Disclaimer – If I owned Naruto, there would have been more of a certain person in that second movie. Thus, Naruto, still not mine, world domination, still not accomplished.

Spoilers – This contains spoilers for the anime and manga. I am not sure of the exact chapters and episode numbers, but it is well beyond what Cartoon network is showing. It is also beyond what is released by VIZ in English manga since I believe the events referenced are in volume 15 of the manga.

Short glossary: I used the word once before but I will use 'koibitto' since I don't think there really is an accurate enough word in English since it is gender neutral. But it can basically be translated to boyfriend/girlfriend.

I'm not completely happy with this chapter. It is very heavy on dialog and dialog is my weak point, but I couldn't think of a way around the dialog. The next chapter jumps us back into the action of the plot.

Added warning: grumpy Iruka evidently felt the need to curse something fierce, so warning.

This has been a broadcast of the scribbles alert system, we now return you to your regularly scheduled reading

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Water Runs Red – Chapter 20

Iruka sat up, his eyes widening, "What aren't you telling me?"

Asuma shrugged, "It's nothing."

Iruka's eyes narrowed, "What happened."

Asuma finished his cigarette, "We ran into Itachi."

"Uchiha? Uchiha Itachi?" The sudden rush of adrenalin had the Chuunin wide-awake despite the exhaustion.

"Kakashi was knocked unconscious by something, the med-nins …" Asuma paused there and looked randomly around the apartment.

Iruka forced himself up off the couch, "What the hell? Where is he? What's going on?" He had a deathlike grip on one of the couch arms to keep from falling over.

Izumo walked out of the bedroom followed by Kurenai, "'Ruka, Anko should be up in the next few hours, you did a good job." When he saw his friend's look, he tensed up, "What's wrong?"

Iruka turned to Izumo, "Something happened to Kakashi and this ass won't tell me what."

Asuma sighed, "Look, in your condition, you'd pass out before you made it to his apartment anyways. He's unconscious and it doesn't look like that's going to be changing anytime soon, so just sit your ass back down."

Iruka looked towards Izumo, the pleading look evident in his eyes. Without words his long time friend just nodded, "I have Anko, you go."

Without another word, Iruka had his pack and was charging through the door with Asuma hot on his heels trying to stop him. Iruka took to the rooftops, but with so little chakra left, and what he did have being the leftovers from the forth vial of chakra powder, it was weak and undependable at best. As he ran across the rooftops, his feet were slipping and sparking in poorly formed chakra. Occasionally, he was blasting himself up off the roof instead of sticking to it and Asuma was able to quickly catch up to him. Luckily, it wasn't far to Kakashi's apartment and Iruka was able to dodge the grabs the jônin made.

Iruka more fell into the door than landed in front of it, and flung it open to stagger in. He was twitching worse than before after the added chakra drain caught up with him. Kiba stepped out of the bedroom to see what was going on. His eyes widened as he saw his old academy sensei stumble past him into the bedroom and fall to his knees next to Kakashi's bed.

Iruka's shaking was halfway between trembling and convulsions as he checked over the unconscious Kakashi. By that point all his mind could do was register that Kakashi was alive and breathing and didn't seem in pain or uncomfortable. Then the chuunin's world went black.

When Iruka woke up, it was dark. He found himself somewhere strange, yet familiar. His uniform was gone; he thought he had been in his Konoha uniform. He was wearing just his underwear. His leg felt very stiff, and yeah, he could feel a tight bandage on it. He was on a futon under a blanket. Carefully he considered things. He smelt Kakashi. Actually, he also smelt dog and he was pretty sure he could assume he was at Kakashi's apartment.

He slowly opened an eye. The room was dimly lit by a single light on the desk. He sat up and looked around. He was in Kakashi's bedroom. For some reason he was on a futon on the floor. He blinked at the person sitting in the chair in front of the desk. His brain tried to process everything. "Gai-sensei?"

The green clad jônin looked over at Iruka, "Iruka-sensei. I was wondering when you were going to wake up. Please, take it easy, you are safe amongst friends. Ibiki-san insists you must have some food when you wake up. You were so possessed by the need to complete your mission that you have neglected to recharge your body with sustenance."

Iruka blinked, "How'd I get here? Food?" Suddenly his eyes shot wide open and he gasped turning towards Kakashi's bed, "Itachi, Kakashi, Unconscious, fuck!" He scrambled to the bed to look at Kakashi; the silver-haired jônin was still unconscious. He turned a confused look towards Gai.

Gai smiled, "My Eternal rival was able to save Asuma-san and Kurenai-san from Itachi. I arrived too late to prevent his taking a severe mental attack, but was able to cause Itachi and the one traveling with him to retreat. Do not fear; the jônin of this village with the ANBU will keep things safe."

Iruka blinked and thought about it. Then he blinked and thought some more. Then he heard the click click click of dog nails on wooden floors. He glanced as Pakkun walked into the bedroom. He then turned back to Gai, "Gai-sensei? Why are you here?"

