The author says: I'm definitely spoiling you guys! Two chapters in only three days... Reward me with lots and lots of reviews ;)

Thanks to all readers and reviewers! You make me smile! :)

Enjoy chapter 5! And pay attention to the time specifications in the headlines! (bold) Or you might get confused.

I do not own Naruto!

'He had no idea'

Chapter 5

I'm walking away, From everything I had.
I need a room with new colours.
There was a time,
When I didn't mind living the life of others.

Are you loving pain, loving the pain?
And with everyday, everyday
I try to move on.
Whatever it was,
Whatever it was,
There's nothing now.
You changed.
New Age.

- 'New Age' by Marlon Roudette

Three weeks after Sasuke left Konoha:

Uchiha Itachi was not amused. In fact, he was furious. His little brother had betrayed Konoha and joined the village's biggest enemy. And it was all Itachi's fault.

He had not seen this coming. He had miscalculated. All he had ever wanted, was to keep his beloved otouto safe. He had made a terrible mistake. He saw this clearly now. It had been wrong to try to force Sasuke to take the path of an avenger.

Hatred, he thought, how could I ever believe hatred to be the key to power? Now Sasuke would give his body to Orochimaru. Unwillingly, Itachi had played into the hands of the snake Sannin. He remembered too clearly, how the man had tried to attack him and take his eyes. But luckily, he had been no match for Itachi's Mangekyou sharingan.

He somehow needed to find a way to safe Sasuke. He had failed once, but he wouldn't fail another time. He had to correct his mistake and rescue Sasuke from becoming Orochimaru's next vessel.

However, his plans were easier said than done. Konoha had already failed in retrieving his brother. And he had no idea where Sasuke and Orochimaru were. The Sannin had hide-outs all over the Elemental Nations. Finding him would prove difficult. And what would Itachi do, when he finally found him? He needed a plan, and soon. He had three years to find his otouto. He just hoped, he wouldn't be too late.

Two years and one month after Naruto and Jiraiya left Konoha:

Naruto was sitting atop a hill, overlooking the small town under her, where she and her sensei had spent the last few nights. She was currently waiting for Jiraiya to return from his 'research' – yes, he was still doing that, even though he was travelling with a young woman now.

And a young woman Naruto had become. She was almost sixteen years old now and she had changed in many ways – mentally, as well as physically. Her long blonde hair was neatly braided and fell down her back. The last baby-fat had dissolved, showing her high cheekbones and elegant nose. The whisker marks were visible as three thin, dark lines on each cheek against her tanned skin. Her clothing had changed since Jiraiya had given her the first new outfit. Due to their intense training, the poor clothes had suffered and Jiraiya had found himself buying new sets of trousers and shirts for the girl almost every three weeks. As he was fed up with spending so much money on clothes – he rather spent it on women – he had chosen a pair of leather pants for Naruto. They were black and tightly hugging her firm legs. At first, she had felt uncomfortable wearing them, but they had proven sturdier than the normal shinobi pants and therefore had soon come to value them. The shuriken holster was still wrapped around her right thigh and the black shinobi sandals had only changed in size. Her dark longsleeve ended shortly under her elbow and her hands were protected by fingerless, black gloves.

Naruto was not wearing her forehead protector and hadn't been doing so since she had left Konoha. Jiraiya had looked at her a little disappointed, but had said nothing about her choice. She was just not sure whether she wanted to be known as a Konoha shinobi right now. After all that had happened, the girl was confused of where she belonged. The treatment of the villagers combined with Sasuke's and Sakura's betrayal had left her utterly aimless. She just didn't know what to do, whom to trust and what to fight for. As long as she had these doubts, she wouldn't wear the headband with the Leaf insignia.

Her ocean blue eyes followed a cloud in the darkening evening sky. How she wished she could be free as this cloud, following the wind, escaping beyond the horizon. She sighed. Shikamaru was right, there certainly was a peaceful aspect to cloud-watching.

