Don't own it!

I've noticed my stars to symbolize passage of time don't show up anymore and it's really confusing! So I'll just put in OOOO instead. Sorry for the confusion, I hadn't noticed it until now.

Chapter Twenty One: Rebirth or change of tactic?

Thaka watched her young daughter run off through the snow headed for the lake. Funny enough the lake never froze over no matter how cold it was. Thaka turned and was about to head back into the house when she heard her daughter scream for help.

"Shidou hurry! Something's happened to Yuna!"

Thaka's bear of a man husband ran out from behind the house and hurried to his daughter's aid. But what he found at the lake wasn't his daughter in trouble, but five bodies floating near shore.

"Get your mother Yuna and hurry," he said wading out into the cold water. "I think they're still alive."

OOOO

Sakura woke feeling warm and wet and slowly opening her eyes saw steam rising all around her.

"What happened?" where am I?" she muttered.

When the wet feeling didn't go away she looked down to see she was lying in someone's bath tub. A door behind her slid open, but when she turned it was already closed and no one was there.

"That's odd."

She turned back and nearly screamed in surprise. A little girl no older than maybe five stood right in her face.

"You're awake," she said with a huge smile.

The Genin just stared at her as the girl shuffled to a trunk and shuffled back with a big towel and a green bathrobe in her arms.

"Momma said you shouldn't stay in those clothes or you'll catch a cold," she said. "My name's Yuna by the way, what's yours?"

"Uhh... Sakura; where am I?" she asked sitting up.

"You're in a bathtub silly," giggled the girl.

"No, what I meant was what this place is?" she tried again.

"My house," the girl grinned.

Sakura gave up and sighed. The door slid open again and this time a woman stepped in.

"Ah, you're awake," she said kindly. "My name is Thaka and who are you?"

Sakura felt a little stupid and embarrassed to be sitting in a warm bath with her clothes on and being stared at by a five year old and a grownup.

"My name is Sakura," she said after a short hesitation.

"That's a nice name," said Thaka. "Well Sakura, this is what happened. You and your companions were found in a lake not far from this house and my husband carried you all here. I didn't want you to be scared so I put you in the warm water with all of your clothes. You were dreadfully cold; all of you were."

"Are the others alright?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, you were the last to wake," said the woman. "They're changing as we speak. I'll leave you to do the same. We don't have any clothes that would fit, but once you give me yours I'll dry them. Here's a pair of my underpants just until yours are dry. Don't worry; they're fresh from the laundry!"

When Sakura was alone she gingerly stripped down and dried herself. It felt marvelous to be dry again and she put on the too large underwear and the bathrobe; it dropped down to the floor. She gave her clothes to Thaka and let Yuna lead her through the simply furnished house. The five year old kept prattling on about how she had found them first and that they must have come from the mountains, but Sakura wasn't really paying attention and was glad when she was reunited with Kakashi and Naruto in the living room; They both were dressed in robes too.

"Hey Sakura! Come sit by me!" said Naruto patting the pillow next to him.

"Where's Sasuke?" she asked not seeing her dream boy.

Inner Sakura was already itching to turn the place upside down to look for him.

"Sasuke got sick," said Kakashi. "He's running a fever."

"What?! Oh no! Where is he?"

"They took him and Imako to the village hospital," he said. "She's sick too. Once our clothes are dry we'll go see them."

"Oh... alright," Sakura said downhearted.

Naruto crossed his arms and pouted.

"Damn Sasuke," he grumbled.

"Ah, the young lady is awake!"

The female Genin turned and almost cried out in fright again. Right in front of her stood a bear of a man.

"My name is Shidou," he introduced. "Have a seat and I'll bring you some nice hot tea."

Shidou walked off to the kitchen leaving Sakura staring after him. Then she turned back.

"Master Kakashi, are you alright? I thought Umino-san was going to kill you!"

"You don't have to worry," he smiled from under his mask. "I don't think she'll try anything anymore. Imako's finally realizing she doesn't have to put up an act to protect her self anymore."

Sakura knelt on a pillow and sighed.

"By the way," he offered. "What you guys did was stupid, but brave. I appreciate you willing to risk your lives for me. I'm proud of you guys."

Sakura blushed with a small smile and Naruto grinned with his chest proudly puffed out.

