Colors of Life and Death series
Truth in Dreams
by Songbird21

Chapter 11

You guys are gonna shoot me for this chapter. ((Hides))

I know some of you said you were upset that I didn't post this chapter as soon as it was done, but honestly...would you rather I posted this last week and have you wait 3 weeks for the next chapter, or have me space them out so you don't spend so much time without something to read?

Radioplay news: The narration lines are in!! This means I can finally start putting the damn thing together. Hopefully it will be out by the end of the month.

ANGST WARNING!

Naruto's voice was barely audible. "Haruka...nee...san..."

"Do you know me, kiddo?" Haruka asked. As she was looking his face over her gaze came to rest on Naruto's whisker marks. A look of realization crossed her face and she turned white as a sheet. There was no mistaking those marks. "Naru-to...chan?" she breathed.

Tsunade smiled. "I'll leave you two alone." She walked away and shut the door behind her.

For a long while neither Naruto nor Haruka spoke—each frozen from the shock. An announcement over the intercom seemed to free Haruka from her trance. "You are Naruto-chan...aren't you?"

Naruto nodded slowly before running towards her. She opened her arms, closing them around him once he had reached her. "Nee-san!"

"Naruto-chan...I'm so glad you're safe," Haruka said as her eyes misted over.

Naruto reveled in the warmth he remembered from his childhood. This was definitely her—the woman who had kept him safe. He gently pulled out of the hug. "I thought you'd never wake up," he said through his joyful tears.

Haruka wiped her eyes and gave a half laugh. "You should have seen my face when the Hokage told me how long I've been asleep."

Naruto chuckled a bit. "It's Naruto-kun now though."

Haruka blinked rapidly. "Oh! I guess you're right. You're not exactly eight years old anymore are you?" she said with a giggle.

Naruto shook his head rapidly. "So, when are they gonna let you out of here?"

"Shouldn't be too much longer." Haruka put her hand to her head.

Naruto was concerned. "Nee-san?"

"I'm fine. I still get tired quite easily. I should probably take a nap," Haruka replied with an apologetic smile.

"Okay." Naruto gave Haruka another quick hug. "I'll come back later."

Haruka nodded. "Okay," she said brightly.

Naruto began to walk away.

"And Naruto-ch...I mean, Naruto-kun. You've grown up very handsome. I always knew you would," Haruka said wistfully.

Naruto blushed a little. "Thanks. See you tonight," he said with a wave.

Haruka waved as well—making sure to be careful of her I.V line. "Bye, sweetie," she said with the tone of a mother saying goodbye to her son.

Kikyo walked into the hospital and was immediately waved over by the girl at the front desk.

"Kikyo-san! Something wonderful happened!"

As she walked over to the girl Kikyo had a strange sense of foreboding. "What is it?"

"Haruka-san woke up!"

Kikyo's eyes widened for an instant before she slipped on her mask of happiness. "That's wonderful! May I see her?"

"Well, she's taking a nap right now. I can take you down there in about three hours or so if you'd like."

"Thank you. I'd like that," Kikyo said.

For some reason Kikyo's smile gave the receptionist a horrible chill. "N...No problem."

Kikyo glared down at Haruka's sleeping form on the bed in front of her. "You couldn't have just stayed in your coma like a good little demon lover." She looked at the I.V line and a cruel smile played across her lips. "Well, I'll soon take care of that." And with that, she left the room.
Back in her apartment, Kikyo was looking at a small collection of vials and jars on the wall of her bedroom. "If she tells the Hokage how she was put into that coma I'll be jailed for sure," she whispered angrily to no one. "This one will do." She reached up and picked out a vial that had a white liquid inside. "I won't give her the chance to ruin my life a second time."
Naruto ran toward the hospital at top speed—a box of chocolates in one hand. "Stupid mission report. I'm way late!"

"I know visitor hours are over, but I'm only a few minutes late. Pleeeeeeease?" Naruto begged.

