Disclaimer: -shrugs- Honestly, would Naruto be as popular if I owned it? Doubt it; I don't own Naruto… I own the original characters though… and the plot )

A/N Notice: I'm going to be changing my screen name from Amantes to either Bon or Dalder. Most likely Dalder. Other then that; chapter 4, blah, blah, blah, let's get started already.

Chapter Four: Bandits in the Shuriken

The seven started to leave the gates towards the west, heading to Suna. Gaara is the Kazikage of the group, and was in Suna to work out a diplomatic deal with the Hokage, Tsunade. Temari, Gaara's sister, was in the group along with her brother Kankuro. Temari was a Chunnin, is eighteen years old, tall with blonde hair. She was slightly toned in the arms and legs. She wore a black kimono with a black wrap around her stomach. On her back, she carried her weapon, a giant fan that had three moons on it. Her blonde hair was in 4 buns on the back of her head, and her forehead protector's fabric was tied in between the buns.

Kankuro, Gaara's older brother, want tall like Temari, but was more muscularly built. A hood covered his blonde hair. He had three scrolls on his back and purple face paint on his face.

Gaara was tall, had short red fair that was parted at one end, showing the tattoo on his forehead reading, "love". He no longer carried the gourd around due to the fact that he no longer held the demon Shukaku. Gaara had begun training in earth elemental jutsus.

Hinata was still unconscious. Her head resting in the crook of Naruto's neck, arms limply hung over his shoulders. Naruto was carrying her in his back, while he supported her legs with his hands and arms so she wouldn't fall and get hurt.

After twenty or so minutes of walking, Hinata came too, and for the second time that day, felt herself being carried by Naruto.

"How're you feeling Hinata?" Naruto asked, feeling her lift her head off his shoulder.

"N… Naruto-kun… I… I'm okay," Hinata stuttered a little. She rested her head back onto Naruto. She wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck ad started to feel warm. She nuzzled into his neck.

Sakura was watching Naruto and Hinata, 'She's so much in love with him, and he's completely clueless,' Sakura thought, 'maybe he'll notice eventually… she stalked him basically, but never hurt him or even attempted to. She only tried to talk to him, even though she could never do it.'

The pink haired girl turned her head to Sasuke. Somehow Sasuke had killed Orochimaru. His raven hair was medium in length, his eyes showing the Sharingan. Something was not right about his eyes though. Ever since he returned to Konoha she had noticed he had an even darker air to him. If Sakura could read minds, she would have screamed in fear.

'Damn Naruto… him and that damn demon he has. He keeps getting stronger… there's no end to his damn chakura.' Sasuke was deep in thought about Naruto. Sasuke still resented Naruto, 'One of these days I'm going to…'

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, interrupting his thoughts.

Sasuke figured that anger and resentment was etched on his face. He turned to Sakura with a look that masked what he was thinking, "Nothing Sakura," he responded.

Sakura thought about the time Naruto and Sasuke had fought on top of the hospital. Sakura was worried though. The face she saw before he spoke to her was one she had only seen once before, on that roof.

Naruto wasn't mad, or as mad as he should have been, when Sasuke had returned.

-Flash back-

Naruto was in the Hokage's office when two ANBU walked in. In between the two ANBU, was one of the last two members of the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Sasuke had returned to Konoha.

At the sight of Sasuke, Naruto ran right at him and punched Sasuke right in the face, sending him flying into the wall behind him. Naruto ran to Sasuke who was now sitting on the floor and grabbed the collar of his shirt. Naruto started ferociously punching Sasuke in the face.

Sasuke showed no signs of wanting to fight back, and let Naruto pound his face in. Sasuke felt a sudden pain in his nose. Naruto had punched it so hard it broke. Blood was flowing freely from his nose.

"Why now? What the hell, how the hell do you think you can just walk into the Hokage's office like you never even betrayed your village?" Naruto howled at the top of his lungs, Naruto continued to smash Sasuke's face in, dislodging a tooth and breaking part of his mandible.

