So... its been... awhile... since i've updated... hehe Sorry! I was to interested in One Piece! Good Anime and Manga! Go watch it. thumbs up

Anyways, I hope you like this long awaited chapter hopefully...

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It would not be as boring as it is right now.

Chapter 10

Dear Tsunade-shishou,

How are you? How are The Rookie 9 and Gai's team? Is Kakashi less perverted now that Shizune is pregnant? (Naruto made me add that.) We miss you all but I can't help but say that I don't feel like returning for sometime. Traveling without having to work is great. No danger a part from the stray bandit. No 30 hour shifts in the hospital. No paperwork. I know you don't like it but you should listen to Shizune, especially now that she is due with a baby in a couple of months.

I can't believe Kakashi-sensei found someone. With his perverted habits and mysterious background, we all agreed that he wouldn't find someone like Asuma-sensei found in Kurenai-sensei. But I'm happy for them.

Hinata wrote us telling me that she has become your assistant. I was wondering why you chose her for a while but then I really don't care. The sun does that to you. You can forget about everything but be nice to here. Unlike me, she will take your drunken humor seriously. She probably asked for the job, now that I think about it. She actually wrote me saying that she was going out with Kiba. I laughed. It felt so good to laugh at how Ino and Ten Ten would make fun of her. I miss our girl's night out at that Dongo Bar where we were almost banned because of you and Anko having a drinking contest. I haven't forgotten, by the way. I should ask Shizune to hide all your sake for a week.

Ino says that it's a welcome relief that I'm not there in Konoha. I smirk at her words and write back a really obnoxious reply about how I've bought more clothes than I plan on wearing and I'll have to give them to Ten Ten instead. She always replies with a senseless comment 'bout how she won't want them anyways. I sent her a package last week.

Naruto is doing well. He's still acting like himself but I can see the subtle differences. He seems so much more fragile now. He tires faster and tends to zone out at odd times. But he's changed. He is much more aware of what the future holds for him. He knows exactly what he wants to do in the coming days and for once we have all the time to do it.

We're in Moon country right now, visiting the royal family. It's great to see them again. Naruto is having far too much fun as the circus is in town for its annual show in honor of the king's inauguration. It's easy to forget how sick he actually is.

We leave tomorrow for The Land Of Waves. Naruto is excited to see Inari, Tsunami and Tazuna but he really doesn't want to leave Moon Country. I understand his sentiments. Naruto wishes to spend 2 in Wave before we head home.

Home. It sounds weird to me at this point because I know once we head home things are going to change. I know that Konoha won't be the same within the coming months and I worry if I will actually be able to live there anymore. I miss Konoha with all my heart but I know I will miss his warm smile even more. I really don't want to lose him but he refuses time and again for any sort of treatment.

He's aged so much in such a short amount of time I almost think he is a different person but then one of his little quirks shows up. I'm not ready to give up. It's only the end of January. I have a lot of time to find something to help him but I still have to figure out if it's the right thing to do.

I hope you and Konoha are doing well, Tsunade-shishou. I'll send a letter giving you the exact day of our return. See you then.

Sakura Haruno

Middle of February

3 weeks had flown by between traveling and their hero welcome at Wave. Naruto and Sakura had agreed on staying another week in Wave and both were exceptionally happy to stay with Tsunami, Inari and Tazuna. Sakura had sent the letter to Tsunade telling her of their return trip beginning the next morning and had been counting the days until they should leave Wave.

Naruto was asleep on the couch, his 3rd nap of the day. Sakura let him be as they had only gone to bed early that morning. The doorbell to the small apartment they had been staying at rung yet again. Sakura jumped up before the villager could ring it again in their haste to serve their heroes and awake the sleeping blond.

She opened the door to Tsunami and Inari holding platters of food. "We brought you some food for dinner and tomorrow," Tsunami whispered. Sakura smiled and beckoned them to follow her to the kitchen pointing out the snoring Naruto on the couch.

"He sure sleeps a lot," Inari murmured as they walked into the buttermilk kitchen.

"Yeah. He does," Sakura muttered, eyeing the blonde hair on the couch as the door closed.

Konoha, Same Day

Sasuke opened the door to his apartment, making sure he locked it and put up several genjutsus before he turned the lights on. He jumped as he saw a blond man lounging on his couch.

