A/N: Yes I know it's been way over a month since I updated this but yeah. Though I was on school holidays I had a school camp plus work plus homework, looking around universities and I had this class I had to attend as well. That and since I haven't spent any time with my friends I had to try and find time to catch up with them so yeah I ran out of time so I am very sorry to have let you all down. Oh and I had to change some of the characters birthdays so sorry if they don't all match up.

This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful Beta who has really helped me make this chapter better than it was and helped me with all the suffix things so thank you so much Rikku.

Disclaimer: All my attempts so far have failed so I have yet to own Naruto

Previously

"What is going on?" Tenten demanded as she spotted Gaara behind the desk while the others all piled into the room. Yet it wasn't Gaara that answered.

"Heh, impatient as ever, Tenten. Its nice to see you haven't changed since I last saw you." The newcomer was given confused expressions, while the Sand Sibling held ones of amusement. Neji and Tenten were shocked. This was just before Tenten lunged at the stranger and hugged him tightly. She smiled, tears running down her face.

"Oh my god…!" she said as the man laughed.

"Surprised?" he asked as Tenten nodded.

"I missed you so much!" She told him as the man hugged her back just as enthusiastically.

"Me too, Tenten, it's good to see you again." He said as Tenten stepped back to look at him, while Neji stayed still, unsure of what to do or say, or even think.

"Heh, you haven't changed either," Tenten said with a playful tone, her eyes glowing with happiness. "Have you, Lee?"

Old Friends

"Nope, not at all!" Lee told her happily, grinning as she hugged him again. He looked over at Neji and gave him a thumbs up.

"And you as well my youthful team mate!" he declared as Neji rolled his eyes. Yet at the way Tenten was smiling with happiness and hugging him, he couldn't help but want to punch his old team mate in the face. Tenten, however, seemed over the moon at the arrival of her old friend.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as he laughed.

"Ever since you and Neji left, I have decided to keep the youth flowing and moved on and became part of another team while Gai-sensei decided to show the new genin how to be as youthful as we were!"

"Really?"

"Yes! Sometimes, I give him a hand. He still says that they are nothing compared to us" Lee told her as she giggled.

"I miss him…"

"He misses the two of you as well, as did I!"

"I missed you, too, Lee." Tenten told him as Lee nodded.

"Anyway, since than, my and my new team have been receiving a lot of missions to come help out here and I have become good friends with Gaara! I have taught him to be as youthful as myself, but he does not look like it right now…. Anyway, he took me aside and told me of his youthful encounter with you! I could not help but come and see for myself!"

"I am glad he told you. Thank you, Gaara-dono." Tenten said to the red-haired man, whom had stayed silent for the conversation, whom nodded in reply.

"Don't worry, I won't speak a word about you being here, I swear on the power of youth!" Sasuke looked at the boy oddly.

"We… Appreciate it?" He said as more of a question. Neji leaned over subtly and whispered

"He means that he won't tell anyone…" Sasuke nodded in realization. Neji understood his confusion of 'Lee language'.

"So, this is Lee, your old team mate?" Naruto exclaimed, looking at the boy who was wearing bright, green spandex and had massive eyebrows. His first impression was that this boy was a freak.

"Yep! Everyone, meet Rock Lee, Konoha's Green Beast! Lee meet our group, Shikamaru and Ino. Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and you already know Hinata I think and of course you know Neji as well." She said, pointing to each on in turn as she said their name.

A chorus of, "Hey, Lee!" and, "Nice to meet you." Lee smiled to them all as they gave their greeting.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you." He said politely, eyes focused on Sakura.

"It's nice to see you again, Lee-san." Hinata said as Lee smiled at her.

"Yes, you, too, Hinata-sama." Lee said before walking forward and grabbing Sakura's hand. He bent down and kissed it, making Sakura look at him strangely, while Sasuke glared daggers at him. Lee chose to ignore that.

"And Sakura isn't it? Such a beautiful name for such a beautiful woman."

