Naruto's eyes shot open as he sat up panting. Looking outside his window, he saw that it was still dark outside. Still panting, Naruto climbed out of his bed and opened his door. Slowly, so he wouldn't wake either of his parents, he crept down the hall to the bathroom. Once inside, he turned on the light and looked in the mirror. His body was trembling slightly and he was covered in sweat. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and couldn't help the unsettled feeling coming over him. He had been having a nightmare before he woke up, he was sure of that. The problem was, he couldn't remember what the nightmare was about.

Turning on the facet, Naruto splashed his face with water, hoping to shake off the unsettling feeling. The water helped to wake him up, but it didn't quite calm his nerves. Giving up, Naruto went back into his room and climbed into bed. It felt like hours before his body started to relax enough for him to fall back asleep, though it was probably only a few minutes. As he drifted back to sleep, he couldn't shake the unsettling feeling completely. Something in his gut told him that nightmare was important, that it was more than just a silly bad dream.

That's because it is, idiot.

oOoOo

The next morning, Naruto woke up feeling refreshed. He remembered waking up in the middle of the night, but looking back he couldn't see why he had been so worried. Honestly, people had nightmares all the time. Sure they sometimes felt feel, but everything was always worse at night. Pushing the dream from his mind, Naruto pulled his clothes on and made his way downstairs for breakfast. The kitchen was empty, so Naruto just poured himself a bowl of cereal before heading out the door. His father was most likely already at work, and Naruto had no doubt that his mother was still asleep.

Today was a day that most genin teams had off, but of course Kakashi had them meeting for another lecture. "On a real mission, there will be no days of rest," according to Kakashi, so they rarely got a day to really relax. Today Kakashi was going over the correct procedure for calling in for backup. It was a lecture that all Sakura, Choji, and he had already heard before, so they completely ignored Kakashi's words and allowed themselves to think of other things. Naruto thought back to his last few days training with Obito. He had been learning so much from Obito, and he was really excited about some of the techniques Obito had shown him. Actually, Obito had shown him a few jutsu's that Naruto had to swear he wouldn't tell anyone he knew. They were advanced and Obito doubted the Hokage would be happy knowing that his genin son was learning them.

It seemed more and more lately that Obito was the only one that really believed in Naruto. Sure, he knew that his parents believed in him, but it was kind of their job to. They were his parents, so of course they believed he could do whatever he wanted to do. And then there were the villagers. Because of who his father was, they seemed to view Naruto as a hero's kid. His dad was amazing, there was no doubt about that, but Naruto would like to be judged on his own merit. He didn't want people to look at him and only see what they believed. He wanted them to see the real him and his own abilities. And who could forget Kakashi? His own sensei was too stubborn to change and actually teach his students.

He knew Sakura and Choji liked him for who he was, though that was slightly different. It still felt nice for an adult and actual shinobi, to believe that he was capable of doing these great things.

The field around him was quiet, causing Naruto to look up. Kakashi had stopped lecturing and was looking at them expectantly. Naruto glanced at his teammates, but they seemed they were just as clueless as he was. Did Kakashi really ask them a question? Kakashi usually just lectured and then dismissed them, maybe giving them an exercise or two to do. Naruto looked back at Kakashi. "Umm, can you repeat that?"

This was new territory. Neither Naruto nor Sakura and Choji knew how to respond to this. Kakashi seemed to be tense as he stared a whole into Naruto's forehead. "I asked you if you could repeat the procedure reference to me."

"Shinobi Code Number 184." Naruto said quickly. He had a good memory and it had been his job to listen to Kakashi the last time they heard this lecture.

Surprise registered on Kakashi's face, but it was quickly replaced by his usual scowl. "Very good."

Kakashi continued on with the lesson, but Naruto didn't allow his mind to wander again. For the first time since they had been assigned to Kakashi, Naruto didn't know what to expect from his sensei.

oOoOo

If anyone ever said anything, Kakashi would deny it to the day he died, but Obito's visit had gotten to him. He didn't like feeling incompetent, especially by his annoying former teammate, but incompetent is exactly how he felt. At first he had only been angry, pushing the thoughts away before he could dwell on them. But time had brought the words back repeatedly, and it may have influenced a bit of Kakashi's teaching that day. He hadn't planned to ask a question, but when it became clear that none of his students were listening, the question had slipped out as a way to stump them. Kakashi couldn't have been more surprised when Naruto actually answered him correctly. The boy did have to ask him to repeat himself, but then he had given the right answer.

