Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 7: Slow and Steady
"You're recovering well," Kabuto said as he helped guide Sakura back down from her upright position. The older teen smiled down at her. "The severed muscle will take time to regenerate. The lung tissue will take longer and require a little push, but that is what I'm here for."
He turned to adjust her IV drip and Sakura allowed a grimace of pain she was hiding to cross her face. A knife to the chest sure as hell hurt. "Thank you Kabuto-san. I'm sorry you had to stay behind when your team will headed out today."
The medic-nin just smiled again, he really did that a lot Sakura was noticing. "I prefer the med room to a mission anyway, so that's no real loss," he assured.
Sakura nodded from her propped up position. "I thought the med-core doesn't start recruiting until you make chûnin."
Kabuto took Naruto's abandoned seat. Though it took more than one try Sakura finally convinced him to go eat breakfast and track down Sasuke. She was told by Raido he only left her side to clean up and use the bathroom. The concern for her well being was touching but left Sakura struggling to breathe. Her dark haired teammate had yet to make an appearance and Sakura was trying not to feel hurt over it. "Yes, that is true. I am not an official medic-nin yet."
"Surely you could pass the exams though?" Iryô-ninjutsu and Konoha's medic-nin program was one of the many topics covered in brief at the Academy. Though Sakura didn't know much about the field she knew that she was very close to death yesterday. The errant thought of her father being right flew through her head for a moment but was drowned out by the contradiction that Kabuto was only a genin yet some how had the skill to save her life.
"Oh I'm sure I could."
There was a smugness to his tone that made Sakura's jaw tight. She expected him to follow the statement with an explanation but none came. "But how did you learn iryô-ninjutsu if you weren't in the program?" Sakura questioned more directly, trying not to become frustrated with the teen's opaqueness. He saved her life after all.
"My father taught me from the time was a child," he answered simply.
Pink eyebrows rose at that. She wanted to ask more but held back her questions. It didn't seem as if he was trying to be difficult. He was perhaps someone who just preferred not to talk of themselves and really it wasn't her place to ask. Besides she didn't want to jeopardize him saying no to her next request. "Do you think, if you have time of course, you wouldn't have to-"
"You want me to teach you a bit," Kabuto finished for her with another smile.
Pale cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I have a thorough knowledge of first aid, but it would be good to know some iryô-ninjutsu."
"You know that iryô-ninjutsu isn't like any other discipline correct?" The smile faded from his face and his eyes behind those truly atrocious wire frames seem to assess her. Something about his gaze made her feel naked and her hands smooth over the blankets on top of her body as if to make sure they are still there. "To truly have a grasp on it takes more than just an hour or two of playing around like most ninjutsu. It takes years of study, a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology as well as chemistry." Sakura's face fell. "I don't mean to discourage you. I want you to understand this isn't a field you waltz into."
The way he said 'waltz' burned Sakura like a hot poker just pulled from the fire. Though framed with kind words there was a tone of condescension about it. If she wasn't so tired she would be livid. The young genin was getting tired of people underestimating her. She wrestled with her tongue for a moment struggling to find polite words in the sea of curses boiling to come out. The pink haired girl knew she wouldn't get anything out of him if she snapped at him now. "I see," she said trying to sound disappointed rather than angry. "Could you maybe point me towards what I need to begin then?"
If Kabuto was surprised by her persistence he didn't show it. His made another pass over her form in evaluation. Sakura's right fist clenched beneath her covers. "I suppose I can part with some of my more rudimentary texts. It should serve you until you return to Konoha and can procure some of your own materials." Sakura was about to thank him for the unexpected offer when he added, "That is if you continue on past the basics."
Her jaw clenched as she bit back the words that are throwing themselves against her shut teeth. She somehow came up with some words of gratitude. Silence settled between the two and Sakura wished more than anything she had the freedom to leave the room. He may have saved her life but he was a jerk and she didn't want to spend another minute with him. "I think I need to sleep," she said pointedly.
Kabuto just nodded with another infuriating smile on his face. She was going to dream about wiping it off hopefully. "If you feel well enough I would suggest some light movement tomorrow. I will be in to check on you and change the IV before I turn in for the night."
Sakura let out a breath of relief when he finally left. She had yet to be alone since she woke up. Not that she didn't appreciate Naruto keeping her company but solitude was what she needed at the moment . She slipped the bloodstained envelope out from under the covers and began to read it again.
Sakura,
I want you to know I love. I love you more than anything in the world, more than life itself.
But I am not happy. I haven't been happy for a very long time. And that is not your fault. Know that none of this is your fault.
You are still so young, but you have already found a place for yourself in this world. There are not many who do as early as you. You have found people who not only accept you as you are but challenge you to be more. That is a gift you must never take for granted. It is more than friendship and as you grow older I am sure you will see it.
I never found that. Please do not misunderstand me. I loved your father and I love you, but to be truly happy a comfortable life and a wonderful child isn't always enough. Neither is love.
I'm sorry I didn't have the courage to tell you all this before you left, but I didn't want you coming home to an empty house. When you return I will have left your father. It has been a long time coming. Please do not feel that your recent disagreement with him caused this.
I will still be in Konoha of course. I have found a small apartment and though we would have to share a bed you are more than welcome to stay with me. I will not be hurt if you continue to live at your home.
Remember that I will always love you.
Your Mother
Sakura carefully folded the letter closed and hid it in the novel that Naruto brought her. She couldn't process this right now. She just couldn't.
It was just all too much.
With every breath pain echoed through out her chest.
The smell of blood was under her nose.
The weight of a dead body pressed down her.
The eyes of a man she couldn't save burned in her mind.
Tears wet her cheeks before she knew she was crying.
And on top of everything Sakura was just so tired.
