Sorry for the late update.
Enjoy!

Happy Ending

Chapter 6


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A week had gone by.

Naruto had plenty of time to think. He thought about all the memories he had shared with all of his friends and enemies. But he still though of Sasuke and his memories with him the most.

Why did that Uchiha boy affect him, Uzumaki Naruto, so much? Naruto couldn't help it when he thought that his memories with the other boy always made him happy. Just thinking about the raven-haired boy made him happy.

The blonde boy sighed and looked out his window. It rained again. It had been raining on and off since this morning, and even if the blonde boy only had been awake only a couple of hours, he was bored to death.

Naruto closed his eyes and leaned against the window. He hadn't even seen Sasuke since the last time they had talked, and the younger boy didn't really know if he even wanted to meet him.

Actually, he hadn't really seen any of his friends during this week. He had only met Tenten because they switched shifts with each other, and sometimes they talked about random stuff.

He remembered that Tenten had told him that Sakura's mother had been released from the hospital, and that Neji had started to study healing techniques to help him on the ANBU missions when they wouldn't a medical ninja with them.

The blonde boy opened his eyes and looked out one more time. He really hated when it rained. It made him think, but last time it rained he hadn't really thought about anything special; he had just avoided thinking at that time. He slept away the time.

"I don't want to be here."

Naruto took his raincoat and walked out from his apartment.

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He had been walking around Konoha for what seemed like hours.

He just wandered around, not looking for anything or thinking about a place he would want to visit; he just walked to walk and thought about random stuff.

He didn't know exactly what he was thinking because he didn't really pay attention to anything.

He didn't know what was bringing him down; well, something said inside of him that he did know. But he didn't pay any attention to that little thought.

Finally, the blond stopped and looked around to try and register where he was. The rain blocked his vision a little bit, but it didn't take to long before he realized where he was.

He was at the training ground.

The exact same training ground where Kakashi had tied him to a stock because he had been trying to eat while they had the survival test.

He remembered everything like it was yesterday.

It was the day when they had become a team; even if it lacked teamwork they were still a team for the first time.

Naruto chuckled a little and touched the stock with his hand. Just remembering his old team at the age of twelve made him smile. He and Sasuke had always ended up in glaring contests, or in fights with each other, while Sakura always paid attention to Sasuke or threw fits at Naruto.

Suddenly, Naruto took his hand away from the stock fast and grabbed a kunai from his shuriken holster on his leg. Someone was behind him.

"Naruto?" The voice sounded concerned, but who was it? Naruto knew the owner of the voice but he just couldn't seem to register it in his mind or link it to a face that he knew.

He put the kunai back in his shuriken holster and turned to face the person behind him.

It was Sakura.

She stood under her umbrella with concerned eyes. Taking a few steps forward, she raised her umbrella so that both Naruto and she were under it.

"Aren't you cold?" She asked. "It's cold outside and you don't even have your hood over your head. You are all wet! What if you came down with a cold!"

Naruto just looked at her, not replying to what she had said; it hadn't even registered in his mind what she had been saying in the first place.

He just stared at her.

"Naruto? Are you listening?" Sakura moved her hand to touch Naruto's cheek, making Naruto jump back out from under her umbrella to stand in the rain once again.

Naruto blinked a few times and gave Sakura an embarrassed grin.

"Sorry…" He tilted his head to the side a little and put his hand behind his head. "I guess I spaced out a little."

"A little?" Sakura glared at Naruto. She was angry; he could see that very well. "Uzumaki Naruto. What if you got a cold? Don't you ever think?" She walked closer to him and raised the umbrella over their heads again. "Naruto…" She spoke in a soft, worried voice. "What's wrong? I called you name more then once and you didn't even seem to hear. Is something bothering you? You know that you can tell me…"

Naruto looked at Sakura. Have she always been that caring towards him? If she had, he hadn't noticed.

He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

"Don't worry, I'm fine, really." He met her eyes. She looked tired and very concerned "How about you?" He asked before she could say anything else. "You don't look so good."

She twisted her eyebrows. She didn't know if she should answer or continue to ask him about what was wrong. In the end, she just sighed and smiled at him.

"It's just mom. Since she came back from the hospital she hasn't been able to move around much, and I must take care of her." The pink-haired girl rubbed her temples. "Sometimes, I just wish that dad was still alive, because if he was, this would never have happened. Her sickness and all, I mean." Some tears started to run down her chin.

Naruto used his thumb to wipe away the tears that started to come, but when the tears started to come more and more, he put his arms around her and simply hugged her to comfort.

"I know…" He said. He could feel her stiffening a little, but it soon disappeared. "I know how it is to lose someone dear. It is a hell of a feeling that you really can't describe for anyone. But I know, almost, what you are going trough so you can always ask me for help because I will always be there to help you, no matter what." He released her from his grip and stepped back.

He didn't really know what he could see in her face right then. She looked like she was some sort of happy but still wanted to cry and she even looked a bit chocked.

Maybe he had said something stupid?

