'Italics are for thoughts, normal everyone can her" Bold is Kyuubi speaking"

'Naruto!'

Naruto spun at the sound of his sensei's voice to see four kunai coming straight for him. Throwing himself to the left, Naruto felt two of them burrow themselves into his leg while the other two impaled themselves into a tree.

"Aaagh" Naruto cried as he hit the ground and staggered to his feet again.

"Damn!" Kakashi said had he saw his student crash to the ground with Kunai embedded in his leg. All the same he felt a rush of pride as Naruto climbed to his feet again. Checking on his other two students he saw that they were not fairing much better. Sakura was barely keeping up with the attacks her opponents were throwing at here again and again. She was tiring. Sasuke had a line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he blew fire at his two opponents.

"We have to finish this." Kakashi finished of his opponents with quick definite movements and was going to go help Naruto when he saw Sakura go down under a blow to her head, "Shit", changing direction in a second he blocked the next attack on his student as watched as Sakura stood to finish her attacker.Kakashi cast his eye over Sakura seeing no major wounds he turned his attention to the other two. Sasuke was just knocking out his enemies and was moving to join them. Naruto was still duking it out with his two and they crumbled to the ground under his relentless blows.

"Sensei!" To late Kakashi noticed that Naruto was only fighting two people whereas before he was fighting three. He spun round to see a shurikein flying straight at him.

Sasuke watched as his sensei spun around and saw what was coming towards him. Desperately he lunged forward to try and save his sensei, but Naruto go there quicker.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke heard Sakura scream as Naruto hit the ground and Kakashi finished of all three of Naruto's attackers with one move.

Kakashi waited for the inevitable blow of pain he knew he would be receiving soon and gasped when he saw the flash of orange move in front of him, then get throw backward by the weapon and landing on the ground a few feet in front of him.

"Naruto!" his mind screamed even as he heard Sakura call out to Naruto. Kakashi charge forward and killed the three that had injured his student and then swiftly turned to fall beside his student. "Naruto, can you hear me?"

Sakura watched as Kakashi gently raised Naruto's head into his lap and tried to get Naruto to regain consciousness. "Naruto, can you hear me?" Kakashi softly asked.

"Naruto, please open your eyes" Sakura begged in her mind.

Sasuke watched as the weapon ploughed into to his rival/friend and as Kakashi easily killed the three enemies left. "Why didn't you kill them before they got the Dobe?" Sasuke thought quietly to himself as Kakashi began bandaging Naruto's wounds. Gently removing the weapons still stuck in him.

"Is he going to die sensei?' Sasuke heard Sakura ask, cringing at the thought.

Kakashi ignored the question and worked swiftly to stop Naruto's bleeding. They were too far away from Konoha to make it back before night and travelling in the cold darkness would kill Naruto. Speaking quickly he ordered his other two students to set up camp. At their confused looks he explained his reasons and watched as the hurried to follow his instructions. Sighing he turned back to his injured student he whispered softly in his ear, "You're not allowed to die, your hear me Naruto, I won't have any of my students dying on me."

"This is all the Dobe's fault" thought Sasuke. Because of how serious Naruto's injuries were Kakashi was bunking with him which left Sasuke with the oh-so-annoying Sakura. Resigning himself to a sleepless night, Sasuke was surprised to enter the tent and find Sakura huddled in her sleeping bag silently sobbing. Not knowing what to do Sasuke moved over to Sakura and pulled her into a hug. Knowing she was worried about Naruto he assured that Naruto was too stubborn die. This promptly earned him a punch in the head for insulting poor Naruto. Sasuke smiled to himself as he moved over to his sleeping bag to wait until it was his turn to take watch.

"Oh man my body hurts" Naruto thought to himself and he tried to see where he was.

"Well what do you expect when you take a shurikein in the chest and two Kunai in the leg? Hmm"

Naruto jumped at the sound of Kyuubi's voice making him groan in pain.

