Out of Harm's Way: Chapter Three

Naruto was lying on top of the sheets. He had a cast around his left leg, and bandages around his chest, where the cuts had re-opened and started bleeding again when Naruto moved around. He had an iv, blood, a heart monitor and a breathing mask attached to him. The heart monitor gave off a steady beep, while his chest moved up and down. He was still very pale, even with the blood flowing into him. His hair was matted with sweat, and he still had a pained look on his face, even though he was sedated. His arm was bare, and lay limply next to him. It was covered with skin again, but it was still obviously injured.

"What the hell did he use a jutsu like that for? How did he even come up with something like that?" Jiraiya said angrily.

"He used it because I asked him to… and I had him make it, as finishing the rasengan…" Kakashi said.

"ARE YOU CRAZY? Kakashi, there's a REASON WHY that was never finished!" Jiraiya said.

"uhhhhh"

Everyone's heads turned to Naruto. Sakura and Kakashi ran over to him.

"Naruto! Are you okay? How do you feel?" said Sakura

"…sh…it…" Naruto said, with his eyes still closed.

"Naruto, can you open your eyes?" she said.

"…too…hea…vy…"

"oh, Naruto" she said, but he had already passed out again.

"Is he just going to pass out next time he wakes up? Shit, it must be bad, you know he never makes a fuss over an injury…" said Jiraiya.

Tsunade then walked in, telling them all to get out, except Sakura and Ino. They gave him more morphine and sedative, but still had to use chakra restraints on him. As everyone else sat outside, they could still hear Naruto's screams. This was bad. Tsunade had to set twenty-seven pieces of bone to a steel support.

When she had finally finished, most people had left, asking to be called back when she was done. They couldn't stand to hear Naruto's pain anymore. Only Sai, Kakashi, and Jiraiya were still there. They all looked depressed and weary. Kakashi was filled with guilt. His student was enduring so much pain, having a steel support put into his arm, all because of a jutsu that He told Naruto to make and use.

Shikamaru had been the last to leave, and he said he would inform Iruka of everything that had happened. He didn't want to leave, he would rather be there for his friend, but they could see where he had bitten his lip hard, and he couldn't take it anymore.

As soon as Tsunade came out, Iruka had run through the doors to the waiting room.

"Is he okay? I heard what happened! How is he?" He all but shouted.

"He's… you can all go and see him." Tsunade said.

Sai went to tell everybody that Tsunade was done. Kakashi, Iruka, Jiraiya, Sakura and Ino all went back into the room.

He looked even worse than before. He was still hooked up to the heart monitor and the breathing mask, along with the blood and iv. He also had morphine drips going into just above his left knee, and above his right elbow. His hair was matted to his head with sweat, but this time his breathing was harsh. Iruka and Kakashi sat by his bed in chairs, Iruka glancing up at the boy every now and then, and Kakashi with his head in his hands. Jiraiya leaned against the wall, occasionally glaring at Kakashi. Sakura and Ino sat, occasionally checking that everything was working. Sakura sat, and cleaned the sweat off of his forehead. Ino thought only that he protected her. She found herself dozing off, holding his hand.

Two days later, Naruto woke up again. Everyone was busy, except for Team Kakashi. He, Sakura, and Sai had asked the hokage to give them until Naruto was better before returning to active duty. Sai had left to go to a root meeting, so only Sakura and Kakashi were left. He woke up, finding Kakashi staring out of the window, and Sakura looking down into her lap. He tried to sit up, put winced and quietly cried out in pain. Sakura's head shot up, and Kakashi's head snapped around.

"Naruto! Are you okay? I'm gonna go get Tsunade-sama!" she said, running out the door.

"Naruto…"

"Kaka-sensei? Could you help me sit up please?" Naruto asked, taking off his breathing mask.

"Huh? Oh, sure."

He helped Naruto sit up, stopping whenever Naruto gasped or winced. Finally he was sitting up, and Kakashi sat down next to him.

"Naruto… I'm sorry…"

"Why? We kicked his butt didn't we?" He laughed lightly and nervously.

"Naruto. Now I know you haven't forgotten how much pain you were in two days ago. Kami… no-one but Sai, Jiraiya, Sakura, Ino, and me could even stick around. They couldn't stand to hear you in so much pain."

"Kaka-sensei. I know. I remember, and that was probably the worst day of my life. But Konoha is safe, that's all that matters."

Kakashi's fist slammed into a nearby table.

"Dammit Naruto!" he said, standing up, "That's not all that freaking matters! We all thought you were going to die! Freak, you almost DID die! Everyone was so freaking afraid! And you know the WORST part Naruto? I was the one that PUT you here! Like Jiraiya said, there is a REASON why that technique was never finished! I shouldn't have had you train to do such high level jutsus when you're only SIXTEEN! You really could've DIED! And I NEVER should have asked you to do that jutsu! We shouldn't have to rely on you fighting ALL of the battles and getting the most HURT!" Kakashi yelled.

"Kakashi-sensei! Don't EVER blame yourself for what happened! Yes, you asked me to do that jutsu, and yes, you had me learn an *huff* advance *huff* technique, *huff* but It's not *huff* like you *huff* KNEW *huff* this was going *cough* to happen!*cough*-"

Naruto was cut off when he started harshly coughing.

"NARUTO!" Kakashi shouted.

Luckily, Tsunade came in at that moment with Sakura.

Naruto had passed out, and Tsunade had to make sure he was okay, and re-attached his breathing mask.

"Dammit! Can you PLEASE tell me WHAT THE HELL were you two yelling about to get him that worked up! He's supposed to be resting!"

"Sorry Tsunade-sama."

She left with a "humph" leaving Sakura and Kakashi alone in the room with Naruto.

"Kakashi-sensei, I heard what you two were arguing about… I really think that Naruto doesn't blame you at all. He knows that it was our only chance of winning." She said.

"Still, Sakura, you were in here, you saw how much pain he was in, and is still in. And I can't help but think that I shouldn't have told him to face that guy alone… I should have helped him…"

"I know... I feel the same way…"

They both had to leave, as visiting hours were over. But they would come back tomorrow.