A/n: Hi everyone, this is my first time writing a fanfiction. I hope you like it! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Deep inside a cave somewhere in the mountains of Kaminari no kuni the remnants of the great shinobi alliance were sitting around a campfire.

An eerie glow of flickering light was cast onto the cold stone walls, and every so often you could hear drops of water dripping down the ceiling or a crackle from a log of wood that had been added to the fire by the person whose turn it was to maintain it. The atmosphere was tense and it had been silent for a while now.

You could literally hear a pin drop.

Ever since their leader had gone out alone a few hours before, the group had tried to keep their calm and just wait for his return. It was extremely hard. These days you could never be sure if someone would be coming back. Not with the madman named Uchiha Madara out there roaming around to find the members of their group to kill them off. They were all at risk. Especially their Hokage.

The silence was broken by an echo of footsteps running towards them from the opening of the cave. The people sitting farthest from the fire tensed, immediately ready for combat. They knew the chakra signature of the man, but you could never be too careful with all the white Zetsu impersonating people, running around. As soon as he rounded the corner a shadow rose up from the ground and grabbed the intruder in a stranglehold.

If you followed the shadow back to it's owner you could see a young man around 21 years old with black hair, tied in a pineapple hairstyle, standing against the wall in the shadows of the cave. His eyes were sharp and unforgiving, he had a dangerous looking scar on his face running from his temple to his chin, narrowingly missing his left eye. His hands were held in the position of his clans signature jutsu, controlling his shadow effortlessly.

At the same time a man with long brown hair tied at the end made his move lightning quick, and in a blur his open palms were only millimeters from the intruders vital points. His milky white eyes had no pupils and would have made him look deceptively blind to people that did not know the clan he came from.

"What is your designation?" He asked in a cold voice, looking right through the ANBU mask, into the spinning wheels of red and black tomoe.

"Konoha ANBU agent Panther. Identification code 1470258369. Back from the chase." The man answered.

SASUKE'S POV

As soon as he had proved to be himself, Uchiha Sasuke felt the shadow around his neck loosen and withdraw while Neji fell out of his combat stance. He walked over to the fire and sat down with the rest of the group. They all looked extremely tense. He couldn't blame them, he was too

Shino was standing against the far end of the wall. His sunglasses and collar were preventing Sasuke from seeing his expression. From reading his body language you could almost say he was relaxed. But the buzz that Sasuke heard around him clearly indicated that he was highly agitated. Shino had not changed much if you count only appearance, but they all had their scars. Some less visible than others.

Sai was drawing something with a stick in the dirt across from him and still looked as creepy as the day Sasuke first met him. They were fighting against Kabuto and his mass edo tensei army. Sasuke more or less knew who Sai was, and he will to this day deny that he was jealously glaring at him. Naruto had come up to him, and just punched Sasuke in the middle of the battlefield. He announced that Sai-is-part-of-team-seven-whether-you-like-it-or-not-Teme-so-don't-you-look-at-him-that-way (and Sasuke was not glaring at him damn it!). That was one of the rare moments he had seen a true smile appear on Sai's face. Nowadays he only expressed emotions when Naruto is around.

To his right Bee was clearly lost in thought. Sasuke felt a spark of curiosity go through him. Bee was maybe the only one who had an idea of what Naruto was up to since Gyuuki was involved in whatever he was planning. A week after he first started disappearing alone for hours a day, Naruto walked right up to Bee and asked him to go with him because I quote 'Kurama and I have come up with this awesome idea and it involves the Bijuu so can you please come with me because I need Gyuuki's input.' Even though that was the only time Bee went with Naruto on his outing, no one missed the fist bump that was exchanged daily after he came back. Nor did they miss the way Bee had been thinking a lot more since then.

Neji was sitting close to the entrance of the cave. Periodically he activated his byakugan to look out for Naruto or enemies approaching. He had been almost single minded in this task every day. Neji did things with a startling amount of intensity. He had become focused on Naruto more than anything else, and Sasuke couldn't blame him for it. All of them were as, if not more dependent on their leader. They would all look at Neji when he moved because if he stiffened it would mean enemies were coming and when he sat up straighter it would mean it's Naruto. Nevermind that the enemy could be impersonating him. Kurama's chakra could only come from one person.

Shikamaru was sitting in the darkest corner of the cave. The man was a genius, even at pretending to be relaxed. Most of the time only Naruto could read him. But even Sasuke could see the shadows move out of the corner if his eyes. Everyone knew that only happened when Shikamaru was extremely emotional. Normally he was in control and he had to be because he was their strategist. And you couldn't be logical when you were emotional. It probably had to do with the fact that Naruto had been gone for longer than normal today.