Kakashi was no fool. He knew that his genin team took turns listening to him. He was put in Anbu years ago because he was observant. Or course he had noticed that half the time his students' minds were elsewhere. They would always get a blank look on their faces; probably thinking of all the jutsu's a different sensei would give them. This had never bothered Kakashi in the past. His job was to make sure that his students knew how to be great shinobi, and Kakashi knew that knowing the rules a shinobi was expected to follow was the only way to be a great shinobi. Breaking the rules only resulted in death and shame. He still believed this all firmly, but he hadn't been able to shake the thought Obito had given him that he wasn't being a good teacher. Kakashi did not like being told he wasn't a good teacher. He expected to be the best at all times, and that included instructing.

Choosing not to dwell on Obito's words anymore (for when did he ever listen to Obito anyway?) Kakashi made his way back to his apartment. The flat was empty except for a few pieces of furniture and folders spread out on his desk. He stood in the doorway for a second, letting the silence wash over him. It was always quiet here. He was used to the silence; it was all he had known since he was a boy. After what had happened to his father, Kakashi had moved into a new apartment and lived by himself. He knew that Minato didn't approve of his living on his own, but there was nothing his sensei could do about it. Kakashi had refused to move in with him several times. The truth was that he was used to the silence, and in a way he welcomed it. It was familiar and comforting, though at times it reminded him of how lonely he was. He had no friends, and he had no family. If he were to go on a mission and not return, there would be no one left to miss him.

Loneliness overwhelmed Kakashi. It had been a long time since he had allowed himself to remember that he had no one, but for some reason seeing Obito again reminded him of all he had lost. He had once been a part of a team. They were never a close team, but at least he knew that there were people who relied on him, and though he was loath to admit it, he relied on them as well. In a sense, they were his family. Minato was never a second father to him, but he had been like an older brother. Things were different now. Minato was Hokage, and a war hero at that. While Minato always tried to make time for his former students, Kakashi knew that things were different. Minato also had his own family now. He no longer needed his genin team.

Mentally kicking himself for having such depressing thoughts, Kakashi made his way over to his desk. The paperwork on it was arranged neatly into folders, which allowed Kakashi to be organized and focused when working on it. Sitting down, Kakashi reached for the top folder and opened it up. Turning to the last page in it, Kakashi wrote in several short notes on further rules to follow and how to lecture them. After a minute in that folder, Kakashi pushed it away and grabbed the one furthest away. He kept a log on all of his observations on his genin team, and after every week he would record any progress that he saw in them. Once his was confident that his team could correctly recognize all of the shinobi code, then he would start on teaching them jutsu's.

Writing in the folders gave Kakashi peace. Filling out paperwork was something that he was used to and could do easily. It was comforting to be able to do a mundane task after such an unusual day. Finishing out the paperwork, Kakashi filed the folders away into a box under the desk. He went to bed relieved to be able to put the day behind him. Determined to wake up with his world back on track, Kakashi fell asleep.

oOoOo

Okay, so he hadn't gone to Minato immediately after leaving Kakashi's. Actually, it had been a few days since his unannounced visit and he had yet to even see his former sensei. That may or may not have had something to do with the fact that Obito was avoiding him. Obito had expected to know what to say about Kakashi, but when he had planned to go to the Hokage's office to speak with him, his nerves had gotten the better of him. How did he explain to his sensei that he believed Kakashi was an unfit teacher? Obito wasn't even a sensei, so how was he supposed to know what made a shinobi a good one or a bad one? The doubts had been enough to keep him from speaking up, though it hadn't completely stopped him from interfering.

Obito knew that Naruto wanted to learn more jutsu's, so he had spent a bit of time with him the past few days working on some. At first Obito had been hesitant on what Naruto could do. The child was still young, and Obito didn't want to push him into something that he wasn't ready for. But he should have known. Naruto had picked up on the simpler jutsu's easily, and had even mastered some that Obito considered to be intermediate. He really shouldn't have been surprised. This was his sensei's son, so of course he would be capable of great things. But more than that, this was Naruto. Obito knew the potential the kid had. One day this kid was going to be Hokage, he was certain of that. The village expected much of Naruto because of who his father was, but the truth was that Naruto would one day earn their respect on his own skill.

"Obito-kun!" A high-pitch voice squealed from around the corner. Obito wanted to bolt, but his manners kept him in place. He turned around to see a woman running toward him. Jee, a young kinouchi who Obito had worked with on a past mission, was running toward him. Obito might not be a regular ladies man, but he knew that this woman had some kind of crush on him. Don't ask him why, but she did. And while Obito knew what it felt like to be on the receiving side of an unrequited crush, he also knew he had never been this clingy.

"What can I help you with, Jee-chan?" Obito asked, though he was racking his brain for an excuse to leave.

Jee giggled. "Oh, I don't need help, silly." She took a step closer. "Why didn't you tell me you were back?" She batted her eyelashes as she spoke.

