Love Postponed on Account of War

by Cmartin-Panda Productions

Over 400 years had passed since Naruto had become Hokage. The world had advanced greatly during that time span, but the peace Naruto drove so hard to achieve had collapsed. With the Pitter Patter Axis threatening to take over what was once the Shinobi Nations, the descendants of the Konoha 11 struggle to live a normal life while a war rages on. (Takes place during World War 2.)

2. Chapter 2

Author's Note from Panda: And now we immediately pick up from where we left off with ch1. To the point that we probably should have just kept them all together in one giant 60k chapter instead of 3. But I digress.

Enjoy.

---

One by one, before the dawn broke, everyone managed to fall asleep. The winds of winter finally broke their stride and with the rising morning sun, the temperature began to rise over 32 degrees.

For those soldiers of 11th Division unlucky enough not to have a place to sleep the night they returned to the Leaf, they had been set up in the city's stadium by the Military Police. Said MP's were currently getting ready to pull a prank on the poor sleeping soldiers worthy of the son of the 25th Hokage. Involving loudspeakers and bugle.

As for the rest of the men of the Leaf Army's 11th Division, they all awoke to...less than pleasing circumstances.

In the 5 star hotel room that the two lovers were staying at, Shikamaru awoke feeling more sore than when he had come back from battle. He was also completely naked, his wrists bound to the bed frame with leather straps than Shikamaru couldn't remember when Temari had brought them in, and his mouth was sealed shut by a makeshift gag of panties and a re-purposed pillowcase.

'God damn it. She didn't untie me last night.' Shikamaru thought, as he tried to suckle in some moisture back into his dry mouth.

The door opened and in walked Temari wearing a skimpy bathrobe and carrying two trays of breakfast sandwiches.

"Morning." She chirped, looking as bright as a summer morning.

"Mmmm." Shikamaru moaned through his gag. Temari giggled as she placed one tray on the bed and freed her lover's mouth.

"Ugh, morning. You uh...kinda left me tied up." Shikamaru greeted.

"Yeah, sorry about that, kinda. You were just so cute when you passed out." Temari said as she sat down next to him on the bed and crossed her beautifully smooth legs.

"Oh God, please tell me you didn't walk around the lobby in that." Shikamaru said, his eyes tracing up and down her figure while his arms remain frustratingly bound.

"Why? Jealous someone else might see?" Temari teased as she booped Shikamaru on the nose.

"Maybe." Shikamaru said.

"And what would you say if I offered to screw the bellhop right in front of you if he agreed to give me these sandwiches meant for the bitchy couple in the next room over?" Temari said as she held up the croissant, egg, ham, and cheese breakfast sandwiches.

"Why in the hell would you do that?!" Shikamaru exclaimed.

"To get a rise out of you." Temari smirked, letting her fingers walk up her lover's defenseless thigh, coming dangerously close to his third leg. Shikamaru struggled furiously against his restraints, but Temari was never one to skimp on purchasing quality leather goods.

Temari smirked as she leaned ever so close to Shikamaru's twitching manhood, he could feel her breath on his taint. "But mostly I just did it because I was hungry." She said before taking a great big bite of her breakfast sandwich.

Shikamaru just stared at her, trying to keep on an angry scowl while his erecting stood very firmly between his face and Temari's.

"Oh come on, Little Boy, you don't honestly think I'm going to screw the bellhop, do you?" Temari asked.

Shikamaru smirked. "Maybe if the bellhop was a chick I'd think about it."

"In your dreams." Temari snorted. "No, he was a young man. A young, strapping man." She swooned dramatically.

"I think you're acting too much like Ino."

"Oh please. Number one, she goes out with any guy with a car or broad shoulders. And number two, I was kidding again. The bellhop was a skinny little twerp. Or would that make it harder for you? Watching me do a strong man, or a pasty dork that a battle-hardened Army man like you could rip in two?" Temari asked.

"I think you doing it with any guy but me would be hard to not only imagine but watch."

"Yes, I can definitely see how 'it' would be hard for you." She said, poking him right on the shaft.

"Do you ever plan on untying me?" Shikamaru asked, straining against the leather straps.

"Maybe..." Temari cooed. "Or maybe I wanna tease and torture you..."

"Yeah, I figured that much when you broke out the riding crop." Shikamaru smirked, remembering the matching corset that came with it.

"You're only going to be here a week." Temari smirked before undoing her robe and letting it fall on the floor. "And I intend to make use of that time..."

"Oh man, what if the MP's or your brothers come looking for me?" Shikamaru laughed, figuring that he would fight anyone who tried to drag him away from his love.

"Let them look. I've got this room under an assumed name. How does Mister and Misses Naga sound?" Temari asked as she positioned herself right over Shikamaru on all fours.

"Pretty good. Although I think we can work on that name."

"Yeah?" Temari moaned as she leaned into him to wrap her lips around his.

"I like the sound of Mister and Misses Nara better." Temari smiled as she deepened her kiss with the restrained man.

---

Meanwhile, the rest of Shikamaru's squad were waking up to less pleasant conditions.

Kiba for instance woke up to the absolute worst hangover he had ever felt.

"Uuuuuuugh..." He groaned before feeling his actual headache. "Ow...ow...OW!" He whined, feeling his head pounding like the inside of a drum.

"Hey, buddy." A woman's voice asked him from the other side of the room. She was a pretty little thing with big poofy hair and a red cocktail dress. "You mind paying me? I need to get back to my boyfriend."

"Pay you? The Hell...?" Kiba rubbed his face. "I thought you were looking to party?"

"Yeah. For money." The girl said.

Kiba fell back into his pillow. "Oh my Sage you are a prostitute."

"Yeah, duh." The girl stated.

'My mom is gonna kill me.' Kiba thought.

---

Back in the Akimichi compound, Choji was having a similar conversation.

"You want how much? Ow!" Choji cried as he clutched his temples to keep his head from splitting open.

"5,000 Ryo." The girl said calmly.

"God damn it, Kiba." Choji cursed under his breath.

---

Meanwhile with Lee, he was actually have a pleasant morning.

A beautiful girl with chocolate brown hair was handing him stacks of hundred Ryo bills.

"Um, are you sure about this?" Lee asked the lady.

"Why wouldn't I be? You gave me the best fuck I could ever hope for!"

"Yeah, but aren't you a... lady of the evening? You still take money for sex." Lee said, a little embarrassed.

"Aw, aren't you sweet." The woman smirked as she pulled out a card from her purse. "Here, take my card. Give me a call if you need to work off anymore "stress."" She winked. "I'll give you another freebie if you pull off last night's expectations."

Lee took the card and the girl (whose name on the card was Candi) patted him on the cheek. She then turned around and exited the motel room, giving Lee a cute little wave before disappearing behind the door.

"Huh...Well that was odd..." Lee thought out loud. "She was definitely cute though."

---

Back in the Uchiha compound, Ino and Sakura were busy recovering in the kitchen while Ino talked to her mother on the phone.

"Mom, seriously, I just crashed at Sakura's place for the evening. Nothing happened." Ino sighed in exhaustion.

"Ugh...Stop talking..." Sakura groaned. By far, she had the worst hangover she ever had.

"Oh my God, Mom, no. Itachi is not like that at all. You know him." Ino exclaimed.

"Ino, seriously, shut up..." Sakura groaned as she clamped her hands over her ears.

"I gotta go, mom. Sakura is still working off her hangover." Ino said into the phone. "Uh huh...yeah...I'll definitely be home tonight... Love you too."

Ino hung up the phone with a clunk that sounded like a hammer to the head for Sakura.

"Ahhh...Enough with the noise..." Sakura groaned.

"Oh please, like you're the only one working off a hangover." Ino said as she sat back down to enjoy Itachi's famous kippers and eggs. Neither of them knew what a kipper was, but it was damn good.

"So do you intend to stick to your plan?" Ino asked.

"Plan? What plan?" Sakura asked.

"You know...What you talked about last night. About Naruto."

"Oh that...Well...Not today I'm not."

"And why not?"

"Because I've got a headache from Hell, that's why..."

"And don't you have work today?" Ino pointed out, just remembering that she herself also had work.

Sakura thought for a moment and then slammed her head against the table. "Fuck! Ow!" She cried.

Ino snickered. "That wasn't too smart."

"Oh shut up!" Sakura snapped. "Great, I totally fucking forgot about work...now what am I gonna do?"

"I told you to take it easy last night..." Ino sighed.

"Ugh...sometimes I wish I was trained by the 5th Hokage...then I wouldn't have to worry about this shit..."

Then Ino thought about something. "Who's to say you can't learn the same skills she knew?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you tapped into your hidden Chakra last night. I'm sure you could find Tsunade's medical scrolls and books and learn from them."

"Probably, but that doesn't exactly help me with my current problem."

"Oh just take some Advil and you'll be fine." Ino waved off.

"Urgh." Sakura groaned as she picked herself off the kitchen table and headed upstairs to the medicine cabinet. Just then the phone rang.

"Ow." Sakura said as she walked past the phone.

"I got it." Ino said as she went to pick up the phone. "Uchiha residence...um, she's in the bathroom, this is Ino...yes...yes, I understand...yes I'll let her know as soon as she's done...alright, see you soon." she hung up the phone and began to call out to Sakura. "Hey Forehead!"

"Pig! Lower your voice! What is it?"

"Tsunade is raising Hell asking where are you." Ino said.

"Oh Gooooood..." Sakura groaned.

---

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Dr. Tsunade Senju was standing over an increasingly nervous little nurse, tapping her fingers and muttering to herself.

"I'm going to tan her hide." Tsunade said. "That's what I'll do. One of my best trained doctors and a prodigy at that and she thinks she can be late when we have all these new patients coming in? Oh no, there is gonna be Hell to pay. I'll whip her so hard that her grandchildren will be born with sore asses."

"Um, Dr. Senju? Are you sure that is appropriate?" The new nurse squeaked.

"I will decide what's appropriate!" Tsunade snapped.

"Eeep!" The mice like girl squeaked.

"Sakura has been under my employment and training since she was 15 years old, young lady. She is just like her great great great grandmother. She has amazing talent and skill...I just wish she had the same punctuality as her ancestor..."

"Wait, Ma'am?" The nurse asked, thinking she heard something odd.

"Why aren't you calling Sakura's house again?" Tsunade snapped.

The nurse retracted back into her seat and dialed the number.

"And where the Hell is that nurse Hinata?" Tsunade barked.

---

While Dr. Senju was shouting this, a hundred miles north of the Leaf village. Nurse Hinata Hyuga was sitting quietly in the back of a Double Deuce supply trunk headed for the Army Hospital where Shino was being kept under intensive care. Yesterday, without telling her friends, she had requested sick leave from work and went home to pack her bags. She then spent all evening trying to secure passage north into what was technically a hot zone. It wasn't until morning that she secured her ride. A sympathetic supply officer who just so happened to have an empty seat in his truck for a few week's salary. And so it was that the ever shy Hinata came to be sneaking off to see her injured friend.

Back at the hospital, Sakura and Ino were just arriving in Sakura's red 39 Studebaker.

"Thanks for the ride, Ino." Sakura shouted as she leapt out of the car.

"No problem. Good luck with Tsunade. Hopefully she's not too pissed off."

"Hopefully peace was declared last night and someone figured out the cure for cancer." Sakura sarcastically replied.

"Yea well...just take what she says with a grain of salt. Anyway, I gotta get to work before my dad has a cow."

"Yeah, good luck with your patients." Sakura said, knowing the kind of Saint like patience it took for anybody to work in a mental hospital.