Jiraiya finally came back from his research and joined her atop the hill. He quietly handed her a green popsicle and sat down on the grass beside her. She took it from him and smiled gratefully. They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Jiraiya", Naruto eventually spoke up, "can I ask you something?"

The Sannin turned towards her and smiled encouragingly. "You know you can ask me anything, Naruto."

The girl shyly averted her eyes. "It's something quite personal, though."

"Just ask away, brat", he offered, silently wondering where this was going.

"You know", she began quietly, "I was wondering... How was it when you were a genin? In a team with obaa-chan and Orochimaru, I mean."

Jiraiya paused at this for a second. He had not expected this. He thought about his answer for some moments and Naruto was about to apologize for being too nosy, when he began to talk. "The Sandaime was a strict but caring sensei. It wasn't always easy with the three of us. Team Hiruzen was formed, when we all were only six years old. We were children then", he sighed. So long ago. "I was a very loud and clumsy kid", he confessed and then laughed, "much like you, gaki." He winked at his student. Facing the horizon again, he went on. "You remember the bell test?", he asked, but didn't wait for an actual answer. "We failed miserably and I was the one who was tied to the training stump." The man chuckled, revelling in his memories.

He talked and talked and Naruto listened curiously, until his voice became more serious. "Orochimaru and I were always competing with each other. You could say, our relationship was a lot like the one between you and the Uchiha." He quickly went on, as he saw Naruto wince beside him. "We were always fighting and Sarutobi-sensei often had to stop us from truly harming each other. Still, he was my best friend."

Naruto watched her sensei. Their stories were so much alike, it was almost ironic. Orochimaru had betrayed Jiraiya, had abused his trust and finally fled from Konoha. It was like history was repeating itself. The girl could tell that the loss of his best friend was still hurting the otherwise tough man, even after all these years. The man's eyes were unfocused and staring inwards, probably remembering the events that had led to the exposure of Orochimaru's illegal experiments.

His voice had become quiet and thoughtful. "You know, I promised myself I'd bring him back. I couldn't accept what he had done." He stopped, swallowing against the lump in his throat. "I never succeeded, though. And seeing him two years ago, I realized that the Orochimaru I knew, no longer exists. It is hard to accept, but sometimes you just have to let go. People change."

Naruto frowned. Involuntarily, she had to think of Sasuke. Her former best friend. How much had he changed since he had joined Orochimaru? Would she even recognize him when she saw him again – or rather if she saw him again? She remembered the promise she had made to Sakura, about bringing him back. The pinkette had released her of it, though. She was no longer bound to bring him back. Did she want to bring him back? People change, Jiraiya had said. Naruto knew she had changed a lot since that fateful battle in the Valley of the End. Had she changed enough to let Sasuke go? Or had she changed enough to not let him go? What was it she wanted to do? She was so confused. The only thing she knew, was that she had no obligation towards Sakura and whatever she would do about Sasuke, she would do it for herself and not for her ex-team mate.

Ex-team mate, the girl cringed. What was awaiting her back in Konoha? Jiraiya had planned to return to Konoha within the next two months. They had been gone almost two and a half years now and he had said it would be a good time for them to return. Akatsuki would soon make their first move and whenever that happened, he wanted to be in Konoha rather than in foreign territory. Was she ready to go back yet? She didn't know.

Jiraiya was talking again, but she was only listening again, because she had caught the name 'Tsunade'. "...you know about her violent streak. She always hit me." The white-haired man chuckled softly. "She never wanted to go on a date with me. I asked her every day, but she never agreed." He sighed heavily and proceeded.

Naruto watched her sensei curiously, while he kept talking about a young Tsunade. He had a dreamy look in his eyes and she wondered, if he even realized that he had a goofy grin on his lips. Who would have thought...

The girl listened to his stories quietly, until Jiraiya finally exhaled deeply, finishing. He regarded her for a moment and then asked, "Why did you ask, gaki?"

