*I DON'T OWN NARUTO*


Naruto stormed into the entrance of Konoha's dungeon. A night guard stood in front of the gates that lead to the dungeons down below; Naruto quickly approached him.

"What are you doing here at this hour Naruto?"

"Get out of my way!" Snapped Naruto as he roughly pushed the guard aside.

"Hey, just what the hell do you think you're doing Naruto?! In order to have access to the prisoners you need clearance from the Hokage!"

"I don't have time for your stupid protocol!" Snarled Naruto.

He grabbed the gates that blocked his way and ripped them clear off the stone they were embedded in. Ino and Tenten arrived to see the guard pressed up against the wall in fear.

"I'm putting an end to this now," said Naruto as he made his way down the fleet of stairs.

The guard mustered some courage and began to protest.

"Please just let him pass, his reasons are valid," said Tenten as she pulled the guard towards her and Ino.

"Naruto," whispered Ino.

"What in the world is the meaning of this?" Asked the guard in a shaky voice.

"Look I don't know if you're aware of this but all hell's broken loose in the village," answered Tenten.

"I had no idea anything was wrong, I haven't been notified of any danger."

"You haven't heard anything?" Asked Ino.

"No I haven't, the location of the Konoha dungeon is a lot further from the village than most people think. It's really desolate out here, we don't see much action."

"Well I'm sure that's all about to change," said Ino as she looked outside.

She could barely see the bright glow of the fires in certain parts of the village. However not a sound could be heard, and she knew that there was a for sure uproar going on right now in Konoha.

"Tenten you stay here with Naruto. I'm going to make sure that Tsunade-sama knows what information we have."

"Alright, Ino just be careful."

"I will, and please try and keep Naruto cool. If the person that's responsible for all of this is down there we need her alive."

"Right I'll do my best to keep Naruto in line," said Tenten as she made her way downstairs.

She stopped and looked back at the bewildered guard.

"I would call for backup if I were you."

The nervous guard nodded his head. He watched quietly as Tenten disappeared down the dark tunnel.


Tenten descended down the never ending staircase. It was cool, dark, and damp, the entire dungeon smelled like earth. Tenten really had to squint her eyes to make out where she was going. For a few minutes, she didn't hear anything, just a few muffled coughs from the prisoners she was passing by. Part of her started to get worried that she had lost Naruto, but she soon caught a glimpse of him up ahead. Tenten quickly sprinted towards him. She reached his side and watched as he looked at all the numerous cells. He looked around their surroundings and after smelling the damp air he snorted.

"She's not on this level, she's further down below. Stay close to me, and keep up."

"If those are your instructions for me she really must be powerful then."

"She most definitely is," said Naruto as he led the way down another row of stairs.

Both he and Tenten traveled for a good 10 minutes. By the time they reached their destination the atmosphere had changed. Tenten noticed that the air was much heavier, so much so that it was difficult to breathe. She shrugged it off and followed Naruto as he went down a dark corridor which led to a vast array of hallways. Various paper binding seals adorned the slick walls that surrounded them and after traveling within the twists and turns of the inner workings of the dungeon they found her. There sitting down in a meditation pose in her cell was Fuyu, the Taijutsu master. Her legs were crossed and her back was facing them.

"So you really are smarter then you look Naruto."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't strangle you right now Fuyu," snarled Naruto.

"Oh is that what you're into Naruto? That sounds so twisted, I like twisted," cooed Fuyu as she turned around.

She stood up and walked towards her prison bars. Her features were hidden in the shadows, but her vivid yellow eyes glimmered. She finally reached the front of her cell and the dim dungeon light reviled her face.

"It's you," whispered Tenten.

Fuyu looked over Naruto's shoulder, she deviously smiled as she looked at both her unexpected guests.

"I see you brought a date with you to this cheery reunion Naruto. So you're into brunettes now?" Asked Fuyu as she looked at Tenten." What happened to that little cherry blossom of yours? Did you get tired of her or was she just not satisfying you?"

Tenten clenched her fists and stormed towards Fuyu's cell.

"Hey, lady just who the hell do you think you are!?"

"Ah you got yourself a feisty one I see," leered Fuyu. "I bet that's why you're screwing her, am I right Naruto?"

Tenten blushed profusely; her blood was beginning to boil and for a second she was afraid that she would be responsible for ending this woman's life, not Naruto. Before she could make a move Naruto's arm pulled her back behind him; she reluctantly obeyed.

"I'm not here to play your games Fuyu, I'm here for answers. If you value your life you'll cooperate with me."

"I just love the sound of your voice. You sound so authoritative Naruto, just like Sasuke."

"Don't you dare compare me to him," snapped Naruto.

"Oh I'm sorry did I hit a nerve?"

"Shut it!"

"Alright tiger no need to shout," replied Fuyu seductively. "What is it you want to know?"

