This chapter is dedicated to TheBeauty! I really appreciate everyone's reviews and questions - and thank you all so much for reading my stories.


DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own. PLEASE REVIEW MY CHAPTERS! I will take advice from my readers while continuing my story.


Thinking

Biju, etc. speaking

Biju, etc. thinking

Emphasis


Kurama… Naru knew that name - knew it in her heart! Who was Kurama? Who is Kurama? Where is he? He's a 'he,' right? Yes.

"I want to see Kurama."


Kakashi glared at Sakura. Honestly, why did she have to say that of all things? Naru did sound just like the fox when she made that "Tch" sound, and she even made an expression of disgust that would have made the nine-tails proud at that moment, but what were they supposed to say? "Kurama's not here, Naru," Kakashi said after several moments.

"He's important. I know he is: don't say that!" Naru countered.

"Naru, do you remember something? Something about Kurama?" Sakura asked gently.

"I don't know. He's important like I said. I want him. What the heck is going on? You guys are hiding stuff from me: important things, I can tell! I'm not as naive as you think. I don't understand…" Sakura tried to interrupt but didn't get anywhere. "No! You don't think I notice? You don't want me near anyone, either of you."

"That's not true, Naru," Kakashi replied.

"Oh, right, and that's why I've never met Gai-san or Lee-kun, right Sakura?" Naru replied bitterly.

Wow, no honorific. That told Sakura immediately that Naru was pissed. Aside from how she sometimes would call Kakashi simply by his name, this was a big deal. And up until now, the girl just didn't get angry. Defiant, fiery, and occasionally a little surly? Sure, but straight up angry? No. "Now hold on, Naru. There's a reason why sensei hasn't wanted you around other people."

Naru glared at Kakashi and waited, folding her arms under her chest. The man in question regarded Sakura with irritation, trying to figure out what to say. He huffed and finally replied, "You're important to this village, Naru-chan. I had hoped that by shielding you that you'd be protected…"

"Oh and look how that's fucking worked out! Spinny Man busting me up and my psychotic brother's friend trying to kill me," Naru heatedly replied. Sakura and Kakashi glanced at each other wondering what some of that even meant!

"And what about Kurama? I don't know… I don't understand! But I know that I need Kurama!" Tears formed in her eyes.

"Naru," Sakura began, sitting down and putting her arm around the blonde. "Kurama is, well, gone…" She looked up to her sensei for support, but having dealt with the loved ones of those that had died, she knew that honesty was the best policy in the long-term mental health of a person. This was incredibly hard, though: seeing the bubbly blonde go through this.

"That's not true. That's not true! It can't be!" Naru's tears fell freely. "You have to be lying! Why would you say that, Sakura-chan?! He wouldn't leave me!" Naru shook her head violently before grabbing the back of it with both hands in pain. Finally, she mumbled, "I don't even know exactly who he is, but I know he wouldn't leave me again."

Kakashi sat down on the other side of Naru, holding her in his arms and rocking her back and forth gently. "Shhh. It's all right, you have us."

"It's not enough," she mumbled. Kakashi stiffened. "I'm sorry, but…" Naru wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve and sniffed loudly, shaking her head again. "I - I am sorry, but sometimes I get lonely," she said quietly. "And whatever happened to me before? I don't know, but that lonely feeling is something that is way too normal for me. I don't like it. I don't mean to be a baby, but it feels like loneliness was something I've been way too comfortable with. Or not comfortable, but it's like I've always felt it - and I don't like it. If that's not true, then I'm sorry," she tried to explain as Kakashi saw the pained expression on her face.

"Okay, Naru-chan. Maybe we can try to get you together with an old friend or two. It might be awkward, though, since you don't remember," Sakura said. Screw what Kaka-sensei wants now! His ideas seemed to be negatively affecting Naru's mental health - and that gave her the power as a med-nin to overrule his overly-possessive desires. Finally!

"Just a minute, Sakura," Kakashi began as Sakura gave him that I'm-in-charge-here, way-too-superior look that he hated but would have to abide by. Letting out a deep sigh he relented, a bit. "Maybe she can meet Lee-kun, I guess." Sakura gave him a brilliant smile and was obviously relieved, but Naru shirked away from him.

