Recovery: Chapter 18

Summary: Kakashi 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.

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Naruto looked to her writing, biting at her lip cautiously. "Ero-sennin is going to kink shame me. I can just feel it." She groaned and pushed he papers away, dropping her head into her hands. "No one would want to read about sex between a beast and woman. It's crazy. I'm crazy." She gave a crazed laugh before shaking her head and placing her work in a locked draw. Looking out to the peaceful midday land, Naruto sighed and released the built up stress along with it. The blonde was hurt that Kakashi was avoiding her. Only coming near her when it was time to eat or when he needed her on standby so he could train with his beast. Not only was she hurt but it made her restless. Pushing away from her desk, Naruto went out to find Kakashi. It had been over a week since their unveiling and the blonde knew it was time for them to put it behind them or let it consume them and their thinning friendship.

Naruto saw Kakashi fighting against his clone on top of the lake. All were shirtless and left Naruto frozen to her spot as she took in his cut body. The water drenching his form left her mouth dry and felt something wet between her legs. She groaned in embarrassment and slapped her cheeks. "You've got to be joking. Ero-sennin is going to kink shame me even more." Naruto turned to head back inside and clean herself up. She'd rather die than let Kakashi know she was turned on. As Naruto approached the home, she heard a caw from above and looked to the crow that was flying up ahead. Her eyes widened when the crow stopped flying and started to fall to the earth. Naruto ran to catch the bird and her heart clenched when she felt no chakra in the animal. "No," The blonde whispered and jolted the bird in her hands. Silently begging for it to wake up. "No!" Naruto shouted, her gut dropping and heart clenching. "No!" She screamed, placing the crow down and bit her thumb, summoning a toad. "Where is he?!" She demanded, not caring the toad flinched away from her powerful gaze.

"The old Uchiha hideout. Itachi-san has very little time left." The toad assigned to Itachi replied and disappeared when the blonde roared in anger.

"Let go of me, Kakashi!" Naruto screamed when she felt his strong arms hold her down. Stopping her from getting to Itachi. "I need to get to him! Let me go!" She pleaded desperately. She needed to get to him.

"Naruto," Kakashi whispered gently into her ear. "Is this not what Itachi wants? Don't fight it, Naruto." Kakashi tightened his grip when she slumped in his arms. His eye widening in shock when she looked up to him with unmasked. Her blue eyes filled with loss and vulnerability.

"Please. He's all I have. Please, at least let me say goodbye to him." She begged. "He's the only family I have." Naruto felt Kakashi's arms give away and gave him and tight hug. Whispering in his ear, "I know you don't like this but saying goodbye means so much to me. Thank you." She placed a gentle kiss to his cheek before disappearing towards her brother, in all but blood.

Kakashi stood in place. Gazing to where Naruto disappeared with a frown to his face. The way she spoke of Itachi left him unsettled and anxious. He ignored his beast scolding him and turned back to training to distract himself from the blonde woman.

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Naruto never ran so fast in her life. She had to get to him before he left her for good. She had to say goodbye and the tears staining her vision wasn't going to stop her from getting to him. She felt the powerful chakra of Sasuke and Itachi up ahead, fighting with one another, and pushed herself harder - Kurama offering his chakra to help her. Her eyes snapped even wider open, if that was even possible. She felt their chakra die down and with a final push Naruto flung pass the trees and onto the destroyed hideout. She saw the two Uchiha laying on the ground and Sakura tending to Sasuke with a pale looking boy and unknow jonin. "Sakura, get him out of here!" Naruto barked out her orders and glared at the three sets of eyes that looked her way. "Now!"

Sakura shook under the power Naruto seeped out over the space and picked Sasuke up; leaving the vicinity. "Yamato-taicho, we have to leave." Sakura pleaded and knew the man would follow, along with Sai.

Naruto waited till they were far enough before weaving her chakra chains around the hideout. Effectively, trapping them within her barrier and ran to Itachi's side. Naruto whimpered when she reached his battered body and gently placed his head on her lap. "Itachi," She whispered and caught his blind gaze and choked, "What have you done?"

