Disclaimer: I do not own naruto, if I did Naruto wouldnt be such an idiot and Hinata would have her Naruto-kun.

(A/N: This story is set after the Sasuke retrieval arc).

"Speaking"

'thinking'

"kyuubi talking"

Technique or Jutsu

RrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRr

The quartet had been walking for some time now and the sun had finally set leaving them in darkness.

"Taiyou-sama, can we stop now?" Naruto whined for the fiftieth time since they started walking. A vein twiched on Taiyou's forehead look ass munch, how many times have I told you, we're going to settle down when we get to a decent clearing.

"But I can't even see anything" he whined, proving his point by stumbling over a fallen tree branch.

"Then hold Hinata's hand, I'm sure her byakugan will keep you safe in the dark." Tsuki chuckled.

"What the hell don't you have fox ears can't you hear or something, and what about those damn eye slits I'm sure you can see something, god your useless" Taiyou went on with his rant as Tsuki held his hand guiding him round in the dark forest.

"N-naruto-kun, I-I don't t-think your useless..." Hinata said tapping her index fingers together in her usual fashion thankful for her cloak and the darkness that hid her blush.

"Thanks Hinata-chan, you sure know how to make a guy feel better!" Naruto yelled punching a fist in the air. Hinata laughed at the childish display, her fingers still tapping.

"Hey Hinata-chan, why do you do that with your fingers?" Naruto asked Hinata who hurriedly brought her hands to her sides, her face growing even hotter. "Anou, I-I get n-nervous a-and I-it's a b-bad h-habit.."Hinata tried to explain her stutter growing ever worse.

"You don't have to be nervous around me" Naruto said. His tone so serious that Hinata couldn't help but smile. He grabbed her hand gently and pulled her along "C'mon Hinata-chan, they're getting too far ahead." Hinata's insides were screaming with joy as Naruto pulled her along to join their two adoptive sensei's. Even after they caught up to them Naruto continued to hold her hand causing warmth to flow not only through her face, but her whole body as she felt the one thing she never got from her home...affection..

Taiyou and Tsuki stopped walking causing Naruto to walk right into Taiyou's back. "Why the heck did we stop for" he groaned rubbing his head.

"Because we found a place to set up camp Naruto" Tsuki said kindly as she walked onward.

"It's beautiful" Hinata whispered as she stepped into the clearing. The clearing was simply an area where the tree's gave way in a circular space, what made it beautiful was the stream that ran along the edge of said clearing. The glistening stream ran through the forest and into Konoha where it fed into there main water supply. The water washed over the rocks washing away the course outside, the moonlight reflecting off the minerals inside causing the rocks to sparkle with a life of their own.

"Sensei, you didn't carry any knapsacks, how are we supposed to camp?" Hinata asked as she pulled her hood off.

"I was wondering when one of you two would realize that we had no sort of lodging or tent's of the sort."Taiyou mocked with a grin.

"Just you this the scroll already Taiyou-kun, I'm getting cold" Tsuki said wrapping her arms around herself to stay warm.

"Aw. Tsuki-chan you're no fun" Taiyou whined pulling a scroll out from under his cloak. Taiyou placed the scroll on the ground and pulled his hands into a seal. "Kai!" he called out. The scroll disappeared in a puff of smoke as a tent popped out.

"Uhhh, Taiyou-sensei, there's only one tent...where are we supposed to sleep?" Asked Naruto indicating him and Hinata. "Looks like you'll be sleeping together." Taiyou laughed pulling up the flap to the tent letting Tsuki in. "I'll get the firewood" he said still laughing as he saw Naruto's jaw on the floor. "You might wanna pick that up ass munch" he joked disappearing from the clearing.

Hinata felt a little hurt on the inside that Naruto didn't want to share a bed with he again. "I-it's a-alright Naruto-kun, y-you don't have to s-sleep with me" a tear forming in her eye as she turned her head."It's not that Hinata-chan ...I like sleeping with you..I mean.. I don't want to be a pervert like Ero-sennin " his head drooped as he stumbled along his words. "I'm sorry I didn't mean anything" This time it was his face that glowed bright red as Hinata wrapped her arms around his torso and laid her head on his chest. He pulled of his hood and laid his head on hers. "You got taller Naruto-kun" Hinata whispered breaking the silence. "Did I?" he asked his ears twitching in the process.

"Break it up you two love birds the firewood is here."Taiyou yelled embarrassing the two as he dropped the firewood to the floor. "Tsuki-chan!" he yelled again. Tsuki walked out of the tent her cloak gone and in it's place she wore a tight black t-shirt and long black silk-like pants. "I doubt you want to sleep in your robes so go take them off and for now, you'll sleep in your under clothes." Tsuki said to Naruto and Hinata as she walked past them and over towards Taiyou who was standing triumphantly over his now stacked logs. Naruto and Hinata nodded and headed into the tent. They were both shocked to see how obscenely large it was on the inside. "She must of used a genjutsu to save space" said Hinata obviously in awe.

