A/N: Sorry everyone for the long wait but it couldn't be helped. I'm not good at this so, please, read, enjoy and review, and if you dont quite enjoy constructive criticism would be most helpful. Neway, you dont want to read this so on with the story.

Eyes finally open

It had been a week since Naruto's supposed death and nothing much had changed – except for the few parties that had broken out. Tsunade had finally calmed down to listen to Kakashi's entire report and dispatched several teams of ANBU to recover his body but unbeknownst to her, the teams never really looked for him, for they too were happy with the 'demon child's' death so there reports were always of failure. The council had even refused to allow his memory to be honored - something about good riddance to bad demons. The council had even gone as far as to rebuke the Sandaime's law pertaining to Naruto and his status as a Jinchuriki, many people did not take it too well, especially some of the people he called friend.

Two people approached the gates of Konoha, one, a girl of 15 years with waste length white hair done in a single braid and a large scroll on her back below a back pack, she wore a red yukata and high heeled sandals (A.N: kind of like Sakura and Tsunade's). The other, a blond haired boy with too many bandages on him to make out any identifying marks and dressed in a navy blue yukata and blue sandals.

As they got closer to the gates, one of the guards stopped them to inquire their reason for coming to Konoha.

"What is your purpose here at Konoha," the guard inquired.

"What, you don't recognize me?" Naruto pouted, "I've been gone a week and already they've forgotten me"

"Naruto-kun I think its because you're wearing way too much bandages to be recognized by anyone," Akira stated.

"Oh yeah," Naruto grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"N-Naruto? That really you, we were all told you were dead. Hokage-sama will be so relieved," the guard said with a look as if he had won the lottery, "she has been sending out ANBU squads all week in search of you".

"Dead!? Tsunade Baa-chan thought I was dead?" Naruto screamed out in his usual ultra loud voice. At this Akira was wondering how she managed to get her self mixed up with this loud mouth.

Standing in the shade away from the booth a young girl with midnight blue hair and pale lavender eyes stared on with mixed emotions. She waited by the gate for an entire week with nothing to hold on to but her faith in Naruto, that he would come back alive and safe. Many times her friends had tried to persuade her that it was a waste of time to be doing what she is doing, it had gotten worse when the news of Naruto's tenant was made public but still she waited, from dawn to dusk, in rain or shine and finally he was hear.

"N-Naruto-kun, I knew you wouldn't die before you achieved your dream," she thought with bubbling admiration and joy at the fact of her crush returning alive, "but who is that girl, she's pretty, is she with Naruto-kun, he called her 'Akira-chan'. I'm too late, if only I wasn't so shy."

Hinata was mortified, yet at the same time relieved that he was okay.

"Hey Kotetsu-sensei, did something good happen when I was gone? What is everybody celebrating?" Naruto asked the guard now recovered from his previous shock. Naruto had asked the one question kotetsu had hoped he wouldn't, but he was not about to be the one to answer him.

"No time to be wondering about that, right now you need to get to Hokage-sama's office as quickly as possible," a quick change of topic, but unfortunately Akira is not as much of an idiot as Naruto is.

"You don't seem to want to answer that question," Akira pointed out, staring straight into Kotetsu's eyes as if she was looking straight through him, "So can you please inform us as to what they are celebrating?"

It was more of a demand than a question. Kotetsu was trapped as he was under the inquisitive eyes of this white haired 15 years old but also those of a confused Naruto.

"Well… um… you see…"

"Visitors!"

"That was a close one, who knows what would happen if he learns of what the 'festival' was all about."

A man in his late thirties staggered towards the group of three, obviously drunk from celebrating.

"You guys chose the best time to visit, we're celebrating the…"

"No you fool, he's..." but before Kotetsu could stop him the drunken fool had said it all, what the council had done and how the entire village was celebrating his supposed death, or rather, the death of the kyuubi. It didn't matter, they saw Naruto and the beast as the same, at least, those without any kind of perception.

