A/N: This chapter is dedicated to U3fan, Ojay1307, Square Mom Lover, and Miss Laury. Wow, only 10 more chapters till this story is finished. I'm feeling a bit sad just thinking about it. Thanks so much for your reviews everyone! You guys are the best. And May the Fourth be with you! XD (I know, wrong fandom, but I couldn't resist.)

Zabuki was here.

Kakashi had known it as soon as he'd seen the massive stone pyramid rising above Konoha's buildings. He shoved through the crowd surrounding the base, searching for long blonde hair and a green haori, though he already knew he wouldn't find her.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto tore toward him, blue eyes wild. Kakashi caught his student's shoulders, but Naruto didn't even stop talking to breathe. "You have to help Tsunade-baachan! She's inside the barrier with Zabuki!"

Kakashi bit back a curse and strode for the pyramid. "She's in there alone?"

"Hai." Naruto scowled. "I tried to follow her in, but those Anbu won't let me. We can't let her fight by herself!"

"I know, Naruto." Kakashi scanned the stone surface of the pyramid, but saw no gap or crevice. He'd have to enter another way. He began forming signs for the Rending Drill Fang, when a hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him cold.

The porcelain mask of an Anbu stared back at him. "Kakashi-san, the Godaime Hokage ordered everyone to stay out. We can't allow you to—"

Kakashi shoved the startled Anbu aside, and ran toward the pyramid. The Anbu shouted an order, and more rushed at Kakashi. He halted and spun, drawing a kunai. He'd fight his way in if he had—

Spiky-haired orange clones descended around him, throwing themselves on the Anbu. "Go, Kakashi-sensei!" a Naruto shouted, clinging to one of the Anbu's shoulders. "I've got them! Help Tsunade-baachan!"

Kakashi blurred through the signs. He vanished into the earth before the Anbu could reached him, his last glimpse of Naruto punching the air triumphantly. He smiled. Thanks, Naruto. He'd never been more grateful for Naruto's stubborn loyalty. Kakashi surfaced into the dim light inside the pyramid, and blinked as his eye adjusted. Fragments of blood iron and craters surrounded him, but he didn't care about any of it. He leaped over a large chunk of blood iron as he lifted his forehead protector, and his Sharingan-enhanced gaze zeroed in on the movement across the cavern. A mass of what looked like iron wolves charged from a wall of blood iron spikes, straight at Tsunade, who was surrounded by the remains of appeared to the same wolves.

Tsunade finished the signs for a jutsu, and crouched to slam her palm on the ground. A ripple of lightning chakra—likely her electrical disruptions jutsu—expanded out from her and flickered through the wolves. One by one, they shuddered and collapsed. Behind the wall of spikes crouched Zabuki himself. He was covered in nothing but bloodstained bandages, except for his eyes. Eyes that immediately fixed on Kakashi, and narrowed.

Tsunade straightened and swayed, breathing heavily. Her last attack seemed to have taken out the last of the iron wolves. He cursed. But the chakra-seal... she shouldn't be using chakra. As if sensing Kakashi's presence, Tsunade spun, her gaze, too, fixing on him in shock. "Ka-Kakashi? What are you doing—?"

Kakashi opened his mouth—but Zabuki extended a hand, and faster than thought, a chain shot out of his palm at Tsunade. She leaped back, but Zabuki had anticipated her reaction and thrust out his other hand. Another blood iron chain caught her ankle, yanking her down before she could react.

"Chidori!" Kakashi sent the lightning chakra into a kunai and hurled it at the blood iron chain as he ran for Tsunade. But he was too late, and Tsunade crashed into the broken ground with a cry. The next moment, Kakashi reached her, and his Chidori-infused kunai cut through the chain like butter. Lightning flickered down the length of the iron chain, and Zabuki snarled, his hand smoking as he fell back.

Kakashi picked up Tsunade and leaped a safe distance back. He landed in a crouch, and carefully lowered her to the ground. "Tsunade-sama, are you all right? That was quite a hit."

Tsunade groaned, and pushed off his chest to sit up. "I'm—I'm fine." She glared at him; golden-brown eyes hot. "Why are you here?"

"Mmm." Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, very aware they didn't have much time before Zabuki recovered. "Well, very recently I made a promise that I wouldn't leave. And I have no intention of breaking that now."

Tsunade stared at him. Her gaze softened a fraction, then she blinked and looked back at the wall of blood iron spikes concealing Zabuki. "Your lightning... it affected him."

Kakashi glanced at Tsunade's ankle where the chain had caught her. Electrical burn marks marred her bare skin, and he winced. Fool. He should have thought of that. "Maa, sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Tsunade shook her head as if about to object—then an odd expression crossed her face.

Kakashi frowned. Did she sense something? "What is it?"

