Since the wind was blowing, we weren't able to hear anything. I heard another mind; Orochimaru's here. He landed next to Kabuto. This is bad. Yamato still hasn't given a signal yet. Kabuto then made a hand sign and chakra was summoned to his hand. He sliced at Yamato and the cover was blown. Yamato gave the signal and we landed in front of Yamato. I was on the far left.

"You again…" Kabuto said, referencing to Naruto and I.

"I've seen those faces many times. It's the fox boy and our lovely princess." Orochimaru said. I clenched my fists. "Let's play a game with them. I'll give you the pleasure of telling which has gotten strong, you or Sasuke."

"Give Sasuke back." Naruto said. His chakra began to change.

"There is no giving back, Naruto. Let me explain." Kabuto said. "Sasuke came to us on his own will. It's about time you got over it. Going on like that is hardly behaving as a man."

"If you want to know about Sasuke, why don't you force it out of me? That is if you can…"

Naruto's chakra changed even more. I looked ahead of me and Orochimaru was sent flying. These tails were swarming around Naruto. The Nine Tails. Orochimaru came back and started talking. Naruto got even madder and the chakra increased. The wind picked up and I gasped. Kabuto tried to get Naruto, but the Naruto did something weird and sent him flying. The bridge started breaking in the process. Kabuto hit me and I fell back. I heard a pop and pain went into my wrist. Shit, I popped my wrist out of place. The bridge I laid on suddenly began to crack. I made my hand green and began to heal myself. Sai flew off on a bird. I started to slide off, but I still wasn't done healing my wrist.

"Yamato!" I screamed; I finished healing my wrist and made the hand signs for summoning jutsu. Inza popped out, but before he could help me, I completely slid off the bridge

"Boss!" Inza yelled.

"Sai! Help Anako!"

Sai flew right by me. That asshole didn't even help me. Inza jumped of the bridge and caught me.

"You asshole, Sai!" I yelled at him. "The next time I see you, I'll fucking kill you!" Inza set me down next to Yamato.

"Thank you." I said.

He poofed away and I looked toward where Naruto was. A big stream of red was his way. I shivered; this is bad. Really bad. Yamato made a wood clone and it went that way.

"We need to get to Naruto." I said, standing up. Yamato grabbed my arm before I could go anywhere.

"No. Stay here. It's getting too dangerous for you."

I nodded and I knew what to do. I closed my eyes and slipped out of my mind. I went to Naruto's, but got thrown out. I landed on my butt with a thud.

"Anako? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

I went into Yamato's mind and deviled around to see what was going on with Naruto. I found out what Jiraiya had said about the fourth tails overtaking Naruto. I left his mind and put my head down. I heard Kabuto started talking and I stood up to face him.

"Fight me." I said, clenching my fist. "We still need a rematch from before."

Before Kabuto said anything, a big explosion came. The wind was powerful. Naruto was suddenly back with us. I covered my face and looked at Naruto. I heard talking but I didn't listen to them. I just continued to look at Naruto. He got rid of the sword that was in him and Yamato grabbed me and moved me away from him. We landed a few yards away from him. Kabuto just kept talking trash about Naruto.

"Shut up!" I yelled. "You know nothing Kabuto!"

I started to shake and a few tears slipped out of my eyes. I looked at Naruto. No no no. This isn't Naruto. It's that fox in him.

"Naruto!" I yelled, running to him.

"Anako, no! Don't get near Naruto while he is in this form!" Yamato yelled at me.

"Naruto! Stop it! Just please stop!" I yelled, getting closer to him.

Naruto looked at me and one of the tails wacked me in the arm, tearing my shirt in the process. I cried out and fell to the ground. I held my arm as it started bleeding. Kabuto made his way over to me. Yamato stopped him.

"I won't let you touch her." He said.

"We have no reason to fight you anymore. On the contrary, it's the opposite."

Kabuto outstretched his chakra to me and he healed my wound as best as he could.

"You and we have the same objective. The Akatsuki are in the way. If we let you guys live, you might be able to take out another member." Kabuto said.

I stopped listening to him and looked back at Naruto. I closed my eyes and just looked away. This isn't you Naruto. Kabuto left and Yamato did this seal thing. Naruto turned semi back to normal and I made my way over to him. I placed my hands on his chest and began to heal him. A shot of pain ran through my arm and I winced. I finished healing Naruto.

