Wow I wasn't expecting a lot of reviews…well at least not all of them good (Insert smiley face here) see THIS is why I like writing. People can help you with their reviews by giving feed back on the work you've done to improve on it, that and the boost in confidence helps a lot. Again sorry for the tardy updates but to tell you the truth life has been constantly hitting me in the face…then again it does to all of us…but I promise to do everything in my power to update faster. I won't go in to too much detail other than it involves school and getting married….well me proposing to my girl….

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…I WISH!!!...but I don't… (Curses under breath…FUCK!)

Once again I'd like to thank causeiambetta for being my beta reader as well as my co-operative idea conspirator. Through our conversation he points out key facts as well as a different point of view that greatly help me. Thanks Causeiambetta (Insert another smiley face here).

On a side note the votes have been counted and thus far…

Both-11

Sakura-2

Ino-5

…I think the results speak for them selves…I hope I counted right other wise I might end up having to repeat kindergarten again.

I hope that I continue to write the good story everyone seems to like and please just give me feedback on what you guys think, thanks and have a nice time reading.

On with the story

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Chapter: 8 : Realization

----------------------------------Konoha Hospital-------------------------------------

Naruto's baby blue eyes opened to reveal to his displeasure that his vision was slightly distorted. He cringed at the small amount of light that hit his face from the lighting of the ceiling. His vision adjusted as he found himself in a warm, comfortable bed. He still had his clothes on from the day's events but his sandals where placed next to the door to his room.

Naruto inspected the room and found that he must have been taken to the hospital because of over exertion. His eyes fell upon a digital watch on the wall that told him the date and time. He noticed that he had only been out a few hours since the incident.

'Hehe…must have misjudged the amount of chakra needed to use the jutsu' Naruto thought while he smiled to himself.

He closed his eyes still smiling and drifted from reality.

-------------------------------Out Side Naruto's Room-------------------------------

Sakura and Ino were having a 'friendly' conversation as they headed towards Naruto's room. Both girls were slightly worried for their teammate. He had apparently used a technique that could be fatal to an opponent, according to their sensei. If misused, the jutsu could be as fatal to the user as it was to the opponent.

"Do you think he's ok?" Ino questioned Sakura, worry edged in her voice.

"Naruto should be fine. The doctor says he should wake up by tomorrow and make a full recovery the day after that. Though the doctor did say that if he did wake up early he should stay in just to be safe." Sakura replied. Even though Sakura knew this she still wanted to see her teammate and see if he really was well.

They both mused to themselves when they had stopped treating Naruto like a nuisance and more of a friend but dismissed it as simply being worried over a teammate, just a teammate.

----------------------------------Inside Naruto's Room-------------------------------

Contrary to many people's point of view, Naruto was not sleeping entirely once he had fallen to the ground. Instead he was simply too tired to do anything and was still coherent when Itachi spoke to Sasuke.

Flash Back:

Sasuke took a deep look in to his eyes analyzing Itachi for what seemed like minutes. He spoke again this time a bit more clamed "What happened that night Itachi?"

Itachi looked at his brother hopeful he began to speak slowly so that everyone could hear "That my dear otouto is something I've been trying to do for a few years now. Unfortunately I can't talk now Kisame and I have some things to do before the day is done. If you'd like, I could pass by the clan estate and we could speak there?" Itachi informed. Sasuke was uneasy about the whole thing but reluctantly agreed with a "Hai"

End Flash Back:

Naruto's eyes shot open as he remembered what happened. He had to admit curiosity had gotten the better of him and wanted to find out just what happen the night of the Uchiha Massacre.

He slowly sat up from his bed feeling the sting in his body from over exertion. He stood up from his bed to open the window. He closed his eyes and breathed in the nighttime air and smiled. Naruto moved closer to the door to gather his sandals when two very feminine voices just outside his door caught his attention. He focused his hearing to listen to what he knew was a slightly peeved Sakura and a rather satisfied Ino.

--------------------------------Outside Naruto's Room-------------------------------

Sakura was mad at Ino's rather bold declaration of love for Sasuke.

"That's right forehead girl you and I both know Sasuke-kun would pick me over you anytime because I'm just too good to pass up." Ino smirked at Sakura as she wore a satisfied look on her face that spoke volumes about her confidence.

However Sakura was not one to be so easily crossed. She practically almost broke her teeth from clenching her jaws in anger as she stood with her arms to her sides radiating killing intent that puts a low level jonin to shame.

