Recovery: chapter 8

Summary: He became heartbroken and wallowed in his pasts, letting himself go. But on the return of a certain unpredictable Kunoichi, everybody believes that she will be the one to save him. Will she help? How can one girl bring about the aloof man and save him from himself? Just when she wanted was some peace in her life. Good-Sasuke. Akatsuki not really going to be used. Just pure Drama and Romance.

XXXX

"What do you want, Sasuke?" Naruto muttered in annoyance as she landed in a clearing deep within Konoha's forest. The duo were at least 8 KM out from Central Konoha. The blonde jinchuuriki turned sidewards to face the currently arriving Uchiha that had a look of questions in his usual stoic eyes. "You've followed me this far...why? Has the Hokage already told you what she wants?" She demanded.

Sasuke saw the flash of hurt in her eyes, yet it wasn't aimed at him. Rather at Tsunade. The Uchiha decided to be honest with his best friend. "I was told, yes..." When her seafull eyes began to harden, Sasuke frowned. "Don't start with me, Naruto. I was told of the marriage and the other candidates. I followed you, Dobe, because I wanted to see how you are handling all of this." In a rare moment, Sasuke's eyes opened and revealed the softness he held towards the young genin.

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered as she faced him full on and wrapped her arm tightly around her frame. She pleaded. "Don't look at me like that..."

Sasuke stepped forward with the wind softly tousling this dark bangs. "Like what, Dobe?" Sudden anger flashed before Sasuke's eyes before they returned to caring. "Look at you like I don't love you? Look at you as if the thought of seeing you help Kakashi doesn't hurt? Look at you like you didn't leave me in my bed all those years ago when I made love to you?" At that, he lost the blonde's gaze, but he didn't waver. "Naruto, you know, that in a heartbeat if you ever gave me the chance, I would be there and love you like no other. Marry you, grow old with you and smile with you throughout ours lives as shinobi. I am still in love with you, Naruto. Ever since we were 12, right to this very breath and beyond." Although he sounded monotone, Sasuke was serious.

Naruto couldn't meet Sasuke's gaze and whispered in a timid voice. "Stop this, Sasuke. I told you that night, that all it was is my release. You were so desperate back then to lose your virginity because you didn't want to risk screwing a fangirl and I couldn't bear the pain of my heat any longer. We agreed, Sasuke, that it meant nothing. You are not in love with me, Sasuke. You love Sakura..."

"Naruto!" Sasuke barked and made the blonde flinch. He took another step towards the frightened blonde. She was visibly shaking, but the shaking was from anger, most likely. "We both know that i didn't chase you all this way for my love for you...just, why? Why kakashi of all people in the Nations? Why him that you gave your heart to?" Sasuke clenched his fists tightly that they began to shake.

The young woman slowly looked Sasuke in the eye and replied. "Because, Sasuke, I know that he won't return those feelings. Because, Sasuke, I have no fucking control over this that it just happened to be Kakashi! Our alcoholic and beastly sensei! You think I fucking choose Kakashi to fall for, Sasuke?!" The kyuubi jinchuuriki bellowed as her blue orbs stung. "You don't think, that I wonder what it would be like with other people...like with you?! But, how can I be that bitch that doesn't return those feelings, Sasuke?! YOU TELL ME HOW?! Tell me, Sasuke!"

Sasuke quickly reached for Naruto as she fell forward and tucked her into his body as she clung onto him and wept. Sasuke hushed her tears as he stroked her soft tresses. "If Sakura were here right now, she'd kill you or run off crying?" He whispered lamely to the half sobbing, half chuckling genin. "Sakura knows of my feelings for you and I know of yours for Kakashi and Kakashi for the woman that destroyed him." He squeezed Naruto tighter when she tried to pull away. "Just listen to me, Dobe. If push comes to shove for this marriage, I want for you to choose me. Gai is a lunatic. Iruka is with Anko, as you know, and Kakashi..." Sasuke didn't finish his sentence. He didn't know how, yet he muttered into Naruto's ear. "I know you won't be able to love me to the level I do for you, but I don't want you hurt and before you even use Sakura as an excuse, we're not even together despite what she boasts to all that will listen to her. We just have lunch together out of courtesy of our teamship and she follows me elsewhere when she is not working the hospital. Please, Naruto, think of me if Godaime goes for it."

