Hi everyone. I'm glad you all liked the last chapter. Here's the next chapter ready for your consideration. I hope you enjoy it.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
Two Hearts One Soul.
Chapter 7 – Leaving The Village.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
Naruto packed a few of his personal belongings and his latest picture of team seven. Sai and Yamato were also in it. Naruto gave a small smile at the picture. He also packed a photo album into his pack. He looked around his room in the Uchiha compound, and he was very sorry to leave. "It's better this way. At least I won't make Sasuke obligated to me." Naruto thought to himself. He felt bad not saying anything to Sasuke whatsoever. He had told everyone else he was going on a special mission for Tsunade, and Sai was going with him. "I'll just write him a letter and leave it with Tsunade Baa-Chan." Naruto thought to himself. He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and started to write.
Sasuke-Teme,
I've been assigned a recon mission. I don't know when I'll be back, or how long I'm gonna be. But I will be coming back, that's a promise. You know me and my promises.
Make sure you look out for Sakura and everybody while I'm gone. Not saying Lee can't protect her, but we're like family to her, so just make sure you go and visit sometimes. Oh and look out for Baby Kohana too. I'll miss you Teme.
Naruto.
Naruto finished the letter and put it into an envelope. After writing Sasuke's name on the front of the envelope, Naruto decided to take it to Tsunade to make sure Sasuke got it. He'd spent a couple of days in the hospital and by the second day, Naruto was fully healed thanks to Kyubi. The babies were flourishing, despite being born early. He had hidden them pretty well whilst he was in Konoha. Sakura had helped a great deal, by going to buy baby necessities for him. Of course no one would suspect Sakura of buying baby things for him she did have her own baby. She had bought him a few blue baby grows, diapers, baby formula, two thick baby blankets and two blue pacifiers. She explained away the blue by saying Kohana was going through a phase of liking the colour blue, even though she was just a baby. People never questioned her, after all babies could be fussy at the best of times. Naruto had found a couple of baskets, and lined them so they were soft enough for the twins to sleep in. He knew there was no way Sakura would be able to get baby baskets without arousing too much suspicion. Naruto stared down at the two babies. He had already grown to love them beyond reason. Hijiri and Hisoka Uzumaki stared at their father with wonder. Hisoka fussed a bit, and then started wailing. Naruto shook his head with a smile on his face. He picked up Hisoka and cradled him gently. Hisoka stopped crying straight away.
"He seems to like attention." Naruto turned to see Sakura in the doorway holding Kohana.
"Yeah he does. Hijiri is always content to sleep in his basket." Naruto replied. Sakura smiled.
"I'm going to miss you when you're gone Naruto." Sakura said sadly.
"I'll be back. I promised didn't I?" Naruto replied. Sakura nodded.
"If he ever confesses that he loves you, to me, I'll tell him about you and the babies." Sakura stated.
"I suppose that's fair. I am making you keep all of this a secret." Naruto answered. Sakura smiled at Naruto.
"Let's talk about something nice. It is your last day here for awhile." Sakura said happily. Naruto nodded in agreement and started a conversation about the actual mission that he and Sai were going to perform while away. Tsunade had given them a mission to do, that wouldn't make the time wasted. Naruto was supposed to find those in the Land of Waves with the potential to be ninja, and open up an academy in the Land of Waves, to train them. Once Naruto was going to come back to Konoha, they would discuss who would run the new academy. Sai was going to be back and forth, helping Naruto with the academy and making reconnaissance missions into Sound territory. There had been rumours that Kabuto was leading the sound village now. They needed to confirm what was going on, and if there was any threat to Konoha. Sakura smiled as Naruto explained everything. "Well at least something positive will come out of you leaving. The Land of Waves will have a chance to protect its self." Sakura said happily. Naruto smiled.
