Chapter 6: Face off at the Valley at the End
Sasuke was standing at the valley of the end. On his left lay Itachi. A bloody mess with a hole burnt into his chest. Sasuke had on his Akatsuki robe and ring. To the right of Saskue lay a wounded Kakashi. He too had a hole in his chest, but he was still breathing.
Sasuke walked over to Kakashi. "You just don't know when to quit do you, Kakashi sensei?" He asked.
"Sasuke…." He managed to breathe out.
"Your time is up. Down goes the Copy Nin," Sasukes eyes turned into the Mangekyo Sharingan, "Amaterasu!" A black light flashed from his eyes and covered Kakashi, who gave a blood curdling scream. When the light dissipated, there was a crater that went down at least 25 feet. Sasuke let out an evil laugh in triumph.
"NO!!!!" Sakura screamed as she sat up. Cold sweat poured down her forehead. She put her face in her hands and began to cry. Was it a dream? She thought to herself. Kakashi! She bolted out of bed and ran to his room. He wasn't in his bed and his belongings were still there. Sakura quickly got changed and ran out of the house to the gates of Konoha.
When she reached the gates, Sakura ran to Kotetsu and Izumo, the gate keepers. "Izumo-san! Kotetsu-san!" She called.
"Hi Sakura! What's wrong?" Kotetsu asked.
"Did you guys see Kakashi sensei leave either this morning or last night?"
"Actually he did leave last night." Izumo replied. Sakura bolted back to her house leaving the two chuunin behind.
Sakura picked up her pouch and pack it with plenty of weapons and medical supplies. She then ran from the house and back to the gates of Konoha. As she ran past the two gaurds, Sakura ignored their questions. She was only focused on finding her sensei.
"And where do you think you're going in such a rush?" A voice came out of nowhere. Sakura came to a halt and looked around. She didn't know where it came from but it sounded familiar.
"Naruto?" Sakura called. The blonde nin dropped down from the trees with a frown on his face.
"Sakura, are you going after Kakashi sensei?" He asked.
"How did you know about Kakashi sensei?" She asked.
"Last night I was at the gates, coming home from my training," he began, "I saw Kakashi sensei about to leave. When I asked him where he was going, he said that it was confidential. However he did ask me to make sure that you did not follow him."
Sakura frowned. "Naruto, I think Kakashi sensei is in trouble," she said, "his mission is to track down Sasuke and Itachi, who were seen just recently in the vicinity."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Sasuke?" He said, "Sakura you can't go alone. I'll come with you."
"No Naruto. I must bring back Kakashi sensei alone."
"I'm not talking about Kakashi sensei," he said, "I'm talking about Sasuke. Remember we promised that we'd bring him back together?"
Sakura's emerald eyes moistened and she gave her teammate a smile. "Then together we shall go." She said holding back tears.
Kakashi was hiding in an oak tree outside the Valley at the End. He was being careful to mask his chakra. Sasuke and Itachi must pass through here to reach the edge of the forest. He thought to himself, With me here, and Pakkun and the other nin dogs waiting at the other locations, we'll find him for sure. Suddenly, Kakashi caught a chakra presence. It was stronger than any he had ever felt. Itachi or Sasuke? The chakra started to feel familiar, but a friendly familiarity. Bingo he thought, Sasuke.
At the waterfall, standing on the head of Uchiha Madara stood Sasuke. His Katana was sticking out from behind him, and his face as expressionless as it always was. Kakashi felt another presence, this one equally as strong, but darker. Itachi. He thought.
Sure enough, Itachi materialized on the head of Shodaime. The two brothers stared at each other, waiting for the other to speak. Kakashi watched in apprehension. If they duke it out here he thought, then Tsunade-sama needs to be notified immediately. He summoned Pakkun. "Pakkun, tell Tsunade-sama that I found the brothers at the Valley at the End."
"Hai!" The nin dog replied, and poofed away.
Kakashi watched as the two started to speak. He was too far to make out what they were saying, but wouldn't risk compromising his location. They would immediately find him if he used his Sharingan. The two were just about to fight when-
"Kakashi sensei!" Naruto screamed. Kakashi, Itachi and Sasuke turned their heads. Kakashi's eye widened as he noticed that his position was compromised.
Itachi turned to Sasuke, uttered a few words and disappeared. Sasuke lunged forward to stop him, but it was already too late. He then turned to where he saw Kakashi and teleported using the Sharingan. "You ruined it!" He screamed and thrusted a chidori at Kakashi.
"Kakashi!" Sakura screamed.
"Kakashi sensei! Look out!" Naruto yelled.
Normally, Kakashi would be dead by now, but his bloodline limit kicked in and he countered the chidori by catching Sasuke's wrist and smashing the heel of his hand into his face. Sasuke flew back.
"Naruto! Sakura! You've compromised the mission!" Kakashi screamed. Sakura and Naruto felt shameful but still jumped to help their sensei. Sasuke got up and readjusted his nose.
"Nice reflexes Kakashi," Sasuke taunted, "but you won't get lucky twice." He lunged forward and let his chidori fly out to Kakashi.
Naruto headbutt Kakashi out of the way and used a sheld jutsu to deflect the roaming chidori. Sakura lunged forward with chakra in her hands and tried to land a punch on Sasuke.
