Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

Iruka remembered that moment very precisely. For what he did to the last sentence he uttered to his parents.

That was also the first time he wished desperately for the power to rewind time.

He wanted to tell his mother that he loved her even with her constant nagging and that he was sorry that he never appreciated her until now.

He wanted to tell his father that he was sorry that he left their relationship on thin ice. That he loved him and was so proud to be his son.

He wished for a lot of things, but what he wanted most desperately was to take back what he did from after the accident of the Kyuubi attack.

He wished he learned before what a great kid Naruto was.

However, he was given the chance later on to learn how great Naruto was.

They became like a family.

They were like brothers…or maybe even father and son.

He remembered before that he had ignored Naruto when he needed help. When everyone gave him cold looks all he gave was cold shoulder to the situation.

However, there was a time skip in his memories and he suddenly couldn't turn a blind eye to boy that never got a second chance to never know what it is to have someone care for him. He remembered his long tan hand reach out to pale hands and the start of new beginning. It was one of the best choices he ever made.

Only it brought new questions like what happened between those gaps of memories.

He had an idea.

But who could change the past? Tutor

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Leap through Time

By: Wing Moon

Prologue

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Naruto groaned as he rested his head on the desk. When he finally got his dream job he was so excited. However, now that he had it…what was the word he was looking for…boring. All he did all day was look over papers and wait for it….sign it or don't sign it.

That wasn't all! No it gets better. No matter how long he worked on the paper load, its stacks only got taller and taller.

"Maybe it learned how to do Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! That's why it never ends!" he thought as he lifted his head as he looked at the clock to see if it was noon yet.

However, it was only nine o'clock.

He hit his head on the table.

"Argh! Why the hell is time going so freaking slowly!" he yelled as he threw his hands in air.

"But if I don't finish this then I won't be able to meet up with Team 7 later on. And it has been a long time since we all had the same time off. I just have to suck it up and try to finish it off."

He let a sigh escape his lips as he picked up his pen and with a determined face he started his work. Anyway, later on he was going to look for Iruka-sensei to buy him free lunch before he went to find Team 7. He smiled at the thought.

000

Iruka watched the children play. It was his day off and he was lucky that the mission center didn't need him so much, so he was able to get out early. It sort of shocked him because it never happened before, so it took him a while to think of what he could do.

First he wanted to go ask if Naruto wanted to eat lunch with him. However, he stopped as realized that the blond might have plans with his friends.

His eye softened as he thought about all the hard work that Naruto had done to reach his goal…becoming the Hokage.

"Iruka-sensei!"

His turned his head to the side and let a smile form on his face.

"Naruto, how are you?" asked Iruka as he watched the blond boy sit next to him.

"I am fine, but Iruka-sensei why does being the Hokage involve so much paperwork!" Naruto whined.

Iruka couldn't help but chuckle as Naruto rambled on about evil paperwork and about it learning how to use 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu'.

Naruto looked at him with an annoyed expression.

"Sensei, don't laugh at me! I'm serious!" he pouted.

Iruka put his hand on the back of Naruto's shoulder.

"Don't worry, it will get better," he assured the blond. "So tell me how is Sakura, Sasuke, Sai and Kakashi?"

Naruto expression quickly turned from annoyed to unreadable. He mumbled something quickly as he tried to change the subject.

Iruka frowned as he said, "Naruto, what is wrong? You know you can tell me anything that is bothering you. So what did you say before you changed the subject?"

"Nothing gets pass you, huh, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Of course, you should know that firsthand!" Iruka replied as he laughed.

Naruto joined him as they laughed together and remembered the good old times.

After a while they fell into a comfortable silence.

"I'm just worried about them. They should have finished their mission last week. But they're not back yet. What if…I thought that when I became Hokage I would be able to protect my loved ones more than anything but it seems like the opposite."

Iruka opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped before he spoke to reword what he wanted to say.

