Okay all, here's the next chapter of Woah Baby! I thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter, and I also thank all those people who added me to their faves and/or alerts lists. It's really appreciated.

To my anonymous reviewer, Blaster, thanks loads for reviewing. I don't intend for Naruto to stay traumatised for long. As for Naruto's artistic talents, remember that even in the Manga, Naruto wasn't always a prankster until he got a little older, and I wanted to give him a surprising talent at any rate. I hope this chapter sorta clears things up a little for you however.

To my anonymous reviewer, adorable sora, thanks so much for reviewing. I appreciate every review I get. Also, I dunno if you did recommend this fic to your cousin, but if you did, thanks for doing that also, and I hope he or she enjoyed reading it as much as you did. I have been taking my time to get this chappie right, although for some reason I do think something is missing, but that could just be me being paranoid LOL! Anywho, don't be sorry for talking so long. It certainly doesn't bother me. In fact I know how much someone enjoyed reading my work by how they talk, so it's nice to have extra words to decipher (nods). Anywho, I do hope you enjoy this chappie as you enjoyed the rest of the fic so far.

To my anonymous reviewer, rei-san, thanks so much for reviewing. Yes I do read a lot of Naruto, but I also have an extremely good memory capacity, so whenever I read something more than once I remember it without problems and I always try and pay close attention to detail when I write about other characters in my fanfics (such as Naruto). Anywho, I'm glad you love the story so far and I hope you continue to enjoy it. Also I don't believe you're the first person to review and say you wished this was happening in the Manga. I believe someone else did review saying that, although I cannot for the life of me remember who it was at the moment. LOL!

To my anonymous reviewer, cmm2, Thanks for reviewing, of course and I know he seems to be growing up quickly, but all jutsus run out of fuel eventually. LOL! Plus I thought it would get boring if I dedicated a chapter to him growing a year older every week. So I decided to give him big age differences to give some different personality traits for everyone. I do hope that you enjoy this chapter however, and once again, thanks for reviewing.

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Woah Baby!

Chapter Eleven – A Bond That Became Twice As Precious.

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Sasuke awoke the next morning to loud crashes and Karin screeching bloody murder. Sasuke frowned as he went looking for the cause of his rude awakening, and found that Karin was covered in flour and chasing a nine year old Naruto around the kitchen. The boy was laughing loudly. "No way you're catching me tomato head!" Naruto yelled. Karin looked at Sasuke in exasperation. That was when there was a knock on the door. Sasuke answered it to find Iruka outside.

"I think we need your help." Sasuke stated. Iruka blinked and walked into the kitchen, to see the mess. Iruka put on his stern teacher face.

"Naruto!" Iruka called. Naruto stopped straight away and looked at Iruka.

"Oh… hey Iruka-Sensei. How are you today?" Naruto asked sheepishly.

"I'm not happy that you're pulling pranks on your guardians already." Iruka stated. Naruto pouted. "Come on Naruto you have to behave yourself." Iruka stated gently. Naruto walked over to Karin and held out a hand.

"I'm sorry miss." Naruto said softly. Karin took Naruto's hand and shook it. The boy grinned. "See Iruka-Sensei! I apologised!" Naruto exclaimed. Iruka nodded and then started explaining why Naruto was at Sasuke's house instead of at his apartment. Naruto nodded his understanding and then Iruka went to leave. "Hey Sensei! Aren't I going to the academy with you?" Naruto asked. Iruka looked at Sasuke in confusion. After all, they knew Naruto would be very confused if he walked into a classroom full of people he didn't recognise.

"Naruto, I'm going to be training you this week. Think of it like special training that no one else is getting." Sasuke told Naruto simply. Naruto's eyes went wide and sparkling.

"Seriously? Wait until I show Sasuke-Teme all the cool new moves that I'm gonna learn! Oh oh, and wait until I show Sakura-Chan!" Naruto exclaimed happily. Then he ran off to find the bathroom. Sasuke and Iruka both looked at each other awkwardly.

"This is going to be a strange week." Sasuke said softly.

"You'll get used to it Sasuke. Just remember that he'll be more hyperactive now. Also if you do want to teach him anything, it's best to try explaining it in a different way. Naruto tends to not take in what you're saying unless you change the way you say it. He's always been that way." Iruka stated. Sasuke nodded.

"Thanks Iruka-Sensei." Sasuke replied. Iruka nodded, just as Naruto ran back into the room.

"Hey, hey, Iruka-Sensei can we go for Ramen later?" Naruto asked cheerfully.

"If you're good for your teacher here." Iruka replied. Naruto nodded his understanding, and Iruka said his goodbyes. Once that was over with, Naruto stared at Sasuke.