"Same with yours. Chow!" Ino waved as she sped off to face the wrath of her boss. Sakura then turned to the hospital where she would soon face the wrath of hers.

"This...is gonna suck..." Sakura sighed before she started to walk inside.

Once inside it was business as usual. Nurses and doctors running up and down the halls, beds filled with mangled men were pushed to and from their rooms, distraught families stood in line behind the receptionist praying to learn the fate of their sons.

"You're late." A dark shadow loomed over the young pink haired doctor.

Sakura gulped and slowly turned to face her boss. "H-hello...Dr. Tsunade..."

"Hello, Dr. Uchiha. Did you have fun last night?" Tsunade asked, giving Sakura one of her famous sickly sweet smiles that Sakura knew from experience had to be a trap.

"Um...more or less...I was helping Naruto and... I was...grieving."

"Grieving?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow and her eyes instantly lit up with understanding. It wasn't a surprise to Sakura. Dr. Senju had an extraordinary knack for perception. She had been around the block. She could tell what was troubling Sakura just from a few words and body language.

"Oh Sakura..." Tsunade said before wrapping Sakura up in a gentle hug. Sakura's eyes went wide when her head was pressed against her mentor's provocatively large bosom. Whatever kind of reaction Sakura was expecting from Tsunade, it wasn't that.

"I am so sorry to hear that..."

"I-it was Sasuke...he didn't make it home..." Sakura choked out.

"I know, dear, I know..." Tsunade rubbed Sakura's back as a mother would to her daughter. Making all the men and women who worked with the two women stop and stare at the older one's rarely seen gentle nature.

After a few peaceful moments when Sakura stopped crying, Tsunade pushed Sakura out to arm's length away.

"I know you're hurting right now. But I need my star pupil with me here today. To stop more families from feeling the grief you are feeling right now. Can I count on you?"

"Yes...I need to set my mind on other things..." Sakura sniffed.

"Atta girl." Tsunade patted Sakura on the shoulder and turned back to grab a stack of folders. Sakura wiped away the remaining tear in her eye and was immediately shoved with a stack of clip board half as tall as she was.

"These are for all the patients I want you to do a check up on today. Mostly just casualties from the front, but a few civilians are in there." Tsunade said as she reached back for more things.

"Um." Sakura stuttered before feeling more folders being stacked on top of her pile.

"These are the surgeries you will be assisting me with today. I've scheduled them for every other hour, do that should give you just enough time to work on your check-ups in between." Tsunade said as she reached back a third time.

"And here are the surgeries that you will be performing solo. Mostly minor things, so I've scheduled them to be back to back, one every 15 minutes at 1 PM. So long as nothing major comes up, you should get this all done by 9. Oh, and don't plan on having lunch today." Tsunade finished as she stacked the last of the papers onto Sakura's arms, now her pile was stacked over Sakura's head.

Sakura sighed heavily. 'Fuck my life...'

"Oh, and expect patients from the free clinic to come spilling out later on. We've had a hundred cases of alcohol sickness reported earlier this morning. If they keep coming in, get ready to treat them however you can. Just get them out of the hospital quickly." Tsunade ordered before patting Sakura on the shoulder and leaving to attend to other matters required of the Head Medic.

"Why me..." Sakura sighed before getting to work.

---

Meanwhile, back at the Hokage Mansion, Naruto had finally dragged himself out of bed and was enjoying a huge family breakfast.

"Hungry, are we?" Kushina smiled.

Naruto was currently stuffing his face full of pork ramen, plus sausage, eggs, toast, crispy bacon, baked beans, hash browns, whole strawberries, glasses of orange juice and a big pot of coffee. The boy acted like he had never tried food before.

"I would take that as a yes." Minato chuckled. "Military rations are horrible. I remember that much."

"Mmmmhmmm." Naruto agreed, remembering all the nights he got his meals from tiny tin cans like dog food.

"Geez, did you forget your manners while you were away?" Karin whined at Naruto and all his food bits spilled onto the table. Naruto responded maturely by flinging a grape at his sister's head.

"Ah, MOM!" Karin shrieked.

"Naruto!" Kushina shouted.

"Sorry, mom." Naruto smirked as he stuck out his tongue at Karin.

"Just like old times." Minato chuckled.

"Yeah." Kushina smiled while Karin just pouted. That's when the family's grandfather clock went off, indicating that it was 9 o clock.

Minato signed. "Damn, I need to get to work."

"Aw, come on dad. can't you take the day off?" Karin pouted.

"I wish, sweetie. But I've got half a dozen staff members whose sons came home yesterday and they aren't taking the day off. Therefore I can't in good conscious take the day off either." Minato explained, his voice showing his true and honest regret.

"Aww..." Karin whined.

Naruto just ruffled her hair. "Don't sweat it, squirt. the 3 of us can do something together."

"Hmpf, I wanted to hang out with Dad." Karin pouted, not wanting to let on that she was ecstatic to hang out with her brother again after so long.

"Well how about once I get home this evening we can all see a movie together?" Minato compromised.

"Hey, now there's an idea." Kushina agreed.

"What's playing these days?" Naruto asked.

"Ah, let me check." Minato said as he opened the paper. "Arabian Nights, Casablanca, Bambi (I don't know if you kids are too old to watch a cartoon)..." Minato listed off.

"Arabian nights sounds good." Naruto said.

"Karin, that sound good to you?" Minato asked, not wanting his daughter to feel left out.

"Sure." Karin shrugged.

"Great. Then we'll all meet back here at 7 and go see it. I'll have an aid pick us up tickets." Minato smiled.

"Sweet!" Karin cheered.

"Now that that's settled, I really gotta go." Minato said right before he gave Kushina a quick peck on the lips, an over the table hug to Karin, and a quick man hug from Naruto.

"It's so great to have you home." Minato whispered.

"It's good to be back, dad." Naruto said.

Minato smiled and broke away. He grabbed his trench coat and his Hokage Hat and made his way outside to the car that was waiting for him.

Back in the kitchen, Naruto was helping his mother clean up.

"Oh Naruto, you don't need to do that." Kushina said quickly.

Naruto looked up with his hands filled with dirty plates. "It's no trouble, mom. I want to."

"Better him than me." Karin shrugged.

"Oh hush. It wouldn't kill you to volunteer to do the dishes every now and again." Kushina said.

"It might. You never know."

"I do know. Maybe I should have your father extend the draft out to 14-year-old girls. A few months in Army Training and I could have both of my children doing their chores without a fuss." Kushina smirked.

"Except they don't allow women in the army." Naruto said.

"True, but as the wife of the 25th Hokage, I have certain...influences, over the men who oversee these regulations." Kushina smirked, making both her children gag.

As they were talking, Naruto had already put the plates in the sink and were scrubbing them good. His mother was right about one thing, his time in basic training made cleaning up after a family of four's breakfast seem like a breeze. He shuttered when he remembered the sleepless nights he and Kiba had to spend scrubbing pots in the mess hall after they had started a small food fight.

"Oh Naruto, just let those plates soak. I want to start enjoying my day spent with my two favorite kids." Kushina smiled.

"Fine by me, I'm done." Naruto said.

"We're you're only kids." Karin pointed out.

"Exactly, therefore you're my favorites-wait what?" Kushina asked, quite certainly that she didn't just hear that Naruto was done with the dishes already.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"You, how did you finish cleaning those plates so quickly?" Kushina asked as she looked in the sink to see that yes, the plates were scrubbed shining and were drying on the drying rack.

"I...just did them like I normally do." Naruto said, a little confused.

"Naruto, I'm your mother. A year ago, this same task would have taken you a half an hour. Did the Army retrain you on how to clean dishes quicker?"

"Huh? Oh...yea I guess it did."

"Well that's fantastic. Some good came out of that Army Training after all." Kushina joked as looped her arm around Naruto's.

"Ha ha...very funny." Naruto said sarcastically.

"Thank you, now both of you, come on. It's a beautiful day and I want to get out of this dusty old house already." Kushina said as she led Naruto to the front door.

"Well as nice as winter can be I suppose." Karin said.

"Don't be snooty, come on." Kushina ordered as they stepped outside to the 50 degree sunshine.

"Ahh...bout time we had some warmer weather." Naruto sighed contently.

"I know, right?" Kushina said. "Come on, there is something I want to show you."

"Oh yea? What's that?" Naruto asked.

"You'll see." Kushina teased her son, even though Karin had a fairly good idea what she meant.

The three Uzumakis all walked towards downtown Hidden Leaf, passing by busy shops, on leave Soldiers hanging out with their buddies or their girls, and the occasional automobile driving right past them. There were a few passers-by who stopped and stared at the First Family so casually walking out in the streets, and many more gawked at the return of the 25th Hokage's son, rumored to be one of the heroes of Bloody January.

Finally, they made it to their destination and Karin's suspension was confirmed. Naruto stepped out of the crowded street and into a wide open park located right smack dab in the middle of downtown Hidden Leaf.

"Wait a minute." Naruto said as soon as he recognized this place. "It can't be."

"It is." Kushina gushed. Her own personal pet project as First Lady. "The park you and your friends used to play in has finally been renovated."

"Oh my god..." Naruto breathed out in awe. Stretching 20 blocks in either direction, Naruto could see green grass, trees perfect for climbing, hills made to be rolled down or sled down, a lake and a river cutting the park in half, cobblestone pathways trailing around the trees, and brand new playgrounds where children played. All around them, families were enjoy the brief heatwave. Men in military uniforms sat on picnic blankets with loved ones. Children were laughing, young women were giggling. It looked like a perfect day in summer. Like a little corner of Heaven where the war didn't exist.

"Do you like it?" Kushina asked.

"I love it. How on earth did you get all the funding for this in wartime?"

"With a whole lot of fundraisers and pinching pennies." Kushina chuckled.

"As well as yelling at the workers to move their asses." Karin joked.

"Language!" Kushina scolded.

"What? It's true." Karin defended, remembering all the Saturday mornings she spent with her mother under an umbrella with a glass of lemonade while she cracked the whip on the day laborers who thought the Hokage's wife was a softhearted pushover trying to get kids a new playground.

"I completely believe you." Naruto stated.

"Well what are we standing around for?" Karin asked. "Let's have some fun!"

"How? You want me to push you on the swing?" Naruto smirked.

"Oh ha ha...actually...maybe for...old times sake..." Karin said sheepishly.

Naruto's eyes went wide. He looked over at Kushina who was just as surprised as he was. A year ago, Karin would have slugged him on the arm for suggesting something so childish. But now...

"Weeeeeeheheheeee!" Karin cried out a few minutes later as she swung back and forth on the swing, powered by Naruto.

"Oh...I wish I had my camera..." Kushina gushed. It was just like when they were little kids.

Naruto just smiled. It felt so good to be around his loving family again, even if his dad wasn't there yet. This was exactly what he wanted when he got home. Sunshine, laughter, and happiness. Well, after all those beers of course.

"Higher! Higher!" Karin cheered, not caring how silly she looked.

"Wow, sis. I haven't seen you like this since you were 9." Naruto chuckled before he pushed Karin higher.

"Shut up, don't ruin it!" Karin cried.

"Right, right." Naruto laughed.

He kept on pushing her until he literally had to jump just to keep pushing her.

"It's moments like these that make me happy to be alive..." Kushina sighed contently.

Naruto gave Karin one last huge push and she was flung from her swing. She performed a perfect backflip and landed feet first into the sand.

"Wow, nice landing sis." Naruto praised.

