Chapter 3

"Naruto, what book is she talking about?" Tsunade asked seeing Sasuke turn and carry the teammate to a room.

"Try to find out what it is." He said ignoring Tsunade before he took off.

"What did she say?" Kakashi asked.

"She said she needed a book, and she said Jonin." She explained.

"It's got to be that really old book Naruto gave her when she became a Jonin." Temari said. "It was one that dated back to like the creation of medical jutsu. He gave it to her as a present for becoming a Jonin."

"A Jonin?"

"They're all Jonin now. Even Naruto." Kakashi said

"Naruto's even higher." Shikamaru said.

"Higher?"

"He getting the book?" Sasuke asked as he walked over to join them.

"Yeah." Temari said. "She wake up at all?"

"She was in and out."

"I'll go sit with her until he gets back." She left as Jiriaya and Tsunade turned their attention to the others.

"So he gave her a present?" Tsunade asked curious as Naruto landed in front of them wincing and grabbing his chest. "You're hurt."

"I'll be fine. She say what it was?" He asked as he pushed himself to his feet and started walking with Sasuke to the room she was in.

"She only asked for you." Sasuke said as he walked in beside his friend. Naruto knelt beside Sakura who was lying on the bed opening her eyes.

"Naruto…"

"It's okay, Sakura. Just tell me what one. I have the book."

"Naruto…" She trailed off again as he laid the book on the bed and reached out to smooth her hair from her damp forehead. "Naruto…"

"Sakura-Chan, tell me what one it is." He said softly as her eyes started scanning his.

"Night…..shhh"

"Nightshade?" He saw her nod as Naruto quickly ran through the book before finding the pages with the antidote. He paused and tensed reading over the directions before looking up horrified. He tried to think, his entire mind wanted was to get her better it wouldn't work through the steps Sakura had helped him learn through the years. Suddenly he stood and turned walked out finding the others by the door. He walked over to Tsunade. "Granny, can you make this?" He asked holding out the book for her to skim.

"Naruto, even if I make it, the skill needed to use it…. it's not an antidote that can be used by ninja, they have to be incredibly powerful ninja." She looked at his determined and scared eyes before he turned away walking back towards the door.

"Just do it." He said before disappearing into the room.

"Naruto is a lot stronger than you think. We all are." Shikamaru said looking at the doorway. "He can do what needs to be done."

"This will kill him." Jiriaya said looking at the book over Tsunade's shoulder.

"It won't." Sasuke said. "Just make the antidote. He knows what he's doing." Tsunade nodded and went off to do what she could. "He's not going to let her die, so if it comes down to it he may end up dyeing to save her if that antidote isn't made." He turned and was gone. Jiriaya looked at Kakashi for an explanation.

"We all got really close over the years." Temari started. "We see one get hurt and it hurts us too. Sasuke is brilliant and has power behind it; Naruto is powerful and determined to keep his friends and village safe. And Sakura… she's very gifted with medicine. She's been able to counter anything that is thrown at them. She has saved hundreds of people with her new jutsus…" She trailed off as they all looked at each other leaving Jiriaya confused still.

"That's why they went after her and not one of us." Shikamaru said shoving his hands in his pockets,

"Madara's message to me." They turned to see Naruto leaning against the doorway. "He is trying to pull me out in the open in a blind rage."

"But why Sakura?" Jiriaya asked.

"Because of my connection to her." He paused looking at his old teacher. "He takes her out and there's a chance the Kyuubi could take control."

"You would let that happen?"

"I wouldn't really have a choice. Kyuubi knows Sakura and knows that if anything happened to her… Madara knows a bit about us and how we all work. He knows I'm the biggest threat and he wants the Kyuubi for his collection of tailed beasts. He takes Sakura away; I wouldn't hesitate to go after him."

"Only if she dies?"

"She needs me here right now." He said to his teacher as he stared surprised. "I told you I grew up. I know what I need to do and where I'm needed. I have more important things to worry about than some game."

"You don't seem like the kid I know."

"I'm not. I grew up training and protecting everyone I could. I stopped being that dumb ass kid who ran around playing games a long time ago. The village, my friends, and Sakura are more important than trying to get even. All that ever did for me was making me nearly lose my best friend."

"What happened?"

"Sasuke almost killed Naruto because of revenge." Shikamaru explained.

"Tell Tsunade to hurry it up." Naruto said before turning back hearing Sakura cry out.

"He just called her by her name?" Jiriaya asked before looking at the others. "What's going on? He is completely different."

"You were killed when he was sixteen. He trained with the toads and was called back to the destroyed village. The Akatsuki attacked looking for him." Kakashi said. "He saved everyone and defeated Pain. An enemy that even you couldn't beat. He did it by himself, and he's been working hard ever since. Training to bring Sasuke back and keep everyone safe."

"He knows what's important and since Lady Tsunade named him the sixth he's been even more serious." Shikamaru said machining Jiriaya's head snap to look at him.

"Sixth… Hokage?" He stammered.

"Yeah." Shikamaru shrugged. "Been that way for the last six months. Naruto handed the job back to Lady Tsunade for the war so that he could be in the field."

