Title: What could've been

Author: Kurotsuki-Tenchi

Fandom: Naruto

Pairing: NaruXHina,

Genre: Action, Romance and a little bit of comedy.

Rated: M for Language, violence, and sexual content.

Disclaimer: All Naruto characters and stuff belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and therefore can only make make believe stories about them and dream about them being real. Sigh.

Authors Note: I know this is late in coming out but our computer went nuts and wouldn't let us on the Internet, it even got to the point where it wouldn't even turn on. But now that its behaving better than usual here's chapter 7, enjoy!

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Chapter 7

Naruto yawned as they jumped through the tree branches toward their target, his eye's drooped slightly but he managed to keep them open. After yesterday's training he still felt sore and slightly exhausted.

They had decided to travel all day only stopping at dusk to set up camp, no training so they had time to recuperate from the expenditure of chakra they used last night.

Hinata too felt tired but was to wired to show it, another shiver ran down her spine causing her to look over her shoulder for the millionth time that day. Ever since last night she'd been feeling the same thing, almost like eyes were trained on them.

Shino, though he still stared ahead was acting slightly strange himself, he ran closer than normal between his 2 teammates. Shino was tense and prepared, ready to defend Naruto and Hinata in their tired state.

Kurenai who noticed her student's odd behavior slowed down a little to run beside them. "You've noticed it too haven't you?" She asked the pale eyed girl, who kept looking behind her.

Hinata only nodded, Shino who was running beside Hinata nodded also. Naruto who was too tired to notice ran on as though nothing was happening. Blissfully unaware of his surroundings and the possible danger.

"We're being followed," Kurenai said. That caught Naruto's attention, he turned to the others with a questioning look. "I've noticed it since we left this morning."

"I-I felt it l-last night." Hinata replied. "I-I used m-my Byakugan but didn't see a-anything." Kurenai could tell she was truly troubled by this, Hyuga's pride themselves on seeing everything.

"Really?" Naruto asked, "Why didn't you tell me about this guys?" He actually looked at them with a mock hurt expression. Kurenai just sighed with a smile while Shino mentally rolled his eyes, was he really that dense?

Hinata who thought it was real felt really bad about keeping him in the dark apologized profusely, "I-I'm sorry N-naruto-kun! I-I didn't know i-if it was a r-real threat! I-I didn't try to keep i-it from y-you!"

"Its okay Hinata," Naruto told her with reassurance, "I'm not upset." He smiled at her which caused an automatic blush to appear on her cheeks.

As Naruto looked at Hinata in confusion for her sudden blush Kurenai's and Shino's question was answered. Evidently it was possible for someone to be that dense.

Kurenai who was watching just shook her head, "Okay guys this is what were going to do." She said waiting until all of them were paying attention. "I'm going to take the scroll and head the rest of the way to the village, hopefully considering I have the scroll they'll follow me."

She raised her hand putting a stop to any more interruptions by her students, Naruto who mouth was already open closed slowly. "There is a small path that wild life use to go to the river not far from here, I want you guys to take that path to the river. Once you find the river go upstream and you will find the village quite easily."

"But sensei," Naruto wined. "We don't want to leave you behind." Both Hinata and Shino nodded in agreement. She sighed, this wasn't going to be easy.

"I know but if I get into a fight I can't be worrying about you guys in the middle of it." She saw Hinata and Shino nod in agreement while Naruto just pouted. "Now get going!"

All 3 of them nodded before suddenly steering to the right, Hinata's Byakugan blazing to find the trail. As they ran they looked back to watch Kurenai run off along the trail. All of them wishing her luck.

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o

Kurenai didn't look back as she ran straight, purpose fueling her steps. She knew that the peace they were encountering on this mission was going to end but she didn't think it would be this soon.

As she jumped from tree to tree she waited and bided her time, the longer that she can keep them on her trail the safer her team would be. She could tell that the one trailing them was a powerful ninja, if Hinata couldn't see them with the Byakugan it worried her.

She looked around warily as a mist started to envelope the forest, curling around the trees. She felt a shiver run down her spine as the mist ghosted over her skin. As she continued along she continually scanned the forest, paying particular attention to the mist.

