Hey guys, thank you all for your reading and reviewing the first chapter, and thanks for coming back to read the next installment of Sasuke's Heart.

This one and the next are again going to be simple plots before it picks up but this one's kinda long.

It's really annoying too write 16 pages of story with your family interrupting every three minutes, so let me know what you think!

Nothing belongs to me except for my actual story lines and titles. No copy write is intended.

Please enjoy, R+R:)


Sasuke's Heart

#2. Self-Drowning Guilt

By. twilaliars798

Team seven stood before the Hokage's office, waiting to be called in. They had been summoned almost an half an hour ago already, but still hadn't been allowed entrance.

"What the hell's taking so long?!" Naruto shouted in aggravation.

Sasuke sighed and Sakura quietly nodded along though she secretly wished she could just get up, barge into the office knocking the door off its hinges, and demand to know what the Hokage's problem was calling them here then making them wait so long for her.

When they had first arrived, Kakashi, followed by his three students, had given a curt knock on the door and simply walked right in like he owned the place.

Lady Tsunade had looked up at him in frustration. She had been sitting with a very large, very rough looking man and immediately demanded they get out, she would call them in when she was ready.

"Right, I'm sorry lady Tsunade. Sir." Kakashi had said respectively bowing to them both.

Naruto had chuckled quietly at the way his eyes seemed to narrow in annoyance but when Kakashi had turned to lead them out of the room and Naruto locked eyes with his warning glare, the grin had immediately been wiped off his face. He could have sworn he'd seen Sasuke with a ghost of an amused smile across his lips as well, but it was gone before he could tell.

Once they had left her office, Kakashi had immediately sat down in the one, very ugly, very uncomfortable chair by the office door and pulled out his book. It wasn't five minutes later that the big man had walked out of her office singing some kind of tune from an old folk song. That had been half an hour ago.

"Quiet Naruto, Lady Tsunade's a busy woman" was all Kakashi said now, looking up from his perverted book.

Naruto's hand curled into fists at his sides. "Of course, coming from the man who's two hours late every day!" He continued.

Kakashi sighed. He'd been deliberately ignoring his students for the past twenty minutes, choosing to just stare at the pages of the erotic novel between his fingers and listen to them talk among themselves.

Unlike usual, he hadn't gotten anything but complaints. Not even the beginning of a fight between Sasuke and Naruto. By this point he should have already had Sasuke threatening Naruto with murder in his sleep if he didn't shut the hell up.

"Ugh why do we have to sit here waiting for the stupid old grandma when we can be out in the sun training?" Naruto moaned.

Their complaints, plus having to sit here waiting for the busy Miss Hokage to finally be ready for them had Kakashi snappy with aggravation.

"Watch it Naruto" He said standing up to stretch his arms and legs out.

Naruto growled to hold back a smart remark, after which the only thing heard was the sound of Sasuke's humphed chuckle.

"Is there something you find funny?!" Naruto snapped, turning to the smirking boy.

He just humphed again and shook his head.

Naruto let out another growl beginning to advance on the other boy.

Sasuke stood up from against the wall and faced him back, head on. Just as Naruto pulled his fist back in preparation of a strike, the big old office doors opened, and out walked lady Tsunade.

"Settle down boys"

"Ahh what the hell took you so long grandma?!We've been waiting for you for like three hours!"

Kakashi sighed again taking Naruto by the shoulder and shoving him out of Tsunade's face. She glared down at him like he was a dirty bug on a rug but Kakashi could see the love for Naruto behind it.

"I had other matters to attend to." She said "Now if you'll follow me."

She led the four into her office where she sat in the large chair behind her desk and pulled out a file.

However that's not what the four ninja's focus was on. Instead it what was on the desk.

Sitting in front of the Hokage and a little to her right was a meter high castle made of cards that had definitely not been there when they'd come in here before.

"Ahhh" Naruto growled.

"Ma lady, I assume these were the other matters you were attending to." Kakashi said dully.

"Yes, now then," She continued. "I have a mission for you"

"There have been a number of sightings in the forest by the village gates of some undistinguished ninja. They seem to be waiting for something but we have yet to determine what. They don't seem to be from any desirable area but the people who spotted them say they seem to be plotting some sort of threat to the village. Last point seen was 64,32. Your job, trace and spy on them for a while. Find out what they want. What they're trying to get their sticky paws on."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully.

"But lady Tsunade, wouldn't this be classified as a higher ranked mission?"

