The mission was awful, and Naruto took the loss pretty badly. He hadn't been himself the whole way home. Kakashi had kept a close eye on the boy but Sasuke and Sakura's treatment of him didn't help matters, if he did anything in their general vicinity they'd verbally abuse him and he would go further into himself. It broke his heart to watch it, and he wasn't entirely sure he could watch it for much longer, if they didn't warm up to him soon Kakashi could see himself snapping at the arrogant Uchiha and childish konoichi. He wanted to watch over Sasuke, for Itachi's sake, the Itachi he knew and worked with, the one he trusted but it had been two years and the boy just couldn't help but bully Naruto on a daily basis. And Naruto meant more to Kakashi than anyone else. He'd lost a lot in his life and if he saw Naruto's light dull any further he wasn't entirely sure he could stand to stay in the village much longer. Too many times to count has he began getting ready to take Naruto and run from the torture the boy is going through. But it's Naruto that stops that, his faith that people will accept him once he has earned it. His determination to protect the village that hurt him, he couldn't see Naruto leaving easily if he came to him with the plan.

"How long until we reach home?" Naruto asked his voice void of emotion. Sakura whirled on him and smacked his back and he tensed face scrunching up in pain as she hit the wound on his back with full force

"Sasuke is hurt and needs to take it easy Naruto! Stop being s-"

"Enough, Sakura!" Kakashi barked and she tensed looking behind her with wide eyes. She looked worried and a little scared "Naruto is hurt too! He only asked a question" she turned to look at Naruto her expression looked to be as though she didn't believe that but she gasped when she saw the blood soaking through Naruto's orange jacket.

"When did that happen?" Sasuke asked limping closer

"Doesn't matter" Naruto shrugged and walked on ahead. Kakashi sighed and the two children looked up at him with concern

"He got it when he was protecting you while you were moving Sasuke out the way" Kakashi told Sakura plainly and gestured that they walked on. He caught up to Naruto

"It'll take about half a day" he informed him "we'll take a break in a little bit, I'll see to your back then"

"It's no big deal" he shrugged and kept on walking ahead.

Three hours later sat in some shade Kakashi saw Naruto's mood hadn't lifted at all. It had been silent since Sakura had opened up his wounds and she was looking a little paler than usual. Naruto sat away from the group as he picked at his food.

"Why didn't he say he was hurt?" Sakura asked softly and Kakashi wanted to pummel them both when Sasuke shrugged

"He shouldn't need to. If you worked as a team you would have noticed" Kakashi stated trying to keep his calm "and when he has asked for help in the past..." he trailed off and shrugged

"He hasn't asked for help" Sakura frowned and waved at him dismissively "he charges off without us all the time and Sasuke is the one that has to-"

The glare Kakashi had given her cut her off and she curled in on herself.

"He has, in fact asked for help multiple times you tell him to shut up and go away. So for over a year now he has never tried" Kakashi sighed and Sasuke frowned looking just as confused "I passed you because I thought you understood teamwork. But clearly your prejudices is getting in the way of that" Kakashi stood up and looked between them

"It's not our fault he isn't a team player" Sasuke huffed

"Yeah, he goes off and does his own thing all the time" Sakura pouted

"It is. Everytime he tries you block him out. Push him to the sidelines or just don't acknowledge his efforts. And he ends up hurt mostly so you two don't" Kakashi sighed "I gave it two years. Hoped you would understand that whatever issues you have with a comrad is not important when working. That your revenge or infatuation, doesn't exclude a member of your squad. When we return I am sending you back to the academy" Kakashi announced. He'd had enough, of their treatment of Naruto and the way they refuse to see that they are in the wrong.

"What?!" Sakura cried out

"You can't do that!" Sasuke hissed while Naruto looked up watching the scene unfold

"I guess that makes sense" he nodded and went back to playing with his food

"Oi, dobe!" Sasuke snapped and Naruto flinched "you get that we can't do missions if we go back the the academy, that we stop training with Kakashi?"

Naruto looked at them with dull uncaring eyes

"We failed the mission and Isuzu was tortured and killed because we didn't work. Let's face it our successful missions have only ever even by the skin of our teeth. I'm done" he said

"I am not going to be pushed back because you can't handle the job" Sasuke yelled standing up

"I can handle the job" Naruto argued "I can't handle this team" he stood up himself and looked to Kakashi. "I'm going on ahead. They work well together maybe just send me back" he suggested "they think I'm the problem so" he shrugged and walked off.

Kakashi looked to the remaining members of the team and shook his head. Oh Obito, I was so sure they understood. He thought

"Let's go" he ordered and they followed in silence

Naruto stayed ahead and his jacket was mostly covered in blood now but he had assured Kakashi it had closed up and bandages weren't needed. It was days when Naruto was hurt badly that had Kakashi thankful that Minato had entrusted the Fox to Naruto, it seemed to give him healing abilities that help him survive wounds that others would never. The gates were in view and the other Rookie Nine and team Guy were waving and shouting. Naruto had fallen behind the group now. A lot of the Rookies still teased him and Kakashi thought he likely didn't have the capacity to brush it off today. Kiba, Choji, Shikamaru, Neji and Lee seemed to genuinely like Naruto. The others kept their distance while Ino was still clearly against him.

It was a B rank mission and they had worried before they left so Kakashi wasn't too surprised to see them waiting

"You guys are late!" Kiba yelled

"Did Naruto mess up again?" Ino asked loudly but they all quieted down upon seeing the clearly depressed looks on Sakura and Sasuke's faces.