She was traveling for a good 5 minutes before their watcher made the first move, Kurenai ducked as a kick was aimed at her head.

She quickly jumped backwards and flipped landing on a tree branch. She looked around and not seeing anyone kept her guard up. Who ever this was, was able to block their presence from her enough that she wasn't able to find them. Oh she could still sense them, but she couldn't pinpoint the location.

She lunged to the left as another attack came at her, she quickly recovered and looked to were she was just standing. As the mist started to clear a figure became tangible, a female by the looks of it stood strait with a slight pose.

But as soon as the mist begun to clear the figure disappeared again, Kurenai whipped out a kunai blocking an oncoming swipe of a blade.

She took a look at her opponent who had finally decided to show herself, she shoved the women away with a thrust of her kunai.

The women did a back flip landing on a near by tree branch, she stood with a sense of confidence. The mist seemed to curl around her as she looked at her with a malicious smile, her blue eyes watched her with sadistic glee.

Long blue hair cascaded down her back, her head band which laid around her neck symbolized that she was from the village hidden in the mist. She was surprised however to see a long scratch through the shiny metal, indication of a rouge ninja.

"Great just what I needed," Kurenai muttered. She raised her guard when the mist thickened again, seeming to envelope the trees and surrounding landscape.

"So your the one who was sent to deliver the scroll?" The women said snidely. "This shouldn't take as long as the Boss said it should," And with that she was enveloped in mist again.

Kurenai extended her senses as the women disappeared from sight, watching her surroundings cautiously. Whoever this woman was, she was strong if she was able to hide herself so completely. She had to have been toying with her earlier because Kurenai couldn't even sense her now.

She watched in shock as the mist started to curl around her, tendrils wrapping around her limbs. She froze as they started to constrict, holding her still. She flinched as one wrapped around her throat, tightening until she couldn't breath. As her body was engulfed completely in the mist a smile spread across her lips.

A sudden thud to her right sounded and the mist that had threatened to choke her seemed to evaporate before her. 'Bingo', Kurenai though, 'she's a genjutsu user.'

"So you saw through my genjutsu huh?" The woman said, raising to stand. She wiped a bead of blood that escaped her lips, she didn't expect the woman to do a reverse genjutsu on her!

Kurenai stood facing the woman with a determined stance, her hands formed in a hand sign and ready. The woman stood in the same stance, hands ready to perform her next jutsu.

"How about we make this much more interesting?" The woman asked, a sadistic smile spread across her features. Kurenai shivered, reminded too much of Anko.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Kurenai said with a tone that spoke volumes, mistrust mixed with cynicism. Kurenai wouldn't trust this woman as far as she could throw her, and that wasn't too far.

"How about we make this a genjutsu on genjutsu battle? No ninjutsu or taijutsu allowed or anything else." The woman smiled as they stared at each other.

"How would I be able to trust you to keep your word?" Kurenai said, her eyes still focused on the woman's across from her. They both were locked in a battle of wits, staring strait at each other without blinking.

"I might be a bad guy but I still have my honor," She said with a slight pout. "And besides, genjutsu is all I'm able to use thank you very much."

"Fine," Kurenai said. Most ninja even rouges have their honor, and besides she'd be able to tell if the woman used anything other than genjutsu. Unlike the missing Kiri ninja she was able to use some ninjutsu and taijutsu, she could tell this woman relies solely on genjutsu.

"By the way, the name's Ame." She said, "It's only nice to tell the one your going to kill so they know who to curse as they die." She said with something akin to sadistic glee.

"Well Ame, my name is Kurenai." Kurenai said before attacking her with a very strong genjutsu. "When you get to Hell tell Satan I said hi!" And with that the battle begun, Kurenai was glad that her students were safe so she wouldn't have to worry about them.

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o

"I hope Kurenai-sensei is okay." Naruto said as they proceeded down the barely visible path that they ran on. Neither of them wanted to leave her, but she had told them that she needed them to escape.

"She's a jounin," Shino reminded them. He stood to Naruto's right, slightly behind to watch his blind spot. "She can take care of herself."

Naruto however didn't pay attention, still fretting over his sensei. Hinata who was to Naruto's left was running much in the same way as Shino, slightly behind the blond to watch their surroundings.

