Chapter 20: Team 7 Reunited

"Uzumaki!" Gamabunta roared, "What do you want?"

"Just to save Kakashi-sensei, thanks Gamabunta!" Naruto replied.

"Hatake eh? The son of the White Fang needs saving?"

"Thanks for your help Gamabunta-sama." Kakashi thanked weakly. Sasuke helped up Kakashi and Naruto picked up a chakra depleted Sakura. They hopped off the toad king and started hopping from rooftop to rooftop.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke started, "sorry for trying to kill you earlier." Kakashi smiled underneath his mask.

"No harm done Sasuke. I understand." The team jumped down onto the street, some people turning their heads to see where they came from. Sasuke shouldered Kakashi to the door of the inn they stayed at. The host danced from behind his counter to the meet them.

"Welcome back- Oh my lord what happened to you??" He asked in a girlish manner. Kakashi smiled at the host.

"You have quite a town here." He responded. The four nins moved passed the host and walked to their floor and room. Kakashi fumbled with the key. "Dammit," he exclaimed, "Why are their 5 key holes?" Sakura took his hand.

"Here, let me." She unlocked the door and pushed it open, letting Sasuke and Kakashi walk in first then her and Naruto. The ANBU nins set their comrades on the bed and took spots on opposite sides of the bed. Naruto guarded the door, and Sasuke took the window. Sakura helped propped up Kakashi on some pillows to keep the blood flow going throughout his body. "Naruto could you get some cold water? And Sasuke could you get my med kit?" The ANBU nins nodded and got to work. With her supplies, Sakura began to bandage Kakashi's sword wound and cleaned the area. Kakashi winced at the pain, and tried his hardest to keep awake. After she finished, Sakura pulled a sheet up to cover Kakashi's abdomen.

"Thanks Sakura." He breathed. Sakura smiled at her lover. "Now," Kakashi began, "what are you two doing following us? I'm pretty sure now that it was you two who killed that guy back in the forest."

Naruto grinned and Sasuke smirked. "Tsunade-baachan gave us a mission to make sure that your asses were covered while you went to gather info. Dealing with at least 12 ninja villages is not your responsibility." Kakashi smiled under his mask. Thank you Godaime-sama.

"Once you got into Yukata, we took refuge just outside, in the alleyway. Naruto sent a bunshin to watch your room, and we took the outside doors. When you left though, this dobe went off to get ramen, so I had to find him first." Naruto pouted.

"Shaadaap Teme! I wasn't like you ogling at the girls in the inn!" Everyone's eyes widened.

"Sasuke? Ogling???" Sakura said laughing. Sasuke blushed and turned his face away.

"So by the time we arrived, the damage had been dealt. Those two burly guys were about to get you right when you exited, but we got them." Sasuke added quickly. Naruto rubbed the back of his head in shame.

"So we uhh kinda failed the mission by being discovered." Kakashi smiled at his ex-student.

"That may be true," he began, "but now we have a full team. One that we are all familiar with, and one that will now accompany Sakura and I on our info mission." The two ANBU nins looked up at their ex-sensei. "Team 7 has been reunited. I am not your teacher anymore. I am your team leader. So drop all honorifics. You are all friends to me." The three younger jounins nodded together.

"So do we have a game plan?" Naruto asked.

"The capital of Lightning Country is a week's travel away from here. It takes three of those days to get to the border of Lightning Country. We shall rest a day here, then continue traveling tomorrow." Kakashi looked around, "Umm sorry guys, they have no more rooms left." Naruto waved a hand.

"No problem! We'll rough it on the floor!" He blushed furiously, "you two can take the bed." Sakura blushed. Kakashi looked away. Sasuke turned away also. Inside the fire burned a bit, but he got over it mostly. She's my best friend. All three of them are. And no one, not even the entity of my brother shall sway my will. Sasuke looked up.

"I'm cool with that." He added in. Kakashi and Sakura smiled at their teammate.

"Thank you Sasuke." Sakura said, eyes watering. Kakashi stretched out.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty tired. You go out for a bit, I'm gonna take a nap. Oh and Naruto." Kakashi performed a kage bunshin. Naruto did in step. Both clones left the room. Kakashi's whispered to Naruto's, "At a market two shops down, there is a pink Wakizashi. Buy it and I'll pay you back. It's for Sakura." The clone Naruto grinned.