"What the hell just happened right now?! What the hell were those things?!"

"Oh, you mean my pets?"

"Pets?"

"They're harmless Naruto, they were only following my orders you know. Don't be so harsh to judge them especially when they were just obeying their master."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Kabuto gave them to me, so, in theory, they're just not my pets but my children."

"You're children?"

"Yes, they're called seibutsu and technically they are my biological children. Kabuto was kind enough to create them using some of my DNA. He combined them with the white Zetsu's and in doing so something miraculous was created. My little ones can move effortlessly through the ground just like their father, but they are flesh and blood just like myself."

"That explains why they came up from the ground," whispered Tenten.

"How is it that you were able to summon them here?"

"I didn't summon them they've been incubating in the soil this whole time."

"Incubating?"

"Yes, when I first arrive in Konoha I made sure to plant their seeds all over numerous spots in the village. Once that was done all I had to do was wait."

"Don't you get it Naruto? I was meant to be caught. My actual mission was to let you capture me so that I could be inside Konoha. I'd be able to control my precious little minions with ease."

"It was all a set up…."

"You got that right my handsome little fox and you fell for it," laughed Fuyu.

"You really have a death wish don't you," growled Naruto.

Fuyu reached her hand outside her cell and grabbed the rim of Naruto's pants. She then roughly yanked his lower half towards her. His crotch and hips roughly hit the steel bars that imprisoned the beautiful Taijutsu master.

"Don't make promises you can't keep Naruto," cooed Fuyu."

Naruto lost it, and the next thing he knew Fuyu's delicate neck was in his grasp. At first, she clawed at his vice like grip but after a few moments she gave in and instead of fighting she smiled at him. Raged built up inside him as Naruto snarled at the women he held. Tenten quickly grabbed Naruto's black shirt in an attempt to stop him; she pulled at the fabric of his shirt roughly.

"Naruto stop, we need her!"

Suddenly the ground underneath their feet began to shake and both Naruto and Tenten fought to keep their balance. The floor began to crack in various places and Naruto dropped Fuyu so that he could keep himself and Tenten from falling into the depths of the dungeon floors. Long arms began to pop out from the crumbling ground and the cool slate from underneath them gave way. Fuyu laughed hysterically as her beloved children rose from the Earth. Naruto leaped a few feet back with Tenten right behind him when suddenly a clammy hand grabbed her ankle and pulled her back down.

With a vice-like grip, her ankle was crushed. Tenten instantly tried to yank herself free but the Seibutsu held on. Pain pulsated through her ankle as her fragile bones were crushed. Tenten slammed her good foot in the seibutsu's face and pushed herself as much as she could from it. The seibutsu cried in pain and let the young kunoichi go. Tenten closed her eyes as she anticipated hitting the ground but instead she hit something other than the floor. She opened her eyes to see Naruto holding her; he had caught her before her impact with the ground.

Naruto landed on a section of the floor that was untouched. He glared at Fuyu with ill intent. He wished his anger alone could stop her, but sadly that wasn't possible. Suddenly a sizzling noise filled the room and Naruto watched as the paper seals meant to keep prisoners in their cells disintegrated. The cell bars that kept Fuyu imprisoned began to rust and in a few seconds they turned to dust. Fuyu kissed her hand and blew a kiss in Naruto's direction.

"Well what are you waiting for, aren't you going to kill me Naruto?"

Naruto was furious, this woman really was crazy, and powerful as well. He turned around and walked as far as he could from her cell without losing sight of her. He bent down and gently set Tenten on the damp dungeon floor.

"Just take it easy alright. I'll take care of this."

"Naruto wait," pleaded Tenten.

"Don't worry I won't kill her," whispered Naruto as he made his way back to Fuyu.

"So are you ready to get this over with now that your little china doll is safe?"

"Shut your mouth for once and show me what you got!"

Fuyu laughed maniacally and pointed a slender finger at Naruto.

"Destroy him!"

Naruto dashed towards Fuyu, but the two creatures that appeared from the ground intercepted him. Tenten watched as Naruto fought both seibutsu's alone. He was in Sage mode, but Tenten could tell that he was growing tired, and fighting alone wasn't going to help. She looked down at her ankle, she winced at its appearance. It was starting to swell rapidity. Tenten leaned up against the cool wall and took a deep breath. After a few moments of preparation, she dragged herself further from the fray. She stopped once she was able to turn a corner. She heard Naruto fighting and she could tell that he was winning because Fuyu's laughing had turned sour. She was upset that her two pets weren't able to destroy Naruto.

Still, Tenten knew she needed to be out there helping Naruto so she relaxed and began the task of controlling her breathing. She did her best to tune out the battle that was taking place just a few feet behind her; she needed just a few moments time. Tenten reached her desired level of relaxation and without haste she focused on her damaged ankle. She envisioned white healing light encompassing her broken bones. She felt warmth all over her ankle as it began to throb. Not from pain, though, no this was different.