Obito wanted to turn to her and say, because it's easier to avoid you, but his mother would roll over in her grave if she ever heard him say that. Instead he said, "I've been busy since I got back. Not many of my affairs get done when I am gone." He could sound so professional when he wanted to…

Jee frowned in disappointment. "I was hoping I would be a priority for you to see." Her voice was whiney as she spoke.

Obito wanted to hit himself. How he had given her the impression that he was interest, he had no idea. She was an okay shinobi, and their mission together had gone smoothly. But, seriously? What did he do to cause her constant flirtation? Forcing himself to keep smiling, Obito said, "I'm afraid that right now my missions are my first priority. I'm sorry, but I must go."

Jee looked disappointed, but Obito ignored the flare of pity that he felt. It wasn't his fault that this woman wouldn't get the picture. Obito excused himself before he could do something that might encourage her and started back in his original direction. He really wasn't heading anywhere in particular, he had just felt like getting out to think. There was so much going on right now, more than any of the villagers knew. A few of the shinobi that had recently returned from covert missions had spoken of a stirring. Something big was about to happen of was already happening. The shinobi that spoke of it were clearly spooked. They had no idea what to expect, and the unknown terrified them more than knowing probably would have. Something in the world was unsettled, and it was making its presence known. The problem was: Obito already knew what it was.

oOoOo

Following the unexpected lesson from Kakashi, Naruto felt confused. He had gotten used to the set up that his "training" was, and for there to have been a change it was nerve racking. The rest of the lecture he had been on edge, waiting for Kakashi to ask another question or do something unusual to throw them off. Whatever had caused Kakashi to break his mold, it didn't come again. With anyone else, Naruto wouldn't have been shocked by the change in routine, but this was Kakashi. He lived off of routine. Something told Naruto that he always had. There were people that Naruto considered to be mysterious. Some of the older sensei's kept to themselves and always seemed to be hiding something. Even a few younger shinobi had the same air about them. But not Kakashi. If there was anything about Kakashi that was mysterious, Naruto had yet to come across it. He knew that Kakashi had a rough childhood and the result was Kakashi being a stickler to the rules. His sensei never did anything out of the ordinary and always followed every rule laid out before him. No, there was no mystery to Kakashi.

Obito, on the other hand…

Naruto had often looked up during training to see Obito staring at him. At first he had just thought Obito was studying his formations, but after some time, he had realized Obito was looking for something more. He would get this faraway look in his eye, and it would appear that his mind was miles away. Then he would refocus in just a second and Naruto would be left wondering if he had really been lost in thought at all. Usually this happened when they were training alone. In the presence of Minato or any other shinobi, Obito acted perfectly normal. It was like how Obito was teaching him intermediate jutsu's, even though he should only be learning the basics. Obito expected more from him than anyone else he knew. It was like Obito somehow knew just what Naruto could be capable with.

Then there was the look he sometimes had on his face. Obito was young, and he often appeared younger than he really was. Most often he was the life of a party and always he would be the first to say something to make people laugh, whether he was joking or not. And yet, his eyes told a different story. Sometimes when no one else was paying attention, Naruto would glance back at Obito and see a different expression. His eyes were sad, like he had seen too much of the world, or perhaps had experienced too much of it. He would look over at Minato and Kushina, happy and smiling, and give a sad smile, like he knew their happiness was only temporary. Obito never talked about it, but Naruto knew it had to have something to do with Obito's past. Obito never complained about his childhood, but Naruto had met a few Uchiha's, and most of them had not been nice people. Sure there was the occasional exception, like Sasuke, but most of them were harsh people. Obito had most likely come from one of the homes with bad parents. It wouldn't surprise Naruto if Obito's father had hit him. That seemed to be the only explanation to the sadness that Obito seemed determined to hide.

So no, Kakashi wasn't a mystery. But Obito was.

Walking the familiar path home, Naruto chose a detour. He had missed seeing Obito today, and he knew that it would only be a few days before he was sent away again. Obito lived a little ways from Naruto's own house, so the detour added a bit of time to Naruto's walk. That was okay. Something told him he needed to go and see Obito, an all too familiar feeling of not being able to see him again if he didn't. Naruto froze. Where had that thought come from? He had to say goodbye to Obito every so often when he went on missions, but he had never really worried about seeing Obito again or not. He had always trusted Obito's abilities to bring him home. Shaking his head, Naruto continued on his way, his step quicker than a minute ago.

Even with his increased pace, it took Naruto another ten minutes to reach the front door of Obito's small apartment. A wave of panic washed over Naruto. He tried to ignore the feeling, but it kept making itself known. He had no idea why, but Naruto was positive that the moment he opened that door, something would change. It was a fact that Naruto had to accept before he knocked on the door. Taking a deep breath, Naruto ignored the overwhelming urge to bolt and raised his fist to the door. He rapped on the door twice and waited.