Hinata thought over what Kurenai said, yes she did draw away their watcher but she still had a feeling that they were being followed. But she couldn't spot them, no matter how many times she checked with her Byakugan.

They were running for quiet a bit, the almost invisible path leading them in twists and turns. The forest was quiet with only their sandals striking wood making any noise. They all had fallen quiet as they keep up their pace, neither slowing down. Hoping that when they arrived at the village Kurenai-sensei would be there waiting for them.

As they came upon a break in the trees they all skidded to a halt when they came face to face with a large rock wall. The wall rose well above the trees, way to high for them to jump. All three of them stood in front of the wall, looking up at the top which wasn't really visible.

"Well Kurenai didn't say this was here," Naruto said kind of stupidly. They all three looked up the great height, debating on what to do.

"We could climb it," Shino said. "But you guys used up a lot of your chakra yesterday, neither of you would probably be able to make it half way." Shino mused as Naruto glared at him indignantly, but before he could comment Shino looked at him. Naruto shut up at his look, knowing he wouldn't be able to win an argument with him.

"W-we could look f-for a way around it." Hinata spoke up for the first time since they separated from their sensei. Shino nodded, it was their best bet.

As they turned around to leave, the sight before them had them freezing. There standing in the opening of trees stood a ninja leaning nonchalantly against a tree.

All 3 of them feel into fighting stances, cautious due to the fact that they didn't even feel his arrival. They were prepared to fight if need be, even in their exhausted state.

The man was large, not fat, just muscular with black hair and green eyes. He wore a mist headband on his forehead, keeping his long black hair out of his eyes. The headband held a long scratch, showing that he was a rouge.

"Well what do we have here?" The man asked with obvious enjoyment. He stood strait, towering nearly 7 feet. Neither of them commented, too focused on their enemy. "Three little kiddies lost in the forest."

Naruto was about to yell at him but Shino elbowed him in the side, motioning for him to shut up. Naruto reluctantly agreed, moving until he was slightly in front of his friends.

"Hm, tough crowd." He said with a smile, "I guess I'll just have to kill you." He said simply, then he was gone. The 3 of them stood in shock, Naruto who had lowered his guard looked at the area the guy was before he disappeared.

Suddenly he was right in front of Naruto, Naruto reeled away from the sudden appearance. He quickly formed hand signs, the man just watched him with a bemused expression.

"Kage Bunshin!" And suddenly 2 other Naruto's appeared, the man just continued to watch them with an expression that spoke of his amusement.

As the 3 Naruto's came running at him, the man barely blinked. He held his arms out and knocked the two clones down, they poofed from existence as they hit the ground roughly. He then casually grabbed Naruto by the collar and threw him into a tree across the clearing.

Naruto hissed in pain as he hit the tree, causing it to collapse slightly. He groaned in pain, how had the man manage to throw him as though he didn't weigh anything? And how could he move so fast? He was huge!

As Naruto fell out of the tree he landed on the ground with a crash. He managed to lift his head enough to see his friends confront the man. He struggled to yell at them, to tell them to be careful but could only groan in pain.

The man laughed, obviously enjoying messing with them. He stood with a posture that spoke of many battles, whoever this was he was stronger than them.

Hinata caught Naruto's eye as she stood before the man, her feet spread and braced. He was able to see her face as she stared at him with the most determined expression he'd ever seen.

As she activated her Byakugan, her normal violet eyes became intense. As he watched her only one word came to his mind, 'Beautiful'. Naruto couldn't figure out why but he could only stare at her, unable to turn his gaze.

He watched in shock as she attacked, her movements were clumsy yet graceful. She spun in and out of his range, moving with him in a deadly dance.

She managed to get in a few hits that slowed him down slightly. He was slower but still managed to throw a punch she couldn't dodge. As his fist connected with her face she was sent flying across the clearing. Naruto felt anger coarse through him as she landed roughly and fell still.

As he struggled to get up the only thing running through his mind was he was going to pay for hurting Hinata!

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o

Kurenai felt what she guessed were millions of spiders crawling up her arms, revulsion crawled up her spine but she didn't dare move. She saw a smirk cross her opponents face.