There was no violent outburst, no swearing, not even any visible sign of rage, all their was, was sadness.

"I'm a real idiot, all this time I thought they had accepted me. At least I still have my friends. I wonder what Akira-chan thinks?"

"Akira-chan, sorry you had to find out like that, do you still want to be friends? I would understand if you don't want to…"

"You idiot," Akira smiled saying, "that man is a fool; he can't see that you are the jailor and not the prisoner. I've known you for only a week and even I can tell the difference."

"Thanks Akira-chan, you're like the big sister I never had." He flashed her one of those fox grins and she blushed at this. "Wait till you meet my other friends, Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei."

They soon left the guard booth and strolled along the streets of Konoha towards the Hokage tower. They heard all the things the villagers had thought about him and since he was covered in bandages no one recognized him and obviously not even his team mate and the person he had a crush on for as long as he could remember.

Sakura and Ino were walking along the road talking about all sorts of things, mainly about a certain jinchuuriki when an oddly farmiliar boy with blonde hair and covered in bandages accompanied by a strikingly beautiful girl with snow white waste length hair suddenly waved to them. As usual Ino was the first to introduce herself to the visitors.

"Hi, I'm Yamanaka Ino and this hear is Haruno Sakura," Ino warmly introduced herself "I've never seen you guys around here before, did you come for the festival?"

"No, we're just travelers and happened to be traveling through, what is this festival all about? I heard that it's in honor of a fallen comrade?"

She just couldn't help it, Naruto had told her all about his friends, his team and the girl he had a crush on for the longest while and hear she is looking sad, but for what? He had also told her about Sasuke's defection and Sakura's feelings towards him despite it all. Akira had to know if these people were really the same friends that Naruto had talked about.

"Honor, Comrade?" Sakura asked, no longer able to contain her emotions, "Those are two words I will never use to describe that dobe."

The word no longer felt like a barb between friends but like the Chidori that Sasuke had stabbed him with. All his efforts were for naught, not even Ino looked to have disagreed with everything Sakura had said.

"It's his entire fault," Sakura wailed out, now completely in anguish, "If that demon didn't exist Sasuke-kun wouldn't have left me and the village."

"Demon? What demon?" Akira asked, with false confusion.

"Naruto. He is the demon." At this she giggled, "I guess I should say… was. He won't be hurting anyone anymore."

This was the last straw and he couldn't take it anymore but as soon as he was about to strip the bandages from his face and reveal his identity a small voice came to his rescue, someone he had not seen since the morning of the chuunin exams final, someone who he had once sworn to avenge.

"A-ano, I am very s-surprised at you S-sakura–san, he was your t-team mate and Sasuke betrayed us on his own. N-naruto-kun risked his life to try and bring him back."

Sakura lost it, she hit the shy heiress with a blow so hard it would have put her out for a month, that is, if Naruto had not jumped in the way and took the punch instead. Also due to his close proximity to her, Hinata promptly fainted in his arms.

"Damn, why does she keep doing that?" Naruto thought, looking puzzled.

"You've got to forgive Hinata, she'll think of anything to defend that dobe. She loved him you know, and he was so stupid that he was the only person who didn't notice." Ino finally piped up while restraining Sakura who was in the midst of a screaming match with the unconscious girl which she so happened to be losing.

Never the less, Naruto was shocked to hear this. How could Hinata like him?

"No, it's our fault; we shouldn't be dragging up this kind of painful stuff. Anyway, we've got to go, we'll take her home. Bye."

Before Ino could ask their names or give them directions to Hinata's house they were gone.

"That damn Hinata, how could she say such things about sasuke- kun" Sakura pouted.

"Sakura, we may have a problem." Ino said, in a thinking stance.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not sure about the girl but the guy is definitely a ninja."

"Are you serious? I didn't see any forehead protector. How can you be certain?"