"Are the others ok?" He asked.

"Yep" Kyuubi answered, "And I think you had best wake up before you worry your sensei to death"

Naruto nodded

"And Kit? It will hurt" That was the last Naruto heard as he stirred awake groaning as a wave of pain hit him that was fierce he nearly fell unconscious again.

Kakashi moved to his student's side as he heard the groan. Naruto pain filled blue eyes stared back into his own eye.

"Kakashi-sensei" Naruto murmured weakly, "Are you alright?"

Kakashi allowed himself as small smile at his student's question. Naruto was once again more concerned about others than himself.

"Yes Naruto, I'm fine and so is everyone else" Kakashi said before Naruto could ask his next question. He frowned when Naruto coughed up some blood while gasping in pain. He heard a sound behind him and spun Kunai in hand. He stopped when he saw it was Sasuke and Sakura. "Trust them to know when Naruto was awake" Kakashi thought to himself.

Sakura watched as her team mate coughed up blood. Kneeling down beside him she took his head into her lap and gently cleaned the blood of his face. She could help but smile when she heard his next question, "Did we finish the question" he sputtered. Sakura watched as Kakashi leaned to forward to support Naruto although she was already doing just that. Sakura was surprised though when Sasuke was the one who answered Naruto's question.

"Nope we didn't Dobe. Not yet anyway. We still have to get the scrolls back to Konoha"

Naruto frowned through his pain, "So why haven't you taken them back yet?"

Kakashi once again leaned forward with a concerned look on his face,

"Umm in case you didn't notice you are nearly bleeding to death and moving you at night would not help your condition."

Once again a frown touched Naruto's face, Sakura thought that a smile was definitely better suited to Naruto's face, "How is that stopping you from going back to Konoha with the scrolls? it's not like I'm going anywhere?" he coughed up some blood, "You could 'cough' take the scrolls back now and then 'cough' come back for me afterwards"

Kakashi couldn't believe what his student was asking him to do. Abandon him. Abandon Naruto when he was hurt and couldn't defend himself. "Yer, like that was going to happen" thought Kakashi even as some part of him acknowledged the truth of the matter. "We do need to get these scrolls back to Konoha, but I'm not leaving Naruto out here alone" With that last though Kakashi came to a decision.

"Sakura, Sasuke" both his students looked up at him, surprised at the tone his voice had taken.

"Sensei?"

"Take the scrolls and run back to Konoha" He held up a hand to silence their protests, "Naruto is right, we do have a mission to finish. Also since Naruto is injured and none of you have medical experience I must be the one to remain. The village is not far from here, you should be able to make it in no time and be able to send a retrieval team, which will help Naruto." Kakashi couldn't help but notice the look of victory that crossed Naruto's face as he heard the instructions issued to his team mates.

Sasuke couldn't believe what their sensei was asking them to do. Leave him and Naruto alone and injured in Naruto's case, just to finish a mission. Although the idea of bringing back a medical-nin for Naruto was a good reason to go anyway.

"Sensei, if more ninjas turn up you won't be able to defend yourself and Naruto against them." he started, Naruto pained voice stopped him from finishing his argument.

"Sasuke, the scrolls are important to the safety of Konoha, 'cough, cough', they need them and I don't think I'm going to make it back to the village without help" his voice quieter as he finished saying this and they all flinched at his implied message.

Without a word Sakura softly left Naruto's head slide from her lap onto the ground, got and pulling Sasuke with her and grabbing the scrolls left the tent to head back to Konoha.

Kakashi watched his other students leave, "I hope they will be alright on their own"

"They're strong enough to survive Kak-kasssshi --sens" Naruto started then cried out as another pain wave coursed through his body and coughed up more blood. With a knife in his heart Kakashi turned back to Naruto and hugged him close to his chest as Naruto feel asleep. "I am not letting you die, Naruto, I'm not letting you die…"

When Naruto awoke the next morning he found that he was no longer in the tent but was on his sensei's back and they were moving swiftly through the trees. His whole body ached and his through felt raw.

