Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Naruto. He is Property of the Genius That Is Kishimoto Masashi.

It had been 2 days since the fateful return of the retrieval team. Entering Konoha broken and empty handed, they were whisked away to the hospital in an attempt to save their lives. Nara Shikamaru, the leader of the expedition, hadn't left the area outside the operating rooms once, determined to hear the first news of his teammates. He had been ecstatic when Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage, informed him that Akimichi Chouji, his best friend, had been cured of the severe chakra poisoning his families secret pills had given him. He was equally thrilled when Shizune came out announcing success in healing Hyuuga Neji. When medics claimed that both Inuzuka Kiba and Uzumaki Naruto would survive, he allowed himself to finally relax a bit. His first time leading and they had come out with zero casualties versus opponents much more skilled than themselves. As the tension left him, he collapsed under the exhaustion that had built up, and was placed in a bed in the same recovery room as most of his team to get some much needed rest.

Yamanaka Ino was lying in her bed, the curtains drawn to block out the streaming morning light. Her eyes were unfocused, staring at the ceiling, as she lies deep in thought about the boy she had once admired. A boy she had strong feelings for, who she thought would be the perfect match for her. Why, why had he left the village? He had not only left her, but had even left her friend and rival, Haruno Sakura, unconscious on a street bench, had left a team and a sensei, had left the admiration of nearly all the girls in his age group and some that weren't, and the respect of the villagers as a whole. She had spoken briefly with Sakura the day after he had gone, and she had said he left for power, the power to kill his brother who had slaughtered his entire family.

The more she thought, the more she questioned herself. Did she really like him? Her first thought would be a very firm yes. But the more she dwells on it, the more she noticed how she didn't know that much about him. She didn't know about his desire to kill his brother before Sakura told her, she didn't know what he liked to do in his spare time, she didn't even know his favorite food, or even what he really liked in most cases. There had been rumors, of course, of his likes and dislikes in women, but he had never acted on them if they were true. He had never acknowledged her, had never sought her out, never spoken to her unless she pushed him for a response, and even then it was mostly grunts and that "Hnn," noise he makes. Was all he was just a pretty face and a famous name? Growling in frustration, she sat up and forced herself into her morning routine. She took the time to hide the bags under her eyes with makeup as best she could, and used eye drops to cure the bloodshot look she had. She hadn't slept a wink in nearly 2 days and it showed on her normally lovely face. Getting dressed, she headed to the hospital again to check on her teammates.

As she entered the hospital, she went to the front desk to see if her friends were out of surgery yet. The medic behind the counter smiled as he said that everyone was doing well, and gave her directions towards their shared recovery room. Moving as fast as she dared in the halls, she made her way towards her friends.

Stopping outside the door to relax herself and make sure she was presentable, she knocked softly before she entered. The room was large, with 6 beds inside. On one side was Kiba, hooked up to a few machines, his side bandaged up, and his puppy lying at the foot of his bed, also bandaged.

Next to him was Neji, hooked up to significantly more life-sustaining machinery. He had numerous bandages on his body, and his female teammate, Tenten, had pulled up a chair and was holding his hand.

The next bed held Rock Lee, also bandaged and hooked up to the same type of machines as Kiba.

The other side of the room held her teammates. Chouji was still unconscious, and he looked deathly thin. He didn't have quite as many tubes and machines as Neji, but more than Kiba or Lee.

Shikamaru was sitting on the side of the next bed, seemingly spaced out while staring at his friend. The last bed, however, was empty, and didn't look like anyone had been there previously either.

She ran over and wrapped her arms around Shikamaru, crying tears of joy that everyone was alright. Shikamaru just held onto her and sat her next to him on the bed as he rubbed her back. She sat up slowly and glanced at the other occupants. "Sorry guys, I'm just happy my teammates are okay." Tenten smiled and nodded, reaching her other hand over and patting Lee on the arm.