"I always try so hard, you know." I said. "But I can never seem to do well. I try so hard to help him and in the end I usually get hurt."

"Even so, you still try. And that's what matters. I see the strong feelings you have for Naruto." Yamato said. "You really care for him, don't you?"

"A-Anako…" Naruto said, waking up. A few tears welled up in my eyes.

"You're okay." I said, smiling at him.

"What happened to me? Why are you crying, Anako?" Naruto asked. "Aha! It was Sai wasn't it? He called you fat again. Or he said that you were a beast with you monstrous strength!"

"You're the only who calls me a beast with monstrous strength." I said, punching his shoulder.

"Ugh." Naruto said, holding his shoulder.

"Where is Sai?" I asked.

"He's moving together with Orochimaru." Yamato said.

I clenched my fist. So it is true. We made our way to the crater where Naruto destroyed it. Wow, that nine tails chakra is insane.

"What happened here?" Naruto asked. He remembers nothing. "Why was I unconscious and all?"

Yamato and I looked at each other. I hated to lie to him, but….

"Orochimaru got to you." I said.

"So that's it! Damn him!"

I noticed Sai's stuff all over the ground. I went and picked up a picture book.

"He dropped his things and left them. I guess he couldn't keep his cool in front of Orochimaru."

I read his mind and he knew what happened here. Sai followed Orochimaru back.

"He's with Orochimaru?" Naruto asked.

"Yes." Yamato said.

"Sure he's a jerk and all but he wouldn't betray-" Naruto yelled.

"No, he would." I said, cutting him off. "Danzo has something to do with this."

"Who is he?"

"He's a man who competed with my father for the title of Hokage. He's Sai's superior." I said.

"It's quite possible Danzo is using Sai to set plans of his own into motion." Yamato said. "Perphaps Danzo entrusted Sai with a top secret mission that has nothing to do with our own."

I refrained myself from saying what Sai's actual mission is. If I said anything, they'd asked how I knew. And I can't risk giving away my mind reading abilities to these two.

"Alright! Let's go." Naruto said.

I totally missed what those two were talking about. Naruto suddenly fell to the ground. I went to him and help him up. He still isn't fully healed.

"I know we need to pursuit Sai, but as the medical ninja of the group, I advise that we wait. Naruto isn't in a place where he could fight."

"In that case, we leave him behind. He should have enough-"

"No!" I yelled at him. "Master K would never just leave one of us behind."

"Anako, I'm alright to continue." Naruto said.

"I was teamed with Kakashi in the ANBU. I know how he is." Yamato said. "It's true I am filling him for him, but he and I are different. I won't say "I won't let you guys get hurt" with a smile. You are at the rank where you do not need protection. You must go on and someday surpass Kakashi and protect Konoha like we do. We must go now or we'll lose everything we've gotten." I looked at him and nodded. He's right.

"Anako…"

"Let's go then." I said, standing up.

We made our way after Orochimaru. I grabbed onto a tree branch and my arm suddenly got a sharp pain. I slide of the branch and started falling.

"Anako!" Naruto yelled.

Naruto tried to reach me and we missed each other. I knew I wasn't going to catch myself. Yamato caught me and I gasped out in the pain. Yamato sent me down against a tree and I tried to control my breathing. Naruto sat in front of me.

"Anako, are you okay?" Naruto asked.

A shot of pain went through my arm and I grabbed it and doubled over.

"Anako."

"Don't worry about me, Naruto." I said, in a shaky voice. "I'll be fine."

The Nine Tails chakra is acting like poison. I'm not skilled enough to heal myself. If this feels like this for me, I can only imagine what Naruto feels like or how he can stand this.

"This is nothing. It really doesn't hurt."

"Anako, you shouldn't put yourself in danger like that." I just nodded at him.

"Like I said, you don't need to worry about me. I can handle myself, you know." I said.

"Let's take a little break." Yamato said. "Anako is our only medical ninja and she is needed to make this mission successful."

"I'm fine. No need to worry." I went to get up and my arm began to throb. I winced and grab it. "If we don't get moving now, we won't be successful. Even you said…"

"It is true what I said, but they also say "haste comes from the devil". There is a difference hurrying and recklessness."

"I agree!" Naruto said. "Captain Yamato is right. You are the only medical ninja of the group that is a beast with monstrous strength. So we need to make sure you're okay."

"Stop with the 'beast with monstrous strength'. I'm not a beast." I said.

"What, what?"

"Just shut up! Quit calling me a beast."

