This is my 2nd fic that I will be working on. It features one of my favorite couples. I've been meaning to start this one up, but I never had the chance to. Oh, and don't worry. I'm still working on my other one, but that one is going deeper into feeling that I feel need time away from it. So enjoy this fic as well as my other one.

As I've said this is a NaruSaku fic, but I would be happy to include other pairings as well. I'm thinking of:

ShikaxIno or ShikaxTemari

KibaxHinata

NejixTenten

Of, course I need your opinions on that. Well, I'll save that for the reviews so enjoy the story.

NOTE: The beginning is just a recap of events so it may sound boring, but you could skim through and see where the story really begins. I just needed the recap to lead to the events of his departure.

Prologue

Konohagakure, or Konoha, one of the many Hidden Villages that have established themselves in the Naruto world. Headed by the Hokage, the ninjas of this village have been known for their Will of Fire and willingness to defended their home with honor and their life. However, it's past was not filled with the happiness it's surroundings seem to make of it. No, behind the present state, Konoha was always a target of war and disturbance among other ninjas and villages, and occasionally a 9 tailed fox.

Nearly 20 years ago, the Nine Tailed Fox, or Kyuubi, attacked the village with ferocious attacks that threatened the existence of this village. It would have succeeded, if not for the man who had faced him head on. It was a challenge that would cost him his life both ways. If he succeeded it would cost him his life, if not it would cost him his life and the village and its citizens, but that's what being Hokage is expected to do. So using a sealing jutsu, he sealed the Kyuubi and all its power into a newborn baby with blond hair, blue eyes, and a heart of gold.

That boy grew up hated, detested, and unwanted by the villagers old enough to remember the events. Their children soon followed suit, and hated him for just the sole reason that since their parents hated him, they should too. Of course, his ninja skills didn't quite help him get the recognition he wanted. Failure after failure after failure, he flunked at almost everything. But, his will was too strong, and he knew never to give up.

The Third Hokage saw this and bonded with him. Another teacher, Iruka, also looked past the demon and saw the boy. He now had two friends that treated him like a human, and not just trash. Because of that, he grew up more determined than ever, graduated, had a team composing of Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha, befriended them and the other graduates, and soon he was considered as powerful as Sasuke. That is until history showed itself again.

Sasuke had an encounter with the man who slaughtered his whole entire clan, his brother Itachi Uchiha. Soon rage and revenge took over him and with the desire to kill him, he sought out power, which he thought he couldn't achieve in the village so decided to defect. One event led to another as his peers were ordered to bring him back, and soon the fated duel between Sasuke and Naruto had finally served. After the clash of Rasengan and Chidori, Sasuke had won and defected.

The trip home was depressing and quiet. Naruto was being brought back by Kakashi who arrived just a little late. He couldn't face Sakura after breaking his promise and so sought out new power. With that, he left Konoha and said he would be back in about 2 years.

He left through the gates with Jiraiya, and into the world.

Sakura watched them leave through the gates and silently gave her goodbyes. She knew none of them would see him for a long time, and so they would spend that time training and developing. As time went on, discussion about Naruto was scarce, and few ever remembered his presence in this village. Though, although he was gone from conversations, one mention of him would really put the group down, especially Sakura. For some reason, hearing his name lit her up for one second, then that same hope fell down, h a r d.

2 years later, the Rookie Nine, although all Chunins and some Jonin, now had great hope. This somewhat boring life would soon be brought back to life and everyone knew is was because he was coming back. So they waited at the gates. If he wasn't there, they would check back the next. This routine lasted about 2 weeks before they started giving up. The welcoming group became smaller and smaller as time passed, but he had not shown up. Everyone had become upset and disappointed, but there was one person who became more depressed than anyone else. Sakura Haruno.

3 full months after his supposed arrival had passed, and still he did not come. Sakura felt a void in her heart, but knew she couldn't admit what it was. Was it the disappearance of a best friend, or was it something else? So she focused all her attention to her career. Training, hospital, more training, more hospital, and finally sleep. This way that emptiness was forgotten.

