I'm back, oi I'm having big problems here and there. Nothing I can't handle you understand it's just I might need a small break from this. I'm debating on a tiny hiatus probably until after Christmas. I'll think about it anyway, hope you enjoy this new chapter and thanks for the reviews!

"Speech"

'Thought'

"Kyuubi"

(Standard Disclaimer)

Chapter 27: Wait...Two?

Naruto and his team walked proudly into the massive tower that was in the very center of the Forest of Death. They walked up to the meeting place and the scrolls activated transporting, much to Itami's delight, Taishou with a brand-new Tokkuri for Itami. She quickly took a swig from the new bottle of the elixir and preceded to get smash drunk in minutes.

"Anyway," Taishou said with a smile as Itami drunkenly bothered Zaiaku for all she was worth. "Naruto, did you run into any trouble that I didn't see?" Taishou asked bringing Naruto aside to talk. "That depends, what did you see?" Naruto asked with crossed arms. "Well for one I saw the fight with the Snow team," Taishou as he scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, I'm gonna..." Naruto growled with his killer intent on the rise. "Calm down Naruto. They did well on their own. Besides Itami knocked the girl on their team right out of the exam!" Taishou said excitedly. He then told Naruto of the severe burn on the Pons face. They were so extreme that she was going to be out for the rest of the tournament stage, she is possibly blind for life now too. Taishou, with his trademark laughing, told Naruto about how Anko was practically making out with the liability forms.

Naruto sighed, it was good to hear his team did well without him and even better they cut down on the competition. After a few more minutes of discussion Taishou deemed the team worthy of some rest and they just took it easy, they were still a day ahead of the other teams. Well, all except the Snow team who managed to get a scroll within an hour or so of fighting Naruto's team.

As the day drew to a close only one other team made it to the tower alive and still qualified. Not surprisingly it was the infamous Suna team trained by the one and only Kazekage of the sand. The other teams had members missing, false scrolls, things that were not of the best caliber Genin. When the teams were called to the center ring Tsunade and the other officials greeted them with a smile.

She began her speech about how they were all excellent Genin and with this odd stroke of luck there were just enough to hold the third test. Naruto however wasn't at all in the mood for celebration or for paying attention. Where the hell was Sasuke! As Tsunade closed her speech and dismissed all the Genin Naruto approached her with a demanding glare.

"Obaa-chan where the hell is Sasuke. I know he couldn't have been taken out by ANY of these Genin," Naruto said with a glare. Damn it he wanted some answers! Tsunade's face saddened but remembering her place of Hokage she drew a straight face and said, "Naruto, Sasuke has been disqualified."

"Oh bullshit! Someone on his team do something stupid or something?" Naruto ranted not realizing the irony of that statement. Tsunade sighed and said, "curse seal Naruto." From that point on Naruto didn't say another word, he knew what must have happened. What he didn't know was who had fallen to the seals powers. Some power above must think that the Mist should stay in it's seclusion for that day it had lost three of it's most potential Genin.

Naruto and his team left the confines of the Forest of Death with a sense of accomplishment and a bit of pain. They had met the enemy and they have fought all but one. This was something to be ready for because they knew that they only had so long to train for this new threat.

"Only one month to train..." Naruto said as he stirred the Ramen in his bowl. His team was going out for a victory Ramen much to Naruto's delight and sadness. If it weren't for Itami's constant drunken spurring, Zaiaku's silent requests, and Taishou's loud and 'snappy' comments he would have taken off for his Hinata-chan long ago.

"Actually Naruto," Zaiaku said as he swallowed a bit of his beef ramen, "we have two months to train. It's a new policy put up by the Hokage and the council for Konoha held Chuunin exams. They say it give us more time to hone our abilities." Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head, TWO MONTHS! He could get a hell of a lot done in one month but TWO! Wait...two months...that's more time with Hinata-chan! An ear to ear grin crossed Naruto's face and he engulfed his Ramen leaving nothing in the bowl but air.

"Sorry guys but I have a few things to do!" Naruto said as he vanished in a golden blur leaving Zaiaku, Itami, and Taishou sitting with their half eaten bowls on the counter. "...wow..." was the comment from the three as they watched the golden trail the fox boy left. "He loves his ramen," Zaiaku said which caused a snort from Itami. "What?" Zaiaku asked the girl as she 'innocently' slurped her Ramen.

