A/N: Back again, this time our group is on the road!

TRIGGER WARNINGS:

- Canon typical violence (but there's trauma so its interesting)

The two have gotten into a bit of a routine over the course of a week. Wake up, make breakfast, head to training together, go home, make dinner together.

Kakashi's discovered quickly that Naruto is a poor chef, but the kid's picking it up fast enough.

"Can you believe we're going on an actual mission!?" Naruto's practically bouncing off the walls, no longer focused on helping the Jonin cook.

"I can, I'm the one that accepted it from the Hokage." Kakashi's unfazed by the blonde's excitement. In fact, he's grown quite accustomed to his almost contagious energy every morning.

That's a nice change, gone was the quiet Naruto from the first two nights and in it's wake is an animated, cheerful thing that feels more like his student.

"What's the mission?!"

"You'll see soon enough."

"Oh, c'mon! Can't you tell me!? How about a hint?!"

"If you pack your things quick enough I might give you one hint."

"Alright! I'm going to pack faster than anyone ever! Believe it!" And just like that, Naruto runs back into his room to get his things ready.

Now Kakashi can focus on making breakfast. They'll be walking a lot today so pulled pork and rice felt like a nice filling choice.

"Kakashi?" Naruto's voice is muffled as he yells from his room. "Do you have a sewing kit?!"

Kakashi frowns, sewing kit? Why on earth would Naruto need that? "I think there may be a small one in the hall closet!" He hopes none of Naruto's new clothes ripped, the boy was so excited about them.

There's rustling, a crash, then, "found it!"

Kakashi sighs, "make sure you clean up when you're done!" It's been rough trying to get Naruto to clean up after himself. Oftentimes he gets distracted or just plain forgets to. It hadn't taken him long to find out why his student's old apartment was such a mess. Now, Kakashi's simply trying to get the kid to have better, healthier habits.

Kakashi plates the food before placing it on the table. "Breakfast is ready!"

"Be there in a sec!"

Kakashi should probably check on him, and definitely not just because he's curious as to what the sewing kit was for.

So, Kakashi sneaks over to Naruto's room where he finds the blonde sewing up the strap on his backpack. "Why didn't you tell me you needed a new backpack?"

Naruto turns his head, eyes wide as he stares at Kakashi. "Well, it wasn't ripped before this. Besides, this thing gets all dirty anyway!"

Kakashi sighs, only now noticing the several different spots Naruto has sewn and patched the bag up already. "Naruto, things are meant to be used. It's ok to get a new backpack if this one breaks."

"I know that," to Naruto's credit, he seems almost embarrassed at his behavior. "I just didn't want to bother you."

Kakashi shakes his head, this kid. How can one be so loud and obnoxious and yet considerate at the same time? He'll never understand it. "Next time I want you to tell me when you need something. Lucky for you I think I still have my old backpack you can use."

"Are you sure? I can just use this-"

"I'm sure. Go eat, you can pack after."

They've come together again. The last week Naruto and Kakashi Sensei have walked together when meeting them.

It's odd, but Sasuke cannot for the life of him get to the bottom of it.

Naruto is sporting an orange t shirt with the hidden leaf symbol on the breast pocket. That's another thing Sasuke's noticed, he's not wearing the same ugly sweatsuit everyday like he used to.

"Good morning, Sakura, Sasuke." Kakashi smiles at them, "ready for our mission?"

"What is the mission anyway?!" Naruto yells before anyone has the chance to respond to Kakashi. He grabs their Sensei's arm and shakes him roughly.

Another thing that's odd, Naruto's been almost clingy, and Kakashi Sensei just lets him.

"We're delivering a package to a client located in the Hidden Sand Village."

Naruto's eyes go wide, "what!? That's so cool!" He cuts in front of Kakashi, Sasuke notes the new backpack his teammate's sporting. "What's in the package!? Do you think some bandits will try to take it?! Is it big?! I bet it's big!"

