I changed Naruto's heritage too. If some of the characters are OOC, don't complain because this is an AU fanfic, meaning some of them will be OOC.

Naruto will be OOC in nightmare realm because, well, you'll see.

Italics are Naruto inside the genjutsu.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Kushina would've survived.

Chapter Four: Darkest Before the Dawn

Naruto was running through a maze of darkness. He was only four again. He didn't know what was chasing him, but every fiber of his being told him to run. Run as fast and as far as he could. He stopped for a second and felt the ground tremble. Naruto's heart was going even faster than his legs were. Before him stood a very familiar man who smiled down at Naruto.

"Little man, why are you so afraid?" Tora asked. Naruto ran over to his dead friend and hugged him. He didn't care how cold Tora felt. A dark chuckle came with the trembling as it came closer. Naruto looked up into the face of the Kyuubi, who was laughing at Naruto's attempts to run. He got down close and blew hot air at the child, sending him tumbling into a black wall. Tora didn't seem fazed. "It'll be okay, little man. The nightmares go away in the end." The Kyuubi opened his mouth and out came an army of foreign shinobi who took turns killing Tora before Naruto's eyes.

"Run, child, run. Run away from the truth because in the end, I'll make sure you have nothing more to lose before I eat you whole," the Kyuubi bellowed. Naruto screamed and started to run as fast as he could. Where was the exit? He didn't stop screaming as he ran because he couldn't, even though his voice was long gone. The Kyuubi wasn't too far behind.

Kurenai's worries increased when Naruto started screaming loudly and shaking violently. She was afraid to leave to get Kakashi, but thankfully, Kiba and Shino showed up to ask her about their training session. The rain was beating the earth, trying to spring forth life from the cold ground. Kurenai let her male students into her living room and tried to listen to their questions. The screaming wouldn't stop. It had changed from that of a frighten child or that of an animal's. Kiba was holding his ears with tears in his eyes. He looked ready to run.

"Kurenai, what do you have locked up in here?" Kiba cried. He couldn't take it anymore and took off out into the rain. Kurenai sighed and looked at Shino. The bug boy didn't seem to be bothered by the screaming. She really needed someone to go get Kakashi for her, so maybe Shino would be able to help her. He seemed to be waiting for something.

"Shino, can you go find Hatake Kakashi? Tell him I need him and that it's urgent. Thank you, and please try to find Kiba afterwards. We might want to make sure he still has his ears," Kurenai said. She watched Shino leave before rushing back to Naruto. The white haired boy stopped scream and moving. He looked dead almost except sobs were coming from his thin frame. Kurenai was afraid. Naruto hadn't said anything in understandable words since she got him changed into dry clothes. "It'll be over soon, Naruto. Shino went to get Kakashi. Kakashi will know what to do. It'll be okay." She wiped away some of Naruto's tears, but she gave up in the end because he wasn't going to stop.

Naruto was still four and running as fast as his little legs could carry him. He tripped and curled up into a ball. He started to cry because it felt hopeless. When was the last time he cried? He didn't want to die. He didn't want to be killed in this darkness by the demon. A soft hand touched his shoulder gently. Naruto stared hopelessly up into the face of Hikari. She smiled him like she used to.

"Naruto, it's okay to cry. Tora was a hero," Hikari said. The darkness reformed into the familiar cemetery. He looked at the stone in front of him and cried harder. "Naruto, don't let this hurt too much. We'll get through this together." The trembling in the ground started again, but Naruto didn't have the strength to get up. He didn't want to move. He just wanted to stay put. "Tora was amazing, huh?" Naruto stopped listening to Hikari. He didn't want to talk to her because he knew she was going to die.

"Little brat, have you finally given up?" the Kyuubi asked as he walked over and stared at Naruto. Naruto looked up and wanted to scream. All that came out was tears. He had a feeling of what would happen. Hikari couldn't see Kyuubi because Kyuubi was Naruto's nightmare. Naruto tried to get up, but he couldn't move. The Kyuubi changed into a man wearing a dark hood. Naruto stared at the man's grin. He watched the man kill Hikari with a single wound to her throat. The blood pooled around Naruto and the grave. The name changed to Hikari. Naruto touched it with a bloodied hand. "Your presence is enough to drive those around you to death. Everyone will die. You will forever watch them die." Naruto only cried as he got up again. It took him mere seconds to run away from the human Kyuubi. "I love this chase very much."