Karin held her skirt down behind her but to keep it flapping open with the wind. "Thanks, bro." She replied.

"When did you learn that?" Naruto asked.

"My gymnastics lessons?" Karin said like it was obvious.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "When did you start doing gymnastics?"

"Like, 3 years ago?" Karin said indignantly.

"Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I forgot."

"Yeah, thanks." Karin huffed, now ticked off.

Naruto looked around for a way to win back his sister when he spotted a man in a white cap in front of a white cart. "Hey Karin, how about some ice cream?"

Karin perked up after hearing that. "You buyin?"

"I...will delegate that to mom." Naruto said as he turned out his empty pockets.

"I thought the Army paid you." Karin said, slightly confused.

"They do. I just haven't had any time to cash my checks. And I forgot to grab my wallet this morning." Naruto admitted.

"Idiot...Well, go find out from mom." Karin sighed.

"I'm right here." Kushina waved. "And I'm more than okay with paying." She smiled.

"Great, thanks mom." Naruto smiled.

"No problem sweetie." Kushina smiled as she headed straight for the ice cream man.

Naruto and Karin followed their mother, eager to get some ice cream.

The man selling the ice cream had just finished serving a cute little girl and her father when who but the First Lady of the Leaf walked up to his humble cart.

"Oh my goodness...Lady Kushina. It's a pleasure." The stunned ice cream man said.

"The pleasure is all mine, mister...?" Kushina smiled.

"O-oh...Um, just call me Hershey. Saito Hershey." He introduced.

"Hershey? Like the chocolate bar?" Naruto snickered.

"My family owns the company." Saito said.

The three of them did a double take. "I'm sorry, you say that your family owns Hershey chocolate?" Karin asked.

"That's correct...But I'd rather sell my homemade ice cream flavors. Here, I'll give you a sample of one I just created." Saito smiled before he grabbed 3 small cups and dished out what looked like chocolate ice cream with something else swirled in with it. He grabbed 3 spoons and handed them out. "Give that a try and tell me what you think."

The Uzumakis all shrugged and took the free samples. As one, they all took a bite.

Karin was the first to react. "Wow! What is that!?" She shrieked joyfully.

"Peanut butter fudge swirl." Saito smiled.

"Wow! Who woulda thought peanut butter would taste so good with chocolate?" Naruto beamed.

"I know, right? I'm thinking of branching out from my family's company. Start one of my own." Hershey Saito said.

"You should do it. Hell, we'd sponsor it." Kushina beamed.

"Oh no, M'lady. You don't have to do that."

"Nonsense. I'm the First Lady of the Leaf. I do what I want." Kushina said. "Now if I could get a full scoop of that peanut butter and chocolate ice cream in a cone, I would be ecstatic."

"W-why...Thank you, M'lady...Yes, coming right up. One for each."

"Sweet, thanks Hershey." Naruto said.

"Oh, call me Reese. It's some weird nickname my family calls me." Hershey said.

"Nice. Different, but nice." Karin said.

"Yup." Hershey 'Reese' Saito said. The trio then left him to his work and took a walk down the cobblestone path.

"Were you serious about funding him, mom?" Karin asked.

"I would take a look at Reese's business plan. He seems like a nice young man with a good product. But never make a decision without looking at the numbers. That's business 101, kids." Kushina said.

"Right." Naruto agreed.

The mother and her children walked down the path with their ice cream happily in hand. Then Kushina smelled a vulture.

"Oh no." Kushina whispered right before the camera flash went off.

"Gaah!" Kushina cried and Naruto just froze.

"Mrs. Uzumaki, Mrs. Uzumaki!" A reporter shouted as a dozen or so reporters armed with cameras and tape recorders seemed to leap out of the wet wood.

Kushina turned and gave the cameramen a fake smile, hoping to placate them and continue her day off with her children uninterrupted. "Yes, hello." She smiled with a half-hearted wave.

"Mrs. Uzumaki, hi, you look fabulous today, Ma'am. Are these your children? Any comments on the war effort?" One report asked.

"Yes, they are my children. As far as the war effort, I'm just glad that our soldiers who are on leave are here to get some well-deserved rest and relaxation." Kushina said.

"No comment on the men still fighting without relieve?" The same reporter asked.

"I just hope for the best and their safe return home." Kushina added.

"Any comment about the heroes of Bloody January?" Another reporter asked.

"Isn't your son one of those heroes?" Another reporter spoke up.

"That's him right now, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Naruto... Is it Namikaze or Uzumaki?"

"Uh...it's Uzumaki." Naruto responded.

"Not named after your more famous father?" A reporter asked.

"Um, I guess my parents decided not too. I don't know, it's never bothered me before." Naruto said sheepishly.

"Hey, what's your name?" A reporter asked the younger red head.

"I'm Karin." Karin said.

"That's a pretty name. What's your last name and what's your age?" The same reporter asked. "Also, do you have a boyfriend?"

"I'm 14. both me and my brother here have both Uzumaki and Namikaze as our last names, but we tend to use Uzumaki more. And, no I don't have a boyfriend." Karin responded.

"What? How are the boys in your school not tripping over themselves to date you?" The reporter asked making Karin blush.

"No comment." Kushina said forcefully.

"Right, getting back to the heroic soldier son, did you fight on the front lines or were you in more of an administrative position because your father is the leader of the Free World?" A reporter asked Naruto.

"I...was on the front lines." Naruto informed, gathering all of the reporters attention.

"What company did you serve in?"

"Did you lead a squad?"

"What rank are you?"

"Did you receive a battlefield promotion?"

"Did you really fight for 30 days straight without sleep or food?"

"Were you a machine gunner? A rifleman?"

"Did you kill a lot of those bastard savages?"

"What was your most heroic moment?"

Naruto's head began to spin from the onslaught of questions coming at him like being fired from a machine gun.

"Uhh..." Naruto stammered.

"How many in your company died?" One reporter asked.

"Did any of your friends die?"

"How many of your best friends died?"

"Which were the hardest to accept?"

"Do you feel guilty for all the men you've killed?"

"I um...believe I was given a submachine gun at the start of the fighting..." Naruto tried to speak up.

"If you knew back before you signed up what you know now, would you volunteer for the military again?"

Naruto couldn't answer anymore, he was simply frozen in place.

"How did you get those scars?"

"Hey, Mr. Uzumaki, look here!" One cameraman shouted. That got Naruto's attention enough that he saw a blinding flash of light hanging just above the tree tops. The flare glowed brighter than the floodlights hanging over Chunin Stadium as its mini parachute kept it floating gently down to earth like some terrible ghost.

"THE ENEMY IS CHARGING! OPEN FIRE!" Someone yelled, followed by what sounded like three dozen firecrackers popping off at once. Naruto looked down the line to see the silhouettes of the enemy Sound soldiers charging at Naruto's line with fixed bayonets. Their bloodcurdling howls pierced Naruto's ears as the closest ones were cut down like puppets by their strings. Some made it through to the other side and men choked on their final screams. Naruto looked out and saw one enemy trip over his own two feet, only to be trampled by his buddies in their suicidal run to take out at least one of their enemies.

"HEY NARUTO, GOT ANY WORDS FOR GUYS STILL THINKING ABOUT ENLISTING?" One enemy screamed at Naruto, enough to make the boy turn and see an enemy soldier baring down on him with his bayonet pressed right underneath Naruto's chin.

"What?" Naruto asked, looking at the reporter holding the tape recorder right underneath Naruto's nose.

"Um, I said, do you have any words for guys still thinking about enlisting." The reporter repeated.

"I uh..." Naruto stammered, his black out episode only being noticed by his two family members. "I would tell them...that there is more ways to serve than to fight... If that's their issue." Naruto stated. Remembering what his father had said to him after he found out Naruto had signed up for the Army.

Kushina had noticed Naruto's hesitation in answering that question. But she also noticed the horrified stare he briefly had on his face. That told her everything.

'Oh no... Minato was right...my poor baby...' Kushina thought.

"Ooh, the clever response of a politician. Are you thinking of following in your father's footsteps?" A reporter asked.

"It never crossed my mind...I'm just doing what I think is right." Naruto answered.

"You don't think about your future?" The same reporter asked.

"I'm sorry. Excuse me." Naruto said before he pushed past the reporters and left his mother and sister to fend for themselves.

"I think we're done here." Kushina said as she and Karin moved through the reporters.

"Hokage's War Hero Son of the Konoha 11 Dreams of being Next Hokage." One reporter spoke aloud to himself. Kushina and Karin ignored him and tried to follow Naruto as he ran off into the woods.

"Bro! Wait up!" Karin called out. But Naruto ignored her too and dashed through the maze of trees faster than either one of them could even hope to keep up to. Naruto needed some room to breathe. The boy's memories bombarding him one after another, spreading through his thoughts like poisonous weeds. Every memory he managed to stuff back down into his subconscious just made way for another memory to spring up. It was maddening.

'Calm down.' Naruto thought. 'Calm down, calm down.' He ordered to himself. 'Just focus on something else. Your environment. Remember where you are.'

Naruto opened his eyes and found himself on the other side of the park, looking out at the busy city street. With street vendors selling flowers and fresh fruit on the sidewalk. Shoppers and young couples out walking the streets. And even a few cars driving on down the road.

'Find something to single out. Concentrate on it. Block everything else out.' Naruto thought. His eyes scanned the crowd for something interesting and quickly fell upon a cute bob of mint green hair in a sea of brown and brunette.

Naruto was in awe, he had never seen that wild hair color before, and on a girl no less. 'A cute girl.' Naruto thought as soon as he noticed her figure in that simple dress of hers. It was light blue with zig zag patterns of darker blue and went down to her knees. Still, it hugged her hips perfectly to show off her modest hourglass figure. She had a jacket on to cover her shoulders, and as she turned away from the fruit vendor with a huge smile on her face that Naruto noticed how dark her skin was. A light mocha color that you certainly never saw in the Land of Fire.

'A foreigner.' Naruto realized around the same time he noticed something coming at her right outside Naruto's peripheral vision. A red convertible that couldn't possibly slowdown in time. Naruto didn't even have time to think, his instincts honed in battle took over and he shot out at the girl in a dead sprint. He didn't even have the chance to warn her before he tackled her, sending them both flying out of the way of the runaway car that sailed right past them.

"Oof!" The two of them cried when they hit the ground. The only other should that could be heard was the cries of surprised on lookers and the screeching of the car breaks.

Naruto shook his head, he consciously regained control of his actions.

"Ugh...Hey! What's the big idea?!" The girl protested.

"Huh, what?" Naruto asked, feeling a little light headed from his sudden action.

"Let go of me!" The girl continued to protest.

"Hey, okay, geez." Naruto said as he threw himself off the ground and held his hands up in a non-threatening way.

The girl got up madder than a wet cat. "Alright, buddy. What's the deal..." She paused her rant when she got a good look at the man before her. strong, muscular build, blond hair, and covered in scars. a soldier if she ever saw one. 'Woah...he's handsome...' She thought.

"You were about to get hit by a car, you ditz. That's the deal." Naruto exclaimed.

"Wait...What?" She asked before spotting the red car that had stopped near where she was standing in the road. The sudden realization that she could have been killed caught up to her. "Oh my god...I didn't even notice..."

"Yeah, you're lucky I did. That was seriously cutting it close." Naruto said. He wasn't usually this blunt, but his little episode with the reporters earlier had made him agitated.

"Geez...Um...I'm sorry about that...I didn't mean to snap." She said shyly.

