Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Anime/Manga 'Naruto'.

Chapter One: Saved by an… Angel?

"Naruto!" Sakura screams. "Get back here!"

Sakura jumps from one tree branch to another never taking her eyes off of the black and orange suit her prey wears.

'He's going to pay!'

Sakura cracks her knuckles, her frustration and anger growing more and more as Naruto continues to run. She grits her teeth together and growls to herself, he isn't going to get away this easily. With that thought she focuses more chakra to her feet and boost her speed.

"Sorry Sakura-chan," Naruto says with a goofy grin turning his head to look at her. "Hehehe, if I'm late there's no telling what he'll do to m..e..".

Naruto's voice fades out as something catches his eye. He stands frozen in mid-stride with his mouth agape trying to figure out what he just saw. Narrowing his brow in confusion he continues to stare up into the sky.

"My eyes must be playing tricks on me… I could have sworn I saw an ang…."

Stars

"Naruto!" Sakura screams as her punch connects with Naruto's jaw sending him soaring up into the air. 'Finally caught up to you!'

Naruto's vision fades to black as he is sent flying over the cliff.

----- Sakura ----------

'We finally caught up with him! Now he is going to pay!' Inner Sakura pumps her fist in the air, her rage burning like fire in her eyes.

'What is he looking at? He's just standing there with his mouth wide open staring at the sky like an idiot.'

'Remember who you are talking about here. This is Naruto! He is an Idiot! Don't forget what he was doing and the whole reason we have been chasing him!'

'Don't worry… I haven't forgotten..'

I land on the ground and start to charge at him but he makes no attempt to move. This makes me wonder if he even notices I am here. I unconsciously begin to focus chakra to my fist as I pull it back for the pounding I am gladly going to deliver to Naruto.

"Naruto!" I scream as my punch connects with Naruto's jaw sending him up into the air. 'Got you!'

I watch as my punch sends Naruto flying up into the sky with a morbid sense of accomplishment. If I wasn't so angry I probably would have been grinning from ear to ear. But what goes up must come down, and unfortunately for Naruto, his down happen to come awfully close to an edge of the cliff.

I stand in the clearing, my anger slipping away and turning into… shock… surprise? Maybe a little bit of both. I watch in my stupefied state as Naruto's unconscious body began to slowly disappear over the edge.

'He's out cold,' I think.

'Cha! He's just faking!' my inner personality spoke.

'I don't think so. I put a lot more chakra into that punch then I meant too.'

Click

Now as I stand here I suddenly realize that if I didn't move now… Naruto will die. I ran to the edge of the cliff to grab him, but I was too late. I can feel my eyes widen in terror. Dread consumes my entire being. My eyes began to tear but I fight them back.

I will not cry.

I have to do something.

Naruto needs me!

"Naruto!" I scream hoping to wake him up enough to take action on his own.

I listen.

Nothing.

Silence… Everything was still. Quiet.

"No", I whisper. My knees giving out and I kneel down close to the edge. The tears continue to form in my eyes. "No, he can't. He can't…"

Wisp

I am caught by surprise. My long pink hair flies all around my face as a strong gust of wing comes crashing into me. "What the?"

Something flies pass me. It is so fast I can't tell if it is a person or a bird.

'I saw wings…'

'Yeah…' my inner self agrees.

'Long dark hair with streaks of white.'

'Yeah…'

'So… what kind of bird has hair?'

'…' My inner self had no answer for me.

"What was that?" I whisper.

----- Naruto ----------

'Naruto'

'Shut up fox! I don't need your help right now'

'Insolent brat!' The nine tail fox growls. 'You are going to die!'

I cross my arms and turn my back to the cage.

'Stupid fox. Doesn't have a clue what he is talking about…'

Then it all came crashing back at me.

"Naruto!" I hear Sakura scream. Bright colors flash before my eyes and then everything went black.

It is cold and I feel like I am falling.

'It's so windy,' I think to myself as I force open my eyes. Everything seems to be flying pass me, or am I flying past everything? I couldn't decide until….

"Shit! I'm falling!" I scream.

I franticly try to grab onto anything that comes into view. Even infusing chakra into my hands to get a better grip. But I am falling too fast and anything I manage to grab slips through my hands.

"Damn it!"

'No! It can't end like this,' I think as my eyes close. I can feel a tear slip through my close lids. Everything I have done since I became a ninja flashes through my mind. All the dangers I faced, the powerful people I defeated, and the people I helped. If they could see me now, would they still think so highly of me?

