'Come on Naruto, you know you want to protect me.' Sakura called out to him.
'Of course I do, but I can't find you.' Naruto called out to her.
'I'm right in front of you, please, protect me.' She called back with a tempting voice.
'I can't see you!' Naruto twisted his head back and forth.
'It's a shame that I have to die by his hand because you couldn't protect me.' Sakura sighed sadly.
'No! Where are you? Show me!' Naruto began to panic.
'Sorry Naruto, but it seems you've failed.' Madara laughed wickedly.
'You're dead! I killed you myself!' Naruto shouted back at the voice.
'People thought I was dead for a long time, but I live, almost like Orochimaru has done.' Madara continued to laugh.
'Shut up! You're lying!' Naruto shouted.
'Believe what you will, but I know your secrets and I know how you feel about that girl. Perhaps I should show you how powerful I am.' Madara's laughed died down into silence.
'NARUTO!' Sakura screamed.
'SAKURA!' Naruto screamed back.
"Sakura!" Naruto shot up in bed as sweat drenched down his forehead.
"A dream, just a, just a dream." Naruto panted out as he ran a hand through his unruly hair.
"Naruto!" a loud knock came from his door. The blond whipped his head to the sound, momentarily confused. Gathering his head, he checked to see if he was decent.
'Shirt, pants. Good enough.'
He rose himself from his bed and made his way over to the door, not sure who would be knocking. He opened the door to reveal Sakura standing before him, not exactly a good thing in his current state.
"Hey Sakura." Naruto laughed nervously, but grinned to try and hide it.
"Honestly Naruto." Sakura shook her head.
"What?" questioned the blond.
"Just because the war is over doesn't mean you get to sleep in to noon." Sakura reminded him crossing her arms.
"Considering I've had two weeks off, I think I have some right." Naurto retorted back.
"Well…uh…ah…." Sakura stammered trying to make a comeback.
"Cat got your tongue?" Naruto laughed.
"Shut up! Before I ring your neck!" Sakura cocked her arm back, fist ready to pounce.
"Calm down, I was just kidding!" Naruto waved his hands in defense. Sakura lowered her arm and smirked at him.
"Good boy, now as I was saying, even if you are in the middle of a vacation, waking up at noon has always been a problem with you. I'm surprised you even agreed to this time off knowing you." Sakura replied.
"Yeah well, Granny was going to force me anyways so…do you want to come in? I promise it's clean." Naruto offered. Sakura looked at him wearingly.
"It'd better be if I set foot in there. Then again, I haven't seen your new place yet, so sure, I'll come in." Sakura smiled as she set foot inside.
"Well, at least you did keep it clean this time. I'd say it's about time." Sakura laughed, taking in the sight as well as the added space of the apartment.
'It's much bigger than his old one.'
"Some habits to die Sakura. And I have to ask why you're here in the first place." Naruto replied as he took a seat on one of his chairs.
'Oh crap! I completely forgot! Damn it damn it damn it damn it!' Sakura thought as she nervously laughed in front of him.
"It's nothing much, I just wanted….wanted to talk, yeah that's it!" Sakura nodded quickly as she took a seat across from him.
"Okay then? Well, what did you want to talk about? Last time I checked, we didn't actually have a real conversation in a few weeks." Naruto replied, unaffected by Sakura's behavior.
'Whew, at least he's still dense in that department.'
"Well, we've both been busy since the war ended. Rebuilding the village hasn't exactly been an easy process." Sakura replied, calming her nerves.
"Yeah, but having my shadow clones has helped out big time. In six months, we've almost got the place back to what it was, just better." Naruto smiled.
"You work too hard sometimes. Don't you think it's time someone did something for you, just once?" Sakura asked him.
"That's just not in my nature, you know that. Protecting my village is what I stand for, not to mention all the people inside it." Naruto answered back, vividly remembering the dream that he had.
'It seems you've failed…' Madara's voice rang through his head.
Naruto shook his head quickly to erase the thought from his mind, making it seem like he was shaking the sleep from his eyes.