She sighed "Kakashi, I didn't say you were to attack them, just find out what they're plotting…what they want and report back. Besides, if you were able to handle your team on that S ranked mission back in wave then I'm sure they'll be fine"

"Hmm" He nodded.

"Be ready and out of the village in an hour" Tsunade ordered.

The boys had listened to the mission they were to accomplish, but as Kakashi and Tsunade spoke they whispered to each other in voices barely audible to themselves.

Kakashi agreed with the Hokage and turned to leave the office making sure that the three followed him out. However, just as he opened the door to exit, Naruto and Sasuke doubled back in an almost invisible motion.

Naruto, as dramatically as possible-just because we all know Naruto-struck the house of cards sitting on the desk, sending them all waving in the air. Then with all the attention on Naruto, none of them noticed Sasuke making hand signs until he was spitting a small fireball jutsu that burned all two hundred cards to crisps before they all landed at their feet.

"Yieahhh!" Naruto and Sasuke only had time to high five each other before a set of bird masked Anbu appeared out of nowhere, grabbing them by the tops of their arms and throwing the two out onto the street. As the door was closed behind them, all that was heard was Lady Tsunade's terrifying voice shouting,

"Na-ruuu- tooooo!"

...

It was an hour later that Naruto and Sakura walked towards the village gates packed and ready. When they'd been kicked out of the Hokage's tower an hour ago, the Anbu had been livid.

"Do you have any respect for your elders' boy!?" One had shouted while the other one fought with Sasuke who knew he wouldn't get out of the tight grip but struggled anyway.

"Oh relax!" Naruto shouted. "We were just having a little fun…hehehe…hey she was the one who kept us waiting so she could build a card castle anyway!"

Sakura and Kakashi trailed behind the two Anbu, Naruto, and Sasuke.

"Sir, they were umm… just practicing their skills." Kakashi said seriously while all three genin could see the amusement in the grown man's eyes.

"Don't you dare defend them Hatake!"

Then Naruto and Sasuke had been thrown out the door to land on their butts in the old dusty road, the large doors slamming behind them.

Kakashi had outright chucked then turned to look back at them.

"Funny…" He said "But don't do it again. I don't want you losing your chances because you decided to threaten your Hokage"

"Hehe" Naruto laughed "you know you loved it."

The sensei's eyes had turned up in indication of a smile. "Yea, you don't know how many times I've wished to do that, but I really don't want to lose my job."

"Okay we won't" Naruto had laughed. Sasuke and Sakura had nodded along with him though both boys' eyes had a dangerous gleam to them.

Now Naruto and Sakura walked silently and quickly in the direction of the gate, hyped up for their mission.

"Do you think Kakashi Sensei's gonna be late for this?" Naruto asked with a big smile on his face.

"I certainly hope not…but knowing him…" Sakura said and Naruto thought she looked beautiful with the sun gleaming against her bright pink hair.

Meanwhile Kakashi was already waiting at the village gate. He may always be late, but he really hadn't had to go back and pack anything he didn't already have for this mission. So while the three had gone back home to pick up their stuff, Kakashi had sat in a tree and turned to a random page in his book. Sasuke had arrived about thirty minutes later, apparently not having anything better to do either.

Kakashi watched as Sasuke sat down right under the tree he happened to be sitting on. He watched him as silently as if he was tracing another ninja he wished to get information from as Sasuke crossed his arms over his stomach, leaned his head back against the tree, and closed his eyes.

He seemed be slightly more out of it than usual. Quiet and his eyes not really focused on anything before he'd closed them.

"Kakashi, stop staring at me. It's weird." When the boy's voice broke the silence, Kakashi stepped back a little, shocked. How had Sasuke known he was there? He hadn't made a sound. He couldn't possibly have read his chakra signature, especially with that unfocused look in his eyes. Looking down at him he saw the boy's eyes were still closed.

"Are you alright Sasuke?" Kakashi asked jumping down to land perfectly in front of him.

"Yea, I'm fine." He responded. "Just thinking"

Kakashi continued looking down at him until the boy opened his eyes to glare back. Even then he continued to look.

"What!?" Sasuke said getting really annoyed at his teacher now.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Ughh yea I'm fine... I just …have… a bad feeling about this… I'm sure it's nothing"

Kakashi nodded "what kind of bad feeling?"

Sasuke just glared at him for a moment again before nodding and closing his eyes. Kakashi just dropped it.

"Sasuke can I ask you how you knew I was here? You didn't seem to notice I was watching you"

"Umm…Your chakra" Sasuke said in an attitude that implied it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But my chakra was-"

"Hey team! You ready?"

