A/N: Okay so this is the first multi-chapter SasuNaru fic that I have published. I would appriciate any feedback on this. Yes, this includes flames...I promise you that your close-minded criticism will be laughed at and then will in turn make me want to write really hard yaoi [possibly yuri...hmmm... scenes. So I hope that you guys all enjoy this fic since I am working really hard to keep the characters IN character! I have about 11 chapters hand written so I will not abondon you guys but updates will be dependant on my free time! So be paitent because badgering will not lead to faster updats...but reviews could!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto...well I can't draw...BUT if I owned Kishimoto-sensei then I would force him to crank out more than a chapter a week...-shifty eyes-

The story so far: Well it's only the first chapter so you have to read to see that!

Warnings: Future Yaoi, Yuri and Hetero pairings, but for now it's pretty much a general type fic. Swearing, because I think it would be stressful being a ninja thus, they cuss in my fic...Okay...Enough with formalities, that's not what you're here for!, On with the fic that will change your life...j/k! lol!

Chapter 1

It had been days since the Godime had really slept or had a decent meal. On most days when Shizune bought dinner to her office the woman would exclaim that she didn't have time to eat. Then the plate usually hit the wall because it had been covering some information that had to be seen by the Hokage in order for everything to click in her mind. This of course never was the case. All the writing and Justus and reports in front of her were like torn pieces of a picture that made no sense at all to her. They should have been written in an unknown language that would have helped her out much more than anything so far.

Tsunade had been working so hard and no one knew what this uproar in Hokage Tower was for. She was high strung and fatigued; there had never been a worse combination for Konoha. On one occasion Shizune, who still continued to bring meals despite the fact that they were quickly becoming the new paint for the walls, had a plate of food read for the Hokage that had to wait. From the outside of the office she could hear faint sobs accompanied with a few slams of a too strong fist from too much pressure and not enough epiphanies for Tsunade. The cries continued, fists quieting after only a few pounds, and the assistant sat on the floor outside until it sounded like the woman was done.

Shizune never confronted her about it that was asking to be torn apart. Tsunade wouldn't have cooperated if she had asked anyway. No matter how much the medical Nin wanted to know what was going on she held her tongue, Tsunade would tell her soon, and they never had secrets between each other. All she could do for her sensei at the moment was stay by her side and make sure that she was still on Earth. Tsunade was going to work herself into the grave if Shizune didn't provide a little bit of a distraction with wasted meals.

The day had finally arrived. The day that Tsunade had arrived at the end of her mysterious research, and everyone from Konoha to the Mist Country knew when she had finished. A loud yell, though excited, had reverberated off of the stone walls of the building and echoed through the village as she threw her hands up in victory. Tsunade hardly ever allowed herself to appear even a little childish but after all that she had been through she deserved it and justified it as so.

After composing herself and pulling her robe up to the right position on her knotted shoulders she called for Shizune with her warmed up voice.

"Please get Naruto for me," she requested smiling as though she had been on a winning streak with no bad luck to follow.

Bowing out Shizune fetched Naruto from where ever he had been at that moment. It was too long after Tsunade had asked for him that he was bursting through her door in a whirlwind of blonde hair and energy that never disappeared.

Not wanting to disappoint Naruto opted for his usual greeting, "What do you want Baa-chan?"

Tsunade didn't bother with banter or come backs, there wasn't any time for that. She tilted her head towards a chair in front of her with a serious look on her face. Naruto picked up on the seriousness, if Tsunade wasn't taking the opportunity to call him a brat or something then it had to mean that there was something going on…something heavy. Her eyes left no room for interpretation so Naruto took the chair and bit his lip as he sat. This was more than just a visit to the Hokage for Naruto, but he had no idea what this was about and that made his insides tremble so violently he had to adjust his seat on a chair that groaned loudly under his movements.

