Chapter 3.

Naruto and Kakashi spent the rest of the night just talking everything out and catching up, they had a couple years worth of stuff to work through after all. The night flew by while they re-established what they'd once had. Neither had realized how long they'd spoken until Naruto's tattoo started to burn. He looked apologetically at Kakashi as he stood from the table.

"Sorry Dad, Jiji's calling me. Do you leave for a mission in the morning or will you be home?" Kakashi smiled sadly at his son.

"I leave tonight for a quick recon mission, I should be back before your first day of school. Hokage-Sama gave us and easy one just for the occasion. I'll send Pakkun ahead if something comes up. I don't want you to worry about me, just focus on preparing for school."

Naruto's tattoo burned again so he nodded to Kakashi and rushed to his room and changed. He had a bad feeling about Kakashi's mission so before he went to Jiji he hugged him tightly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd told the man who raised him this but he knew it was long over due.

"I love you Dad. Please be careful and come home safe." He shunshied away as soon as he'd let go not giving him time to answer.

"Jiji, you summoned me?"

"Kitsune, I have a mission for you to do while attending the Academy. It has been brought to my attention that Jonin Sensei Touji Mizuki, has been sending frequent scrolls to the Village of Sound. Recent reports have concluded Orochimaru has settled there, if our intel is correct than we can safely assume Mizuki is spying for him. I would like you to use your status as a student to find definitive proof so we can take action. Do you accept?"

"Hai, Hokage-Sama. I will accept. Does this mean I'm no longer being relieved of my duties?" Naruto couldn't shut down the hope that blossomed in his chest.

"Hai. I would like you to stay undercover and keep watch over the future Genin. You will be placed into a three man Genin team after graduation as well. I'd like you to keep you cover for as long as possible. Using a genjutsu won't do you any good as Uchiha Sasuke will be in your class."

He watched as Naruto visibly wilted at the news. He couldn't help but chuckle earning him a heated glare. Naruto then seemed to space out, alerting him Kurama had something to say. He waited until Naruto blinked a few times then faced him.

"Jiji, Where did Dad and his squad get sent to? He said it was an easy mission so he could be there when I start school but Kurama and I both have a bad feeling about it so, I'd like permission to join them." Hiruzen gazed calculatedly at Naruto, he'd had a bad feeling about the mission since he'd received the request. Adding Naruto would boost the success rate of the mission as well as ensuring the safety of the other shinobi.

"I can't see any reason to decline. You have my permission to join them. Head back and pack they're supposed to leave in about an hour."

Naruto shunshied home as soon as he'd finished. Naruto arrived in his room and set to work packing. It'd taken him a good twenty minutes before was done and he shunshied straight to the front gate. He looked around and found who he'd been looking for. He turned his mask off his face as he approached.

"Dad, Jiji said I could join the mission as extra support. He didn't tell me anything except to hurry other wise I'd have to try to track you. So what's the game plan?""Naruto, I thought I said to focus on preparing for school next week?""Dad, I already checked out the school. I already know everything they're teaching, you taught it to me when I was like six. I have nothing to prepare for besides extreme boredom.""Alright. Well we're going to be doing recon along the border between us and the Sound Village. There have been reports of suspicious activity as of late.""Dad, Jiji said that Orochimaru has recently taken residence in the Sound village, it may all be related. We should use extreme caution, keeping our guard up and our formation tight. How big is our squad?" Kakashi smiled proudly as a thought struck him.

"We're taking an eight. No, a nine man team. Why don't I let you lead this one bud? Depending on your performance I'll talk to Jiji about you not going to school and instead promoting you to Captain.""I'd still have to go to school, Jiji gave me a mission. I have to go undercover and gather intel on Jonin Sensei Mizuki. He's apparently been sending frequent scrolls to the Sound village. I don't think it's a coincidence. I'll still take lead for this and then I'll take the promotion after I accomplish my other mission.""Alright then. Everyone gather round! There's been a change, Naruto is joining us and I have officially placed him in charge of this mission. I'll go over the mission details and from then on Naruto will be you Captain, everyone understand."

