Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Time Travel is Impossible, at Least for Humans ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Glad people liked the description of Iruka, that was not an easy thing to come up with.

 

Chapter 7

 

Iruka smiled softly as he stared up at the stars, Kakashi's head pillowed on his stomach. Naruto and Sasuke were already asleep in their tent and Itachi had wandered off a while ago. It was nice having time together, just the five of them away from Konoha even if he had had to use the famous doe eyes on Sandaime, the poor man had caved in minutes and given them all the time off. They only had three days but it was better than nothing especially since lately either Itachi or Kakashi were off on missions, often at the same time leaving Iruka with the kids. Not that he minded watching the two he just missed the others when they were away. He chuckled softly, who would have thought he'd miss Itachi, if anyone had told him that in the future he would have escorted them straight to the mental ward of the hospital.

 

“Hmmmm?” Iruka looked down at Kakashi who had his eye sleepily cracked open.

 

“Shhh.” He soothed, running his fingers through the silver mop.

 

“Where's Tachi?” He mumbled, moving to get more comfortable.

 

“Wandering around, I think he's thankful for the solitude. Go back to sleep love, I've got watch.” Just because they weren't on a mission didn't mean they could relax something like taking watch.

 

“Wake me for mine.” With that Kakashi was asleep again.

 

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“Surprise.” Kakashi chuckled as Iruka's hands went over his eyes.

 

“You're in a good mood.”

 

“Guess I am. Itachi took the kids scouting so it's just us for a while.”

 

“Training while on vacation, sounds like him.” Kakashi said, relaxing back against Iruka. Despite the fact that he was taller he knew that Iruka was physically stronger even though he hid it so he felt completely safe letting the other man take his weight.

“Want to swim?” He asked, indicating the small lake.

 

“Only if you join me.” Iruka answered, nuzzling his neck softly. Kakashi nodded and they stripped off before diving in. they swam around, splashing each other playfully and just having a good time until Sasuke came to call them for dinner. Itachi shot them a knowing look when they showed up flushed and soaking wet but didn't say anything. Not that they had done what he was thinking, yes they kissed and touched a bit but other than that they'd just played water games for the fun of it. They had to return to the village tomorrow and then Kakashi was leaving on a month long mission the day after but for now they could sit around the campfire and be the odd little family they were.

 

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“Welcome back.” Kakashi forced his eye open to see a pale Iruka sitting beside his bed.

 

“Ru..ka.”

 

“Don't try to talk yet. Your throat will be a bit raw feeling from the tube they had to put in.” Iruka reached out with a shaky hand to grasp his. Kakashi squeezed back.

“I thought I'd lost you for a moment.” He admitted softly, unshed tears shining in his eyes.

 

Iruka fought back the tears as Kakashi slipped back into sleep. When Sandaime had summoned him and with Kakashi late he had feared the worst. It had been a relief to see him pale, badly injured and comatose but still breathing. Things were changing drastically now, this had not happened in the original timeline. Then again his own serious poisoning hadn't either. He could only hope the changes were for the better. With the extra training and a more stable environment to help him grow Naruto would pass the genin exam next year so would Mizuki still try to steal the scroll? He'd been keeping an eye on his one-time friend and had forced himself not to change his behaviour towards him, not wanting to tip him off that he knew something. He'd been watching Kabuto too, as much as he could at least. The boy was good, if he didn't know where his true loyalties lay he would think him to be nothing but a loyal Konoha nin.

 

Iruka stood bending to place a gentle kiss on Kakashi's forehead before leaving the room. He needed to start doing more and the first thing to do was to make sure Kabuto would not be able to interfere.

 

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Sarutobi stared at the report in front of him in deep thought. Three genin dead on a routine c-rank mission that should not have been difficult for the experienced group. Shinobi died on missions, it was a fact of life, but something about these three… then there was Iruka. Something had changed in the young chuunin these last few years thought he didn't know exactly what. It had started that day in his office where Iruka had stared at him as if seeing a ghost, then his helping Itachi during the Uchiha mess, his increased training… there was an age to him that hadn't been there before as if he had been through a war and lost everything only to get a second chance. Something had happened, something Iruka spoke to no one of and that worried him, Iruka was one of the most open and honest people he knew but now he had secrets, Sarutobi could see it in his eyes. He knew, prayed, in his heart that Iruka would always be loyal to Konoha but what if…he shook his head. He had known the young man from childhood, had comforted and helped him grow after first discovering his heritage and then losing his parents. Iruka would never betray him or the small family he had created for himself. Sarutobi chuckled at that thought. Who would have ever imagined Hatake Kakashi playing a second father figure to those three boys? And yet he seemed to be doing so and succeeding which gave him an idea for one of next year's genin teams…but who to have as the third?

