Team 7 left Konoha with 3 people. They returned with 3. However, one person was missing.
The Chunin guarding the gate noticed Naruto and his teammates and was about to wave a cheery hello when he saw Sasuke.
"Sasuke Uchiha! Naruto, do you need help restraining him?"
"No, Sasuke came back to help. Don't hurt him!" Sakura quickly jumped in front of Sasuke.
"How are you so sure?"
"Please, just trust us." Sakura pleaded with the Chunin. Sasuke looked a little shocked of how much Sakura trusted him.
"Very well, however, the ANBU will follow you to the Hokage Tower."
Three ANBU suddenly appeared next to them. Sakura and Sasuke instinctively flinched, but Naruto continued staring blankly on the ground.
"Naruto? What's wrong?"
Usually Naruto would have grinned and said that he was so hungry he could eat 20 bowls of ramen. However, today he just walked past like he hadn't even seen him. He looked at Sasuke and Sakura, who also had the same expressions as Naruto, like one who had experienced grief and sadness. Suddenly it hit him, where was their sensei, Kakashi Hatake?
"Wait, where is Kakashi?"
Immediately, he saw Sakura's eyes well up with tears, Naruto was shaking uncontrollably, and even normally cold and stoic Sasuke looked sorrowful. Based on their reactions, the Chunin guessed what happened.
The Chunin felt disbelief at first, next to him, he could also feel the ANBU tense with surprise. He had known the Copy Ninja since he was in the Academy. Kakashi was the best of his generation, and he served and survived in ANBU longer than anyone. Sure, everyone knew that shinobi could die everyday, but somehow he felt as if Kakashi couldn't die. He would just always be there, walking down the street with Icha Icha in his hands, but alert for trouble, ready to defend Konoha and his comrades.
However, no one was invincible.
(line)
Naruto stood in front of the Hokage's office. Slowly he raised a fist, and knocked.
"Come in," he heard Tsunade say.
He pushed the door open, and walked until he was in front of the Hokage's desk. Naruto stared at a crack in the floor, not wanting to meet Tsunade's eyes.
"Sasuke! What are you doing here?"
"Tsunade-sama, Sasuke helped us defeat Pain and is willing to rejoin Konoha."
Tsunade frowned, "Report."
"Mission Accomplished, Pain is dead, Sasuke showed up halfway, saved my life" came Sakura's voice from his right. Naruto felt a pang of sadness, Kakashi-sensei would have normally said the report.
"Then why are you three looking so unhappy? And where is Kakashi? Don't tell me he got chakra exhaustion again."
Naruto finally dared to meet Tsunade's eyes. He saw Tsunade frown as she saw the dead look in his eyes.
"Kakashi-sensei...died," Naruto managed to croak out.
Tsunade stared blankly at him for a moment. Then she looked down at her desk, clearly shocked. She remained like that for a few minutes after responding.
"What in the world happened?"
Naruto barely heard as Sakura began to tell her. All he saw was what happened that day:
(flashback)
Naruto saw the sharp rod coming his way. He tried to get out of the way but he was moving too fast. He hoped his teammates would use this opportunity to attack Pain and prepared to try to hit Pain with his Rasen-Shuriken. He would not go down without a fight.
Suddenly, he saw the familiar dark green vest of Kakashi-sensei's in front of him and just managed to stop in time to not hit Kakashi-sensei with the Rasen-Shuriken.
'Phew, saved by Kakashi-sensei again' Naruto thought sheepishly to himself. He prepared to help Kakashi-sensei when he heard him gasp in pain. Naruto wondered what was wrong, and then he gasped too, but out of shock instead.
There was blood on the ground beneath Kakashi-sensei. Naruto felt dread rise up as he looked around Kakashi-sensei and took in the scene.
"Kakashi...sensei?"
'No...no...this can't be happening...it's a genjutsu...yes...it must be' Naruto tried to dispel the genjutsu but it won't work. He saw Kakashi-sensei stab Pain with Chidori, Pain tried to move out of the way but Kakashi-sensei was too fast. Pain fell to the ground, clearly dead. However, Naruto didn't care about that right now, all he cared about was his sensei. Because Kakashi-sensei was facing him now, he could see the long metal rod buried in his chest.
"Kakashi-sensei...no...don't you dare die on me."
Kakashi-sensei looked at Sakura, Sasuke, then him sadly, and slowly fell backwards. Naruto tried to catch him, but was too late, and he saw his sensei, the one who always supported him, fall to his death.
(End Flashback)
Naruto gritted his teeth. It was all his fault. If he had only listened to Kakashi-sensei and had not attacked Pain so recklessly they could have found a way to take him down. And now, because of him, Kakashi-sensei was gone.
"Naruto?"
Shaken out of his thoughts, Naruto lifted his head up to see Sasuke, Sakura, and Tsunade staring at him. He must have spaced out.
"Naruto, are you okay?" Sakura was looking at him anxiously.
"I'm fine."
"Kakashi was one of the most powerful ninja in Konoha. He will be missed very much." Tsunade's eyes clouded and breathed deeply. It was clear to Naruto how much Kakashi's death had shaken her, and how much she was trying to hide her grief.
"I shall announce the news to everyone. We will hold a funeral in two days, you're dismissed. Sasuke, you are to go to T&I, if the results say that you harbor no hostile feelings towards Konoha, you will accept your punishment with honor. Leave now, the ANBU will escort you. Naruto, Sakura, go home and rest," Tsunade said to them.
Naruto nodded with his team and left the Hokage's office.
"Naruto, are you sure you're okay?" Sakura was looking at him weirdly.
"I'm fine Sakura."
Sakura looked like she was going to ask him more questions, but Sasuke stopped her.
"We should leave him alone for now." Sasuke whispered to her.
Sasuke turned to go with the ANBU to T&I and Sakura left to her house after looking back at Naruto once more worriedly. Naruto slowly walked to the training ground with the three stumps. He had once imagined that after the Akatsuki was defeated, he would convince Sasuke to come back, one way or another. That team 7 would once again be reunited. Him, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei would once again train together, laugh together, and fight together. However, just when they were reunited, Naruto just had to go mess up and now Kakashi-sensei was dead. Kakashi-sensei had always been there, a reassuring figure to rely on. If he closed his eyes right now, he could still remember meeting his team for the first time, and what he wouldn't give to return to those times right now.
"I'm sorry...Kakashi-sensei" Naruto whispered, and he felt tears slide down his face.
