Disclaimer: Yup, Don't own Naruto if that wasn't too obvious.

Last Chapter: And she just knew after becoming official ninjas, Naruto and herself had something great awaiting them in their paths.

Ch 4: Don't Look Back

Naruto glanced at Sakura. He didn't understand why she was being so nostalgic. Don't get him wrong, he was like that too from time to time. But he was feeling too happy to get dragged down. Speaking of down, he heard Haruno-san and her friends laugh shrilly.

"They're loud aren't they?" Sakura said off handedly, still leaning on the rusted red railing.

"What did you expect? Old hags are always like that. You remember that banshee that runs the grocery store?" Naruto asked looking at the houses in front of him. Sakura nodded. "Yesterday when I got there she was screeching at the old man. I mean she practically broke every thing made of glass. I could've sworn that those bottles started leaking!" Naruto made exaggerated hand movements to emphasize his point. Sakura giggled. He grinned. He liked making Sakura laugh. He continued, "When she saw me she screeched again and grabbed a broom! I just high tailed it outta there!"

A moment of silence passed, both just enjoying the other's company, grins on their faces. Naruto fished around his kunai pouch for something, it was the gift from Sakura. "Did you open your present yet?" Sakura shook her head. "Whatcha waitin' for?"

Naurto opened his. He sat their blinking a sew moments till he realized what it was. His present was a night cap, the mouth of an animal, maybe a bear, was the rim. There were two small pieces of fabric for the buck teeth, a small cloth ball for the nose and two eyes. His grin brightened, "It's awesome! Arigatou Sakura-chan!" He tried on the cap trying to see how it looked on him. Thankfully Naruto remembered he could use the glass of her door to see his reflection, but he just remembered that when he was trying tot enter, so being who he was, smashed into the glass face first. Sakura quirked an eyebrow and heaved a sign. She opened the glass door and Naruto fell in; she just walked over him.

She picked up the somewhat neatly wrapped gift and carefully removed the paper. It was her turn to just stare and blink. Naruto had given her a necklace. It was on a silver chain, with a small pink sakura flower pendent. She saw it when she was shopping a few days ago and practically fell in love with it. Though some part of her wanted to get it then and shove it away into a small dirty box and bury it. "Arigatou" She whispered before setting it down.

Naruto didn't say anything. He knew she was genuinely thankful, but it somewhat made him feel bad to see her so solemn. He got up and walked behind her. Even though he was slightly shorter, eh took off the nightcap and placed it on her head. "Hey, do you think we should get nii-san this? I think hot pink would be his color!" he said motioning to her vanity mirror.

"Suuuure. You want me to bury this or the pink one with you?" Sakura grinned, while Naruto's smile became lopsided. The carefree moment was short lived however.

"I just don't get it," She flipped her pink hair from her face, her voice sounded too old for her age.

"Don't get what?" The blonde asked totally confused, but his smiled never left his features.

"How you can just smile through everything," the girl said not glancing at her companion. She asked it every so often and Naruto would always answer the same way.

"Nothing to it really. Just don't brood over the past. Stand up straight and just keep going, no matter what comes your way." Naruto proclaimed it proudly, straightening himself to his full height and striking what should've been a proud pose.

"But how can you just keep going, when everything around you is falling?" Her voice sounded faint and weak. Naruto immediately frowned. He never liked Sakura like this. His best friend was loud and somewhat dominating, but never frail.

"You know before I met you, it felt like that. But hey, look at us now! We're doing missions and we didn't have to go to the academy and plus some of the adults don't hate me for carrying Kyuubi!"

Sakura flashed him a small uncertain smile. Inside he flinched. His Sakura was never uncertain about anything.

"Just don't look back. What's done is done, but you can decide on what you're going to do." He said comfortingly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Sakura only nodded.

He laughed it off, rubbing the back of his neck and turned around facing outside. "I need to get goin, nii-san's letting me look through some of his scrolls tonight. Ja!" He pulled the nightcap off of her head and jumped onto the roof tops back to the Uchiha compound all the while waving good bye.

