A/N: Bleh, it seemed I worked myself into a dead end with what was going to happen to Kaede, but in the meantime, I've come up with something. Yay!
Won't be explained yet in this chapter, though. :P Sorry! Enjoy!
"Welcome back, Kaede-chan."
The soft, friendly voice echoed through her throbbing head as Kaede managed to open her eyes slowly. The room was dark and the person sitting next to her was shady. She tried to talk, to ask who was there and where she was, but her body was so sore even her face hurt. She could do no more than moan and mumble.
"Shh. Take it easy," sounded the voice again. This time, she recognized it. It was Iruka. Feeling relieved, she gave up on trying to talk. "You're in the hospital. You're gonna be ok."
I'm in the hospital?
"Can you remember anything of what happened?" asked Iruka.
"N-nnh," moaned Kaede, weakly shaking her head.
"I see," said Iruka. "I'll be honest with you: I don't know what happened, either. Kakashi and Naruto brought you here. You'd used up almost all of your chakra. I went to report your return to the Hokage. She ordered me to send Kakashi and Naruto to her office, that's why they're not here now."
"… I… see," managed Kaede, her voice sounding hoarse and exhausted, to her own surprise.
"Your chakra is still low," said Iruka. "That's why you're probably feeling sore all over."
"Yeah…" sighed Kaede.
"How are you feeling, aside from that?" asked Iruka. "No injuries?"
"Not… that I… know of," replied Kaede in an attempt to joke.
Iruka smiled faintly, but only for a brief moment before he frowned a little.
"W-what?" asked Kaede.
"Hm? Nothing," said Iruka quickly. "It's just that… You had blood all over you when I saw Kakashi carrying you."
That shook Kaede. Ignoring the nagging pain in… well, her whole body, she sat up.
Blood? Does that mean…?
Suddenly, it all came back to her. Iwao's return, his plans to punish her for running away, even to take her entire future away from her… She'd lost it after that.
I couldn't have… I couldn't have possibly…
"Hey! Lie back down, it's way too soon for you to get up!" said Iruka, standing up. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. Kaede flinched automatically. Iruka withdrew his hand immediately.
"Sorry," he said. "You must've been through a lot…"
"Iwao… Where's Iwao?" yelled Kaede, panic starting to take over her.
Iruka stared at her. "You… you really don't remember, do you?"
"What happened to him?" asked Kaede urgently.
"I'm sorry, Kaede-chan…" He paused, probably hesitating. "Iwao-san was… killed… a few hours ago."
No…
"I wish I could tell you more, but it's all I know," continued Iruka. "When I was done reporting to the Hokage, I rushed back here. Not only to send Kakashi and Naruto to her office, but I was also really worried about you. I was afraid, since you were walking together with him, that you might've been injured as well."
No…
"Don't worry. We'll find out who really did this and we'll make sure he won't even come near you. He won't get away with this."
No!
"Umm!" Kaede's own voice startled her. Forcing herself to calm down, she avoided Iruka's gaze.
"S-sorry," said Iruka. "You probably don't want to hear this right now." He reached out with one hand to her shoulder again, but hesitated. "Lie down. Get some rest. Don't worry about anything, ok?"
Kaede felt ashamed. She didn't have any right to be treated so kindly.
I have to get out of here…
"Iruka-kun…" she whispered. "Could you… get me something to drink?"
The first ray of sun touched the ceiling of the hospital room. Kaede looked up at Iruka, who was still frowning a little.
"I'm thirsty," she lied. "And a little hungry, too."
"All right," said Iruka, a smile appearing on his face. "I'll see if I can find you any hospital food that's actually edible."
Kaede forced a short, dry laugh.
"Will you be ok? I'll be right back," said Iruka seriously.
"I'm… fine," Kaede lied. "I'm sorry… for making you worry."
"Don't be," said Iruka. "It's not your fault, so you don't need to apologize."
But it is my fault, thought Kaede. How she wished she could speak that out loud.
"I'll go get you something to eat," said Iruka softly. "Just try and relax, and I'll be right back."
"Thank you," said Kaede.
Iruka turned around one more time before he left the room. Kaede didn't move until she could no longer hear his footsteps.
I'm so sorry.
Tsunade sighed deeply. Kakashi knew that sigh. The Hokage was in serious doubt of what to do. It was rare for her to be like that. But this time, he'd expected it. Tsunade knew Kaede's real identity, and Kakashi had assured her of her harmlessness as just Kaede. But at the same time, deep within Kaede rested a merciless murderer who could come out anytime, anywhere. And that was what made innocent Kaede a threat, not only to herself and those around her, but to everyone in the village.
