Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Running Home ❯ Chapter 18 ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Sorry about the wait but I have just started a job so I have less time to write now.

Thank you for all the suggestions for the Marauder name of Harry's form.

 

Chapter 18

 

 

Tsunade fairly flew into the hospital room Kakashi had been admitted to, feeling a sense of utter relief at seeing the returned team whole and healthy. Her eyes went to the bed where Kakashi was lying, apparently asleep.

 

“We sedated him for the trip Hokage-sama, he's still not fully recovered…mentally. Hiro and I agreed that it would be easier for him if he slept through it.” Sakura informed her as she moved to give the jounin a quick check.

 

“Mentally?” She questioned sharply and Hiro shot her a mild glare.

 

“Well he was brutally tortured, give him a break.” The teen snapped, Iruka laying a calming hand on tense shoulders. The boy slowly settled under his cousins' gentle touch.

 

“How badly?” Tsunade asked almost hesitantly.

 

“I was surprised he was still alive when they brought him in Tsunade-sama.” Sakura answered.

“If it hadn't been for Hiro's peoples magical healing then he probably would have never walked again.”

 

“And now?”

 

“Physically he is healed except for lingering weakness. Mentally he still has a some way to go.”

 

“He didn't think we were real.” Iruka added quietly.

 

“Was anyone else injured?” Multiple head shakes answered her.

“Then go home, Sakura and Hiro stay.” Iruka opened his mouth but she cut him off.

“All of you need to unwind, you can come back in no less than six hours to see him but I don't want to hear or see anything of you before then. Go!”

 

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Hiro blinked in surprise before removing his shoes and coat and moving further into the house. Gai and his team were scattered around the living room and Iruka was just emerging from the kitchen with a tray of teacups. Neji and Tenten shifted on the couch to give him room to collapse wearily in between them before he accepted the teacup from his cousin.

 

“Well?” Iruka asked nervously.

 

“Took us four hours but Tsunade-sama finally agreed that we can bring him here to finish his recovery in the morning. She wants to give him a full exam first though.” Hiro told them with a small smile and Iruka finally relaxed, Kakashi would be home where he belonged soon.

 

“What will happen once word gets out of his condition? I don't mean to insult either of you but if rumour spread beyond the village then his enemies will come for him.” Neji pointed out logically.

 

“I'm going to put up what wards I can around the house but I haven't gotten far in that discipline. The most they'll do is give us some warning and slow any attacker down a bit. But someone is going to have to stay here all the time to help him and protect him if it becomes necessary. I know I'm no match for most shinobi but I can at least hold them off till help arrives.”

 

“But it is unfair to expect you to stay here until he is healed and Iruka-sensei needs to get back to his class.” Tenten added.

“What if we made a roster and all took turns? We don't need the whole team for D-rank missions after all but maybe Hiro could take whoever is watching's place on the team to continue his training.”

 

“What an excellent idea my youthful student! We shall take turns watching over my esteemed rival until he is well again!” Hiro hid a small smile behind his cup at Gai's over the top attitude while the others just tried to ignore him, except for Lee of course who was now hugging him. Hiro shook his head, maybe one day he would work out where that freaky sunset came from.

 

“You guys might as well stay for dinner and before you cans ay anything Iruka, I'm cooking. No arguments.” The way Hiroshi handled his cousin earnt a few amused smiles as the teen dragged himself into the kitchen to begin. Agitated hissing made him look down and he smiled at his reptilian familiar, running his fingers gently across her scales.

 

$We brought him home Ves, now all he needs to do is heal.$ He hissed softly to hear, not wanting to be heard by the shinobi in the next room since only Iruka and Neji knew of his ability.

 

“$You will help him heal.$ She hissed in confidence of his abilities, making Hiro smile as he turned to begin dinner.

 

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Shizune jerked out of the light doze she had fallen into at the sound of a low whimper. Her eyes went to the clock, one am right on when Hiroshi had said the ju…spell would wear off. She stood and moved closer to the bed so that he would be able to see her in the low light. Luckily his chakra was still incredibly low so that even if he woke fighting she would be able to restrain him. Both Sakura and Hiroshi had been adamant that he not be restrained to the bed for the sake of his mental stability, which wasn't very good at this point anyway.

