Hey guys, I'm uploading this chapter earlier than planned because it's not as long as some of the others and I'm well ahead into the writing of this story so I figured I'd give you's an extra chapter this month. Though from now on I'm thinking of maybe uploading 3 chapters a month depending on how well I do with the later chapters. So here you go, nice and early! Below are the ages, though I've only included the main characters and people who are mentioned often.

Main character ages:

Naruko - 21 Itachi/Kiba - 20 Dei/Neji/Hinata - 19 Sasuke/Sai/Lee - 15 Mr U - 42 Mrs U - 40

Chapter 18. Naru POV

"I'm sorry for bothering you while you're working, Miss Uzumaki." He explained that he'd tried to find me at home, my Landlady told him which university I attend; who then told him where I was on placement. Oh God, what did I do...

"That's, err, fine." We're sitting in one of the empty classrooms as I rack my brains trying to figure out if I accidently stole something... Coming up with nothing I sigh; I've not stole from anyone in a few years... "Urm, whatever it is, I swear I didn't do it, Sir." The last time a lawyer approached me, it's 'cause I got caught stealing from someone's house where I used to live. They couldn't prove it, apparently there was dodgy evidence so no criminal record for me. I'm sure Gaara had something to do with tampering with the evidence... He laughs and I can't help but be totally confused as he lays out a few bits of paper in front of me.

"You've done nothing wrong, Miss Uzumaki. Quite the opposite actually." He passes me a small photo. Taking it from him I drop it on the desk, my palm covering my mouth. "I need you to confirm who those people are." I pick the picture back up, my finger stroking their faces slightly.

"They're... my parents." They look so young in the picture, must have only been in their late teens because they were holding me as a baby and smiling at the camera... "What..."

"I know this will come as a shock to you, but you're parents were in contact with my firm for years. They came to us just before you were born. At first it was because they were scared they wouldn't be able to look after you; so they wanted to set up a trust fund so that if you were ever taken away from them, when you turned twenty-one you'd have access to this fund. But you're father got a good job and you's stayed together." I can't help the tears which escape my eyes; I don't have any pictures from when they were young, and this man's words were just going straight over my head. "It was a shame when we found out they'd died; they were good people, good parents, despite being so young."

"I'm sorry. I'm a tad lost..." He handed me an envelope.

"Unfortunately we weren't allowed to contact you because of your age. It was part of the contract that you couldn't have access to, or know about, this trust fund until you turned twenty-one. Which is today, yes?" I just nod. "Obviously when your parents died, money stopped getting deposited in this account. However it kept receiving interest each year after their death. Inside that envelope are the details of the bank account; you'll have to go see the branch to sort out access to it. They've already been notified that you are able to access it from today." He pointed at one of the bits of paper on the desk. "This is a photocopy of the original contract your parents signed with us. I thought you might like it."

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki... When I was young I just assumed they were married until they died and there was no marriage record.

"I know this is a big shock to you, but you're parents wanted you to have a good life. And unfortunately a lot of things revolve around money these days." He pointed to another bit of paper. "This contains family members of both your parents; they gave us it when they set the fund up in case you ever wanted to find any of them. From what we could gather, your parent's families disowned them when your mother got pregnant at sixteen with you." We sit in silence as I think about what he's just told me. This is...

"This is just a bit too much..." He laughs again and I can't help but smile at him.

"I know, but you've done good. Some people faint when I tell them this stuff." I laugh with him as he stands up sorting himself out. We hear the bell indicate the end of the day. "Go home, sleep on it; whatever. And keep that picture." We shake hands.

"Urm thank you, Mr Yamato." He waves slightly before leaving the classroom, closing the door behind him. I sit there for a while just looking at the picture and the contract. The door opens and I look up as Tsunade comes over with my backpack in her hand.

"Is everything okay?" I nod as she sits next to me, placing the bag on the floor. I hand her the contract and she skims through it. "I thought for sure you were in trouble when that lawyer came in asking to speak to you." She laughs before handing it back.

"Me too. I was trying to think if I'd done anything wrong." We sit for a bit and I can't help but smile at the photo in my hands. She stands up after a while.

"Come on school's finished, so get out." She smiles at me before heading to the door. "Oh, and there's someone waiting at the gates for you; so hurry up kid." I pack my stuff in to my back before putting it on my back. Heading out, the smile stays on my face and I can feel myself forgetting the incident at the weekend already...

