Prologue

after the attack on the village by Pain Tsunade formed team leaders of chuunins to teach all the genin that have recently graduated the academy while the jounin protect the borders of the village. The group leaders consisted of Ino and Sai, Kiba and Hinata, Neji and Tenten, Sakura and Naruto. Naruto was the only genin that was made a team leader only because of his contribution to beating Pain. Iruka assigns three genin to Naruto and Sakura's team there names are Kasumi, Naoki, Umi.

Chapter 1

"Okay guys" Naruto said "how about we get going with the introductions?"

Naruto and Sakura look at each other in memory as the first time the met there teacher as genin with the five Hokages carved in to the mountain behind them.

This is about the same spot they met Kakashi-sensei many year ago.

"I'll go first" a girl with bright blond hair and dark sapphire eyes said "I'm Kasumi and I want to be team leader to teach new shinobi."

Naruto nodded and said "very good how about you" pointing to the brow haired boy apart from the other 2.

"my name is Umi and I want to become a sage like u sensei" he muttered

Naruto smiled and said "you should not just want you should believe that you will" the boy redden and turned away. Sakura knelt and put her hand on Umi's shoulder and said "geez Naruto you don,t need to embarrass him" Sakura told Umi he can be what ever he wants it doesn't need to stay the same.

And you Naruto said pointing to the taller of the 3 new genin.

" my name is Naoki and I will learn as many jutsu as I can to protect my friends."

Naruto turned to the boy and said "that is a very good goal"

Sakura whispered to her "self such good goals for our new group." "yea they are" Naruto agreed

"okay time to head out on our mission" Sakura told every one Naruto turned and looked at her confused "what mission?" He asked. The three genin watched in disbelief as Naruto looked at Sakura they had seen the spark that Naruto felt for Sakura.

Since Naruto wasn't paying attention when Tsunade told us the mission I will explain it. We are heading to the village hidden in the sand to get help rebuilding the leaf village. We leave tomorrow morning first thing. Meet me and Naruto at the village gate before we head out.

Naruto and Sakura headed there separate ways and so did there underlings. The next morning they all met at the gate while Naruto and Sakura where waiting for them there students to arrive. They where quietly conversing as Kasumi walked up and interrupted them. "What were you guys talking a bout?"

"just the mission" Sakura answered as looked at Naruto and her cheeks got hot. Kasumi stood there mouth agape at what she just saw. Kasumi started to ask "wh what par" she was cut off by Naruto "we where assigned two rooms one for you and the others and one for me and Sakura across the hall from you."

Sakura turned to Naruto and whispered in his ear "thank you for not telling them" Naruto looked at Sakura winked and whispered back "they will find out when we get there"

Sakura scowed "i hope they don't" Naruto laughed

the other two teammates arriver shortly after Kasumi did and they all set off to the sand village while Kasumi was telling the other to what she saw and about the rooming arrangements. They where all excited for there first mission as a team.

Naruto brought up "we need a team name" Sakura replied "want do u think the name should be Naruto?" "i think it should be called team Sakura since you are the highest rank in the team"Sakura turned and punched Naruto sending him in to a near by tree shattering the wood in to splinters as it broke.

"NARUTO what do you think your saying you are the one that saved the village and mastered sage mode why do you always doubt your abilities" Sakura yelled Naruto sat there rubbing his swollen face with a tear in his eye "Sakura why did you have to hit me that hard I got the point what do you think the name should be?" Sakura replied with a smile " I think it should be called team Uzumaki" Naruto frowned and said " fine but don't expect me to like it"

two days in to there nearly week long journey they set up camp as they neared the border of the land of fire. "You three take the tent I have first watch Naruto u get rest by the fire" Sakura ordered "Sakura I should take first watch we need you rested as our medic" Naruto replied Sakura agreed and jumped up to a thick branch across from the camp Naruto found a tree closer to the camp and jumped up to a branch that was close to the same hight off the ground as Sakura to keep watch over every thing.

Later that night Naruto glanced over towards Sakura just as she started to slip off the branch she was on he didn't even think he just reacted and raced to catch her. As he caught Sakura she awoke to see a metal rod protruding from his left shoulder and another from his right thigh. Naruto hadn't even noticed he was to concerned with Sakura.