 

“Kakashi-san can you hear me? You're in the Konoha hospital now. Just relax and try to sleep. Tsunade-sama will be here in the morning to give you an examination and then you're going to stay with Iruka-sensei and Hiroshi until you're better.” She smiled as a hazy eye slowly blinked open. Kakashi stared wildly around the room, his breathing becoming more and more erratic.

“Kakashi look at me, it's Shizune. It's okay you're safe.” She rested a hand against his check, gently turning his head so that he would look at her, smiling softly at him so that hopefully he would calm down.

 

“No, no, no, no.” He struggled but he was still too weak to really do anything.

 

“Kakashi-san please, you'll hurt yourself.” Remembering what Sakura had said Shizune quickly sent some healing chakra through his system gently and he stiffened before ever so slowly relaxing and started to focus on her.

“That's it. Good to see you.” He blinked slowly, brow furrowed.

 

“Shizune?” He whispered and she nodded, reaching for a glass of water she held it to his lips so he could drink.

“Ruka?” He looked around, trying to see him.

 

“It's okay. Tsunade-sama sent him home to rest for the night, he'll be back in the morning to take you home with him and Hiro. You're going to stay with them.”

 

“Stay with Ruka?” She could see the small smile beneath his mask even as his eye drifted shut again in sleep. She sat back with a sigh, relieved that she had managed to calm him without having to resort to drugs or physical restraints.

 

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Hiro stumbled out of his bedroom only half an hour after sunrise to find Iruka sitting at the kitchen table hunched over a cup of coffee that was cold enough to no longer be steaming even in the chilly morning air.

 

“Do I want to know how long you've been up? The Hokage sent us home to sleep Iruka.” Hiro frowned as his cousin jumped since he had been moving quite noisily.

“Did you sleep at all?”

 

“A little, I think. What time is it?”

 

“About half five. Go grab a shower, I'll start breakfast. Then how about we bring him home?” Iruka gave him a tired smile and headed for the bathroom. Hiro set up a quick breakfast and then moved through the house, making it safe for someone who wasn't fully in touch with reality at all times. So all the weapons were hidden as were any explosive tags and poisons. But they were left in areas where he could summon them from and Iruka knew just in case of attack. And Hiro was realistic enough, not to mention he had enough experience with the fickleness of luck, to know that eventually an attack on Kakashi would come. Sooner or later word of his condition and the fact that his protection consisted of a chuunin and a civilian would leak out and his many enemies would move to kill him. And when that time came he would fight to protect his friend, his cousins' lover. Kakashi's captivity had proved one thing, shinobi were very vulnerable to magic as long as you could hit them. Given time they could throw off the lower level spells, but the higher? He smiled slightly, the higher spells would work all he add to do was work on increasing his repertoire. No one was getting their hands on Kakashi as long as he breathed.

 

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Tsunade finally stepped back from the bed as she finished her exam. Physically Kakashi was fine except for the lingering weakness but mentally…that was a whole different story. And the closest they had to someone qualified to deal with it was a sixteen-year-old half-trained wizard. She knew the teen would do his best, he had proven that he would do whatever it took to protect those he cared about. But would it be enough? Unfortunately he was all they really had, Ibiki's people knew how to break minds, not heal them and a psychiatrist wasn't going to fix this. They simply didn't know enough about the workings of the human brain to deal with this. That was the reason she finally gave in and agreed to Kakashi being moved into the Umino home, though the fact that Iruka's presence soothed Kakashi had helped. The wary, almost wild look in Kakashi's eye had just reinforced her decision, he needed to be with people who made him feel safe or he would never recover. And if she knew those two…

 

Tsunade turned as the door opened slowly to reveal the two Umino's. She smiled and shook her head, it was barely past six in the morning and they were already here to collect him. Her smile widened as she saw Kakashi perk up a little as he noticed them.

 

“Ruka?” Kakashi called and the chuunin was by his side in a second, holding his hand.

 

“Hey Kashi, we're here to take you home.” Iruka told him, letting a little bit of his chakra flow between them and Kakashi relaxed, smiling slightly behind his mask.

“Can he go yet?”

 

“Just sign the papers and he's all yours. I want a weekly exam though and there are some exercises for him to rebuild his strength.” Iruka signed as quickly as he could while Hiro gathered up the instructions for his care. Iruka wrapped Kakashi in the sheet before lifting him gently into his arms. Hiro gripped his upper arm and with a small pop they vanished from the room.

 

TBC…