"Naruto…" She began as she too bit on her lower lip. There was something different in her face, or so Naruto decided. He was probably right. Lack of sleep, a poor diet (if any at all), countless hours poured into scrolls, maps and ANBU intelligence reports and not to mention a few drinks with Jiraiya could do that to a person's countenance. Naruto shifted more under the implied weight of Tsunade's voice.

"I think I know where Sasuke is…"

"What?!" Bright blue eyes flew open faster than if he heard there was a Ramen give away today. His mind ran rampant with questions, most of them not really consisting of real words or full sentences.

Tsunade rubbed her barely aging eyes, "According to ANBU reports he and a few unidentified people are headed to the Akatsuki headquarters."

Naruto slammed his hand on her antique oak desk, earning him a glare, "You had better know exactly where he is." Though he was MUCH lower in ranking than Tsunade he growled out his demand through tightly clenched teeth.

"You better learn who you're talking to! That is impossible for us to know Naruto! People don't just sta—" she began to scold before Naruto interjected.

"I don't want to go on another chase for his sorry ass!" he exclaimed as his fists shook by his sides.

Tsunade looked absolutely infuriated what the blond had spat at her about his former teammate. Despite protests from her aching figure Tsunade stood to match the boy's rage with ten times more authority than she had ever shown around him.

"This isn't just about you Naruto! I've poured days into this project just for you! You sure as hell aren't giving up on your best friend just because my ANBU men might be off by a few meters!"

Tsunade didn't need to say anymore after 'best friend', Naruto didn't hear her anyway. He had no words to justify the way he had thought of Sasuke in that moment. Never had Naruto felt ashamed of what he'd thought and said until that last sentence. He couldn't hear that Tsunade was still saying something to him; he was too far gone in the agony of being best friends with Sasuke and where it had brought him now. Slowly he sank back into the noisy chair. Tsunade sense the ominous dark cloud over Naruto's spirit as she watched him silently fall into the same depression he always got when Sasuke was mentioned.

"Naruto, listen I've never asked you to do anything for me and this is no different," Tsunade sounded as if she were nearly pleading to Naruto. "You can't give up when he's right in your sight! Please bring him back so you can get on with your life!"

The memories of Naruto's failed attempts to bring the Uchiha back to their beloved village fought their way to the front of Tsunade's mind. The way his eyes seemed to lose the life he was always so full of a little more each time. He would never let anyone see it, but Tsunade was better than most at observations of him. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Naruto turning the idea over in his head over and over again.

"Thanks Baa-chan!" Naruto smiled through a slight tremble in his jaw. "I guess I was going crazy for a moment!" He hid the pain horribly and he must have known it because he stood up and headed for the door as Tsunade reached out for him. No one but Naruto knew whether that was intentionally done or not.

"Come back here in 45 minutes," she ordered biting her lower lip again. The only acknowledgement Naruto gave to that order was the slight pause before going out the door.

Hands in his pockets and feet carrying him numbly through the village he did just what anyone would have done after being told your best friend, ex-teammate, thing was going to be hunted down (again) by you and a team of people you'd grown up with, he just walked. His mind jumped from one possibility to the next without realizing that he kept running into people and stumbling over his own feet. As of this morning Naruto was the only person who knew what was going on (of course excluding Tsunade and Shizune) and he still didn't know what to make of it. Things were too confusing, all of it moving too fast for him to be able to grab a hold of what was going on and make it all make sense in an instant. This was just too much.

In about 45 minutes, or so Naruto thought, Tsunade was going to call together a team that would help Naruto bring Sasuke home. He had no doubt that Sakura and Kakashi were going to be with them, after all they were a part of the former team 7, but the rest of the team was pretty much going to be based on skill. That would be only logical since this was going to be a pretty dangerous mission. Probably just as, if not more, dangerous than the first time he tried to bring Sasuke home. He wanted to smile because of the speech (which he could recite in his head) Shikamaru gave before they left to face the toughest battles they'd ever fought.

