A/N: Another NaruHina lemon heading your way. You've been warned. And this is a short chapter. 1100 words max.

Chapter Nine: Reunions

Team Neji reached the gates of Sunakagure at night on the second day. As they approached the gates of the village, Matsuri rushed outside to hurry them inside. To Neji's knowledge, they had not sent word of the departure of his squad. Matsuri was enthralled to see them. She bowed low to the ground as she spoke.

"Neji-sama, there has been a delay in the mission. A sandstorm blocks the path out of the village. I am to take Hinata-sama to Uzumaki Naruto-kun immediately."

Neji motioned for his cousin to go with Matsuri, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Do what you have to Hinata. You're sixteen, and I know what happened before he left, and if it comes to that, do it. I'm not your father, so you can make your own choices in life." He said in a low whisper.

Hinata blushed. Surely she wasn't that loud that night. She nodded and went with Matsuri, who took her to Naruto's temporary dwelling in the Kazekage Tower. Matsuri left Hinata at the door and the Hyuga knocked gently as he called out to her.

"Door's unlocked. Come on in."

Hinata pulled the door open, dropped her small travel bag on the floor and rushed into his arms, knocking him to the floor. Naruto didn't even have a chance to react as she kissed him deeply and passionately, having been worried about him for the last three days. Tears splashed his chest and he ran his hand through her hair. She buried his face in his chest and cried until he picked her up and laid her on his bed. She kissed him and held him to her.

"Naruto, please don't go. Remember the promise you made me? That if we gave ourselves to each other that you'd come back to me safely? Naruto, give yourself to me again. Please, I need to know something."

"Hinata, I will, but this time, I won't be able to hold back."

The blonde drew his shirt over his head, and lay back on the bed, as Hinata unzipped her jacket. She wasn't wearing anything underneath. She had planned for this since she left. Naruto grew to full length under her, and she felt him grow. With one swift motion the Hyuga slipped his underwear and pants off all at once. Naruto was pleased by her aggressiveness, and he slipped her black lace underwear from her waist, and she lay back, granting him entrance. He pushed himself inside her, and she let a soft moan escape her lips as he began to thrust his hips against hers. Hinata's back arched high as she experienced an orgasm which left her gasping. Naruto smiled at her, and started to kiss her chest as he thrust deeper and more passionately into her. He felt a growing pressure in his lower area, and when he could not hold back any further, he pushed as far in as he could and released with a great and powerful moan of her name. As he slid out, a small trickle came from within her, and they lay wrapped in a bed sheet and each others arms until the next morning, when Sakura rapped on the door.

"Naruto, Hinata! Come on! The sandstorm has cleared. We're leaving in thirty minutes."

The two young lovers quickly dressed and they met everyone at the south gate, a smile creasing everyone's lips. A quiet silence fell over the young shinobi, and Kiba pulled Naruto aside.

"So… how was it? We all heard you last night. Try and keep it down."

The blonde smirked and chuckled.

"It was good. Better than ramen."

He smiled and walked away. No one else knew or they would have said something to him. Gaara was going over final plans for the mission, devising the teams and their leaders. In the end, Naruto was with Hinata so she could be assured of his safety, and Shikamaru was with Ino and Chouji, since they had always been a team. This earned Ino a jealous glare from Temari. The Sand siblings were together, as were Neji, Lee, Sakura and Tenten. Kiba, Shino and Akamaru were also a team, having been friends since childhood. They all turned in their squads and departed in the same direction, heading for the Waterfall Village.

Neji's team was at the forefront, as he had the most powerful spying tool. He kept his Byakugan active until they reached the border of the Waterfall Village, and he signaled a halt. Gaara's team followed Neji, as they had no clue what lied ahead. Neji spoke in a quiet voice.

"It's them. Itachi and Kisame. They seem to be resting, but we will proceed with extreme caution, as one false move could be fatal to us all. There seems to be another pursuing us. Kiba! What do you smell?"

Kiba sniffed the air, and the scent he caught must have been mistaken. It smelled of an old friend, yet somehow different. It smelled of snakes.

"Snakes. Lots of them."

Naruto's eyes met Sakura's as each mouthed the word snake. Surely it couldn't be him. Neji dismissed it as unimportant. He split his team into a task force.

"Naruto, Hinata. You two stay back, while Kiba, Chouji and I attack Kisame. Itachi is a genjutsu user. If he so much as points at you, you're finished. Tenten and Lee will provide backup in the event one of us falls. Lee first and then Tenten. Shikamaru, your job is pin down Itachi with the Shadow Neck Bind. Gaara, you're ineffective against Kisame. Your sand is worthless against water. Temari, we need you to keep an eye on Shikamaru, and back him up as you see necessary. Kankuro, do as you please. You're our fourth striker. Come in and eliminate Itachi as soon as Shikamaru gets him trapped. Are you all ready?"

They nodded but before they could move, a cold voice rang out.

"What a surprise. All of you here to kill Itachi, but you all know I will be the one to kill him. Especially the two of you… Naruto. Sakura. You know I lived only for this moment. Surely you haven't forgotten why I left that miserable life behind."

Two heads looked up at the person who spoke. He had short black hair, and wore a white robe with a purple rope around his waist. His eyes were red, three black tomoes in each. A short sword was strapped to his back, and he wore the sneer he always had before he left Konoha. Sakura said his name in a whisper.

"Sasuke-kun…"

Naruto's eyes filled with the red of Kyuubi, and he could not be held back, as he lunged at Sasuke, teeth bared.

TO BE CONTINUED…