The tent could fit about two or three Naruto's if they stood on each other's shoulders and about five of them if they stood side by side, easily fitting the four of them. Two sleeping bags had already been setup, one for Taiyou and Tsuki and the other for Naruto and Hinata. Naruto was first to pull his cloak off and stood there in his jumpsuit before derobing that too. He was now in his black t-shirt and the bottom half of his jumpsuit whereas Hinata was still fully clothed. "Are you embarrassed Hinata-chan cause I'll leave if you want me too" he offered seeing the blush on her face as he pulled his sandals off.

'How could I just stare at Naruto-kun like that' as she shook her head and pulled her own cloak off. Her jacket followed her cloak on the sleeping bag and now she stood in front of Naruto in only her mesh top.

"Hinata, your wrist is bleeding" Naruto said reaching out for her hand. She quickly pulled back her hand and hid it behind her back in shame. 'How could I have forgotten these.' She pondered as he gave her puppy--fox kit eyes and pouted. "Please can I see it Hinata-chan?" he asked again, the worry evident in his voice.

Slowly she moved her hand from behind her back and into Naruto's hand, her gaze still cast downward as she was unable to look at Naruto.

He rolled up her sleeves and gasped in horror as the further he rolled up her sleeve the more scars he saw dug into her pale skin. The red marks marring her normally pale complexion. "Hinata-chan...what happened to you?" he asked brushing his finger's lightly over the wounds. Hinata began to sob lightly her gaze still glued to the ground.

"I d-did..." she croaked out. Realization hit Naruto as he felt a stab at his heart. "Why would you do this to yourself?" Naruto asked as his tail shifted around.

"I-I w-was u-unhappy with m-my l-life and t-the pain was uncontrollable..."she said slowly, her sobs choking her. "...so I-I felt I-if there w-was always g-going to be pain in m-my l-life, I should be a-able to c-control it." her sob broke out into a full out cry as Naruto embraced her pulling her down onto the sleeping bag with him. His tail as if possessed wrapped around her wrist and begin to emit a green light. The light glowed over all the cuts and they slowly began to heal leaving her pale skin unmarked. Hinata stared at he wrist as the tears in her eyes stopped flowing .

Naruto turned her face to his and wiped away the remaining wetness with his thumb.

"You don't have to worry about pain anymore Hinata-chan, I'll be here to protect you because you are my only and most precious person and I swear on my name as a ninja that I wont let anything happen to you, and that is my nindo" he said kissing her on the lips.

"And we don't go back on our word" she smiled kissing him back.

"KAWAII!" Tsuki yelled snapping a picture of the two and running back out the tent to show Taiyou. Hinata blushed furiously but her eyes never left Naruto's. Despite the slit's they were still as kind as ever and reflected his growing love for her.

"I guess that this means we should go out and join them huh?" Naruto groaned. Hinata nodded and got up and walked out behind Naruto.

They walked out of the flap just as Tsuki used a katon jutsu (fire style technique), to rekindle the fire.

"Good of you two to join us." Taiyou greeted them as he poked the fire. Taiyou sat there in a pair of white pants, a shirt nowhere in sight. "Come sit by the fire it's getting cold out here and if you two get sick Tsuki-chan here will kick my ass". Hinata and Naruto both laughed as Tsuki playfully slapped a grinning Taiyou.

"We've got a lot to talk about before we get some rest." Tsuki announced as Naruto and Hinata sat down near the fire and she nuzzled against Taiyou who in turn wrapped his arms around her. "First off, we've got a long ass journey ahead of us. Just putting that out there." Taiyou started. "Now Naruto, as my pupil you are to listen to me without hesitation and obey my commands without question." With Narutos nods he continued. "Now since Tsunade called us personally it must mean you're in pretty tough shape."

Naruto cast his gaze down angrily as he began as he fumed at his own idiocy. "Don't worry about it though ass-munch, we'll cure what ails ya." Naruto smiled softly at the encouraging nod from Taiyou and a reassuring squeeze from Hinata.

"And as for our new edition Hinata, I'll be taking you on as my apprentice as well. I follow expect you to abide by the same terms as Naruto... though under my teachings we will focus more on training the mind then body, if men are the muscle we girls have to know how to keep our men on track, no?" Hinata nodded with a giggle.

"Good, now that business is done. POPCORN!" Taiyou yelled opening the bag.

After the conclusion of the massive popcorn fight Hinata and Naruto sat next to each other across the tent from Tsuki and Taiyou. Hinata was asleep, her head on Naruto's shoulder and her body leaning against him. His arm and tail both wrapped around her securely and protectively. Taiyou was leaning against the tent wall, Tsuki's head resting on his lap as he draped his arm over he shoulder.

"We're two lucky guy's aren't we ass munch" Taiyou smirked referring to the two girls who had fallen asleep sometime during the war. Naruto just nodedd not wanting to move too much and dislodge Hinata.