"Sakura are you alright ?" he asked she stared back at him "why wouldn't I be and what happened to you?" she replied "you fell off your branch and I caught you" Naruto told her. "why dose it look like you are hurt?" just as he began talking another rod appeared puncturing his right lung and in to Sakura's side. She screamed in pain as the rod started to go deeper.

Naruto grabbed the rod and broke it and set Sakura down on the ground. Naruto turned around to get a fourth rod in the gut making him spit up blood.

Sakura looked around and could not see any attackers and she turned back to Naruto in astonishment that he was still standing let alone that he was going to fight. A kuni knife whizzed through the air towards Sakura before she noticed Naruto appeared in front of her and caught it just before it hit her cutting his hand open. Sakura yelled Naruto as a dark shape punched him from the shadows. Umi, Kasumi, and Naoki appeared from in the tent looking wide eyed at there sensei and how he protected Sakura.

Naruto held up his hand in time to catch a kuni dead center of his palm it riped threw his hand embedding itself in his shoulder just below his neck. Sakura scream as Naruto fell to the ground before he hit she noticed that there 3 students where tied to a tree near by with chakra strings. The students where unharmed and there where four enemies ninja from the village hidden in the mist standing over Naruto and one by there students. Sakura stood removing the rod that stuck in her side getting ready to fight.

Sakura began to fight but before she could do to much damage she was pinned to the tree she was sleeping in. they quickly bound her hands and legs with chakra strings. One of the enemies started to put his hand up her shirt and there was an orange and red blur and the man disappeared threw the air every one stood there with there mouths gaping "Naruto" Sakura gasped his orange suite covered in blood the four remaining enemies took up fighting stances around him.

The first ninja attacked and Naruto was to slow and was cut deep across his chest. A second one attacked hurling another rod in to Naruto he whirled around throwing it back and it piercing the ninjas head pining his dead body to a tree.

With 3 remaining Naruto was gasping for air and his right lung collapsed and filled with blood. They seized the opportunity and all attacked Naruto defended and took one down but the other two stabbed at his left side to incapacitate him one kuni pierced him just below the center of his chest the other went in to his upper left arm before he grabbed one by the throat crushing it the last ninja ran up and stabbed Naruto in his right lung again. Naruto whipped around and stabbed the last ninja in the eye then slit his throat.

Naruto walked over to Sakura and untied her then fell forwards pushing the rod in his gut all the way threw making him gag. Sakura ran to there three genin untied them.

"help me move him to the tent" Sakura ordered they got him to the tent and lit candles Sakura gasped Naruto was black and blue all over his face was swollen and there where more stab wounds than she could count.

"okay every one out I need to save him" Sakura told every one. They went out side to keep watch "do you think some thing is going on between Sakura-sensei and Naruto-sensei" Kasumi asked "ya did you see how he protected her earlier" Umi replied "ya but how was he able to fight like that did you see his injuries?" Naoki asked "its because he loves her and he is the nine tales jinjuriki not to mention that he is also a sage." Umi replied Kasumi and Naoki stared off blankly "WOW" they said in unison "why is he still a genin like us if hes that powerful" Kasumi asked mean while in the tent Sakura stripped Naruto of all his clothes down to his boxers when she got his shirt off she seen that he had both his lungs hit but only one collapsed as she healed him his breathing slowed to almost not at all.

Sakura began to cry tears dripping in to his open wound across his chest she didn't see the small hole that the kuni left when he was stabbed in as millimeters away from the bottom of his heart some of the tears started to flow in to the hole making his heart sputter uncontrollably before she knew it his breathing stopped entirely. She didn't realize it until she finished healing his chest that he wasn't breathing and she fell on to his chest sobbing this was enough to start his heart and he started breathing lightly.

When she realized she sighed with relief and began to heal his lower body when she noticed he was moving a lot and had opened his eyes and was trying to cover him self. "Stop moving Naruto you aren't able to move yet." Sakura said he laid back down and turned all red. After he was done healing him she told the genin to keep watch Naruto can't move for a while and she needed to keep an eye on him. She laid her head on his still naked chest and thanked him for saving them and her. She wrapped her arms around Naruto and fell asleep he passed out shortly after and he wrapped his arms around her.