"Thank you." She wiped away a few tears that started to come. "Thank you for being so understanding." She leaned her head down so that it touched his chest. "Thank you."

He started to pet her back a little. "You don't have to repeat yourself."

They stood like that for a moment before Naruto broke them apart.

"Let me escort the young lady home."

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"And that's why I think we all should make something for her." Naruto finished.

After Naruto's and Sakura's encounter on the training ground, Naruto had been thinking of a way to cheer his female friend up, and what could be better than a little trip to the hot spring with all of her friends?

"So, you all up for it?" The blond asked. He looked around at his friends, everybody meeting his gaze.

"Well, the girl sure needs it." Ino spoke up.

"Yeah, and I think Neji needs it too, he have been working a lot lately."

"That's true Kiba." Naruto said. "So it will be like killing two birds in one. I will handle Tsunade and the rest of you can talk to the owner of the hot spring, and when all that is done the most troublesome part is left."

Everybody in the room nodded, except for one dark-haired ninja boy.

"Who will handle Neji and who will handle Sakura? Any volunteers?" Naruto asked.

"I can handle Neji!" Tenten raised her arm cheerfully. "And please don't say I shouldn't because I at least owe you this."

Naruto grinned and winked at the girl. "Who said I would stop you?"

Tenten giggled a little at that.

Naruto looked around the room and stopped when he saw Sasuke in the corner of the room.

"How about you princess?" The blond said, walking towards the dark-haired boy.

Sasuke glared at the boy in front of him.

"I guess you know what I'm about to ask; you are a genius after all. So, you up for it Sasuke-Hime?"

Sasuke snorted and continued to glare at the blonde boy. Why did he glare like that anyway? Oh yeah, because it is others around and when others are around he must act like an ice-prince.

"Come on Sasuke. For the team?" Please? Naruto moved his lips in silence at the last words, so that nobody except for Sasuke could see them.

Sasuke sighed in defeat. He hadn't the energy to fight right now; he had had a four long day mission and had barely slept at all.

"For the team." The black-eyed boy said.

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"No."

"What! Come on! Show me some mercy!" Naruto's scream could been heard all over Konoha village.

Tsunade had showed him down before he even could ask her the question about the hot spring! What kind of Hokage was she?

"Oh, please." Tsunade rolled her eyes. She was sure the blonde boy would ask her if she could lend her some money, he always wanted money when he used the sweet and innocent voice.

"But just listen to what I have to say!" Naruto slammed his hands on her desk. He was not going to give in! "I promise, this time it is not about money!"

At that, Tsunade raised an eyebrow. Not money he said, and then what could it be? He sure wanted his voice heard.

"Then state your business." She snapped. Now she was curious. What was on the boy's mind?

"Finally!" Naruto straightened himself and looked the older lady straight in the eyes. "I want you to give me and my-" Naruto stopped. Tsunade could see that he was thinking really hard. "-11 friend a night off. 12 with me."

Tsunade leaned back.

"A night off? Tell me the details of why I should let so many people take a night off."

"And I do."

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"Naruto is late; he sure can be so troublesome sometimes."

"The Dobe is always troublesome."

Shikamaru sighed; he really couldn't understand the Uchiha's mind. When it came to Naruto, he would talk freely but if you asked him a question or talked about something else, he always stayed quiet and ignored everyone and everything.

"I just think the fox-boy is at the Hokage's office." Kiba said and yawned. "Or he has just forgotten all about our little night out."

"Someone like Naruto-Kun wouldn't forget that easily Kiba." Lee pointed out. "You know how he loves this night."

"Yeah I know."

One day per month the boys gather around at a place, a restaurant or a bar; even if they couldn't drink alcohol legally yet, they could still go to bars and chat.

"Why aren't Shino or Neji here? Anyone know?" Kiba asked.

"The two of them have an ANBU mission; they will be back tomorrow."

All the boys turned around and saw the blonde boy that they all knew all to well. He stood there, grinning like a fool, like he had won a bet.

"Let me guess, she said it was okay?" Shikamaru asked and walked towards the grinning blond, the other following suit.

"Yeah! This week on Saturday! Oh, and Lee," Naruto turned so that he could face the still green-clothed and Gai-obsessed boy.

"Yes Naruto-kun?" Lee asked.

"Tsunade wants to see you, she said something about a mission. I couldn't talk her out of it, so I guess you will be skipping the night with us…"

"Don't worry Naruto-kun! I will do well on my mission so that you guys won't be disappointed in me for not being with you! I think Shino and Neji are thinking the same thing right now on their mission!" Lee gave Naruto a thumbs up and disappeared before Naruto could say anything else.

Naruto turned to face the other boys and shrugged a little before giving the boys a grin.

"The spring of youth, eh?" The boys grinned a little at Chouji's choice of words.

"Lets just get this night over with." Shikamaru said.

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To be continued

Yet again, special thanks to Azamiko who helps me with the grammar and spelling!

Thanks to everyone who is reviewing! It makes me want to continue with this story.