Whee! It's done! It's finally finished (Note: The author is merely talking about chapter 54, not the whole entire story)

Chapter Title: 54. Precious Moments

It happened when Iruka was walking out of Tsunade's office. Not being gifted with eyes of either Hyuuga or Uchiha clans, he had no real way of knowing what would happen when he opened the door. He had just had a meeting with the honoured woman, one that ended with her sighing in exhaustion and him pinching the bridge of his scarred nose in frustration. No one ever left her office on a high note these days. The war was looming too closely for anything good to come from the Hokage's mouth these days. He pushed open the door, to leave, when he felt a body crush against the weight of the solid oak doors. He quickly exclaimed his apologies and shut the door behind him, wondering what unlucky person he'd hit. It wasn't like he had swung the doors open that fast either.

Nevertheless, he was shocked to find the man holding his nose to be none other than Kakashi himself.

"You know, I never really believed Naruto when he said he got you with that old chalkboard eraser trick, until now." He chuckled softly. Kakashi shot him a look that said he was hardly amused and pulled his hand away, satisfied to see no signs of blood.

"I'd love to stay and catch up on the good old times with you, Iruka-san, but I've got to talk to Tsunade about some of the reports from the front lines." He shuffled his feet nervously and tried to step past the chuunin teacher, but Iruka had other ideas, and followed his movements, blocking the way.

"With this war looming, there's really not going to be a chance to talk past right here and now." He exclaimed. "The only other time would be after this is all behind us, and you know as well as I do that these things don't always solve themselves within a couple of days. They take months, years, decades." He grabbed Kakashi's upper arm. "I truly am crazy for liking someone I barely know, but it's not for lack of trying. Maybe I should be more like Gai-san in order to be near you more often." He chuckled at the grimace that settled on the jounin's face at the comment, but didn't say anything to take it back. Looking like he just remembered something else, Iruka pulled a present from his pocket.

"I know your birthday isn't for another month," he paused to think about it. "Yeah, exactly one month, but just consider it an early birthday gift. Go ahead, open it." Kakashi frowned at the black box in his hands, trying to remind himself that they were both fighting on the same side and to stop being so suspicious. He lifted the lid and stared in shock at the book that was carefully nestled in the white wrapping paper. He pushed back the flimsy sheets to reveal a hardcover book with the first page autographed by Jiraiya. He recognised it as book one of the sennin's new series.

"I remembered when Gai bought you books two and three and I thought you'd like to start reading it from the beginning. I talked with Jiraiya-san the other day, and..." He paused, blushing deeply at the thought of what he was about to admit; the lengths he would go to for Kakashi. "I asked him if he would write another series similar to the one you were so fond of all those years ago. Of course, you'll have to wait until after we survive the war, but he agreed, so maybe I'll have another present for you on your birthday... or if the war lasts longer, at least something for next year." He beamed proudly. "Will you at least say something?" He asked, poking Kakashi's hand that was holding the forgotten reports.

"Thank you, Iruka." Kakashi managed to exclaim, still slightly shocked that someone would make so much bother over one person. "Would you like to go for an ice cream?" He asked. The chuunin brightened up considerably and nodded once.

"Love to." Kakashi dropped the report folder at the door and knocked once before leaving with Iruka, assuming the Hokage would receive the report he was supposed to deliver to her in person.

(Star)(Star)(Star)

"Ice cream for all of my youthful team!" Gai cheered, handing the cones to Neji and TenTen. They took their respective cones and sat down on a bench to wait for their sensei and Lee to join them.

"How's life, Neji-kun?" TenTen asked. The Hyuuga shrugged noncommittally. She frowned, but tried again. "I heard you've been spending more time with Hinata-chan, ne?" He nodded.

"She's my cousin." Her eye twitched at his quietness, but continued to try to make conversation.

"How did she take her break up with Naruto? I haven't talked to her for a while." He shot her an offended glare, but shrugged.

"She's doing fine. She's the one who ended it, not Uzumaki." Gai came over with Lee, both laughing boisterously at a joke one of them had been telling.