Sakura awoke in shock she cuddled up with Naruto and she was happy she blushed as she seen he was almost naked to her doing then she puled him even tighter he was warm against the cool air in the tent. She was glad she was with him. Kasumi burst in to the tent to ask Sakura the question to why Naruto was still a genin and seen the two of them cuddled up and backed out the entrance with a smile on her face.

Kasumi turned around and told the others what she saw and they huddled around the entered to hear if any thing was happening. Naruto slowly opened his eyes and whispered with a smile "Sakura is there any blankets I am getting cold" Naruto tried to move his right leg and he flinched in pain "why dose my right leg hurt so much" Sakura turned red and replied I didn't want to take your boxers off to heal where the rod went thew your leg so I left it alone after I removed the rod.

"Sakura will you heal it is hard to get comfortable and it really hurts" Naruto whispered Sakura got redder as she removed the leg of his boxers to fix the hole in is leg she gasped to see a gaping hole on his inner thigh where the tendons and muscle had been torn in many places she was amazed that he could walk to defeat the enemies. "Naruto you are amazing" she whispered then she told Naruto that it would take a while for her to heal his leg and that he would have to stay in the tent till it was fully healed. He reluctantly agreed he looked at her as she began to heal the nerves in his leg so he wouldn't feel the pain as bad.

Sakura mended the blood vessels and said thats all I can do for now you should be able to move easier now she said pulling blankest over him and her self and they fell back to sleep for an hour when Sakura woke up unwound her self from Naruto and went out side. And seen all three genin looking at her wide eyed "whats wrong with you three?" she asked Umi answered first "you where sleeping with Naruto-sensei and he was almost naked" she blushed and stated "i had to heal him and he was severely hurt I had to monitor him and still his leg is all torn up." "will he be okay?" Kasumi ask "yes" Sakura replied Kasumi spoke up "why was he protecting you so much that he nearly got him self killed?"

Sakura stood there with tears in her eyes "i don't know why he goes that far but he has always liked me and we have been in the same team since we graduated from the academy." she looked down again letting more tears fall "hes the only one that wants to get our former team member back as much as I do and he knows how I feel about Sasuke. Naruto will do what ever he can to protect me even if it takes his life and he depends on me to heal him." Sakura sobbed as she walked back to the tent as she walked in she leaned down and hugged Naruto and thanked him Naruto opened his eyes and said "your welcome I will always be there when u need me" she smiled "i know you will be now rest I will work more on your leg" she whispered.

As she healed his leg she noticed that he was bleeding more than he was to start with and he had not moved since she left the tent his heart beat began to drop do to his blood lose she healed every open vessel she could find but he was still bleeding from some where she called their students in to help they gasped to see that Naruto was almost naked and his boxers riped up his leg to reveal the wound Sakura had to use all there chakra to heal his leg completely she didn't notice because she was trying not to look but the rod that Naruto threw back had pierced his lower abdomen rupturing many of his organs. Sakura told all the genin to leave so she could finish what she could with out showing them to much. She had to remove his boxers completely to see the extent of his wound and quickly heal the organ along with the major blood vessels to slow the bleeding but she didn't have enough chakra to close the wound or heal it all the way Sakura again pulled blankets over him and laid on top of them and hugged him and fell asleep exhausted from healing him Naruto opened his eyes to see Sakura hugging him his happiness in seeing her hug him turned to shock when he realized he was totally naked under the blankets. He shook Sakura till she woke up and asked her why he was naked "there was another wound in your lower abdomen and you where bleeding out and I had to fix it you are not fully healed yet sorry for taking all your cloths off she blushed I did not want to with out you knowing." "its okay Sakura I don't care it was just shocking I'm glad I have you to care for me." he smiled at her and warped his arms around her pulling her closer till he kissed her on the fore head she smiled and hugged him tighter.

Sakura awoke covered in the blanket that Naruto was under her eyes got wide when she noticed she was no longer holing on to him. She uncovered her head to see him standing there getting dressed she smiled at him and covered back up so he wouldn't notice. Naruto turned around all dressed with out his coat and he went out side to see the genin staring at him with amazement they had all seen the injuries that he had sustained trying to protect every one. "where is Sakura-sensei?" Naoki asked "she is in side still sleeping" Naruto replied "is your last injury healed sensei?" Kasumi asked shyly "not fully but enough to move about" he replied

Sakura was listening at tent door to the conversation going on out side. "Do you love Sakura-sensei?" Kasumi asked blushing "why do you ask?" Naruto replied "because we see how you look at her and how you strive to protect her from any thing harmful even if you would die." Umi interrupted "well uhh yes I do but she wants Sasuke not me so I will protect her and every one I care about." Naruto said with a tear in his eye.

