Iruka walked into his house and heard laughing. He quietly took off his shoes and walked into the living room. He was shocked, but smiled. His children and their teams were all in the living room playing a game on the floor. Naruto noticed Iruka and smiled, "Iruka-sensei!" he said.

Iruka smiled and walked in, "No training?" he asked.

"Surprisingly no," Tenten said, "But I'm guessing that'll start tomorrow."

Iruka smiled, "I don't think so," he said.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

Iruka smiled, "Because you're going to help with the second part of the Exam," he said.

"Huh?" Fuuki asked, "I thought those were over?"

"No," Iruka said, "They start tomorrow morning. At the Forest of Death."

"Sounds inviting," Naruto said then chuckled and pushed Gaara slightly.

Gaara smirked. Iruka looked at the two, but brushed it off, "Well, anyway," Iruka said, "Hokage-sama has agreed to let you help with this part as a way of training."

"Great!" Kiba yelled, "What'll we be doing?"

Iruka smiled, "You'll be in your teams of three," he said, "And you're to throw the teams off. They'll be looking for scrolls and-"

"We won't have any," Hinata said getting it.

Iruka nodded, "This will test their memory skills," he stated, "But because you'll be Genin not participating in the Exam, you'll have Chuunin or Jounin Ninjas watching over you. To make sure the participants don't go overboard."

"Seems fair," Neji said smiling.

"Yosh!" Lee yelled happily.

Iruka smiled, "Everyone should head home," Iruka said, "It's getting late."

"Hai," the teens not in their house already said and stood up.

Once it was just the six family members, Iruka turned to Gaara and Naruto crossing his arms, "Is there something we should be aware of boys?" he asked.

Naruto chuckled grinning, "Gaara and I can talk to each other's minds," he said.

Iruka blinked in shock, "Alright then," he said slowly.

Gaara and Naruto laughed at their guardian's shocked, and confused, look and Sasuke, Hinata, and Neji soon joined. Iruka shook his head and smiled at them. At least they weren't blaming themselves anymore. Iruka looked at Gaara, his face serious, "What did the Kazekage want?" he asked.

Gaara's happy demeanor fell instantly, "He wanted me to return to Suna," he stated, "I got mad and said I was loyal to my family before storming out."

"Gaara…"

"I tried to be respectful," Gaara stated, "He made it very difficult."

Iruka sighed then turned when a knock sounded on the door. He went to answer it, "Hello?" he asked then blinked, "Yashamaru-san?"

Yashamaru smiled, "I was hoping to see Gaara-sama without his fa-Kazekage-sama," he corrected.

Iruka smiled and nodded. He let Yashamaru in, "Gaara," Iruka called, "Yashamaru-san is here."

Gaara walked out with Naruto, Neji, Hinata, and Sasuke. Yashamaru smiled at them and Gaara smiled back before hugging his uncle. Everyone smiled, "I'm very sorry for how Kazekage-sama acted," Yashamaru said after he and his nephew pulled away, "He's been different for the last month or so."

"Seemed the same to me," Gaara stated.

"Gaara," Iruka said sternly, "He's a Kage and you need to show him respect."

Gaara sighed, "Sorry," he said.

Naruto smirked and Gaara glared at him, "Shut up," he said to him.

Yashamaru blinked once before brushing it off as a jinchuuriki thing. Iruka shook his head before turning to Yashamaru, "Will you be staying for dinner, Yashamaru-san?" he asked.

"No," Yashamaru said, "I've got to fix dinner for Temari-sama, Kankuro-sama, Akira-kun, and Kazekage-sama. I just wanted to see Gaara-sama properly."

"Please drop the –sama," Gaara said, "I'm not part of that family anymore. I'm only connected by you and Mother."

Yashamaru smiled and turned to Iruka, "Thank you," he said before turning and leaving.

Iruka watched him leave, "Alright," he said to his children, "Let's see what we have to make for dinner."

The next day, the four teams were placed in the Forest of Death. They had several higher ninjas watching over them. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were by a river with Gai watching over them from the shadows, "So what do you think the chances are that these guys will realize we're not part of the Exam?" Sakura asked.

"Well, for their sake, I hope pretty high," Sasuke stated and leaned back on his hands, "But for my sake, I hope not. I need some training. I'm sick of falling in that river."

"Same," Naruto said.

Sakura couldn't help but giggle. Suddenly, kunai were thrown, but all three of them block easily, even with Sasuke sitting down. Three mist ninja Genin appeared, "Well, well," one said, "Looks like we get Konoha ninjas first."

"What do you think the chances of them having an Earth Scroll is?" the girl of the group of three asked.

"We're about to find out," the last member said.

Sasuke sighed before smirking. Naruto turned to Sakura, "Think you can handle the girl?" he asked.

"I think so," Sakura said, pulling out her own kunai.

"Good, cause we get the other two," Sasuke said smiling slightly.