"Still, it isn't fair to ask you to do so much and not ask anything in return." Sakura replied.
"It's because I want to. And once this vacation is over, I'll be heading out to the other villages to build relationships so we can achieve peace like I want, like what Jiraiya, my father, all of them want." Naruto said.
"What?! You're leaving too?!" Sakura exclaimed in shock.
"I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you sooner Sakura, but like you said, we've both been busy and I just got this assignment last week. Why do think that Killer Bee is here?"
"But, but, I don't want you to leave." Sakura replied.
"It'll be okay Sakura, it won't be for two years like last time. Just a few months is all." Naruto assured her.
"But I…"
"If I'm going to be a future Hokage, then I'm happy to do all of this. I've even been able to get over Sasuke's leaving…" Naruto instantly shut his mouth as he realized what had slipped out. He quickly looked at Sakura. "I'm sorry."
Sakura wasn't sure how to answer that apology. Sasuke had left the village for good, unable to return to the place that he hated so much. But he understood what it meant to Naruto, and he decided after their final confrontation that he wouldn't harm it, but would not return. Both knew what would happen and Sasuke felt it better to roam from village to village, keeping a watchful eye for Naruto. Still, it hurt them both.
"Naruto, you don't have to be. I know what you had to do and what he wanted to do. Despite what you may think, I'm glad it happened that way." Sakura answered back.
"How can you say that? I know what he meant to you." Naruto replied.
"If you still think that way, then it's time for me tell you something." Sakura leaned forward.
"I don't care for Sasuke that way anymore, it's simple as that." She responded.
"But Sakura…"
"Naruto, stop, I told you how I felt about him, but there's some things that I have to say past that, it's just, right now…I'm having trouble saying them. Bear with me alright? I just need some time." Sakura asked of him. Naruto looked in her eyes and could tell that she was telling the truth.
"Ok, but whatever it is, I'll be ready when you want to tell me." Naruto comforted her.
"And if you leave before I'm ready?" Sakura asked him.
"Then tell me when I get back. I know it seems long Sakura, but it won't be. Not compared to my last trip anyways."
"Naruto, I don't think you understand just how much you leaving affects me." Sakura replied.
"I'm sorry Sakura, it can't be helped. Tsunade offered it, and I saw it as something that I needed to do." Naruto explained.
"I know." Sakura sighed, but smiled at him.
"So you understand where I'm coming from?" Naruto asked. Sakura simply nodded.
"Yeah, I do, but it still hurts." Sakura said. Naruto's faced sadden. On impulse, he stood and sat next to her and wrapped his around her shoulder.
"Sakura, I promise, I won't be gone forever. Believe it." Naruto comforted her. Sakura began to laugh quietly, confusing Naruto greatly.
"What's so funny?"
"You just, you haven't said that in a long time. It's good to hear it again." Sakura's laughter died down as she smiled at him, leaning into his shoulder.
'I need to tell him before he leaves. I can't wait for it, but….I just can't work up the courage…'
Naruto loved the feeling of her resting her head on his shoulder, relaxed and content. And he was too and for the moment, that would be just fine. After an hour long conversation, Naruto explained to Sakura that he had to meet with Killer Bee for a meeting and friendly spar session later. Sakura understood and went home, trying to build her confidence the entire time.
Sakura sat at her desk looking over some old files on the blond headed baka, looking over all the times he'd been in the hospital, all the missions he had gone on, all the powers and abilities that he had been listened with. The files were extensive, and very private. Lucky for her though, Sakura's sensei was the current Hokage. She rifled through a few pages of titles and abilities that Naruto had earned over the months after the war.
"Hero of the Leaf, Sage of Toads, the Sage of Six Paths…." Sakura trailed off as she reread that last title.
"The Sage of Six Paths, hmm, whoever would have thought that baka from our class would become a reincarnate of a legendary shinobi." Sakura laughed to herself quietly. Despite it becoming well known knowledge these days, Sakura and the rest of her class still had a hard time accepting that Naruto, the knucklehead as they knew him would be such a person.