"Um, well, uh, thank you, Lee." Sakura said nervously as Hinata tried hard not to giggle. Sasuke, though, resisted the urge to strangle him. Tenten rolled her eyes and laughed at her friends.

"You are most welcome, Sakura-san." Lee said as Sakura blushed and Sasuke growled, his arm going directly to her waist to signal that she was taken.

"Lee…" Tenten warned as she pulled her friend away. "Leave Sakura-chan alone."
"She's taken." Growled Sasuke.

"Alright, Tenten-chan." Lee said as he looked over at Sakura once more and gave her the thumbs up.

"The power of youth flows strongly through you!" he called as Tenten slapped him playfully on the shoulder.

"LEE!"

"Sorry" he said sheepishly as he turned back to Tenten.

"Anyway you have to tell me what's been happening since we left" Tenten told him as he laughed and put his hand around her shoulder.

"I will, I will. And you must tell me everything you have been up to. I see you found Hinata-sama!"

"Yes, we did." Tenten said with a small laugh.

"Yet, you didn't return home. Why what that?"

"That was my fault, I wanted to stay and so Neji and Tenten stayed as well to make sure I was safe." Hinata explained as Lee nodded.

"I see. Of course, Neji would have wanted to stay with you and, therefore, Tenten-chan as well." He said.

"Thanks for understanding, Lee."

"Think nothing of it, Tenten-chan. Though, what are you all doing and why did Hinata-sama stay?" asked Lee.

"That's a long story, Lee."

"I'm sure it's not that long."

"Ok, well, we're hunting down Itachi and the rest of Akatsuki fought them twice and now Orochimaru is after Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura, we're going after him so everyone can stay safe when we get rid of him."

"Wow. That was you guys?"

"Yep."

"That is incredible!" Lee exclaimed as Tenten grinned.

"Like I said, it's a long story."

"And I have plenty of time!" Lee told her as Tenten smiled and nodded.

"Than come on, there's a lot to talk about and I want to hear about what's happening back at home!" Tenten said enthusiastically.

"That we do." Lee said. "Come, join me in my room and we can talk there."

With that said Tenten and Lee left the room, leaving a fuming Neji behind. Hinata looked over at her cousin and sighed. She knew that things were going to be strained for the next couple of days and she also knew that Neji wasn't the best at handling situations like this. She just hoped that he kept his cool, otherwise it wouldn't just ruin his friendship with Lee but cost him Tenten as well.

-

-

It had been another two days or so and the gang was once more lounging around, well most of them. Tenten was out with Lee again which seemed to make Neji rather irritated. He was currently sitting in the corner of the room meditating and looking extremely annoyed. Of course, his two team mates had asked if he would like to accompany them but he had turned them down. Truth be told, he couldn't stand watching the way they mucked around, seeing Tenten so happy and full of life and joking around, just like the old days. She hadn't been that way for a while and he was already fearing that when Lee returned she would want to go too. She had been spending all her time with Lee, and Neji had also realized that she was a lot more popular than he first thought.

The others had noticed this and the mood Neji was in and were making sure to stay away from him in case. Ino was still not feeling the best and was currently lying on the couch with a magazine. She had yet to tell Shikamaru about her pregnancy but this was mainly due to the way Shikamaru was spending a lot of time with Temari. The two were always seen playing a game, which had been one of Shikamaru's favorite, or cloud gazing. This was making Ino just a tad bit jealous for she knew that there was some history between them, she just wasn't sure what. So while she tried to figure out just what was going on between them she was keeping the baby a secret.

However, today, Temari had other business to attend to so Shikamaru was teaching Hinata how to play while Naruto watched near by. Although they were probably the happiest couple at the moment Hinata still couldn't help but feel that they weren't actually going anywhere. She had even tried to explain or the systems of the leaders and villages to Naruto, but he had seemed only interested in his beloved ramen. She was starting to wish that he would be just a little serious so she could discuss their relationship, instead of others. Little did she know, Naruto had been listening and it had only reinforced the fact that Hinata was a lady of considerable status, while he was just an orphan with no money and a demon inside of him.

