A/N Hello my faithful readers, PLEASE review!!!1

What was Lost, What was Gained

ch. 8

Hinata POV

The meetings have been going on every night since all the rookies agreed to help. Each night we met in the school attic, so far Naruto hasn't sent us much info, execpt this afternoon Naruto sent a huge piece of information. They got a reliable lead and are heading right for Itachi they said. Apparently it came from the sand village. Not to much of a surprise considering Naruto had strong connects with a certain Kazekage.

"So Naruto and his team are going after Itachi..."

Kiba said in a rather disturbed voice. His arms were folded as he and Akamaru shared a moment both looking uneasy.

Shikamaru placed his fingertips together in the way that helped him think. Everyone was quiet, thinking what was suppose to be said next.

"When is Neji and Lee suppose to get back?"

Tenten asked from the corner. Both her teammates had gone to collect a message Naruto was sending tonight about their plans, it could determine whether the rookies move or not.

"I'll check."

I immediatly started forming the approiate hand signs. This was a new jutus Naruto had taught me before he left. All the rookies passed a tiny bit of our own chakra into each other, then using this jutus we we can create a chakra link between each other that only we can recieve. It's engenius way for the rookies to communcate with each other without anyone else over hearing. If only Naruto and his team would have given each of us some of their chakra we might be able to reach them and this all would be alot easier. The chakra link open and I focused in on Lee and Neji chakras.

"Neji, Lee. Have you gotten the message yet?"

A moment passed, I felt their chakra connect back to my body. Neji's came the strongest.

"Yes, we have the message, no discovered us...but we have a bigger problem."

"What?"

I said in my mind as I extented my chakra again. Lee's chakra connected first.

"We will explain it to everyone, we'll be there in another minute or two."

I broke the connection, letting my head go back to normal. I looked back at my friends.

"They'r about here."

I said having a bad a feeling rise from my gut, bad news. Naruto...had something happen?

Sakura's POV (Earlier that morning)

All morning I had a blush on my face. Every now and then as we were packing up camp. Sasuke would brush his hand against my back or waist. I face would heat up why he looked like he hadn't even looked my way. I knew Naruto wasn't as clueless as I said he was, I knew he picked up on it quickly, but just because he's Naruto he acted like the idiot we called him. When I was kneeling down to packing my bag, I was so surprised when Sasuke leaned over my shoulder his lips brushed against my ear and cheek. Everytime I would look at him he ingnored me but I knew he was trying to show more affection just for me, withour being obvious.

"Sasuke! I got the message from Gaara!"

Naruto came running up to us just as Sasuke was removing his hand from my waist for that brief moment. Sasuke snatched the letter from the blonde headed teammate and scanned over it.

"At the border of the Mist country, near the border of the Tea."

Sasuke said. We had decided to contact Gaara and see if he had anything we could use, we knew he wouldn't with keep information from Naruto about his. Jraiya's tip was all the way at the Rain country, if the Akatsuki were after Naruto then they would want to be close by. Naruto had sent Tusnade a report saying that they were having little sucess and would have to take side roads to the Tea country to keep a low profile and that we would arrive in the Tea country in another four days. This was the plan so Tusnade-sensei wouldn't get to anxious and sent anbu back-up and we could have this mission done before she even thought about sending back up again.

"I think its a good idea if we don't follow pery sages trail just yet. All would take is one cute girl and we would be walking around each country until the Akasuki caught on."

Naruto laughed weakly, but we had to admit, it was true.

"Gaara is as good of source, proably better. Alright let's head to the borders, I have a long over due family reunion with my brother."

Sasuke announced, and instantly we took off in the trees, running with all we had, toward what we would hope lead to our future.

Hinata's POV

Shikamaru let down the shadow that protected the window to the attic, Lee and Neji jumped in quickly landing in the middle of the room. I walked over and Neji handed me Naruto's letter, I instantly recongized Naruto's sloppy chicken scratch handwriting.

Hey Hinata,

We got a tip from Gaara about Itachi. Gaara swore he did this research by himself so no one else knows about this. We'll check it out first and if we don't find any evidence then we'll follow up on pery sage's tip. Though I'm afraid that we won't have time to check both without Granny Tusnade getting wind of it. So we had to pick and well Gaara sounded more sure of a solid lead. So I'll keep you guys updated. The next letter should come tomorrow evening. Thanks Hinata for everything, and tell the rookies thanks too.

I love ya girl, and your blush.

Love Naruto

He put in that last part because he knew I would blush, and I was. He always had to add something like that especially when all the other rookies would read it.

"They're going with Gaara's tip, what's so bad about that?"
I asked passing the note around, Neji didn't answer untill all the rookies had read it. Then he and Lee looked at each other, even I became worried when I saw how upset Lee looked. Neji cleared his throat and took the letter back.

"Our problem is what we came across as we were heading back here. We stopped by Hokage tower because we saw Jriaya heading in, and in the middle of the night that's never a good sign."

"Especially how upset he looked."

Lee added in.

"We over heard what they were talking about. First just local business and just when we were about to leave Jriaya got all serious again. He told Tusnade that the Sand wanted Gaara to visit Konoha in the next week to talk about the akasuki."

Neji got quiet again.

"So, you still haven't gotten to the point yet."

Shino mumbled.

"Well Jriaya said Gaara would travel to Konoha from he Grass country where he had been for the last week and a half."

The whole room tensed, realization hitting all of us, our eyes widen and myheart stopped. But somehow I was able to find my voice.

"If Gaara was already in the Grass country...that means...he couldn't have given that tip to Naruto."

My voice faded in the end, I looked at each of my friends, their look copied my own. Lee nodded.

"That means, someone interccpted that message that was meant for Gaara and is now sending Naruto and his team right into a trap. They'll be at the borders within the next day."

I froze again, my hands clasped into a tight fist.

"Prepare rookies, we leave in an hour. We have to catch up to them or..."

Tears swelled in my eyes.

'We might lose them."