Hello this is my first Naruto fan fic so please R&R and tell me what you think.

Things to note: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters and probably never will.

demon thoughts

Peoples thoughts

This is just my take on Naruto when he gets back depending on how well i do with this i might do a prequel.

Chapter 1

Little had changed in the 3 years that the blond ninja had been gone the sounds the smells even the people seemed to be the same, always staring. At least now they weren't stares of hate, they were more of mild interest 'probably because they don't realize who I am he thought to him self'. To say that none of this bothered him any more would be a lie but after traveling all over the world he almost forgot about the stares, almost. Slowly a few people started to recognize him some turned away, others gave him the usual dark stares. Though somewhat subdued now that he was almost a foot taller than most of them now. But there were a few, a very few that smiled or at least gave him a small nod it wasn't much but it made him feel good.

He could hardly wait to meet up with everyone and catch up on what he had missed.

"If you think so much your brains going to fry" said the white haired man walking next to him

"And if you keep staring at every woman that walks by your going to run in to somebody Ero-senni" he replied using his favorite nick name for his perverted sensai.

The vain in Jiraiyas forehead popped out as he ground his teeth. "HOW many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" He said raising his voice "do I have to beat it in to you"

Naruto stopped and looked back at his sensai "not if you don't want me to tell Baa-chann Why we are late getting back" Jiraiya paled notably as all of his anger left him to be replaced by more than a little fear. "That's a low blow Naruto" Naruto smiled at him with a mischievous glint in his eye He still hadn't forgiven the perverted Sannin fore eating his limited edition Raman bowl. "Naruto, you wouldn't" Naruto didn't say anything he just turned and sprang across the roof tops toward the Hokage's tower as fast as he could.

Naruto was half way to the Hokage's building at the back of the village till he jumped on to a lose tile and started to plummet toward the street. He managed to slow his decent by chakra grabbing the wall and jumping from wall to wall the only problem was he was going to fast to stop him self. Hurdling toward the corner trying to slow his decent he was preparing to jump off the ground and get back to the roof tops. That was till a girl walked around the corner, Naruto barley had time to call out a warning as he twisted in the air trying to avoid her. "WATCH OUT"

Hinata was walking around the village not having any destination in mind but not wanting to go home, Hinata couldn't help feel lonely without Kiba and Shino around. Even before she lost her voice she found it hard to interact with people she didn't know already. Now since that horrible day she hadn't spoken a word. She wanted to talk she really did but it felt like someone had reached in and pulled out her voice box. It just felt missing.

As she rounded a building she heard someone yell out before a suspiciously familiar orange blob tackled her.

As Naruto and Hinata collided he acted on instinct alone he grabbed her and turned them both so that he and took the brunt of the fall. Just before hitting the ground Naruto used his chakra to absorb most of the damage from the fall. Even so the air was still knocked from his lunges. She felt a little dazed as she hit the ground, but she expected it to hurt more, and didn't remember the ground being so soft or to smell so good. She opened her eyes they began to traverse up the torso beneath her coming to a stop at the blond mop of hair. But when those blue eyes that she knew so well opened her heart stopped.

A slow blush started to creep across her face making her brain start to swim

"Hinata is that you? Hey are you ok? Your face is all red do you have a fever?" asked Naruto. Suddenly realizing the position she was in Hinata tried to sit up but Naruto was still holding on to her tightly she started struggling more "wow Hinata don't struggle so much" said Naruto as his face began to flush. At his words Hinata stopped letting a small "eeep" before stopping completely, just staring at his chest her face growing more and more red. Naruto slowly sat up placing Hinata beside him. "Are you alright Hinata?"

"Gomen Naruto-kun" replied Hinata almost to quietly to be herd even by Naruto sitting right beside her Naruto even thought she even looked shocked that she had spoken. "Eh I'm the one that should apologize I'm the one that ran in to you" he said smiling his goofy grin. "Hey Naruto, Your never going to get to the hokage sitting on your behind" Naruto glanced up quickly where the voice of Jiraiya bounced over the roof tops heading toward the hokages tower. "AAHH sorry Hinata I've got to run" said Naruto quickly jumping to his feet "sorry again" he said as he made to leap off after the toad sage but stopped and made an about face before hugging Hinata quickly "good to see you again, Hinata" before leaping to the roof tops.

Hinata was left sitting in the street, thinking about what just happened and who just hugged her and promptly passed out.

