(Breathes in and out) I don't think I'm free from my punishment…yet. Anyways, I have yet another report due next week, and it's another big one. So while my mom thinks I'm doing that, I'll be catching up with my stories. Yay! I must apologize for taking so long. (Bows.) But at least I can thoroughly go over the plots of my stories and stuff. Now, on with the story! Don't own Naruto or any characters!

WARNING: if you dislike Hinata X Naruto pairings, then you might not like this chapter. I just think this pairing is ok, I'm just putting it in so that it fits the plot. Arigato!

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"Hinata? Hinata, please wake up. I'm soooooo sorry!"

Naruto kept on fanning Hinata with a baby blue fan with the Hyuuga symbol on it, as she lay in his arms. He sat next Arashi, Neji, and Hiashi as they drank their tea.

"Is she going to be alright?" Naruto asked Arashi.

"Not if she wakes up to see you." Neji said emotionlessly, taking a sip from his tea.

"Why's that?" questioned Naruto.

"She would probably just faint again." Arashi chuckled. Hiashi sighed and also took a sip of his tea.

"That girl is so helpless." He said, "But I must say she's improved very well."

"Well, that's good." Arashi said, smiling.

Naruto soon got exhausted from fanning Hinata so much, that he gave up and decided to just take her back to her room. He got up with much effort of not falling down.

She's heavy. Naruto thought.

He then slowly trudged across the beautiful Hyuuga lawn and into the house. It was pretty quiet in the house. The only people Naruto saw were the servants that would rush around with laundry, brooms and mobs. (sp;mops? Mobs?)

Naruto moaned at the sight of stairs. He could barely keep his knees straight from all the weight. But just like himself, he went forth, not giving up.

As he got to the top of the stairs, he could barely breathe. His knees were close to hitting the floor and his whole body shook. He looked down at Hinata to see if she how she was. She continued to sleep like if she was resting on a cloud.

"You're a heavy sleeper, Hinata-chan." He mumbled as he continued his journey to her room.

As he got closer to her room, Naruto started to walked faster, knowing that he wouldn't last any longer. His 'power' walk then turned to jogging, then a run, and finally a sprint. He could now see the door and as he got closer the lower his knees were about to give in.

He was going so fast that instead of just opening the door by using the knob, he just kicked it instead. The door flew off its hinges and landed flat on the floor. Naruto ran to Hinata's bed,then gently placed her on it. As soon as he did, he smiled at her peacefulness, and then
collapsed.

"So, Arashi. I don't remember ever seeing you around here before." Said Hiashi.

"I haven't been in Konoha for a long time. I went on a mission to, lets say, observe other countries." He answered.

"Is that so?" Hiashi said, an eyebrow raised. Neji turned to look at the brunette whom he could tell that his uncle didn't trust.

"Unfortunately, I can not discuss my observations with any one." Arashi said seriously, sensing that Hiashi didn't believe him.

"Of course. Have you already met with the Hokage?" Hiashi questioned.

"Not yet, I thought I could relax a while. Meet those that I haven't seen in a long time." Arashi replied calmly.

"I see. Are you saying you have family that you haven't been with for years?" Hiashi asked.

"Haha, you could say that." Arashi chuckled. Neji then sensed that he had much sadness in him.

"I'm…..I'm back…."

Everyone turned to see who the voice came from only to sweat-drop at the scene. Naruto had come back crawling on the ground, gasping for air. His entire body trembling.

Arashi smiled, "Well, I guess its time to go now. Thank you ever so much for the hospitality." Arashi then bowed to Hiashi. Hiashi bowed in unison with Neji.

When the walked out the gates, Arashi asked, "Soooo, how was it?"

"Was what?" Naruto asked as he dragged his feet.

"Don't tell me she didn't wake up?" Arashi asked. "I thought for sure that you would collapse and wakened her up."

"Well then, maybe your plan didn't work now, did it?" Naruto said, starting to get annoyed.

"So nothing happened? Nothing at all?" Arashi asked.

"Nothing. Why the hell do you keep asking? What exactly did we come here for?" Naruto questioned.

"Well then, the only way you're going to figure it out is if you see her again." Arashi pointed out.

Naruto was getting annoyed about being patient. Arashi chuckled when he noticed this. "Don't' worry, it should be soon, right?"

"How should I know?? And when are you going to stop that transformation jutsu?!?!? It's bugging me!" Naruto snapped.

