:Ok… I'm beginning this chapter with the longest author's note ever written, you can of course, skip it. I just really had to put it here. Feel free to scroll down to the story.

: I've been having a writer's block lately, until this sudden flash of inspiration hit me in the head like a punch from an angry Sakura. The way the story goes finally came to me, I usually just write as the story goes, but it's easier to write chapter's when you already have ideas as to what's gonna happen. We're still quite a long way from that though. The only thing is, I can't find the right words to explain it. It's hard to put ideas to writing, as you can see, my writing style isn't that great, and I suck at fight scenes. There are a few really boring chapters in this one, and some characters are really out of character. But hey, this is my first. I'll get better.

:Oh yeah… I've been reading fanfics for the past few days, I noticed I haven't put a disclaimer on this one yet… mainly because I thought that it was obvious that I didn't own Naruto. That's why this is a fanfiction… remember?

:Anyways, enough of my useless blabber. On with chapter 14!! Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 14: No Worries

Ino jumped awake at the sound of a loud 'bang' caused by the Godaime herself, slamming the door to Sakura's hospital room open. Kiba was following right behind her.

"Hokage-sama!" Ino said in a surprised tone.

"What happened to Sakura?" Tsunade asked in a hurry.

"Itachi, used the Mangekyo Sharingan on her, at least that's what Sasuke said." Ino explained.

"Let's see…" Tsunade walked over to Sakura's bed, and began checking on her.

After a few minutes, the Godaime was done.

"How is she?" Ino asked worriedly.

"She'll be fine. It might take her a few days or weeks to wake up, but she's alive. I don't think Itachi even meant to kill her…" the Godaime said with a smile. "…wait… where is Sasuke?"

Ino looked around the room, and a panicked expression soon took over her face. "Oh no."

"Don't tell me he left again?" Kiba said with a sigh.

"Oh no! Sakura's gonna kill me!! I can't believe I let him escape!" Ino said, panicking.

"Relax Ino. Everything will be fine." Kiba said, comforting her.

Suddenly another 'bang' was heard when Naruto entered slamming the door.

"IS EVERYONE TRYING TO BREAK DOWN THAT DOOR!!" They all heard a shrill female voice say from outside the room, probably one of the nurses or other patients from down the hall.

Everyone laughed… well except Sakura of course.

"How's Sakura doing?" Naruto asked once everyone was done laughing.

"She'll be fine… but, it'll take her a few days before she wakes up." Ino answered him.

"Oh… okay. Where's Sasuke?" He asked.

"We don't know." Ino said sadly.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" Naruto asked, beginning to get angry.

"I mean I DON'T KNOW." Ino said sternly.

"Hokage-sama. I'm going after him. He's probably gone to kill his brother again. I'm sure he'll come back once he knows that Sakura will be fine." Naruto said.

"No so fast Naruto." Kiba said.

"I haven't got much time. I can't let him escape again."

" I mean… why would you chase after someone who doesn't want to be chased." Kiba said.

"What do you know anyway Inuzuka!" Naruto said angrily. "He's not thinking straight. I promised Sakura that I won't let him go. A shinobi never backs down from his word."

"Wait Naruto, Kiba's right." Kakashi suddenly appears to them in a puff of smoke. "He can't be helped. He'll run away again if you go get him back. He'll come back after the job is done."

"Good thing I got here in time… these two were about to knock each other's heads off." Kakashi thought to himself.

"Kakashi-sensei!?" Naruto said. "What the heck!"

"As your sensei… I'm ordering you. Do not go after Sasuke. He can take care of himself."

"But sensei…" Naruto said, surprised at what his sensei just said.

"No buts, Naruto. Just trust me on this." Kakashi said with a smile through his mask.

"But… Hokage-sama… help me out here!" Naruto said.

"Kakashi must have a good reason for this… right Kakashi?" The Godaime asked.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The mask jonin said.

"Naruto… you have to follow your sensei's orders… But I think we better talk about this in my office, along with that mission report, Kakashi."

"Hai Hokage-sama." Kakashi said.

Kakashi and the Godaime then disappeared off to the Hokage's place.

"What the heck was that about?" Naruto said confused.

"I'm pretty sure at what the 'thing' Kakashi had to do when we first got here was." Kiba said.

"Which is?" Naruto said. "I don't get it."

"Oh Naruto… isn't it obvious by now?" Ino said.

"No it isn't." he said.

"Kakashi followed Sasuke around. He probably suspected that Sasuke would try to escape again…" Then Kiba's face showed a sight curious look. "… I wonder what Sasuke said that convinced Kakashi to let him go."

"Yeah. I wonder…" Ino said.

"Well then… it's been a long night, and since everyone seems to be freaking okay with the fact that Sasuke ran away again, and that Sakura's in a coma… So, I guess I'll make my way to Ichiraku's. Good night guys…" Naruto said with a sigh. But then he saw the sun peeking out form the hospital wondow. "I mean, good morning." And Naruto closed the door behind him.