She continued to rifle through more papers, some newly formed doctrines that explained a part of Naruto's history.
"The Uzumaki Clan traits…experts at sealing, distant relatives of the Senju clan, known for their long life spans into multiple generations, my God, it's no wonder Naruto is such an amazing fighter and survivor. If we knew all this about him, I wonder if the girls in our class would have idealized him instead." Sakura spoke quietly as her eyes sullied at the thoughts of their past. She skimmed over the file of Kushina Uzumaki that Tsunade had given her, specifically the terms of her and Minato's demise.
"That one moment he had with his mother and his father, it's all he'll have of them." Sakura wiped her eyes as she stopped herself from crying. It was so saddening to her. Here she was with a loving mother and father and a huge family to go with it. But Naruto, he had no family other than his friends to say, but they could never fully replicate the love of a mother or father. Sakura's eyes traced over the word 'Jinchuriki.'
"There was never a male Jinchuriki other than the original Sage of Six Paths and we still haven't found the source of how Mito Uzumaki became one. I don't know if Naruto could give up the bijuu to anyone, let alone his own children and put them through that torment." Sakura thought.
Then another fear entered her heart.
"If it's true what this file says, and Naruto could live for years, what would he do if I died before him? I couldn't leave him like that. I couldn't leave him to make one of our grandchildren a Jinchuriki…..grandchildren…"
The thought hit her hard as she thought about life and death with him, about having children with him. She shook herself from those thoughts for the moment and looked at a picture of him sitting on her desk.
"Naruto…why is this so hard to think about? Why is it so hard to confess to you?"
And once this vacation is over, I'll be heading out to the other villages to build relationships so we can achieve peace like I want, like what Jiraiya, my father, all of them want.
"That baka is leaving me here, by myself again. It isn't fair, it isn't fair…" Sakura felt tears streaming down her face. She thought about all the times he had protected the village, the people he cared about. She thought all the times he had protected her, never asking for a single thing in return. He did it all without question. But know, he was leaving again, leaving his home, leaving her behind.
"Why…why…why…" she sobbed out quietly.
"Sakura, honey are you alright?" her mother called out from behind the door. Sakura gasped quietly and wiped her tears.
"Yes mother, I'm fine." Sakura cracked open the door and assured her mother with a fake smile. Her mother was wary of her daughter, at least that's what her mother's instinct told her. But she decided to give her daughter some space.
"Alright, just don't forget to go see Naruto before he leaves." She reminded Sakura.
"Of course, I wouldn't forget that." Sakura laughed before quickly closing her door. Her mother looked at the door momentarily, wondering what could be bothering her daughter. But she didn't want to intrude on something that she didn't want to talk about, at least for now.
Sakura slinked to the bottom of the door, bringing her knees to her chest as she sat there, thinking about what she could do.
"Are you sure that you want to do this without telling Sakura the whole truth? You know she won't take it well." Tsunade asked Naruto as she held a stamp in her hand.
"Yeah, I told her I'd be gone a few months, but honestly I have no idea how long I'll be gone." Naruto replied.
"And you think keeping this from her will make her any less happy? Imagine what will happen when you do come back." Tsunade smirked at him.
"Believe me, I'll tell her before I leave, I don't want that fist waiting for me with all that anger built up." Naruto laughed sheepishly. Tsunade could only sigh at his actions.
"Naruto, I know you want to also go look for any surviving clansmen from the Uzumaki family, but the chances are you won't find even one." Tsunade reminded him.
"You don't think that I don't know that? But I want to; I need to at least try Granny. Remember, they're distant relatives of your clan too." Naruto answered back.
"Yes, but I also know that finding a lost clan, let alone a lost village is nearly impossible. Remember what I showed you and how much destruction there was."
Naruto remembered the files and notes that he was shown, as well as multiple flashbacks he had seen in the war under genjutsu and the destruction he witnessed in his mind. It was the reason that he wanted peace; he wanted peace to avoid anything like that again. He didn't want any orphans to suffer like he had, he didn't want parents to bury their children, and he didn't want death anymore period.
