Alone No More

Race Against Time

Warning: severe hypothermia, blood, minor swearing, rollercoaster of emotion
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After reporting to the Hokage about what happened at Minato's house, Kushina ran back to her apartment, grabbing all the medical supplies she has, just in case if Tsunade doesn't have enough. The Hokage offered to send some of his best ANBU agents with her as extra protection. However, Kushina turned down the offer because after what happened at the house with the three students, Kushina doesn't know who is on their side.

When the redhead returned to Minato's house, she started fixing up the place. She put up more traps around the house's perimeter, put the furniture back where it belongs, then dried them off the best she could, and removed all the kunai knives and shuriken from the walls. Not even ten minutes after getting the house clean and organized, team Minato and the two sannin appeared next to the front door, where one of Minato's tri-tip kunai hang on the wall.

The moment the group appeared in the living area, the first thing Kushina noticed was that they were all soaked to the bone, as Obito and Rin slightly shivered. As her boyfriend's blonde hair that usually stands up was now weighed down from the rain, as he held Kakashi close to his chest, who is wrapped tightly in a black blanket. The only part that was visible of the nine-year-old boy was a tuff of silver hair sticking out a small opening in the blanket. That was when Tsunade start giving orders to everyone, as her mind raced, of what they need to save Kakashi.

"Minato on the couch! If Kakashi wakes up, try to keep him awake!" Tsunade ordered, pointing at the now dried couch.

"Got it!"

"Kushina, get as many clean blankets and towels as you can find!" Tsunade demanded while looking at the Uzumaki.

"On it!"

Tsunade's eyes darted to the remaining people in the room, then her eyes settled on the young medic next to the Uchiha. "Rin, I need a pot of hot water, and another with warm water, bowls, a cup, and a straw if possible."

"Yes ma'am," Rin replied calmly, walking in a quick pace to the kitchen, remembering in her training as a medical Ninja to not panic and try to remain calm.

"Jiraiya, Obito, go to the Hatake compound. Get some clothes for Kakashi," Tsunade ordered as her gaze shifted to the remaining two. Before pointing at Obito in warning, "and you better not go running off on your own this time, am I clear!"

"Okay, let's go, kid," Jiraiya replied for Obito, who loudly gulped, and nodded at the terrifying Kunoichi.

After Jiraiya and Obito left the house, shutting the door behind them. Tsunade took a deep breath then pull out a sealing scroll as she walked over to the couch. Her heart twisted at sight of Minato whispering near-silent pleas for Kakashi to wake up. She sat on the coffee table across from the Yellow Flash, who's still cradling the son of the White Fang, as she unrolled the scroll next to her before summoning some of the essential things she needs. While Kushina returns with a large stack of blankets and towels and places them on the armchair.

The Red-Hot-Habanero gasped when she saw Kakashi's face. Which was a grayish blue, and covered with swollen bruises. The bruises were dark brown with shades of purple in them. The bruises covered most of the left side of Kakashi's face, but the most serious injury was the bruise slightly above Kakashi's right temple on his hairline. The swollen skin that surrounded the painful gash on the boy's head had a greenish-brown coloring, with dark purple and red shades mixed in with it. As the frozen blood started to thaw and smear on the right side of Kakashi's face. If it weren't for the short shallow breaths coming from Kakashi's slightly runny nose, Kushina would have assumed that the boy was already dead.