"I can't believe everyone's taking this like nothing happened. I guess Sakura really will be okay, and so will Sasuke… but still… I don't get it… maybe this is some kind of joke, or a reality show or something… never mind… why worry when there's nothing to worry about… RAMEN TIME!!" The last thought put a big smile on his face.

"Well, Ino…" Kiba said with a fanged smile. He lowered himself until he and Ino were inches from each other's faces. He could smell her flowery scent. "we're all alone…" he whispered in her ear. He inched closer and closer… and got lost in her beautiful blue eyes that always reminded him of the sky, and the ocean… and pretty much any other beautiful thing in the word that was blue, but could never match the beauty of hers, well, not for this particular Inuzuka. He tried to go and kiss her, but she pulled back.

"Oh come on Kiba…" Ino said with a giggle. As she stroked the red fang marks on Kiba's cheeks. "We haven't even had breakfast yet, you pervert. Besides, you don't wanna do that while Sakura's here." Ino said jokingly.

"Fine then… let's go for a walk, and get some breakfast. I left Akamaru downstairs." Kiba said.

"Yeah, let's go. Then maybe we can finally get some rest." Ino replied.

"I'll walk you home too. Then I'll go and catch up with Shino. He told me he had to tell me something important once we were back from the mission." Kiba said happily.

"You aren't going to sleep? Aren't you tired from our mission?" Ino asked with concern.

"It's not like we actually did much. We just sat around the tunnels waiting for Sakura and Sasuke to get out of there."

"Well… you're right."

The two of them made their way downstairs.

In the Godaime's office…

"Now Kakashi… explain to me… why you would let Sasuke go, since you most likely talked to him before the left, am I correct?" Tsunade demanded.

"Yes Hokage-sama. He told me… that he could never live another life besides the one of an avenger, unless he would fulfill his goals." The masked jonin said.

"But… he didn't know that Sakura would be fine!"

"I told him that she probably would be, but he said that she would never be safe while his brother was around. You could see the seriousness in his eyes, Hokage-sama. He was so sure." Kakashi said.

"I see. But I just don't want to see my pupil so… sad." Tsunade sighed.

"So do I. But people get stronger, they learn from their mistakes, they learn, to overcome losses." At the last word, Kakashi's voice lowered.

"Okay then Kakashi… I'll trust you with this one… but if anything goes wrong-" Tsunade said.

"I know." Kakashi said with a smile through his mask.

"Now… what happened on your mission?" She asked in a serious tone.

"Well…" and Kakashi began his report, and after a good amount of talk… "It's amazing how strong Sasuke has become. I think I couldn't have stopped him without killing him, and I'm sure it wouldn't be easy to do that either." You could tell the seriousness in Kakashi's voice.

"Well then… you may go." The Godaime said as soon as she was satisfied.

"Thank you."

"Oh, and tell Shizune I need to talk to her, she's probably downstairs."

"Yes. Hokage-sama." And Kakashi made his way to the door.

He walked lazily through, and down the stairs, with his face once again buried in another Icha-icha book. Until he suddenly bumped into a tower of scrolls, which fell to the floor, and a surprised Shizune fell into view.

"I'm so sorry Kakashi-senpai." Shizune said, as she dived down to pick them up.

"No, no. It's my fault." Kakashi said, smiling. He helped her pick up the scrolls. "Let me help you carry these. Oh yeah, the Godaime said she had something to tell you."

"I can handle it, don't worry." Shizune said, blushing.

"No, really, I haven't got anything better to do." Kakashi said with a smile you could only see by the look of his one eye. But you could always tell.

"Okay, Kakashi-senpai." She said.

"Call me Kakashi, just Kakashi." He said as they climbed the stairs carrying a load of scrolls.

They soon made their way to the Hokage's office.

"Kakashi, what are you doing here?" Tsunade asked.

"I bumped into Shizune, and decided to help her out." Kakashi said. "Well then, I'll be going now." And he disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Tsunade began to laugh. Loudly.

"What's so funny?" Shizune asked.

"If you could only see the way you look at him." And the Godaime then burst out in laughter again.

"You've been drinking too much sake." Shizune couldn't help but blush. "He should've been able to see, or sense I was there... he's a jonin after all... or is that book really that distracting?" She thought.

The Godaime continued laughing…

:This chapter should've been much more tragic, but I just couldn't do it. It wouldn't make much sense if I killed Sakura, not since I figured out how the story's gonna go. But, remember, Sasuke thinks she's dead. Oh, and the Kakashi-Shizune thing just hit me while typing, I just had to put it up… it'll probably be just on this chapter though. Sorry for the Kiba-Ino stuff… maybe I've been reading too many Kiba-Ino fanfics... I love the couple! Don't you? Okay, you probably don't, anyway, that's just me.

:Hey... this is actually the longest chapter in this story! Maybe because of the authors notes and all the random stuff... you can tell I was in a good mood today... hahaha.

:Right… so what do you think? The only way I'll know is if you review!

: THANKS FOR READING!