"I know how you feel. This baka just gets healed and rushes out to battle. He even had the nerve to get himself drunk!" She laughed good naturedly at the poor boy and gave him another smile. "I'm just glad they both came back alive."

Kiba looked down at his puppy and spoke up, "I almost lost him, my sis said he was extremely close to dying. This is what ninja life is, huh. Fighting against people who won't hesitate to destroy you." His tone was solemn, and the gathered Genin and one Chunin thought hard about what their life was. They knew that the older they got, the more missions like this one they would receive, and their luck could not hold out forever. Some time they might come back to report a teammate, a friend, had died. The air took an uncomfortable silence that was broken up when someone knocked. The door opened to reveal the rest of Team 8, Aburame Shino and Hyuuga Hinata.

"I'm glad you're okay Kiba-kun," Hinata said quietly as she leaned down to give him a gentle hug. "You had us worried, you too Akamaru."

"I wish I had accompanied you. Regretfully, I did not return until last night," voiced the ever-stoic Aburame.

As Hinata looked around the room, she noticed the empty bed. "A-ano, where is Nar-Naruto-kun? He's o-okay too, is-isn't he?"

Shikamaru glanced around. "Mendosuke…the medic last night said that he was, but I wonder why he isn't in here with the rest of us?" Almost on cue, Shizune entered the room. "Hey, you're that medic that healed Neji, right?"

"Hai, my name is Shizune and I'm Tsunade-sama's apprentice."

"Mendosuke, but where is Naruto at? I thought he was recovered as well?"

Shizune bit her lip, unsure how to answer that they kept him in his own room to make sure that the seal was still intact after his fight, not wanting anyone to see if something odd did happen, she decided to lie. "Naruto-kun is in a special observation room to make sure that he is healing properly."

Unfortunately for her, Shikamaru was a genius and quick on the uptake. "Why is he in a separate room? I would have thought that Chouji and Neji's wounds would require something similar."

With a sigh, she decided to tell them a bit more. "Naruto-kun suffered the worst wounds out of the entire group. A broken arm, second degree burns over 40 percent of his body, chakra burns over another 50 percent, 5 cracked ribs, 4 shattered ribs, a fist-sized hole through his chest that ruptured his right lung, , a broken neck, and extreme chakra exhaustion, on top of numerous cuts and lacerations on his body. He's stable right now but we want to be careful." She looked out over the shocked faces of the room. Most were wide-eyed, and Hinata was silently crying.

Lee spoke up, his normally boisterous voice was gone, a quiet shaky one in its place. "When I joined him in the fight with Kimmimaro, he only had a few small cuts. Did another Oto-nin show up?"

Shizune hung her head low. She really didn't want to give this news, but it was better her than some random stranger. "When Kakashi-san found him, the only chakra signatures he could sense that had been present were Naruto-kun's," she paused, and her voice grew quiet. "And Uchiha Sasuke's. The entire valley they fought in was destroyed I'm told, and it from the electricity burns around the wound in his chest, Naruto was struck with the Chidori assassination jutsu. He was found unconscious and bleeding on the shore, with a scratched hitai-ate next to his head."

Shock filled the room. One of their own, a comrade, had tried to kill a fellow nin, his own teammate. It was a lot to take in. While they absorbed the information, Shizune ran her check-ups, then bid the kids farewell. As she started down the hall, the door opened and Ino stepped out, and then hurried to catch up with her. "Um, excuse me Shizune-san, what room is Naruto in?"

"I'm headed there right now. You can come with if you like." Ino nodded in assent and the two made their way to another part of the hospital.

After about 5 minutes they reached his door and Shizune pulled out a key to unlock the deadbolt, and then placed her hand on a seal array next to the doorframe, which glow a light blue as she pushed chakra into it. "This is a security seal, to make sure that no one can come in or out without the proper authorization. At the moment, only 3 peoples chakra are keyed to it. Naruto-kun doesn't like to stay in hospitals, so this makes sure he can't get out before we release him." She explained, though left out that it also kept people who would do him harm out as well.