Sasuke, although in a much better mood, was still a lot more serious than usual and, despite his casual attitude, Sakura was still worried. She knew there was still something wrong with him. He refused to train with anyone, going off alone for hours to train and always coming back looking exhausted and in considerable pain. Sakura still had no idea what was going on, what was wrong with him and he still wasn't talking. Every time she brought it up, he would reassure her that it was nothing for her to be concerned about and that he was sorting it out and to just concentrate on her own training. Although Ino was pregnant she was still teaching Sakura about healing, knowing that she wasn't really going to be able to heal so it was all up to Sakura now.

"I guess you win again!" Hinata exclaimed with a sigh as Shikamaru smirked.

"He never loses, Hinata." Ino said off-handedly, not even bothering to look at them as she flipped a page of her magazine.

"What? He always wins?" Naruto asked.

"Yep. Our old instructor could never beat him, either, no matter how hard he tried, Choji, too. Told you he was a genius"

"Ino…" Shikamaru warned, not liking talking about his dead teacher and friend. This just made Ino sigh angrily.

"I believe Hinata could beat you, if you didn't have more experience!" Naruto said loudly as Hinata blushed.

"Maybe." Shikamaru said with a yawn.

"No, she could, I mean, you've been playing this for a lot longer." Naruto argued.

"I guess."

"And you're older!..." Naruto added then frowned and looked at Hinata.

"He is, isn't he?"

"Umm… I don't know." Hinata admitted as she looked at Shikamaru. "I don't really know how old he is…"

"Yeah, me either!" Naruto said with a laugh. "Actually I don't know how old anyone is, or when you guys' birthdays are."

"Same." Sakura commented. She was on the other couch, reading a medical book she had borrowed while leaning against Sasuke, who was staring out into space, deep in thought about something.

"We can change that." Hinata said as she looked at them all. "We all know Naruto is twenty and he had his birthday fairly recently. As for me well I am still nineteen still and my birthday is on the twenty-seventh of December."

"So you would be the youngest then" Ino added as Hinata shyly nodded. Ino giggled and smiled for her. "I guess you defiantly are the baby of the group then."

"So your not twenty yet, you don't know what its like to be out of the teen's than." Naruto teased.

"Leave her alone." Ino ordered.

"Wait everyone else is, are they not?" Naruto asked.

"Shika and I are," Ino replied. "We're all twenty, Tenten, too. Neji, I believe, is twenty-one, though."

"Yes he is, when are your birthdays, then?" Hinata enquired.

"His is September the twenty-second, and mine is the twenty-third." Ino told her.

"That's cute." Hinata exclaimed.

"What about your cousin?" Ino asked.

"His is on the third of July, if I remember correctly." Hinata said.

"Hey wait a sec!" Naruto cried all of a sudden as he turned to Sasuke. "Remember when Temari said she doesn't go for guys who aren't in there twenties?"

"Yeah, she did." Ino said, ignoring the fact that she currently hated Temari. "Does that mean Temari knows how old you are?"

"Hn, my clan was pretty well known." Sasuke explained.

"Yeah." Ino agreed.

"So was the massacre," Sasuke added with a frown. "And the survivor."

"That being you." Sakura pointed out as Sasuke nodded.

"So, are you really nineteen?" Naruto asked.

"Hn."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Hn."

"Well, when is your birthday then?"

"Hn." was all Sasuke said, choosing to ignore his friend which only caused Naruto to become extremely frustrated.

"TEME."

"Dobe." Sasuke muttered as he covered his ears.

"Well, answer me!" Naruto demanded.

"Hn."

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked as Sasuke sighed.

"I am nineteen." he murmured as Naruto cracked up laughing.

"Hey, does that mean you're the youngest or the second youngest?"

"Second, Hinata's younger than me." Sasuke told him.

