And this is my story Chapter 7: Confessions and a Thank You, a naruto fanfic

My parents and I were walking thru the park on our way back home; I stood in between them, holding my mother's hand with my left, and my father's hand with my right. We had often gone to the park on days they had no missions, my parents would sit and watch as I would run around with whatever group of children happened to be there that day. I remember walking with them, when my father just stopped dead cold in his tracks. My mother turned asking,

"What's wrong dear?" My father had just stood there for a moment;

"Someone's here" My mother instantly froze her grip on my hand tightened, before letting up just a bit; my father dropped my hand saying,

"Stay here, if I'm not back in 5 minutes run home, both of you." It was not a question, but a demand; my mother stepped in front of me as my father ran towards the forest that closed in the park.

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-In the forest-

"I know your there, show yourself." The man's harsh voice demanded, but what he saw was not what he had expected in the lease bit; for a small boy with yellow blonde hair and red puffy eyes.

The boy had jumped out of a nearby tree, he wore a black mesh under shirt with an over sized dark green sweater, that fell slightly off his shoulders, with black sweat pants, and black gloves covering his hands. The boy looked as if he had been crying; and the over protective father was taken back that the presence he had sensed was that of the small boy. Before he could say anything the boy spoke up first;

"I'm sorry" with that the small boy who couldn't have been over the age of 8; ran, but the adult ninja was much quicker as he reached the little blonde boy, grabbing his shoulder, not harsh but with slight pressure that told him to stop running.

"Now son, why would you run from me?" the boy froze up, at the words spoken to him, and the touch he always yearned for from his own father. It was clear to Naoki's father that the boy was stunned,

"Why are you out here all by yourself?" He had to ask even though it was clear the answer the boy was crying and probably didn't want anyone to see. Boys were always told 'Boys don't cry' but to him after everything he had seen in war, never did he look down on even a grown man who would weep for one lost; he always said that if he ever were blessed with a son he would never tell his son such words, for crying meant you were alive, just the same as breathing, or bleeding. Finally the young boy gathered his courage to speak back up,

"I ran." That was all he said and began sniffling; clear to the father he didn't want to talk about it, much less to a stranger.

"Why don't you come with me; I have someone I would like you to meet." The young boy just nodded his head; he silently wondered; who it was the stranger wanted him to meet.

After what seemed like ages of intensely watching the line of the forest; Naoki's mother finally let out a sigh of relief as both Naoki and her saw her father emerge from the tree line, but what surprised her was the small boy he held hands with as he walked out of the forest. Surly the threat that had tensed him up so much could not have been the small blonde he walked out with, right?

As he made his way back to them a small smile graced the fathers face. While the younger boy watched intently at the ground, Naoki's mother could clearly see his tear stained face, hoping that it wasn't her husband who had caused the young boy to cry.

"And who is this?" The mother asked she said it in a way that was of pure curiosity.

"Hmmm, I guess I never did get your name, well go ahead speak up." He gently placed his hands on the boys shoulder hoping to in courage him to speak;

"Deidara, my name is Deidara." The young boy's voice was weak and low, undoubtedly from crying.

"It's very nice to meet you, Deidara; I hope my husband didn't scare you too much, he means well his just a little over protective." A small smile was on the women's face as the young boy named, Deidara looked up but almost as fast as he looked up at her his attention was drawn towards a small girl wrapped around her leg like she was hiding. The women gave her daughter a nudge;

"Go ahead honey, introduce yourself." The small girl took a step forward with new found confidence;

"Hi Deidara, I'm Naoki Hibiki, it's very nice to meet you."

"Oh goodness dear it's already dinner time we need to get going." Naoki's mother said.

"I guess you're right, well come on lets go." With that the father began walking towards the parks exit; not taking notice that his pride and joy stayed with the boy. When he realized he was the only one walking he turned on his heel looking back, with a small smile on his tanned face; as he saw his daughter standing talking to the boy he had brought from the woods.

"Daddy, can umm Deidara, eat dinner with us, please?" Said 'daddy' looked towards his wife both exchanged a smile and an all knowing look before;

"Of course honey, but let's get going." Before the boy knew what was happening the small girl had grabbed his hand and began running towards her parents, her new friend in tow.

Naoki was pulled back to the present as Deidara pulled her into another embrace; she nestled her head into his chest quietly speaking;

"I never saw you after that; I didn't know what happened to you." He gently rubbed his hands up and down her back, comforting not only her, but just the fact that he was holding her calmed and comforted himself. 'God if only she knew how long I've wanted to hold her like this.' He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, but when that breath left his lips it felt like a weight had been removed, a weight that he'd been carrying for the past 12 years; now he had her in his grasp and there was no way in hell he would let go of her, not again. After a few moments just holding her, Deidara finally spoke up, pushing down the lump in his throat;

"I know I always want to tell you why, you never saw me again, un" she tried to push herself off of him to look at his face, afraid if she didn't watch his lips she might miss something; her struggle ended when he just pushed her closer into him as if to say 'if I don't hold onto you, you might leave' she relaxed closing her eyes, she focused on the words leaving his mouth.

"When I went home that night my mother had been crying; but when she saw me walking with your father, she seemed like she perked up a bit; if only a little, then she ran over to me, hugging me asking over and over again where I had been, un. Your father explained everything to her, and she seemed a little saddened by the fact that he had told her you were quite fond of me; at the time I thought nothing of it, un. Only later did I know why, once your father left my mother told me we were moving back to my home town, you see I was born in the land hidden in the rocks, she said that I was too much for her to handle by herself anymore and we were moving back in with her parents, un. I asked her when we would be leaving and she said bright and early the next morning, that's when I broke down and cried again; finally I had made a friend and she was ripping me away from you; that's when I started to hate and despise my own mother, un."

I was stunned to say the least; honestly I didn't know what to say so I just buried my face into his chest and whispered;

"I'm sorry, Deidara I just didn't know." We just sat there for a while him holding me and I was cuddled up in his chest, I felt him shift his weight as he stretched out his legs so now we were basically laying on the plush black coach; after hearing his story I felt a little bit more comfortable about him but he still stole me away from my life, even if it wasn't much of a life.

I sat up to his disappointment, walking over to one of the many book shelves, scanning the books; I could hear him get up from the coach and walk towards me. I pretended to focus even harder on the book in my hand; it seemed like it was about the Hidden Leaf Village. He grabbed the book from me, pulling me into a hug, he nuzzled his face into the cross roads of my neck and shoulder; whispering an almost silent;

"Thank you."

Wow it's been a while, but I hope it turned out as good as I wanted it to, trust me the next update won't take nearly as long; I had real bad writers block. Well review if you have and suggestions on how I can improve!