Authors notes: So, I had to buy a laptop in order to continue writing this story. So after a week long hiatus this story will now return to its regular daily/ every other day updates. Also I hate windows 7. its very user friendly, I don't like that.

Also thanks to Anee for your mention of that one story...not that i'll be writing another lemon for a while.

Disclaimer: I haven't updated in so long I almost forgot that I don't own Naruto.

Some of my old feelings had begun to return in the recent weeks. I still worked Sakura into the ground in preparation for the Jonin exams. Her progression in mastering the Chidori Stream was acceptable. Still being here without the pure intent to destroy this place only reminded me of our younger days. I had decided to halt my revenge, I still wasn't completely sold on the matter though. If something came in between me and Sakura and my goals of reviving my clan, I may not be able to hold myself back. People never completely changed, you couldn't erase the past.

I watched the lightning race briefly across the skies, the storm would miss the village. It improved my mood slightly, at least my walk wouldn't be ruined by the rain. The Jonin exams would come in the morning. I couldn't sleep however. I walked the streets of the empty complex, it was strange to think that nearly two decades ago these streets were crowded. I was doing this partly for their sake, but mostly for my brothers. I wondered how he managed to escape the warmongering of our clan so well.

I headed home ignoring the fact that I likely wouldn't fall asleep for some time. I changed quietly in order not to wake Sakura up. She needed the rest more than I did. This whole exam and all the training was for her. Despite the fact that I needed to watch over her, I didn't have any real desire to advance my rank. Just because I had decided to change my plans didn't make me totally loyal to Konoha.

I got into bed slowly, she still shifted slightly at the movement. She didn't wake up though, I sighed as I got comfortable. I waited for her to turn into me, it was something I noticed she always did in her sleep. No matter where I was she seemed to just gravitate towards me in her sleep. If I snuggled up to her, it would just wake her up, and there wasn't any real need for that tonight.

I leered at the clock, and forced my eyes shut. I had to do that often, especially sleeping in this room. Though attempting to sleep often brought back bad memories. Still I focused my mind on the girl next to me, the mere sounds of her breathing lulled me into dreams.

XXXXXXX

"Hey, time to wake up." A firm hand shook my shoulder, that along with the smell of breakfast awoke me from the haze of sleep.

"You don't have to make me breakfast every morning you know." I said it even though I greatly enjoyed the fact that he did. Still he just shrugged as he handed me a bowl of rice.

"Are you ready for today?" He stuffed his mouth full of his breakfast. His table manners could be improved a little. He had a point though, today was the start of the Jonin exams. The few group exercises we did with Hinata and Kiba turned out to be moderately successful even if Kiba was reluctant to work with Sasuke.

"Eh, I guess, sure did plenty of preparation over the last month." I sighed, I still had slight burn marks here and there. Controlling where the individual currents went was a pain in the ass when trying to work multiples of them. Hinata attempted to help me, comparing it slightly to the Rotation. She mostly just helped me try and learn to release chakra from more points from my body.

"You'll be fine, I will be there to watch your back." It was a reassuring concept, but I was more than capable of protecting myself. Even if he didn't want to admit it yet. I had fought in plenty of battles before he had arrived. I had even fought and defeated and S-class criminal before, granted I had some help on that one.

XXXXXXX

After breakfast we headed off for the exams. I kept pace with Sakura, she was walking slightly faster than normal, which meant that I could keep my normal pace. We met up with the others before heading for the exam area. I was surprised to learn that a portion would take place in the Forest of Death. Would they really have the same test as in the Chuunin exams? At least this time there wouldn't be some kind of stupid test to take. At least not up front.

"Yeah, you guys lets do this!" Kiba shouted annoyingly. I often wished throughout many of our practice settings that he would just shut up. He had his uses, but neither him nor Hinata were as good of a sensor as Karin. She was a freak of nature when it came so being a sensor. Though she would be to busy trying to kill me in all likelihood. Sensor abilities aside she was a poor combatant, and thus on par with these two.

Hinata at least was quiet and soft spoken. She was capable of putting up a fight though. She trailed behind me and Sakura, while Kiba rode slightly ahead of us. The familiar forest rose into view after some time walking. At a distance it just looked old, but up close the high gates surrounding the forest came into view. This place had a lot of unpleasant memories with it. Several places in Konoha did that for me.