"Looking for my homeland is part of my plan for peace. If I can find it, it'll reaffirm my dream of peace. If I can't, it'll do the exact same thing. The point is I want to try and find it, I also want to try and recover Jiraiya's body as well." Naruto added.
"You know that's impossible as well considering he fell into depths that even you can't reach." Tsunade replied.
"I want to try."
"I know you do, and honestly, I have a feeling you'll succeed in both adventures, but I'm just stating the facts. But if anyone can do it, Naruto Uzumaki can. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider taking the title of Hokage after you've learned about politics and such?" Tsunade smiled.
"I don't think I'll be any longer than a year on this journey so it can wait." Naruto explained.
"I didn't think I could change your mind." Tsunade smiled as she stamped the piece of paper.
"Thanks Granny." Naruto smiled in gratitude.
"Of course, it's not like you would listen if I said no anyways. Now come here and give me a hug you brat." Tsunade smirked as she stood up from her seat and walked over. The pair embraced tightly, knowing that once this vacation was over that it would be a long time before they saw each other again.
"Go have some fun before you leave baka." Tsunade encourage him.
"I will, and I'll make sure to see you before I set off." Naruto smiled as he turned to the door and quickly exited it. Tsunade smiled as she looked at the form that allowed this journey to take place.
'He'll be in for a big surprise before this is over, I'm sure of it.'
Naruto stepped outside the door and began to walk down the stairs towards the village as he thought about the journey ahead of him. The butterflies began to fill his stomach at the thought of adventure, of continuing his quest of peace and learning about his past heritage. What was waiting for him out there and what was waiting for him here. He thought about what Sakura had said to him earlier.
"What happens when I come back? Where will we go from there?" Naruto thought as he put his hands in his pockets.
Not to mention that he had lied to Sakura when he said Tsunade offered this mission. He wanted it, he wanted to go and search and do all these things. And he hadn't told Sakura any of that. What would happen if he told her before he left? He hoped she would understand and perhaps wait for him to return. But if she didn't, he accepted it.
"Yo."
Naruto almost fell back as Kakashi appeared next to him.
"Kakashi sensei! Don't scare me like that!" Naruto shouted clutching his chest. Kakashi simply laughed underneath his mask.
"Despite being known as the Sage of Six Paths, you still scare so easily." Kakashi smiled.
"Well you're the only one that has ever been able to actually scare me consistently for years." Naruto caught his breathing and slowed down.
"Sorry about that, but I just wanted to say that you leaving is going to have a big impact on the village." Kakashi answered back.
"And you couldn't knock on my door instead of scaring me half to death?" Naruto pouted at him. Kakashi smiled as he ruffled his hair.
"Still the kid aren't you?" Kakashi asked him.
"I wouldn't say that considering this kid ended an entire war, with help from his friends of course." Naruto reminded him.
"You're right, still, it's hard seeing you guys grow up. It reminds me of how old I'm starting to get." Kakashi said with a slightly solemn tone.
"Oh please, you're not old Kakashi sensei. Granny Tsunade is old for crying out loud." Naruto laughed. A vein ticked in Tsunade's head as she felt someone making fun of her age.
"I guess if you say so." Kakashi shrugged nonchalantly as he and his pupil walked down one of the village streets. He wondered where the days had gone by of their earlier adventures, back to when war wasn't on the horizon, when Orochimaru had not helped set the course of events to war, when Akatsuki was still an unknown to Naruto. Kakashi looked at his friend and wondered how he still kept his sanity.
"He's been put through hell for such a young age. Even I wasn't put through this type of punishment."
Kakashi though didn't feel pity for Naruto, as much as he wanted to. He deserved the utmost respect for everything he had accomplished. But just how had he gotten to this point? Did something happen on the trip with Jiraiya that had allowed this to happen? Did over two years of journey really mold Naruto into who he was? And then Kakashi remembered that despite all his power, Naruto still needed refinement in his technique.