Gai smiled and stood up, striking a needlessly chipper pose, "I am here to keep watch over my eternal rival as he recovers from the attack of the traitorous Uchiha."

Iruka turned to the pug, still looking just as confused. Pakkun sat down, "Don't look at me. I just know no one has fed me since the Inuzuka boy was here."

Iruka just looked around confused, "What day is it?"

Gai frowned, "Thursday."

Iruka looked down at the blankets. "I … I …" He looked over at Kakashi. "How long has he been unconscious?"

Gai frowned, "Since Monday"

Iruka frowned, "I left for Grass on Monday." He looked over at Gai, "Is he going to wake up?"

Gai looked deadly serious as he frowned, "They think he will. My rival will not allow himself to be beaten so easily."

Iruka sighed and looked over at Pakkun before picking up the pug who put up much less resistance than would be normal for a nin-dog being picked up by someone other than his master. Iruka wrapped his arms around Pakkun and leaned up against Kakashi's bed, evidently not carrying that he was sitting in his underwear in front of a Jônin her barely knew in Kakashi's bedroom.

Gai looked at Iruka, as if trying to decide to say something, "When was the last time you ate?"

"Monday, I think." Iruka just stared blankly at the floor.

Gai stood up, "You should eat something simple then. I'll be back." He walked out of the room and could be hear moving things around in the kitchen.

Iruka let go of Pakkun and got onto his hands and knees to look at Kakashi. "I should have been here."

Pakkun snorted, "There wasn't anything you could have done."

Iruka set his head down on the blanket over Kakashi's hand, "I should have still been here. I mean, maybe Kakashi wouldn't be unconscious."

The pug jumped up onto the bed and sat down on the other side of Kakashi's body, "Look, don't beat yourself up. I haven't been any help either."

Iruka reached out a trembling hand to scratch Pakkun's ear, "I'm sure he knows you're hanging around here keeping an eye out for him."

Gai called out from the kitchen, "Iruka-sensei, I have some food prepared for you. You must eat and return the vigor to your body."

Carefully Iruka stood up, using the bed and then the wall to support his weakened and trembling body. Slowly he made his way from the bedroom, not caring that he was only in his underwear. Carefully he made his way down to the kitchen, using the hallway wall as a brace. As soon as Gai saw how slowly he was walking and how crucial the wall was to that process, he jumped up and started to assist the chuunin to a chair.

On the table was a bowl of something. Iruka picked up the spoon next to the bowl and poked it. The tannish substance upon further inspection was truly an unappetizing gruel. He slowly started to eat the unappetizing substance, knowing that was probably best for his body since he hadn't eaten anything in so long.

Gai watched as Iruka's hand shook. "Ibiki has had a medic stop by here a few times while you were unconscious."

Iruka frowned, "I'm sorry. It would have been easier on everyone had I gone to the hospital." He kept eating the gruel, knowing he had to get his body used to food again.

Gai was carefully watching the chuunin, "The medics have been checking on Kakashi anyways.

Iruka sighed and continued to eat the gruel, "Do you know if Anko woke up?"

Gai nodded, "She stopped by earlier. Ibiki should be by in another hour or so, he's been waiting for you to wake up."

Iruka nodded at that information and looked down at the table. He then looked over at Gai, "I don't remember coming here. I don't think I reported in when I got back."

Gai nodded, "They told me how much chakra powder you took. It isn't surprising. You should lie back down, I'm sure Ibiki will wake you up when he gets here."

"Nah, no time for that. I need to be up when Ibiki gets here." He stood up and tilted his neck from side to side, stretching the muscles and cracking it. He then walked back to the bedroom to grab his pack and a clean towel. If Gai noticed the fact that he didn't have to search for the clean towels but just knew where they were, then he didn't say anything.

Iruka disappeared into the bathroom. When he walked back out about thirty minutes later, he was dressed as best as could be expected with what he went in there with. He had cut off the bottoms of the tan pants of the grass uniform and strapped on his Shuriken holster over the thigh wound (to actually cover the slash in the pants). He had a Mesh shirt on which was normally under one of the uniform shirts, but at least he was in more than his underwear.

He walked back into the bedroom and saw Gai was once again sitting there. He walked over to check on Kakashi before turning to look at Gai, "Thanks. I'm sorry I increased the trouble for you."

Gai smiled, "Ah, it is no trouble watching over a comrade. Even the chuunin of the village perform an important service."

Iruka blinked. Obviously, the man meant it as a compliment, but damn did that sound like a slap on the face. "You are friends with Kakashi?"

"Ahh, yes. My eternal rival and I have been friends since back in the war." Gai smiled as he recalled. "The days of battling together to valiantly save Konoha."

Iruka sat down on the bad, placing a hand over the blanket covering Kakashi's leg. "I'm glad Kakashi had a friend to look over him."

Gai smiled again, that man was always smiling, "After bringing Sasuke to the hospital, I knew—"

Iruka cut him off, "Sasuke is in the hospital what happened?" He jumped up from the bed and took a step towards Gai before dropping to a knee.

Gai was up in an instant, "Are you alright?"