A flash of a memory passed through his mind. It was of when Sasuke stood and told Naruto that he was his best friend. At the time it was confusing and extremely contradictory, considering Sasuke came at him with intent to kill. But now it was one of the best memories Naruto had of Sasuke. That was the only time Sasuke opened up to him anyway, so what's so bad about that…besides the fight that it took to get him to say any of that stuff.

Stupid bastard…Naruto thought rubbing his head with one hand. Everything seemed to just pile on top of him; it was all too much pressure for him. Eventually he was going to crack if he wasn't given half a second to step back and figure things out. This whole mission was because he needed to have Sasuke in his life, couldn't stand it without him, and it made him feel spoiled that The Hokage was spending weeks on the research it involved instead of doing things to help the village. This wasn't even taking into account the doubt he was filled with right now. What if those years away from Konoha with Jiraiya hadn't been enough? What if he came back empty handed once more?

The world around him went by just as fast, time went on just as it had been for millions upon millions of years, and people's glares were just as cold, nothing seemed to show sympathy for his inner turmoil. The world never had before, and it showed no signs of starting now. These were just the things he had to get used to. Naruto squinted up to the sun, though he had no idea of why he did that he just looked for a second and directed his gaze to the streets once more. Despite the fact that nothing else had changed, Naruto could still feel the intense heat of the sun crawling into his jacket.

He rolled his tense shoulders, hoping to work out some of the knots in them before he began to walk back to Hokage tower. The meeting would start soon, the only reason our hero was wondering around outside was because he needed space before he could properly function in front of people. According to Naruto's internal clock, more along the lines of impatience, it was time to go to the meeting. The doubt nagged at him, and nagged at him, tugging at his mind as he walked to the building. It didn't even subside for a moment before he opened the door to Tsunade's office.

He didn't even wait for a response before he walked in, whereupon he was met with the lively eyes of Sakura, Kiba, Lee (his eyes were more youthful of course), Chouji, Ino and the not so excited eyes of Shikamaru.

"Naruto so glad you could join us," Tsunade welcome, her eyes saying that no one else knew what was going on.

Naruto's blue eyes darted around the room, assessing the team the Lord Hokage had assembled for such an important mission. The only one missing was Neji but Naruto hadn't expected him to come since the main branch of the Hyuuga was arranging a marriage between him and Hinata…they still didn't know about Hinata and Kiba. That wouldn't go so well would it?

Get back on task! Naruto's mind scolded him as he looked around again. Sure, most of the team was made up of Chuunins but that wouldn't be enough against the Akatsuki. A team only a little smaller than this was barely enough for the Sound Four, how did they expect to fare against an organization?

"There is supposed to be one more, but he is…a tad late." Almost as if on cue Kakashi appeared on the window sill as leaves flew everywhere from his infamous entrance and then a gust of wind and all the leaves were gone once more.

"Sorry I'm late, there was a sale at the bookstore and I had to buy all of Icha Icha in first edition," Kakashi spoke so calmly, as if he was using the same 'black cat' excuse from years ago.

Sakura pointed an accusing finger at her former teacher, "LIA-" She stopped, slightly stunned that Kakashi might actually have been telling the truth.

After smiling slightly at Sakura Kakashi turned his attention to the one who had neglected to reprimand him for his usual tardiness, Naruto looked as if he was lost in an ocean of thoughts, a rare look, Kakashi noted. He wasn't given much time to analyze the melancholy face before Tsunade got down to business.

"Listen, I've picked each of you specifically for this mission. Your skills are desperately needed, so please give it all you've got," it sounded more like she had already given the orders and was just about to dismiss her ninjas rather than introducing the mission to them.

Rock Lee informed the Hokage in his strong voice, "Tsunade-sama, forgive me, but you haven't told us what our mission is yet."

"I was getting there," she replied gritting her teeth, this was a lot more difficult than she thought it would be.

Naruto knew for a fact that hearing this again, to go through the conversation that clearly stated that she knew where Sasuke was…that he was close enough to catch without a doubt. The blond boy rocked back and forth slightly, the room was far too tense for him. Even if it was all the tension that he was making up in his mind, it still made him uncomfortable.