"If he actually focused on building himself to create other jutsu than just the Rasengan or working on Taijutsu, he could surpass every shinobi in history. Hehe, who am I kidding, Naruto is pure strength and that's honestly all he really needs. Still, can't hurt to say something."
"Naruto, are you sure this trip is more than simply what you say it is?" Kakashi asked him.
"Of course, what else would it be?" Naruto asked in return.
"I'm just wondering that perhaps you could use this journey as a chance to learn new jutsu." Kakashi explained.
"And you think that I haven't learned any jutsu since the end of the war? Come on sensei, I think you should know by now that I'm always improving myself in every way. I actually have a vast amount of scrolls at home that have multiple techniques to learn. It just so happens that Kurama's strength along with my Rasengan is almost unbeatable." Naruto explained. Kakashi was left momentarily speechless.
"I guess I should probably stop doubting him."
"Sorry, I really should give you more credit." Kakashi apologized.
"It's fine sensei, but you should remember I'm always training in order to protect my village and its people…and Sakura." Naruto thought silently at the end. The nightmare still haunted him, an after effect of the war.
"You're right and this just another step in your journey. I understand, but the village won't be the same without you around." Kakashi replied as the pair stopped on a corner.
"Yeah, but I'll be back sooner than they expect at least I hope so. I'm not sure how long this journey will be but I'll be back." Naruto assured his sensei with a smile.
"I know, because Naruto Uzumaki doesn't go back on his word right?" Kakashi chuckled.
"You got it!" Naruto laughed.
The two shinobi laughed together for a few moments before coming back to reality as they looked at each other with smiles, student to master.
"I'll see you at the gate before you set off. But I think Killer Bee is waiting for you at the training grounds." Kakashi reminded. Naruto nodded and quickly set off, waving a goodbye to his smiling sensei.
"That kid really grows on you. You would be proud Minato sensei."
Naruto ran along the streets and paths that led to the training grounds, thinking the entire time what awaited for him on his journey.
"I'm positive I'll find remnants of my clan somewhere. They all couldn't have just disappeared like that. And I don't care how impossible it is, I'll find them somewhere and I'll find Jiraiya. I'll make sure to establish good relationships between the villages. I have to make sure no one else gets hurt."
His thoughts turned more personal.
"Especially Sakura, Kakashi, Tsunade, Iruka, Hinata, Shikamaru…I can't stand the thought of losing them all, especially Sakura. I'm sorry I have to leave you behind, but I'll be back, I swear."
He shook himself from those thoughts as he arrived at the training fields where Killer Bee was waiting for him.
"Yo Naruto, you're late." Bee smirked at his fellow Jinchuriki's tardiness.
"Sorry about that Uncle Bee, I was just taking care of some stuff." Naruto apologized.
"Ah, that shit don't matter. Let's just start fighting, because I've been inching for a sighting of some stars in your eyes." Bee rapped out. Naruto's face turned confused.
"Uuuuhh….not exactly sure what you mean there." Naruto replied.
"It means I'm going to not your ass out, that you're going to see stars." Bee answered for him. Naruto's face turned from confused to cocky.
"Is that so? Alright then, let's go!" Naruto charged at him with Bee returning his smile and charging back.
Their fists connected at the center, each looking at each other with a smile, before quickly pulling back and beginning their combat. Naruto flew backwards as Bee tried to use a sweeping kick on him. Naruto landed on his feet and ducked back as a fist flew past him. Naruto launched his left leg upward and connected with Bees face, sending him back but still standing.
"Cheap shot Naruto." Bee smiled, wiping away the blood from his lip.
"Seriously? You're calling THAT a cheap shot? I thought that was fair." Naruto replied.
"So is this." Bee replied from behind him.
"What..AAH!" Naruto shouted in pain as he flew up in the tree across the field. Landing on the branch, he wiped the blood from his own lip and noticed a cloud of smoke from the spot he stood.
"So you're using Shadow Clones? Oh that's a bad move on your part." Naruto smirked.
