"Daisuke-san! Daisuke-san!" Hotaru shouted.

The bandit's comrade looked over. "Hotaru-kun!" He cried. The lookout was severely wounded. "Dammit, what happened to you?"

"Konoha ninja, sir." He grunted, dropping to his knees. "They wiped out everyone..." He fell on his face and lay still. Daisuke shook him.

"Hotaru-kun! Hotaru-kun!" The young man's warmth was fading, his eyes dark with the shadow of death.

Daisuke swore again and threw the corpse to the ground. "Leader-sama! Leader-sama! He shouted, racing farther into the maze of their hideout. This is the worst place for a hideout we've ever picked. That Orochimaru was crazy - what the hell was he thinking with all these damn tunnels? Daisuke finally came to the leader's chamber. "Leader-sama!" He cried, not bothering with pleasantries.

The bandit leader Furuwaka Kosuke sat up abruptly. He was in the middle of a meeting with his assistant and was not pleased at the suddent interruption. "What is the meaning of this, Nojima?" He demanded.

Daisuke winced at his boss's harsh tone. "My apologies, Leader-sama." He said bowing. "The situation is of the utmost importance. Konoha ninja have overrun our guards and - " A loud explosion shook the walls and ceilings of the once-abandoned base.

"Gather all the men you can!" Kosuke bellowed, grabbing his katana. "We've come too far to get brought down by a bunch Fire Country brats!"

With one swift blow from Sakura, the doors of the hideout splintered and snapped off their hinges, smashing on the floor inside the hideout. Save for the echoes of the doors breaking, it was silent, Kakashi and Yamato having taken down the guards. One had escaped; they found his body inside. "He's probably warned the rest of them! We have to move fast!" Sakura called after checking his pulse briefly.

"Right." Naruto nodded. "Sai, this way!" The three ninja ran along the hallway. A group of bandits confronted them holding an assortment of weapons, most adopted from regular farm tools. Sakura grabbed one by his collar and threw him at two others, smashing them into the wall. She lashed out a kick, catching another in the jaw. The final one she caught by the neck and slammed to the ground, never breaking stride. Naruto and Sai jumped over the unconscious bodies. Sakura rotated to the back and Naruto took the lead, taking out a kunai. Seven bandits with more professional weapons apprehended them. Naruto took out a kunai and in a whirl of motion, disposed of them. Sai replaced him in the front taking out one of his knives. A rush of bandits flooded the hallway. Kakashi and Yamato came up behind them.

"Don't worry. Go ahead. We'll take care of them." Kakashi said, motioning towards the group.

"Sure thing, sensei." Sakura smirked. She pulled on her gloves and clenched a fist. "Meet you at the library."

"Heh, like you'll be able to make it through us!" A sword-bearing bandit shouted. The group behind him let out a cry. Sai took out his scroll and poised his brush.

"Ready?"

His teammates nodded in confirmation.

"Go!"

:::

Half an hour after the ninja had infiltrated the base, Tsunade's librarians were searching through the records in Orochimaru's old library. There were volumes and volumes, most having to do with the gruesome experiments performed at the base. But nothing about other hideouts or Sasuke. Team Kakashi stayed for three days helping in any way they could, but it wasn't long before they found the the task was best left up to the jonin.

On their way back to Konoha, Sakura turned to him. "Naruto-kun, you barely used any jutsu back there. You didn't even use Rasengan. Why did you need so much chakra training?" Naruto shrugged.

"I just thought my jutsu needed some work. I don't want to rely on the Kyuubi too much anymore." He quickened his pace and kept moved up next to Kakashi. "How much longer Kakashi-sensei?"

"Not long. Probably just a few more hours."

Naruto smiled. Good. I'll be able to release the clone I left with Hinata-chan and finally get back.

It was the perfect plan: leave a clone disguised as Naruko with Hinata while he went on the mission. Naruto sped up. "Hey! Hurry up! Konoha's not that far!"

"Why is he so hyped up? I'm sure Hinata-chan can wait." Sakura frowned.

Kakashi smiled at her. "The heart does strange things to a man." He laughed.

Sakura grimaced. "I wish you wouldn't say things like that." She muttered. "It sounds weird coming from you..."

