:Acknowledgement:

:Written by Xaerox:

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto never have and never will
Genre: Action/Adventure and Romance
Rating: R – quite a lot of swearing but who can blame me – it's natural...
Paring: Naruto/Sakura and some others
Comments: Please feel free to add a comment for each chapter to express you own feelings throughout my progression with the story- cheers

:Chapter 2:

Naruto went up to his apartment feeling gloomy as usual and opened the door. It is his first time back since the events happened at the hospital. He slowly opened the door and walked in.

Inside, he was surprised to see everything was neat and tidy with a fragrant smell giving a great feeling of tranquillity. "Someone must have came here everyday to clean this place up whilst he was away" he thought looking at a fresh daffodil in the vase.

He quickly started taking his bag and put some items quickly inside that he will need for the journey. Some Kunais and Shurikens, a few deluxe-packets of flavoured ramen, some clean boxer shorts, swimming trucks, a few more deluxe-packets of ramen, med-kit, his pyjamas, that cat night cap, a little more ramen and finally he stopped and carefully looked at the team 7 photo in front of him. He smiled and put it in the bag with everything else and zipped up the bag.

Naruto took a long last look at his apartment, thinking back of the times he had and collecting his thoughts of reminiscence. He always complained about the place either to small of too shabby but in his heart he always felt like home. A single tear dropped from his eyes and landed on to wooden floor. Before It touched the floor, he was already out.
"Come in Naruto" said Tsunade from two gentler knocks "I see you took your time on the way home"

"Sorry..." he replied looking at the floor "felt a bit sentimental... that's all..."

The Hokage looked at the 13 year old boy with sad eyes and smiled

"There is something I need to give you before you leave... its something that the third Hokage left for the next Hokage in line if he was to die... and its something for you..."

She took out a fairly big box and a black and silver striped bandana. The box was made of old teak with a smooth grain of the highest quality; it shows signs of great age and intricate carvings on it.

Naruto saw an engraved swirl on the centre of the box remembering it's the same logo he used. Tsunade handed it to him carefully.

"Don't open it now" she said "I want to tell you something about this box... and this bandana, something you need to know now that you reached an age where... um you seem to have matured..."

Naruto smiled knowing perfectly we he hasn't but was still fascinated at where this is going.

"You have... no doubt a lot of unanswered questions inside you head about your existence..." she continued now looking serious

"I am going to tell you about your family Naruto... and what actually happened on the day you was sealed with Kyubi"

Naruto eyes grew wide; he couldn't believe what he was hearing and all this happening in one day.

"You do know that it was the fourth Hokage that sealed kyubi inside you..." Naruto nodded "well... the truth is.... He was actually your father..."

Naruto flipped off his seat in total shock, why didn't they tell me this before he thought angrily.

"I am sorry to tell you this... umm so late... and you probably hate me for not telling you sooner..." she sighed, slowly feeling a great deal of guilt for the boy.

"...but your father wanted you to know all this when you grown up for security reasons as your father's clan knowledge was too secretive knowing the fact that everyone wanted it...it will only have putting you in greater danger..."

Naruto stood there silent trying not to look in her eyes.

"The box you see in front of you are some of the things he left you plus information and items of your mother..." she said knowing her words are hurting Naruto.

"It shall explain a lot of the unanswered questions... which only you shall know as you are the only one who can unseal the information..."

There was no reply. Again Naruto just stood there silent, looking at the bandana and box in front of him.

"As for the bandana..." said the Hokage, trying to get his attention "it was your fathers and an item passed down the clan from your great great grandfather" she said as if reading his thoughts.

"It is a priceless cloth and said to give lucky and power to your bloodline... you should wear it proudly like your father did..."

She stood up and came close to Naruto and said sincerely "I am sorry if this come as too much of a shock...but I wanted you to know this before you leave...I couldn't live with myself thinking you never knew about this..."

Naruto, who came to his senses nodded slowly and looked in her eyes. He noticed she was crying. He came close and wiped her tears away. Suddenly breaking the silence a loud knock was heard.