"You got it Kakashi!" Both clones poofed away. The real Naruto grinned and gave Kakashi a thumbs up. "I'm going to get some things, looks like we'll be eating in tonight. You guys need anything?" Sasuke shook his head.

"Umm could you possibly bring me back umm…" Sakura blushed. She looked over at her toiletry case. Naruto stared blankly for a minute.

"She wants tampons idiot." Sasuke said impassively. Sakura blushed furiously. Naruto held in laughter.

"S-sure Sakura-chan." He ran out of the room. A maniacal laugh could be heard down the hallway. Kakashi felt his eyelids feeling heavy. Finally, sleep and he was out like a light. Sakura looked at her sleeping lover and smiled. She got up and walked over to the window.

"Hey," Sasuke called, "wanna go on the roof for a bit." Sakura saw that his face was friendly for the first time in a long time. She smiled and nodded her head.

The two friends sat on the rooftop looking at the lighted streets below. "I'm still overwhelmed about how many people live here." Sakura said.

"Most don't actually live here." Sasuke added.

"Really?"

"Yea, most are just tourists. Only the few can actually afford to live in this expensive town." They continued looking out, and a comfortable silence between the two. "Sakura, something happened after my fight with Itachi." The pink haired kunoichi turned to her black haired companion. "The last thing he did was infiltrate my mind. I didn't know at the time, but after I killed him that part of him stayed there. Now he's there and I can't get rid of him unless I die." Sakura stared wide eyed.

"You should tell Kakashi, he could help you out." Sasuke shook his head.

"If word got out about this, then Tsunade would have me on watch and I may even lose my position in ANBU. What I really need is help to subdue him."

"How have you done so up till now."

"Well I only tried just before we got here. By using my sharingan I can do whatever I want with him. Right now he's locked up and unconscious. But once I lose strength, he can spring out." Sakura felt bad for Sasuke. He's had to go through so much to fight his brother and now he's stuck with him inside his own mind.

"Promise me you won't tell Kakashi." Sakura put a hand on his shoulder.

"I promise. But at least let me try and help you." Sasuke nodded is head in approval. They turned there attention back to the bustling streets.

"Ano san…Ano San!!" Naruto called out to the weapon shop owner.

"What do you want kid?" Naruto scoweled at the kid comment.

"I wanna buy that wakizashi." He pointed to the pink short sword.

"3000 ryou." Naruto's mouth dropped open. It's for Sakura-chan, and plus Kakashi said he'd pay you back. Naruto pulled out his frog wallet. He counted all of the contents. Exactly 3500, just enough left for Sakura-chan's tampons. He inwardly snickered at the thought. He pulled out the money needed and gave it to the shop owner. In return the shop owner gave him the short sword. Naruto walked around looking for a toiletry shop. Suddenly the sword was gone from his hand. "Ah…hey!!" He screamed after the man running away with the sword. "Come back here!" He boosted the chakra in his feet and started running along the shop walls to beat the traffic. The man hopped over people and even tackled through an old man. Naruto performed a seal. "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" 10 Naruto clones appeared and jumped onto the man. The sword went flying. Three clones linked arms as the real Naruto walked along their bodies as a bridge and caught the wakizashi. "Whew!" He sighed in relief. "Now where is that shop? Oh!" Sure enough the chase led him right to it.

Inside the shop, Naruto by instinct went to the men's grooming section. Oh wait. He immediately blushed. How the hell do I go down that aisle with all those ladies?? He thought a moment then hid behind a cardboard cut out advertising an expensive women's perfume. "Henge!" He transformed into a blonde pigtailed girl and walked into the aisle. He looked up and down and finally found tampons. Oh shit he thought to himself, what brand does she use?? He debated between the blue box or the pink box. Better choose fast Naruto he thought to himself. He decided on pink since that was her favorite color. After paying for the tampons, Naruto exited the store and called off the transformation. "Now food."

He went from store to store looking for cheap meals, but there was nothing he could afford. "Ahh how am I going to buy food for everybody?" He then noticed a lottery card shop. An idea struck and he ran there. "One please!" he asked the old lady behind the counter. She handed him the card for 10 ryou. "Here goes nothing." He chose the numbers carefully then scratched them off. "Woohoo! Jackpot!!!" The lady was surprised.

"Congratulations young man! Nobody wins jackpot!" She cashed out his win. He made a solid 5000 ryou. He proceeded to put all the money in his frog wallet. He held it up to his face. "You look so much cuter when you're full!" Naruto cooed. "Time for food!" He raced from shop to shop and bought everything that looked delicious.

