AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys hows its going? Yeah I didn't die, yet I feel like I should have for being so slow with my updates recently hehe (no one is laughing). Before you read this realize that I admit I suck at writing one-shots. I don't think there is enough time/words for me to express the feelings I want with one-shots so I try to avoid writing them, but this idea has been in my head for a while and I decided to finally finish it.

On another note I am still working on the new chapter for AIS, although it is just taking me a lot longer then expected. I will admit since I finally got good internet again I have recessed a bit into my old ways of gaming/wasting time not writing which recently I have decided to concentrate my efforts on writing again. I really hope to get the newest chapter out by the end of this month before my birthday (I turn 22 on Oct 28th!) and I plan to try to make it up to you by having it be at least as long as my currently longest chapter so as not to be a let down on length. I thank you so much for your patience and if you asked my IRL friends they would tell you how much I have mentioned about being an ass not working harder on this (which most of the time they would just nod in return) but still I need to get with the program. So hopefully you AIS fans should get the newest chapter without any more delays and without me being a lazy mofo.

Lastly I would like to give a shout out to mortalone for getting me addicted to the Satan666 manga done by Kishimoto's younger brother. I have to say I'm starting to like it better than Naruto because unlike Naruto, the main character actually develops mentally/physically as he ages unlike Naruto (it's a sad fact that I hate). I only say that because I'm beginning to get very sick of the whole Uchiha hard on that Kishi seems to have for Sasuke, and quite frankly I'm tired of it haha. Well I'm done with my rants, enjoy the fic.

The sweet autumn scent filled the night air as its quiet breeze swam through the ninja's blonde locks, his angular tufts dancing in nature's breath. He stood alone on a small wooden bridge; the very place that had given him people who gave him purpose, and also the place that no longer served his purpose. His sapphire orbs stared at the glowing moon through the dark currents below him, his mind ensnared in the rhythm of gliding water. He had stopped by many places that evening, indulging the nostalgia of how things had changed for him over the years. He had kept his promise; he had saved the closest thing he had to a brother from his damning path, bringing him back to the place he once called home. He remembered how he had helped him get the finishing blow, allowing himself to be his decoy for Itachi, hoping he would at least return home after he was dead, keeping his promise, but alas, kyuubi would not dare allow him to leave the world early. The welcoming home was that of cheers and happiness; the traitor that killed his clan was killed by the other traitor who was now a hero. The blonde was happy he was not shunned for his previous transgressions, though one could tell the uneasy atmosphere among the many who once knew and trusted him. Time eventually did its healing and things returned to normal within a few months; all except for one person. Which is what brought him to this bridge that very night, the day he had known was coming but kept to himself. He successfully kept the others in the dark like he had since he was very young; wearing the mask they knew and expected to see. He wondered if his old teammate felt this way during the last hours of being able to call the village his home. His travel pack hung heavily on his shoulders as he stood up firmly, fastening the straps tight with his hands before getting ready to embark onto the journey that would inevitably lead to his destruction. He looked back one last time at the sleeping village, turning and walking towards the other side of the bridge.

"Naruto-kun"

In his carelessness he didn't notice the feminine voice hidden near his position, but upon hearing it he recognized it immediately.

"Hinata….What are you doing here?" he turned around to face her as she jumped from her hiding place out from a high up tree next to the other end of the bridge. Her silky dark shoulder length hair glided in the breeze as she landed gracefully without any sound. Her lavender eyes remained focused on her feet; a trait the blonde began took notice in after he returned from his trip which lead him to believe she was even weirder then before.

"I said what ar-"

"Are you leaving the village?" her soft voice interrupted. His eyes flashed towards her, himself unsure what he should do now that she may know what he had planned. He slowly dropped his pack to the ground, walking forward and leaning his arms on the wooden railing, looking down at the flowing water.

"Yes"

The elegant teen took a few steps forward, standing on the bridge's edge with the blonde standing almost half way down it. She chewed her bottom lip staring at the side of the blonde slouching over on the railing.

"Wh-why are you leaving?" she said quietly. She watched his he remained motionless leaning against the railing.

"I kept my promise to her…it hurt knowing the outcome but I did it anyway"

"I don't understand…" she answered. Her eyes drifted towards the big survival pack.

"What prom-"

"I brought him back, and now that I've done it I must go" he stated quietly.

Hinata gasped at his statement. By chance she had seen the blonde teen moving at extreme speeds which caused her to active her Byakugan wondering if it was an enemy nin. When she saw it was indeed Naruto, she couldn't help but follow him wondering what he was doing at this hour. She remained still staring at her long time crush's face as he stared peacefully into the stream bellow.

"Do you have someone precious to you Hinata?"

The Hyuga was genuinely caught off guard from such a question but she had known that answer since before she was a Genin.

"Yes"

The blonde's head turned to her, but she forced her self to keep eye contact with him.

"Would you do anything to protect this person? Would you be willing to give up everything just to know that they would be safe?" he stood up straight, his eyes burrowing deep into hers in the moon light.

"Would you be willing to die for this person?"

Her pulse unconsciously began to quicken, although she again knew the answer immediately.

"Y-yes"

His eyes seemed so soften at her response, as his gaze shifted towards the Hokage monument. She understood what he meant, but still felt as if he was leaving something out. Moments past before he broke the silence.

"Can you keep a secret?" he asked.

The kunoichi nodded in return, afraid of how her voice would sound.

"I used to hate the Yondaime" he said, smiling at the mentioned Hokage's carved visage.

"I hated him for a long time, more than the villager's abuse or it for that matter. I used to stay awake at night wondering what I would do if I could ever some how find a way to confront him had he not died" he said.

"You know what I would do if I could meet him today?"