Iruka nodded, "Just got up to fast. What happened to Sasuke?"

Gai frowned, "He encountered Itachi. He is safe now, and I can't say anymore than that."

Iruka sat back down on Kakashi's bed. He cut off Gai in the midst of another 'don't worry the jônin and ANBU are protecting the village' speech. "Gai, I must apologize for being rude, but please shut up about the whole Jônin and ANBU thing. I've seen more fucking missions in the past two weeks than most ANBU so I am not in the mood."

Gai shut up and looked serious. "I didn't mean to offend you." He glanced over at Kakashi. "I haven't had much of a chance to speak to Kakashi recently, but he hasn't mentioned you. Why did you come here?"

Iruka bit down on his lower lip, "I don't know if he would want me to say."

"My eternal rival does not keep secretes from me."

"Look, it just isn't my place to say. I mean. Fuck!" He put his head down in his hands, "Like it wouldn't fucking well be obvious and the whole damn gossip network doesn't already know. "

As Iruka looked over at Gai, obviously battling what to tell the man, there was a knock at the door. Gai got up to open it, allowing Ibiki to walk into the room. The head of the torture and interrogation unit was alone.

Ibiki walked into Kakashi's bedroom and looked at Iruka sitting there on the bed, "You almost killed yourself coming here instead of getting medical attention right away."

Iruka frowned and glared at Ibiki as he carefully stood up to face the other man. Gai kept to the outskirts of the room, obviously not sure what was going on.

"Ibiki. Fuck you." Iruka walked over to him, "If you hadn't sent Izumo off there alone, then I wouldn't have had to tear across half of Fire country to get him out of that place. Do you know what those assholes do there? Do you? Because if you knew and you still sent him alone, you are either the biggest fucking sadist in the village or it's true that all jônin are really fucking bat-shit crazy."

Iruka was wobbling as he pointed his finger at Ibiki, but his anger was only just kicking in. "Did your medic tell you the condition Izumo was in? Did you read between the lines to figure out what happened to him to get those injuries? Do you even fucking care what happens to your people? I don't fucking think so. I told you time and time again that this is too dangerous to send them out alone, but do you listen? No, but if I say I can go out alone suddenly you're all, oh no, I can't send anyone alone. Then the second some shit hits the fan, boom. You fucking sent Izumo to that place alone. Did you read my fucking med report after I came back from there? What about my fucking psyche evaluation? Oh, why should any of you fucking jônin be bothered by that shit."

Ibiki cut off the rant, "Iruka, I'm sorry."

Iruka's rant derailed as he looked up at Ibiki. "You …" He sat back down on the bed near Kakashi's feet.

Ibiki leaned up against a wall. "You're right. I shouldn't have sent him alone."

Iruka looked over at Ibiki, "I'm sorry for not reporting straight away."

Ibiki shook his head, "I expected you two to go straight to Anko. I didn't expect you to come here. Genma told me about you and Kakashi." Ibiki walked farther into the room, "You deserve to know what's going on. The elders have decided the Tsunade-sama should be the next Hokage. Jiraiya and Naruto left to find her. Itachi went after Naruto, but Sasuke got there as that was happening. Sasuke ended up in the same shape as Kakashi here, but Itachi escaped. We're waiting for them to come back with Tsunade, and hopefully she'll be able to heal whatever Itachi did to Sasuke and Kakashi. Until then, I've been given the responsibility of making sure we are not the victims of another surprise attack."

Iruka frowned, "Please tell me I can rest until morning at least?"

Ibiki nodded as he handed over a scroll, "I need you there by sunset. What time you need to leave depends on how fast of time you think you can make."

Gai interrupted, "Ibiki, you can not be serious. Iruka-sensei just regained consciousness. There are many Jônin around the village; certainly one of us could take this mission."

Ibiki shook his head, "Gai, not to disrespect the abilities of the shinobi of this village. Iruka is part of a covert squad. Mention of this does not leave this room. His skills are needed for this mission."

Iruka sighed, "When are you sending Destiny and Salvation?" He slipped into using the code names for Izumo and Kotetsu.

"Salvation and Hope are leaving within the hour if they haven't already left. I'm keeping Destiny here for a while to operate around the village."

Iruka frowned, he hadn't expected Anko to be one of the people sent out, "Are you sure Hope is ready to go back out?"

Ibiki nodded. "When do you need to leave on your mission?"

"I'll be by your office before noon. I'll need Genma to redo the poisons and I'll need a new grass uniform, I've trashed this one." He gestured at his tan pants. "Until then, I am going to sleep here and I don't give a shit what anyone says." He lay back down on the futon mattress, clutching the scroll as he pulled the blanket back up over him, and over his head. It may have been a childish way to signal he was done with the conversation, but it was definitely a clear signal.

-------------------- Notes ------------------------

Thanks to the writers who have come before me with the idea that jônin are bat shit crazy.

Please review, I would love to know what people are thinking of this. Updates should be back on their every other day or so schedule. I still plan to have this done by the end of the month. Sorry this update was a day late