Hey There, everyone. Sorry I haven't been updating. I have been busier than Santa at Christmas time. Whew! Anyways, I am thinking about starting another fanfic, but I'm not sure to which pair should be. I either want to be a GaaMatsu, ShikaTema, or possibly a SasuSaku one. I need some input and you are resources! Hit me up on which one you think it should be. Until next time, PEACE OUT!

- Nate-Dawgg73

Hinata stood there, watching as Naruto guided Itachi through the fierce crowd. He looked serious. 'Which makes him look even better than normal.' thought Hinata, blushing at her own thought. 'Maybe I should see if he needs help.' "H-hey Naruto!"

"Hinata, can you help me with this crowd?"

"OK. Everyone please give him some room!" The crowd made a small pathway that led to the Hokage Tower. Hinata looked at Naruto. She noticed something very odd. Naruto or Itachi didn't have a scratch on them. They looked completely healthy and rested. Not as if they'd been in a huge brawl. 'I wonder...'

"Wow. They really hate this prick's guts." 'Hey don't say that, that's messed up. He was forced to and these people don't know that.' "Well, I didn't know that. I am locked out from the world, except for what I get from your head." 'Stupid fox.'

"Hey Naruto? Are you ok? You looked you'd be sick or something. I was worried."

"Oh sorry, Hinata. That dumb fox decided now would be a good time to talk to me."

"Oh. After your done, can I talk to you? You know, alone."

"Of course. But maybe you should come with me. Will you?"

"Sure!"

"All right. We're the best. Believe that!" "I thought you usually say believe it?" 'I told you to shut it!'

They walked into the Hokage Tower. They walked up the stairs, only seeing a few people wandering around. They reached Tsunade's office. Instead of knocking and waiting to be called in, Naruto just waltzed right in. Tsunade was talking with Kiba, Ryoko, and Shino. Akamaru and Akita sat off to the side. They all stopped and stared their way. Hinata blushed. She didn't like being the center of attention at any circumstance. They saw Naruto holding the rope that was tied to the Uchiha. Everyone, even the dogs, mouths hung open. "What the hell?!"

"Tsunade wait, I can explain."

"Let me at him. I'm gonna rip his head off!" said the Hokage, rolling up her sleeve, clenching her fists.

"Wait."

"You have no right to speak here, Itachi. You are no longer a part of this village."

"Grandma Tsunade, just wait."

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't have the Anbu kill him right now!"

"He has been excommunicated from Akatsuki and he has proof that he wasn't the mind behind the Uchiha Massacre."

"Well, that would be sufficient reason enough, but where is this proof?"

Itachi reached inside his Akatsuki cloak. Tsunade inched forward, her hand touching her kunai pouch.

Naruto took the paper and handed it to Tsunade. She grabbed it with enough force to show that she meant 100% business. She looked it over, slowly and inquisitively. Kiba sat on the floor next to Akamaru. Shino and Ryoko kept using sign language to talk to each other.

"Naruto Uzumaki, I here by order you to escort this man to Anbu HQ..."

"But Grandma Tsuna..."

"To be reclassified as a Konoha inhabitant. Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburama, Kiba and Ryoko Inuzuka, you are to accompany him." Akita and Akamaru sat there, looking at the Hokage, tails wagging and tongues hanging out. "As for you two, go with them, you silly pooches." She smiled at the dogs, then look Itachi right in the eye. "You are free to go."

So the six people and two dogs walked behind an Anbu Ninja who wore a wolf mask with three small blue triangles on each cheek. He stood about 6 foot 7 inches and was well built. His stride was surprisingly quick for a big man. They reached a dead end and the wolf-masked Anbu turned to speak to them. "What you are about to see is extremely classified and very top secret. Only the Anbu Captains and the Hokage know this code. If you so much as utter this to anyone but the Hokage or one of us, you will disappear from Konoha's history." He did a few quick hand signs and tapped the wall in about a thousand different places at amazing speed. He then butted his head on the wall. Silence. Then the wall shifted into two equal parts that separated away from on another.

They crept inside. "OK, Itachi Uchiha of the Uchiha Clan, former missing ninja, born of Konohagakure, master of the Sharingan, please step forward. Naruto if you would untie him." Naruto did as he was told. Itachi stepped forward. He was motioned to come in a smaller, darker room. He and the wolf-masked man went in and shut the door.

About 45 minutes had passed and they still hadn't finished yet. They had to occupy themselves by doing productive things. Akamaru and Akita layed by each other, asleep. Ryoko and Shino were whispering quietly. Kiba, who messing with a mouse, groaned. Naruto and Hinata sat against the wall, both looking down. A thought made its way into Hinata's head. 'Oh yeah! I was supposed to get Naruto's answer. Shino and Ryoko are busy flirting with each other. Kiba is messing with that mouse. Blaagh! Now is a good enough time as any.'