Sakura breathed a laugh and shook her head. Her head felt numb and her thoughts seemed to silenced with a loud buzz. Not thinking too much of it she flopped down on her bed and slept.

Naruto on the other hand still had the abundant energy he had this mourning. He arrived at Itachi's house in about five minutes of leaving Sakura's. He tried to sneak in, thinking he might even surprise Itachi but it was the other way around. When he reached the Uchiha's garden he opened the door silently, grinning at all the different ways he could surprise him, but the moment he opened his eyes and to step in Itachi was standing right at the other side, a look of slight annoyance gleamed in his eyes.

Naruto gasped and jumped back. His expression turned sour. "That's not funny," was all he muttered as he stomped into the house.

Itachi said nothing but a small smile tugged onhis lips. He followed the blonde back to the kitchen. His mother was still washing the dishes when they arrived.

"How's Sakura-chan?" Uchiha-san asked rinsing the plates.

"She's doing better. Hey she gave me this, whatcha think?" Naruto said modeling his nightcap. She looked over her shoulder and giggled. "I was tellin' Sakura that we should get a pink one for nii-san as a house warming gift." This made the mother laugh. Itachi's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

"Don't," was all the ANBU said taking seat and drinking his tea.

"But nii-san, we need to get you a gift!" Naruto said indignantly sitting roughly down, his arms crossed.

"There's no need to," Uchiha-san replied for her son. She knew Itachi would refuse and she didn't want those two to spend the little money they had for a gift.

"But-"

"No buts." She cut him off, by her tone it was final. Naruto pouted and huffed.

"Hey nii-san what's the genin exams about anyways?"

"Easy," Itachi replied taking another long draft of his tea.

"Can you say more than a word," Naruto shot back annoyed.

"Yes," Itachi poured hot water inot his cup. The soon to be genin's eye twitched. Itachi loved doing this to him. It was one fo the few pleaseres of life athat Naruto knew Itachi enjoyed.

"Fine, can we look at the scrolls now?" The blonde asked with a grin, jumping up. Itachi followed Naruto to his room.

"There," Itachi pointed to ashelf in the corner. He turned to his closet and finished packing.

Naruto scanned throught he scrolls trying to find that jutsu he saw Kyou do on their last mission together. He growled in frustration, running a hand through his messy hair pushing it off his face.

"Still now luck?" Itachi asked off handedly now checking off all that he packed.

"None! I mean all I know is that its lightning element, but that's it! It shouldn't be this hard to find!" The blue eyed boy growled again.

"It could be from a different country, a forbidden justu, or a clan jutsu." Itachi went on satisfied that he had everything he needed. He went to his closet to make sure that his mask and uniform were in order.

"I give up!" Naruto jumped up and threw his arms up. "I need sleep. Night." Naruto jammed on his nightcap and went to the guess room. Itachi just shrugged and got inot bed, he was leaving after breakfast.

The next day was fairly normal. Itachi left after eating his breakfast and mumbling goodbye. His father soon followed, heading towards the police station. All that was left was Sasuke, Naruto, and Uchiha-san.

"So you're going to take the genin exams?" Sasuke asked offhandedly as possible, looking through his books. But Naruto caught the slight sneer in his voice. Their relationship was a funny thing. Sasuke for his own reasons became silent and cold like Itachi. But what was different from him and Itachi was that he was just slightly spiteful. He and Naruto never got along too well. Itachi and their father could see through their polite act infront of the Mrs. But they never commented on it. Uchiha-san was completely oblivious to their rivalry.

"Yea, its gonna be easy with all the experience I have." Naruto subetly gloated. He saw Sasuke's eyes throw him a glare.

"Wouldn't it be great if you were in a team with each other and Sakura?" Uchiha-san said smiling and wiping her hands.

"Yea Okaa-san it'll be great." Sasuke said as geninuenly as possible, though both he and Naruto were shouting "Hell No!" in their minds. He got up and took his books. "See you tonight mom. Later Naruto." Though he mouthed dobe at him before walking to the entrance. Naruto glared and mumbled unintellingetly under his breath.

"What are you doing today?" Uchiha-san asked sitting down at the table and drinking her tea.