"Naruto." He said gently as he waited to get his full attention.

Naruto deliberately took his time before giving Iruka his full attention. He looked at his sensei's face and waited for him to start. He was sort of nervous as he watched his sensei's expression become unreadable as he gathered his thoughts together. Whatever Iruka was going to say he would take to heart. Even though he would never admit it out loud, Iruka had become the father figure he always wanted. Maybe not the exact father figure he had always thought of, but instead, much better.

Iruka sighed as he looked at the sun going down in the sky and the children that were playing in front slowly dissolved as they went to go home.

"Naruto, being Hokage may be boring and frustrating at times but it's like a family—no-it is a family. You are the father of the whole of village. You are pillar of hope as they struggle through something bad. Like a child that got their knee scratched. Um…Naruto, don't worry you are protecting your love ones. They are just trying to do the same thing by protecting you. Everyone loves you Naruto, and you will never be alone."

There was a belief silence as both men stared at each other.

Naruto suddenly jumped up as he turned towards Iruka. With his famous foxy grin he said, "Want to get some Ramen, Iruka?"

He let a grin form on his face too.

"OK, whoever gets there last has to pay for it. READY, SET, GO!"

000

At the same time, in the middle of forest between Konoha and Fire Country, a man groaned as he gave a death glare to the sky.

"Thanks a lot." He mumbled as he started to get up on his feet. "Stupid time thing..."

He let out another grunt as he started to stretch his sore body. He warily looked around as he tried to figure out where he was. He closed his eyes as he stretched his chakra out as he drew his arm up as his fingers started to glow different colors. In a blink of eye, five different kinds of colors hit different objects around the man. He did the same thing again with his other hand. His eyes snapped open as both sides started to glow brightly.

"Will at least I know I am in a forest…but where? God I have to stop talking to myself."

The colors faded away as he smacked his forehead, feeling metal as he did so. He paused as he let his hands trace the metal. There were markings on the metal. He hoped that there wasn't a mark across his home symbol to show that he was missing-nin. He quickly took the hitai-ate off his forehead and let it hit the floor. He let another sigh escape from his lips as he tried to control himself. However, he had a right to cry. Anyone who went through what he did would have killed themselves. On the other hand, not a lot of people were determined like him to finish the job. He was going to save him this time. With that in mind the man walked deep into the forest.

000

Sakura pushed all her chakra into this last run.

She needed to warn him fast.

She wouldn't waste their sacrifices.

"Sasuke-kun…Sai….Kakashi-sensei…"

She felt the tears form on the corner of her eyes.

"No, I won't cry! Takes too much energy. I must get to Naruto before it's too late."

As she rushed towards the Konoha gates, she remembered how a simple mission turned horribly wrong.

Actually, it was an accident.

They were coming back from their mission when Sasuke saw unfamiliar chakra gathering a little way ahead of them. They slowly approached it and what they saw made their hair stand on the back of their necks. A huge army of Iwn nin about 50 camps, were set up and it seemed more were coming. They tried to get passed them and quickly go back to warn Naurto. However, that was when everything went horribly wrong. They got caught and only Sakura was able to escape. She didn't even know if the others were killed or not.

"No, I have to focus! The army must have moved by now and if I don't warn Naruto then it will really be too late. Then all their efforts are for nothing. I have to get there!" She said to herself as she saw the gate. "Finally."

"SOMEONE GET THE HOKAGE! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!"

However, unknown to her, she had just walked into a trap.

000

The man was getting tired. He was tired walking in circles, and his senses going off like crazy only to be wrong every time. He was hungry and his whole body hurt. Everything from his body to his mind screamed for him to just rest for one minute, and only for just one minute. He was about to listen to his body; however, a scream from his right jerked his whole body into fighting mode.

He snarled as he dashed towards where he heard the scream, feeling as though he recognized who had screamed. He hoped against hope that he was wrong. However, ever since that accident, he'd never been wrong and he hated that fact.