I decide to open my eyes to look upon the world one last time before my life ends. I open my lids slowly and lift my head towards the sky but I never see the sky. Instead my gaze falls upon a pair of dark sapphire eyes. The stranger's eyes look deeply into my own. These eyes are full of determination and something else. I can't place it… maybe pity?

'Is she falling too? Who is she?'

I remember thinking as I continue to stare into those dark blue orbs. So beautiful. I then notice the pale hands that are being extend towards me. I gladly grab them without hesitation.

'At least I won't be alone in the end'. It is a sad thought, but a comforting one for someone that spent a good part of his life alone. I certainly didn't want to spend my last moments alone. I close my eyes and gasp a little when I feel myself being pull closer to another body. Without thought, I wrap my arms around the stranger. I feel the stranger tense up around me, but I really didn't think too much about it. All I can do now is wait for the end to come.

Nothing.

The ground never came. Naruto could have sworn they were merely seconds away from hitting the ground. He opened one eye and then the other flew open when he realizes he is hovering.

Relief flows through him once he realizes that he isn't going to die and then he remembers that he is holding someone. He blushes a little when he feels slender arms holding him securely, pushing him up against a well toned but curvy body.

"Are you an Angel?" Naruto blurts out loud when he finally sees the wings that are connected to the young woman's body.

"Not even close," is the only response he is given.

Her voice sends chills down his spine, his heart jumps, and he can feel his blood start to grew hot. This woman's voice sounds sad and cold, but there is music behind it.

Before Naruto can think about it anymore he feels the sensation of flying stop and his feet touch the ground, but he makes no attempt to let go of his rescuer.

----- Behind Blue Eyes ----------

The sky is clear, I can see for miles. The landscape turning into a blur as I push myself to go faster. I fly as fast as my wings will take me and I climb higher and higher. I want to touch the sun so badly, but of course I know that is impossible.

A commotion catches my attention. I take a deep breath and inhale the scent of a fox demon… wait!

'That is impossible. A majority of the Demons in this part of world were still to primitive to be running from each other… but wait…'

I take another deep breath and this time I inhale the scent of a woman. She smells like the flowers that grow on the trees around these parts, but there was no trace of a demon in her scent.

'So why is a demon trying to escape from a normal woman?'

I find myself so lost in my own thoughts, I did not notice that the scent is closer.

"Naruto!" A woman's voice yells out.

"Sorry Sakura-chan! Hehehe, if I'm late there's no telling what he'll do to m..e.." I hear a masculine voice respond.

Before I realize it, the yelling is right below me. I freeze in the air for a brief moment as a blonde hair man stares directly at me. Before he can study me any further I take off. Thanking the sun for being behind me. Hopefully, he would just think he was seeing things.

I land on a near by tree and conceal myself to watch the events below. I can no longer smell the fox demon, now I only smell the woman and the man. He smells very woodsy and it reminds me of…

'Do not think about such nonsense!' I mentally scold myself. 'You do not belong there… you do not belong anywhere…'

'You know that you will always be apart of…'

'DO NOT EVEN FINISH THAT SENTENCE! THEY SHUNNED US! TOLD US THAT WE WERE AN ABOMINATION!'

'Will you just shut up! I do not care! Just drop it! Drop it now!'

I knew if someone could see me right now, they would see my eyebrow twitching in frustration as I grit my teeth together. Theses voices always seem to speak up when I want them to the least.

…

Silence.

Once the voices that share my mind silence themselves I return my attention to the clearing below. I watch a woman with long pink hair punch the blonde hair man with such strength behind it I almost felt bad for him. I never thought such strength could come from a human but there was more to it then just pure strength. I felt something build up before she hit the man and release when the woman hit her target. These two did not know it, but they were peaking my curiosity.

I watch the blonde hair man fly through the sky. He is definitely unconscious. Any human would be after a punch like that. I feel a small smirk cross my lips but it is quickly dismiss as I follow the descent of the blonde hair man. For a moment I thought my eyes were misjudging where he was going to fall but I know that is impossible. He is heading for the edge of the cliff and if that girl did not act in the next five seconds no one would be able to help the unconscious boy.

'…except…you…'

I roll my eyes at the voice and continue to watch the pink haired woman.

5...

Anger still clouds her jade eyes.

4...

Then confusion. She looks very deep in thought as she watches the man fly through the air.

3...

Then realization flashes in her eyes.

2...

Although I can tell that she now realizes what is going to happen she still has not moved…

1...

She runs towards the cliff…

0...

She is too late.

I can not help but feel for her. I can tell she did not mean for this to happen. I hear her scream the man's name and she falls to her knees. I can smell her tears, her fear, her sadness and it makes me sick.