The receptionist just couldn't say no to those gorgeous blue eyes. "Okay, but only for a few minutes," she said with a slight blush.

"Thanks!" Naruto said while flashing his golden smile.

As he ran off the receptionist stared after him and sighed. "God, why does he have to be taken?" she said wistfully.

Naruto opened the door to find a nurse adding something to Haruka's IV. "Sorry. I didn't know she was getting medicine."

"That's alright. I'll be on my way shortly," said the nurse sweetly. "There—all done." She turned around and both hers and Naruto's eyes widened, then flattened down into hatred filled glares.

"You!" they both spat in unison.

"What are you doing in Haruka-nee-san's room?!" Naruto demanded.

"I don't have to explain anything to you, demon!" Kikyo countered.

Suddenly the patient alarm sounded. Naruto looked over at Haruka and, to his horror, saw she was shaking with severe convulsions. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" he roared.

Kikyo instinctively took a step backward at the killing intent that suddenly poured off the boy in front of her.

"Tamagan (a/n- Soul Eye)!" Naruto said sharply. The purple flame in his eyes seemed to pulsate with his anger.

The heart monitor alarm sounded flat line and Naruto turned toward the sound. Kikyo took the opportunity to run past him and down the hall. Naruto took off in pursuit.

Sasuke sighed. "Will you please just let me in? My brother wanted me to meet this woman. It's important to him."

The nurse frowned in thought. "Alright—Just...be quiet okay? If my boss found out I let two of you in I'll get fired for sure."

"Thank you." As Sasuke turned to head down the hallway all hell broke loose. The patient alarm went off, sending the receptionist's hand flying to the phone to alert the doctors, and a moment later he heard what sounded like a woman screaming. The sound got closer and closer until he saw a woman in her mid forties running down the hall and right behind her—a VERY pissed off Naruto.

"I'LL KILL YOU!!" Naruto roared.

"Naruto, what the hell...?" Sasuke said as he attempted to grab his brother's arm. He was thrown back from the force of the chakra radiating from Naruto's body. He stared after them for a moment with wide eyes before standing up and running out the doors after them.

"NARUTO! WAIT DAMMIT!" Sasuke was worried—not because he thought the woman might get hurt. He knew his brother wouldn't try to kill someone without good reason—but because he was afraid that if Naruto killed the woman in front of civilians, people might start calling him a monster again. "I can't let that happen!"

A bolt of lightning arced across the sky, followed by thunder, and then sudden, heavy rain.

"HELP! HELP ME!" Kikyo screamed as they ran through the streets—but everyone had ducked inside to avoid the sudden cloud burst.

Naruto's wet hair had become wilder and changed to a purplish red. His nails had extended into claws and his teeth into fangs. His tamagan had changed slightly. The white dots in their middles were now slits as they'd been when the Kyuubi had been within him, although the purple flame remained unchanged.

Sasuke breathed an inward sigh of relief as they turned off the main road and headed towards the woods. He was amazed by the woman's speed. "She's had some ninja training if she can move that fast."

Naruto couldn't hear his brother calling to him. A red haze had clouded his vision and all he could see was his target. Once he was in range he leapt onto the screaming Kikyo's back and they fell to the ground together in a heap.

"Get off me!" Kikyo yelled, tears of terror rolling down her face.

Naruto hauled off and slugged Kikyo in the face then grabbed her by the front of her dress. "You killed Haruka-nee-san. Your pathetic life ends here," he hissed.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "So that's what's going on." His breath caught in his throat as he watched Naruto raise his clawed hand, preparing to rip the woman's throat out. He'd never heard Naruto sound so...cold, so calculating, so much...like...like... ((He saw an image of himself as he stood at the Valley of End, holding Naruto up by the gaping hole in his chest.)) "Naruto, NO!!" he screamed. He ran forward and jumped onto his brother's back.

"Get AWAY!" Naruto yelled as he back fisted Sasuke to the ground.

"LISTEN TO YOURSELF!" Sasuke yelled as he stood up once more. "YOU'VE COMPLETELY LOST IT!"