Tenten was far from being a medic but what she was doing wasn't actual healing, instead, it was a life-saving technique she had learned from Lee. It was a meditation technique he had created in order to deal with his pain. Needless to say, he was a master of it, and its creation was the answer to why he could fight for so long even when he was critically injured. Tenten had asked him to show her and for months Lee took her out every evening they had free to his favorite training spot to practice.

Tenten loved having a new challenge to overcome, and spending extra time with Lee was always nice. She really wished he was here right now she and Naruto could really use his help. Tenten shook her head and continued meditating. She wasn't like Lee, he was able to get the effects right away without having to mediate. Tenten, on the other hand, needed at least five minutes to get it to work. She could already feel it taking effect and she knew that she was almost ready to fight.

The technique didn't heal injuries, instead, it allowed the persons using it to put their pain in the farthest regions of their mind. Tenten suddenly opened her eyes, the technique was complete and she needed to move fast. She quickly grabbed a tiny scroll from her knapsack and rolled it on the ground. In a matter of seconds, her wooden bow staff appeared in a cloud of smoke. She grabbed it and used to hoist herself from the ground. She felt very little pain and in a flash, she set off to help Naruto.

Tenten turned the corner and saw that Naruto had already killed one of the seibutsu. Fuyu had lost her composure, she was screaming endless orders at the losing beast. Tenten took advantage and made a mad dash for the unsuspecting women. On her way there she dropped several tiny paper bomb shaped like lanterns. They littered the floor outside of Fuyu's cell. Tenten ran along the side of the prison wall and jumped at Fuyu while swinging her bow. Fuyu looked over to her right, but it was too late to dodge Tenten's attack. The young kunoichi's bow staff smacked Fuyu right across the face. The force from the attack sent her flying across her cell room. Fuyu violently hit the wall with a booming crash. She quickly looked up to see who had hit her. She was beyond pissed to see that it was indeed Tenten.

"What's the matter Fuyu? Don't you have anything witty to say? Asked Tenten.

"You little bitch just who do you think you are?!" Yelled Fuyu as she held her face.

"I'm the person that's going to further ruin that pretty little face of yours."

Fuyu's body trembled with anger. Her left cheek was throbbing from the attack and fresh blood oozed from the corner of her mouth. She licked her lips and picked herself up from the floor.

"I hope you understand the severity of your predicament little girl because Naruto isn't going to save you this time!"

She opened her hand and the rust from her prison bars began to collect and spin in her palm. More and more particles gathered and together they formed a perfect sword. Fuyu grasped her newly created weapon and dashed towards Tenten. She jumped up into the air and brought her sword high above her head. With immense force, she slammed it down at Tenten who dodge the attack with several back flips. The ground under the sword cracked and broke in several places.

Fuyu quickly went on the offense again and sent an onslaught of rapid swipes from her blade. Tenten dodged each attack with grace and ended her many evasions with a backflip that made her do the splits when she touched the ground. She quickly brought her bow staff above her head and blocked Fuyu's blade in mid attack. The block was successful but unfortunately, Fuyu's blade began to break through Tenten's wooden bow.

Tenten quickly got back on her feet and pushed her bow against Fuyu's blade. The Taijutsu master was taken off guard and took a few steps back; that one action gave Tenten enough time to roll to the side. She abandoned her staff and splinters of wood were sent flying everywhere as Tenten's bow shattered on the floor. She reached into her knapsack and pulled out two small scrolls. She quickly rolled them onto the floor and they unraveled as they made their way towards Fuyu. Tenten sprinted in the middle of her scrolls and spread her arms out. Several kunai's and shuriken's bursts free from their paper prison and Tenten grab each one flicking them rapidly at Fuyu. Clanging sounds encompassed the room as Fuyu's blade stopped each weapon thrown at her.

Tenten didn't stop, she continued to run and catch the vast array of weapons at her disposal until she reached the end of her scrolls. Fuyu smirked and without haste, she went for the weaponless Tenten. Suddenly a beautiful pair of twin tiger hook swords adorned with red tassels underneath the hilt popped up from the calligraphy written parchment. Tenten caught both swords just in time and jumped at quickly wrapped her legs around her opponent's waist and with all of her strength she pinned Fuyu to the ground. Both kunoichi's used all they had to try and push their opponent back with their weapons. The steal from both their swords screeched as metal met metal. Their arms trembled as they battled against each other's strength, they were at a stalemate. A gurgling cry came from behind Fuyu, her eyes widened as she heard her pet cry in agony.

"Fuyu!" Screamed Naruto as he made his way towards them.

"I must say you two really are quite a bother," spat Fuyu.