She pushed the door open to a rather non-standard hospital room. The bed was most definitely not a standard issue bed, there were a few posters hung on the wall of various things, the most notable being the Hokage Monument and a Konoha symbol. The walls were a pleasant light blue, and there was a television and a filled bookshelf as well as a set of comfy chairs and a wardrobe. A small kitchenette finished the almost apartment-like room.

"This is Naruto's personal hospital room, provided to him by the Sandaime." She left out why he needed one, but hopefully the question would never come. Glancing into the room, she noticed Naruto was sitting up in his bed reading a scroll. He had torn his bandages off and unhooked himself from all the machines. "Naruto! When did you wake up?"

As Ino entered the room she noticed Naruto was awake. Her mind went into overdrive, wasn't he gravely injured, with horrible burns and a hole in his chest? As she looked at him, she saw that his skin was flawless, no sign of burns, scars, cuts, or anything, besides a circular scar on his chest, to indicate that he had been hurt. She suddenly turned bright red as she realized he was only in his underwear, a black pair of boxer shorts, and was sitting atop his blankets. He glanced up when Shizune called out to him, and waved slightly before rolling his scroll back up. Glancing over at a furiously blushing Ino, he couldn't help himself. "Like what you see Ino-chan?" He chuckled as her face turned nearly purple enough to match her outfit. "Turn around and I'll get dressed." She nodded furiously and faced the door, while he busied himself with dressing. "It's safe now, Ino-chan." She turned around expecting to see him in his traditional orange jumpsuit, but her jaw almost hit the floor as she took in his look. He wore a skin-tight muscle shirt that was blood red, showing off the muscles developed after years of hard training. A simple pair of black shinobi pants finished it, and was in the process of wrapping his ankles. Seeing the look on her face, he smirked. "I don't have any of those orange monstrosities stocked in here. It's been a while since I entertained, so forgive me if my manners are not up to par."

He walked over and sat on the side of the bed and sat down while gesturing to Shizune to run her diagnostics. The room was silent as her glowing hands ran over his body. Finally satisfied, she stood up. "It looks like you've healed up just fine, Naruto-kun. However, until Jiraiya-sama gets back in town to check the rest of you, I'm afraid you'll have to stay in here." She stifled a giggle at the face he made when she told him he had to stay. "He should be back within a week, and once we have his okay, you are free to go." Turning towards Ino, "I'll leave you two to talk then, just have Naruto-kun signal me when you're ready to leave. Sayonara." With that, she left the room and they could hear the lock click into place.

Naruto stood up off the bed and walked towards one of the chairs that sat in the corner. As he sat, he gestured for Ino to sit as well, and gave her a small smile as she got comfortable. "So, Ino-chan, what did you wish to talk to me about?" The small smile never left his lips. It wasn't his usual big goofy grin, nor was it a foxy smirk. It was a small smile of happiness, which he attributed to getting his first guest ever. He watched as the emotions crossed her face, she really needed to work on that. He saw confusion, relieve, happiness, sadness, and even a bit of the look she used to give Sasuke, that of a hungry predator.

Ino's mind was in a state of flux. Everything she had expected about the blonde shinobi had been shot down. His clothes, his manners, the way he held himself, they were all different than her memories of him. She just didn't know why, but she was happy he was alive and well, even if they weren't the closest of friends, barely acquaintances. His new outfit looked HOT, and she had to keep her mind on why she wanted to talk to him in the first place. She looked up and met his sapphire eyes and was transfixed. He was just calmly watching her, that smile on his lips that she had never seen before, and waiting for her answer. Finally, her brain engaged her mouth. "What's up with the –chan? I thought that was reserved for forehead girl." Ug, she mentally slapped herself. Not what she wanted to say.

His smile turned into a smirk as he watched her. "But Ino-chan, you came to see me, so it means on some level you care about me, so I'm just reciprocating." 'Plus' he thought, 'it's fun to tease her a bit.' He leaned back into his chair and spread his arms a bit, elbows planted on the arms, "But if you want me to, I'll stop."