That's when the number one knuckle head ninja and pinky finally decided to appear, interrupting their conversation.

Suddenly Sasuke's eyes we're open and focused again. His mind was open and alert. Kakashi saw it as soon as he got up, picking up his backpack. Like a true ninja, his mind went right back into mission completion mode.

And before Kakashi could ask him how he had sensed his chakra, Sasuke's backpack was over his shoulders and he turned towards the opening gates.

"Aright then…let's go."

Kakashi followed Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura passed the gate and into the trees.

"Alright, Tsunade said they were last seen at point 64, 32. Keep your chakra signature as hidden as you possibly can and let's go."

The three genin followed Kakashi through woods, quickly, and silently. It wasn't long before they caught the smell of a dead fire, followed by cooked rabbit, and five chakra signatures. Two very weak, while the other three were obviously at least at jounin level power.

"Kay we're probably going to reach them in a minute. When you do, stay completely silent, if you can hear them, they can hear you. And you all know that if you aren't completely hidden and can see them, then they can see you. Stay hidden." Kakashi said forcefully.

"Like Tsunade said, we just have to find out what they're doing, so no matter what, you don't attack them unless spotted and threatened. You'll all spread out, but stay in seeing range of each other…and watch for my signal"

Sasuke rolled his eyes but otherwise they all shook their heads in a single nod.

Kakashi was right. Only a meter later, the four reached the edge of a small clearing currently being resided in by two huge tanned skin men, a boy, probably in his mid teenage years, and a young boy and girl probably around ten years old. Kakashi nodded, and the three spread out, following his instruction.

"Uncle, can we go home yet?" The small girl with bright red hair, sharp features, and brown eyes asked one of the huge men in an obviously annoyed tone.

"No imouto, uncle says we get to start the plan in the morning." Wow the boy looked nothing like the girl's brother with his soft features and warm brown hair.

"First of all!" She stood up, turned to face him and pointed a finger right at his nose as she yelled.

"Do not call me that, I'm the same age as you! Second, what the hell do I care, this is the stupidest plan ever. I want to go home!" Naruto had to stifle a laugh at the girl's expression. It looked all too familiar.

"Are not!" the boy shouted. "I'm older by twenty seven second, and this is not-"

"Shut up! We are on a mission!" Both kids jumped at the teenagers load demanding tone.

"No, you shut up…You can't tell us what to do!"

Sakura and Sasuke both rolled their eyes at the children's stupidity-they should both know what it means to be on a mission at their age.

That's when the biggest of the men got up, throwing the bone to his rabbit leg on the floor, and shouted.

"No, all of you shut up! Like he said we are on a mission, and if you lot are going to act like a bunch of children then we're going to treat you as such. When you are done eating, you will all go to bed!"

"What!" The two stupidly yelled again, turning to him. "but…uncle-"

"No, no but…shut up and finish your dinner."

The older boy sighed and sat down again, his face melting into a satisfied smile.

"Thank you tousan" He said

"Ah don't thank me, that goes for you too, if we can't grab those scrolls, aren't ready to kill if we have to, and run back to the village tomorrow, first we'll be killed by the master, and then we'll be killed by the-"

"Quiet brother" the other big man said, finally deciding to cut off the other. "We're too close to the leaf village to be talking this way. All of you keep quiet."

That's when the genin could finally tell the two bigger men apart. While one had a hard, load authorative voice-Mr. Bossman, Naruto would probably say- this one had a soft husky voice, almost like that of the teenagers.

"Nonsense!" Mr. Bossman bellowed. "No one will hear us out here. At the crack of dawn, you two children will roll yourselves in the mud, rip your clothes up a bit and stuff, run into the village, and Lady Hokage over there won't be able to resist taking you in to help poor innocent children."

Ohh it now made so much more sense why they would bring such obviously unskilled young ninja on a mission like this. They were planning to get into the village using these two as bait. Kakashi only hoped his three students understood what was going on.

"I was watching our imouto talk to lady Tsunade today. He warned her about our plans to attack the village but not what we were going to do and how we're going to do it. I don't think they have a clue as to who we are and what we're really after…"

Everything suddenly snapped together in Kakashi's head. The man they had all seen today, sitting in Tsunade's office had the same, big rough figure these two had. The same small head with very little purple hair and very big funky bodies. That had been these two men's brother. That had been the man warning the Hokage about the raid on the village these men were planning. However, the man must not have known or given the location of these ninja because at the same time the lady had been getting reports about the strange unknown men in the forest near the gates. But there was still something odd about this case.

