Naruto slowly opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. The build was obviously no in the best of condition. The ceiling above him had several holes in it. He tried to sit up and let out a grunt when he fell back to the bed. He had been beaten good this time.

"Just do something smart and lay still for the next day."

Naruto looked towards the door. Sakura stepped in smiling at him, "I would say with as severe a case of chakra drain as this that you would need a few weeks. But this is you, so you should be fine after a day of rest." She sat down beside his bed and brushed a stray strand of hair out of his eyes, "I swear you are way too stubborn for your own good."

Naruto leaned away from her touch, "What are you doing here?"

Sakura frowned, "I'm here to help you baka."

Naruto looked out the window. "I figured after you found out about the…well what I am, that you wouldn't want anything to do with me. I mean I killed hundreds of shinobi and-"

"Stop," commanded Sakura. She grabbed Naruto's face and forced him to look at her. "You're not the Kyuubi. I know it's inside you and everything, but you're not the Nine-Tail, you're Naruto."

Naruto smiled slightly at this, "You don't hate me then? I wasn't able to save Sasuke and all."

Sakura looked at the ground, "It wasn't your fault that Akatsuki showed up."

"Yes it is! They were after me."

"Just stop it Naruto! This isn't you! Ever since you got back you have done nothing but feel bad with yourself. Sasuke abandoned us okay! Deal with it!" Sakura tried her best to hold back her tears as she stood and walked out the door. She passed a very worried Kakashi.

"You okay?"

"Fine as long as I don't have to be around that Baka!" She then stomped off.

Kakashi turned back and saw Naruto staring out his window. He was hurting.

"He looks just like sensei," stated Rin as she walked up.

Kakashi tried his best to talk calmly with his former teammate, "There's a reason for that."

Rin looked at Kakashi then back at Naruto, " You mean he-?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Does he know?"

Kakashi shook his head. They stood there in silence for a few minutes. It was an awkward silence as if both were begging the other to speak first. Kakashi had thought of this moment a million times. Every time he went to the memorial. Every time he looked at Obito's name. He had practiced what he would say. He knew how he would feel. But now there she was standing right next to him.

"Where's the third one?"

Kakashi was shaken out of his self examination, "What?"

Rin looked back at Naruto, "You got sensei's son and the girl. Where's your third member?"

Kakashi frown became evident despite his mask, "Dead." He then started to tell the story of what had happened since he had first been assigned to be Team 7's sensei.

Rin sighed when he finished, "So, the last Uchiha is with Akatsuki."

Kakashi nodded.

Rin seemed to space out for a second, "After Obito died, I….it hurt every time I looked at you. Every time realized that behind your fore-head protector was Obito's eye. I had to leave. I practically begged sensei not to come look for me."

Kakashi nodded, "A lot has changed since then."

Rin started to walk off, "Kazakage-sama should be ready by tomorrow. I would check on your student but the girl has been very adamant of only her treating him."

Kakashi chuckled, "This is why they should wait till all this hormone stuff is gone before they make them shinobi."

Rin smiled, "That's the Kakashi I've missed."

"So, tell me about this guy."

"Doutsa? There's not much to tell. He wants to unit the shinobi tribes under an Iron Fist. I stumbled across a village he attacked, and I've been following him ever since."

Kakashi nodded, "Just as I thought. You're the rendezvous."

"I wrote to the Hokage when I found out he was heading that way."

"I sent the two Hyugas and Kankuro ahead to warn The Leaf. We move out first thing tomorrow morning."

Rin nodded her agreement.

Kakashi closed his eye in thought, "That just leaves one question." He opened his eye and looked at her, "Are you coming with us or you going to continue to stay here where you don't have to face the past."

"Have you gotten past it?"

Kakashi sighed, "I'm trying. And it would help if I had someone else who knew what it felt like."

---Outside---

Sakura sat on a sand dune overlooking the ruined Sunagakure. Stupid Naruto. Why do I even care what he says? Sure I missed him and everything.

"It's all so troublesome."

Sakura turned and saw Shikamaru standing beside her staring at the city. Just what I needed. The cheering squad. "What do you want?"

Shikamaru looked at her, "I want a few seconds inside that building with any kid of drama. Between your team, Kakashi's old friend, and that blonde harpy-" He was suddenly knocked to the ground be a gust of wind.

"What did you call me pineapple head?"

Shikamaru sighed, "Women are so troublesome." He got up dusting off his clothes and walked up.

Temari walked up sitting beside Sakura, "What's going on Pinky?"

"Naruto's an idiot."

"Yeah, but I've known that for years."

"He's a big idiot."

Temari raised an eyebrow, "Oh, I see what's going on."

Sakura shot her a glance, "Care to cue me in."

Temari smiled slightly, "Sorry Pinky. That's something for you to figure out." She stood up and dusted off, "Now I have a pineapple head to find."