Hinata was on her way to the Hokage's office to get a mission when she heard Naruto's howl and came running to see what was happening. When she saw Naruto pounding an unknown person's face in, she ran over and tried to get him off the person

.Hinata knew that she want going to be able to stop Naruto's vicious attack so she decided to make him stop. She took her hand and closed Naruto's chakura points in his arms.

Naruto kept trying to hit Sasuke but couldn't. After a moment Naruto realized that he could not continue to beat Sasuke to death. Naruto got off Sasuke and spat right in Sasuke's face.

Sasuke just sat there looking down. He looked up when he felt Naruto get off him. Sasuke met the spit coming at him, but didn't care. He expected this. He looked past Naruto to see Hinata standing behind Naruto, her arms wrapped around Naruto's midriff.

Hinata realized who Naruto was beating up on, and saw that he didn't care that he just got his ass kicked really badly.

"Hinata, why did you stop me?" Naruto asked. He knew it was Hinata hugging him trying to stop his assault on Sasuke.

"Because… I, uhh, I didn't want to see… see someone get hurt," Hinata answered lamely.

"Hinata…" Naruto was about to ask why she had to have her arms wrapped around him, when he felt them come off. He turned around to see Hinata blushing, he finally figured out that she was blushing, not having a fever, and backing away from him, "Hinata, why are you running from me?"

"Naruto-kun… I'm… I'm sorry," Hinata said. She turned and ran from the building. Naruto stood there looking at her retreating back. 'What's wrong with her?' Naruto thought.

Naruto turned back around to see Tsunade helping Sasuke up, and letting Sasuke into her office. She looked at Naruto, one that told him to get his ass in her office or he was going to be in trouble.

-End Flashback-

Hinata road on Naruto's back, recalling the event. She buried her face deeper into Naruto's neck. She thought about what it would be like to be kissing him. Loving him. She always dreamed about it. She didn't know that it was lust. She thought it was love.

Hinata was about to say something to Naruto when something hit her in her ankle. She gasped in pain. Naruto reacted by sitting Hinata down on the trunk of a tree and turned around.

"Kage bushin no jutsu!" He yelled, six clones of himself appered.

Sakura ran over to Hinata and pulled the kunai out of her leg. It bearly missed her nerves in her ankle. Sakura began to heal the wounds.

Seven bandits surrounded the entire group. They all pulled out kunai knives, and charged at Naruto's shadow clones. One of the clones hit a bandit square in the face.

"Stop you idiots. Okay kids… hand over all your money food and weapons. The speaking bandit appered to be the leader, he started to approach Hinata and Sakura.

"How about I kill you?" Naruto asked

"No… how about this. You hand over all your stuff, and the pink haired girl, and the Hyuuga lives," The bandit said, reaching to pull Hinata away from Sakura.

Sakura pulled out a kunai and cut the bandit's hand clean off his body.

"You bitch! I'll kill you," The bandit shouted, but wasn't able to act on the threat…

"RASENGAN!" Naruto shouted, sending bandit flying into a tree. There was a loud crack as the bandit's neck snapped on the tree. The other bandits fled when they saw the amount of power being held in Naruto's hands.

"Hinata are you alright?" Naruto asked. A look of concern was on his face. Hinata looked at Naruto. All she could do was nod.

'Naruto-kun's worried about me? Does that mean? No, baka, you're his comrade, and a friend. To him nothing more… don't be so stupid Hinata. Naruto would never like you as more then a friend. But he did say that I would make a good wife one day… but he never said for him! He was talking in general! You know what, I'm done talking to you.' Hinata thought. She was arguing with herself. She didn't know that Naruto was trying to place his feelings for the beautiful heiress.

"She'll be fine tomorrow. She just needs to keep off her feet so the wound doesn't open back up." Sakura said.

"Good. We should continue on the road then, we have a tight schedule," Gaara said.

