And He Bled Crimson
By: Lost Nin
Disclaimer: There's no way in the world I can ever be as creative as Masahi Kishimoto, so in other words.... not mine in any way shape or form.

A.N. I must be the most unlucky person that I know... if it's not my computer it's me getting sick enough to be hospitalized for a few days. I'm fine now, acting as though nothing happened to me even though I know have three sore, stitched up wounds on my stomach. Appendicitis is not a pretty thing, it didn't hurt that bad, heck I think I hurt more now then I did when I went into the emergency room. I'm glad to be out of the hospital and working on my fics again. I had so many ideas from being drugged up that I can go on with a few more stories, but for now I'll stick to the two I have.

Chapter Note Ok, so my secret is revealed in this chapter... "he". I'm sure there are a good many that have read and came up with the same idea. I just couldn't find it in my heart to be so cruel.

Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter hugs to you all Everyone that has taken the time to read my fic, and keeps coming back, I really appreciate it. I'll leave you alone to read the next chapter now. Enjoy!!

Chapter 4

Camp site one was finally reached an hour after dusk had set. A small fire was already lit when the duo finally arrived. Kakashi dropped his pack and immediately dug into it to get his bedding set for the night. Sakura stood not to far from him, glancing nervously around the campsite, her eyes taking in everything around them with worry.

"Sakura, get settled."

He watched her pick a spot away from the sleeping gear that had already been set out before their arrival, her eyes were still skimming the tree line around them. Kakashi shook his head, he could understand how the poor girl felt. Things haven't been the same for his team, nor would things ever go back to the way it was.

Moments passed when suddenly the sound of rustling leaves caused the pink-haired Shinobi to pull out her kunai and ready herself for attack. Kakashi could hear her gasp a name out in surprise when a familiar face was revealed by the firelight.

"Shikamaru!"

The Chuunin quickly walked into their camp, catching his breath before finally speaking. "Kakashi-sensei, as troublesome as it is, the Fifth send me along to help out with..."

"No problem." Kakashi waved him off, knowing full well why the boy was there. As he turned away from the Chunnin to fish out his copy of "Come Come Paradise", Sakura's scream pierced the humid July air. Alarmed he quickly turned, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight before him. Sakura was shaking while holding her kunai. Her eyes were glued on Shikamaru and a boy who stood behind him with his weapon pressed against the stunned Chuunin's throat.

The presence of the boy didn't alarm Kakashi, he knew he was close by, watching them. What worried him was the fact the boys eyes were filled with so much excitement, anger and resentment. The evil grin that revealed the boys fangs clearly showed he was pleased he had caught Shikamaru off guard. Kakashi sighed, perhaps bringing him along, even if the Hokage demanded it, had been the wrong decision to make.

"What are you doing here?" The boy growled, his voice shaking with anger.

Kakashi slowly rose from his crouching position, he reached out toward the boys. "Shikamaru was sent by, Tsunade-sama."

"She sent you, why?"

Shikamaru lightly placed his hand on the arm of the boy that held the weapon. "You know… four man teams."

"You're not a part of this team."

"He's not saying that," Kakashi spoke calmly. "But he is right. Four man teams work the best. Wouldn't you say so, Naruto."

The boy's fiery red eyes snapped upon him as soon as the name slipped his tongue, but the older Shinobi held his ground, showing no fear in the eyes of the Kyuubi. He watched the blonde slowly lower his kunai, while smirking. A heavy silence loomed over them before the boy that that has changed so much finally spoke.

"He can stay." And with those words spoken he sprung off into the trees, presumably to resume watch over the camp.

Shikamaru sank to the ground with a heavy thud as he let out a loud sigh. "Why me?"

"He did that on purpose." Sakura crossed her arms and glared in the direction her teammate had gone. "I don't care what type of trauma he went through, he has no right to scare us like that!"

Kakashi silently sat down, book in hand, watching the other two make their beds by each other before turning his head toward the tree line to his left, where he could feel the intermingled charkas of Naruto and the Kyuubi.

He had believed, when he walked out of the Hokage's chambers, that the boy had died. He was so sure of it that he felt the sorrow of his passing grip his heart. It was a short time after Sasuke had sprinted out of the building word was sent for him to return, the Hokage had to speak with him immediately. What he had seen in the room surprised him even to this day. Naruto was alive and breathing, moving on his own. He had thought by some miracle the Hokage managed to save him. But the boy's eyes spoke of a different story. Those fierce red eyes seemed to pierce you to the very core of your being and in that moment he knew... the Kyuubi had saved the boy from death for the death of Naruto would mean the end of his existence as well.

"Sasuke-sama."

The voice had awakened him from his thoughts, angering the soon to be fifteen year old. With his hands clenched he turned around to face the person that bothered him. "You're mission is completed?"