"I was just complimenting you."

"Oh complimenting my ass."

"Naruto. I will be taking Sai's place as your partner. Since we've got time, let's prepare our strategy. Come here for a bit."

"Gotcha." Naruto said, standing up.

He followed Yamato and they went where I couldn't hear them. You're funny Yamato. I left my mind and slipped into Yamato's. I looked at Naruto through Yamato's eyes.

"Okay, so what should we do first?" Naruto asked.

"Before we begin, I need to tell you something." Yamato said. "The one, who hurt Anako, was you."

Naruto gasped and looked past Yamato to look at me.

"Now that you mention it, it was just like last time." Naruto said, thinking of the bridge and the crater.

"Right, the bridge, Anako's wound, you did it." Yamato said. "Anako didn't tell you because she didn't want to upset you."

I left Yamato's mind after that. I put my head on the tree. I waited and waited and finally Yamato said it was time to go. We traveled and traveled until we reached the Yamato clone in a deserted looking place. Yamato began to talk.

"Under those rocks, is where Sasuke is waiting." Naruto said. "Let's go then."

"Hold on a sec." Yamato said.

The Yamato clone went away and Yamato handed us two wood tracking devices.

"This is so I know where you are in case we get separated." Yamato said. Naruto and I swallowed them. "Alright everyone. It's time to move out."

"Ready." I said.

"Right."

"Here is the deal. I'll go first, then Anako, and in the rear will be Naruto." Yamato said. "We're taking this by the book, so we'll use an earth technique to approach from underground."

We made our way and we were at a bug rock.

"Just like I thought, seems their hideout is surrounded by rock."

"I'll use my Rasengan to bust it open." Naruto said.

"No, then they'll know we're here." I said.

"Entry always calls for silence."

"Then how will we…"

Yamato did this jutsu thing and made an entrance for us. We went inside. Part one, successful. I felt my heartbeat began to quicken.

"First we find Sai." Yamato said. "Follow me."

We went through corridors after corridors until we found Sai. Yamato made a wood key and opened the door.

"And look who we have."

We entered the room. We all began to talk. I tuned everyone out because I heard the thoughts of someone I knew all too well. I placed a hand on my chest and tried hard to control my breathing.

"I have to get out of here." I said, going to the door. I felt someone grab my hand.

"It's okay, Anako." Naruto said.

I pulled away from him and we were back outside soon enough. I can breathe now. Yamato tied Sai up and I just listened. I went into my pouch and pulled out the bracelet. I looked at it and closed my fist. Kunai were suddenly thrown at us from above and Kabuto showed up. He cut the wood Sai was in and we proceeded to battle. Sai did something unexpected though, he grabbed Kabuto.

"You say people change and here I am." Sai said.

Sai started to talk about the bonds that both Naruto and I spoke of. Yamato tied Kabuto up and made a clone. After talking more, we finally made our way back into the hideout. Kabuto told us where Sasuke would be. We split into two teams. Yamato and I went one way while Sai and Naruto went the other.

"Yamato." I said.

"What is it?"

"If I began to falter, please do not hesitate to bring me out of it. Do whatever you must to keep me focused." I said.

"Oh, umm. Okay."

Room after room we continued to look for him. Yamato got a funny look on his face.

"It's Naruto's chakra. It looks like something happened. Let's go." Yamato said. I nodded.

We began to continue when I stepped on the floor and it suddenly went in. Oh no, I've set off a trap. A big wall was suddenly moved between Yamato and me.

"Anako!" I heard Yamato yell.

"Go to Naruto! I'll find a way out!" I yelled back.

"We'll find you." I heard him say.

"Right."

I put my hand on the wall and felt chakra in it. I knew I wouldn't be able to break that. There must be another way to get to Naruto and the others. I summoned Inza.

"Hey boss." Inza said, patting my head.

"We're in Orochimaru's hideout. We need to find Naruto and the others soon." I said.

"Right." Inza said.

"Let's go." I said. Inza and I began to continue running when I ran into Naruto. I fell back and Inza caught me.

"Naruto!" I exclaimed.

"I'm clone. I'll take you to where the others are." The Naruto clone said. A big crash came all of a sudden. I felt this pain in my chest and I clutched it.

"Anako, are you okay?" Inza asked, putting a hand on my back. He's close. I can hear his thoughts. A hand was placed on my cheek.