Naruto stopped crying just as Kakashi arrived with Kiba and Shino. Kurenai only let Kakashi into the room because she didn't want to scare off her students again. It wasn't natural for unrelated shinobi sleeping in each others' houses with so many years apart. Kakashi tapped Naruto's nose, but there wasn't a single reaction. Not a twitch came from the trapped boy. Kurenai wanted an explanation to this whole thing. She refused to let Kakashi get away without one.

"The genjutsu I used was something I picked up in my travels. It puts the victim in a continuous nightmare. It brings up bad memories or fears. It's different for everyone. For the first twelve hours, the victim would be able to be released because it takes about that much time for the genjutsu to reach the memories and fears to conjure up the nightmare. Some signs of the nightmare will appear on the outside. Bruising and cuts are rare, but they happen," Kakashi said. He looked at Naruto with suspicion. What he wouldn't give to know what Naruto was seeing. His own experience was watching his father, Obito, and Rin die over and over again. "Kurenai, I don't know how extreme these can get. I heard a rumor of a victim once clawing out his own eyes due to what he saw." Kakashi walked to the door. "I'll be right back with Minato's notes." Kakashi disappeared, and Kurenai checked over Naruto quickly.

"Stop!" Naruto screamed. Cuts suddenly exploded from his body. Naruto's eyelids opened to show the white of Naruto's eyes. Kurenai rushed through her shock to get bandages because the Kyuubi wasn't healing him. She passed her students and ignored Kiba's question on the blood. She found the first aid kit and ran back to the bedroom. She finished bandaging Naruto up as Kakashi came back. He looked confused on why his student was bleeding. "Stop!" This was definitely stranger than normal.

"I found a way to get him out of there," Kakashi said. He was holding a stack of bound papers. They looked old and worn. "Naruto must have a happy memory somewhere." Kakashi sat down against the wall and began flipping through the notes. "Minato wanted to document this jutsu, so I was the victim for him to see the outside effects. Minato became the victim to see the inside effects, and he told me he had found a way to break out of it. It's risky because after doing so, Minato's demeanor changed. He was more agitated and cold. Kushina told me all about it." Kurenai looked at Naruto, who had settled into silence again. What could have possibly happened to him?

"Kurenai-sensei, Shino and I are worried about you. We want to help," Kiba said behind the door. Kakashi looked at his friend. She sighed and opened the door. Shino and Kiba were let inside the room. "Naruto?" He looked between the Jonin. "You have been hiding a sick Naruto?" Kurenai thanked her lucky stars that Kiba wasn't all too bright. "I guess even freaks like Naruto can get sick." The comment made Kurenai a little ticked off, but what other word described Naruto? "Shino, are you okay?" Shino wouldn't step any farther than the doorway.

"They sense strong emotions coming off of him. He's unstable and could attack at any moment. They are afraid of the chakra he's giving out," Shino said. Kurenai looked at Naruto and almost laughed. Naruto was dangerous awake and asleep. Only Shino noticed the trembling. Naruto was afraid of something. He couldn't walk away because he had to see. "Kurenai-sensei, he'll be awake soon. The fear is leaving him." Shino stood there as everyone else didn't know what to say. They just looked at Naruto.

Naruto ran through the darken halls and didn't notice that he was becoming taller. He now stood at the height he was when he was eight. He stopped in a clearing that brought back painful memories. He walked to the center and found not a single mark of the battle remained. He lifted up his shirt and saw not a single scar. Something was wrong.

"Honestly, how far can you run? How much more of this can you take?" the Kyuubi asked. He walked over to Naruto in another human form. Naruto winced and looked pathetic at the form the Kyuubi took. "Oh, you like? I thought going as Itachi would brighten you up." Kyuubi-Itachi drew his sword and charged Naruto. The boy began running again to avoid being hurt. All the hits made were shallow, but they stung terribly. Naruto whined as he tried to get away. "I'll do what Itachi couldn't. You know why he let you live, Naruto?" Naruto tried shouting to get the Kyuubi to stop, but nothing happened. "He let you live because you were pathetic. It wasn't worth his time to kill you." Naruto screamed as the sword found its way to the familiar spot in his abdomen. "Start running again, Naruto." Naruto ripped the sword out and ran away.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Naruto shouted as he ran. The Kyuubi smiled as he turned back into a giant fox. This was much more interesting than listening to the fool Yondaime declaring that he would defeat him. The Kyuubi took his sweet time to follow Naruto through the dark halls. He wasn't ready to end it yet, but he felt that it was coming to an end. He followed Naruto's shouts and smiled at the fear behind them.

