"How did you end up in the hospital again, Naruto?" asked Sakura feeding the blond some apple slices while she sat beside him.

"I wasn't paying attention, I guess…," replied Naruto with his hallmark grin while he denied the apple slice and stared out into space. Even if I told you…You won't understand…No one understands…

"Can you believe the unluckiest guy on the face of the earth is able to become the luckiest guy to have Sakura-Chan feed him apple slices?" asked Kiba as he entered Naruto's room. Naruto did not reply to Kiba or his cruel joke and that struck Sakura as being very unusual. She thought it might have been the side effects of the shock from the blonde's accident and she decided to bring him back to earth when she asked, "Does Sasuke know about you being hospitalized?"

Naruto froze and he did not reply to the question asked by his pink haired friend. Sakura proceeded in questioning the blond some more, "What happened between the two of you? Why didn't you tell him or ask someone to tell him?"

"Did you finally decide to cheat on him?" asked Kiba as a joke, but it seemed to have Naruto all tensed and nervous.

"What do you want to tell Sasuke? I can pass the message along if you like," offered Itachi as he strode into the blonde's room with flowers in his arms.

"It's nothing, Itachi-san…Please don't listen to them…," replied Naruto as he suddenly straightened his back when Itachi gave him a bouquet of flowers.

There is definitely something wrong with the two of them…Only if Naruto was willing to talk about it…What happened between the two…?

"It is better that your heartless doesn't know about what happened to Naruto," interrupted a voice from the door.

"Tsunade-sensei!" exclaimed Sakura from concern. "How can you keep a secret from Sasuke?"

"Tsunade-sensei…my head hurts…," said Naruto with his left hand on his head. "My ears are also ringing and everything seems to be very blurry for some reason…"

"I'll take a look at it for you and can I have everyone leave the room. Visiting hours is over and Naruto-kun needs his rest," ordered the bleach blond haired doctor.

"I guess I'll visit you again some other time then," answered Sakura as she left Naruto in Tsunade's care with everyone else from the room.

Once the blonde's room was emptied, Tsunade sat beside the injured blonde's bed and held his right hand. Naruto did not say a word. He simply stared at the doctor and forced a smile on his face. "You know…I can't believe you never made it into acting school…You can act pretty well."

"Thank you…," replied Naruto with a monotonous voice with an emotionless expression.

"And…you are really one of a kind...," responded Tsunade holding back tears and trying to say her phrase with a straight face, but she failed. "How can you do that you yourself…You were so close from never opening your eyes again…I can't believe…you…you would do something like this to yourself…Why…why…?"

"I'm only obeying orders…if that is what Sasuke wants…I'll do it…Even if I have to risk everything I have…," Naruto simply replied. "Everything is over…I have nothing to live for anymore…I am in a lot of pain…Tsunade…what am I suppose to do…everything is over…everything has no meaning anymore…Life has no meaning to me anymore…"

"Naruto…Don't say that…It's not over…You still have everyone else with you and they will support you no matter what or how hard it is…We can get through this together, no one will leave you like that heartless bastard…I'll help you and everyone else will understand, I promise," said Tsunade hugging the emotionless blond in her arms. "Don't give up yet…Please promise me…Don't do something like this to yourself anymore…"

Naruto did not answer he simply had Tsunade hold him in an embrace that slightly brought the blond to tears, but his expression did not show any painful or sad emotion.

Meanwhile Tsunade looked at Naruto, they did not exchange a word to one another and before Tsunade left the room, she said to Naruto, "If you ever need anything, tell the nurses to come find me. Rest well, Naruto-kun."

"Thank you, Tsunade-Sensei," responded Naruto as he smiled at the doctor and watched her leave the room while she closed the door behind her.

Naruto was finally released from the hospital to be able to go home and rest. Sakura was able to pick him up at the hospital since she had the free time. After helping Naruto take care of the necessary procedures, Naruto and the pink haired Sakura walked out of the hospital while Sakura held on to Naruto's belongings.

"I can hold on to my own things Sakura-chan, I don't want to be a bother to you too," said the blond with a polite and gentle tone.

"It is okay, Naruto," said Sakura holding tightly to Naruto's luggage. "It isn't that heavy anyway…Besides, your arm is injured. I can't have an injured man carry his own things…What if Tsunade-sensei bites off my head the next time she sees you? What am I suppose to tell her then?"

"Have it your way, Sakura-chan," replied Naruto giving up on the thought of fighting Sakura for holding his own personal belongings. "Where are we going?"

"We're going home."

"I don't have a home anymore…," said Naruto stopping in his tracks.

"Oh yes you do have a home. And guess who will be waiting for you there?" asked Sakura as she dragged Naruto to keep walking.

"Who is going to be there?" replied Naruto. "Who would wait for a stray…like me…"

"Come on, spoiled sport. Guess," answered Sakura to stop Naruto from thinking negatively.