After 2 more years, Sakura and the other ninjas had grown quite strongly and developed. Sakura was now an 18 year old Jonin with a body that showed the amount of training she was doing. Her hair had remained short reaching up to her shoulders. Her headband rested on her head and served as a headband. She wore a red shirt with the sleeves ending at her shoulders. She wore black gloves and black leggings that reached just before her knees. He hair was still pink and her eyes still had those emerald shades, but they showed dullness and boredom.

She had gotten quite taller and her body had developed quite womanly. Her figure seduced the village men's eyes as well as some of their peers. He bust had developed quite well and in a couple more years, she would equal Tsunade's, though to a lesser extent. Though she looked fragile, her body was very adept at fighting given she had most of Tsunade's abilities, and she even wore high heels.

As she was working in the hospital, she started hearing rumors among her patients that a yellow blur was roaming over the countries solving problems here and there. Some even said it was the ghost of the 4th Hokage. She chuckled at this one. The most one she found surprising was that he wore something that resembled orange and that he had blue eyes.

"That's sounds just like-" Her thoughts were cleared when she was ordered to perform surgery on a ninja. She walked down the hall thinking of some possibilities that would fit the rumors she was hearing. "Maybe they're just delusional. They are in a hospital." She cleared her thoughts as she prepared for surgery.

The Hokage was sitting at her desk doing some paper work, when Shizune busted through the door, the wind created by the door blowing away stacks of papers that had been organized in way that took her about 3 hours to do. To say she was angry would be quite the understatement.

"This BETTER be important, or else I'll have to do some EXTENSIVE medical work on somebody starting with a SHI and ending with a ZUNE."

Steam was literally blowing out of her head. Shizune saw this and knew she had to speak soon.

"Hokage-sama, Naruto and Jiraiya have been spotted heading towards the village."

Tsunade released a gasp showing her shock. It had been 4 years since his leave, and she was about to consider him a missing-nin. Now, she and the rest of the village would be able to see Naruto soon. She told Shizune to alert all the Rookie Nine, Team Gai, and anyone who had close bonds with him to go towards the gate. As asked she ran out the room as fast as she could.

"Let's see what you can do, Naruto." The Hokage stared out the window, wearing the traditional Hokage outfit.

After surgery, Sakura had been told to go towards the gate because Naruto was finally coming back. She ran extremely fast to the gate still in shock in seeing Naruto once again. She smiled inwardly as she finally would get to confirm her feelings for Naruto and for being able to beat up Naruto again. Thoughts ran throughout her mind as she thought of the questions to ask him, how he would react to her changes, and most of all how she would plan her actions upon his arrival.

Naruto and Jiraiya dashed quickly as the site of Konoha was within view.

"Hey brat, would ya slow down?"

"Ero-sennin, I've been gone for 4 years, and you expect me to slow down?"

"I told you not to call me that, but anyways we should make our entrance spectacular and amazing since we've been gone for years."

"That's not a bad idea and I know the perfect way." With a smirk on his face he made it so no one could tell he was coming by hiding his chakra signature with Jiraiya doing the same.

She arrived at the gate looking around to see if anybody was here. Sure enough most of the Rookie 9 were there, excluding Sasuke of course, and Team Gai as well. Kakashi was surprisingly there on time as well, and Gai was standing next to him challenging him to various "fights". Neji and Tenten were suspiciously close to each other as Rock Lee was running all over the place yelling all sorts of things.

"THE FLAMES OF YOUTH SHALL BURN BRIGHTLY AGAIN!!" With that he flashed his nice guy pose to no one in particular. The others stared into the distance searching for any signs of movement that may indicate he would be coming.

"Where is he? Was it just another rumor? I wonder-" Her thoughts were again broken as a puff of smoke filled the entrance with the ninja going into defensive stances.

"Hold on a sec." Sakura had a strange feeling that this was different, and indeed it was.

So people how was it? I know the beginning was boring as it just recapped the events so far, but it was to lead up to the departure. This is mostly just a prologue so the next chapters will get far more interesting.

As for the pairings, review me and say what you want in this story, though it will mainly be NaruSaku.

Read and Review please.