Raidô watched through a window as Kabuto left to get more medical supplies in the city. That shinobi was an odd one. In his time the special jônin met many genin destined to never rise through the ranks. But, Kabuto was obviously a very gifted medic. He was sure that if he applied through the proper channels the younger shinobi could at least achieve chunin level. Perhaps though he wanted to do it the old fashioned way. It really wasn't any of his business and he had a shit storm on his hands that needed dealing with.
Raidô sent a message to Konoha as soon as Naruto arrived and he learned the mission went sideways. Hatake might have already received word of his team's misfortune. Though the word misfortune wasn't really appropriate. He doubted chance had anything to do with what happened. He wasn't necessarily nervous for the higher ranking shinobi's return but in the little time he spent with Team 7 he knew some of the rumors regarding Hatake were far from the truth.
The man was as sharp as he was when he left ANBU if not sharper. If it turned out that someone orchestrated all of this they were going to be put down.
Shaking his head Raidô continued to shuffle through the mountain of mission requests and risk assessments that littered his desk. He wanted out of this assignment. The scarred shinobi was following his physical therapy regime religiously and his shoulder was doing much better. He had hope that he would be cleared again for something other than desk work when he returned to Konoha. A not so gentle knock at the door of the office brought the veteran shinobi's attention to the rather troublesome blonde that stood there.
"Uzumaki," he greeted. Naruto shuffled his feet, not meeting Raidô's eyes. "Is there something I can do for you?" To see the blonde away from Sakura's side was surprising. The Fourth's son was stuck like glue to his friend's bedside since he was given permission to be in the sick room.
The genin opened his mouth but shut it again when another knock sounded on the front door. Glancing up out the window he saw a familiar posse of bodyguards. He motioned Naruto to follow him out of the office and went to answer the call expecting to see a prisoner. He just hoped the boy could control himself.
"Ochida-san." Raidô's greeted, keeping his face blank at the elder man's appearance. From behind him Naruto curiously took in the traditionally dressed man.
"Shinobi-san, I know you weren't expecting me this morning. Frankly, I wasn't expecting to be here either but I have need to speak with you again." Radiô stepped aside allowing the elder to enter. The guards didn't move remembering the drill from yesterday's visit.
Wonder what about their discussion last night remained unclear Radiô gestured the man toward the office door. "We can speak in the office again. Please." Turning to Naruto he was about to ask that the blonde make himself scarce but was interrupted.
"I would like to request that the shinobi assigned to Tanabe's party be present at our discussion," Ochida added before making his way into the office.
Naruto stiffened at the name, recognizing it as belonging to the person responsible for the ambush on his team. "Who is the geezer?" the blonde asked with cheek.
"This geezer can still hear you!" Ochida called from inside the office.
The genin was about to make an angry retort but the look he got from Raidô silenced him. "That geezer," the special jônin began in a commanding whisper, "is the man who decides whether or not Konoha will continue to enjoy contracts from Takikawa. We will do what he asks." No matter how much we don't like it, he thought to himself. "Go get Uchiha."
Naruto made a face at the mention of his teammate. "He isn't talking to me."
"Tell him I will write him up for insubordination if he isn't here in 3 minutes," the elder shinobi commanded while resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Radiô knew that first combat could be traumatizing even without everything else Team 7 went through, but right now he needed professionals.
The son of the Fourth grumbled a bit but did as he was told. Raidô made sure his face was placid before he walked into the office. The village councilman's eyes were closed as he sat in one of the chairs. The veteran shinobi noticed that the man looked staggeringly less healthy than he had last night. It was such a noticible decline that the normally apathetic man felt the stirrings of pity.
Without opening his eyes the man spoke. "Tanabe is dead."
Raidô blinked in surprise, but didn't let the news make his mask of calm fall. "How did this come about?"
"Apparent suicide."
Was there anyway this situation could get messier? "I can assure you Konoha had nothing to do with this." For a moment Raidô wondered if Sasuke snuck out and did the deed but dismissed the idea.
Ochida finally made eye contact and sighed. "I know. Why would you kill him in his cell last night when you would have all the opportunity in the world today? But it does confirm something."
It was a relief to know that Takikawa would not be trying to pin this on Konoha, but Raidô had a terrible feeling that what was coming was not good news. "How are you so sure that Tanabe didn't kill himself?" he asked, back tracking to the previous topic.
"Tanabe was left handed, the knife which is a mystery in itself as he was searched before being put in the cell, was in his right hand. Not to mention the cut was made from left to right across his stomach." Even being a seasoned shinobi Raidô grimaced at that particular form of suicide. "Whoever killed him didn't know him well enough to use his left hand. Obviously they wanted him silenced before he could come into your custody."
There was a knock on the office door before the special jônin could respond. He knew who was on the other side of that door and for a second Raidô wanted to deny this man's request. He didn't want Naruto or Sasuke to come any closer to this, whatever it was. But the village, or money for the village came first. "Enter," he called. Two of his charges trudged into the room and Raidô truly would have given a month's pay to smack their heads together at the childish behavior. "These are two of the shinobi who were assigned to the mission. The third is currently unavailable." He sent Ochida a look, hoping that the other man would have the sense not to bring up Sakura.
"I know your kind start them young, but I have grandchildren older than these two." Both genin bristled but shut up quickly at the vicious scowl their current team leader sent them. "I wanted to speak to you both and apologize for the actions of my colleague-"
"That really isn't necess-," Raidô began but fell silent as the man raised a gnarled hand.
"It is, please, I am old, apologizing doesn't get easier with age. As I was saying I have come to apologize for the actions of my colleague and friend."
"That asshole was your friend?" Naruto asked tactlessly. Radiô simply closed his eyes knowing that this situation was far out of his control.
