Chapter 1

Valley of the End: the border between Konoha and Otogakure.

"The storm. I think it broke."

The sun peaked out from behind the thick, black clouds. Its rays felt like honey in the cold rain. Duel powers. Contrasting. Fighting to dominate the environment. Fighting to provide warmth, and comfort, or soothing relief. Loyalty and revenge. Slivers of sunshine pierced through the clouds, conquering it's opponent. Spreading its heat across the choppy river. Lathering itself over the cliff face, tree's and boulders. Bathing the two until time finally overpowers them. Until time becomes the one and only true victor of the two grand Shinobi's. How fitting for such a day.

Naruto's body laid heavily on Kakashi's back. His smaller arms wrapped around his shoulders, while Kakashi supported the young Genine's legs. His clothing soaked in river water, smelling of fish, gritty dirt and blood. Poor boy. His body battered and bruised, but his heart suffering the most pain. He should have every bone broken, shattered and torn from his body, yet it will never compare to the pain her holds in his heart.

Kakashi, and Pakkun stand over the cliff face, observing the weathers transformation and scanning the battlefield in hopes of finding the lost Uchiha boy. Hopefully he was floating down the river, unconscious but alive. Possibly crawling back to shore, reconsidering this blind obsession for power. For revenge. Sadly, there was no sign of Sasuke. Only water. Only failure.

"To think that Sasuke and Naruto would battle it out here," said Pakkun, breaking the silence, "it's pretty ironic, don't you think?"

"Yeah," replied Kakashi. His heart weighed heavily in his rib cage. It sickened him. He didn't make it in time. He could have stopped it. Like on the hospital rooftop, he could have done something. He could have changed Sasuke's fate, but fate must have other plans.

Pulling his attention away from his failure, he looked back at the river: "Look at that river. The water just rages on for eternity, like this epic never ending battle. As eternal as the two founders of the Hidden Leaf Village. Forever standing as these statues. Naruto and Sasuke, as long as they live, the cycle will continue," said Kakashi.

A weak moan came from Naruto's lips, as the rain quickly and quietly disappeared. More and more slivers of sunshine cut through the clouds. Looking up to admire the sun's perseverance, Kakashi shifted Naruto on his back, gathering a better hold on the boy. "The storm. It finally broke," said Kakashi.

"All that rain. I won't be able to follow his scent, but keeping Naruto alive is more important than finding Sasuke," implied Pakkun.

"Yeah," replied Kakashi. More important.

Turning on his heels, Kakashi and Pakkun leap for the canopy. There would be a long journey ahead of them back to the village. Pushing his feet against the tree branches, Kakashi propels himself faster, and further back into the Hidden Leaf territory. A small murmur tickled Kakashi's ear, while the arms around his neck tightened. Naruto slowly, but surely, began to regain consciousness. "Kakashi Sensei...where's Sasuke?"

Only the Earth could answer that question. Only can the birds, and insects tweet and chirp to tell Naruto where his friend disappeared too. The wind can whisper of his location, while the trees bend their branches towards the lost young man, but not Kakashi. Not his Sensei who loved Naruto more as the days past. As their time together grew much like his time with Sasuke. Kakashi's heart sank further, yet again. He tightened his grip on Naruto's legs, silently showing his affection, and empathy.

Why must good people die? There's an age old question. Why must good in people be ripped away when they can offer the world so much love? Revenge can do that to a person. Hate boils in your belly, consuming your heart until you feel numb to everything else. Obsession plagues your mind, tearing your essence into ribbons until you can complete what hate wants: blood. He knows. Kakashi understands, and beats himself for not supporting Sasuke enough.

The silence felt like an eternity, but was quickly invaded by the sound of other friendly footsteps. The Medical-Ninja.

Gorou appeared next to Kakashi. His eyes weary, and tired, but fully alert. "Kakashi, what's Naruto Uzumaki's condition?"

"He'll pull through," replied Kakashi.

Opposite of Gorou, Hibiki interjects: "And Sasuke Uchiha, what happened to him? What happened?"

Another silence. Another question only the Earth, the birds and insects, wind and trees could tell you. Now it's real. Now Kakashi had to say something, but his mouth couldn't form words, nor could he push the air from his lungs to create sound. He shook his head no.