"I found it!" Kakashi said. He had continued to look through the notes while Kurenai explained everything to Kiba and Shino. "Minato recorded that the way he got out was killing his most precious person the first time, but the second time he killed what was haunting him in the nightmare." Never in the notes did it say what haunted the former Hokage. Kakashi wasn't too concerned about that. "Minato had a third slot opened, but he never got around to going under a third time. Kushina was pregnant, and after that, the Kyuubi attacked." Minato never survived that long.

"Kakashi, how much did Minato change?" Kurenai asked. She didn't want to lose Naruto to darkness. She already felt like she was losing him. Kurenai was worried about the child she had grown attached to. Kiba looked at Shino, who didn't motion or say anything. He could tell the fear behind her voice. Kakashi put the notes on a nightstand and looked at the floor. What could he tell her? "Kakashi, I have to know. I've watched Naruto grow. I've watched him become what he was. I don't know if I can go without knowing anymore what could happen." Kurenai was remembering the four-year-old who declared that he would marry her. Kakashi didn't touch the notes. He didn't have to.

"Minato's personality changed to where he was irritated easily. He yelled more and became violent. He wouldn't tell anyone of us what was going on, but I saw that it was putting a lot of strain on his relationships," Kakashi said. He gave Kiba and Shino a look that sent them out into the living room again. Kakashi walked over to Naruto and just stood there, staring at him. "He became himself again during the course of Kushina's pregnancy. I was told that he still had some troubles." Kakashi walked away and turned to the door. "I'll be back soon. I'm going to see if we can get some sedatives from the medics. We might need them." Kakashi left and took Shino and Kiba with him. He figured he'd give Kurenai some time alone with Naruto. He wanted to visit the hospital anyway.

"Naruto, you just can't stay out of trouble?" Kurenai said. She got a chair and sat it beside the bed. Naruto coughed, which made her jump a bit, but no blood appeared. He was back to being still and silent. "Too bad I can't travel back in time. I would've saved you from all this hurt years ago." Kurenai sat down in the chair and didn't say anything more. The silence captured the room. The only thing that moved were the tears falling from Kurenai's eyes.

Naruto wasn't eight anymore as he continued to run. He had bypassed twelve to being a tall man. He had been running for what felt like forever, but he wasn't about to stop. The Kyuubi wasn't too far behind. Naruto could feel the thunder below his feet. He continued as the darkness continued. He wouldn't stop because Naruto watched everything bad over again. Tora, Hikari, and Itachi were his precious people. He had one more, but he was about to let the Kyuubi use her image or memories to hurt him. He wouldn't let that pain in.

"Naruto! Where are you, my precious plaything?" the Kyuubi bellowed into the darkness. Naruto's body trembled in fear, but he didn't even stumble in his running. The nightmare was starting to fade. Naruto didn't notice as the darkness became a subtle grey. He didn't care because until he was awake, he would continue to run. The Kyuubi had only one more trick up his sleeve, and Naruto wouldn't let him hurt her. "No matter how far you run, I'll find a way." Naruto ran until he ran into someone. They were in a white room, and Kurenai stood before him in a white dress. Naruto wanted to cry because she was going to die before his eyes. He just knew it.

"You just can't stay out of trouble for too long, huh?" Kurenai said, smiling at him. Naruto stood up and looked around him. Everything was white and felt warm. He was afraid. This was just like all the other times. He looked older, but he didn't feel older. Kurenai wasn't a day over nineteen, when he first met her. He felt hurt as he watched her. "Naruto, are you okay?" Naruto wasn't okay. He would never be okay. "Come on, Naruto. Let's dance." She spun around in front of him. Naruto didn't move. He didn't want to taint her with his touch. A presence appeared behind him.