Tsunade looked over the mountain of paper work that seemed to always occupy her desk. She sighed as she pushed back from her desk in all of her years under the third she never remembered him having paper work cover the desk. If only he was still around he could ask how he did it, she killed that train of though forcefully. She reached in to her bottom drawer for her bottle of sake that she kept there. Even after 4 years they hadn't fully recovered from the attack by Orochmaru, and the orders for jobs kept coming. On top of that she had the scouting reports from the ninja that she had looking for Orochimaru and his hidden sound bases. And the up coming chunin exams were also coming up. Tsunade considered just slipping out the window and going to the bar to let off some steam. When the door busted open and an orange blur Screaming "TSUANDE BAA-CHAN" who ever it was wasn't going to live long enough to regret calling her that. Tsunade slammed her fist so hard on the desk that the papers covering it bounced. "WHO DARES CALL ME THAT" she screamed as she leaped over her desk and through a Right hook at the intruder's head that would stop a rhino in its tracks. But all she hit was empty air as the Intruder ducked the under her guard and ended up a foot away from her face. "Long time no see Ba-chan" said Naruto smiling from ear to ear.

"Naruto is that really you" Said Tsunade as she ran a hand through his hair "you've grown" she couldn't believe it after 4 years had really filled out the once #1 prankster Now standing a little over 6ft he now towered over her. He was never going to be muscular but he had defiantly grown in to his body he no longer looked like a runt with a head to big for his body. She regained her composure, she was the Hokage for crying out loud as she quickly turned and sat behind her desk. "I was expecting you over a month ago" she stated as she raised her hands over her mouth in her usual glaring mode. "would you like to explain yourself, Jiraiya" she said turning to look at the window as the toad hermit entered quickly as soon as he was discovered "well you see Tsunad-chan" he began as he sat on the window sill "my editors been riding me lately about not having my rough draft in for 'make out paradise'….." he never got any further as the killing intent washed over him "I don't care about your worthless excuse of a book" whispered Tsunade barley audible but her voice still carried to both ninja in the room. It was so quiet you could a sebon drop 50m away. "Naruto"

"Hai" he said jumping as her eyes turned back to him

"Its good to see you again, how did your training go, I hope this pervert didn't rub off on you" Jiraiya wisely didn't say anything but grumbled in his corner

"No way I'd sooner given up Raman than become a like him"

"Oyi, I'm not a pervert" Jiraiya almost yelled "its for my research"

"research my foot" yelled back Naruto

Tsunade smiled behind her hands, at least spending all that time with Jiraiya hadn't corrupted the boy.

Naruto took a seat in front of the Hokages desk he didn't know why but looking at her behind her pensive hands he was sure that she was smiling.

"Naruto the upcoming chunnen exams are coming up" began Tsunade Naruto practically jumped out of his chair "Yea alright I can't wait to show everyone everything I've learned" shouted Naruto

"You won't be entering" she finished, Naruto almost fell over

"WHAT!? Why not?" yelling as he slammed his hands on the desk

"Who is on your team? For the chunnen exams you need to have a team of 3 to compete." She said as she pulled a folder from her desk and opening it "every Gennin from you year has graduated to chunin"

"What about Sakura?'

"Since Shikamaru became a chuneen the year before they were one member down so she took the empty spot for the exams"

"Huh? And they didn't end up at each others throats" asked Naruto

"Not exactly but they managed to do quite well despite that" replied the Hokage

Naruto let out a depressed sigh "I guess I'm the last one left" he said

"……… but there is another option" said the Hokage, this time he was sure she was smiling at him "the Hokage can appoint the rank of chuneen to and ninja they feel is eligible" she finished

"So get with the appointing already" said Naruto the smile coming back to his face

"Are you sure you're up for it"

"Of course" said Naruto with out hesitation

"It will take about 3 weeks before I will have a chuunin available to watch over you. Every one else is out on mission"

"Huh what about Hinata I ran in to her on the way here" literally thought Naruto

"Hinata is….I had her removed from active duty" said Tsunade. Naruto stared back at her looking confused and dumb struck in his patented manner

"I removed Hinata as a ninja" there was another awe inspiring moment of silence before "YOU DID WHAT, HOW COULD YOU, IT WAS HINATAS DREAM TO BECOME" Naruto" Tsunade tried to interject "A NINJA AND "Naruto" He wasn't listening "YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM HER.."