He looked over to see the genin, all watching the conversation gapped mouthed and completely focused.

That's when everything went wrong.

The sound of snapping branches was heard from the opposite side of the clearing. The four watching ninja jumped at the sound, the five in the clearing went dead silent for less than half a second before they all spread out into some kind of formation.

It all happened too fast after that. None of them could get a grip on how fast these ninja were, it wasn't possible. Each of them –even the obnoxious children- sent about a dozen kunai ricocheting into the surrounding trees. More than half of them were directed towards team seven and the blinding speed at which they flew at had even Kakashi nearly getting hit a couple times, Sakura was lucky enough to be pressed close enough to a crevice in a tree that she only had duck into it when they got close to her but Naruto and Sasuke were doing their best to stay out of the weapons' way.

Kakashi saw the whole thing play out from the moment of impact before it even happened. He saw their cover get blown, saw the angle at which the kunai' were coming at, and saw the blood dripping down the kids body. And he saw that he had no time to stop it.

He knew that in the next instant, the last two kunai would make contact with Sasuke's body-his lower stomach to be exact. Naruto and Sakura would both scream as Sasuke fell back trying to catch his breath from the impact, blowing their cover. Followed by Sasuke's cry of shock and pain when he finally managed to breathe and feel again, a battle 'till the end, and the desperate rush to get him back inside the village without causing him too much pain on the ten minute run back.

And that's almost exactly what happened. The kunai flying anywhere near Naruto finally stopped and Sakura slowly crawled out to him as he sighed and sat back heavily on his butt. Kakashi could see he was fine, other than the small scrape on his hand already healing. Sakura had no injury at all and they were plenty close together now. Good, this gave Kakashi hope that they wouldn't be caught spying by these people.

Kakashi got to Naruto and Sakura just as the last two kunai made contact with the soft skin of Sasuke's lower stomach, just as he'd said. He covered the two bright genin's mouths as they prepared to scream when Sasuke fell back onto his ass, his eyes wide and his mouth open in shock. This was probably one of the moments Kakashi hated most. The inability to breath and the adrenaline in your body finally slowing to a stop.

"Not a sound." Kakashi whispered so quickly he could only hope the two had heard him. He assumed they did when he didn't hear them cry out a second later. His heart clenched at not having been able to stop this before it happened, even if it demanded getting hit himself. While his kids had not yet sustained any true battle injuries like this, he had dealt with them plenty.

Just as Sasuke's feeling and breath finally caught up with the rest of his body Kakashi reached him. From behind, one arm went across the boy's chest in support and hopefully some form of comfort, while the other pressed over his mouth as Sasuke's eyes squeezed shut and his lips parted to scream out his pain.

"Don't scream, don't scream, don't scream." Kakashi chanted close to the boy's ear as he watched his fingers clutch at the hard bark beneath him.

"Sasuke don't scream, don't scream." He knew Sasuke understood why he couldn't scream, why he was to stay silent. Knew Sasuke didn't want to scream but what was taught in the academy was a completely different story than being on a real mission. This was the first injury he'd ever sustained to this degree, the first time he had two kunai buried to the hilt within his abdomen….and because of this his body couldn't keep cool, couldn't truly process what he was to do, how he was supposed to contain himself, how he shouldn't react while his mind did.

Once the stiff feeling that showed Kakashi his wish to scream left his body, leaving him panting and flushed, Kakashi picked him up, still keeping the hand over his mouth and turned to Naruto and Sakura.

"Sakura go back to the village, get some medics, Naruto stay where you are, focus on the mission. I'll be right back."

With tears in her eyes, Sakura turned, swiftly and silently going back for help. Naruto, his eyes wide and his mouth still agape took a moment to process what Kakashi said before turning back to the clearing, but his mind couldn't focus on what he was seeing. It was too busy thinking, the Uchiha, the village's little prodigy, his frie- I mean enemy, had gotten hurt. Had two knives digging into his stomach.

Meanwhile Kakashi ran, jumping from branch to branch until he reached the highest branches strong enough to support his weight. There, he put down the flushed, panting boy and took the hand away from his mouth.

Sasuke's face was pale, his eyes watery with unshed tears, his lips and teeth clenched tightly together. Kakashi got him leaning back against the tree gently before taking out his own kunai. Sasuke flinched as Kakashi brought it down close to his body.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Kakashi whispered to him making sure to look him strait in the eyes and brushing the hair out of his face.

"Your okay" He said, then as carefully as possible, used the kunai to cut the shirt off of the boy's small figure.