Kakashi Sensei, who would normally be unamused by Naruto's antics, actually smiles at the blonde. "I don't know what's in the package, we've been given orders not to open it. I hope we don't run into bandits, and it's medium sized I'd say."

"Well, where is the package?" Sakura speaks before Naruto has the opportunity to ramble again.

"Tucked away in a storage scroll in my bag. Safe and sound."

It seems simple enough, but Sasuke knows that nothing this team does is ever simple.

"What're we waiting for!? Let's go!"

Kakashi knows that he's made a grave mistake when Naruto's babbling elicits a warm sense of fondness in his chest.

He said he was going to keep his distance, to make sure he doesn't get too attached to his students, yet Naruto here has managed to wiggle his way into the jonin's heart.

Something in the back of Kakashi's mind tells him that he'd become attached the day they'd met. There was too much of his Sensei in Naruto for Kakashi to have not gotten attached.

It was why he'd put walls up, at least if Kakashi had something to hide behind he could pretend like he didn't care for his students.

But that was before Naruto started living with him, before the blonde knocked Kakashi's walls right down.

Naruto's babbling about ramen, because of course he is. He's talking about how ramen from The Hidden Sand village has to taste different than their village's. Kakashi thinks if this was before he would've tuned the blonde's pointless babbling out by now. The kid had been talking for nearly an hour after all.

But right now he listens to his student's every word. Hell, he's actually planning to get the kid to ramen before heading back home.

Their walk is almost peaceful. For once, Kakashi doesn't feel like he's constantly on high alert.

It's why he's so surprised when Naruto cuts himself off with a yell as he steps on a trap that binds his feet together before dragging him into the woods.

"Naruto!" Kakashi moves to go after him, but is suddenly stopped by a large group of ninja that surround them.

Why must this happen on every C-Rank mission they go on?

Naruto flails around as he's getting dragged through the forest brush. He needs to get free so he can help the others, but he's moving so fast, that he's too disoriented.

At this rate, he'll have been dragged so far he won't know how to get back to his team. Though, if he summons some Shadow Clones now and sends them to the group there's a chance they'll be able to help the others and lead Kakashi Sensei at least in the right direction to find him.

So, with half a plan in mind, he summons about twenty clones and sends them in the direction he's being dragged.

It's almost as if whoever is dragging him read his mind, the second he summons his clones their direction becomes much more spontaneous, the twist and turns certainly make the ride much more painful. On top of that, it'll probably be more difficult for him to find his way back now, great.

Hopefully the four clones Naruto had follow them will be able to keep up. It was a split second decision, one that he figured would be helpful given that his legs are tied up. Now, all they have to do is find the perfect time to strike.

Naruto is probably dragged for another five minutes before they come to a stop. He wastes no time sitting up in order to grab a kunai out of his pouch so he can cut himself free.

Before he can successfully do so, a ninja is on top of him. The Kunai flies out of Naruto's hand.

Naruto moves to swing at his attacker, but his arm is easily dodged. Naruto blames his semi sluggish movements on the pain he's in from being dragged through the forest. It's exactly how the ninja manages to dig a kunai into Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto yells, the kunai burns, sending pain down his arm. And instead of pulling it out, his attacker simply lets go, leaving the knife embedded as he grabs another one.

This time, Naruto is able to block it with his arm before his attacker slashes him. This happens a few more times, and all Naruto can think is how he's glad that he threw up the arm that was already stabbed. At least he has one good arm still for when he gets free.

It's only then that Naruto's clones decide to make an appearance and ambush him.

With the ninja finally off him, Naruto moves to grab the Kunai from his shoulder, screaming as he pulls it out so he can use it to cut himself free.

Naruto pants, right arm hanging limply and throbbing with pain. Now that he's on his feet he sees that the ninja and his clones are all gone.

He doesn't really get the time to react before the enemy ninja is slamming into him again. He punches Naruto in the face, once, twice, and Naruto can feel the exact moment he accidentally disperses his clones.