Naruto looked at her and felt his frustrations melt away at that cute face. "Yeah, I'm sorry too. I didn't need to snap at you either."

"It's alright. I did come off kind of bitchy when you were saving my skin...So...Thanks for that."

"Don't mention it. I'm Naruto, by the way." He said, holding out his hand.

"Fu." She smiled and shook his hand.

"Hey, uh, lovebirds?" A random man standing next to them spoke up. "You two might want to take this off the street before a third person has to save you both."

The both of them blinked at being called lovebirds and then realized that they were indeed still standing in the middle of the road surrounded by spilled oranges.

The man who spoke to them then got a good look at Naruto and realized who it was. "Holy... You're Naruto Uzumaki, aren't you."

"Ummmmmm..." Naruto said, definitely certain that he didn't want any more attention for being the Hokage's son today.

"Oh man, you are, aren't you? I read about you in the paper a few times. Said you had joined the military but I guess you're back now. Craziest thing. I was just walking down the road and there I see you saving this girl from that idiot." The man rambled on while pointing towards the red car where the driver had leapt out and fallen to his knees, begging for forgiveness from the loose crowd surrounding him.

"Naruto Uzumaki? Are you famous or something?" Fu asked, making Naruto flinch.

"Are you kidding? He's the Hokage's son. Best damn Hokage we've ever had as far as I reckon. But there's hardly a villager alive who wouldn't know this boy's by his father's reputation." The man continued to ramble.

"Hey that's great. How about I help you pick up your oranges." Naruto quickly interjected, hoping to change the subject. The overly friendly man, however, took this for completely different meaning.

"Oh I see." He said, winking at Naruto. "I'll leave you both to it then." He smiled before walking off as quickly as he came. Both young adults watched the man disappear into the crowd.

'Weirdo.' They both thought. With that out of the way, Naruto began picking up the oranges off the dirt street. The ones that the car hadn't smashed anyway.

"So, you're the Hokage's son?" Fu asked. "That must be pretty cool."

"Eh, it's alright." Naruto said as he scooped up 2 oranges and placed them in Fu's brown paper bag.

"Really? Going for the whole, my daddy is super powerful, no big deal." Fu said, mimicking the voice of a douche.

"It isn't a big deal. At least, not how I see it..." Naruto said sourly.

"What do you mean?" Fu asked.

Naruto sighed. "The title of Hokage anymore is nothing more than a political figure head when it's the council who makes all the decisions. A long time ago, the Hokage used to be the most powerful ninja in the village...now it's nothing more than politics."

"So...you're not, like...excited that your dad has all this political power?" Fu asked.

"Not in the slightest..." Naruto said as he finished gathering up the oranges and led Fu to the sidewalk.

"Why? I would think that you'd be happy that your dad runs the whole town."

"He runs the whole country. And I'm proud of him for that. I just don't like to be compared to him over that. It makes me feel like people who do only see me as the Hokage's son." Naruto said.

"Oh..." Fu said, now more understanding of this man.

"Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about yourself." Naruto asked as he finished picking up the last few oranges he could salvage.

"Oh...well..." Fu said, quite uncertain if she wanted to tell this boy. He seemed so nice but she had been deceived before when trusting people with this information. "Well as you can probably guess, I'm a refugee."

"Yeah, that seemed obvious enough. Where are you from anyway?"

"I'm from Waterfall." Fu informed.

That made Naruto stop in his tracks. "I'm sorry, did you say Waterfall? As in..."

"Part of the Pitter Patter Axis Alliance? Forcibly a part of it, yes." Fu cut him off.

"Wait, forcibly?"

"Yes. The Axis threatened to destroy the whole country and either kill everyone or enslave them unless they joined. So they had no choice. Luckily I was able to flee before the war started." Fu informed.

"Wow. I didn't know that." Naruto admitted.

"Lots of people don't. It makes it really hard to explain it people you meet. Especially when their country happens to be at war with your own." Fu said sadly.

"Hey now, don't worry about it." Naruto said to cheer her up.

"Don't worry about it? Why? Is it not a big deal that I left all my friends and family behind when I fled to the Leaf? That I'm treated with nasty looks wherever I go? That I have had no one my age to talk to for nearly two years?" Fu snapped.

"Well, I'm talking to you now and if you're looking for friends you got me and I'm sure all my friends would love to meet you." Naruto said happily.

"You're serious?" Fu asked, her eyes filled with hope.

"If I'm lying I'm dying." Naruto chuckled.

"Eeeeeeeep!" Fu shrieked as she grabbed Naruto in a bear hug.

"ACK! Fu...Too tight...air..." Naruto gasped.

"Whoops, sorry." She apologized profusely as she let the blond man breath. "I'm just so excited. You'd better not be lying."

"Phew...no, I'm not lying. I never go back on my word." Naruto proudly stated. "I just need to find a time when everyone will be hanging out together. Let you get to know Sakura-chan and Ino especially. They'll be great company. I'm pretty sure they're both working right now. But tonight or some time."

Fu looked at Naruto with a skeptical smirk and grabbed a pen and a scrap of her paper bag. She scribbled down something on the paper that Naruto didn't see.

"If that's the case, then let me give you my phone number for when that hang out time gets established. You'd better call me or I will hunt you down, Uzumaki. I don't care who your daddy is." Fu playfully threatened.

Naruto just chuckled. "Of course I'll call."

"You'd better." Fu smirked as she held her bag of oranges tighter. She looked up and caught Naruto's gaze staring very intently at her.

"Uh, Naruto. You're staring at me." Fu said.

"Oh am I? Sorry..." Naruto said sheepishly.

"You like what you see?" Fu smirked.

Naruto blushed. "Oh...well, um...I mean...you are very pretty..."

"Oh am I?" Fu smirked, liking this boy more and more by the minute.

"Yeah, your eyes especially. They're so orange." Naruto said, his lips and his brain were not cooperating.

"Really? You like...my eyes...?" Fu gasped. "No one has ever said that before..."

"I do. Orange is my favorite color." Naruto said.

Fu smiled. "You're not much of a smooth talker are you?" she giggled.

"I don't think so. Haven't actually ever scored a date yet." Naruto admitted.

"Really? I find that hard to believe. I bet all the girls here would want to bed you."

"Well, they do. but they're not the ones I'm interested in."

That made Fu raise an eyebrow. "They're not? Well, then...who is?"

"Well there is this one girl. But she was never interested in me. And now... Well now wouldn't be a good time to ask her out again anyway."

"So you're still interested in her I take it." Fu deduced.

"Kinda. She's a close friend. Always will be, I hope. But honestly, it might be time to move on." Naruto sighed.

"Hmm..." Fu thought it over for a second and then she smiled. "Well, give it some time. I mean, I think you're a great guy even though I've only just met you. But if this girl is that special to you then I'm sure she'll come around in time. She'd have to be crazy to refuse you."

"She also just lost her brother to the war. My best friend. How would it look if I tried to make a move on her now?" Naruto asked, finally spilling the beans.

"Oh dear...I'm so sorry to hear that..." Fu said sympathetically. "Well, you know what they say; time heals all wounds."

"Maybe." Naruto said as they continued to walk aimlessly down the sidewalk.

"So tell me about your friends. What are they like?" Fu asked.

"Oh them? Well there's Choji. He's funny and relaxed, but likes to eat a lot."

"Choji...alright, sounds like a nice guy."

"Then there's Kiba. Look out for him. He'll try to get up your skirt if given the chance." Naruto warned.

"Ah...noted." Fu nodded. She'll have to keep an eye on that one.

---

As they were talking, back at the hospital, Sakura was exiting the OR from her latest surgery.

"Oh man...I wish these damn surgeries would stop." Sakura said in exhaustion.

"Dr. Uchiha. Phone call on line 3. Dr. Uchiha. Phone call on line 3." Sakura head over the PA.

"Of course...can't even get a minute to take a piss, let alone catch my breath." Sakura grumbled before making her way to the nearest nurse's station. Once there, a nurse was already on the phone. Upon seeing Sakura, she put it on hold.

"It's Dr. Senju. She needs to talk to you about something." The nurse said.

"Probably to ream my ass out for something." Sakura sighed before taking the phone. "Dr. Uchiha here."

"Sakura...are you sure your head is in the game today?" Tsunade asked.

"As best as I can. I've done 10 back to back surgeries with no breaks as it is."

"Well the one in OR-2 needs to be cut back open."

"Huh? Why?" Sakura asked.

"Because one of your braindead assistants left gauze in the chest cavity." Tsunade reported.

"What?! Oh goddammit...Alright, I'm on it." Sakura sighed.

"Well, no...I'll take care of it this one time. Take 5 minutes for yourself before getting back to your rounds."

'Oh thank god...' Sakura thought with relief. "Thank you, Tsunade..."

"Don't mention it. Just hustle once you're done." Tsunade said before hanging up the phone.

"Well, it's not much...but 5 minutes is better than nothing." Sakura said as she handed the phone back to the nurse. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the restroom. Haven't had a chance since 7 this morning."

"I bet. Well, if anyone calls I'll let you know." The nurse said.

"Right." Sakura nodded before scurrying to the nearest bathroom. Just as she made it in to a stall, she didn't even latch the door before she was paged again.

"Dr. Uchiha to treatment room 9. Dr. Uchiha to treatment room 9." She heard over the PA.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" Sakura protested loudly. 'Fuck it. They can wait. I can't.' She thought to herself.

After a couple of moments, she emerged from the bathroom and headed to the treatment room.

Once there, she was greeted by an irritated nurse with a child sitting on the exam bed.

"What do you have for me." Sakura said as she approached.

"The mother says he has pneumonia, but I think he just has a cold. honestly, these types of cases are getting in the way of those who really need attention." The nurse whispered.

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing that it's not your call to make." Sakura stated. "I'll take care of it. If I need you I'll call you."

"Yes, doctor." The nurse bowed before leaving the room.

Sakura turned to face the boy and mother and put a warm smile on her face. "Hello. I'm Doctor Sakura Uchiha. So what seems to be the problem today?" She asked professionally.

"Well, I already know what's wrong. Little Timmy here has pneumonia. Now I want you to give him something for it." The mother stated with her nose up in the air.

"I see. Well let me give him a quick check up and we'll see what form of treatment he may need." Sakura said.

"Oh there is no need for that. All he needs is something for the pneumonia and that's it." The mother said.

"Well, we don't know for sure if that's what he has. I'll need to check him out first and run some tests-"

"Tests?! There will be no tests. I ain't paying for no damn tests. Just give him some damn medicine." The woman snapped.

Sakura's face hardened against the woman's attitude. Seems that this was going to be one of those parents. "Ma'am, I cannot just give your son medicine based on your word alone. I need to run tests to confirm his diagnosis and justify the use of any medicine he might need. Otherwise I could do more harm than good." Sakura stated, trying her hardest to keep her professional tone.

"Well then..." The woman huffed. "I want a different doctor. Preferably not some brain dead bimbo who likes to play doctor with seriously sick children."

A vein popped on Sakura's forehead. 'Oh you fucking bitch. If I could I'd haul off and deck your sorry ass...' Sakura stopped herself and took a deep breath. "If that's what you want, I will see who is available." She said calmly before returning back to the nurse's station.

"Send the hospital lawyer in there with whatever doctor is available. The boy probably just caught a bug but I don't take chances like that." Sakura ordered.

"Yes doctor." One nurse said before picking up the phone.

Sakura sighed and grabbed her next patient folder.

"Um, Doctor Uchiha. You're the only doctor available. Everyone else is in surgery." Another nurse reported.

