It didn't take long for Sakura to find Naruto. It was almost midday and the sun was shining high in the sky with not one cloud to darken the sunny Atmosphere. 'It was one of those days where you either wake up happy and have a busy, hot and fun day or you get lazy and stay home with lemonade and a fan complaining about how hot it is' Sakura thought to herself as she saw the back of a Blonde spiky head sitting on a stool inside the restaurant/cafe she had just entered. "Naruto!" Sakura yelled as the blonde turned around to see a pink haired kunoichi waving at him.

"Oh..Hey Sakura" Naruto said nonchalantly briefly turning his head to look at her.

"What kind of Hello is that?" Exclaimed Sakura plonking herself on the stool next to him looking as if she was going to donk him on the head.

However she refrained from doing so as she gazed at Naruto sadly. 'Even the blindest, deafest and dumbest man on Earth would be able to tell he's miserable' She muttered to herself quietly while looking at Naruto's down turned face. He was leaning on the bench, his hair shadowing his eyes but what Sakura managed to see of them made her a lot depressed and a little bit angry. His usual vibrant blue eyes were now dark and deep with sadness, sorrow and longing, the shadows under them adding to how bad he really was. She sighed then called the man behind the bench to get her a 'Ice Green Tea and Low Carb Salad please!' She snuck a sidelong glance at Naruto hoping, almost begging silently for him to make a joke about her diet, comment on her latest mission (Fedual Lord's son Oolala) or SOMETHING but he didn't do anything except sit there and stare at the bench, his half- drinked lemonade still by his hand.

Sakura sighed again then turned in her stool to face the Depressed Blonde plastering a smile on her face. "So Naruto" she asked cheerfully "How's your week been?"

Sakura almost, ALMOST smacked her head against the bar, the only thing stopping her being the tension of watching Naruto's face as he frowned for a second, showing his first emotion of the day. "Good Work Sakura!" Her inner consciousnesses stated sarcastically as it continuously facewalled itself "YOU KNOW HE'S HAD A HORRIBLE TIME SINCE-" Sakura actually did hit her head against the bar this time.

It was better if she didn't talk about it. After all it was painful for her too if not nearly as bad as for Naru- "NARUTO!" she exclaimed suddenly as she sat up straight and looked around as she realised that the blonde had managed to magically dissapear while she had been lost in her train of thought.

When she finally stood up and burst out of the shop, shielding her eyes from the harsh sun, she spotted Naruto further down the street walking slowly hands in pockets "NARUTOOO!" she yelled once again running down the street towards him fist in the air.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto stopped to watch dumbly as she ran towards him to stop panting in front of him.

"Naruto!" she spluttered still regaining her breath mentally making a note to add regular jogs somewhere in her busy schedule.

She stood up slowly before immediatly pouncing on Naruto. "Why'd you leave me back there!" She exclaimed with anger she didn't really feel "I looked like an total idiot!"

"Sorry Sakura-chan." was Naruto's only reply while he studyed the ground disinterestedly watching a beetle crawling over his shoe.

Sakura put on her hands on her hips and sighed before placing one hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, I'm here for you alright." Naruto just slowly nodded his head, eyes still fixed to the ground. Sakura closed her eyes and both stayed in that position for several minutes.

When Sakura finally pulled away Naruto had already started walking down the street. "Hey Naruto wait!"

Sakura quickley rushed to walk next to Naruto and asked "Can I join you?"

"Sorry Sakura" said Naruto not looking at her "I'm just going for a walk, there's no need for you to come"

Sakura tried and failed to squash that little bit of hurt that rose inside her by instead saying "Are you sure you don't want any company?"

"No thanks Sakura-chan. I'd prefer to walk alone this time." And without a second glance back at her Naruto continued walking hands in pocket and face downturned down the busy road while a stunned Sakura was left in the middle of the street watching his retreating back.

When Naruto's downtrodden form finally dissapeared out of sight Sakura sighed for what must of been the 3rd time in the last 15 minutes then started walking in the opposite deriection. She had to do something to help Naruto get back to his formal self or at least distract him from the worries she knew were gnawing at him constantly.Sakura gritted her teeth and punched her fist against her palm. Her resolve was set. She was going to help Naruto like he had been helping her for the last 5 years. 'No, even longer than that' Sakura thought to herself 'Ever since Acadamy he was always encouraging me and making me feel better whenever Sasuke turned me down. And all I did was complain and make him do all the work. But now it's my turn to help Naruto.' And with that mind Sakura turned to walk determinedly towards the big red tower in the distance before the Hokages face's. It was time to talk with the Hokage.

