In which Haruhi dreams and then wishes she was dreaming.

Everything was so beautiful here.

Pine trees rose in green spires, with snow on their ends and icicles that you could pluck off and lick. She plucked one off and offered it to the bunny in her arms. It's nose twitched, and nibbled on the end of the icicle, ice flakes falling on her arm.

It was a mostly flat terrain, a frozen over stream a few yards away. Her and the bunny and slid over it and had chased each other. Parched now, The icicles were the only source of water. The bunny was warm and reassuring in her arms, and after a few nibbles, squeaked and hopped around her ankles.

Their game of tag resumed and it was when she was clipped by a low hanging branch she realized she was dreaming. Normally this was the part that if she wasn't careful she would wake up. She banished that thought and chased Bunny. There was a constant rocking, and a part of her though maybe they were all on a giant boat.

While chasing Bunny, she ran across a familiar boulder. The wind picked up in random intervals, sometimes monotone, and other times loud and angry. It raised and lowered like a voice. It whipped her hair around.

But this dream was so sweet and relaxing, she could swear the powdered snow was sugar. It was so nice compared to what she had been going through recently. The howls picked up and she raised her bare forearms to cover her face.

The wind picked up so ferociously she was blown right out of her dream.

Eyes snapped open in confusion to a hot dark room. She heard the wind again, but this time the words were distinguishable.

Last thing she remembered was falling asleep...in Kakashi's pocket.

"…"

Where was she now? There was a little hole in the wall so she leaned forward to peek. She blinked the light out a couple time and there was a few blurry images in front of her. It looked like the genin.

Oh Fuck.

Oh god, this could not be happening!

The movements, they were footsteps! She had never left Kakashi's pocket!

She needed to know how far they were into the journey. If they were just starting out it would be no big deal to get her back. She blinked rapidly as she tried to hold back tears. How far along were they? She strained her ears, deathly still. It seemed like they weren't talking much.

"Say, Tanzuna?" Asked Sakura.

"What is it?"

"Your country is the land of waves, right?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

She remembered this! Wouldn't they be attacked soon? In that case...

She clutched the fabric, still lying on her side. She needed to stop delaying and let Kakashi know she was here. No matter how upset he would be. A rush of something flooded her veins with strength. She could do this. Kakashi continued with his explanation of the ninja villages, assuring the children they would not be attacked. Ha.

She wrestled with herself. Her thigh itched but if she moved her hand Kakashi would notice. But if they were going to be attacked soon it wouldn't matter cause Kakashi would survive. She heard the sound of running water.

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. She could hear his heart from this angle.

She took a shaky breath, then kicked as hard as she could.

Ba-bump...Ba-bumpBa-bumpBa-bumpBa-bump-

Lighting quick and just as silent, she was grabbed out of the pocket. Now here comes the thunder.

He pinned her in his hand with a thumb and a piercing stare. He wiped his expression blank, scanning her. He then sighed. They were in the back of the group, Kakashi having taken up the rear in a protective move as he was the strongest. None of them noticed.

He sighed again.

"What's wrong Kakashi sense-OH!" Screamed Naruto, naturally the loudest. The call chased off birds in near by trees. Five pairs of eyes were on her.

"Wh-what is this?!" Yelled Tazuna. He dropped his beer bottle in shock, staring at her wrapped in Kakashi's hand.

"What is she doing here? It's dangerous outside of Konoha." Said Sasuke. It was too late to pretend she wasn't here, and thanks to Naruto's big mouth Tazuna knew about her. They had technically already met, but he didn't know that.

"-I'm so glad you're here cause we had been doing D-ranks together for awhile now and it's always more fun with you around and we were so upset when Kakashi sensei said you weren't coming-" Babbled Naruto, reaching out to her.

Kakashi mechanically lifted her higher, out of his reach. They were in a dead stop in the middle of a dirt road, trees on either side. In front of them was a creek and she knew as soon as they crossed to the other side and walked a bit they were basically fucked.

"Put me with Tazuna." Haruhi blurted.

"ME?!" Said the baffled man.

"Haruhi, what are you talking about-"

"Staying with Kakashi is the wiser move, as he is a jounin-"

"You can stay with me!"