Naruto swallowed. Well, why did she ask? "You know, I'm just so... confused. It's like all I ever believed in was taken from me and now I have no idea what to do any more." She was nervously fumbling with the hem of her shirt and unconsciously biting on her lower lip. She was nervous and insecure, Jiraiya understood.

Before he could offer any advice, she took a deep breath, as if to gather her courage and all her sorrows left her in a fast stream of words. "I always thought I wanted to become Hokage. You know, so that everyone in Konoha would acknowledge me... But after all that happened... I realize now that I made a vital mistake." She swallowed and shot a nervous glance at her sensei, before looking back at her hands.

"I always thought that becoming Hokage was the key to being acknowledged. But I was wrong. The villagers will never make me their Hokage. Why would they make the 'demon brat'", she spat bitterly, "the most powerful person in the village? Some of them fear me, because they think I'm the Kyuubi in disguise. They mainly leave me alone, but the ones that truly hate me... They will never allow me in a position of power." She stopped again.

Jiraiya saw that it was not easy for the girl to open up to him. She had not overcome the trust issues caused by her team mates' betrayals and even after over two years of travelling together, she seldom spoke her mind this freely. Anxious to interrupt her, Jiraiya remained silent and waited for her to go on.

"I'm not even sure, if I actually want to become Hokage in the future. Protecting a village full of people who despise me? They'd rather see me dead. It sounds so selfish, but I just can't see myself giving my life for people, who will never appreciate such a sacrifice."

Her words made Jiraiya frown sadly. As harsh as Naruto's words were, deep inside he knew that the girl was speaking the truth. Right now, no one would ever accept her as Hokage.

"I wanted to be acknowledged and form bonds with everyone. I was so desperately in need of anyone to see me that I forgot to notice how my behaviour actually drove the people away. Maybe if I hadn't tried so hard to be noticed, people would not have been as angry with me. I shouldn't have pulled all those pranks! No wonder, they saw me as a nuisance! They only saw the demon brat causing trouble – and that was all I was really doing!" By now her voice had increased in volume, expressing her inner distress. "I mean, honestly, what was I thinking? Even you thought I was nothing but a dumb loud-mouth when we first met!"

She shot another glance at her teacher and took his guilty wince as confirmation. "I can't blame you, though. I was nothing but an idiot back than." Her voice had gotten quieter again. "I know, I changed a lot in the two years with you, Jiraiya. I hope you know how grateful to you I am that you gave me the chance to prove myself."

The blonde looked up at her sensei with a serious look on her face. "I don't think I ever told you how much it means to me that you chose me as your student. All my life people told me what I couldn't do. But you... you saw behind the grins and clumsiness."

Jiraiya was blinking rapidly against the moisture in his eyes. Who would have thought her words would touch him like that? He knew Naruto was gazing at him intently. To hide his sudden emotions, he quickly placed a strong arm around the girl's shoulders and pulled her against his side, half-hugging her. "Ne, you're making an old man feel very sentimental here, brat."

A small smile appeared on Naruto's lips at Jiraiya's gruff but kind words. "I really mean it, though. You were the first to ever truly believe in me." She leaned back a little to look into the tall Sannin's eyes. "Thank you."

Jiraiya suddenly felt warm, as he took in the sincere smile on the girl's face. For the first time in over two years, the smile was reaching her eyes. He smiled back at her, marvelling at those beautifully sparkling blue eyes that reminded him so much of the girl's father. Before Jiraiya had left Konoha with Naruto, he had promised himself to bring the smile back to her eyes. He had finally succeeded.

Naruto swallowed and spoke again. "You put your trust in me, because you saw that I can be more than the boastful, hyperactive idiot... And I think that is what I have to show to everyone else, if I expect them to acknowledge me. Why would they trust someone who only causes trouble? Hell, even I wouldn't have trusted me back than", she chuckled mirthlessly.

