AN: I am so sorry this took so long to write. I was stuck on this one part and it was doing my head in. so here it is chapter four, I won't keep you from reading it any longer. not beta'd

Apologies

Arty x

WYMAC

Chapter four

Shikamaru's suspicion.

Go away and don't look at me

'cause we're not the same

And you can't do nothing'

You can say that its not okay

But I'm not afraid

And you can't do nothing'

One day - simple plan.

Shikamaru Nara stared blankly at the ceiling of his room, he didn't know how long he had been doing it, but birds were staring to sing outside his window.

He let out a deep sigh before slowly sitting up. "Troublesome…" He muttered half-heartedly running his hand through his hair.

He had ended up staying up all night, thinking everything over.

Thinking about Naruto.

Thinking about the villagers.

…thinking about his mothers strange behaviour.

He had skipped dinner last night, he hung around long enough to explain to his dad; that he wasn't in trouble with the Hokage and that he had just wanted to talk to him.

He had avoided his mother.

He paused his hand on the door handle as he went to head down to breakfast, and was startled to find that he couldn't move…He was scared.

Scared of his own mother.

He couldn't understand what had happened, sure his mother had always been an angry person, but she had never gotten that angry before…had she?

A memory stirred at the back of his mind, of when he was five. She had picked him up from school, he had been in the playground and had been messing about with Choji and…And Naruto.

He backed away from the door, remembering his mothers expression when she had spotted him playing happily with Naruto, she had scared him so much and she had gripped his arm in the same way. Other times began to pop up in his memory and he swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. He turned away from the door…he couldn't handle seeing her now.

He crossed to his desk and scribbled a quick note before quietly opening his window.

He needed time to think.

Naruto Uzumaki watched the sun rise from the top of the fourths head at The Hokage Monument. He had barely slept in his bed in the Hokage's spare room, the old man had insisted he stay the night. So much had happened lately, he had hardly ever had people defending him before…the Hokage could only do so much without getting in trouble with the council. Kakashi could only watch him when he wasn't on missions, and Naruto still didn't understand the reason he did.

Once, when he was young, a couple who had just moved to the village had been willing to adopt him…but the owner of orphanage had taken them aside and spoke with them.

They left with a different child.

A normal one.

But all of a sudden people were stepping forward and defending him from every side. First Iruka, the first teacher to actually treat him like a normal kid and even though Iruka knew what he was, he had apparently threatened Mishima after he had left.

Shikamaru and Choji had always been trying to help him, but he never really expected them to follow him home to make sure he was alright.

Hell, they had even fought off the villagers!

He was shocked to see Hinata, Shino and Kiba on his doorstep too. But thinking back, Hinata had always been kind, Shino always polite…yeah okay Kiba was sometimes an ass, but he had still had been the first to attack the men to help him.

He had always' tried not to think of them as friends, no matter how much he wanted to, because when they finally found out what he was and turned on him…maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

But now…

He let out a shaky sigh and getting up, he began making his way back to the village, trying not to think of their reactions, when they found out…

Because, he knew that if they found out and began looking at him the same way as the rest of the village…

The looks of fear.

The looks of hate.

And the coldness of their eyes…

Then he just might break.

Choji awoke rather suddenly.

He stared at the ceiling half asleep, wondering vaguely what had woke him. He sat up with a yawn and glanced around the room. His half closed eyes stopped on the figure sat on the wide ledge outside his window ledge. He stared at it for a few minutes before he finally registered what he was looking at.

Shikamaru sat with his back against one side of the window, one of his legs dangled from the ledge the other pulled up, his head was leaning against the glass, his eyes closed. Choji briefly wondered how his best friend could sleep so soundly in such odd positions. Then he wondered what the hell he was doing sleeping on his window ledge.

He moved to the window and was about to reach for the handle when he paused, wondering exactly how he was going to wake up his friend… without the boy falling two floors to the ground. In the end Choji just decided to open the window and hope the boy fell into the room…not off the ledge.

He fell off the ledge.