Panic is starting to bubble up in Naruto's chest. Normally, he'd be able to take this guy no problem. But he'd gotten the jump on him. He needs to do something now before things get worse.

The Kunai Naruto dropped earlier is a few feet away. If he can get to it, he can defend himself better.

So, Naruto kicks as hard as he can, successfully knocking the ninja off him. He scrambles towards the knife, his hand wrapping around the handle just as the ninja yanks him back, pinning him again before wrapping his hands around Naruto's throat.

He can't breathe, oh god he can't breathe. He doesn't have time to think, he just swings his arm up.

Naruto can feel the exact moment the knife pierces the man's neck. He can hear the squelch of his flesh and feel

The blood drip down onto his face.

The man gurgles, choking in his own blood as he falls forward onto Naruto.

Naruto pushes the now unmoving man off him. Oh god, oh god. Is he- did he just? Naruto can't breathe as he moves towards the man.

"I'm sorry," Naruto sobs, pushing down on the man's neck with his good hand. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Naruto continues to repeat the mantra as he stares at unseeing eyes.

Kakashi was relieved when Naruto's clones appeared from the woods. Even if they'd looked a little banged up, it meant that Naruto was well enough to make and send out clones.

It was when the clones all dispersed simultaneously that unbridled panic quickly followed.

Something had happened. Something that was bad enough for Naruto to disperse the jutsu.

He needs to finish up this fight and quickly. Every second they waste is another second Naruto is all by himself.

"We need to find Naruto!" Seems Sasuke has come to the same conclusion that Kakashi had.

Now, Kakashi is confident in his student's abilities, but last they saw him he was tied by his feet as he was dragged away. With his clones dispersing on their own it seems like the blonde may need their help.

There aren't too many enemies now, most have either been incapacitated or retreated by now.

They spend the next few minutes defeating the ninjas that remain. To Kakashi it felt like a few years.

He turns to his students, "you two stay in case Naruto makes it back. Stay hidden."

He doesn't wait for a response before he's running through the forest. He's wasted too much time already, every second he wastes could be life or death for his little Genin. Naruto could be bleeding out somewhere and he wouldn't know. He's lost too many loved ones already, he doesn't think he could handle if he lost Naruto too.

Luckily for Kakashi, it's easy to tell where Naruto was dragged.

He can't freak out, not now, not yet, but every time he sees blood staining the path created by Naruto he finds himself running a little faster.

Kakashi had to have been running for a good ten minutes when he spots a mop of yellow hair.

"Naruto!" He rushes over, finding his student covered in filth and blood. The kid's a mess. His hand clutches tightly to his right shoulder as blood steadily pushes past his fingers and down the arm that hangs loosely at his side. And his face, god his face, blood pours from his nose and his lip is split.

"Kakashi," Naruto speaks quietly, eyes cloudy and unfocused.

Kakashi kneels down. He was going to kill the man who did this, but first he had to take care of Naruto. "God, are you alright?" Stupid question, of course he wasn't.

"I'm ok," Kakashi hates that the kid's voice wavers.

"We need to treat you. Were you followed?"

Naruto shakes his head.

"Good," Kakashi throws his pack down, searching for his medical kit.

"He's dead."

Kakashi's head snaps up at the small admission. He swears his heart shatters right there.

Naruto's trembling, his breathing shaky. "I didn't mean to, I-"

Kakashi moves to wrap Naruto in a hug, one that the blonde practically melts into. Naruto shouldn't have had to do that. He didn't want that for any of his students, not so early on into their ninja careers. But it happened, and Kakashi can't change that fact.

Now that it's happened, all they can do is try and move on.

"It's going to be ok, Naruto. It wasn't your fault." Kakashi means it too, and he hopes Naruto knows he does. If the choice was between Naruto and someone else Kakashi wouldn't even hesitate. Kakashi wouldn't even feel bad about it, that makes Naruto better than him.

"C'mon. Let's get you patched up and get back with the others."