"So ass-munch, what happened to the Kyuubi? I mean one second you were all floating chakra man and the next you were ass munch the fox boy" Naruto's ear's twitched at the comment. "I honestly don't know, the last thing the kyuubi said before I woke up was, that a guide would show me the way." Naruto said inhaling deeply and sighing.

"Do you remember anything else?" The older boy asked

Naruto shook his head and yawned.

"I guess we could get a fresh start in the morning, I'd like to try some tests on you when we get to my home, and for the next few years our home as well." Naruto nodded and unzipped the sleeping bag with his hand, his tail still propping up Hinata. The two of them slipped into the sleeping bag and Naruto was soon snoring peacefully.

"Show-off" Taiyou chuckled waking Tsuki so they could both crawl into the sleeping bag together.

'Tomorrow is gonna be a long day' Taiyou smiled before he to drifted to sleep.

The Following Morning

Tsunade stood on the balcony of the hokage tower and openly addressed the public of both shinobi and villagers alike. Jiraiya stood at attention with her along with Kakashi, Kurenai, and Hiashi.

"Yes, what you saw was the kyuubi attempting to free himself from one Uzumaki Naruto's body, however the chakra was too strong for such a little body and he was destroyed because of it." said Tsunade answering another one of the villager's seemingly endless questions.

"What about Hinata-chan?" yelled out Kiba. All eyes turned to Hiashi for this question.

"As it is well known, Hinata was in love with the demon boy. She decided that she wanted to be with him despite his evident flaw and she lost her life because of it" Hiashi replied emotionlessly.

"Hanabi, my daughter will become the new clan heir as originally planned.

" RED CHAKRA EXPLODING PAIN MISERY KYUUBI PRANKSTER DEAD GONE FREE NOW WOOHOO!" one of the villager's yelled foaming at the mouth as he passed out from all the sake he drank. All the villager's let the words of the random drunk sink in as they began to cheer.

"THE DEMON IS GONE!!" they all cheered as they laughed and cried in joy.

"Go drink and have your fill" Tsunade grumbled disgusted at the display of her villager's as she headed back inside, Kurenai, Kakashi and Jiraiya behind her. Hiashi left heading back towards his manor.

Tsunade slammed her hand on the desk, it cracking under her chakra enhanced fist.

"I can't believe this crap!" she yelled causing the three to jump.

"What happened to them really Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked having missed the ordeal yesterday. "Is Naruto really gone?" he asked.

"No..from what I got from my analysis jutsu, he is still Naruto, yet...something... more."

Jiraiya looked at her puzzled "what do you mean something more?"

"I mean it was like Kyuubi's chakra was still there but instead of it being violent and enraged, it was more...tranquil, like it merged with Naruto's chakra." she finished.

"How can that be possible, lady hokage?" Kakashi asked

"I guess we'll never truly know unless we can get a hold of Naruto." was all Tsunade could answer.

"And what of Hinata?" Tsunade turned to the red eyed Jonin. She refused to have Naruto leave without her and begged to be bought with them, I could only agree after hearing reports of her abuse from branch members."

"Can we trust the people that Hinata are with?" asked Kurenai "Hinata was one of my student's and always felt like a burden to her team. She has very low self esteem and is incredibly shy, can we trust them to take care of her." Kakashi put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I too wish to know about the two they left with lady hokage, Naruto was one of my students, I'm now down to one. Are these people better for Naruto than Orochimaru for Sasuke?" The copy Nin asked.

"I guess I should start with how I met those two to fully explain why I chose them."

"What do you mean chose them?" Jiraiya asked

"As you may or may not know, Naruto has been recently unstable, since the loss of Sasuke and the treatment of this village. He felt, for better words, lacking." said the Godaime. "This instability was not good for neither Naruto or the village so I sent out a messenger slug to two friends Shizune and I met on our journeys, Taiyou of the moon village and Tsuki of the son village. Of course when I met them they were about 2 years younger however Taiyou was easily able to catch one of my punches." Jiraiya's jaw dropped at the statement.

"What about this Tsuki of the moon girl" he asked licking his lips lecherously.

"If I were you I'd keep my tongue in my mouth you pervert. Not only is she the last heir to a long lost kekkei Genkai(blood limit), she's also Taiyou's girlfriend. Jiraiya started crying a little at the thought of a lost "research subject".

Kakashi began to speak. "You said two years ago, how old would that make them?"

"17" Tsunade replied earning gasps all around the room.

"How could you intrust the lived of two of our shinobi in the hands of two 17 year olds?" Kurenai asked

"Believe it or not Kurenai but those two could easily best Jiraiya and myself in a two on two fight. There teamwork skills are so impressive that they move as one without one saying a word to the other, it's as if they are telepathicly linked." Tsunade finished. There was silence in the room as they all prayed for the safety of the two youths.

" I can only hope for them to return when Naruto is fully stable... I estimate a few years." Tsunade finally said. All to deep in thought to answer they all just stared out the window and watched a hawk as it soared over the Hokage mountain.

'Just a few years until I see you again ototuo, Taiyou, Tsuki, you better take care of my ototuo...'

4\29\08