Choji let out a yelp and dived forward, only to find Shikamaru holding onto the wall outside with a chakra covered hand. The boy grinned sheepishly up at Choji as the chubby boy glared down at him.

"Morning?"

Choji growled as he hauled his friend up and into the bedroom, before overbalancing and falling to the ground. Choji sighed as he stared up at the ceiling.

"From now on use the door…please."

Shikamaru let out a bark of laughter before standing up. "Okay choji." he said with a grin as he pulled his fried to his feet. Choji studied his friend closely, his smile seemed slightly tense.

"Why are you here Shikamaru?" He asked softly.

The smile vanished and Shikamaru let out a sigh. "I couldn't sleep and I don't want to talk to my Mother right now." He explained, sitting on Choji's bed and laying back to stare at the ceiling. Choji copied him.

"How did you get the bruise Shikamaru?" Choji asked softly after they had stared up at the ceiling in silence for several minutes. Shikamaru couldn't help his hand grasping the bruise again.

"When Ookami came to pick me up last night…she was furious. She grabbed my arm and told me to make sure the Hokage knew it was Naruto's fault not mine." He frowned angrily. "She didn't even know what had happened and she still thought it was Naruto's fault!" Choji opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Shikamaru speaking again.

"I can remember other times…" Choji's eyes widened as Shikamaru pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes as he continued to speak. "A lot of them when I was a kid, always when I played with Naruto! She hated me playing with him, she scared me so much. Maybe that's why I didn't try as hard as I could have to get Naruto to hang out when Naruto stopped wanting to play with me…"

"Shika…" Choji started before jumping at a sudden groan that came from Shikamaru "This is so screwed up…" He moaned.

"You know Shikamaru you should tell you're Dad…he doesn't know…does he?" Choji asked worried, Shikamaru frowned before sitting up. "I haven't told him…and I doubt mum told him…" He muttered. "I can't tell him though, they fight enough already."

Choji frowned, "What, so you're just going to let it go!" He asked furiously. "Your dad deserves to know!"

"No he doesn't!"

Choji flinched back at the sudden furious snarl, but stood his ground grabbing his friends arm and pulling back his sleeve, revealing the bruise. "He deserves to know about this! Especially if this has happened before!" He snapped angrily, anger which vanished as Shikamaru spoke quietly.

"And what if he knows already?"

Choji stared at his friend as he bite his lip nervously. "Then you can stay here with me." He said softly making his friend look up in surprise.

"You're parents wouldn't let me." He said after a few minutes. Choji laughed "Are you kidding? My parents love you, of course they'd let you stay!"

Choji was relieved to see the small smile on his friends face. "Speaking of which they're probably wondering why I'm not at breakfast. "He said getting up and grabbing some clothes and heading to the bathroom, looking over his shoulder.

"Be right back!"

His parents looked unsurprised when both Shikamaru and Choji walked into the kitchen. "Good morning you two." Choji's Mother Chiharu said happily, as she set down the bowls she was holding. His father smiled at them from his place at the table.

"Morning Mum, morning Dad."

"Morning Mrs. Akimichi, Mr Akimichi."

"We keep telling you Shikamaru, its Auntie Chiharu and Uncle Choza."

Shikamaru smiled slightly as he took his seat next to Choji.

"How's your old man Shikamaru?" Choza asked pleasantly.

Shikamaru tried to summon a smile as he answered. "He's fine. He said he was going to be tending the deer today." His voice sounded odd even to himself, Choza was watching him now, an almost invisible frown on his face, he had noticed that something up.

"And you're Mother?" He asked quietly, Shikamaru couldn't help the slight flinch.. "s-She's fine too." He said quickly trying to cover it up, but it was too late, Choza's eyes were already narrowing.

"And you Shikamaru? Are you alright?" He asked seriously, causing Chiharu pause in cooking looking between her husband and Shikamaru.

Shikamaru found himself looking down at his plate. "I'm fine." He mentally cursed himself as soon as he spoke, he had said that word to much, it sounded false…probably because it was. Nothing was fine. His parents argued everyday, his Mother got angrier everyday too. He jumped slightly when Choji suddenly spoke next to him.