Once again he had managed to fry her brain. What happened to the Naruto she knew, he would have never inferred anything past the surface of a situation, and he definitely didn't use words like "reciprocating". "No, no, it's okay, I was just wondering is all. But what I really want to know is how you healed so fast. Shizune-san told us about your injuries, and you seem to be fine."

His eyes held a look of deep thought while he contemplated his answer. "I have something similar to a kekkai genkai that allows me extreme properties of healing. It taps into my massive stores of chakra and heals my wounds without any conscious thought on my part. However, broken necks and gaping holes in my chest take a lot of chakra to heal, which I couldn't spare in the fight, so they were only healed enough to not kill me. My chakra stores filled while I slept and healed my body the rest of the way. Not even a scar, save for the one." He put his hands together in front of him and addressed her. "I know you didn't come here for idle conversation, we don't know each other well enough for that, regretfully. Why don't you tell me what you came for and I can send you on your way back to your teammates."

Taking in the information about his healing, and the abrupt settling to business, she schooled her thoughts. "I came to ask you about Sasuke-kun."

He scowled. "Of course you did. Well, lets get if over with. What do you want to know about the precious Uchiha that couldn't wait 'til I was out of this place?" His voice had lost the pleasant conversational tone and now had an edge to it.

Blanching slightly at how she was addressed, she began. "Ano, what I was wondering was, um, was the Sasuke-kun I admired real, or was it just fantasy. After what he caused you and our friends to go through, I want to know if he just made a bad choice, or if I was just blind to the true Sasuke-kun."

Naruto's scowl lessened as he thought. "Definitely not what I was expecting, not at all."

It was Ino's turn to get a little mad. "What were you expecting then, huh?"

He turned his gaze back to her and locked eyes. "I was expecting something along the lines of questioning why I didn't bring him back after I promised, probably you as a messenger for Sakura. I also wondered if I was about to receive verbal or perhaps even physical abuse. Maybe a little lecture on how much greater he was than myself. Definitely raised voices. Perhaps even getting blamed for his departure. I was not expecting to give a fan-girl an eye-opener."

"How could you think I would do that stuff, especially in a hospital?"

"I'm merely based my prediction off what limited knowledge I have of you, especially since I can barely remember hearing you talk without mentioning the teme. The rest was just observations of basic fan-girl mentality." He stated calmly, never removing his eye contact. "However, since you seem to be so keen on learning the truth, I believe I can fill you in. Sasuke, the Sasuke you all talk about being kind yet shy, a nice guy who cares for his friends and yearns to be accepted, truly existed."

Ino's face was full of shock. 'So Sasuke-kun really was like we all thought! Wait til I tell forehead.'

Naruto saw the excitement building in her face and regretted what he was about to say. "Yes, that Sasuke existed at one point. He was a good friend of mine, and his mother was one of the few that allowed me to play with their child. But that Sasuke died the day his brother slaughtered his clan. Sasuke hero worshipped his brother. Not many know this, especially among the younger generation, but he was tortured that night. Not physically, but mentally. His brother has a jutsu called Tsukiyomi that allows him to do whatever he desires to the victim for days on end, when only moments pass in the real world. He forced Sasuke to watch him kill their family over and over again. Forced him to see from his perspective as he cut down their parents. Your family deals with the mind, what kind of shock and damage would that do to an 8 year old." He leaned back to let her absorb his story so far.

Ino sat and thought about what the blonde in front of her just said. She had never actually entered a mind, but she had studied up on the psychology behind it. That kind of torture could warp someone, even an adult. It was sick and twisted, and it was his family doing it to him. Someone he looked up to. "But, didn't people try and help him? Didn't he have counseling, or even have one of my family go in and try to help heal it?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes, he went through quite a bit actually, and your father entered his mind to try and erase or at least repress the memories. However, they had been ingrained into his very psyche. He was changed. He only cared about power and revenge. He never once considered any of our class for a potential relationship. He was looking for, and I quote 'A strong woman to bear my children, who knows her place' not exactly what you were dreaming of. He looked at all the time you girls spent fawning over him and thought you were weak. If you had been someone who dedicated themselves to the shinobi life he MIGHT have given you a chance."