"Well, you need to stop thinking about things that are distracting you and focus on your fighting." Bee replied. Naruto's eyes showed the slight shock that he realized the sloppiness from just a few moves. Naruto was inclined to agree he didn't want to be distracted with Sakura right now.
"Then no more distractions! Let's go!" Naruto leapt down and charged at Bee with all his speed.
"Sakura, I need to talk to you." Came from the otherside of the door. Sakura hadn't left the spot on the floor since her mother had left an hour ago.
"What do you want?" She asked back.
"I want to talk to you about Naruto."
Sakura whipped her head around in silence.
"What do you mean?"
"Sakura….I'm not naïve. I know something's going on with you and him."
Sakura turned her head back to face the window.
"No there's not."
"Alright…if you don't want to talk, I understand. But I want you to remember that unless you talk to me or to him, it's not going to change anything. I can't guess everything that's going on, but I guess some things going on. You need to talk, to someone about it." Her mother answered back and then left her daughter to silence.
Oh how the hormones of a teenager can cloud the mind.
'But I'm afraid to talk to him about it. I don't want him to reject me, I don't want him to leave, I love him.'
Sakura lowered her head in shame at her own fears.
'Look at me, I'm supposed to be this self-confident woman, but here I am still a little child. Why does love have to be so hard to live with?'
She lifted her head to look at the picture on her night stand. The smile of the blond looked back at her, the smile she would miss if he left, the smile she would miss and regret to not say how she felt, the smile that made her smile.
'I'm not letting him leave without letting him know.'
Sakura stood up and walked over to her window. She looked at the picture one more time and smiled fondly. She then leapt out the window in search of him, already having an idea of where he was. No sooner had she left, she had already arrived to where she wanted to be.
"Alright, that baka better be in the training grounds or when I do, he'll be dead, shoot he'll be dead no matter what." Sakura fumed as she walked into the entrance to the training grounds and began to listen for any matter of loud crashing.
"After all, I want to clarify some things and that baka isn't anywhere to be found." Sakura spoke aloud turning her head left and right wondering where Naruto was.
"You think that's going to stop me?!" she heard from the east, with the unmistakable sound of laughter and trees crashing.
"Bro, you know that you can't beat me one on one." Another voice boom deeply with the same laughter.
"There he is, damn it, I didn't expect him to have company." Sakura sighed quietly. Tracking her feet along the ground, she made her way over to Naruto's location.
"Ha! You missed!" Naruto shouted as he leapt out of the way of Bee's fists.
"Never assume shit like that! Otherwise, you'll miss a step!" Bee answered back kicking Naruto from underneath him.
"Damn it!" he shouted using his left foot to flip himself at the last second, doing a backflip and landing back on his feet.
"Told ya bro." Bee crossed his arms and smirked.
"You're just lucky we're on level pegging, you know I can go into Kyuubi or Sage Mode and take you out." Naruto smirked back at him.
"Really? Then why don't you do it if you're so confident?" Bee laughed loudly.
"No thanks, equal pegging like you wanted. Besides, I still have a few tricks up my sleaves." Naruto smiled.
"Oh, like what?" Bee asked.
"Like this!" Naruto shouted as he unleashed three kunai from his sleeve at Bee. He leapt up and avoided the kunai, but revealed Sakura behind him as the kunai headed for her.
"What the?!" Sakura shouted as she stood frozen in place at the sudden realization of her predicament.
Naruto's eyes went wide as he realized she wouldn't be able to dodge them in time from the angle, but he was close enough to do something.
The dreams began to come back in slow motion as he began to move.
"You know you can't protect her, you'll only kill her."
"She die by your hands."
He used his speed that he had gained from his training and lunged himself forward so that the kunai would strike his arm. Everything seemed to happen in so motion as Sakura watched him jump in front of her and take the kunai, each one stabbing up his arm.
"Naruto!" she shouted as he hit the ground, rushing over and kneeling beside him.
"Bro, you really know how to put on a show." Bee smiled as he kneeled next to him.
