I want to thank every one so far who has commented on this story, you have no idea how much you have kept me going! A HUGE part of me, for a while, was struggling to keep going, because I felt this was a rambling, meandering mess. But your comments got me over my Emo wallowing anxiety. I just HOPE you all enjoy this next chapter, I spent a lot of time on it to make sure it stood up to your praise. Still, if you see any thing wrong with it, let me know!

Fear and Hate

…...

Slivers of white and gray dissolved in to each other and danced in the inky black shadows. Naruto moved slowly through the rocky entrance, mindful of the person in his mouth, protecting Sakura from them. Oricimaru's minions leered at him from the dark, hissing and growling, like frightened animals. There eyes shimmered and glittered like a thousand icy stars. He ignored them all and refocused on the narrow tunnel.

Anger and rage were starting to bubble up again from deep with in. The cycle of despair, hate and insanity was starting over. Sakura shifted and he felt the urge to bite down roll through him. Hunger was starting to gnaw at him once more. It was a deep, insatiable, hunger for blood.

He took a slow breath and shifted her with his forked tongue.

She tasted good.

He winced and crushed the feelings down, willing him self to think past the whispers in the back of his mind. They were near Sauske, so near he could almost smell him. A quiver of fear and excitement rolled through him as he thought of his former team mate. Sasuke had nearly killed him in the last encounter, and Kabito HAD killed him. . . He wondered if he could win this time.

An old saying flowed through his mind, 'three strikes and you are out'. He'd never been quite sure what it had meant until this very moment. If he was struck down this time there was a real possibility he wouldn't be able to get back up, even if the fox did heal him.

He could feel the rage gnawing at his stomach.

He'd promised he would return to Kakashi, Sauske or no Sauske, and a small part of him wondered if he should have taken Sakura's advice back at the bridge. But now, as he came to the end of the long tunnel, he knew it was to late to turn back.

With narrow wild looking eyes focused on him from the dark he lowered Sakura and his clone to the stone floor and lowered his head down next to them. Sakura made an impressive looking replica of his formerly dead body. Every detail was in place, from the gaping chard hole, to the vacant hollow eyes.

More fear rumbled through him. As he stared down at her she stared back up with a lifeless blank look. He turned his head away, unwilling to face what he'd become. Unwilling to look at the dead form of a Jinchuriki.

He'd seen the same blank look in Garra's eyes. He'd felt the cold of death as his chakra mingled with Chiyo's as they worked feverishly to revive him. He'd felt the hollow screams of despair and pain as life started to return. And then he'd felt the panic. Some where between the moments when Garra was dead and alive Naruto had felt the onslaught of terror. True, unbridled, terror. Horror upon horror flooded his mind as Garra's soul and memories flooded him in an instant. Naruto had to press through, past the need to flee, past the urge to retaliate blow for unjust blow, past the horrifying sound of a child keening in grief, to reach him.

Even after he'd made it through the panic was still there, cutting through the hate he'd always felt before. Acid and knives were gnawing at the back of his mind even as he laughed when Garra opened his eyes.

Fear and Hate.

Yes, he was nearly indestructible, but he wasn't immortal. The Akastuki were out there waiting for him, so even if he survived the fight shortly approaching he'd still have to face them. He'd have to look in to the eyes of the men who were slowly one by one capturing and killing Jinchiriki's like him self.

Fear and Hate, beyond what a human could feel.

"Well, what do we have here?" A familiar smooth voice called out. It was followed by a low chuckle.

Naruto lifted his head and flicked his tongue out at the dark haired Serpent Sanin who would kill Sauske and take his body. He'd take the body, hollow it out, and use it. Just like a tailed beast.

Fear and Hate, beyond what a human could feel, beyond what he could control.

…...

Dawn was braking as Fuka held the papers stiffly in his hands. He scanned the words that were written in neat, tight, letters with growing interest. Inoichi Yamanaka's hand writing was as disciplined as his ability to filter through the thoughts, feelings, and memories of another human being. The memories recorded now, stripped from the mind of Hyuga Neji, illustrated an intriguing yet dangerous new scenario for Naruto Uzumaki. One that would eventually lead him down a path no mere human could survive.

A flat, dry, grimace spread over Fuka's features as he reread the words that were underlined. The report told that during his encounter with Garra of the Sand some thing new had been added to the boy's body while aiding in the revival of the other Jinchuriki.

Some thing Evil.

The report also mentioned Naruto was more than Mere Human.

He absorbed the information slowly and let it mingle with his given mission to kill Naruto's Sensei, Hatake Kakashi. Clearly, in light of what the Hyuga boy had discovered, and what Naruto really was, The Copy Cat ninja would be a volatile or even catalytic element to the equation. With is sharingan fully awakened he was the only thing standing in the way of fully harnessing Naruto's true powers.

Fuka wanted very much to see those powers harnessed. He smiled levelly as he closed the folder. Naruto's picture fell to the table, blown out by the shutting papers.

Naruto so very dearly loved his current sensei, however, so taking the silver haired obstacle out would be an exercise in stealth. He couldn't let Naruto suspect it was the hands of his beloved Iruka that had taken Kakashi's life, that would undoubtedly unhinge the blond just enough to let him loose control over what he now possessed. Because of that Fuka couldn't risk failing this mission.

It was genius on Danzo's part to chose Naruto's 'father' to do the task. Naruto would be hard pressed to believe the spineless Iruka could kill in cold blood. It was just for that reason 'Iruka' had to do it.

Either way, if Naruto discovered the truth or not, he would be devastated.

Fuka picked up the picture and traced the images outline. The flat grimace shifted in to a dry sad smile. "It really does break my heart."

…...

Kakashi stared at the cup set before him. Sunlight was streaming in now and it danced in the thick purple of the grape juice, warming it enough to make it's pungent sent fill the air. He took a short breath and found that the smell was strong enough to churn his stomach.

"Well?"

