CHAPTER 11

The stay in the hospital passed relatively peacefully. Yamato and Kakashi had a few visitors stop by from Sakura, Sai and Naruto to Genma, Raidou and Gai. Yamato apologised profoundly to his Sempai about injuring him only to be greeted by a nice guy pose complete with the sunset background causing Yamato to suffer from a headache due to his current sensitive eyes. "Don't worry Yamato-Kun; your youth is no much for mine! Unlike Kakashi I am still in my springtime of youth! Rival you must hurry and get better our next challenge is due soon!" Kakashi groaned at his boisterous friend but was glad to see him OK. He knew Gai would come for him whether he was well or not to challenge him, secretly he quiet enjoyed them but he wasn't going to let on.

Gai cupped Yamato's shoulders "I'm glad your OK Yamato-Kun, it's good to have you back. Rival, I will see you at the training ground! Iruka Sensei, Yamato-Kun take care and make sure his there on time!" Gai shouted back as he left the room bouncing on his hands. The three looked on amused and speechless at the green spandexed beast who they'd all come to love and respect.

They heard the clicking sounds of heel in the hall way and an angry looking Tsunade entered the room slamming the door with an even angrier Shizune on her tail. "Shizune, if you won't let me drink you won't get your paper work on time now leave me alone!" She sighed turning to Kakashi and Yamato "But Tsunade Sama…" Shizune got a growl in response as she stomped passed her subordinate to Yamato. "Yamato, how are you feeling? "She asked checking his vitals with gentle yet rough movements frowning.

"Better thank you Tsunade-Sama" he replied nervously.

"Hmmm. Good". She stood beside him arms crossed over her chest "I'm sorry to do this. I was hoping it could wait till you were both recovered. Kakashi, Yamato, Iruka I need your report. I need to know what happened and what you saw, what you felt Yamato" she looked at him to gage his expression to the news. Yamato had resigned himself to the fact that he would have to talk about this one day but he still wasn't prepared for it. He'd told Kakashi and Iruka basics but didn't tell them about the full extent of the conversation he had had with whatever it was. He looked at Kakashi, to see the man's body tense a little but he sat not looking at anything particular composed as ever. Iruka clasped a hand and looked at him encouragingly.

Yamato began "I don't know if I was imaging it or not, but the face it had...it was Orochimaru's. When it came at me it felt real, Kakashi tells me it wounded me and the fact Naruto and he felt its presence tells me it had to have been real, but... Orochimaru...his dead isn't he?" Yamato looked on questioningly at Tsunade.

Tsunade wasn't sure herself what was going on but keeping them in the dark was worse. "Kakashi, you said you sent the chakra into a different dimension using your sharingan after Yamato hit it with a chakra fused tendril". Kakashi nodded in agreement. Tsunade continued "I've had Raidou and a few ANBU investigate the lab. After gathering as much information as we can about Orochimaru's work, we will be destroying it for good this time. I don't know why it wasn't destroyed earlier. But...Raidou yesterday came across a snake which attacked one of the ANBU's who we have unfortunately lost" she paused getting to grips with the loss of life. "The problem Yamato, Kakashi is that Raidou said he'd felt the same chakra signature the day he saved you. But Kakashi, you didn't see a snake did you?" Kakashi looked at her "it was just a swirl of energy Tsunade Sama, I felt its presence but could only see it with my sharingan but it didn't resemble anything."

Yamato was shaking, what were they saying?! "Tsunade Sama, how can it be?" Yamato was finding it hard to control his fear. "He…he said it was my doing, that I was the one that created it, created him! His not real! His dead!" Iruka placed a hand on the small of Yamato's back trying to offer comfort.

"Yamato…" Kakashi called out to him. "Kakashi his dead, in my head it had Orochimaru's face but you and Naruto only saw the remnants of a chakra signature, it can't be Kakashi!"

Tsunade couldn't believe this. How was it possible that Orochimaru had managed to transfer a part of his chakra into a snake, when he was dead?

She didn't want to do this but she needed Kakashi to go investigate. "Kakashi, as soon as you've recovered your chakra I want you to go back out there to join Raidou and Genma. I need you to go confirm – ".

"Let me go Tsunade-Sama" Yamato interrupted. "It's my doing, so I'll go". Tsunade sighed, "Yamato it's not that I don't think you can, I don't think you're ready, your injuries – "

"I need to do this Tsunade Sama" he interrupted again. "I have to fight it and know once for all he can't hurt me, hurt US" he looked at Kakashi and Iruka trying to make them understand, he knew Kakashi would try to stop him from going. Tsunade looked at him knowing this good either make or break Yamato. "Kakashi, what do you think?" she asked her elite Shinobi knowing he would make the right judgement even if it was concerning his lover, duty always took precedent over the heart, it was the sad fact of their life. Kakashi felt his chest constrict and fisted his hands, he took a deep breath and answered "Tsunade Sama, I think Yamato needs to do but only if his medically fit. We will join Raidou at the location and investigate the situation". Kakashi looked at Yamato, Iruka's facial expression said he did not like this, Kakashi shook his head at having to face the angry Chunin, he was going to feel the bulk of his anger and he would take it for both his lovers' sake.

"Good, Yamato, Kakashi you have 10 days to recover and join the recon team" she said walking away when she suddenly stopped "I know you heard it all and you're not going she spoke to the room".

"I'm going!" said a voice from the window ledge "I won't let him harm anyone else I care for".