"Isn't it wonderful that we're here all together?" Gai exclaimed, holding up his cone in a toast. Lee and TenTen clinked their cones with his, but Neji just gave them an odd look and continued licking his vanilla cone.

"It's odd for us all to be together after we split ways, becoming chuunin." TenTen exclaimed. "Sad to say, but I actually missed you guys!" She reached across and mussed up Lee's bowl-cut hair.

"Of course you did, TenTen-chan!" Lee laughed, not bothered by the gesture. "But we'll always be a team, no matter if we are split up." They all nodded at this and Neji smiled softly. "Plus, if we don't keep in contact, how am I going to keep tabs on how Neji-kun is progressing?!" He raised the cone into the air.

"You'll never be able to keep up." Neji remarked amusedly.

"So how are things between you and the youthful flower of my rival?" Gai asked suddenly, turning to his young student.

"I think she's still in love with Sasuke, she talks about him constantly, but I'm finally going to let it be." He smiled sadly. "I know she may get hurt in the end, but I'm through trying to force her to love me. It's not that I've given up!" He waved his hands in front of his teacher when he saw that gleam in the older man's eyes. "It's just that my goals have changed. I'll be happy if she's happy, and if her life falls apart, I know I'll be there for her no matter what." He grinned happily at his epiphany. Neji smiled in acknowledgement and stood up.

"I'm going to get another ice cream." He said and walked over to the vendor, his ice cream still unfinished in his bandaged hand. He paid the man for another vanilla cone and walked over to where he had spotted his cousin sitting by herself.

"Busy?" He asked, offering her the extra cone. She looked up at him as he loomed over her shoulders and smiled brightly.

"Nope!" She exclaimed, nodding to her own team mates who had just left her, Kiba dragging Shino away for some canine mischief with a beautiful local girl. He handed her the cone, ignoring her team mate's antics, and sat down on the stone steps leading away from the little ice cream shop. "Neji, can I ask you a question?"

"What kind of question?" He replied.

"I was just wondering about how you've been treating me over the last few years." She used her free hand to push her fingers together nervously. Old habits died hard.

"You're complaining." Neji stated, his voice devoid of feeling, making him a little harder to read.

"No, I'm just curious." She exclaimed. "I've always wondered what turned your feelings around. I can remember a time when you wanted nothing more than to get rid of me. Is it because of my break up with Naruto that you're being nice now?" He turned to her and offered a smile.

"Not this time." He answered. "To be honest, it really wasn't you who I wanted to kill, it was what you represented." He explained and took a lick of his ice cream. "The curse of the branch house. I blamed it for everything; I blamed you for it all." He lowered his gaze to his lap, suddenly aware of his cousin's comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You do know that there will never come a time when I'd even think of having you kill yourself for the main house, right?" He looked up into her familiar white eyes and saw worry all over her face. "I don't believe in the division our ancestors placed on our family. You're my cousin, and I look up to you for strength." He smiled again and nodded. They continued eating their treats in silence until Hinata asked another question.

"So you're really okay about our break up, now?" He looked up, confused for a moment before remembering about her recent relationship with Naruto.

"Yes. It wasn't meant to be." She giggled as her cousin slipped into his old 'destiny' routine. As much as Naruto had changed his mind, he still believed there were some things fated to be, or not be, as the case was.

"I just wish I hadn't been so stupid to try and change so much about him." She bit down on the cone, chewing thoughtfully. "It's almost like they're fated to be together. I never even noticed how much Naruto depended on Sasuke until then."

"I don't think they're destined." Neji exclaimed, his cone already finished. Hinata turned her head to him, the look in her eyes demanding he explain himself. "Uchiha is too possessive over Uzumaki. He treats him like property, not like a friend or lover. He is jealous over everyone he sees around his rival who he thinks might have a chance to steal the boy from him. He doesn't treat Naruto the way he should be treating him."

"Just because he doesn't quite like you?"