Kakashi looked up and tried to smile. Jiraya had returned promptly to fulfill his promise to test him to see if he was ready to leave the hospital by feeding him. He didn't know if Tsunade knew, but he found he really didn't care at this point.

"Ah. . . I'll drink it."

Jiraya stared at him with mild bemusement. "Today?"

Kakashi turned back to the cup and reached for it. He'd expected they would start with water and then maybe juice by lunch, then nearing supper he'd try some rice. But Jiraya had cut to the chase early with the most repugnant liquid he could find. His fingers touched the lid and he took a deep breath. The smell hit him again and his stomach lurched.

"All of it now." Jiraya was smiling. "One shot, like a man."

Kakashi gulped and reached up fingering the edge of his mask. "Uh. . . Now?"

The Toad Sage stepped closer and leaned in. "Come on, just do it! Don't be such a girl." A huge leering grin spread over his old, wrinkled, face.

Kakashi tried not to glare at the childish taunt. It sounded like some thing one would say to another after several shots from a dirty sake bottle. He frowned as he looked down at the liquid in his hand. He knew he could drink it, and keep it down, he was a ninja, after all. He'd had to survive starvation torture only to escape and gorge on the most horrible trash he could find during the war. He would not be over come by a mere drop of grape juice.

Even if that drop was a whole cup full.

"Mask down, bottoms up, down the hatch." Jiraya said in a teasing growl. "Or do you want to start with some thing from the faucet first?"

Kakashi just barely managed not to glare at this taunt. "Fine." He tore the mask down and tossed the whole cup full down his throat in one swig.

And then choked. An entire array of hacks, wheezes, coughs, and one angry sneeze, sent drops of grape juice all over the clean white linen. It looked as though he was dyeing and coughing up blood that was inexplicably purple.

Jiraya let out a hearty laugh and slapped him on the back. "You never could hold it."

"It's just grape juice!" He spat between coughs. "Not your cheep booze!"

Jiraya laughed again and Kakashi felt him set a warm hand on his back. It soothed his breathing a bit to have the reassuring touch, though he'd not admit to it now. "How is your stomach?"

Kakashi suppressed another cough and gaged how his stomach was handling the new addition. The lurching and nausea had stopped and an almost curious gurgle squeaked out from his decidedly skinny mid-section. Then there was a low, snarling, growl. He slid the mask back up and realized that he was, in fact, starving.

"It's empty!" He declared honestly. "What's on the menu for the second course?" A gastric rumble accompanied the question.

Jiraya laughed again, gave him another pat, and backed away. "Well, how about some rice and. . ."

"Yes." Kakashi half shouted, cutting him off. "What ever it is, yes!"

The Toad Sage grinned. "OK, I'll be right back!" In a moment he was gone and Kakashi was alone with him self, and his now ferociously snarling stomach.

It was almost painful to feel how empty it had become since his last meal. He hadn't noticed it before, but now he caught sigh of his diminished body size. The bones were all still solidly there, but they had less over them now. He could see his ribs and he could feel the points of his pelvis with out any added pressure from his finger tips. He shuddered to think of how he actually looked. Aside from being down right scrawny he must have looked like a greasy mess. He could see his hair hanging in ratty clumps in front of his eyes. He'd never been one to take all that good of care of his hair, but he did like it to be clean, if nothing else. Feeling more like a bedraggled orphan than a well trained Leaf Ninja he tried to distract him self.

Kakashi crunched the cup and tossed it in to the waist basket across the room, hoping his skills were still intact. The cup sailed in neatly with out touching the rim. He felt just a little better knowing he still had perfect aim, even if there was less power behind the throw now.

…...

Asuma eyed the scruffy looking youth standing before him. Kiba, and his ever present familiar Akamaru, were standing at attention in a sloppy, laid back, manner. Kurenai's other two students were attentive, well mannered, and polite while being addressed, but the Inuzuka boy had a wild looking streak in his eyes. He grinned and showed extra large fangs, further giving him a less than civilized appearance.

"You wanted to speak with us, Asuma Sensei?" He asked. Then he scratched at the inside of his ear.

"Yes, with you mostly." Asuma said as he stole a glance at his own three students. They were in even less admirable positions of attentiveness, but then again they were more comfortable with him. Kurenai's student's were being addressed by a Sensei not their own, over all they were being the picture perfect young ninja they needed to be.

They had been so the last time he'd gathered them too, before he'd surprised his love with the flowers the day before. Over all they were good kids, proof that Kurenai would make a wonderful mother.

He pulled his thoughts from that topic and gave her students his full attention. "Kiba, I wish for you to accompany my team on a mission. We need you to try and track the Akastuki who have infiltrated the aria."

His wolfish grin light up his face. "Really? You need me?"

"We do." Shikamaru said with a firm nod. "The trail goes cold near a lake, and there is evidence one of our own ninja may have some thing to do with it."

"What da'ya mean?" Kiba asked as he tilted his head to the side. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"No." Asuma replied. "There are three ways the trail could have ended as it seems to. One is that the Akastuki have hidden them selves beyond what my team can track and are now undetectable to us. Two, they have back tracked and retraced their own steps to come from a different rout."

"Both sound like a bad scenario." Shino said slowly.

"Both are." Asuma said with a rough nod.

"That's only two." Hinata fidgeted. "You said there are three way the trail could have ended."

"The third way is possibly most unlikely, but also most dangerous." Shikamaru said. "One of our own man could have killed the terrorists."

"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Kiba asked.

Asuma shook his head. "Not in this instance."

Kiba frowned. "Who is the man from our village that supposedly did it?"

"Id like you to tell us when you get there." Asuma replied.

"You don't know?" Hinata asked, looking worried.

"We know." Ino spoke up. "But we want it confirmed by Kiba with out telling him, as a double blind test."

"So we know we aren't wrong." Choji added.

"Right." Shikamaru Said flatly. "Kiba, what we want from you is to confirm a suspicion I have abut one of the shinobi of our village."

