AN: in case anyone was wondering, they're 16 now, this is after the 2.5 years when Naruto cones back, and after the 6 months from his return to Orochimaru planning on taking Sasuke's body, making it a full three years from the chuunin exams, when the group was 13.
x-X-x
Chapter 4: Hiatus
Days later they were at Sai's funeral. Team seven was there, along with some of the other rookie nine, along with a large group of ANBU. Tsunade's eyes scanned the crowd, the one person she was certain would be there wasn't, Danzou, Sai's real sensei, was off dong god know what.
Throughout the ceremony Naruto could feel several eyes on him. He was used to getting glare behind his back, he'd had them his entire life, what he wasn't used to, was the respect that came with the looks.
Sai was ANBU, he may have been young but he was exceptionally skilled. An opponent that could take him down in battle had to be class A at least, most likely class S. And Naruto had taken him down, even more shocking, if Sakura's reports were correct, he did it wounded.
Everyone wanted to know what happened over the three years. What could have brought on this drastic a change in the boy.
The next day Naruto was banging on the Hokage's door, "Granny Tsunade, I know you're there!" he yelled.
The door swung open and Kakashi was standing there, "usually people don't yell something like that until they've knocked a few times, not the first time," he said.
Naruto grinned and scratched the back of his head. Kakashi stepped aside to let him in and shut the door behind him.
"What is so important?" asked Tsunade.
"The mission. Who's our fourth member? When do we head back out?" Naruto asked.
"I was just about to tell Kakashi, him being your sensei he would be the one to receive that information, not you," she said, a vein on her forehead.
"But since I'm here," Naruto said grinning and Tsunade sighed.
"Your fourth will be Lee Rock. He's on a mission now, and you will leave the day after his return, at noon," said Tsunade.
Naruto sighed and nodded, "how long until he returns?"
"Two or three days, depending on how fast it goes. You have those days as free time," said Tsunade.
Kakashi nodded his understanding, Tsunade returned it and he vanished, Naruto walked out the door wondering what he should do the next few days.
When Naruto left the building he decided to tell Sakura about the wait they had before their mission. So he headed off to the hospital, it's where she seemed to spend a lot of her time.
Naruto walked up to the nurse at the desk, "hey, um, is Sakura here?"
The nurse looked at Naruto, annoyed by his presents, and checked a schedule, "she should be on the third floor, making her rounds," the nurse said.
Naruto nodded and walked off to the stairs. When he got to the third floor he saw Sakura walking out of a room, closing the door behind her. He started running up to her, "hey, Sakura!"
She turned her head to see who it was, though she already knew from the yell, "Naruto, this is a hospital, you can't yell like that. And what are you doing here?" she asked.
Naruto stopped in front of Sakura, "sorry Sakura. I came here to tell you about the mission," he said.
"Oh, Tsunade-sensei found a fourth? When do we leave?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah it's Fuzzy-Brows, but he's on a mission now," said Naruto.
"Sakura sighed and started walking towards the stairs Naruto beside her, "when does he get back?" she asked.
"Few days, till then we have nothing to do," said Naruto.
Sakura sighed again as they left the hospital. Naruto had no idea where they were headed and stayed half a step behind Sakura, he was still next to her, but she was leading the way.
"Did you hear any news about Fraya?" Sakura asked suddenly.
"Huh? Oh, no, I think they're still trying to get information from her," Naruto said.
"Maybe we should tell Ibiki to threaten her with a jounin," Sakura said with a grin.
Naruto looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "what?"
"Well, you petrified here, and after all, you're just a genin, right?" Sakura said her grin widening.
Naruto started to laugh, "yeah, you're right, that might just work," he said, laughing again.
x-X-x
Naruto woke the next day deciding to train all day while he waited for Lee to get back. He got ready and was about to open his door when a knock came from the other side. He paused then opened it to see Sakura standing there.
"Sakura, what're you doing here?" he asked.
"Just came by to let you know Lee came back last night," she said.
Naruto's eyes widened, "already, but Granny said it'd be a few days, what happened?" he asked.
Sakura kept looking at Naruto, her eye's moved over to the left in the very slightest, but Naruto got the hint, "Oh, um, come in," he said stepping back and Sakura walked past him.
Naruto shut his door and sat down, Sakura did the same. "So, why's Fuzzy-Brows back so early?" Naruto asked.
"His mission was compromised, Tenten got hurt bad so they had to come back," Sakura said.
"How bad was it? Is she okay?" Naruto asked.
Sakura paused for a moment, the question had shocked her slightly, she had expected a question on when they would leave. She was actually ready to yell at him for not caring about others. "Yeah, she's fine, if they had a medic ninja with them, it could've been done in the field, but she's fine now, she'll be out of the hospital tomorrow," Sakura said.
"So they're gunna go finish their mission when she's better?" Naruto asked.
"No, Tsunade already sent Kurenai-sensei and her team to take care of it. We leave tomorrow with Lee to do ours. I think Tsunade is telling him what's going on now," said Sakura standing back up, Naruto did the same.
"Going to go check on Tenten?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, she's in my ward," Sakura said with a slight smile before leaving.
"Bye," was all Naruto managed to say before she was gone.
x-X-x
The next day at noon the four were at the gates of Konoha ready to leave. As they turned to leave they heard something behind them.
"Naruto! Hey, Naruto!" it was Ino.
"Ino? What's going on? We're just about to leave on a mission," Sakura said.
"I know, that's why I had to hurry and stop you before you left," Ino said slightly out of breath.
"What do you need me for?" Naruto asked.
"Tsunade-sama wants to see you about something," Ino said.
"Crap. Any idea what it is?" Naruto asked and Ino shook her head.
Naruto swore again as he started off to the Hokage tower.
"Try moving faster so we can get back to the mission," said Sakura.
Naruto nodded and started running.
x-X-x
Naruto knocked on the door and walked it, he was too angry to wait for a response. Tsunade looked up at him as he came in and she could see he was mad.
"What wrong, I was just about to leave on my mission," Naruto said.
"I know, and I realized I forgot to tell you this earlier and wanted to be sure I did before you left," Tsunade said.
Naruto's anger seemed to slip away at this. He wasn't in trouble, it seemed to be important, and even more so that he heard it.
"Firstly I want to remind you of the danger this mission could hold, we don't know if Itachi is still alive, or if he started bringing Akatsuki back. Secondly I want to remind you of the danger of running into something blindly. And thirdly I want to remind you that if you hadn't charged blindly that day, Sakura would most definitely be dead," said Tsunade.
Naruto was very confused and waiting for more. There had to be a fourth thing she wanted to tell him, something that explained why the second and third seemed to contradict each other.
When Naruto stayed there Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "shouldn't you head back to your team?" she asked.
"I'm waiting for the rest of what you have to say," Naruto said.
"There is nothing more I have to say, that was it," she said wit ha slight grin.
"But, there has to be more, that doesn't make any sense," Naruto said.
"Well, it may not seem like it now, but while you're walking I want you to think about it. Hopefully by the time you return you'll understand it," Tsunade said with a smile.
Naruto nodded in slight confusion and left to office. He ran back to the others and they set off to search the remaining hideouts.