Sasuke dodged each blow like they were nothing. Kakashi lifted his hia-ate and noticed that Sasuke drew his katana from behind. Immediately, Kakashi's right harm charged a Rasengan and charged forward. Sasuke had little time to retaliate. He lunged the butt of his katana at Kakashi's arm, but the Rasengan struck Sasuke's chest and caused him to fly off the cliff into the water below. Naruto ran to Sakura's side and looked over the side.
Kakashi gripped his arm and winced in pain. "Kakashi nee-san," Sakura began, Kakashi was surprised at the honorific, "Let me take a look." She held his arm in her hands. She ran her fingers across his muscles and for a moment enjoyed the rock hard tissues. "Nothing's broken thankfully," She said, "but I'll try and heal what I can. Just try not to strain this arm too much." The healing chakra formed in her hands as she healed his torn muscle fibers.
Kakashi looked into Sakura's eyes. "Sakura…" he began, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright Kakashi," She replied dropping the honorific all together, "the only important thing is that you're alright."
Silence was between them for a while. Neither noticed as Naruto was still looking around for Sasuke's body. Oh God, Sakura thought, I feel this attraction to him again.
Ah Jeez, Kakashi said to himself, More of those love thoughts. Both looked at each other and waited for one to begin.
"Kakashi," Sakura started, "There's something I've wanted to tell you for sometime."
"Actually me too." Kakashi replied.
"Mine's different."
"Mine too."
Sakura took a deep breath. "I know that we shouldn't be having this conversation but-"
"Insolent Bitch!" a cursed Sasuke screamed as he flew from the water and slammed his fist into Sakura's jaw. Evidently he copied her ability to focus chakra into her hands. Kakashi sprung to his feet and quickly made 5 hand seals. "Grand Fireball Jutsu!" he screamed as he blew a giant fireball from his hands. Sasuke just missed the ball of fire as it scorched his left wing. He landed and let a chidori fly from his hand. This wasn't aimed at Kakashi though.
"NARUTO!!!" Kakashi screamed. Naruto Dove out of the way and charged at his best friend. The chidori looped around and pierced through Naruto's back. The Chidori then split into 5 different beams, each making a new exit through Naruto's body. The young nin crumpled to the floor. Kakashi filled with rage as he charged forward with lightning speed. A raikiri was charged in his fist. As he let the attack fly, Sasuke formed a protective wall around him. Kakashi's raikiri backfired and instead the attack ran through his arm, breaking the bones in 7 places. He fell backwards and watched the cursed Sasuke turn back into normal form. Kakashi stared up at the nin.
"Nobody ruined this meeting more than Naruto and Sakura," He spat, "Naruto is now dead, and Sakura shall be next." Sasuke turned around to face the kunoichi laying on the ground. He charged a chidori through his katana.
"Sasuke you don't have to do this!" Kakashi screamed, "None of this was her fault!"
"Ungrateful Bitch." Sasuke snarled. He brought down the katana with a flash of white light.
"SASUKE!!!!" Kakashi screamed.
Everything seemed to slow down. Kakashi's body forced him to leap forward at Sasuke. In Kakashi's left hand formed Naruto's ultimate move. The Rasenshuriken was charged and spinning. As the katana reached closer to Sakura's neck, Kakashi's rasenshuriken collided with the Uchiha's back. It tore straight through his body and killed the snake concealed within him. The white lights of chakra disappeared. All that was left was Kakashi's hand through a huge hole in Sasuke. Sasuke stared over the waterfall for a minute before his body gave way and he fell over a wounded Sakura and off the cliff once more.
"Sakura!" Kakashi knelt down to his legal former student.
"I'm ok Kakashi sensei," She whispered, "How's Naruto?"
Remembering his comrade, Kakashi lowered his gaze. "I ain't doing so well…" Naruto managed to sputter. Kakashi whipped his head around and his eyes widened at the sight. Red chakra was running around him from the new holes in his body. The Kyuubi was healing him. Kakashi got up to help him, but Sakura caught his wrist.
"Your arm," She began, "Let me heal it first." Kakashi obliged and knelt down so that Sakura could heal it. She mustered up all of her chakra and mended the breaks.
"Thank you Sakura-chan." Kakashi said, embracing her in a loving hug.
"Kakashi,' Sakura began, "I love you." She said in a low voice. Kakashi pulled her away and looked at her with wide eyes.
"I love you to Sakura. Your like my sister." Kakashi said with a smile.
"No Kakashi," She said shaking her head. His eye widened, "I really love you."
Kakashi looked at Sakura and adjusted his hia-ate over his Sharingan.
"No Sakura," He said, "For the next 7 months, I'm still your guardian."
"Then I shall wait 7 months." Sakura said firmly.
Kakashi looked at his former student with worry. We can't do this he thought to himself we're teacher and student. Child and guardian. 14 years apart. But he did not decide to lay it on her yet. Instead he picked her up and summoned a few nin dogs. They carried Naruto back to Konoha.
On the way back they ran into Tsunade and her tea,m.
"Where's Sasuke and Itachi?" She asked.
"Itachi left before the battle and Sasuke is dead." He said slowly. Tsunade nodded her head.
"Get these three back to Konoha hospital quick!" She ordered. A team of medic nins guided the 3 injured nin back to Konoha. Kakashi looked at Sakura, who was now in his arms asleep, and to Naruto who was on the back of a dog, also passed out. The only thing on his mind was what Sakura said. This is going to be a long 7 months.