"Do you think they will acknowledge me, if I show them my other side? This side of me?", her blue eyes stared at Jiraiya. He saw hope in them, but also fear of hearing that there was no chance for her to ever be recognized.

The white-haired man turned towards her, fully facing her. "Uzumaki Naruto", he began almost solemnly, "you are one of the most courageous, honest and caring persons I know. Everyone, who won't see that side of you, is not worthy of your attention. You have always been like this, Naruto, your personality has not changed as much as you might think. It is only that you finally stopped hiding behind that grin of yours." He looked thoughtful. "I know how easy it is to hide your insecurity behind loudness. Somehow people always assume that loudness is a sign of confidence."

Although Jiraiya was addressing her, Naruto knew that he was talking from personal experience.

"After what I told you about my team mates, you know how very much I understand you. Sasuke and Sakura hurt you deeply and I saw how much their betrayal changed your attitude towards life. I see how you're questioning everything you ever believed in, but let me tell you, Naruto, you need to find back to yourself. I hate to see you like this. You used to be so determined." He shook his head in regret.

"Maybe you don't want to be Hokage any more, maybe you still do. Maybe you want the villagers to acknowledge you, maybe you don't. Maybe even with all your effort, they will never overcome their hatred. Maybe they will see the real you and some day come to trust and even love you. Maybe you now feel like you need their appreciation to be happy, maybe you will one day realize that you didn't. But so what? You don't need to decide everything now. Take your time. But eventually, you have to find back to yourself."

His intense gaze was fixed on her. "This is your life, Naruto. Whatever your team mates did to you, you can't let their actions dictate the rest of your life."

The blonde only looked at her sensei with surprised, wide eyes. His words had touched something inside of her. It was not like he had presented the solution to her problems, but it was a start. She would take his advise into consideration. But already something he had said was taking root in her mind. This is your life, Naruto. Whatever your team mates did to you, you can't let their actions dictate the rest of your life. She knew Jiraiya was right. She couldn't keep moping about Sasuke and Sakura. However, she would never forget it. She would never be the same again. She would not let their betrayals rule her life, though. Nevertheless, she had learned her lesson and she would not go back to being the village's idiot. Maybe Jiraiya was right and this new side of her had always been there, but she had been hiding it behind a mask. Maybe she somehow had to thank Sasuke and Sakura for forcing her to grow up and become the person she now was.

Suddenly, she didn't feel as insecure as just a minute ago. Still, she had too much to think about. After all, she still had to think about what to do in the future.

Heaving a heartfelt sigh, she stood up. Jiraiya looked up at her, understanding that she needed time to make up her mind.

Before she left, she turned back to Jiraiya and suddenly shot him her foxy grin. "You know", she said, "you should tell Tsunade-baachan that you love her."

The Sannin sputtered indignantly. "W-What!"

His student only kept grinning and then winked at him. "It's pretty obvious, you know. You got this dreamy look on your face whenever you're talking about her."

Naruto left him alone, giving Jiraiya something to think about as well.

One and a half years after Sasuke left Konoha:

Itachi had finally found his otouto. It had not been easy to keep his search for Sasuke a secret. Madara was watching the Akatsuki member's moves and usually Itachi was always travelling with his shark-like partner Hoshigaki Kisame. Therefore it had taken longer than he would have liked, but this had also given him the chance to make up a plan of some sorts. Itachi knew that the second his little brother laid eyes on him, he would try to kill him. Itachi was not worried that Sasuke could defeat him. Not yet, at least. So his plan was simple.

They were at the northern border of the Land of Sound and Itachi had succeeded in getting Sasuke alone. He had watched him for three days already, making sure to catch him on his way back from a solo mission to Orochimaru's current hide-out.

Sasuke had grown, but was still smaller than Itachi. His hair had not changed at all, but to Itachi's liking, his clothes looked too much like Orochimaru's.