"You idiot, don't you get it? 'Few things to do'," Itami said when she only received a blank stare from the coin ninja. Itami sweat dropped then shook her head turning it back to her Ramen, "forget it." Zaiaku was confused but went back to eating his noddles with a sense that he missed something, an event that rarely happens to him.

'He can understand jutsu...he can understand philosophy...hell the idiot can understand two different languages! But for the love of god he can't understand ANYTHING related to girls!' Itami ranted in her head as she angrily slurped her noddles. 'Or love for that matter...' she added as an afterthought as she continued her eating.

As the sun began to set on the day the Hyuga mansion was as imposing and regal as ever. The tall towers which held the Branch House guards, the massive gardens and equally large training fields. However in a place so pristine there was one feature that stood out. In a window on the second floor there was a small wavering light in the window.

This light was not bright nor was it constant but it contrasted the calm and quiet mansion with a touch of burning warmth. This flame was not a danger, this was a flame of guidance left in the windowsill by a beautiful girl. She sat with her eyes trained on the window, the days without her Naruto-kun were long and tedious. She had no Naruto-kun to make her feel safe, she had no Naruto-kun to share her love, she had no Naruto-kun to kiss!

She missed him terribly but she sighed and remembered his words, 'Hinata-chan, I love you and I promise I'll always be here for you...' She loved the words her Naruto-kun spoke, it made her feel warm and safe. Like every other girl in Konoha she was a romantic so on the day of his return she placed a single lit candle on the windowsill. It was his guiding light home so he couldn't lose his way to her.

Hinata blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes, she could have sworn she saw something flash across the yard. Maybe it's Naruto-kun! She began to stand up but stopped and sat down again. She had to stop doing this. This was the fifth time she swore she saw something. She sighed and sat back down realizing that Naruto would probably be exhausted after the Forest of Death and take a leisurely pace rather then his hyperactive sprints.

"Boo!" came a voice behind her that made her jump. She was right! It was... "Naruto-kun?" she asked hope flooding into her pale violet eyes She blinked and in an instant her eyes were staring right into his own happy and hopeful orbs. "Uzumaki Naruto at your service!" He said with his usual energy. Hinata blushed at the close area but even more when Naruto closed the gap between them with a long and passionate kiss. Something that stretched beyond any kiss they had to date but somehow it was kept completely clean.

As they reluctantly separated Naruto smiled and said, "I missed you Hinata-chan." Hinata gave Naruto a shy smile to accompany her blush and softly said, "I missed you to Naruto-kun."

After that little confrontation Naruto didn't leave Hinata's side until the Moon had risen. They bid each other a good night then went to bed, having wonderful dreams all through the night. Naruto had more...impure dreams then he'd like to admit but Kyuubi found them entertaining as hell.

Naruto woke up the next morning a heavy blush on his face as he recalled the past nights dreams, 'damn fox why couldn't you just train me like always?' Naruto thought as he heard Kyuubi's immense chuckle. "Let's just say I like X rated movies sometimes..." Kyuubi said which caused Naruto to shut off his mental connection with the demon quickly.

The day progressed as normal with Hinata making Naruto a breakfast, something that Naruto thanked her for but he couldn't look her in the face for more then a second lest his impure dreams return. After the great breakfast then a quick goodbye kiss to Hinata he left to find Hiashi for his morning training.

Hiashi congratulated Naruto on his success but swiftly got right down to business with his advanced Chakra control. After his advanced training Naruto quickly rushed to the training fields only to find that his team mates were missing. Naruto blinked and was about to call out for his friends but then a loud snap and puff of smoke later Taishou was standing before him, a smile masking something.

"Naruto, I called today's training off for the day but I'm glade you came," Taishou said. Naruto was confused but all Taishou said before he snapped away was, "the Hokage want to see you." 'Obaa-chan? What would she want?' Naruto thought as he made his way to the Hokage's office not wanting to disappoint the fifty year old woman.

Tsunade sat in her office shuffling through her papers, it was such a big hassle being Hokage. She couldn't WAIT to give the job to the boy she considered her little brother. Hell he was already getting close to passing most of her advanced ninja and he was still a Genin!

"Hey Obaa-chan? You called?" came the loud voice of the one and only Uzumaki Naruto. With the customary bop on the head and insults they got down to business. "Naruto, I've got a mission for you," Tsunade said with a smile. Naruto pumped his fist in the air with a shout, a mission already!

