I really shouldn't start another story. I really, really shouldn't. But, I guess I can't help myself.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Feigning Solid Ground

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Chapter One

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Tsunade had never been one to worry. Well, at least, she tried not to let herself worry too much. Worry caused stress, and everyone knew that stress made you age faster. Heh, like she needed that...

But still, as Shizune rushed into her office with a panicked call of her name and handed her piece of paper that had a frightening message written on it, she couldn't help herself but feel heartwrenched at what it might be this time.

On the piece of paper, it read, 'Several students go missing on the day before the Chuunin Exams."

"Shizune..." she said, scanning the paper to double check it. A bubbling fury started to arise in her chest. "This isn't a report from this year! This is a past report, from two years ago!"

Shizune nodded. "I know. But it is exactly three weeks from the Chuunin Exams, and this has been happening often. Tsunade..." she said in a single breath. "Look to see what village this is from!"

Tsunade read the paper again. Her eyes stopped on a single word. Sweat broke out on the Hokage's face. "K-Konoha? This happened in...Konoha...?"

Her assistant nodded. "Yes! And look at this!" She handed Tsunade another paper.

This one told of three kidnappings of two young women from a nearby village.

"Do you know of any kidnappings in other countries? Or somewhere else in the Fire Country?" Tsunade asked slowly, still looking at the piece of paper.

"No. It seems that these requests are only near here." Shizune answered, bowing her head.

Tsunade sighed. "So, it seems the kidnapper has been stealing my Genin? We'll just have to fix that." The Hokage looked up. "Shizune, assign every available Jounin and Chuunin to this mission. I don't want to take any chances with the Genin, seeing as the abductions were of three Genin. Also, tell every acadamy student and Genin to stay inside while this mission is out. Tell them that if they are out, they have to be in by seven o'clock. I want them on full protection. "

Shizune nodded before rushing out of the office.

After she left, the Hokage leaned forward with her elbows on the table. "So, it seems some of the Genin have gone missing. Well, we'll just see if we can't take them back."

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"GRANNY TSUNADE!" Naruto roared as he stomped into the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up from her work, and instantly knew what was wrong.

It was about an hour after Tsunade accepted the mission. Apparantly, Shizune had spread the word like wildfire. Good ol' Shizune. Great, now the knucklehead is gonna complain. "Naruto, if it's about the mis--"

"You better be sure it's about this mission!" Naruto yelled at her. "What's with me not going, huh? I want to help!"

Tsunade sighed and leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. "Look, Naruto, you'll help the most by staying in Konoha. This mission is going to be too dangerous for you."

"Too dangerous?"

Even though Naruto had grown up some, he still would simply not allow Tsunade to do this. "Let me go! I want to go!"

"No." came the expected response, but Tsunade inwardly smiled to herself for making her voice calm. "That is the end of my discussion. You are not going. That is," Tsunade took a deep breath. "unless you do something for me."

Naruto eyed her suspiciously. "What thing?" he asked, his voice quieter, but not quiet an inside voice.

"Stop trying to become Hokage."

Naruto's breathing hitched. "W-What?" he asked quietly, his eyes wide.

"You heard me. Either you stop trying to become Hokage, or you stay here." Tsunade said, looking at him.

Naruto looked at the ground. "C-Can I have some t-time to think a-about it?" he asked mournfully.

"Yeah. Be back here in an hour." Tsunade looked away. She didn't want to say it. She just didn't. But she wondered if he could..."Go." she said lightly.

The boy nodded and walked out of the room, his shoulders slouched.

oOo

"Hey, Naruto, why so down-in-the-dumps? What, Sakura turn you down again?" Kiba laughed as they sat in Naruto's favorite place to eat.

The blond haired boy hadn't even touched his ramen. He was feeling utterly spent, trying to decide on what his answer would be to Tsunade's proposition.

"Naruto?" Kiba said in a quieter, more serious tone. He leaned forward. "Are you okay?"

Still, Naruto didn't answer. He was too busy thinking.

"Do I have to get Hinata in here to coax you into talking?" Kiba laughed. Akamaru, who sat beside him, barked.

Actually, in reality, Naruto didn't even realize Kiba was talking. He was trapped in his own world for the time being. "That's it. I'm gonna go get her." Kiba said, standing up.

The Inuzuka walked of the stand, and continued to run down the street. After a moment, he came back. This time, Hyuuga Hinata was with him, along with Aburame Shino. "You're lucky I found these two nearby, Naruto. They'll make you talk."

