It was an hour or so later and team seven were a good few miles away from Konoha no turning back as they say.
"Kakashi you don't think were going to make it back do you?" Sakura mumbled looking up at her sensei.
"Its not that Sakura, I just know this mission could either be a waste of time where we find nothing and go home. Or it could be very dangerous and we have to be prepared for the worst" he smiles a little trying to lessen the worry of his team, but failing miserably.
They  had just got into no mans land the un-owned land between the villages where most ninja could spy on each others village and find out a villages strength. Also robbers and thieves wondered this land picking on people leaving and entering richer villages they had to be on guard for them as well.

Sasuke sat on his bed fidgeting nervously worrying about Naruto he didn't want anything to happen to him he couldn't cope with the loss he'd die if he lost Naruto no second thoughts just die,  shaking his head slightly he tried to shake the thoughts from his mind deciding to busy himself with everyday tasks and to get out of the house that dulled him so much at the moment, so slowly he hobbled out of bed and found clothes from his cupboard changing clumsily almost falling over while putting pants on.
He decided to head to Iruka's to see how he was coping without Kakashi around.
"Iruka-sensei?" he yelled poking his head round the door 'hope he's not at the academy and I hobbled here for nothing' he sighed.
Iruka looked round "Oh come in Sasuke should you be up and around yet?" he asked mothering as usual.
"No but sat there waiting for Naruto to come back got a little irritating" he spoke his tone bored yet concerned.
"I'm sure he will be ok Sasuke" Iruka tried to cheer him up but it didn't seem to do much.
"When on missions I always ended up saving that dobe, so with me here…." Sasuke looked away trying not to even think it but the thoughts still swarmed in his mind spinning and lingering like a bad odour.
"He has Kakashi there and Sakura, you have to trust their abilities" he smiled down at the Uchiha.
"Aren't you worried about Kakashi?" he asked looking up searching Iruka's eyes he could see it clearly, the look of worry and pain. Iruka thought for a moment not sure how to answer.
"Yes…I always worry about him, about Naruto about all of you. But I know Kakashi and Naruto can survive on there own their tough they have been through a lot worse" Iruka smiled, Sasuke looked at him trying to see if he was lying but he didn't seem to be so for now Sasuke nodded and left it there.

Back at the mission things weren't looking great Orochimaru had found them he and Kabuto stood on a twenty foot snake looking down at the three man team.
"So you want to ask questions Kakashi Hatake" Orochimaru spoke mockingly as he looked down.
Kakashi didn't answer he knew he was out done here and his best tactic was to try get his team out of here as fast as he could.
"Kabuto take care of these" Orochimaru ordered gesturing toward the group Sakura gasped slightly looking at Kakashi who seemed to tense a little, watching as Kabuto jumped down and charged toward him, Kakashi knew he had to be careful Kabuto was a medical ninja he could do a lot of damage very easily without much force, Kakashi dodged the first attack using sharingun he could tell Kabuto was using chakra as a kind of scalpel. Kabuto changed tactics his hands glowing green he was fast as he appeared behind Kakashi just gently touching Kakashi chest but Kakashi felt it a surge of pain an almost burning sensation in his chest, his breathing came hard and fast his eyes widening at the realisation of what was happening to him.
"Naruto Sakura….run" he managed as he fell to his hands and knees coughing up some blood.
"Hmm not quite the legend Kakashi the 'copy ninja'" Kabuto mocked turning his back on them heading toward the snake.
"Y-you bastard!" Naruto yelled running toward Kabuto his blood boiling with anger no one hurts his sensei then mocks him specially not this traitor. Kabuto turned and did a spinning kick to Naruto's abdomen sending him flying but Sakura ran catching him before he hit the ground, looking up slightly as they disappeared. "Naruto are you ok?" Sakura asked looking down at him.
"Sensei?!" Naruto screamed running over to him Kakashi was now laying on the floor gasping for air holding hi chest tightly.
'I'm so sorry….Iruka' he thought to himself as he blacked out from the pain.
Naruto shook him roughly "Wake up!" He screamed he didn't know what to do just that if he didn't make it, it would kill Iruka.
Sakura leaned over checking his heart beat "His hearts beating…just" she said "We have to get help" she spoke pulling on Naruto's arm and running as fast as they could back to the village panic rising with every step, 'what if someone took him? What if they were too late?' Naruto panicked more and more hoping with every piece of his being that everything would be ok…..

Iruka shivered slightly, "What's wrong?" Sasuke noted the involuntary movement.
"I'm not sure…but something feels wrong." he sighed worrying more about Kakashi's mission, he hoped he was worrying about nothing but he couldn't help that gut feeling that something just wasn't right.

Naruto and Sakura had been running for 3 hours now and were almost back though Sakura was starting to feel exhausted she faltered a few times as she ran only just managing to maintain balance, but at last they had arrived dashing into Tsunade's office Sakura informed her of what happened.
"Ill send some chuunin to help him and a medical ops member." She agreed and called up many people.
"You go home Naruto don't speak to anyone about this you hear me?!" she ordered but Naruto had to tell Iruka it would kill him if something happened to Sasuke and no one told him he would be very pissed off.
"I have to tell Iruka-sensei" Naruto was adamant.
"And why? Why does Iruka Umino have to know?" she glared, Naruto knew he would have to explain this to make her understand so for now Kakashi's secret came second.
"Because…." Naruto glanced to Sakura as if asking for permission, she in turn nodded.
"Because?" Tsunade repeated growing bored of waiting in such a situation.
"Because…Kakashi and Iruka are….you know… 'together'" he made the last word stretch out for effect.
Tsunade nodded "Ok let him know but no one else and he wont be allowed to go to him."
Naruto nods an agreement and dashes off to tell Iruka Umino.

Anbu had just arrived to the location where Kakashi had fallen he was indeed unconscious, a medical ninja confirmed that he had a slight pulse though it was very weak and very faint.
"Anbu hospital now!" Shizune ordered. And the men carrying Kakashi disappeared in a poof of smoke.