But Kakashi believed in her. And he wasn't going to get her locked away that easily. He would never disobey the Hokage, but he would do everything he could to stop Tsunade from making that decision – convince her not to do so. And he was sure Naruto wouldn't let that happen, either.
"Tsunade-obaachan," Naruto spoke up. "I know what this… alternate… personality-thing has done is terrible, but Nee-chan is…"
"I know," said Tsunade, her brown eyes aimed at Naruto under a deep frown. "I know. Your sister isn't violent. She's fled her whole life. And she's come back here to find peace and sanctuary." She shot Kakashi a brief look before she continued: "I know that. But I've seen people in her… condition. And we couldn't just leave them to live with other people around them when their alter egos could come out any moment. We were forced to have them live apart from people, out of danger. And even though I hate to face it as well as you do… Kaede is one of those people."
"No, she's not!"
"Naruto!" warned Kakashi.
Naruto looked at him. "Kakashi-sensei! You, of all people, should know that Nee-chan is different!" He kept looking at Kakashi, but Kakashi had to choose his words before he could speak up.
"Say something!" shouted Naruto, his voice pleading.
Then Kakashi decided, and looked at Tsunade.
"Tsunade-sama. It's true that Kaede's alter ego is out of control, and once out, Kaede can no longer distinguish friends from foes."
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"But!" He took a brief glance at Naruto from the corner of his eye, then looked back to Tsunade. "But," he started more quietly, steadily, "this alter ego seems to be nothing more than a last resort for Kaede. It seems to be dangerous only when she's in a real pinch."
"And how do you know for sure?" asked Tsunade, rising from her chair. "How do you know it won't happen again? Kakashi, be reasonable! I know she's your friend, but we have to face the facts here. By letting her keep on living amongst other people like nothing ever happened, we would be taking an incredible risk."
"With all due respect, Tsunade-sama," protested Kakashi, "I do not believe that locking her away will help her."
"It'll be safer for the people around her."
"But not for her. You have to understand, she became like this because she had to survive on her own, without her family or…" … me… "… or friends. Kaede needs her brother. She needs us."
Tsunade glared at him. Still, Kakashi held his gaze firmly into hers. "I don't want to defy you, Tsunade-sama, but if you lock Kaede up, she'll get worse. That's the last thing she needs. She only wants to be with her family again. These murders aren't her fault. She doesn't deserve to be treated like that."
"Kakashi. Enough."
Kakashi fell silent.
Maybe I crossed a line, he thought.
But then Tsunade's look softened. "Usually, you're so rational, but what you just stated was not just an objective view on the situation, was it?" One corner of her mouth twitched briefly into a soft smile.
"Tsunade-obaachan," said Naruto. "I haven't known Nee-chan for long and I only just found out that she's my sister, but… somehow, I already knew. And I always trust my first impressions. I know Nee-chan's not perfect, but I'll do anything to help her. And I'm sure Kakashi-sensei thinks so, too."
Kakashi gave a small nod.
Tsunade looked back at Kakashi. "You both love her very much, don't you? Well, maybe in different ways."
"Hm?" Naruto gave her a confused look.
Tsunade sunk back into her chair. "I got it," she said. "I believe in you two, and I believe in Kaede as Minato and Kushina's daughter. I've never doubted about any of you." She paused. "I'll do my utmost best to arrange something that's good for all of us, including Kaede. However!" She looked at Naruto now. "That means that she'll have to be watched carefully. Got it? Uzumaki Kaede is not allowed to go anywhere by herself."
"I promise you, Tsunade-sama, she won't get out of our sight."
"But you, Tsunade-obaachan, have to promise that Nee-chan won't end up getting isolated!" Naruto was tactless as ever, but he sounded really serious and determined.
"I can only promise to do everything I can to prevent that from happening," replied Tsunade.
"That's not enou—"
"It's not only up to me, Naruto!" shouted Tsunade. "Make sure you realize that!" She cleared her throat and continued in a calmer voice: "For now, you're dismissed. Take care of her."
"Thank you very much, Tsunade-sama," replied Kakashi.
"… What do you mean, gone?"
"I went to get her something to eat, and when I came back, the room was empty," explained Iruka.
Naruto gritted his teeth and took off. "Nee-chan!"
Shit, thought Kakashi. Why? After using up all that Chakra, she shouldn't be able to move!
"Let's spread out," he told Iruka. "She can't have gone far."
Iruka nodded, and the two shinobi parted.
A/N: Yup, it's almost a never-ending cycle of events, but please bear with me. It won't be long before the conclusion. :)