"Baa-chan?" The Fifth Hokage looked up from where they had been tapping their fingers impatiently and gave a slight smile

"Aa Naruto! About time you got here." Naruto nodded his head slightly then stepped to the side hands in pockets to look at Tsundae disinterestedly with his hollow blue eyes.

Tsunade cleared her throat then interlocked her fingers and leant on the desk. "So Naruto" she started sternly "I'm not going to lie to you but I've heard that you haven't been very active lately correct?" Naruto blinked, briefly noticing a pink haired girl sanding in the corner of the room watching him.

"Now I know you have your reasons" Tsunade started carefully "But I think it's about time you left the village for a bit for your own good."

Naruto looked back at her and nodded slowly still staring blankly at Tsunade. Tsunade sighed before carrying on "Anyways, I'm sending you on a mission so you'll be out of the village for a while."

Tsunade paused before quickly adding "We'll be sending you daily reports the whole time you're gone so don't worry."

Naruto's look of agitation quickly vanished before he nodded while turning back into his quiet, sad state. Tsunade watched him for a while before saying "You'll be leaving in the morning so go home and get ready. It'll be roughly two weeks where you're going so make sure you pack accordly and I'll send someone with the details of the mission in the morning. You are dismissed."

Tsunade closed her eyes waiting for the sound of the door shutting and footsteps walking in the hall before she leant back in her chair letting out a huge sigh. "Are you alright Tsunade-sama?" Sakura appeared from the half-hidden corner where she had been watching the events to stand by Tsunade's side a worried look on her face.

"I'm fine" The Hokage said waving Sakura off "Just tired that's all"

Tsunade leant back on the desk head in hands as her mind whirred. 'He's worse than I thought.' "Milady?" Tsunade looked up only to be bewildered by the look on Sakura's face.

"Yes..Sakura?"

"What" The pink haired girl struggled to find the right words before splurting out "What are we going to do about Naruto-kun!?"

Tsundae watched the mixed emotions struggling on the girl's face and she knew exactly how the girl was feeling. Sadness for Naruto, Sadness for herself (Naruto wasn't the only one upset dammit), Guilt, Determination and a anger that made Tsunade think that nobody would want to cross Sakura right now. "Don't worry about it Sakura" Tsunade said soothling trying to ease the girls doubts and her own "Let's just take care of the matters at hand"

"Yes Milady" Sakura mumbled as she calmed down a bit "Good. Now I want you to contact Yamato. Tell him he needs to report here as soon as possible then go find Team 10. They should arrive back at the village any time soon and I want a full report out of them ASAP and tell Shikamaru that I don't care if he's tired or hungry I want that report now. Also find one of the Communications Nin and tell him I need a bird to get this to Iwagakure before noon. The message is CIJK9TA5%. Relay that exactly to him. Then go to the hospital and fetch Ebisu. If he is able I need for him to come to my office. Tell him it's not urgent but to get here before sunset as I would like to talk to him. You got that?"

Sakura looked up from where she had been writing professionally in a notebook from her black skirt and nodded before walking towards the door. "Oh and Sakura?"

"Yes Milady?" asked Sakura turning around pertly

"Buy me some more Sake would you?"

Sakuras professional composure cracked a little and she sweatdropped "Yes Milday."

"Good" said Tsunade leaning back with a smirk "That will be all"

Sakura sighed before turning and twisting the door knob with her hand only to have the door suddenly come crashing open. Sakura quickly jumped back surprised when she saw a walking pile of paper and files come staggering in. But as soon as Sakura heard the words "MILADY! WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT WITH YOUR DRINKING AND WORKING IN THE OFFICE!" She quickly realised what it was and darted out the open door behind the harried Shizune's back.

Once she was safely in the hallway she listened to the expraested, exhausted Shizunes lecture and Tsunade's excuse's and with a smile she walked off towards the exit door with the sound of "Get Sakura to help you then before she returns to the hospital" which caused a slight vein to bulge in the said persons forehead before she let another enormous sigh out matching the one she knew Shizune would be doing in the Hokages office no doubt.