"I'll do my best." Kiba patted his companion. "Right, Akamaru?"

Akamaru wagged his tail and barked.

Shino stepped forward and stood stiffly next to his houndish team mate. "Hinata and I are going to do that thing."

Kiba sobered up and nodded. "I will go with Asuma then."

"What are you off to do?" Choji asked.

Hinnata's look darkened and she dropped her head.

"It's a privet matter." Shino answered.

"Is this about Neji?" Choji asked, his own face taking on a sad look. Shikamaruo mirrored it.

Kiba pulled Akamaru between Asuma's team and Hinata. "Hey, Shino said it's privet." While his tone was light his eyes grew dark. Akamaru snorted from under him.

"I see." Asuma cleared his throat and stuffed his hands in to his vest pockets.. "Shino, will there be any way we can contact the two of you in case we need back up?"

The tall youth nodded. Two insects floated up and landed on Kiba's shoulder. "Should you need me, send one. If you need us both, send two."

"Will do." Kiba said with a toothy smile. Akamaru barked and wagged his tail.

Shikamaru shoved off the wall he'd been leaning against. "Good luck."

Shino turned to walk away. "Good luck to you as well."

After that all seven ninja vanished.

…...

Guy tried to fight, but his limbs were limp. The two Hyuga guards started to drag him out. More anger rushed him and he managed to growl, chasing the numb from his mouth. "If you so much as touch Neji I'll. . ."

"You have no power against even a single Hyuga."

Might Guy whimpered in his restless sleep. Lines of age and pain were drawing deep furrows in his face.

"If you think you can ever touch my student again then you will be in for a sorry surprise! I, Might Guy, the Green Beast of Konoha, will never let you near Neji again!"

Hiashi looked unconvinced. "We shall see." He said simply.

With a strangled gasp Guy shot up straight and clutched the blankets that were wrapped around him. Fear snatched the breath from his lungs and made his limbs shake, but the sent of wood rot and dust chased the terror of the night from his mind and body. He took a deep breath and looked around, calming him self. He was still more or less propped up against the arm rest of the couch he'd slumped down on the night before. He was relived to realize that they were no longer in the village. He sighed and leaned back wearily and closed his eyes. From behind him he could hear Neji's breath coming in short labored gasps.

Though it was a struggle on his stiff body Guy sat back up and turned to face his student. The dark haired youth was ashen. A thin veil of sweat was covering his tightly contorted face. Reaching up Guy felt his precious charge's cheek. It was dangerously hot. The fear returned to Guy's mind and would not be chased away a second time.

Along with the fear Guy felt a stab of pain. Back in the village Neji had been on antibiotics to treat the infection that had developed in his wound. Now with out that life saving resource he was loosing his fight over the infection.

Guy stood and wrung his hands together, fearful and perplexed, feeling the events wear his youthful nature down. Neji was not safe back in Konoha, but he was not safe here, either. It was a problem some one old and wise could have avoided. Guy was sure of it.

"What have I done?"

The front door opened with a rusty squeal. Turning to look Guy saw Lee enter and smile gently. "Your awake, Guy Sensei."

Guy tried to smile in return, but could not manage. "Lee. . . I. . ." He turned back to Neji. "I don't know if he'll make it." He wanted to sink down right there and cry, but he knew he'd never get back up if he did that. Lee and TenTen still needed him, after all.

"Oi, I wouldn't be so sure of that." Lee said with a smile in his voice. Guy turned to face his ever optimistic youthful student and braced him self to do the unthinkable. He had to prepare Lee and TenTen for Neji's inevitable death, how ever it came.

Because his youth couldn't save him any more.

But , just as the horrible words were forming on his tongue, his eyes caught the sight of some one else in the door way. His words caught in his throat and refused to go further. Lee stepped away from the door and opened it wider. Light flooded in and soaked the whole room, making the dust shimmer and sparkle like magic. A figure, strong yet gentle, stepped in past the thresh hold, and bowed. Hollow gray eyes, shaded by rivers of dark black, hair looked up at him as the figure straightened back up. Hinata Hyuga stood before him, hands softly clasped, chackra pulsing strongly.

"Princess." Guy whispered. He blinked, wondering if this was an elaborate illusion desinged by the head Hyuga to force him to let down his guard. He glanced past her to see if her father was there, but his eyes caught only Shino and Ten Ten.

"May I enter?" She asked, braking his fearful thoughts. "I. . . I wish to speak with Neji." Tears started to form in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"I don't know if he'll be able to hear you now." Guy replied with a tremor in his voice. He stepped away from the make shift bed and looked down sadly. "I think he's dieing."

Hinata, not waiting for permission, hurried to Neji's side and fell to her knees next to him. Carefully she reached out and took his hand.

"Neji."

He shifted and opened his eyes. "Hinata." Guy's heart swleed with the joy at seeing a little life re enter his student's face, but it pained him to see the pain his student was in.

"Forgive me, I love you, I never wanted to hurt you. Please, forgive me!" The princess half whispered, half choked the words out. Guy wanted to cry out right at the honesty poring from her soul.

"For what?" Neji licked his dry lips and closed his eyes. Clearly, this was all a struggle for him. "I never blamed you."

"But I. . ."

"Don't." He took a harsh breath and opened his eyes again. "Do you remember what I told you?"

She shook her head 'no'. As she listened Guy leaned a little closer, wondering and needing to know what could have lead to this agonizing situation.

"Naruto has grate power Hinata. He has the power to destroy the whole world. If you love him, you'll stay out of his way." The hurt in his words was like a grate crushing wight on Guy's soul. Such burdens for his Youthful Student! He had to bite his lip to keep him self from interrupting.

"Naruto would never hurt any one." Hinata said sullenly. Guy nodded, this was true.

"But the power of the tailed beasts with in him will." Neji closed his eyes again and Guy realized this too was true. "Tell me, Hinata, what did I see when we returned from Sand?"