"I think me and Sakura are going to a movie or something. She's deciding." Naruto replied glancing at the clock. "Do you need help with anything?" he offered. He did feel a bit guilty for freeloading off the Uchihas. Like usual Uchiha-san refused.

"Now get going. Sakura-chan hates waiting." Uchiha-san shooed him off. Naruto reluctantly complied.

Naruto took his time walking to Sakura's. He was keeping an eye out for Kyou. They still had two days left till the exams. Itachi told them to be watching their backs and not go off traiing,s o they couldn't do that. But a mission was too tempting. He knew Itachi was right and to not go, but the two really needed the cash. He could always ask some chuunin to 'chaporon' them. Or, he finally realized they could finally pull the prank! For the past few months they were doing mission around the Fire Country, right at the time they decided to prank some chuunin that were condescending towards them.

Naruto grinned as he arrived under Sakura's balcony. He climbed up, and looked through the glass. Sakura was still sleeping. His grin instantly turned to a frown. This was a very delicate situation. His only options were either to wake her or leave. I he woke her, she'll be… cranky to say the least. She was never a morning person. It he left, she'll eventually wake up and freak out that she slept pass noon. She didn't like to have her day cut short just cause she overslept. Then she'll blame him for it, leading to some very bad bruises.

Naruto taking a chance poked Sakura on the cheek. She stirred but turned over. He poked again. She lazy slapped his hand away. He gulped and with a very shaky hand poked her on the forehead. She grumbled and mumbled "Five more mintues…"

"But Sakura-chan it's," He decided to play it safe. "It's getting really late."

"So? I need sleep." She mumbled and dug deeper into her covers.

Naruto glanced at the clock on the wall. Should he back away now or should he continue. He decided on the later. "It's 10 o'clock."

He saw a pink eyebrow twitch. He began to sweat. This wasn't good. Sakura pushed off of her bed slowly and turned to look at the blonde. He gulped. She gave him a blank stare. He stared back.

"What?"

"It's ten…"

Her gaze turned into a glare. 'Oh shit' Naruto thought. Without a further exchange of words, the pink haired girl tossed him out of her balcony.

Naruto landed on the pavement face first. 'Owwwwwwwww' He got up and rubbed his face. That was the second time she did it. Luckily the street under the balcony wasn't too busy at the moment and only a few saw. He sighed and waited.

Sakura came out a few mintues later fully dressed and a smile on her face.

"You get a kick out of throwing me out of buildings don't you?" He said in an exasperated tone.

"Only in the mornings!" the girl in question chirped happily. "So how was Sasuke?" she knew about their rivalry too.

"PMSing like usual." Naruto said shrugging his shoulders and began to walk to the center of the village.

"Did Itachi-niisan leave yet?"

"Right after breakfast." Sakura's stomach growled at that moment. "Let's get something to eat. I think we still have those free coupons left." The ramen lover dug through his pockets and held out two perfectly preserved ramen meal tickets. After a few years of going there everyday, the Ichiraku owner decided to give each other them two free ramen tickets for being such loyal guests. They usually brought other ninjas there after missions, and they old man was grateful for it.

"Hi Naruto, Sakura!" Ayame, the ramen girl said happily smiling. She gathered few empty bowls and handed them to her father. "The usual?"

"Yup!" Naruto shouted jumping onto his usual stool. Sakura joined him. A few mintues later their orders arrived.

"Have you heard anything from Kyou-senpai?" Sakura asked slurping her noodles.

Naruto shook his head no while slurping noodles, which caused some misoa soup to land on Sakura. The green eyed girl frowned and stole few pieces of pork from her companions bowl. She ate it before Naruto could steal it back.

"Hey not fair!" Naruto tried to steal some of her's. But Sakura shot him a glare that meant 'Do-it-and-die'. Naruto's hand immediately pulled back as Sakura jabbed her chopsticks aiming for it. "You don't have to be that mean…" He began to sulk. "Another one old man!" The hyper blonde shouted.

"Naruto, Sakura!" A voice shouted behind them. They looked back and saw violet eyes.

"Mornin' Kyou!" Naruto grinned and wave him over. Kyou walked over with a grin on his face. "Got anything for us?"