"Hahahaha, alright. Alright. I'll stop." Arashi laughed. He then did the hand signal and came back to being a Naruto look alike.

Naruto felt weird knowing that this guy looked so much like himself, so he turned to face some other direction.

"What's the matter?" Arashi asked.

"Nothing."

"Then why did you look away?"

"No reason." Naruto grunted.

"It's got to be something."

"I, said, Nothing!!!" Naruto responded.

"Are you sure?"

"God damn it, man! You're so annoying."

"Am I?"

"ARRGGHHHHH!!!!!!"

"…….you think its weird that we look alike, am I correct?" Arashi grinned.

"WOOW, how did you guess?" Naruto said sarcastically.

"Well. I think its weird too." Arashi smile at him like if he didn't mean it. Naruto grunted and started to walk at a quicker pace. He didn't have the mood to put up with him right now. He just wanted to think some things through. 'What?' you may ask? Well, lets say that Naruto didn't say the truth about nothing happening in Hinata's room.

Flash back

Naruto ran to Hinata's bed, then gently placed her on it. As soon as he did, he smiled at her peacefulness, and then collapsed.

He laid there as his chest raised up and down from his deep breathing. When he had finally calmed down, he could have fallen sound asleep. It was so peaceful there at the Hyuuga residence. That the only noise you heard were the trees and the birds chirping. Naruto got up and sat there on the floor, looking out the window, where the breeze came gently through. Naruto closed his eyes and smiled at all the peacefulness that surrounded him.

"Naruto…"

Naruto opened his eyes and turned to look at the bed. Hinata continued to sleep with calm written all over her face.

"Huh?" Naruto raised a brow.

"Naruto……kun…" Hinata whispered in her sleep.

"Hinata-chan? Is there something you want?" Naruto asked confused. Hinata remained silent.

She must be dreaming about me…

Naruto then noticed Hinata smile and blush at the same time. "Naruto."

Naruto, for the first time, noticed that the reason that her face was red because it wasn't that she had a fever or feeling ill, or hot. But because she was blushing from embarrassment or……something else.

When Naruto noticed this he could help but blush at the 'something else' part. So decided that he would just get out of there as soon as possible.

As he got up from the floor, he immediately fell back down. He had forgotten that he his legs were 'weakened.' Then he thought of the next thing to do. He decided just to crawl back.

Naruto felt the blush on his face starting to comeback up again. So he made up a stupid excuse for it.

"I-it sure is hot." He said fanning himself. Arashi turned to Naruto and then looked toward the sun.

"I guess its pretty warm." Arashi stated as he turned to look at Naruto. Naruto chuckled nervously.

They eventually made it through town and back to Naruto's house. The rest of the trip was a pure awkward silence. When they entered his home, Naruto sat in the living room and was about to play his playstaion, when he noticed that Arashi was looking around, frowning.

Naruto frowned confusingly. It looked like if he just came here for the first time and was disgusted. "What's up with you?"

Arashi stayed silent. He continued to look around the apartment like if there were spiders covering the walls. He then looked in the kitchen and then the bedroom. Naruto stared at this scene, having a creepy feeling.

Is there somebody here?

Having the feeling that he was being watched, Naruto got up and walked towards his bedroom. As he entered the room, he saw Arashi standing still, looking at the window. He had a serious face. One that said that there was danger or that of not trusting something. Like if there was something out of place.

Naruto frowned. He walked towards Arashi. The same feeling caught in his chest. When Naruto stood next to him, he looked out the window also. Naruto's eyes widened a bit.

He saw an ANBU ninja Black Op perched on a pole staring right at them. The end of the day was coming close. And the sun glowed right behind the ninja.

Naruto stared at the ninja for a long time. He had a feeling that the ANBU was analyzing them, like some sort of computer. Naruto had goose bumps all over himself. But it left him soon. The ninja quickly turned his head and leaped away.

Naruto stared up at Arashi, trying to see his face. It was still the same as before. A serious tone. Arashi continued to stare at the window, like if knowing that something else was going to happen, but nothing did. The sun finally sat, and the room became dark. The only light that came into the room was that of the full moon.

A few minutes past and Naruto froze at Arashi's sudden change of expression. Arashi's eyes became wide and he started to sweat. He immediately went back to the living room and searched around.

"Hey, what just happened?" Naruto asked chasing after him. Arashi remained silent as his eyes searched the room. He then froze as he stared at the room corner. Naruto also stared at the spot and found it a bit strange.

