Disclaimer: (Explosion) Back with Avengance no Justu! Hey everyone, I'm back from the brink!!! Er...yeah, anyway, glad to be back. I finally am at college (yes, I AM a college student writing Naruto fics, deal with it...also, I'm a guy, just in case anyone didn't know. Heh, sorry, I just don't want anyone to think that I'm a girl and put it in a review by mistake...anyways...I still don't own Naruto, but, I do own a wonderful laptop to do my works on! Now then on with Here and Now, Chap. 11: Precious People!!! (people scream with tears of joy)

Chap. 11: Precious People

(Naruto's P.O.V)

As soon as the soft snoring of Gaara could be heard, I got up and walked out to the darkness of the surrounding grassland where we decided to camp. I thought I was alone,but as any wise shinobi should now, there's always the possibility of being followed.

"Shouldn't you be on watch?"

I laughed a little, "Hey, Kakashi-sensei."

The silver-haired Jonin nodded to me, and I could tell that he knew something was bothering me, "Want some company?"

"Sure," I said with a shrug. We sat for awhile, simply admiring the stars above us. After a good couple of minutes of silence, I spoke, "Kakashi-sensei...what do think of me and Sakura as a couple?" I asked him.

"Hmmm..." the Jonin placed a hand under his chin in mild thought, "Well, in all honesty, I was expecting it to happen sooner or later."

I gave him an amused, somewhat skeptic look, "Heh, really?"

Kakashi again nodded, "Of course. I mean, sure you loved her since your academy days, but she was too busy ogling Sasuke to notice this. Eventually Sasuke leaves and betrays us, then you promise to Sakura to bring him back, only to come back beaten, and Sasuke gone to Orochimaru."

I was lost, "I don't see where you're going with this..."

Kakashi put up a hand to cut me off, "Just let me finish...you leave to go and train with Jiraiya for about three years; that's where things got interesting. Sakura and I would have an occasional reunion somewhere like Ichiraku's. She would say how she hopes that you aren't becoming a pervert or in alot of danger...I knew when this started happening thatshe was starting to have feelings towards you."

I felt my face stretch into a smile, "She...she was actually worried about me during those years I was away?"

Kakashi could only chuckle, "Well of course she was. You're her teammate, but I sensed something deeper than just concern. She seemed to brighten up when you were mentioned," he paused to shake his head at me, "It was here attitude after your return that caught my attention. She seemed excited when she heard of your return, and she was a little more than cheerful the day you were back. You may not realize this Naruto, but you are a major part of her strength. Your return was a major booster in her self-esteem...though I recall she was miffed when she first reunited with you...she didn't tell me why though..."

I could only laugh at that comment. 'YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED AT ALL, HAVE YOU??' I smiled at the fond memory of being punched and sent fifty feet through the air and into the dirt road.

Yeah, that had been a wonderful day...

"She fights for you Naruto...the same way you fight for her. She wants to be stronger to help defend Konoha, herself, and especially you. That's a big claim for you to make, considering that Tsunadehas personally trained her for quite a few years now." Kakashi replied, turning back up to the night sky.

Now that we were on the topic, I wanted to hear more from Kakashi, "Um...Kakashi-sensei...did you ever have a...precious person...?"

Kakashi looked at me, almost a little taken back as though it was a ridiculous question, "I had and still have you and Sakura. Surely that counts..." I could tell though that he knew what I meant.

"I mean someone that was important to you in the way Sakura is important to me." I said with a shaking head.

Kakashi's shoulders slumped a bit, "Well, if you put it that way...yes, I suppose...she was a part of my Genin team..." he paused to turn to me, "...at one time I wasn't at all concerned about teams aside from completing missions...that was my belief, at least until one of my teammates died saving my life. All I have to remember him by is this," he pointed to where his Sharingan eye lay, covered by his headband, "and by the Hero's Monument...his name was Obito. My other teammate, who was a medic-nin, implanted his left Sharingan into my damaged eye socket. I had lost my eye in a battle with some Rock-nin earlier in the mission. He changed my view on life that day, but he died as a result."

I hesitated to ask him, but figured it would probably help him, "What was your other teammate's name?"

Kakashi smiled a bit, "Rin. My team was made up of Obito Uchiha, your father and my instructor, Minato Namikaze, and Rin...but we kind of drifted apart shortly after that day..."

"What happened to Rin...did she-?"

