HUD: Whew! Thanks for your patience, guys! Enjoy!

Kakashi was just in his view, leading Iruka through another thick crowd in the Main Street Village. He smiled, feeling warm where there hands were linked before him, as he took in again the amazing sights of the street. Dancers, children, dogs - even the smells and sounds were becoming familiar as they walked.

Iruka couldn't help his blush when Kakashi looked back over his shoulder, scarf down and smiling that soft crooked curve. Then he looked forward again and they pressed on.

The crowd grew denser and denser, almost to the point of not being able to breathe. Iruka needed a minute, a second on the edge away from the intensity of so many pressed so close, but the words wouldn't escape him. Kakashi continued unperturbed, so Iruka followed.

The heat was finally getting to him, now a sudden rush of hot air from open flames and the natural heat of humanity. It was too much, and the lightheadedness stopped him in his tracks. The noise intensified, the push of the crowd around him closed in - Iruka covered his eyes with his palms, trying to steady himself with deep breaths.

That was when he realized he was alone. Kakashi wasn't with him.

He dropped his hands with a jolt, his eyes now frantically scanning the thick crowd for that bright shock of silver hair. Kakashi was tall, he would absolutely be able to find him.

Right?

Iruka began to panic - he needed to find Kakashi. He couldn't explain why, couldn't begin to even understand, but it was important. Vital. Life or death. Without Kakashi, there would be no Iruka. Finding what little courage he had left, Iruka willed his body to move.

"Kakashi!" He called, cupping his hands to his mouth. The crowd pushed against him as he tried to move, as if they didn't want him to.

"Kakashi!" He called again, but this time the crowd's noise rose over him. His calling was drowned out, lost in the sea of hoots and hollers and laughter. Iruka, feeling frustrated and more than a little desperate, planted his feet where he stood and braced for another call. His throat was dry and hoarse, the heat surrounding him drawing out any and all moisture from his mouth. Still, he had to try.

Before it left his mouth, the crowd was gone. Iruka blinked and looked around him. He was suddenly alone, standing in the centre of an abandoned Village. Iruka's heart beat wildly in his chest as he looked around - no dancers, children, dogs, no vendors or food stalls, even the tiki torches were gone. Just a stray scrap of paper blew by in a light breeze, the only sound and presence aside from Iruka himself. He was alone. Most importantly, he was still without Kakashi.

He had never found the man, tall and striking as he was, amongst all that mess. Iruka wasn't graced enough for his dread to flee with the mysterious crowd - in fact, it seemed to only intensify.

What were the odds, he wondered, if he were to call Kakashi now? Would he amble up, sheepish for losing Iruka in the crowd? Maybe he never really left; maybe if Iruka cupped his hands to his mouth once more and called, Kakashi would be right beside him, having never left at all.

Iruka brought his hands to his mouth again -

"Kakashi!"

Iruka sat up abruptly, startling himself from sleep. His chest heaved with a fresh breakout of cold sweat, something he was just realizing made his skin feel clammy. He was in his rented room at the Yamanaka Bed and Breakfast, not alone in the Main Street Village. His blanket laid tangled between his feet, his sleep shirt most likely of the same fate. His heart physically hurt - he really must have worked himself up into a frenzy.

He swallowed thickly, his cheeks colouring from embarrassment. It was only a dream, nothing serious. Iruka had been dreaming the entire time, still safe and sound in the confines of his room. He was alone, but comfortably - at least, he had been.

The dream was more than unnerving. What had it meant, to be wandering that beautiful and alive part of town alone while it slept? First with Kakashi, a man he knew he was getting far too attached to far too soon, feeling happy and content, only to be suddenly alone, needing to find him with a desperation that rivaled on hysterical.

Iruka swallowed - he needed to get moving. He found his shirt near his feet and tossed it over to his suitcase, stopping to grab a fresh one and jeans. After the night Iruka had had, he absolutely needed a shower.

Iruka tried to keep his mind clear as the water raced over him. Methodical routines always helped him when he needed a distraction, but his mind was too far gone. Whatever his dream had been about he didn't understand, but he needed to. He wasn't sure where the ideas had even come from. The night - date - with Kakashi had been wonderful, every second of it. He even didn't mind watching him walk away, knowing full well that he would see Kakashi again in the morning.

So why was he feeling so distraught at not finding him?

Iruka dressed quickly and pulled his hair back, avoiding his own gaze in the mirror. There had to be something. He ignored his hands shaking as he grabbed his keys and mobile, pausing at the door for his sneakers. Iruka's eyes dropped to the desk by the door, settling on the newspaper he had grabbed on his way in earlier that morning. It was still open to the classifieds, and without a second thought, Iruka snatched it up and tucked it under his arm.

The drive wasn't as agonizing as Iruka thought it would be. In fact, the fresh air seemed to do him a world of good. He felt like the weight was completely lifted from his shoulders by time he pulled into the plaza and parked his car. It was still early - the dream woke him before his alarm could - so he leaned back in the seat and looked out the windshield.