Taken aback at being called weak, even indirectly, her mind raced. Ino had a sudden question. "Naruto, how do you know all this stuff? No one else does, and it's doubtful that you've seen his medical records."

"I know because Sasuke told me, along with some conversations I had with Hokage-jiji before he died. Sasuke was getting better. He was responding to people better, and wasn't quite as driven to attain power. We confided a number of things we've never told anyone during the time between our A-ranked mission and the Chunin exams. But it all went downhill in the Forest of Death."

"What happened, did it have to do with those weird marks on him we saw?"

Another nod from Naruto. "Those marks were the symbol of a cursed seal. The previous day we had encountered Orochimaru, the traitorous Snake Sannin. He wants to use Sasuke as a container for his soul. In his quest to learn all the jutsu of the world, he decided he needed immortality, so he worked on a technique to transfer his soul into a new body. And with Sasuke's Sharingan, not to mention the pure potential for greatness he had, he had to have him. At the end of the fight, he gave Sasuke the seal. It is designed to feed on his want for power, making it an insatiable craving. It also amplified his negative emotions, especially rage and jealousy. Suppose you stub your toe in the dark on your end table. A normal reaction might be to swear and maybe punch it. To Sasuke, he would have used a katon jutsu to burn it for the slight of hurting him. Kakashi-sensei tried to help, he put a seal that would block out the curse, but it depended on his will-power. As soon as he thought he wasn't good enough, it would weaken. Unfortunately that is a common thought in his head. We tried to appease him. Give him what he wants, special training, preferential treatment, but none of it worked. He took it too far and got disciplined by sensei. Nothing horrible, just a lecture, but, I think, it was at that moment that he decided to leave."

Naruto stood up and made his way over to the kitchenette. "Before we talk any more, would you care for some tea?"

"Hai, that would be nice." She sat and watched the boy prepare the tea and a few onigiri with precision she would not have guessed he had. 'Although he keeps changing every detail I thought I knew about him.' After a few moments he returned with a tray and set it on the small table between them. He poured a cup for both of them, and then gestured towards her to try it. Ino hesitatingly reached for the porcelain teacup offered, and brought the steaming liquid towards her lips for a small sip. 'Wow, this is good, it has perfect temperature, delicate flavor, and a wonderful aroma. This can NOT be Naruto.' "Where did you learn to make tea like this?" she asked him as she reached for one of the onigiri, her hesitation gone. "We learned about tea ceremony and such in our specialized kunoichi training, and your tea is better than our sensei made."

He took another sip of the amber liquid before he answered. "I've lived on my own since I was 6. I had to learn a lot of things if I wanted to survive, and cooking was one of them. As for the tea, Hokage-jiji taught me. He used to let me serve visiting lords and nobles during meetings with the complete ceremony. I apologize for not giving you the whole song and dance, but I don't have the necessary equipment in here. The tea itself is something I imported from Na no Kuni (Vegetable/Greenery Country) for its relaxation properties, a very soothing blend if I do say so myself."

Ino had finished her onigiri, inhaling it as ladylike as possible, during his explanation. She drank a bit more tea and eyed the last onigiri on the plate hungrily. Naruto noticed, and gestured for her to take it. This one disappeared even faster than the first. She then lay back into the comfortable chair and slowly sipped her drink, feeling the relaxing power of the liquid at work. Within moments, her cup was empty and she felt her eyelids getting droopy. Naruto watched on as she slowly succumbed to her lack of sleep and worry. He set his own half-empty cup down and stood up, making his way to his guest. Gently lifting her slight frame, he moved her to the bed and placed her down before pulling the covers up and tucking her in. He gazed down on her sleeping face and smiled as he lightly pushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes. He then retrieved the scroll he had been reading previously and sat back down in his chair.

