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The nightmares from her childhood came back. They were more violent this time. The Anbu with white hair slipped into her room in the middle of the night. The mysterious shinobi made a hand signal, and she heard something burning. She looked down and realized she was holding a coded message - it was a photo of her and Naruto, and it burst into fire. Her bedroom followed suit, and her entire house was in flames. The Anbu stood stoically before her and took off the animal mask... Her father.
She shot up. In her father's place in front of her stood Naruto Uzumaki. He had a packed bag strapped on his shoulders.
Confusion took her. She wasn't in her bedroom. She was-? Right. I slept over Naruto's. Right.
"Hey, sorry," He put his hands up in the air, realizing he scared her, "It's just me."
She collected her breath. Yes, she was awake, and it was just a bizarre dream. She hadn't even told Naruto about the ANBU.
He was in his orange tracksuit and evidently ready to go. The young shinobi wore a conflicted, guilty expression on his face about leaving.
"...Are... are you going somewhere?"
"Sasuke... left," He said, quietly. "I'm going on a recovery mission."
His eyes fell away from her. The desire to bring Sasuke back wrestled with his pain to leave her. One was stronger, and it made him horribly guilty. He had to get his brother.
"I wanted to tell you... before I leave."
She protested, "Already? Seriously?! You just came back from the Land of Tea yesterday. I was looking for you all day and night, and now, I lay eyes on you for the first time in two weeks, and you're gone again?!"
Naruto's eyes widened. His blue pupils shrunk ever so slightly. Those words...
She realized she overstepped and shamefully drew her eyes away from his, but it was too late. It was all out there.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "Who are you going with?"
"A squad led by Shikamaru... Choji, Neji, and Kiba."
"Okay, then..." She paused and stared down at her hands, considering her options. "I'm going, too."
She threw off the blankets and passed him to get ready.
He didn't turn around as she prepared a bag for herself. "Adohira."
"I'm going."
"You can't."
"Yes, I can!" She cried, flinging the incomplete bag over her shoulder and walking back towards Naruto. She spoke to the back of his head. "Because you're going, so I can, too!"
"You're not a shinobi!" Naruto shouted louder, turning around and talking down to her. Their eyes widened.
He didn't realize how much he'd raised his voice. He didn't intend to, but it happened.