I take off without thinking. I just want the smell to go away. But instead of flying away I fly toward the cliff, going as fast as my wings will take me. I fly pass the woman, startling her a little but I do not care. I do not care if she sees me… I do not care if she screams… Right now all I want to do is end the pain and guilt she is feeling. I am going to save the man.

It only takes me a few seconds to spot him. He is awake and frantically grabbing on to anything that would help to stop his fall. He is failing miserably. After what must have seemed like an eternity to this man… he gives up. He closes his eyes… for what? To admit defeat?

'Humans give up too easily…' I think and tilt my body so I can descend faster.

I am only an arms reach away when he opens his eyes again. He seems surprise to see me but I can see a smile form on his lips…why? Why does he seem so content when he was about to die? This confuses me.

I offer my hands to him. From past experiences I wait for him to refuse, to yell and scream. To tell me that he rather die than touch me. But to my surprise he takes my hands without hesitation. I pull him closer to me so I can get a better grip on him. I was a little shocked when he wrapped his arms around my waist. No… my body does not respond to my shock but my mind spins. I just do not understand.

It takes a lot of strength but I am able to stop us in mid fall. I hover for a second before I start to ascend back up towards the top of the cliff.

"Are you an Angel?" I hear him ask.

I roll my eyes at this question. 'If you only knew'… I think to myself.

"Not even close," It is a truthful answer.

I feel him stir in my arms after I spoke. I can smell his excitement and I can feel his skin start to burn. I know he is not doing it on purpose but it still annoys me.

'Can men not control their hormones!'

I put more speed into my flight and we are back on the top of the cliff in mere seconds. I land on the ground, being careful to make sure that the man lands on his feet so he can take off running.

But he will not let go… and that makes me uneasy.

"You can let go now." Her voice is cold and has a little venom behind it. Naruto almost thought it was Gaara, but the soft yet firm breast he has his face pressed up against told him different.

"I must be in heaven!" Naruto blurts out with a wide toothy smile.

"Grrrrrrr.."

'Did something growl?' Naruto thinks. The growling is so close but he didn't see any animals close by.

'Naruto! Let go of her or she'll kill you!' The fox demon roars.

Naruto jumps always blushing.

"Hehehe… Sorry about that… uh… ummm… What is your name?" Naruto had a little trouble getting the last few words out.

Right before him stands one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen. She has to be close to his age, maybe younger or older but not by much. She is tall but not too much taller than Sakura. Her body is lean and tone from what he can see but she is still petite. Her skin is pale and flawless, and her hair is long, past the middle of her back but no lower than the beginning curve of her butt. It is darkish brown and Naruto notices that it has quite a lot of white streaks mixed into it. She is wearing a style of clothing that Naruto had never seen before. It is some kind of tunic she wears over very short shorts and she has black leather boots on but they were nothing like the ninja style he is use to seeing.

Naruto allows his eyes to study this woman before him. He wanted to take in every detail. He finally notices that she did have some weapons on her. Hanging across her chest is a silver string, he follows it to see what it is connected too.

'She carries a staff… I wonder why…'

Then he notices a weapon he has never in his life seen before. It is circular and silver with streaks of gold. It almost looks like a ying-yang. But Naruto had never seen a weapon like it and quickly gave up trying to identify it.

'Maybe it isn't a weapon at all…' he thought to himself.

Naruto lift his gaze higher until he was staring the woman in the face. He stares into the eyes of his rescuer again. When he first saw them they were so full of determination but now they were cold, almost lifeless but still strikingly beautiful.

This woman is just beautiful. Head to toe.

The last thing Naruto noticed was her wings. 'Can she be real? Her hair is … her face is… her body… she's just too perfect to be real. Her wings are even… WAIT! People don't have wings!'

"Naruto!"

Naruto turns and smiles at Sakura.

"Sakura-chan! I … phoof!". Sakura cuts Naruto off by surprising him with a crushing hug.

"Thank god you're alright Naruto", Sakura sobs. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean too… I was just so angry and I wasn't thinking straight and I…"

"Sakura-chan", Naruto smiles. His eyes are soft and full of love for his friend. This confuses the stranger although she doesn't show it. She merely watches as the pink hair woman sobs into the black and orange jacket the man wears. "Its okay. I wouldn't die that easily…"

Wrong choice of words. "Oh! So you think I'm weak, do you?" Sakura screams as she wines up for another blow at Naruto but then woman catches her eye. She stops in mid strike and stares at the stranger.

'How quickly her mood changes… One minute she is happy… the next she is crying… and now she is getting ready to hit the man again…'

'HUMANS AND THEIR EMOTIONS…UNPREDICTABLE…'

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto questions. He let out a sigh of relief. He now owes this stranger twice for saving his life. "I want you to meet… ah… ummm? Hehehe, I still don't know your name?". Naruto smiles at the strange woman.