"She's beautiful, Naruto. If you don't want her, I'll take her," Kyuubi said. He was in his human form again. Naruto frowned and turned to face him. "Something wrong?" The Kyuubi disappeared and reappeared by Kurenai. He had a clawed hand by her throat. "I could easily slit her throat. You'll be left with nothing, but I'd kill you before you made it to the darkness again." Naruto looked at Kurenai and the Kyuubi. He smiled and stood his ground.

"Do it because you're not real. She's not real. I'm not afraid of you," Naruto said. Kurenai faded away, but the white remained. The Kyuubi looked stunned but soon switched to looking sick. His skin began to bubble until he changed into a giant, dark monster. "So this is what you look like?" Naruto felt the real Kyuubi starting to send chakra to him. He smiled at the monster. "I'm going to love killing you." Naruto charged at the monster with red, glowing claws.

Naruto was still unmoving and quiet, but Kurenai could feel his chakra expanding. It was powerful. She figured Naruto was just about to wake up. She hoped Kakashi would return soon. The rain had picked up and was sounding like stones against her window. Somewhere in the distance was thunder. It felt like it was speaking of the impending doom. Kurenai hated the rain because the rain washed everything away except for memories. She stared out the window before looking at Naruto.

"Maybe you'll wake up when the rain has stopped, but I have a feeling that won't happen. You and the rain go together like a song," Kurenai said. She smiled sadly and brushed some of the hair from his face. He was hot to the touch, which worried her a bit, but Naruto was always warm. "I hope you can defeat your demons and come back to me. It'll be a fairytale ending indeed." Kurenai wanted to hang onto the smallest of hope that Naruto wouldn't change.

Naruto was having trouble. He had brought the monster down, but he couldn't land the killing blow. The monster was just toying with him now. What was wrong with him? Naruto stumbled to stand up again. He was panting and looked at the monster as he changed his form again. Naruto was frozen in place when he saw who it was. He couldn't attack anymore.

"Naruto, can you kill me while I wear the face of the woman you love," the monster said. He had changed into looking like Kurenai. Naruto fell to his knees and felt like he could feel the rain fall. The Kyuubi chakra retreated as Naruto gave up. The monster laughed. "Pathetic. I was hoping to have a lot more fun with you." Naruto could kill anyone that wore the face of Kurenai. That was just like asking him to murder his own heart. He hung his head as the monster walked over. "You really are a pathetic being. Everyone you loved has left except her, and you hang on to a worthless hope that she won't leave you like they did." The monster laughed as he kicked Naruto's head. Naruto didn't care. He looked up with blank eyes. "I never thought you could even attempt to kill me. I was right." Naruto looked at the ground where his blood lay. This wasn't Kurenai, even if it wore her face. Naruto attacked and was able to get his hands around the monster's neck. He watched as the life left the red eyes that he adored on another person. He smiled as he dropped the monster. It was over. The white disappeared as light broke through. He was free.

Naruto groaned as he woke up. He blinked and looked around the room he was in. This wasn't his apartment, so this was either Kakashi's place or some secret hide out. Naruto noticed a chair sitting by the bed and felt terrible. He recognized some of the place. It was Kurenai's house. He killed her in his nightmare. It may have been the monster, but it was still wearing Kurenai's face. Naruto sighed and stared at the ceiling. He could hear people arguing outside the door.

"He's a ward of Konoha. They make the decisions concerning his health," an unfamiliar voice shouted. Naruto didn't hear the response. He threw his blankets back and didn't notice the blood on the sheets. "Yuhi-san, you and Hatake-san have to back down. When Uzumaki is unconscious or unable to make his own decisions, his next of kin or the council will decide. His next of kin is dead, and the council passed the duty onto a medic." There was more arguing from another muffled voice. Naruto stood up out of the bed and looked at the door. "It is my professional opinion as a medic that Uzumaki Naruto be admitted to the psych ward for extensive testing." Naruto didn't notice many things. He didn't hear the rain or feel the cool air on his bare chest. He opened the door and looked at a scrawny medic trying to look tough before Kakashi and Kurenai. "Uzumaki!" The room was quiet.

