I don't own Naruto or it's characters, this is purely fan fiction.

I'm not going to give this story a high restriction rating just yet but It will get quite physical in the future chapters to come. Which I'm sure most of you will enjoy. ;

Also if you haven't seen at least up to the 100th episode of Naruto then you'll find spoilers in my Fanfic. Also some of the Ninja jargon wont make sense.

Otherwise jump right in. Hope you enjoy it.

A grim begining

He stood dead still in the middle of the street, staring up at the carved out rock in the likeness of the four Hokage's.

Their features could barely be seen through the heavy rain that fell in sheets over konaha, but Naruto saw the features just as clearly now as if it were clear daylight.

One day… I'll be there. He thought to himself.

He clenched and unclenched his fists feeling the rain water gently washing away the blood from the many cuts all over his body.

I hope he'll be there by my side when I do.

"Naruto… Come inside by the fire. Your wounds are serious." Sakura's tone was stern like that of a bossy mother. Her expression changed slightly when the expected reply didn't come. She looked to the point he was staring so fixedly at then turned back to him. She slowly walked out to stand beside him in the rain taking no notice of the hissing showers about her.

Eyes still fixed on the four hokage, He began to speak. " Sakura, Go back inside."

She said nothing for a while, Ignoring his empty request, and looked up at the carved cliff face.

"You're hurt, come inside and let hokage sama heal you." She had to speak up against the hiss of the rain as it began to beat down harder. " What is it, Naruto?" She asked, subtly suggesting his thoughts were her main concern.

He looked at her at last, breaking the spell that held him so still. His eyes were red from tears that had ;in this whether; probably found their way to the growing puddles around his feet. "Sakura? Doesn't it hurt to care so much for him when he barely acknowledges you?"

She gave him a sharp almost quizzical look, then carefully swinging his one arm over both her shoulders and took some of his body weight.

"That's enough for one day. These B-rank missions are wearing us thin. I'm going to ask Hokage Sama for some time off." Sakura was somewhat perplexed with what she thought was going on in the shorter Ninja's head But decided now wasn't the time to think on it.

They stopped to rest in the doorway, dripping wet from their sodden clothes. Sakura spoke softly. " If it's Sasuke-kun you're talking about…It hurts yes."

She paused before continuing.

" But I have hope that there might be a place in his heart for me. If he can't love me the way I want him to then at least I can accept it while knowing he cares. He doesn't express himself though. So until the day I find what his true feelings are… I have hope." Her eye's softened at the thought of that day. She was not confident it would ever come.

She felt his weakened muscles tense beside her. "it's… it's not enough!" He croaked.

"Shush Let's get you inside… Kakhashi sensei! A little help would be nice!" But Kakhashi didn't come.

She sat Naruto down by the fire and started to undress him while the reflection of the fire danced in his half opened eyes. He wearily surrendered to its lulling effect. The light faded away as he drifted into a dreamless sleep of Comforting quiet darkness.

So close to warmth yet so far from it.

Sakura hung up his soaking clothes and then after making sure he was comfortable Knocked on the door where Inside Tsunade hokage was healing Sasuke. She had taken a long time with him already and the fact that Kakhashi Sensei wanted to be present in the healing wasn't reassuring.

"Hokage-sama? Kakhashi-sensei?" Quietly as a mouse she entered the room filled with the blue light emanating from Tsunade's healing Chakra.

The glowing slowly subsided from her hands. She looked Completely drained of her chakra. Beads of sweat had formed across her brow.

"Hokage-sama…" Kakhashi exclaimed before catching her as she fell forward over Sasuke from exhaustion.

"I'm fine" She sat back trying to compose her self better . "This poison… I've only just managed to negate it's effects. It somehow leaked into his Chakra system infecting all sixty two of his tenketsu. I didn't know such a poison could exist." She turned her attention to Sakura who until now had remained a part of the surroundings.

"You are sure you killed the leader of this secret clan?" The hokage asked frowning. Sakura nodded. "The leader 'Kazekama' seemed to be slightly above jounin level but his subordinates were genin at best, their weapons weren't poisoned like his were… Naruto's kunai put an end to his terrorizing. "

"I should have sent kakashi with you. Did you take any of the needles?"

"No I only just managed to evade them but Naruto took a lot more than Sasuke-kun when he moved in for the final attack."

The Hokage smiled brightly at her. "You did very well, all of you. Naruto…where is he? Did you bring him inside?"

A sense of deep worry for Naruto filled Sakura after seeing Sasuke barely surviving the poison. Tsunade was exhausted. She hoped naruto was just sleeping and not slipping away. He seemed unaffected by the poison if a little weak from the battle. The Hokage couldn't perform another intensive healing so soon, not in her present state.

"He's by the fire in the next room…asleep I think. The poison looks as if it's affected him differently. Hokage-sama… can you help him?" She held her hands tightly to her chest.

Tsunade got to her feet shakily then walked over to sakura putting her hand on the girls head, smiling again. "I'll see what I can do. Right now I need you to tend to sasuke's fever, It won't break for a few days and he wont wake for probably double that amount of time."

Sakura was grateful for something to do to take her mind off things. She left to fetch a bowl of cold herbal solution and soft spongy cloth.

Tsunade Looked over her shoulder as she opened the door a crack wider. "Kakhashi…?"

He nodded, understanding, and followed behind her into the room brightly lit by the fire.

They knelt down on either side of him, both slightly relieved to see his chest still rising and falling.

The cuts were sealing themselves before their eyes. Tsunade looked up to meet kakhashi's eyes.

He nodded in agreement knowing what she was thinking. "The nine tails." She said aloud.

They turned their attention back to they boys body.

Kakhashi pointed to a faded purple stripe under the skin where a deep cut had just healed itself. They had appeared all over his arms, legs and torso beneath the skin where the deepest cuts had been.

"The nine tails isn't enough… he's still at risk, it's merely slowing down the poison. We're not done here. Go get Shizune I'm too weak to help him right now. Go now!"

"Yes." He stood up and vanished from the spot.

The fire crackled next to her.

Could it be…that the nine tails chakra is infected too?

She closed her eyes and began to meditate, regaining her chakra. Shizune would have to sustain him until she was strong enough to heal the boys chakra system herself and possibly even the nine tails chakra too. That was of course if such a thing were possible. No one knew the limits of the Nine tails' chakra. It might be like trying to heal the chakra the size of the planet. She prayed it wouldn't come to that.

Shizune burst into the house in her typically panic stricken manner. Her cloth kimono splashed with mud at the hem from running through the swampy streets.

"Tsunade-sama!" She noted the lack of a light blue diamond which the Hokage used as a seal to store chakra.

"Kakhashi-san told me what happened, Was that much Chakra necessary!" She asked hysterically.

"Shizune! I need you with all your senses! Right now you're this boys best chance. Sit. Relax." Her voice was commanding yet soothing, "How long do you think you can hold off the poison?"

Shizune bit the top of her thumb nervously. "Till morning at best."

"Good, I'll have regained my strength by then. Kakhashi, have one of the attendants bring us food and drink, the next forty eight hours are going to be long."

Kakhashi blinked slowly with the care free expression he always wore on his face. "There may still be some members of this clan scattered about. They may have the knowledge of this poison. I'll go find out what I can before… disposing of them."

Tsunade nodded once stiffly. "I don't need to remind you to be careful."

"Of course not." He said then left to arrange for their night ahead.

"Now then shizune, lets begin."

I hope this was enough to hook some of you. I'm trying not to rush into Sasuke's and Naruto's clash of emotions just yet. I want this Fanfic to be worth reading.

Let me know what you think. All comments welcome.