Kakashi gave them the details, by the time he'd finished Naruto had already come up with a game plan. He explained what everyone'd be doing and their time table. It'd take a full day to travel there, then they'd have four days to gather intel and head home. As long as they stayed on track they'd get back in just enough time for him to get to school.

They were on their last day, and had gathered more than enough sufficient intel, when disaster struck. Everyone had been packing their things when they were ambushed. Naruto formed shadow clones to hold them off so everyone could try to escape. They'd managed to get some distance only run into a bigger problem, Orochimaru.

"Well well look at what we've got here, a handful of thorns to remove from my side." Before anyone could speak up or protest Naruto had walked in front of the others. He didn't look back as he spoke just kept a icy glare stationed on Orochimaru.

"Dad, make sure the others make it home. I'll hold him off here. I'll meet you back at Jiji's office. There'd better be a shit ton of salt water taffy waiting for me." He only turned back for a second to smile a Kakashi before he took off towards Orochimaru yelling for Kurama. Between one step and the next he'd activated his beast form. Kakashi stood for a moment longer before shouting for everyone to retreat.

Naruto went after Orochimaru with everything he had. He blocked every chance to pursue his comrades, pissing the snake off. He knew that it didn't matter that he had a Biju's power, he lacked the experience to fully make use of it, he wouldn't win. All he could do was give everyone time to get away and hope to make an opening to retreat himself. Kurama wasn't keen on playing the sacrificial lamb but he knew Naruto'd never forgive himself if Kakashi died for him, he'd already done so much.

Kakashi had kept up a fervent pace to the village. He had to get his team to safety before he could go back for his son, Naruto would never forgive him if he half-assed it just to get back to him. He prayed to whatever deity would listen for his son's safety. Thanks to their fervent pace, they'd managed to make it to the outskirts of the village in a matter of hours. Once the gates came into view Kakashi ordered everyone to meet at the Hokage's office before he shunshied directly there.

"Hokage-Sama! I leave the report to Bear when he arrives. Naruto needs me!" Before he could leave Hiruzen had appeared and placed chakra restraining cuffs on him. Kakashi stood dumbfounded for a second before his confusion turned to rage.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing Hokage-Sama! I have to get back to Naruto, he needs me he can't beat Orochimaru alone. Get these the fuck off me now!" Hiruzen watched Kakashi as he went from furiously struggling to slowly falling apart. He waited till he thought he'd calmed enough to understand reason.

"Kakashi. I can't let you go back to him, I received this at home early this morning. He had anticipated something like this and had sent ahead for me to keep you here no matter what. It says if he's not back before nightfall then he most likely wont be. I'm going to give him till tomorrow morning, without letting you out of my sight. I'm so sorry Kakashi."

The rest of the recon team appeared just before Hiruzen finished speaking. Kakashi had stopped struggling against the cuffs and just stared blankly down towards the floor. As soon as Hiruzen had apologized the full reality of the situation came crashing down on Kakashi. Tears pooled and cascaded down his face like waterfalls as he dropped to his knees, defeated and broken. Kakashi put his cuffed hands to his chest, gripping his vest, as he could curled forward and sobbed. His broken wails of sorrow and grief were all that could be heard throughout the building.

Once he'd quieted no one wanted to speak should they set him over the edge again. Hiruzen led the rest out into the hall where he was given the mission report. Naruto had been right to follow his gut feeling and tag along but he hoped he made it home alive. Hiruzen had stayed in his office working all night with Kakashi, who'd cried himself to sleep, losing hope every hour the boy hadn't returned. By the time Kakashi roused and got off the couch Naruto's time was well beyond up. Kakashi wouldn't even look at him while he unclasped the cuffs, nor did he speak when he walked out of the office.