"No, I honestly don't think he deserves to have someone like that in his life if he isn't going to treat him with respect. I've never trusted him." Hinata sighed, realising she was never going to win an argument with her cousin.

"So when are you going to find yourself someone?" She asked.

"When I feel like it." He replied.

"Does that mean 'when fate sends someone'?" He gave her a hard look that wasn't too effective with the bemused smile that crept across his face. She laughed at the expression it made.

"Stupid idiot, Konohamaru." Kiba grumbled under his breath, walking back to Hinata. Shino followed behind him, expression hidden behind his glasses and jacket collar.

"What happened, Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked, moving over a bit so the boy could flop down on the steps beside her. Neji looked only mildly interested.

"You know the girl Kiba dragged me over to talk to?" Shino asked. Hinata nodded. "It turned out to be Konohamaru in a jutsu." Kiba was still muttering under his breath, bright red from embarrassment.

"I should strangle Naruto-kun for teaching him that." He huffed, standing up again and dragging Shino over to the ice cream stand for some of the frozen stuff themselves.

"Kiba-kun!" Hinata called over her shoulder. The young man turned back at her voice. "Your sister is over there eating with Kurenai-sensei, in case you wanted to know." Looking over, he spotted his sister and her large beast of a dog sitting on a bench chatting amicably with his old teacher. He grinned and ran over, Akamaru safely perched on his head.

"Oi, Sensei! 'Nee-chan!" He greeted them. Kurenai smiled at his appearance and nodded in greeting. His sister stood up and punched him in the shoulder, laughing. Akamaru barked once but did nothing more to protect his master.

"Some guard dog you turned out to be." Kiba grumbled, rubbing his sore arm and offering a lick of his ice cream to his best friend.

"Kurenai-san was just telling me about the time you..." Kiba winced, knowing anything Kurenai was telling his sister was not good.

(Star)(Star)(Star)

Konohamaru was still howling with laughter at tricking the dog-boy and his bug friend. If it hadn't been for Akamaru, he might have been able to go all the way with the prank. Might. He also had to answer to Moegi, and if she was ever upset with him, Udon was no help.

"This is part of the reason you failed the chuunin exam!" She complained, pulling at her pigtails. "Maybe if you stopped pulling pranks and started training and studying, you'd be able to pass!" Konohamaru shot her a glare.

"And what's your excuse for failing?" He muttered under his breath.

"I was pulled back because of you!" She yelled, smacking him over the head. "Because our team isn't completely in synchronization, me and Udon are being pulled back to your level. Baka!!" She really didn't feel that way, but with the lack of brains Konohamaru had, she had no other option than to act like Sakura. True, she was the brains of the group, and Konohamaru acted more like his idol every day, but no matter what she tried, her crush never seemed to look at her the way Naruto used to ogle Sakura. "How do you expect to become a respectable ninja for the girl of your dreams if you're stuck as a genin for the rest of your life?!"

"You don't know what you're talking about." The teen stuck his tongue out at Moegi. "Kaede will like me no matter what kind of Ninja I am, and just because I failed one exam, doesn't mean I can't pass another one. If you hadn't noticed, Naruto is still a genin and he's one of the strongest shinobi I know." Moegi felt her eye twitch at the reminder of Konohamaru's childhood crush, who had left Konohagakure many years ago.

"Speaking of our honoured leader, where do you think he could be?" Udon cut in, changing the subject before either hot-headed teen could take their argument further.

"Maybe he's on a patrol." Konohamaru replied, looking around to see if he wasn't at the ice cream shop. "I'll go see if anyone's seen him!" He exclaimed happily and took off from the Konohamaru Corps. Udon put a hand on Moegi's shoulder and patted it gently.

"He needs to pull tricks like Oiroke no Jutsu in order not to become a hardened shinobi." He told her. "It separates him from the cold killer a ninja is supposed to be." She smiled sadly, nodding in agreement.

"I know."