 

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Kakashi smiled as he watched Iruka fuss about him, making sure he was completely comfortable. He had finally been released from hospital that morning and Iruka had insisted he stay at his small home where he could care for him easily. After all the hospital had only agreed to discharge him if someone would be around most of the time. It wasn't like he was going to complain about being here; he'd rather be in Iruka's care than anyone else's.

 

“Are you comfortable enough? Do you want anything?” Kakashi snagged Iruka's hand and pulled him down though he knew Iruka was letting him.

 

“I'm fine, just sit with me?” Iruka smiled and made himself comfortable on the bed beside him. Kakashi wiggled a bit so that he was using Iruka as his pillow, earning a chuckle but tanned fingers automatically moved to stroke through his hair and Kakashi sighed in contentment.

 

“Are you sure you're not part cat?” Iruka teased and Kakashi grinned.

 

“Positive, I don't like cats.” Iruka grinned as the other man all put purred under his fingers. For someone who didn't like small felines he certainly acted like one! E kept up the gentle motions until Kakashi fell asleep and then slipped from the bed to pace the living room. To his surprise he was having second thoughts about the event he had caused last week. Yes they were traitors and spies but they were also still children. What if they could have been brought back from Orochimaru's side? He shook his head, he couldn't afford to second-guess himself this way or he'd find himself unable to act when it really mattered. He would do whatever it took to protect Konoha and his family.

 

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Kakashi lay gasping for air on the ground; trying to breath through the blood he could feel filling his lungs. He managed to turn his head enough to see Sasuke sprawled lifelessly over the dead body of his brother. At least the boy had fulfilled his wish before dieing, Itachi had fallen first. Kakashi coughed, blood splattering his chest as he shakily pushed himself upright. He was dead and he knew it but he had to get to Naruto, had to help him. He forced himself not to look at what was left of his beloved village, a village that had seemed so dull these last few years, ever since he had died. He staggered, half collapsing against a wall and coughed more blood up. He couldn't let them get Kyuubi, he had to help Naruto. They had grown too complacent after Orochimaru's death and Sounds destruction. Akatsuki had been quiet and so they had relaxed, a fatal mistake. The sounds of battle had all but died and he was not idealistic enough to believe the good guys had won, not when he was tripping of the bodies of those he once called friends and comrades. Konoha was finished, he knew it just like he knew he would soon be joining Iruka, Obito, Rin, his father and all the others he had lost over the years.

 

He stumbled into a relatively clear area only to stare in horror at the sight of Tsunade and Jiraiya, though it took him a few seconds to recognise them. Sakura was hunched over the body of her mentor, trying futilely to heal the older woman. But of Naruto there was no sign.

 

“Sak…” He trailed off into another bloody coughing fit, feeling his legs give out only to be caught and lowered to the ground. Pained green eyes stared down at him even as the young woman poured what was left of her chakra into his wounds but she was exhausted and injured herself.

“Naruto.” She shook her head.

 

“They took him. I'm sorry, I tried but I couldn't stop them.” He raised a blood soaked glove and touched her face.

 

“Not…fault.” Breathing was becoming more and more difficult.

“Run……live.” He began choking, Sakura trying everything but his vision was fading.

“Iruka.” He whispered as his vision went black and the choking finally stopped.

 

Sakura stared down at the body of her one time sensei and finally cried, cried for all her lost friends and for herself. She collapsed on his still chest, sobbing and clutching at his vest for several minutes before forcing herself to her feet and dragging his body over to the two dead sannin. She didn't have enough chakra to start a fire so she searched for something to use as an accelerant. She knew she'd have to do the same for a lot of people but these three would be first and separate to the others. Maybe it would be easiest to just burn the whole village down, all civilian survivors were long gone after all. She ransacked the buildings for supplies before spreading every flammable fluid she could fine through the streets. Without anyone around to try to put out the fire it would eventually spread through the village even without her help but she wanted to be sure. She sobbed again as she found Sasuke, face down over his brother. She touched his hair gently for a second before forcing herself to move on, he was long dead so there was nothing she could do for him except make sure no one would ever get their hands on the sharingan.

 

Sakura stood on top of the Hokage monument watching as the fire slowly spread through what remained of Konoha before shouldering her pack and staggering away. She would do as Kakashi had wished, she would run and she would live. As long as she lived a part of Konoha, a part of her loved ones, would survive.

 

TBC…

That is the last we will see of the future group since they are all pretty much dead. Poor Kakashi though since he won't be seeing Iruka again seeing as he isn't dead.