"Oh yeah, I won't be able to train today Dad."

Shikamaru looked up as Choza turned his attention to his son. "And why not?" The man asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm hanging out with Shikamaru and the other guys." Choji answered with a grin.

"And girl." Shikamaru muttered distractedly.

"A girl?" Chiharu asked as she sat down. "Did you two finally make up with Ino?" She asked, causing Choji and Shikamaru to pull a face. "No Mum…I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon, she hates us and we feel the same."

"Oh? Who are you meeting then?" Chiharu asked, curiously.

"Hyuga Hinata."

Choza choked slightly on his food. "You befriended a Hyuga!" He choked out, Choji frowned. "What's wrong with a Hyuga?" He asked defensively as Shikamaru frowned. His dad backtracked quickly. "I don't mean that in a bad way, its just…the Hyuga's are not known for making friends. They tend to stick with their own." He explained.

"Oh, Hinata's nothing like the other Hyuga's, she's really shy and kind. She only ever talks to Shino, Kiba and Naruto." Choji said cheerfully, "Especially Naruto, eh Shikamaru?" He muttered under his breath, causing Shikamaru to snort. The smile slipped off his face however, as he noticed the worried expression on Choza's face.

"Who else are you meeting with?" Chiharu asked curiously.

"Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and Naruto." Choji answered.

Shikamaru frowned as he watched their reactions. Surprise flashed briefly in both of Choji's parents eyes at the mention of an Aburame and Inuzuka. but he was more interested in their reaction to Naruto. Something flashed in Choza's eye's…remorse? Chiharu looked like she was going to cry for a split second, before she stood up briskly with her plate and began to scrub it.

"Is Naruto finally hanging out with you again then?" Choza asked after a few minutes of silence, Choji started to answer, but Shikamaru beat him to it.

"Yes…We found out a few things about Naruto, things he had been hiding from us…" He watched them closely. The plate Chiharu was holding slid into the water with a clunk and Choza dropped his mug.

"What did you find out?" Choji jerked besides him, surprised by the sudden serious tone to his Fathers voice. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes as the man studied them. "Just that he lives on his own and he knows the ANBU Ookami and the Hokage." Shikamaru answered carefully.

Choza seemed to relax.

Shikamaru stood up.

"Lets go Choji."

Choji shot him a confused look, he opened his mouth to speak but something in Shikamaru's expression stopped him and he stood up instead. "Er…yeah we gotta go. We're going to be late." He agreed awkwardly.

"See you later…"

Shikamaru felt Choza's gaze drilling into his head as he left.

Choji stayed silent until they reached the gate that signalled that they were leaving Akimichi land.

"What was that about?" He asked, a small hint of anger in his voice.

"Something is not right Choji." Shikamaru answered, the anger in his voice surprising him.

"What?"

Shikamaru frowned as he stopped walking. "It seems like everyone know something we don't." He muttered quietly, Choji watched as he sat on the ground, his hands taking the usual shape they did when he was trying to figure something out. "It's something to do with Naruto…just a mention of him either makes people angry or makes them sad. Naruto knows what it is, but he won't tell us…no kids we know have a clue about it, but they all hate Naruto…the Hokage knows…." Shikamaru stopped suddenly.

"Shikamaru?" Choji asked carefully after the boy sat silently staring into space for several minutes. "You okay?"

Shikamaru blinked and glanced up with that dazed expression Choji knew meant he had been pulled from his thoughts, Choji frowned.

"What did you figure out Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru stood without answering and began to walk down the path again, Choji easily caught up and he waited for Shikamaru to answer.

"I don't know yet…but once I get the rest of the puzzle pieces you'll be the first I tell."

Shikamaru frowned at The Hokage's Tower as they walked.

He need to speak to the Hokage as soon as possible.

Naruto walked swiftly through the street, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as he felt all the killing intent aimed at him. He hated the feeling, the Kyubi let out a snarl from the back of his mind and Naruto let out a small one of his own that sent a few close villagers scuttling in fear.

