Chapter 2:

Same Disclaimer: Me no own...only wish I did!!!

A shout of near unimaginable decibel awoke Sasuke who discovered he had fallen asleep at the computer and as a result had an imprint of his hand on his cheek; this, he decided was much better than the impression of the keyboard that was pressed into his palm. Before Sasuke could think any further his bedroom door was slammed open by a blonde bundle of indignant energy.

Naruto charged into the room pointing his finger in Sasuke's face and complaining, "I wake up in a strange--but somehow very comfortable--bed, which I fall out of--Why do you sleep so far off the floor?--and I yelled...and then this guy," he hooks his thumb in the direction of a silver haired partially masked man who has dark shades on and is standing in the doorway with a bored expression; "Rushes into my room! I yelled at him and he glared at me!--What is that pervert Kakashi sensei doing in you house anyhow?--He told me I needed to calm down and he'd go get you--Sasuke--you!!...and he didn't even listen when I tried to tell him Sasuke ran away and hadn't come back--but then he dragged me down the hall--well I tried to escape from my room, but that's not the point!...and then he dragged me here!!!"

He took a breath and glowered at Sasuke, "And there sitting in this strange room with that thing--what is that anyhow it looks cool!" he approached Sasuke's desk and reached out to touch Sasuke's laptop, but before he could a pale hand reached out and gently closed the lid.

Naruto glared at Sasuke again, "What the hell is going on again?? I know we talked about some stuff yesterday, but I don't remember most of it and I'm hungry--and my damn head hurts!!!"

Naruto finally finished his onslaught of speech and stood there. Although he was pouting his blue eyes were hard and icy.

Sasuke nodded to the silver haired man, who might have grinned; you could never tell because the mask covered the entire lower portion of his face. He wordlessly left to go prepare breakfast. Behind his sunglasses his eyes sparkled, what had Sasuke gotten himself in to this time? The night maid had only informed him that someone was to stay watch over the spare room until Sasuke told them otherwise. He had been startled when the occupant had howled in obvious pain, and had been surprised by the ball of energy who had tried to rush him to escape. He had only just been able to drag him to Sasuke's room to find out what to do with him.

Sasuke looked at Naruto with renewed interest. The research he had found the night before had been interesting and yet confusing. It seemed that a tone time Japan had been divided into countries called by names of elements of nature; like wave, wind, lightening, or fire. Each country had a political leader and a military leader. The political leader was like an emperor who had several lords under his control. The military leader was a Kage...at least in the five largest countries. These Kage's worked to protect the country they lived in and did work orders. They had villages, and a central and largest village where the Kage lived and presided over the people who were skilled and called shinobi. Not all people were shinobi; some were regular people...shop keepers, restaurant owners, artisans and such. Some of the people who did these jobs and held these shops and businesses were also shinobi, thought, and would leave their work to go on missions.

These shinobi were typically peaceful people, however they would fight when necessary--and for gain. There were wars of great devastation and consequence. Shinobi wars could bring devastation or prosperity. All shinobi were loyal to their Kage, and to their emperor. They worked hard to keep their countries peaceful and prosperous.

When Sasuke tried to look up Naruto he had been mostly unsuccessful. The most information was on the little fishcakes that go in ramen and other dishes. Nearly all information on Uzumaki Naruto was sketchy, or appeared to have been altered or removed altogether. He had been unnerved with information on Uchiha Sasuke.

He wondered if his parents had known this history of people who shared their name. There was not much to go on, but references to evil organizations and rogue shinobi, demons, and the strange coincidences of names had piqued his interest. He determined he wouldn't let the blonde wander off until his curiosity had been sated.

Sasuke looked at his guest and smiled. It was a thin smile, and stretched his lips unnaturally, but it was a genuine smile. "Naruto, tell me about yourself while we wait for breakfast."

Naruto's pout disappeared and was immediately replaced by a grin so unlike Sasuke's even he couldn't dismiss the intensity of it. It thawed his frozen eyes and lit his face, "I'm gonna be Hokage!! I like ramen--I could eat it all the time, breakfast, lunch, dinner...all day long!! Miso ramen is the best, but grilled pork is good too--I'll eat just about any kind of ramen! Ichiraku's is the best, it's this stall where I come from in Konoha, I ate there almost every day!!"

Naruto's grin faltered as he suddenly realized there was no Ichiraku's here--wherever here was! He asked timidly, "Do you have ramen here?"

Sasuke looked at those pleading blue eyes and had to be honest, "Miku can make ramen for you; she can make anything. Usually she cooks oriental specialties while her husband cooks traditional Hawaiian fare."

Naruto's grin was back and bigger than ever.

"How old are you Naruto?" Sasuke suddenly asked as the thought occurred to him.