"The chakra seal... the pain has diminished." Tsunade's blonde eyebrows furrowed, but the moment passed and she shook her head again. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. We need to stop Zabuki."

Tsunade struggled to rise, but Kakashi placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "No. Regain your strength, Tsunade-sama. Let me take him on for a little while."

Kakashi didn't wait for her to answer. Instead, he drew a kunai and charged Zabuki's wall of spikes, dodging and leaping over the shattered pieces of blood iron. Charging in without a plan—he almost didn't recognize himself. With a shout, Zabuki leaped over his spikes, eyes wild. He flung his arm in a horizontal arc, the slinging blood morphing into hundreds of blood iron spikes. The gleaming metal shards descended toward Kakashi; too many to avoid.

"Kakashi!" Tsunade cried out behind him. "Don't let them hit you!"

The warning in her words—clearly, these spikes caused more damage than a normal projectile. Kakashi set his jaw. But he couldn't move; if he did, they would hit Tsunade. He didn't have much chakra left, but he formed the sign anyway. A barrier of ten shadow clones appeared in front of him, and he dropped down.

The meaty thunks of the spikes puncturing flesh filled his ears. The shadow clones vanished in puffs of smoke, having fulfilled their purpose. Kakashi stood—and staggered as a sharp pain stabbed his thigh. He looked down. One of the spikes had gotten past the clones, and embedded in his thigh. No matter. He'd fought with worse—bloodied spikes burst out of his leg, ripping through muscles, tendons, and flesh. Kakashi staggered and collapsed, hardly able to think through the pain. How—? It was as if the spikes had come from—from inside him.

"No!" Tsunade leaped past him, her heel striking the ground. The eruption of boulders and earth knocked Zabuki back, burying him. Tsunade spun, and knelt at Kakashi's side. Tears glittered in her eyes as she focused on the wound. Her hands glowed with healing chakra, and she held them over his shredded thigh.

Though the pain was greater than anything he'd experienced, Kakashi couldn't let her heal him. It would take too much chakra. He reached out to push her hand away. "No. I can't let you use your chakra on—"

"Silence." The glare Tsunade gave him was enough to shrivel the words on his tongue. "As your hokage, I am ordering you to get out of here once I heal your leg. If I bring down these walls, it will take down Zabuki as well."

Kakashi tensed. She couldn't be serious. "Tsunade-sama, I will not—"

"Kakashi. It's the only way." Tsunade bit her lip, but held his gaze unwaveringly. "I don't have much time left, but I will gladly give up what I do have for Konoha."

Finally, her full meaning hit him. She intended to destroy the cavern, killing both herself and Zabuki. Kakashi couldn't breathe around the iron vice clamping his throat. "But—but the lightning from my Chidori... didn't it start to neutralize the chakra seal? There's still a chance. You can't—"

Zabuki burst out of the rubble behind them with a howl. He stood, swaying, blotches of fresh blood darkening new patches all over his body. His burning eyes fixed on Kakashi, with Tsunade kneeling at his side as she extracted the last shard of blood iron. "I will kill—kill you both!"

Tsunade cursed, her golden-brown eyes dark with desperation. "Kakashi, get out of—"

"I never leave a comrade behind." Especially not one he loved. But he couldn't say that. Kakashi pushed up to a sitting position, grimacing. With so much blood lost, he wasn't sure how much fighting he could handle. But he had to try. If he could just get to his feet—

Zabuki tore the bandages from his torso, exposing his bare chest—and stabbed a blood iron kunai into his heart. The shinobi ripped the blade free, and screamed as the blood exploded from his body, growing and hardening into a metallic spike aimed straight at Kakashi, too fast for his weak and battered body to avoid.

Thunk.

Kakashi hadn't realized he'd clamped his eyes shut until warm liquid dripped on his cheek. His eyes flew open and immediately connected with Tsunade's, her face only inches away. She managed a weak smile, then coughed, spattering him with her blood. "Looks—looks like I made it in time."

Only then did he see the tip of the iron spike protruding from Tsunade's abdomen as she crouched over him. She gripped the spike with blood-slicked hands, holding it in place. "Kakashi, your Chidori."

In an instant, Kakashi saw her intention. The spike was still connected to Zabuki's heart at its base. The amount of lightning in his Chidori would be conducted through the blood iron, and likely kill him. But... his gaze locked on Tsunade, trembling as she held Zabuki in place with her body. She wouldn't be protected from the lightning either.

Rin's hand reached for him as his lightning cutter plunged through her heart, taking her life with it. Kakashi cried out, but he couldn't stop it—couldn't save her from himself.

Kakashi jerked back to the present, shaking and sweating. No. He couldn't do it. Not again. Not to Tsunade.

"Kakashi." Tsunade held his gaze steadily, though her eyes were soft with understanding. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. "It's—it's the only way. You can do it, for Konoha. For... for me."