Naruto punched the woman over and over again. He raised his clawed hand, preparing to slice open Kikyo's throat.

Sasuke had no choice. He had to say it. "DO YOU WANNA TURN INTO ME?!!" he screamed in desperation.

Naruto's claws had stopped in time to avoid killing Kikyo, but not in time to avoid making the angry, red, bleeding line that was now emblazoned across her pale, white throat.

Seeing that this line of reasoning seemed to be working Sasuke continued. "Killing for revenge...That's my destiny...not yours," he pleaded.

Naruto shook his head furiously. "THIS IS DIFFERENT!"

"HOW?!" Sasuke challenged.

Naruto's eyes darted back and forth as his mind furiously tried to come up with a difference...any difference that would allow him to kill the evil he saw in front of him—but he found none. In defeat he closed his hand into a fist and punched Kikyo in the temple, knocking her out. He put his hands over his face, his bitter tears mixing with the rain. It wasn't as if he'd had her with him all along, but to lose Haruka again so soon after their reunion was just too much.

Sasuke, as usual felt lost. He put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. It was the best 'hug' he could manage.

One week later Naruto and Hinata sat on a bench swing on the edge of a playground. He had his head leaned against the right side chain and Hinata's head was on his shoulder. Her hand held his with her thumb rubbing over the back in an effort to sooth him.

"Why does everything seem to happen to me?" Naruto asked glumly

Hinata frowned. "I don't know," she said gently.

Kakashi and Tomoyo, hand in hand, walked into the playground. Kakashi put up a hand in greeting. "Yo," he said, his eye crinkled in a smile.

Naruto and Hinata just sat there, eyes wide at Kakashi...his mask was gone. "K-K-Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto sputtered.

Kakashi eh-hemmed. "Yeah, well. I decided it I didn't need it anymore." He went silent for a moment, looking like he was trying to choose his next words. "I realized a mask wasn't necessary...for someone who's engaged."

With a grin, Tomoyo held up her left hand—a small diamond glinted in the sun from her ring finger. Hinata's eyes widened slightly but her expression quickly changed into one of joy. Naruto just sat there with his jaw on the ground, stunned into utter silence.

Tomoyo suddenly looked nervous. "Naruto-kun? Are you upset?"

Naruto shook his head as he came out of his shock induced trance. "Ah, no—g-gomen," he said at last, rubbing the back of his neck. A grin spread over his face. "This is awesome!" He ran up to Tomoyo and gave her a huge hug.

"Congratulations!" Hinata chirped happily as she stood up.

Naruto released Tomoyo and looked at Kakashi. He folded his arms. "I guess this means I'm gonna be related to you," he said with his arms folded and a bemused smile.

Kakashi chuckled. "Yup."

Naruto cocked an eyebrow. "So, if you're marrying my cousin, then that means you're gonna ditch those perverted books right?"

Kakashi looked positively horrified. "I...ah...that is, ah...erm..."

Tomoyo put her hand over her stuttering fiancé's mouth. "I'll handle this," she said with a smile.

Kakashi's face spoke volumes of his gratitude.

"It's okay, Naruto-kun. I don't mind if he reads it..." Tomoyo looked at Kakashi with a feral grin. "...as long as he finds me afterwards," she said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Kakashi smiled wryly. "God I love you."

Naruto's expression was one of abject horror. It was very obvious by the tinge of green gracing his skin that he had images that were very wrong running through his head.

Kakashi ah-hemmed. "Anyway. We have to visit Tsunade-sama to get the necessary papers. We'll see you later."

Hinata nodded. "Nhm!" she said with a smile.

As Kakashi and Tomoyo started to leave Naruto kept staring. Tomoyo turned around. "Oh yeah," she said to Naruto. "I got something to show you. Meet me at the north training field at four."

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

Tomoyo grinned. "You'll see." She and Kakashi walked away, leaving behind a very confused Naruto.

...TO BE CONTINUED