Each of the genin spouted.

"Haruhi." Kakashi said tersely. Everyone fell silent, obviously sensing his inner conflict.

"Well your mission is to protect Tazuna? If I'm with him, It'll be easier to protect me."

"It'll also make you a bigger target."

"Whoa whoa whoa, you guys worry too much!" Laughed Naruto.

"Not now!" Haruhi and Kakashi said in tandem. A bead of sweat rolled down Tazuna's face, something both of them noticed.

"Go with Sakura." It wasn't a question. And judging by his pissed off expression she wasn't gonna argue. Well it's not her fault he couldn't tell she was in his pocket! Sakura held out her hands, smiling smugly at the two boys.

But now that she thought about it, it made sense why he chose Sakura. Like her he didn't trust Tazuna. He did dupe them but he was a good guy-he just didn't know that get. He needed his hands free in case of an attack, Sasuke as the second most powerful would need to be free too. And Naruto was too reckless. Yet he didn't want to put her with Tazuna and be completely defenseless. That left Sakura.

Tazuna was still giving her the side eye in an understandable way. But the preteens seemed to have perked up since her presence was known.

"Don't let your guard down, were still on a mission." Snapped Kakashi.

They walked in silence from there, footsteps loud. Haruhi played with her hair, but instead of finding it reassuring like she normally would, her gut twisted.

And then they walked past a large puddle. On a cloudless day with no other wet spots in sight. Too far away from the creek for it to be a splash. Kakashi casually moved so he was in between the group and the puddle. Naruto and Sakura remained clueless, but Sasuke noticed Kakashi's movements. His eyes flickered to her, then back at Kakashi, and he fingered his kunai.

They walked past the puddle, and her heart pounded in her ears.

Everything exploded.

"What?!"

She screamed as thick heavy chains wrapped around Kakashi-tearing him to pieces. His yell echoed down the road.

Sakura screamed, shoving Haruhi into her bag

"KA-KAKASHI SENSEI!"Naruto froze, the whipping of the chains and clouds of dust kicked up approaching him rapidly. "Now it's your turn!" The missing-nin rasped from right behind Naruto.

"NARUTO MOVE!" Haruhi screamed.

Then Sasuke jumped into action. Alert and ready, he launched a shuriken into the center of the chain, pinning it to the tree, then whipped a kunai, nailing it into the bark. Sasuke then landed in a crouch on top of the pinned arms. Using that as leverage Sasuke donkey kicked both of them in the face.

With all attention on them her shriek was muffled by Sakura's bag when someone grabbed it. One of Sakura's wrapped strawberry chews hit her in the face. What was happening? This didn't happen in canon! Just as she was about to open her mouth again, Kakashi's face appeared, and she was overcome with relief. He shoved the bag on Tazuna then disappeared into the trees as Sakura got into a guarding position.

"Stay behind me!" Sakura yelled

The two missing nin were coming straight at them with rapid footsteps and popped out eyes on the target. Them.

Sasuke appeared in front of them, a cloud of dust gathering at his feet.

He didn't have to.

Even faster than Sasuke, Kakashi appeared and took a missing nin under each arm. His back was to her, choking them and knocking them out with each bicep. Naruto gasped and looked up from his position on the ground.

"Hi." He said casually.

Sakura gasped with moon eyes and Sasuke grunted with annoyance.

"Nice." she called out. A pile of chopped up wood laid in the spot where Kakashi was 'killed'.

"Naruto, sorry I didn't help you right away. I didn't mean for you to get hurt, I just didn't think you freeze up like that." He walked into the middle of their circle, carrying the unconscious attackers. Tazuna sighed in relief, before looking down into the cavern of the bag. They both froze, not knowing what to do. Then he got a gleam in his eye. The type of gleam where you want to learn more.

Sakura grabbed the bag and pulled her, out, sniffling and pressing Haruhi to her face.

"It's okay Sakura, I know, it was pretty scary." Haruhi patted her cheek, tears falling and wetting her head.

Sakura let out a wet cough.