"It's the way he moved, to fast for an average person; we've got to report this to Hokage sama."

"But why does he look so familiar?" Ino wondered.

Naruto and Akira had made it back to Naruto's apartment with Hinata being carried by Naruto bridal style and found it to be in shambles. People had broken in and destroyed and defaced everything, from the cup ramen to the sofa. Akira felt her heart break, this was the peaceful and loving people he had spoken about and had pledged to give his life to protect and they still treat him like a demon, an animal you just wish to get rid of.

She couldn't strand it any longer and was determined to get him away from this place, but she wouldn't even have to try to hard if what Naruto said was any indication.

"My dream was to be respected and acknowledged by everyone in the village and to be hokage, no, to be the greatest hokage, so that I could protect those precious to me but that group has dwindled so much. Think about it, if Sakura chan…no, Sakura could say that about me then what about the others?"

"Well you still have her at least Naruto-kun," she said with a playful grin on her face as she pointed to the sleeping form of Hinata. "So what do you plan on doing now Naruto-kun? You obviously can't stay hear any more and neither can she, judging by how that bitch Sakura was to her."

Akira spat out her name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.

"I know, I've got a plan to fix this entire problem and everything will be back to normal. As soon as Hinata wakes up we're leaving for the sound village."

Had he lost his marbles?

In the meanwhile Sakura and Ino were explaining their encounter to the hokage with the mysterious ninja.

"He doesn't seem to be above genin rank but he could have been hiding his strength," Ino explained.

Ino made sure to edit what sakura had said about Naruto and about Hinata as to not endanger themselves seeing as how close the hokage was to Naruto.

"This is serious, get me Kakashi, you're dismissed," Tsunade ordered.

Within moments kakashi was standing in front of Tsunade's desk, more stoic than usual. Kakashi was quite different since that day a week ago; he had not even picked up his favorite book. "They no longer interest me anymore" he would say but anyone with the least bit of sense knew the real reason and that kakashi was torn up inside, after all, he just lost the last descendant of his dead best friend and the only son of his dead sensei. Tsunade was not doing so well her self but she was the Godaime Hokage and she had responsibilities to attend to, if she had her way she would send everyone who celebrated Naruto's death straight to Ibiki... or deal with them herself.

"You summoned me Godaime-sama?"

"Yes, we seem to have some intruders in our village, this may give you a chance to get your mind of your troubles and vent some frustration," Tsunade said, as if she knew exactly how he felt and indeed she did, "Your mission is to track down these infiltrators and capture them alive if possible. Their description is one male with blonde hair covered in bandages about 13 years old and a female about 15 with waste length white hair done in a single braid. Dismissed."

"Hai, hokage-sama."

Kakashi then disappeared in a puff of smoke to find his targets.

"Alright Hinata you sure you want to come with us, you'll be leaving your family as well. After this there is no turning back."

"I-its okay N-naruto-kun, I don't think I would be much missed at home." She said; the last part in a far softer voice which Naruto heard none the less.

Hinata had awoken a short while later and Naruto had explained his plan to her, or atleast the short of it and invited her to come along. The truth of it was that Hiinata would have left with him even if he didn't ask; she just couldn't lose him again.

They were now outside the gates of Konoha having already put some some distance between then, ready to embark on their journey when Akira suddenly stopped. Having slipped by the guards Hinata was understandably a little uneasy as she had walked out of Konoha in the middle of a large group of people using them to mask her presence. Not to mention when, it is discovered that she had left the village, hunter nins would be sent after her since Naruto is supposed to be dead and there is no records of Akira.

"What the matter Akira-chan?" Naruto asked, seeing the worry on Hinata's face.

"Oh nothing, I think I want a make over right about now," she replied.

"Ano, I don't t-think this is the right time to be doing that," Hinata said a little confused and lightly relieved to the awkwardness of the timing.