"Yea, good thing I found you guys now. It's a one day C-class."

"Yatta! What is it?"

"Here," he handed a small packaged that made clinking sounds inside. "You know the rest stop from here to The Hidden Rain?" The two nodded. "This is for the old couple that works there. Give this to them and they'll give you a letter back. Then take the letter to the hospital's front desk. Got it?"

"Awww, that's so easy though."

"Hey, best I can find. Live with it."

"Sure, Kyou. We'll do it after we finish eating though." Sakura said with a doubtful glance towards Naruto knew bowl of ramen.

"Doesn't matter as long as you get it to them by today. I need to go now. Tai and Setsuna are waiting for me at the Police Station." He waved bye to them as he walked off.

Sakura quickly rushed Naruto off after his tenth bowl of ramen.

"Hey you didn't need to punch me!" Naruto shouted indignitly as he was being dragged out of the large wooden gates.

"If I didn't you would've had more ramen!" Sakura shot back with a scowl on her face. Naruto just pouted.

"C'mon it'll be faster if run. That stop is really far away." Sakura let go of Naruto and dashed down the dirt road.

"Hey, no fair!" Naruto shouted running to catch up.

"Not my fault your slow like that!" Sakura teased as she sped up. "Last one to the river has to buy ramen!"

"Not gonna be me!" Naruto focused more chakra to his feet and pushed off with all the strength he could muster. He ran as fast as he could knowing Sakura was right on his tail.

After fifteen minutes of running they were a few yards away from the river. Naruto grinned as he made one final dash towards the finish line. Sakura's lips were pressed into a frown. She knew she wasn't going to win because of the gap between them, but she could still be a sore loser. She dashed after Naruto.

"All right!" Naruto shouted pumping his fists into the air as he skidded to a halt. He didn't know what hit him till he hit the water.

Sakura just grinned as she saw him flailing in the water from confusion. When he skidded to a stop he dashed again and pushed him into the river. Naruto pushed himself out of the river and sat on it's surface with his usual pout.

"C'mon," Sakura said walking onto the river and began to cross. "And don't think about revenge! I have the package and we can't get it wet got it!" She said over her shoulder as Naruto reached out to pull her underwater. This just caused Naruto to frown more.

They reached the rest stop a few hours later than they intended. They got sidetracked few times as they played their usual mission games. When doing low class missions that they knew wouldn't involve fighting, they would usually goof off along the way. They had developed multiple game while walking from races to word games and even RPGs.

And it was RPG that they were playing as they were only a mile away from the stop.

"Then I summon Tsume, the legendary fire wolf! And attack we'll attack with our Blazing Claw jutsu!" Naruto shot back.

"Too bad you're out of chakra from summoning him."

"What, no I'm not!"

"Too bad. The oni knocks you out. Then I'll use my perfume poison to stun him and use my Blue Lightning jutsu to fry it! There I win!"

Naruto just stuck his tongue out. "Blue Lightning, what kinda name is that?"

"Hey!" Sakura shot back defensively. "It's so much better than Blazing Claw!"

"Nuh Uh!" Naruto pouted and stomped his feet.

"Quite acting like a baby. I won." Sakura continued to walk.

"Whatever. Next time I'll win!" The blonde declared.

"Don't shout," the kunoichi commanded. "We're here."

They walked into the wooden house.

"Baa-san, Jii-san, is anyone here!" The blonde called walking between the empty tables.

"Hey, Naruto." The pink haired girl called over from the other side of the room. Naruto just looked over. "Don't you think Kyou-senpai was acting a bit weird?" she asked out of the blue. She just thought of it at that moment though.

The boy in question scrunched his face in concentration. "Nah, couldn't really tell. But I did found it weird that Tai and Setsuna would be at the police station though."

"Huh?"

"Don't you remember today's the Police Force registration."

"Yea, so? They could've had a break and came to find us."

"No that's not it. They have to go unaccompanied."

"Right so? They might've met to wish him good luck."

"But the registration started at dawn and it's in the Uchiha compound."

"So it might've ended early." Sakura tried to reason. But the feeling of dread crept up just like it had yesterday.