"I'm s-sorry, I lost the b-bag with you in it!" Sakura blurted. Haruhi opened her mouth to correct Sakura, who seemed to be beating herself up over this. Kakashi had actually taken the bag and gave it to Tazuna. Sakura hadn't lost it at all. But then Sasuke spoke before she could.

"It's fine, Sakura. I would have handled them if Kakashi hadn't." Sasuke grumbled, looking anywhere but them.

"Good job, Sasuke, very smooth. You too, Sakura." Sakura clutched on to her, mindful of her grip. Naruto in the background looked like he was questioning his entire life. Dirt clenched between his fingers as he slowly got up, staring intensely at a passive Sasuke. Kakashi leveled her a mindful look. She wondered why he put her with Tazuna, maybe because he had taken her words into account?

Sasuke turned to Naruto, but before he could say anything, she cut him off. "Sasuke, you did good. You protected both your teammates." Sasuke closed his mouth and turned away from Naruto, nodding slightly to her.

"And Naruto." He flinched. "Don't feel to down this time, I know you'll be prepared next time there's a fight." It was funny how the fight was over in seconds when she had spent the past few days worrying over it.

"She's right Naruto. But stand still, these ninja had poison in their claws we need to remove it from you quickly." Kakashi said briskly.

Naruto lifted his injured hand up, trembling.

"By the way, Mr. Tazuna, we need to talk." He said, leveling a chilling glance at the bridge builder. Naruto might as well have been a statue. Kakashi tied up the Nin with some help from Sasuke, and they all gathered around, before Kakashi launched into an explanation.

"They're chunin from the village hidden in the mist, their specialty is relentless attack, they keep fighting no matter what the sacrifice."

"How did you know about our ambush?" One of the missing nin coughed into his mask. One eye squinted up at Kakashi through the blood running down his forehead.

"A Puddle. On a clear day when it hasn't rained in weeks? He said condescendingly.

"In that case, why did you let the genin do the fighting?" Inquired Tazuna. The genin looked to Kakashi.

"I could have taken them out quickly, but then I would have learned nothing. I had to know who their target was. And, what they were after." He said, side eyeing Tazuna.

"HM? What are you getting at?" Said Tazuna defensively.

"You're withholding information from us!" Sakura shouted suddenly, right in Haruhi's ear. They all turned to look at Sakura.

"Good job, Sakura." Kakashi ruffled her hair. "I wanted to know if they were after us, ninja attacking ninja, or, if they were after you, the master bridge builder. When you put in your request, you asked for standard protection. From robbers and highwaymen. You didn't say there were ninja looking for you. Hunting you down. If we knew this, it would be a B-ranked mission or higher. Our task was simply to get you to your destination and protect you while you finished building your bridge. "

He narrowed his eye.

"If we knew we would fending attacks from enemy ninja we would have staffed differently and charged for the cost of a B-rank mission. Apparently you have your reasons, but lying to us is not acceptable. We are now beyond the scope of this mission." He said with finality.

But that speech was kinda hot she wasn't gonna lie.

Sakura pitched in, agreeing with Kakashi. She raised some good points of her own, like the fact Naruto was injuredand they were unprepared. Haruhi was proud Sakura was voicing her opinions.

"Hey, wait. What else aren't you saying?" Haruhi couldn't resist. She aimed her question at Tazuna. Tazuna didn't respond at first, rattled by Kakashi's speech and her mere presence.

"I'm sure he can tell us all about it when we get back to the village." Said Kakashi, glancing at Haruhi.

...What?

Naruto and Sasuke exploded with protests.

She didn't know how to feel. On one hand, the three kids would be spared the trauma of Zabuza and Haku's deaths. They would all turn around right now and head back to Konoha and Kakashi wouldn't get hurt. Tazuna would get proper protection, which would be way better with dealing with Gato with. His argument that he couldn't afford the B or A ranked mission falls flat too. He could get the bridge built and pay off his debt with the new trade, or the money taken from Gato, or both. And with her back in Konoha, she could go up to the Hokage with Kakashi and be sent home. They could get another C-ranked, a proper one this time, and develop that way. The chance that she could die was very real.

But on the other hand...

