Chapter 3. The Hideaway.
A small, three room shack setting on top of the Hokage monument, in the only wooded area still left within the confines of the Hidden Leaf. Slept two of the rookie nine as they were called. The pink haired girl that lay on her side watching the blond haired man that she had fallen for sleep. Naruto Uzumaki had done the impossible yet again. He saved his village from a group of S-rank Ninja that had come for him. In the process he had almost lost complete control of the powerful tailed beast that was sealed inside him. She actually had thought she had lost him, it almost broke her. But here he was, sleeping like a stone. A few bandages here and there, covered wounds that had not healed yet. He had defeated Pien, the leader of the group that were after him for what he held, the Akatsuki. Effectively cutting the head off the snake and killing the body so to speak. Only time would tell.
The shack that they were currently living in, once belonged to Naruto's father who he had met for a brief time inside the seal, he helped him regain control. Now this was their home. She had been pretty much living with him for awhile now. Her parents didn't mind in the least, and sense he had saved the village, most people were treating him like a normal human instead of something the scrapped off their sandals. There had been some near misses with the leadership. Lord Danzo had made a play for the Hokage chair, while Tsunade was recovering from basically healing everyone in the village while the battle was happening. Lucky for her the Lord of the Land of Fire had been in the village at the time to witness what had happened, and even with his ace in the hole, Danzo could not make it happen. The Fire Lord's will was strong enough to resist it. This also meant that he had let the cat out of the bag and was now warming a Anbu jail cell minus an arm and an eye.
On a happier note Jiraiya, Naruto's master survived his mission to the Hidden Rain. He lost an arm during that mission, but the quick thinking of Lord Fukusaku got him out with the information they needed. Naruto had returned from his sage training, but not in time to prevent the destruction of the the village their home was being rebuilt. They were both allowed to rest.
Naruto stirred a bit, two sleepy blue eyes fluttered open and looks up at her. He smiled up at her. "Sorry to wake you. Go back to sleep." She told him. He closed his eyes.
"Would love to, but we have company." Naruto sat up and stretched, he was still sore from the battle.
"Be out in a second Teme." He stood up and grabbed a t-shirt. Putting it on, he gave Sakura his Sage coat to put on. She was only wearing a dark green tank top and her black biker shorts. He walked outside to see Sasuke Uchiha waiting, his back facing him.
"Not good to show your back to an enemy." He told the man that he considered a brother.
"If I considered you an enemy, then that advice would be valid, but I don't." He told his once teammate.
"So, she finally figured it out?" His head turned, looking back. "You can come out Sakura."
She stepped out beside Naruto. "Yes, I figured it out. Not like you were here or anything."
"You know why I left." He told her. She did, didn't mean she liked it, but that was in the past. Their goal was to bring their teammate home and move on.
Naruto looked from Sakura back to Sasuke. "What is to stop me from capturing you right now, and turning you over to Tsunade. I imagine Anbu are on their way her as we speak. If I sensed you they would have as well."
Sasuke just smirked. "You know the reason. It is a trick I picked from you actually."
"Figured. Your a shadow clone. Which means the real Sasuke is nowhere near here." "So you here to chat, or check out the news you may have heard about things going on here?"
"Both. You know what Elder Danzo did in the past right. He was responsible for what happened to my clan. He made it so anything Lord Third did to smooth things over, to set it right, couldn't happen. He is the reason that I hated my brother. I killed him, gained the same eyes as his!" The more he talked about it the more anger he felt.
"So you gained that?" Kakashi stepped out of the shadows. He had been keeping an eye on his students.
"Yes. And if you know about that then you must have unlocked it as well." The truth was he had a while ago. It was when his team mate Rin had died at his own hand.
About that time a red headed woman in glasses walked up to Sasuke. "They're getting close." She told them. He nodded his head.
"Karin, This is my old team." Pointing to each one in turn. "Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and our Sensei Kakashi Hatake. Guys this is Karin Uzumaki. He noticed Naruto's reaction right away.
"Hn. Didn't realize I had any family left. Should have known though from the color of your hair." Naruto said. The color was similar to his mothers.
"Well I would love to stay and chat but the Anbu are about here, and I don't want to be here when that happens." At that time the two shadow clones poofed away and they were left standing there when the Anbu arrived.
After what seemed like forever. Naruto and Sakura were allowed to leave Tsunade's office. She had set up her new seat of government in a two story building that was on top of the Hokage monument. It was the reason that the Anbu got there as fast as they did.
"Naruto had a bit of a smile on his face, and was rather quite for him. "Ok, spill what is on your mind." Sakura said. Finally tired of the silence.
He looked over at her. "Just thinking about having family out there somewhere. It has just been me until recently." She looked at him with the what about me look. "I said recently. Anywayit is just weird is all."
She guessed that going from no family to having one or two would be strange. They made there way to the cook tent to grab some food and then they would return to the Hide away for the night.
A week later.