"So when are we gonna start training, huh new Sensei?" Naruto asked.

"After you eat a proper breakfast." Sasuke replied.

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For the first two days, Naruto seemed to be perfectly well. He didn't prank as much, especially seeing as he was getting all the attention he needed from Sasuke teaching him, one on one. However, Naruto seemed to become sadder as each day passed. Sasuke would take Naruto to Ichiraku's every day, and on their way back, Naruto would look over at the small lake, towards the end of the tiny dock, and Sasuke knew what Naruto was looking for. Still he felt the need to ask. "Naruto what are you looking for?" Sasuke asked bluntly. Naruto looked up at Sasuke carefully, and then he looked at the dock again.

"I was looking for Sasuke-Teme. He usually sits there every day." Naruto stated.

"Why do you call him Sasuke-Teme? Do you not like him?" Sasuke asked.

"It's not like that!" Naruto exclaimed. Then he looked around and looked down at his feet sheepishly. "I dunno if I should tell you, Sensei." Naruto said softly.

"How about I promise that what you tell me will be a secret between us?" Sasuke questioned. He knew that Naruto needed to get something off of his chest. Naruto nodded.

"Well… it's just… well Sasuke is in my class. Everyone loves Sasuke. I dunno what makes me and him so different. I mean we both haven't got any parents. We're both alone. But everyone loves Sasuke. I mean… at first… when I thought that Sasuke was like me… I really wanted to go and speak to him. I really did. But Sasuke… Sasuke and me… we're different. Everyone thinks Sasuke is great and they all think I'm rotten." Naruto said sadly.

"So let me guess, you think that Sasuke doesn't deserve all this praise that he's getting?" Sasuke asked. Even though he knew the answer, sometimes it didn't hurt to hear Naruto reaffirming how deep their friendship went.

"It's not like that Sensei! I mean I… I admire Sasuke. I want to be like him. One day people will look up to me like they do to him. But you promised you wouldn't tell anyone, so you better keep your promise Sensei!" Naruto exclaimed. Then he ran off ahead of Sasuke. Sasuke couldn't help smirking, but he noticed that Naruto still looked over at the dock as he was running off, still looking for Sasuke's nine year old self.

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Naruto looked out of the window on Friday afternoon. It was pouring with rain, and Naruto was sat on his bed. Well... his bed at his new Sensei's house. He started wandering around his Sensei's house, and started taking notice of things he hadn't really considered before. He saw the symbol that Sasuke always wore on his clothing, all around the house. He decided to go and talk to his Sensei about it, when he heard his guardians talking. He decided to do what any nine year old boy would do. Eavesdrop on the conversation.

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"Sasuke, you know it is weird isn't it?" Karin said to her team leader. Or rather, her old team leader. She was pretty sure that they weren't really a team anymore.

"What's weird?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, it's just that Naruto is so smart, and yet sometimes he acts stupid." Karin stated.

"He probably learned to do that from a young age. People expected it from him, so he gave them what they expected. Children do that, or so I've been told." Sasuke replied.

"Well I hope he doesn't feel that way with us." Karin stated.

"I'm sure he doesn't Karin." Suigetsu replied. Juugo nodded his agreement, and the group went back to their own activities.

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Naruto was thoroughly confused as he moved away from the kitchen door. "How comes Sensei has the same name as Sasuke-Teme?" Naruto thought to himself as he wandered off back to his temporary bedroom. "I'm gonna find out. Maybe Hokage-Jiji will know. Then I can show him the new stuff I'm learning. Maybe I can pull a prank on him too." Naruto added mentally, as he climbed out of his bedroom window. As he climbed down, his foot missed his next foothold, and he slipped. His ankle caught in something and he heard a loud snap, and felt a severe shooting pain in his leg. He yelped in shock as he carried on falling, but he wasn't loud enough to carry over the storm that was now raging outside. He fell to the ground and was unconscious within moments.

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Sasuke was curious when he didn't hear any sounds from Naruto. He went to the boy's room, only to find the window open and no sign of Naruto. Sasuke's eyes went wide. He leapt out of the window, landing in a crouch, and soon found Naruto. The child was soaking wet, and still unconscious. Sasuke could see his ankle was broken. "I'm such a lousy guardian." Sasuke thought to himself irritably. "Sakura is going to kill me when she sees Naruto in this state." Sasuke thought again. He scooped Naruto up and ran all the way to the hospital. He didn't stop for a moment. Not even to tell Karin, Suigetsu or Juugo what had happened. He was sure they'd be angry later on that he hadn't said anything. He ran into the hospital and found Tsunade and Sakura discussing something.

"What the hell happened to him Sasuke?" Sakura yelled.

