Sakura watched as the love of her life prepared to leave the village and her, all in the search for power. Power to kill his own brother with. Sakura understood, she really did. His brother slaughtered his clan, he needed revenge, she accepted that, but her aching heart told her otherwise, it told her she wanted him to stay.

"I love you with all my heart! I promise if you stay ill make each and every day happy. I'll do whatever it takes, I'll even help you get your revenge, but please… don't leave! And if you have too then... Take me with you! I love you so much!"

He looked at her with those cold obsidian orbs, annoyed at her now as he turned around " Che. You really are annoying Sakura…"

Sakura felt her heart crack with his words. "That's it? That's all you're going to say to me?" He snorted in annoyance, tone harsh as she snapped back at her. She was holding him up now, and he needed to get gone before anyone realized that he was ditching the village. "You expected more? You thought that would make me stay? Pitiful...

He turned to leave once again, and THAT did it, and in a angry tone, filled with hurt and pain, she called out once more.

"If you leave I'll scream! I'll alert the whole village!"

He was behind her in an instant, and her green eyes widened. She felt the hot sticky tears make tracks down her face as she felt the cold wind that night blow through her hair... and vanished in a poof of smoke, as he chopped her on the neck, reappearing behind him now, and holding a kunai to his throat, her tone venomous now as the sharp blade drew a trickle of blood from his throat, making him wince slightly in pain as she spoke. "How did you get-

But she ignored him, her heart bleeding from the pain his words had caused her. But she STILL loved him, despite the venom in her voice "Well, if I'm so damn annoying Sasuke-kun, Then why do I have you trapped now?"

Then he surprised her by reappearing behind her, and he spoke two words.

They stood their in silence for a moment before she heard a soft "thank you", and she realized what was about to happen.

But THIS time something changed. Before he could render her unconscious, as he intended too, a familiar voice echoed his, sounding none too happy, as a swirl of RED chakra passed by the corner of his eyes.

"No. Thank YOU Sasuke. It looks like I was right to follow Sakura-chan after all. AND it looks like I'm just in time. You were going to leave the village, weren't you?"

The Uchiha stiffened as he felt a dark and sinister chakra flare into life behind him. 'What's this pressure? Its not Naruto's...

But instead, he smirked, knwoing he could take the loser, despite the fact that their earlier battle had ended in a draw. "So what if I am? You can't stop me. You're nothing but a low class loser." He heard a dark chuckle at that, and Naruto now sounded more feral as the unseen blond spoke. "Oh? A loser eh?" Why don't you turn around and take a good long look at this LOSER?"

Annoyed, Sasuke did so, slowly turning his head to look over his shoulder, as did Sakura, and both of them gasped at whay they saw. Naruto's was less than a foot away from Sasuke, and his now greenslitted eyes were boring into Sasuke's own, his tone murderous as he crossed his arms over his chest, revealing his clawed hands as he smirked at the Uchiha, his blond hair seemingly longer now, and sticking straight up in his rage. "You aren't going anywhere Sasuke. You're staying right-

He faded out of view, and now reappeared between Sakura and Sasuke, placing himself between them, as he grabbed his rival by the scruff of his neck. "Right here." Sasuke snarled angrily at him, remembering how rapidly Naruto had progressed of late, and his anger took the form of his fist smashing into the face of his rival, as his curse mark flared up, the flame marks covering one half of his face and arm.

Naruto didn't even flinch as he took the blow full force, Sasuke's fist smashing right into his nose. And an instant later, he responded in kind, as he smashed his free hand int his former friend's face, getting a loud crack as he broke Sasuke's nose, ignoring Sakura's startled shriek. "Was that it teme? I didn't even feel a thing. But it looks like you did."

Sakura didn't like this Naruto one bit, and she shook him by the shoulders as he went to punch Sasuke again. "Naruto stop! Don't hurt him! Please stop it!"

Her words stirred something in him, but then he heard the dark words of the Kyuubi in his mind.

"Don't listen to her kit. He DESERVES every manner of torture for the way he's treated you as of late. And as for the wench, you know as well as I that she is no better than him. She'll steal your heart and throw it in a meat grinder the first chance she gets. Remember all the times she's stomped on you. Let that be your power...

Normally, Naruto would have told the Demon Lord to stuff it. But right here, right now, he welcomed the aggression, and Sakura's pleas fell on deaf ears. 'You're right. She doesn't care about me. Only her precious 'Sasuke-kun!'

Angry now, he looked back over his shoulder, and glared at her tone venemous, as the Kyuubi stirred up the emotions of anger and dejection Sakura had given him, amplifying them an hundred fold, into extreme rage and jealousy. "You stay out of this. Why should I listen to you? You have no right to order ME around." He laughed as Sakura's eyes widened in fear, enjoying the power he had over his host now. "That's right pinkie. I'm not taking any more orders from you! So just shut your trap!"