"Oh it's you squirt." I ruffle his hair as he sends me a glare but I just walk off in front of him. I hadn't seen him since yesterday morning cause he had to do stuff with Lee then I went to Kyuubi for eight. He comes up beside me, "You get much done with Lee yesterday then?" He seems to falter slightly, but when I look again he seems fine so I probably imagined it.

"Yeah, we got most of it done." The rest of the walk is in silence as we head towards his house. I don't really want to go back to my apartment, so I'd decided to go looking for a new one tomorrow before work. Asuma wasn't happy at me wanting to come straight back to work but I think he was just secretly worried. Itachi wasn't all that pleased neither; we hadn't spoken properly since we argued about it. All we do is argue lately... I sigh, deciding to apologise to him and try get us back to normal.

We reach his house, but just before I can open the door Sasuke grabs my wrist lightly. Looking back at him, he refuses to look at me but I can see the blush on his face. Oh I wish he'd stop looking like that... "Happy birthday, Naruko." He lets go and reaches round me to open the door. I follow him in before pouncing on him; I grab him in a headlock and rub my knuckles into his head.

"Awh, Sasuke you can be sweet after all!" He tries grabbing at me to get away, but I keep hold of him. I hear him say something like 'get off me' but it's a bit muffled.

"Naruko, put my brother down." I let go and head into the living room, towards Itachi. I drop my bag on the floor as I walk up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. "Naru..." I press my face into his chest; I've missed this so much. I feel his arms wrap around me and I breathe in his smell. He pulls away just enough so that he can look at me but I just smile up at him. "Is everything okay?" I nod before moving my arms so that they're wrapped around his neck making him bend over slightly.

"You do know how much I love you, right?" I pull him closer, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, before untangling myself from him and running into the kitchen. "Hi Mrs U." She smiles at me, handing me an apple, which I gladly accept before heading out into the garden.

"I'm making miso ramen for us tonight." I turn back to look at her in the doorway. I smile at her before taking a bite out of my apple. "Happy birthday, dear. You're parents would be so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mikoto." She smiles over at me before she heads back into the kitchen. I sit down in a step while I eat my apple. Grabbing my mobile out of my jeans pocket I quickly send Tsunade a text asking if I can see her before twelve tomorrow. I'm not actually on placement tomorrow but I need to see her after I've been to the bank. I'm going to make sure Sasuke's education gets sorted, so that's what I'm going to use my parents' money on first.

Sasu POV

"Itachi..."

"Yes, I know." If he doesn't tell her soon I may have to accidently tell her, it's for the best. Not because I want her to like me, not at all. "Did you say happy birthday to her?" I nod as we both sit down on the couch. "Good. She hates presents, she's always happier just to hear a 'happy birthday'." Oh, shit.

"She hates presents?" I watch as he texts on his phone. "Deidara?"

"Yes and no. Mother said to invite him and Kiba over to eat with us." Now that's gonna be awkward.

"Is that such a good idea though?" He gives me a weird look. "I mean she doesn't really seem to like your boyfriend." He glares at me, as if to say 'be quiet'. "And nearly everyone at the table will know your gay, except her. Won't it be kind of tense?" He stands up.

"You're thinking too much into it. I'm going to go pick them up." I hear the front door open and close before lying down on the couch, my feet hanging off the end. Great, I get her a present and she hates them. And Itachi didn't answer my question. Again. He's getting awfully good at evading my questions lately...

"Sasuke! Get your feet off there right now." I sit up and smile at my mother standing in the doorway. "Go get washed and change your clothes. What have I told you about sitting around in your uniform."

"Yes, Mother." Sometimes I don't know who's scarier; my father when he's angry or mother who's always smiling though she's being stern. Getting up I head to the stairs before being knocked aside by Naruko. She grins at me while hopping up the stairs backwards.

"Race?" She turns around to run up as I follow behind her, trying to squeeze around her. Getting to the top of the stairs, she grabs hold of my arms as she walks backwards towards the bathroom; that cheeky grin of hers gracing her face. I try to reach round her but she keeps my arms between us. She backs up towards where the bathroom door should have been; and instead of leaning against it she falls backwards. Dragging me down with her.

