Disclaimer: I do not and will never own Naruto.

This story is has been a source of annoyance for the last week for me. First it Got deleted and I had to rewrite it and then It would not upload onto the site.

Finally it gave in to persistance and here it is, this is only the first chapter of who knows how many.

Also I would like to ask that if you have any ideas on how to improve Sakura's pasrt of the Story then please drop a review or message, Sakura's part of the story hasn't quite come out as I wanted it to.

Enjoy

Konoha Sunrise

Sunrise always was always been my favourite time of the day, it gave me strength to stand up every morning and faith in the nindo that I had ingrained into myself since becoming a shinobi.

No one ever appreciated or willingly noticed the sun or the light it shone down on them, silently supporting life and illuminating our days to remind us that it's there to help us get through and never once complaining. It is never ending and ceaselessly helping those who did nothing but fleetingly recognise its presence before going about their days and only once more before they go to sleep and the moon takes over.

Even when others were asleep it was somewhere else shining down on the land, giving luminous joy to those thousands of miles away. I get up early in the morning everyday to greet the sun, whether I had slept for hours or not even a minute.

The sunrise gave me hope that maybe one day, if I just waited long enough and worked hard enough, that someone would finally notice me. Just as I have noticed the Sun.

"Gaki why the hell are you always up so early, ne?"

The grumble came from a newly awakened Jiraiya as he emerged from his tent rubbing his eyes to remove the remaining work of the sandman.

His answer was met with a silence that seemed unnatural considering the pair that where travelling together. Casting about with blood shot eyes Jiraiya found the smoking remains of last night's campfire and an already collapsed and stored tent not more than ten feet from his.

The dim light of pre-dawn made it even more of a challenge to spot the boy he was looking for, even if for a shinobi the boy chose to wear ridicules colours like the orange suit he was so fond of till two years ago.

Now he only wore the colour sparingly, lining his jacket which Jiraiya found lying next to the backpack that was resting on the tent. Rubbing his eyes once more the white haired Sage, turned back to his tent and gave a long winded sigh.

With a slow and calculated pace he began to collapse his tent to its folded state, all the while mumbling to himself.

"What the hell does he think I am his bloody caretaker?"

Not far from the still dark clearing ran a calm river, trickling softly over the bed that supported it. A brightly coloured plethora of fish swam just below the crystal clear water, mouths and fins occasionally breaking the water to snatch at unsuspecting water flies.

Huge deciduous trees of the Fire Country grew along the banks offering stability to the river banks and shade for weary animals and travellers alike that came across this beautiful view, offering a short respite for the journeys ahead.

Upon these calm waters staring out towards the brightening pink and orange tint on the horizon sat a solemn figure. The figure was a boy no older than sixteen whose blonde hair hung heavily across cobalt blue eyes that patiently studied the horizon as if expecting something to happen or appear.

He wore nothing but black training shorts and a necklace that held a milky green diamond or stone flanked by two inconspicuous black beads. His muscles rippled across his body although he seemed totally at ease, breathing in deeply and evenly while staying floating stationary on the river surface.

Time carried on without head to this contradiction to nature, the birds of the forest woke with melodic chirping followed shortly by the activity of all those animals that made the forest floor and undergrowth their home. The sun continued its languid accent into the sky, clearing the horizon with a breath taking display of colour and warmth.

Golden blonde hair lifted slightly as a smile graced humble features and blue eyes filled with awe.

The shear splendour of the sunrise had never ceased to amaze Naruto, always leaving him dazzled and feeling reborn as the warmth it emitted washed lazily over him. It felt like a cleansing wave of purity to wash away past misgivings, truly giving him the feeling that today was new day in both calendar and mind.

Tan skin drew taut over flexed muscles as Naruto rose, standing in the middle of the river and shared a quiet moment with nature. The movement of fish under the water and watched as they swam under the dazzling reflection of the sun without a care in the world.

A soft sigh escaped his lips as eyes closed themselves to the morning light to search the depths of his mind to find the memories of home. The village probably looked much different but he knew that appearance was probably the only change it had over taken along with older inhabitants.

People would still be going about life as they always had. A bustling market, a hard working academy, a busy Hokage and a never ending stream of ninja leaving and returning to and from missions meant almost constant activity through the days and nights.
Children will be playing with friends and families will be spending nights together eating dinner or just spending time with one another.

