Team Seven no longer felt like Team Seven. True, Sasuke defected and was replaced with Sai, but the physical similarities and the thought of what Sasuke did to us made the transition easier. I know what you're thinking, I was only the teacher that tried to protect Naruto from getting hurt, but in all honesty, I was hurting myself. Much more than everyone knew. I failed my team, moreover, I failed Naruto.

What type of Jounin allows his underling to walk off like that?

I stopped reading my books for awhile after he left—for he was one of my favorites. One of the first to also master my Chidori. It gave me a sense of pride knowing I was a capable teacher and could teach someone a technique of my own. After he left, I fell asleep at night cutting myself, trying to avoid the nightmares that were to come once my eyes closed.

My arms still have the scars.

Even so, I can only imagine what tonight will be like. True I got over Sasuke, but then again, Sasuke isn't dead. However, Naruto never betrayed us, never hurt us, wouldn't even think of coming within an inch of it. Oh, Naruto…

=^.^=

I turned over in my bed and buried my head in the pillow. It was only mid-day, but my room was as black as night. Tsunade-sama wouldn't be sending me out on missions for awhile. She saw that this particular death hit me hard. When I walked into town, people would tap me shoulder, console me, try to help me.

Personally, it all wasn't worth a damn.

I was quieter than normal now, I didn't have opinions on anything anymore. I sombered through Konoha, noticing the tiniest details though they weren't important. It was still being rebuilt, and most of the main buildings didn't exist yet. It was food stores, houses, other essential stores, then the tall buildings, Hokage's office, and minor buildings like the bookstore. We were only on stage two of this process. I devoted time to helping, constructing small houses and putting forth what effort would come out. Naruto would help, too, with his Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. It was quite a sight seeing Naruto's everywhere you turned, and having the control not to punch one just for the hell of it. Sakura couldn't ever resist, and Sai would smile when she did.

Those days are over now.

I trudged home from a long day of work next to Iruka. He saw the cuts on my arms from before when Sasuke left and was watching me closely. He insisted on staying with me tonight to watch me. To make sure I didn't take the easy road and commit suicide. The thought hadn't occurred to me until he mentioned it. It was the easy road after all. Before bed Iruka searched my pillows and patted me down. I wanted to ask him to stay in the room with me, but it was already weird he was here. I had become afraid of the night in some form, dreading its very arrival. Once he left, I felt more alone than ever. Reaching up, I pushed the curtain aside and watch the very orange sun and its many rays, almost like spiky hair, slowly set over the horizon, sinking as if being forced down against its will, clawing for air and a last fighting chance.

A way out.

My mind flashed an image of Naruto in the coffin gasping for air, desperately fighting for a sign of life above him. I pressed my fingers into my head and beckoned the image to leave my mind. Slowly, it resided from the internal begging and reburied itself within the depths of my twisted, lost state of mind.

My body settled into my bed and relapsed from the amount of work I had don't today. The feeling of overexertion overcame me, and I slipped into a slumber.

^.^

I jerked up in bed breathing hard. The same image of Naruto appeared, except I was there with him. I watched him struggle and fight, not being able to do anything. The clock beeped 1:30. I settled back down in bed, but the feeling in my stomach wouldn't go away. And the ninja iron rule was: if something feels like it's wrong, it probably is. I leaped out of bed and out my window towards the gravesite. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Iruka burst through the door and faintly call my name.

My body tired form the long run but I kept on going. As I reached the graveyard, I looked up to see a familiar face, deep with concern. "Iruka…" I stammered. How had he beat me? He was standing on the ground where Naruto was buried. "Get off!" I screamed. "Get off of him!" I lunged at the ground and started to furiously dig, Iruka grabbed my body and pulled me up, shaking me until I looked him in the eyes. "Kakashi…" he started, "stop, please." I continued and fought against his body, which had become much stronger over time without me realizing it. I felt Iruka drop me. "Feigning Sleep Technique!"

I blacked out.