Kakashi wandered around aimlessly until he found himself in front of the Academy. He walked to Iruka's classroom and entered without so much as a knock. Iruka looked over, the smile vanishing as soon as he saw Kakashi. Completely forgetting the class he rushed over and grabbed his vest collar forcing him to straighten and look him in the eyes.

"Kakashi where's Naruto? I thought he'd joined you're team for reconi..." Kakashi away as Iruka's eyes widened in realization. "Where the hell is my nephew!?" Iruka watched as a fresh wave of tears pooled in his eyes and spilt over to roll down his cheeks. Iruka let go and took a stunned step back as he watched Kakashi. No it couldn't be, Naruto couldn't be.

"The old man let him join our recon mission, and it had gone better than expected until yesterday morning when we were ambushed. We managed to get away only to run straight into Orochimaru. N-Naruto. H-He…" Iruka rushed forward to catch him as he went down and pulled him into a tight embrace as he tried to hold himself together. The class just watched the scene silently as they caught on to what was happening.

"I'd let him lead the team, as a test to see if he was ready. He got us out of the ambush safely, and we'd put a lot of distance between us when Orochimaru found us. Naruto put himself between us an him, still keeping his cool as he thought of a plan. He had me lead them home while he bought us time. He'd sent word to keep me detained so I wouldn't run right back. Jiji gave him till th-this morning a-and.." Kakashi didn't care about his outburst, his son was gone and Iruka deserved the truth.

"He's tough Kakashi, we've always known that. W-We raised him to be. He knew what he was doing, I'm sure he's fine and on his way home. He wouldn't leave you or me like thi…" The shattering of the classroom window grabbed everyone's attention, causing most to dive under their desk to avoid injury.

"Jeez, if I'd known you'd handle it like this I'd have come back a hell of a lot sooner." Naruto stumbled through the wreckage chuckling while leaving a bloody trail behind him. "I was going to go to Jiji's office but Kura said he sensed you here, so here's where I came. Like I'd leave an old closet perv like you along for too long Dad."

In the blink of an eye Kakashi had crossed the room and pulled Naruto to him, a fresh volley of tears already making their descent. Iruka not far behind. The gasp of his class drew him back to his surroundings. He only just realized the entire class had seen and heard everything and he turned to his family. Kakashi had a few minor cuts and bruises whereas Naruto was heavily wounded.

"Naru why don't you go to the hospital and get yourself treated. Kashi can.."

"I'm fine Uncle Ruka, Kura healed me for the most part. A little bit of rest and I'll be good as new." Iruka wasn't convinced by Naruto's exhausted smile, to say the least. Naruto had taken to completely leaning on Kakashi and was covered in fresh and dried blood. His Uniform was in shreds, and he looked ready to pass out any moment. He turned to his class.

"Class you're being dismissed early for today. We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow, you're dismissed." He caught Kakashi catching Naruto as he dropped in his peripheral vision. He turned as the students started to leave.

"Naru at least let's get you two home. You could both use a warm bath, clean clothes, and a warm meal, I'll cook. We'll treat any remaining wounds after your bath." He hooked one of Naruto's arms over his shoulder, Kakashi following suit and shunshied all three to Kakashi's home.

A few hours later and Kakashi and Naruto were passed out cuddling on the couch. All their wounds had been tended to and they'd eaten quite a bit, he may have gone overboard for a brunch, and they were now getting some much needed rest. Iruka walked to Kashi's room and grabbed his blanket before going back out and covering them up. As he went to turn away Kakashi caught his wrist and looked up at him, Iruka hadn't ever seen that look in his eye. He allowed himself to be pulled forward as Kakashi leaned forward pulling down his mask at the same time.

Kakashi had loved Iruka for years, he'd just never acted on it before. At the thought of losing Naruto he'd taken stock of his life and decided there was no time better than the present. Iruka's lips molded around his and he tasted like home. Neither knew the young blonde cuddled to Kakashi's chest had seen everything and was smiling contentedly. Naruto couldn't have been happier for his Dad and the man he'd already considered family a long time ago.