I know it's been a while but I haven't had the motivation to write anything for this story. But Ihave yet again fallen into one of those funks, not really my choice but hey, and the idea for the next part of the story sorta floated in with it. So here it is... you guys know I don't own it so I'll just shut up.

And so developed a pattern. Naruto would spend his day training, running obstacle courses, performing katas, and sparring with whoever had the time to spare. Afterward he would meet Sakura at the ramen stand for dinner and a talk. They talked about anything that came to mind except for "that" event. After that first night they rarely spoke of it, preferring to let the wounds heal, and simply let life roll on.

Of course the wounds weren't healing as fast as it appeared from the outside. Both had quickly formed walls to protect themselves. They appeared to move on on the outside but on the inside it was taking much longer. Both still had regular nightmares though they never spoke of them.

And then of course there was their teacher, Kakashi. The jounin almost seemed to vanish for the first week as if he'd slipped into some crack and holed himself up. It certainly looked that way when, at the end of the first week, a small gathering was held in honor of Sasuke's name being placed on the huge obsidian memorial stone. The silver haired man looked as pale as death but still managed to stand tall and give a few words on their former teammate.

For the first time, as Kakashi spoke to the assembled, Naruto saw his sensei as more than just a teacher and mentor. The jounin's solid shell had been cracked, revealing the young heartbroken man inside. That revealing look at his sensei drove home more then ever the fact that others had suffered besides just Sasuke's direct teammates. Naruto had been so wrapped up in his own feelings, along with Sakura's, that he had all but forgotten how many lives Sasuke had truly effected.

So moved by what he saw during the speech, Naruto grabbed his sensei after the ceremony before the jounin could slip away and invited him to join Sakura and himself some night at the ramen stand. Kakashi accepted after some prodding and joined them later that week during some free time between his new missions. Needless to say the conversation was a bit awkward, Naruto and Sakura had never spoken to him outside of ninja or team activities, but Naruto felt gratified when he managed to catch a momentary smile pulling at his teacher's mask.

All too soon Naruto found himself headed back to the Hokage's office. The two weeks had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Naruto found himself wondering where they had gone and then discovered, to his distress, that he hadn't even come to a decision about where he was going to go next. So he took a round about path to the old man's office to give him some more time to think.

But once Naruto began to think about it he discovered Sakura had already made the choice for him. Of the three options the Hokage had given them only one remained viable now that she was gone. There no longer was technically a team seven so putting it on stand by or assigning a chuunin to it wouldn't work. The only option left really was for the team to be officially disbanded and for Naruto to be reinserted into the genin draft when the next class graduated. The funny thing was Naruto had actually felt like he was leaning that direction anyway.

With his mind firmly set the blond boy altered his course and headed straight for the old man's office. An ANBU guard almost stopped him just outside the door but held back. Word had circulated through the upper ranks of the ninja corps that Naruto had shown a quieter side and that he really wasn't as bad as popular opinion said. Then there were the rumors of his exploits on Team Seven's fateful mission. Surprisingly many people had begun to listen to these new thoughts then stick with the old ideas. Maybe it was the fact that losing a teammate was never easy and that people sympathized with him or perhaps it was because of his strange new behavior in the past weeks.

Many people had spotted him frequenting the tougher challenge courses in and around town and had seen how hard he worked at them. They had seen his expressions and could resonate with his loss. They saw the new friendship that had sprung up between Sakura and him.

Whatever the reason it seemed popular opinion of the demon fox carrying boy had begun to shift. The ANBU held back and allowed the boy to enter into the Hokage's office without harassment.

The older man smiled from behind his desk and gestured to one of the seats on the other side.

"Well Naruto, it's good to see you looking a bit more alive then at our previous meeting. I take it you've decided then? Or shall we discuss it?"

Naruto shook his head, his expression set. "No old man, I've decided. I would like to be reinserted into the genin draft for the next graduating class."

The Hokage nodded sagely and coughed around his pipe. "I thought that would be your decision. Sakura-chan seemed to want you to continue. It was the only option she left you really. I hear she makes quite a good ramen cook," he said with a bit of a wink.

Naruto's eyebrows rose a bit. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised that the old man knew about Sakura's new job but how did he know that she was any good at it?

He saw the confusion in the young blond's eyes and held up his hand. "No I haven't visited but I do occasionally talk to my jounin, especially one who's recently had such a terrible experience. Kakashi-san told me the day after you he ate with you. He didn't say it outright but I gathered that he deeply appreciated the gesture."

Naruto nodded in understanding.

The Hokage continued as he shuffled some papers. "I anticipated your decision and I've begun the paper work. Kakashi has agreed to take on another team once the next class graduates and he wants you to be one of the people on it. The next class graduates about a month after the upcoming chuunin exams so that will give you several months to train and work."

The Hokage paused as Naruto nodded again.

"As a genin special class you have a few more options open to you until the next teams are decided. You have access to training and training facilities normally not allowed to you. You also are allowed certain types of D and C rank missions in and around town, those that only require one person to complete them. Because of that you will be kept on the active roster list in case an emergency occurs and extra manpower is needed. Any questions?"

Naruto had none.

"Very well then I have one question to ask you before you leave. Since you now have the time and the ability to begin choosing a more definite direction for your training to follow do you have any idea what you might like to do?"

The blond boy crinkled his brow in concentration, squinting through his slitted eyes. He hadn't bothered to think that far ahead. Most ninja's had a specialty. Many were born with an aptitude for those skills while others simply choose them and worked hard at them. It wasn't something most genin needed to think about until after at least three years.

The Hokage smiled secretly as he watched Naruto think. He'd read Kakashi's reports on the boy over the months, especially the report from their last mission, and had been impressed with his findings. Naruto's strongest asset was obviously his enormous stamina and chakra reserves. But the problem Kakashi noted time and time again was that he had very little control over that vast reserve of power. As far as the combat styles he favored the boy was rather broad. He used a bit of everything but more often then not resorted to fists and his favorite technique, the Kage Bunshin. 'He should be worrying about his chakra control more then his techniques at the moment but I know he likes to learn new skills rather then practice old ones. I think I have just the thing for him.'

The old man coughed into his hand to get the boy's attention. "If you're having a hard time deciding I think I may have a very good option available for you. It's not really your style but it'll help improve your control and focus along with giving you a new skill."

Naruto brightened. His eyes glistened at the thought of a new technique. "What is it old man Hokage? What? What?"

The Hokage suppressed the urge to smile.

"Weapons training."

I know it's really short, probably the shortest chapter I've ever written but with school crushing me down I don't have much time to write. So weapons training it is! But what will Naruto choose to do with it? Will he even like it? Good questions... you'll just have to wait and see.