"At one time he was. We were both from the same mining town north of here." The man chuckled, obviously remembering times long past. "We were pretty inseparable, but things change." Ochida grimaced. "You think you know someone and then they go and betray everything you believe in." The grave statement paused the room for a moment. The old man sighed. "But that's not here or there. I know you won't be able to see him as such but he was a good man before. People do what they feel they must when they are desperate."
Sasuke made a scoffing noise and looked away. Naruto glanced at his teammate and seemed to agree with the sentiment but surprised Raidô by encouraging the elder to speak. "We're listening."
The elderly man gave an appreciative smile and continued. "His daughter is very ill. I now know that the treatment she requires is quite expensive and it has been bleeding him dry for some time now. The stubborn fool wouldn't ask for money. Not directly anyway. He was too proud. I think he tried once, but I, well, I didn't listen. Perhaps if I had..." Ochida let the sentence trail off. "We old fools are set in our ways and believe our age and experience make us wiser than all the young." He stood and shuffled to the door past the three shinobi. "But the truth is we aren't. Age doesn't make us infallible, just less likely to acknowledge our mistakes when we make them." Ochida turned before opening the door. "I'm sorry for what my friend did and the damage it has caused the relationship between our two cities. This whole situation is a right mess, and its clear that I am not the best choice to handle this situation." Raidô followed the elder out and made sure he made it back to his waiting guards. "I will send another representative over to finish the paperwork," Ochida called back.
Raidô watched the man and his guards leave the property before he closed the outpost door and turned to see both genin standing there. Sasuke's pale face was bland, but there was a tightness around his mouth that gave away his emotional distress. Naruto simply looked confused. "The guy who set up the whole thing is dead?" Raidô quickly explained the situation to the two genin. The blonde became more confused. "Why did the geezer apologize to us?"
Sighing Raidô speculated, "His friend betrayed this city, the city that they both spent he spent a majority of his life serving. He feels responsible for his friend's actions. I'm sure he's already been to or will go to speak to the families of the guards that were killed as well." The Fourth's son flinched at the mention of the guards. Deciding to change the subject Raidô rounded on Sasuke. "Uchiha have you visited Sakura yet?" The dark haired boy scowled at him. He took vindictive pleasure in his next action. "Go visit her, that is an order." Without saying anything the last Uchiha stalked off down the hallway. Naruto made to follow his teammate but was called back. "Just give them some space for now Uzumaki."
The young genin looked as if he wanted to argue but nodded heading down the hallway no doubt to just eavesdrop. Shaking his head Raidô moved back into the office to begin writing another missive to Konoha. It was obvious now that Team 7's ambush was no accident and far more than just some desperate man's plot for money. This was far out of his comfort zone. He was the simple sort that prefered a simple objective like kill the target. He really wished Hatake would come back.
As they say ask and ye shall receive.
Sasuke stepped into the near silent med room. He stopped only a foot from the door. He didn't want to be here. He knew Sakura was alive. That was enough for him. He didn't need to see her lying on the small bed under starch white sheets with tubes coming out of her arms. The teenager didn't understand why he was ordered to come here.
The antiseptic smell of the room stings his nose. It was worse than blood.
For a moment he wasn't in the room anymore. He was underneath the blazing sun with hands warm and slippery from fluid that belonged in his teammate's body.
The urge to gag was suddenly strong.
Sakura did not witness his inner turmoil, she was thankfully asleep.
Sasuke staggered backwards. He visited now he can leave.
"You're really just going to leave?" Sakura's voice cut through the silence.
Sasuke tried to make the awkward flailing of his body cease as green eyes opened. He was caught and there was nothing else to do but act like this was normal. The two teammates eyed one another. "And you don't say anything. What a surprise." Sasuke just blinked at her. He knew his lack of words irritated his teammates. It was a reason he chose to say so little. Making a noise of frustration Sakura rolled her eyes, picking up a book and acting as if she didn't want him in the room. They both knew she was a liar.
But the lack of talking suited Sasuke fine until he remembered a question he did need to ask. One could not communicate all things with pointed looks, shoulder shrugs and non-word vocalizations. "Did you mention anything to Namiashi about…" He let the sentence hang knowing that she would pick up what he was hinting at.
Sakura sighed. "Of course not."
Silence filled the room again.
Sasuke fidgeted. He knew what was expected of him in this moment and he wrestled with it. If he gave in they would expect more from him in the future. He wanted to ignore the part of himself that warmed at their expectations.
The seconds ticked passed.
Cursing both his teammates in his head he opened his mouth. "Thank you," he choked out.
Sakura's pink head tipped in his direction. "For what?" she asked.
Sasuke glared at her. She was doing this on purpose. A pink eyebrow rose expectantly. "For not saying anything and for… for intercepting that shinobi." He didn't say for saving his life. Because there was no way to know if the enemy would have killed him. There wasn't.
Sakura's brow furrowed at his answer. "You know you don't have to thank me for that right?" The dark haired genin blinked at her in confusion. "We're teammates Sasuke. We have each others backs and I'm sure Kakashi-sensei would want you to keep that to yourself for now. Naruto did the same didn't he?" Despite his current anger for the blonde Sasuke grudgingly admitted that Naruto had indeed left out that particular detail from his report. "We're teammates," she repeated. "Though it is really nice to hear you say thank you once in a while, being teammates means you don't have to."
Sasuke didn't get it. He didn't understand the easy way both Sakura and Naruto accepted him. He wasn't an idiot. He knew he was difficult to deal with and even sometimes tried to be on purpose. But every time he tried to push these two away they held on tighter. It made him feel like he was a part of something again, that he belonged.