"Oof!" My forehead smacks against hers as we fall, ending up on the bathroom floor. Who'd think her forehead would be so hard... I let my head slip to the floor beside her own. Breathing in, I can smell her hair. Even though she's been using our shampoo she still smells like oranges...

"Err, Sasuke? You're crushing me..." My head shoots up and I push myself up using my palms and knees so that I'm hovering above her. I feel a blush cover my cheeks, which seeing the blush on her own face only makes it ten times worse. But I just can't seem to make myself stand up. I watch as her eyes flicker to either side of us before closing, as if she doesn't want to look at me...

Her chest rises and falls quickly and I wonder if it's because she's angry or if it's because of me... Don't be stupid. I scoff silently, as if she would ever get worked up because I was practically lying on top of her. I hear the front door open and close, so I quickly get up and head to my room trying to fight down the blush. Just before I close my door, I look back towards the bathroom and I'm shocked to her still lying there. The only difference is I can just see a hand on her chest and her other arm draped across her eyes, as if trying to calm herself.

Closing the door I smile slightly at the thought that maybe, just maybe, I had an effect on her. Leaning against the door for a few minutes, I sigh before pushing myself off to get changed for Naruko's birthday meal.

Opening my bedroom door I came face to... fist... with Naruko.

"How do I look?" She smiled at me, a bit shyly, before twirling around and posing with her first two fingers touching her forehead in a salute. I stare at her for a few minutes, unable to actually say anything. She was wearing a white dress, stopping just above her knees ruffling slightly at the bottom. It was just a plain white dress with thin straps, nothing special, but against her tanned skin she looked... "Well?"

"Beautiful." She smiled as she ruffled my hair.

"You don't look too shabby yourself there, kiddo." Mother told me this morning that I better wear a shirt and tie. God knows why, it's just a birthday meal at home, but she and father are picky about appearances. Though father won't be joining us until later when he's finished work. "Come on, I'm hungry." Grabbing my hand she pulls me along with her, as if nothing happened in the bathroom. I sigh because, really, nothing did actually happen. We're about to turn the corner to the stairs but she stops suddenly making me bump in to her. Before I can say anything, "shh." That's when I realise the harsh words being exchanged downstairs.

"I will not repeat myself. Leave. Now." Who the hell is Itachi talking to?

"Not until you get her. Uchiha." Who is that? I look down as Naruko's hand shakes slightly in my own before taking it away and heading downstairs. I quickly follow behind.

"It's okay, Itachi." I peak my head around her to see my brother fisting the stranger's shirt. They both turn to look at her; Itachi confused and the red head with an unreadable expression on his face. "Let him go." Itachi narrowed his eyes at her, but still didn't release the other guy. She continued down the stairs stopping in front of them and yanking Itachi's hand away. "I said, it's okay."

"Naru..."

"He's a friend. You're the one who told me to ring him." Was he the one I heard her talking to the other day? Slowly I made my way to the bottom of the stairs, the red head glaring between Itachi and me. What did I do? Maybe he just always looks like that.

"Is everything okay?" Mother pops her head around the corner, still wearing her apron. I watch as Naruko turns and gives her a big smile.

"Sure it is, Mrs U. He's a friend from Suna." She smiles back at her, heading back into the kitchen saying,

"Dinner won't be long. Your friend can stay if you want." Itachi continues to stare at the red head as if he's still wary. She does have some weird friends, what's up with that 'Ai' tattoo on his forehead and the thick black eyeliner? The smile falls from Naruko's face as she turns to her 'friend'.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I go to stand next to Itachi as he tells Kiba and Deidara to go help mother. He said my name too, but I ignor him. "You're supposed to be in Suna, making sure..." He turns to look at her and the cold expression on his face disappears, making her speechless. His eyes appear softer looking at her and the sides of his mouth lift slightly as if in an attempt to smile. "Gaara..." So it is him. He takes a step towards her cupping her cheek in his hand.

"I missed you." Before we know it, he's leaning in placing his lips on hers. That tightening in my chest comes back but I can't manage to tear my eyes away from the two. The pain gets worse as I see Naruko's face soften and looks... peaceful as she closes her eyes. I manage to look up at my brother and wish I hadn't; I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of that stare.

Who the hell is this Gaara?

Enter Gaara! Well there you go, let me know what you think! :-)