Naruto closed her eyes tightly and buried her head further into Sasuke's chest. To be honest, Naruto wouldn't mind a relationship with Sasuke, but she couldn't be so cruel to him. She could never love him like he did her. Naruto would rather leave for Mt Myoboku and have the Elder Toads adopt her onto their lands so Konoha had no jurisdiction over her. For everybody else's happiness...for Kakashi to be happy with a partner that did want to commit, to submit, to be vulnerable. Naruto couldn't be that after the things she witnessed as she grew up as the jinchuuriki to the kyuubi.

Kyuubi knew this too, yet he knew it would take a special someone just as in need of help to recover to settle her down for good and not run at every chance of affection from human kind.

Naruto pulled back from Sasuke and said honestly. "You know I wouldn't, Sasuke, but thank you..." She didn't move when he caressed her whiskered cheek. They had talked about this multiple times and it always ended the same. Sasuke would try to convince her to be with him, she would reject him, he would understand till something that bothered both of them greatly came along and he came looking for her. The cycle always continued. That was why Naruto didn't tell her best friend about the Daiymō coming soon to Konoha. Naruto grabbed his hand and looked him deep in the eyes of the Uchiha. "It's time we both moved on. Don't you think? You from me and I from Kakashi."

Sasuke frowned. "..."

"If not Sakura, how about Ayame?" Naruto tried and saw the flashing gleam in Sasuke's eye. "Sasuke...Teme..." The blonde called when he didn't respond, yet she just noticed how close their faces were. Just a breath away. Naruto froze when Sasuke 'hn-ed'...

CRASH BANG BOOM!

Naruto leapt away from Sasuke and looked behind the Uchiha to see a cackling Mitarashi and a groaning and cursing Hatake. Her eyes widen in shock at the messy scene and embarrassment that she almost allowed the worst to happen with Sasuke.

Sasuke clicked his tongue and faced the commotion. Eyes narrowing at the sight. The Konoha 12 leaders may want to set Naruto and her charge, but Sasuke still jeld bitterness towards that and knew that Kiba didn't like it but there was no one else within the village Kiba found remotely worthy of his ex.

XXXX

Kakashi groaned as he rolled onto his back. "Stupid bitch. This isn't training...this is death..." He heaved towards the chortling special jounin that was sitting on the head of a medium sized purple snake. Most probably poisonous.

Anko smirked and she scratched the chin of her beloved snake. "Hmmm what did you say, Scarecrow?"

"Did i stutter?" The Hatake retorted as he painfully sat up.

Anko barked in laughter. "I see the brat is instilling a sense of humour into you. Gaki would be proud of you right now, Kakashi."

Kakashi just glard at Anko even more and rubbed his aching jaw from where the snake flicked its tail at him and sent him flying into this clear that smelt a whole like Naruto and Sasuke...? "Naruto..." Kakashi muttered and perked up and looked directly in the way her scent was coming from and with no doubt, there she was with large doe eyes like she was caught pranking the Hokage. Kakashi ignored Anko's laughter and stood on his two feet, ignoring the pain and ran over to Naruto.

Naruto's eyes widen in shock. "Oh shit..." She muttered and knew what was coming and soon enough she was engulfed in a sweaty, dirty, bloody and smelly Hatake that just tackled her to the ground. "Argh...you oaf, get off me!" She complained but Kakashi' only reaction was to hug her tighter.

Kakashi inhaled the jinchuuriki's unique and calming scent and pulled back to whine. "Why Anko of all people?!" Though his childish whining quickly turned into a sudden snap, growl and sneer. "Male scent...tears..."

Naruto was rubbing where Kakashi tackled her when she heard that dangerous growl and without a second thought, her hand whipped out and snagged his ear before her charge did something stupid. Like, destroy the clearing. "Cut that out, Kakashi."

The silver haired man huffed and actually saw her red puffy eyes. His eyes narrowed as something stirred deep within him. "You have shed the waters of sadness and truth. Smell of a male...potential male..." He growled louder as his eye darkened to a blackish grey. Like a storm.

"Anko, get Sasuke out of here!" Naruto yelled to her fellow kunoichi.

Anko nodded and commanded her snake to swallow up the Uchiha because she wasn't that generous and left. Anko never questioned Naruto whenever she heard that small plea or understanding. Sasuke didn't even get a chance to react. It was too shocking with how casual Kakashi, of all people, was acting.