Itachi shakily raised a hand, reaching for her face. Smiling when she latched on and attached his cold hand to her warm face. "What was needed. I'm sorry Naruto."

The blonde shook her head as her tears dripped onto his face. "I don't want you to go." She muttered painfully. "You're all I have."

A small smile fought to stay on Itachi's face. "I know." He took a shuddering breath. "And don't lie to a dying man, Naru. You have Jiraiya-sama and Kakashi-san."

Naruto shook her head again. "They're not you."

"I know." Itachi coughed harshly and dropped his arm. "Naruto, I have a selfish request to ask of you. Take my eyes and give them to Sasuke. He will grow sick and blind without them."

Naruto gave a bitter chuckle. "Always the protective brother."

Itachi didn't retort. "This is my last request, my Naru, seduce that idiot Kakashi-san and make him fall for you."

Naruto, forgetting their predicament, smack Itachi hard. "What the hell?!"

Itachi smirked and rested his hand over hers. "I'll be watching over you, Naru. I just wish it was me by your side." He confessed to the blonde. He closed his eyes and took in a slow breath. "Take my eyes. Burn my body. Be happy." He took a long time to say his final words with each word getting quieter than the last. Itachi felt Naruto place her forehead on his, her tears still trickling on his face. He knew he didn't need to say anymore to her. She knew him better than Sasuke. He could faintly hear her saying goodbye to him, thanking him for everything he had done for her. Lastly, he heard her thanking him for loving her.

Naruto screamed when she felt his chakra fade out. Her chakra flooding the barrier and shook the hideout to its roots. Though no sound left her barrier, only she would hear her mournful cries and be saturated in her sorrowful chakra.

"Kit, you need to move. Suspicion will draw upon you." Kurama said within her. Being able to break through the barrier she put up between them in her fragile state.

Naruto held Itachi's cold body close to her, whispering a few more words before she took out his eyes and burned his body. She forced herself to watch his body turn to ash. She forced herself to say the departing words to his spirit. She forced herself to hold back the tears and show a brave face. She forced herself to harden her heart till she was safe. She forced herself to watch as the winds took away Itachi's ashes before releasing her chains.

Naruto headed back towards Konoha. Stopping just before the gates as the unknown jonin stood, waiting for her with a sharp look. Naruto stood forward and held out the two vials containing Itachi's eyes. "Sasuke will go blind without them. Disabling the sharingan he has." She said briefly, "I've burned all traces of the fight, along with Itachi's body."

Yamato took the eyes and regarded the hardened shinobi before him. "You blocked off access to the site."

Naruto nodded, "There were important Uchiha secrets in the hideout. Best they're long gone than to end up in enemy hands. The fight brought quite a large crowd of scavengers though they'll find nothing." She saw the distrust in his eyes and added on, "I have eyes everywhere, Yamato-san. Jiraiya-sama is my Master." With those words, Naruto saw his distrust fade. "When the implant happens, Sasuke will have a much more powerful sharingan. It will be as powerful as Madara's eyes. He will need to be monitored."

"You know a lot about the Uchiha, Naruto." Yamato commented as she turned to leave.

Naruto looked over her shoulder and said with cold eyes, "Of course. I am to marry one." Before disappearing into the trees and back home.

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Kakashi was eating lunch when he sensed Naruto nearing and left his food. Running towards the barrier. He could feel her emotions, overwhelming and filled with pain. Kakashi spotted Naruto just ahead and opened his arms wide, catching the blonde as she collapsed in his arms and cried furiously. Kakashi lowered them to the ground slowly, stroking the woman's hair. Cocooning her tightly within his arms and legs. He whispered sweet nothings into her ears as she clung to him, shaking.

Naruto felt her burdens fall off her shoulders as Kakashi soothed her. She choked out, "He's gone, Kakashi, he's gone." and in return, Kakashi would calmly stroke her hair and down her back. Whispering comforting words to her. She could feel him everywhere. On her skin, in her mind and in her heart. Naruto felt at ease through her grief and allowed herself to close her eyes and fall asleep in his arms.

