NOT QUITE A FAIRYTALE

RENXANGEL

(Hello! This is my first time writing a Fan-Fiction! Please look kindly on me and review! I hope you'll enjoy this!)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO, OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS, AND ALL THAT GOOD KUNAI-Y STUFF.

-CHAPTER ONE- 'ONCE AND ONCE AGAIN'

"Naruto…" Sasuke spat the name. "It's nice to see you again."

"Sasuke…" Naruto narrowed his eyes, half out of anger, half out of sadness. "Why? Why?! Why won't you come back to us? Itachi is gone…believed to be dead…so why are you still with them?"

"Hmph." Sasuke smirked. "Because I have no need for you soft Konoha wimps. Bring it or get out of my face." The raven-haired ex-ninja withdrew his sword. In his free hand, a lightning-like charka was sending out random flashes of light.

The blond clenched his fist. "So you refuse to go without broken bones, huh. Fine. Have it your way." Pale blue charka started to spin and form a sphere in Naruto's right hand.

They flew at each other, ready to kill…and then the world turned white.

--

Naruto's clear blue eyes fluttered open and focused on the bright light suspended above his face. He was in a white room and worried eyes were looking down at him from all directions. Kakashi spoke first, of course, still wearing his trademark mask. "Glad to see you're awake, Naruto." He smiled his trademark smile.

"K-Kakashi-sensei…? Where…am I?" He struggled to get up. The pain that flew through his side jolted his memory and he suddenly remembered why he was there. "Sasuke! Sasuke is…!" Everyone in the room looked down and refused to meet Naruto's eyes.

Uchiha Sasuke, age seventeen, has yet again slipped away from the grasps of the Konoha shinobi.

"Damn it!" Naruto slammed his fist against the side of his bed. His bandaged hand began to bleed again. Why…why am I so weak?! Is there really that big of a gap between Sasuke and I? He began to question his own strength. However, the reality was that Sasuke had barely escaped the jaws of the Kyuubi with his life. Naruto had gotten stronger.

"Naruto-kun…" The small voice of the gentle Hyuuga Hinata rose out of the crowd. "You…you're not weak, Naruto-kun!" She avoided his gaze but she meant the words that just came out of her mouth. Hinata had been watching Naruto for years…ever since they were genin. She admired him and did like want to see him hurting like this. You're far from weak, Naruto-kun…you're the strongest, bravest, and kindest person I know! And I…I love you. However, the young women with the heart of a timid girl could not gather the courage to say this…and she hadn't been able to for five years. Each day, she thought, 'Today is the day! I will confess…!' But of course, when she saw the face of the man she loved, all of her determination ebbed away only to be replaced by overwhelming shyness.

Naruto didn't respond. Hinata looked away again. Once again, her quiet voice was lost among the other noises.

This time, it was Inuzuka Kiba who broke the silence. He walked over besides Naruto and gave him a hearty slap to the back. "Eh, who needs that jerk! He ditched us for the enemy! He almost KILLED our friends!" It was true. At that moment, Lee was lying in a different room being treated for a wound that almost killed him. He had blocked a Chidori with his body in a brave attempt to protect Sakura.

Haruno Sakura rubbed the skin on her neck. A pale scar glistened in the light. Half a year ago, Sasuke raided the Leaf with his newfound crew. He had almost killed Sakura. Why am I…feeling sorry for myself? It's Naruto who's hurting the most…

However, tears had begun to fall from her eyes. She turned around and looked out the window. "Naruto…we will get Sasuke back." That was all she could manage to say at the moment.

"Now, now. What's with all the serious talk? Naruto has escaped death. Doesn't this call for some celebration?" Kakashi spoke in a desperate attempt to lighten up the mood. Before anyone could respond, the door slid open. A tall sculpted man in a green jumpsuit beamed his famous smile.

"My Lee has escaped the curse of time again! That's the bloom of youth for you!" He moved right into his good-guy pose. But not even this stirred any energy in the depressed crowd.

"Oh? Naruto? You're awake!" Guy chimed, obviously missing the mood that settled into this room. "This calls for some celebration!"

Kakashi sighed. Typical Guy…he's removed all the seriousness away from the current situation. He couldn't help but smile. But since he was wearing his mask, as always, no one seemed to notice.

Suddenly, the tan lips of a young man curled. He raised a bandaged arm and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah! You're right! Besides, being all moody and depressed doesn't really suit me!" His blond spiky hair seemed a lot brighter all of a sudden.

Naruto-kun! Hinata smiled. She was relieved. He's back to his old self again. Thank God.

Sakura turned around with an expression of surprise on her face. "N-Naruto…" She whispered under her breath. Then, she smiled as tears trickled down her face.

Naruto looked over at Sakura and his smile lifted a little. He grinned stupidly at her and gave her the 'thumbs-up.'

"TO ICHIRAKU RAMEN!"

(Okay, that should've left you with a lot of questions! Don't worry, they will be answered eventually if not soon!)