The moment Sasuke's onyx eyes focused on his aniki, they widened in shocked surprise. Immediately, he schooled his face back into the neutral mask he always wore. "Itachi", he spat at the older Uchiha. His sharingan flared red. Three tomoe were spinning angrily.

"Little brother", Itachi greeted and inclined his head at Sasuke. "You have grown."

"What do you want, Itachi?", Sasuke growled.

Itachi activated his Mangekyou. "I want you", he simply said and instantly Sasuke was unknowingly caught in his genjutsu.

With an angry cry, Sasuke launched himself at Itachi. Itachi evaded a punch to his face, sidestepping his brother. Sasuke aimed a fist at his belly, but only hit air. Losing his balance, Sasuke staggered. Itachi easily stepped around him. Sasuke pulled out a kunai and whirled around to stab the kunai into Itachi's chest.

With a squishy sound Sasuke's kunai sunk deeply into the heart of his brother.

Hot blood was running over his fingers and down his right arm.

A gasp was heard. Sasuke looked up – and his gaze met a pair of familiar ocean blue eyes.

What? Sasuke stumbled back.

In front of him stood a blonde girl in an orange jumpsuit. "Na-Naruto?" His voice was shaky. What was she doing here? He was fighting Itachi – how...

"Sasu... ke...", the girl gasped. Blood was gushing over her lips, running down her chin. The blue eyes stared at Sasuke in disbelief and pain. She reached up with her hands and gripped the kunai protruding from her chest.

Sasuke could only stare as she fell to her knees.

"Why did you...", Naruto started, but was choking on the blood that filled her mouth.

Naruto's hand reached out to the raven, silently begging him to come to her. Without hesitation, Sasuke knelt in front of her, grabbing the outstretched hand. She fell to the side and Sasukecaught her, pulling her in his arms. Her shoulders were on his lap and her head rested on his arm.

Sasuke didn't know what to do. Here he was attacking his brother. How had he ended up killing Naruto?

"Sasu-ke..." Naruto's bloody left hand came up to his face, touching his cheek. He placed his hand over her's, still watching her, speechless.

Beautiful blue eyes focused on him. "Why did you kill me, Sasuke?"

Paling, Sasuke cringed at the words. Her voice and eyes were full of accusation. "Why did you leave me alone?"

The raven saw the pain in her eyes, but knew it was not due to the kunai in her chest. He had left her. Abandoned her, although she had pleaded him not to go. He had shoved a chidori through her chest, aiming to kill. This time it was a kunai. And this time, he had struck her heart.

"Why?" Her voice was louder now, even more accusing. "How could you? You said I was your closest friend!" She was spitting blood, but Sasuke didn't care as little red droplets hit his face.

He needed to say something, anything. He needed to make this right. Before she died. "Naruto, I..." He didn't know what to say. He hadn't meant it when he punched through her thorax...? He had never wanted to kill her, but killing Itachi was more important...?

The blonde's eyelids fluttered.

"No, Naruto!" Suddenly panicking, the raven shook his former team mate. "Don't you die on me, dobe!" He squeezed her shoulders, desperately trying to get a reaction out of the dying girl. "Don't die, please! I'm sorry, Naruto!" He didn't care that he was shouting at a dying girl. "Naruto, do you hear me! Please, just please, don't die!"

Naruto coughed. Her eyes opened again. But suddenly Sasuke wished, they had stayed closed. Too many emotions were swirling in the blue orbs. And all were directed at him. Pain. Confusion. Accusation – and. Hatred. There was a coldness in these eyes that made him shiver.

"I hate you, Sasuke", said the girl in a hard voice. Her eyes gave a final flutter, closing. The body in Sasuke's arms slumped, her head lifelessly lolling to the side. Uzumaki Naruto was dead.

"No!" Sasuke wailed in anguish. There was no mistaking. This time he did kill Naruto. The dobe. His best friend? Hot tears were running down his blood-stained cheeks. "No no no no no...", he repeated to himself, not accepting what was happening.