It had always been that way in Konoha, busy and loud. He had never really been a part of the picture as far as so many were concerned always having to gain attention from doing something stupid or juvenile. It was never easy to try and fit in, especially when he was what he was.

The first time he ever felt a part of any thing was when he met Sarutobi-jiji. On the surface a sun kissed complexion wrinkled with a smile. The old man had been his inspiration for his dream and would always hold a grand place in his memories, always remembered as the grandfather he never knew and the man to give his life direction.

It had been a painful day that which had followed the Sound and Sound invasion. Konoha had won an almost impossible victory but at a great cost. They had lost the ageless leader and father of the village that had guided them through the toughest times.

The sun, that day, had also gone into mourning for the hero who gave his life for the safety of the village and a future without threat from his sick and twisted student, the traitor that haunted Konoha.
The sun had not been seen, the rain had held solemn witness to his burial along with every single inhabitant of the great village.

Not long after that the village suffered again but had hit closer to home than the blonde had ever wanted to. The Uchiha prodigy left the village in a blind and desperate attempt to gain power after he had been defeated by the loud shinobi on the hospital roof, one of only two remaining Uchiha and the rookie of the year that had been Naruto's teammate and brother in soul he had hurt many with his treason.

Suddenly the blonde felt too drained to maintain the concentration of staying standing on the water surface and inch by inch became immersed up to his waist in cooling liquid. Tension was washed away and blue eyes open once again only to shimmer with pain that rippled across the surface of a person's heart.

Sasuke's treason had pained him more than he liked to admit but that had held no significance against the pain that had gripped his very soul when he was faced with the tears of the one he loved. It had been a comparison between a bruise and a mortal wound, over whelming in the sense that nothing else had come close to since.

Sakura had cried and begged him that day to bring back the one she loved, pleaded and told him he was the only one who could and he had believed her. He had believed her with unwavering doubt that she spoke the truth and his heart would let him do no less for the one he loved.

So he had left her with a promise and grin that hid all the pain he felt after the promise had been spoken, only to return with a near fatal wound and empty hands. How he wished that the hospital bed that supported him would swallow him whole when he saw her enter his room and stare at his bandaged upper body.

He apologised and apologized and did his best to explain that he had done his best. She had almost completely ignored him and stood by the window that let in bright rays of light. She had said she forgave him, but he knew better. Her forgiveness was merely disappointment and that lack of faith had hurt almost as much as seeing her tears.

When she left Jiraiya had appeared at the window and informed him on how much of a fool he was for chasing someone who did not want to stay, but Naruto had made a promise to an unrequited love that he would bring Sasuke back if it took him a life time. He would stay a fool he had told Jiraiya then who simply gave him a side long glance before an almost knowing smile graced his aged features.

It had been then he told Naruto of the training trip he was taking him on, a trip that would last an entire three years. In the end the choice had been simple; he would either stay in Konoha and endure the disappointment of the one he loved most, or leave for three years to train to become the best shinobi he could be to bring back a boy that would bring a smile to the love of his life but shatter his very own heart.

He could not stand failing the one he loved, could not bring himself to give her anything but the world and if the traitor was her world than he would destroy his own hopes and dreams for a single smile to grace her beautiful lips again.

He had asked Tsunade-baa-chan to take Sakura as her apprentice the day before he left; he knew that if she would want to be strong to bring back Sasuke even if he disappointed her again. He knew no one better to help her than the Hokage herself. He had asked the last favour of Tsunade that he would anyone in his life.

His happiness never seemed to matter to anyone, so it meant little more to him than something that he would never find. He understood it well, but that did not mean it did not hurt.

For three long and painful years his dreams had haunted him with images of failure and disappointment, failure to fulfil the promise of a lifetime to the holder of his heart and the disappointment of losing his heart to a traitor. Seldom where there nights that allowed him more than a few hours restless sleep, since he would always wake shaking with an unbearable pain gripping his heart.

On nights like those he was glad for the sunrise that would follow, for they helped rest his mind and give him a respite from the constant ache. This morning had been a great sight to behold and a lift that he had needed, his dreams had done him no favours and if not for the residence of his abdomen he would probably have looked like Gaara with the rings that would have surrounded his tired eyes.