"If he wasn't out with everyone else there's no way we would have lasted as long as we did." Temari said. Jiriaya looked at the others before looking back at the doorway Naruto had gone through. "We should find a way to get things moving and get this over with."

"When Sakura's better, Naruto's going to want to go right out." Shikamaru agreed as he walked over with Temari leaving only Jiriaya and Kakashi. Kakashi walked over closer to Jiriaya who was still looking at the doorway.

"Your death really affected him and he had a hard time dealing after, but he's always been strong and stubborn. He pushed forward making it his mission to stop anyone else close to him from getting hurt." Kakashi watched Jiriaya nod slowly. "You should talk to him about it. When you are mentioned it usually doesn't turn out so well for him." Jiriaya nodded as Kakashi walked away letting the old sanin walk over to the door. He stopped listening to the voices he heard inside.

"Naruto, you can't do the jutsu." Sakura said softly.

"You aren't powerful enough to do it now. And no one else here is able to do it. I'm the only one and you know it."

"It will….. Kill you."

"If I don't, it will kill you. I'm not going to let you die. I will heal you, no matter what it takes. You know I can't let anything happen to you, Sakura-chan."

"This isn't your choice."

"It's my choice as long as I'm alive. If you die… Sakura-Chan, I can't lose you. I can't…" Naruto trailed off softly making Jiriaya look through the crack in the door to see Naruto dip his head as Sakura slowly and gently placed her hand on his cheek.

"I'll never leave you. I told you I am by your side forever and I'm not going to break that promise any time soon, Naruto-kun." She whispered. Naruto shook his head before leaning farther down kissing Sakura.

"I can't take much more. I lost so many people and this war… Sakura…"

"Naruto….. You don't need to worry about everything….. There are some things that you can't…. you can't help….. Don't forget that…."

"Sakura-Chan…."

"Don't….."

"I love you…." He whispered as Jiriaya watched him run his hand gently over her forehead pushing hair from her damp skin and down to her pale cheek as she let her eyes slide closed. "Don't, leave me."

"I won't… I am glad…. Glad we finally got together…." She trailed off as she fell asleep. Naruto still brushed her hair back before he head the knock at the door making him look up as Jiriaya walked in. Naruto looked back down at Sakura as he sat back in the little chair he was in.

"Naruto….. Kakashi told me a bit about what happened over the years."

"Really?" He said still not looking up as Jiriaya walked closer. "What all did he tell you?"

"How you have been working hard to protect everyone, how you've saved your friends. How hard it was when I died." Naruto nodded.

"I had to grow up at some point. Everything happened so fast I just let it all go."

"What about being the sixth? That would explain why they always asked you what the plan was." Naruto nodded again as he glanced at Jiriaya. "Weren't going to tell anyone here were you?"

"What would it do but make you all gawk and ask questions. We don't need to be sitting around for days answering all of the questions you have. We need to find and kill Madara and get back to help finish this war."

"You've changed a lot since you were a kid." Naruto didn't answer, he only watched Sakura sleep before narrowing his eyes seeing her chest rise and fall very shallowly. He leaned forward and felt her pulse as he sighed. "You're really worried about the girl."

"Yeah, I'm worried. And Granny better hurry up with that damn antidote." He said softly as he gently ran his hand over her head.

"You're in love with her. I saw it even when you were a kid, only this…. this is different from what I saw." Naruto looked up at Jiriaya. "What happened?" Naruto stood quickly and walked closer as he spoke.

"You want to know what happened? I grew up without parents; I was beaten and hurt when I tried to get scraps to eat to stay alive. My best friend turned evil and ran off trying to kill me every chance he ha and when I finally found a relative and he went off to fight a ninja who was supposed to be the leader of a group who was after me. I was forced to train and learn to protect the only ones I had left. I pushed myself to the very end to make everyone happy and had my heart ripped out every time I tried to help. I was left with no one to be there for me no one to help me and each time I was expected to help and be great." He paused as he stood eye to eye with Jiriaya. "Finally Sakura gave me a chance. We were doing great and then I was named the sixth and things were finally looking up. Until Madara showed up trying to kill me so he could add the Kyuubi to his collection of tailed beasts so he could take over the world. I grew up real fast being through into a war where everyone around me died. No matter how hard I fought…"

"Naruto!" Sakura cried out making him turn and run to her side as she cried out in pain holding her side. Suddenly the others were at the door watching as Sakura rolled and screamed in pain. Naruto pulled her to him as he tried to shush her. They watched as he pulled from the Kyuubi, letting his chakra mix with it and soak into the wound, easing the pain. Slowly she stopped screaming and she relaxed slightly in his arms. He pulled back to continue to hold her as she drifted away again.

"Where's Granny?" Naruto asked without taking his eyes from Sakura face.

"I'll go see if I can find her." Kakashi said leaving. The others looked around at each other. Jiriaya watched Naruto's reaction to everything, wondering if he could do anything to make things turn out differently. Tsunade and Kakashi walked back in quickly with two vials of the antidote. She handed them to Naruto reluctantly after he gently laid Sakura down.