"Come in..." said Tsunade wiping her eyes quickly "I guess Itachi and Kisame are here..."

In came Itachi followed by Kisame holding his large wrapped up Katana, the Samahada.

"We should leave now" said Itachi "there's not a moment to waste"

Naruto looked at Tsunade with a pleading look as if wanting to stay a bit longer.

"Are you ready... Naruto?" asked Kisame seeing the boy look more shocked than before.

"Yea... I guess" Naruto sighed and looked up at the Hokage. He didn't know what to say. "Well I guess actions speak louder than words as they say" he thought and ran up to her and hugged her tight.

Tsunade was just as surprised as Itachi and Kisame not expecting such actions from him. She looked down at the boys face and tried her hardest to give him a cheerful smile.

"You'll come back for your Chuunin exam when you are ready" she said and stood back, kneeling down and took off Naruto's head protector and kissed his forehead gently like before.

"I am going to miss you..." she whispered in his ears giving him another hug "Remember to look at that necklace I gave you whenever you think of everyone here in Konoha..."

Naruto steeped back and saw more tears in her eyes and realised he too was sobbing gently and tried to put up with a smile.

"I am going to miss you too..." he whimpered trying hard not to cry "old hag..." he added and smiled at Tsunade who did the same back. Itachi and Kisame just shook their heads looking at this neither knowing what to say.

Just before he was about to go, Naruto pulled out four envelopes each one with a letter addressed to a different person and handed it to Tsunade.

"umm... here are some letters I wrote for Iruka sensei, Kakashi sensei, Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun" he said nervously "please give it to them... I haven't revealed much in the letwere prevailing.

The fourth stood next to the third sthem to know how much they mean to me..."

Tsunade took the letters and smiled "I will personally hand it to them, don't you worry"

Naruto was relieved and said "well, I guess the number one loud-mouth of Konoha is gone for sometime... when I come back I hope they see differently" and turned around to leave. "Make sure you return!" shouted Tsunade from behind "you got that! OK!"

He turned around and gave her the famous cheeky fox grin "I will... it's a promise!" and followed Itachi and Kisame out and closed the door behind him.

They have been travelling for a while on their way out of the village. All the time Naruto looked around the place he loved, the training grounds, the busy market and of course the Ichiraku ramen bar he loved.

As they reached the gate, Naruto stopped and looked back and sighed "farewell Konoha... I am sure going to miss this place!" and with that turned his back around to leave.
Sakura has been running around all over the village looking for Naruto everywhere. She went to their training ground, his favourite place to eat, the Ichiraku, his apartment, everywhere but found no clues of where he is.

"Where is he?" she thought angrily looking slightly worried "when I get my hands of him...!"

After looking around for another 2 extra hours she gave up now looking very tense thinking he might have left. Finally decided to walk to the Hokage office and ask her if Tsunade knew where he is.

"What you mean he left!" shouted Sakura at Tsunade "He couldn't leave... especially without telling me..."

Tsunade was slightly angry by her comment "well if you think about it... I ant exactly surprised as you always ignore him and treat him so unkindly... like everyone else in this village..."

Sakura felt hurt but she knew the Hokage was only speaking the truth. "its true..." she muttered quietly trying hard not to cry "I never really paid him any attention... and now he's gone... and I never got to say I am sorry... for what he did for me.."

She felt so lonely now that he's gone and teats were continuously starting to flow from her eyes. Finally waking up to reality, and looking back at all those years, the times they had, and hard times and the good its all just a memory now.

Tsunade looked sadly at her state and remember the letters "its funny actually that mentioned about a message as he left you a letter" she said whilst handing her a tissue "he left four letters for different people before he went... here one of them is addressed for you"

Sakura looked up and thankfully received the envelope in her hands. She looked at the writing recognising it straight away as Naruto as its so clumsy, it was addressed "To the delightful Sakura" and she blushed straight away forgetting about her worries.

"Thank you Tsunade sama" she said and went out of the door.

As soon as she closed the door, she quickly opened the letter and read it eagerly whilst leaning on the wall.

