You could have died."

"Oh.." Sakura said meekly, and a small silence captured them. Then, laughter. Sakura snapped her head up and cocked her head-Kakashi was laughing.

"What's so funny?" demanded Naruto at their grinning Sensei, his eyes in a mirthful arc.

"It's... the look on Sasuke's face. No, not Sasuke. His face. I'm sorry..." They turned to Sakura who had a clueless look, a stupid look that never once grazed the surface of Sasuke's face when they were normal. Naruto too burst into laughter accompanied by Sakura, who was surprised at the sound of her own laugh. Sasuke was the only one who didn't look amused. He pushed his plate away and rose from his seat.

"I'm leaving," he said shortly. "I don't have time for this. Let me know when you're ready to change back." He left and left them staring after him.

"Nice to see that some things haven't changed," sighed Kakashi. Then the owner of the ramen shop set down the bill. Kakashi picked it up, hesitant to look. When he did, he could only sigh again. "I should have known I'd be feeding two of Naruto's stomachs." Naruto scratched Sakura's head and grinned.

"Each day it just keeps getting stranger and stranger..." said the owner, scratching his own head.