"What happened to you man?" Kiba asked looking at Sasuke

"Cracked ribs, couple shuriken to the leg" Sasuke shrugged

"Were you saving Naruto's ass again?" Ino asked

"Nah he probably rushed in after Naruto!" Kiba laughed

"That does sound likely" Shino said.

Naruto burst passed the team and ran straight to Shikamaru who looked down at Naruto with more concern on his neutral features than normal as the usual happy ball of energy clung to the Nara who with only a second of delay wrapped his arms around the boy protectively, glaring at the rest of the team. Naruto's shoulders shook violently as he silently cried into the other boys neck. Shikamaru lifted a blood covered hand looked at it for a moment before firmly pressing it back. The group looked at the duo with jaws hanging open, only Choji and Lee seemed to be unsurprised by the scene. Shadows shot out and wrapped around Sasuke and Sakura's necks as the Nara narrowed his eyes with a look that said he was ready to strangle them both.

"Shikamaru!" Ino gasped stepping forward and he turned his glare on her holding Naruto tighter, clearly shielding him fromhrr as he used a new shadow to push her back

"Stay. Away. From. Him!" He said through clenched teeth and looked back to Kakashi with unusual alert eyes.

"What happened?" He demanded

"Shikamaru" Kakashi said calmly. When did they become this close? Kakashi wondered Naruto never went to anybody for help this way, he was convinced nobody would want to deal with him if he was feeling sorry for himself. Perhaps he just reached his limit? But that wouldn't explain Shikamaru's reaction. This is a close friendship, possibly more? Sasuke and Sakura clutched at the shadows as they tightened. His eyes were cold, calculating and Kakashi believed he would kill them both right here.

"What did they do?!" He demanded with more force

"Shikamaru" Naruto's muffled voice came it was thick with his tears and cracking he lifted his hand up without lifting his head. His hand rested on the cheek and immediately the shadows retracted and Shikamaru nodded pressing his cheek to the mess of blonde locks. Sakura and Sasuke collapsed to the floor gasping and choking

"Let's go then" he said softly and before their eyes shadows opened up beneath them and swallowed them whole before also dissapearing. Kakashi blinked at the spot and wondered just when Shikamaru had figured that out.

"What the hell was that?!" Ino yelled

"I would stay away from Shikamaru for a while if I were you Ino" Choji said helping her up

"Yes! And the rest of you too!" Lee yelled

"What just happened?" Tenten asked "is Naruto okay? that was a lot of blood"

"He will be fine" Kakashi assured them. As for what it was he decided that wasn't his place to say. Especially since he wasn't certain it was what he thought, he and Guy had a unusual bond too and even now they were questioned about if they were just friends. Smiling under his mask he finally understood what was keeping Naruto here and it made him very happy to see someone his age cared for him so deeply. If Shikamaru was Naruto's Guy, well then he would be okay. Though he supposed Naruto was more like Guy than Shikamaru. He shrugged dropping the thought and looked to Sasuke and Sakura

"Are you two okay?" Kakashi asked

"I'm fine" Sasuke grunted while Sakura sat on the floor hands to her neck looking a little distraught. She was shaking and tears were falling down her face. Sasuke froze and looked at her

"Sakura?" He asked and she looked at him not blinking

"He... he blamed us" she stammered and Sasuke nodded

"I'm an asshole. I know this. Not sure what your reasonings are for treating Naruto the way you do" he shrugged and Kakashi had to clench his jaw to refrain from hitting the last Uchiha. So he does it on purpose?

"I do-"

"Sakura" Sasuke interrupted harshly and she pressed her lips together in fear "you are and always have been cruel to him. Pretending to be innocent is just disgusting" he stood up putting his hands in his pockets she looked to Lee, who always supported her but even he avoided her gaze "we both have been terrible to him. Face it" Sasuke said and walked into the village. Kakashi sensed some regret from the boy... had it been the talk earlier or the almost death he had received from the hier to the clan of assassins?

Kakashi sighed and helped the girl to her feet.

"Go home. I will report to Lady Hokage"

"Are we really being sent back?" She asked

"We won't risk Naruto's mental state by forcing him to suffer. I should have done it sooner, not when he broke down" Kakashi said

The girl broke out in tears and Ino had ran forward wrapping her arms around the girl and lead her into the village the others silently went on their way

"Choji!" Kakashi called and the Akimichi hier stopped and turned back to Kakashi

"What is it Kakashi Sensei?" He asked

"Are they okay?" He asked

"They will be, Shikamaru will help him and in turn he will calm Shikamaru down. They just need to be left alone" he shrugged

"Good, thank you" he leaped over the gate onto some rooftops. This could be a turning point, could Kakashi try once more with this team? Could Naruto handle it? He had no intention of requesting Naruto go back he had not caused the problem, perhaps put him with another squad? As he travelled over the village he saw in the trees of the forest a dark shroud of shadows and smiled at it. Nara's always were very protective, he was greatful Naruto found someone like Shikamaru he could trust his vulnerability to. Maybe he will be okay down the road after all, Kakashi thought landing at the Hokage's office window.

"Where is the rest of team Seven?" She demanded and Kakashi sighed. She was going to need a new desk after this.

A/N Not sure if I will make another chapter so for the time being I will leave this as 'In Progress'

Hope you Like it!