"I have a retrieval mission for you guys," She paused to chew on her lip; a nervous habit that Sakura noticed the second her sensei began. "It's of the utmost importance that you achieve the objective."

Sakura observed the group in the stuffy room; at first glance it was just what seemed to be a select few from the Konoha eleven, but upon closer inspection the pink chunin noted that they all were pretty much the closest of the eleven in their group. They all had gone on missions together, hung out outside work and knew the others

It wasn't like it was a totally random group of ninjas thrown together for a retrieval…Sakura gasped. No surely it couldn't be that…could it? She threw Tsunade a disbelieving glance, but was only answered with a serous nod from her sensei.

Naruto averted his attention from the ancient carpeting to his former team mate. She knew. Naruto wished that she wasn't a sharp as she always was, it just seemed wrong for her to know before everyone else. But that's what happens when you've got one of the most brilliant kunoichi in the room.

"Yes…I know where Sasuke is…" Tsunade finally said answering the question that was on every ninja's mind since the rush of air was passed through Sakura's lips.

The room fell completely still; every color of eyes imaginable searched the Hokage for a trace of too much sake. Air seemed too scarce all of a sudden, almost as if it had been knocked out of the ones who had just found this news out.

"WHAT?!" Kiba finally broke the silence and signaled the return of oxygen into the room.

His eyes became more animalistic as he demanded answers from the weary and battered woman. If he didn't receive any explanation he could very well gatsuga through the walls from the amount of frustration (due to his ignorance on the subject) building up inside of him as the seconds passed.

Tsunade rubbed her head for the millionth plus time that day, "I know where he is and I need you guys to go and get him." No one missed the fact that saying his name was clearly taboo at this moment in time.

As the information was being absorbed by all those that it affected Shikamaru could hear the Godaime muttering to herself, "I'm fucking sick of this game…" He of course had no idea what this meant but could gather that it had something to do with the way Naruto had been fascinated by the craftsmanship put into the carpeting and the window. Shikamaru was lazy he'd admit to that, but by no stretch of the imagination was he stupid enough to think that this was the first time the blond had heard of this mission. The only thing to cross his mind was how troublesome loyalty was at this point.

"When do we leave?" the Nara asked looking at Tsunade with resolved eyes.

Ino and Chouji stared at him speechlessly, never had Shikamaru wanted to go on a mission, much less ask the details of something that required effort (unless he was the leader of the team of course). His team mates were still awaiting the ever impending muttered chorus of 'troublesomes' that was sure to follow his question when he realized the way the whole room looked at him. But not an utterance with that word came from the teenager. Needless to say this stunned not only Ino and Chouji but everyone else as well.

"You guys leave tomorrow, I will have the statistics, details and maps drawn up for you by then. Meet up here at eleven, for now you all are dismissed," Tsunade replied with her all-knowing smile. She knew that Shikamaru cared for Naruto as well as his village and he would do anything to protect them.

The Hokage turned her back to the teenaged ninjas in favor for looking out and into her beloved village. She knew that she was going to hear all about this mission from Naruto the second they got back. A small smile crept on her lips as she thought about just what it meant to be the leader of such a great village.

Having been completely forgotten about the members of Sasuke's NEW retrieval team left the Hokage's presence with a rather awkward sense of Konoha pride. Naruto was the last one to stand after receiving hoards of sympathetic looks from the team, as if that made anything better or easier. He resisted the urge to roll his blue eyes to the ceiling and opted to nod rather than piss off his friends.

Once passed the looks, doors and adjusting to the weather Naruto noticed how unseasonably warm it was. It wasn't like it was cold, as it should have been giving the summer breathing into fall time of year, but it wasn't muggy, like the unbearable summer had been, it felt like just a normal night with Naruto headed back to that empty apartment.

