~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.
Kakashi sighed, "You could have at least put on shoes and grabbed some ninja tools."
"No time, we need to get to him quick." I hesitated, my senses were still off I had no idea what direction he was in, whatever Itachi had done to me had messed with my sense of perception, I could still feel the emotions of those I was connected with on a deeper level, but now I had a hard time pinpointing where they were.
"You can't sense him, can you?" Kakashi asked sounding worried.
"I can't sense anyone right now." I grumbled bitterly feeling helpless. One of the dogs let out a howl, they caught his scent. Biting my thumb until it bled, I drew a paw print in the palm of my hand before clapping my hands together focusing what little of my chakra I had, "Summoning Jutsu!"
"Mira!" Kakashi snapped as a large cat of prey, with soft grey fur, a long fluffy grey tail, piercing jade eyes and razor-sharp claws appeared at my side.
"Now I won't be running barefoot, save the lecture for later please." I huffed as I hopped onto the back of the large cat, "Nyanta-san, follow Kakashi."
Kakashi shook his head but took off without a word.
What happened to you, Mira-chan? Nyanta's voice drifted across my mind. I lightly scratched behind his ears as we flew through the forest at Kakashi's heels causing him to purr softly beneath me.
"Itachi." I said softly so only Nyanta could hear.
Nyanta growled low in his throat and I noticed Kakashi tense at this and throw a look back in my direction over his shoulder. I shook my head to let him know it was nothing we needed to stop for as we caught up with Pakkun.
Pakkun informed us of Naruto's direction and I leaned forward urging Nyanta to go faster. Kakashi could yell at me later, but Nyanta was much faster and time was of the essence. Nyanta let out a roar before charging at full speed, flitting past Kakashi and Pakkun.
We arrived at the Valley of the End just as it started to rain. It was close to the border of the land of fire and land of sound; a river ran through it with a giant waterfall. On either side of the waterfall were two colossal stone carved shinobi in the side of the great mountain. He was here somewhere I could faintly sense him, but it was still a little foggy. "NARUTO?!"
"There." Nyanta darted toward the base of the waterfall and I saw Naruto lying motionless near the water's edge.
I leapt from Nyanta's back and ran to him with a cry as I sensed his life presence begin to fade, "Naruto!" He was in bad shape and fading fast. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I cradled him in my arms trying desperately to transfer some of my chakra to him. "Naruto, please, you can't leave your auntie. I can't lose you!"
Kakashi appeared behind me and instead of the scolding I expected, he placed a hand on my shoulder giving it a reassuring squeeze, "He's a tough kid, he's going to pull through. The Namikaze family is pretty resilient." He smiled somberly. "No sign of Sasuke?"
"What? Why are Naruto and Sasuke out here anyway? What's going on, Kakashi?" I asked shakily as I cradled Naruto's beaten and broken form in my arms.
"Sasuke's going to Orochimaru for more power, for his revenge." Kakashi sounded defeated, he felt remorse and guilt, blaming himself as usual.
"It's not your fault."
"He was a lot like how I used to be when I was younger, I thought that meant I could reach him better, get through to him, and guide him like Minato-sensei guided me."
"Sasuke's nothing like you." I pointed.
"Before you came along." Kakashi smiled, "Come on, we need to get you two to the hospital."
"Nyanta-san, will you take Naruto?" I turned to the large grey cat of prey.
"I'll protect him with my life, Mira-chan." Nyanta vowed and kneeled next to us so I could place Naruto on his back, just as the rain stopped.
Kakashi wouldn't hear of me walking back as I escaped from the hospital and was running around barefoot, so I had to allow him to carry me on his back. We headed back to the village in silence. I could sense Kakashi was still beating himself up over what had happened and tightened my hold around him hugging him from behind.
"Stop it." I buried my face in his back, his guilt and remorse were so strong it had my stomach churning and twisting into knots.
"Stop what?" Kakashi asked baffled.
"Stop blaming yourself." Tears welled in my eyes, I didn't like seeing him like this. "Two can play at that game, I'm the one that's supposed to be looking after him, but worrying about things that have already happened and trying to find answers that aren't there, isn't going to get us anywhere."
Kakashi's mood lifted slightly, "You're not at fault either." He shot.
"Good, let's not dwell on how or why we lost him and worry about how we're going to get him back. Though I'm probably going to smack him around a little for what he did to Naruto."
Kakashi chuckled at this, "I won't stop you." He looked over to Naruto's unconscious form, "He's starting to suspect you, Mira."
"Huh? Of what?"
"He's starting to piece things together." Kakashi said simply, "All the notes and care packages you leave him."
I looked over to Naruto as tears welled in my eyes. What if he hated me once he found out the truth, that he did actually have a family who neglected him all his life? We arrived at the hospital and I dismissed Nyanta as the medical ninja took Naruto for treatment.
An angry medical ninja approached me with a scowl, "Mira, get back to your-."
"I'm checking myself out." I cut him off causing Kakashi to shake his head at me and the medical ninja to throw his hands up in defeat and march off.
Video- "Blame" By Bastille