Three long years had passed him by and he was now finally returning to the place he wanted to call home but it gave him no reason to. He felt as if he was just heading for another stop on the trip and it was the longest stop they would make.

Sinking until he was covered up to the neck by the refreshing waters he slowly swam his way to the shore that had lead to his camp and his master, ero-sennin.

Reaching the muddy banks he made his way towards the tree line, finding the path back hidden by a few white flowered bushes. The path was long and he silently swept along it, thoughts still lingering on the promise he made to the love of his life and the inevitable confrontation that would follow his return.

Finally reaching camp he watched as Jiraiya finished packing up his pack and kick out the remaining embers of last night's fire. He smiled at his mentor and then walked over to join him and get changed into the cloths he left behind. He reckoned that he had two days left to spend silently with his mentor and father figure and he was going to try his best to forget the pain that awaited his arrival in Konoha.

Hospitals were always bright and clean, always too bright and too clean. Sounds in hospitals were amplified tenfold and senses felt overwhelmed with strong smells of disinfectant and medicine. Patients complained about noise and the intensity of the light that assaulted their senses everyday but hospitals didn't change, they would stay as they had always been. The only consolations patients had were the friendly staff that would always do everything possible to help even when the hospital would not.

She had been witness to this for three years, working under the Hokage herself as her apprentice. She never knew why the Sannin choose her out of all the other Kunoichi in the village and was never offered an explanation from the legend. She had asked and persisted with questions but he Hokage would just adopt a sad and thoughtful expression before telling her that the reasons where not for her to know but accept.

After the umpteenth time she gave up asking and just accepted the training she was being given. The sessions were mentally and physically gruelling and more than once did she collapse from exhaustion only to be brought to by the legendry medic and sent to get some rest that she gratefully took.

She had learned a great many things, precision control over her chakra that rivalled that of the legend herself, the very same control that allowed the Sannnin to level entire mountains and made shinobi tremble with awe and fear. Also her medical knowledge had been pushed and stretched to the max, till the point where she could recite the names and functions of every bone organ and cell in the body.

She had not even yet reached near the level of Tsunade but she had become possibly the third best medical expert in Konoha, behind Tsunade's close friend and assistant Shizune and the Legend herself.

She had trained hard every day to bring back the one who left her for power, because she knew that if she showed him they could be strong together then she could convince him to stay with her. She had failed to stop him on the night he left, knocked out cold and left on a stone bench on the path out of the village. Then even when she had asked her remaining team mate to bring him back he couldn't, he had promised and he had failed her.

She had been more then disappointed when the one she yearned for had not returned with him. She had told him it was alright, but she didn't know whether she meant it or not. She had stood at the very same window she was looking out now, silently hating him for not keeping his promise.

When Naruto had told her it was a promise of a lifetime she wanted to believe him desperately but what was the dead last of the class going to do that could stop the Uchiha. She didn't know and left the boy where he lay wrapped almost completely in bandages, she didn't want to show the lose she felt.

She had been in such a hurry that she did not wait to see his reaction to her silence, and now she wondered about the blonde boy that had made her a promise that would span a lifetime if he could not fulfil it. Why had he even promised her such a thing when she had given him no reason to?

Staring out onto the sprawling village from the hospital window she remembered how she had brushed him off for her love without thought as if it was a natural reflex. Three years on from that day and she had began questioning everything she knew of him. Always a ready smile and easy going attitude he never seemed to be down, the only time she had seen the smile disappear had been in that hospital bed bandaged up. And even then he seemed sadder with his failure to beat the one he promised to bring back then the gaping hole that had removed half his chest and nearly his heart.

The first month or two after he left on his training trip had been bliss besides her training with the Hokage, since quiet had reigned over the village and her life lacked the annoyance of his presence.

The joy of his absence had slowly faded into a sort of indifference that reflected the monotonous days of training, working, eating and sleeping before getting up again the next day to do it all over again. Then somewhere between the end of the first year of his absence and the beginning of the second year that indifference slowly changed to a faint feeling of something missing. The silence that consumed the village since he left began to unnerve her; the village was missing the liveliness that made it home.