Naruto was pretty much healed up. He was able to spar and train again, Jiriyia was doing better and with the threat of the Akatsuki gone for the most part. Thing started to get back to normal. Well as normal as it got for Naruto that is. They were walking to have dinner at the Hokage building. The village was being rebuilt but it was slow going even with the teams of builders and workers that had come from far and wide to help. At any rate they were walking together holding hands and just enjoying the calm that came seldom to people in their line of work. Naruto was dressed in black pants, an orange kimono top and his red sage coat. Sakura had a simple soft peach colored dress. Her hair pulled back in a loss bun, held in place with a senbon needle. It was the best she could come up with sense all they had owned before was destroyed when Pien had flattened everything. Of Course Naruto thought she was beautiful regardless.
"Wonder what all the fuss is about?" Naruto asked. He didn't mind having a meal with people. All though he spent many a meal time with the woman walking next to him.
"Lady Tsunade wanted to be there, might be some important people in village and they want to meet the Hero of the Leaf." She laughed when he rolled his eyes at his new title.
"Giving me Chunnin was enough. Well that and the reward you gave me." He told her with a foxy grin.
"I got something out of that as well you know." She said a blush coming to her cheeks, looking away from him. It was true, Naruto always made sure she got what she needed out their nights together.
They chatted as they walked. They soon arrived at the new seat of the village government at the moment. It looked more like a two story mansion then a seat of power. With the repairs still on going there wasn't much choice. There were a few guards outside, He detected a few Anbu in the area as well, But if there were two teams stationed there would be more he couldn't pick up on. Well if he used Sage Mode he could, but that took a bit to use. They walked inside and were greeted by Shizune.
"Hey you two." The medic and Hokage's right hand told them.
"What up Sis. Some big wigs here?" He asked
She smiled. "A few, they are in the hall waiting. You may be surprised at who." She ushered them to the hall.
As they entered. Naruto and Sakura saw who was there. Old man Tazuna and his grandson Inari, The Daimyo from the land of Spring Koyuki Kazahana, And of course visiting from Suna Gaara the Kazekage of the village hidden in the Sand. They were both happy to see them.
"Big Brother Naruto!" Inari yelled as he ran up to them. Giving the sage a big hug.
"Hey Inari. You helping the old man." Naruto's happily asked the boy he onced helped.
"He is." Tazuna said walking up to them. "We are here to help rebuild your home as you helped us." Turning to woman standing next to the hero. "Sakura. You have grown into a lovely young woman. I am glad you gave Naruto a chance, the other one didn't suit you." he said giving her a hug.
"Thank you Tazuna. Yes Naruto does suit me better." Sakura told him.
The beautiful dark haired Daimyo walked up to the pair. "You are all grown up. What happen to the loud mouthed boy that saved me years ago?" Koyuki asked.
"Oh he is standing in front of you Lady Koyuki." Sakura said with a bit of a smirk. He quickly deflated.
"No respect from the woman I love I see." He said as she kissed his cheek and laughed.
"Got to keep your ego in check somehow." She told him still laughing.
"Haha. I am glad he found someone. You look great Sakura." She told the pink haired woman beside her hero. Giving her a hug.
Lastly was Gaara. He walked up to his brother in all but blood. "It is good to see you, my friend." They shook hands. When looking at the two you could the respect they held for each other. "Oh, I have that item you asked about." He handed him a small red box.
Naruto took it. "Thanks Gaara. Is Temari or Kankuro with you." He asked.
"Kankuro stayed behind to manage things while I am gone. Temari is somewhere. Probably with Shikamaru." He told him. Temari and Shikamaru's relationship is one of those really bad kept secrets. They both denied it, but everyone knew better.
As the night went on there was stories passed between friends that see each other rarely. Tsunade discussed things with Gaara and Jiraiya showed up at some point. He was recovering nicely. Tsunade even talked to Tazuna about a special project she wanted done. Eventually the two lovers stole away from the crowd to look at the stars. Sakura's curiosity got the better of her.
"What was that box that Gaara gave you?" She asked. She was facing him and he had pulled her in close kissing her forehead. She loved it when he did that. It made her feel special and loved.
"This box?" He pulled out of his pocket. "Open it and find out." He told her. She took from his hand and opened it. Inside was a hair clip, red in color with a sakura flower made from small pink diamonds. Suna was known for it work with precious stones. She inhaled sharply. Looking up at him with surprise. Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes.
"I ordered that before all of this stuff with Pien happened. You always keep moving the hair over your left ear and I thought I would get something to keep it up when your reading." He took it out of the box and clipped her bangs back on her left side. "I guess Gaara found out about it and brought it with him." He told her, his right hand on her cheek. Thumb wiping away tears that were starting to spill down her cheeks. She closed the distance between them. Putting all the love she held for him in to the kiss.
By the entrance to the place they had dinner. "I guess they deserve to have things go their way now." Tsunade told her former teammate and friend.
"Yes they do at that." Jiraiya answered back.