Muralis tunnel leaded back to the ghost town. Murali was carrying an unconscious phoenix on her back. Salil rushed out from the abounded house

"Here let me take him to the Lady."

She said putting Phoenix on her right shoulder.

Salil ran to a mansion and looked like it didn't fit with the rest of the town. She ran into a dark room up to a throne. Sitting in it was a woman with long light blonde hair and purple eyes.

"Lady Valda, Lady Valda please help Phoenix!"

Salil fell to her knees begging. Valda just stares in silence finally she gets up from her throne and puts her right hand on the dieing phoenixs body and says

"revitalize jutsu."

Phoenixs body glowed and dark navy blue as the ice that Aino had put on him began to disappear. Valda returned to her seat placing her hands together.

"From what Ive seen phoenix failed, horribly I might add. Salil you will kill Aino next but lets wait."

"Why, lady Valda?"

"Because I watch phoenix's fight thanks to Murali and I think Aino might be falling for particular ninja."

"Yes ma'am I understand"

Salil bowed then left the mansion with Phoenix in her arms and to start training.

'Aino I will own the Heracystal jutsu at all cost.'

Valda thought as her evil laugh echoed in the empty room.

"KAKASHI!!! Kakashi please wake up say something please!"

Aino placed her ear on Kakashi's chest to hear his heart was still beating and he was still breathing. Aino sighed in relief.

'Now how am I going to get us back to the village? The sun is nearly set, my right leg is broken, and Kakashi's out cold.'

Aino looked at her leg, to Kakashi, then to her hands.

'I have no choice.'

She puts her hands on her broken leg

"Heracrystal Jutsu!"

a thick layer of ice formed over her leg from her ankle to the knee. She bit back her gut jerking scream as she froze her leg in solid ice. She put Kakashi on her back and gradually stood up. Pain shivered up her leg but she paid no mind to it. Aino started walking back to the village grabbing trees ever chance she got. The sun finally set and now Aino was in full darkness, in a forest she never known. Every six feet in seemed that she bump into a tree or trip over a root. Picking Kakashi and herself up again seemed to only make things more complicated.

Only 3/4 of the way the ice on her leg began melting making it harder to walk. As the last piece of ice slowly fell from her leg then the pain, that Aino so long ignored, became unbearable. Aino plunged to the ground with Kakashi right on top of her. She laid there unable to move any part of her body; every part was numb beyond numb. Her eyes couldnt make out the shape of a blade of grass right in front of her.

'Kakashi I'm sorry I can't go on. I tried, I swear I did'

Aino eyes closed as she passed out.

Dream

Aino lying on grass surrounded by cherry blossom trees blooming. A man with light purple hair and green eyes stood in front of her

"Please you can do better than this!"

a familiar voice said.

"Father?"

"This is no time for you to give up!"

"But Father I can't move-"

Ainos father sat down beside her

"so thats never stopped you before! My little blossom you have grown up so much and I'm proud of you but its time."

"Time? Time for what?"

"You must now learn to fight to keep what is precious to you alive"

"NO, I can't do it, I've tried before but-"

"But you ended up losing your best friend, yeah I know. But the people you have met now are more dear to you, for the first time in your life you actually used the Hereacystal jutsu knowing that you could die and then using it on yourself to help save some ones life."

"I just met them how can they be so dear to me?"

"Because they remind you of yourself, Naruto for his cockiness, Sakura for helping people feel better, Kakashi on saying what you feel, and soon you'll find that you and Sasuke have something uncommon"

"Father...I miss you."

"I miss you too but your a young lady and a fighter, besides if you don't wake up soon Kakashi is going to die."

"WHAT!?"

End Dream

Ainos eyes flew open

"I wont let you die!"

With that Aino sat up and used the Hereacystal jutsu on her leg again. She stood up and started running toward the village once again

'I won't let you die Kakashi I promise'

the trees began to thin out as they got closer to the village and so did the extra energy Aino had. Her vision began to blur again as the ice on her leg was finally thaw out. The gates where so close, yet so far. Aino saw a man with black hair in a blow shape style and super thick eyebrows walking near by. He stopped in front of her looking shocked

"How did you beat my rival of the spring time?"

Aino walked closer to the man but he just jumped back and pulled out a kunai.

"Just so you know I'm much stronger than Kakashi so I won't be brought down so easily"

Aino just continued to walk toward him

"It wasn't me"

she managed to mutter. The guy put his kunai away

"OK than let's just get you two to the hospital."