"Sasuke?" Sakura's green eyes were clear and attentive. "You haven't been speaking to Naruto have you?" The dark haired genin frowned and opened his mouth to speak. "Don't! Just listen. You're angry right? With Naruto." Sasuke's eyes darkened. "He didn't tell me, but he didn't have to. What's going on?"
Turning away from his teammate, the male genin looked out the tiny window. Resentment rose in him, but not just for Naruto. "He wasn't there." Sakura tried to sit up, but winced at the fiery pain that shot through her torso. Sasuke came forward without thinking, helping her sit up. "Should you be moving?" he asked with concern that surprised the both of them.
Sakura weakly shoved him with a pained smile on her face. "I'm fine. Keep talking, I know how much you love it."
Dark eyes rolled at her teasing. "He wasn't there and you got hurt." Sakura got hurt because Naruto froze and he wasn't strong enough to stop it. Again, he wasn't enough. "I let you-"
"Shut up!" Sakura snapped. "I saved your ass." Her words were spoken through gritted teeth. "I saved you and I got stabbed and I nearly died. You don't get to make this about you. You don't get to take that away from me." Her face was pale and her whole body was shaking from holding herself upright. Sasuke stared down at her eyes that shone with pain, her sweat matted hair and her nearly sheet white face. "I stepped in-between you and the enemy because that is what I chose to do. Just like I chose to be kunoichi and I chose to be on this team." Exhausted Sakura let her body fall back and shot him a grateful look when he caught her and helped her back down. "I don't think I can keep nagging on this point Sasuke. We're a team. We're equals or we're not anything." Sakura eyes were bright with tears but she covered them with a hand before Sasuke saw whether or not they spilled down her cheeks.
Giving her space, he headed back over to the tiny window. He saw Naruto sitting outside picking at the grass.
Equals.
He mouthed the word, tasting it on his tongue without giving it a voice.
Equals.
Even through all their training he never quite considered either of them as his equals. He was an Uchiha. He was told from birth that he was better, that he was more. He had to be more. But right now all he wanted was to be equal. There was one problem though. How was he ever going to kill his brother if he was only equal to them?
Sasuke glared down at his hands and for a second he could still see Sakura's blood on them. He remembered the night they pledged their allegiance to Naruto if Kakashi's far fetched scenario ever came true. "Sakura," the dark haired genin called to his teammate. "Do you know how my clan died?" The question obviously threw her.
She nodded slowly. "Yeah, um, it's public record."
Sasuke looked rather surprised at that.
"A lot of things are public record but very few people go looking for them." Sakura futzed with her book for a second. "I didn't go looking for it Sasuke, I swear."
He nodded, accepting what she said as the truth. "I need to find him Sakura." The dark haired genin didn't voice his ambition to kill his brother. He didn't need to. "I'm on this team because it will help me get stronger so I can do that. If you hadn't jumped in front of that Kiri-nin there is a very good chance that I would be dead now." He knew she would connect the dots. His gratitude went far beyond just his life. If not for Sakura he would be dead and more importantly unable to avenge his family.
"Will you let us help you?" The question wasn't hesitant, but there was a shyness to her expression that caught him off guard. Sakura wasn't shy at least not anymore.
"Let us help you Sasuke," a familiar voice said from behind him. Naruto stepped into the room. The last Uchiha's expression soured as his other teammate entered the room. "Look," the blonde began, raising his hands in a placating gesture, "I know you're pissed at me right now. I'm pissed at me too. I froze. I fucked up, but I'm asking for another chance to prove I can be better."
The two boys stared at one another. Finally, Sasuke, who was really just making Naruto sweat because he could gave the smallest of nods. Sakura exhaled loudly. "Now that you two are done with your little pissing contest can we talk about more important things?"
Naruto flashed her a grin bouncing on the balls of his feet, all tension suddenly gone from the room. "Let me grab another chair." He was gone out the door before another word could be spoken.
"I have to be the one to finish it," Sasuke added, holding Sakura's eyes with his own, trying to convey just how much it mattered to him.
"Of course but we can help you get there."
He believed her words. It surprised him but he truly believed her words. Naruto charged back into, the room chair in his hands. The two boys got comfortable and Sakura's face slowly recovered some color.
"So," the only girl in the room started, "what have I missed?"
Her two teammates filled her in, well Naruto did most of the talking but Sasuke got in a few of his own observations.
Sakura's face twisted in a frown when she heard about Tanabe's death. Sasuke agreed with her. "It doesn't fit," he shared. Both his teammates looked towards him. "Those three Kiri-nin were chûnin at best. There is no way that Tanabe knew he was going to get three genin who hadn't even seen combat yet."
"A veteran genin team with a jônin was supposed to take this mission. Technically we shouldn't have even been sent out," Sakura chipped in. "It went completely against protocol. Raidô-san was between a rock and a hard place when he chose to give it to us."
"He either canceled on the first contract we got from the city itself, damaging the relationship between Konoha and Takikawa or put us in the field," Naruto elaborated, nodding to himself. "Not a decision I would want to make."
"Exactly. It's the perfect storm of events. Events that Tanabe had no way of knowing or even creating," Sasuke concluded.
"Shit," Naruto cursed. "You both realize what this means?"
Sasuke's face darkened as he saw Naruto's point. "It had to be someone from Konoha."
Sakura grimaced. "Remember what Kakashi-sensei told us before he left."
"Son of a bitch," the blonde growled.
"Naruto we don't know anything for sure yet," Sakura said, trying to calm the clearly furious boy.
"It has to be someone in Konoha, or even several people. They had to ensure that the other team got their arrival date mixed up," Sasuke continued analyzing the situation, "which means someone in the mission office."
"Plus someone to shut Tanabe up before he could lead us back to them," Naruto threw out before he stood and began pacing.