"I can say the same about you," replied Tenten through clenched teeth.

Fuyu screamed in frustration and pushed Tenten off of her. She flipped backward and just barely dodged Naruto's attack. He looked back at her with his fist embed in the ground. He snarled as he pursued her. Fuyu ran towards the hole in front of her cell at top speed. She was so focused on making her escape that she failed to see the small paper bombs that Tenten had littered the floor made a few hand signals which activated each little bomb to go off in succession as Fuyu ran by them. Fuyu shielded her face as she ran into the thick smoke in front of her. A blast of air swiftly passed by her and the next thing she knew her breath was knocked right out her. She was sent flying backward, and Tenten was ready for her.

She kicked Fuyu right in the middle of her back sending her spiraling in the direction she had come from. Naruto had her right where he wanted her. He emerged from the black smoke and charged at Fuyu. He pulled his right arm all the way back and with his fist clenched he punched her. His knuckles dug into her stomach and her body contorted as she was abruptly stopped and sent flying backward. Fuyu's body hit the wall at full force; her eyes widen in pain.

Her mouth gaped wide open but not a sound came out. She slowly slid from the wall to her knees; her body swayed from side to side as she desperately tried to regain her balance. She finally lost the battle and blackout; her lifeless body hit the ground face first. Heavy breathing shared between the two friends was the only sound that could be heard in the dingy dungeon. Tenten looked over at Naruto, the whole right side of his face was covered in blood, and his arms were riddled with scratches and bruises. She wasn't any better, both their appearance's told one hell of a story. After a few tense seconds, the both of them cautiously walked towards Fuyu's body.

"God Naruto are you sure you didn't kill her?" Asked Tenten as she bent down to check Fuyu's pulse.

"If I would have hit her with a Rasengan I would have," replied Naruto as he bent down as well.

"What do we do with her now? She's totaled this entire section of the dungeon," said Tenten as she looked at the dismay that surrounded them.

"I'll seal her inside one of my toads," said Naruto as he wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth.

He placed his hand on the floor and his summon jutsu spread all over the floor. A massive toad appeared in front of them.

"Tenten do the honors and tie her up. I don't need her causing havoc inside my friend here," said Naruto as he patted the side of his summon.

Tenten got to work and used some of her chains from her scroll to tie Fuyu up. Once done Naruto picked Fuyu up bridal style and walked over to his summon.

"Alright buddy, open up please."

The giant toad opened its mouth and stuck its long tongue out. Naruto bent down and placed Fuyu on its tongue and nodded at his summon to swallow her. Once it followed its orders the giant toad disappeared.

"There that should do it."

"I hope so Naruto."

"Oh I can guarantee you she won't be waking up, and if she'd did there's no way in hell she'd be able to do anything."

"Well that's a relief," replied Tenten as she wiped a combination of sweat and blood from her brow. "Now what?"

"I need to get to Baa-chan."

"Well, I know Ino was headed that way."

"Yeah but there's a hell of a lot of things that she doesn't know."

"I suppose you're right," said Tenten.

She moved closer towards Naruto when suddenly her ankle gave out. Hot searing pain traveled up her leg. She stumbled but was quickly caught by her friend. Naruto gave her a questionable look, at first he thought she was just tired, but then he remembered she had hurt her ankle. He looked down and could see that she wasn't putting any weight on it like she was before. Tenten noticed Naruto thinking things through. She playfully punched the bottom of his jaw.

"Sorry Naruto I couldn't stay put, I'm no damsel in distress."


Tsunade's office was alive with activity as numerous Anbu were reporting their findings to the 5th Hokage. Shizune was busy taking down the damage reports of the village's buildings. Everyone was working feverishly when Naruto stormed into the room. Heads turned as he barged in. He looked awful, he was covered in dirt and blood. The worst of his injuries was on his temple. Tsunade quickly rose from her seat when her gaze met Naruto's. She calmly spoke to her Anbu as a response.

"You're all dismissed."

All the Anbu in the room knelt down in respect and instantly departed from the Hokage's office. As soon as they were gone Naruto drew closer towards Tsunade's desk.

"Ino told me everything, what do you have to add?"

"This was all fabricated by Fuyu. She told me that she let herself be caught. Her real plan was to enter the village and plant those monsters that attacked us into the ground. They've been developing this entire time. Once they were ready Fuyu was able to control them from within her cell."

"I can't believe we walked right into her ruse."

"Me either."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, something big."

"We need to warn Suna as soon as possible. They're about to be hit by Sasuke."

"Excuse me?"

"I got information from Karin, information that regards Sasuke's current plan. He's attacking Suna as a test. He's activating the virus to see if he's able to take them down, and if he does he'll have no hesitation striking here next."

"Activating the virus….no wait…you talked to Karin?!"