(Star)(Star)(Star)

In the long grass on the hill behind the ever popular ice cream shop, two generations of Nara men were lounging, enjoying the entertainment the over head wisps of clouds were providing. It was good as neither had spent much time together in the past few years.

"Hey, do you see that one?" Shikamaru pointed at a particular shape in the sky. "It reminds me a little of the remnants of mom's cooking." His father snickered softly as he caught sight of the fluffy explosion.

"I don't think she'd like hearing you say that. I'd be the one getting in trouble. She always was a troublesome woman." Shikamaru turned and looked at his father's profile.

"All women are troublesome, including mom." They both chuckled for a moment before returning their attention to the clouds, basking in the warmth of the sun on their lazy faces.

"I used to think that way too, but sometimes it's more tiresome if you avoid them your whole life." Shikato murmured a few minutes later, shifting in the grass so he was lying with his arms propped behind his head. They both sighed, thinking of the inevitable.

"Did you always want to be a shinobi?" Shikamaru asked his father, turning his head to the side for a quick glance.

"Nope." His reply was quicker than he expected of the older Nara. "But I realised earlier on that it provided me with the easiest lifestyle."

"Fighting is easy?"

"No, of course not. Neither is killing. I mean, with my life. Spending so much time with the people I love when I get breaks from missions, being around my friends when I'm on missions."

"But we haven't seen you in a while since the war started." Shikamaru furrowed his brow and glared at a passing bit of fluff that called itself a cloud.

"That's strictly because we're at war." Shikato replied, sighing deeply. "It's not always going to be like this. There's not always going to be wars. Actually, there's only been one major one in your lifetime, not including these recent attacks, and that was with a demon torturing the village. In your eighteen years, you've barely been witness to much troublesome events. Anything else would provide me with more hassle."

"Something's always been bothering me." Shikamaru started, struggling for the right words. "I thought Tsunade had been informed a while ago that Sand was an ally of ours... didn't a reconnaissance mission report that Gaara, the new Kazekage, had planned to side with us?" Shikato thought about it for a moment before frowning.

"I'm not sure anymore."

They stayed in silence on the hill watching as cloud after fluffy cloud passed over them in ever changing shapes until two large shadows covered their faces and blocked their view. They both blinked the same funny way; closing their eyes slowly and then scrunching up their noses as they opened them again.

The elder Akimichi nudged his son, looking at the boy expectantly. Choji looked at his father reluctantly, and kept his hands firmly hidden behind his back. Without further talk, both boys' father's left them alone, Shikato beginning to lick at the ice cream Chomaru had handed him as a sign of their friendship.

When both adults were out of sight and earshot, Choji pulled the pillowcase from behind his back and offered it apologetically to his best friend.

"Sorry." He mumbled, smiling softly. Shikamaru sat up and accepted the pillow.

"You avoided me all week just because I was right and you were wrong?" Shikamaru gave him an odd look, patting the grass beside him. The younger Akimichi took a seat and stared bashfully at his bandaged hands. "You know it really wasn't a big deal that you stained the pillow case, right? Nothing is worth losing a friend like you, no matter how many clouds are on it." He smiled, putting the patterned case beneath his head and laid back down in the soft grass.

"I bought you a new one." Choji exclaimed, following suit.

"I see that, thanks." They watched the clouds for a few minutes before Choji spoke up again.

"If I hadn't met you I might never have been able to sit back and enjoy these moments. You know, just being with someone I care about." Shikamaru nodded in response, knowing exactly what his best friend was talking about.

"Ino just doesn't understand."

(Star)(Star)(Star)

She ran until her lungs screamed for breath, and still she kept going. Nothing was more important than finding the others. Her hair waved madly through the wind, slapping her ears mercilessly. She had been to the pubs and the ramen bars and the sushi restaurants, but hardly anyone worthwhile was in them. Finally she had stopped to take a breath and think of where people would go on a village-wide day off, and remembered the ice cream shop that many people flocked to in the hot summer months. She rounded the last corner to her destination and stopped when she was finally in front of the people she'd been sent to find.