Sakura pursed her lips. "But the real question here isn't who, it's why. Why send us on this mission? What do they want?"
Sasuke chewed on the questions. What indeed? It couldn't be just their deaths. Even he or Naruto were the targets, both of them were far more valuable alive than dead. Plus there were much easier ways to kill people than this complicated plot full of chances to go wrong. A possible answer came to him in the voice that haunted his dreams. "A test."
Naruto paused in his steps. "What?"
"It was a test."
Sakura sucked in a breath. "That makes sense." The pink haired girl paused, thinking through everything they knew. "Kakashi-sensei told us there are people in Konoha interested in this team. Either you or Naruto were the target, maybe even both of you."
"I don't think it was me," Naruto stated firmly. "I was the most isolated out of the three of us. If they wanted to fight me or even kidnap me they could have done it."
"They went for Sasuke," Sakura declared.
The three let the answer settle in their minds. Sasuke shifted in his chair. Someone was out to get him and he knew without a doubt it wasn't Itachi. If Itachi wanted him, he would come himself. "This must be about the sharingan."
"Only we know you've awakened it right?" Sakura asked.
He nodded in response. "Not even Namiashi should know."
Naruto's golden brow furrowed. "Should we tell him what we think is going on? Kakashi said we could trust him."
Sasuke shook his head. "This stays between us until Kakashi returns. We can't take the risk it will be passed on."
"You two realize this is crazy right?" Naruto crashed back into his seat. "I mean attacking me is one thing. Attacking Sasuke!" He let his words hang. "Our own village… This is so fucked up."
Though Sasuke wouldn't express his own feelings so…passionately, he agreed with Naruto. This was fucked up.
"We're only genin what do we do?" Sakura whispered.
"We keep our heads down and until Kakashi returns we keep going like everything is normal." .
Naruto shook his head. "But things aren't normal. I mean even without the whole someone in Konoha set us up to be ambushed. We were attacked. We saw-" His voice shook slightly but his jaw firmed and he continued. "We saw people die. And you guys…"
Sasuke blinked. It wasn't as though he forgot he killed someone. It was just that it seemed so long ago already. Even immediately after he killed the Kiri-nin there was not even a second spent on contemplating her death. Sakura took priority over everything else and now…now he wondered if killing was always this easy. Was it easy for him? Did he remember that night every time he closed his eyes like Sasuke did? Shaking his dark head the genin bit his inner lip dragging his mind away from oblivion.
He looked at Sakura beside him resting against her pillows. Her face was oddly blank. A lot might have changed about the pink haired girl since they had been assigned to Team 7 but at least one thing remained the same. Sakura wore her heart on her sleeve, at least in front of her teammates. But now her face was closed off.
The tension in the room died when they felt another presence approach and shortly after there was a knock at the door before it opened. "Oh, hello there." Sasuke recognized the medic-nin who was treating Sakura. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked stepping farthing into the room with a stack of books in the room.
"No, not at all," Naruto said, managing far more cheer than even Sasuke thought he was capable of in that moment. "You need to check up on Sakura right? Don't let us keep you. Me and the asshole should check in with the Captain anyway."
The blonde cleared out of the way for the other Konoha shinobi but Sasuke stood still for a moment. If all of it was set up by someone working from Konoha they still needed to kill Tanabe. He knew the rest of the other genin team left early that morning for a mission but the medic stayed behind. Glancing at Sakura he saw her tense as if she just came to the same conclusion.
"I'll stay a little while longer." Sasuke gave no other explanation but thankfully Naruto only shot him a confused look.
"I brought some of the reading material you requested Haruno-san," Kabuto said as he placed several heavy looking books on the table next to Sakura's bed. He went about replacing the empty IV with another bag of clear fluid. "Oh and your team leader has returned."
Relief spread like honey through his body and Sasuke felt his shoulders fall slightly. He noticed Sakura's whole body go slightly limp and her eyes close at the news. Kabuto continued to check on his patient as Sakura addressed him. "You can go and see him Sasuke." He read between the lines, "He won't try anything while Kakashi is here."
Still feeling he should stay, Sasuke nodded toward his teammate and left the room. If Kakashi gave them more cryptic words instead of answers he was going to figure out a way to hurt him.
"Naruto."
The blonde genin jumped about a foot in the air and cursed a blue streak in the hallway of the outpost. "Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto stared up at him in disbelief. "You're here?"
The silver haired shinobi tilted his head and gave an eye crinkle. "Did you miss me?" Afterwards Kakashi would rationalize not seeing the move coming due to exhaustion, all kinds. Naruto's body collided with his own and the force actually caused him to rock back on his heels. He was really tired.
He looked down at the fluffy blonde head currently pressing against his abdomen in shock. Was this real? Before he even had the chance to react to the embrace Minato's son leapt back blushing a scarlet that rivaled his mother.
Footsteps sounded and his other male student rounded the corner. Sasuke paused in his tracks and mutely nodded a greeting. It was far from Naruto's enthusiastic welcome but the lines in his pale face eased showing he was glad to see his teacher too.
Naruto reached up, scratching the back of his head and furiously fighting down the flush that still heated his cheeks. Taking pity on his most enthusiastic student Kakashi dismissed him. "Naruto I need to speak with Sasuke alone. I will speak with you and Sakura as well so don't go far." The still red genin looked relieved he was given an out and quickly escaped. "Let's go for a walk."
Student and teacher moved side by side as Sasuke shared what happened in the last few days. Well, he didn't really share. Kakashi asked leading questions that Sasuke barely answered. The jônin wasn't too perturbed, he already knew what happened. Tenzô got the mission report to him through Pakkun.
