A/n: I'm old now. I mean...I'm old. Dude…age is mean...my birthday was on the 25th...day right after Thanksgiving….hm...I find myself listening to Fall Out Boy's "Dance Dance" Way awesome. Uh...updates will be slow and unexpected as usual…so...don't hope for anything too soon after this chapter. This…may suck. Ugh! I'm miserable. Oh! I find myself listening to Chris Brown's "Run It" also…yeah…God I'm old. And I suck.Forgive my many typos..I'm old and lazy...(grumbles)

Sasuke: Shut up.

Kakashi: Leave her alone. (Hugs Magic) Age is nothing but a number.

Magic: But you're old already! In this fic you're like thirty! WAH! (Cries against Kakashi's shoulder)

Naruto: Now you made mommy cry. Kakashi-sensei you're just…ugh...I don't like you sometimes.

Kakashi: (pats Magic on back) What I do?

Sakura: You all are just…such a problem. It's the next chapter.

Closer, Further (Memories)

"Yui...do you still…do you still love Kakashi-sensei?"

"I…I don't know." She looked at her hand as Sakura continued to wrap the bandage around it. "Sometimes...I try and pretend I never felt anything for him. It hurts less that way… sometimes…" Yui shook her head and Sakura frowned. "I mean…it makes everything less difficult for me. I'm not as stressed as when I first came home…"

"Oh. Okay. Well…I hope you get over your pains. I want you to be happy."

"Okay. I'll try." Yui gave a weak smile to the pink haired girl and sighed.

Sakura lay in her bed remembering the conversation she had with Yui over two weeks ago. Time slowly passed as they stayed in the home of the Yoshimitsu. Their mission was protection…bodyguards. The amount of time didn't matter. As long as they were paid for their duties…that's all that mattered.

She rolled over under the sheets and pulled her pillow closer to her. Things were still tense. Things were still icy. Yui never looked or spoke to Kakashi, and he never looked to spoke to her either. It was like an iceberg. The two were just so…Sakura was tired. The day was long and boring. Nothing but simple scouting and collecting information from the other members of the village. It was rather troublesome.

"Sakura?" Naruto called from outside her room door. He knocked a couple times and the girl reluctantly sat up in the bed. She headed towards the door and slid it open.

"Yes?" She said with a slightly annoyed tone. Sleep was getting to her.

"Oh. I was wondering if you had gone to bed yet."

"No. I was trying to, but…" She looked away and tied her loosened bed robe around her body tighter.

"…oh…well…I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd see if you were still up…I mean Sasuke already went to bed."

"It is kind of late."

"Yeah. I...I was thinking about Yui and Kakashi-sensei. It's been really dead around here. Since we came up until now."

"Yup."

"Uh…can I come in?"

"Huh? Sure." The blonde entered the room and took seat on Sakura's bed. She closed the door and walked over him. She sat beside Naruto and sighed. "It's been really bad. Horrid."

"Yeah. I can't think of any way of helping them."

"…I know. Me neither." The two of them sat there in silence for a while and stared into the dark woodened floor. The cold wind could be heard from outside. It was like the howling of a wolf. The sound was almost haunting. No. It was haunting. Sakura found her arm wrapped Naruto's. She did not know why she felt a bit scared...or maybe she wasn't at all frightened. Maybe she just wanted to touch him. Maybe she just wanted a rest for her sleepy head. She didn't know. She didn't really care either.

"What do you think about us Sakura-chan?" He asked.

"Hm?" She closed her eyes and leant her head against his shoulder. "What?" She was falling asleep.

"What do you think about us?"

"Huh? Our team?" She mumbled. Loose strands of her hair fell over her forehead and her breathing slowed a bit. She was almost out of it. Sleep was all she was thinking about. Naruto's words were far away from her ears.

"No. You and I."

"I…I don't know…friends…"

"That's it?"

"I'm not sure…" She answered absent mindedly. "Maybe more, maybe not."

"What about us before?"

"Naruto….I'm tired."

"No!" Naruto shook Sakura gently and woke her up, trying to bring her back to reality. Sleep wasn't going to keep him form getting his answers. "What happened to when we were together? You use to let me kiss you. You'd let me hold you! I want that back!"

