Author's Note: If you didn't hate Ishida before, you will now

Chapter 4: Conclusions

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The machines stood by her side. Beeping rythmicly. Allowing the many doctors to monitor her health.

It had been hard, but finally the job was done. The young girl would live. A great loss of blood had put her on the bed she now lay on. They were still trying to get all of the blood to disappear into the dirt. Across her chest, she held a scar. This would never heal. Nor would the feelings she would soon posses for her attacker.

It had been a long day. The Hokage could only sit and watch. Her patient's chest, rising and slowly falling. She had fallen asleep some time ago. Now her eyes were wide open. The village had taken a lot of damage from the attack. It still puzzled her who would do such a thing. Still no answer came from neighboring villages. Extra guards were posted on the wall. One thing was clear. A former foe of Konoha's had attacked. The name of him was hardly mentioned any more. Rumors had started long ago, that if you even whispered his name, he would appear and take your life.

Akira Ishida was the most feared shinobi in Konoha. So few knew about his wonderous and destructive power. But today, all in Konoha witnessed only a portion of what he was capable of. This scared Tsunade. If Ishida could so easily do this much damage, and not even get a scratch on him, then who knows what he could do at full power. It had been a while since she had felt true fear. Now shivered down her bones, and settled itself into her heart.

The blonde was out of breath. His heart pounded upon his chest. Excitement overwhelmed him. He couldn't keep it in any more. He had to tell someone. Quickly he rushed to find Sakura. First he would check the Hokage tower. If she wasn't there, he would ask around.
"Ishida!" Kakashi called through the house. That's when he heard the faint footsteps of the red head. 'He must be down there.' Underneath the house of Ishida, there were many tunnels and hidden rooms. Only Misha knew what he did down there. But whenever Ishida disappeared, it was a good bet he was in the rooms.

The silver headed jounin waited and listened. Then a sliding sound. He raced to the living room. Ishida had only returned a vase to its place on the mantle when Kakahsi entered the room. In his calm voice that now angered Kakashi, he asked, "Did you call for me?"

"Yes," Kakashi's voice was dark. Something was swelling within him. Something that would prove vital in his effort to survive. But the red head just looked at him blankly. 'You know well what I want. Stop acting!' "You promised me, when we met in the woods.-

"What does this have to do with Naruto?" Kakashi stood there in front of Ishida. Whom hung from a tree in front of him. A quick movement and Ishida was standing upright in front of his former friend.

"Everything. You see, without him, I would have no bait. But you need him too, don't you?"

"Spit it out Ishida; I already told you I'm not playing these games."

"Alright, alright," He held up his hands, "What I want is your life. No, I don't want to live in Konoha. I want you to live my life. To understand what I'm being put through."

Kakashi looked at him. Ishida could not be trusted. "Why should I listen to you."

"Because if you don't, the boy dies." With that he smiled his milignant smile. In his hand he held up a radio. It was full of static until Ishida pressed the button. "Misha, how is our guest."

There was a reply, "He's out cold, but still breathing." Ishida turned off the radio. The calm smile crossed his face. Kakashi was filled with more worry than anger. The red head could call for Naruto's death at any time. He had to be careful.

"Alright. But you know the boy will never stop looking for me."

"Exactly, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless... you dead. Now I'm going to kill you. Just stage a death. You won't ever have to see him, or your village again." His hand was now on Kakashi's shoulder. There it was quickly swept away. "It'll make things easier. On ME and on you." What could Kakashi do, but agree. It was at the moment, the only choice he could make.

"Oh, Kakashi, I know I promised. But things change," his eyes darkened and now were treacherous again. "After all, I couldn't have you sneaking off in the night. Wouldn't it have just been better to see your friends in the daylight." Ishida shrugged his shoulders and sat down on a chair. He pulled out a small brown book and began to read it. Kakashi clenched his fist. He would do something, none dared to. But no matter what, he would not regret it.

The red head sat there. Thinking he had won this one. He did not realize that he had only fanned the flames that grew inside Kakashi. In the corner of his eye he caught the jounin walking over to him. In a sly and evil manner, he looked into his 'friend's' face. "Yes."

WHAM! Kakashi's fist slammed into Ishida's face.