"LET'S JUST VISIT NARUTO! THAT'S WHAT WE CAME HERE FOR ANYWAY!" Shouted Sakura a little too loud for the nurses and doctors in the corridor.

-----------------------------Naruto's Room--------------------------------------------

Naruto simply sweat drop…

'I'm the one in the hospital and all they think about it Sasuke? Sheesh, well at least they actually cared enough to come by.' Naruto thought sarcastically and disheartened.

He felt anger at them for always being so closed minded and sadness for not acknowledging him as anything more than a teammate.

After putting on his sandals he stood on the windowsill overseeing all of Konohagakure.

'Well, maybe someday they'll actually…'

Something caught his ears attention before he finished his thought and turned around one last time to the door as he focused his ears on the conversation.

--------------------------------Hospital Corridor--------------------------------------

"You know Sakura, I hate to admit it but Naruto does look kinda cute when he's not being a jerk." Ino spoke little above a whisper to her rival and friend as a small tint of red appeared on her cheeks.

Sakura was shocked at her friend and rival's sudden change in topic. She smiled ever so lightly at her blond friend as she too developed a tint of red on her cheeks.

"Yea he is kinda cute and he's not what I would have expected when a fight starts. I was kind of expecting him to bail on us the second trouble started, but he stood his ground."

Both girls cut their thoughts about the blond boy short as a startling revelation was forming in their heads.

Sakura all but opened her eyes to the size of the titanic. 'WHAT? Did I really say that? I just got hit in the head by a really large object…yea that's it.' Sakura thought overly dramatizing. 'Yea we only have eyes for Sasuke-kun and Sasuke-kun only!' Added inner Sakura. 'Though he is kinda cute' Sakura thought it over. 'Yea…he is…' Inner Sakura spoke with a dreamy tone.

Ino contemplated the words she had just said too; as she had her eyes and mouth open in an over exaggerated way. 'Just what in the seven hells did I say?' Ino thought less of it because what she said is true. She did find the blond boy attractive but she was in love with Sasuke. Wasn't she?

Both girls got back to their senses and began to walk awkwardly to his room, stopping at the door.

Sakura broke the silence. Though a bit timid as her left hand was holding her right elbow tight to her side and she sported a nervous smile, she spoke.

"Of course that's all, he's 'just' cute and nothing more Sasuke-kun is still better looking."

Ino nodded in agreement and replied with an "uhuh" as she too sported an awkward open smile and a sweat drop with her eyes closed.

They started reaching for the doorknob to Naruto's room.

----------------------------------Naruto's Room--------------------------------------

Naruto had his back to the door and a small smile on his face with his eyes closed in what could only be described as gratitude.

'Thank Kami-sama. At least I get that much…wait? Did they say I was cute?.'

He realized his body's pain had subsided and could know move with out the slightest bit of discomfort from his exertion.

'I got to thank that fox for the accelerated healing' Naruto smiled as he thought this.

With the doorknob to his room turning he lunged out the window and started leaping off roof tops, his form nothing but a spec in the distance as he made his way to the Uchiha district at speeds that put most chunin to shame.

The door opened to reveal Sakura and Ino staring wide eyed at an empty room. Both girls looked at each other before getting a look of worry on their faces. They sped to the reception desk to relay the information to the nurse that one Uzumaki Naruto was not present at his room.

The nurse simply looked at them and then scowled. "Good less work for me. That beast should not have been admitted in here in the first place." Was all she said before going back to her magazine.

To say that Sakura and Ino where in shock was an understatement never had they witnessed this level of uncaring in anyone, least of all a nurse who took a pledge to help anyone in need.

They noticed a doctor walking past them and spoke to him once again relaying the information that the Uzumaki boy was not in his room.

They where flabbergasted at what he said. "The Demon should have died on the way here." Malice where laced in his words as he spoke them.

'Why? Why do they hate him so much?' was running down both their minds.

Sakura however caught the word demon 'very' well in the 'good' doctor's words. She noticed he spat that particular word with much fevered hatred. She would have to put this under her steadily growing Naruto questions that have been raking her mind as of late.

Both girls didn't know what to do. So they did the only thing they could do, they left to the Hokage tower.

-----------------------------------Uchiha District--------------------------------------

It started raining rather hard once Naruto had left the hospital. The rain was never ending as it just poured down the village with the intent to make someone, somewhere suffer tonight. Naruto had made his way to the Uchiha district and could only gasp at the architecture of it all.