"They're not allowed to leave the compound till the testing have begun…" Naruto grew silent. He knew it was fishy but he pushed it off thinking that Sakura put something in his ramen. The two pre-teens stared at each other wide eyed finally understanding the situation.

It was a trap.

"Duck!" Naruto jumped and pulled Sakura safely to the ground as a barrage of kunai and shuriken broke the windows showering them with glass.

The two scrambled to their feet drawing kunais and shifting into defensive positions. But before they could react five blured figures entered from all sides.

Naruto leaned to the side pushing Sakura along with him to avoid the two coming at them. Sakura quickly threw her kunai at another ninja only scratching his arm. But they couldn't react fast enough to the two other ninjas that charged at them send them through the wall.

Sakura skidded across the dirt path while Naruto hit a tree. They stood up shakily preparing themselves for whatever was to come. But the two enemies that had tackled them did it again, flinging the pre-teens away from each other.

Sakura jumped back to her feet to see a shuriken aimed at her, quickly she used kawarmi no jutsu and hid in the trees. Quickly she grabbed a kunai in each hand and jumped down brining the kunai to stab at her enemy. She didn't have enough time to smirk as her knives dug into the flesh before another opponent flung a kunai her way. She pushed off the ground and back flipped a safe distance away. The pink haired girl dug her feet into the ground and parried an attack aimed at her body. Sakura took this time to finally look at their attackers. They wore the Hunter-nin masks of the Hidden Cloud.

"Sakura!" Naruto's voice broke their glaring contest. Her green eyes grew wide as she saw a ninja to the right and left of her preparing to stab her with their kunai. Breaking the stalemate, she jumped back just in time from being skewered. She got an idea.

Silently she switched herself with a bunshin and hid closer to where Naruto was fending off his enemies. She performed the jutsu's handseals flawlessly and muttered, "Earth Swallow no jutsu." She smiled as she saw her jutsu take immediate effect. The ground softened to the point of becoming like quicksand. The enemies didn't have enough time to jump into the shelter of the trees, before they were buried. It took her a week to perfect the technique with a vague tip from Itachi.

"Hey, thanks for the heads up." Naruto said sarcastically from beside her.

"What can I say? They would've been warned too," Sakura reasoned as she scanned the area for foreign chakra signatures. She couldn't detect anything, which meant she bought them a few minutes. Without saying anymore the two bounded as quickly as they could back to the village hoping that they would have enough time to get help. Both knew that they were no match for Hunter-nins and could only hope to buy time.

They saw a break in the trees and knew they were nearing the river. Their hearts lightened considerably at the prospect of finding any of their ninjas joining their way for their mission. With a burst of speed Sakura sped up.

"No!" The blonde shouted frantically trying to grab her to pull her back. But it was too late and he cursed out loud. Sakura was slammed back into him and he caught her and was knocked off balance.

He landed on the forest ground with Sakura in his arms. He set the unconscious girl down and quickly performed a jutsu that had saved him countless times. "Vine spear no jutsu!" He shouted, and immediately thin, sharp vines shot out of the ground in a circle around him impaling all of his surroundings. He heard the gurgled yelps of pain from the Hunter-nins and prided himself of hurting them in some way. He knew none of them would be dead, but injured at the very least, just enough to give them more time. Quickly he threw Sakura over his shoulder and dodged through the vines making their final attempt to reach help.

He neared the river, he could hear the rush of the water. Though it might've been his imagination he thought he heard someone on the other side. With renewed hope and made one final dash towards the person, but the blonde forgot that the person might not have been an ally.

"Please help us," was all the pre-teen said, before the person some how appeared right in his face. It was another Hunter-nin from the Hidden Cloud. "Shit," was all that he could mutter as enemy knocked him out.

End Ch: 4

There you have it. I know the jutsu names were bad, but I was in a creative slump. And the beginning is really strained, but I just kept writing till I found a way to further the plot. When I get some time I'll try to revise this so it'll run smoother. And if you want the next chapter faster REVIEW! Reviews are great motivations of authors like me! I even took time off from my research paper to finish this!