She dipped her head and closed her eyes with such deep sorrow Guy could feel it.

"Tell me." Neji demanded in a horse whisper.

…...

Naruto hissed and lifted his serpentine head. Orochimaru, hands on his hips, scowled.

For a moment neither moved. Then, to fast for Naruto to track, the Sanin was in the air behind him, blade drawn, ready for the strike. Naruto twisted, let the hinge go, and dodged the long sword by inches.

Chackra erupted from his form and his clone evaporated. Sakura, leaping out of the way, returned to her own form.

"NARUTO NO!"

Orochimaru landed and bounced back in the air. The dark haired ninja twisted around and re-aimed his blade.

"Persistent brat, aren't you?"

Naruto snarled. He was beyond words now, beyond trying to hold back the rage. He leaped, straight for the on coming sanin, and took the blade straight to the gut. The dark eyes widened in shock as they both tumbled back.

"It IS you!"

The pain from the embedded blade was laughable next to what he'd just recovered from. He reached out and slapped the sanin away with one chackra covered, clawed, hand. The older ninja slammed in to the rock wall. Naruto landed in a crouch and readied to leap again, but suddenly Sakura was in front of him, arms out.

"STOP!" She took a step towards him. "You'll loose control completely!"

"OUT OF MY WAY HUMAN!" He reached out and tossed her to the side like rag doll. His prize, his meat, was before him.

Orichimaru peeled him self from the rocks and staggered for a moment before looking up. Blood was drooling from a wound on his temple.

Naruto charged. Orochimaru tried to leap away but stumbled, dizzy. The sent of blood filled the air and Naruto sneered.

"DIE!"

Suddenly a boot clad foot slammed in to Naruto's head and sent him sprawling across the floor. Kabuto landed neatly between him and his prey.

…...

Yamato stumbled up to the gates and quickly placed his hand on the chackra reader to disarm the barrier. Izumo and Kotetsu were at his side in an instant, supporting him.

"Are you all right Captain?" Kotetsu asked, wide eyed.

He wanted to drop right there and let them take him in. His body was on fire while his mind was frozen on the image of the two dead teens. "I need to get to the Hokage, now." He wheezed.

"But sir. . ."

"The village is in grave danger." He closed his eyes against the roll of nausea and braced him self against a sudden swell of pressure flowing thorugh his chest. He'd run the whole night and run all morning, pushing his body to it's very limits. Now he hoped he could make it the last few blocks to the Hokage tower before he was finaly over come.

The after that to Kakashi's side. He wasn't sure how he would brake the news, but he knew he had to be the one who did it. Then he'd face what ever came after, what ever it would be. Death would be welcome now after what had happened.

"We'll take you there." Izumo offered quickly.

"No, keep vigilant. The village is in danger." He waved them off and stood as steadily as he could manage. "I've made it this far, I'll make it to the tower."

The let him go and he took a step. His whole body shivered, but he had to keep going. The wight of Naruto's head band in his pocket was enormous. He feeling of the crystal in his other pocket was like a dagger stabbing his leg. He focused on the wight and pain to keep him from being over whelmed by the nausea and pressure.

He felt like he was already dead, but his body hadn't been informed yet.

Villagers gawked as he staggered down the main street towards the heart of the village. It was amazing how tall the buildings looked now. He should have been on the rooves, not the street, but they were to high for him to reach. The people were looking at him in horror. The poison could have been causing him to imagine it, but they looked like they were condemning him.

Maybe it was the guilt.

ANBU don't feel guilt.

He staggered and dropped to one knee. The tower was just to far away. He wasn't going to make it.

Suddenly Izumo was kneeling beside him, taking one arm over his shoulder. "We've got the gate covered, let us help you."

Yamato wanted to say 'I don't deserve help', but he had to get to the tower to warn Tsunade. "OK." He had to get to kakashi.

He had to have the man's forgiveness.

Kotetsu knelt at his other side. Together the guards lifted him and bound to the roof tops. In moments, it seemed, they were not only at the tower, but inside, knocking on the Hokage's door.

Shizune opened it with a smile. "Can I help you?"

"Where is the Hokage?" Izumo demanded briskly.

Her smile dropped as she took in the sight of them. Frowning she stepped out of the way. "She's here, come in."

Yamato managed to enter under his own power and stand before the woman. The two gate guards hovered behind him, ready to catch him should he fall. He wanted them to let him fall. Maybe the ground would swallow him up like the grave.

"Lady Hokage." He managed.

Her eyes widened in alarm. "What in the. . .? What happened? Where is the rest of your team?"

Yamato took a slow breath, trying to remember the words he'd practiced in his mind on the way back to the village. But his mind was blank. All he could see, all he could think of, was Naruto's hollow dead eyes looking up at him as he'd taken the head band and necklace.

He realized then that those items would speak loudly enough for them selves. Mechanically he reached back and pulled the gold chain with the liquid blue gem from his pocket. As he let it dangle between them Tsunade gasped and dropped back in to her chair.

"No." She shook her head. "No, not him."

"I'm sorry." It was hard to breath. "Kabuto. . ."

Her eyes locked on his.

". . . was the spy." Yamato stepped forward and held out the necklace. She took it and stood. Trembling she stepped up to the window and looked out over the village. Yamato watched as she put the necklace on.

"How?"

"He used a chakra burst to distroy his heart.

She dipped her head and for a long moment silence filled the room like a suffocating fog. When she looked up and back at him her eyes filled with pain.

"That's exactly what he did last time." She wrapped her arms around her self. "What about Sakura?"

"I'm sorry."

She closed her eyes again and this time Shizune stepped up to set her hand on the Hokage's back.

Yamato felt the room start to spin around him. "Orichimaru is planning an attack."

"He was there too?" Tsunade asked, her voice was rough and husky.

"He poisoned me." He replied flatly. "He told me you had the cure and gave me a time stamp of three days to live, that was yesterday."

She looked up at him, blankly. "Shizune. . ."