He knew his team would eventually see combat. He knew they would would eventually be hurt. And he knew they would eventually take life. It was inevitable in the life of a shinobi for these things to happen. But he thought he would at least be there with them when it happened. Someone in Konoha not only set up his team to attacked, they also made sure that Kakashi would not be there.
Sharingan no Kakashi was beyond angry.
If he was the sadistic type he would want whoever was responsible to suffer greatly, preferably by his own hand before being ended permanently. But despite rumors to the contrary he was not sadistic. He didn't take pleasure in the pain of others. He didn't want this person or group of people to hurt.
He wanted them erased.
But right now he needed to focus on his team. He needed to make sure this experience didn't unhinge any of them. The jônin didn't believe it had but it was his responsibility to make sure.
"So you and Sakura got your first kills." A flicker of something passed over Sasuke's face. "I can't make you talk about it." Well, he could but that wouldn't help things. "But you know I have to deem you mentally fit before you return to active duty. Is there anything I need to know?"
They stopped walking. Kakashi kept his student's face in his periphery. Sasuke was good at keeping his face passive or at least firmly in an expression of vague annoyance. But he was still just thirteen years old. There was worry there.
"Is it always so easy?" The question was barely audible.
Kakashi was relieved this was something he could address. "No. It isn't. You killed in the heat of battle. There was no choice in your actions." Sasuke's dark head bobbed in understanding. The two turned back towards the outpost. "It's different when you choose to kill."
Something in Kakashi unwound as the noises of the city ahead of them filtered back into earshot. Out of all of Team 7 Kakashi expected the worst reaction to bloodshed from Sasuke given the horror he witnessed his past.
"I'm not like him." The words were said firmly without any explanation to their meaning. But then it didn't take a genius, which Kakashi was, to know who Sasuke was talking about.
Well, fuck. The silver haired shinobi wished more than anything not to have to deal with this. Thankfully Sasuke spoke again radically changing the topic.
"I awakened the sharingan."
It wasn't surprising as combat was the most common way that the Uchiha awakened their bloodline limit. "You kept it out of the reports," Kakashi observed. His tricky little team must have also kept it secret from Namiashi as the special jônin didn't mention anything of the sort. His lips twitched up in pride. "Nice work," he praised, catching Sasuke's smirk from the corner of his eye as they arrived at the garden wall.
"I need to speak to Sakura and Naruto. We'll discuss our current situation later." It was a dismissal and Sasuke heeded it without question.
Kakashi sensed Naruto was around the back of the building so he made his way with a bone weary sigh. He would really love to just sleep for a week.
Naruto was sitting on the short retaining wall which kept land from spilling into the canal that ran behind the outpost. Taking a seat next to his student Kakashi blew out an exaggerated sigh.
"I really messed up sensei." The blonde let out a watery chuckle. "All that talk about not letting my teammates die and what do I do?"
"I wasn't there either," the elder shinobi pointed out.
The jônin felt his student turn to face him so he did the same. "That's not your fault sensei."
"It's not?" he asked.
Anger heated Naruto's face. "You were away on another mission. You couldn't help it. I was supposed to be there."
"Do you think that matters to me?"
"What?"
Kakashi dropped his facade of calm and let the blonde see the fury that was just beneath the surface. "Do you think it matters to me that I was on another mission? Do you think that I don't feel just as guilty as you. You are my team. I wasn't there when you needed me the most. I have already lost one team. All of them dead. Circumstances change but the feeling doesn't."
Blue eyes widened at the vulnerability in Kakashi's words. Kakashi knew he was letting Naruto see more of him than he would like he knew better than most guilt could destroy a person.
"We're still here," Naruto said softly, managing a small smile.
Kakashi felt his face soften. "Yes you are."
The rest of their conversation was lighter. Naruto asked after Kakashi's mission, which the jônin didn't share was a diversion to get him away from his team. That little nugget was for later when he had them altogether. Neither one of them mentioned the spontaneous hug which they were both grateful for. As the sun began to set Kakashi took it as time to see to his final student.
Kakashi instructed Naruto to pass on plans for their later meeting to Sasuke before making his way to the outpost med room.
Upon arriving he dropped himself into the chair by Sakura's bed. She was dozing until he sat down but held onto the facade of sleep. Kakashi's lips twitched slightly beneath his mask. "I know you're happy to see me Sakura-chan."
An answering smile formed on her face. "I haven't seen you yet sensei."
The response caused the masked man to chuckle softly. He really missed his kids and Sakura a bit more than the other two. "I've already spoken to Naruto and Sasuke." His only female student's slightly larger than average forehead creased. "I only went over what happened with them in my absence. We left the speculating for later tonight." He lifted one of the books on the side table up and read the title. "Cellular Biology?" He raised an eyebrow at Sakura who shrugged as best she could while lying down.
"I thought I would look into iryô-ninjutsu."
That made a startling amount of sense. Sakura's chakra control would lend itself well to the discipline and given she could actually sit still and focus on one thing for a prolonged period of time, which wasn't something he could say about either of her teammates, iryô-ninjutsu was rather perfect. He felt a little embarrassed he didn't suggest she take a look at it before now. "Not a bad idea."
"It would take a lot of time away from my other training," she said, looking concerned.
Kakashi shot her an eye crinkle. "Oh you won't be skipping out on any training to study iryô-ninjutsu once you have recovered. You will have to use your free time."
"What free time?" she asked incredulously.
Her teacher merely kept up his cheerful expression as she moaned in dread. "We do need to discuss what happened on the mission Sakura." He watched her tense slightly.
"You want to know if I'm okay after killing two people."
Kakashi wasn't surprised that she cut to the chase. Unlike Sasuke she tended to face things head on rather than staying in her head.
His pink haired student looked up towards the ceiling. "I ended two people's lives. They had families, friends, people who cared about them, people who will miss them. I should feel something."