The woman just stares at them. Sakura swore she saw a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

"Thank you", Sakura broke the silence. "I am grateful that you saved my friend's life and I want to know your name so I can thank you properly." Sakura bows slightly, showing respect towards the woman. Sakura isn't quite sure why she does it… The woman cannot be too much older than herself; it just seems like the right thing to do.

'Why have they not run? Screamed? Attacked? Why?' The woman thinks, staring at the two smiling people in front of her.

Rolling her eyes the winged woman tells them, "Once, years ago, I was known by the name Angel…"

"And what a fitting name!" Naruto burst out. "Considering the wings and all… and you are definitely as beautiful as one! …"

Sakura almost falls backwards after hearing Naruto gush over this angelic woman. Making her remember back 10 years ago, when she was Naruto's obsession, a pinged of jealousy tugs at her heart. But she shakes it off. Besides, she is quite enjoying watching the 22-year-old manact more like the 12-year-old boy he once was.

"Naruto, you're rambling," Sakura whispers into his ear.

Naruto jumps at Sakura's voice and the light touch of her hand on his shoulder.

"Eh, hehehe, oh, sorry. What I'm trying to say," Naruto says while putting his hands behind his head, "is… Thank you, Angel-chan".

'He is thanking me!?' Angel thinks. 'No one… no matter what I did, who I helped… no one ever thanked me.' On the inside Angel was confused but her face never changed from its emotionless mask.

"You would have done the same," Angel spoke, no, practically sang. Her voice sounds like it is on the verge of song, and Sakura and Naruto stood mesmerized before this angelic looking woman.

As the two ninjas stared at Angel, she began to shift around uncomfortable.

'I guess I should put these away…'

Naruto and Sakura jumped back with astonishment as they watch Angel begin to glow a soft shade of pink, and they both gasp with amazement as Angel's wings glow brightly and retreat inward. When the show was over Angel opened her eyes, expecting the two people to have ran. But to her surprise they remain where they were.

Silence.

Naruto couldn't contain his excitement any longer. "What kind of jutsu is that!? Can you teach me! Imagine the look on people's faces when Uzumaki Naruto comes to save them with a pair of wings!"

Before Angel could speak he is running around her and then stops dead in his tracks when he sees Angel's back. Naruto discovers that her skin isn't as flawless as he first thought. His eyes stare in horror as the wind blows the hair off Angel's back to reveal two matching scars on her shoulder blades.

"Sakura-chan! Hurry! She needs medical help!" Naruto screams with panic in his voice.

Sakura is there in an instant. Angel stands frozen.

'They move fast for humans'

'You are human too' a voice echoes from the dark corners of her mind.

'YOU KNOW SHE IS MORE THAN THAT' another voice growls.

'Stop it! I cannot concentrate…'

"Angel-chan?" Sakura calls.

'Angel-chan? What is that all about?'

Angel turns to look at the pink hair woman, eyebrow raised in acknowledgement.

"How did you get those scars?" Naruto spoke quietly. He couldn't hide the sadness his voice. He couldn't understand how someone could hurt a person as majestic as the woman. This woman that stands in front of him. Concern covers every feature of his face. Sakura's face matches his except for the tears that were forming in her eyes.

Angel looks at the pink hair woman and then back to the blonde hair man. She couldn't hide her confusion from her face this time.

'I do not understand?' she thought. 'Why? They do not know me? Why show such sadness for a stranger?'

Angel lowers her gaze and simply states, "They are there to remind me."

An eerie silence engulfs them once again.

Sakura nudges Naruto to say something. When Naruto just stands there staring at the woman with a look of pity and sadness, Sakura's mind races for something… anything to say to break the awkward silence. Then it dawns on her that they never introduce themselves properly.

"Hello Angel-chan. My name is Haruno Sakura". Sakura bows then rose with a friendly smile on her face.

Catching on Naruto follows suit. "Yea! And I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Believe it!" he says with a smile. "Oh yea! You never answered my question from before. Can you teach me that jutsu?"

'That word again?' Angel thought. 'What is this fool talking about?'

Knowing she had no other way to find out what he was blabbering about she gives in and asks, "What is this jutsu you keep talking about?"

Both Naruto and Sakura's eyes widen in disbelief. This woman could mysteriously sprout wings at will but had no clue what the word Jutsu meant.

It couldn't be helped, Sakura and Naruto burst out laughing. Angel stands confused but didn't show it. Just waited patiently for them to stop.

'Hopefully soon…'