Kiba was the picture of Feral. With his hair grown longer and the worn out look that they all have acquired from years of fighting, he could not come over more wild looking if he tried. His scars only empathised this. Lying against Akamaru (who was more bear than dog in Sasuke's opinion) he was clearly working himself into a panic attack about his Alfa. The look in his eyes was dangerously close to the edge and Sasuke made a note to tell Naruto to talk Kiba back, or at least let him sleep curled up to the hokage tonight. He needed it.

Sasuke was painfully aware of how close they all were to losing hope. As second in command he was supposed to be stable and strong emotionally, but he knew himself well enough to say with absolute conviction that he wouldn't even be able to pass a psyche test if he tried. He couldn't remember a time after he was seven that he would EVER be able to pass a psyche test. He had his sharingan constantly activated 24/7 and he was probably the most paranoid bastard of them all.

Sasuke gave a quick glance to Shikamaru who was now looking towards the opening of the cave with an almost desperate look in his eyes. Hell, every one of them looked like that more often than not when Naruto was away. Their Leader was ridiculously strong, a one man army, a master strategist, a seal master, a jinchuuriki, a sage and could come out alive of the most dangerous situations, but they still worried when he was not with them because he was their light, and without him they would probably all forsake the world and quit trying to live altogether.

Naruto made his way down the mountain in sage mode so he could sense if there were any Zetsu's nearby. He was ridiculously pleased with himself. They completed the seal! Kurama and him had spent most of their time on it since the war went bad and they never believed that they would ever have to use it. But things couldn't get any worse and he hated how their group was slowly losing hope, so they went to Gyuuki for input and it helped enormously. They finally found a solution to the biggest problem that they kept getting stuck on for the last few years and today their masterpiece was finally completed!

Naruto was almost at the cave that their group had been using as headquarters for a while now, so he let himself fall out of sage mode and drew on Kurama's chakra to let them know he was coming.

SHIKAMARU'S POV

As soon as Neji sat up straighter it was as if there had been life blown into the previously unmoving statues of people in the cave.

Kiba immediately drew himself out of whatever panick attack he was having to spring up and run towards the entrance of the cave to welcome his Alfa back together with Akamaru.

Shino walked after him in a deceptively slow pace, but the anxious buzzing of his kikaichuu had almost stopped completely in just a few seconds.

Sai stopped drawing and focused with a startling amount of intensity on the entrance of the cave just like Neji.

Bee was so lost in thought he didn't seem to notice the commotion. He snapped out of it however as soon as Neji laid a hand on his shoulder.

Sasuke was doing his best to look indifferent but you could see his sharingan spinning at high speed, showing exactly how much relief he felt at that moment.

I myself was calming down considerably and as soon as I got Naruto in sight the shadows embraced him like he was one of them and he let me. He threw me an amused glance though as soon as he was done with the others, and that tiny action threw any emotional tension from the last few months out of the window because he responded. He responded. And that could only mean one thing.

He was done.

Whatever he was doing for the last few months, he was done with it. Now he could be with us (ME!) again where he belongs. Naruto was their leader, their hokage, their hope, their saviour, their reason for living, HIS reason for living.

Shikamaru was well aware that his line of thought couldn't be entirely healthy but he didn't give a shit. He had lost everything to the war. Uchiha Madara had been responsible for Asuma's death, his parent's death, and for Ino and Chouji's death. He had fought for all of Konoha untill there was no Konoha anymore. He had fought for all the people he cared about in till there was only this tiny group left. And he had been so tired of fighting. But Naruto was the one they fought for, and he never gave up. EVER. So they followed him through all his crazy plans and the war onto the battlefield, and they had survived.

Of all the remnants of the shinobi alliance after it had fallen apart only THEY had survived.

All of them had stood on that edge, some of them more then once. But Naruto had dragged them back kicking and screaming 'cause-NO-Shikamaru-you-are-not-going-to-end-your-life-because-of-that-shitty-bastard-no-matter-how-many-times-you-try-and-I-WILL-NOT-FUCKING-STAND-FOR-IT!

He was eternally grateful for that. Naruto was the light to his shadow and ever since the thought struck him it became as essential for his life and continued survival as his nindo. The only thing a shadow can do after all is follow the light where it guides you.

Ever since he hasn't tried to take the cowards way out.

When he came inside Kiba and Shino where waiting for him and he was immediately assaulted by Akamaru. Something close to a whine made it's way out from Kiba's throat. Naruto knew there was something wrong. Kiba bared his neck. When Naruto saw Kiba's behaviour a brief frown flickered over his face. This wasn't normal. He drew Kiba up from the ground and gave him a hug. That had always helped.

