I decided to put all of my reactions to reviewers at the bottom of the fiction, so I can have more room here to waste space blabbing... just kidding!

THANKS TO ALL MY REGULAR REVIEWERS and to THOSE who DON'T REVIEW! PLEEEEAASSSEE REVIEW! Follow crazyantman's example and just say, 'Great work' or 'Cool' or whatever...

I do not own Naruto – if I did, Iruka would get a cooler jutsu...

Back at the Cabin

"Iruka." Kakashi took a deep breath. "My father once told me a wise saying and you would do well to remember it."

Iruka looked up.

"What makes a shinobi is not his jutsu but love, loyalty, courage and hard work. That's what he said."

Iruka nodded.

"Now. Knowing that," Kakashi said. "We must go forward and fortify ourselves. I'm off to a very boring mission and you are to train yourself. I don't want to hear anymore on this matter. It is seriously getting old."

"So, where did you say Iruka was then?" Shizune asked.

"Um… somewhere out on the training field." Tsunade murmured vaguely as she flipped several pages over in the Nara's voluminous medical encyclopedia.

Shizune frowned.

"What's he doing out there?"

There was a silence.

"Uh…. Hokage-sama?"

"What?"

"What's he doing out there?"

"I don't know," Tsunade said, testily. "He just asked for Monday and Wednesday afternoons to be set aside for training. So I said yes. It's about time any way, he's been a Chuunin too long."

Shizune walked over to the window and peered out.

Ever since Kakashi had left Konoha, Iruka had been acting different. Rather bizarre.

Well, Iruka is too innocent to be bizarre, Shizune smiled. But he sure has been a little off color or something. I see him at the ramen shop but not all the time, like I used to. I even hear he's gotten tougher on his kids…. Is that even possible? I wonder – is the rumor about him and Kakashi true?

Shizune shook her head. She had seen what she had seen – she wasn't Tsunade's right hand – well, woman – for nothing.

There had been desire and passion – quenched. But that's no surprise. Didn't he lose his parents at a young age?

The black-haired medic sighed. Iruka joined the Jounins at the bar on Friday nights but never went near her. It was as if he was avoiding her…..

Tsunade turned and looked at her pensive assistant.

Shizune is worried about Iruka? I guess Sakura's comments had a basis of truth in them after all…….

"Shizune – if you would like – go and check out Iruka and see what he's up to." Tsunade turned back to her book. "I am curious myself to know what's happening."

Shizune nodded and disappeared.

Twenty minutes later, she approached the training field. Except for Iruka, there was nobody there.

Shizune watched fascinated as Iruka ran courses, swam laps, practiced concentration and a couple of ninjutsus, worked out and meditated. After one last look at the teacher (now collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily), Shizune crept away silently.

He needs help.

"He needs help," Shizune said. "Genma…."

"No." The Jounin said, emphatically.

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm not his teacher!"

"So?"

"I'm busy!"

"Yeah – right!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your team is off sick with pox and all that is taking up your time is drinking, eating, visiting the sick and having sex with Raido. Don't try to deny it – we've got it on tape."

"Ch. Geez. You've got nothing better to do than stalk the shinobi of Konoha?"

What an annoying bitch!

"I've got an order from Tsunade as well," Shizune said, pulling out her trump card.

Genma looked at it.

"What the heck?"

"It's important! Iruka really needs more training – his sensei is dead, his parents are dead, Kakashi is gone, Gai is gone, Asumo and his team are gone, Kurenai is gone…. And if I'm right, Raido will have been sent off an hour ago."

"WHAT THE HECK?"

"You need to focus."

"Geez! This is so annoying! I don't want to have to baby that pansy boy!"

"Genma…." Growled Shizune, looking really scary.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going."

"And be there on time, or else!"

"Sure, sure."

Kaki-kun: As usual, your encouragement and enthusiasm warms my heart and if I ever need someone to go over my stuff, I'll remember you. But thankfully, my sis is returning tomorrow so I think it's going to be okay. About AikoxKakashi, well... I thought about setting it a higher rating and then going with the scene but I decided not to, since it'd only slow the story down (which is already slow enough).

RockBane: Iruka... yes... well... As I said, romantically I'm still trying to figure it all out... I think it will be rather tough (and already I'm struggling with an Irukavs.Kakashi session) but hope springs eternal.

crazyantman: YEAH! LOL! You remind me of that crazy Akatsuki who fights with those clay thingies. Glad you enjoyed!