The only way. She was right, but Kakashi still couldn't move. His muscles had frozen, as if paralyzed with fear. "I—I can't—"

Tsunade's eyes blazed with sudden fire. "Now, Kakashi!"

As if her words lit a fire under him, Kakashi was able to move. He shifted his good leg under him as he gathered the last shreds of his chakra. Electricity crackled up his arm, and he thrust his hand at the spike. "Chidori!"

Tsunade cried out in agony—the sound piercing his heart—but she held the blood iron spike in place. Zabuki screamed, but Kakashi couldn't see anything except for the white tendrils of lightning surrounding him and Tsunade.

The lightning flickered and vanished. Tsunade slumped forward, and fell off the spike. Kakashi lurched up, catching her, and gently lowered her to the ground, supporting her upper body against him. Electrical burns covered her body, and she sagged against him, limp as a child's rag doll. All that remained of Zabuki was a blackened, smoking corpse. But he hardly cared. All that mattered to him was the woman in his arms.

Kakashi's erratic, frantic pulse pounded in his ears and his chest compressed so tightly he couldn't breathe. "Tsuna? Tsuna, please. Can you hear me?"

Tsunade groaned, and her eyes fluttered open. Relief crashed around Kakashi, and he brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face as she focused on him, her bloodied lips forming a slight smile. "Kakashi. It's—it's finished." She sighed, gaze growing clouded. "Perhaps... I have finally redeemed myself for all those years."

Her life force was fading. Terror struck Kakashi, driving out all relief. "Tsunade, listen to me. The—the chakra seal? Do you still feel it?"

Tsunade frowned, but it was a long moment before she answered, "No... the lightning must have neutralized it, at least for now. How strange. And I thought I tried everything." She coughed up more blood, and her eyes drifted closed. "At least—at least I can say goodbye. Kakashi... I..."

Kakashi shook her shoulder gently. Desperately. "Tsuna, activate your seal. You still have time to heal yourself."

Tsunade's breathing slowed, and her eyes didn't open. She sagged limply against him, her pulse barely more than a flutter.

No. No. He couldn't lose her too. He couldn't. Kakashi placed his scraped and bloody hand against her cheek, and prayed she could still hear him. "I—I said that all my precious people are gone, but that isn't true anymore. You are precious to me. I can't lose anyone else that I... love."

Tears burned his eyes, and he clamped them shut. But a tear still leaked free. He clenched his teeth, fighting back sobs. Something brushed his masked cheek, catching the tear. Kakashi opened his eyes, and stared back into Tsunade's glistening, golden-brown ones. He no longer cared about what should or shouldn't be. He pressed his lips to her forehead, and pulled back just enough to whisper, "Please, try. I need you."

"Kakashi..." Tears filled Tsunade's eyes. But she slowly lifted her hands and formed the release to the seal. Her violet diamond began to glow, but her eyes closed and she slumped back against Kakashi as her seal marks appeared across her face and down her arms.

Kakashi held her tighter, but as he watched, her burns and wounds—including the gaping hole in her abdomen—began to heal and close. Something released in his chest, and he could breathe again. At last, the glow faded, leaving her wounds sealed. Kakashi sat motionless, too exhausted to do anything but watch Tsunade breathe in his arms. She was alive, and that was all that mattered.

"Rasengan!" Naruto thrust the ball of chakra into the stone barrier Tsunade-baachan had erected. Bits of stone flew, stinging his face, but he just gritted his teeth and squinted, pushing even harder. He wasn't going to stop until he broke through.

Stupid Tsunade-baachan. Why had she gone alone? He could have helped her! Didn't she that the only way to win was with comrades at your side? At least the Anbu had given up trying to stop him. Or maybe they'd finally decided to listen to what he'd been trying to tell them. They just stood behind him, watching silently. Probably, they thought that helping him would defy the hokage. Not that he cared. He'd get through whether they helped him or not.

The rock crumbled under his hand and a section of the wall caved in. Naruto scrambled through, coughing in the thick clouds of dust. "Tsunade-baachan? Kakashi-sensei?"

He ran around the fragments of red metal and rubble, finally spotting two figures huddled on the ground. It was them! He bounded over, grinning—but his grin vanished as soon as he saw Tsunade-baachan. Kakashi-sensei was cradling her, but she looked bad. Really bad. Blood soaked her chest and stomach, and had dried in rivulets down her arms and fingers. Her eyes were closed and more blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. He swallowed, unable to take his gaze from her. But... but she had to be alive. She had to be! "Kakashi-sensei, she's going to be okay, right?"

Kakashi-sensei glanced up at him, his Sharingan still uncovered, and Naruto realized with a jolt that both of Sensei's eyes were red and wet, as if... as if... had Kakashi-sensei been crying? His sensei blinked slowly. "She's breathing."

Relief flooded Naruto. "So that means she'll live, right?"

