Hello everyone! This is my third installment and I'm EXCITED to release it! I have a channel on IRC or MIRC or whatever you like to use. You can view my profile for the details. For those of you that have been with me so far I want to thank you for reading! PLEASE leave me some reviews!

If anyone is interested in speaking to me or wanting to get to know me you can visit me on the IRC channel and Ill give you my MSN/Yahoo addresses.

Without any further delay!!!

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Sakura looked at him and took a deep breath………

"Naruto…this isn't going to be easy for me…so please try to understand what I'm going to tell you."

He had a confused look on his face but he knew this was going to be important so he tried to do his best to listen to her.

Sakura spoke in a soft voice.

"When you left for your training I wasn't sure when you were going to be coming back to the village. I did my best and trained as hard as I could, that way when you came back I could show you I would be able to protect myself. I wanted to prove to you that I could become stronger."

Naruto wasn't quite sure what to make of this new development that was unfolding befor him. He was happy but deep down there was more going on than what she admitting. He interrupted Sakura for a moment.

"I'm not going to go back on promise to bring back Sasuke. But I thought you were in love with HIM and not me. Although… I did ask on those all those dates and you turned me down, what of this?" Naruto said to her.

Sakura knew something like this was going to happen but there was no way that she was going to let something like his get the best of her, even if it took a long time to get him to come around. She wasn't about to lose or let go of the person SHE LOVED.

She thought about an answer while she stared back at him. She lowered her head slightly and began to speak.

" Naruto…In the past few months we have been working together. When you came back you were more grown up. I had crush on a Sasuke in the past but I still thought you were cute. When I was younger… I was the typical school ninja girl and wanted to be with the popular guy. I knew it was superficial of me to do that but that's how I was. I only thought about cool Sasuke was. I didn't look on the inside of a person before. When I saw what you have become and determined to do it made me happy. I was determined to become stronger while you were away on your training so I could show you what I've learned and how strong I became."

She continued to speak as tears started to form in her eyes.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to live when you were fighting Nagato, he was so powerful. The whole time I was thinking this could be the last fight for you and I was beginning to regret that I never told you sooner…I love you. I'm sorry that I didn't go on any dates with you when you wanted…I was afraid of what some of the people were going to say. I also felt like I wasn't strong enough to be with you because you have always been stronger than me."

Naruto looked at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, but Naruto had lowered his head slightly and shifted his eyes to the left and began to speak.

"Sakura, I'm sorry for those times that I never let you finish saying how much you worried about me. I knew when you were worried, but what I didn't know was that you were really worried about me and not Sasuke. I'm happy that we finally got a chance to be alone and for you to admit this to me.

Naruto lifted his head back up and the Two looked at each other and Naruto saw Sakura had streams of tears running down her face. He looked deep into Sakura's emerald green colored eyes. He raised his arms and placed his hands on her face and wiped away her tears.

"Sakura…I know you mean what you're saying but I'm not sure if this is a good idea YET… I want to be with you more than anything right now however there is a problem. During my fight with Nagato I lost the necklace, it shattered into small fragments. My concern is what if I lose control of my emotions and begin to transform into the Kyuubi again? I…I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Sakura was in a fragile state. She had never felt this emotional before and wasn't sure what to say. She had a hard time getting a reading on what her yellow haired crush was trying to say. She said the first thing that came to her mind.

She grabbed his hands and pulled them down off her face and placed their hands on her lap.

"Naruto we live in a world where there is always going to be casualties. I don't want to be alone the rest of my life or spend another decade searching for someone when I have you right in front of me."

Naruto got up from his seat next to Sakura. Once was standing up offered her his hand. Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand and she got up.

"Sakura, let's go back to the main buildings and get some sleep." Naruto said

They both started making their way back to the log houses that Yamato had raised so they could get some rest. The walk back was silent between both of them. Although they weren't speaking out loud they were definitely thinking at a rapid pace.

Sakura's view

'I really want to be with him. I do love him. I did what I could. Even if he doesn't accept it I'm going to win him over in time. I'm so close to him now… I shouldn't have done those things I did to him when we were younger. There isn't anything I can do about the past now. I'll just have to wait and see what happens.'

Naruto's view

'I shouldn't be passing up this opportunity with her. I have been chasing her for the last few years. I want to be with her more than ever…. No matter how strong I will get, we may not be on the same missions and she could still get hurt. What if I lose control of the Kyuubi and hurt her again? There are just too many factors involved here…'

The two made it back to the main district with all the raised houses by Yamato.

"Naruto… what will you do? DO you want to be with me?" she said.

"Sakura I want to be with you but I need to think about a few things…." He replied.

"I will be waiting on your answer, no matter what I will be waiting for you. I've waited all this time I can wait s while longer. You're worth waiting for." This was the last thing Sakura said as she walked into one of the houses to find a spot to sleep.

The second the door clicked shut Yamato and Kakashi rushed into the spot Naruto was standing in. They both frightened him….especially Yamato doing that creepy eye thing he does. O_O they started flooding him with all sorts of questions.

"What happened, Naruto? Did you guys play kissy face?" Yamato said O_O with hearts floating over his head.

"Did you two do anything that resembles the books I read from Jiraiya?" Kakashi said as he took a step toward Naruto WHILE reading make-out tactics.

Naruto had never been so grossed out in his life, except for the times when Sai put his arm on him and when Kakashi jokingly said he "liked" Naruto taking steps towards him.

He did the Natural thing and screamed…

=X_X= "YOU GUYS ARE FREAKS! DON'T SAY SHIT LIKE THAT!!! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!!"

Naruto had been knocked back on his butt and was trying to crawl backward to get away from his fellow shinobi "friends" but they stepped closer and closer….

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The sun had finally risen the next morning. Naruto was totally beat and didn't sleep at all because Yamato and Kakashi were having too much fun chasing him around all night and teasing him.

After they had their fun chasing Naruto all night he was finally able to the two jounin what he saw during his fight with Nagato.

"We need to find Tsunade immediately and tell her the news" Kakashi said.

Once they finally found Tsunade the trio had to tell her something important.

Tsunade: What is the meaning of this you three?

Kakashi: Naruto has some disturbing news to tell you. Naruto, tell Tsunade what you just told us.

Naruto: During my fight with Nagato…I saw my Father, Minato Namikaze who was the fourth Hokage. He told me that the Kyuubi was being controlled by a shinobi named "Uchiha Madara" and Danzo has been the one providing him information. He also has leads with Akatsuki and may know where to find Sasuke.

Yamato: All of the stories we have heard about Uchiha Madara…It wouldn't surprise me to hear that he could even still be alive and after Fire Country and Konoha for revenge. He was at war with the "First"
and his own clan betrayed him. If he is still alive he will have bitter feelings for our country.

Once Tsunade heard the news she immediately took action and ordered the three to find ninjas that are in their best current condition and go after Danzo. There would be chances to be taken here… she would be going with the group to assemble a large team against the man. He may be old but there was NO way of telling what jutsu he possessed or how strong he was….

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END

NEXT CHAPTER: THE TEAM WILL BE ASSEMBLED AND READY TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST KONOHAS MOST NOTORIOUS ELDER!!