Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and a great many people should be glad of it. Were I to own Naruto, it would have never seen the light of publication.

Naruto opened his eyes in a far more comfortable world, than the one he remembered closing them in. There were no jutting surfaces, and no one feared for their lives in the immediate vicinity. The sun streaming down on his face indicating that there were no walls surrounding him, and a cool breeze caressed his face. It was a mite chilly, and someone had taken the liberty of placing a blanket on his body.

He was exhausted again, and the sod beneath him seemed as soft as any mattress. His senses were pleasantly dulled, and his brain wasn't too swift to recollect the events that had transpired directly before his impromptu nap.

While most of his body was comfortable, his neck stung badly, and he felt weak and limp. Everything tingled, like circulation had been cut off and was only just returning. Groggy as he was, he could only assume his brain was undergoing the same effect.

Two voices caught his attention, but with his buzzing ears he couldn't make out a single word. This was all right by him. He didn't need to know if their conversation was something private, which he assumed it was. Those two had a weird bond, but a bond nonetheless.

It was obvious to Naruto that he had been put into a death trance by an overly-cautious Haku. He couldn't help but wonder what time it was, and if he'd been out for days. Sasuke, if he recollected correctly, had only been down for an hour or so before waking from his seemingly dead state. If he had been hit in the same place, it was entirely probable he'd still be able to make it back to his teammates in time to fulfil his promise. That was, of course, if Zabuza and his loyal ward allowed him to leave without explaining things to every last detail.

Come to think of it, Naruto pondered, what do I tell them if they ask me those questions? I could lie, but even Konohamaru can tell when I do, and I doubt these two would buy most of what came out of my mouth. I can't tell them the truth, though, dattebaiyo… this isn't easy…

Sakura woke up late, having slept in after being carried into the house after falling asleep outside, insecure and devastated. Her eyes still felt raw, but it felt nothing like the curling of her insides at the thought of Naruto laying dead somewhere, alone and forgotten.

Her dreams had been nightmarish, she deduced from the dampness of the rug beneath her with sweat and the manner of which she'd struggled in her blankets. It wasn't unusual for the Haruno to have nightmares, but she was reasonably sure the ones she had just been experiencing went far beyond homosexual Sasuke and Ino as Hokage. Shuddering, she pushed those images out of her head.

The house was quiet, she noticed. There were a few pots being moved in the kitchen, and some stepping on the upper floor, but she didn't hear any of Tazuna's occasional hacking coughs or elderly rambles. She found it in her mind to be thankful her teammates had allowed her to sleep and headed to the bridge without her until she remembered that Zabuza was very likely still out there, casting his predatorily gaze on the builder and her precious Sasuke. It didn't help her state of mind that she envisioned the man's giant sword covered in Naruto's blood. Therefore, she left the builder's dwelling in a bit of a rush.

She arrived at the site before too long, and was somewhat relieved to find a group of about twelve villagers working peacefully with Tazuna, who bore no sign of assault. The builder barked orders this way and that, and Sakura couldn't help but marvel at the efficiency with which the civilians worked.

When the builder caught sight of her gawking, he jerked a thumb behind him, indicating the position where Sasuke sat in a thoughtful position, Kakashi peering everywhere like a watchdog.

She approached her comrades slowly, every step taking her into territory she wasn't comfortable with. She wanted to be back at home, untainted by the responsibility of knowing death. For a girl her age, even the loss of a complete stranger would have hit home. As shinobi, they weren't immortal.

"Keep the mission in your heart, and never shed a tear." She remembered reading that in the academy, and she never once doubted her ability to do it. Her inability to do so was something that she was ashamed of- it was a basic principle of the shinobi code after all. For her actions last night, she was afraid of Kakashi's disappointment. When she stopped next to him, she was relieved to receive no such rebuke.

Kakashi looked down at her for a minute, he had then paused his scan of the surrounding area. There had been no signs of an attack, obviously. He still had to be on guard, but the threat wasn't detectable. That being the case, Kakashi had been granted plenty of time to spend with his remaining male pupil, whose mood had darkened considerably since the night before. Despite any efforts Kakashi had made to reach Sasuke, the boy had just leered, not a word from his lips. The teacher was not too incredibly alarmed by this, but he made a mental note to check up on the Uchiha more often.

Sakura was an entirely different case. She had completely fallen apart when she thought no one was looking, but he had listened. He wasn't a family man. With his experience, the title was next to impossible to obtain. As a ninja, he was a prodigy and a wonder at his job, but as a human being, he just couldn't connect.

As far as he was concerned, females were lucky for being able to cry without looking like a freak (or Gai, who embodied the term). He remembered feeling the same way all those years ago with Rin, when Obito…

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows, but not against the sun, which wasn't in the direction he was looking, having averted his eyes from the shaken Sakura.

"I am Naruto Uzumaki, the one who will be Hokage. I will protect those who are important to me!"

It was Naruto's own decision to leave so recklessly. Kakashi wouldn't, he couldn't blame himself for that.

"You won't hurt Kakashi-sensei!"

Underneath his mask, he couldn't help but let out a small smile. There had still been no attack; Tazuna was safe. If only they hadn't left Naruto's staff on the road… He might have been able to send Pakkun out to retrieve the fearless kid before he reached whatever fate prevented him from returning. No, that was a lie. He had trusted in his student.

Naruto never gave his word without great conviction that he would do the task he set out to do. As far as Kakashi was concerned, if Naruto said he would be back in 12 hours, he would have been back in 12 hours or died trying.

The Hatake did not look forward to returning to Konoha, even if there was no conflict in their remaining time. Between Sarutobi's passive aggression and the monster Iruka would probably become, rabid tigers would probably be a less threatening welcoming committee. If and when old man Sarutobi learned of the blonde's fate, he just might force Kakashi to join a circus or something for an 'undercover' mission. He knew Sarutobi. He wouldn't put it past the ancient Hokage.

"Sensei?" Sakura asked. She winced slightly at the sheer volume her voice held. The elite ninja turned to face her again, "Do you think they'll still attack the builder?"

Kakashi lazily regarded her from a strange angle and shrugged. The kunoichi wished she could see his face, but then she thought the better of it. All three of the present shinobi were stressed out and tense. She looked to Sasuke, who had the courtesy to not look away or roll his eyes for once. There was something empty in his gaze; more empty than usual. Once again, Sakura felt homesick. She wanted to be anywhere but where she was standing.

The sun made lethargic, and it made sluggish progress across the southern sky, shining cheerfully down on the people on the bridge. For the builders, it was a blessing. At the rate they were going, the bridge would be done within the next two days. Sasuke and Sakura were unaware of the common sentiment the shared with the cheery weather. They just wished it would rain.

Author's note: Thanks for bearing with me again, all of you. I might be able to update insanely. I have been shown the stars. They were invisible. Also, thank Skendall for fixing this baby up!