'As if we're not overworked already' Sakura thought sarcastically as she marched down the hallway. 'I'm exhausted! Well mentally anyway. We all are.'

Sakura stared up at the sky as she exited the Hokage's Tower before she was distracted by the sound of laughing children and a very harried man. When she looked down she found a small child, a boy with spiky brown hair in a ponytail tugging at her clothes with a toothy grin. One of his front teeth were missing. "OI LADY!" He yelled up at her "WATCHA DOIN?!"

A sudden thought seemed to strike the boy and he looked up at Sakura curiously before looking from side to side and whispering very loudly "Nee, NEE! Are you like the Hokages NINJA!?"

Sakura opened her mouth to reply but before she could the boy started dancing around her yelling "AWESOME! AWESOME!"

Sakura looked around trying to keep track of the boy when a tall man with short black hair and a leaf headband around his arm, his eyes zeroing in on the boy who suddenly sported a guilty grin and clung to Sakura's shirt. "H-hey there Sani-sensei!" The boy scratched the back of his head innocently "H-how you doin?"

"Takashi.." The man called Sani said panting from either exhaustion or anger, Sakura couldn't tell.

"I...have finally found you at last."

Sakura peered behind the man and saw a bunch of little face's peer back. 'Must be an Acadamy class' She thought 'Going to see the Hokage faces then maybe?' She was pulled back from her thoughts though when a large yelp pierced the air and she saw Takashi who had obviously tried to run away being held up by his sensei. "Now you say sorry to this young lady whom you disturbed alright?"

"Why?.." The boy grumbled crossing his arms with a huff "She was just looking at the sky."

"NOW." Said Sani sternly.

Takashi grumbled and swang his legs before looking up at Sakura and saying "Sorry Pretty Ninja."

Sakura blinked surprised then gave her nicest smile to the boy and patted him on the head. "It's all right. I wasn't supposed to be looking at the sky anyway I had to do go do some" Sakura paused for a moment "Ninja things.

" The boy's face brightened with a blush and a goofy smile and said "So you really ARE a Ninja den!" with clear admiration "Though how come you aint wearing your Ninja band thingy?" He added pointing to his forehead "You a undercover spy from Iwa then or somethin?!"

"No Takashi-Kun" corrected his sensei patiently "This is most likely her day off so let's not keep her and the rest of the class waiting and go why don't we?"

"Ohkay! Sani-sensei!" The little boy grinned and quickly ran off to join the rest of his class as soon as he was put down.

'Most likely to tell the rest of his classmates about the amazing "Pretty Female Ninja Maiden" he had just met and such' laughed Sakura silently amused. Sakura quickly snapped back to attention however when she noticed that the man had been talking to her "-and I'm very new to this and again I'm so very sorry. I just started as a teacher since they were one short and-"

"Its fine" Sakura said cutting him short as she noticed how low the sun was going. "Now its my turn to apologize"

She smiled then waved and started running down the street towards the gates "Sorry gotta run! Bye!" She waved once more then turned her back on the familiar scene of the sensei and his mischievous, hyperactive student, a sad sense of de javu coming over her. "Jeez it's almost 2:00 and I've got so much work to do!" She said aloud getting herself back on track. But before Sakura closed her mind down and turned into Busy mode she spared one more quick thought for the boy and his sensei. 'So many memories' She thought 'It was just like back then..' Sakura smiled sadly then slowed down to a walking pace looking up to the sky once more. "Naruto, Iruka, Where are you?

End of Chapter One.

AUTHORS NOTE: Hi...Ugh embarrassing I HAD TO DELETE AND EDIT AGAIN! But I got lazy again so not all of it is correct forgive me. Anyways First Fanfiction and stuff and I messed up so I had to delete and repost and thanks to those 2 kind people who politely told me that my story was absolutely covered in symbols and was unreadable. I really appreciate it. SO, I hope this works and if it does please leave a review on your way out so I know to continue ((Well I'll always continue I mean post it on here...Nah I do it anyway =P)) and because I really need the advice so I may keeping doing one of the things I love. Manners would be nice since I am kinda new to this heh...BUT NO EXCEPTIONS! '^~^

Thanks for uh...reading!