In no way do I own Naruto just a fanfic that I thought up.

Rating M for language and possible lemon.

PRELUDE

Just a few days before Sakura and Naruto both left the Village hidden in the Leaves on a mission that Tsunade had sent them on. Naruto hadn't fully healed from his injuries from the past battles that he encountered on his last mission.

"Sakura-chan, just what in the hell are you doing?' asked the spiky-haired youth lying on the bed staring.

"Just sit back Naruto-sama, and relax, I promise it wont hurt…much" the pink haired beauty spoke slyly.

"O.o..ok, I will trust you this one time." Naruto grinned at the love of his life.

Flashback 5 years

(Authors Note: Italic=thoughts)

He didn't have a medical ninja in the group, because Tsunade thought it would be pointless, it wasn't that hard of an assignment. But as Naruto would have it he had to hurt himself somehow, using the technique that was forbidden of him. He couldn't really help himself he felt that if he did it, it would be okay, boy was he wrong.

After entering Konoha's gate he encountered Sakura who went to him and attempted to heal his arm once again all the while yelling at him.

"Naruto, you know as well as I do that you are forbidden to use that damn technique." She had said in obvious disgust.

"Sakura-chan I know I shouldn't have used it but I wanted to see if it still had the same effect on me as it did that one time I actually used it." He explained slowly wincing as her healing jutsu washed over his arm.

Soon after Naruto had finally dozed off and began talking, even screaming in his sleep. Sakura had entered his room looking at him under the covers not really listening to what he was saying until her name was brought up.

"I love you Sakura-chan." Naruto's sleepy voice said from the darkness. Though obviously asleep.

Sakura's mind began to race as she heard those words. "What in the world is he saying that for, doesn't he know that I love Sauske -kun?" she asked herself in her mind. She walked over to Naruto and placed her hands on his arm and began to heal him again. " I swear if he was any more dense I don't know what Tsunade would do." A smile crept onto Sakura's beautiful face as she healed her friend of more than 10 years. I guess that I do care about Naruto but I don't think I love him. she reasoned in her mind. She looked down and noticed Naruto's eyes were on her and a blush spread across her face, he was looking at her like he did Hinata. Mainly curiosity but with lovingness only allowed to a boyfriend.

"Sakura-chan why do you care for me when the other medical ninja just ignore my very presence. Its not like I like to have this damn demon inside of me. I didn't do anything to them. Why do they treat me like Im some kind of criminal? The constant wary eyes, the harsh whispers, everything, but always to my back never to my face." Naruto said slowly wincing every now and then.

"Naruto-kun, its for that very reason that you are feared, your still unable to control the Kyuubi, the very thing that haunts this village. I'm sure if the Hokage were here that she would help you as much as I do but unfortunately she has pressing business keeping you ungrateful ass safe." she said meaning every word.

The very next day

"Sakura I'm much better now can we leave this hospital so I can train?" Naruto whined.

"Not until I check out your arm again Naruto-kun" Sakura said trying to sound professional. "When you were sleeping last night I came back to check on you and you said something that I couldn't quiet get out of my head and I would like to talk to you about it."

"Okay, what did I say and how come there isn't a bump on my head for saying it?' Naruto said quickly.

Sakura looked pained that he would even say that she is violent, but she just smiled and smacked his arm eliciting a cry of pain from his lips. I think that if he would mature more I could come to really love him. She thought to herself extracting a blush from her cheeks. "Sakura-chan, are you okay?" Naruto asked, kind of nervously.

"Yes, Naruto-kun. Last night when you were sleeping you said quiet loudly that you loved me." she stammered toward the end sitting down in the chair next to him smiling.

"I…I did?" he questioned.

"Indeed" Sakura said slowly

"Well, I think that I do, every time I come back to the village you ALWAYS get me better." he said lightly, kind of leaning forward so she could fluff his pillows and sit him up a little. "You always get me better and that's what I love about you." He finished and flinched thinking she was going to smack him again but she didn't. Sakura nodded her head and smiled, got up and kissed him lightly before exiting his room to report to her mentor Tsunade.

2 years later

"Naruto please come to the tower as soon as you possibly can." was all Kakashi had said to him when he found him eating ramen.

As soon as Naruto finished his third helping on ramen, he left and ran just as fast as he could to the tower, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

He rounded the corner right next to Tsunades' office and slowed immediately, right in front of the door stood someone he thought that was dead, by his own hands. A feral smile erupted across the strangers face, while some pieces of black tattoo appeared on his face.

"Sauske, is that you." was all Naruto asked before passing out cold.

"Weak, Naruto you haven't changed at all." his former friend told his prone form coldly. A shudder ran down Sauske's spine as right before his eyes the prone figure began to change. First the teeth appeared longer, then the skin looked like it was melting off his body, leaving behind a skin of moving chakra.

"I am not weak, I can defeat you and I will defeat you now, believe it" The last bit of Naruto's sanity leaving with that statement. A howl broke the air, as Naruto fought the Kyuubi for control of his body. Soon after a scream erupted from Naruto's throat knocking Sauske off his feet and sending his into the wall more than 100 feet away, needless to say Sauske didn't get back up for a few minutes.

"Naruto what have you done?" Tsunade asked, getting the idea that Naruto had stunned Sauske and sent him flying.

"I'm sorry granny I couldn't control my emotions that quickly, the Kyuubi got out." Naruto lied.

"That's bullshit Naruto and you know it." Tsunade accused.

"I cannot be on a mission with that." Naruto retaliated.

"You are to go on this mission with him he is your only hope, If you cant control the demon inside then how do you expect to take care of Sakura?" she stated lightly.

"You are thinking I care for what you do and with whom." Naruto blurted rather loudly.

"Explain yourself." Tsunade demanded.

"It all stems from what else can I do to save this village, they all treat me like shit, that is the reason I wanted to be Hokage, knowing that you have already picked your successor. I was passed over because of this damn curse, like it was really my fault, like the people seem to think it is. Yes, I love Sakura, and I always will but if you put her against me then I swear on my name I will take this whole city out." Naruto threatened calmly, Sakura staring at her friend.

"You do realize that is treason that you just spoke." Tsunade answered. " But I will let it go this time in order for you to go on this mission, and its with Sauske and Sakura so team seven is back together. You leave in a weeks time at dawn."

" I will do this one last thing for Konoha then after that I am leaving." Naruto answered. "Sauske better not try and kill us this time or desert us or I will kill him myself."

"You are too weak Naruto." Sauske said from the doorway, eyes boring into the back of Naruto's head.