Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Just a small update to set up for a few ideas I have written down. The hamster is running, but the wheel was refusing to turn for a while with this story.

Naruto crept towards the window, 'I need to get away for a while. I need to think.'

He slowly pushed the window open and gave a small yell of surprise at the masked face he saw. The boy got up and back-pedaled in fear as the figure stepped through the window and into the room. "Who are you?"

The masked figure reached a hand up and removed cat mask revealing a very familiar figure. "Naruto calm down."

"Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka strode forward and pulled the blonde boy into a tight hug. Naruto couldn't help it and began sobbing into the man's uniform, "Sensei, why did this happen to me?"

Iruka was at a loss for words. He put a tanned hand on the blonde hair and ruffled it as he thought carefully about what he should say. "Sometimes things just happen. It may not seem like it right now, but sometimes there is no reason, sometimes good people end up hurt."

Naruto looked up into the tan face and mumbled, "I am not a good person."

"Don't say that! You are a good person. You're the one who saved my life. You're the one who keeps saving the people who wish they could destroy you in this village. Don't you ever say you're not a good person!"

Naruto pulled away from Iruka and stared at the cat mask sitting on the end table for a moment before realizing exactly what he was looking at, an ANBU mask. "Iruka-sensei?"

"Yes?"

"You're in ANBU?"

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"I have been a member of ANBU ever since a mission I was sent on turned out to be S-ranked and I made it out without a scratch."

Naruto again blinked. "You never told me you had been promoted because?"

"I'm glad to see your focusing on something else and I didn't want you to worry about me."

Naruto shook his head in disbelief and offered to make them both tea. Iruka nodded and followed the blonde boy into the kitchen, but paused in front of the couch looking at the two sleeping teens. "Are they staying with you?"

"Yeah, I can't get them to leave. What kind of tea do you want?"

"Whatever you have on hand works."

The boy nodded and set about the task of making the drinks. He set the water to boil and got out two cups opting to use tea bags instead of tea leaves. He didn't have the patience to go through the hassle of making tea properly. 'I want Iruka to stay too. He makes me feel safe.'

Iruka sat at the table his hands folded in front of himself lost in his own train of thoughts, 'If I ever find out which villagers did this to him they will never see the light of day again. He is not the same boy I taught in the academy. His spark is gone. I hope there is a way for him to get that spark back. I can't stand seeing Naruto like this.'

Naruto put the cup in front of his former teacher and took a seat across from him. They drank the tea in a comfortable silence. Iruka put both cups in the sink and began washing them, "Naruto you should get some sleep. I can let myself out."

The boy nodded reluctantly and headed for his room.

Sasuke got up off the couch and shuffled into the bedroom to check on his teammate. He saw Naruto was sleeping soundly and then the Uchiha started going about his morning routine. A slightly devious look passed across his face momentarily. 'Maybe starting our rivalry again will get him to come out of his shell again. I need to start off small though.'

With those thoughts in mind, Sasuke filled a bowl with water and headed for the blondes room and proceeded to dump the water on Naruto's head. The sleeping boy jerked awake sputtering, "I'll kill you for that you dick!"

Sasuke laughed and said, "To do that you need to get up, get dressed and stop letting the morons of the village get to you. Until then, you will never be able to win against me. Hell, you wouldn't be able to even beat an academy student right now."

Naruto shook his head and slowly got out of bed, his movements slowed. 'There is the Sasuke I know. I think he is trying to get me to cheer up. It won't work though.'

Sasuke left the room so his teammate could get dressed in peace. He went back to the living area and shook Sakura's shoulder lightly to get her up. The pinkette gave him a bleary eyed look and stood slowly stretching, "Sasuke-kun I have an idea to get Naruto to regain a little of himself."

"What?"

"I think we need to get him out of the village for a while. If he stays here, he may stay depressed, but if he is away from the people and the memories connected to here, Naruto may perk up some."

Sasuke nodded, "I will talk to the Hokage about it."