A/N: This was a story i wrote but never found the time to post on This is as far as i'm gonna type for now. I'm just gonna post up the first chapter and possible the second to see where this is going. So please review and give me you feedback no matter what it is! this is the first story i have ever written so please i would like some advice if you have some to give. thank you, and enjoy!

After entering through the door flaps his nostrils filled with the delicious smell of his favorite kind of soup, which in fact was right in front of him and in front of his usual sitting stool. "Yo Naruto! Placed your bowl at your usual spot." "Thanks Old Man, you've got great timing." Declared Naruto though no in his usual loud manner. Naruto walked quickly towards his miso ramen and devoured it. 'Some things never change.'

The restaurant owner shook his head and chuckled at the young man he just served. Though Naruto is no longer in his boyish stage of 13 years old, he is still very naïve about the feelings of one of his closest friends, Hinata Hyuuga. Just like the restaurant owner said, some things just don't change, but then again some tings do, and drastically. After 4 years of training his body and mind, Naruto has grown into a very handsome and incredible shinobi of the Leaf Village. Naruto is almost a head taller than Kakashi, hair included.

Being a 17 year old shinobi, Naruto has been spending most of his time training and studying new in between missions with Sakura at the library. 'Sakura…' Naruto stopped inhaling his 5th bowel of ramen at the thought of his childhood teammate. 'Do I still like Sakura-chan?" Naruto slurped up the remaining noodles in his half closed mouth and put on a look of slight confusion 'I hardly go out of my way to get her attention anymore.' Thought Naruto, 'And I think there's something going on between Sai and Sakura, anyway.' Naruto's face turned thoughtful as a memory started to surface…

FLASHBACK!!

"Naruto! Sai! If you to don't stop arguing I am going to personally decapitate you both!" Sakura turned to her teammates with a death glare. This made them stop for a moment and give her a concidering glance before trying to defend one another.

"But Sakura-chan he started it! Why do I have to be decapitated also?" Naruto whined his defense, which only made Sakura get angrier.

"That's because you are an annoyance also." Replied a cool headed Sai. Before Naruto could pounce on his teammate he felt an immensely large killer intent to his left, where Sakura stood. 'Oh crap.' Before Sai could realize it Naruto was behind him cowering and he was faced with dealing a blood thirsty and greatly annoyed Sakura.

"Sai man you gotta do something! If you don't we're both dead meat! You don't know what its like to be beaten to a pulp by a girl with super strength!"

"Then why don't you do something!"

"Sai she getting closer!"

And with out thinking Sai stepped towards Sakura and put his hands on her face. He then kissed the girl full on the lips with no warning whatsoever. Sakura's hands relaxed at her side as Sai held the kiss, shock from his actions stopped her rampage. As Sai parted his lips from hers he kept his hands still on her face, holding her head gently. The mixture of her blushing face, wide eyes and confused stare brought the impulse of kissing her again, but befor he could he quickly brought his hands back to himself and walked briskly up the path to Kohona. All the while Naruto looked to and fro from the two with a knowing expression. His smile broadened as he followed Sai up the path with a stunned Sakura behind him.

END FLASHBACK!!

Grinning to himself Naruto suddenly remembered his meeting with the Hokage that he was suppose to be at "30 minutes ago?!" Naruto jumped from his seat and dashed out of the ramen restaurant. "Kusco! Obaa-chan's gonna kill me!"

"I cant believe he's 25 minutes late!" Tsunade-sama screeched, "This has to be a new record!"

"Ano… I'm sure he's on his way Hokage-sama" Hinata answered uncertaintly. 'Who is Hokage-sama waiting for?' As if right on cue Naruto came busting through the doors of the Hokage's office to see a very surprised Hinata and a pissed off Tsunade. "Ano… sorry about the door Obaa-chan" Naruto put on his most apologetic look he could pull off, but he only got a glare from Tsunade and a small laugh from Hinata. The laugh must have caught him by surprise because he suddenly whipped his head in her direction. After taking a split second to realize who it was Naruto let out a full blown smile, but both jonins where brought back to attention by the Hokage.

"Lets cut to the chase shall we?" Tsunade pulled out the files on the two most improved and accomplished jonins in their division.

"I have called you two here to give you a promotion. One that is of great responsibility and includes an even greater risk to your lives." The Fifth paused to make sure that this information has settled in. "You have been selected to partake in the Elite Rankings. It is a level that goes far beyond Anub and requires a great deal from you that is why when you enter you do not work alone but you work with a partner. You and your partner must fight as one, being able to predict one another's moves before they even think about it.

You life depends on you partners and you partners life depends on you." Tsunade looked to the two Jonins to see if they understood and they both nodded for her to go on. "If you wish to partake in the Elite Rankings you must first past my test. Naruto, Hinata you mission, if you choose to accept it, is to pass my test with you partner by your side. Do you accept?" A moment of doubt and fear crossed both Jonins minds but they knew they couldn't pass this opportunity up, not when they were so close to reaching their goals.

"I shall accept the mission, Hokage-sama." Replied a confident and determined Hinata.

"And I second that, Obaa-chan!" Naruto grinned wildly as his eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Very well," The Fifth smiled at their responsed. "Meet me at training ground 382 at this same hour. There you will meet you partners, you are dismissed!" Frowning Hinata left the Hokag's office in a flash of smoke. 'Naruto-kun is not my partner…' she thought. Hinata leaped across the roof tops of the village towards her private training grounds with a heavy heart.