"Naruto, this is going to kill you. You do realize that right?" She asked stopping him and making him look into her eyes.

"Yeah, I know the risks of me doing this and not Sakura, but I'm not going to just sit here and let her die. Madara wanted to send me a message. I got." He turned taking the book from her and laying it on the bed beside Sakura. He scanned over the instructions before jumping to work. He had Sakura drink one vial before she blacked out again before he unplugged the second and took a slow breath.

"Naruto…." Tsunade said going to his side before anyone could stop her. "This is insane. Even I can't do this jutsu without something happening to me. If you do it…. Naruto…"

"I know the consequences and I'm not backing down." He said stubbornly before she watched him pour the second vial onto the wound and he started his list of signs to begin the jutsu. Slowly Sakura began to glow. As Naruto continued the signs the light grew brighter and brighter until everything was covered in light. When the white cleared, they looked around at Naruto unconscious beside the bed and Sakura still out on the bed. They ran over and checked Naruto to make sure he was still alive. Tsunade checked his vital signs before sitting back with a sigh.

"He's still alive. Not by much but still alive." She said as Sasuke leaned down over his friend. "Help me get him on the bed." Sasuke knelt and lifted Naruto, laying him on the bed next to Sakura. Tsunade checked his vitals again and felt the pulse slowing.

"Naruto…" Sakura said as she slowly opened her eyes looking at the scared and worried others before noticing Naruto lying next to her. "Naruto." She said pushing herself up quickly to look down at him.

"Sakura, you have to take it easy. That jutsu-"

"What happened?" She asked looking at the others as she ran her hand over his chest.

"He did the jutsu to save you." Sasuke said as Sakura's eyes went wide then turned back to checking Naruto's vital signs. She took a deep breath as she looked at Sasuke and narrowed her eyes.

"You let him do that? He was still hurt very badly from the war and the fight here. His chakra was nearly depleted and he pulled on the Kyuubi. I saw the chakra he pulled. How could you let him do this jutsu? It's going to kill him!" She yelled at Sasuke before she tried to form her chakra in her palm but her anger, and fear started to make her lose control over her chakra. Tsunade watched as Sakura started to lose control before Temari pulled her close and held her as Sakura started to cry feeling his heart slow even more.

"Sakura, he knew what he was doing. He knew what could happen and he was prepared for it." Sasuke said. "He wouldn't have stopped even if we told him too. He would gladly die to save you. There's no question about that." He said looking at her hard as she shook her head pulling from Temari.

"No…. no. You could have stopped him! Sasuke, you could have stopped him!" She yelled as she pushed him only to have Temari pull her back to her again.

"Sh. Sakura, it's okay. He's strong, pushed through worse. Everything will be okay." She shushed before looking up at the others. "Right?"

"No… he's dyeing because of the chakra he needed to use for that Jutsu." She said as she pulled away and laid back next to Naruto. She cuddled closer, laying her head over his heart and resting her hand on his chest. They watched as she closed her eyes and her hand was covered in a soft green chakra.

"Sakura." Tsunade said as she reached out.

"No." Sakura said sternly as she opened her eyes and looked at her old teacher. "No." She whispered as tears gathered in her eyes. "I can tap into the Kyuubi and get him to heal him."

"Sakura, you don't have the strength to control it." Kakashi warned before they all looked at Sasuke as he sighed.

"You both owe me." He said before he made three signs and pushed his hand onto Naruto's chest making him jolt as Sakura's eyes slammed shut.

"What's going on?" Jiriaya asked watching the three.

"They've become close in the last few years. They've created some jutsus that only they can use. This is one of them. They work together to hold the Kyuubi back and heal one of them." Kakashi explained. "They're the new generation Sanin in our time." Sakura gasped as she jumped back and Sasuke pulled away both breathing heavy as they looked at Naruto as he took a deep breath. Slowly his eyes opened and he looked around disoriented before his eyes fell on Sakura.

"Sakura-Chan…" He trailed off before slowly reaching up and running his hand over her cheek making her smile.

"Shh. Naruto, you almost died. Relax, sleep." She said holding his hand to her face and reaching out to touch his head making him fall asleep.

"Sakura, you're chakra…" Tsunade said looking at the young woman.

"It's still weak but it's one benefit of taping into the Kyuubi." She said pushing herself up to look around and settle on Sasuke. "We need to start planning, and getting things set."

"What about Naruto?" Jiriaya asked.

"He's going to be out for a few hours. We can get a basic plan going."

"I'll see what my Snakes can find. You should get the toads out looking for anything that could possibly lead us to the bastard Madara." Jiriaya looked at him as he bit his thumb and summoned a small green snake. "I want anything and everything you can find on Madara Uchiha." It nodded and disappeared.

"Sakura, you should get some sleep. You almost died from that poison and you just used a bunch of chakra." Temari said as Sakura nodded.

"I'll start working up something with what we have already." Shikamaru said. The group turned and started walking out ushering Jiriaya and Tsunade from the room.