"Kakashi, you okay?" The Copy Nin opened his right eye and saw his pink haired lover stanind next to his bed.

"Yea, much better." He replied his eye curved in a smile. He looked around the dimly lit bedroom. "Where are Naruto and Sasuke?" The two nins came crashing through the door.

"Carefully you Teme!" Naruto yelled.

"Shaadaap Dobe!" Sasuke retorted. They were carrying in the food that Naruto bought. Kakashi stared wide eyed.

"How much food did you buy?" He asked weakly.

"I won a lottery so I had extra money." Naruto replied. They laid the food out on the large bed. There was everything; ramen, sushi, teriyaki of all sorts, fried rice, white rice, tempura, even dongo (Anko would be jealous). They each took bowls and broke chopsticks together.

"Itadakimasu!" They all said. The three wolfed down food while Kakashi performed a few seals. He became invisible.

"Ne???? Kakashi where are you???" Naruto yelled.

"Right here Naruto," he responded calmly, "Now I'm ready to eat." Things were a bit strange watching a bowl levitating and the contents magically disappearing. Nevertheless, the food was spectacular. All four ate to their full, and were stuffed at the end. Naruto groaned.

"Too…much…ramen…" He managed to sputter. All stood up to throw away the disposable dishes. Sakura got Kakashi's.

"You're still too weak. I'll take care of you." She said smiling. Kakashi sighed and gave in.

"I'm not that weak you know."

"Kakashi," Sasuke began, "you were dead for 6 minutes. You're in no condition to be moving tonight, let alone for the next week." Sasuke smiled at his teammate, "We'll take care of you no problem." Kakashi smiled at his former student. He laid his head back and drifted off to sleep.

Sasuke took watch at the window, and Naruto at the door. Sakura came out of the bathroom after cleaning up. She was dressed in night clothes that she brought along just in case, and put the tampon box in her bag. She grinned a thank you to Naruto who grinned back in return. She turned to Sasuke and smiled as well. Sasuke smirked and nodded in return. She slipped into bed right beside her lover and rested her head on his chest. Tomorrow, we move as a team again She thought to herself.

Later that night…

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered, the dark haired nin looked to his direction, "we've got company. First floor." Naruto's clone on the first floor was watching the front door. Sasuke nodded and put on his mask. He then hopped out of the window and walked around to the front. Naruto put his mask in place and formed another clone to take Sasuke's empty post.

Sasuke walked around the front, keeping in the shadows. He masked his chakra and drew his black chakra katana. He slid underneath the curtain with ease and stayed to the wall. Sure enough there were two figures dressed in black, both with intent to kill making their way up the steps. Sasuke followed and stayed at the heels of the one in the back. Luckily, he they were too focused on the front to notice a third member to their party.

"C'mon Yutaro, we're almost there." The first one said to the second. Sasuke really felt like killing these two now, but thought it best to wait and let them identify themselves.

"Let's get him Yamato-sama."

YAMATO?? Sasuke thought to himself. He drew his blade higher.

"That won't be necessary Sasuke-kun." Yamato stated. Yutaro turned around to face the masked Uchiha. Sasuke was fuming mad.

"AH! Who is this guy?" Yutaro drew a kunai. He abruptly stopped and fell forward, a kunai in his back. Sasuke was confused at what just happened.

"No need to worry Sasuke-kun." Yamato said.

"What the hell is going on?" Sasuke demanded.

"Don't worry about it. I am part of your operation." He pulled out a scroll signed by Tsunade. Sasuke lowered his weapon. "I was told to be Kakashi's relay point here in Yukata. I found this scumbag in a bar. Turns out his whole platoon is waiting for Kakashi tomorrow."

"We should get moving then!" Sasuke said.

"Go inform Kakashi. I'll meet you at the next checkpoint 3 days from now." Yamato poofed away. Sasuke ran to the room to inform the others.

"Kakashi!" Sasuke yelled barging through the door. The Copy Nin woke up along with Sakura. Naruto turned to face Sasuke. "Yamato-san has informed me of a platoon of nins out to get you tomorrow. He said we best leave tonight and meet him at the checkpoint on the border in three days." Kakashi nodded and got out of bed gathering his belongings. Sakura groggily did the same. Naruto turned his head out the window and gasped.

"Double time guys, they've started early!" Naruto screamed. Outside there was more than a platoon. There was 150 ninjas that surrounded the hotel.

"Kami help us." Naruto breathed.