"Then call me when the lawyer arrives. I need a breather or the mother is the one who will need a doctor." Sakura said as she skimmed open the folder.

'Neji Hyuga.' She read the name.

"Besides...this one is a little bit more serious." Sakura said before heading to Neji's room.

'Shrapnel trauma to the lower abdomen, tore through his lower intestines, but the surgeons did a good enough job stitching him back together.' Sakura read as she carefully stepped into Neji's sickroom and in the back of her mind heard the bed squeaking. 'So long as we keep him from getting infected, he should be...' Sakura stopped when she finally noticed her surroundings. The bed squeaking in the room went off one after another. The privacy certain was drawn and Sakura could see a figure sitting upright on the bed, facing away from the door.

'What in the...' Sakura thought. She heard what was unmistakably a moan from a man.

'Neji?' Sakura thought as she closed the door behind her.

'Oh God please no.' She thought as she slowly walked up to the curtain and yanked it away.

"Ooh! God damn it!" Sakura cried out when she saw Tenten sitting on top of Neji with the bed sheets covering her naked bottom half from Sakura.

"AHHH! Sakura!" Tenten screamed before both her and Neji gave out their release.

Sakura just stood there mortified while the two of them came down from their high.

"Uh, Sakura? Tenten why the Hell did you- Wait, Sakura?!" Neji's eyes shot wide open when he saw Sakura standing nearby.

"Oh god, Sakura. We're soo sorry..." Tenten apologized, completely embarrassed.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just barged in...actually, no, I shouldn't be sorry. What the Hell are you two doing? Don't you know this is a hospital?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Um...I uh...we...well..." Tenten stammered.

"Just...get dressed and get out of here. Be glad I found you and not Tsunade." Sakura ordered.

"Oh man...that actually makes it hotter." Neji said, just imagining the danger of being caught by Tsunade.

"You be quiet. You're lucky to be breathing after your ordeal. And then you decide to have sex when you were just stitched up not even a day ago?! I thought you were smarter than that."

"I was. But Tenten had been with me since I got to the hospital. And...well...she was helping me scratch an itch." Neji admitted.

"I can see that..." Sakura deadpanned.

"Look, I'll go. Just please don't tell anyone." Tenten said.

Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "You're lucky you're both really good friends of mine. Had you been anyone else..."

"I know, and can you also turn around for a bit?" Tenten requested with a red blush on her cheeks.

"Yea, yea..." Sakura sighed before she closed the curtain behind her to leave them to it. Only now Sakura couldn't help but be very aware of the noises the two of them were making as Tenten slipped out of Neji and then the rustling of the sheets as she put her undergarments on. Her feet hit the cold tile floor and Sakura clearly heard her put her shirt on.

"Just...hurry up. I have a lot of other patients to see and you're holding me up." Sakura said, feeling the temp in the room elevate by 15 degrees.

"Alright, alright, I'm decent." Tenten said before pulling back the curtain.

"Alright...now please leave. I've got a job to do."

"Fine." Tenten said before turning back to Neji and planting a kiss on his lips.

"Bye, Neji, see you tomorrow." Tenten smiled.

"See you later, dear." Neji smiled

Tenten walked out of the room, putting an extra swish in her step for Neji's sake.

"Okay, so I need to give you an examination. Make sure that you are healing properly." Sakura said.

"Okay...again, we're sorry about that." Neji said.

"Forget it. So long as you two were safe about it and well...I can't throw you out anyway." Sakura said.

"You can't?"

"You're a patient, so no." Sakura looked over Neji's file one more time.

"It says here that a grenade went off and struck your lower intestines. How exactly are you not dead?" Sakura asked.

"The grenade went off below me. I was perched in a tree, providing cover support with my sniper rifle. A friendly grenade rolled by the base of the tree and I took the reduced blast." Neji said.

"Well, you're darn lucky. However, there was significant damage to a lot of your internal organs. Sorry, Neji. But you won't be returning to the front lines anytime soon."

Neji's fist tightened around his bedsheet. "How long?"

Sakura sighed. "4 months at the very least."

"You're shitting me."

"Afraid not...I'm sorry."

Neji sat quietly, thinking it over. "I don't suppose you could let me out early by say, the 15th?"

"I can discharge you before then, but you still need time to recover."

"And what about getting me back with my squad?" Neji asked.

"When you are discharged, you will be restricted to bed rest at home until you are fully recovered. As I said, you won't be able to rejoin them for at least 4 months." Sakura reiterated.

"Are you kidding me? They'll reassign me to another Company by then. Or worse, another Division. No, I wanna be with my teammates." Neji said.

"Well that's too bad. That grenade turned your organs into Swiss cheese. You're lucky to be alive at all." Sakura said sternly.

"If you can send me home in a couple of days, why can't you send me to the front?"

"Don't be stubborn with me, Neji Hyuga." Sakura barked. "You are NOT going back to the front lines and that's final. Keep it up and I'll have you admitted here for the full recovery time. Don't think I won't."

Neji pounded his fist onto the bedframe. "Damn it, Sakura. Don't you get it? I won't be left behind by my team."

"They won't have a choice. You're lucky you aren't being discharged from the Army completely from this. Now that is the end of this discussion."

Neji sighed. The grief evident on his face. "...fine."

"Now then. I'm going to lift up your gown to check your stitches." Sakura informed. Once she did, she noticed that the bandaging around his surgery site was still absorbing blood. "Still a little blood seepage. That's normal-wait, what the..." She just happened to look further down and something startled her. "Did...did you two have sex without protection?"

"Huh? No, there should be a condom...somewhere." Neji stated.

"Well, there isn't." Sakura said.

"Okay? So, what's the problem?" Neji asked.

"You mean besides the long list of sexually transmitted diseases? Pregnancy."

"Hey, I'm clean and so is...wait...y-you mean she...could be..."

"Pregnant? Possibly."

"No way. I'm certain I put a condom on." Neji insisted.

"Well, time will tell." Sakura shrugged.

Neji gulped.

"So, do you have any residual pain? Anything bothering you?" Sakura asked, hoping to get back on track.

"Um...no, not really." Neji said.

"Not really?"

"Just a dull pain every once in a while, but it's nothing serious."

"Hmmm..." Sakura said as she placed her stethoscope to Neji's chest. "Breath."

Neji breathed in deeply.

"And exhale." Sakura instructed.

Neji exhaled.

Sakura heard nothing but the smooth exhale of oxygen from a healthy lung. She repeated the process thrice more, listening to the other lung and then both lungs with her stethoscope pressed against Neji's back. She then inspected his pulse and found out six seconds later that it too was nominal.

"Looking good." Sakura said as she wrote down his vitals into his file. "Well, Neji. You seem to be recovering normally. Which is a lot better than when you came in here."

"That's good." Neji said.

"Yup, with any luck you should be out of here in a week's time and then you can have sex in your own bed." Sakura said.

Neji just blushed.

"That also means the next time Tenten is here, there will be none of that in this hospital. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." Neji said.

"Good. Now then. A nurse will be in shortly to change your dressing. I have more rounds to make, so I'll see you later." Sakura said .

"Right, thank you, Sakura." Neji said as he reached over to pick up one of his many books to read.

Sakura nodded and proceeded to leave the room. Once in the hallway, her whole body started to shiver and she felt like she was burning up.

"Oh my God I can still smell it." Sakura whispered to herself. Thinking of her walking in Neji and Tenten. The room and the bed had been saturated with their musky scent. All the sweat, all the...juices... And Sakura had to stand over the man post coitus for so long.

'W-what...is wrong with me...' Sakura thought. Her body felt so foreign to her with these new feelings.

Her thoughts immediately returned to that room, seeing those two from behind the curtain. Surrounded by that musky scent, Tenten's back arched in pleasure, Sakura imagined for a second what it would be like to be in Tenten's place. Her and Neji- no wait, that was weird. She tried picturing Neji as a featureless man, but everything she came up with ended up having messy blond hair, blue eyes, and whisker marks just to be as unambiguous as possible.

'Oh man...now I want him even more...but what is this...' She thought before it donned on her. 'Am I... what's the word...aroused?'

What was she saying? Of course she knew she was aroused. She was a doctor. Yet the actual experience had never graced her. Not like this. It was hard to get aroused by movie stars and cute boys in class when her two older brothers were the hottest guys in the village. No one else quite measured up. But just thinking about Naruto and what Tenten and Neji did and replacing them with herself and that blond idiot she had come to adore, it was enough to drive her over the edge. She had to focus otherwise she'd lose her mind.

'The rest of my shift is gonna suck.' Sakura thought just as the intercom blared.

"Dr. Uchiha, you are requested at OR2."

'Case in point.'

---

As Sakura went to deal with whatever new crisis the hospital could throw at her. Back in the park, her friend Temari was having a perfectly relaxing day. She was currently dressed in a beautiful Sunday dress with a parasol shielding her from the sun, being rowed through the Leaf village's man made river by her lover/slave Shikamaru.

"Temari...do you see what I'm seeing?" Shikamaru spoke up.

"What?" Temari asked.

Shikamaru pointed behind her, causing her to turn around to see two people walking down the sidewalk. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks like Naruto walking with some foreign girl."

"What?" Temari asked as she looked to where Shikamaru was pointing and saw that it was indeed Naruto and another girl Temari had never seen before.

"No way...do you think Naruto moved on from Sakura?" Temari asked.

"Knowing him, he wouldn't give up Sakura so easily." Shikamaru said logically.

"What makes you say that? She's rejected him more than enough times." Temari reminded him.

"Yes, but he's stubborn. He wouldn't give her up for all the ramen in the world."

"He also blames himself for Sasuke, like you said."

"Yes, I know...but even that wouldn't be enough to get him to move on."

"How do you know?" Temari insisted.

"Because I've known him since we were 3 years old. If there are two things Naruto loves more than life itself, its Ramen and Sakura."

Shikamaru said as his mind drifted off to 11 months previously, back when him and the rest of the guys had just begun their formal training.

It was 9 in the morning, for most people it was the start to a dewy Spring day. For the recruits of the Land of Fire's 11th Army Division F Company, it was the end of their 5 hour long morning Physical Training. This morning's fun filled activities included 3 sprints up Youth Mountain. "3 miles up! 3 miles down!" As their drill instructor would always tell them. With sessions of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, some log lifts, and some nice relaxing stretches in-between.

So of course, once PT had finally ended, the men all hustled back to their barracks for a 15-minute break to change and get to the mess hall by 0930. Which meant that the first words out of anyone's mouth once they arrived back at their rack was a variation of, "Fuck!" followed by collapsing face first into their pillow.

"Somebody fucking kill me." Shikamaru kindly asked his neighboring bunkmates as they all lay prone on their beds, letting their feet rest for the first time since they woke up.

"IF we do that, then Temari would kill us." Sasuke said.

"Maybe if we explained to her our daily training, she would see it as a mercy killing." Naruto suggested from the top bunk. His legs feeling like Jell-O.

"Well, I'm going to power through this." Lee declared.

"Lee?" Kiba spoke.

"We all have girls back home to impress. What would they think of us if we just quit now?"

"Lee, I wasn't asking you to clarify. I was going to tell you to shut the fuck up and be miserable like the rest of us." Kiba said.

"Also, who in the Hell do you have to impress? Tenten chose Neji over you, remember?"

"I am aware, but I have someone else who is waiting for me." Lee said.

"Who?" Sasuke asked.

"Sakura." Lee spoke.

"No." Sasuke said firmly.

"Hell no." Naruto said.