Dear Sakura...

I know I ant good at most things, especially saying goodbyes, so you maybe find this letter a bit... well... a bit crap I suppose to put it bluntly.

Anyway I am writing to tell you if you don't already know that I am leaving Konoha for the reason which I have to keep to myself as I can't reveal anything to anyone. Also I will be gone for quite a while and this is going to take a long time...maybe even permanent... I hope not. I'll be back for the Chuunin exam when I am ready which maybe again some time, so its no point you and Sasuke to wait for me...

Speaking of Sasuke, now with me gone, you got a better chance with him and I am not there to argue or disturb you anymore. Its not that I hate him or anything... well not much and now I have to leave... I feel I am going to miss him as a friend whether he likes it or not... I don't think he'll like it...

I haven't got much time left so I might as well let it all out... I am going to miss you... no miss you a lot Sakura-chan, I felt deep feelings for you but because of my mischievous style or ways, I don't think you ever took it seriously... not that it matters anymore... well I talk to you when I get back...

Well I better get going... goodbye, I know you going to succeed with Sasuke and I know you can only get more and more beautiful when I see again...maybe next time when I come back you maybe join me for some ramen...

Yours always

Naruto

After reading the letter, in the first few seconds, her body just couldn't cope and she found herself struggling hard to breathe from all the tears. Looking down at the letter, she saw there were quite a few splodges of ink on various parts of the letter, obviously Naruto had been crying whilst writing this which only made her more emotional.

It all became too much for her to take. She finally realised who she really cared for inside and reading this letter just melted her heart.

"Naruto..."she cried, teats streaming down endlessly "why ...why...why did you leave me...why!" and feel back on the wall.

A hand touched her back and she turned around quickly to see the face of Kakashi sensei. She collapsed on his chest and cried her heard out again and again. "Why sensei...why did he leave us!" she wept whilst shivering with fear. Kakashi tried to comfort her by stroking her hair gently.

"Don't worry Sakura..." looking down at her "he'll be back...I know it!"

A single tear drop fell from Kakashi's only visible eye showing real compassion; even he can be affected from the kindness of the blonde spiky- haired boy. Behind them was Iruka, also very disturbed from the letter Naruto given him. He leaned on the wall behind him like Sakura and thought about what Naruto wrote. He been particularly touched by the line "Iruka sensei, you always been there for me no matter what, I felt that you look after me like a big brother and a father figure"

"Naruto..." he thought "Naruto... please be back soon..."
Looking behind them all at this scene stood another bunch of Jounins, Gai, Asuma, Kurenai and Anko wondering what wrong.

"What the hell is wrong with them" muttered Asuma "you would think they all been fired or something...judging by the looks on their face..."

"Beats me..." said Gai not really caring too much "I just hope Kakashi isn't too sad to continue out challenges... I am losing by one...damn him!"

"That's all you ever care about Gai..." mumbled Kurenai looking at him with great disgust "look at them...they all like heartbroken or something... especially Iruka... never seen him like this.. He always been so bright and cheerful at school"

"Yea... that's is weird" agreed Anko "always been the soft one...Iruka...that's why he stopped at Chuunin...couldn't bare to kill other...pity really considering he was quite good"

"Yea...true" said Gai "if anything I compare his younger personality with that kid Naruto...both of them did some stupid pranks"

They smiled thinking of their childhood memories of Iruka, the one who always did care much for the world, always messing about and seeking attention.

"I can't see them like this...especially Iruka" sighed Anko starting to move forward "I am going to ask what's wrong"

"Ohhh...I see now" grinned Gai stupidly as usually "got a soft spot for Iruka huh Anko... perfect opportunity to make him feel better" he particularly focused on the word "feel better"

Anko turned around to see him laughing, he was quickly replied with a fast punch in the stomach and she walked away.

Kurenai and Asuma looked at Gai, then each other, and shook their heads and sighed muttering something sounding like "what a dickhead..."

Anko walked slowly towards Iruka. As she got near to him she greeted him "What's up Iruka?" and gave him one of her rare and extremely happy smiles to cheer him up, "you look so low..."