"I'm sixteen!" was the exuberant reply.

A year younger than me, thought Sasuke.

There was a light knock at the door and before Sasuke had a chance to answer it was opened and the woman who Naruto now knew as Miku, came in. "Breakfast is ready," she informed politely.

"Miku!" Sasuke scolded, "I told you to wait until I said for you to open the door!" His scowl was real, but his eyes were soft. She was a good helper and did so much around the house for her young age. She practically ran the household! It was Sasuke's one complain that her upbringing in America had not given her the proper respect and meekness he was used to in servants. She bowed low and apologized. Sasuke stood and he and Naruto followed to a large dining room.

Miku bowed and left them once she had observed the wide-eyed glazed look on Naruto's face. Sasuke had watched as he had drunk in the surroundings as they were lead to the dining room. His blue eyes darted everywhere as if they were afraid to miss out on seeing something. Sasuke was so used to the house by now that he hardly looked at it. He followed Naruto's gaze every so often and looked upon the wall coverings and furniture with new interest.

In the dining room were pale blue silk wall coverings and brocade chairs that matched and had dark blue and purple woven into them. The table was heavy wood and ornately carved. There were several sideboards and serving tables lining the walls. It had been set up for entertaining large dinner parties. This morning there were fish cakes and toast, juice and scrambled eggs, ham was offered smothered in local pineapple. On one side was a large bowl of Sasuke's favorite fruit salad. Two carafes were filled with coffee and tea with silver pitchers of fresh cream and sugar beside them. There was a jug of milk, and at least four kinds of fresh squeezed juice.

Naruto looked at all the choices and couldn't decide where to head first. A table in the corner laden with American sticky buns was sending out an aroma he couldn't resist. He grabbed one and set it gingerly on a porcelain plate. Its sweetness was so pungent it was almost overbearing to his sensitive nose. He slipped a finger covered with sticky glaze between slightly parted peach lips.

Sasuke watched transfixed as the blonde seemed overwhelmed at first the darted to the sweet roll table. When that finger traveled toward that waiting mouth Sasuke found himself captivated. A warm feeling spread from his lower belly throughout his body like flames. He couldn't explain this chemical reaction, or why the sight of the loud energetic blonde sucking sweet glaze off his finger was a sight such that he couldn't move his eyes.

In some part of his mind a thought registered...Damn I want to be that finger! He squelched it before it made it fully into his awareness. That thought was too absurd.

He forced himself to look away as another finger began its seeming slow motion path toward the mouth, and the tip of a pale pink tongue slipped out to trace it as if to torture him.

Kami! Sasuke thought as he distracted himself by placing two slices of toast and a large scoop of the fruit onto his own plate. A glass of plain green tea and he slipped into a seat and began to eat.

Naruto soon took a place beside him. Sasuke glanced at his plate and noticed he had sampled everything. He smirked.

They ate in near silence, something that Sasuke hardly thought possible, even in the short time he'd known Naruto he had learned he was loud, and loved to talk.

Soon after, they found themselves on the path leading back to the private cove. Sasuke had his board, and Naruto had been outfitted in a pair of Sasuke's old trunks. He wasn't much smaller than Sasuke, but he was skinny. Sasuke lead, as much to keep them going in the right direction, as to avoid watching the boy as he walked.

What Sasuke didn't know was that he was being watched from his silent companion. Naruto observed how Sasuke's pale skin was tight around his muscles. He noticed several scars on his arms and the back of his calf. He was curious and wanted to know, but he didn't ask. At least not yet. Instead he watched as the muscles moved in Sasuke's legs. He thought he wouldn't be too hard to teach to water walk. Probably the hardest would be to learn to summon the chakra.

Naruto wished he had Byakugan, like Hinata and Neji. Then he could trace the path of the chakra in Sauske's body, if there was any. This lead him to wonder is Sasuke had Sharingun. He had faced Sasuke with Sharingun in battle before. He grinned widely to think that he could most likely beat this Sasuke with his limitations, no chakra, and no Sharingun. This thought was immediately followed by the thought that it just wouldn't be as much fun that way though.

Sasuke stopped and Naruto almost bumped into him. He stepped around to see what had caused him to suddenly halt their trek through the underbrush along the trail. Naruto couldn't see anything and opened his mouth to ask why they were stopped.

"This is where you came in yesterday. I don't know why, but today it feels different. I noticed it when we stopped here yesterday. There is a sort of energy here that wasn't before, or at least I never noticed it before. He turned deep black eyes to meet up with bright blue. Naruto didn't have to tell Sasuke he could feel it too.