"Nn-no" she whispered, cursing at her stuttering beginning to return at the worst of times. She waited breathlessly as he seemed to ponder his next words carefully.

"I would shake his hand"

Silence crept upon them again as the young woman trying to grasp such a statement.

"Why would you do such a thing if you hated him?" she questioned quietly.

He took a deep breath as his eyes returned back to the dark water.

"He sacrificed himself for his people…his precious people. The Hokage must protect everyone they say, at any cost no matter how big." He said as he focused further onto the rock face.

"I used to think he did this to me as a punishment, something I had been burdened with because I was the one person no one would care about if something bad happened. It took me years until I realized the truth…" he closed his eyes, a tiny pearl of liquid rolling down one cheek.

Hinata could feel the conflicting emotions radiating from him, but decided it was best to let him continue without interruption.

"He trusted me Hinata. He trusted me through his own will that I would not allow the demon to escape." He paused, wiping the damp trail from his cheek.

"I have done pretty well since that day, only allowing it glimpses of freedom when I was in desperate need of its power. But now that I have brought Sasuke back I can leave knowing my precious people will be safe"

She felt her stomach began to twist at the actual mention of the word "leave" and began to desperately hope she could change his mind.

"What about Iruka-sensei and Tsunade-Sama? Them and many others deeply care about you and will be very hurt if you go away. Think of all the peo-"

"I'm doing this for them…to protect them" he responded.

"I won't allow another person to die because of the demon that I must imprison. I knew the day Asuma was killed that I've endangered you all long enough"

'You all? Could that mean me too?' Hinata thought for a moment. She felt nauseated the more she listened to his reasoning, the more he justified his departure.

"Trust me when I say that this is for the best. Too many people from the day I was born to now have suffered because of the demon. The sooner I leave the be-"

"What about your dream to become Hokage? Are you going to give up on that too!" she shouted. His eyes widened briefly from such an outburst from the timid ninja only to let out another sigh.

"Sasuke will become Hokage"

The Hyuga blanched from the shocking statement, bewildered and angry at the same time. She began walking towards him unable to stop her feet from moving. He looked up curiously as she drew closer to him. She suddenly stopped next to him, glaring at him fiercely as if he had committed murder.

"The village will be h-"

'SLAPPP!!!'

The blonde's face was twisted to his other shoulder from the impact, the Hyuga standing in front of him trying to catch her breath. His eyes found hers which caused him to gasp upon seeing them; tears were running down her cheeks.

"Why must you always do things alone…" she said quietly, her eyes desperately pleading with him. He felt his own heart began to hurt at such a display for the normally mild mannered Hyuga, a side he had never seen before. He steeled himself not allowing his decision to be affected now; he needed to leave and couldn't allow this to get in his way.

"I'm sorry, but there is no other way" he said silently turning around and grabbing his travel pack. Her sobbing became more pained as she watched him adjust the straps onto his back and to his shoulders.

"Take care of yourself Hinata" he said tonelessly as he began to walk away towards the other side of the bridge. He began nearing the end, listening to see if she had stopped crying, mad at himself for making her do such a thing. The blonde was within a few feet of the end as he let out a final sigh, knowing this would be the last night he would be in the village. He was brought out of his thoughts as he felt two shrinken wiz by his shoulders, slicing the straps on his pack making it fall down to the wood planks. He stood still knowing where they came from, and waited as she neared him from behind where he had left her.

"Hinata…I can't-" he was silenced as he felt her arms wrap around him from behind, pressing her body tightly into his as her tears began to wet the back of his shirt. He felt the color drain from him as she cried loudly into him, her wails muffled into the back of his shirt.

"Yo-you said th-that you should be willing to do anything for a precious pers-on" she stuttered, her breath trying to recover and speak at the same time. His heart began to swell at such an implication but didn't want to allow such a false hope. He attempted to move but she held firm, not allowing an inch.

"I can't stay, let me go"

"No"

"You will understand after I'm gone why this is necessary"

'No.."

He tried to move again more forcibly, but her arms seemed to tighten even more.

"If I stay here you will have trouble protecting your precious people, you have to let go"

"No!"

"Hinata please-"

"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"

"I will only cause them to die like Asuma!"

"You're my precious person!!!"

His mind stopped. A mixture of many intense emotions began to wage in his heart as he processed her words, unable to fathom the truth. He turned around slowly in her grip, looking down as her face was cast down, the tears still rolling freely down her porcelain skin. Her face slowly began to rise, meeting his gaze. No one in his life had ever said something so powerful to him, something he had hoped since he was little he could hope to attain: a person who truly held dearly to his existence.

"I don't understand…" he said quietly. She smiled lightly through her tears at his confusion.

"You don't need to…you just have to stay here…with me" she said, her shyness beginning to return as she blushed at her statement. He couldn't help but slowly run his arms around her, resting lightly on her lower back eliciting a tiny squeak in surprise as his eyes remained glued to hers. His face began to move on its own as she stood still in shock, unable to respond. His lips slowly glided towards her cheek as her heart began to scream what she should do. As his lips were about to make contact with her cheek she suddenly turned her face, meeting her lips with his as they both closed their eyes. They stood like that for a long moment as his arms squeezed tightly around her, bringing her as close as possible into his strong embrace. They finally eased backwards catching their breaths. She looked down at her feet as she could still feel the warmth in her face continuing to grow. The Hyuga was brought of her thoughts as she felt her self pressed into his chest in a powerful hug.

"Thank you" he whispered in her ear as twin tears escaped his sapphire eyes.

ENDING NOTE: I'm also co writing a fic called "Lusting for Love" with drag-eart, although I haven't been working on it as much as I should. You should check it out, its good stuff.