"Yes, I did I wasn't about to just sit at home and do nothing!"

"Her mental condition is still fragile Naruto. You should have waited for the interrogation team!"

"Urgh Baa-chan, the last thing I need right now is a lecture."

"Do not start with me Naruto," warned Tsunade.

"I'm being serious. Can you just overlook the whole Karin incident and focus on what's really important?"

"Fine," sighed Tsunade. "I'll contact Gaara via telecast to inform him."

"Thanks, Baa-chan, how are things going on your end?"

"As good as they can be going I suppose. I'll be holding an emergency alliance meeting in an hour. Our perimeter is being triple checked. Excavations are being performed on collapsed buildings for survivors, and wounded individuals are being treated. Speaking of which you should make a trip to the hospital, that gash on your head looks serious, you might even have a concussion."

"I'm alright, did we have any casualties?"

"Unfortunately yes, we've lost ten people so far."

"Shit, I should have taken out that thing when I first sensed it, but it was so hard reading it."

"You can't take responsibility for this Naruto. If you hadn't of been here many more people would have died."

"Yeah, but it's because of me that Sasuke is still alive."

"Naruto…"

"Why the hell am I bound by my morals, why didn't I kill him when I had the chance!?"

"Because you aren't Sasuke, Naruto, you just can't take someone's life. Doing so doesn't mean you're strong."

"You'd think to be noble, honest, heck even being a hero, would mean that I have the strength to beat him, but it seems like I'm always lacking."

"Naruto..."

"Look I need to think things through."

"Yes of course, but please do me a favor and get some rest."

"Sure..."

With that said Naruto left Tsunade's office with a weight on his mind like no other.


Naruto slowly made his way home, the village was a mess. There were Anbu everywhere keeping onlookers from getting too close to buildings that were damaged in the fight. Naruto's neighborhood was a huge safety issue now. Not much of the buildings were left. Concerned villagers approached him as he quietly walked pass them. It was more the apparent that he had seen some action, what with his current appearance. He had refused to get any medical help from Tsunade let alone go to the hospital. No Naruto had left her office without even a backward glance. He needed time alone to gather his thoughts.

"Naruto what happened?"

"Are you badly hurt?"

"What were those things?"

"Are they coming back?!"

The questions were back to back, and Naruto couldn't answer all of them, nor did he want to. Before he knew it he was surrounded by people young and old, all of them wanted answers from the town hero. Before he could say anything two shinobi approached the crowd.

"Please everyone may we have your attention. The Hokage will be holding an emergency alliance meeting in an hour. All of your questions will be answered there. For now please return to your homes, and if your home was damaged in the attack please follow my friend here. He will escort you all to the shinobi academy. There you will find cots, food, and water. I can assure you all that your stay there will be pleasant and short. Tsunade-sama is working on reconstruction plans at this very moment."

Naruto took advantage of the coward's attention being elsewhere and quietly snuck away without them even noticing. After walking a short distance he reached the stairs that lead to his apartment. It was amazing they had survived, not a scratch was on them. Naruto made his way up the stairs quietly. He was about to reach for his keys when he remembered that there was no need for that, the door had been ripped off its hinges. He walked inside and looked around the shattered remains of his apartment. There was rubble everywhere, nothing looked familiar at all.

He slowly bent down and rummaged through the bricks and piles of wood. He was still in disbelief that this had happened. He was about to stand up when something caught his eye. He reached for a photo that was inside the crushed remains of its frame. It was his photo of Team 7. Naruto looked down at the damaged picture he held in his hand. There they all were, so young and naïve. Usually, this picture left Naruto with a fond nostalgic feeling, but now his feelings were far from fond. He clenched his teeth as he crumbled the picture in his hand.

"You're wrong if you think I'm the same person. I can't forgive you, and no matter what, I will stop you."

Naruto slowly opened his hand and dropped the crumpled photo. He sighed heavily as he released his frustrations with his breath, he needed to focus his energy on preventing anyone else from falling prey to Sasuke. All Naruto could do now was try and pick up the pieces. He needed to make sure Sakura had a home to return to. He slowly stood up and started to see what he could salvage. He gathered a few things and placed them in the boxes he and Sakura had set aside for moving. Once he had gathered what he could save he began searching for his new apartment keys.

He entered his room and searched the floor meticulously. His keys were left in the pants he had worn before the attack. Finally, after some thorough searching, he found them underneath his crushed dresser. He took his keys out from his pants pocket and tightened his fist around them. He was beyond relieved that he and Sakura had somewhere to go. Naruto gathered some of his, and Sakura's clothes, along with some toiletries and placed them in boxes. Once he was done he took one more look around his home, he felt so many emotions, but one feeling made his heart sink.

