I do not own the Naruto franchise or any of its characters

Chapter 2: A Day in Konoha

The shinobi of Konoha cherished ever moment of peace they had in this day and age. After their previous battle with the Sound, the Leafs were happy to see that they might be able to enjoy at least one day, without conflict. There were some, of course on missions, who could not enjoy this rare peace that had fallen over the village for a day. The missions, however, were no longer those of request as they used to be. In the old days a young gennin may have the simple mission of picking vegetables, assigned to them, but now, all the missions were war related. If a shinobi was not defending their home, they were most likely off in another country fighting some battle there. We now find Hatake Kakashi, visiting the stone that bears the name of his greatest friend, this is the first day in almost a year that he hasn't been on the front lines.

The tired shinobi looked down at the stone, mesmerized in his thoughts of the past.

"I'm getting too old for this, Obito.", Kakashi said.

He would be rounding on forty in a short six months. Not exactly what most would consider "old", but Hatake had been through much in his life. He had fought in the war with the Earth country, he had been there when the nine tailed fox almost destroyed the village, he had lived through the death of three hokages, Kakashi had lost one of his students to a man of what can be called nothing but pure evil, and now "this".

"This war will be the end of me.", Kakashi said to the stone.

As he stared at the stone, Kakashi looked at the newer additions that had been made in the past few years. Most of them, he was sad to say, he didn't even know or recognize.

"So many.", Kakashi muttered to himself.

"Tsunade-sama, this name", Kakashi thought to himself, "must have just been added", but then he remembered how long it had been since he had layed his eyes upon the stone. As he continued to gaze at the stone a few other names caught his eyes. He came to the name Inuzuka Kiba, Kakashi remembered the day when young Hinata and Shino heard of their teamates death. Near Kiba's name Kakashi saw Akimichi Choji, Kakashi remembered he had been in the Land of Waves when that particular young shinobi lost his life. Nara Shikamaru, had never been quite the same. Then Kakashi came to the name Ebisu.

"What?", Kakashi said. "I had no clue.., poor Konahamaru, to lose his sensei..."

It started to rain, at first it seemed that Kakashi would stay out in the storm, but after one last look, he turned from the memorial and was gone.

"Hows it look?"

"You'll be fine, you always are."

"Thanks Sakura-chan."

Rock Lee lay in the Konoha hospital, after suffering a rib ingury in the battle the day before.

"How are Neji and Tenten.", Lee asked.

"Neji is fine.", Sakura said, "However, I'm not sure if Tenten will be active for a week, at least."

"What?"

"She's can't seem to walk, most likely the after effects of lightning damage."

"Lightning..."

"Yeah...", Sakura sighed.

Sakura quickely put a smile on for Lee, she knew that if she seemed depresed, he wouldn't rest until he had done something about it.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah."

"How long has it been."

At first Sakura was confused, but soon realized what he meant.

"Thirteen years.", she sighed, the smile gone.

"Don't frown Sakura-chan, there's still hope."

"Lee, in this dizzying age, what kind of hope is left for us."

At this Lee paniced, "I must say something to reasure Sakura-can", Lee thought.

Lee held up his hand in a thumbs up style, mimicing the one Naruto gave Sakura at the gates of Konoha thirteen years ago.

"Thanks Lee."

"Anytime."

Nara Shikamaru stood at the exit of Konoha with Gaara and Temari. He had decided to see off the missing nins.

"Good luck.", Gaara said.

He turned to leave, but stoped when he realized Temari wasn't following him.

"Gaara, I thought, mabye I'd...", but Gaara cut her off.

"See you soon then."

Temari gave him a smile and he gave her a nod.

"Well this is a drag.", Shikamaru said, "we could have really used a guy like him."

"Hey, you've still got me.", Temari said with a smile.

"Yeah.", Shikarmaru said in his usual lazy voice.

"Hey, are you saying you'd rather have sandman around than me.", Temari said.

"Well", Shikamaru said, "He would have been an amazing help in battle, and...", at that he caught Temari's glance and realized what he said.

"Man, women are a pain.", he thought, but despite himself he couldn't help but smile.

"Come on", he said, "I know this great place to check out the clouds."

"Um, Mr. Genious"

"Yeah"

"Its raining"

"Oh"

They started to laugh.

Uzumaki Naruto sat at his dest, staring down a massive stack of papers, most likely reports from the front line. The young hokage let out a sigh.

"Mabye Sakura-chan would have been better than me at this...nah..."

You see, Naruto had not originaly been offered the hokage name. After the death of Tsunade, as her direct aprentice, Haruno Sakura had been asked, by the council, to become the 6th hokage, but she declined, saying she knew someone much better fit for the job.

There was a tap on the door.

"Come in.", Naruto said.

A twenty-five year old Hyuga Hinata steped through the door.

"Good morning Naruto-kun.", she said with a smile.

"Hey.", was his calmer than usual reply.

"He must be tired", Hinata thought to herself.

"I've brought you a report from Yamanaka Ino, currently in the Rain village."

The young hokage sighed again. "Another paper...", he muttered.

"Hey, cheer up", Hinata said. "Look outside."

Naruto looked out the window, the rain had stopped, he saw two young children playing in a local park. He looked to the right of them, a young mother was on her way home from shopping, and near her was an old man with what looked like his grandchildren, simply taking a walk.

"Do you see it', Hinata said.

"What?", Naruto looked confused.

"Its been almost a year since I've seen people out and about like this.", the young Hyuga replied.

"Yeah...", Naruto quietly said. Now that he thought about it, there hadn't been a calm period like this since the reign of the late 5th, and he doubted they would see another day like this for a long time.

"Thanks", the young hokage muttered.

The Hyuga gave him a kiss on the cheek and departed from the office.

Naruto quietly thought to himself, "What would I do without you Hinata."

Outside of Konoha, two shadey figures look at the seemingly peacful village.

"They look so calm, don't they?"

"Fools, they go one day without an army at their doorstep, and they act as if the war was over."

"Well, mabye we should remind them what can happen when you let your guard down in war."

Just then a young Jonin spotted the two figures.

"You there!", he shouted out, "what are you..."

But, one look into the red eyes of his oponent and he fell to the ground.

Ok, so this ends chapter two, I did want it to be a little longer, but I felt the story needed to move on. Please read and review.