Hey guys hope you like this story, most of my stories are already under way. Leave me a review telling me what you think! Obv I don't own Naruto.... If I did Gaara would have a much larger role! Hope you enjoy the read....

Naruto stood panting, sweat covered his body. 'Its over' he sighed. His vision was failing; he needed to get back to the leaf. 'The leaf…' The thought of the crater that remained of his home hit him hard. His knees buckled and he collapsed forwards. He caught himself before hitting the ground and spared one glance back at the man who had caused him this pain…

----Flashback----

Upon arriving to talk to the real pain he was attacked by a female Nin who looked like she was made of paper. He was forced to use the rasenshuriken without being in sage mode, he had dived forward and shoved the mass of chakra into her gut sending her back into the immobile naggato. The explosion was massive. When the dust cleared a wore out blonde ninja could only look at the two bodies that lay on the ground.

----End of Flashback----

Naruto slowly rose and began the long walk back to his village. The walk was taxing on his trembling body, but the pain in his body was nothing compared to what he felt in his heart…

"Its all my fault… all of this." He said as he limped through the Forrest. Tears slowly slid past his whisker marked cheeks as he all but cried out in anguish. 'Ero-senin… Kakashi-Sensei… Hinata' He stumbled as he thought of her face. The ground rose quickly as he fell face first, tears streaming down unto the ground. 'She loved me' he thought 'I watched her die all because I was to weak to protect her.'

The ground began to soften from the tears he freely shed. Broken and hurt he lay there until sleep took him. His dreams were tormenting him, his friends were hurting; they needed his help but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't move. He looked in horror as one by one his friends were tortured by a dark figure. They screamed in agony as their bodies writhed in pain. "Stop!" Naruto yelled, "Please I'll do anything!" The figure began to sob; no it was laughing slowly it turned. Naruto was speechless standing over hinata's lifeless body was himself. He looked in horror, as the man with his face walked over to the one person Naruto could never hurt.

He fought with his soul and body to get loose. "Not her you bastard, never her!" He screamed in rage fighting with everything he had. He heard her call to him as he saw blood soak through her red shirt. "Please" he begged, "Kill me, she's all I have left!" The pink haired girl began to call his name. "Naruto..." she whimpered tears streaming from her emerald eyes as Naruto's began to glow crimson. He heard her yell his name again as it seemed all the blood drained from his body. He was powerless to protect the one he loved most. "I'm so sorry" He began, "I can't save you… Sakura-Chan…" "Naruto!" She called again and again. "Naruto!!!" The scream awakened him in the middle of the night. His limbs ached from the hard ground and he noticed he was very weak from the blood he lost. Then he heard it again, "Naruto!"

"Sakura-Chan" he mumbled. It hit him then they were looking for him. "Sakura-Chan!" He called as loudly as he could. He tried pushing himself up but his muscles betrayed him and he fell back to the ground. "Oomph" he seethed as all the air was knocked from him. Then he saw a flash of pink. He felt two hands slowly pull him up off the cold hard ground into a warm soft embrace. He looked up into two beautiful green jewels. "Sakura-Chan" he said as he put on his best grin trying to hide the pain. She was shocked at the state his body was in, she put her hands on him as green light began to close the gapping hole in his stomach. She glanced at his shredded arm and realized he had used that technique again. "Shhh don't talk Naruto," she said still in disbelief he was conscious let alone trying to get up. She rested his head in her lap and went to work mending his broken body. His wounds were healing fairly quickly, probably because the kyuubi was helping she thought.

He coughed up blood and it spattered on his shredded jacket. After a half an hour he was stable enough to travel. He had fallen into a fitful sleep and appeared to be having a nightmare. She could see that he was shaken by it, she placed a hand on his head and sent soothing chakra into him, with reassuring words like "Its ok…its over…I'm here." He visibly calmed when she spoke to him she noticed. She got up and turned to Neji, and Lee who were with here in the search party. "We should get back" Neji said, "they'll need our help soon" Lee added. "You guys hurry back ill bring him" she replied not comfortable traveling quickly in his state. "Hai" the agreed and disappeared into the night.

Sakura Picked up Naruto and began to carry him piggyback style. She couldn't help but notice that he snuggled his face into her hair in his sleep. She giggled as his warm breath tickled her neck. He sighed deeply and didn't make another sound for hours to come. She stopped walking and set up camp around midnight and made a small fire. He was lying beside where she sat still resting his head in her lap. Why was she so protective of him all of a sudden she wondered. She looked down at his peaceful face so carefree and cute, she blushed as the second thought came to her mind. As if he knew she was thinking of him he slowly opened his eyes.

"Sakura-Chan?" He asked groggily. "Naruto" she said smiling. "I'm so glad you're alright" he told her, she looked at him he was barley alive, and the village was destroyed but his smile made her forget all that. Then she noticed something she never had before. His eyes. The two deep blue pools were dark and stormy. It hurt her deep down to look into them. They were like that day so long ago, when he made a promise to her. He only smiles because he knows if he cries it will hurt me. It hit her, he always put her first. He had saved her life so many times and he would smile through any hell to lift her spirits. That smile was empty; a shell to protect her from a cruel world, and what scared her most was a part of her believed he was protecting her from herself.

"Naruto…" she began, he looked up at her. "You don't have to wear that smile, not for me" she said. "I need to know what your feeling, what your going through, how I can help you." She started speaking faster trying to get it all out without breaking into sobs. "I want to know what hurts you so I can…" the tears began to fall. "So I can, take away your pain." She began crying freely. Naruto sat up with obvious effort, grunting with pain. "N..Naruto" she sobbed, "You s..shouldnt move ju.." She was interrupted by his arms wrapping around her body. She was shocked, so many questions what did he think he was doing? Where does he get off touching me like this? Why does it feel so right? She put her head on his shoulder and let herself be comforted by her blonde teammate.

"Sakura-Chan, Thank you." He said. The wound in his stomach had opened up again but he didn't care, he was holding the woman he loved. The only one who could make him forget his pain. Slowly his thoughts drifted to the man she wanted to be holding her now. 'Saskue' he thought she needs you. "I promise you I will bring him back" Naruto whispered to her. "I just want you to be happy Baka" she chided gently. He smiled and pulled her closer. "I am now" he assured her. They stayed like that until morning slowly falling asleep in each other's arms.