A familiar chakra was quickly approaching his apartment. His mind raced as he tried to think of an explanation. Confronting Sakura's mother wasn't going to be easy, and the next thing Naruto knew his time was up. Hanako frantically ran into his apartment. Her light pink hair was a mess, as was the rest of her appearance.

"Sakura! Where are you! Sakura!"

"Haruno-san."

"Oh my god Naruto what on Earth happened here? Where's Sakura, is she hurt?"

"No, she wasn't here when the attack happened."

"Oh thank the gods," said Hanako as she approached Naruto. She gasped once she got a good look at her young son in law, he looked terrible. "Oh no Naruto you're hurt, why haven't you gotten any medical attention yet?" Asked Hanako as she looked Naruto over.

"I'm surprised Sakura hasn't healed your wounds yet," said Hanako as she inspected the gash on Naruto head. "This really looks serious, Sakura isn't going to be happy if she finds out that you're walking around in this condition."

Naruto slightly winced at Hanako's remark.

"Where is she by the way?"

"Naruto?"

"She's not here."

"I know I can see that, but where is she?"

"She had direct orders from Baa-chan to leave for Suna."

"Direct orders, a mission? Is this some kind of twisted joke Naruto?"

Naruto gathered all his courage and inhaled deeply.

"No, it's not. She left three days ago."

"What?"

"I did everything I could do, I tried to stop her, but her mission was vital to Suna's safety. I even tried to accompany her but I was denied. I had to stay here in case of an attack…"

"She went to Suna alone!?"

"Oh no of course not, Shikamaru hand picked a damn good team, and I made sure to implement other safety precautions with her as well."

"Haruno-san?"

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why didn't she tell me she was leaving?"

"Everything happened so fast, she was ordered to leave immediately."

"That may be so, but what kept you from telling me something so important Naruto?!" Scolded Hanako as she balled up hands. She slowly began to strike Naruto in the chest repeatedly as she sobbed.

"She shouldn't be out there! How can a mission be more important than her own safety?!"

Naruto felt his mother in law hit his chest over and over again. It didn't hurt physically, but emotionally it was tearing him apart. Naruto had no idea what to do, so he waited for Sakura's mother to stop. After a few moments, Hanako slowly stopped hitting him and instead she buried her face in his chest. She desperately tugged on his shirt, her muffled cries echoed through the shattered remains of Naruto's apartment. She continued to cry on her son in laws chest, all the while Naruto had no idea how to respond. Suddenly Hanako looked up at him. He looked back at her and he was instantly snapped out of his emotional turmoil. Hanako's watery jade eyes and ruffled pink hair made him think of Sakura.

"Why did it have to be our Sakura Naruto?"

Naruto instantly pulled Hanako close and buried his face into the side of her neck.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect her Haruno-san.."

Hanako's eyes widened, she felt Naruto's body relax as he held her close. She could hear him softly crying into her pink hair. Hanako held Naruto close and stroke his matted blonde hair. She could only imagine how he was taking all of this.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make this right," said Naruto.
Hanako slowly pulled away from her young son in law and took his face into her hands.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I'm not blaming you for this."

"But I should have done more."

"You did enough."

"Don't think for one moment that you've failed Sakura," said Hanako as she hugged Naruto tightly.

Naruto returned the hug but stopped when a sharp pain in his side took his breath away. Hanako felt him wince. She slowly pulled away from him and looked him over once more.

"Come on now, you're coming home with me."

"What?"

"You heard me, Mister, you need to be cleaned and patched up," said Hanako as she took Naruto's hand. "Come on now you can handle any other business you have here once you've rested."

Naruto reluctantly followed Hanako, silently saying one last goodbye to his apartment.


The sky was still dark as Sakura and the rest of her team walked into the heart of Suna; it was still early morning. In front of them stood a huge dome-shaped building that housed Suna's council and Kazekage. Temari led the way as they walked up a few set of stairs. Inside the building, officials walked by with mounds of paperwork. Sakura watched as they hustled down the hallway. She smiled and giggled a little to herself.

It looks like Tsunade-sama isn't the only one that has to deal with looking over important documents. Poor Naruto, if he really wants to be Hokage then mounds of paperwork is going to be an everyday thing.
After walking up a few more flights of stairs they arrived at their destination. Temari let everyone into Gaara's office, he was seated behind a long desk with two personal assistants by his side.

"I see that you all made it safe and sound. I hope there weren't any delays on your journey here?"

"No, your sister was an excellent guide as always Gaara-sama," replied Shikamaru.

"I'm glad to hear that all went well," said Gaara.

"It did Sakura is prepared to continue to the next part of our mission."

"Excellent."

Temari walked over to her younger brother and began to whisper in his ear; Gaara listened intently. He dismissed his aides, who quickly left his office once they were gone Gaara addressed Sakura directly.

"Sakura, I would like to personally thank you for making the trip over here. Especially in your current condition."

