A/N Sorry for the delay. Life has been catching up with me, and I have been busy. Hopefully, what happens in this chapter helps ease the tension you all have with me right now. Heh. ^^;

Now on to the story…

Thoughts: 'Thoughts'

Speaking: "Speaking"

Chapter 10: Guard and Déjà vu Part. 2

"I should have known that would turn into an interrogation," Konan thought as she walked through the dusty dirt path, "But they received what they were after, I hope."

Konan was in search of Naruto but didn't know where to look. She already searched the village and asked other ninja of his whereabouts, but none of them knew. One person said he saw him a couple of hours earlier, but that didn't matter because Konan was with him during that time. People really knew how to be clueless at times.

"I will probably never find him now. He could be anywhere," Her thoughts began to worm their way onto what happened just a couple of hours earlier. 'He looks so much like him. And just when I thought it was just a fluke that we were brought together.' She combed her hair with her slender fingers as she thought about it all. The similarities were astounding. It was as if the boy was unknowingly turning into someone to prove a point to Konan. She didn't really need any more proof after what happened the night before. When she poured her heart all over the blonde, now orange haired, boy's shirt, she then realized that maybe he could truly change everything without a doubt in her mind. If he could give at least that much comfort for the woman who would never let anyone do something as have someone lend a shoulder to cry on, then maybe she could trust him. But after seeing a recognizable hair color that she knew all too well, it set her thoughts in stone about who he truly was. "'The chosen one"'

That was when a bright shade of pink caught her eye. The pinkette was roaming up the pathway with a concerned look over something and Konan was curious. She had read up on this girl while she was still in Akatsuki and also realized that she was a friend of Naruto's, 'That girl…'

"Excuse me, Sakura-san is it?"

The one in question looked up from her daze and saw the Jounin in front of her with a semi-concerned stare, which was peculiar. Sakura didn't really like Konan for the simple fact of being an Akatsuki, but with her Leaf Jounin status and Naruto's approval of who she was as a human being, then she learned to deal with that little nagging voice, "Yes, My name is Sakura. You're Konan, right?"

"Yes," The Jounin responded with finality, "You're Naruto-san's friend, am I correct?"

Sakura stared at her impassively, but only briefly as she wondered what the woman wanted, "Yeah, why do you ask?"

Konan breathed a sigh of relief, "I was looking for Naruto-san. He left Kakashi-san's tent to look for the Godaime while I was under an interrogation, and after all of this happened, I haven't been able to find him. Do you know where he is?"

Sakura grit her teeth only slightly as she heard whom the woman was asking for, "Why are you looking for him?"

"I just have something that I need to discuss with him. It involves his Kekkei Genkai."

The pink haired girl lowered her eyes, but only for a moment. It was as if she was contemplating something. She then lifted her head; "He's talking to a couple of Kumo Ninja, just down this path."

Konan brightened up slightly after hearing his location. She had been searching for him for the last half hour and finally found out where he had been the entire time. "Thank you, Sakura-san," She replied while bowing, "You have saved me a lot of trouble."

She gave Sakura a nod and a slight smile, departing around the pink haired girl's right.

"I know what you're doing…"

Konan slowed to a stop.

"…And it's not going to work."

Sakura angled her eyebrows in anger as she turned her head just enough to view Konan, "Naruto is not going to change, no matter what you do to him."

The Jounin turned around to see a tempered Sakura staring at her. The look in Sakura's eyes was cold, as if she had some unsettled emotion with the blue haired woman.

Konan could only look in slight confusion at her words, "Sakura-san, what ever you think I am doing to Naruto-san, I'm n-"

"Save it," The pink haired girl replied narrowing her eyes, "I know you have some plan to make Naruto see Pein's way of peace. It will never happen. Naruto is far stronger than you think he is. He knows what is right and what is wrong and he will see through your lies," Sakura then turned her head forward and gazed outward as Konan frowned.