Hardly anyone looked up at her arrival, but Hinata saw her out of the corner of her eye and waved in her direction politely. She managed a forced smile and took a breath, waiting for the all-seeing eyes to notice her distress and the state of her clothes. She was covered in scratches and blood. It took a second for Hinata to really look at her properly and she dropped her second ice cream cone in surprise.

"Sakura, what's wrong?!" She exclaimed. Jumping up suddenly, interrupting her cousin while he'd been talking. A few more heads turned in her direction and a small clamour began at her appearance. She was leaning heavily on the back of a chair and her leg was obviously badly wounded. More and more of the off-duty shinobi caught sight of her until she finally had all of their attentions, including the Nara and Akimichi pair from the hill around the back.

"Sakura, what happened?" Hinata tried again, moving closer. The pink haired girl offered a smile and took in a deep shuddering breath.

"I'm sorry for intruding on your day, but I feel you are all needed at the Hokage's office immediately." She explained, avoiding everyone's eyes. Shikamaru was the first to spot it and voiced his opinion.

"You're not telling us something." He stated and she looked up at him sadly, shooting Konohamaru and his friends a glance as well. She shook her head and shoved a few pink strands of blood-stained hair angrily out of her face.

"It's war." She said softly. "Naruto was attacked."

(End of Chapter)

Okay... after being such a bastard about it... and procrastinating like there was no tomorrow, I finally managed to finish chapter 54. The ironic thing is before I had even finished this one I had 55 started... and would type there if this chapter wasn't doing it for me. I think it was because there wasn't actually any Naruto or Sasuke in this chapter, but I felt it was needed to show what had happened to all of these people over the years, 'cause they've all changed as well... even if you haven't seen it specifically.

I think Mi-kun might hurt me when she finds out I posted this right after she signed off.

Replies:

To Iceheart19: Er... well... it was Sasuke's first time screwing Naruto... but technically no.

To Kamikakushi: My review count is really odd... it appears a lot larger than it really is. Currently, before this chapter is posted I have 911... I assume it probably says something larger like 930-something. Oh, and I apologize about Itachi... it's er... It'll be fixed up as the chapters go on. I'll keep in mind that he's a little OOC.

To Seraphina DW: No to the question about Kankuro's advisors. They're shapeless heads. Hence the reason I never named a single one of them. I'm keeping to my oath to avoid OCs as much as humanly possible. As well... you are very quick, considering I never actually hinted anything of the sort (concerning the first comment made about Gaara and Itachi). Congratulations.

To Seph Lorraine: I'm sorry if I came off sounding defensive, I really wasn't. I was just making sure I didn't get into trouble by you. Ha ha. Oh, and I felt like such an idiot for laughing at the musical reference. Made me feel like a geek. Hee hee...

To Kyuubi-kun: Me? Sadistic? Okay, maybe a little... I can't wait to see your reaction when you find out I pulled a "Shigure" on you.

To The Laer: DAMN! Ah well, I hope this chapter doesn't get you too hyper-ish and that you've viewed this on a better computer. Best of luck on topping the current record of 11kb. I doubt that there will be any more THAT thoughtful... but they were amazing to read. Besides the fact they were long, they reflected. But no matter how long or short your review may be, I know it will be perfect, because it always reviews something I did or didn't do right in the story.

To KageKitsune16: No, er... one rape is more than enough for Naruto, and even that was a traumatic experience for him (as you'll find out in the next chapter). And questions are good. It helps give me a direction to drive my story in so that I can answer them.

To AkaNoShika: Thank you for the compliments. I agree in a way with what you said about my ease with tension. I seem to feel more... able to write when there's something angsty or tension-filled going on, and any excuse to torture Naruto is great food for the muses. About the 'special-ness' of them venting... I just noticed it myself. I didn't want it to just be PWP lemons.

To Sakurako: Yes, Sasuke knows about the demon, as does the rest of the village now. Orochimaru shouted it out to everyone when in one of the chapters where he got control over the entire village.