Sakura rubbed her eyes and mumbled. "Naruto, you and I decided we'd put that behind us. We agreed when Sasuke came back it would be over. Don't start crying about it now."

"No! I mean…how it is fair that I finally get you then Sasuke come back and I lose you again! If that's the case what was our relationship based on?"

"Nothing." She said coldly. Naruto's eyes widened to her frozen like words. Was it the sleep talking or was it her. "We only came together because we were both hurt by Sasuke. All we sought was comfort."

"You don't mean that."

"I don't know what I mean. I'm tired as hell. So...just…Could you just go?" She returned back under the sheets of the bed and pulled them to her neck. "And close the door when you leave."

Naruto stood up from the bed and looked at her. The girl, who at one time kissed him and cried in his arms, was now….he couldn't identify. Did she really care for Sasuke so much she'd push away what they had while he was not there? All that time of holding each other in the dark and crying tears when no one looked…did she really just disregard it all? "Good night Sakura." Naruto left the room and slid the door close.

Sakura bit her lip as she faced the wall. She had been cold to Naruto…as cold as Sasuke was to her at one time. What was going on amongst the three of them? When did all the mixed emotions start coming in? 'I'm so sorry Naruto…we can't be anything until…until I understand where we are. And what is to become of us…'

'Sakura…she's just tired. That's why. Yeah…she couldn't have meant that…right?' As Naruto walked down the hall he passed Kakashi, not even knowing he was there.


The silver haired jounin looked at his, at one time, student. Naruto had his ups and downs. Kakashi knew this. At that moment, though, he looked more downtrodden than anything he knew in the boy. The same expressions he had while Sasuke had been gone those years. His depression had been so bad he didn't notice him in the hallway.

Kakashi's eyes followed Naruto's image until he faded into the darkness of his room. Kakashi sighed and walked down the hallway. His feet against the cool wooden floor. At this moment he wished he had worn his bed slippers. Not that him complaining about it would magically place them on his feet… it was just a thought.

After walking down the hall for a few minutes Kakashi was in the hall with Kyoshi's painting. The large image was the only place where he felt as ease around the entire household. The image of the man before made him think of his sensei. They had they same kind look upon their faces. It appeared that they could have almost been relatives. Who knows…maybe they were? Yeah. Crazy thoughts as a result in lack of sleep. He shook his head. He was tried. The weather made him lethargic.

"Some is still up." He said as he heard footsteps approach. He turned his head to see Yui in a white robe. Her cheeks were rosy red and her eyes wee hazed. "Can't sleep I see."

"Since when did you start speaking to me?"

"Well…I said something expecting you not to respond."

"Whatever." The blonde walked up next to him and leant against the wall. "Yuri tells me he sees you all the time."

"Well….I like this picture."

"Why?"

"I just do."

"Bullshit."

"Come now. I don't think such disrespect need be displayed before your father's image."

"…."

"He makes me think of my sensei."

"Huh?"

"Your father looked a lot like my sensei. Uzumaki Arashi (1).Yondaime."

"Oh. Well…I thought he favored Naruto."

"That too. I mean the man was the boy's father. He just died before Naruto could even recognize. So the kid grew up with no family."

"Oh…it makes me think of someone I once knew. A long time ago."

"You know…this is the first real conversation you and I have had since we broke up. It feels like an eternity. Speaking to you again. I mean..I've been here for a while and this is the most we've said to another."

"It may be the last we say also. You just had to bring that up, didn't you?" Yui crossed her arms and pouted.

"What?" Kakashi looked at the blonde and sighed. "I have a tendency to say the wrong things at the wrong time. At least, when around you."

"You know I should have just gone to bed." Yui turned to leave when she felt his hand grab her wrist. "Let go."

"…I don't need you to be…there's no need to be bitter Yui."

"How would you know!" She turned to face him and before she knew it she was shouting. "You aren't the one suffering! It wasn't you who came home in tears to her family! It wasn't you who had her heart broken! You have no idea the pain I've gone through in my life! I can be as bitter as I want! So don't you dare---"

"I thought we were the same."