Nothing. He knocked again and waited a moment for Obito to answer. When no answer came, Naruto started to fidget. It was completely likely that Obito was out meeting a friend or perhaps walking around town. Just because Naruto had a bad feeling, that didn't mean that something bad had happened. In fact, his bad feeling seemed to be more about what was going to happen, not what had already occurred. Not knowing what Obito was up to, or how long he would have to wait for him to return, Naruto made a decision that would change his life.

Looking around to see that no one was spying, Naruto twisted the doorknob and slipped into the apartment. Shinobi rarely looked their doors since they left the windows open frequently anyway. Naruto had been inside Obito's apartment several times before. It would never win an award for cleanliness, but it was neat enough. At least there were no clothes strewn about like Naruto was sure his future apartment would have. The apartment was small. There was one room with a kitchen and table, and then a door that led to Obito's bedroom. A few papers where cluttered on the table, probably reports from one of Obito's recent missions. The door to Obito's room was open, so Naruto could see that it was empty. Deciding that he had put in so much effort already, Naruto grabbed one of the chairs. He would wait for another hour or so, and if Obito wasn't back yet he would head home.

It only took ten minutes for Naruto to get bored. Not having anything to do, he figured he might as well train. He worked on his hand formation and stances for the next half hour. He had moved onto working on balancing when the building shook. It wasn't that unusual, considering the building didn't have very sturdy support beams, but the shaking was enough to send Naruto crashing into the side of the table. The table overturned, spilling the papers and folders onto the floor. Sheepishly, Naruto picked them up. He was glad that no one had seen him be such a klutz. He had grabbed all the loose papers and was collecting the folders when he saw it. The folder was still closed, but Naruto could make out the words on it clearly: Uzumaki Naruto.

A chill went through Naruto. His last name was Namikaze, so why did this folder have the name Uzumaki on it? Naruto had a dreadful feeling like he should know the answer. With a trembling hand, Naruto picked up the folder. He wasn't usually one to snoop, but this was different. Whatever this was, it was important enough for Naruto to break a few rules. Opening the folder Naruto saw some scribbled notes, clearly in Obito's handwriting. The notes weren't much, just some of the progress Naruto had shown and the new jutsu's he had learned. Nothing was too unordinary about that. Naruto knew there were many sensei's that recorded their student's progress. He wasn't technically Obito's student, but Obito was still training him.

Naruto was closing the file when a note fell out. It was folded in half and had probably been stuffed between the pages. Naruto rested the file back on the table and sat down in the chair. His hands were trembling again when he opened the note. It read:

Obito,

I'm sorry for not getting a chance to say a proper goodbye. There is so much I can't say, but I want you to know the full truth about me. The reason I was brought here was simple: The Iwa-shinobi wanted to use me. You see, the truth will probably make you hate me, but you deserve to know it. I am a jinchuuriki. Scary, huh? As you probably suspect, I didn't ask for it, but this was the life I was given. I have made peace with my demons though. It took some time, but even the people who once feared me now look at me because of my own strengths. I'm no longer just a demon-child, but a Konoha shinobi.

I am telling you this because I can see a familiar pain in your eyes. You know what it is like to be an outsider, to not belong even in your own home. Don't give up. Whenever you are late because you stopped to help someone or something at home delayed you, remember to smile. You are not alone. I won't always be there, which must be evident by my goodbye, but remember that you will always have friends. My father and mother love you, and Rin looks at you as a dear friend. Hold on to those friendships. And don't forget Kakashi. He is alone and he believes he is happier like that, but there will be a day when he comes around. Be ready for that day, because he will need you.

I'm glad I met you, Obito. You're a good shinobi and an even better friend.

Be happy,

Uzumaki Naruto

This wasn't right. This letter couldn't be right. Naruto's head was swimming. His thoughts were too muddled to hear the door open, but when his body sagged and his mind went black, he was vaguely aware of being caught. While Obito gently laid him down, Naruto only had one thought. Something wasn't right in this world.

Took you long enough to realize that.

A/N: You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this long pause. I can't believe I am still getting reviews when I haven't updated in months. I'm sorry! I don't know if I can say that enough. I said when I started this story that I would finish it, and I will. It may take me a while, but this story will one day be complete. I tried to write awhile ago, but I just couldn't seem to get it right. This chapter started out a little rough for me, but about halfway through it took off. Thank you again and again for continuing to read this. I will TRY my hardest not to take another six months to update, though know that there will be another update even if it does take that long.

Thank you for reading and please review.