The plaza looked fresh and silent, early morning dew still clung to the café's windows and the door to The Den. The sun was behind the building, casting a halo over the roof that was bright enough to prompt Iruka to drop his visor. The calm was nice - he knew it wouldn't last long once Naruto wandered this way again to help with the cleaning. The boy was electric, and for whatever reason didn't care for Kakashi.

Thinking about the bookstore owner make Iruka smile. He had no reason to lie to himself; he couldn't wait to see Kakashi again. But thoughts of the silver-haired man brought back his dream and the unsettling feeling it birthed. Suddenly a shroud settled back over Iruka's fleeting good mood and the teacher sighed, watching ironically as a cloud drifted before the waking sun.

This had to end. Iruka climbed from his car and locked it, dropping his keys into his pocket and setting out towards the edge of the plaza. It was still early enough that he shouldn't run in to anyone, but the closer he got to the Village the worse his mood became. He felt the desperation sink into his bones again, the dewy air making him shiver as he crossed the street. Iruka was determined, despite all the anxiety he had no reason for.

The Village was deserted, still too early for even any owners to be by. He found Loch and smiled, the Irish flag still in the morning air. The large circle that held the vendors and dancers was deserted, just like his dream. Iruka crossed his arms over his chest and stood in the centre, looking around.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He was alone, but not desperate. Seeing the Village for what it was helped to finally calm him. Iruka sighed and rolled his eyes at himself.

"See, Iruka?" He muttered, resting his hands on his hips. "Just a dream. Nothing odd."

Iruka suddenly jumped, a yelp escaping him that echoed across the buildings. He flushed when he realized his phone was vibrating in his pocket, the source of his shock. With a sigh, he fished it from his pocket and looked at the contact. Iruka scrunched up his face but answered.

"Anko?"

"Oh my god, Iruka!" She exclaimed, loud enough to force Iruka to pull the phone back from his ear sharply. "Are you okay?! Are you safe?"

Iruka blinked, feeling a chill race down his spine. "Yeah, Anko. I'm fine. What's the matter?"

Anko sighed loudly into his ear. "Oh, I'm so glad. I had one of those dreams, Iruka. It was bad this time."

Iruka swallowed thickly. "What happened?"

"While you were gone, something happened. I couldn't see what, exactly, but you weren't safe. Someone knew where you were and was looking for you. I just - " She paused, all her breath leaving her in a rush. "I needed to hear you."

Iruka wanted to tell her about his own dream, but stopped himself. Anko had foreboding dreams only every so often, after which the person in them wasn't safe. She had had a dream about a teacher at their school suddenly disappearing, only to hear he had been struck by a car two days later and thrown into a ditch. No one found him until it was too late. A similar fate befell the super of her apartment building - Anko dreamed she fell from a cliff. Her son came for a visit that same day and found his mother had fallen in the shower hours before, too elderly to help herself up. She survived, but Anko vowed from then on to find the person her dreams were about and warn them.

Now, it was Iruka's turn. He didn't want to worry her any more than needed, but he couldn't help feeling like he was being watched. What if their dreams were connected, and Kakashi was the key to it all? How the hell would he even bring that up? 'Hey, I know we just met and I really do like you, but my best friend has dreams about people dying or getting hurt and I think you might be able to protect me.' Yeah, sure.

"Iruka?" Iruka jumped, having slightly forgotten about Anko on the phone. Her voice was so small, entirely unlike her usual loud personality. He wished he was there to comfort her.

"I'm here, Anko," he answered. "I'm here."

"Will you promise to call me if anything weird happens?"

"I promise," Iruka said. "You do the same?"

"Yes!" Iruka smiled - Anko always bounced back so fast. "I'll let you go; I know you've got stuff to do. Send me pictures!"

"I will. Bye, Anko."

"No - I'll talk to you soon," she said curtly. Iruka nodded.

"I'll talk to you soon, Anko," he corrected.

"Don't ever say bye to me, Iruka," she said softly. "I'll talk to you soon."

Iruka stared at the phone in his palm for a moment, rereading Anko's name dozens of times. With a sigh, he replaced it to his pocket and turned back for his plaza. He wanted to tell someone his dream, but who?

Naruto was too young and would take it too far; Iruka doubted he'd get any moment alone after that. Sakura and Sasuke were too new, even if they were Naruto's friends. Perhaps he could confide in Sakura, but she seemed to up and up in gossip. Anko was out of the question - there was no need to worry her any more than she already was. That just left Kakashi.

Iruka stopped and looked back once again at the Village, quiet and sleeping behind him. The buildings were tall and dark against the light sky, wind now stirring the leaves of the canopied trees and Loch's flag. He strained his eyes, half expecting to see their chairs from the night before on its roof, but saw nothing. Still, he couldn't help feeling watched.

Maybe he would tell Kakashi, or at least feel around. He was too important already, if Iruka looking for a new place to live was any indication, to lose so soon. He would have to be careful.

As he walked away, all Iruka could think about was losing Kakashi in the crowd of faceless, shoving people as he screamed himself hoarse to find him again.

A/N: Let me know what you thought! I know it's much shorter than the last chapter, but there's some vitality in there (somewhere). Also, check out this sweet fanart that ImPrettyGreatJustSaiyan drew for me! Just add in the periods and you got it!

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