"Oh come on. Sakura is the most youthful girl in the entire village. Besides Tenten I mean." Lee declared.

"And I will be dead in the ground before I let any of you jokers date her. Least of all you, Lee." Sasuke declared.

"Besides, I'm the one who's gonna finally date her." Naruto declared.

"Yeah, cause 117 time's the charm is how the saying goes." Shino said, being unusually snappy.

"Hey, shut up, Shino!" Naruto snapped.

"Oh can it, dobe. My sister has turned you down since we were in elementary school. She's just not that into you so move on." Sasuke said.

"No..." Naruto said firmly.

"Ugh, come on guys. We need to get to the mess hall." Choji said as he threw off his PT gear and put on his regular uniform for lessons and lectures.

"Dobe... take it from a guy who knows. My sister is not-

"I don't care." Naruto interrupted. "She's the only one I want in my life and I'm not gonna give up on her. Count that as a promise."

Sasuke sighed. "Damn, you're stubborn..."

"Damn right. So get used to calling me brother-in-law. Cause after I win this war singlehandedly for all of you ingrates, I'll be proposing to your sister." Naruto declared.

"If you were anyone else, I'd kill'em...all I can say is good luck. She's more stubborn than you and has a temper worse than mine, as you know." Sasuke joked.

"What you call a temper I call passion. You all just watch. When we get back home, I'm gonna get that girl." Naruto smirked, no doubt thinking of Sakura's smiling face as he said it. Shikamaru just rolled his eyes and said nothing. At the time, he was so hungry all he could think of was that he was ready to eat like an Akimichi.

"Oy, Little Boy, we're drifting pretty close to the shore." Temari spoke, breaking him out of his flashback.

"Sorry..." Shikamaru said before correcting his course. "Was just remembering something."

"From the battle?" Temari asked gently.

"No, from training." Shikamaru admitted as he righting the bow of the boat back on track with the current.

"I see. And how was training? I never asked."

"It was a barrel of fun." Shikamaru joked.

"A barrel of fun, huh? That's not what my brothers say about the Land of Wind's training. Perhaps you Leaf soldiers get softer training to accommodate your cushy lifestyle." Temari joked.

"Or maybe we just don't complain as much." Shikamaru teased back.

"Coming from you. That's rich." Temari smiled as Shikamaru continued to paddle them down stream.

---

Several hours later, Sakura walked out of hospital looking like she had just double timed it up Youth Mountain five times over. She had been on her feet all day treating patients and performing one surgery after another. Not only that, but thanks to two very close friends of hers and one snooty old bat of a mother; she had spent the whole day hungover, exhausted, hungry, pissed off, and wanting.

'Damn it, Neji, Tenten.' Sakura cursed to herself. 'And fuck you the most, lady. I hope you get Pneumonia.'

BEEP BEEP Sakura heard a horn blow. She looked around and saw Ino driving down with her car.

"Hey, Forehead!" Ino called out as she brought Sakura's car to a stop.

"Hey Pig. Enjoying driving around in my car?" Sakura smirked, her best friend always being a bright spot to her day.

"Oh you know it. Though I like my truck better." Ino joked.

"Your family's delivery truck? You hate that thing." Sakura said as she opened her car door.

"Yea, but it's bigger. This is kinda on the small side."

"Yeah, perfect for getting around cities. And it doesn't have Yamanaka & co. Flowers painted on the side." Sakura pointed out.

"Well, whatever...how was your day?" Ino asked.

"Oh my Rabbit Goddess, I have never come so close to punching an old lady!" Sakura exclaimed, finally letting her hot air escape.

"That bad, huh?"

"Okay, I've got to tell you about this one bitch. She was a mother. Looked like a stuffy old grandmother from the 19th century whose kept her witch's broom stuck up her ass for as long." Sakura ranted.

"Okay, I'm with you so far." Ino said as she turned onto the streets.

"Yeah, so she brings in her kid. A little boy with a runny nose and tells me that he has Pneumonia and wants medicine for him."

"Oh, one of those." Ino nodded.

"Exactly. Still, despite being run like a rented mule by Dr. Senju all morning, I tried to remain professional. I told her I just needed to confirm her diagnosis with some quick tests. And does she respond like an understanding adult?"

"Probably not."

"No, of course not. She tells me it is unnecessary and demands the medicine to deal with Pneumonia. I tell her I can't do that because I can't just hand out medicine all willy-nilly and she snaps at me for having an attitude."

"Pfft...wow...some people." Ino said in disgust.

"Oh yeah, but that isn't the end. I try to explain to her again but she just asks for another doctor. I oblige, seeing as I have a million other things I could be doing." Sakura huffed. "I then tell the front desk nurse to send in another doctor and a lawyer preemptively. And right before I can get to my next patient, the nurse tells me that I am the only doctor available."

"Wow. I would have just let her wait in the room until she takes the hint." Ino admitted.

"I wanted to too, but her son still might actually have Pneumonia." Sakura said. "But anyway, I leave her to check on my next patient and guess who it is?"

"Who? Naruto?"

"No, Neji. And Tenten." Sakura said.

"Okay...how's Neji doing?" Ino asked.

"Oh he's fine. Good enough to be screwing Tenten right when I walked in."

Ino blinked, not sure if she heard that right. "I'm sorry, they were what...?"

"Screwing, bumping uglies, although I think the proper term would be reverse cowgirl." Sakura exclaimed, feeling so embarrassed.

"And... you saw... (snicker)..." Ino suddenly burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" Sakura cried.

"Yes it is...hahahahahaha!"

Sakura just sunk back into her seat, redder than a fresh plucked cherry as Ino got her laughter out of her system.

Ino finally calmed down from laughing so hard to ask her next question. "Hooo...so...how did that make you feel?"

"What? Did I suddenly become your 9 o clock appointment?"

"Just answer the question." Ino pressed.

"Embarrassed!" Sakura exclaimed. Ino waited a few moments before Sakura spoke again. "And...you know..." She mumbled.

Ino's eyes went wide. "Holy shit...you got horny from that?!"

"S-shut up! I didn't mean too!"

"Well, nobody means to. It just happens. I'm just surprised is all. Nothing makes you horny."

"What? Yes, things do! People do! Why am I telling you this?" Sakura shrieked.

"Because we tell each other everything." Ino pointed out.

"Oh...forgot..."

Ino rolled her eyes. "But seriously. Even when we went to see that adult movie, you didn't even so much as twitch. You just fell asleep."

"The plot was so stupid!"

"Well, yea it was...but even during the sex scenes you just kinda nodded off."

"It was all so boring! I can't believe I let you talk me into that! What if someone had seen us?"

"So, what if they had? What difference does that make?"

"We are both doctors and the daughters of two of the most famous clans in the country! How does it look if the two of us are seen watching a skin flick!"

"It would seem normal. Hell, my own parents go and I've seen your father and Itachi in there sometimes."

"What's your point, Ino?" Sakura asked, growing tired of this conversation.

"My point is, as difficult as it seems to get arousal out of you, something must have did it when you saw Tenten and Neji going at it. I know you're not really attracted to Neji and I know for certain you're not attracted to Tenten. So what was it? You obviously had someone in mind."

"Who do you think?" Sakura snapped.

"Let me guess...Naruto?" Ino asked.

Sakura just blushed, confirming Ino's guess.

"I kinda figured...but...I don't think you're gonna like who visited me earlier." Ino said hesitantly.

"Who?" Sakura asked.

"Our Lord Hokage..." Ino sighed. "He...wants me to evaluate Naruto for...suspected PTSD..."

Sakura looked at Ino dead in the eyes. "He has the same suspicions too?" Sakura asked.

"He has seen it. Last night, he saw Naruto running towards their house, doing what seemed like pretending to shoot enemy troops with a bazooka. Just a few hours ago, Lady Kushina called me and told me she had seen a panic-stricken look on Naruto's face when reporters started questioning him about the war and then he just took off..."

"Oh my God, where is he? Is he okay?" Sakura asked.

"He's fine. They found him an hour later walking along and smiling like nothing had happened. He's really got them spooked." Ino said.

"Oh no..." Sakura said with concern. "Did anything else happen?"

"Well...Lord Hokage said that when he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder last night, Naruto whipped around and almost slit his throat...with his families Kunai."

"He attacked his own father!?" Sakura gasped.

"I don't think Naruto meant to. Because he said that Naruto started going into a panic attack when he realized what he almost did."

"I knew it. It's Shellshock, it has to be." Sakura said sadly.

"Well, either way, I'm evaluating him Tomorrow. Now I'm not supposed to be telling you this, just so you know."

"I understand. Doctor patient confidentiality. Still, thank you for telling me." Sakura said, feeling saddened for knowing but somehow it was better than being kept in the dark.

"I figured since you're a doctor it would be alright. I'll also give you a head's up on my diagnosis. Mind you, if I find him to have PTSD...that's IF I diagnose him with that...he won't be able to return to duty." Ino warned.

"That might be more difficult than you think." Sakura admitted.

"He won't have a choice. He would be a danger to himself and his fellow soldiers."

"Yes, but it reminds of early today after I finished Neji's check-up."

"Okay? What's that?"

"I told Neji he would have to take 4 months off to recover and as soon as I said that he wanted me to let him out on the 15th so that he could rejoin Fox company."

"That sounds about right. I take it you weren't gonna let him go."

"How can I? If he goes out fighting now he's liable to pop his stitches and end in worse condition. What if it happens in the middle of a battle? He could be bleeding on the ground before the enemy even shoots at him?"

"I know. And I bet he put up a fight about it."

"That's the thing. He put up a fight, but then he just let it go. Just like that." Sakura snapped on the "that."

"He probably realized he'd get more alone time with Tenten-Oh shit!" Ino said before she hit the brakes quickly for a car that ran the red light. "PAY ATTENTION ASSHOLE!" Ino screamed out the window.

"Sage of Six Paths... No, I think he plans on breaking out of the hospital." Sakura said seriously.

"Well then, you better keep an eye on him." Ino said as she continued on.

"I will. But I can't just keep him under observation for 4 months. He qualifies for off-patient status on the 15th. I can't just have him placed under house arrest."

"Well, I know that."

"So what is to stop him from rejoining Fox company?"

"Direct orders from the Hokage and maybe a lashing from both you and Tenten. Possibly even Naruto."

"You think Naruto will tell him to stay put?" Sakura asked skeptically.

"For the sake of his health he might."

"Were talking about the man who once jumped out of a tree on a dare that he wouldn't break his ankle. Instead he broke his leg." Sakura stated.

"And the army has definitely made him mature a lot since then." Ino said as they turned onto the block where Ino's house was.

"I don't know. Maybe if I get some free time tomorrow I'll talk to Neji myself and convince him to stay. Maybe Naruto's father can ensure that Neji gets a spot back with his unit after his four months are up." Sakura said hopefully.

"That could work." Ino said as she pulled into her driveway. "Welp...I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She said before handing Sakura her keys.

"Thanks. I'll pick you up at say 7:30?" Sakura asked, even though they both knew they had been carpooling for months.

"Yes, 7:30. But we're taking my truck this time." Ino insisted.

"Fine. You pick me up then. Save me some gas." Sakura said.

"Fine, fine...See you in the morning."

"See you, Pig." Sakura smiled as she drove away.

As she drove home, her mind wandered to what Ino said about Naruto.

It seemed unthinkable that Naruto of all people would have PTSD. If she hadn't seen it for herself Sakura might not have believed it. Even when she only knew him as her brother's annoying best friend, he was still so bright and cheerful. You always figured that he would always be smiling like that. No matter what life threw at him.