"…"

"I thought that we knew the same pain. The same great pain of loss. Pain only that, I thought you understood the way I needed you to. This is why I found myself so attached to you that time." He released her and sighed.

"You think saying that will let me be okay with this all? I… don't… don't care anymore." Kakashi's eyes widened to the woman's words. "I just want it to be over."

"Over? You want this to end?"

"Yes. No more pain. The less I deal with you, the better I'll feel."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. So just let's go back to how it was when you came." Yui marched down the hall and vanished in the darkness. For some particular reason Kakashi felt what occurred was his fault in some way. It was his fault. It was his fault. All of it.…everything. Even after the break up…he'd still screw up. He was an old fool. More and more he found that Gai was even more right than before. Damn. That thought hurt.

'Gai being correct about my love life...that's a headache.' Kakashi faced the image on the wall again and frowned. Everything was slowly deteriorating…slowly.

He stood there for a good ten minutes before moving. As he retuned to his room, he heard crying from a familiar voice. Kakashi leaned his ear against the room door and heard the cries of his former student. Even Sakura was hurt. Along with his depression his team had their own problems. Everyone had their own problems….just as he did.


Kirara sat in the living room. With a glass of red wine pressed against her lips and a lively fireplace before her, she contemplated. "You know you're only making this harder on yourself."

"I…I couldn't sleep mom." Yui walked over to the brunette and sat down beside her. "I keep thinking about him." She lay her head against the shoulder of the older woman and sighed deeply. "You were right."

"…Aren't I always?" The two women sat in utter silence. The only noise heard at that moment was the crackling of the fire. Kirara placed down the glass of wine and for the first time in eight years hugged her daughter. "Aren't I always right when it comes to protecting you?"

"…mother...more than anything...I want it to stop hurting. Being near him reminds me of other pains form before. So many other pains…."

"Where are you going?" A teenage Yui called to a tall and dark young man. She grabbed his hand and brought it to her cheek. "Why…?"

"I can't stay here anymore…I won't. Not so they can do anymore of these things to me. Not so they can say anything else."

"NO! So what if they say such things? I still love you! Yuki please don't leave."

"You're family doesn't approve of my being around you. They think I've become to dark. I won't remain for such criticism!" He snatched his hand from the blonde woman and turned his back to her. "So…let's just end it here."

"No…I don't want you to leave…" She hugged the male form behind and cried against his back. "Will you come back?" She cried into the texture of his coat.

"..Sometime…when I come back I'll come for you. I'll…come back. Then I'll prove to all the people of this village what I'm really capable of. They'll see…they'll see…"

"I love you…and no one else."

"No. There's still someone." He whispered to himself and narrowed his eyes. He became angry to the thought of Yoshimitsu Kyoshi. Kazuya pushed the blonde woman away kissed her lips for a last time and left into the night cold.

Yui stood there, her white nightgown blown by the cold air. She would be sick come morning…but she didn't care. Nothing mattered that moment. Nothing would matter until…

XXX

"Yui!" Yuri ran through the snow. As he ran, leaving behind the home which was now in flames, he breathed heavily. Out of nowhere in the winter season rain began to fall. The rain, washing away the snow, and putting out the burning flames on the village, began to fall. "Yui where are you?" He shouted. He found the young girl crying in a dark alley way. "YUI!" He ran towards her.

In her arms she held the sleeping Yume. Hot tears slid down her cheeks and her eyes were bloodshot. "Yuri…"

"Yui, are you alright?" He kneeled down to his sibling. Despite the fact his hands were numb, and bleeding he cared nothing for them...nothing for anything until he knew what happened to his sisters. "I'm here now. Don't worry…"

"Daddy…he's…" She rocked back and forth, tears still streaming down her face.

"What happened?" He looked upon the blanket in which Yume was wrapped in. The blanket had streaks of blood across it. He examined Yui further and saw her entire wear was covered in dried blood. "Are you hurt?"

"Daddy…he's gone Yuri."

"Gone?"

"Dead."

"…" His eyes widened and he drew in deep breaths. The cold air chilled his lungs and no longer could he even feel his arms, but with all that he had left in him he hugged the woman which was his sister.