Aino looked at him

"you would help me?"

"As sure as my name is Gai."

Gai gave her a thumbs up

"Thank you"

was the last thing she could say be for she passed out.

Gai was able to catch Aino.

'Kakashi's in trouble he looks like he took one hell of a beating, and this woman she is...she is so gorgeous. Kakashi how do you manage to get all the cute ones'

with a deep sigh Gai throw Aino and Kakashi over his shoulder and ran toward the hospital.

Aino gradually woke up; first she saw an intense glow as her eye focused more she sees lights and a ceiling. She looked to her right to see Sakura and Naruto.

"Where's Kakashi?!"

Sakura and Naruto looked away. Aino jumped out of bed and began shaking the two teenagers.

"What happen to Kakashi?! Is he are right?!"

"Hai, Hai Kakashi's fine"

a woman with blonde hair said. Sakura disappeared in a poof of smoke, Naruto fell over laughing saying

"ha-ha, I can't believe you fell for it!"

Aino temper started to rise

"Naruto your dead!"

Aino punched Naruto in the face sending him flying out of the room.

"That should teach you to use shadow replication"

Aino looked at the lady then bowed

"Sorry about that. So what were you going to say about Kakashi and who are you?"

"Heh my name is Tsunade but you better know me as the fifth Hokage."

"The...fifth Hokage?"

"Yes, please sit down."

"No thanks. Please tell me about Kakashi how is he? Is he OK? What?"

"Kakashi is fine but he's in critical condition."

Aino fell on the bed fighting back tears.

"Can I go see him?"

Tsunade looked at Aino then looked at the floor

"Yes but not for long."

Tsunade handed Aino a crutch then they walked down the hall to Kakashis room. Aino saw how helpless Kakashi looked laying in the bed. Aino sat down in the chair next to the bed. Kakashi's head protector was on the nightstand beside Aino. Kakashi looked pale compared to the pillows, his hair laid across his left eye. Aino placed her hand on his cheek smoothing out the wrinkles on his mask.

"Kakashi I'm sorry this is all my fault."

Aino looked to the fifth.

"I want to teach team 7 while Kakashi is recovering."

Tsunade looked at Aino surprised

"you just got here you need time to heel besides do you know any Jutsu?"

"I don't know any Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, or Taijutsu, but I need to do something I owe Kakashi so much."

Tsunade smiled

"well then I have no choice. I'll let you teach team 7. I'll have Gai and you team up and-"

"I'm glad to see your all right my angle"

Gai said leaning against the door frame.

"Speak of the devil."

Tsunade said turning toward Gai.

"Gai I'm glad you're here, you will be helping Aino"

Tsunade point to Aino behind her

"train Kakashi's team while he's recuperating."

Gai peeked over Tsunades shoulder seeing Aino smile at him. He rushed over To Ainos side.

"I'm so glad your all right darling. It would be a Honor to help you train Kakashi's team after all I am stronger than him."

Aino looked down at the floor then back up to Gai

"Thank you so much for helping me"

Aino held Gai's hands in hers

"I owe you one"

"Are right you two I'm leaving. Aino, Gai you start train together tomorrow. In the mean time I'll have Iruka fill you in on everything, Aino."

"Thank you Tsunade"

Aino said as Tsunade left.

Team 7 show their faces for a while. Aino told Sakura what Naruto did. Sakura started yelling and punching Naruto in the face.

Soon leaving, just Aino and Gai were in the room. Aino sat there looking at Kakashi for a while until it was time for Gai to leave. Aino walked him down the hall to the exit.

"Thanks again for your help."

"Don't worry about it"

"I don't know what I would do if I lost Kakashi."

Aino smiled at Gai.

"Uh yeah no problem"

Gai turned to walk out the door.

"Oh Gai wait a min."

"Yes"

Gai said turning around.

Aino kissed Gai on the cheek.

"That's my way for saying thanks for everything, and can't wait to start training tomorrow."

Aino turned and stared back to Kakashi's room. Gai just stood there daydreaming.

'Maybe theres hope yet. First we train the teams together, and then well go on a couple of dates. She'll fall in love with me. I'll propose to her, she'll say,

"Oh Gai your so wonderful of course I will"

Then Kakashi will say

"Gai you are truly the strongest"

Hahaha"

People around the room were staring at him. Gai turned around and walked out the door with a big grin on his face.