"Why don't you tell her how you feel?" Naoki asked "because I know how she feels about Sasuke and I don't want to make her sad over some thing as silly as my feelings." Naruto replied grasping at his stomach. Sakura heard the entire conversation once she seen Naruto grasp his stomach she threw on his coat and ran out to him blood ran down the front of his pants as he began to fall Sakura caught him before he hit the ground. "what happened to not moving" she yelled at him "it stopped hurting so I thought I could and you looked so tired I couldn't wake you up to ask you" he smiled and began to try to stand again but his eyes rolled back and he fell forward in to Sakura's shoulder as she caught him. They moved him back to the tent where Sakura stopped the bleeding again with all there students out side as not to reveal to much of Naruto. She sat there and watched him thinking about what she heard earlier that day.

Sakura thought about how she felt about Naruto and Sasuke not sure what to think about what she over heard Naruto saying to there students. She always knew he liked her but she didn't think that he would love her the the extent that he dose. She began to cry a tear landed on Naruto and he reached up with still closed eyes and wiped the tears away Sakura looked down shocked that Naruto would try to stop her from crying in the state he was in.

later in the day Sakura finished healing Naruto and told him to watch after the students while she rested for the to regenerate her chakra that it took to heal Naruto. He had the students guard the tent as he took care of the dead bodies of the enemy ninja. After he was done he set up a camp fire in front of the tent. "How long have I been out?" Naruto asked " you where attacked three days ago and your stomach started to bleed again yesterday morning." Umi replied.

"i am going to check on Sakura you three rest we will leave tomorrow" Naruto ordered he knocked on the tents door post "Sakura you still up" Naruto whispered no response so he walked in to see Sakura laying face down on the bed mat with her top off she only had her shorts on Naruto blushed but he seen where the rod that had punctured them both he noticed that the hole had been cleaned but was not healed at all and he put his hand on her fore head. Sakura was breaking out in a cold sweat and had a fever. Naruto took out his gel that cleaned and sped up the healing proses and put it on her wound very gently as to not wake her up. He took off his jacket and put it on her with out turning her over he lifted her shoulders and pulled it all the way around her and zipped it up then he covered her with blankets and put a cool cloth over her fore head.

Naruto then walked out side to watch the fire and make sure every thing was okay. The next day Sakura awoke and very shocked that she was wearing Naruto's jacket and that she had been cared for. "Naruto" she called a few second later Naruto popped threw the door "yes?" he replied "how did I get your jacket on and cared for?" she asked him Naruto told her what he had done and that he didn't touch or see any thing that he shouldn't have. She thanked him and began to unzip his jacket "what are you doing?" Naruto asked "i need to heal my wound and I need help" she told him. "What do you want me to do?" he asked "I need you to flow your chakra over it so I can heal it I cant reach it well." she instructed Naruto looked away as she removed his coat from herself and then he moved his hands toward her side "Naruto I need you to look I can't move your hands and mine" she stated Naruto looked down and turned his head toward her her still looking down and slowly raised his head till he seen the wound so he could put his hands over it Sakura smiled "its okay Naruto thank you for helping me it will only take a moment to fix it" Naruto blushed and started to flow as much chakra as he could to the palms of his hands.

Sakura smiled seeing Naruto not look up at all and she touched his hand and her eyes widened at the amount of chakra that he was giving her and allowing her to use to heal herself she then healed molded his chakra and healed her self fully and she noticed that he was still flowing his chakra in to her after she was done "Naruto you can stop before you exhaust your self I am healed" she told him "oh sorry" he said as he moved his hands to see the pink skin that now covered the hole he them looked up and smiled weakly "are you okay now" he asked quickly turning away as he noticed she was not covered up "sorry I forgot that you where not dressed" he explained frowning. "its okay Naruto you where helping me and I see that you are almost out of chakra thank you Naruto" Sakura told him Naruto got up and was about to leave the tent when Sakura wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug and Whispered "Naruto do not be mad at your self for looking I knew it must be hard for you not to when you love me so much" Naruto was shocked he spun around still in her arms and looked her in the eyes "how did you know who told you and why are you not mad at me?" he asked then closed his eyes noticing she did not put his coat or her top on and was still half naked. Naruto I'm not mad because I know that you are trying not to look and I can tell by how you treat me and helped me wile I was sleeping and even covered me with out looking at or touching me with out me even having to ask you for help or telling you that I'm hurt." she explained