000

Sakura cursed under her breath as she dodged another attack. It was like she was dancing with an invisible enemy that knew her all too well. The enemy knew where to step up to what exact attack she going to use! It didn't help that her chakra was getting low, and her wounds that she couldn't heal before were reopening. As she tried to dodge another attack she tripped over her own foot. That was all the enemy need as suddenly weapons of many kinds rained on top of her. As she waited for the inevitable she let the tears roll down her face.

"I failed them."

"I never knew you were one to give up, Sakura. I thought you weren't going to let Naruto or Sasuke overshadow you. You weren't going to hang back as your loved ones were threatened."

Sakura eyes snapped open as she gasped at the person in front of her. She rubbed her eyes as her mind tried to comprehend what she wanted to see in front her. As she opened her mouth to say something she saw a kunai fly straight towards them.

"Wa-tch out!" she choked out, however, it was too late as it went straight into the person's heart.

She screamed, but instead of blood spilling everywhere and a dead body falling to ground, smoke exploded covering the whole area.

"Yoanga?" She whispered the name as if she was really seeing the image of the person in front her just before the attack.

Someone gently touched her shoulder and whispered into her ear.

"Don't worry, it's just me."

She squealed in delight as she hugged the person she was waiting so long for.

"I thought you died. When Naruto and I went to look for you it was like you disappeared."

Yoanga scratched the back of his head as he laughed nervously.

"You could say that, but I just took a break from being a ninja."

She chuckled, but it turned out as a groan when she looked down at her bleeding stomach.

Yoanga eyed the wound as he brought his hands close to her stomach. As his hands started to glow with the familiar baby blue light, he silently scanned the area.

"You were right, it was only one. It was him. I am sure of it."

Yoanga narrowed his eyes as he bit his lip, and canceled the shadow clones that he sent to find out who attacked Sakura.

"Stupid child doesn't he know what he doing." He mumbled under his breath.

"What?"

Yoanga attention snapped back to the girl in front him. His eyes softened as he watched her form a worried expression.

"Nothing to worry about Sakura, so anyway why are you here?"

"Shit!" she swore as she jumped up on her feet to just fall down on her butt.

"SAKURA!" Yoanga yelled as he went to her side immediately. "You have to rest."

"NO! I have to warn Naruto… we are under attack!"

His eyes widened as if he suddenly realized the danger that was to come.

"Can you run?"

"Yes."

"Ok, then let's go."

As the two of them started to run towards Konoha, another person went the other way to inform his leader of what he just saw.

000

Naruto held his stomach as tears rolled down his checks. He bit his lip as he tried not to burst out laughing again.

Iruka cheated his way to get to the Ramen Stand. Naruto complained and whined as Iruka purposely ordered ten bowls of Ramen. He didn't even eat all of them!

So to get back at him, Naruto did his infamous Sexy no Jutsu. He knew it was lame, but he couldn't think anything better at that time. It was worth it as Iruka eyes bulged out and he started to lecture Naruto about not using that jutsu. In the end, they both ended up laughing but it didn't last.

"Hokage-sama!"

Naruto snapped his head over as he saw Neji followed by Shikaumru, Gemma and Radiou. He was about to scold them again about calling him 'Hokage-sama' however, when he saw their expression, he stood up quickly, knocking the stool over. Iruka looked between Naruto and the group as his expression turned from confusion to worry.

Something was wrong and it was so bad that it made the men act out of character.

"It's Sakura."

That was all that was said as Naruto with Neji and Shikaumru by his side, ran through the streets to the gate. He knew that Iruka was following them with Gemma and Radiou.

A million thoughts flooded the blond's mind as he thought about what happened to Sakura.

"Maybe I'm just thinking too much about this."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he pushed more chakra into his feet, running faster towards where Sakura was. He slid to a stop as he scanned the scene in front of him. There was a crowd that gathered mostly from the Shinobi ranks. A little bit away from the crowd was Sakura covered with blood as she stood next to a man who arms were crossed and looking pissed off by the investigation he was getting from the ANBU in front of them.