Naruto didn't understand at first, but soon it was clear. Sakura had been taken to the hospital after a confrontation with one of the attackers. And as it may be, news spreads fast. It was Akira Isida that had attacked. Him and three others. One of them had been captured, and was now under interogation.

The genin's feet raced to the hospital. If Sakura had been attacked by Ishida, there was chance she wouldn't live. But later he would regret ever knowing who attacked her.

Naruto's feet slid across the tiled floor of the hospital. His eagerness and excitement mixed in with fear and worry. "Sakura-chan?" he asked several times. It wasn't until he bumped into Tsunade that he found where she was.

"She's in the last room on the right side of this hallway," Tsunade put a hand on his shoulder and pointed the way. "Naruto, she's still in a critical stage. Please don't get her excited. Even though the wound is closed, people have been lost today. That would hurt any person." The blonde nodded and continued on his way.

There was a thud on the floor. A flapping of papers could be heard, as Ishida's book landed next to him. His face pushed against the wood. Kakashi stood behind him. His arm back at his side. Ishida couldn't believe what had just happened. 'No one strikes me!' The red head sat up. His knees bent under him. He tried to act as if the blow hadn't effected him, but now his chin was full of pain.

Instead of his calm laugh, a gasp of air and pain escaped. This was all Kakashi needed. For Ishida to realize that he wasn't completely in control. But as he went to leave, the laugh finally escaped from the fallen ninja.

"That was very... unwise of you to do, Kakashi." The silver headed jounin did nothing. "You think you can just walk away from that?" A smile crossed Ishida's face. And before he knew it, he had turned around. Stood to his feet, and flung himself at Kakashi.

The girl sat there in bed. Many people passed her room, but none came in. Sakura sighed. She truly wished that Naruto would have visited her. The wound on her chest was now fully healed, yet the doctors just wanted to make sure everything checked out.

That's when she heard the footsteps. They were further apart than the others. And once in a while they would be loud, the next silent. Then they stopped right in front of her door. Sakura smiled as she recognized the shape of Naruto's spikey hair.

The door slid open, and the blonde smiled. "You're ok?"

"Yes."

Naruto let out a deep breath. "That's good. I have something to tell you!" the boy's face lit up. His feet skidded across the floor and he seated himself by the bedside. He couldn't stop smiling, and he couldn't talk. Whatever it was Naruto had to say to her, it was stuck in his throat.

"Well, I guess I have a little bit before you actually speak."

Then he stuttered it out, "Ka-Ka-Kakashi-sensei is alive!"

"Naruto?" the pink headed girl's face turned to worry. "I know it's hard, but don't you think this is a lil-"

"I saw him!" the blonde's hands were now on the bed. His deep blue pools staring into the jade green of her eyes. She saw the determination in them. 'He really met him?'

Naruto say the questioning in her head. "Yes, he was with the raiding party."

"What!"

"Yeah. I know it's hard to believe. But I think Ishida is making him do this!" the boy's butt was back in the chair. His heart now racing with excitement. But Sakura did not feel the same way. If her beloved teacher was wtih the raid... it was possible he was the one to injure her. "Sakura-chan? You don't look so happy. Didn't you hear? Ka-"

"I heard, Naruto." Her voice was no but a whisper. "What did he look like?"

"What did he look like?" Naruto put a finger to his chin as he remebered. It was a little hard, for his mind was a bit cloudy. "Well, his hair was shorter. Much shorter. Other than that, he was almost the same looking. His outfit covered most of his face though. It was black."

Sakura held her breath. How could she tell him that Kakashi had almost killed her. Her began to shake and tears streamed down her cheeks. "Hey," Naruto put his hands on hers and settled them down. "It's hard to believe at first, but... he is alive."

"It's not that," she was trying to talk through the tears, "I know he's alive." Naruto let a smile loose across his face. 'Finally she understands!' But it was quickly wiped off as he saw that she wasn't crying in happiness. It was fear. "He's alive, but he's not the same."

End of chapter 4.

To all who review: I'm glad you like this story. I hope you will continue to read it. Please let me know if you have any problems with it at all. Thank you.

Next chapter: A Meeting In the Dark

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