Ino lay in bed, enjoying the softness and the warmth. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it up higher as she curled up on her side. Figuring she should probably not waste the day, she reluctantly sent her hand out to grab hold of her clock to check the time. When her hand met air where her nightstand should have been, she felt her consciousness return in a flash. Slowly opening her eyes she scanned the room until she noticed Naruto sleeping in his chair, a blanket spread over him. As the mornings events came back to her, she slowly sat up. 'I can't believe I fell asleep. Naruto better not have done anything perverted!' She glanced down and saw she was still fully dressed, and nothing was out of place. She quietly crawled out of bed and was about to head towards the bathroom when a voice called out to her.

"Did you sleep well Ino-chan?" She turned to see Naruto looking at her with that same small smile on his face. "You looked like you needed some rest earlier."

"Hai, I haven't slept well the past few nights." 'Haven't slept at all is more like it.' "I need to use the bathroom though."

"Of course, be my guest." He then closed his eyes and relaxed into the chair again. She made her way into the small adjacent room and looked at her face in the mirror. Her eyes weren't bloodshot and the bags under her eyes were gone. Overall, she looked like her old self. Using the facilities, she returned to the main room and sat down across from Naruto. "Shizune-nee-chan came while you were asleep. She's telling everyone that you were exhausted and were put in a quiet room to rest. Not quite the whole truth, but it beats saying you were sleeping in my bed, even if I wasn't in it with you. If you'd like to continue our conversation we can, or I can signal nee-chan to let you out if you'd prefer."

The platinum blonde thought back to their previous conversation and realized she still had questions, both about Sasuke-kun and Naruto himself. "It must have been hard, to fight against a friend." She said quietly.

Naruto looked at her for a moment before closing his eyes. "When I first saw him, I tried to talk to him. Tell him that he could get strong in the village, that Orochimaru didn't care about his vengeance, only his body. He answered with an attack. As we fought, I told him that I thought of him as my brother. He told me that he was going to break all bonds, and that I could never know what he felt since I had never had the bonds to break. That I couldn't possibly understand him because he had lost something I never had. We kept fighting and I was holding my own, until his Sharingan evolved into its mastered form. From that point on the battle pulled into his favor until he rushed me with a Chidori. From there the rest of the fight is mostly a blur of adrenaline and emotions.

"I do remember, though, that he activated the final form of his curse seal. Those black marks fully engulfed his body giving him a dark skin tone, while his hair turned white and grew longer and he gained claws. Large hand-like wings sprouted from his back. He looked like an angel of death, an evil being out to destroy. That is what Orochimaru turned him into. We used one final attack each, and though we nullified each other, I succumb to chakra exhaustion while he had enough to cross the border and be officially out of our reach."

Ino had tears in her eyes at the end of his retelling. To think that her Sasuke-kun, the boy she had pined over and desired would do such a thing. But Naruto had no reason to lie, she wasn't his precious Sakura-chan he was trying to impress with his tales of betrayal and victory. She was a girl he hardly knew who had asked for answers, even if they weren't the answers she wanted. She glanced up from her silent crying when Naruto stood.

He rose from his seat and finished his story. "There is a little-known 'final' level to the Sharingan. No amount of training or conditioning can unlock it. The key to this powerful level is emotions. Grief specifically. Grief over killing the one you call your closest friend." She gasped, then looked on as he removed his shirt. "Before he attacked me with Chidori, I told him that I would help him with his revenge. His response was to activate the technique and tell me that my sacrifice would give him the power to kill his brother, that it was the only help I could possibly give him.