"He is gone." She cried against his shoulder. Her hot tears against his bare skin felt like fire in the cold of the winter night. He swore he could feel the scorching of his skin when they fell. Even in the cold rain his flesh burned. "He's dead." She whispered.

"You hold on to painful thing too often. You really should let go." She arose from her spot and headed to the fire. She put it out, leaving the room in darkness. "To bed now. It will soon be 4:00 in the morning. Day break is soon." Kirara left the room and Yui sat there in the darkness. Exactly 3:50am on September 16th the prior year, she realized she loved Kakashi. She found her self in love after she promised never to be again….who'd think not too soon after the love she found it would be taken? No one. Especially her. She covered her face with her hands and began to cry. 'I really am weak.'

Yume stood by the door with her plush scarecrow held to her chest. She rubbed the tears from her eyes and sighed. Maybe someone could do something for her sister…

Kazuya watched the shadowed figure of Yui through the window. He had spent months stalking her…he would not leave until ready. "I've come back for you, just like I said I would."


Kakashi lay under the sheets of his bed staring into the white ceiling. He blinked his eyes and sighed deeply. As his eye lids slowly fell all he could imagine was her being happy again. Her feeling pleasure when around him once more…not that she was much of either of these two in the relationship they had…still...one thing he wished for again…was her smile. A smile which he made a mistake in giving up…that was it! He'd leave it no more! He had to tell her he loved her. He had to let her know. He had to let her know…

No. He couldn't…because…he still could not remain with her. Even if he admitted all the feelings he had contained inside of him…what would it mean if he could not be with her? If to protect her from further heartbreak, and closer to outlooks for a better future, he'd have to keep his feelings in his head and there alone. No one else was to know…no one else was meant to know…

A faint knock was heard at the door. Kakashi opened his eyes and looked around the room. The knock was heard again and he arose from his bed. He slowly slid the door open and looked around the hall. No one to his vision.

"Down here Hatake-san." Yume said politely.

Kakashi looked down to the female. She was a small child. How was he to see her when she stood way down there? "Yes? Goodnight Yumechan."

"Um….yeah…" She fiddled with her fingers and an awkward silence played a long and empty tune. Kakashi cleared his throat a couple of times, but no words left the girl's mouth.

"Have you anything to say. What is your particular reason for coming?"

"My sister…when she is around you…since you've come here….she is more sad then I have seen her. It depresses me."

"…I don't know what you want me to do."

"Tell her you're sorry." She muttered.

"…"

"Say sorry. I mean…so what if you don't love her, or do? Just apologize. What happened when she was in your village brought her to tears of never seen her in. And...if you're a good person like my Mr. Scarecrow doll is then you will say sorry!" Yume dropped the doll and grabbed the leg of the jounin. In her eyes tears welled up and fell to the floor. Her bright green eyes glowed with an energy that he once saw in Yui. Something he missed…the little girl was right…. "While you're at that could you possibly hook me up with Sasuke-san, or Naruto-kun? Either of them would be fine because they're both really hot."

Kakashi sweat dropped. Even here females pursued his male students. From the housemaids to Yume. Either Sasuke or Naruto would turn heads. Naruto was sometimes just plain adorable. This made the younger help of the household so fond of him. Sasuke was just...Sasuke. This sent the body temperature of the older help through the roof. Kakashi probably would have such attention if the woman of the house didn't hate him so. The only gossip concerning him was negative. Things like heartbreaker and wicked bastard was the only thing he could get. Still…

"Yume…okay…I'll…I'll apologize to her. It's just...I'm not sure she'll want to hear it."

"Don't worry I'll get her to listen."


Yui awoke to a strange feeling hanging over her. It was early hours of the morning. She looked around the room and slightly shivered. She was still in the living room. A loose blanket had been draped over her. "Who put this here?" She asked herself. Her eyes traveled around the room again and saw one of the many windows in the room had been left ajar. She got up from her spot on the chair and walked towards the window about to close it. Another awkward feeling touched her. "What..the…?" Her mind became clouded with memories of her father, her childhood…and "Yuki?" She whispered into the air. She shook her head and pulled in the window. Her mind felt blurry and she looked to the cock to see it was minutes after seven. Early morning…Yui left the living room and headed down the hall to the bathroom. An early shower such fix her senses.