"Just doing my job." Naruto seethed, but smiled as he began to pull all the kunai out of his arm.
"You baka! What do you think you were doing jumping in front of me like that?!" Sakura punched him in his other arm.
"Protecting you?" Naruto sheepishly replied with a smile as he rubbed his arm while ignoring the more injured one.
"I was fine, in fact I was about to dodge them myself!" Sakura explained as she began to remove his jacket and examine his arm.
"But Sakura…"
"No buts, I'll scold you later. First I need to heal your arm." Sakura replied as she channeled chakra into her hands, emitting a green glow, placing it around the wounds.
"Anything you need me to do?" Bee asked her.
"I need you to leave the two of us alone. I need to speak with him personally." Sakura told him, not wanting to deal with Bee at this moment.
"Personally? Well damn, Naruto you may be getting a little something tonight." Bee grinned. Sakura instantly glared at him.
"Bee, just go before she kills you. I'll be alright." Naruto smiled offering his fist. They bumped fists as their usual gesture and Bee quickly took his leave.
"I swear all of our allies and friends are perverts." Sakura grumbled as she forced chakra into Naruto's arm, closing the holes in his arms and ceasing the bleeding.
"He's only teasing us. It's just how he is." Naruto explained.
"It doesn't make it right to say we're going to go at it so blatant like that." Sakura replied.
"Yeah, but I fear that's what we're going to have to live with all our lives." Naruto laughed, gritting his teeth as the chakra sealed his wounds shut.
"Naruto, you don't always have to protect me you know." Sakura solemnly smiled at him, appreciating his concern for her.
"It's my nature to protect those that I care about Sakura, you know that. I'm a protector, pure and simple." Naruto replied.
"And what if I did the same thing just now?" Sakura asked him as she began to take off his jacket that was now torn, revealing a simple black t-shirt.
"Then I'd feel guilty for getting you hurt and killing the bastard that did that to you." Naruto growled slightly at the thought. Sakura's smile could only widen at his overprotective nature, even if it was slightly annoying.
"I care take of myself Naruto…but I do appreciate it." Sakura finished cleaning up his wounds before leading him over to a tree and having him sit down against the trunk.
"Thanks Sakura, but it's more than that." Naruto smiled as he checked his arm to make sure it was still functional.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Have you ever had a dream where someone you cared for dies no matter how hard you try to save them?" Naruto asked. Sakura shook her head in response.
"It's a terrible thing to have to burden, and it plagues the mind. I've been having them for weeks now, maybe because of the war. I don't know." Naruto explained.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Sakura asked. Naruto simply shrugged. Sakura placed a gentle hand behind his head and began to message his head.
"Thanks." Naruto smiled in gratitude.
"Don't mention it, but I want you to rest for the remainder of the day." Sakura instructed sitting next to him.
"And to make sure you do, I'm staying with you." Sakura added as she scooted closer to him. Naruto noticed just how close they really were, in fact, their hips and arms were in direct contact with each other.
"Sakura, what…what's wrong?" Naruto stuttered out, feeling a slight burning his face.
"What do you think? I'm still mad that you're leaving us…leaving me again." Sakura replied crossing her arms over her knees as she pulled them up to her chest.
"Sakura, I told you it wouldn't…."
"It wouldn't be long, I know! But think about what you're doing to us all! What you're doing to me!" Sakura turned to face him as tears streamed down her face.
"Sakura…" Naruto whispered out.
"I was alone for two years when you left! I had no one except for Kakashi sensei and he's not someone that talks often. Sasuke was gone, and then you left me after that. For a time, I understood a little what it was like to be alone, but I can never understand completely what it's like. I still have my parents, but you never had yours…I can't imagine what that's like." Sakura explained as she looked back down at the ground.
"But I have you guys, so it isn't so bad not to have my parents, especially knowing who they were." Naruto smiled back hiding some of the pain.
"Yes Naruto, but remember how I said I understood a little?" Sakura asked looking back at him. Naruto simply nodded.