"Kuso!" Kakashi said going pale as he fully saw the two knives embedded in the soft milky flesh. There was little blood, which meant that they were enough to block the pools of blood Kakashi knew would come once the medics got here, but this looked bad. And he knew from experience it hurt like hell.

"Sasuke-kun, you're going to be fine okay. Everything's gonna be okay. Just don't move. Sakura went to get someone to help you."

"No!" Sasuke's eyes finally met his. "No I don't need-"He didn't finish his sentence, instead falling into a fit of heavy panting as his body involuntarily pulled upright and rigid. Kakashi's heart clenched at his pained moan and he rubbed his back trying to ease his breathing until he was leaning back against the tree again.

"I'll be right back." He whispered and flew back down towards their original point.

Naruto was staring, openly shocked at the scene in the clearing. Kakashi knelt beside him and took a look only to see who had caused the interruption before. Who had caused the sound of the breaking branch.

"I'm afraid your wrong brothers. The leaf is completely ready to fend you off in the morning. As we speak they are assembling a team to watch for you. I only wish you wouldn't bring our niece, nephew, and your son into this."

It was exactly as Kakashi had previously though. In the clearing joining the others now, was the man from Tsunade's office this afternoon. Their brother.

"Kakashi" Naruto whispered.

"Shh" was the only response he got.

"I don't know how you can betray the family like this brother. Your own people…your own niece and nephew. Don't try guilting us out of this with them. At least they are loyal to us even at this young age and my son is fully prepared for this battle. The leaf may be warned, but we will still have our victory."

"Do as you wish brothers" The youngest responded to the one with the teenager's voice. "But leave the children be. Mika, Rykumo, Mizera, come. Let them do as they wish but don't throw yourselves into this battle."

All three children laughed cruelly.

"Leave us alone uncle. We won't betray this family like you did. We'd give our lives for it."

The man sighed. "Suit yourselves then. I really hope they have mercy to you children, but you brothers, I hope they lock you up for life. Those scrolls will destroy our family once in the master's possession. Not to mention this whole thing is a suicide mission. I wish you…luck" He said. Then he turned around, and walked off into the forest away from the leaf.

The men sat down but the children still didn't relax their positions and they laughed.

"Did you honestly believe we didn't hear you in the trees?" Bossman asked.

Naruto looked up at Kakashi questioningly. Kakashi said nothing just holding a finger to his lips.

"I mean, we probably wouldn't have known if we hadn't heard the Kunai's impact on the boy. I mean, I'm surprised he didn't scream. Sounds like it went in deep. Where is he now?" Teenage voice asked before Bossman got up.

"You can just come on out now, ninja, we know you are there. "Both laughed and the other got up as well.

"Ohh come on, no point in hiding."

Kakashi took Naruto shoulder knowing the men would say no more about their plans and directed him away from the clearing, towards the point he'd left Sasuke. However before they could take a second step, another kunai whistles through the air, snagging Naruto's jacket and pinning him to the tree nearest to them. His eyes widened and he struggled to release himself. Kakashi turned just in time to block the sword of Bossman being aimed to stab him through the back.

And the battle began, moving too fast for Naruto's eyes to catch too much through the thick wildlife. All he could do was listen to the sounds of the metal and fists clash against each other, hand signs being made, and at one point, hear, see, and smell a ball of jutsu made fire. He just hoped Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi were okay as he struggled to unpin himself.

Meanwhile Kakashi was beginning to tire. These men, despite not talking, or looking like ninja, were putting up one hell of a battle-even the two little ones who seemed to have a role of staying in the way of Kakashi's advances of the bigger men. This was all too frustrating especially as his mind kept wandering back to where he'd left Sasuke panting at the top of the tree. He wondered what was keeping Sakura. What was taking the medics so long?

The only thing Kakashi was grateful for was that none of his students would have to fight these men. They were completely ruthless. Vicious and cold hearted. And Kakashi knew exactly where Naruto was pinned against a tree with a kunai buried as …deep…as the ones in…Sasuke's…stomach. He wasn't getting out of there and that was good-he would be safer there.

As Naruto struggled, Kakashi blocked another onslaught of blows from Bossman's tanto while dodging vicious blows from the actual teenager's fists.

Just as Naruto finally broke free, teenage voice directed a killing blow towards Kakashi's chest and….something stopped it. Looking around, Kakashi saw a team of jounin assembled around him all holding on to one of the men…and little lady. All of them struggled and fought against them, but had no chance of breaking loose.