"How are the other Genine?" Asked Kakashi.

"Alight," replied Hibiki, "Lady Hokage dispatched the first and second Medical Corp. to pick them up. Emergency treatment was administered on the scene. And then they were all immediately transported to the hospital."

Kakashi's skin crawled. "They were all wounded?" He asked.

"Yes," replied Hibiki, "Shikamaru Nara is doing fine. Only minor injuries. Kiba Inuzuka's are more serious, but not life threatening."

"However," Gorou added, "Neji Hyuga, and Choji Akimichi, are both in critical condition. At this point they could go either way."

Curse you silence. Curse you Earth, and birds, and insects, and wind and trees for not telling us where Sasuke vanished too. Curse you rain for covering up Sasuke's scent. They may be Shinobi, but they were just children, not aware, or even capable to understand the true dangers in this world. The true evil that harbors in evil human being's hearts. He had seen it when he was their age, but never once did he wish them to grow in a world that forced them to witness these atrocities. Sadly, these were but minor events. They have not yet witnesses true horror. True loss. True pain. True war.

Damn you, Orochimaru.

Konoha Hospital

Gentle, hasty hands reached for Naruto's unconscious being. Placing him gentle on a stretcher, Gorou, Hibiki, nurses and a doctor delivered information to one another. They talked about his condition, his functionality, yet seeming to forget what was sealed inside of Naruto. They forgot that Naruto healed oddly faster than most normal human beings, or did they not know? Kakashi knew of Naruto's shunned abilities, but these medical professionals who mocked him forgot, or never knew. For this moment they weren't judging Naruto. They forgot what the demon who killed their uncle, brother, friend and neighbor, who lived deep inside this wounded boy. For once, they treated him like a patent. Like someone who was important. Someone worth saving.

As the hospital nurses and doctor carried Naruto into the emergency room to further analyze his condition, Kakashi stood silently in the lobby. Pakkun at his side looked up at him. "Our missions done, Kakashi. Let's go report back to Lady Hokage."

Floating in his own mind, Kakashi was unaware of Pakkun's statement. "Who will tell Sakura?" His mouth went dry, while his heart clenched in his chest for the hundredth time that day.

A small ping of sadness touched Pakkun's heart. Looking down at the floor, Pakkun grunts nervously. "I don't know. Why don't you? You are her Sensei."

"Yes, a Sensei who can't protect his own," Kakashi quickly bit.

"Hey now, Kakashi, don't think like that. We'll get Sasuke back. Maybe Master Jiraiya, or Lady Tsunade can help us," said Pakkun.

"You sound doubtful," replied Kakashi. His voice neutral. Unemotional. Accepting of the situation, yet broken by it. Yes, Pakkun was doubtful, so was Kakashi. There was no way Sasuke would come back, nor would anyone find him in time. Sasuke would need to discover on his own to return, or to stay with Orochimaru. A part of Kakashi hopes, but his logical nature said otherwise. Hope for the best, but plan for the worse. Someone needed to tell Sakura.

Silence passes between the two until Kakashi motioned towards the doorway. "It's over, Pakkun. Naruto is in safe hands. It's time to go home."

"Would you like me to come with you?" Asked Pakkun.

"I don't care," Kakashi replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets, he walks towards the hospitals exit. Before reaching the exit, Kakashi stops and turns towards Pakkun. His eye noticeably dull, but turned light.

"I apologize, Pakkun. That was rude of me to say that. You're welcome to go home with me."

Pakkun's ears happily perked up, while his tail brushed against the floor like a broom. "Sure, I'll tag along. But if you don't mind me asking, when are we going to tell Sakura?"

Kakashi's eyes bridged between heartbreak and content, trying to find a way to approach the situation. Why is he feeling like this? Survivors guilt. Guilt that he couldn't save his pupil. His heart hasn't felt this weighed down since…taking a deep breath, Kakashi pushed his emotions down. He didn't have time to think about this, nor is it in the Shinobi way to dwell on failure. Clearing his head, and his lungs, Kakashi looked down at Pakkun. His eyes hard, yet focused: "It's not my place to tell her."

Turning on the ball of his foot, Kakashi walks out of the hospital.