They stood staring at each other, both crouched with their hands in their signature hand signs. She focused her chakra before projecting it toward her opponent.

She smiled as she saw the other cringe from her genjutsu, but she managed to quickly cast it away before it could take full effect.

"I see you are very adept at genjutsu," Ame said as she quickly formed another genjutsu to attack with. Kurenai hunched her shoulders and braced herself for the attack.

She shivered as the feeling of being crushed overwhelmed her, she quickly dissipated the attack. This was getting annoying, they weren't getting anywhere with this fight but at least Naruto and them had plenty of time to escape.

"Well this is getting quite boring is it not?" Ame said with a sigh, and before Kurenai could answer she continued to talk. "I mean I'll attack you with a genjutsu," She said forming the hand signs and attacking. "Than you will just dissipate it," Kurenai did. "And than you'll just attack me with another." And Kurenai did indeed, the feeling of falling overcame her. She sighed and dissipated it. "Like I said boring."

"Why are you after the scroll," Kurenai demanded. She ignored Ame's words, to intent on protecting her students and the scroll.

"The boss wants it," Ame said with a sigh. "I really hate collecting things for him but what can I say," he said with a shrug. "He could kill me without a second thought, and if I don't get this scroll he will."

"What's so great about the scroll? It's transport isn't even important enough to be higher than a C ranked mission." Kurenai asked her, thoughts running a mile a minute. She didn't know if the kids had made it to the village yet so she had to keep stalling her.

"It's not the scroll that is so important, yes he wants it." Ame smiled evilly. "But he really wants us to eliminate a few potential problems that may arise in the future." Since they were talking neither weren't attacking each other.

"Potential problems?" And then suddenly froze when she understood fully what the missing Kiri ninja said. "Us? What do you mean by 'us'?"

"Ah so you don't know about my friend who is currently playing with the little kiddies?" Ame said with a malicious smile and an evil chuckle.

"What?!" Kurenai looked surprised.

"As we speak my partner is taking care of the children, and I must say he can be a little too... oh what's the word?" She pondered on it with a slight smirk. "Cruel, yes that's the word I was looking for."

Kurenai froze, her face went pale before darkening dangerously. Her hands clenched as she felt rage consume her, her vision literally going red.

"Oh have I made the sensei angry?" She chuckled loudly. "I'm so scared!" She held her hands together as if she was terrified before bursting out laughing again.

Kurenai didn't reply, only forming a few hand signs. Ame smirked getting ready to rebuff anything the Jounin threw at her.

As darkness descended on her she moved to cast it off but was surprised when her efforts didn't stop the jutsu. "What the Hell?"

She heard laughter emerge from the darkness, for the first time since she was little a small child a tremor of fear went up Ame's spine. A voice came from behind her. "Oh you can't escape this with just any ordinary reverse genjutsu." She jerked around at the voice but was met with empty darkness. The voice laughed again, a deep husky sound.

Ame attempted to disperse the jutsu again but was met with failure, for the first time in her career as being a ninja Ame felt as though she was a little in over her head.

"You see," the voice emerged again. It was warped as though there was more than one person talking, many voices blending together. "You may be a fairly decent genjutsu user but I am one of the best in the fire country if not the world."

"So? You don't scare me!" She shouted but even she could hear a small tremor in her voice.

"Oh, I don't have to scare you." Kurenai appeared then, with a large mass of people that surrounded Ame in a circle. Ame was surprised to see that she recognized many of the faces in the group. Most of them were of people she assassinated, or some she just killed for fun. They all stared at her angrily, hate twisting their faces into horrible images. "I think these unfortunate souls should be able to get revenge for what you done to them. Because you see, for every person you've killed you in turn feel their death 10 times over, for each and every one of them. "

And before Ame could say anything Kurenai disappeared and the many forms of those whom she killed descended upon her so fast that she didn't even have time to scream...

Kurenai looked on dispassionately as the form of the missing Kiri ninja slumped and plummeted to the forest floor. Knowing that the particular jutsu would promise death, Kurenai turned and went after her team hoping she would get to them in time to save them.

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o

Shino hissed in pain, the large bruise forming along his ribs made it hard to breath. He stood crouched over the unconscious form of Hinata, deflecting a few blows that came from the behemoth as he went for Hinata or himself. They have been battling for no more than 15 minutes and yet both he and Naruto looked as though they went through a war.