"You good Kakashi? Naruto?" Gai asked as he kicked down the young teenager and held him to the ground.

"Yea-"Kakashi looked up cutting himself off as he just realized Naruto had gotten free. Wondered how long he'd been there.

"I think we're both fine Gai Sensei" Naruto said to finish Kakashi's sentence off. Kakashi shook his head and nodded in confirmation.

"Kay then go. Show the medics where Sasuke is. We'll handle this." Kurenai said as she began tying the hands of Bossman behind his back.

Naruto and Kakashi turned to see an assembly of three medics, Sakura, and Asuma behind them.

"This way" And the five followed the two ninja up into the trees.

Sasuke now had his head back against the rough bark, his eyes shut, and his breath coming out in heavy pants.

The medics immediately surrounded him and his eyes shot open. A fearing gasp escaped his lips and he tried to move away. Seemingly trying to hide himself and blend into the tree that supported him.

"No" he whispered. "No go away"

Naruto was shocked at the sight of Sasuke's pale, flushed face, the whimpers escaping him, and most importantly, the two silver ends of the kunai protruding from his now exposed belly.

"No, Sensei" Sasuke cried as the ninja advanced to examine him. He struggled to move away from them. Their hard stares and white gloves. Struggled to move, but the tree behind him suddenly became his sensei's chest, his sensei's warm arms around him. He didn't understand why that comforted him.

"It's alright Sasuke" the soothing voice whispered to him. "Just hold still. They're going to help you."

He knew that trying to help, would just make it hurt more. "No" he whimpered again as Sakura and Naruto sat down beside the rest. Both kids were shocked. Never did they think Sasuke this way.

"C'mon teme, just relax man." Naruto said awkwardly not really sure what else to do.

Kakashi held Sasuke tighter, and the medics began their examination with a lot of fancy words and scary meanings. Kakashi seemed to understand what they were saying, but Naruto and Sakura just glanced at each other.

"Okay, get some cloth ready" One suddenly said as another pulled up one of their three bags. Naruto could see that it was loaded with tons of gauze, creams, and bandages.

As one pulled out a pile of soft, clean white towels, one took note of Sasuke's heart rate, and the last, sitting directly in front of him looked up at Kakashi. None of them could tell whether they were male or female. Kakashi tightened his grip around the boy, and nodded. Then the medic carefully wiped the sweaty bangs out of Sasuke's face, and faster than possible, gripped the hilts of the kunai, wrenching them both out of the raw flesh in a single ruthless motion.

The eardrum shattering scream that erupted from the boy had Sakura in tears, Naruto's ever present smile gone, and Kakashi, struggling to hold onto a crying, thrashing Sasuke as the blood that had been building burst through the open wound and spread onto the towels the other was now holding extremely tightly against it.

"Ahhhaahhhggg!"

"Shh Sasuke, shh its okay, it's okay!" Kakashi whispered frantically. Sakura turned and ran down to the ground as the sight of the large pool of blood rocked her. Naruto followed and sat beside her as she threw up whatever she'd eaten that day.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto whispered when she was done.

Instead of the warm sad look in her eyes like Naruto expected, he was surprised by the furiousity in them.

"Naruto, why would Kakashi do that?! Why would he let Sasuke get hurt like that? He should have helped him…what the hell!?"

"Sakura did you see how fast those…" she cut him off apparently knowing what he was going to say

"Yeah I saw how fast they were coming, and I also saw how Kakashi managed to dodge them all. If he wanted to-!"

"But Sakura-"

Naruto tried to interrupt again but she just continued raging.

"nah-uh, he could have stopped it if he wanted to but-! "

"Quiet both of you!" Asuma's voice made them jump as he suddenly appeared beside them.

"Sakura this is your sensei you're talking about, have more respect. You have no idea what was going through his mind. I know for a fact that if he could have done something to prevent this he would have…for any one of you. Kakashi's suffered a lot in his life- if you'd bothered to actually talk to him you'd probably be able to tell! It's not my story to tell but Kakashi lost pretty much everyone he ever truly cared about when he was younger and you guys are the first he's ever let himself care about this much in a long time so if I were you, I'd shut the hell up. Because he would have done everything to prevent this if he could. He's actually berating himself for this right now!"

With that said, Asuma didn't even wait for a response. He turned around and shot back up through the trees as Naruto and Sakura stared shocked to silence at each other. Even Sakura's tears had been shocked to stillness at Asuma's outburst.