'This all has to be related to Sasuke. It just has to be.' Sakura thought.

Sakura turned right down the 8th Avenue where all the office buildings were closed for the night. The streets were empty, save for street lamps illuminating the dark. Sakura always liked this part of her route. It was the one time while driving out in the city that she wasn't surrounded by other cars and could just cruise for a few brief, wonderful seconds. Right up until a man ran right in front of her car. "OH SHIT!" Sakura cried.

She stomped on the brakes hard, making the car come to a full stop.

She heard a thud and almost had a heart attack. She dared open her eyes and was instantly relieved when she saw the blond man was standing over the hood of her car looking to be in one piece.

"Oh god no..." Sakura said in fear as she got out of her car to check to see if this guy was alright. "Are you okay?"

The man lifted himself off the hood of her car. The light from Sakura's headlights revealed it to be the last person she expected.

"NARUTO?!" Sakura exclaimed in absolute shock. "What the hell?! Why were you in the middle of the street?!"

Naruto looked directly at Sakura like a deer caught in the headlights. To the point that Sakura felt something was off. Something about Naruto was triggering her alarm bells.

The next thing she knew, Naruto took off in a sprint away from her car. "Wha!?" Sakura cried. Why was he running? He has clearly seen her. "Naruto, wait!" Sakura cried out, but the blond ignored her. Sakura was scared now, so she did the only thing she could think of.

"NARUTO NAMIKAZE UZUMAKI! STOP RIGHT THERE!" Sakura shrieked, her voice echoing through the air and up the poor boy's spin. He instantly stopped, thinking it was his mother calling out to him.

"Get over here!" Sakura ordered sternly.

Naruto made an about face towards Sakura. He had been on the receiving end of his mother's wrath one too many times to know not to ignore a woman when she speaks in that tone.

Sakura put her fists on her hips to prepare her lecture mode. "Just what the heck are you doing out here? I nearly hit you with my car. Are you drunk or are you..." She froze as soon as her eyes traced down his torso. Illuminated by the street lamp, Sakura could make out faint splatters of blood on his jacket. And his knuckles... his knuckles were all bloody and bruised. Like he had been punching a brick wall!

"Naruto...what happened? Why are you covered in blood?"

"I...um...I..." Naruto said as he looked at Sakura with terror in his eyes. He looked so lost and afraid. Sakura could also see evidence of dried tears on his face.

"Oh Naruto...come on...let's get you cleaned up." Sakura said softly as she gently led him to her car.

"I didn't mean to..." Naruto whispered.

"Shhhh...It's okay...it's all going to be okay..."

"I didn't mean to...you believe me right?" Naruto begged.

"Yes of course...now come on...I'll take you to my house and get you cleaned up..." Sakura said in a soothing tone.

Naruto nodding, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as she said those words. She opened her passenger door and eased him into the car seat. Naruto gave a great sniff as his eyes became misty. Sakura rushed to the driver's seat.

"It's okay, Naruto..." She said as she shifted the car into drive. The next thing Naruto felt was a soft and gentle hand wrap around his.

Naruto hiccupped. Sakura could see him breaking down at the seam. It broke her heart.

"Just hang on, Naruto..." Sakura soothed before she sped off towards her home.

"I'm...I'm sorry..." Naruto sobbed.

"Shhh...there's nothing for you to be sorry about..." Sakura soothed.

"Yes there is. They all hate me now. They're scared of me." Naruto cried.

"They just don't know any better...you did a heroic deed by serving our country."

"No...it's not that..." Naruto choked.

"What then?"

"I...I..." Naruto sobbed, his hand tightening around Sakura's. "I killed a man..."

"Well you've done that during-wait, you mean just now?" Sakura exclaimed in shock.

Naruto turned away from her in shame. "Now you hate me too. Just drop me off and save yourself from being an accomplice."

"No, I don't hate you, Naruto...I never have, nor will I. If you say it was an accident then it was an accident." Sakura said firmly.

"You mean it?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, I mean it."

"Even...even after I couldn't keep my promise to you...?" Naruto sobbed.

Sakura's breath hitched. Her suspicions were now confirmed. Naruto did blame himself for Sasuke's death and he was shying himself away from her because of it.

"Naruto...I am upset that Sasuke didn't come home..."

Naruto felt his guilt increase tenfold. He knew Sakura wouldn't forgive him.

"...but it's not your fault..."

Naruto paused. He wasn't sure he heard her right. "W-what...?"

"I said, it's not your fault that Sasuke died." Sakura repeated.

"But I was there. If I had been faster. If I had taken my break before him. I could have done something." Naruto growled, hating himself.

"Naruto...you can't save everyone. Things happen and you shouldn't blame yourself for something that was out of your control."

"But I-"

"Shhhh...now listen." Sakura silenced. "Do you know how many patients I lose in a week? Or even in a day?"

"Sakura, I'm not you...I'm not as strong as you..." Naruto admitted.

That surprised Sakura. "You think I'm strong?"

"Of course I do. You're the second best doctor in the country. Save for Granny Tsunade. You've got to be strong if you help all those sick people every day." Naruto said.

Sakura smiled. "Well, it's flattering that you think that, but in all honesty, you're a lot stronger than I am."

"No I'm not. I've only ever taken lives. You've saved lives."

"Naruto...you're saving more lives now than I ever have just serving our country. I'm saving hundreds...but you...you're saving hundreds of thousands."

"No, I'm just doing my duty...saving a couple of buddies at a time so that they can save a couple more buddies."

"And don't you know what all of that will accomplish in the long run?"

"Out in the field. On patrol, on the line. You don't think about the long run. This one Sergeant told me to forget about getting to see home again. I had to stop believing that I would get out of this alive. Me and my buddies were already dead. And so long as I kept clinging to hope, I would never be able to function as a soldier." Naruto said, his forehead pressed against the cool glass window. "And he was right."

Sakura sighed. "Well, you're braver than I would be. I wouldn't be able to do what you do out in the field."

"I hope you never have to." Naruto said seriously.

"But seriously, Naruto...don't blame yourself for what happened to Sasuke." Sakura pleaded as she used her thumb to message the back of his hand. "What happened, happened...I'm not mad at you, nor do I hate you...so, please...don't beat yourself up about it. If not for yourself, do it for me...okay?"

Naruto just sighed. He wasn't sure if he could just do that at the drop of a hat.

"And hey...if you do, you might just get that date you been begging me for." Sakura enticed.

"Now I just know you're pulling my leg." Naruto said.

"No, I'm serious Naruto. Would I lie to you?"

"Don't get my hopes up." Naruto said as they pulled into the driveway.

Sakura looked hurt as Naruto stepped out of the car and headed for the door. His feet were dragging.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see, now won't you?" Sakura said.

"Yup. Can you let me in? I need to wash off my hands and call the police to turn myself in." Naruto said.

"Turn...Yourself in...? Naruto, if you do that then you'll be kicked out of the Army." Sakura warned as she unlocked and opened the door.

"Sakura. I committed murder. I beat a man to death. Right in front of my family. I am going to jail."

"Why...why did you do that...?" Sakura gasped.

"I honestly don't remember. I think the guy was just pissing me off. Either way, I snapped and beat him to death with my own fists." Naruto said as his spirit began to drain out of him as his shame returned.

"It was an accident, I'm sure. Your dad has the final say anyway."

"Sakura, you weren't there. But a crowd of onlookers was. They saw everything. And I'm not about to use my dad's influences to get out of a crime I did commit." Naruto stated.

"Just get inside. I'll call your parents and get their side of things." Sakura ordered as she opened the door.

"Alright, fine..." Naruto sighed and stepped inside.

The two stepped inside to the completely black interior.

"Itachi?" Sakura called out as she turned on the hallway lights. No response.

"Itachi! Are you here?!" Sakura called out louder. nothing.

"Is he still at work?" Naruto asked.

"I don't think so. He should be home by now." Sakura mused.

"Whatever. I'll be crashing on your couch if you don't mind me." Naruto said.

"Clean up first and you can crash wherever you want." Sakura said.

"Fine." Naruto said as he took an immediate right into the hallway bathroom and shut the door.

Sakura then picked up the phone and dialed the number for Naruto's house.

"H-hello...?" Sakura heard a voice whimper on the other end.

"Lady Kushina? It's Sakura."

"Oh my God, Sakura! I tried to call you earlier but you didn't pick up. Have you seen my son? He ran away!" Kushina exclaimed.

"Yes, he's here with me. He ran in front of my car and I almost hit him but he's safe." Sakura assured.

"Your car? Is he hurt? Where are you two?"

"We're at my house and he doesn't seem to be physically hurt...but he does seem that way emotionally. He told me he killed someone just a little bit ago. What happened?"

"Killed someone?! No, that little punk isn't dead. He's at the hospital drinking soup through a straw. We were just walking home from the theater when this young man came out of nowhere and started harassing us. I think he knew Naruto from before but then he slapped Karin across the face! Naruto then lunged at the stranger and started beating the piss out of him. He just kept punching the man's face like he was possessed."

Sakura let out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh god...I thought he actually did kill someone. But if that's what it was then I probably would have helped him."

"I would have too, but the boy soon became unconscious yet Naruto didn't seem to care. He just kept hitting him. It honestly scared me and Karin. Minato had to pull Naruto off of the kid before he would stop."

"I see...well, if it's alright with you, I'm gonna have him sleep here so I can keep an eye on him."

"By all means. The press has been hounding our front gate since Naruto ran away. Just keep him inside your house until Minato can make all of this blow over."

"Will do. I'll see you tomorrow at some point."

"Or in a couple of days. However long it takes the boy's lawyer to settle. Our lawyers have assured us three days' max if the eye witness testimonies don't scare the prosecution off." Kushina said. "Can I please talk to my son?"

"Well...he's in the bathroom right now washing up. He was covered in blood from that fight."

"Wasn't much of a fight. More like a session on tenderizing meat." Kushina chuckled.

Sakura giggled. "Man, I wish I could've seen that. Oh! If he's in the hospital, that means he's gonna be one of my runs." She grinned evilly.

"He'll be the one with the face like a baked potato."

"Noted. I'll be sure to give him a lashing from you."

"Don't actually do that, please. It'll just make the process of settling more difficult."

"Fine. But I'm low dosing his painkillers. Nobody slaps my surrogate baby sister and gets away with it." Sakura stated, remembering all the fond times she had babysitting Karin.

"That works." Kushina said.

Just then, Naruto emerged from the bathroom, now looking cleaner.

"Hey Naruto? I've got your mom on the phone. She wants to talk to you." Sakura said.

"I don't want to-" Naruto tried to speak before Sakura shoved the phone into his hands.

"Talk to your mother. I'm gonna go set up your bed for the night. You didn't kill anyone by the way." Sakura said before leaving.

"W-what are you-"

"Talk to your mother!" Sakura called out.

"But I-"

"Talk to her or you won't get that date!" Sakura threatened as she reached the guest room.

"What was that about a date?" Kushina asked.

"I don't know. Some practical joke Sakura-chan is playing on me." Naruto said as soon as Sakura was out of earshot and up the stairs.

"I dunno, sweetie. She sounded pretty serious." Kushina said.

"No, trust me mom. Sakura-chan is pulling a fast one on me. I've seen this before."

'God my son is dim.' Kushina thought.

Meanwhile, Sakura had grabbed an extra pillow and bed sheets from the closet and was making her way back down the stairs.