Normal, how ironic, Naruto mused smiling lightly to himself, the world around him just as it always was, normal. But there's nothing normal about tomorrow…

A smile spread across his lips, how nice it felt to smile for real again. How nice it felt to not have to pretend that you were the same rowdy, rambunctious, hyper-active child that you always were, when inside you knew that there was something missing from the equation. Oh he always knew what it was, who didn't, but not a soul was brave enough to speak of it. For if they did it could very well break his heart a little more. No, they let his mind come up with others that could be missing and let his heart tear itself to pieces slowly.

Shaking his head and thoughts like that away Naruto continued homewards.

"Naruto!!!" Sakura yelled at the top of her lungs from behind him.

He turned around upon hearing his name, it was only sensible of course. The pink haired girl greeted him with heavy breaths and a smile that was unmistakably put there to cheer him up. It was obvious that she had been calling him at the top of her voice and running to catch him for a while due to her irregular inhales and exhales. Once she was breathing in a normal breathing pattern she finally spoke.

"We're all going out to Ichiraku's for dinner! I promise I'll treat you if you go with us!" she offered folding her hands together in a cute, girly way.

Naruto gave her his signature vulpine smile, "You bet! I'll make you go bankrupt by the time the night is over!"

Sakura hit him playfully on his arm, not hard enough to completely destroy his arm…but let's just say that Sakura still didn't know her own strength even after all this time. They walked, as Naruto secretly nursing his pain (pride would not allow him to show it) every time Sakura would look off to the side. They spoke as they walked. It wasn't heavy things that they would talk about when one or the other, sometimes both, began to allow their hearts to pain for the defection of their dear team mate. It was more like they were normal kids, doing normal things, without an abnormal day ahead of them when they woke up.

It was pleasant conversation that didn't end as soon as they pushed aside the kind-of-curtains that were in front of the best ramen bar in all of the hidden villages. The whole team was there already, everyone ordering this and that, Chouji and Kiba seeing who could balance more pretzels on whose tongue, Shikamaru muttering about how annoying his team was, and Ino merely smiling as the new additions to the group walked in.

Naruto and Sakura took their seats next to team 10, how weird that they still sat in an Ino-Shika-Chou formation despite the fact that they technically weren't a team anymore. Once the orders were ordered, placed in front of them and devoured, with seconds of course, the chatter of teenaged assassins carried throughout the restaurant. Now saying that no one in the whole team was shaken with fear for the success, or failure, of tomorrow's mission was by no means correct. It would be more accurate to say that no one in the whole team acknowledged this fear for now, because for now they were real kids who didn't have to worry about that sort of fantasy. By worrying about the mission they were already playing into the enemies hands, and Shikamaru would not have that.

All good things must come to end and this night was slowly winding down. The deciding vote for when the group should part, despite how much they wanted to stay, was when a rather out-of-it Lee proclaimed that he was 'youthfully prepared to take the Kazekage's virginity' to the entire crowd that happened to be milling passed that particular establishment at that time of night. With smiles, half hearted or not, and 'see you tomorrow's' every ninja went their own way to get a decent amount of sleep before a potentially life-altering mission.

As Naruto listlessly walked to his house he wondered just how far his team would go in order to bring Sasuke back. The first time their mission had been to bring the Uchiha-bastard back Shikamaru's little five-man team had risked, and almost lost, their very lives for the sake of their mission. He had no doubt that this team would do the same for this mission.

Naruto stumbled into his darkened apartment, took his shoes off and stripped on his way to a well-earned shower. As the water cascaded down his exposed flesh he couldn't stop smiling. True it had been a great night; there was something much more important on his mind. He couldn't place his finger on it until a jolt of cold water shot his back, signaling that he had been standing there thinking for nearly thirty minutes.

We're gonna get him back…he thought turning the knobs slowly to turn his shower off.

Climbing out and towel drying his hair Naruto's mind continued to chant this mantra, we're gonna get him back, we're gonna get him back. It wasn't until after he had dressed himself in worn out pajamas and threw himself into bedthat the song had quieted into his dreams. It was the first time in years that Naruto had fallen asleep with a real smile on his lips.

End of Seemingly Normal