"SHUT UP!! And let me finish DAM it" shouted Tsunade her anger finally getting the better of her. "After a botched mission a year ago Hinata lost voice and hasn't been able to talk to anyone"

"Are you sure ba-chan she seemed fine when I talked to her earlier"

"Are you certain that she talked to you?" she asked

"hmmmm" thought Naruto ad he rubbed his cheek with his finger as he thought back "Gomen Naruto-kun" it seemed to Naruto that she always seemed to be apologizing for something.

"Yea I'm positive" he said a moment later, Thinking back on it he still wasn't sure why he had decided to hug her only that he really wanted to 'ahhhh the dam perverts rubbing off on me as he mentally punched himself'

Ah so my little kittling is growing up I'm so happy came the kyubis voice

'What are you talking about fox' the only response he got was in the form of laughter he decided to just chock the action up to his usual spontaneous nature that was it he was sure of it.

Of course Tsunade knew of the girls crush, every one did except for Naruto and the Hyuga clan thankfully. She'd hate to think of what Hiashi would do if he learned of his daughters crush to someone he deemed less than worthy. Tsunade smiled to her self, this could be good for both of them.

"Alright if you can convince Hinata to become a Ninja again and pass a test then ill consider it if she passes"

"Of course she'll pass Hinata was always super strong" declared Naruto getting to his feet

'ah our little Naruto's growing up' thought Tsunade and Jiraiya as they shared a look

Naruto stood on a roof top scanning the crowed 'I know I saw her around here somewhere I don't really want to go to the Hyuga compound to talk to her' that place always gave him the creeps he didn't know when the next time he would see her he had been searching most of the day only the reminder that most of the Hyugas don't like him is what kept him from going there. He had been creating shadow clones since he left to search for the elusive Hyuga heir only creating 6 clones at a time. Jiraiya had flat out refused to teach him any more Jutsu before he managed to fully master the ones he already knew. He shuddered at the memories of the countless hours of casting the shadow clone jutsu till he could just summon one clone perfectly every time. He only created 6 at a time as practice.

His shadow clones spread out in a search pattern he had practiced countless times with the toad sage. They found Hinata in a park only several blocks away.

Naruto arrived a few minuets later to see Hinata sitting on a bench staring up at the moon with her hand clenched to her chest. Looking like she was lost in thought. She looks so lonely he thought to him self he suddenly had an urge to protect her. "Hey Hinata" said Naruto coming in to the light "I'm glad I found you, your one hard person to track down. Do you mind if I sit?" Hinata just stared before giving a slight nod then turned to stare at her feet.

Naruto sat beside her; they sat in silence for a few minuets Naruto for once didn't know how to start. Usually he would just blurt things out then deal with it from there "listen Hinata I want you to become my partner for the chunnen exam in two months. Hinata almost jumped when he asked he must not know that I'm week that I couldn't protect anyone. She began shaking her head furiously she couldn't, she wouldn't bring Naruto down with her.

"I've already talked to Tsunade, and she said you can return to active duty her condition is if we both pass the exam" Hinata finally looked up from the ground "if not I have to wait for an open spot on one of the up and coming Genin teams before I can compete since Sakura and every one else has already passed" Naruto turned to look at Hinata she looked crest fallen 'He just needs me because I'm convenient'

"But I don't want you to give up on your dream of being a ninja I've seen how strong you are I mean the way you kicked that bug lady's summons not to mention the magnetic jackass in nano country and that was 3 years ago no doubt your 100 times stronger now" Naruto paused

"I…whe… Tsunade told me what happened to Shino and Kiba" Naruto reached out a hand to Hinata's shoulder and turning her to look at him "I know it must be hard for you, so ill understand If you don't want to." He waited till she finally looked up from the ground to make eye contact with him before continuing "but I don't think Shino and Kiba would have wanted you to stop being a ninja, to stop protecting the people that are precious to all of you." They were close now very close Hinata could smell his breath it was musky but it wasn't horrible.

"I know it's a lot to think about so you don't have to give me an answer right away. So think about it and let me know as soon as possible." Naruto stood up and made to walk off before saying "But no mater what your answer is well still be friends" he smiled over his shoulder at her. As he walked away he suddenly realized how cold it was.

Hinata watched him walk away, the warmest parts of her body her shoulders where he touched her. She would have don't anything just to here him say her name again. But she didn't want to bring him down, she didn't want him to see how pathetic she was. She didn't want him to see her like every one else did. Sitting there alone she suddenly realized how cold the night was.