"I'm conscious and well aware of my health," Naruto started. He walked passed everyone to the door. He stood there and looked at their shocked faces. "If you had seen my updated medical forms due to my update in status, you would have seen that my next of kin were Kurenai and Iruka." Naruto wouldn't even look at Kurenai. He had a haunted look in his eyes as if he was guilty of something. "I can't stay any longer. Goodbye." Naruto opened the door and disappeared into the rain without anything on his feet or a jacket. Kurenai ran to the door.

"Naruto!" Kurenai shouted. It was lost within the pounding of the rain. Kakashi walked over to her and tried to put a hand on her shoulder. She slapped it away. "We have to go find him. He could get sick out there." Kakashi knew it was hopeless. It took forever for Kiba, Shino, and him to find the hospital in the rain. It made everything darker and unrecognizable. He stopped Kurenai from leaving. She looked ready to cry because Naruto didn't even glance at her.

"Kurenai, you won't find him. One, it's pouring out there. Two, Naruto is an expert at hiding. I could barely find him during the test I gave. Three, he's hurting because of what he did. It had something to do with you, but you'll have to wait until he comes to you," Kakashi said. Kurenai nodded. She walked away as Kiba and Shino took the medic back to the hospital. Kakashi stayed for about a minute longer before disappearing into the rain. He went to see the Hokage about something. Kurenai was in the bedroom, watching on the window in case Naruto came back.

ICECOLD

Naruto collapsed in front of the stone that bored many names. He looked through all of them for his hero's name. He spotted the name and cried. Was it his fault that Tora and Hikari died? Was he really that pathetic that Itachi wouldn't even kill him? Naruto cried because he was able to in the harsh rain. He didn't care about the cold because before him was the only proof that heroes weren't forgotten. Only monsters were forgotten out in the rain. He laughed bitterly at that.

"I'm truly a monster, aren't I?" Naruto said. He looked at all the names on the stone and wondered how many of them perished because of the Kyuubi. He found the Yondaime's name and figured he was the final name of the Kyuubi victims. "You should've just had me killed when I was a baby. Somebody should've ended my life because it's not doing me much good to stay alive." Naruto couldn't end his own life because he didn't want to think about Kurenai's reaction. "Maybe when I die, they'll all throw a party or something. Monsters don't get welcome homes or good lucks. They get nothing but a glare and nasty words." Naruto brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "Hikari, you and Tora were wrong. I'm not a prince or a hero. I'm the monster that princes and heroes kill to go home to their loved ones that are left." Naruto stared at the stone until he heard footsteps behind him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I should go," a woman said. She was wearing a black dress and looked to be around Kakashi's age. Naruto got up to stop her from leaving. She didn't have to go. Naruto stood before her and saw the sadness reflected in her brown eyes. "My name is Rin. I'm sorry to chase you away. Usually nobody is here when it rains." Rin was starting cry. "I just feel closer to my loved ones when it rains." Naruto smiled at Rin the best he could.

"Rin, they're always nearby even in the sunshine. Don't go getting sick to be close to them when they're always by your side," Naruto said. He ran off before Rin could react. He didn't want to be near the stone anymore because he wasn't going to get any closer to Tora and Hikari by sitting there. He didn't want to be around the stone that only spoke of the loved ones gone. Naruto didn't see Rin watching him leave. He didn't see her smile at the stone as she patted it.

"Obito, I just met a child today that spoke the truest words I've ever heard," Rin said. She smiled at the rain and decided that she would come back tomorrow for the sun. "Obito, I'm sorry I can't stay long. It's raining, and I now remember that you hate the rain." She gave the snow a goodbye and left for home. She passed a Jonin that was trying to get his soaked cigarette lit. She smiled at him and continued on. Sarutobi Asuma felt like he should remember the smiling lady, but he couldn't. He sighed and gave up on his cigarette. The others were dry in their box, but he didn't want to risk them for a buzz.

"Man, how long is it going to rain?" Asuma asked. He needed to get a hot shower and some food. He made a mental list on what he was going to do when he got home. He walked onto the bridge and noticed a boy sitting there, staring at the water below. He recognized the child as the Kyuubi boy. "Hey, kid, you shouldn't be out here in the rain without a coat or a shirt on." The child looked at him with confused eyes. He looked down at his chest and seemed to finally notice that he wasn't wearing a shirt. "Geez, kid, don't you have someone to take care of you?" Pain flashed before his eyes.