"They joined fire country with Tazuna as their Daimiyo. I suppose it's only fair that they get the chance to defend themselves." Naruto replied.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
That evening, Naruto and Sai were ready to leave with Jiraiya, the twins in their makeshift beds. Sakura was waiting to say goodbye to them, and she had Kohana with her. Tsunade arrived after a few minutes. "You all know what you're going to be doing for the next few years right?" Tsunade asked. Sai and Naruto nodded. Jiraiya merely grinned, and Tsunade had the urge to hit him, but she refrained. She didn't want to hit him in front of the innocent babies. She couldn't explain why that was, after all, the babies would never remember it happened. But none the less, she still refrained from hitting Jiraiya. "You take care of yourself brat." Tsunade said to Naruto. Naruto nodded, and was surprised when Tsunade hugged him. Sakura hugged Sai, and then moved over to Naruto once Tsunade had stopped hugging him. She hugged Naruto, and smiled at the two males she considered family.
"Good luck both of you. I'm gonna miss you. Make sure you write to me. I want to know how the little guys are doing." Sakura said. Naruto and Sai nodded.
"I'll bring letters from Naruto when I come to make my reports." Sai said quietly. Sakura grinned at him.
"Oh, talking about letters." Naruto stated. He pulled a letter out of the pocket of his orange long-coat, and handed it to Tsunade. "It's for Sasuke. I felt bad not saying goodbye or anything. It just says that I'm on a mission for you, and I'll be back. He's still my best friend, and I had to say goodbye in some way." Naruto said sadly. Tsunade nodded her understanding.
"I'll give it to him as soon as he gets back brat. I promise." Tsunade said softly. The group left the village. Naruto carrying his twins, Sai following behind, and Jiraiya in the front. Sakura and Tsunade watched as they walked off into the night. Sakura felt the tears well up in her eyes once they were out of sight. What shocked her was when she turned to look at Tsunade, and saw that tears were glistening in her eyes also.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
One month later, Sasuke walked back into the village with Lee and Chouji. They were exhausted, but they had gotten the job done a week ahead of schedule. "I can't wait to see Sakura-Chan and Kohana-Chan again!" Lee exclaimed. Sasuke smirked a little.
"It'll be nice to actually see everyone." Chouji admitted.
"I suppose it'll be nice to train with the Dobe again." Sasuke said.
"Are you talking about Naruto?" They turned to see the speaker was Ayame. None of them had realised that they'd been passing the Ramen stand, until Ayame had spoken.
"Yeah I was." Sasuke said.
"He's not in the village. He left a month ago." Ayame said sadly. The three men looked very confused at this point. Even Sasuke. "Apparently, he was sent on a special mission for the Hokage with Sai, and Jiraiya-Sama is leading them. We don't know what it's about." Ayame added. The males made their way to the Hokage tower. Sasuke was going as quick as he possibly could without arousing suspicion. When they got there, they saw Sakura holding Kohana in her arms. Lee grinned and ran up to them happily. Sakura smiled happily to see her husband home safe and sound.
"Tsunade-Sama, where's Naruto?" Sasuke asked. Tsunade looked at him for a moment before answering.
"He's on a special mission for me. He did however, leave you this." Tsunade replied, taking a letter from her desk and handing it to him. "He wanted to say goodbye, but there wasn't time. So he left that letter with me to give to you when you got back." Tsunade added. Sasuke bit his lip and nodded. He gave Tsunade his report for their mission and then left the Hokage Tower as soon as he could. He got home and sat down to read the letter. Once he'd read the contents, he felt strange, like a part of him had been torn off without him knowing. He felt silent tears travelling down his cheeks as he finally realised something within himself. Something he'd tried to bury forever.
"I Love Naruto." He thought to himself. He'd been having rather… strange dreams since the night of Sakura's wedding. Dreams that involved Naruto. They had felt so real, but he'd ignored them. He had wanted to ignore his feelings for a long time, because of the obligation he felt to his family about having children. "It doesn't matter anymore. I need to tell him when he comes back. If he comes back." Sasuke thought to himself as he sat down on a chair feeling numb.