"It's alright Hinata-chan, you've got to see this, it's really cool." Naruto assured her with a bit of excitement in his voice.

Hinata stared with bated breath as Akira closed her eyes and clasped her hands in a hand seal to concentrate her chakra. Within moments her hair which was previously lily white was now a vibrant orange-red and her eyes had changed to a brilliant green. To say that Hinata was shocked would be an understatement and for the first time her lost for speech had nothing to do with her shyness or being in the presence of Naruto. Hinata was abruptly brought out of her daze when she heard Akira ask her something.

"Hinata-chan, can I ask you a favor?" Akira asked while rummaging about her bag for something.

"Y-yes, what is it?" Hinata silently replied though still a bit shocked.

"Can you cut my hair for me?" Akira asked in a girly manner that made Hinata sweat drop due to her difference in behaviour from earlier as she held out a pair of scissors.

"What?" Hinata asked feeling a little pressured from all the attention.

"Well, you're the only girl around hear, and any friend of Naruto is a friend of mine… especially when they're as cute as me," she said, and then leaning in closer so that only Hinata could hear "Besides I don't think that Naruto-Kun would know what to do with scissors?"

"I heard that," Naruto yelled now frustrated and losing his patients with the two females of his groups who now decided to play dressup in the middle of the road. Good thing no one was around. It is true; Naruto knew nothing of girls not even if one liked him to the point of fainting around him.

Hinata giggled then took the pair of scissors from Akira.

"How would you like it cut Akira…chan?"

"Just below the shoulder blades in a straight-"

But before she could finish her description she was interrupted by something that sounded like birds chirping wildly.

"Chidori!"

It was all they heard before a masked, silver haired man flew at them with one hand ablazed in electricity.

Naruto managed to jump out the way in time rolling to his side, the ground exploding where he once was.

"Tell me your name and purpose for infiltrating konoha and kidnapping the Hyuuga heiress, the next time I won't miss."

The tone of his voice was cold, his eyes narrowed at the blond bandaged boy.

"N-no kakashi-sensei, you don't understand, that's-" Hinata was cut of when kakashi turned at her

"This is no time to be sympathizing with the enemy," Kakashi said while still staring at the blond haired boy.

Naruto looked down, all sorts of emotions bubbling under the surface.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said in a low voice, "First sakura-chan and now you, why don't you recognize me?"

"How dare you use the death of my student as means to your goal?" Kakashi was now livid, "I'll kill you for this insult."

Kakashi flipped through the few seals required for his trademark Jutsu. But before he had a chance to impale the boy, Hinata stood in front of Naruto ready to receive the Chidori in his stead.

"Sorry Naruto-kun, guess I'll never get the chance to tell you, I love you."

If not for Kakashi's quick reflexes Hinata would have been dead.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto choked out "you would do this for me?"

The only person who had ever put their life on the line for him was none other than sasuke and even though they wouldn't admit it in normal situations they had become good friends. Now here Naruto was, being protected by the last person he'd expect.

"Anything for you Naruto-kun," she said with the sweetest smile naruto had seen directed at him.

Just then, Naruto became angry and slightly ashamed that he almost lost one of the last precious persons he had.

"Thank you Hinata-chan?" He said to her with a broad grin that caused her to faint.

At the sight of this kakashi almost had a heart attack hearing his name. Hinata is a shy girl but there is only one reason that she would do such actions, Naruto.

"Take of those bandages," Kakashi said in his usual stoic relaxed voice, "they cover your…distinguishing features."

"Bandages, Distinguishing features?" he said, confused by the masked Jounin's remarks as he raised a hand to his face, "What are you talking about kakashi-sensei there's no…"

"There is only one person I know that is that dense, but I still have to confirm it"

"Heheh, I completely forgot that those were there," he scratched the back of his head while removing the bandages from his face.

Kakashi was dumb struck, but then again this was Konoha's number one most surprising Ninja. Kakashi quickly hid his surprise under his stoic visage and smiled under his mask making his one visible eye turn up to show that he was smiling.