"My name isn't kid. It's Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto said. He looked down at the water again and wondered if the fish liked the rain. He was surprised that this Jonin sat next to him. Their legs were over the bridge, and if it kept raining, their feet would soon be touching the water. "I wonder if the fish like the rain. They seem to be swimming about more often in the rain." The Jonin nodded and sighed. "You can go if you want. I don't care because it's not like you have to be here." Asuma felt like he had to sit next to this kid. Something about Naruto's blue eyes drew Asuma in.

"Look, Naruto, I don't have anywhere to be, and right now, I don't even have anyone to go home to," Asuma said. He looked at Naruto and saw every scar and bandage. "How come a Genin like you has so many scars and bandages?" Naruto shrugged and stared harder at the water. "My name is Asuma." Asuma. Naruto met another person. He looked at the Jonin and noticed not a single shred of fear. Asuma smiled and ruffled Naruto's wet hair. "Why do you have white hair, kid? Kakashi already made you old?" Naruto covered his hair with his hands and glared at Asuma.

"I've always had white hair. It makes me special!" Naruto said. He sounded like the toddler that was defending his hair in an apartment so many years ago. He stopped himself from continuing and started to cry age. Asuma didn't know what he did wrong. He tried apologizing about the hair, but Naruto didn't react to anything. "Asuma, I think it's best if you don't talk to me anymore. I'm a monster, and nobody is friends with monsters." Naruto silently got up and ran away from the bridge. He didn't want to hear Asuma's response. He didn't want to see the confusion on the older man's face. He just wanted to get rid of these feelings inside. He hated himself for what he was about to do.

ICECOLD

Konoha was muted by the rain. They always had a heavy rainfall once a week during the spring time. Summer storms were worse. The thunder at least was gone. Sarutobi Hiruzen was ashamed to hear Kakashi's story. He was upset because of the medic, which there was a complaint on now. Kakashi was dripping wet and requesting to take Team Seven away from society. Never in his career did Hiruzen think that destroying children would bring forth the future of Konoha.

"I'm not asking to leave the village. I just want to relocate them to the Corps base. This'll help me morph them into what we need," Kakashi said. Hiruzen sighed and looked down at his hands. He knew Naruto would have no problems adjusting to the life there, but he was worried about Sasuke and Sakura. "This is the best way. I wouldn't suggest it otherwise." The Third Hokage wondered if the rain could wash away guilt, but that thought was quickly removed.

"Good luck, Kakashi," Hiruzen said. Kakashi bowed and exited quickly. The rain played music against the windows as the Hokage wanted to wash the invisible blood from his hands. He watched the rain fall and wished that it could wash away everyone's worries and fears. Maybe if it did, the world wouldn't be so bad. He wanted the sun to shine again.

ICECOLD

Naruto slipped and fell several times as he climbed up the hundreds of stairs. He got half way up before he fell and was too exhausted to get back up. He just lay there and breathed in the clean air from the rain which felt wonderful on his skin. Naruto looked up at the stone faces and wondered why he had jumped from them in the first place. It had once been a rush to break his body. Now it lost all the old appeal. Naruto sat up and looked at all the puddles on the ground. If only emotions were like puddles.

"I'm not getting any older here," Naruto said. He finally noticed that the voice was silent. That itself made him feel hollow. He shivered slightly as the wind blew. "I should get home." Naruto used the railing to help him stand and walk down. He touched the bottom of the stairs and looked around. Which way was home? He would have to find someplace to sleep. "I have to go back." His clothes and hitai-ate were all back at Kurenai's. He started off for her place.

It took him an hour to find even a familiar place. His feet were muddy and felt gross while his body ached as if he was beaten by a mob. Naruto yawned as he walked around. He needed someplace dry and warm. Naruto continued to look around for more familiar places. In all it took him less time to get to the mountain than away. He found Kurenai's place five hours after leaving it. He didn't know what time it was or if she was still there. He didn't care. He just wanted to sleep and get rid of these feelings. He walked up to the door and knocked only once. It opened to a puffy eyed Kurenai. Naruto felt even worse seeing her like this.