Kakashi-sensei lowered his gaze, staring at Tsunade as if he couldn't look anywhere else. "If anyone can survive this, it's Tsunade."

Naruto knew he wasn't the smartest ninja, but he also knew when someone was avoiding his questions, like Kakashi-sensei was now. If Kakashi-sensei thought her injuries were that serious, then... he stood frozen. What if—what if Tsunade-baachan didn't survive? A lump grew in his throat, choking him. Maybe he didn't know what it was like to have a mother; to have a real family, but he'd made his own family.

Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei. Pervy Sage. Sakura and Sasuke.

And Tsunade-baachan.

Ever since she'd kissed his forehead—well, he'd thought it was kinda gross at first, but then he'd decided he liked it, though he'd never tell anyone—and told him to become a good man, he'd sometimes wonder if the way he felt about Tsunade-baachan was how he would have felt about his mother. Besides Iruka-sensei, she was the first one who believed he would become hokage. She always believed him.

"Tsunade-sama!"

Naruto blinked as Shizune rushed past him and knelt at Tsunade's side. The next moment, he was surrounded by Anbu and other medical-nins. They crowded in front of him, blocking his view of Tsunade-baachan. He gripped the necklace she'd given him, the edges of the crystal digging into his palm.

"Quickly, we need to get her to the hospital!" Shizune shouted. Her voice lowered, apparently directed at Kakashi. "Did she—did she activate her Creation Rebirth?"

"Hai."

Naruto watched silently as the medical-nin lifted Tsunade's limp body from Kakashi's arms, and carefully placed her on a stretcher. Anger bubbled under the surface and the heat of the nine-tails chakra threatened to suffocate him. Next time... next time he swore he would be strong enough to protect Tsunade-baachan. He clenched the necklace tighter. He wouldn't let this happen to her again.

Two medical-nins picked up the stretcher and turned toward the opening in the barrier. Naruto stared at Tsunade-baachan's unconscious face, and a shout escaped him before he realized what he was doing. "Wait!"

At Shizune's nod, the medical-nins stopped. Naruto ignored them as he reached Tsunade's side and fixed his gaze on her. His throat tightened, but he grabbed her hand and tried to smile for her sake. "You'd better wake up, Tsunade-baachan. I'm not—" he gulped— "not ready to be hokage yet. Konoha needs you. Believe it!"

He was staring at her face so intently, he almost didn't notice when her fingers compressed around his, ever so slightly. She didn't open her eyes, but he knew, knew, that she had heard him.

Naruto released Tsunade-baachan's hand as the medical-nins continued on, a wide grin stretching his face. She was going to be okay; he was certain of it. Elation lifted the heavy weight from his chest and he carefully tucked his necklace back under his jacket. Just like she believed in him, he'd believe in her. Konoha needed her.

And he needed her too.

U3fan: Thanks so much for your review! It definitely wasn't the most pragmatic decision, but Tsunade probably felt like she didn't really have a choice, especially since they are so short on shinobi. And I think, in her own way, she's trying to make up for deserting Konoha for all those years. Though I don't think anyone else would see it that way, especially Kakashi, lol.

Ojay1307: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you're looking forward to my possible future story and new chapters!

Square Mom Lover: Thanks for your review! :) Tsunade is a bit reckless, especially for a hokage, but I think it's safe to say Kakashi arrived just in time for once. XD Yeah, sorry about the shorter length. I've found that when I write chapters that are more action-oriented, they tend to be shorter. I'm glad it was still enjoyable, though!

Miss Laury: Awww, thank you for your concern. So far, I and my roommate, and my family have all been doing well. :) I hope you have been staying safe as well! I'm so happy you loved the chapter! :D My goodness, you're getting good with your predictions. XD I just have to say again that I love it when you mention everything you like about the chapters. It's very encouraging and inspires me to keep writing. OMG, yes. Everything you said about Tsunade is so true. Exploring her potential and showing how powerful she could be is something I really want to do in the story I'm plotting out. Another thing that annoys me is how Sakura supposedly surpassed her. Nothing against Sakura, but I'm sorry, imo, Sakura didn't and can't surpass Tsunade in any way, shape, or form. Girl, if you ever make said PowerPoint, sent it to me and we'll rant together. XD Seriously, though, it's awesome to find someone that has the same opinion of Tsunade that I do. I'm glad you're excited for my hopeful-future story! I'm hoping it won't take too long for me to finish plotting and start writing. Aww, thank you! I know the pain of reading an unfinished story, so I definitely didn't want to do that. And no need to apologize! My roommate is in grad school, and she's having a tough time as well. But I did want to say a sincere thank you for taking the time to leave detailed reviews every single week! Most authors aren't fortunate enough to have such a constant and encouraging reviewer like you, so I consider myself very lucky. Just know that you are very appreciated! :)