A/N: This chapter is where I stopped editing the original story and started rewriting the rest of the new version. I can't help it; the story's got a mind of its own now! .

Hope you'll like it! ^^

"Kakashi! Are you there?"

Iruka's voice had an unusual uneasy tone in it. Usually he was always calm and collected.

Kakashi opened the front door. His eyes were slightly widened with worry.

"Iruka, what happened?" he asked.

"Nothing… Well, maybe… I don't know," Iruka replied clumsily. "Kakashi, do you know anything about a man named Ishii Iwao?"

"No, I haven't," said Kakashi. "What about him?"

Iruka paused, probably trying to find the right words. This must be serious.

"I'm not sure, but… Well… The thing is… Kaede-chan went to take a walk with him outside the village. Apparently he's an old friend of hers."

What?

"She was acting strangely, Kakashi. And I kind of have a bad feeling about this Ishii guy. I thought maybe you would know who he is, but… I'm starting to worry about her. I mean, why would they be walking outside the village at this hour?"

Something twisted in Kakashi's chest.

This must be the man who was after her… Damn it! Damn it!

He punched the doorframe.

"When did you see them?" he asked, not minding the worry sounding in his own voice.

"Just now," said Iruka.

In a flash, Kakashi put on his vest, forehead protector and shoes.

"I'll go with you," said Iruka. "They can't have gone far."

Kakashi looked at him for a second, then shook his head. "No. You go and report this to the Hokage. There's something she needs to know."

"Naruto! Naruto, open up!"

It took a few seconds until Naruto opened the front door to his apartment. He looked like he just woke up, wearing his idiotic looking sleeping hat and pyjamas.

"Sensei?" he asked. "What are you doing here? What time is it, anyway?"

"Naruto, get dressed," instructed Kakashi. "Hurry."

Suddenly, Naruto looked wide-awake.

"What happened?" he asked.

"It's Kaede," said Kakashi. "She's gone. I'm sure she's been kidnapped."

Naruto instantly headed for his bedroom and came out a few seconds later, wearing his jacket and tying his forehead protector.

"You know where they could've gone?" he asked. He sounded seriously alarmed.

"We'll find them," said Kakashi. "But we'll have to hurry. Who knows what this guy might do to her."

Less than three minutes later, the two shinobi were outside the village, running into the woods.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto spoke up for the first time since they departed. "Do you know who took her?"

"Not exactly," replied Kakashi. "But I knew she'd fled from someone before she came to Konoha. I just didn't expect this guy to actually be able to kidnap her here. Just what were those guards thinking?"

Naruto looked at him as they jumped from tree to tree.

I'll have to tell him, thought Kakashi.

"Naruto… This is very serious. This man… is probably the man who's behind the murders."

Naruto's eyes went wide.

"How do you…?"

"There's something you should know about Kaede. And I want you to pay very close attention."

Naruto nodded.

Kakashi paused for a moment before he spoke up again. "You know she used to live here, right? She was evacuated during the attack of the Kyuubi and disappeared soon after. We, in the village, thought she was…" He sighed. "Well, the fact is, she ran away. She's been to several places in this country and the neighbouring countries."

He looked at Naruto from the corner of his eye. "The place she was evacuated to, was that old orphanage we visited during our mission. She'd somehow escaped the brutal murder that happened back then. The scent of blood we followed during the mission led us to the same place Kaede had gone after the first murder; that place where the second murder took place, not long after the first one."

"So what are you trying to say, Kakashi-sensei?"

"I discovered a link between Kaede and the murders. And she's told me that this dangerous man was after her. Naruto, don't you find it odd that the last murder took place right before she returned to Konoha?"

It looked like Naruto was starting to understand, but Kakashi decided to just say it straight away.

"This man must be the murderer."

Naruto's eyes went wide again, and he immediately sped up.

"That bastard… I won't let him get away with this!"

Kakashi caught up to him quite easily, somehow glad that Naruto understood the seriousness of the situation.

"Why would he go after Kaede-neechan?" The grunt in Naruto's voice showed that he was furious.

"My theory is… he's possessive of her. And he killed every man who could be a threat to him… or her. But it's just a theory. Once we get him, we'll force the answers out of him. Trust me, he'll pay for this."

Even though he'd always thought hatred was pointless, he felt it burning in his chest. This man was going to pay for threatening Kaede, for intimidating her, for forcing her into doing the things she'd grown to hate the most.