She didn't have any rebuttal and only fell silent, turning around and continuing her journey to find Naruto. It was always impossible to talk to someone who misunderstood.

Sakura only heard footsteps slowly dissipating as she stood there. A lone tear fell from her face while she breathed in and out softly.

(Space Break)

Konan spent another five minutes searching for Naruto as she walked the path. She was thinking of what Sakura thought about her intentions. Konan was going to do no such thing. Her mind changed the day she left the hollowed paper tree. If Nagato believed in Naruto, then she would too. Those plans for the Jinchuuriki were left the day Nagato died. She had no real use for any Jinchuuriki as she was not in any foul temper with the rest of the world. She just wanted to live and let live, but sometimes that became impossible if others didn't see it the same way.

It wasn't until she came over a hill when she heard a scuffle and some shouting from a female. There was a wooden shack that was hidden pretty well in the woods, but she could see it. That's where most of the noise was coming from. The shack was decrepit and the sounds didn't sound like they were coming from the inside. She decided to investigate. She made sure to keep a quiet foot and lower her chakra signature as she crept around the tree's trying to stay hidden. She came upon a tree and got a slight view of what was going on. There was a red headed female ninja along with a blonde headed, dark skinned male ninja. She assumed they were teammates. The female was huffing as she took a breather and rested her palms on her knees. She was out of breath but didn't look like she was ready to quit any time soon.

"I'm telling you, no amount of me beating you to death will make me feel better!"

So she was beating somebody senseless. It was obviously one against two as she sat there and observed.

"I won't stop hitting you until you tell me about Sasuke!"

That name alerted her to something. She was very positive that not many Leaf village ninja knew about Sasuke since he has been a missing-nin for quite some time. That only left her to ponder a little quicker as in whom they were beating up. It wasn't until the gleam from their headbands caught her attention and she went on full alert.

'Kumo ninja. Then that must mean-"

She moved her position only slightly to try and get a better view of whom they were fighting. That was the moment she saw orange and black clothing. Only one person wore clothes like that.

'Naruto!'

Something happened to Konan when she saw him that way. She didn't know what it was, but it felt like something breaking inside of her. Then a heat rose from her stomach as she stared a little longer.

The Kumo Kunoichi came for another full swing as she tried to match her target with her fist, but everything froze as a blue haired woman entered the fight. She rushed no faster than the Flying Thunder God Technique itself as she intercepted the punch with her paper technique.

"If you lay one more hand on Naruto-kun, I will kill you!" She slowly raised her head up to reveal two dull amber eyes. Her eyelids were lowered with fury as she stared at the red headed Kumo female, "Make one subtle move and I won't hesitate. You will fall where you stand."

"Konan-chan…" Naruto replied as he lifted his head at the sudden interjection the blue haired woman made.

"W-What the hell?" The female Kumo ninja responded as she noticed her entire arm encased in papers and frozen stiff.

"Naruto-kun, you don't have to tell these Kumo ninja anything," Konan told Naruto with intensity, "And you don't have to put up with them anymore. They will answer to me!"

Naruto, baffled at what was going on, tried to string coherent thoughts together. But then realized something, getting up to speak with a stiff jaw, "Konan-chan, Leave them alone. This is my fight."

"Naruto-kun," She replied with a little anger, "You don't understand. I have to protect you. If I can't fulfill my duty of protecting the one who will change the world, then what good am I?"

'Protect me?' Naruto thought silently, but those thoughts were cut off as the Kumo ninja interrupted.

"I know you!" The female Kumo ninja responded after a quick thought and got angered even more, "You're an Akatsuki member! Why are you wearing a Leaf headband!"

"I am no longer a part of that terrible group," Konan stated, as she looked the other female in the eye, "That group no longer serves its original purpose and I have no interest in obtaining any Jinchuuriki. My only goal now is to protect Naruto."

"Do you expect us to believe that?" The female Kumo-nin responded with venom, "Once an Akatsuki member, always an Akatsuki member."