"I could only hope that she had either left village, or just quit being a ninja...it's alot better than her being dead..." he finished for me, answering my question.

"What was she like?"

Kakashi sighed, but I could see a smile behind his mask, "She had hair that was sort of a dark brown and orange...and she had a face that you could tell was made for smiling. She had bandages on both her cheeks, and...heh, you know, Sakura kind of reminds me of her in a way."

"How is that?" I asked, smirking in curiosity. If she was at all like Sakura, then Kakashi probably was scared of her at times.

"Oh...she was fiery little kunoichi like Sakura was when the occasion called for it. Most of the time though she was quiet. I'd say though that Rin was more of medic than fighter compared to Sakura when she was twelve. She sure hit like Sakura though...Obito could support that claim."

"So...you liked her I take it?"

"I guess so...but it wasn't until after Obito died that I realized how much she meant...the fact of the matter is, Naruto, she probably felt the same for me, but we were too devastated by Obito and were too busy with the war...I went to become an ANBU, your father became the Yondaime Hokage, but I never found out where Rin went. I would have asked Minato-sensei...but he died before I ever did get a chance..." Kakashi replied, getting up from his seat.

"Oh...well...I'm sorry about that."

Kakashi's visible eye crinkled as he smiled, "It's okay, you didn't know, and it doesn't hurt me to tell you these things," I knew that part was a lie, "Naruto, let me give you some advice that I hope you'll take to heart. While it is important to become a fine Jonin, especially since you plan on becoming Hokage someday, you should also make time for your personal life. In your case, Sakura. A woman like her only comes around once in a lifetime. If you let her go or leave her, you'll regret it." the Jonin said with a somewhat depressed look forming on his face.

He turned to head back to camp when I called to him, "Kakashi-sensei, one more question..."

Kakashi stopped and turned to me, "Yes, Naruto?"

"Do...do you think that if Rin were still in Konoha that things would have been much different for us?"

Kakashi sighed for the upteenth time that night, "I don't know," he shrugged, "Maybe, Naruto...maybe..."

I sat there and watched as Kakashi slowly walked back to camp. He was in his thirties by now, which is saying alot for a ninja with his reputation and his number of his number of enemies. I guess his life of being alone was getting to him...though I hoped against all odds that it wasn't.

"I hope I didn't upset him too much." I whispered to myself as I got up and streched, yawning a bit. Twenty minutes later I was sitting back at the camp, poking the fire with a stick to let the embers keep burning. I ended up passing time counting how many shooting stars I could see in a night. My current record was fifteen, but it was bound to break someday.

However, on about eight stars, I was interrupted by a certain bijuu's voice, "Hey, Kit, do you plan on asking for a Genin team anytime soon?"

I had to keep myself from speaking aloud, "What do you mean?"

Kyuubi grinned, "You're a Jonin, and I believe you can request to train a team of Genin now...if the Hokage sees you fit for the position."

I thought for a moment, "Maybe...Dad became a Jonin instructor before he was the Hokage..."

I could feel Kyuubi sigh, "Don't go and think you have to go and suddenly follow your father's footsteps because he was the great Yellow Flash...I'm sure regardless of what you do, you'll do well."

"Right...actually I was thinking of becoming an ANBU first, serve for some time, then go on to be the Hokage..."

Kyuubi growled in agreement, "Well, that's not a bad idea. You'll have some choice in your team I believe."

I nodded to myself, "Yeah. I think that Tenten and Ino are considering it too. Neji's already a part-time ANBU member, and Shino's currently working up to ANBU captain rank if I'm correct." I added.

"Don't go and get carried away now. You're not even a week into your rank as a Jonin." Kyuubi chided, sounding more and more like a parent with every passing moment.

I rolled my eyes, "Tch, Baa-chan knows I'm more than qualified. I could easily get into her office with out those ANBU knowing back in my Genin days, so I don't see why it's not possible."

My conversation was abruptly ended when I heard Sakura's voice.

"Naruto...no...Akat...suki...no, not Naru..."

I walked over to her, and pushed back some loose bangs of hers, looking at her troubled face, "Dreaming again...it's okay, Sakura-chan. I'm here...it's okay..." I said, continuing to brush my hand across her face. She seemed to calm down, and soon was sleeping soundly again. I smiled as I sat by her sleeping form. She still retained a bit of her twelve year-old self inside of her, seeing as how she worried like she did all the time.

