Shadow (Naruto)

Chapter Eighteen

~Mira's POV~

After a few days in the hospital I was able to get out of bed and walk on my own, but because I hadn't replenished my chakra Kakashi wanted me to stay longer. He visited me daily, he was busy with missions now that Lady Tsunade had become The Fifth Hokage. Even though I'd confessed to him in my delirious state after being revived, he wasn't acting any differently. I deduced that he assumed I meant 'I love you' in the same way I said it when I was a child and couldn't help but feel slightly dejected by this fact.

Naruto visited me daily bringing me ramen, snacks and various things he thought would make me feel better. I sensed an uncertainty within him whenever he was in my presence, like he had questions but was hesitant to ask them.

"Mira?" Kakashi's voice snapped me out of my daze. "How are you feeling?"

"Bored." I grumbled, "When can I leave?"

"Hopefully soon." There was a smile in his voice, "I miss your homecooked meals."

A faint blush spread across my cheeks at this, I couldn't contain my grin. He missed my cooking! That's close enough to him saying he missed me. My smile faltered as I sensed Naruto's emotions. He was upset and somewhere nearby. After the incident with Itachi my senses were a little off.

Something was wrong. Naruto was conflicted, he felt anger, sadness and hurt. He was somewhere above me with Sasuke. What was going on? I threw back the covers and leapt out of my hospital bed.

"Mira?" Kakashi threw me a worried look.

"Roof, now!" Was all I managed to yell before taking off. In my weakened state, I wasn't nearly as fast as usual and Kakashi was able to match my pace with little effort.

We made it to the roof in time to see Sasuke and Naruto at each other's throats, Sasuke was using chidori and Naruto was using a jutsu I hadn't seen in a very long time, Rasengan. Sakura was running toward them, she'd get caught in the blast if she got between them. Kakashi leapt into action halting the boys' attacks as I bolted forward and caught Sakura in my arms keeping her from harm's way.

Sakura sobbed in my arms, clearly distressed by Sasuke and Naruto's actions. They could have killed each other with those attacks!

I slept for nearly two days after the incident on the roof and when I woke I felt like my chakra had been replenished and though still felt a little slower and weaker than usual, I felt more like myself. My stomach churned uneasily and I felt a piercing pain in my chest, something was wrong with Naruto, his heart hurt, like it was being broken. I couldn't sense where he was and his pain was crippling. Without a second thought, I leapt from hospital window softening my landing by bending my knees and diving into a roll across the grass.

My body was still achy, but I pushed back my discomfort, Naruto was in trouble. Not caring that I was barefoot, I sprinted toward the front gate and faltered as I saw Kakashi at the gate's entrance and watched him summon all of his ninken. He gave them an order and all the dogs took off. Sakura was standing at the gate with tears in her eyes. Kakashi straightened up as he sensed my presence. My weakened state made it harder for me to mask my presence.

He looked like he was about to protest my being here, "Mira-."

"I'd like to see you try and stop me." I shot causing Sakura to jump and turn to me.