It was a large house with what appeared to be 8 smaller ones around it with a large beautiful lake directly behind it. Even thou it was raining one could tell that the grass and woods adorned behind it was lush, but cast an eerie silence in the air. The smaller houses that adorned the larger one just seemed to stem from the larger one as rooms. Even though the house in the middle is extremely large it was only used for the gathering of clan members. The main family house was seated directly behind the clan house and directly across the lake. This house is a lot larger than the others and was kept in much better shape than the other houses. A light was turned on in the family room of the said house.

-------------------------------Uchiha Main Family Manor---------------------------

Sasuke as it were was getting impatient just sitting around the manor waiting for his older brother to show. He even began to believe he was taken for an idiot by his older brother. Itachi had not shown and it was getting rather late.

Just as he was about to curse his brother a knock was heard from the front door. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow in bewilderment knowing full well his brother would have simply walked in no questions asked. He walked to open the door cautiously, kunai drawn on his right hand just to be sure.

Opening the door he widened his eyes momentarily before putting his weapon away. There in front of him stood a person he did not expect to see for at least a few days.

"What are you doing here? I thought Sakura and Ino left to check up on you in the hospital?" Sasuke spoke, a little unnerved that it was not who he was expecting. However he was indeed curious of the person in front of him.

Naruto smiled through his blond wet locks as he was soaked to the bone from the rain. "Are ya gonna let me in or are ya gonna leave me out here to catch a cold and die of hypothermia!?" half shouted Naruto.

Sasuke did his routine "Hnn" before stepping to the side and opening the door wide for Naruto to come in. Sasuke stepped further in to the manor before disappearing leaving a wet Naruto at his doorstep.

Confused Naruto simply did what any normal person would do…

Wait for him to comeback so as not to further dirty their home.

About a minute later Sasuke returned with a large towel and tossed it to Naruto. Naruto caught it and smiled a thank you smile at Sasuke.

After Naruto had dried off Sasuke invited him in to the living room and offered a chair to the young blond.

Naruto taking the seat simply smiled again this time he was smiling because despite the rivalry between him and Sasuke, Sasuke can be very friendly…when he wants to be.

"Ok dobe, what are you doing here?" Sasuke said while taking a seat opposite to Naruto.

'On second thought, maybe not!' Naruto thought sourly.

-------------------------------------Hokage Tower-------------------------------------

The Sandaime was having a peaceful time, enjoying the night with no paper work to do. He sighed out of exhaustion as he brought his pipe to his weary lips and began to inhale the smoke. He turned from his revolving chair to look out the window and frowned a little, sadness edged in his thoughts.

'Naruto…A night like this. You were born on a night just like this. When the winds were blowing in hurricanes and the water from the Heavens just didn't seem to stop. How different would your life have been had the fox not attacked.' The last part was more of a statement than a question for the Sandaime. He sighed deeper this time, as he closed his eyes in deep meditation.

CRUNCH!
CRASH!
BAM!

The Sandaime opened his eyes as he raised an eyebrow to the commotion out side his door. He was curious as to what exactly was going on seeing as people were screaming at the top of their lungs just behind his door.

---------------------Hokage Tower out side Sandaime's Office--------------------

"IT'S AN EMERGENCY WE NEED TO SEE THE HOKAGE!" Ino screamed with all her furry in to it at the receptionist behind the counter, only 9 feet away from the Hokage's door. Apparently the receptionist had more time attending to her long brown hair and staring at her pocket mirror to admire her hazel eyes that she had no idea Ino was right in front of her. The receptionist wore a long skirt with a sunflower design on it spread all through out the skirt. She wore a white short sleeve plain shirt and a yellow mini jacket over it.

"Huh? Oh! Umm…can I help you?" she said with an embarrassed expression, as she had a tinge of red on her face.

Sakura looked at her from head to toe and was not impressed. The woman must have been no more than 18. Sakura sighed once out of exhaustion. She looked at her friend/rival Ino and sighed again this time out of annoyance as she furrowed her eyebrows only slightly. She placed a hand on Ino's shoulder to calm her down and it worked only slightly. Ino stood aside and let Sakura speak to the receptionist.

"Can we please see the Hokage it's important that we see him…it concerns Uzumaki Naruto" Sakura spoke tiredly. At that moment the receptionist's face was turned to one of a scowl as she heard the name.

"That little demon? Pff whatever! Hold on a minute." She said with hate clearly laced in her words. As she pressed the button on the intercom to phone the Hokage, Sakura once again noticed the particular word mentioned in the sentence, but this time Ino caught it as well. Both girls looked at each other with raised eyebrows before turning back to the receptionist.

"Yes Kishi?" the Hokage answered through the intercom on Kishi's desk.