"Be glad that neither you nor Sakura-chan ever got truly close to Sasuke, or it would have been you that this attack connected with," he said quietly as he fingered the large scar on his chest. "Then, instead of licking our wounds, we would have been burying a comrade, and a traitor would have an unimaginable power. Sasuke's brother has that level. It was that final level that tortured Sasuke's mind, that put my sensei into a coma after the Chunin exams, that is powerful enough to burn through the esophagus of a mountain toad that make fire their home. The Mangekyou Sharingan."

Ino couldn't take it anymore. She lunged out of her chair and wrapped her arms around the stunned blonde. Her wet tears left tracks down his muscled chest as she sobbed. After a moment, he gently wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cry, whispering reassuring thoughts into her ears as he slowly guided them towards the bed. As her tears stopped she just lay there, enjoying the feel of his chest under her and the safe feeling his arms gave her. She looked up into his eyes and saw the concern he felt for her. "No boy is worth that. The boy I cared about died 5 years ago. I've made such a fool out of myself, let a friendship end, and it all could have cost me my life. What have I been doing all this time besides chasing an illusion." She lay her head back down as a few more silent tears spilled from her already puffy eyes.

"I'm sorry for all the sadness I've caused you," Naruto started, as he turned his gaze out towards the window where the sun was beginning to set. "It hurts when your realities are shattered, when you find out things, especially about those you care about or look up to, that are false. When you have a large build-up of a person in your head, just to have it torn down and the cruel truths of their existence come to light. I'm just glad I could help you get through, at least a little bit." He turned back towards her and his dark blue eyes bore into her own lighter blue. Ino saw pain and sadness in his eyes, overshadowed by a great loneliness. "Well, it's getting late. You've wasted your whole day in here with me, not that I'm complaining. I'll signal Shizune for you." He slowly released her and made his way towards a small seal next to the door, which illuminated gently as he activated it. "This is linked with that clipboard she carries on her rounds, so she should be here within the next 15 minutes or so."

"I don't need to leave yet; I'm actually enjoying myself for the most part. Besides, I have a few more questions for you." She stood and straightened out her outfit which had wrinkled up.

"About Sasuke?" he ventured.

"No, silly. About you. Believe me when I say that you've peaked my interest. I want to get to know more about you, especially since you blasted every preconceived notion I had out the window." She made her way towards the bathroom to wash her face. "Unless you don't want me to stay," she added with a fake pout. Her old self was starting to come back.

"Of course, you're welcome to visit me any time, but I'm getting a bit tired. My chakra hasn't restored completely yet. As for your questions, let me just say this for now, and you can ask more at a later time. What you saw today was the real me. The orange-clad baka who shouts out his every thought is but a mask, one that I'm trying to shed myself of. I ask that you don't tell anyone, mainly because this is something I'm going to do gradually, but also because everyone but a select few thinks I'm still unconscious." He walked over and grabbed his shirt, sliding the material back over his head and onto his body.

"I won't tell, but only if you let me ask one quick question before I leave." He gave her a small nod, so she continued. "If you're doing this gradually, how come I got the 'real' Naruto all at once?"

"You got the real me because this is one of two places where I never wear my mask. Where I feel safe and secure. If Shizune-nee-chan had known I was awake, she probably wouldn't have let you in. That, and I tire of my mask and I just couldn't bring up the energy to put it on when you came in." He glanced her way and she was shocked at how very old he looked, much older than the 13 she knew him to be, his eyes spelling out a lifetime of experiences that should never have happened to someone so young. He made his way to the bookcase and removed a small scroll, as well as ink and a calligraphy brush. "I won't answer questions about myself for free. I want something in return." He smirked at her confused face as he unrolled the scroll and began to write. After a few moments he was done, and he lay the scroll across his bed, revealing a series of seals. "In exchange for information, I want you to do something for me."

Slightly blustered, she responded. "And what, pray tell, could you want from me?" 'It had better not be anything perverted, or I'll kick his ass.'

His smirk increased at her answer. "Simple. I want a home-cooked meal. One cooked by you, for us to share the next time you visit me. As much as I enjoy this place, you just can't beat home cooking."