"I'll get the poison kit." Her aid said and hurried out of the room. She ushered the gate guards out as she went.

Alone with the Hokage Yamato shifted on his feat. Every moment of traing for ANBU was lost now to the numb he felt. Washed away by the images of the Jinchiriki dead at his feet. "Lady Hokage?"

She stared at him.

"Will you allow me to tell Kakashi?"

"Why?" She asked, blinking, dazed.

"Because I deserve to face him for what I've failed to do."

"You may tell him." She said coolly.

…...

Kiba sniffed and sniffed and sniffed until his whole nose hurt. He could smell many people here. Mostly the team he was with, but he could also smell people he didn't know. One smelled like a man who had touched snakes. The sent was very fresh, but laid hastily and in the direction towards the village. It was a far off sent too, as if it had come near here, but not right here.

He ignored it.

Sniffing again he caught a whiff of the academy teacher Iruka Umino. But his sent was strange and inconsistent. It smelled like him, but then again it didn't. They were near the clearing when he picked up on the last two scents. Strong as Iruka's, but. . .

Akamaru interrupted his thought with a startled yelp. The dog shuddered to a stop on a branch and tucked his tail between his legs. Low frightened whimpers escaped his muzzle and he refused to go on.

"Hey, hey, what's the matter?" Kiba gave his hound a scratch under the ear, but Akamaru refused to move forward.

Asuma landed next to them. "What is it?"

"I don't know." Kiba patted Akamaru's head. "What do you smell?"

The dog backed away and whined in fear. Kiba, glancing around, dismounted and knelt down and tangled his fingers in the long soft fur. Akamaru's taile wagged a little at the gesture, but he whined again.

"Easy. There's no danger here, is there?" As the last word left his mouth he caught a horrifying stench. He wrinkled his nose and turned to get a better angle on the wind. The smell of death was feint, but steady. He leaned forward and sniffed again, swaying back and forth to try and zero in on the direction the source was coming from, but the smell was every where.

The rest of Asuma's team landed nearby and hunkered down.

"Was there a fight here?" Kiba asked.

"Not that we could detect. Why?" Shikamaru slumped against a large trunk and half closed his eyes.

"Because this place wreaks with death!"

Akamaru whimpered an agreement.

"Are you sure?" Asuma asked.

Kiba leveled his gaze towards the tree line. "Sure as the grave it's self." He half growled. "Tell me." Nails dug in to the bark under his hands. "Did Umino Sensei die here?"

"No." Ino said sounding a touch unnerved. "He's back in the Village."

Kiba and Akamaru glanced at each other. "Then he has to be the one who killed who ever was here. There's no doubt about that."

Shikamaru dropped down next to Kiba. "If that's true then he killed two Akastuki members by him self."

"Or. . ." Kiba said as he tested the air once more, noting the strange way the teacher's sent wavered from how it should be to some thing much more vile. ". . .he's not Umino Iruka."

Akamaru chuffed and nodded, he'd caught the same discrepancy.

"That was my conclusion too." Shikamaru said coldly. All eyes turned towards the tree line.

…...

Hinata finally looked up with dark eyes. "You saw a strange chakra that Naruto never had before." Her lower lip trembled, but she still refused to cry. "You saw evil enter in to him."

Neji nodded and closed his eyes. "I saw evil like no other enter his soul." He took a shaking breath. "And what did I ask of you?"

"To stay away from him." She clenched her fist. "But I can not accommodate that request, Neji. . . I. . ."

He smiled. "I know." Weakly he set his hand over his stomach. "I know, I don't believe in fate either, not any more. You were supposed to be the head of the clan, and I was supposed to serve you."

"Hanabi." Hinat said dryly. "She will be our master now."

"Your master." Neji half smiled. "I die free."

From behind them Guy stifled a sob.

"Take care of my team." He whispered.

"No." A flat, unimpressed, dry voice floated over the two Hyugas. Shino walked up to the couch and pulled out a Kunai. Roughly he shoved the blade in to Hinata's hands. "Cut him open."

"WHAT!" Lee and Guy yelped, shocked.

Shino turned and lifted his hand. "Lee, as you know, I saw Guy leave the hospital with Neji. As I have already explained to you I bugged each member of your team from the moment I suspected you were leaving. I did this for Hinata's sake."

She glanced up while clutching the blade tightly in her hands. "We tracked you here." Her knuckles were turning white. "To do what must now be done."

Guy trembled where he stood. "What are you going to do?"

Shino and Hinata looked at each other with stony expressions. Hinata spoke levelly. "We are going to cut him open. . ."

Lee, Guy and TenTen gasped.

". . .and I'm going to fill him with flesh eating maggots!" Shino finished.

Guy blinked, not expecting the reply given. Neji's eyes snapped open in shock as well. In tandem they both asked, "What?"

Shino sighed. "The larva of some kinds of bugs eat infected flesh. With my maggots in his wound he can be fully recovered in a mater of hours."

Guy dropped to his knees in front of Hinata and grabbed her shoulders. "It that True!"

At the same moment Neji again asked, "What?"

"Yes. But if it does not work I'm fully prepared to tell the truth and face my father and sister." Hinata replied, ignoring her cousin.

"Oh, Hell no." Neji rasped weakly.

"Neji." She turned to him, this time the tears were starting to spill. "I can't live with the guilt of. . ."

"I mean hell no to the bugs." Neji growled. He struggled to sit up. "Though I will not allow you to turn your self in either!" He added, almost as an after thought.

Guy shoved him back down. "You could die!"

"I am NOT letting him put some disgusting grubs. . ."

"Maggots."

". . . in to my body!"

Guy glanced back at his other two students. With a twinkle in his eye and a spark of youthful hope surging thorough his bones he said, "Students, hold him down!"

…...