How long would it take? Would it be too late by the time another team was sent out? Who says Tazuna would even get another team instead of being thrown into T and I? Could she be selfish enough to damn an entire country? And then there was the Genin. They all learned lessons and developed from this. Sakura learned about her outstanding Chakra control-crucial for career as a medic. Naruto learned the value of his precious people, a theme that would be repeated throughout both series. And Sasuke risks his life for Naruto and develops the Sharingan.

In the end, none of the genin actually gets permanently injured(excluding mental trauma), and the Land Waves is saved.

Her brow furrowed as she weighed their options.

The entire point of her wanting to go back to Konoha right now was so that she wouldn't change anything. But going back right now would be changing something-they wouldn't being going on this mission-a crucial plot point. The Land of Waves arc is pivotal to the plot and if it doesn't happen the Akatsuki isn't going to wait for Naruto to play catch up.

It was too late to try not to affect the plot, not when she had already been living with Kakashi for weeks and her obvious emotional impact on team seven as a whole. But it seemed Kakashi had already decided for them.

"AAARRGGHH!" Naruto stabbed himself in the hand, blood flying out in a splash. Everyone gasped.

"WHY AM I SO DIFFERENT?!" Naruto ground out, his mental crisis continuing. "Why am I always arrhh-!"

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, stepping forward. But Haruhi put her hand down on Sakura's palm in a firm tap, stopping her. Naruto then launched into a monologue.

"I will never back down again, I'll never run away, and I'll never let someone else rescue me again..."

He ended with a blood oath. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"

"...Naruto, that was, um, really cool how you took the poison out in all, but uh, if you lose anymore blood your going to die." Kakashi said rather stunned. Then in a bit of humor said "Good idea to stop the bleeding now. Seriously."

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled unsurprisingly. "You've got a self abusive personality. It's called masochism." Then surprisingly, she held out the hand Haruhi wasn't on." Here, I researched first-aid, let me look at it."

"That's nice, Sakura." Kakashi said almost hastily."But let me do it."

Sakura humphed, but stayed back. Haruhi kept her eye on the wound, and from this angle, wasn't surprised to see it closing.

Steam leaked from it and she hysterically thought of Attack on Titan, the only universe worse than this one. She couldn't see the look on Kakashi's face, but Naruto provided some useful commentary.

"Umm, uhh, you have a really serious look on your face, you're scaring me, am I okay?" Naruto trembled.

"Uh, yeah, you should be fine." He then started wrapping Naruto's hand.

"That's good then. If he's going to be fine, we can continue on." Haruhi said. Sasuke whipped around to stare at her, obviously surprised. Kakashi paused in wrapping Naruto's hand, before continuing slowly.

"It's too dangerous to continue." Kakashi articulated, only to be met with resistance by the three of them. Sakura kept silent, glancing rapidly to and from Sasuke.

Naruto and Sasuke kept shouting over each other, and Haruhi didn't bother trying to let herself be heard.

"Mh-hm, cause you two make such a convincing case." Kakashi said blandly, cutting in.

"Sakura, what are you thinking. Tell us what you really feel, not what you think we'd like to hear." Haruhi said quickly, capitalizing on the opportunity. Both boys were rendered speechless, but Kakashi simply raised an eyebrow and waited.

Sakura clenched her hand around the kunai, knuckles turning white. She bite her lip, glancing at Sasuke then glancing away just as quickly.

"Well, now that Naruto is better like Kakashi sensei said, and the fact we have a jounin on our side, there's no big reason not to continue onward. If we refuse the mission it will send out a signal that we are weak, and I really want to get stronger." The last part came out in a mortified whisper, and Sakura looked down at Haruhi in her hand. She made sure Sakura could see the proud smile on her face.

A deep sigh from Kakashi.

"Fine." Cheers drowned him out for a second. "We escort Tazuna back to his home, then decide whether to stay, or leave."

Land of Waves here we come! Haruhi is defiantly gonna have a time of it. While weighing her options Haruhi refers to the possibly upcoming events as "plotpoints" and "arcs". This tells us that Haruhi still hasn't grasped the reality of the situation, and despite coming to the realization that this isn't a dream, she still views this new life as an inconsequential story and the people as characters.