Tsunade stood from her chair and walked to the side of the room to retrieve a massive sword, the sword of the great missing nin Momochi Zabuza. "I think you know this sword," Tsunade said as she easily lifted the blade and held it up so the finely polished metal glinted in the light. "Along with this headband," Tsunade said as she picked an old Mist head band that had been behind the sword.

"Yes, I do," Naruto said with an angry face. That grave robber had stolen those things from Zabuza's sacred burial grounds! "Well your mission is this. Have these items returned to their place of origin," at this point Tsunade smirked knowing where they were going to be put. Naruto grinned, the Hokage was giving him a mission to return stolen items, simple enough. The only thing that confused him was how did Tsunade know about Zabuza? "And," Tsunade continued, apparently there was more, "you are to be training away from the village for two months."

Naruto blinked, wait...what was that? "What do you mean, train away from the village?" Naruto asked thinking he might have misheard what the Hokage of Konoha had said. "It means you are to go out into the world, avoiding the Akatsuki of course, and train. Jiraiya has already been told to keep an eye on you so you have suitable protection and training on this mission," Tsunade said as she leaned on the massive Zabuza sword.

"No, not him," came a growling voice from inside Naruto's mind. "I am your teacher not that frog pervert. He may be one of the greatest human ninja alive but he knows nothing of Kitsune legend and ideals. On an opportunity as great as this I want no interference," Kyuubi growled with such ferocity that it made Naruto flash back to the days when he was young and he first met Kyuubi. Naruto was a bit worried at the choice of words Kyuubi had but he shook it off, he was in control not the fox right?

"No deal," Naruto said with a slicing motion of his hand as if to cut it off from thought, "not with Ero-Sannin." Tsunade narrowed her eyes, the kid was being unreasonable now. If he went out with no protection at all he would be a sitting duck for the Akatsuki. "Naruto," Tsunade began but Naruto shook his head. "Ero-Sanin doesn't know anything about a Kitsune. Kyuubi says that he is the only one that can teach me. Sure the pervert can check up on me from time to time but other then that I can't accept the mission," Naruto said with complete sureness and honesty. Most of the time yes he was a spontaneous fool but this was serious and he intended to act accordingly.

Tsunade bit her lip, she knew either way she was in between a rock and a hard place. She knew, should the need arise, Naruto could defend himself but still. It worried her knowing that he was out there all alone. Oh god what the hell was she going to do?

Naruto smirked as he walked away from Hokage tower, the large Zabuza sword over his shoulder. "I knew she'd cave," came the chuckling words of Kyuubi in Naruto's mind. 'Yeah, she's such a sucker,' Naruto thought with a mental laugh.

Naruto went home to the Hyuga mansion and told of his mission to his love Hinata and his second sensei Hiashi. Hiashi thought it would be very dangerous but considered the options left for Naruto in Konoha and decided it was for the best. Hinata on the other hand...

"Hinata-chan, it's just for a few months. Don't cry," Naruto said as he softly rubbed the back of the one he loved. She had her face buried into his shirt the second he had told her of his two month long mission. This wasn't going to be the longest he was away from the village but this time he was alone. Well sort of... the fact was that this was something potentially life threatening.

With those thoughts Hinata's tears flowed onto Naruto's shirt. Naruto sighed, he knew this was going to be bad but not this bad. He slowly calmed her down with his soothing touch and soft voice but she was still softly weeping. He was going to be gone for more then a month now. "Hinata-chan," He said softly while she choked back a sob. "What did I say the day I left for the Chuunin exams?" Naruto asked with more soothing rubs from his hands and tails.

"T-that you love a-and will p-protect me..." Hinata said with a broken and soft voice. "That's right. I love you Hinata-chan. More then all the Ramen in the world," He said with a soft grin which caused Hinata to smile into his chest. Naruto was still Naruto no matter what. Naruto sighed and took into notice their surroundings, they were in Hinata's bedroom, on the ground, Hinata in his lap. Yeah this probably didn't look to good.

Naruto began to try and move Hinata so she was in a less...presumptuous position but the second he attempted to move her she clutched onto his shirt with more force then he thought possible. "Please..." she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him, "just for today...please. Can we stay like this..." Naruto gulped, this was beginning to remind him of some very bad dreams but he forced them down rationalizing what was happening.