"Kakashi-sensei" he croaked and felt their movement slow and come a stop.

"Naruto, how do you feel?" his sensei asked as he was lowered him to the ground. Kakashi watched his student with a worried eye.

Naruto quickly arranged his face with a huge smile, no matter how much it pained him. "I'll survive Kakashi-sensei, I'm going to become Hokage so I can't die yet" noticing how his sensei cringed at the word die"

"Sasuke, Sakura-chan?" he rasped.

"By now they should be a quarter of the way there if they stopped to rest around midday" Kakashi said, helping Naruto to swallow some water. His face was once again wearing a frown when Naruto coughed most of it up.

Sasuke eyed the girl running next to him before turning his attention back to the guys chasing them. He motioned with a hand that they should jump up into the trees and she hastily followed his movement as a dozen or more Kunai smacked into the area they were seconds ago.

"I hope these are all of them" Sakura shouted at him making him raise an eyebrow.

Sakura gave him a your-hopeless look and proceeded to explain her statement,

"If these are all of them then they are following us back to Konoha and they will get caught" Sasuke brightened at this possibility.

"Also, if these are all of them then are none left to attack Kakashi-sensei and Naruto" Sasuke thought with a grim smile.

Sakura had hoped without her saying it that Sasuke would get what she had meant. She gave a small sight before explaining it. She watched as Sasuke facial expression changed to a grim smile when she was done. She also realized that if this was all of them then they were in trouble because Konoha was still miles away and both Sasuke and she were worn out as they had not stopped to rest. Both were eager to get the scrolls back to safety and get help for their team mate and friend. Sakura flinched as a Kunai slammed into the tree beside her head and both she and Sasuke picked up their pace.

Tsunade and Shizune looked up from the paperwork they were trying to finish to find the location of the disturbance they were hearing. Getting up they ran out of the office heading outside and towards the disturbance.

Gaara and Shino looked away from their training when they heard a loud thump next the them. Seeing an injured ninja there they ran to help him right before seeing Sakura come flying out of the trees with three more ninja following her, apparently trying to kill her. By now more of the genin had started watching and ran to help their friend. Shino caught Sakura before she crashed to the ground breathing heavily.

"What's going on here?" Tsunade yelled as she and Shizune arrived on the scene.

"Nothing" growled one of the ninja that had attacked Sakura, "This little bitch stole something that belonged to us and we are going to getting it back" he said with a menacing look.

Tsunade did not take kindly to the threatening tone the man had when Sasuke burst forth from the trees blowing fire back at five more ninja, one of them screaming that they would get the scroll back and he would die a painful death. Tsunade, seeing that both her genin were exhausted and noticing at the same time that Kakashi and Naruto were not present, got fed up with these men and promptly finished them off herself. Knocking them out cold in seconds.

Sasuke collapsed to the ground on his knees panting for breath. Sakura, still being held my Shino, reached into her backpack and pulled out the scrolls and handed them to Shizune. Tsunade knelt in front of the tired Sakura with the rest of genin surrounding them, "Sakura, where is Kakashi and Naruto?" she asked urgently.

Gasping for air Sakura explained everything, watching as their faces grew more and more worried.

By the end of Sakura's tale Tsunade was well and truly worried. Ordering the genin to go to their sensei and tell them to come to her office. Once all of them were gathered Sakura repeated her story with Sasuke helping this time. Both genin still looked exhausted but refused to stay when Tsunade was telling people which areas to search. They would go even if she told them to stay. Tsunade plonked down in her chair as the last team left. She really hoped the two missing ninja would be alright. She had no doubt that they had not captured the entire ninja gang and since all of them had not followed them then some had to have gone after Kakashi and Naruto.