Naruto looked toward where the water just glistened between tall palm trees and others he couldn't name. Why had he come through to this spot? He had been doing a new jutsu with his nature manipulation chakra technique. It had been a powerful jutsu and Naruto had been working alone. There was no Kakashi, Sakura, not even Yamato or Sai had been there. He wondered if anyone had noticed he was missing yet.

In Konoha Tsunade had launched a full scale investigation into Naruto's disappearance. Ino said she had seen him heading towards team seven's old training grounds, where he usually went to train, and as typical he had gone by himself. That had been the last anyone had seen of him.

The only other trace they had was a large after image of his chakra at the scene of the training grounds and his last known whereabouts. There was also evidence of something near catastrophic having occurred at the location. Neji and Hinata had scoured the location for clues, but all they had uncovered had been that weird afterimage. They all thought the same thing; Akatsuki had finally penetrated Konoha's walls and in a mere instance of chance had abducted the unmistakable blonde.

Tsunade had intelligence that warned her Akatsuki knew Naruto was the Jinchurikki, actually she'd known that for a long time, what was new was that they knew his location in Konoha and were biding their time before attacking to capture their prized final target. The Kyuubi no Kitsune.

The thought that they had been able to penetrate even the advanced security measures she personally had installed nearly made her sick. She questioned the evidence again and tried to make sense of something that was beyond thinking. There was no blood or even a scrap of Naruto's clothing in the area. Only that strange chakra burn.

Tsunade knew Naruto had been working on a new Jutsu; could it have somehow gone wrong? But the absence of body matter negated that. If he'd blown himself up there would be some blood and matter left behind. She stood and sighed in defeat.

Her shoulders slumped as she turned to face the window. A single tear cut a path down her cheek. She spun on her heel and in one swift angry motion shoved all the papers, books, and materials off her desk. She would be damned if she was going to let this go. There was an answer somewhere and she was going to find it!

Shizune came rushing into the room and stopped short at the look of sheer anger and determination on her master's face. "Tsunade-sama!?"

Tsunade looked at the dark haired woman, "I want all the materials we have on wind nature manipulation and the Kyuubi. If that Damn fox has somehow turned Naruto's training into a chance to escape I will personally destroy him." Her eyes blazed with hatred and fury.

Shizune saluted and offered a "Hai!" as she rushed out the office door. She alerted a couple of Chuunin in the hallway to follow her and filled them in on what they were looking for as they headed to the document storage. They knew better than to question, they had felt the Hokage's rage searing down the hall towards them. They had been glad for an excuse to get farther away from it.

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Sakura paced through the hospital corridors. She found it hard to concentrate on her work with the situation with Naruto. What was it that caused her to worry so incessantly about her blonde teammate?? She knew he could handle himself, but the threat that Akatsuki might have captured him made her squirm with terror. She knew he was strong, but she had been one who had seen what had happened to Gaara after they had finished with him. She vowed to keep searching for an answer to this mystery. She would not give up on him.

Naruto had remained steadfast in his insistence that Sasuke would return, he always took a mission that would get him close to Sound village, or even inside its borders. He always kept a lookout for any news of his whereabouts. Naruto was determined Sasuke would come back someday; even when Sakura had gotten angry and had shouted in his face to give up he had refused. He had turned his back on her and had walked away with his shoulders slumped. She had chased after him and apologized and admitted that she couldn't really ever give up, but his desperate search had made her see just how deeply he had been hurt. She wanted him to forget Sasuke if it meant he could go on and be happy. She had finally learned that the mask he wore was just a cover for his broken heart.

What she would never admit was that her feelings for Sasuke had changed. She didn't hate him, but no longer was he her sole center of attention. No longer was he the only one for her, who she pined for and heart pounded at the thought of him. She had moved on, a thought she never would have dreamed possible. He was still special, and would always be her teammate; but he was no longer the center of her world.

She hunted him now to show him who she had become, and maybe even thank him for leaving which had allowed her to find motivation to become the strong shinobi she was.

Naruto though was a mystery. He didn't annoy her like he used to. She saw through his smile to the hurt man he had grown to become. How she had never seen it before she would never know. She grinned and an orderly who had just rounded the corner to come down the hallway where she had been pacing turned quickly to find an alternate route at the sight of her. The maniacal fervor with which Naruto chased after Sasuke had been passed to her now, and she vowed never to rest until she brought Naruto home.

Naruto looked at Sasuke and saw something shimmer in the sunlight, just for a minute, and then it was gone. Sasuke began to walk toward the beach again, and Naruto followed without mentioning what he thought he had seen. After all it could have just been the shimmer of the heat of the day.

Another chapter in the books. This entire story will be un-beta-ed, unless someone wants to tackle it. I'm doing simple spell check and grammar, but I am more interested in getting it written and posted than really proofing it.

-Kneise