"How are you here?" He hissed. "You aren't supposed to be back till tomorrow!"

The man grinned and stretched, his blue eyes locking onto Sasuke's onyx ones. "The real me you mean, Kabuto. I'm only a clone," A mocking grin appeared, stretching the whisker marks adorning the man's cheeks. 'Sasuke's' eyes narrowed. Naruto stood up and smirked at him. "Come on. You really think I didn't realize it? I've fought Sasuke enough to know how he fights. The genjutsu was pretty good though. Almost didn't see it but the thing that gave you away," Naruto grinned. "Sasuke isn't a coward like you, Kabuto. He wouldn't use poison to kill me."

'Sasuke' grinned. "I never thought you were that smart, Naruto-kun."

"Eh.." Naruto shrugged. "I have my moments."

"So, what do you want, Naruto-kun? To know our plan? The antidote that will save you? Hmm? What is it that you've come for?" 'Sasuke' smirked spreading his arms wide.

"Well, I already know your plan. I already know what the antidote is so…" Naruto smiled triumphantly and held up his hand. "This, actually." 'Sasuke's' eyes widened as he saw the radio transmitter in Naruto's calloused hand. "It took me all afternoon to find it."

"You… How…did…. Why would you want that?" Naruto smirked at 'Sasuke's' apparent bemusement at the significance of the radio.

"Well, the Sound village uses these radios and Sasuke is in the Sound village," Naruto grinned. "And Sasuke being the smart person he is, stole one before he was imprisoned. And he is a leaf shinobi so he should have known how to get a hold of someone from the leaf village. You see where I'm going?"

"Konoha knew all along?"

"Well, I did. We kept our whole plan a secret from the village," Naruto sat down and twirled the radio around his finger. "At first I was pissed at him and told him to get his ass back here but after he started telling me some pretty important things about the Sound Village and their plot to destroy Konoha, I actually believed him. I didn't get all the plan though as he was imprisoned by you and Orochimaru so he couldn't interfere." Naruto smirked. "It's just like him to fail at the worst time. Luckily, we thought ahead and he should be out of Orochimaru's hideout by tomorrow morning. I'm expecting a call.

"That's why you need the radio," 'Sasuke' murmured.

"Yupp," Naruto grinned and stood up. "Well, I'll be going now. Don't go anywhere too fast, Kabuto. The ANBU are still watching."

"You really think you'll pull one over on Orochimaru-sama!?" 'Sasuke' cried. "He's a sannin! The best of the sannin! You really think someone so talented will be fooled by such a simple trick!?"

Naruto grinned at him. "Believe it."

Naruto woke up in his tenant's room as his clone disappeared after hiding the stolen radio. He grinned and lay back. "You are as cocky as ever."

"Thanks, fox," He closed his eyes and yawned. "Now all's we have to do is wait until Sasuke calls tomorrow evening."

"Don't forget you still have to tell your mate, kit," Kyuubi stretched, lying down for an afternoon nap. Naruto opened one eye and looked at the Kyuubi. He lay back down and was half asleep before he spoke.

"I'll tell her after we talk to Sasuke,"

"Naruto," Sakura gently shook his shoulder. "Wake up already, Naruto! We need to get going or the merchant is going to leave with out us!"

Naruto cracked an eye open and smirked before groaning and rolling away from Sakura's touch. Sakura groaned.

"Naruto," She whined. "Tsunade-shishou will have my head if we aren't back by tonight. She'll think I seduced you or something!"

Naruto rolled over and looked at Sakura skeptically. "Is that a bad thing, Sakura-chan?" He asked playfully. Sakura flushed and spluttered at him.

"A…Well…no!" Naruto sat up and pulled her closer, catching her lips gently.

"I didn't think so," He whispered before rolling off the bed and sprinting to the bathroom. "I call the shower first!" He stopped at the door and looked back at Sakura. "Unless you want to take one with me, Sakura?"

Sakura vaulted over the bed. "Naruto!"

Naruto grinned as he caught a laughing Sakura. "I'll take that as a yes."

A/N: So... as always review. The End is near as I plan 2-3 more chapters depending... There is an epilogue in those chapters. Thanks!

Iluvwind