A New Life

Chapter 1

Iruka opened his eyes to see a burning bright light. Looking around the noticable white room he realized that he was back in Konoha. The chunin's head hurt, as well as his body, but his head the most. Memories from his kidnapping  wanted to escape but they seemed to have been locked away, preventing him from remembering. He looked to his left arm which had an IV, and judging by the fog in his brain it carried some pretty strong painkillers. He must have made some sudden movement because he felt the feeling of someone squeezing his right hand.

Turning to his right Iruka took a while to find a silver head shinobi sitting in the chair next to his bed. "Hey," Iruka said, in a very weak voice. His throat felt raw, like a pile of sandpaper rubbing against the walls of his throat.

Kakashi lifted his tired head from the bed and looked up to the voice's owner. He found himself staring into bright brown pearls and smiled "Hey."

The chunin stared at Kakashi for a long time trying to gain some consciousness that he was home; however, there was some tension that he hadn't even known he'd held inside his chest. Kakashi recognized his hesitance by the shiver of Iruka's hands, it was obvious that whatever happened in that hell hurt Iruka to the point the chunin couldn't help but want to cry. The jonin squeezed his lovers' hand, "How are you feeling?"

Iruka tried to sit up, "Hurts." he quietly spoke, looking deep into Kakashi's eyes. He was able to feel his left hand move, but he wasn't sure whether to hold Kakashi's face or pull him in for a deep, passionate kiss.

Wasn't long until their small moment was about to be ruined.

"IRUKA SENSEI!!" a rambunctious voice yelled; entering his room, it was none other than Naruto Uzumaki.

"Oh Naruto, how are you doing?" asked the Sensei, as the worried teen hugged him, pushing Kakashi away.

"Oi Naruto, stop crying you're 19 years old, you're not a baby anymore." Kakashi sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he glared at the young shinobi. Naruto just stuck his tongue at his teacher when a pink haired girl smacked the top of his head.

"Naruto stop playing around!" she yelled, "Sorry about that Iruka Sensei, I promise that won't happen again"

"Heh. . . it's okay Sakura he was just worried about me." Iruka said with a nervous laugh.

Sakura smiled at her sensei, happy to find he was well when the door to the room opened, "Sasuke!" she yelled, running up to the young Uchiha, wrapping her arms around his neck and landing a kiss on the ninja's lips. Iruka jumped a little in surprise.

"Um . . .I see you guys are together?" he said.

They both nodded, Iruka was so confused the last he saw them they weren't even close to talking, how long was he really gone?

"Well Iruka you seem to be healing very quickly, I'd say you can leave by this afternoon." Tsunade said, as she entered the room

'Wait, that's it just a simple check up, no questions, no reports, and why can't I remember!'  Iruka's thoughts went wild, his memories were completely shut closed fear grew in him again wanting to know what happened to him, "Wait!" he yelled, getting everyone's attention.

"Um . . . I need to know what happened to me! Where was I, how long was I gone for!" he yelled.

Every one looked surprised as if he said something that was important, "You mean, you don't remember?" Kakashi asked, all Iruka did was nod. Kakashi sighed, ruffling his silver hair with one hand, and gripping Iruka's hand with the other. Iruka felt a shiver down his spine. "Maybe it's better that way."

Iruka shook his head, he wanted to know the answers, Kakashi sighed with a slight nod, "We don't know what really happened you see." he started, a bit hesitant of having to repeat the story, "You and two other chunin were going on a mission to deliver a message to the Sand village, remember?" 

Iruka looked up for a while, nodding his head in assurance, "Yes, I remember the two chunin. One was from the Aburame clan, and the other was Akimichi. We were going to give the Sand village their answer for the weapon's trade . . . but after that I don't really know what happened." he said, finding himself at a blank.

Kakashi was glad he remembered about the mission and continued, "Yes you were but for some reason your team hadn't returned for a week and well we went into investigation. We found the two chunin in a ditch, left for dead. They were under critical care when we brought them back but we never found you. You have been gone . . . for six months." he finished

Iruka's eyes widened, fear crept to his soul, 'Six months, but that can't be true I remember just being with those two for only three days! Then I headed out for the first look out, after that I went to sleep . . . right?' Iruka's brain finally snapped the pain came back. How could he not remember any of this?

"It didn't take us long to get the one of the chunin to be stable only to tell us that you were taken by Orochimaru. For what we know from the notes we found he might've want you for hostage, or your clan blood. It didn't look good when we got there, I thought we were to late but we found you when you were at your weakest. But you still held on, and you're here now." Kakashi finished, kissing Iruka's forehead with his mask still on.

Iruka looked up at Kakashi, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was taken . . . and he couldn't remember any of it but his body seemed to remember the pain he had gone through. A slight whimper suddenly escaped from his lips, he quickly reached his hands up to his mouth, trying to control his sudden outburst, but it didn't take long for him to finally brake down, tears falling down his cheeks. How could he not remember, what had been done to him? It scared him to the pit of his heart. Kakashi sat on the chunin's bed holding Iruka to his chest feeling his love breathing hard needing the comfort that he hadn't had for a long time. 

"Iruka, it's okay. You're here and safe. I'm here with you, we're together." Iruka looked up at Kakashi and cried out for the jonin, calling his name over and over again. Kakashi gestured to the others who stayed in the room to leave and they did. 

Iruka held Kakashi close wanting the jonin to hold him tighter. Kakashi laid back against the bed sitting up and lying Iruka on top of his chest. Removing his mask to kiss the chunin's forehead. "It's okay Iruka, I'm here, and I promise that this will never happen again."

The chunin nodded listening to Kakashi's heart beat, rhythm with his humming each time as he drifted into a deep slumber.