Hi everyone. This is my second ever fanfic...this is a two part story...the second part will come a lot later...like...WAY later...this story is the prologue and epilogue to Path to Hokage. So I really hope you like this. This fanfic is named after Linkin Park's Song, My december...its very sad...and I can sympathize with it...and I think Naruto can too...This story will go along a lot smoother if you've heard the song before...if you haven't...email me...I'll send it to you...so here it is...My December...

blah - me

blah - Naruto

Blah - Jiraiya

Blah - Sakura

p.s. this takes place during the three year timeskip

"My December"

"ERRO-SENNIN!" Naruto yelled. He had just kicked Jiraiya's but with his new jutsu, Odama Rasengan, and he was already leaving to gather information"Yeah right, erro-sennin." Naruto jumped into his bed. (They were in a motel.) "Whatever...have fun..." He lay down, staring at the ceiling.

Jiraiya stared at Naruto, as he lay down. Damn kid...he's strong...he's already learned over 500 jutsu in a year and a half... half of them were as simple as climbing trees...but still...He looked at Naruto again...I'm still worried about him... "Stay safe." Jiraiya walked out.

This is my December
This is my time of the year
This is my December
This is all so clear

Naruto stared at the ceiling; he missed Konoha a lot. It was home. Everyone was there. Everyone. The only people who had ever cared about him. Iruka. Kakashi. Sak...

He stopped. It hurt him just to think about her. She was the one person he cared about more then anyone, and she didn't see him as anything more then a friend. He could fight to the death, and she would still only care about Sasuke. Thinking about home, he was reminded how he didn't have a home. "Damn you, bastard."

This is my December
This is my snow covered home
This is my December
This is me alone

Tears slowly made their way to his eyes, but Naruto pushed them away. He wouldn't cry. Crying was a weakness he had gotten rid of years ago. Before he even became a genin. He remembered how he felt back then...

xxx

An eight year old Naruto was walking in the park. He saw a girl with pink hair, who was being teased by some boys, and ran over and punched him.

"Back off, bully," Naruto yelled. The kids, growled at him angrily and were about to attack when their parents came...and saw Naruto. They yelled at their children to come to them and cursed Naruto. Naruto felt tears coming to his eyes.

The girl stared at Naruto, "Um...Thanks...My name's Sakura..." Naruto was already walking away.

I don't understand...why does everyone hate me...Sakura...thats a nice name... He continued to walk to his home...or what was left of it after the Fourth's Memorial.

And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed

And I
Take back all
The things I said
To make you
Feel like that

xxx

He didn't understand back then. His life was hell on earth. No friends...then Iruka came. Naruto smiled...he was my first important person... But it couldn't last forever...When Mizuki had told him, it had killed him. He was the beast that killed the man he admired more then anyone? How ironic fate was...

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Sakura stared at the sky. It had been a rough day at Tsunade's, and she was thinking about Naruto. Naruto...I miss you... She realized that she had been such a jerk to him for all these years. Why hadn't she ever treated Naruto right? He was always there, trying to help her, even when it was for Sasuke. He hadn't killed Sasuke because it would have hurt her. Why do you care about me so much?


And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all the
Things I said to you

Her mom called her in. Taking one last look at the sky, Sakura whispered, "Naruto..."

He defeated Mizuki of course. And he and Iruka becama good friends again. Things became the best they would ever be, when he became part of Team 7. Things were perfect, until something had to blow it apart. Orochimaru...bastard...took Sasuke away from him...Sakura just cried for him to bring him back...and he PROMISED that he would bring him back...he broke it...it was the promise of a lifetime...

And what about Sakura! She just groaned about not having Sasuke... did she even once say "I'm sorry"... ONCE! Naruto got up, angry. All she ever did was care about Sasuke... AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE! He fell back down...

Why me... Naruto thought as he shifted on the bed. He got up and walked up to the window. Staring at the sky, he whispered, "Sakura..." After everything... he still cared about her...

Naruto put on his training clothes and sped to the forest. Jiraiya, who was watching from outside, silently realized what Naruto was going through. Damn...Naruto...he's going through depression...Orochimaru...you bastard..this is because of what you did to the Uchiha...I suppose its the girl too...but...what can I do about that...Poor kid...He never knew a mother...or ...a ...father ... Jiraiya knew that no one could understand how deep Naruto's pain was...I'll help him get through this...I swear...

And I give it all away
Just to have somewhere
To go to
Give it all away
To have someone
To come home to

He looked at the direction Naruto had gone. For starters...I'll follow him and help him however I can...Naruto...Jiraiya began to think about everything Naruto did ...he's always smiling...and he doesn't care about himself if he can help someone... he never lets anyone else feel his pain... Jiraiya was what would be "crying" for him...Your a lot stronger then people give you credit for Naruto...

This is my December
These are my snow-covered trees
This is me pretending
This is all I need

Jiraiya ran to the forest, just slow enough to give Naruto some time for himself.

Naruto punched tree after tree, chakra soaring from him.

Naruto yelled, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He was completely destroying the a section of the forest. Kyubi seemed to be snickering. 'You've grown quite strong" it mumbled to itself.

"WHY ME!" Naruto screamed. "THIS ISN'T FAIR! EVERYONE HATES ME! NO ONE CARES ABOUT ME! THE ONE PERSON I CARE ABOUT DOESN'T GIVE SHIT FOR ME!" Tears rolled down him eyes. "I DON'T HAVE A HOME! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS!" His screams echoed into the forest. Tears still streaming, Naruto looked into the forest, as if waiting for an answer...

And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all
The things I said
To make you feel like that

None came.