He cringed when Naruto was slammed down to the ground by a powerful hit, a painful grunt emerging from the blond. Shino wanted to help so badly but Naruto had told him to protect Hinata so that's just what he is going to do no matter how much he wanted to help.

Another hit and Naruto was down for the count, the large man smiled menacingly. "Do you honestly think that a bunch of kids could take me down?! Mizuryu!" He laughed loudly, his deep voice booming. "I was once a Jounin from the Mist village, a mere group of genin can't kill me!"

Shino knew that they were in trouble, and deep trouble at that. Both Naruto and Hinata were unconscious, and he barely had enough energy to even move. He mentally cursed, usually he didn't revert to foul words but they were the only things that could sum up this situation at the moment.

"And now that this one here is unconscious," he indicated the blond. "You are the last one, I'd hate to kill your friends in front of you so why don't I just knock you out now." The words were nice but the tone was malicious. Shino mentally scorned that, more like he didn't want anyone interfering as he slowly killed each of them.

Shino watched as Mizuryu crouched and ran at him, he braced himself for the hit. A sudden push from his side however shoved him out of the path of the fist and he watched in horror as Naruto took the hit full out in the stomach. Evidently the blond wasn't unconscious like Mizuryu assumed.

He blinked and faster than he could track Naruto went flying 30 feet backwards into the rock wall with a loud crash. Dust erupted in the clearing, obstructing their view before settling. Naruto was lying in a creator created by the impact, barely breathing and injured almost beyond repair.

"Naruto!" Shino shouted, Naruto fell out of the creator to lay unmoving on the ground. He tried to stand up to go help him but stopped when he remembered what happened earlier.

"Take care of her Shino." Naruto rasped as he stood beside Shino both protecting Hinata, "she's vulnerable and if we leave her side there is a chance he'd go after her."

"But what if you need help?" Shino asked him, already knowing where this was going.

"Don't worry about me, promise me you will stay with her no matter what." Naruto looked dead serious.

"But..."

Naruto cut him off. "No buts! Promise me!" Shino has never seen Naruto this serious so he couldn't help but agree.

"Okay I promise."

Shino was fighting himself, he knew he promised but Naruto was going to die at this rate. He was surprised he wasn't dead yet to begin with, Naruto couldn't keep taking this kind of treatment any longer and survive.

"Why aren't you helping your little friend huh?" Mizuryu stalked closer to Shino cracking his knuckles menacingly. "I'd think you'd run to him to see if he's still breathing, he has taken quite a few crushing blows after all."

Shino glared at him crouching protectively over Hinata, he didn't know what he could do to stop him but he'd try his hardest.

Just as the man started to lunge again Shino's vision was blocked by an orange blur, Naruto stood in front of him. He was standing unevenly and his arms were held in front of him in a clearly defensive manner. Naruto panted, blue eyes dulled by pain were staring at the missing Kiri ninja wearily.

"How in the Hell can you move? You shouldn't even be conscious let along mobile." The large man asked him confused, surprised with Naruto's endurance.

"I'll protect my friends," Naruto panted out. "No matter what."

"Ahh a little hero," the large man chuckled loudly. "I will have a lot of fun killing you." And with that he cocked his arm back and lunged.

But inches from hitting the blond he froze, a look of pure terror crossed his face before he slumped unceremonious to the ground.

Naruto looked up in surprise to see Kurenai-sensei standing not to far away, her arms still held in a hand sign.

"Kurenai-sensei," Naruto said, his voice weak yet relieved. "Thank goodness you're here," he said weakly before crumpling to the ground.

Kurenai grabbed him before he could hit the ground, she looked at him sadly. "Good job Naruto for protecting your teammates." She than looked up to Shino, "We need to get them out of here, grab Hinata and follow me. I don't know how long Naruto is going to last so we need to hurry to the village."

"Hai!" He said picking up the unconscious Hyuga and following Kurenai as they took off towards the village. He ignored the pain shooting through his body, too focused on running.

Shino really hoped Naruto will be okay, because if it wasn't for Naruto both he and Hinata would be dead.

End Chapter

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