Kazuya followed the woman from the rooftop of the house. Even though he could not see her, he could feel her every moment, mentally. He stepped as she stepped and paused as she did. He stopped abruptly when he saw one of his comrades. The short haired brunette hopped from the trees and vanished as he reached the ground. "Shinra…you've come. Ready to perform the task at hand?" Kazuya asked. The man joined him on the rooftop and stood beside him.

"Yes sir." He held up acupuncture needles before his slender face and smiled. "Ready and willingly. When we rid of those Konoha-nin it will be easy to destroy this household."

"Yes. But try not to have too much fun, understood? You tend to get carried away."

"Sir please don't say things like that. It's only very now and then. And only with handsome boys." The young man smirked. He appeared in his mid-twenties and had grey eyes that were clouded with desires, and lust. "Besides…"

"Don't try and change the subject. I know you've been watching that dark haired boy since he came." He was referring to Sasuke.

"Sir…" Shinra blushed. "He's not all that pretty…"

"So why is it you stalk him everyday?"

"I could ask the same of you who watches that blonde female!" The man defended. "You criticize me when you do the same! Hypocrite!"

"Stop talking." Kazuya growled. His eyes narrowed in fury and his voice became low. "Don't ever call me the same as the bastards from this village. This village filled with conspiracy, and corrupt merchants! This hell hole filled with fakers and liars! This devil's nest that criticized me and pushed me away! Don't you ever call me as they are!"

"…" Shinra paused and found he had no words for his leader.

"Do as told. Set the bait. I'll see you and a while." With that Kazuya vanished into the snow. Shinra jumped to the ground and he gazed into the window. Yui was showering. As she exited the stall and dried her hair and frowned. Females disgusted him. Them with their full breasts and curves. What did man see in them anyways. As far as he was concerned…they should see nothing.

He followed her as she exited and even as she went down the hall. When she had bumped inot Sasuke he stopped and watched excitedly. He was half dressed. "He must have just woken up. He even had bed head." He giggled referring to Sauske's twisted hair.

"You look tried." Yui said to the young Uchiha.

"Yeah..couldn't sleep."

"Sakura on the brain?" Yui asked smiling slightly.

"If it makes you smile why not?" He said and scratched the back of his head. "Whatever."

"You have feelings for her, don't you?"

"…You could say that…"

'A Female? Ugh…he just went down to number two on my potential lovers list. I'll just bump the blonde one to number one. He's cute and loud. That'll be a change for me.' Shinra thought as he slowly slid into his mouth a light poison needle. As Yui and Sasuke continued their conversation he spat the needle through he glass and it swiftly cut through…

"Sasuke…" Yui's eyes widened a bit. "You're bleeding?"

"What?" He looked at his bare arm which had a thin cut on it. Despite the fact it was thin the cut had length, right across his forearm. "Where'd that come from?" He looked out the window to see Shinra blowing a kiss and then running away. "Yui get Kakashi! We've found a lead."

"Okay, but…you should have Sakura check that out. The flesh around you wound is changing color." With that Yui ran down the hall to find Kakashi. Sasuke looked at his wound and winced slightly to the burning pain in his arm. It hurt like hell.

A/n: OMG! It s on now(Even though I find this chapter kinda lame)! Soon every hit g will be revealed. Just gimme about two chapters…the next chapter has some action! WOOT! ACTION! And some more drama! What will happen to Sasuke? And yes Shinra is queer an has a crush on him. DUH! But it is kild humor! And---

Sasuke: Shut up. You make a queer like me and you poison me I sense some hatred…

Magic: Okay. Like I care what you think. I mean…you're hot…but quite frankly...I'm not your biggest fan. Sorry.

Naruto: You guys look good together.

Magic: (glare)

Naruto: I mean...you look so horrid in each others...presence. It's…um…so bad it…it...HURTS MY EYES! YES! Separate immediately!

Kakashi: You guys are just…uh…

Sakura: Stupid. End chapter. Ugh!

Magic: BYE! LTER DAYZ!

(1)I believe (and many others) That this man is in fact Naruto's father. I mean how can it not be true! Yeah…so that what this is for.