"My……bag." Arashi whispered under a angry breathe.

"Huh?" Naruto asked. He then turned around and looked around the room. He was right. It was missing.

"Someone broke in?!?!?!" Naruto asked. He was a bit upset knowing that someone had gone into his home without asking.

"Naruto…"

"I can't believe someone broke into my house!!!" Naruto exclaimed searching around for any missing items.

"Naruto.."

"How dare they!! I'm going to report this to the Hokage!" Naruto shouted as he stared to throw clothes out of his closet.

"Naruto."

"Thank goodness!" Naruto grinned as he found a couple of un made ramen cups at the bottom of his closet.

"Naruto!" Arashi yelled. Naruto spun around and fell at this anger. He was frightened because he had never seen the man like this before.

Arashi calmed down, "Naruto, how did you come up with my name?"

Naruto frowned at the sudden question. "What?"

"My name. Arashi. How did you come up with it?" Arashi questioned.

"I dunno." Naruto replied.

"Think. Why that name?" Arashi persisted.

"I told. I. Don't. Know." Naruto was lost now.

"Not at all??" Arashi asked.

"Hey, listen it was the first thing that came to my head, ok?" Naruto answered back.

"Just the first thing that came to your head? That's it?"

Naruto was started to feel too much pressure on him, "Yes. The first thing that cam to my head was Arashi."

"Have you heard the name before?"

"No…….." Naruto relplied.

"No?"

"…..well. Yes. Sort of. I dunno." Naruto frowned as he felt throbbing in his head.

"Who else do you know that has the name?" Arashi asked calmly.

"I really don't know anyone that has that name. I just, "Naruto closed one eye and placed his hand on his head, "feel like I heard it a long time ago. Like if it means something to me."

"Have you told this to anyone?" Arashi asked as he leveled with him.

"No."

"What does it mean to you?"

"I don't know…" Naruto said as his fever grew.

"Naruto, you have to tell me." Arashi said calmly.

"I don't ……know……" Naruto continued.

"Naruto."

"Like family or something, ok?!?!?!?! It just reminds me of me being by myself!! All alone without a family!!!!" Naruto shouted his lugs out, "I have to rely on my self without anyone to lean on!! It just frick'n sucks!! I can't stand up by myself forever! I can't ! I know that a least everyone needs ONE person to place their lives on!"

"BUT I DON'T!!! AND I JUST HATE IT!!! I ADMIT IT!!!! I CAN'T TAKE CARE OF MYSELF FOREVER!!!!"

Naruto fought back the urge to cry. He took very deep breathes in. His chest growing large and the small from taking in air. Sweat came down his scarlet face because of the fever. He had never told anyone this. He had never even thought of what he just said at all. Yet, these words had always been in the back of his head every since he knew he had no family.

Naruto kept on breathing in and out. He wanted to cry so badly, but he kept on fighting it back. He never had a family and he never will. That's what he thought. Until, he joined his team. He thought that they could be his family. That they can help him through the tough times, and be able to share the good times. Which it true, but it would never be the same as having parents. Parents were irreplaceable. And that was that.

Naruto couldn't take it any longer. His head hurt like crazy and the thoughts were driving him mad. He couldn't bare it. He just gave everything up and tears came down his face.

"Arashi means family to me." Naruto whispered. "And family was the first thing that came to my mind. I just know that it means something to me."

The next thing he knew was that he was embraced by big arms. Naruto's watery eyes widened at the sudden reaction. Arashi held him tight in his arms. He held him like if he would never let go. Naruto cried a couple more tears and then fell asleep. Unable to hug him back because of how weak he was.

And without knowing that he wasn't the only one that had tears.

Awwwwwww. How sad. I've never had written anything so drepressing. Anyways, I just wanted to show that Naruto IS still a kid. Twelve years old to be exact. I mean, living by yourself at that age? I would probably cry myself to sleep each night, by just the thought of it! Well, that's me anyways. Well, I just can't believe how many people actually LIKE this story. I would too. So hopefully I get a lot of reviews from my email. And I apologize for taking so long. I'LL EXPLAIN IN MY PROFILE!!!! READ MY PROFILE!!! And if I happen to stop updating again, than its because I still have one last virus that won't go away. Anyways, THANK YOU AND REVIEW PLEASE! ON TO CH 5!!!!!!!!!!