"I don't care what you believe. It is the truth," Konan responded while tightening the papers around the Cloud ninja's hand who began groaning from the pressure, "If you don't want a crushed hand, then I suggest that you cease your squabble with Naruto-kun."

The Kumo ninja tried to struggle free once more but relented and relaxed her posture as she stood there, putting her other hand up in surrender. She knew that she wasn't strong enough to go against an Akatsuki member, even if she was an ex member. She was here to find information, not to fight the Leaf, "Damn it."

"So, why are you helping the Leaf village?" The male Cloud ninja asked as he spoke up for the first time, "It is unusual for an Akatsuki member to be so generous."

Konan chose her words carefully while releasing the paper technique on the Kumo Kunoichi's hand, "Because I have an unpaid debt and I wish to return it, no matter what it takes," She glanced at Naruto while he looked on in silence.

"Omoi, Karui, Did you get any information?" A blonde headed, big-busted woman asked as she jumped down from a tree.

"Oh, Captain Samui!" The red head replied in shock, "I didn't realize you were here."

The blonde captain eyed Naruto with a studious gaze, "Are you causing trouble again Karui?" The one known as Samui asked the other female cloud ninja, who only looked down.

"But Captain Samui, that woman was an Akatsuki member," Karui yelled as she pointed over to Konan. Samui watched as the blue haired woman knelt beside Naruto with a frown on her face, while trying to figure out how bad the damage was that he was dealt.

"It doesn't seem like she is a threat," Samui brought up, "And plus, she is a Leaf ninja now. If we tried to take her in, it would only cause problems for our village," She mentioned while noticing Konan's attire and Leaf headband.

"But-"

"She's right Karui," Omoi stated as he looked over to both Leaf ninja, "We don't have the proper authority to take a Leaf ninja prisoner. We will just have to wait. Man, Raikage is not going to like that."

Karui huffed as she turned her view away from her group and looked over to Konan.

"Konan-chan, I'm fine."

"But Naruto, you can't stay here like this."

"Look, I'm fine. I'm the nine-tails Jinchuuriki," He replied as he tried to stand, "See? Nothing to- Ngh!" He then slumped as Konan tried to help keep him standing by wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Karui only watched them in silence as her angry features dropped a little, probably from thought more than anything else.

"If we haven't found anything by now, then we need to gather information from their archives," Samui replied while looking to her teammates, "We don't want the same thing happening to Killer Bee as did to Yugito-san. Once we're done with that, we're going to take whatever information we have and give it to Lord Raikage. I'm sure with everything they have, we will find some intel useful."

"Hey… Take me to the Raikage," Naruto started as he gained the attention of the Kumo ninja, "I want to speak with him personally."

Samui contemplated for a moment before responding. She heard many villagers talk about Naruto Uzumaki and she heard many good things about him. But even though she heard all of those encouraging things that gained her trust, she still couldn't give him clearance, "I can't give you a proper pass to see the Raikage. Without many guards watching over him and us not knowing who you are nonetheless, we can't allow that."

The Jinchuuriki frowned once he heard that. He was almost sad about it.

"Omoi, Karui, Let's go. We have a lot to write to write down," Samui said while jumping back into the tree. Omoi left with her and Karui gave one more stare to the Leaf ninja before she followed suit.

Once they were gone, Naruto fell silent. A forlorn look etched across his face while he stood with Konan. He was stuck again. It was getting harder to protect his only brother.

"Come on," Konan replied to Naruto with a slight smile, snapping him out of his daze, "Let's get you patched up."

(Space Break)

Konan and Naruto made their way to his apartment. It only took a few minutes because the path ran straight to their end of town. Once they came up to his home, Naruto pulled out his key and fumbled with it until Konan took it from his hand and unlocked the door. Naruto was lightly startled at her for grabbing the key from him, but he realized that it was just easier that she did it instead of him. He already had one eye swollen shut, so his depth perception was getting the better of him. Konan opened the door and walked inside with Naruto's arm still over her shoulder. Then with a light push, she closed the door with a simple click.