Iruka looked up and saw Anko smiling at him and tried his best to smile back weakly

"It's umm...its Naruto... he's gone" he finally answered back "and I am not sure weather he'll come back... ever"

"What!" she gasped "Naruto gone... how did this happen... is he leaving permanently to become a missing nin?"

"No... it's just that, he'll be gone training for a while... for a long while" he replied awkwardly

"Oh..." Anko said still feeling a bit anxious then looked Iruka in the eye "You really cared for him didn't you?..."

"Yea..." he sighed "yea... I guess I really did... he is quite a guy that boy" he smiled "he even wrote in his letter he sent me describing me as a father figure to him... quite touching actually"

From what Anko just heard made her heart jump up a bit, she knew Iruka was a great guy and hearing that really given her a strong sensation towards him. She knew what she wanted and she wanted to ask him out on a date

"Umm Iruka?" she stuttered nervously, now trying her hardest not blush in front of him, "Wanna have dinner with me tonight...?" now going red at what she just said

"Purely because you seem to down" she added quickly

"Really?" asked Iruka surprised to hear something like this coming from Anko who is normally quite confident and bold "Of course... I'd love to..."

"Great! It's a date then" she smiled "meet me at Ichiraku around eight, I know how much you love that place with Naruto"

Iruka laughed now feeling in high spirits "I guess everyone knows what me and Naruto loves ramen then"

Anko grinned "Of course... you kidding me... if you and he had the chance you probably marry that chef there!"

Iruka laughed with Anko before she prepared herself to go "Meet me at eight don't be late... I'll be waiting" and she left with a wink.

"Don't worry I won't" replied Iruka still grinning "try and stop me!" he watched as Anko Left towards the group of Jounin.

He looked once last time at Naruto's letter in his hands and thought "Naruto... things have now just got interesting" he said under his breath and walked away.

Gai, Asuma and Kurenai waited for Anko to return. She came back with a very flushed face and tried to hide it quickly.

"Ohh..." Smirked Gai stupidly again, just recovered from her last blow "guess I was right then, you can't keep you hands off that guy can you?" and laughed

Anko looked at him, smiled nicely and hit him quick in the stomach again, except this time a lot lower. "Oohgf" gasped Gai for air and went down fast on the knees "this one hurt a lot more than the last one...lucky it didn't go an inch lower... very lucky..." and collapsed on the floor

"Like I ever go that low on you..." growled Anko looking furiously at him.

Asuma and Kurenai looked at Gai and Shook their heads again as before this time muttering "What a retard!"

"So..." asked Kurenai, eager to find out what happened "Well, what happened"

"Oh... its Naruto..." Anko replied "he left the village"

Both of them looked shocked not expecting anything to do with Naruto even Gai stopped moving for a bit and asked why

"To train apparently" explained Anko "Well I guess he'll be back, but not for a while I reckon..."

"Yea" agreed Kurenai nodding her head agreeing with her

"But still I think the people here in the village treat him like shit to be honest... cant even see the fact that he trying to help and carrying Kyubi around with him as well... I am sad he's gone... guess my team will be as well... especially Hinata"

"She is quite shy around him I noticed" said Asuma "a very kind girl... interesting she wants to take up the ways on a shinobi..."

"I guess that explains why Kakashi was comforting Sakura just now..." replied Kurenai "its really sad loss now that Naruto is gone from the team... they probably need a replacement..."

"Yea... well to be honest perhaps someone from my team will go and join them now that Shikamaru is a Chuunin" said Asuma proudly

"Well, I hope Kakashi is ok..." Kurenai looked concerned "never seen him really seen him sad often ... guess Naruto meant a lot to him..."

They all sighed "I guess everyone liked him if they knew him and we may not all show it but inside it's definitely true..." added Anko still looking down Gai checking if he's still alive, unfortunately he is still breathing.

With that they left the room dragging down Gai with them.

:Author notes:

Again I try to update for tomorrow but cant keep any promises yet... please give a comment to express what you think so far – bye until next time!