Hours later the sun rose from the east, and I heard the rustling of sleeping bags. I turned to see the squinting, yet smiling face of Temari.

"Morning, Temari. Sleep well?" I asked her cheerfully. She nodded while stretching a bit, giving me a clear view of her pink and white nightgown. I held back a laugh. Temari, the fearsome kunoichi of Sunagakure, still wore her favorite pink pajamas. If I mentioned this though, I'd be in for a world of hurt, and I could only wonder what would happen to Gaara, being that he was the one who told me this wonderful bit of information.

"Yeah, I slept well, considering how bad Kankuro's snoring is." she said with a frown.

"I heard that..." came the muffled voice of the still motionless form of Kankuro, whose hair poked out of his sleeping bag, giving him the appearance of a bandaged Crow.

I started making breakfast by the fire...which was basically boiled rice and curry, with some vegetables, "Um...hope you like rice everyone."

"Soy sauce with mine would be nice." I heard Gaara call from his sleeping bag, one visible hand waving from his sleeping pack.

Breakfast was rather quiet, aside from the occasional yawn from Kankuro, as well as a giggle or two from Kakashi as he read his favorite book, Icha Icha Chaos...Ero-sennin still was busy with the writing business. Soon enough though, we were up and running through the grassland. We had eventually noticed the grassland dissapear into sparse shrubery, then into gravel, then finally into a desert. However, Gaara said we still had a good half days worth of travel ahead. The temperature rise was also an indication, but a constant breeze kept us from being too hot.

I checked my watch when we stopped for the night; seven thirty-two. The sky was a light pink hue, and the warm air was suddenly cooling down rather quickly. We had found a nearby oasis to camp in, so we didn't have to worry about being covered in too much sand when we awoke the following morning.

"We will probably reach our destination by noon tomorrow. We're already an hour into Wind Country, so we're making good time." Gaara confirmed, setting down his belongings.

That night was not much different from the previous one, only difference was that I didn't have watch. Temari was sitting off in the dark, polishing her fan as we rested.

"Naruto." whispered the voice of Sakura.

"Hm?" I looked up, squinting from my eyes starting to droop.

"I'm cold, can we put our sleeping bags together?" she asked, already walking over to me.

I nodded as we unzipped our sleeping bags completely and rezipped them up so they combined into one large one. Sakura had found these sleeping bags while shopping months ago, and bought them for such situations during missions with me and her.

After we finished, she looked at the twin size sleeping bag, then gave me a very suggestive look.

"Sakura, you couldn't possibly be suggesting that, could you? I mean, Kakashi, Gaara, and Kankuro are right here..."

"I won't bother you two," Temari quietly added with a smirk, recieving a groan from me while Sakura merely laughed.

"I'm only kidding. I just enjoy teasing you like this." she then got into her side of the sleeping bag, "Now hurrry up and get in, I'm getting colder by the minute."

"Somehow I'm not convinced that you're really that cold..." I said with a grin, but went into our sleeping bag anyway, "Better now?" I asked, looking at the kunoichi next to me.

"Much better." Sakura replied, resting her head against my chest.

"You know, I think I'm starting to spoil you..." I joked.

"Good, that means you're doing things right." Sakura said with a laugh, wrapping an arm around me.

Tomorrow morning Gaara would tell me that it been an unusually warm night for the Wind Country in the fall. Sakura would only wink at me when I told her this.

end of Chap.11- eheheh...heeey...miss me much? (ducks to avoid a kunai) I know, it's been...about six months since I last updated...but have no fear, I'm up and running. Also, I have been writing out the chapters during my period of rest, so no, I haven't slacked off...completely. By the way, I'm going to start a little question and answer thing; got a question for me on the story? I'll try to answer it in the next chapter, as long as it doesn't give away anything. If you were all wondering why not much happened, then you were right, not much did. The last two chapters took place within one days time or so. Those who are good at guessing may have some ideas...heheh...want a hint...very well, but only a small one...she's back. There, nothing else, otherwise I'll have completely ruined my plan! Well, until we meet again! R&R, and I may actually have Shika, Chouji, Naruto, Konohamaru, Neji, and Kiba sing a song in a future chapter...or in a scene...picture the six singing Billy Joel's "The Longest Time" with Naruto on lead vocals...yes, now, isn't that a funny scene? Of course it is.