They walked over to his couch and Konan placed him on the far right end. Konan walked away for a few moments and left Naruto to himself. After another minute or two, she came back out with multiple supplies in her hands. Bandages, patches, and ointments were just a few things the Jinchuuriki could see in her hands. Naruto looked at her with sadness.

"Konan-chan, you don't have to do this for me," The orange haired boy replied while looking down to the floor, "I can get Kakashi-sensei or Sai to hel-"

"No," The paper angel replied abruptly while casting a similar glare to the ground before turning her eyes to face him, "I can do this for you. You've… already done enough for me. I can't even pay you back a fraction for what you did."

"But… I didn't even save Nagato from Madara," Naruto responded letting his eyes lose their luster, "I'm so useless and stupid. I didn't even give a second to realize that I could have saved Nagato's body from that bastard," Naruto clenched his hands on his pants as he glared at his tight fists, "I could have saved his body and protected his Rinnegan. I didn't even come early enough to save you from getting beaten to death. I cou-" Naruto's eyes widened as he felt something wrap around him.

It was Konan.

She wrapped him into a hug with her arms going around his neck. Naruto tensed for a moment before soaking in the hug. She came to his ear and spoke lightly, "Naruto… You're not useless. You have done many things that even I couldn't or wouldn't do," She pulled out of the chaste hug and looked at him with her hands resting on his shoulders, "Even if you couldn't save Nagato's body from Madara, you did save me. I think that counts. So what if you didn't come earlier? You came when I needed you the most and saved me from my imminent death," Her eyes lowered as she spoke about the fight, "I really thought I was done for when he cast that genjutsu on me with that horrid Sharingan."

(Flashback)

Before she could finish her sentence, the evil man placed a death grip on her neck, "You didn't think I'd let you do something like that did you?" She could feel the life slowly fading from her body as Madara continued talking, "I will wilt your flowers of hope and fade the bridge to oblivion. When I am finished with this jutsu, your life will be no more, but before I do that, you will show me where he lies."

She dared a look into the man's eye as the jutsu took place.'N-No… I can't… No!

Before she knew it, the world changed into something a lot more bleak and everything faded. There was nothing but blackness and silence as she lay there or she felt like she was lying, but couldn't really tell. Emptiness kept sight from her. She tried to sit up but couldn't really move and just decided to lie there. That was when there was a small flashback of the battle that had just taken place. It was more like it was going in slow motion this time, all the way until he grabbed her by the throat and gazed at her with an eye full of hatred, and then it restarted again and again showing the same thing all the way until he glared at her with his Sharingan, 'Was that really how it was supposed to end?' She thought as she laid there unmoving, 'Nagato will never be saved now. I can't protect him. Why am I so weak?' She clenched her hands, or felt like she wanted to, and cried silently without any feeling of wetness on her face, 'My only hope lies in Naruto now. He will bring that man to his end. I just know it. He is the true embodiment of light itself.'

After she said that a small light peered through the darkness. It was a pinpoint hole, but it was extremely bright. She looked at it curiously and tried to get up to get to it. What was the light? Why is it there? With every fiber of strength she had, she slowly got up. More or less, she willed herself to get up. Nothing was going to keep her down. She was trained that way. She began to walk, or felt like she was walking anyway, to the light. She walked for what she guessed was five minutes, but the light still didn't get any bigger. It scared her that maybe she wasn't ever going to reach the brightness. She started running to it, trying to get closer in everyway she can. Then she stopped a few more minutes later and fell to her knees. She started sobbing again. Was this some kind of sick joke? Was some God trying to play with her and her emotions? No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get any closer to the bright light in the distance. She couldn't take it. She was, in all actuality, a very feeble minded girl. She was scared and felt alone. This was who she was. The cold outer shell and everything she was before was stripped away from her. This was her true form.