Kakashi watched as Naruto dozed under a tree, though his student's wounds were healing at an alarming rate his body had still suffered a great deal of blood loss. Leaving the boy worn and nauseas. He couldn't keep down food and only some water. It worried Kakashi the way the boy continuously coughed up blood. Thinking it was time to move on again Kakashi wandered over only to jump back as he noticed a kunai come out of nowhere. Disappearing and reappearing over with Naruto, he picked the sleeping boy up and took off towards Konoha again. Peering over his shoulder he noticed the ten figures giving chase. "Shit" he cursed and ran at a faster pace. In his arms Naruto moaned and he was bounced around. Kakashi cuddled his student closer to his chest, hoping to make the movement more cushioned.

When one of the figures suddenly appeared in front of him Kakashi quickly changed direction but not before a kunai pierced his ankle, causing both him and Naruto to crash to the ground. Kakashi gasped and his gripped on Naruto faltered and the boy fell from his arms rolling a few meters before coming to a stop and lying still. "Naruto!" Kakashi gasped as he got to his feet and moved to defend his student. Ignoring the pain in his foot Kakashi blocked attack after attack and killed several of attacking ninjas before he was pushes away from Naruto, who was stirring slowly on the ground. "So far they are ignoring Naruto" Kakashi thought thankfully, "Maybe if I'm lucky I can lead them away from him and then double back to get him" but even as Kakashi was thinking this one of the men seemed to finally notice Naruto. Probably because he was moving and trying to sit up. Kakashi gasped as the man sank he boot right into Naruto's stomach. Kicking the boy into a nearby tree. Kakashi growled as Naruto cried out in pain.

Redoubling his efforts, he killed two more of the men and then advanced on Naruto's aggressor. He was once again cut off from the man as three more ninja joined the fray. Kakashi tried to keep Naruto in his sight but these men were making it impossible.

Naruto stirred to the sound of fighting. Struggling to sit up he cried out with pain as something that felt like a foot rammed into him and then cried out again as he impacted with a tree.

"Kit, are you ok, you're getting more wounds on your body, I can barely heal the ones you have" said Kyuubi. She was worried about her Kit's health.

In his mind Naruto replied "I don't know, can you feed my more of your power. I think we got 

attacked again and Kakashi seems to have his hands full so he can't protect me"

"All my power is going towards healing" Kyuubi Snapped

"Well if I can't defend myself there is going to be nothing left to heal" said Naruto as he felt another Kunai break past his skin and another wave of pain washed over him.

Suddenly Kyuubi had a change of heart. These men were hurting her Kit and now they were going to pay. Channeling all her remaining power for Naruto's use, Kyuubi told Naruto to kick their buts.

Naruto snapped his eyes open a few seconds before a kunai arched towards his head. Jerking his arm up he deflecting the weapon and lunged forward with his own weapon stabbing the man in the throat. He fell to the ground wriggling before laying still. Naruto turned his now red eyes on the other men that were attacking his sensei. Arching his arm he sent his weapon flying towards one who was about to stab his sensei and watch with satisfaction as the man crumpled under the blow the weapon had dealt. Naruto felt another wave of pain wash over him and felt Kyuubi's power falter. The last thing Naruto saw was Kakashi astonished face before he fell, face forward onto the ground and blacked out.

Kakashi heard a yell and spun toward where he knew Naruto had been. Only to see the man who had been attacking the defenseless Naruto lying dead on the ground. Trying to find Naruto proved to be his undoing as Kakashi was suddenly aware of man behind he with a weapon poised to kill him. Strangely enough the man did not continue his attack but following a loud thump, crashed to the ground. Kakashi stared past the fallen figure to see his student, his eyes red, stare back at him before his turned blue again and rolled upwards. Falling face first onto the ground. Kakashi quickly dealt with the remaining ninja who were momentarily stunned their leaders death. They provided little resistance before dying. Kakashi raced to his student and gently turned him over, feeling for a pulse. His heart caught in his throat when he felt none….

"Naruto!" Kakashi cried out as he tried to revive the boy.