He couldn't stop the small smirk that slipped across his face for a split second, before vanishing beneath his slightly stupid smile once again.

'They won't beat me' He thought softly, calming his tenant who growled his agreement.

He was still smiling as he turned the corner and saw the several men standing at the end of the alleyway, the smile fell and so did he, as someone hit him from behind and sent him sprawling into the dirt and as they surrounded him Kyubi spoke.

'YET THEY STILL TRY…'

And the blows rained down.

TenTen walked slowly up the street with her team-mate Hyuga Neji, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she took a bite of the dango she was holding.

He was a mystery to her.

She had never actually met a Hyuga before, she had seen them in the street, but had never spoken to one, let alone got to know one.

He was beautiful…she couldn't think of another word for it. But at the same time…he was kinda an ass.

She looked ahead at her other team-mate and couldn't help smiling as he bounced ahead of them up the road. Rock Lee was completely different. What attraction he didn't have in looks he had in personality, he was an amazingly happy person. She had though he would be a complete weirdo when he walked up dressed up in the exact same outfit as her freaky sensei…and she was right, he was weird, but in a good way.

She blinked as Lee suddenly stopped and something in the way he stood had Tenten at his side instantly, Neji right behind her.

"Lee?"

"Do you hear that?"

Tenten froze and listened carefully, filtering out the sounds one by one.

There! A strange muffled thudding and jeers. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was hearing.

"Neji!"

Neji nodded once and activated his clans bloodline, Byakugan.

"Got them. Alleyway third one up the street." he was already moving down the street, Lee quickly caught up, Tenten on his heels. She almost crashed into the two as they stopped suddenly. She saw instantly what stopped them a crowd of furious villagers surrounded a small huddled form, kicking and punching in turns.

Tenten saw orange, then she saw red.

She let out a furious snarl and shot forward almost knocking her team-mates over "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!"

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!"

Both Neji and Lee jumped at their team-mate's yell as she shot past them heading straight for the crowd surrounding the boy on the floor.

The crowd turned and the figure on the ground stayed eerily still, one of the men spoke. "This is none of your concern girl. You and your little friends better just lea-AAAARRRRRGGGHHHH!" The man cut off with a scream as Tenten's dango stick sunk deep into his foot. As he fell to the ground half the group fled while the others charged.

"You little wh-" one of the men started only to be cut off by a kick to the stomach that sent him flying down the alleyway thanks to lee. Neji appeared taking out a man about to grab Tenten from behind.

With Tenten's weapons, Lee and Neji's taijutsu, it took a ridiculously small amount of time to defeat them and have them secured in ninja issued wire…

Neji and Lee watched in surprise as Tenten threw herself down besides the huddled form. "Naruto!" she cried shaking him slightly. "Come on Naru! Wake up!"

"You know him Tenten-Chan?" Lee asked softly as he and Neji joined her besides Naruto, she just nodded shaking him again. "Naruto, get up! I think he's waking up!"

Naruto was in pain everywhere.

"- on Naru! wake up!"

That voice was so familiar…who?…he tried to open his eyes.

"You know him Tenten-Chan?"

Tenten…?

He opened his eyes slightly and saw a girl with brown eyes and brown hair in buns looking down at him. It was her…

"I've had enough of him!"

Naruto stood in front of the orphanage, watching with wide eyes as the head of the orphanage yelled at the man in a wolf mask as he tried to reason with her.

"You will be given compensation from the Hokage, he has no where else to live!"

"No! I will no longer protect that-that creature! Take him now or I throw him out on the streets…the villagers can have him." The man let out a very angry snarl and turned back to Naruto. He picked him up easily, too easily, and began to carry him away, over his shoulder Naruto saw a small girl appear behind the woman, her hair in messy buns.

"Naru!"

She turned to the woman. "What's going on! Where is he taking Naru!"

"He's taking him away finally. Hopefully they'll lock him away where he belongs, maybe they'll execute him finally!" The woman said gleefully. The girl let out a cry of horror and threw herself forward only to be caught by the woman and dragged back inside.

Naruto watched it all, silent tears falling down his face.