"I knew it! I'm pathetic! I can't do anything right! Why is everything so difficult!" Konan pounded her fist on the black surface she was sitting on and brought her knees to her shoulders and wrapped her arms around them, resting her head on her knees, "I should just… die alone."

A couple of moments later, a figure placed his hand on her shoulder, "Hey Konan-san, you shouldn't give up."

Konan slowly raised her head up and revealed puffy eyes and cheeks. But it wasn't the Konan everyone now knew. This Konan took the form of her twelve year old self in an over sized Akatsuki outfit. She looked up and widened her eyes at who she saw, "N-Naruto-san?"

The figure looked down at her with a wide but warm grin. He was a golden colour with a golden cloak with bright golden flames that danced around his form. He also bore black tattoo like designs on his torso that was unknown to Konan. Of course she recognized him entirely once she saw the whisker marks etched on his face.

"I know you want to just forget everything and I understand that, but… if you do that, then you will never know what will be in store for you," He replied warmly.

Konan looked at him for a moment before responding. His presence was astounding. She had never seen him like that before. His appearance was calming in a way as well because only a few moments ago she was so tired of it all, but now it was as if something was different.

"But Naruto-san, How am I supposed to have anything in store for me. I died. He used his Sharingan on me," The blue haired girl replied in question and looked like she was going to choke on tears again.

Naruto placed his hand to his chin as if in thought, "Yeah, I suppose you're right. You seem to be in a pretty bad situation."

"That's what I thought!" Konan replied in anger, "Even you don't even know how I will ever live again! I knew I should have never believed in you! You're just a big fake who never knew the realities of life!"

Naruto stood there silently as he took in all of her insults. He looked at her with an impassive face, "I never knew you thought that about me."

Konan cried to herself as she sat there.

"If you truly feel that way about me, then I guess I will just-"

"No! Please stay here! I'm sorry, Naruto-san. I'm just… I don't know what to do," She replied making Naruto stop midway in his turn around.

Naruto walked over to her with his brightened aura following him, "Konan-san, You are a strong woman. You already know what you must do. You knew the entire time."

Konan looked back up at the now grinning Naruto and pondered momentarily. What did he mean she already knew? Unless… "I should help to defeat Madara."

Naruto gave her a wider grin that turned into a foxy smile, "Exactly, did you think I could kick his butt without you? You know everything about him. You know his moves, his weaknesses, and what he is planning. If you weren't around, I don't think I could do it on my own. Besides, we're best friends now aren't we?"

Konan thought about his statements. 'Friends?' She thought of the alliance as nothing more than a bond of countries, not a friendship with Naruto. Could they really be friends? She smiled at the thought. 'Another friend…'

"Now," Naruto started as he held out his hand, "Are you going to mope around or are you going to help me give this guy the ass kicking that he deserved a long time ago?"

That statement took Konan aback for a moment before she broke out into the warmest smile she ever had in a while, "Sure, Naruto-kun, Let's do it!" She grabbed his hand as he lifted her up to her feet.

Naruto made a mad dash towards the light while Konan ran side by side with him. The further they ran, the closer the light was coming. Konan slowly changed to her adult self with each step she took as they slowly picked up their pace by moving faster and faster. The light was looming ever closer as Naruto looked over to her and responded with a determined smile, "Don't worry Konan-chan. I will help you every step of the way. We will do this together. I promise…"

Konan returned the smile and a light nod at her friend as they gained even more speed that was fast enough to break the sound barrier. Suddenly they came to the giant light as it encased both of them and consumed their masses…

There was darkness yet again. It was so dark before, but this time… it wasn't as bad. She could feel an aching on her body. It was aching all over. There was a booming sound and something kept hitting her face. It was a feeling she knew was familiar. Her body felt like it was rocking in a jagged motion and a faint hissing sound eventually turned into what sounded like water pelting on water. And before she knew it.