Kiba pushed a reluctant Hinata onto a seat that was next to Naruto. Shino sat down beside her.

"What is it that you want me to do, Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked innocently.

Kiba shrugged. "Make 'im spill out his thoughts. If I had gotten Sakura, he wouldn't do much except look at her."

Hinata sighed and hoped she could do it. She tapped Naruto on the shoulder with her delicate finger, trying to make it light and soft. Naruto didn't seem phased.

"Naruto-kun?" she asked, trying to get his attention. He didn't raise his head. Hinata thought for a moment. "I k-know what w-will definitly m-make him talk." she said.

The Hyuuga girl was hesitant, but she slowly slipped Naruto's headband off of his forehead, and stood up. She waved goodbye to her friends, and said, "If he comes out of it, tell him that I have his headband." she said, and ran off.

Naruto's eyes were half closed. They widened suddenly, and his hand slowly reached up to touch his forehead. Skin met skin, where skin should have met metal. "W-Where's my headband?" he asked slowly, looking over at the laughing Kiba.

"Didn't you notice? No, you were too far into your 'trance' to realize it. Hinata made off with it." Kiba said, trying not to show the fit of giggles that threatened to burst out of his lips.

"H-Hinata?" Naruto said, cringing. "Dang it! Where'd she go?"

Kiba shrugged. "She had went off down the street. I'm guessing she took off to her own home? Look's like you'll have to confront her to get it back."

Naruto was already shooting outside and down the street, after the Hyuuga girl.

After turning a few corners, Naruto looked down the street that his home was on. His heart gave a happy jump when Hinata's petite form came into view. She was standing in front of his house. But what really made him happy was the fact that a dark object was in her hand.

"Hinata-san!" Naruto called, running toward her. Before he could get near enough to her, her slight form disappeared around the corner. "Dang it!" he said.

Following her, he found himself going toward the Hyuuga compound. No, she better not...

But, at the last moment, Hinata swivled and turned a different direction than her home. She disappeared into the trees that were by the side of the road. "Where is she going?" he wondered.

After walking a bit into the trees, Naruto found himself staring face to face with...absolutely nothing. Hinata had disappeared.

Where was she? Naruto's hour was halfway through. He needed to find her. "Hinata-chan?" he asked, using her pet name as hopes of drawing her out. "I really need my headband back, Hinata-chan."

"Where the heck did she go?" he wondered out loud.

As he turned in the opposite way, he didn't notice the dark form above him. He didn't notice how the form was lithe, catlike. He didn't notice the way it bunched up as if to pounce, and the way it's form sprang down lightly from the trees. He certainly did notice, however, as that lithe form landed on him, sending him to the ground with all the air in his lungs gone.

"Hinata-chan." he said breathlessly as he recognized her shape. "What was that for?"

"Kiba-kun told me to try to get your attention, and so I did." Hinata said, smiling.

Naruto nodded slowly. He took in the fact that her, a obviously beautiful woman, was sitting on his stomach. He also took note of the way she smiled. It was almost chilling to see her, who was normally very shy and timid, have a proud smile on her face. As if she was a cat, and he was her caught prey.

"Um...I really needed my headband back, Hinata-chan." he asked her, forgetting that he was using her pet name.

"Do you?" she asked, her voice sounding slightly breathy and sad, but made something tingle in the pit of Naruto's stomach. "I suppose so. Here." she said, laying his headband gently on his eyes.

Naruto chuckled. "You seem rather...different...today, Hinata-chan."

"Well, I am going on that mission." she said, trying her hardest to delay the truth that Naruto needed to go.

"You are? Why did Tsunade send everyone else but me?" Naruto growled.

Hinata shrugged delicately, and said, "Well, maybe because Neji and I are the only ones in Konoha who can go on missions and use the Byakugan."

Dang, that's right. Naruto thought with coldness.

"I've got to be strong if I want to help out during the mission." she said, sighing. "You do, too, Naruto-kun."

Naruto thought about that. "But, I'm not going on the mission." he said aloud.

Hinata looked at him. "If you want, I can help you convince Tsunade-sama of letting you go."

"Would you really do that for me?" the boy beneath her asked, geniunly surprised. "Thank you, Hinata-chan." His voice was low, now a content whisper.

"Anytime, Naruto-kun." she whispered back, not wanting to disturb his contentment.

Naruto started thinking about Sakura, and how she wasn't as kind and innocent as Hinata was.