Naruto pulled the stronger man to her chest and stroked his wild mane. "Kakashi, there's no potential male. Never will be." She promised and it were no lie either.

Kakashi felt the overwhelming urge to hunt down this potential male and battle him to the death for Naruto's attention. "Tears...potential..." He howled lowly and pulled back from the blonde fox. Unknowingly pinning her beneath her like last time. Leaning down, Kakashi nuzzled her stained cheeks and licked them clean.

Naruto stayed perfectly still during the process. This was just like last night and what Pakkun told her. "Wolf...?" She whispered softly and immediately, Kakashi stopped licking away her tears and looked down at her. With a tilt of his head, the Uzumaki said. "I need for you to get off top of me...please. I'm okay now."

Wolf complied and completely dismissed Pakkun's lecture from last night. This beautifully breathtaking blonde fox before him with stunning blue jewels as viewers. A small, delicate face and the scent of a emotionally scarred alpha woman made him giddy. He would protect her.

Naruto sat up and carefully raised her hand to Kakashi's cheek. The wolf man immediately snuggled into her hand. Naruto smiled a little and said. "Wolf or Kakashi?"

"Both." He growled as he nuzzled into her soft palm. "My protector."

Naruto looked baffled and amused by this half-tamed man before her. "I'm your what?"

"Protector." Kakashi said. "No more alcohol. You have given us compassion and acceptance."

"Us?"

Kakashi nodded. "Kakashi and I. We will soon be one with you." Kakashi grabbed Naruto's hands as she tried to pull back and made her look him in the eye. "Kakashi and I can only be whole with your guidance, my little fox." He purred to the blonde.

"Where's Pakkun?" Naruto asked lamely and decided when a window opened, she would knock Kakashi out instead of running. The man beast before her would only hunt her down.

"I make you nervous, little fox. I can smell it on you." Kakashi muttered and sniffed Naruto's neck where she smelt the most succulent. "Do you fear me yet not Kakashi?"

Naruto's eyes widened as Kakashi looked like he had been kicked to the curb and spluttered out. "W-why the hell would I fear you, K-Kakashi?" The tilt of Kakashi's head didn't look convincing. "I mean, it's just going to take a while for me to see this side of you...wait. Are you even conscious, Kakashi?"

Kakashi smirked at the suspicious look in the blonde's eyes. "Well awake, my little fox. We are both awake." Kakashi leaned forward, but Naruto only leant back. Kakashi growled and leaned forward again and this time Naruto didn't move. "Sasuke...why were you with him?"

"He...followed...me" Naruto gulped as her palms began to sweat.

Kakashi nodded. "Why Anko, did you leave us with?"

"I...you needed training and people need breaks, dattebayo..." She squealed when Kakashi nipped her neck and hissed at him. Pushing the jounin away and held her stinging neck. "Kakashi!"

The jounin only smirked behind his mask. "A break from what, my little fox? From what transpired between us last night?"

"Transpired? What the- no, that's not it..." Naruto shook her head in denial.

Kakashi just folded his arms. "Did you not close yourself away from me when i mentioned Katsumi, my little fox?" His brow raised as if he were talking to a little child.

Naruto glared at him and jabbed a finger to his chest. "I don't know who you are, but I want to speak to Kakashi...alone." She began to get frustrated at this cocky and arrogant side of Kakashi and just wanted the lazy bastard back. 'Open yourself to him...' The mixed words of Pakkun entered her head, but mentally shook them away. '...and he will open himself to you...' Naruto felt her shoulders slump and looked to the long grass below her. Kakashi hadn't retorted as she whispered. "By the orders of the Sandaime and Godaime, I have to marry..."

Kakashi froze. An overwhelming heat pooled at his core as fire raged over his body and growled. "Marry..." He whined in a hiss. A sudden memory passed his mind and asked. "That babysitting mission you gave to us...the messenger bird...was it for marriage...?" He asked in a controlled voice as he gazed to the down looked blonde. "Little fox?"

Naruto looked to Kakashi and couldn't hide the pain in her eyes. "I don't want to get married...Wolf..." Her nails dug into the earth and she confessed. "I have no need nor desire for..."

Kakashi silenced Naruto by covering her lips with his gloved hand. "Don't speak such lies to us, my little fox. I see you do not wish to marry so young, but to tell us you have no need nor desire for a partner...is a lie." He said sternly through darkened grey eye.