This was going to be his last night with her for a long time, she needed his warmth more then anything. "Sure Hinata-chan, anything you want..." he said as he held her closer to him letting his warmth flow to her like hers was to him. Hinata sighed contented, then with a rush of boldness her hands found their way to the hem of his shirt and slipped themselves inside feeling his muscular back from underneath the fabric.

Naruto really fought down his thoughts this time but after a while he felt this become more normal, more natural, more comfortable until it just felt right. Hinata began to take deeper and more level breaths, a sure sign of her slumber. Naruto smiled to himself, with this warmth and comfortableness he could just...in moments he fell asleep right along with his Hinata-chan.

The next day Naruto walked to the eastern exit of the village, knowing today was the day of his mission. He had Hinata by his side who was holding his hand very tightly. He smiled to her as she offered her own shy smile in return. The was going to be the first time she showed him off. Last time she had cold feet and regretted it for two and a half years. Now she was in love with him and him with her, there was no way she'd miss this.

Naruto and Hinata slowly crossed the crest of the next hill only to find Naruto's team, Hinata's team, and even Kakashi and Gaara waiting. "What the..." Naruto said with a confused look He had expected his team but everyone else who knew about his little predicament.

"Finally!" Kiba said with a smirk, "I was beginning to think he chickened out!" Naruto smirked right back at Kiba. "Oh ho, ho! Finally caught him Hinata?" Kiba jeered only to get a growl from Naruto and blush from Hinata. "So this is the thing you had to do eh? Not bad fox boy," Itami said with a smirk. Hinata was now a tomato where as Naruto was a burning piece of coal ready to explode.

"Finally got a girl eh Naruto? Here, I'll lend you Icha Icha Paradise in case you want some inspiration," Kakashi said as he held out the book to Naruto. Naruto twitched and would have ripped the book to shreds had Kakashi not swiftly pulled it away from him. "I offer you ideas and you try to destroy them, rude," Kakashi said with his right eye crinkled up in a smile.

Naruto growled but was stopped when his hair was ruffled, "still the same Naruto." Naruto smirked, "Ero-Sannin, how are things?" Naruto then got a bop on his head which caused a confrontation between the ninja while Hinata slowly backed away from the two.

When the threat of Rasengan came into the picture it was broken up swiftly and soundly with a wall of sand and coins courtesy of Gaara and Zaiaku. They both looked at each other then produced identical smirks. "This is getting to be very entertaining," Gaara said as he retracted his sand into his gourd. "Agreed..." Zaiaku said as he summoned his coins back into his clothes.

As goodbyes were said and people left the only ones to remain were Naruto and his beloved Hinata-chan. "Well..." Naruto said with a slight shifting of his feet. He was never really good with goodbyes. Hinata stayed silent as she stared at the ground, 'No I can't. I have to say something, the last time I was quiet he left thinking I was a shy, dark, weirdo!'

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata said, 'Oh no! Not now! Don't stutter now!' "Yes Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked as he looked to his beautiful love. Hinata's mind was going like Naruto on a truckload of sugar. What should she say? I love you is too common, what else is there for this moment?

"Uh..." Naruto was getting kind of worried, she hadn't said anything. "Naruto-kun, come back safe," Hinata said regretting it the second it left her mouth, that wasn't it! Naruto smiled sensing her distress and said, "I will Hinata-chan." With that he captured her lips in a soul searing kiss, something to make up for his absence for the next few months. As he slowly pulled away he smiled and said "count on it."

With those words his body just seemed to fade as he had disappeared without even a blur of gold. Hinata broke from the kisses trance to find that Naruto had gone. She touched her lips where Naruto had planted that...amazing kiss on her. She should have seen him off those two and a half years ago.

End Chapter

Well how was that? Bad I know, ok I think I am going to take that break but don't worry! I'll be back soon! First Q and A,

Q: Naruto catching dinner?

A: I was kind of insinuating that he caught more then five but I guess I should have explained that. Sorry.

That was incrdibly short...well time for a preview and then I'm done for now I guess. Later.

"Are youprepared for the exams?" Zaiaku asked with a grin his mind already in the game. "Of course, I have all my jutsu planned and ready," Itami said with a crack of her knuckles. "You mean that flop you always brag about?" Zaiaku asked as verbal jab. "Shut up coin lover," Itami snarled but then had a thought. "Why the hell DO you use coins anyway? Of all the things in the ENTIRE ninja world you chose coins. Why in the blue hell did you?" Itami asked just before she took a swig of her Tokkuri.