Chapter 2

Taking Care of the Problem – What A Hokage Should Do

Thank you all for reviewing! Now the drama that you all know and love will begin. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

DISCLAIMER: ...I own Naru... -guys with shotguns are staring at Yokimoko- ...-to fanfiction! -nervous laugh-

Naruto looked up at the ceiling above him, lying in his hospital bed. "I spend way too much time in the hospital lately…" he muttered to himself. He gently rolled onto his side, ignoring the pain from the wound in his arm. The thought of Sasori being back bothered him, and he knew the village was not safe as long as he was alive. Then again, he had no idea whether Sasori was alive or not. For all he knew, Sasori could just be unconscious, slowly plotting about how to destroy Konoha. No, that won't happen…He pushed the thought out of his mind, and heard the door open from behind him.

"Naruto?" someone called for him, easing into the room. "How are you feeling?" Naruto stayed silent, until a speck of pink came into view. Slowly, he nodded his head, and sat up. Sakura stared at him, and scooted closer. "Are you ready to go home now?"

A smile flashed on Naruto's face, "Of course I am. I hate being in here."

Sakura smiled and laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "Come on then. Hop out." She said, and rolled down the blanket. Naruto grabbed his headband on the desk next to him and put it around his forehead. Just to be safe, Sakura helped him get onto the floor, and balanced him. Of course he was still going to be a little weak, but that's what happens when you get injured. After Naruto got his shoes on, they exited his room, him still balancing on Sakura.

"Oi, you leaving?" the attendant asked them as she saw them heading for the door. "Then fill out these forms." Sakura sighed and walked over to the woman. She took the papers and began writing on them furiously. Naruto glanced away, looking outside. Sakura handed the forms back to the attendant, and pulled Naruto out of the hospital.

"Thank god that's over." Sakura sighed, and rubbed her neck. "I swear, they shouldn't have to go through all that."

Naruto chuckled at the kunoichi, "You don't want people escaping while they're still ill, right?"

"Never stopped anyone before."

"That's besides the point."

"And that point is?" Sakura persisted. Naruto sighed as he unlocked his apartment door. "Well? What's the poi-AH!" she screamed as Naruto pushed her onto his couch and plopped on top of her. He stared at her with some hints of amusement and annoyed flickers. Then he pressed his lips to hers, surprising Sakura. The two sat there in total bliss, kissing passionately.

Naruto broke apart and smirked. "Did I shut you up?" he asked teasingly.

Sakura nodded, a smirk flashing across her face before she stood up and walked into Naruto's bathroom. "I need to wash. I'll be out in half-an-hour." She said and shut the door.

Naruto sighed and looked out his window. It was getting darker as the sun began to set, revealing the half-moon. Again, his thoughts drifted to thinking about Sasori, and his return. 'I swear, I'll kill you. Plus that pathetic village of yours.' Those words kept bursting into his mind, pushing worry into his brain. Every minute, every day, Sasori could attack Konoha and they wouldn't be prepared. He took a piece of paper and set it down on his table. Next to it was an inkbottle with a small brush next to it, and he picked it up. On it he wrote Sakura a quick little note.

Dear Sakura-chan,

I'm going out for a little. I'll be back sometime tonight or tomorrow. I need to think some things out.

Love you,

Naruto

Gently, he placed the letter down on the table after he folded it up, and left his apartment silently. Coldness from the wind nipped at him, and he nuzzled deeper in his father's cloak. The sun gave its final rays of light before dying over the horizon, leaving only the streetlights to keep Konoha bright.

The wind began to die down as Naruto crept behind the walls of the Hokage's office. Slowly, he began climbing the stairs to what was now his office. At the top, he slowly stepped inside, and shook himself to get rid of all remaining coldness. When he reached the office door, he searched around his pocket for the key, and placed it in the door. Naruto turned the doorknob, and entered the empty office. As he entered, he glanced around at what used to be Tsunade's, even the many fragments of chairs that had been broken during her time as Hokage. Gently, he wiped a solitary tear that crept down his face, and chuckled.

Carefully, he sat down on the chair behind his desk, and stared out the window, thinking about Sasori and what could be done about it. He took off his headband, set it down on the table, and rubbed his temples. "One thing's for sure," he said, and flipped his chair around to face the desk. "Keep watch on the village's borders from now until we are sure he's no longer a threat." The Rokudaime opened a drawer and took out a blank scroll. He dipped a nearby brush in the inkbottle next to him and wrote out on the blank paper:

Mission – S Rank – Assigned to all ANBU Black Ops – Mission Details: Guard the borders of the Fire Country, and look for any traces of unknown persons. If found, report straight to the Hokage ASAP.

Naruto set the brush down, and glanced over the scroll. Carefully, he rolled up the miniature scroll and set is aside. Then he opened the drawer again and took out a new scroll. On that one, he wrote out:

Mission – C Rank - Assigned to Squad 29, Consisting of Koriyo Maniki: Genin/Namio Fumiko: Chuunin/Donoto Saboutoi: Genin/Umina Himagae: Jounin: Team Leader – Mission Details: Deliver message to the Kazekage of Sunagakure ASAP

Again, he reread over the scroll, rolled it up, and set it aside. But as he did so, he thought about whether or not it was a good idea to send Squad 29. After all, they were basically a brand new team, and had little experience. On the other hand, Fumiko was a Chuunin, and their leader Himagae was a very powerful Jounin. They'll be fine, he told himself, and smiled. They can do it. Naruto took out another scroll, writing out the final task.

Mission – A Rank – Assigned to Team Hashikaku, Consisting of Gyura Narito: Jounin/Damoue Hengoi: Jounin/Hashikaku Lyokyo: Jounin – Mission Details: Search the Fire Country for any signs of destruction, unknown travelers, and evidence of campsites. Any irregularities must be directly reported to the Hokage immediately. If there are traces of unknown persons, follow them and report the results to the closest Kage and/or Hokage.

The Hokage smiled as he read over the scroll, definitely positive that Team Hashikaku could pull it off. They were one of the top three teams consisting of all Jounin in Konoha. He sat up from his chair, and started walked out of the office, carrying all three scrolls. His footsteps echoed through the hallways as he walked down them, holding the scrolls tightly. Trying not to make more noise, he opened the messenger's room. Naruto's finger skimmed the wood on the box where the mission scrolls go, looking for the S-Rank slot. When he found it, third box across the top, and slid the first scroll in. Then he looked for the C-Rank slot, and found it three rows from the bottom, four from the left. Silently he slipped the second scroll in, and went to the A-Rank box. He found it, in the middle row, three from the right. After a sigh, he slid that scroll in, and looked at the rest of the scroll slots. There were three A-Rank boxes filled, ten D-Rank, five C-Rank, and two B-Rank. There was only one S-Rank scroll, the one he just wrote out.

Naruto smirked, and began to leave the office. As he stepped out the door, he felt his foot snag on something, and he flung upside down into the air. "You're as foolish as ever, Naruto." A cold voice whispered harshly. "Now you will come with me." He felt the person touch his skin lightly, but he couldn't see who was near him. Suddenly, he felt another rope tie his hand back, and the person whacked him behind the neck, making everything go black. The last he heard was, "It's time to finish up some business, Naruto."

...Wow...Naruto was kidnapped! What will happen now?!?!? And this IS a life or death situation, you'll figure that out next chapter. Please review!

Yamahato Yokimoko-san