Sakura, who had just finished dinner, had decided to visit Team 7's old training grounds. She had just arrived there. She walked by where Naruto had been tied up to the stump after trying to steal lunch. It seemed like it was just yesterday. This is where I first noticed how cool Naruto had become...when he used the Shadow Clone Technique...She stopped. She felt so guilty...Your stupid Sakura. How could you do this...you just didn't get it...he was always there for you...and you completely ignored him...Tears rolled down her eyes.

And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all the things
I said to you

Tears rolled down her eyes. "NARUTO!

"I swear that I will never ignore you again. Your my best friend," she yelled into the night. Tears continued to pour down her voice, as she began to let it all out. She cried for the next half-hour.

Voice lowering, she added, "And I'm also...kinda...arghh...nevermind." She walked back home, feeling somewhat less...sad?...after making that promise. Why couldn't she say it? After all...she's one step closer to denying her denial. It's a start...right? Answers will come in time.

Naruto was punching tree after tree. He just had to let everything out. If he didn't, he'd explode. Tears were rolling down from his eyes, unattended. Naruto couldn't stop. Jiraiya watched in the shadows. Kid... sorrow... unchecked it turns into this...Naruto doesn't deserve this... all he's ever done is help other people...Yondaime... how could you do this to him... I know you never expected this to happen... but your legacy is here... suffering... please help him... Tears rolled down the stoic Sannin's face...please...

Things were getting worse for Naruto. He was growing angrier and angrier, but Jiraiya just stood there. Then it snapped. Chakra burst from Naruto...it slowly turned red... Jiraiya gasped...Three tails quickly popped up...

"AARGHH!" Naruto yelled. He started to create Rasengans and began to destroy the forest.

"Naruto! Stop," Jiraiya said, steppin out of the forest. "Calm down."

"You don't know anything," Naruto yelled, tears pouring. "What it feels like to be kicked, cursed, and lied to everywhere you go." He was losing it. He screamed: "IT..."The tears were like liquid diamonds.. " HUUUUUURRRRRRTSSS!"

Jiraiya slowly said, "Yes, I do." You have no idea, kid...I was treating like you were...

"SHUT UP!" Naruto yelled, and the fourth tail jumped out. Naruto screamed. "AARGHH!" His eyes grew white, and he stopped screaming. His voice grew feral. "My whole life...people have cursed me...I think its time that I take things into my own hands..I'll destroy everyone who had ever hurt me...DESTROY!"

"Naruto! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Jiraiya charged a Rasengan and began to fight Naruto. Naruto just dodged and dodged.Naruto felt himself losing control.

And I give it all away
Just to have
Somewhere to go to

Jiraiya was tired just from attacking, and he hadn't been hit once.

"Enough," Naruto said, and he threw a punch straight at Jiraiya's chest. Jiraiya fell down. Naruto screamed, "NOO!" Kyubi's red chakra disappeared, leaving just Naruto. He ran to Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya," he began. "I'm so sorry..."

Give it all away
To have someone
To come home to

"Don't be," Jiraiya said, "I know what it feels like. You and me...we're alike in so many ways...we're both pervs." He chuckled. "We WERE both dropouts. We WERE the sore leg of the team. No one cared about you. Even when the village idol, who hid you in his shadow, betrays the village, it doesn't care. Orochimaru and Sasuke. Me and you. We're all mirror images of each other." He coughed.

Naruto, as smart as he is, just realized that he had learned basic medical jutsu. He began to heal as much as he could of Jiraiya. KYUBI! CHAKRA! Sure enough, the healing chakra turned red, and Jiraiya began to heal much faster.

"I loved Tsunade," he said. Naruto stared at him. "And you love Sakura. We're alike in a lot of ways." He stopped. "Now...I'm tired...I'm going to sleep...just take me back to the motel." Sure enough, he was snoring the next second.

Face fresh from the tears, Naruto, smiling, picked up Jiraiya. "Pervert...cracks a joke right now..." He felt a lot better.

This is my December
This is my time of the year
This is my December
This is all so clear

The next morning, no trace of Naruto's depression was left. In fact, he was smiling brightly today, honestly. "Why are you so happy," Jiraiya mumbled as he backpacked his share of the supplies.

"We're going to the Cloud Village, today right?" he asked. Jiraiya nodded. "Well, I've never been there before. Plus, on the way, you can teach me a whole bunch of jutsu."

"Whatever kid," Jiraiya said. "By the way, if you ever tell Tsunade or anyone for that matter about what I said last night..." Naruto gulped. "You're dead. Here me...dead."

Naruto began to sweat profusely. "No problem Jiraiya...Now...Teach me some S-Level Jutsu! PLEASE!"

And I give it all away
Just to have somewhere
To go to
Give it all away
To have someone
To come home to

Life goes on

Naruto and Sakura...pain...regret...

Naruto knows all about sorrow and pain. He's felt it all his life. He's tried so hard to gain recognition for his accomplishments, but he's always in someone else's shadow. Naruto's sorrow continued to grow; the one person he wanted to acknowledge him left him. His BROTHER left him. What could you do?

Don't do what Naruto did. Don't keep everything like that pain and sorrow in so long. The slightest thing might snap the string. And eventually, even if your super protected, it'll snap for no reason whatsoever. let it out...it hurts to keep it bottled inside

Find someone you truly care about; find someone who you can spill your heart out to, and they'll understand. They won't judge you...

Life goes on for everybody.

Note: How did you guys like the story...I really hope you like it...My December by Linkin Park is a really emotional song, and the lyrics alone don't express it all. This story is the prologue to The Path to Hokage. Once I finish the it... I'll post a second chapter to this story...the epilogue...and the end...if I ever get there...yeah...thanks for reading...