"Anyone, but him…nobody ever waited for me."

"I'm pretty sure there is a beautiful redhead, and your father counts as somebody?" said Sakura. "Not to mention your perverted godfather…Come one, walk faster."

"What a coincidence…they're all back when I'm all alone," whispered Naruto to himself quietly, but not quiet enough to stop Sakura from hearing the comment. Sakura ignored the comment and kept walking with Naruto back to his new home.

While Sakura and Naruto were waiting for their train to arrive, many people gathered at Naruto's new home. Iruka waited for Naruto's arrival anxiously, while the others prepared everything for the blonde's release from the hospital or welcome home party. Gaara and Lee walked out of the kitchen with a few cups and plates and laid them on the dining table while Kakashi brought out some food. Jiraiya was also present, but he did not do much, but sleep on the couch to wait for his godchild.

"What's taking them so long?" asked an anxious Iruka.

"Relax," said Kakashi with a very reassuring tone while he puts both his hands on Iruka's shoulders.

"Make sure you don't say anything that'll make him upset," suggested Gaara as he sat down on the couch while Jiraiya woke up.

"Tsunade said it's better if we help him forget about that ass…but how?" asked a tired Jiraiya.

"I'm sure we can come up with something," replied Lee. "But the first thing is to restrain ourselves from mentioning names and other things."

"I hope he gets well soon. I can't believe he'll do something like that to himself for a heartless bastard like him," stated an angry Iruka.

"You've got to remain calm or else you'll upset Naruto," said Kakashi giving Iruka's shoulders a light squeeze.

"We're home!" shouted Sakura as she dragged Naruto into the big house.

"Welcome home!" said everyone in unison. Naruto was quite surprised to see them and somewhat moved by their kindness in being there. As Naruto walked in through the doorway, Iruka gave the blond a hug and said to him while he ran his fingers in Naruto's sun kissed hair, "I'm so glad you're alright Naruto. Welcome home."

"Thank you…"

Gaara was next in line to give the blond a hug. As he said something similar to Iruka, he added, "You had me worried. And you have no idea how glad I am that you're still here…if it wasn't for you, Lee and I would never be this happy…"

"Oh, Gaara," said Naruto hugging Gaara close to himself in an embrace that two close friends shared.

After his embrace with Gaara was still in tacted, he looked up and was greeted by everyone smiling at him. Naruto gave Gaara a kiss on the forehead and answered, "Thanks everyone."

"Where are the other people?" interrupted Ino. "Let's get this party started!"

"You just ruined such a great and emotional moment, Ino!" said Sakura brushing the tears away from her eyes.

"Was Gaara making out with Naruto?" questioned Kiba teasingly. "I know Lee wasn't that lucky."

"Stop your crappy jokes, Kiba. They're not funny," replied Choji walking straight to the food. "I don't understand how Shino is able to handle your jokes."

"I ignore him," replied the quiet Shino as he handed a little gift bag. "Welcome back."

"Thanks Shino," responded Naruto with his arms around Gaara's waist. "Well, I better hand Gaara back to Lee before he tears me to pieces."

"Don't worry. I have faith in Gaara," replied Lee as he held Gaara's hands. "Welcome back, Naruto."

"Thanks, this party seems to be mission something…," replied Naruto ass he looked around his new home.

"What's missing?" interrupted a voice. "Does a beautiful cat count?"

"Kyuubi, now I have a complete home," said Naruto as he turned to the voice that belonged to Haku.

"Welcome home, Naruto-kun. Kyuubi really missed you when you weren't around," said Haku handing Naruto an orange and white furred cat.

"Well let's get this party started!" Ino suggested with enthusiasm as she went to the stereo and brought some noise to the quiet house with her new song.

As everyone was enjoying themselves, Naruto let's Kyuubi run around before he stepped out to the patio and sat down. He enjoyed the summer breeze before someone quietly sat beside him and offered, "Would you like a fruit punch?"

"Naruto smiled from hearing the sweet and timid voice of Hinata. He said as he took the cup of fruit punch, "Since when have our great novelist become a waitress?"

"Your sense of humour is the same as always, Naruto-kun," replied Hinata sitting next to Naruto.

"What made you come out here? The party is too loud for you?" asked Naruto ass he drank his drink.

"A little…Everyone is having a lot of fun though," answered the timid Hinata as she stared at he beautiful sky.

"They can get pretty noisy when they're excited."

"How about you, are you happy to be back?"

"Truthfully…I'm not," replied Naruto as he laid his head on Hinata's shoulder. "I didn't plan to come back."

"Maybe there's something planned for you," answered Hinata holding one of Naruto's hands.

"I guess…I wonder what I'm supposed to do now…"

"How about we go back inside and enjoy the party? Tomorrow is going to be a new day, right?" suggested Hinata as she led the star back into the party and enjoyed the rest of the day.