"It is you Naruto, why are you leaving and who is this girl behind me trying to look scary?"

Naruto was glad to see his sensei act his usual self, a sure sign that he recognized him and did not hate him like a certain pink haired kunoichi, but Akira was anything but happy, especially when she was made out by Kakashi like that.

Akira's bluff was caught. She simply huffed at him and took Hinata from the blonde's hands and rest her against a tree.

"So are you going to tell me, because I need to know what happened, and maybe you can come back…" Kakashi never got to finish what he was saying as Naruto cut him off, anger and sadness evident in his voice.

"This is Akira and thank you for acknowledging me and my dream but you know what is going on back in konoha and the reason why." Naruto then looked up, the pain written in his Cerulean eyes, a slight crack in the mask. "Besides, they think I'm dead and if I prove them wrong then the council might try to make me disappear and I've already seen what some of my 'friends' think of me."

For the second time that day Naruto had surprised his Jounin sensei, since when did he become so insightful but he still had to try to get him back, he failed with Sasuke maybe Naruto would listen to him.

"That maybe true Naruto but you have the Godaime on your side as well as me and Iruka, even Jiraiya-sama. So what do you say Naruto, let's go home?"

"I'm already dead kakashi-sensei, and Konoha is no longer home to me anymore. The people who didn't see me as a demon and protect me…" he said and his eyes glanced over to Hinata's sleeping form now waking up, "…are being treated like scum because of me I wont let my friends suffer because of me."

"Think about Hinata, Naruto," Kakashi was desperate now, "they'll send hunter nins after her."

"I'll protect her with my life, for that is my nindo," Kakashi should have expected this "I saw how Sakura treated her when she defended me from her, and if Sakura would do that then I don't want to know what other would do to her."

Kakashi knew he couldn't convince the stubborn blond when his mind was made up so he did the best thing he could have done. He let them go. What Naruto said was true, he was already labeled as dead and with his death being celebrated, brining him back now would be a very bad idea. The fact that Hinata would be safer with him than within the confines of the village was true seeing as how everyone knew her true feelings for the blond idiot.

"Well I guess I have no choice then, be safe Naruto and take care of Hinata. If you need anything just ask," he said with a wink in his eye then looking at Akira said, "And make sure to keep him out of trouble."

"Well, there are a couple of things."

"What is it naruto?" kakashi wondered.

Naruto dipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out his Hitai Ite and handed it to kakashi.

"Give that to Iruka-sensei, tell him I will make him proud, I'm not dead and not to tell anyone." He stopped to pause for breath, "Don't tell anyone that I'm still alive except Tsunade baa-chan, she'll know what to do."

"You're going to try and rescue Sasuke by going to Orochimaru's village aren't you?"

It was more of a statement than a question, ut then he looked up and then smiled.

"Yea, it's the only way to show them I'm not a monster." He said in a lower tone but immediately dawned his mask of joy and continued, "Besides, I made a promise and …I guess this is it, the next time we meet I'm going to kick your ass and get the bell."

"I suppose you do, but before you go there is something I should tell you that you deserve to know. I hope it makes up for my neglect."

"What is it kakashi sensei?"

"It's the true identity of your father," If naruto's eyes wasn't attached to his head it would have rolled out.

"You knew who my parents were this whole time and you didn't tell me?"

"Yes but I had no choice, the Sandaime-sama's law was in effect, sorry Naruto."

"Just tell me."

"Your mother's name was Uzumaki Kushina of the former whirlpool country."

"And my father?"

The suspense was heavy, so heavy that even Akira forgot why she was previously angry and Hinata started bighting her fingernails.

"Your father was Namikaze Minato-sama but you all…" as he now addressed the curios onlookers in Hinata and Akira "…Know him as… Yondaime Hokage."

A\N: Hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter is going to be a treat, until next time.