"And how exactly am I supposed to bring you a meal? I live a good 20 minutes from the hospital, not to mention I'd have to find Shizune-san to get in, as well as carry everything. Unless you plan on coming over to my house to do it."

"No, no. We'll talk right here. I'm sorry but this is the only place I feel comfortable talking about the real me with you at the moment. As for getting it here, that's what the scroll is for."

"And how is a scroll supposed to help me?"

"This scroll is the key, Ino-chan. These seals are storage seals. Simply place the food over the seal, channel chakra into it, and 'poof' it is converted into energy and held in a form of stasis until you add more chakra and release it. It will retain its freshness and temperature, so you can make it in advance. I drew 10 of these seals for you to use. If you make the dinner all at once, you can simply store the entire thing in one seal and have 9 left for personal use, or you can make it at your leisure and store them as you go. Either way the scroll is yours 'til then. Then I can either reinforce the seals on that one so that they are reusable, or teach you how to make the seals yourself. As they stand now, those are single use storage seals, so don't unseal anything if you can help it." He then rolled the scroll back up and spun it on his fingertip, using chakra to keep it from falling. "So what do you say Ino-chan. Is my price fair?"

Ino was once again blown out of the water. She knew of storage scrolls, but didn't know anyone (she thought) who actually used them. It was a fair price in her head, and those seals would do so much to simplify her life. She could store outfits and accessories, clear out the clutter in her private bathroom, even use them to keep flower arrangements fresh. She wondered idly if her parents had ever thought about using them. Now if only she could cook worth a damn. "I accept, but I may need to get some help from my mom since I'm not exactly very handy in the kitchen."

"Your mom can show you what to do, but you can only bring things that you made yourself. Don't worry if something doesn't turn out perfect, I can eat most anything. No one alive knows this, but I spent 2 years living out of food I found in dumpsters for the most part. I'm sure whatever you make will be delicious." He handed her the scroll and gave her that small smile again. "I had a good day Ino-chan, thank you."

"Y-you're welcome." There was a sound of a lock, and a moment later Shizune knocked before letting herself in.

"Are you ready to go Ino-san? Your father is in the lobby waiting for you. I got your signal just as he arrived."

Ino nodded and made her way towards the door. "I'll talk to you later, Naruto-kun." She turned towards Shizune. "I can find my own way out from here, thank you Shizune-san." With one last glance at the blonde, she left.

"You must have made quite an impression on her if she's calling you –kun now. Should I inform Tsunade-sama that her little brother has a girlfriend?" Shizune teased, eliciting a blush from the boy. "She seems quite nice, I'm happy for you."

"What are you talking about Shizune-nee-chan! She's just a friend, and a very new friend at that. I'll admit she's nice, but that doesn't mean we're in a relationship." His fought to control his blush as his nee-san giggled.

"Defensive are we? You were calling her –chan and everything. I'm just stating the obvious."

"Bha, forget it. I'm going to make myself some dinner and go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow nee-chan." And with that he turned around and began working in his kitchenette.

"Hai, hai, I'll check on you tomorrow morning before I start my rounds. Have a good night Naruto-kun." Shizune then made her way out of the room and reengaged the lock and seal, before heading off towards the Hokage tower to tell her sensei the good news.

Epilogue

Ino brought him a dinner she had prepared herself the very next day and he ate it burnt spots and all. She then brought him one the next day and the day after that. The day he was released they went on their very first date. It took the villagers a while to warm up to the idea, but they came around as he saved the village time and again from Pein and the Akatsuki.

Ino and Naruto were married at the age of 19, both of them Jounin. They had 3 children together and lived to a ripe old age. Naruto's healing and stamina bred true and their children were easily the most powerful of their generation.

A/N

Sorry for the rather lousy epilogue. I'm quitting fanfiction in about 3 minutes and I wanted to post this partially written story since I've been sitting on it for years. I had no idea where I wanted to take this so I gave it a fast happy ending.

Peace Out

Lord Retro