Naruto felt her body shudder to Kakashi's words. She ripped her face away from his hand and stood up and ready to run...but she couldn't find the heart to run. "Why? Why can i run from Jiraiya...but not you?"

"Because we're the same, my little fox." Kakashi stated strongly and stood up too. Holding his hand out to Naruto and said. "Come. I will take you home and you shall rest. You will train us tomorrow instead of that woman."

The blonde jinchuuriki just nodded and slipped her hand into Kakashi's. She had no clue what he meant by 'the same' and knew what he said was a demand. Not a suggestion. Heck, it wasn't even two and she was already mentally and emotionally exhausted.

Kakashi picked up on the blonde's fatigue and in a swoop, picked her up bridal style. "Have no worries, my little fox, We shall care for you."

Placing her arms around his shoulders, Naruto murmured. "That's what they all say, Wolf. That's what they all say. I have seen it."

Kakashi didn't say anymore.

Godaime's office:

"Godaime-sama!" Kakashi growled as he kicked down the office door and batted past Asuma, Kurenai and Gai. Kicking them all out the window and glared a million daggers to the blonde buxom. "What is the meaning of this marriage?!" Kakashi allowed that burning sensation to overtake him as a low growl escaped his masked lips. He had placed Naruto in his bed and summoned his pack to watch over the apartment in his absence.

"Kakashi, how nice of you to come in?" Tsunade laced her fingers together and hid her amusement. It was obvious she wasn't dealing with the normal Kakashi everyone knew, but with someone deeper. That and the fact she had seen Sakumo like this many times with his wife. The similarities were definitely amusing to the Senju. "Take a seat."

Kakashi snarled at the Hokage, but sat anyway. She was still his leader and he had to obey his leader, unless there was a clash of opinions.

"How is Naruto?" Tsunade calmly asked. "Is she doing well?"

"She's exhausted because of this whole marriage farçe, Hokage-sama." Kakashi bit out and wondered how the Hokage could be so casual. Wasn't Naruto like a daughter to her?

Tsunade's lip twitched in amusement. "This is no farçe, Kakashi. Sarutobi-sensei has already arranged three potential husbands for Naruto when she became a genin and myself have chosen a suitable partner. Though one of these four are unavailable..." She held her breath when the last Hatake released a feral growl. She decided against telling him about the Daiymō. That was Naruto's piece to say. "The Sandaime chose you, Kakashi, as one of the candidates..." She awaited his response.

Kakashi froze...again.

Tsunade waved her hand in dismissal. "Off you go now, Kakashi and be nice to Naruto. Don't stress her out too much and don't do anything stupid or else." She left the threat hanging before shoving Kakashi out her window. "What will he do now that he has embraced his entire soul?" She whispered as she looked at Kakashi sprawled on the ground down below.

Jiraiya emerged from the shadows. "His instincts will come forth and court Naruto. He won't leave her side now and will always be near her." The toad safe picked up on his friends internal struggle and added on. "They need each other, Tsunade and you know it too. They need each other to recover."

"Is this why Sarutobi-sensei chose Kakashi as one of the three?"

"Who knows how our old sensei thought?" Jiraiya shrugged his heavy shoulders. "Naruto has seen a lot of destruction in relationships as she grew up in the red light district. Cheating, abuse, both physically and verbally, drug and alcohol, depression, losing the will to live...all as an orphan throughout her life, she has grown up with that as her base for a relationship of love. Why else would Minato and Kushina's daughter be okay with sleeping around, Tsunade? Why else?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Sarutobi-sensei chose his men well then and so have I, Jiraiya." She turned away from the fallen Kakashi to face her teammate. "The other two shall be fallbacks if Kakashi fails...if those leaders and their subordinates fail..."

Jiraiya sighed. "My approval will always be with Kakashi, Tsunade. Even if Minato and Kushina still lived and Naruto grew up with a different viewpoint on love, it will always be Kakashi. Always."

Tsunade frowned.

"Minato always saw Kakashi as a son and Kushina doted on him. They would approve of Kakashi either way too. They would accept him, just as Naruto is doing right now. She is accepting him and his family history." The toad Sannin explained.

Tsunade didn't say anymore.