The blonde's last words were playing in his head. I hate you, Sasuke. Knowing that the only person he had ever considered a friend, had died hating him, made his chest hurt like it was on fire. The dull ache that was his constant companion peaked. The pain consumed him. It surged through his body, feeding on his momentary self-loathing.

All thoughts on Itachi were forgotten as he held onto the corpse of his former rival and best friend.

Sasuke passed out before Itachi released the genjutsu he had cast over his littler brother in the moment he had first looked into his Mangekyou sharingan.

The older Uchiha stood in silence over his brother's unconscious form. He was surprised. Beyond surprised, actually. Itachi had not expected this. The genjutsu he had cast on Sasuke was supposed to show the boy's greatest fear. Itachi had expected something in the lines of Itachi killing Sasuke or Sasuke reliving the night Itachi had killed their parents. He had not expected... well, this.

Sasuke's greatest fear was killing Naruto? Or losing Naruto? Or Naruto telling him that she hated him? Or all of those?

How could he use this new information to his advantage? He dismissed his former plans and pondered on his options. Sasuke was unconscious. He could easily take the boy with him now. But where to? Itachi could not bring him to the Akatsuki. He would never let Madara lay hands on his otouto. But he couldn't take him to Konoha either. There was a 'kill on sight' order on Itachi – and probably on Sasuke, too, by now. And why would Itachi – traitor and murderer in the eyes of everyone except for the council Elders – bring back his brother to a village the boy had betrayed as well? No one would believe him. So taking him to Konoha was no option, neither was Akatsuki.

Itachi didn't like it, but he had no choice but to leave Sasuke with Orochimaru for the time being.

He sighed sorrowful and bent over the form of his little brother. "I'm sorry, otouto. I promise, I won't fail you again. I will see you safe." He quietly flicked Sasuke's forehead with his index and middle finger like he hadn't done in so many years.

Sparing Sasuke a last glance, he walked away, a new – better – plan already forming in his head.

Two years and six months after Jiraiya and Naruto left Konoha:

Master and student were packing their things in silence. Naruto sealed their cooking utensils together with her bedroll and backpack back into the storage scroll. She used some water from her water bottle to extinguish the last remnants of their camp fire.

Jiraiya watched her, arching a white eyebrow at the girl. She was taking longer than usual. He knew something was up with the girl. She had been increasingly restless the last couple of days. They had planned on leaving for Konoha today. They were only three days away, already within the borders of Fire Country.

Naruto had eventually finished and was now strapping her katana to her lower back. Slowly, she strolled over to her sensei and stopped in front of him, looking up at the taller man.

Her blue eyes held a swirl of emotions, but it had become more difficult lately to read the girl. Still, Jiraiya knew what was coming. He knew her.

"Jirayia, I –", she started, but Jiraiya interrupted her with a movement of his hand.

"It's okay, kiddo." He reassuringly smiled down at his ward and placed a large, heavy hand on her shoulder.

Naruto peered at him, searching in his face for any signs of disapproval.

She wouldn't be returning to Konoha with Jiraiya.

Her mouth opened again. "I just need time to figure out some things."

"I know."

"Tell obaa-chan I'll be back soon, will you?"

Jiraiya pulled her into a tight hug, which Naruto gladly returned.

"I will", he replied and affectionately ruffled her hair. "Just don't take too long. And stay away from the Akatsuki, you hear me?"

Naruto nodded obediently. Jiraiya released her and with a last smile, turned towards the road to Konoha.

Naruto watched as his figure got smaller and smaller and finally vanished in the distance. She took a deep breath and ,straightening herself, set out into the opposite direction.

The author says:

I feel pretty good about this chapter. I really enjoy writing this story!

I need some constructive criticism, so please tell me what you don't like about the story. I can't improve, if no one tells me what I could do better, you know.

Thanks, over and out,

xXHaneliXx