"Are you saying you don't?" It was not the reaction he expected.
"I killed the first Kiri-nin without even thinking about it. He attacked me and I reacted. The second already stabbed me when I returned the favor. All I was concerned about was he was going for Sasuke's back and Naruto might have already been killed for all I knew."
"And now that you've had time to process?"
His student didn't answer immediately. "I don't feel guilt over their deaths. But it scares me."
"Not feeling guilt," he assumed.
"Shouldn't I feel guilty?" Sakura's green eyes looked up at his lone visible eye seeking answers.
Kakashi studied her worried expression. Sakura was raised as a civilian. She grew up with different morals that even the Academy could not erase. She knew she did what she had to but she was having trouble reconciling that with her upbringing.
"You were protecting your teammates and yourself from a threat."
"But I didn't save Kaito," her voice broke slightly and she turned away from him. Kakashi recognized the name of one of the civilian guards. "He had a family. So did Bo-san."
"Sakura," he called gently. "I won't try to placate you. I cannot make you see your actions in any other way than you do. This is part of being shinobi. Enemies die by your hand and friends die standing beside you." It was a truth that sometimes took the death of more than one friend to come to terms with.
Sakura nodded, rubbing at her eyes. "I'm going to be okay sensei."
Kakashi smiled at her, a true genuine smile underneath his ever present mask. He knew that. His team was strong. They had to be.
Team 7 reunited in the med room late that night. Naruto couldn't help but smile. It was like coming home, having everyone together again. Sakura was propped up against a bunch of pillows with a bowl of rice porridge only half eaten in her lap. He wished she would eat more but couldn't blame her for not wanting that goop. He was sitting cross legged at the end of her bed with Kakashi and Sasuke in chairs to one side.
"I think you have all figured out that the trouble you faced on your mission was no accident," Kakashi began killing the light hearted mood in the room.
Sakura set her bowl on the side table. "The Kiri-nin were only chûnin we think. Tanabe should have known that three chûnin stand little chance against a jônin and an experienced genin team. But he didn't get what he requested. He got three untested genin, which would have been perfect."
Naruto picked up the thread. "Then there's his suicide which according to the old councilman who was his friend is more than a bit fishy."
"Two of the Kiri-nin targeted me. My hands were full with one of them and instead of attacking the civilians and trying to loot the cash we were traveling with the other one went for my back." Sasuke glanced at Sakura. "The woman I was fighting was toying with me. She wasn't trying to kill me."
Kakashi nodded. "So you three think Sasuke was the target?"
"Yes, which is why we need to know everything about these people who are interested in our team," Sakura demanded. "We can't know who we can trust if we are ignorant."
"You're right," their teacher sighed. "First there are three key figures that you need to know about, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu and Shimura Danzô."
Naruto furrowed his brow at the familiar names. "Those first two are the Hokage's advisors."
"Correct. Mitokado and Utatane are politicians. They use their influence with the Hokage to make deals that benefit their supporters."
The blonde genin wrinkled his nose in distaste. He knew the two old bats from his days hanging around the Hokage's office. The third he didn't have any recollection of.
"They have a vested interest in keeping an eye on the team because the Village Council which is a combination of both prominent civilians and shinobi were adamantly against Naruto becoming shinobi."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "That isn't news to me sensei." He knew the Council hated him. They could all go and suck a bag of dicks as far as he was concerned. Hokage's word was law. The Council took care of more mundane issues and they were all a bunch of jumped up assholes as far as he was concerned.
Kakashi gave him a look for his interruption. "Like I said they are politicians. Shimura Danzô is much, much more. He used to be a an official advisor like the other two."
"Used to be?" Sakura asked.
"He was removed by the Third Hokage and before you ask I do not know the exact reason why but I can tell you that Danzô is very dangerous."
Naruto shot Sasuke a worried glance. Kakashi's face was grave and his voice was the furthest thing from aloof. "Why would he be interested in Sasuke?"
The jônin rubbed a hand through his unruly hair. "I don't know everything but the he has always been interested in the affairs of the Uchiha. Your clan was powerful Sasuke. They made up the Konoha police force and a sizable chunk of the shinobi core. The sharingan is a powerful tool and you are the only one left in the village with natural access to it."
The three genin mulled over the information.
"So you think Danzô was behind the attack?" Sasuke questioned.
"Perhaps, he would definitely have the pull necessary to send me away and leave you three vulnerable."
Naruto's head shot up from resting on a fist. "But what's his end game? Why set all this up?"
"I wish I had answers for you."
The blonde let out a groan of frustration, ignoring the look Sakura sent him he hopped off the bed and began to pace. It was just so irritating. Kakashi returned and they thought they would get some kind of answer as to what was going on but they were left with more questions.
"What do we do about this?"
"And what happens when we get back to Konoha?"
"Should we got to the Hokage?"
"Will this happen again?"
The three students shot the questions one after the other at their teacher. Kakashi held up a hand to stem the flow. "I do not think Danzô will make a move inside the walls of the village. A friend is keeping me updated from within the village. I will write something for him to give to the Hokage. But without evidence there is very little that the Hokage will do."
"This asshole set us up to be attacked! Sakura nearly died! Why won't the Third do something?" Naruto cried, tugging at his hair.
"Where's the proof?" Kakashi asked cooly. "Danzô may not even be behind this. All we have are some half baked theories. Means does not mean motive and neither one of them make guilt necessarily."
Biting back the urge to hit something Naruto tried to understand what his teacher was saying. "Our team was attacked Kakashi-sensei. And our best bet is that someone from Konoha made it happen. Our village. Our home-" his voice cracked and he looked away from his team as the pain of old wounds ripped open. Blinking back tears he tried not to drown in the bitterness of his current thoughts.