Naruto frowned "you should be mad just knowing that I love you your heart belongs to Sasuke" he said to her "its okay Naruto please don't be mad at your self" she said back to him with tears in her eyes. Naruto hugged Sakura back and reached to grab his jacket and pulled in on to her and whispered "I'm not mad I'm disappointed in my self" he kissed her on the fore head and walked out of the tent the genin where asleep so Naruto ran to a tree and went to the top and sat down to watch for any danger that may head there way. He looked around and kept watch for every one to sleep. Sakura came out of the tent a few seconds after Naruto but he was already gone so she looked around till she seen a shape in the top of a tree and noticed a slight sparkle of a tear in the star light. She went back in to the tent and thought Naruto really dose love me and wants to be with me but holds back his feelings because he knows that I want Sasuke it even hurts him to think that I will never love him. Naruto would do any thing for me even die he almost passed out giving me chakra like that to make me better and restore my chakra pool. I'm the only reason that he will cry he always moves forward no matter what people tell him he can or can't do and he stopped crying when we entered the academy.

Naruto stayed up in the tree all night until morning when he came down and gathered up the tent and remaining supplies that every one couldn't pack and they set off threw the land of water making sure to stay well away from the village hidden in the mist. It took a whole day but they made it to the edge of the desert as they started to set up camp Sakura noticed that Naruto's eyes looked different than normal and that his whisker marks on his cheeks where wider and longer a moment after she noticed he collapsed and the nine tales cloak began to form around him the genin gasped as the first tail sprouted Sakura ran over to Naruto and tried to wake him up until she noticed she couldn't sense any of Naruto's chakra at all she had the genin come over to him and they all tried to put some of there chakra in to him once they all had including Sakura she tried to wake him again this time he opened his eyes "Naruto you need to fight to suppress the nine tales chakra before you lose control" she instructed then she thought he must have stayed up all night making sure that there was no danger for us and he must have used the rest of his chakra to keep up with us. The nine tales cloak slowly disappeared but Naruto laid there passed out.

"Sakura-sensei why is he out of chakra and what was that red that covered him?" Umi asked "he healed my injury and gave me chakra last night I didn't know he went to that extent and that he stayed up all night the red is the nine tales cloak it the nine tales chakra flowing threw him." Sakura explained "Naruto loves you and doesn't want you hurt Sakura-sensei he probably did it so you wouldn't run out of chakra" Kasumi said "i know he dose and I told him I knew last night and now he isn't happy with him self for letting me find out." Sakura replied frowning

the genin took the tent for the night and Sakura laid the two bed rolls out and moved Naruto on to his and she got on hers in front of the fire and laid with Naruto hugging him and keeping watch taking small naps to get her rest. That morning Naruto opened his eyes to see Sakura still hugging him and lay still closing his eyes Sakura looked up at him with concern he had not moved all night except for breathing she wiggled a little to get comfortable and noticed a tear in Naruto's eye. "Naruto whats wrong?" she whispered and his eyes popped open "I'm taking you form Sasuke this should be you and him not me and you now he wont want to come back." he replied " Naruto he doesn't want to be with me he made that clear when he left but I don't know how I feel any more so do not worry about that okay?" she whispered to him he nodded and wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer.

They packed every thing up and spent the next two days getting to the village hidden in the sand. And they got there rooms set up. While Naruto and Sakura where in there room there was a knock at the door and Naruto answered it to see the Kezakage Gaara standing there "you are late Naruto and Sakura" Gaara said "sorry Kazekage we where ambushed by hidden rain ninja and Naruto got severely injured protecting me and our genin" Sakura explained.

Thank you for reading chapter 1 chapter 2 is done but waiting for some reviews to influence me for chapter 3 it is started with 1000+ words already hope to here

good thing about chapter 1

p.s suggestions are always welcome

chapter 2 release date 9/30 more reviews the sooner it will be released

-Ttyler6 =)