Kakashi:

Kakashi groaned as he sat up rubbing his lower back. "What is up with the women in Konoha being so violent?" He questioned nobody in particular, though he tensed up when the current in the air was disrupted and leapt back just in time to miss a drug laced dart. "What the-?" The Hatake's thoughts were cut short as his recovering nose picked up the heavy scent of sleeping agents in the drug and leapt further back when several more darts were aimed his way. Kakashi growled in annoyance. He had to get back to his little fox and make sure she was properly taken of. He said he would care for her and kami damn he would. Even if it cost him his last breath. "Come out!" He demanded to the shadows. Kakashi felt his biological eye wide. "Sakura..."

A feminine giggle sounded as a body dropped. "Pretty little thing was stalking you, Kaka-chan. I just did you a favour and took her out. Don't you think that I deserve a reward." She purred.

Kakashi growled. "What have you done to Sakura, Katsumi?"

The curvaceous woman flipped her brunette hair with a dainty giggle. "Oh Kaka-chan, can't you see that I have saved you from a stalker girl." Katsumi kicked Sakura's side and elicited a small groan from the pinkette. This action only made Kakashi stand on guard. Katsumi pouted. "Oh don't be like that, my beloved wolf. Why don't you come drink with me as a celebration for getting rid of such an eyesore?"

Kakashi didn't want anybody but Naruto calling him wolf and flexed his fingers but before he could do anything he felt a sharp sting to his arm and looked down in shock. Eye wide as he dropped to the ground like rain with his vision and senses fading. Seeing only the pink of Sakura and the feet of his ex lover as she drew near. Before closing his eyes to the darkness, The last Hatake muttered. "Naruto..."

Katsumi smirked down at her beloved's unconscious form. "Nice work. You're free to go now, Karou." Not even glancing to her ex lover.

Karou looked sadly down at the Hatake's frame and muttered to his former lover. "You're not going to get away with this, Katsumi. Lord Jiraiya's pupil will hunt you down. They say she goes far and beyond for her comrades."

Katsumi scoffed as she folded her arms. "Don't sprout such pathetic praises, you fool. As if that wrench can touch me. She wouldn't dare harm a civilian of the village she so dearly loves unless she wants to face the punishment of the people." Glancing over to the ginger, she smirked and said harshly. "You better leave now, Karou and not speak a word of this. If I find out that you have, it won't only be your face that I mess up. Got it?"

The scar faced ginger nodded in fear and ran off without a second glance. He always knew she was crazy, and he loved that side of her in the bedroom, but never was she this crazy till they were humiliated by Naruto.

Katsumi smirked and glanced back down to Kakashi. "Now, for that celebration drink, wolf-saiai."

Naruto:

The blonde jinchuuriki lurched forward in shock as gasped heavily for air. The pack all huddling around Naruto as Pakkun tried his best to calm the frantic blonde down before Kakashi got back. If he saw her like this, no doubt Kakashi would punish them. "Breathe girl! Breathe!" He barked at the blonde.

"K-Kakashi...where...where i-is he?!" Naruto asked in a panic as something sharp pierced her arm and bit her lip to hold back a raging scream. Her entire body went limp quickly after and passed right out.

Pakkun and the pack began to worry. "What the hell was that? She was sleeping just fine before!" Biscuit cried as he gently nudged the covers back over the blonde teen.

Pakkun frowned. "No...it can't be...unless Kakashi bit her somehow..." He mused and sniffed up and down Naruto's unconscious frame. Kakashi's scent was all over her, with a faint whiff of Sasuke, but it was strongest at her neck. The ninken bit the collar of her shirt and pulled it down. "THAT FOOL!" Pakkun howled as he saw Kakashi's teeth marks on Naruto's flawless skin. The wounds look angry and had yet to heal, which was an odd thing for Naruto's case. They would've healed by now.

The pack all looked to the wound and whimpered. They had such an idiot master sometimes. Bull licked Naruto's cheek and grumbled low in his throat.

"I know, I know." Pakkun replied to the largest dog. "But the mark is still incomplete till the coupling of the two. For now, it looks like our aloof Kakashi has marked his mate. Naruto won't like this one bit when she wakes up, but I bet Kyuubi is having a blast. His container has been marked by a strong Alpha."

Within Naruto, Kyuubi was smirking as he laid his head on his large paws. Oh how right that pug was. Just wait till Naruto accepted Kakashi and then shit will hit the ceiling. Kyuubi couldn't wait.