He unclenched his fist, and prepared to bring it around at Sasuke again, but instead he halted, and smirked as Kakashi appeared next to him in a swirl of leaves, having been asked by Naruto to come with him as he followed Sakura. And he looked none too happy with Sasuke as he saw his student held firmly by Naruto. Sadly, he ran a gloved hand through his grey hair. He knew Sasuek was frustrated with Naruto and the reappearance of his brother, but he had no IDEA that he would end up going so far as to try and leave the village.

'Sasuke. You really are hell bent on killing Itachi..."He tried to leave didn't he?" Naruto sighed in resignation, now his eyes were blue again, and he had no trace of his former feral appearance. "He TRIED sensei. But Sakura stalled him long enough, and since I was tailing her, I decided to intervene before he could escape."

Needless to say, Kakashi was surprised at the seriousness of his student, having expected a more goofy response, not something that sounded so...mature. 'Naruto. Something's up with him... Not that I blame him, what with the whole thing with Sakura and Sasuke going south like this...

But he decided to put it on hold for later, and reached down, to give Sasuke a quick chop to the neck, effectively rendering him unconscious as he attempted to struggle and break free. "Good job Naruto. Thanks for giving me a heads up." Then an idea popped into his head, and he knew EXACTLY what would cheer the dejected blond up. "I tell you what. Since you stopped Sasuke from leaving...How about we give the chidori another try? Hmm?"

THAT got the desired effect, and the Jonin smiled underneath his mask as Naruto's face blanked, then he sprang up pumping his fist into the air as he jumped, getting several inches into the air, his sadness forgotten now in the wake of the good news. "Really?! That's awesome! Thanks sensei! This time I'll get if for SURE! Believe it!"

The Copycat smiled as he slung the KO'ed Sasuke over one shoulder, while now reaching down with the other hand to ruffle the blond hair of the Uzumaki. "I'm sure you will. Now I want you to go home and rest up. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." In response, he received an energetic salute, and Naruto surprised him yet again by vanishing in a swirl of leaves. "Okay sensei! See ya tomorrow!"

He surpressed a chuckle as his energetic student faded from view, but that chuckle died and withered away, like a plant in the hot desert sun, as he turned his gaze upon Sakura, tone dry and harsh as well. "And as for you Sakura. You offered to aid and bet a potnetial missing nin. Lady Tsunade won't be very happy about that. You may very well be stripped of your ninja rank. The council will want to see you immediately. Let's go."

Sakura visibly paled, and gulped as Kakashi grabbed ger wrist firmly and pulled her along behind him. She had acted without thinking, and she was going to pay for it now. She had allowed her emotions to get the best of her, and now she was in a heap of trouble...

--

Kakashi sighed in exasperation as he left the council chambers. This didn't look good. Sakura HAD been stripped of her ninja rank, for offering to aid Sasuke, and Sasuke was being imprisoned indefinitely for attempting to go to Orochimaru. That left just him and Naruto. Team 7 was done for...

Then a God sent idea popped into his head, just as Gai appeared in front of him, ready to challenge him to another one of their ridiculous challenges, despite the late hour of the night. 'That just might work..."AHA! I finally found you Kakashi! Now-

He adopted a confused look as Kakashi held up a hand, stopping his words cold. "Hold it Gai. I have a favor to ask of you...

"Hm? What is it Kakashi?"

The Jonin sighed as he ran a hand through his grey hair yet again. "I want to put Naruto on your team until Lee gets better." Gai was even MORE confused by this. "Huh? Why do you want him on my team? Not that I don't want to train him mind you, its just that isn't he already-

Kakashi was deadpanned as he gave Gai the low down on Sakura and Sasuke, causing his youthful friend to become serious for once. "Ah I see. He's going to be lonely all by himself. And with you being a Jonin-

"Precisely. I can't be there for him all the time. He needs to be on a team, and your's might be the best one for him. He's already on good terms with Neji after the Chunin Exams, and I'm sure Tenten won't mind. Will she?" At this Gai shook his head, a knowing smile forming on his face as he did so. "No. I don't think she'll mind that one bit...

"But after Lee recovers?"

"I'm not sure what I'll do then with him then. I'll just cross that bridge when I come to it...

Gai gave Kakashi a salute at this, elbowing him in the ribs a second later as he did so. "Cheer up! He'll be fine! Now, what's the challenge going to be this time?"

Kakashi closed his eyes as he thought of something. "Oh I don't know. How about an arm wrestling match?"

Gai pumped a fist into the air, drawing an amused chuckle from his rival. "ALL RIGHT THEN! ARM WRESTLING IT IS!"

Kakashi nodded as he pulled up a table from out of nowhere, whilst they got ready."Just don't take too long to lose. My girlfriend's waiting for me at home."

Gai did a jaw drop at this. "WHAT?! Since when did you get a-

Kakashi flashed him the peace sign now, amusement evident in his voice as he spoke, closing his visible eye in a smile as he did so. "I've been dating Anko for at least a month. I thought you would have noticed by now."

Cue a sweatdrop from Gai. "I really am out of the loop."

Kakashi snorted competitively as he locked his arm on the table, grabbing his rival's hand as they got ready, drawing a crowd of villagers as they started. "Indeed you are my friend. Now prepare to lose!"