Still standing in the Hokage's office Naruto was disappointed to see Hinata leave so quickly. 'Hmmm… I wonder if-'

"Hey, Naruto something the matter?" Tsunade-sama said bringing Naruto out of his thoughts.

"huh? Oh no just, ano… Hey Obaa-chan who is Hinata's and partner, and mine? Questioned Naurto.

"You will see tomorrow now go. I have a lot of work to do." Tsunade waved her hand signaling Naruto to take his leave. With an annoyed grunt he did so and headed towards his thinking spot, the top of the Hokage Monument.

Early the next day Hinata Hyuuga arrived at the train ground 382. Once she got to the center of the clearing she found the Hokage, Kurenai, and Kakashi standing there waiting. Hinata bowed low to the Hokage and greeted her former sensei and Kakashi with a nod. When Naruto left for his three year training, Hinata trained very hard so that she would not fall behind him, since he was being trained by one of the legendary Sannin. 3 weeks before his return Hinata was announced a Chunnin and recently in the past year one of the top Jonnin's, including Naruto, Lee, Kiba, and Sakura. 'So one of those four, besides Naruto, will be my partner…' Hinata sighed.

'After all these years of training and working just to be beside him… He still hasn't noticed… Will he ever notice me?' But little did Hinata know she would be spending more time with him than she thought. An Anbu messenger appeared, breaking the silence that had settled shortly after Hinata's arrival. "Lady Hokage" The messenger bowed and held out his hand to deliver a letter. Once she had taken the letter he left as quickly as he came.

"Kakashi, Kurenai a moment please." Tsunade-sama led them a little ways off towards a log near the outskirts of the clearing.

"What's up?" asked Kakashi.

"I just received a letter-" Before the Tsunade-sama could finish her sentence a blurr of orange came crashing through the trees and smacked right into poor unsuspecting Hinata.

"Uhhhhggg… man. What did I hit? Next time I'm late I'll just stick to running. Hey this tree is really soft."

"Ano, Naruto-kun that's not a tree."

"Huh?" Naruto opened his eyes to find himself on top of a beet red Hinata. 'This isn't exactly how I wanted Naruto to notice me.' Thought Hinata.

"Gomen Hinata! I'm so sorry!" Naruto jumped to his feet and picked Hinata up bridal style trying to find any injuries that he might have caused.

"Are you ok? Where does it hurt?"

"Ano…"

"NARUTO!" The blond shinobi turned around sharply and faced the Hokage with Hinata in his arms. "Would you please be quite I am trying to have a meeting here!"

"Gomen Obaa-chan." Naruto smirked as he watched Tsunade-sama's face become furious with the name he called her.

"What did I tell you about-"

"Naruto, why are you carrying Hinata like that?" Asked Kakashi who seemed to have completely ignored the rampaging Hokage.Naruto stood there for a few minutes blinking until he finally realized that Hinata was still in his arms.

"Oh, I was just seeing if Hinata-san was alright."

'This is so embarrassing!' Hinata's blush worsened as she tried to hide her face in Naruto's chest. 'Heh, Hinata-san looks cute like that.' Naruto smiled at the thought.

"Lady Hokage, what were you about to say?" Asked Kurenai

"O yes, it seems that Hinata's and Naruto's partner's have been assigned to an A class mission with a teams of 4 other jonines. They will not be back until 4 months from now. So what I am trying to say is that we can not wait 4 months for their other half's, we need all the help we can get in the Elite Rankings for our numbers are too lo. I request you thoughts on making these two" Tsunade-sama nodded her head towards the now standing Hinata and blush Naruto. "To become partners in the rigorous training they will be put through."

"Heck, go for it. I actually like this set up better." Kakashi looked towards the Jonins standing in the center of the clearing. "It would be good for Hinata to rub off some of that collected demeanor on to my former student." Explained Kakashi.

"I agree with Kakashi. Naruto seems to be the one person who can get that girl to open up a bit more."

"Alright then, that's settled." Tsunade clapped her hands together to signal the closing of the discussion.

"So what do you thing there discussing Hinata?"

"A messenger arrived a little before you did, with a letter to Tsunade- sama. I am sure they are talking about that."

"Ano, Hinata, sorry about earlier."

"Its alright Naruto, I was not harmed." Naruto Scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly causing Hinata to blush and advert her gaze from his handsome face.

"Oy, I think they agreed on something." Noticed Naruto.

"It seems so." Agreed Hinata. Naruto and Hinata watched as the adults stood and walked towards them. The two young jonnines put on there somewhat impassive faces.

"Naruto, Hinata to past my test and begin your Elite Rankings training you must defeat one another in an one on one combat, only using hand to hand combat." The Match begins now!" Tsunade-sama raised her hand indication the beginning of the match, but no one moved.

"What are you waiting for? You two better get going. Who ever is the victor of this match will continue on to the Elite Rankings and the loser will have to go back to the Academy and become a Gennin." Said Kakashi with a smile. As a result the two young adults leaped away from one another and landed in their fighting stances.

"Gomen Hinata, but I must fulfill my dream of becoming Hokage so don't expect fro me to go easy on yah, ok?" Hinata only grinned at his response. 'Today I will have Naruto see how strong I've become.'

"The same for you Naruto, I will not hold back." The smiles began to fade as determination and deep concentration filled the faces of the two opponents. Quickly the three other adults ran for cover behind a log at the end of the training grounds.

"Ummm, Kakashi, That wasn't apart of the agreement!." Said Kurenai sharply.

""Yeah but it got them moving didn't it? Plus they'll take this fight more seriously now that the stakes have been raised."

"Begin !" Yelled Tsunade-sama.