Back in the trees, Sasuke was still outright sobbing miserably. Tears running down his cheeks and his hands trying to rip away the hand of the medic pressing the towels down on him. Kakashi couldn't take it. Watching this boy breaking down in front of him. Kami this was his fault! Why had he let this happen? Why couldn't he be faster? Why couldn't he stupidly run around the way Gai did? He'd let his student get hurt. Almost fatally hurt. Failed someone he cared about again. The only thing he could do now was hold Sasuke against him and rub small circles into his chest and shoulders.

"Ahhgg st-stooop!"

The medic only pulled its hand away from his and pressed a new towel down harder on him.

"Hmmmm….Sens-"his next cry was cut off by an ugly heart breaking cough and gurgling.

An outsider would have simply thought he was going to throw up or choking or something, but Kakashi knew the feeling of being drowned in your own body all too well. Knew the desperation of trying to get out whatever was blocking your air and causing the awful taste in your throat all too familiarly.

Sasuke's panting turned to choked off gasps as he struggled with the blood flooding his throat…his everything? It felt like he was drowning. Like the blood wasn't just in his esophagus but spreading throughout his lungs, chest, nose.

Fear gripped him as he struggled for breath and he hardly noticed when Kakashi shifted so that he was leaning forward as the man patted his back.

"It's alright Sasuke, cough it up. Cough it up."

With the rough beating against his back, he had no choice. He couldn't have stopped the coughing even if he wanted to. Blood spewed from his lips helping his body expel it and air came through his lungs. Though more still came, it wasn't as much as the original flood. Instead of the sinking Titanic, it was more like a slowly sinking paddle boat.

Kakashi's hand stopped hitting for a moment, instead becoming gentle circles easing the tense muscles in his back.

"Sensei-"Sasuke got between coughing fits. "I'm-I'm dro-dro" The scared, urgent tone left Kakashi with a strange itchiness in his eyes.

"Shh" He whispered already understanding. "You're not…you're not drowning. Here."

Kakashi put a cold bottle of water to the boys lips knowing it would help get rid of some of the blood. It wasn't difficult to get him to sip it. Sasuke was never naturally very fussy. Actually Kakashi was surprised he'd even thrashed around the way he had.

Sure enough the water had him cough up the last of what was blocking his throat leaving only enough to make him nervous and Kakashi feeling like a monster.

He did this…this was his fault, he couldn't help but think. Why couldn't he have blocked the attack?

"Alright, we have the blood slowed down. Kakashi you have to move. Let us wrap the bandages so we can move him. Go take a break"the only one of the nurses with a male voice directed.

Kakashi sighed and nodded, lifting Sasuke's head off his chest and moving out from under him. He was surprised that his legs actually felt weak, though not from exhaustion.

He rubbed at his shiny eyes and walked down a few levels when the medics turned to start pulling out some gauze. It would have to do until they could get him to the hospital. They kept watch on how pale he was, nervous that he'd lost too much blood, but they were almost done now. They would be back in the leaf soon.

Kakashi however was beyond nervous. He was mad. Mad at himself, mad at the enemy ninja, mad at Sasuke, and mad at the medic nins. He was upset, his eyes itchy with unshed tears, his heart beating heavily in his chest, the fists clenched at his sides, his steps stiff. He was ashamed. For not stopping it before it happened, for having Sasuke have an injury like this at his young age. Kakashi had a rough childhood being one of the children during the third Great War and everythimg. This was the generation that was supposed to relax a little but every one of them seemed adamant at proving themselves, having revenge, or killing someone.

Kakashi was too lost in his thoughts. Wasn't focusing enough. When Asuma came up behind him placing a hand on his shoulder he nearly turned around and stabbed him with a kunai. Kind of ironic.

"Whoa Kakashi relax." He began. "You did good….Kakashi stop looking like that."

"Hey I don't control what Kami gave me." He said sitting on a branch with the corners of his lips hardly lifting for a moment. Not that anyone could tell anyway.

"You know what I mean! Stop blaming yourself. The kid was bound to get hurt sooner or later. He's a ninja for God's sake. You can't protect everyone Kakashi-"

"No' he interrupted. "I can't protect everyone…my friggin job is all about killing people but I should be able to protect my team so stop trying to turn this around."

Silence.

"Sensei, he's right." Naruto said as he and Sakura came up to sit down with them as well. Asuma secretly smiled at the two coming to help. They had understood what he said even though he'd realized after that he'd just exploded at them before.

"You couldn't have done anything so relax. A couple stitches and he's good. At least he's not dead or anything." Sakura said.