"I don't know Sakura. He must have tried to climb out of the window and fallen. That's what all the evidence suggests." Sasuke stated. Tsunade took Naruto from Sasuke then.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. He seems to attract trouble. We'll fix him up and take him to room six zero nine. Go and wait there." Tsunade stated. Sasuke nodded and watched as Tsunade and Sakura rushed off with Naruto, and Sasuke couldn't help but think one thing.

"Naruto is going to be annoyed if he doesn't have his pyjamas and his hat. I'll go and get them and come back." Sasuke thought to himself. He also knew he would tell Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo what was going on when he got there. He sighed hoping that Naruto would be alright.

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When Naruto woke up, he recognised the whiteness of a hospital room. Everything felt heavy when Naruto tried to move. He turned his head very slowly, and saw his Sensei sat at his bedside. "What happened to me Sasuke-Sensei?" Naruto asked groggily.

"I never told you my name was Sasuke." His Sensei replied.

"I heard you talking to tomato head." Naruto replied.

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Sasuke couldn't help but laugh. Of all the things Naruto could start calling Karin, tomato head had to be the thing he chose. "You decided to climb out of the window and fell." Sasuke stated. Naruto looked at Sasuke thoughtfully.

"Oh yeah I remember now." Naruto said sleepily.

"We were all very worried about you Naruto." Sasuke told Naruto softly. Naruto looked confused.

"Who's all?" Naruto asked.

"Me, Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo. They've been waiting here since I went to get your pyjamas from the house, after I bought you to the hospital." Sasuke stated. Naruto looked at Sasuke curiously.

"Why would you care?" Naruto asked.

"Because Naruto, you're my student and because I care about you. I was scared that you were badly hurt." Sasuke stated kindly. He knew Naruto needed to hear kind words.

"I thought grown-ups didn't get scared?" Naruto asked.

"Everyone gets scared Naruto. Even the strongest person in the world is scared of something." Sasuke replied.

"Everyone?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded. Naruto seemed to be considering this information for a moment. Then he grinned at Sasuke. "What are you scared of Sensei?" Naruto asked cheekily.

"I was scared that you were very badly hurt earlier. I don't want to see someone I care about die." Sasuke replied. Naruto nodded his understanding.

"When I'm a grown-up I'm going to be a great Shinobi, and then I'm going to become Hokage. I'll protect everyone I care about, and I'll make sure that nobody has to be alone." Naruto said sagely. Naruto then looked at Sasuke curiously. "How comes I can't move my ankle? It really hurts and there's something real heavy around it." Naruto questioned.

"You broke your ankle." Sasuke replied. Naruto looked at Sasuke with wide blue eyes.

"But-but how am I gonna train with a broken ankle?" Naruto yelped out.

"Don't worry Naruto. I'll find a way to train you." Sasuke replied. He was just relieved that Naruto wasn't dead. Tsunade had told Sasuke that Naruto would be fine in a few days. The healing power of the Kyubi was an amazing thing for a clumsy nine year old to have. Then Naruto sneezed loudly. "That will teach you to go out in the rain without a decent coat." Sasuke stated sternly. Naruto looked confused.

"I never had a coat before, why would I need one now?" Naruto asked. Sasuke felt a stabbing pain from within at Naruto's comment.

"Well we'll have to remedy that won't we?" Sasuke stated. Naruto nodded sleepily and soon he was deep in the world of dreams. Sasuke was just glad that he was alright.

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The rest of the week went without any problems. Naruto was ordered to stay in bed, by Sasuke, and read some theory scrolls, to improve Naruto's thinking skills. The boy grumbled at first but soon complied at the bribe of Ramen. Sasuke had made sure to keep Naruto wrapped up warmly. That last night, when Sasuke knew Naruto was going to become his twelve year old self again the next day, Sasuke couldn't help looking over the sleeping Naruto, and wondering what he would tell him tomorrow. After all, Naruto could be thinking anything, from being a graduating Genin, to just being on the verge of taking the exam. Sasuke wasn't sure how he would handle twelve year old Naruto. He sighed as he thought about it, but decided he would go with whatever Iruka told the boy. Naruto seemed to trust Iruka implicitly, and Sasuke was grateful for that. A few years ago, Sasuke would've been just slightly jealous of the fact that Naruto didn't trust him, but now, he had learned that it was better to have someone around that Naruto trusted then no one at all. Sasuke just hoped that things would be alright tomorrow. That was all he could hope for as he tucked Naruto in, and left the room, heading for his own bed. He couldn't help but toss and turn, thinking about what tomorrow would bring for all of them.

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Okay all, next chapter, twelve year old Naruto. What will happen? Find out next chapter. LOL! Please R&R and let me know what you think people. I always appreciate it when I hear from you all. See you next chapter everyone.