"Hai, Gaara-sama. Naruto, carry her since she cant walk for the rest of the day." Sakura ordered. Naruto nodded and picked Hinata up and positioned her on his back.

Hinata smiled into Naruto's shoulder. Even with being attacked, today was the best day of her life. Period. Even when she was promoted to Chuunin, she didn't known that tomorrow would be even better. This day and happiness was about to end for her.

She now knew what it was like top be in love, and she was happy. Nothing would bring her down… she would find out how wrong she was.

They continued on for another two hours until the sun began to set over the horizon.

"We'll set up camp here. We'll bet to the wind country tomorrow. " Gaara said. He walked over to a log and sat down. Naruto walked over to a tree and sat Hinata down.

"Hinata, you should stay here and rest. When we have the tents and everything up, I'll carry you over to your sleeping bag." Naruto said.

"Hai… Naruto-kun," Hinata said. Naruto turned around and began to help set up camp. Sakura game over and sat down next to Hinata.

"Hey Hinata." Sakura said, she looked at Hinata with a smile. Hinata knew she wanted to talk about a subject Hinata didn't want to talk about. Hinata mumbled something that sounded like a 'hello'.

"Hinata, how are you?" Sakura asked. Sakura wasn't asking about Hinata's leg. Hinata knew what Sakura was asking about.

"Okay…" Hinata responded.

"Okay? Hinata, what's wrong? He's right over there; you don't have to miss him." Sakura said.

"Nani??!!" hinata almost shouted. Her eyes widened.

"You know what I'm talking about. Donhy pretend not too. All of Konoha knows you love him. Ever since the academy. You shouldn't be so shy around him, he'll accept you Hinata." Sakura said.

"The clan would never accept it." Hinata said dejectedly, "He is the container of the demon fox, the Kyuubi, and I'm suppose to be married off to some other clan head to make some stupid alliance. That's the only reason they wont accept Naruto."

"What's the problem with your clan? Afraid of a tamed demon fox?" Sakura said, half serious, half jokingly.

"That's exactly what they're afraid of. They think he can't control that power. They're afraid he'll lose control and kill the clan." Hinata said.

"Hinata, how'd you know about Naruto's secret anyways?" Sakura asked.

"After the chuunin exams when Naruto beat Neji, father told the entire clan. We were told not to tell anyone though. Father respects Naruto but would never let me be with him.

"Hinata, Naruto doesn't like me anymore. He was so pissed off when you got hurt earlier. I was afraid he's kill all seven bandits. Not just the one. I know you like him, that was I never went out with him. I didn't want to hurt you. Make your move, I'll make mine on Sasuke." Sakura smiled at Hinata and got up. She left Hinata to her own thoughts.

'Naruto doesn't like Sakura anymore? He was pissed when I was hurt? What does that mean… does he like me?' Hinata thought. She didn't notice that someone was walking over to her. To the untrained eye she was watching Sakura, but was truly deep in thought, 'if she knows… who else knows? Was it really that obvious? Baka, of course it was. You melted everytime you were around him.'

She felt an arm wrap around her. Her entire body tensed. She heard the voice and reaconized it. She was shocked at what he called her.

"Hinata-chan, are you okay?" He asked. His arm started to rub her shoulder. Hinata mentally cooed. She had never been given any thing like that. He had never called her chan before. He was looking at her.

"I'm fine Naruto-kun… is camp set up?"

"Hai, it is, want me to take you over to it?"

"Please?" She felt him pick her up and carry her over to the fire where Sakura was cooking dinner.

The group ate in silence when dinner was done and went into the tents and went to bed. Hinata went into dream world. She began to dream about her blonde crush. She smiled into her pillow and slept into the night.

A/N: Okay, chapter 4 is done, Five is also done. I'll start on Six as soon as I get the finalization ideas for the story. The story is going to be short so it might have 5 more chapters in it. Thanks. Cya everyone, Don't forget to review, reviews get the chapters out faster.