"Nee-chan, what's for dinner?" Naruto asked as they walked through the streets.

"What do you want?" Yuriko replied. She could feel people watching her as she walked alongside Naruto.

"'Dunno, but I'm hungry," Naruto whined. It took Yuriko a moment to realize that Naruto had spoken.

"I know a good ramen place. Let's go there," Yuriko tried to sound cheerful, but there was something off about the atmosphere.

"Yes!" Naruto jumped with delight. He obviously didn't sense the tenseness.

Yuriko took Naruto to Ichiraku Ramen. While she waited for Naruto to finish, Yuriko watched her surroundings, or what she could see between the drapes that were covering most of her view.

"Naruto, stay here. Teuchi-san, can you watch him for me?" Yuriko asked without taking her eyes off the ground outside the bar. Teuchi grunted in response.

"You okay nee-chan?" Naruto asked as Yuriko slipped off her stool.

"Fine. Just stay here, got it?" Yuriko ordered. Naruto nodded slowly and returned to his noodles.

Yuriko on the other hand walked slowly outside the bar. Her gut feeling was right. Outside there were ten chunin shinobi, all glaring at Yuriko with eyes full of hatred.

"Good evening," Yuriko greeted, trying to assess the situation. "Can I help you?"

"Give us the boy and no one gets hurt," one of the shinobi said.

Yuriko craned her neck as if deciding what to do, "But if I do give you the boy, he'll surely be hurt. So how can you say that no one'll get hurt?"

The shinobi formed a circle around Yuriko, each held a kunai or shuriken in their hands.

"You guys really want to mess up my night, don't you?" Yuriko frowned.

"If you just give us-"

"Sorry, no can do," Yuriko interrupted.

"You're mistake," the one shinobi kept talking. Yuriko figured he was the leader. The second he stopped speaking, the shinobi attacked. Yuriko sighed and made her own counterattack.

"Nee-chan! I'm done!" Naruto called from inside the bar. Yuriko stuck her head between the flags, "Wow. You eat fast." Yuriko walked inside and paid Teuchi.

"Let's go, brat," Yuriko held her hand out to the little boy. Naruto hopped off the stool and started walking, but before his third step he tripped over something.

"Wha-?" Naruto looked down to see an arm. "N-n-nee-chan? W-what happened out here?" The ten shinobi were scattered across the floor, none of them dead, just unconscious.

"Oh, they just wanted to play a game. Except, I won," Yuriko smiled. "I think it's best if we get home quickly." Yuriko squatted down so that Naruto could hop onto her back. Once securely on, Yuriko ran to her apartment, it took her about three gliding steps.

"Be in bed by 9," Yuriko said sternly. Naruto nodded and made his way to the bathroom. Yuriko, on the other hand, fell onto the coach and turned on the TV. "Naruto was only 8 and people already wanted him dead. He had one hell of a life coming for him," Yuriko thought to herself. She would have to find someone else to protect him while she was away.

"G'night nee-chan!" Naruto called from his room.

"Night!" Yuriko replied.

"Hey, Umino. Do you think you could watch Naruto for me?" Yuriko asked when she dropped Naruto off the next morning.

"Yeah, but are you leaving soon?" Umino replied as he watched the kids. Yuriko nodded, "I'm going to see Hokage-sama today."

"So soon? It's only been 3 days."

Yuriko shrugged, "That's the life of a shinobi. Anyway, I'll probably be leaving within a few days." Before another word could be spoken, someone threw a rock at Yuriko. She caught it without much effort.

"You! You're the one who's protecting the Kyuubi child!" A man yelled, obviously the rock slinger.

"Well good morning to you too," Yuriko replied sarcastically.

"You know, I lost my brother and my wife to the kyuubi! And instead of killing the damn thing, it's living inside that boy!"

"I'm sorry for your loss, but that boy had nothing to do with it," Yuriko replied coolly.

"I bet you didn't care about all the innocent people that died in that battle!"

"Now, now, let's not make accusations," Umino interrupted trying to calm the situation.

"No, let him continue," Yuriko taunted, though she was slowly losing her patience.

"Yeah! I'm sure you don't give a damn about-" The man was cut short by a kunai flying dangerously close to his head.

"Sorry, my hand slipped. Please, continue," Yuriko's said mockingly as she slowly walked over to him.

"Well…I was…" The man had lost all his confidence and was starting to stagger backwards.