"Less talking, more fighting," the girl said before charging.

And the battle began.

Lee finished off his cloud ninja, "That was too easy," he stated.

Tenten and Neji added their unconscious cloud ninjas to the pile, "Not that that wasn't fun, but I was hoping for a bit more of a challenge from examiners," Tenten said.

"We can't be choosers," Neji said, "Though I suppose if they couldn't even tell we weren't part of the Exam in the first place then they have a long way to go."

Lee kicked air before agreeing. Tenten sat against a tree and sighed. Neji looked at Akikazu hiding in the shadows. Well, he couldn't see her, but he saw her when he had his Byakugan active during his battle, "We should get moving to a different spot before these three come to," Neji said, "I don't think we want to keep fighting the same three ninjas."

Tenten and Lee agreed before following him.

Kiba yawned along with Akamaru before putting the unconscious stone ninja in the pile with his teammates, "You okay, Hinata?" he asked.

Hinata nodded, "I'm fine," she said.

"Are you sure?" Shino asked, "All three attacked you first, thinking you were the easy target."

Hinata giggled, "You should spar with Naruto-kun," she said, "He doesn't hold back no matter who you are. I'm fine."

Kakashi smirked from the shadows. Hinata was holding back. She always holds back because she's afraid she'll hurt someone without meaning to. The only reason he knows this is because Naruto got her mad one time and she actually sparred with him. The one time she won against him, "Alright," Kiba said nodding, "Well, let's keep going. See who else is stupid enough to fall for this."

Kakashi sighed. His book was just getting to the good part, "Kakashi-sensei," Hinata sang smirking, "I hope you're not reading one of your books…" Kakashi paled, "I'll tell Iruka-sensei…"

Kakashi's book was in his pouch faster than lightning. Hinata smirked and walked with her team. Kakashi glared slightly at the back of Hinata's head. Everyone thinks Iruka is more protective of Naruto and Gaara. They are dead wrong. Iruka is like any father is with their daughter. Good lord. The first time Iruka caught him reading his book in Hinata's presence…Kakashi actually shivered. Not pretty. He stealthily followed the three Genin. He still had a job to do.

Kakashi about ran into Kurenai, but stopped short, "Kakashi," she nodded.

Kakashi looked and saw that Gaara, Fuuki, and Hitomi had defeated three grass ninjas. Hinata happily went over to Gaara and they talked for a little bit. Soon Neji, Tenten, and Lee joined the group and Kakashi looked as Akikazu joined them, "Any trouble?" Kakashi asked.

"Nope," Akikazu said, "These kids could've easily gotten passed this part."

Kakashi and Kurenai nodded. They all turned when Gaara suddenly held his head, "Gaara?" Neji asked, "Are you okay?"

Gaara's head snapped up and turned in a direction, "Naruto!" he yelled and ran in a direction.

Kakashi, Kurenai, and Akikazu when wide eyed. Neji and Hinata were quickly behind Gaara and their teams were behind them, but slowed by confusion. The three Jounin followed them in the trees, "Gai!" Kakashi yelled, "Gai!"

"Byakugan!" Neji and Hinata yelled, activating their Bloodline Limit.

"What's going on?!" Kiba yelled, "Gaara! Hinata! Somebody!"

"Neji! Hinata!" Kurenai yelled, "Where are they?"

Gaara suddenly turned the soil around them into sand. The sand rose above them, "Rendan Suna Shigure," he yelled and the sand shot in front of them.

The three Jounin burst through the trees and went wide eyed, "Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled rushing over to the unconscious Naruto and Sasuke, "Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura seemed to be frozen in absolute fear. Kakashi hurried over to his student, "Sakura? Sakura!" he yelled, "Gai! Gai where are you!?" Kakashi groaned, "Sakura, what happened? Sakura!"

Gai suddenly landed, "Gai! What happened?" Kakashi asked.

Gai was silent for a moment, "Orochimaru," he said.

The three Jounin went wide eyed, "Kids, we're getting to the tower," Kurenai said, "Now. Kakashi, get the Exams cancelled. Gai, Akikazu, find him. Get Anko if you need to."

Everyone nodded and split up, "What's going on?" Hinata asked.

"Gaara, Kiba, Neji," Kurenai said, "Get these three. We need to get to the tower. Now. Don't question. Don't do anything. Just get to the tower and stay close to me."

The three nodded. Gaara lifted Naruto with his sand, Neji put Sasuke on his back, and Kiba picked Sakura up bridal style. Sakura gasped softly as she finally came to, "Sakura?" Kurenai asked, "Are you okay?"

Sakura was shaking, "N-Naruto and S-Sasuke-kun…" she said shakily.

"Just calm down," Kurenai said, "We're going to get you kids to the tower. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun are fine…I hope," she muttered the last part, but Kiba and Gaara heard it.

Akamaru whined.

A/N Enter the Snake. I own nothing! Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!