Everything seemed to slow to a crawl and became subdued, even the usually noisy market seemed to turn into whispered arguments and sluggish transactions. It had been the last three months since he left and she began to miss his presence sorely. The attention he gave her had made her feel special in a way that no one else had done before. Going out of his way everyday to greet her and to support her even when she just told him to shut up had a profound effect on her.

Now she couldn't wait to see him again if only to hear him say something stupid once more, so she could clobber him over the head and call him an idiot. She knew he would be back any day now but she wondered if he wanted to see her as much as she wanted to see him.

When she last saw him was leaving the north gates of Konoha with the Toad Sage Jiraiya and he had said goodbye to everyone who showed up, and it had been only a few. Kakashi had been there with Tsunade-sama and her assistant Shizune. He had smiled at them when they met him at the gate, seeming genuinely surprised that anyone would show up to see him leave. When he spotted her she noticed his eyes darken from their usual cerulean to cobalt blue and his smile faltered for just a second, but she had ignored it and now she wished her last words to him had not been those that she had spoken so selfishly.

"You promised me, and you better keep it ne?"

I look back now and I recognise the flicker of pain that swam in his eyes before they disappeared into their depths with a grin and thumbs up.

"It's a promise of a life time, no matter what Sakura-chan."

She wished he would be here now so that she could apologise for being so selfish, I had been so young and now I see sides of him that make my heart ache for him. She had found out more of the wayward comrade with all the access to the Hokage's private files. She had read of his life as an orphan, parents unknown and a life all alone with no one to care for him.

She had seen his medical files and she had nearly dropped it in horror at what she read. Naruto had been to the hospital over seven hundred times for emergency care. It listed broken bones, gashes, inch deep wounds and dangerous amounts of blood lose all appearing hundreds of times as she read down. It had offered no explanation of the cause and that had opened her eyes which had begun to brim with tears. It made her sick to think anyone was able to break the arm and leg of a then seven year old Naruto if the chart was true.

She had discovered a great many things about him, from the reason why he wore that ridicules orange jump suit which was because the only cloths he was able to find or get were those thrown away by one of the stores in Konoha, to the reason why he at nought but ramen. That reason had confused her, why would no body allow him to enter their shop just to buy food? It had pained her to hear that Ichiraku had been the only shop that would sell him anything at all, for what reason she had no idea.

All those things had paled against the mystery of pages torn out of the book that held all the information on his birth and first two years of his life. It ate at her patients and curiosity to know why something like birth information would be destroyed.

Her mind wondered on and on about the boy that was meant to return any day but she had duties to do which she was reminded of when a sharp ring sounded through the building indicating an emergency in the ICU. With a final glance at the empty bed that a twelve year old blonde had once occupied she rushed out into the corridor, grapping a pair of disposable gloves from the table near the door then speeding off in the direction of the ICU.

"Ne ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya turned his agitated look on the boy that seemed to be lost in the blue skies, a trait that he had seen in the leader of the Nara clan in his youth and also in his son at present. They had been travelling for two days now in the direction of Konoha and the blonde seemed to have something on his mind, but it did not mean he had to carry on with the ridicules name he used for his master.

"What do you want Gaki? Why should I even answer you when you're so disrespectful?"

Naruto turned towards him and gave him a sheepish smile before surprising Jiraiya with his answer.
"Ah, gomen Jiraiya-sama." Said the blonde rubbing the back of his head with his right hand, "I just wanted to say arigatou for training me, I don't think I would be as strong as I am without your help."

Jiraiya stopped walking and watched shocked as the young shinobi walked obliviously onwards. Noticing that his master's footsteps weren't in tune with his anymore he turned to see what had stopped him. Seeing Jiraiya standing in the middle of the dirt road looking surprised confused him, could it have been something he said?

"Oi, Ero-sennin is everything alright?" he asked cautiously.

Jiraiya snapped out of his momentary shock and gave the blonde a menacing glare. Walking over he rubbed Naruto's head roughly with loud protests from the flustered shinobi.

"Shut it gaki, for a moment there I thought you were being respectful but I guess I was wrong." Then letting the blonde head free he walked on for a few meters before calling over his shoulder to the blonde still massaging his sore scalp.

"Hurry up gaki not far to go now, Konoha is just a few miles ahead!"

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