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Me time!: Oh dear! haha That's all I have prewritten, time to assemble this story from scratch! I only think one person is reading this, and that kinda makes me sad but I'll keep at it! If you are reading and haven't commented then please do, it helps make me feel like I'm doing this for a purpose and not just something to take up my free time.

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CHAPTER THREE

"…Sasuke. It couldn't have been him though. Could it?" he looked around quickly, the memories flooding back.

Begin Flashback

Naruto tried not to show the pain he felt as Kabuto went for another attack. But that was it, Naruto collapsed, leaving his fate in whichever hand that held it at that moment. It was black but he knew the pain was still there. Ahh! I can't take it! Kyuubi! Make it go away! Naruto yelled for the nine-tailed demon, for what seemed like years before he got an answer. I'm trying boy; you think I'm going to let you die? Kyuubi was already trying to heal his vessel but the wounds were spread out and some critical. It was after his conversation that he finally awoke.

Naruto was in a cave with a small fire flickering not far away. As he was finally reminded of the pain he screamed thrashing around desperately trying to stop it. The person beside him leapt up and hovered unsurely over Naruto's pain wracked body.

'Naruto! It's me, calm down I know it hurts.' Sasuke tried to soothe him but there was nothing he could do.

'Sasuke! Sasuke! Please don't leave me!' he pleaded trying to find his rival, and closest friend. He finally found him and gripped the shinobi's arms, his own hands were shaky but it didn't matter. 'Too much pain Sasuke…' Naruto blacked out as Sasuke reached down to wipe the sweat from Naruto's sickly pale brow.

---

He woke up the next morning under the shade of the trees. His mind flickered back to that pain filled night. Sasuke had been watching over the unconscious Naruto like he had when they were on a mission together. When Naruto finally realized were he was it confused him. He was lying near the bend in the trees that was only a few yards from Konoha's gates. Naruto pulled himself up and tried to balance. The ache of his stomach was still present but it felt dull. He began to move slowly down the road, pain and exhaustion weighed him down, but after seeing the yellow and red clothed kunoichi waiting steadfast for his return spurred him on. I can't die Kyuubi; I'm the only one she has left. He growled to the demon. If you don't give up I promise to help you overcome. The fox demon assured Naruto.

End Flashback

Naruto explained the whole story to the two female shinobi; his memory of those two days had come back clearly.

"So Sasuke saved you?" Tsunade whispered more to herself than any one else. "He stopped Kabuto, bandaged your wounds, and delivered you back to Konoha."

"And you said he couldn't be trusted!" Naruto grinned trying to lift the tense atmosphere. Naruto glanced at Nariko, their twin eyes mirrored each other's, and happiness twinkled in both their eyes along with a tinge of relief. " I suppose you deserve an explanation." he chuckled poking her stomach.

"No fair I can't retaliate!" she giggled poking his unprotected forehead because of his injured abdomen.

"Please, you two stop." Tsunade hissed as they began to execute a poke fight. They looked up and smiled.

"Sorry Tsunade-sama!" was the identical apology.

"Next time I go to save Sasuke can Nariko-nee go? Please?" Naruto begged, his eyes wide.

"No! You could get her killed! Just look at what happened to you after fighting with just Kabuto! Besides your acting like a child, Naruto your twenty-four, grow up!" The Hokage exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? I fought Kabuto after I fought Orochimaru, that's why I couldn't beat him, also not counting the other Sound Nin I had to fight just to get in to the compound. And I do act my age…" he huffed, there was no way Kabuto would have beat him had he been well rested!

"You fought Orochimaru?" Nariko gasped. Naruto nodded.

"Fine, but she's your responsibility. But I do remember telling you not to do anything stupid, like fighting Orochimaru and Kabuto." Tsunade reminded him. "Also what did I say about entering the compound?"

"You told me not to, but I was checking each supposed compound to see if it was being used. The second one just happened to be occupied." He pouted crossing his arms.

"If you take her," Tsunade reverted back to the original argument after sighing at Naruto's childish act. "What will you do if she is in danger and you're no there?"

"She knows the Chidori already, and some other high level jutsus, trust us, were a good team Tsunade. We've been companions since she was twelve and I was twenty, we've spent four years watching each other's backs. We can handle anyone, even one of the Legendary Sannin! Nariko can handle people twice her age." Tsunade laughed and rolled her eyes. "So what was the damage?" Naruto asked swinging Nariko's hand back and forth.

"Well, first you had numerous cuts along with bruising, some major damage but most of it wasn't as bad as what Kabuto did, and you had some internal damage along with bleeding, which isn't good. We got most of that cleared up. There is a hairline fracture in your right arm that should heal quickly if you don't use it. I'm surprised there wasn't anything more, but besides that you're completely healthy." Tsunade replied.

"Thanks for saving me Granny Tsunade!" Naruto sniggered.

"The fracture should heal on it's own in about a week or two. I expect you," she gestured to Nariko, rolling her eyes at Naruto's comment. " To watch him."

"Of course." Nariko assured her.

"Could we go in about two months?"

"What?" Tsunade turned to look at him. "Where?"

"The Sound country, to retrieve Sasuke." He said like it was obvious.

Tsunade rubbed her temple. "Give my some time to think it over, I'm sending at least one ANBU team with you if I even allow you to go."

"But we can do it by ourselves." He whined.

"I don't care," she snapped.

"Fine." Naruto called as she marched out of the hospital room. He turned to look at Nariko and beamed. "You've changed." He commented looking at her new clothes and hair. She brushed her black tresses away from her face, they were much shorter and still messy, when she was younger she had pinned her hair up but now she let it down. She had also changed her clothes; her old red dress covered by a yellow tube top was gone in favor of a yellow leotard under a red strapless dress. Her headband was tied around her waist and was now yellow instead of red, also the pins that she had used for her hair, and to channel her basic lightening attacks were strapped to her thigh.

"Thanks for noticing."

"You look older too," he stated looking her up and down. "I can't call you little anymore it seems."

Nariko grinned and sat down beside him on the mattress. "You look… tired." She replied.

"Thanks."

After a few moments of silence there was a knock at the door. Tsunade pushed the door open without being invited in and frowned. "I promised to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Naruto asked looking at the Hokage with a confused expression.

"Not you, Nariko." Tsunade informed the injured shinobi. Nariko looked up anxiously at the Hokage. "I promised to tell you about everything that's going on."

"What do you mean by 'everything that's going on?'" Naruto inquired.

"About your past, everything she should have been told by you that you seemed to have neglected to explain."

"Oh, that. Listen Nariko, I really should have told you about my life before now but I never really had the chance." Naruto scratched his head and smiled. "But I promise to tell you anything." Tsunade cleared her throat. "Starting now."


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