"No, don't die, come on Naruto!" Kakashi was using all of his medical knowledge to try to get the boy to breathe again and as time went by he felt his hope slipping away.

Not giving up Kakashi kept up his attempts for another few minutes pleading with Naruto to breathe again and his pleas were answered.

"Kit? Kit? Your sensei is having a break down. I think he needs to you to wake up" Kyuubi said, gently rousing sleeping boy with one of her tails. He spluttered as air coursed through is lungs again.

"What the hell?" he murmured.

"I broke your power so I could use what was left to keep you alive" Kyuubi explained to the still out of it boy. "Go back and calm your teacher down" she said gently nudging him away from her cage.

Drowsily Naruto went, opening his eyes and coughing up blood as his sensei face filled with joy.

"Naruto! You're alive!" Kakashi was overjoyed, he had feared that he was going to lose one of his students and now somehow Naruto was breathing again. Deciding not to question this but instead pulling Naruto into a hug and gently cleaning the blood from his face and re-bandaging his wounds. Kakashi once again realized the boy had saved his life twice now asked him why. What he was not expecting was for Naruto to grin and reply,

"As future Hokage it's my responsibility to protect others" Kakashi gently hit Naruto over the head in a very Sakura like gesture of affection. Slowly picking Naruto up, he bounded off in the direction of Konoha.

Tsunade held her head in her hands. None of the retrieval teams had located Kakashi or Naruto and were now gathered in the courtyard in front of her. Each face held the question of 'Where do we look now?" and to be honest she had no idea. One team had come across the dead forms of the leader and several other ninja bandits but no one had seen the boy or his sensei. She glanced at the still forms of Sakura and Sasuke; she had half felt that they would leave again if she said she was calling off the search. As much as she wanted to keep searching, she also knew she needed her ninja elsewhere. About to voice the thoughts in her head, she sensed a familiar presence and turning her head she watched as Kakashi jumped down from a tree over the fence with Naruto in his arms. Sakura and Sasuke were by his sides in seconds as the older man collapsed but stilled kept Naruto from hitting the ground. Sasuke took Naruto from Kakashi's arms and Sakura supported their sensei. Tsunade quickly motioned for Sasuke to follow her to the hospital and they both sped off. Sakura helped Kakashi get there more slowly as the rest of the genin and their sensei dispersed.

Team 7 waited for nearly four hours to hear how Naruto was going and after what seemed like ten or more doctors and nurses had come from his room, Tsunade approached the group. She looked tired but had a smile on her face. All three faces turned towards her and brightened at her expression and even more at her words, "Naruto will be fine after some rest, I'm not sending you on any missions for awhile so all of you can rest properly." She eyed Kakashi's foot as she said this and he just pretended not to notice.

"can we go see him?" Sakura asked in a meek tone. Tsunade nodded and walked away towards her office. All three ninjas stood and slowly made their way into Naruto's room. They were quiet as the expected him to be sleeping. So they got a huge shock when they saw the bed empty and Naruto sitting on the window ledge.

"Umm dobe, whatcha doing?" Sasuke asked

Naruto was so startled that he nearly fell out the window and only the quick movements of Kakashi prevented him from doing so.

"Geez, Teme. Give me a heart attack why don't you" Naruto said once Kakashi had set him back on the bed.

"Naruto" Sakura said in a scolding tone, "You are meant to be on bed rest, not window sill rest" Naruto just poked his tongue out at her. Kakashi said nothing, just leaned against the wall and pulled out his Ichi Ichi paradise book. Although inside he felt a great relief to see his team back together and safe and sound.

"When do I get out of here?" Naruto asked bouncing around on the bed.

"Not for about three days." said the nurse that was passing by. Naruto scowled in her direction and murmured so quietly that no one else heard him, "That's what you think"……

The End. or not? Depends on reviews and what not? Let me know if you want another chapter or a sequal or something like that.