"Besides, he's not mad…I've never seen Sasuke like that but I know for sure he's not mad." Naruto smiled brightly. "If he was he wouldn't have wanted you like that. He calmed down when you talked to him. He listened to you and I'm sure everyone knows that if Sasuke doesn't want you near him, he DOESN'T want you near him."

Kakashi got up and sighed, not saying a word. Asuma got up with him and put a hand on his shoulder again.

"It's not your fault." He said before turning to walk away.

Kakashi turned back towards the two genin glumly. "How about you guys? Are you guys okay?"

Naruto got up throwing his hands up to exaggerate as usual "Super-duperly wonderfully perfectly fine!"

Even in his dark, self depressed mood, Kakashi couldn't keep back his single chuckle. "I'm glad." He smiled and the two followed him back up to where the doctors were cleaning up their equipment.

Naruto and Sakura stopped at the top, taking in the sight before them. Sasuke was lying on his back, his eyes closed, his face peaceful, and his pale stomach wrapped with thick white bandages. Other than that, his sweaty flushed skin, his puffy eyes, and his unsteady breathing, he looked as if he was just taking a nap. A good nap.

One of the nurses was looking through another medical bag, and the other two conversed quietly as they packed. Kakashi knelt down beside him, and he opened his eyes to look back up at him.

"I guess this is why I had that bad feeling about today' He murmured. His voice was already returning to normal though still frail and weak. "Did you finish the mission? I'm guessing something happened with all the jounin around here."

Kakashi looked down into the clearing. There we're only two chunin left scouting the area and he had no idea how Sasuke could have seen them.

"How do you know there were a bunch of people here?" He asked confused.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Their chakra?" he said rolling his eyes even in his weakness and fear. Kakashi chuckled. "Yea" he said "I should have known."

"You should always try to follow your instinct Sasuke. Sometimes it might just save you." He took a deep breath brushing his fingers through Sasuke's hair. The boy leaned into it for a minute, closing his eyes. He missed any type of fraternal comfort. That was before he realized what he was doing and pulled away from the man's hand.

"Sasuke I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop those knives from hitting you. I'm sorry I got you hurt."

Sasuke opened his eyes. He seemed to have a strange confused look on his face.

"Umm…it's okay but why should you be sorry? It's not your fault… I'm the one who couldn't dodge those kunai. I think I need to work on my speed when this heals….But this is just part our job isn't it?"

"Yea, I guess it is, but it's also about protecting those precious to you. And that's what I intend to do a lot better next time."

"Sensei if you try to protect us from this…. We're never going to be…ninja. We need the experience. Any closer and you'll have us tied to your back…. loosen up a little. And if it's about… protecting those precious to you….I think that Naruto, Sakura, and I should talk to Tsunade… about having some kind of intervention for all those books you read…it's not good for you"

Kakashi laughed a seconds, he could see how tired Sasuke was. He seemed to be struggling to form coherent words.

"But what about the mission?" he asked, eyes snapping wide open again.

"Don't worry about that. I'll tell you about it when we get back.

"Sensei my stomach really hurts." He hardly had the breath to form that sentence as his breathing got heavy again.

"Hey take it easy, I know. And I'm sorry to tell you this isn't the worst of it. As a ninja you'll one day have to experience a lot of pain. Weather physically because of some form of injury, or emotionally when you see the ones you love disappear before your eyes. But right now your team is here for you and we're going to get you home. We'll make the pain go away so go to sleep."

Sasuke closed his eyes and was asleep before the medic who came up behind them administered the sedative held. He gave it to him anyway just in case.

Kakashi picked Sasuke up in his arms. He held him against his chest, and wrapping the blanket that the medic nin handed him around him. Sakura took Sasuke's pack for him, while Naruto took two bloody kunai by the hilts. As much as the three fought and pretended to hate each other, made fun of each other and ratted on each other, they we're there for each other. Weather for a laugh, a prank to pull, a shoulder to cry on, or the support of a team. Kakashi knew the three would do well in life. They would always stick together, take care of each other, and Kakashi would do his best to guide and care for them as their teacher as well.

But right now, Kakashi would have to get Sasuke to the hospital and then have a very long talk with Tsunade about making connections between missions, classifying them, and how theirs just happened to turn out this afternoon.


Thanks for reading everyone. Please review and let me know what you think. Were there a lot of mistakes? What did you like? What did you hate?

If anyone has any ideas for future shots in this story let me know. Doing everything and anything really.

I will probably do some when the team is older but not many yet as I've just gotten to Shippuden for those who asked.

Leave your comments:)

`twilaliars798