Cough Cough

A violent coughing session was ensuing. She coughed a multitude of times as water spewed from her mouth with a light mixture of blood that trickled down the side of her lips. After she calmed down a little, she opened her eyes blearily to see a gray canopy overhead, which turned out to be clouds when she focused a little more. Raindrops were dripping on her face one at a time as she angled her head to see where she was.

The ocean.

"I'm… Alive," She spoke quietly, "But… How's that possible?"

She lazily glared down at the hole in her chest that was supposed to make her bleed out, but yet, nothing seemed to be coming out, "It's healed? I don't understand."

She slowly got up to her feet, which turned out to be a little simpler than she thought it would be, Although she did have a splitting headache after standing up on the water with the water walking technique.

After regaining her bearings, she realized where she was and what she needed to do, "Nagato! I have to protect his body! I just hope I'm not too late!" With a small limp, she began running towards the secret place that she hid Nagato's body in, 'I promise Nagato, I will keep you safe.'

(End Flashback)

"I just don't know how I survived that day," Konan replied while bandaging his torso, "It was truly a miracle that I was ever able to live again. His attack should have killed me, but yet… it didn't."

Naruto looked down in thought as he mulled over everything she said to him. It seemed to surprise him as well. He very well knew that an Uchiha placing a genjutsu on someone was devastating and deadly, after having seen Itachi place Kakashi in Tsukuyomi. It shouldn't have even been possible for her to survive it.

"Yeah, Naruto-san, if you weren't there when I was fending off Madara, I could have very well lived up to the expectation of his outcome to the genjutsu."

Naruto curled his lips upwards as he saw her smile at him. It wasn't a fake smile. It was actually genuine, "Don't worry abou- YOW! It's tender there!" He groaned as he looked at her with squinted eyes.

"Oh! Sorry, Naruto-san!" Konan said with worry that she may have put too much pressure.

"Eh, It's no big deal, Konan-chan," He replied with a half lit smile.

Konan felt a little strange after she heard that response. It was a weird feeling and in a way, it felt… familiar.

After a few moments of silence, the Jinchuuriki became concerned, "Is something wrong, Konan-chan?"

She quickly snapped from her thoughts as she looked to Naruto, "No, nothing is wrong. I am fine."

Naruto contemplated, but took the statement at face value. After another moment of wrapping, Naruto felt a little uncomfortable with their close proximity to each other, but breathed a mental sigh of relief as she finally finished his chest area. It was unusual for him to have someone virtually unknown to him invading his personal space. He didn't really mind it because he knew that she was trying to help, but it really surprised him just how much it bothered him.

"Okay, Naruto-san, lift up your arm for me as good as you can, so I can wrap it," Came the gentle tone of Konan's voice.

Naruto did as he was told and roughly lifted his arm. It was really sore from the encounter earlier that day with the Kumo ninja. 'That woman really knew how to pack a punch. She really beat the shit out of me.' Naruto thought with a groan. He knew he was going to get hit, but he didn't think that it would hurt this much. The orange haired boy tensed as he felt the gauze wrap around his arm.

It started at his shoulder as Konan worked her way down his arm. She still had plenty of wrap to go through as she continued wrapping lower and lower. Then another strange sensation occurred. 'What is this feeling?' Konan asked in confusion. It kept hitting her. It was as if she was forgetting something and had it on her tongue. She couldn't for the life of her realize why she was feeling this unusual sense. She only sighed as she kept wrapping his arm, delicately overlapping so she wouldn't mess up and have to start over again.

Naruto was feeling awkward with the unbearable silence so he started up again. It seemed that Konan was feeling down about something and it made him feel a little sad. So he figured that he could maybe tell her a joke to ease the tension that had fallen ever since she started on his arm.

"Hey, Konan-chan, I think th- Gyaaaaahhh!"