Jiraya watched bemused at the way Kakashi, unmasked, was inhaling the plate of food in front of him. While the amount of food wasn't huge, the Sage Sanin didn't want to over load the Copy Cat's stomach right off the bat, it was no kid's meal either. Kakashi finished off one bowl of rice in the blink of an eye before tossing it aside and attacking the Miso Soup. Rice was sticking to his chin and nose, a rare sight indeed.

Jiraya held it in high regard that Kakashi was eating freely unmasked in front of him after all that had happened. Jiraya had seen the younger ninja maskless before, but the circumstances were never pleasant. Most of the time the sight was in a dimly lit cell of some torture chamber after they had been captured. They had always escaped, and they had always come home.

"If you don't slow down you'll choke."

Kakashi glanced up with noodles hanging out of his mouth. "Mmmph hnngth."

Jiraya chuckled and ruffled the silver hair. "I'm going to go tell Tsunade how you are handling food. In the mean time try to keep breathing all right? I don't want Naruto to come back and discover I let you die on Raman."

"Udon." Kakashi corrected him past another bite. "Not Raman."

Jiraya pulled his hand back and stuffed it in to his pocket. "Noodles, what ever. I'll be back in a couple of minutes, OK?"

The younger ninja nodded. "Bring desert."

"This is all you get for now, brat. You can find desert on your own once I spring you from this place."

"All right." He stuffed a bean bun in his mouth.

Jiraya stepped up to the door and pulled it open.

"Thanks." Kakashi said, almost under his breath. "I don't know what I would have. . ."

"Don't get all sentimental on me." Jiraya said, cutting him off with out turning back to look at him. "This isn't just for you, you know."

"I know, that's why I felt like saying it." Jiraya could hear the smile in the words.

"Don't thank me till you are a free man." He stepped out of the room and shut the door and realized that Kakashi had never thanked him before. He grinned as he walked down the hall towards the stairs. Naruto, Kakashi had said, possessed some sort of strange power to change people. Change indeed had happened for the normally shut off shut down and Copy Cat Ninja. Trust was hard won in a world filled with pain and death, but trust Kakashi did.

After he'd lost his team Kakashi had rejected the notion of bonds and refused to allow any one to get past his barriers. Until now. Naruto, with is boundless love and affection, had broken in to Kakashi's walled off heart and filled it with light.

Minato would have been so proud of his son.

Jiray reached the bottom of the steps and headed out the front door whistling some broken happy tune. The sun shine was amazingly bright and cheery. It warmed every thing it touched with out burning and made every thing just look so much more alive than it had before. In a way, Jiraya mused, that's what Naruto did too. For nearly three years he's trained the boy, and for nearly three years he'd been amazed over and over again how one look or one laugh from the blond lit up the darkest room.

It had taken a long, long, time to melt Kakashi's icy, non-literal, mask of indifference and disinterest, but Naruto had done it. Jiraya crossed the street and walked down the road towards the tower, recalling all the ways Kakashi had tried to shut people out in the past. He'd been indifferent, distant, mysterious, and aloof. Now he was smiling and talking and sitting comfortably with his mask off and saying 'Thank you'. The difference in his demeanor was like night and day.

He stepped off the curb and looked around the village. People were milling about, shopping, talking freely, all oblivious to the miracle that had taken place. Some even looked a little sad. One looked down right crest fallen.

That hear broken looking individual was Kotetsu. He was walking on the other side of the street with his head hung so low it looked like he might tip over. Standing on his lee side, dogging glances from the people on the street, was his partner Izumo.

Jiraya clicked his tongue in disapproval. Such faces on such a wonderful day! They must have ticked Tsunade off again and were now going on some sort of humiliating mission. What ever was bothering them, he decided, would NOT bother him too. Not when there was such wonder to behold from his adopted grandson! He continued walking and shortly arrived at the tower, still whistling the tune.

He stopped whistling when he entered and found the whole place was eerily quiet. Sadness was eating away at a number of faces. No one would look at him, no one would smile. He refused to frown. Even as people shot him worried glances or a look of pity.

The closer he came to Tsunade's office the more he realized it was rather dark in the halls. The faces of the ninja here were shadowed, covered, and averted. Deep down every thing echoed that some thing was wrong.

His smile started to waver. Just as he reached the door and lifted his hand to knock he scrounged for a pleasant memory to keep the happy feelings in his heart. The first thing that popped in to his mind was Kakashi with noodles hanging from his mouth. Half smiling, half slurping, the Copy Cat had looked years younger than he was. Almost childish.

That was enough to re-affix the sunny day to Jiraya's mind while in the dark tower. He rapped his knuckles on the door heartily and called out. "Tsunade, It's me."

The door opened a little and a sullen, teary eyed, Shuzune peered out from the small space. "Jiraya. . ."

This time the smile dropped completely with out resistance. "hey, what's wrong?"

She opened the door and beckoned him in side. "You'd better come inside and sit down for this."

Cautiously he entered, scanning the room for any indication of what the matter could be. As soon as he saw Tenzo his heart skipped a beat. The man looked half dead and Tsunade was clearly trying to do something medical to him. For some reason this man was supposed to be important, but why, Jiraya wasn't sure. He searched his memory for the answers. He'd just herd about him recently, hadn't he?

"Naruto. . ."

". . . he's away on a mission. I brought Tenzo in to the team."

Jiraya nodded slowly. "That's a smart move."

Cold dread washed the last of the joy from Jiraya's bones. "Tsunade. . . Where is Naruto?"

She continued doing what she was doing, hands out, blue energy flowing from her palms.

"Tsunade." Jiraya hissed. "Tell me."

She dipped her head. Her hands started to shake so bad that she lowered them. "Forgive me, Captain Yamato, I don't know if I can draw out all of the poison at once. I have drawn out most of it, the rest I'll have to remove latter."

The unmasked ANBU didn't answer, but sat breathing numbly, staring blankly at her.

Jiraya reached out and grabbed the hokage's shoulders and twisted her towards him. "Answer me when I. . ." Christal blue caught his eye. Hanging down from her neck was her cursed gem.

Jiraya slowly let her go.