This place was the start of my true journey, my first run in with Orochimaru was life altering to say the least. I tried not to think of it as we approached the other groups. Some of the faces were familiar, the Jonin exams didn't occur as often as the Chuunin exams so there were many more people taking it.

"Everyone quiet down, I am Shikamaru Nara, and I am going to be the proctor for this exam." I had heard that he had made Jonin, but I always recalled him as being lazy, and a gadabout like Naruto when we were young. "I know several of you will remember this test, if you took the Chunnin exams during the year I took it, but I took the liberty of adjusting the rules a bit. This time there are three scrolls that you will need to acquire before headed to the center of the forest."

"Aw man three scrolls? Last time it was hard enough just to get two." Me and Sakura both spun around at the sound of Ino's voice.

"Ino what are you doing here?" Sakura harshly whispered to her. Though it was fairly obvious that she was here to take the exams seeing as Choji, Lee, and Shino were with her. I had been told that Shino was already on a mission, I didn't take that to mean that he had already been recuited.

"Taking the exams, duh. Seriously if your going to have that big of a forehead, you might as well put it to some good use." Sakura gave her a dirty scowl, I remembered their god awful rivalry over me, at least that was over.

"Why didn't you say you were taking them? You could have joined in with us." I personally didn't want her on our team, we didn't need two medics, we likely wouldn't need one. Not with me around.

"Because I didn't want to be on your team." Sakura looked a little confused at what Ino told her, I think I knew why. "You still owe me a rematch remember?" Sakura smiled, I wasn't personally there for their match, but Naruto had taken the liberty to inform me of all the details.

"I had almost forgotten, it's been so long."

"So everyone will go in at different locations, you'll receive your scrolls then. Shikamaru cut them off. Things were getting started.

XXXXXXX

"Now I don't think that its necessary for me to tell you all to watch yourself while your in the forest. I know your taking the Jonin exam, but people get killed from creatures in here every time we do exams here." The guide led us to our entrance gate. "Ok, here is your scroll, obviously you are not permitted to open it."

"Thank you." Sakura took the scroll from the man, and placed it in her back pouch near her tanto.

"Ok, you begin now, you have one week to reach the center with all three scrolls, not every team will make it obviously good luck." We didn't need luck. We had the best team out here by far. Maybe I was just being cocky though.

We leaped off into the forest, Hinata and Kiba began to search for other teams, Hinata would be rather useful in determining what scrolls the other teams had. Despite what in seemed on the outside this forest was very big. I remembered how long it took us to encounter others the first time around. Hopefully with out two new additions we wouldn't have to spend to long in this awful place.

XXXXXXXX

Sasuke looked lost in thought as we leaped through the trees. I didn't blame him, I knew what this place in particular meant to him. I didn't like the fact that we could be spending the next few days here potentially. This place held bad memories for me, and likely for Sasuke as well.

"There's a group headed for us!" Kiba shouted.

"How far away are they?" I questioned, I didn't think we would have a run in this early on.

"Nearly two kilometers to the west, I don't think that they know we're here."

"Hinata can you see anything?"

"Not that far, but I might be able to see them in a few minutes when they are closer."

"What do you think? Should we set up an ambush?" Kiba inquired to me? I was in the lead for this exam, it was something that I still wasn't used to.

"We should wait and see what scroll they have." Sasuke spoke up. "It's very likely that they have one of the two we need. We they get close Hinata can find out which one they have. You can do that right?" Hinata nodded.

"Alright everyone get ready, and Sasuke...take it easy on them." He smiled, I just didn't want to see him get out of control in a situation that likely wouldn't get out of hand. His basic abilities would likely be more than enough. At least he didn't take insult to my comment.

"They have two scrolls!" Hinata excalimed as quietly as she could. Still to think that another squad would already have to scrolls, wasn't entirely expected, maybe they would be more trouble that I thought. Not that they stood a chance, we were more than ready for them.

"What scrolls do they have?" We had the Earth scroll once again. Thus needing the Heaven, and Spirit scroll. The veins around Hinata's eyes bulged a little more.

"They have the Spirit scroll...and the Earth scroll." I was beginning to think that we just might luck out. No matter though they had at least one we needed. We would have to take it.

"How much longer do we have at their current pace?

"Just barely a minute now." I could feel my heart rate start to quicken and the adrenaline starting to pump. They had no idea what they were in for.

Authors notes: so this is a very short chapter, but only cause the next one is going to be another long one, and I really feel like making an update. So yes expect a longer, action filled chapter within the next few days.