"It was nothing Gaara-sama."

"No, what you're doing is no regular feat. You've saved my brother in the past, and here you are again saving my villagers lives, and mine as well, all while carrying a child."

"Thank you Gaara-sama, but my pregnancy doesn't change the fact that I am the Hokage's number one student. I have to fulfill my duty no matter what. So please believe me when I say that it's an honor to be here again. I'm more than happy to help."

"That goes for all of us Gaara-sama. Not only was our team chosen to protect Sakura, but also here to defend you if an emergency arises. Tsunade-sama is very well aware of how hard your village was hit. We've made it our top priority to make sure your village is kept safe until we're sure everyone has taken the antidote," said Shikamaru.

"I can see that Konoha is really looking out for us, my gratitude and thanks go to you all. Now please allow Temari to show you all to the living quarters you'll be staying in while you're here. I want to make sure that you are all properly rested. I can't have any of you going to work exhausted."

"That sounds like a good idea," answered Shikamaru as he looked back at his team.

"No wait I need to get started immediately," said Sakura.

Shikamaru and the rest of the young shinobi in the room looked at Sakura.

"Time is crucial right now, you know that Shikamaru."

"That I do, but I was hoping you would at least get more rest."

"No I'm fine, really I am," said Sakura as she walked over to Gaara's desk. "Now please Gaara-sama, where will I be working?"


Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow as she worked diligently with the mixture of her herbs in front of her. The scroll that Tsunade had entrusted with her lay open on the table, leaving Sakura the precise measurements and the detailed instructions were at her disposal. She had already been working on the antidote for some time now but the steps that were needed were very tedious and thorough. Every little thing had to be done just right, if not then she would have to start all over again, and she didn't have the time to mess up. A handful of botanist and medics were aiding Sakura on her quest. She was so glad that she had help, doing everything on her own would have taken even longer.

"Can I please have 2oz of juniper root please?" Asked Sakura.

"Yes, of course, Haruno-san."

"Actually it's Uzumaki," corrected Sakura.

The botanist was a bit surprised but instead of questiong her, she smiled apologetically.

"My sincerest apologies Uzumaki-san," said the botanist as she made her way to a nearby cupboard to retrieve Sakura's desired ingredient.

Sakura blushed, she had corrected the botanist so quickly and without even thinking. Her actions surprised her, even though her correction was the truth, her last name really was Uzumaki. Sakura felt a little odd, everyone in Konoha knew about her and Naruto, but Suna was different. At least everyone in Suna was being very respectful towards her. She knew that most of the people remembered her from her and Naruto's last visit. She had worked closely with some of the botanist, and medics that were currently aiding her. Saving the Kazekage's brother from Sasori's ruthless poison was a big deal, so it was easy to say that a lot of individuals remembered the pink hair kunoichi.

Though being in Suna while pregnant was a little embarrassing. She was by no means ashamed of being with Naruto or carrying his child, but it was just odd having strangers know such an intimate secret, and now everyone knew for sure who the father was. What with Sakura's quick correction of her new last name. However no one had paid any special attention to Sakura's current condition, or at least they weren't showing it. Her and Naruto's little bundle of joy was a potential scandal to some, there were still villagers in Konoha that still didn't approve. Yet here in Suna all was fine. Gaara's authority was probably behind it. Everyone knew of his and Naruto's close friendship. Before Sakura could further think things over the botanist returned by her side.

"Here is the juniper root that you requested Uzumaki-san."

"Thank you," replied Sakura.

She took the lavender root and added it to the vast array of other ingredients she had in a large porcelain mortar. She grabbed her pestle and began to grind everything together. Once thoroughly mixed she poured her concoction onto a large square of parchment paper. She made a swift hand motion which sent a Suna medic to her side. The young medic handed Sakura the vial containing the liquid portion of the formula. Once these two elements were mixed the antidote would be complete. Sakura wasted no time in doing so.

She pinched the parchment paper in half and gently poured the powder into the liquid filled the vial. The mixture began to bubble and fizz. Everyone silently gathered around Sakura to see the unfolding of a miracle. They all held their breath as the fizzing settled down and the light blue liquid began to change to a deep dark purple. Sakura gently brought the vile closer and inspected it meticulously.

"This is it, it's complete. Hurry and take this to the Kazekage, he needs to drink it immediately, time is of the essence," instructed Sakura as she handed the vial to a nearby medic.

"Of course Uzumaki-san," said the medic as he took the vial from her.

He bottled it up with a wooden cork and made his way out of the room. Kankuro was waiting outside and together was they made haste.
Sakura sighed in relief, now that she has successfully made the first antidote making the rest for the infected shinobi wouldn't take as long. She was beyond elated, she couldn't believe that they finally had a victory on their side.