Kiba was always the most touchy of all of them. He explained a long time ago that the reason was because of his clan instinct. The Inuzuka are descendants from a wolf spirit and a human. They formed a clan closely resembling a wolf/dog pack. Their clan also encouraged pack behaviorism. The Inuzuka's motto had always been sticking together and till this day they displayed canine behaviour and followed their Alfa with almost religious fervour.

Shino was almost as bad as Kiba with his animalistic behaviour. The first thing he did was send his kikaichuu out to explore every nook and cranny of Naruto's body. It was a very uncomfortable experience. Bugs crawling all over you was something you just couldn't get used to. Had there been even one tiny drop of blood present, Naruto knew he would not have gotten away from him for at least three days. He suspected that Shino saw him as the so called 'Queen' of the colony. He never had his guess confirmed however, and wasn't eager to either. It was kind of creepy to think that way.

The next person that greeted him was Neji. He was as intense as always. Neji did almost everything with a single minded focus when it came to Naruto. He did everything he asked for and more even. It was like his purpose was to live for Naruto. It unsettled him.

In that regard Neji and Sai were very similar. Sai only took it a step farther in proclaiming that he was a tool for 'Naruto-sama' to use. Naruto had tried to talk them both out of it, but it was no use. At least they both had stopped trying to take their lives. It was the only time he had ever given them an order.

He thought that it could be related to the way they were brought up. Neji as a servant for the main house, and Sai as a devoted root shinobi. It was kind of ironic how he saved them from those roles, only to be repaid by having them be devoted to him instead of those they hate. Maybe its the only way they knew how to show appreciation. In the beginning he was put off by their attitudes. It rarely bothered him anymore now. He just accepted them for who they are. Every shinobi had their weird quirks after all, Naruto included.

Shikamaru's shadows slithered up his legs and gave him the equivalent of a hug. Naruto threw him an amused glance. 'Still to lazy to come and do it himself.' He thought. Shikamaru did so many things with his shadows it's as if he was one himself. Effortlessly sinking into the dark and coming out of nowhere. He could also travel through any kind of shadow. Sometimes he even sleeps in Naruto's shadow. Even with all that, Shikamaru was one of the more stable people from their group. He hadn't gone over the edge for almost 4 years now. Naruto was glad to have him.

Sasuke didn't need much greetings. He knew he didn't deserve it. He attempted to follow Naruto again today. Against his orders. He just couldn't help it. Unlike with the others, Naruto himself was the reason for most of Sasuke's mental problems. He just couldn't let the blonde go off on his own doing who knows what for who knows how long who knows where! Too many unknown factors, and the fact that Naruto won't tell him only fuels the fire. It meant that whatever it was is dangerous. So dangerous that Naruto didn't want them to get involved.

At first he couldn't follow him very long. But every time he has come a bit farther. Naruto's still to good to track though. Even more so with Kurama's help. The sharingan is spinning a lot while he looks at Naruto and slowly morphs into the mangekyou, as it always had.

Bee and Naruto practiced their daily ritual of bumping fists. This time however, Bee startled and after a few second gave a big grin to Naruto. 'It's finally finished' he thought. 'Now I only have to stop him.'

After they had all exchanged their greetings again Naruto took a deep breath.

"Guys," he started, "I have something to tell you."

Immediately the whole cave fell silent. The group had been wondering for a while now what he had been up to. But Naruto just couldn't give them hope if he wasn't 100% percent sure of it's success. That would be cruel to them, and with their fragile emotional states it could be quite literally the death blow.

After he had worked so hard to stay them all back from that edge, he would do anything to keep them away from there forever. He knew he had caused them anguish by being away from them every day, but it was better than letting them even an inch closer to the point of suicide again.

He could see that Kiba was dangerously close to that edge today, hopefully this will be the chance to stop them all from suffering and begin to heal.

"As you know," he begins, " I have been spending my days outside for a while now." They all nod. "I was setting up a seal that I have honestly been thinking of for a few years now." That startles them. They knew he had been up to something for a little over a month now, that Naruto had been planning this for years hadn't even crossed their minds.

"So, what is it for?" Asks Kiba for the rest of the group. Even Shikamaru didn't expect the words came out of his mouth next.

"A seal for time travel."

Authors note: Hi guys, I hope you liked the first chapter of Jaded! It's my first time writing a fanfiction so if there's any advice for future chapters, it's appreciated. Oh! Before I forget, THIS STORY WILL NOT HAVE SLASH OR ANY OTHER KIND OF ROMANCE. You can expect an update somewhere next week! Just PM me for any questions you might have. Till next time! XD

XxNoblesse12

Here's two questions for you.

Why does Bee want to stop Naruto?

What age will they be when they come back?