"H-hey N-Naruto?" Naruto was staring at the door. He apparently didn't hear her, because he didn't move one bit. What Hinata didn't know is that Naruto was having a conversation with someone she couldn't see.

About thirty minutes before Hinata had her thought about talking to Naruto, said Jinchuriki's host decided to speak to him. He heard him talk the first time, but ignored him. "Hey, kit. What are we doing in a place like this? Its to damn boring in here, kit." Silence from Naruto. "Hello? You there?" 'Whatdoyawant, you stupid fox?!' "I just wanted to talk to the only person I can. Is that too much to ask, since you are my jailer?" 'Ugh. Why are you so kamidamn annoying?' At the moment, he felt his consciousness being tugged on. He blinked once, then found himself standing about ankle deep in bad smelling water in a dark hallway. "Oh great, you just had to bring me here, didn't you?" "Well, yeah."

He knew that time seemed to go by faster when he talked to Kurama, but he didn't realize it was that fast. At that moment, Hinata started talking to him. He couldn't hear what she said, but he heard her voice. "OK I'm leaving, talk to me when I'm wanting to talk to you." "But that's never..." "Exactly."

"Naruto, c-can you hear me?" Hinata asked a blank-faced Naruto.

"Wha..Oh yeah. Sorry, wasn't paying attention."

"Oh. So umm, I h-have a question."

"What's that?"

"Well, you, uh, still haven't really answered my...confession. And I was kinda hoping you would give me some kind of sign as to what you're feeling, you know."

Naruto was utterly speechless. She didn't stutter at all. He didn't have his mouth open, but his eyes said it all: he was surprised. Hinata was actually firm with approach. "Well, I...I..." 'Well no one is watching, so maybe I should tell her. Haha, she looks like a poor little kitten beggin' for milk.' "Well, what I think I or what I trying say to you me like a like little."

"Um, I d-don't follow you."

'Stupid stupid stupid! OK get your head together. We got this!' "Want me to help?" 'No! You just stay out of this!' "OK what I was trying to say is..." 'Here goes nothing.' "...I have been thinking here lately about some stuff. You know, like the time Sakura confessed to me. I realized I really don't like Sakura." He turned and gazed into her pale, lavender eyes. "I like someone else. Hinata, I...I l-like y-y-you." He turned away, blushing a crimson that would put Hinata herself to shame, but she, however, was blushing one that made her seem as if she had been in the sun for hours.

Hinata's hands were trembling. That's when she realized the other three in the room were looking in her direction. She turned every so slightly to look at them. 'N...N...N-Naruto l-l-likes m-me...' Kiba looked befuddled as could be. Ryoko had a mischievous grin on her face. Shino was, well, being Shino, that same, unamused look. 'They h-heard him.'

At that opportune moment, Itachi finally walked out wearing new attire. He had a new forehead protector with no line across the middle. He still wore a black cloak, but without the red clouds. His sandals seemed to be the same ones he had on before. "Oh, about time. What the hell took y'all so long in there!?" Kiba said, stewing with unexplained anger.

"OK, now what'll you do now?" Naruto said, still a little pink.

"Are you feeling OK, Naruto? Your face is red."

He did a quick glance towards the cause of his blush. "Of course! I am perfectly fine!"

"Accept he just admitted he liked Hinata!" Ryoko blurted out, a drop of spit landing in her long, Burnett hair. Naruto turned as red as Kurama's chakra.

"Oh? Hn. Well, I have this, um, permit to show I am officially a Konoha citizen, but I am still on probation. Congratulations, you two," he said looking at the uncomfortable blonde and blue haired ninjas. "By the way, do you know where I could stay? They won't let me stay on the Uchiha Estate just yet."

Naruto shook off his embarrassment for the moment. "You can stay with me for while. I don't care."

"OK. Thank you for your kindness. I really don't deserve any at all."

Later, Naruto showed Itachi his apartment. He told Itachi to go inside and make himself at home.

"But don't I need a key?"

"I never bothered to lock it. People hated me too much. They'd break in."

Naruto turned and walked off, leaving Itachi behind to look shocked alone. He turned down the road and saw a certain Hyuga heiress behind a pole, looking at him. He smiled, blushed slightly, and started to walk in her direction.

'He's coming! Oh my gosh, he's coming!'

"Um, hey Hinata."

"H-hi, Naruto."

They stood across from each other, the awkward silence hanging over them like a curtain. "So, well, um, since I told you how I feel, how do you feel?"

Hinata looked down at the ground. At that moment, she had been doing her habit of pushing her index fingers together, but she stopped all of a sudden. She looked up at her love, his blonde hair swaying in the breeze. "I...I couldn't be happier, Naruto."

Naruto smiled and poked Hinata in the stomach. She giggled. Naruto and Hinata both starting walking down the street, not hand in hand, but side by side.