Sakura and Naruto stared dumbly at four ninja now sitting at their table. Kakashi, Shikamaru, Sai, and Hinata.

"Your hair," Hinata gasped quietly, the first to really talk.

Naruto rubbed his bald head subconsciously. "Ah yeah… you like it?"

Kakashi glanced around the apartment. "Well… I see you've been comfortable."

"We have," Sakura agreed. "Naruto put a lot of work into this house."

"We both did," he reminded her.

Hinata blushed a little but looked around the place along with the others. Sakura stood near Naruto, both in defensive stances.

"Relax," Shikamaru waved them off. "Nobody knows we're here. We're supposed to be on a mission gathering Flaxsing from the vally of air, but we took a detour."

"How did you find us," Naruto demanded. His eyes were stone and set. His face set firm. "If you can find us, so can others."

"Nobody else knows. We only know because Kakashi sent one of his dogs on you. You've been watched by him this whole time. Nobody else knows. Those who do aren't about to tell our Hokage." Sai gave a closed-eyed smile.

Naruto and Sakura still didn't relax. "What are you doing here?" Sakura demanded.

"You're not happy to see us?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

Naruto pursed his lips and Sakura put her hand in his. "We've started a new life here. I'm farming goats. Sakura is teaching and healing. This is our home now. We don't want any trouble."

"N-Naruto," Hinata spoke up, "I-it isn't that we want to b-bother you… i-it's just… we miss you. And K-Konoha… they… it… um…"

"We need you." Kakashi said firmly. "We want you to come back."

Sakura scoffed. "Oh here we go again! You guys need him NOW. So you'll accept him back NOW. But as soon as you don't need his power you'll betray him again wont you! where were you when the Anbu was after us Kakashi? Where were you when they set his place on fire! And no- even before that. Where were you when he was younger! You were an adult but you treated him the same as every-"

"Sakura, that's enough." Naruto held out his hand. "What do you mean you need me?"

"Naruto you cant really be listening to them! They're just going to use you again!"

"It's still our home Sakura…" Naruto gave a small smile. "I still love that place."

"Thank you," Kakashi bowed his head and took a seat at the table. "Now… I understand you're angry with the leaf Naruto."

"As he should be," Sakura huffed.

Ignoring her, Kakashi continued. "Look no one wanted you dead Naruto. Just Kato and the council, tainted by him. And since his rule… more specifically since they kicked you out, the place has fallen apart."

"Fallen apart how?" Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"As soon as you left, Tsunade defected," said Sai. "She didn't have the power to Stop Kato with her injury and she wasn't about to support the village so she left. She took a few people with her. Shizune primarily. Without those two our medical field degraded quickly. Death rates rose."

Naruto nodded. Sakura gave her master a mental high five.

"Not long after Tsunade left, Kato wanted you hunted down and disposed of. He wrote letters to each of the five great nations and the land of iron for their cooperation," said Shikamru. "This would turn out to be a big mistake. Almost instantly Suna cut off all ties with the leaf. They shut down their borders and refused to allow any leaf shinobi through their land. If we want to go north we had to pass around…."

"But," Kakashi sighed, "Soon that would be impossible. Every nation wrote back with the same response. They would not cooperate, furthermore they would not allow acess to Leaf Shinobi. They threatened military action if the leaf even tried to pass through. Our entire nation is on lock down. No one is allowed out for any reason. Leaf Shinobi are something of outlaws to them."

"It took all of Kato's power to avoid a war. And he only managed to put it off for a little bit," continued Shikamaru for Kakashi. "Last week I received a letter from Gaara. He said I was the only one he could trust. Basically… Gaara warned me that in the next few months, the cloud and the sand were going to make a military strike against us. And by Military strike I mean Gaara, with the help of the cloud and the support of the other nations, will make a strike against the leaf. This will be a war. But, more of a massacre. Since they cut of the borders we've been starving. We cant get food in or even tools. They've cut off our supply there."

Naruto frowned. "All because I left?"

"Exactly. Gaara was furious. He thinks highly of you," Sai shrugged. "Everyone does."

"Why dont you just let Gaara get rid of Kato? We all know he would win. Especially if the Raikage helped," Sakura pointed out. "They could just come in through the front door and kill him."

"Because unfortunately that isn't how wars work. The Anbu will fight with Kato. So will others. And they will die. Lands will be seized. We want this to end without anyone's blood but Kato's. And there's only one person the village would let through without a fight," said Shikamaru.

"And it's you N-naruto," said Hinata softly.

The two blinked. "Me?"

"Yes. We want you to come back. We want you to fight Kato and take your spot as the Hokage."

"Well he isn't," Sakura slammed a fist on the table. "There's nothing you could say to get us to return."

Kakashi stood, looked her firm in the eyes and said, "for the past year they've kept Sasuke in prison."