Despite the sun streaming in through the window, making the gem glitter brightly, he couldn't see the light any more. Not any more.

…...

Asuma surveyed the field as his team and Kiba searched it for any evidence to support the theory that the two akastuki men had simply gone another way. Never before had he felt more anxious to learn an enemy had slipped past one of the Leif's ninja. It meant that two S-ranked men were out on the loose trying to find and kill Naruto, the Jinchuriki, but the alternate was even worse.

To think that Iruka, the quiet ninja who taught school, could be a threat, was over whelming. Because he wasn't just a teacher, he was the Paper Work Ninja.

He knew all of Konoha's secrets.

An enemy like that wouldn't even need a jinchuriki to take down the village, all they would need it time.

Shikamaru appeared next to him with a troubled frown.

"Well?"

"While our team can't find a trace of evidence either way Kiba and Akamaru have mapped out the sent trail of a battle here. They even found a place where they thing two bodies may have been buried."

"May have been?" That did not sound reassuring.

"Setting aside the fact that these men were reported to be immortals. . ." He said slowly, ". . .the trail of the two simply stops at the graves. If they were taken they were summoned away."

Asuma chewed on his cigarette and scanned the clearing. "What else?"

"The only other sent here is, in fact, Umino's."

"And we are sure of this?"

"Like Kiba said, sure as the grave."

Asuma sighed and closed his eyes. "What do you recommend?"

"We have to capture him, but we have to do so in a non-confrontational way. If he did kill them and lie about it then. . ." He faltered.

"Then he's the biggest threat to the village we have at the moment." Asuma finished.

…...

Guy pressed all of his weight down on Neji's shoulders while the youth was snarling obscenities in his ear. Lee had one of his legs, while Tenten had another.

"Embrace the youthful insects!" Guy said with a grin.

"NO!" Neji twisted with surprising force for some one who had, only minutes before, seemed like he was on the very edge of death. "I'd rater die!"

Hinata pulled his shirt back and peeled away the bandages. "This may hurt." Her hands were steady, though she was still white knuckled.

Shino was standing next to her looking ever so slightly bored with the whole thing. "Any time."

She nodded firmly and bought the blade down to his skin. Neji shut his eyes and braced him self against the pain that he knew was sure to come, instead hinata pulled out two stitches, opening a very small hole.

Neji opened one eye. "That wasn't too . . ."

Shino, moving fast as lighting, slammed his hand down over the small reopened section of the wound. Neji shrieked before trying once more to writhe free. "NO! NONONONO NOOOO!" He stopped thrashing and shuddered. "NNAAAGHH! I CAN FEEL THEM WIGGELING IN SIDE OF ME!"

"Wriggle you youthful creatures! Eat my student's putrid rotting flesh!" Guy shouted in utter joy with man tears streaming down both cheeks.

"I %&# HATE THIS TEAM!"

…...

Kakashi set aside the last bowl with a satisfied sigh. Lifting his hand he toyed with the dim, but steady sparks of chakra. By sun down he hoped to be home in his own bed, free to train out side of the constant scrutiny of the medical ward. Free to devise the next round of training that would be of some use to his students. Both of them.

He let the sparks fade and turned his attention back to the now empty try of food. Jiraya had been more than supportive of him, and far more than supportive of Naruto. As he pulled his mask up he smiled, content, and rested in the knowledge that as soon as Naruto returned the world would finally start to right it's self. He had Jaraia's protection and his health was recovering. There wasn't much that could go wrong now.

He'd even treat Naruto to the biggest bowl of ra. . .

A heavy knock at the door brought him from his thoughts.

"Enter." He called.

There was a moments hesitation before the door opened slowly. Jiraya entered, his face lined with dark sorrow. Instantly a art of Kakashi suspected that Jiraya was coming to tell him that Tsunade refused to allow him to leave, but instinct told him it was more serous than that. Kakashi swallowed a sudden wave of dread and forced him self to look care free.

"Some thing wrong?" He managed lightly, trying to sound indifferent.

Jiraya would not look at him. Instead he stiffly stepped away from the door and opened it wide. Tsunade entered and stood with her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Her face was hidden by her bangs.

"Lady Tsunade." Kakshi said cooly. He had to fight to keep a second wave of fear down at the sight of her. What had happened between them was still all too fresh in his mind, and he still want sure if he was safe around her. If any thing happened to him then he knew Naruto would never be able to contain him self. That thought alone was enough to cause his heart to skip a beat.

Maybe, he thought, what she had to say was worse than 'no, you can't leave', because she would not look at him. Her insistence on him answering the question about that incident – he had to suppress a shudder - could mean she'd decided a much more direct approach was needed to get the answers she wanted. She'd nearly killed him for the information she wanted already, he knew she'd have no qualms about doing so again if she thought it was necessary.

Maybe she'd call in Ibiki to force him to talk. The information she wanted had been settled two years ago, and he was not going to give her the satisfaction of satisfying her own curiosity about what had happened. He refused to dredge up the past when it would do no one any good. It was irrelevant, already reported. . . and personal. He'd die for the village and he'd proven that already, so he thought just maybe he deserved enough respect to be allowed his own secrets.

He steeled his mind against the questioning he was sure to come.

Almost as if reading his thoughts to refuse cooperation she made room for a third individual to enter. Kakashi tensed, not wanting to see the torture specialist enter his room. Instead of Ibiki however, Tenzo his former ANBU team mate, stepped in unsteadily. The sight of his ashen form did not relive him from his worry, though it certainly was an unexpected shock. His mind realed at the posibilities of why the Hokage had brought Tenzo here, surely he didn't know any thing that could change Kakashi's mind about resisting.

Instantly Kakashi could see he was struggling to stand, and even fighting to breath. He swayed a little and it was all Kakashi could do to keep him self rooted on the bed and not leap up to steady the younger man.