"Naruto is going to be so happy to hear the news," whispered Sakura.

She couldn't help but think about his bright smile and vivid blue eyes looking back at her. She couldn't wait to get back home to him, but the sound of rapid discussions and test tube bottles reminder her that job was far from done. Sakura shook her head gently as she mentally got back to her duty. She still had much to do and with the help of her aides she continued to finish her mission at hand.


A busy little tea-shop buzzed with activity. Regular patrons were in good spirits, what with the recent good news of a cure. Suna had received the aid it so desperately needed from Konoha, and thanks to that the village hidden in the sand was beginning to regain its strength. Shikamaru and Temari sat side by side at the bar. A young waitress served them their warm drinks and food.

"Please enjoy," she said politely before leaving.

"Thank you," replied Temari.

Shikamaru faintly smiled at the waitress as she left.

"So it looks like everything went according to plan, wouldn't you agree Nara?"

"It would seem so," said Shikamaru solemnly.

"What's with you? Sakura was successful in creating the antidote, my brother took it along with all the infected shinobi, so our mission was a success."

"You forgot the conditions of the antidote."

"So it takes time for the full effects to kick it, so what? I mean what are a few hours?"

"It means everything, Suna is still venerable."

Temari rolled her eyes.

"You're such a buzzkill you know that Nara."

"Look even Sakura seemed satisfied, so much so that she split with Hinata to visit the doctor."

"Yeah well her mind is on her child's health. It's my job to stay sharp until the antidote is working 100%."

"So that's why you had Hinata go with Sakura, and Lee and Sai stay by my brothers side. You're prepared for an attacked aren't you?"

"You need to beware of scenarios that seem too good to be true," said Shikamaru as he raised his drink to his lips.

"So you think I'm a delusional fool for thinking we're in the clear?"

"I never said that."

"You don't have to. I know how to read between the lines."

"Look I'm not insulting you Temari."

"Whatever Nara," said Temari sourly. She turned her body away from him. She decided to focus her attention on her meal instead. Shikamaru sighed heavily, he was crestfallen.

"I'm sorry."

Temari slowly looked over at him

"You're apologizing?"

"What? You don't think I should?"

"I didn't say that."

"Well then what? Do you want me to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness?"

"Would you stop it!" Scolded Temari.

Nearby people looked over at her. She blushed profusely as all eyes in the tea-shop were on her. She glared at Shikamaru, it was his fault she had everyone's attention. After a few awkward moments everyone went back to their food and conversations.

"So then you were saying…"

"Look Nara I'm just surprised that you'd do that, apologize that is."

"Well believe it or not I am capable of doing so," replied Shikamaru.

"You really are something else Nara."

"I'll take that as a complement."

Temari chucked softly, as annoying as Shikamaru could be she still found herself attracted to him. She turned her body towards him once more. Her legs were crossed and her ankle swayed from side to side.

"So then, if you're prepared for an attacked why'd you pair yourself with me then? We aren't an ideal set, what with both of us being long range specialists.

"Well for starters you invited me for lunch, I wasn't about to turn you down."

"And second, I know we aren't a match battle wise, but my smarts make up for that."

"God you're so full of yourself," chuckled Temari.

"Say what you want but it's the truth."

"Alright then Mister Know it all, how much longer do we have to wait in order to receive your seal of approval?"

"It takes six hours for the antidote to work. Suna shinobi received it three hours ago, but you're brother on the other hand has a two hour head start."

"So Gaara is just an hour away from fully recovering?"

"Yeah, but even if your brother makes it he'll still be without a large number of his shinobi. So like I said earlier, Suna is still insanely venerable."

"God you always have to look at things so negatively, but I guess I see your point."

"I'm not being negative, I'm being logical."

"Sure you are," teased Temari as she gently punched Shikamaru's shoulder.

She finished her drink and looked for their waitress so that she could order herself another cup when something caught her attention. Mixed in with the noise of the patrons was a high pitched sizzling noise. It sounded so familiar, like the sound of an explosive tag getting ready to explode. Suddenly she realized that was exactly what she was hearing. Temari instinctively brought her arms up to shield her face. She felt herself get knocked back as Shikamaru threw himself at her to shield her from the blast. Time seemed to slow as Temari fell backward, a bright light surrounded the inside of the tea-shop and as soon as it appeared, it was gone. Intense heat and debris filled the room and frantic people screamed for help.

Temari roughly hit the floor, her ears were ringing, and she could feel blood trickling down her neck. She brought her arms down and noticed she was covered in blood. She panic and checked her chest for a wound but she found nothing. Temari quickly looked up at Shikamaru. Her heart sank when she saw a piece of wood sticking out of him. It had pierced through his shoulder blade and out his chest. Shikamaru coughed as he made eye contact with Temari.

"For fucks sake, why do I always have to be right?"