"What about Gai-san?" And what about Kurama? Naru knew - she felt it in her bones - that Kurama wasn't gone, whatever they meant by that. And she didn't want to further consider what "gone" could mean. No way he's dead, she thought stubbornly, as tears returned to her eyes.

"Kami-sama, that's a youth overload," Kakashi said seriously, shaking his head at the thought. "If we do that, we'll have to do it separately. And we'll have to ensure that they don't tell…"

"Why?" Naru asked, frowning at the man. "What is the deal? You said I wasn't a bad person or a criminal after I got unburied or whatever, ya know?" She quieted down as she saw the grief-stricken look on Kakashi's face. "So what's the deal with my brother wanting to kill me and being an asshole, and this Shikamaru guy…"

Kakashi took her hands and kneeled in front of her. He looked her in the eyes, raising his headband, and said, "You have to trust me on this, Naru. No one that I know of wants to kill you, but you could be in danger. I've never lied to you and I don't intend to start now, alright? We will take this slowly, and you will agree to that. I'm the leader of this village, and you're my subordinate." Naru nodded to that.

Sakura AGAIN felt like slapping him, right then and there. He had put a damn genjutsu on Naru! Who the hell did he think he was? Shisui Fucking Uchiha? It wasn't going to hold forever! She cleared her throat and fiercely glared at her leader. He raised his eyebrow, basically daring her to say something. Jerkwad. She could only shake her head at the man.

"Okay, can we leave now?" Naru asked, in a daze. Sakura told her that she could get dressed, and Naru started undressing right in front of them before Sakura squawked and pushed her into the bathroom, then brought clothes to the woman.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile, pervert that he was. He got an extra looksie at her breasts! Sakura growled at him while he only said, "Always was terrible with genjutsu." He was nearly knocked to the floor by an unamused pinkette.

"There's something else I think we need to work with her on," Sakura whispered. "Chakra control, after what happened the other night."

"Maa, I don't think that's necessary, Sakura. I mean yes, there was that outburst, and I suppose she really made a clone, but it was only one from the way she spoke of it. I don't even get the explosion thing or what she was saying about a brother…" Kakashi replied quietly.

Sakura led him out to the hallway where they could speak more openly about the blonde. "Look, sensei, I'd forgotten about something I think happened in the Academy with Naruto. The boys were unlocking their chakra in the first year - or trying to. Naruto was one of the last to get it, from what I was told. We girls were in kunoichi classes while the boys were at it." Kakashi grimaced, wondering if those practices were still in place at the Academy. There was no reason, he felt, for the kids to be separated according to sex for the most part - and certainly not in practicing or attempting to unlock their chakra. That was something he needed to check on.

Sakura continued, "I heard a story back then about one of the boys unlocking his and supposedly 'blasting them all out of the area with his chakra.' Back then I was sure that it was just an exaggeration... But if it was true it had to be Naruto, right? I mean, I also heard bad things about that same boy from some of the civilian-born kids in the hallway that day when an older boy was talking about it… It seems obvious now that it had to have been Naruto. That's one reason it would be better for Naru if she began at least doing control exercises."

"I don't know Sakura. And even if it was Naruto back then, Naru doesn't have the fox now," Kakashi said. If he was being truly honest - and no way was he going to be in front of Sakura regarding this at the moment - he would like for Naru not to even be a ninja anymore to keep her safe. If she wanted to do it eventually, then… maybe - or maybe not. Still, he had to admit to himself that chakra blasts like she had in the hospital room with Sakura were not something he wanted to see repeated around anyone.

"Just because the fox is gone doesn't negate the fact that she's an Uzumaki. From everything I've read, they have incredible chakra stores." Kakashi made a face. "Consider it, sensei. It would also mean that she'd spend less time feeling sad!" Sakura said with a lift in her voice. Oh yes, she was trying to manipulate him! She went back into the room, only to find Naru sitting on the bed, reading Kakashi's orange Icha-Icha Paradise book. She groaned while Kakashi chuckled.

They walked down the hall and eventually out of the hospital. Naru had her face in the book the entire time. For once, her sensei wasn't putting a genjutsu on her features - since her entire face was behind smut, Sakura assumed sourly - so finally Sakura placed the genjutsu on the entire group of them. She inwardly cursed her sensei as they finally reached the Tower. No way was Sakura allowing her now female teammate to be seen walking with the village's leading pervert, his own porn in her hand!