After they arrived at the village Naruto went looking for Hinata immediately. She was a few feet away from the Hyuuga estate, walking off towards the center of Konoha. "Hinata-chan!" Naruto cried. She looked up at him, her pale purple eyes distant and troubled. Naruto stepped closer to her and shook her gently. "Hinata...?" He said softly. She blinked and smiled, her eyes now full of life.

"Naruto-kun!" She cried. "You're back!" Hinata blushed and fidgeted with her hands. "D-did the mission go well?" Naruto shrugged.

"We didn't get any information but at least we got rid of the bandits." He brushed the bangs away from her forehead. "Hinata-chan you don't look well." She was pale, paler than usual. Her eyes were troubled and her smile was weak. A thin film of sweat coated her burning face. Hinata tried to smile.

"I'm fine Naruto-kun." She stumbled forward and collapsed onto him. He took a heavy step back to steady himself. Hinata was limp, her full weight pressing against him, but she was disturbingly light. Naruto picked her up and headed towards Konoha Hospital. Hinata opened her eyes, barely awake and squinted at Naruto. In her sleep-depraved eyes, she couldn't tell if the blurred blonde who held her was Naruto or "Naru." She simply slumped at the person's chest and allowed herself to be taken away.

:::

Naruto paced anxiously in front of the office. Sakura opened the door quietly and watched him walk for a while before frowning disapprovingly. "You're going to wear through the floor if you keep doing that. Just come inside already."

Naruto looked at Hinata lying the hospital bed. She appeared to be sleeping peaceful at first glance, but as Naruto walked closer he saw her twitching, a pained expression on her face as she dozed. He turned to Sakura. "Is she okay?" Sakura gave him a cold glare.

"She's exhausted, malnourished, dehydrated and a lot more. In my medical opinion, no, she's not okay. I sedated her and put her on an IV drip so she can get some rest and nutrients."

"Will she be okay?" Naruto asked. Sakura shrugged and picked up a clipboard.

"Physically, yes. After some rest and good food. As for her mental health, you're her boyfriend, you tell me." Sakura looked at Naruto. He looked awful - guilty and restless. "I'll give you some time alone with her. She'll probably wake up in about a half an hour. Maybe you can figure out something to say to her."

Thirty minutes later, Naruto had only come to the conclusion it was time for Naruko to end things with Hinata. As for what to say...

Her eyes opened and some warmth came to her sickly face. "Naruto-kun..." She sighed with relief. She blushed, remembering how Naruto held her. "N-Naruto-kun! I'm sorry!" She cried sitting up. "I-I, we...I mean..."

"It's okay." He smiled weakly.

Hinata lay back down. "I don't feel so well." She sighed.

"That makes sense. Sakura-chan said you were really sick." Naruto sighed. "I feel...kind of responsible. I mean, I should have noticed."

Hinata shook her head, sitting up again. "No, Naruto-kun! If anyone's to blame it's me! After all I -" Hinata swallowed. I...I can't tell him. Not even after all this. I just can't risk losing either of them. Naruto didn't look up at Hinata, concerned with the thoughts broiling in his mind. A tall brunette doctor walked in, followed by Sakura.

"Excuse me, Uzumaki-kun. Haruno-chan and I need to examine Hyuuga-san now." The doctor said. Naruto glanced up, his eyes distant. Sakura swallowed. Hinata and Naruto's eyes looked exactly the same, racked with guilt and so far away. She bowed her head. They look so good together but...this can't go on. Their mental and physical health is suffering because of it. Sakura looked up as Naruto dragged himself out of the room. Her eyes followed him until he slammed the door closed. I have to convince him to end this anyway I can. Even if it means...She gripped her clipboard a bit tighter and her knuckles turned white. I hope it doesn't come to that. a

Author's Note: My profuse apologies to everyone who's been reading this story. I know this chapter has been ridiculously slow in coming, and the sad thing is I've had it written out for a while. I promise to never pull something like this again. Also, for anyone who's been paying attention to 'Don't Shoot the Messenger', my KakaAya fanfic, a new chapter is coming for that too. Again, I am soooo sorry!

By the way, the title is from the Muse song "Falling Away With You."