"Hokage-sama two young girls are here to see you…shall I send them home for the night?" she asked patiently.

"No Kishi it's fine, send them in" He stated plainly. "OK" she answered back solemnly.

"Oh! And Kishi…"

"Yes Hokage-sama?"

"……You're fired"

"……………" young Kishi was more than shocked to say the least. The Hokage had just fired her for reasons unknown to her. She cried openly as liquid filled her eyes. She clutched her left hand on to the collar of her shirt wile her right hand grasped her left. She stood up from her now ex-desk and made her way down to the stairs preparing to leave to her apartment.

Sakura and Ino both had rather surprised looks on their face. The Hokage was said to be the one of the kindest people in the village, so what could have brought this all of a sudden.

Once again both girls looked at each other before eyeing the door that was guarded by two ANBU, one wearing a hawk mask the other a falcon. They swallowed heavily and proceeded to the entrance.

----------------------------Uchiha District---------------------------------------------

"Well, how long do we have to wait for him to get here!" yelled an ever so impatient Naruto. Sasuke clearly annoyed at the sudden burst of sound looked on at Naruto with furrowed eyes and a sour look made by his mouth. Sasuke closed his eyes and began to contemplate whether or not he should get answers to clear some of the mysteries that haunted him at night.

Sasuke opened his eyes and readjusted himself on the living room of his couch. Just as he was a bout to speak his question to the blond who was oblivious to the whole thing, they heard a voice speak from the shadows.

"Otouto…Kinshou-nii-chan?" Itachi spoke manifesting from the very shadows of the room they resided in.

"Itachi!" They both exclaimed.

Itachi was a little surprised to see Naruto up and running so soon. He quietly stepped aside to let Kisame, who seemed to emanate from the shadows as well, in to the house.

Sasuke who was still a little uneasy of Itachi's presence took two steps back. He let his hands fall to his sides in case he needed to get a kunai out of the kunai pouch quickly. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Itachi, though he did so with caution rather than anger.

Naruto on the other hand was smiling like the idiot he proudly pretends to be. Trademark fox grin included.

Itachi took the liberty of sitting down on the chair in the main living room. Kisame took to standing in the corner of the room leaning against the wall with his rather colossal sword in his firmly griped right hand facing downward.

Naruto being the naturally curious person that he is, voiced a question that seemed to repeat it self in his head, "Hey, shark dude with freaky looking eyes and bad skin complexion, what's your story? I mean why are you here…with Itachi-nii-chan?"

Kisame looked a little irritated at Naruto's comment about his appearance but pushed it to the side for later bashing seeing as he took quick note of the younger Uchiha's impatience. He looked at Naruto with a piercing glare that spoke volumes before he spoke in a raspy dark voice, "Let's leave my story for a later time you little whelp or more adequately put, Jinchuuriki." Kisame smirked as he looked upon a severely pissed off Naruto, barely able to contain his rather bloody intentions towards a certain shark man.

Surprisingly to every one in the room, they felt a fair amount of killer intent emanating from the blond.

Sasuke was a little taken back that someone so cheerful could produce such a thing, but here in his very home no less was Naruto producing a fair level of killer intent. Sasuke would never admit it but it seemed to him that Naruto simply became more and more of a wild card. Sasuke, however, raised an eyebrow at the word that made Naruto turn feral and almost a killer towards Kisame.

"Jin…Chuuriki?" Sasuke repeated questioningly.

"It's not our place to say Sasuke, Kisame should have kept his mouth shut from the very beginning," Itachi replied as he gave Kisame a rare scolding glare. Kisame simply pouted and looked the other way.

Naruto seemed to settle down a bit but was still on edge. Sasuke now knew something that will surely come back and bite Naruto in the ass later on.

"Sasuke, I think its time you knew what happened. What really happened that night." Itachi spoke with actual pain in his voice. This surprised Sasuke to no end. Sasuke looked at his brother in the eyes one more time and made his mind up, his brother didn't massacre their family. It was all in his expression his voice, his eyes and the way he carried himself. Sasuke knew then even if his brother didn't tell him that he didn't kill their clan, Sasuke didn't blame him, he couldn't. The way Itachi spoke and revealed himself was the same way Sasuke acted. They both wore the mark of loss over their heads.

"I agree its time you told us everything Itachi…" a voice spoke from behind the entire group. In an instance everyone with in the room turned towards the voice that spoke from behind them.

Itachi widened his eyes and then lowered his head in shame.

"…Hokage-sama…." Itachi whispered in to the wind.