The Power of Youth... and Love

Chapter 1: a simple mission gone wrong

"why the hell was this an A rank?" Naruto huffed as they were speeding towards their target. He ws usually annoyed whe he got a mission that was kinda slow, and getting these ingredients was at most C rank to him. "would you shut up?" Sakura chimed in. "It's this high a rank because we have to head into enemy ninja territory"

Hinata and Neji (the team leader) had their Byakugan active since they entered the Land of Stone, not wanted to get ambushed by the enemy. "Besides" the monotone Jounin added. "Lady Hokage was very clear that she needed these rare herbs for an antidote" "*pshh*, she didn't need me for this Neji" he said, as they finally got to their destination. "I mean, we're only on the edge of the Stone country... it's not like they're going to ambush us so close to home"

Sakura and Hinata (who turned her Byakugan off) were quick to start gathering the herbs. "Naruto-kun's right, we should be safe around here anyways" Hinata smiled softly. "Well, we never can be too careful Hinata" her cousin replied, keeping focused on the area around the group. After about 5 minutes, they had collected enough and were ready to go. "Alright," Sakura sighed as she lifted the knapsack over her back. "Let's get going!"
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They were just over the border of the Land of Fire, so *naturally* the Hyuuga clan members turned off their "all seeing eyes," as Naruto laughed. "See, I told you," the now Chunnin Naruto said, proud that he was right *for once*. "nothing bad would ever hap-" he was cut of by a loud noise foullowed by a ear peircing scream. Hinata fell from the trees *with a kunai sticking out of her abdomin*, Naruto and Sakura flew down to save her. *naruto grabbed her and landed softly on the ground, laying her down gently and taking off his jacket so she could have a make-shift pillow.

Sakura wasn't far behind, getting right next to her sudden paitent. She grabbed the kunai and slowly pulled it out, "careful, easy...." she muttered, as she got the very sharp knife out and was begining her healing jutsu. "N-naruto-kun...?" Hinata whispered, kind of dizzy from the slight blood loss. "What is it Hinata?" he asked, very concerned for his friend. "well, it's just that.... if I don't make it.... I want you to know...." she said, try as hard as she could not to blush. naruto just tilted his head to the side, not sure what she was going to say. Hinata simply smiled "I..... love you... very very much" tears started to form at her eyes, as her long time friend was *for lack of a better word*... stunned.

Naruto was completely dumbfounded and thought *nah, she didn't really mean that, it was just the pain talki....* he was cut off by a kiss on his lips by the usually shy Hyuuga Heiress. *...wow, her lips are so soft....* was the only thing he could think as he wrapped his arms around her. Sakura was almost finished closing up the wound, deep, but not lifethreatening. *not that I would tell her that after what she just said* smiling for her friend and her very close friend.

Naruto opened his eyes and saw the enemy walking right up to them, kunai in hand. "Heh, now to gut the rest of them like I did the little bitch" the Earth Jounin grinned. Hearing that about Hinata made Naruto snap, he leaped at him without thinking and just went right to work on this poor bastard. "Saton: Rasengan" without even trying, he blew the jounin away with his enhanced rasengan technique, to which the jounin was never seen again...

Still rather pissed, Naruto glared at the new hole he made in the forest. "If he survived that, I'm going to make sure he doesn't a second time...bastard, how dare he say that about...." the now 17 year old blonde paused and smiled a little, turning around to see Hinata's sweet face. Looking right past him, Sakura was trying to see what was left of the man she heard only a few seconds before. "... Man, I thought I was strong" she said, mildly shocked that he was even capible of that. Meanwhile, just above their heads *and seeing the whole thing without having time to react,* a rather surprised Neji smiled a little at both his younger cousin, and his friend. "Good, you better be that kind to her," he smirked. "I most certianly don't wanna have to fight you again just because you hurt her...." He went down to his fellow teammates after disposing of the other ninja, having a huge smile of releif all the way down.
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Tsunade was mildly shocked when she saw a second envelope clearly marked top secret on her desk. "Why did Neji hand me this second report?" she wondered. "I mean, the mission was done, and Hinata was resting after her injury, so what is inside this thing?" Not wanting to wait any longer, she opened the envelope and read the note.

Shizune was just on her way back to the Hokage's office to tell Lady Tsunade that the antidote was successful, and that the paitent was recovering nicely, when all she could hear was laughing. She walked right in to see her master giggling like there was no tomorrow. "Tsunade-sama...?" she asked slightly. "Yes?" Tsunade smirked, holding a report in her hands. "What is so funny?" Shizune asked as Tsunade showed her the report. "So, Naruto and....?"all her master could do was nod. "Why is that so funny Tsunade?" she asked her master. "because," Tsunade giggled. "I can't wait to see Hiashi in my office fumming over this little bit of information"
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Naruto wasn't too happy hearing someone knocking at his door. "WHAT THE HELL, IT'S 3:30 IN THE FREAKING MORNING" he shouted, waking up really early after a long day was not one of his good moments. He opened the door to see it was Neji. "Hello Naruto, may I come in?" the long haired jounin asked. "y-yeah, sure," Naruto waved and got the Hyuuga a seat. "I saw what happened today between you and my cousin" Neji said promtly. Naruto nodded "I don't think she really meant it... but it felt nice to hear someone say that to me." "Oh," Neji sighed *Uzumaki Naruto, dumb as a rock and twice as hard headed.* "She has loved you for a long time Naruto, did it ever occur to you as to why she was always staring?" Naruto just sat there quietly *hmmm, now that he mentions it.... (flashbacks to all the times she bulshed at something he said, always seeing her around the corner....)* It finally dawned on him, "oh....." naruto said, embarassed that he hasn't noticed at all over the past 5 years.

Neji just sighed, "well, I came here to also tell you what you may be in for...." and all Naruto could do was listen to his friend had to say.