Konan looked up with widened eyes. She shot her eyes over to her teammate. He seemed to be experiencing pain again as she continued to bandage his arm. She stopped immediately as she sat there and stared at him. There was something that she had to get off of her chest.

She was facing problems with her feelings for another shinobi. They were friends since they were young and he was always there for her when she was down. Of course he was an immature boy when he was younger, but he grew into something that she greatly admired. He saved her plenty of times. But they were always doing missions and she couldn't let her affections be known. There was too much going on during the time to allow any of that to happen. Her feelings grew over the years as they continued protecting each other and getting to know each other better. Yahiko was her very best friend that she ever had. Of course, she really liked Nagato too, but she just didn't feel the same way with him. He was always one of her best friends, but she didn't have romantic feelings for him. There was something about Yahiko that made her choose him. Maybe it was his ability to become a leader?

She wasn't going to wait any longer. She had been waiting to do this her entire life. She was going to do it and throw all caution to the wind. She just hoped to God that he felt the same way for her. It actually made her nervous, but she couldn't show it, so she tried her best to put up a decent front. She slowly wormed her way past his leg while staring intently into his eyes. He would only look at her in shock as she crept closer to him by having one leg between his legs and one on the outside. Her face came closer and closer to his as she brought her courage forward. The butterflies started setting in as she could feel his breath softly blow onto her skin. She couldn't stop now because they were so close already. She hit the point of no return. Surprisingly enough to her, he didn't seem to be rejecting her as he sat there dumbfounded by her advance. She was only two inches away from his face as she closed her eyes. She edged slower and slower until she finally encountered resistance as her lips pushed against his. An instant spark shot from her mouth and radiated throughout her body as she kissed the one that she loved the entire time. It was something that she hoped for the entire time. It made her feel, in a way, complete with herself.

The kiss soon heated up as Konan tried to apply her tongue to the equation. The recipient offered no resistance as he let her enter into his mouth and added his own as well. This kiss made her realize that she really did love this man. This kiss made her understand why everything happened the way it did. This kiss was, in Konan's point of view, perfect.

Soon, Konan stopped the kiss as she came out of it for air. Her eyes were still closed as she basked in the recent sensation that came before her. She didn't have anything to say about it. She was content. She finally saw that everything wasn't just one sided, that he also liked her as well. It was a good feeling to be kissed, one that she wanted to experience again and again.

"K-Konan-chan… I…"

The blue haired woman opened her eyes slowly as she looked into her lover's eyes. His eyes were widened as a blush stretched all the way across his face. He never underwent anything like that before. It was his first time.

"Konan-chan, I didn't…"

The woman he was referring to came off of her happiness that etched across her face and soon turned it into a face of utter shock. She was speechless. How could something like this happen? What she had done was unimaginable, unthinkable. Her breathing trembled as she tried to speak coherently, but it was turning out to be a bit harder than she thought.

"I… We… Naruto-san…" Konan said as her face flushed from the moment. She slowly tried to back away from Naruto's face as her butterfly feelings came back. She couldn't believe it. One thing that she never would have thought would happen in a million years had actually taken place right before her eyes.

She kissed Naruto.

DAMN! I can't believe it either. :o

If people didn't know, She unknowingly went into a flashback of where she first kissed Yahiko and didn't realize she was kissing Naruto the entire time in real life.

Anyway, Another chapter done finally after a month and a half. I can only offer my most sincere apologies on the delay. My muse left me during that time and I had to leave writing for a while so I could gather my mental strength back. I am just happy that I wrote this chapter! This final scene for the chapter is actually one of the first scenes I thought of when I began writing this story in January. I hope you all enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed writing it.

No, it's not going to be this easy for them to get together. I have repeated this before. Just a forewarning. Easy relationships are unrealistic and this one is going to take a LOT of encouragement and courage for this relationship to even pick itself from the ground.

Review please. It let's me know what people think of the chapter and story so far.

Next Chapter- Chapter 11: Departure