"I should probably go." he heard himself sigh. His mind felt like it was watching from afar, watching how he rested peacefully while Hinata sat on top of him, gazing down at him with admiration.

Happiness couldn't restrain inside him any longer. He felt the emotion wash over him like waves against the shore.

"Hinata-chan..." he sighed happily as they sat.

Hinata smiled, hoping this moment would never end. But, sadly, it did when Naruto came to a suddenly realization.

His external mind took in their position, the looks on their faces. Whoa. This shouldn't be happening. He thought reluctantly.

"I have to go. You're coming, too, right?" Naruto said, sighing.

"Of course." Hinata nodded and stretched her arms, throwing them out and arching her back.

Naruto watched her, and could see the shape of her lithe form underneath her lavender jacket, and wondered without hesitation why she always wore it. He voiced his question aloud without thinking first, "Hinata-chan, why do you always wear a jacket?"

Hinata blushed. "Well...It's kind of silly..."

"Tell me." Naruto pressed, hoping he could figure her out.

"Well...I guess it's because I don't want very many people to see me. I don't want to be like some people out there who reveal themselves so easily." Hinata said, not being able to find the right words.

Naruto nodded. "So, it's sounding from here like you want to remain being pure. You don't want anyone to see you like that."

Hinata blushed. "Well, that's not exactly it...I mean, everyone wants for someone to see them like that. Or, at least every woman..."

The boy underneath her nodded again. "I see. Well, we've delayed too long. I'm sure my hour is almost up. Let's get to Granny."

Hinata almost fainted in a mad rush as Naruto latched his hands under her arms and lifted her off of him with ease. "You're really light." Naruto said, staring at her in wonder. "Weird. Anways, let's go!"

oOo

"You're late!" Tsunade roared as Hinata and Naruto rushed into her office. The force of her words might have blown Hinata's hair back. "What do you have to say for yourself, Uzumaki Naruto?"

"I-I'm sorry...?" Naruto tried, his eyes wide with terror.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it! I was actually going to let you go on this mission, but now, I think otherwise!" Tsunade growled.

Hinata stepped forward. "Tsunade-sama, it isn't Naruto-kun's fault."

Tsunade looked at her questioningly. "Who's fault was it, then?"

The Hyuuga girl took a deep breath. "Mine. I delayed him. I'm sorry. Please, Tsunade-sama, replace me with Naruto. He wants to go on this mission a lot, and I would be obliged to step out if he could step in."

The Hokage watched her. "May I ask how you delayed him? Actually, scratch that, I don't want to know." She sighed. "You really pushed it Naruto. You just about hit my last nerve." Tsunade sighed and looked between the two. "But, lucky for you, Hinata-san here just saved your butt."

Naruto let out a sigh of relief. "But, Hinata-chan," he started. "that means you won't be able to go. Don't you want to?"

Hinata shrugged slightly. "I would, but I'm happy letting you go, instead."

Tsunade looked at Naruto. Since when did he start calling her 'Hinata-chan'? She wondered briefly.

"Well, thanks to her, you both are going on the mission." Tsunade said, sitting down again. "But, I expect nothing less than total obediance during it. Hinata-san, keep him in line."

HInata nodded. "I will." she said.

Naruto bowed deeply to Tsunade. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama." he said before they walked out of the room.

Tsunade stared after them. Since when did Naruto call me 'Tsunade-sama' and Hinata 'Hinata-chan'?

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Kiba waited nervously for Hinata to return. "What happened? Did Naruto bust you up? Did the Hokage refuse that he go on the miss?"

Hinata smiled innocently. "The opposite, Kiba-kun. Naruto-kun is going on the mission."

Kiba sighed in relief. "That's good. He seemed pretty worked up about it. But, what I want to know is what happened between you and Naruto."

"Nothing, Kiba-kun. I just returned his headband."

Inwardly, Kiba sighed in relief again. He didn't know how he would react if Naruto had done something to little Hinata. Over the passed years, Kiba had grown to think of Hinata as his little sister. He was pretty sure Shino felt the same way, and they both would have kicked Naruto's orange butt for hurting Hinata. Definitely.

What if Naruto had done the opposite, and had...well, you know...kissed...Hinata? Kiba thought to himself. Naruto would have found himself KO in a dumpster...

The Inuzuka laughed to himself at this, and knew that Naruto would never do anything to Hinata-chan.

But still, Kiba couldn't help but feel uneasy...

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Man, that was sort. I know Hinata was a little OC, but....