"So, the big tough leader is still in his teens!" Naruto teased as Sasuke glared at him.

"Shut it, dobe." he warned.

"So, when is your birthday then?" Ino asked as Sasuke looked away. .

"What? Why won't you tell us?" Naruto persisted.

"Hn."

"Sasuke what's wrong with your birthday?" Sakura asked him.

"I hate my birthday." He said.

"Why?"

"Hn."

"Sasuke."

"I haven't celebrated it since I was eight, and that one was spoiled by my…by Itachi. Then my parents were killed a few weeks before my ninth." he admitted with a sigh as Sakura gave him a sad smile and squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"I'm sorry..."

"Hn, don't be."

"So, um, when is yours than, Sakura?" Hinata asked, trying to direct people's attention of the young Uchiha, or more so Naruto.

"Well, I don't really know." Sakura said looking down.

"What? How can you not know?" Ino exclaimed as Shikamaru sighed.

"Ino."

"What? How can she?"

"Well, I haven't really celebrated my birthday, well, my parents died when I was little so, yeah, I don't remember." she explained.

"So, you don't even know how old you are?"

"Well, I know sometime this year I'm suppose to be turning twenty, whether I have already I'm not sure." Sakura told her impatient blonde friend, who still couldn't believe Sakura didn't know when her birthday was.

"Do you have any idea when it is?" Hinata asked her. "Is there anything you can remember, like what the weather was like?"

"How would that help?" Ino interrupted.

"It would tell us what season, for a start." Shikamaru informed her.

"Well," Sakura began as she started thinking. "I remember my parents taking me for a picnic on my last birthday."

"So?" Ino said.

"Hold on, there may be something we can use, continue." Hinata told her.

"Well, there were leaves starting to fall, because I played in them." Sakura continued.

"That means you must have your birthday during the start of fall." Hinata explained.

"Which must have been at least a week or so ago, since we are half way through fall already." Shikamaru reasoned.

"Great I hate winter." Ino muttered.

"Well, that means that your birthday has just passed." Hinata told her.

"Guess I'm twenty, than." Sakura said with a shrug.

"Ha! Your old than teme!" Naruto laughed and Sasuke glared at him again.

"You know what that means!" Ino said loudly.

"Um, Sakura is older than teme?"

"No dobe, it means that…"

"Hey, only teme can call me that!" Naruto shouted as Ino rolled her eyes and continued.

"It means that we need to have a party for Sakura!"

"That's a great idea," Hinata said. "We can invite the sand siblings."

"And we should have it tomorrow night, right before Lee leaves so he can come, too." Naruto added, having taken a liking to the strange green boy.

"Hn, it's a good idea." Sasuke agreed.

"You guys don't have to go to this trouble..." Sakura told them.

"Nonsense, Sakura, you deserve it!" Ino said.

"And we want to!" Hinata exclaimed with a smile.

"We're doing it." Sasuke said firmly, smirking a little.

"I'll go ask Temari." Shikamaru said at once, getting up and heading for the door as Ino grabbed a pen and started writing down everything they would need, while Hinata went over food she would cook for the celebration. Sasuke put his arm around Sakura's waist and held her close.

"Thanks..." she murmured as he smirked again.

"It's what you deserve." he told her. "And I'll make sure it is a night to remember."

"I have no doubt about that!" Sakura said with a grin.

-

-

The day had been filled with party preparations from Temari. Kankuro and Tenten's decorations, to Ino and Sakura's shopping trip to get everything they need, Naruto and Sasuke going off to buy the alcohol, Shikamaru, Neji and Garza's planning on how to keep there party from being interrupted by unwanted guests such as the other leaf shinobi's and at last Hinata had spent all day cooking food for a big feast and plenty of desserts to pig out on as well. With the help of Lee who turned out to be a rather good cook himself surprisingly.

