Truth and Doubts

"What have you got Kurenai?"

"Local lord, has a fascination with dogs, every nin that has openely approached the town has disappeared." Kurenai squatted next to Asuma. "Has several dogs that are specially trained and can resist any ninja attack, even counter it sometimes. What did you get?"

"About the same as you, except for the fact that no one seems to care about some of their young men and women disappearing. Apparently they go to the lord and aren't seen again." Asuma scowled, he wanted to smoke, but low level meant he couldn't do anything that wasn't natural to the environment.

"Gai?"

"Nothing new to add to that information." Gai absently frowned. "It's been awhile though, even if we do find out what happened, there's no guarantee that Kakashi is still alive."

"His team would be devastated." Kurenai nodded. "They've been working so hard to impress him when he gets back . . ."

"Naruto would probably use that as incentive to overwork himself." Asuma sighed. "And who knows what that could do to Sasuke . . ."

"Or Sakura, she can't afford to lose another dad." Kurenai bit her lip. "I'll sneak into the lords house, tonight. You guys stay low until morning."

"Be careful."

"Don't take unnessecary risks."

Kurenai found the security on the house severly lacking, not even the dogs detected her as she put a genjutsu over several. She finally made it to the lord's study, and slipped in. No one was in it. 'Thank Kami for small miracles' she just as quietly made her way to the desk. 'Okay . . . now if I was a egomaniac, where would I- you've got to be kidding me.' Kurenai stared at the file on top of his desk. 'He left it right in the open? Kami is this guy arrogant!' Gently she lifted Kakashi's hiate-ate, and looked through the file, three pictures fell. The first was a picture of a seal, the second of an unconious Kakashi. The third was a picture of a familiar dog. 'He's in Kohona!' Kurenai glanced through the rest of the file and paled. Not only was Kakashi in Kohona, but so was the lord . . . 'We've got to get back, yesterday!' She took the pictures and the hiate-ate.

"Kurenai?" Asuma jerked as she appeared in a swirl of leaves.

"We've got to get back to Kohona, Kakashi's in trouble."

"Then why don't we rescue him?"

"No, he's already in Kohona." Kurenai took a deep breath. "This guy is a next step up from normal dog fighting, he captures nins and uses a seal to trap them in a dog henge. After awhile the henge becomes permanent. But they have to be trained during the period the seal is still fresh, otherwise they're useless to him." Gai looked like he wasn't sure he was hearing right. "Kakashi managed to escape, before they could break him in. We only have a few more days before it's irreversible. We need to go now."

"How do you know he's in Kohona?"

"Because, he's the dog team seven's been looking after. I bet the Hokage knew that when he sent us off."

"Let's go then."

The three blurred as they raced back home, the pictures secure in Kurenai's pouch.

"Hey, Naruto, you okay?" Sasuke looked down from where he was painting the living room celing mold.

"Yeah, just thinking . . ."

"That's scary." Sasuke smirked as Naruto rolled his eyes. "What about?"

"I don't really understand what a family feels like . . . I grew up watching everyone else interact with their parents and siblings." Sasuke blinked and looked down at naruto. "And I think I have a family with you guys, Iruka-sensei and Hokage-jiji. Or at least, that's how I want to feel . . ." Naruto glanced away.

" . . ." Sasuke glanced away. If he followed his brother's advice, he'd have to kill his closest person. That was quickly shaping up to be Naruto. If he didn't, he might never gain the mangekyo, and be able to avenge his clan. Worse, if he told them that, they might reject him, for fear of him betraying them- he blinked again, realizing for the first time in days that he actually cared what someone else thought. Naruto had moved to straightening another shelf. He returned to painting the ceiling, absently looking at Naruto out of the cornor of his eye. Naruto, in some respects, had had it worse than him. He grew up fending for himself, probably even starving at times. There was no telling what he had seen on the streets at night. Sasuke had lived life easily, until the massacre. In fact, if someone had asked him who his closest person was growing up, he'd have said Itachi. Sasuke stopped midstroke, frowning. Did he actually have to kill someone to gain the mangekyo? Or would facing down his brother be enough to activate the eyes? "I'd like to think we're a family too, brother." Sasuke glanced as Naruto looked at him in shock, before Naruto grinned. Sasuke smiled back, to hell with Itachi, Naruto was able to carve his own way, and if the dead last could do it, then so could he. And that meant finding another way to get the mangekyo.

Naruto returned to sorting the bookshelves, before a soft nagging doubt returned to his mind. Sasuke said he was his brother now, but would he, if he knew about the kyuubi? Sakura might hate him too. 'I won't give up! Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei and Hoakge-jiji know, they won't let me down. Even if it takes awhile, I'll find someone who will accept me for everything that I am . . . but for now, I'm going to enjoy this for as long as I can.'

Sakura rolled over in her bed, grabbing the picture of team seven. She never faced her doubts, but that night everything seemed so impossible. She had a great friendship starting with her team, but she was still the weakest link. It was embarrassing how easily she lost. She wondered if the other two hated her for that . . . she could be so vain and flimsy at times, even though she'd been working on that, old habits seem to die hard. She bit her lower lip. Naruto and Sasuke both had dreams that they were striving for, but what did she have? Making her genin cell her family seemed like a ridiculous dream, so what could her goal be? It couldn't be one that was shallow, like the one she gave when they were first team seven. She still couldn't believe she had said that.

"Who am I? I can't be the shadow of the team." But she couldn't think of an answer. She went to sleep clutching the picture.

Kakashi sat in the living room where both boys had fallen asleep, struggling with his own mind. He could smell the sadness coming from both boys as they slept, as well as a slight fear-smell. He wished he could talk to them about how proud he was of the team, how glad he was that they were friends now, but even then, how much would his word count? He laid down with a sigh, reluctant to fall asleep, but knowing he'd have to eventually. More than anything he wished he was the man he'd been before, even if he wasn't so sure that his former self was all that great.

Well, I was a little depressed when I finished writing this, I know it's a short chapter, probably the shortest one yet, but my mind just hit a mental block for a while and I just finished homework and watching a sad movie. I promise the next chapter will have more action and team bonding, and if it works out right, chapter thirteen will be the epilogue. BEFORE you all attack, allow me to explain: I have several other fics I am trying to finish, and intend to finish this year. (With exception of three collections of one shots/drabbles) I have also started a new project, and it will detract from me writing Naruto. Belief will probably be finished in the next chapter or two that I post because I hit a huge block on it, but don't worry, I intend to someday write a sequel. And I might add a couple oneshots about this story, scenes that I thought of that didn't actually make it into Dog's Life.

So don't get mad yet! I still have one more chapter and an epilogue to post, but I thought I should give you fair warning.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I wouldn't be on this site if I did, and certain people would not have been killed and Sasuke would stop being such an emo idiot.