But he also hated himself for this. Why did I let her go out by herself? I made the same mistake as I did fifteen years ago! But this time, I'm gonna set it right. I swear to you, Kaede, I will bring you back home this time. I swear it to my life!

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto interrupted the short silence. His anger seemed just a little more subdued. "There's something you're not telling me."

Kakashi looked at him in surprise. How does he…?

Naruto looked at him with the same intense look Kaede had given him a couple of times when she discovered he was hiding things from her.

There's no keeping secrets from you two, is there? Maybe he should know… I'm sorry, Kaede.

He sighed.

"Alright," he said. "I promised not to tell you anything, but I think you should know something about Kaede."

Naruto nodded slowly, waiting.

"The thing is, there's more to her than her being from Konoha. The whole village was in grief for her when the Hokage announced that she was… gone."

"The whole village?" asked Naruto.

Kakashi nodded. "Everyone knew who she was. After all, she's the daughter of one of the greatest shinobi the village has ever known." He paused for a few seconds, deciding to just say it straight away. "Naruto… Kaede is your—"

Just then, a horrific feeling pierced through his entire body. All his senses were triggered, leading to only one outcome: death. He could smell the strong scent of blood, he could see trails of blood up ahead, he could hear someone running, and he could sense a malevolent presence.

No… Kaede!

Naruto sped up at the same time he did, towards a spot that was completely open due to destruction. Trees were splintered and even leaves were cut to small pieces.

But in the middle of all the mess, lay something that seemed no longer human. It was an unspeakable sight, but Kakashi couldn't take his eyes off it. He heard a rustling sound beside him – probably Naruto who turned away.

This can't be… It can't be…

His legs went numb and he dropped down on his knees.

It can't be her… She's not… She's not…!

His heart was beating so fast, it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest.

"KAEDE!"

This isn't happening… This isn't happening! This isn't her! It can't be her! This is NOT happening! Not again! I can't lose you again, Kaede!

"He's gonna pay."

Kakashi looked at Naruto, who was looking into the opposite direction of what was left of the body. His eyes were red.

"That son of a bitch is not getting away with this!"

"Naruto…"

The Kyuubi's chakra was starting to leak out again.

"Naruto, the Kyuubi…"

"I don't give a damn! I'll fucking kill that bastard! He'll suffer! I swear he'll suffer!"

And with that, he took off.

Shit!

Kakashi stood up, shooting one last glance at the horrific sight of the remains of the body.

It's my fault… I made the same mistake…

He ran, chasing after Naruto.

Kaede…

The first tear he'd cried in many years never touched his cheek as he ran at the speed of sound, leaving it to drop somewhere in the dark, cold woods.

I swear I'll avenge you… Naruto and I, we'll make him pay! I swear to my own life he'll pay!

Naruto's fury overwhelmed him. He didn't care that the third tail was already coming out. He didn't know what he might do once the Kyuubi would take over, but then again, he didn't care. A slow and painful death was still too light a punishment for this man. But it was the least he could do for her.

Kaede-neechan… Just why? I don't get it!

When he saw a movement up ahead, he sped up to the max. He gained on him with ease.

You bastard…

"You bastard!"

The figure stopped and turned around.

…

And that was when Naruto abruptly stopped all his movements. The fury that burned within him just a second ago now made room for confusion. His heart, which was still racing with rage, forced its beats to slow down.

His eyes met a pair of moonlit, cold, icy blue eyes, which showed no emotion. They gave him a dark, empty feeling.

The Kyuubi cloak dissolved, but Naruto paid no attention to it.

"Kaede…" he heard Kakashi's voice whisper as he approached the scene. But he didn't sound relieved. He sounded… anxious.

The silence that followed was long and tense. Before them stood someone who looked exactly like Kaede, but simply couldn't be her. The warm, familiar feeling she usually gave Naruto was no longer there, and instead, she looked at the both of them with the eyes of a coldblooded assassin. She hadn't even bothered to wipe the blood off her cheek.

Was this really the same Kaede he got to know in the past week?

A/N: Yeah, I know, short chapter. But too much is going to happen for me to put in just one chapter. I don't want to give you guys an overload of twists in one chapter. But I'm already working on the next chapter - which I already believe is something to look forward to. That's where the action finally kicks in (yaaay)! :D

Please be patient with me. I promise this time it won't take too long. (I'm having too much fun writing it, anyway...)

As always, reviews are still more than welcome!

Though I'm also very happy to see so many people adding this story (and/or even yours truly as a favorite author!) to their alerts! I promise I won't let you down! X3