OOOO

An hour had passed before their clothes completely dried. While Naruto spent it telling his version of their journey leaving out certain info, Kakashi asked for information about the land and what to look out for. Yuki no Kuni wasn't very big and had no lord of its own, nor real ninja. Bandits were few and far apart and the wildlife generally stayed to the forests. All in all it was a pretty slow paced country. After receiving their clothes, Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto changed and headed off to the hospital on the other side of the village.

OOOO

As she lay there in the uncomfortable bed Imako wished she could hold her head in the icy lake while the rest of her body baked in an oven. She was sweating bullets and freezing her ass off at the same time; not to mention the room wouldn't stop spinning. She had no sense of time anymore and it seemed she'd spent eternity drifting in and out of consciousness. She was vaguely aware of someone entering her room, but thinking it was just the nurse coming to fuss over her she didn't bother opening her eyes. But then a cool hand lightly touched her forehead and then gently caressed her cheek. When she felt clothed lips brush her forehead she opened her eyes to see Kakashi sitting next to her bed.

"Hey, how are you feeling," he asked stupidly.

He hadn't counted on her being awake yet.

"Do that again and I'll show you," she tried to growl.

But all that came out was an exhausted murmur. Kakashi lightly smiled.

"Thank you for saving us Imako," he said knowingly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you kept us from hitting the rocks," he said. "And you did try to pull me up."

Imako weakly turned her head to look out the small window.

"You never let go when I told you to," she said.

Kakashi knew she was talking about an incident years past.

"So I didn't let go of you. I wasn't sure if I could still manipulate water like that," she said turning back to the Jonin. You're a lucky dog."

Kakashi caught the faintest of smiles creep onto her lips and had it not been for her fever he would have seen her blush. Kakashi's heart leapt with joy. Not only was she talking to him and smiling, but she had just, in her own way, admitted she did want to save him. His smile spread all the way to his eyes.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Welcome back Imao," he said softly.

Again she turned away. That strange feeling crept through her body again and she realized she couldn't fool herself, or him, any longer. She did have feelings for him; otherwise she would have let him fall. There were so many opportunities for her to run away, but she kept making up excuses to herself to stay with the group. Kakashi put his cool hand against her cheek and lightly made her look at him.

"We'll talk more when you're well," he said.

He stood from his chair, but before he went he quickly bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked out like nothing happened. Before disappearing he said one more thing without turning back.

"I'd never play you Imako."

Imako closed her eyes and nodded to herself. When she reopened them he was gone.

OOOO

As Sakura walked into the room she saw Sasuke sitting up against the headboard with his arms crossed.

"Sasuke, how are you feeling?" she asked at once.

"Fine," shrugged the boy.

"You faker!" Naruto accused angrily. "You never had a fever to begin with!"

"Naruto!" snapped Sakura.

"Tell that to that ditsy nurse and I'll be happy to leave," grumbled Sasuke.

"You're not going anywhere Sasuke," said Kakashi walking in. "Go now and you'll keel over as soon as you walk out of that door."

"I feel fine Master Kakashi; I've been fine for the past hour!"

"Fevers come in waves," said Kakashi. "You'll see in a few minutes."

Sasuke just 'hmpf'ed and looked out the window. Kakashi just smiled and headed back to the door.

"I was telling the other two how happy and proud I am that I can really count on you guys," he said and left.

Sasuke smiled and looked back to the door.

'Nothing you wouldn't do for us,' he thought.

OOOOO

"So once everyone is well again and we can leave, how long will it take to get back to Konoha?" asked Naruto.

"Though we have to cross the entire country we're finally gonna have some luck," said Kakashi. "The path we'll take is a snow desert, so we won't run into much trouble. And with the special breed of horses they have here we'll be able to cross in just under a week."

"And how are we supposed to pay for them?" asked Sakura. "We don't have any money."

"What horses, I can't see any horses," grumbled Naruto looking around.

"I've decide we'll stay here a few days and work to earn some money. Shidou has already offered to pay up front for our stay at an inn, but we'll have to pay him back," said Kakashi.

"Where are the horses?" Naruto continued oblivious to the conversation.

"But you said there weren't any ninja here," said Sakura. "What kind of work do you have in mind?"

"I signed us up for guard duty," said Kakashi. "We'll start tomorrow. Right now I want to get the rest of our things and head to the inn. It's almost time for dinner."

"FOOD!" drooled Naruto.

"I hadn't noticed how late it was," muttered Sakura.

Weee another one done! Hope you liked it and thanks for your reviews. I might get the next one up tonight...but I'm not making any promises. I look forward to hearing what you thought of this chappy.

Later days, Imako the Demon Wolf