All in all the day went by smoothly, with the exception of Neji glaring every time Kankuro decide to help Tenten out with the decorations and many times ended up on the floor laughing together. Everything had been ready by five and so they had all left to get ready for tonight, in which there had been promised to be a few surprises in store for them all. They all quickly got ready and made there way to the function room which was a huge lounge that Gaara had kept for formal occasions and given them permission to use. It was extremely spacious and on arrival they found that Gaara had already got some of his men to set up all the food and drinks.

"This looks awesome guys" Ino complemented as Tenten laughed.

"Luckily Kankuro here is good with art" she explained as Kankuro looked at her, frowning a little.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well your make up always looks nice" she teased as he glared jokingly at her and grabbed her.

"It is not make up" he said, laughing as he began tickling her which made Neji clench his fist and glare at the two.

"Lee help" Tenten called as Lee laughed and joined in. Neji just turned away, grabbing the nearest bottle he could find and sitting on the couch, opening it up as he went and sculling it down.

Hinata reached and turned on the music, grabbing Naruto and demanding he dance with her. Temari smirked and grabbed Shikamaru, pulling him from his spot on the couch so he could dance with her. Ino glared at the two, feeling her jealousy rise before Sakura put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come and dance with me" she asked as Ino smiled and nodded at her friend, changing the song and turning the music up.

Sasuke stood in a corner next to Gaara as he watched his girlfriend dance, her pink her swaying as she moved and smirking lightly as he brought a bottle of sake up to his lips and took a sip.

After a little of this they all decide to try some of Hinata's feast she had prepared. It didn't rake long to people had dug in to the delicious Domburi, Onigiri, Soba, Udon, Yakisoba, Sukiyaki, Yakitori, Miso Soup, Gyoza and for Naruto his beloved Ramen. After they had all had there fill, thanks Hinata and Lee for there wonderful effort, they sat around making light conversation until a knock on the door alerted them to one of the Suna guards whom had poked his head in.

"Kazekage sir" he called as Gaara stood up.

"Yes"

"You and your siblings are needed for a quick meeting, it should only take half an hour or so" he told them.

"Who is it?" Gaara asked.

"The leaf shinobi have a few questions, better to avoid suspicion and come along" the guard advised him as Gaara nodded.

"We better go" Temari said.

"Yeah and the sooner we get there the sooner we can get back to partying" Kankuro added as they all stood up and headed for the door.

"We should be right back" Gaara told them as they went to leave.

"Yeah me to, I have to go fetch my surprise" Lee exclaimed as all four excited the room and the remaining eight turned to face each other.

"So what now" Hinata asked as they all shrugged except for Sakura and Ino who shared a grin.

"What?" Tenten said looking at them and suddenly feeling that this wasn't going to lead to a good outcome.

"We play a game" Sakura replied with a giggle as some of the boys rolled there eyes and Tenten sighed.

"What game?" Hinata asked as Ino giggled this time and turned to her.

"Two truths and one lie"

"That doesn't sound too bad" Hinata commented.

"And after that I never" Ino continued. "When all the others get back of course"

"Hn" was Sasuke's response to all this as the boys sighed and Tenten groaned, burying buried her hand in her hands and fearing that she was right.

"This is not going to end well" she mumbled, looking at the bottles of alcohol lined up. "Not very well at all"

A/N: Sorry the chapter was so short and well nothing really happened but yeah there is really no excuse. The next chapter will be better though with the party continuing and all but I still need Ideas so yeah help would be appreciated. The games are two truths, one lie and I never so any questions or anything that would help is really needed. The more ideas I get the sooner I can update. Thanks and please review!


BetaNote: If I made any mistakes, please let me know
on my profile. PM me, because I don't think that Bec cares that I made a mistake when she didn't. If you have any complaints about the spelling or grammar, copy and paste the section you thought was unacceptable and let me know what was so unacceptable about it, so I'll be sure not to mess up later. Anyway, thanks from Bec and myself for reading and please review! (Oh, stupid me, I'm Rikku Madara Uchiha, if you don't know.)

Though on that note the last section has not been edited so yeah sorry for any mistakes made their.