"Yes."

"Did you leave any survivors?"

A smirked crossed the nins face. "None."

"Good, you wouldn't want to make the same mistake as last time." A satisfied smirk of his own crossed his face when he spotted fear in the nin's eyes. All that were assigned under him feared him in one way or the other, either it's because Orochimaru favored him, or it's the fact that he had taken pleasure in disposing those who didn't follow his orders. He enjoyed the power that was given to him, yet... yet there was something that held him back from completing most of the tasks himself. Some place within his blackened heart laid a smidgen of light, it was hardly enough to affect him in anyway, but just enough to keep him from becoming a monster.

"My apologies again, Sasuke-sama."

Even though the Sound nin bowed, it didn't lessen his anger any. The idiot had caused problems for them a bit too soon... ones that drifted in from the village of Leaf. "Leave my sight." He turned away, listening to the fabric of his tent swish with the nin's departure.

He knew that it would be inevitable from meeting anyone from Konoha again, and had been preparing himself mentally, as well as physically. The village had pretty much kept to themselves, yet sent their Shinobi's on missions to keep others from realizing how weak they really were, but he knew. He knew that Konoha was struggling to keep its head above troubled waters. And because of his knowledge Orochimaru had recently pressed his men to test the outer boarders of Fire Country. Now he had only to wait... wait until those he had once considered allies to come to him. To wait to look into the eyes of those that considered him a murderer.

Sasuke slowly picked up a kunai he had placed upon a table next to his cot. It wasn't too long ago he had held one against his throat, threatening to kill himself. He had accepted Orochimaru's decision to stop him, it would have been pointless to just throw his life away, even if he had believed it was for the right reasons at the time. He had reacted irrationally, allowing feelings of guilt, remorse and friendship overtake him. All those feelings had weakened him, it was no wonder he had been unable to achieve the power he now obtained when he was still training with team seven.

He caught his reflection on the blade as he turned it in his fingers. He looked worn down, like had hadn't slept in the past nine months. His eyes no longer held the flame that once burned so brightly in them. He was Orochimaru's slave, his soon to be host in a years time. Orochimaru had worked so hard to eliminate any good he still had in his heart. He had helped him to overcome his stupidity and feelings he had for a certain blonde, and he was thankful for it. Sasuke closed his eyes at that thought. No, no matter what, he would never forget, he just chose to push it away.

Fabric rustling, followed by light footsteps approached him from behind before a voice finally spoke up. "You're not planning anything stupid, are you Sasuke-sama?"

"Of course not." Sasuke placed the blade down. He glanced over his shoulder to view his acquaintance. Kimimaro stood at the foot of the bed, staring at him with the same empty eyes that looked back at him in the reflection not long ago.

"Can you not sleep?"

"I'm fine." He looked away from the green eyes that gazed at him. He couldn't stand those eyes. Kimimaro had pretty much been assigned to keep an eye on him, to protect him from any danger, or to keep him from doing just what the light-haired boy had mentioned. His body suddenly tensed as a hand gently squeezed his shoulder.

"Is there anything that I can do for you?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, knowing full well what the boy was offering. With a growl, Sasuke smacked the hand away as he turned to glare at the other boy. "Don't lay your hands on me again." No one, no matter what, would ever touch him that way.

Kimimaro quietly headed to the entrance of the tent where his cot was set up before speaking once again. "Then perhaps you would be interested in a bit of information I have instead."

Kimimaro had always been good at taunting him, as though he were testing him. Perhaps, as he had learned, Kimimaro was disappointed that Orochimaru had chosen him instead to be his successor. Sasuke remained quiet, watching the boy. He would either share what he had learned or leave things hanging, and leaving things hanging seemed to be Kimimaro's favorite thing to do unless he was up to something.

Kimimaro sat down before speaking. "Our scouts just returned with info on our friends from the Leaf. They claim the one known as the "Copy Ninja" is with them."

Even with that bit of information it didn't affect him. What was Kimimaro hoping he would do, become upset? Perhaps tuck his tail between his legs and run back to Orochimaru? So what, Kakashi was coming. Let him come. "How many?"

"Three, possibly four." Kimimaro's eyes flickered with what seemed to be amusement.

"What do you mean, possibly four?"

"The scouts said they could only spot three... but there was a strange chakra hanging around the camp. Terrifying, one had called it."

Strange chakra? Who, or what could that be? His mind drifted back to a time when he had experienced an astonishing chakra, one that frightened him, one that belonged to a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy as he battled Gaara of the Desert. Sasuke gripped the fabric of his shirt above his heart as a painful wave of guilt overtook him. 'Damn you... damn you for making me care!' He sprung to his feet and quickly gathered his gear.

"Where are you heading off to?"

"To meet the Leaf head-on."