When Kakashi felt her slump in his arms, he moved them back into the cottage. Looking down at her puffy face as her body twitched in his arms every so often. "She loved him." Kakashi muttered. Itachi was more than a brother to her and if things had not gone south, Kakashi could see them happily together. It made him bitter and jealous of the bond they had.

"She will deny it but she does." The beast replied as he, too, took in the heartbroken blonde. "She loves us more though."

Kakashi scoffed and gently tucked Naruto into her bed. Preparing to leave when he felt a tug at his shirt. Seeing that she had wrapped her fingers around his shirt. "She loves you, not me." He whispered, denying her earlier confession. He was about to pull Naruto off him when he heard her whimper. His heart went out the woman and climbed into bed with her. Ignoring the happiness when she snuggled into his side. "She better not attack me when she wakes up." Kakashi wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to his frame. The sun was still up but Naruto needed him and Kakashi needed her. She was his mate, whether he knew his feelings for her were true or not. He traced her face with his eyes and sighed when he felt his heart swoon. He was conflicted but Kakashi knew he would do anything and everything for Naruto.

"You love her." This time it was Kyuubi in his mind. Trying to get the stubborn man to relent. "Despite what you may think or what I may have said, it wasn't me that chose you. It was Naruto. You love her, so seduce her and make her yours." The Kyuubi said, repeating Itachi's words. Hoping at least one of them would take the words to heart. "If you don't then she will marry that Uchiha skunk and you will die. Both will bring great pain to Naruto."

Kakashi sighed, "Of course I don't want her with Sasuke and I don't entertain the idea of dying. The thought of her giving up her happiness just to appease a dead man makes me furious. I was in the list of candidates and Naruto didn't choose me."

"You didn't give her the option either, Kakashi." The beast replied. "Had you thought she told you about her predicament because she wanted you to take her hand? She despises the Uchiha runt and you know her reasons why. Does her confession mean so little to you, Kakashi? She's been in love and loyal to you for years. Her feelings aren't going to change no matter what happens."

Kakashi frowned, "If I give in and let her in...what do I do when I lose her? When she doesn't come back from a mission? Or when either one of us gets captured and we don't see each other for months? Returning with inflicting trauma." He shuddered at the thought, pulling Naruto closer to his frame. "I almost disappeared when Katsumi hurt me. I don't know what will come of me if something were to happen when I allow this to happen. It would be worse than death."

Kurama sighed heavily, unamused by the mortal's insecurities. "You'll never find out then. Naruto will leave you for another man and you will die alone. Make her miserable, will you." He snarled, "You both love each other yet neither of you do anything to make each other happy! You're both infuriating!"

Kakashi cringed at the booming voice. He knew the biju was right. "I'm grateful that she has love me for so long." Kakashi admitted, feeling his resolve settle and nodded. "I will woo her. I will steal her away from her wedding if I don't woo her in time." He buried his head deep into her locks and took in her calming scent. "Kami I'd do anything to make her happy. She doesn't deserve a broken man though I doubt I'll be able to watch her be with another man." He chuckled bitterly, "I'll kill them all."

Kyuubi nodded. At least one of the stubborn duo was convinced. Now it was just Naruto to beat some sense into. "Naruto won't accept your affections unless you truly show and tell her that you want to be hers, forever. Minato had trouble with Kushina and you will have trouble with Naruto." The Kyuubi relayed some information to the man.

Kakashi nodded, taking in all of the Kyuubi's words. "I can be persuasive. I do have a hidden ace in mind." He looked down to the sleeping woman. His eye softening as he took in her peaceful appearance. "I just need her to accept me in time. I'm not fond of crashing a wedding."

He heard the two beasts within his head snort in amusement.

Kakashi sighed at that. "Am I really going to crash a wedding?"

He heard them snort again and groaned. "I'm going to kill Sasuke then."