'He's such an idiot...but he's an idiot who needs my help.' She thought before she came the end of the stairs and back into the living room where Naruto was still on the phone.

"Alright, damn, I'm sorry!" Naruto shouted into the phone. "I didn't mean to scare Karin or you. I'm sorry..." He begged.

Sakura set the bedding on the floor near the pullout sofa. She removed the cushions and pulled out the hidden bed for Naruto.

Naruto continued to apologize to his mother while Sakura made his bed for him. 'Wow, come to think of it? When is the last time Naruto slept over here? 4-5 years?' She thought to herself.

"Okay, mom. Love you too. Goodnight."

Naruto hung up the phone just as Sakura finished making his bed.

"Everything good on the home front?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura-chan..." She heard Naruto choke out. "I...I'm..."

"You're fine, Naruto." Sakura soothed as she stepped right into his personal space and pressed her hand against his cheek.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry for everything..." He cried into her shoulder.

"Shhh...it's okay..." Sakura sooth as she rocked him back and forth. The two of them stayed like that for what seemed like hours yet felt like seconds after they broke apart. Naruto had cried his heart out all over Sakura's now damp shoulder. His breathing became easier and Sakura could swear she saw the faintest hint of a smile on his face.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. Seriously."

"Anytime...as I said, if I was mad at you, do you think I would go through all this trouble for you?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know. You always were like my second mom." Naruto smirked. "For me and for Sasuke."

"Maybe. And you were always my older brother's annoying friend who always wanted to date me."

"Yeah..." Naruto said as he turned away slightly.

Sakura sighed. Perhaps now wasn't the best time. "Well I think I speak for both of us when I say we've had a long day and should each hit the hay."

"Actually...if it's all the same...I kinda want more of your company." Naruto said sheepishly.

"Fine...just let me go get changed." Sakura sighed. Then she stopped herself when she processed what he said. "Wait, in what way?"

"Um? If it's not too much trouble, I'd want you to sleep down here with me. I've kind of gotten used to sleeping next to other people. Weird, right?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

Sakura's face turned beet red at the mere thought of it. But considering the kind of shape Naruto was in...

"A-alright...but just for tonight...and you keep your hands away from my bikini areas. Understand?"

Naruto blinked twice. "Not your entire body altogether? Plus, two feet? I was expecting you to want me to sleep on the floor."

"No, I don't want you to sleep on the floor. You've been through hell this past year and you're still going through it...just...don't overthink it and roll with it, alright?"

"But that would mean-"

"I told you not to think about it. Now, I'm going upstairs to change. I'll be right back." Sakura said before turning to leave.

Naruto blinked again. 'Is she...? Did she...? Has the whole town been flipped upside down since I left?' Naruto thought. He furiously messed up his hair, nothing made sense anymore. He wanted to just go back to life before the war. When his biggest concern was the next baseball game on his college team the Konoha State Fighting Frogs. Or passing the semester finals.

He threw his hands down in frustration and sighed. What use was there to dwell on it? He really did just want to go to bed. With that in mind he peeled off his buttoned-up shirt and tossed it to the floor. He figured that he could pick it up tomorrow if Sakura didn't berate him for it.

He looked down upon his naked torso and couldn't help but feel a sliver of pride. He had always been physically fit back when he was just a civilian. Sports, hiking, camping, and some very blessed genes assured that. But after his one year in the Army, every last shred of baby fat had vanished. He had even bulked up some. With some residual scars along his body that he considered badges of honor. He honestly felt like a superhero sometimes.

With that brief moment of self-grandeur out of the way, he stripped himself of his pants and hopped under the sheets wearing nothing but his boxers and his dog tags. Naruto relaxed as his skin pressed against the cool sheets. For the 2nd time in as many months he knew the feeling of sleeping in real bed. A pull-out mattress counted, right?

"A-are you decent...?" He heard Sakura asked from the other side of the doorway.

"I'm in clean boxers. If that's what you meant."

"It's fine..." Sakura said as she rounded the corner, making Naruto's eyes nearly bulge out of his head. She was wearing an oversized shirt that covered down to about halfway down her thighs. He couldn't tell if she was wearing shorts or underwear at all. But he got full view of those creamy legs he always admired.

"Um...d-do you mind not staring? It makes me feel...self-conscious..."

"Yea- what are you doing in that? Don't you usually wear full pajamas?" Naruto asked, not taking his eyes off of Sakura at all.

"No...I uh...haven't worn them since we were teens..."

"Which was how long ago?"

"About 5 years ago...around the time you stopped sleeping over."

"Ah..." Naruto said as Sakura carefully slipped underneath the covers next to Naruto.

"Do you... want to get the lights?" Naruto asked, wondering if Sakura now slept with the lights on. He could honestly never stand it unless the room was pitch black.

"Yea..." Sakura said as she reached over and turned the lamp off that was sitting on the table next to them.

The two young adults found themselves completely shrouded in inky darkness, with the ever-present thought that there was a partner laying next to them from the opposite sex.

"Hey...Sakura-chan?" Naruto spoke.

"Yea?"

"W-would you mind...if I...um...held you...?"

"Um, sure." Sakura said.

"But just remember what I said about staying away from my bikini area." Sakura added.

"Right, right." Naruto said sheepishly as he slowly reached out to feel Sakura in the dark. The rustling of the sheets made Sakura very aware of what Naruto was attempting to do. Her mind went wild with the possibilities.

'Oh God. Why did I give him restrictions? I could have told him to put his hands anywhere. Then his hands would slip down my backside, cupping my bottom. My panties could hold his hand in place with the other one pushed my face into his strong chest and then I-' Sakura's thoughts were cut off when Naruto's did indeed wrap around her backside.

'Oh Sage. Is he going to? Be a pervert. I give you permission just this one time.' Sakura tried to mentally command the idiot blond. Yet it was not to be. She felt his palms resting no lower than her lower back and no higher than her shoulder blades. The spots that he touched felt like they were on fire to Sakura, but they wouldn't be enough to get her going.

'God fucking damn it! This is still nice, but fucking Sage of Six Paths!' Sakura thought as Naruto brought her in as close as he dared. They could both feel the others breath trailing along the sheets to reach their noses. It wasn't completely intimate, but it was still lovely.

'Wait a minute, what am I thinking? We haven't even admitted our feelings let alone start dating! And here I am wanting him to ride me like a race horse!' Sakura berated herself. She was better than this.

If only she was more slutty like Ino. No wait, bad thoughts.

The next thing she heard and felt was his head snuggling into her bosom and the sound of him snoring softly.

'...Eh, close enough.' Sakura thought before she laid her head on his and proceeded to drift off to sleep.

---

Sakura dreamed that night. Dreamed of her mother, her father, and her two brothers. All back together with no more drama. There weren't any wars going on or soldiers to patch up. They were at the cottage in the Land of Waves. And Naruto was there with his family. And so was Ino and all of Sakura's friends. All was right with the world. Sakura looked down to see all of her friends and family playing in the lake at the bottom of the hill. And right next to her stood Naruto, looking as bright and as proud as the sun as he offered her his hand.

Sakura reached out, but found her perfect moment spoiled by storm clouds gathering on the horizon, coming close faster than anything possible in nature. It was as if the world was being sped up. The ground beneath her feet began to rumble and a dog began barking in the distance. Growing louder with each bark.

Soon it was enough to stir her awake. That's when she realized that she actually did hear some kind of noise.

She awoke to pitch blackness. She was also alone on her side of the bed. Something beside her was...whimpering...like a dog. A scared dog.

She leaned over to turn on a light to see Naruto shivering in what she could only assume to be fear in his sleep.

"Hehoheho..." He breathed heavily.

"Naruto?" She asked, reaching out to touch him on the shoulder.

Naruto snarled at her touch, but didn't wake up. He began jumping around and curling into a ball, facing away from Sakura. Like he was being prodded with a hot iron. He was having a nightmare. That much was certain.

Now Sakura was worried. Using a technique her late mother used on her and her brother's, she quickly grabbed a hold of Naruto and laid him down on her lap.

"Naruto. Wake up!" Sakura exclaimed while she shook him a little. The boy's eyes shot wide open as he inhaled. He looked so terrified like he was still trapped in his nightmare.

"Naruto, it's okay...you were just having a bad dream..." Sakura soothed.

"A nightmare." Naruto whispered. Sakura started stroking his hair and softly started humming.

Naruto kept his eyes from looking up at her, fixating them over at the fireplace where a figure sat on the fireplace, watching them. He could barely make it out, but as soon as his blurred vision became clear, he saw that it was Sasuke.

He just looked on in horror. Not saying a word, and Sasuke provided none either. He sat there in his military uniform, watching Naruto.

"Naruto?" Sakura whispered.

"S-Sasuke..." Naruto breathed out.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"Sasuke..." Naruto pointed a shaky finger at the fireplace. "He's right there."

Sakura quickly looked at the fireplace, but didn't see anything.

"Naruto, there's no one there."

"He's gotta be there. As a ghost or something. Plain as day." Naruto whispered.

"Naruto. Look again. There is no one there." Sakura said softly.

Naruto looked up at Sakura to see her concern and then looked back to see an empty fireplace.

"I swear, he was right there..."

"I believe you Naruto. But he is not there." Sakura whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair to calm him down.

Naruto just sighed. Maybe he was just seeing things. Maybe he was just over thinking it. He didn't really know, but Sakura's touch felt heavenly to him.

"He was there on the battlefield too. I saw him." Naruto said as he relaxed into Sakura's touch.

"Hmm...maybe...his spirit is watching over you." Sakura guessed.

"I hope not. I hate ghosts." Naruto admitted.

"Even if its Sasuke?"

"Even him. I told him if he ever tried to haunt me I would have him exorcised." Naruto said. Making Sakura giggle.

"I don't think his haunting you, Naruto-kun." Sakura laughed, but that last part made Naruto freeze. Sakura never called him that before...

"Since when do you call me Naruto-kun?" Naruto asked.

Sakura took a minute to remember what it was she said and blushed. "I uh...I...well..." She stammered. "I guess ever since you came back and I realized you had matured a bit. I see that there is more to you than the goofball I once knew. There is a man worth respecting."

"You mean I wasn't before?" Naruto smirked.

"Baka..." Sakura sighed. "Just try and get some sleep. You really need it." She said as she continued to let Naruto's head rest against her lap. Her thighs feeling so soft against Naruto's ear and cheeks.

Naruto yawned before snuggling deeper into her lap. "Don't have to tell me twice..."

Sakura hummed to him as he drifted off to sleep. A little tune that her mother always sang to Sakura whenever she had trouble sleeping. Her voice grew softer and softer as Naruto completely drifted off to sleep.

Sakura started to nod off as well, until she heard Naruto talk in his sleep.

"Sakura...chan..." He mumbled in his sleep

Sakura couldn't help but smile. 'He's dreaming about me...awww...that's sweet...' She thought.

"Will you...marry...zzzzz" Naruto didn't finish and started snoring, but Sakura caught onto it.

'Oh my god...' She gasped in thought.

"Big house... lots-a babies..." Naruto said before falling asleep for good.

Sakura's face turned beet red, but she wasn't embarrassed. She was overjoyed. Here she thought Naruto lost his feelings for her, but as she just heard he hasn't moved on and that made her happy.

'Yes, Naruto...big house and an even bigger family...' She thought happily. 'One day. When this war is over and you finally forgive yourself. I'll give you a chance.'

"Mmmm...make me some Ramen..." Naruto mumbled.

Sakura giggled. 'And maybe I'll even cook you some ramen every once in a while. If you're good.'