He gasped and everyone was tense as they got into a fighting stance.

"Yoanga?"

The man's eyes snapped towards the direction where his name was called.

His eyes held wisdom that people could not mistake, but also held a kindness and softness that even the cruelest man would turn into a kitten. He smiled bitterly at the crowd that gathered and then bowed his head.

"Hokage-sama."

No one moved as they waited warily as Naruto and the new man had a staring contest.

The man's eyes altered from Naruto to the new man that stood next to him with a blank look as he stood next to Naruto in defense.

"Iruka-sensei!"

The said scarred man smiled at Naruto before turning his attention to the other man. He smiled to him as he asked what was on everyone's mind.

"Who are you?"

The man looked startled for a minute before barking laughter.

"Yo….a friend."

Before Iruka could say anything more Naurto ran from where was and embraced the man.

The man laughed again as he hugged Naruto.

"I missed you."

"Me too, Naruto."

Naruto let go of the man as he looked at Sakura with a worried expression.

"What happened, Sakura?"

Sakura, who was looking joyfully at the two men in front her, it was like their torn family was brought back together again finally. At Naruto's question, her expression changed to serious as she remembered why she rushed here.

"We are under attack. Sasuke-kun, Sai and Kakashi-sensei stayed behind to keep them at occupied for a while. I was sent to come inform you about Iwn nin army."

Naruto nodded as he turned towards the ANBU that was investigating Yoanga a minute before.

"Get everyone in my office now!"

With a quick nod, the ANBU took off as the rest of the people who gathered around did too. As everyone left, the only people that remained were Iruka, Sakura, Yoanga and Naruto.

"Sakura, you go to hospital and get healed. You did everything you can now, rest for a while," Naruto told her with authority in his tone that he reserved only for when he was dead serious or when the situation called for it.

Also, that meant there was no room for argument.

Sakura chuckled as she put her hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Ok, Naurto."

She kissed his check as she left. The blond boy was left blushing madly as the two remaining men laughed at him. Naruto stuck his tongue out, as he got serious again.

"Yoanga, we will catch up later. Right now I need your help." Naruto asked.

Yoanga nodded as he said, "Anything for you, Naruto."

Naruto grinned as he turned to his sensei.

"Iruka-sensei, could you do me a favor?"

"What is it, Naruto?"

"Pair up with Yoanga."

Both men were shocked as they each looked at the other cautiously. However, as they both looked at Naruto one more time they sighed together.

"Ok, be careful out there, Naruto," Iruka told him, as gave him a hug before he went to gather his weapons and things he knew would be needed for the fight.

Yoanga, on the other hand, gave Naruto a hard look as he asked, "Are you sure?"

Naruto nodded, as watched the back his sensei disappear into a dot in the distance.

"Yes. You the only one who can protect the man that is like a father to me."

Yoanga eyes widened as he looked at Naruto, and stuttered the next question, "Like a f-f-father?"

Naruto eyes softened as he smiled sadly at him.

"Yes, and if anything had happened to him, I wouldn't have gotten this far."

"OK, I'll protect him with my life."

"Thank you, and now if you excuse me I have to…"

"Yes. Go, and don't worry about me."

As Yoanga watched Naruto disappear, his eyes saddened for a minute before a determined expression replaced it.

"Me too, Naruto. I think of you like my own son."

000

"Stupid demon! How could he let this happen?"

A man watched the exchange between the Yoanga and Naruto with disgust.

"I can't believe I have to do this again." The man grunted as he got up just before a 'pop' sound came.

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TBC…

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Please review. Sorry for any mistakes. Anyways this story is challenge I took form starlightscribe to write a different version of her story "The Tide of Time and Change."

10/22/09- Edited By Carrie2sky (Thank you!)