He'd grown, Kakashi observed keenly, his shoulders were much wider and his over all body build was much larger now. He was no longer the spirited teen of yore, but a full grown assassin. An assassin who looked like he was on the verge of death. It was hard not to glare at Tsunade, she was again endangering one of his people.

Trying to sound as calm as he could he asked, "Ahh, Tenzo, are you in the wrong room?" He tilted his head, trying to look interested with out looking desperate. "You do not look too well."

"Kakashi, Captain Yamato requested to speak with you about his latest mission." Tsunade's words were lifeless and dreadfully cold.

"Yamato?" He frowned, confused. Code names meant that the an ANBU man was on a very special mission, one issued from the Hokage her self. He felt his stomach churned when he looked up at the former ANBU and saw the younger man's blank eyes bore in to his. Special missions usually meant special teams. Special teams were made up of special people. Tenzo's body was infused with cells from the first Hokage, the only Hokage that could control a tailed beast, his talents were like no other in the land of Fire.

Instantly Kakashi knew who else had made up 'Yamato's' team.

"Ah. . . you must have been the one who went on Naruto's spy mission." He forced a smile. "I hope he wasn't to much trouble for you." Knowing Naruto's boundless enthusiasm and Tanzo's dry no nonsense personality Kakashi could only imagine the sort of conversations the two had to have had. Then again Naruto hadn't been his usual happy self. "I hope Sakura kept him in line for you."

'Yamato' stared blankly before taking a deep breath. "I was asinged to take your students to the rendezvous point for Sasori's spy." His words were spoken with layers upon layers of remorse. As dry as he knew Tenzo to be Kakashi had never heard the man speak with such anguish in his voice. He'd been a light hearted man under the ivory mask of ANBU for as long as Kakashi could remember.

Swallowing thickly a wave of deep forbidding washed over his whole being. "So where are they now?" He hoped his words sounded unaffected. He did not want to let Taunade know his inner feelings were not as calm as a ninja of his caliber should be. He still didn't trust her and Jiraya's whole demeanor was eerily despondent.

In stead of an answer there was only silence. Kakashi glanced over at Jiraya. The Sage Sanin was still standing with a look of complete despair written on his face. His shoulders were slumped and his hands were completely lax at his sides. Looking again at Tsunade he realized she was clutching some thing over her chest. What ever it was was small enough to be completely hidden in her hand. Neither Sanin would look at him.

Kakashi fought against a surge of growing anxiety and asked again. "Tenzo. Where are my students?"

Tenzo shifted a little and looked up with dark eyes. "It was my fault, Kakashi Sempai." He reached back and pulled some thing from his pocket. As he held it out between them Kakashi reached for it numbly. It was a blue head band with golden strands of hair clinging to it. Large dark red stains marked where blood had soaked in to the fabric and dried on the shining metal.

His heart thumped strangely as the wight of the head band settled in to his palm. Rubbing his thumb over the red washed steel he realized that the only way Naruto would let some one take the head band Iruka had given him was if. . .

Again he tilted his head and tried to sound at ease and calm. "What about Sakura?" His heart would not stop racing and all of a sudden there wasn't enough air in the room.

"I'm sorry." The ANBU agent whispered.

Kakashi took a slow breath and tried to force him self to stay calm. "Who. . .?"

"The spy was Kabuto and we ran in to Orochimaru."

Kabuto. Kakashi searched his memory past his pounding heart, past the dizzying motion the room was starting to take on, for the person behind the name. He searched his mind for any information that would tell him what they were saying wasn't true. Kabuto.

The silver haired medic nearly killed Naruto before. Only the Hokage had been able to save him. Hokage – Tsunade - Sanin.

Sanin - Orichimaru. Orochimaru took Sauske. Kabuto and Orochimaru. . .

Kakashi looked up in to the bleak black eyes of the former ANBU man as his mind continued to try and proses what the truth was.

Orochimaru had experimented on Tenzo, giving him the power of the first Hokage, the power to control a tailed beast. Tenzo was called in to keep Naruto from loosing his grip on the Fox. Called to protect him during the mission while Kakashi him self was not there.

Kabuto and Orochimaru had killed. . .

. . . Killed. . .

"I'm so sorry, Senpai." Tenzo's voice was a rough whisper.

. . . Naruto. . .

Suddenly Kakashi felt ill.

…...

Naruto scrambled back on to his feat and charged, but thin black fingers of ink and white shimmering scaled serpents slid around him and bound him tightly. In rage he thrashed, but the more he moved the tighter the ink got. With a snarl he looked up at his white skinned prey.

Panic and Hate thundered through his mind burning all reason away. Like stubble in a field his thoughts were licked clean away by the flames of rage and terror.

The Serpent Sanin was leaning heavily against the wall, looking at him with disgust. "Kabuto, I thought you killed that thing."

He was weak! Naruto could smell his blood, taste it! He snarled and gnawed at his binds. Under his fanged teeth he felt one snake's spine snap. It was amazingly gratifying. Looking up with it's limp form dangling from his jaws. . .Like Sakura had been. . . he growled.

The gray haired medic steadied Orochimaru gently. "So did I."

Naruto fixed his eyes of the byspeckles man and recoiled as the fear over took the need for vengeance. Should I fight or should I Flee? Rage resurged. Kill him!

Naruto felt a surge of chakra rumble from his whole body. The snakes burned away and the ink evaporated.

"Naruto. . . Please. . . don't let go."

Snarling he turned his head to the source of the pathetic pleading voice. Sakura was sprawled, bleeding, from a far corner of the hall. He ignored her, she was of no concern to him now. All he wanted was to kill the medic. The two rough ninja backed away as he crouch, readying for the attack. Drool dripped from his fangs as he dug his claws in to the stone under him. He opened his mouth to let loose pent up chakra. . .

And heard Sakura scream. "SAI, PLEASE DON'T DO IT!"

Pain exploded in the back of his head and his throat was suddenly filled with the bloody metal of a kunai. The chakra evaporated instantly.

After that very thing went black.