"It's okay, Anako. Let's go." The Naruto clone said. I nodded and we made our way to where the crash came from. I found Yamato and Naruto.

"Anako, you're okay." Naruto said.

"I'm fine. Where is Sai?" I asked.

"He intends to kill Sasuke." Yamato said.

So it's been confirmed by those two. I clenched my fist and looked towards where Sai was. I heard his thoughts and that pain came back. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to push all the memories out of my mind. I began to hyperventilate.

"I-I-I can't." I choked out. "G-G-Go without me."

"Anako, what's wrong? This is it. We're getting Sasuke back." Naruto said.

"Don's say his name." I said.

Naruto looked saddened at my words. A light went on in his head.

'She's still heartbroken about Sasuke.' He thought.

I squeezed my eyes tighter. The tears ran down my face. Two hands went on my shoulder and one on my face.

"We'll go together Anako." Naruto said, wiping the tears. "You don't have to do this alone."

"I'm here too." Inza said.

My breathing began to go back to normal. This is no time to cry and be upset. Yamato smacked me on the back. I coughed and glared at him.

"What? You said to make sure you don't falter." Yamato said, putting his hands up defensively.

"We're wasting time." I said.

I ran to where Sai was and stood next to him. Naruto followed and I heard Naruto gasp; I couldn't bare to look at him yet.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said.

"Naruto… So you came too." He said. I know he noticed me because I heard him thinking about me.

"Does that mean Kakashi is here, too?"

"Unfortunately, Kakashi couldn't be here. I am in his place for now. We, as Team Kakashi, are going to take you back to Konoha." Yamato said.

"Team Kakashi huh?"

Sai began to talk and I tuned him out. I just continued to look down as he began to talk. Naruto began to yell at him. He was suddenly next to Naruto with his arm around Naruto. I jumped away from them and held onto my chest. He got too close to me. I looked at his arm and gasped. My ribbon. I listened while he and Naruto talked. He drew his sword and started to attack, when Sai stopped him. He flipped Naruto and did this lightning technique on both of them. Naruto and Sai fell to the ground and I gasped. I closed my eyes and looked down. I know I told Naruto we'd do it together, but my body wouldn't let me move. Not again. The memories of him and I began to flood my mind. Why now? I stood up and finally looked at him. I gasped at how handsome he's become. I pushed those thoughts away. Yamato moved in front of me before I could do anything. He stabbed Yamato with his sword. I looked over to Naruto and noticed his chakra starting to change and he knew about the Nine Tails. Yamato clapped his hands together and made this cage around him. He broke out of it and stood above us again.

"Why don't you get it? Your body is going to be stolen by Orochimaru anytime now!" Naruto yelled.

"If that happens, then it happens."

He continued to talk and I saw Yamato stand up.

"That's enough talk." Yamato said. "Naruto and Anako… With you two here, I hoped I wouldn't have to do anything extreme. It's time I get serious."

"Kohona indeed; I'm through with you. Now things end." He said.

He clapped his hands together and then raised it to the sky. Orochimaru showed up and stopped him.

"Now, there is no need to use 'that' jutsu, Sasuke." Orochimaru said.

"Remove your hand."

Kabuto showed up and the three talked. I looked down and then looked at Naruto. The three left and Naruto put his head down and began to cry. I sat down on a rock and brought my knees to my chest. I sucked in a deep breath and the tears poured out of my eyes. Inza sighed and came over to me.

"It's okay." He said, rubbing my back. I shook my head and stood up.

"Crying does nothing, Naruto. I know. I've done lots of crying over the years and he still hasn't come back. I'm here too. And together, you and I will bring him back." I said, wiping my face.

"There's almost still half a year left." Sai said. "And three is obviously better than two. I'm pretty strong myself." I looked over to Sai and gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, guys." Naruto said, standing up.

"Well…" Yamato said. 'Looks like we're just getting started.'

I looked up to the sky and nodded. I still wondered why he still had my ribbon on. Could it be that he still loves me?


Here is chapter 05! :) Please read and review!

Let me explain why I use he instead of Sasuke. Anako is still very heartbroken about Sasuke leaving, but she doesn't tell anyone about it. She keeps it all to herself. Hearing his name hurts her. I hope that clears up why I use he. Also, I took out a lot of the dialogue. It's just too much to write sometimes, but Anako does know what is going on.

Thank you for the new follows and favorites! I love all of you! :)

PS: Didn't put it all in italics like I usually do since he is suppose to be in it! :p