"Well, now I understand a lot more what it would be like to truly be alone." Sakura leaned in closer, her face a few inches from his.
"What…what are you talking about?" Naruto felt his face fluster.
"Naruto, I don't want you to leave me, never again. I never want to be apart from you ever again. No matter if it's for two months or for a day, I can't stand to be apart from you anymore." Sakura's face blushed, grasping both sides of his face.
"Sakura…?"
"Naruto….."
Naruto became silent.
"Shut up….."
Sakura smiled as she closed the gap and crashed her lips onto his for a long kiss. Naruto's eyes shot wide, in disbelief, in joy, and in complete bliss. They separated, Sakura staring into his eyes, blue meeting green in confusion in one, and love in the other.
"I love you, so please, don't leave…." Sakura whispered as she embraced him and leaned her head against his shoulder. Naruto didn't know what to do.
"Sakura, you know I can't make that promise." Naruto trembled at the taste of strawberry on his lips.
"Why? I just told you how I felt, and I know it was sudden. But it's something we wanted and have, so why would you still want to leave?" Sakura mumbled into his shoulder, grasping him tighter.
"Because I want to search for my heritage, to see if there's more of my bloodline out there." Naruto told her.
"But…"
"Sakura, I love you too, you always known that. And if I had my choice, I wouldn't leave, but in my heart, I know I can't leave it. However, I think there's a solution to this problem." Naruto pulled her back and look at her tear streamed face, wiping away them away.
"Come with me."
Sakura's eyes widen at his suggestion.
"Naruto…"
"Come with me if you don't want to be a part from me again. I would love the company, especially if it was just you and me. Please? It won't be a few months like I said, I'm not sure when I'll be back, but if you come with me, it'll be a happier journey." Naruto asked of her. Sakura was still in shock for a moment, but a smile found its way onto her face and she didn't need to question her answer again.
"Of course I'll come with you. Just have Lady Tsunade make sure it's an 'official' mission so my parents understand when I tell about us. And if they don't accept, then that's their loss." Sakura leaned in a nuzzled his face.
"Sakura, haha, stop that, it tickles." Naruto laughed.
"Oh, you don't enjoy that? Then how about this.." Sakura pounced on top of him and began a furious make out session with her new boyfriend.
Sakura was finishing her packing for her journey, essentials and a few spare clothes for change when she needed it when her mother walked in.
"I see you're happier than you have been in the last few weeks." She smiled at her daughter's new found joy.
"That's what happened when you finally understood how you felt about dad though right?" Sakura smiled but continued to finish her packing.
"Yeah, it was, but I'm still not sure if I approve of this mission."
"Well, you may want to get used to it because it's happening."
"I guess, I just don't want to see you grow up so quickly."
"That's life though." Sakura finished stowing away her last bit of clothing she needed.
"It is.." Sakura's mother smiled, walked over and gave her daughter a quick hug before leaving the bedroom, knowing she wouldn't see her daughter again for a long time. But she accepted it. Sakura shortly made quick work of having everything she needed and leapt outside the window, taking the trait of her boyfriend slightly.
She made her way to the gate where a smiling Naruto was waiting for her.
"You ready to go?" she simply asked.
"Always." Naruto replied with a smile.
"I'm surprised you're here earlier than I am." Sakura smirked before she leaned in a gave him a kiss.
"Just wanted to surprise you hehe." Naruto smiled.
"Well, when we get to the first stop on our journey, I have a little surprise for you." Sakura gave him a lecherous smile and a cocked eyebrow, her hand grasping his upper thigh slightly. Naruto blushed furiously at what she was suggesting, but smiled back.
"I wasn't expecting that so suddenly, but let's get moving before we get moving." Naruto smirked back.
"Look at you with some misplaced whit and stupidity." Sakura laughed as she began to exit the village gates.
"Sakura…I swear one day that will come to haunt you." Naruto laughed as well as he exited the village gates and began their journey.
A/N: Something I've been working on for a few months while on a hiatus. There's more emotion in this than most of my other stories. Hope you enjoyed.