"Let me tell you something. I lost everyone to the kyuubi," Yuriko growled as she approached the man, "Everything - my parents, my siblings, my aunts, uncles, cousins, everything, and everyone. So before you assume that I'm some heartless monster that's easily protecting the kyuubi inside that child, you can shove that up your ass."

"Yuriko…" Umino called warningly.

"If anyone has a right to kill that child, I do. Except I won't because I know that he didn't murder anyone. Am I understood?" Yuriko glared fiercely at the man. He nodded slowly. "Good, now leave," Yuriko jerked her head to the side. Without hesitation, the man fled. Yuriko remained where she was, her hands balled up in fists.

Umino walked up to Yuriko and placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder, "Are you alright, Yuriko?"

There was a long pause before Yuriko muttered absently, "There are times when I can barely control myself. I can feel the need to slit that child's throat. But," Yuriko took a deep breath to try and calm herself, "You don't know how much I doubt my decision to guard...him." Yuriko couldn't even refer to Naruto as a person yet.

"If you had chosen to go with the easier path and killed him, would it have felt any better?" Umino asked calmly. Yuriko relaxed, "You're right. I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble."

Umino chuckled, "It's no trouble at all."

Umino and Yuriko said there goodbyes and each went their separate ways.

It had been four years since Yuriko had met Naruto. She had begun to accept Naruto, and even began seeing him as her younger brother. Yuriko tried her best to stay as long as she could, but the longest ever was only a couple weeks.

Naruto had recently graduated from the academy and was now officially part of Team 7.

Yuriko and Kakashi were at a small café getting a quick drink.

"I'm surprised you let them pass," Yuriko said as she sipped her hot sake. The night felt especially cold.

Kakashi shrugged, "They have their problems. It just seemed like there were less than other teams."

Yuriko raised an eyebrow, "You have an arrogant, mentally troubled Uchiha, a lovesick whiner, and Naruto. I'd say that that's more than other teams."

"Like you were any better when you began? I believe you were just as arrogant and just as whiney," Kakashi replied teasingly.

"Oh, shut up. We can't all be born prodigies," Yuriko smirked as she stole one of Kakashi's sweets. "I'm glad you're the leader though. I know Naruto'll be safe with you."

"You're really worried about him huh?"

"You haven't had to baby-sit him for the past 4 years," Yuriko replied dully, "Do you know how many times the stupid villagers and shinobi, have tried to kill Naruto? Don't answer that."

Kakashi laughed lightly.

"Kakashi, should you really be drinking that much?" Yuriko asked casually as she watched Kakashi down another beer.

"What? No, it's fine. I've become better, really!"

There was a momentary pause in the conversation. For anybody else, it could have been an awkward pause, but it wasn't awkward for them, it was just a pause.

"So when are you leaving on your next mission?" Kakashi asked.

"Trying to get rid of me so soon?" Yuriko teased.

"Well it is you," Kakashi replied with a smirk.

"Thanks," Yuriko replied sarcastically, "But, I have a meeting with Hokage-sama tomorrow. So I'll be out of your hair by the end of the week by the latest."

"Well, what do you want to do before then?" Kakashi asked as he took his last sip.

"Huh?" Yuriko said in confusion.

"We could go back to my place."

"You're drunk," Yuriko stated bluntly as she stood up to take Kakashi home. He never could hold his liquor.

"I'm serious. "

"Jeez Kakashi, you know I have-"

"Yes, yes, the boyfriend. You can't forget about him for one night? It's been a while since we've done stuff, ya know?" Kakashi said seductively.

Yuriko didn't reply and just rolled her eyes.

"Can I take your silence as a yes?" Kakashi joked.

Yuriko smiled slightly, "Go back five years and you could have."

By now the duo were at the top of the stairs and just down the hall from Kakashi's apartment. Kakashi leaned against the railing as he tried to balance himself. "It's been that long?"

"Don't make things awkward," Yuriko teased as they began walking again, "The past is the past, and I'm glad we're friends again."

Kakashi nodded as he fumbled for his key, "Me too," he muttered once he found it. Kakashi turned the key abnormally slowly in the lock.

"Is everything alright?" Yuriko asked noticing Kakashi's strange behavior. Without replying Kakashi suddenly turned around and kissed Yuriko.

"Just for old times sake," Kakashi murmured as he pulled away and then disappeared inside his apartment. Yuriko didn't say anything. Instead of turning it into a big deal, Yuriko decided to brush it off as nothing and convinced herself that he only did that because he was drunk. However, both of them secretly knew that it wasn't the alcohol that led to that kiss.

There has to be some romance! Haha. Hope you like it!

Love,

Candygrl2008