"Naruto," Kurenai said. She spoke like his name was forbidden or he was a ghost. She hugged him even though he was wet and filthy from the mud. "Please don't run away again. I thought I lost you." Naruto didn't hug back because all he could think of was the monster in his nightmare. He had watched Kurenai die under his fingertips. "Naruto, if you can't tell me what's wrong, that's fine. Just don't hate me for something I don't understand." Naruto hugged Kurenai back as tight as he could. He loved her so much. She was the most precious person he had. He couldn't lose her to his own darkness.

"Kurenai, I'm not leaving again," Naruto said. He made a silent promise to never leave her. He promised that he would become a man and protect her from everything that could harm her. "I would never be able to leave you. You're the most precious person I have." Naruto held Kurenai as close as he could because she was here, alive, and warm. He had to let go of what he saw because it wasn't true. "Kurenai, I love you." The words fell from his lips as he passed out in her arms.

ICECOLD

Naruto woke up in the morning in another bedroom without the sounds of rain. The room has posters of movie actresses and models. There are figures of dinosaurs and other creatures. The room has an air of childhood. He got up and noticed a pile of clothes on the dresser. He took the clothes and saw all the dust on the dresser and toys. Whoever lived in this room didn't live very long. Naruto had a feeling it was a brother of Kurenai's. He quickly got dressed and walked out into the living room. Kurenai was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee. He sat across from her and looked at her.

"Kurenai, there is a monster inside of me. I don't know when or if the monster will try to escape, but it'll hurt you. It'll hurt only the ones I'm close to. If I ever push you away, just realize it's the monster pushing you away. I only do it to protect you," Naruto said. Kurenai smiled and placed her cup down on the coffee table. Naruto didn't look away. He wasn't going to slip away without her knowing he cared. "You know I would never leave you unless forced." Kurenai continued to smile at him.

"Naruto, no matter how hard you push or how far away you go, I know you'll come back to me," Kurenai said. Naruto nodded and gave her an eye smile and the best smile he could manage. For Kurenai, that was the best thing he could do for her right now. "Kakashi dropped by and asked me to tell you to meet on the bridge." Naruto nodded and stood up. He walked over to her and hugged her. Naruto was out the door before she could say goodbye. Kurenai had a feeling that this was what her mother felt when her father left for training or a mission.

Naruto was the last to arrive at the meeting point. He remembered his conversation with Asuma and felt better. The conversation brought back a spark of childhood to Naruto that the nightmare had tried to erase. Kakashi was glad to see Naruto was up and healthy. The boy seemed relaxed and not as haunted as he had the night before. He motioned for Naruto to come over and join the little huddle. Kakashi looked at all his students and was regretting his decisions.

"For your training, we're going to be living at the Assassin Corps HQ. They have bunkers there for us to live in. You'll be separated from family and friends until the Chunin exams, and I'll be giving you your dog tags and codenames when we reach the base. Right now, I need you to go home and say goodbye to your loved ones. I want you to bring nothing with you but your gear," Kakashi said. He dismissed them and watched Sakura and Naruto leave. Sasuke remained behind. "Can I help you with anything?" Sasuke looked at the Jonin and looked puzzled.

"Naruto seems more relaxed. What did you do to him?" Sasuke asked. He stared at the Jonin with determination. Kakashi blinked and wondered what happened to Naruto. It wasn't something Kakashi did. Unknown to Kakashi, it was the result in his talks with Rin, Asuma, and Kurenai. Unknown to both of them, the voice that had haunted Naruto for a few days was quiet.

"I don't know. He changed himself," Kakashi said. Sasuke walked away, unsatisfied with that answer. Kakashi walked to the memorial and noticed fresh flowers lying there. He only ever saw flowers once, and that was during the rain. Kakashi smiled and looked at the same name he stared at often. "Hello, Obito. Today I realized that people can change by the reactions of others." The day was bright, and the future was going to be okay as long as Kakashi kept his students from the edge.

TBC

R&R please. This was hard chapter to write. I wasn't sure how to do the nightmare. Naruto's nightmare will be a reoccurring thing. Next chapter will be the Assassination Corps. – Kyuubi no Kitsune0101