"You can be angry Naruto," Sakura said softly.
"I am angry Sakura."
"You aren't alone." Naruto's head shot up to meet Sasuke's gaze and the blonde could see the dark eyes were tinged with red. Tearing his eyes away from his teammate he looked at Kakashi. "What do we do?"
The man's sole grey eye observed him before responding. "Why do anything?"
Naruto snarled making Sakura flinch and Sasuke's eyes widen in surprise. "I don't have the patience for your fucking mind games."
"Why not just leave? You as well Sasuke, what is keeping you in Konoha?"
"It's our home," Naruto growled.
It was their home.
Konohagakure was home.
It was sunsets spent on the Hokage monument with Iruka-sensei and Ichiraku Ramen and the old man who told him stories instead of doing paperwork and his neighbor who gave him his first gift and Sasuke and Sakura and even the bastard in front of him who was really pissing him off right now. It was also random strangers heckling him and not selling him decent goods and shooing him out of shops and whispers wherever he went.
It wasn't perfect but it was his.
It was his.
"My clan helped found Konoha. Their blood is in the ground itself. I will not leave." Sasuke declared. Sakura nodded in support of her two teammates.
Kakashi looked between his three students before nodding. "Well we have our work cut out for us don't we."
If Naruto hadn't been so worked up at that point he would have got the same feeling of foreboding as Sasuke and Sakura. Instead he asked, "Where do we start?"
The rest of the time Team 7 spent at the outpost was eventful to say the least. After the disaster mission as they liked to call it business picked up. They said goodbye to Raidô, not before Sasuke got the chance to learn the fundamentals of kenjutsu.
"Why did you never ask me to teach you that Sasuke-kun?" Kakashi pouted.
The spontaneous tutorship inspired the idea that anyone who passed through the outpost should be manipulated into teaching a skill or two to at least one genin member of Team 7.
"You think he's foisting us off on other people out of laziness?" Naruto asked Sakura.
"Duh," the pink haired girl replied.
Kakashi made sure his ducklings didn't go asking help from the wrong people of course.
"But Anko-chan seems really cool sensei!" Naruto protested.
They also found it necessary to lay down some ground rules when testing out their new techniques.
#1. Naruto is never to experiment with fuinjutsu without supervision.
"So explain to me again how you managed to melt our entire arsenal of kunai and shuriken."
"It was supposed to sharpen them!"
#2. Naruto is never to experiment with any sort of jutsu without supervision.
#3. Sasuke is not allowed to play with Sakura's chemistry set.
"Does it smell like almonds in here?"
"I don't smell anything."
Thunk.
#4. Dissection materials and,or other experiments don't belong in the fridge.
"Has anyone seen shipment of fetal pigs I ordered. I put them in here somewhere," Sakura asked while rifling through the fridge.
Naruto looked down at the soup he was making. "Huh."
#5. Sasuke cooks.
#6. Always check that Kakashi has his wallet with him before going out to eat. Or better yet steal it before hand.
"This is the third fucking time in a row he's doing it on purpose!" Sasuke hissed as Naruto cried over how empty Gama-chan was.
#7. Don't cause an injury just because you need practice. Sakura.
"What is that?"
"Sulfuric acid."
"What are you goi- fucking-shit-damnit OWWW What the fuck Sakura?!"
#8. Clones are not to be sent on missions because you are hungover. They are just as hungover.
#9. Don't bother Pakkun with your nonsense. He ain't got time for your shit.
"So do you think I should talk to he-" CHOMP "God damnit Pakkun!"
And most importantly but not the last rule by a long shot.
#10. Trying to see what is under Kakashi's mask is futile. Continuing to try will be detrimental to your physical and mental health.
"Ohhhh shinobi-san! How big you are!"
"Why the fuck did we think following him to the bath house was a good idea!" Naruto cried as Sasuke furiously scrubbed at his eyes.
But as all things do their time at the outpost came to a close. At the end of summer Team 7 was given the news that they would be returning home after completing one more mission.
"You're the brats that are supposed to protect me? Might as well start digging my own grave!" The severely intoxicated man tipped over after expressing his doubts.
Naruto shared unimpressed looks with his teammates. "Somehow I get the sense that this mission isn't going to go smoothly."
A/N: This story isn't abandoned I promise. Sweet heaven this was a difficult chapter to write and I don't know if I did the emotional threads justice. I took a really long break from this because though I have plans for the future chapters I was having trouble getting from A to B. I decided instead of detailing their final month at the outpost in another chapter I did the list thing and have flashbacks in future chapters. I would rather do this than draw out the time at the outpost anymore. It was fun, but it's time to move on.
So I made some changes. Konoha council was actually from my understanding just Homaru, Koharu and Danzo, but I made them just advisors to the Hokage while there also is a Village Council that will be further explained in coming chapters.
My goal is two weeks for the next chapter, which is ambitious considering my history.
Thank you to everyone who follows this story and especially to those who comment. I apologize if this update is a little rough. I haven't combed through it and smoothed it out like I usually do but it has taken me so long to finish it to some level of satisfaction that I felt I needed to post it and come back and edit in a day or so. Let me know what you think.
Enbi: Thank you so much for sticking with it and being a frequent reviewer!
Illucida: Thanks for the well wishes. I'm still trying to find my feet but doing better these days.
Tsia2002: You are right about the clones. The truth is I kind of forgot. I set up early that Kakashi didn't want them overusing ninjutsu and I just kind of forgot Naruto's signature move. He will use them in the future once he sees some combat.
David12leca: Thank you. I hope this chapter keeps up with the rest of the story in your opinion. I try really hard to maintain some reality in my characters which is what I think canon lacks at times. I do enjoy a dark look at a character once in a while but its no fun to stay there too long.