"TenTen-Nee-Chan?"

Tenten smiled brightly down at him, looking ecstatic. "Naruto you're alright!" He blinked up at her for a few seconds before slowly sitting up. He groaned slightly at the pain, but mostly ignored it, instead staring at the girl, or more importantly what was on her forehead.

"You're a ninja!"

Tenten smiled and gave her forehead protector a flick. "Told you I would be. Didn't you believe me?" She asked pouting, causing Naruto to backtrack hastily. "Of course I did!" Tenten grinned before becoming serious.

"What hurts?"

Naruto shrugged but ruined it when he flinched in pain. "Would you believe me if I said I was fine?" He asked hopefully, but sighed when Tenten just raised an eyebrow. "Its just bruises Nee-Chan. You showed up before they really got started." Naruto muttered, Tenten frowned and started to speak, but was cut of by someone clearing their throat, both jumped and stared at Neji and Lee who looked back in confusion.

"Tenten who is this?" Lee asked curiously.

"Oh, sorry Lee…I forgot you two were here…" Tenten said, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.

"This is Naruto, my little brother."

There was a pause as both boy's absorbed the words…then.

"Brother!"

"You never mentioned having a brother Tenten."

"This is most wonderful news! Why have you not mentioned your brother before!"

Tenten smiled at their reaction, while Naruto snickered next to her. "Naruto he's not my brother by blood…We grew up in an Orphanage together." Tenten explained, the two boy's looked surprised, neither having known she was an orphan.

Tenten turned and studied Naruto for a few seconds.

"They never told me where they sent you…she told me you were dead…" She whispered quietly. Naruto pulled a face, "I know," he muttered, "I came back to the orphanage once…she said you'd been adopted?" Tenten smiled briefly.

"Yeah, I was…Okaa-san is really nice."

Naruto grinned at her brightly. "I'm really glad." He said happily, before standing up…or at least tried to. Tenten caught him before he could hit the ground, worry flashing across her face. "We should get you to the hospital." She muttered worriedly.

"No." The sharpness of his tone made all of them flinch, he took a deep breath before smiling apologetically. "I mean I can't, I'm meeting my friends, they'll be worried."

"Naruto you were just attacked, I really don't think they would mind if you go to the hospital."

Naruto pulled a face. "Trust me if I don't show up, they will come looking for me and probably go annoy the Hokage to find me."

Tenten blinked. "The Hokage?" She asked confused. "Why would they go to the Hokage."

"To find the blond idiot of course."

The annoyed voice made them all jump, and they finally noticed the small group that had appeared at the end of the alleyway.

"Shikamaru!"

The boy looked relieved, but worried as he raised a hand in a lazy wave. Behind him stood Choji, Kiba, Hinata and Shino, all with similar expressions on their faces. But it was what was behind them that caused Tenten and her Team-mates to gape.

Anzu stood in front of several ANBU members, her silver eyes furious as they took in the injured boy and the unconscious villagers. "Arrest them all." She said coldly, motioning to them. The teenagers watched as the ANBU surrounded the villagers and they-along with the villagers-vanished in a swirl of leaves.

As if it was a signal Shikamaru and the others practically ran over to surround Naruto. "Naruto-kun!" Neji watched surprised, as his normally shy cousin rush up to the boy, pulling out a small pot from her pocket. Naruto blinked in surprise as she opened in and began to apply ointment to the cuts and bruises on his face.

"a-Are you o-okay, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked softly, blushing as he stared at her, the bruises and cuts on his face slowly healing. "I- I'm fine Hinata-chan." He said softly, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Okaa-san?"

Naruto looked over in surprise as Tenten was pulled into a hug by Anzu. "Tenten are you okay?" The woman asked worriedly, Tenten rolled her eyes as Anzu began to look her over for injuries. "I'm fine Okaa-san." She said, her tone annoyed, but she was smiling up at her.

"Anzu-san is your mother Tenten?" Naruto asked surprised.

Tenten looked over at him startled.

"You know her?"

Anzu nodded.

"I see Naruto almost every day, when he comes to visit the Hokage."

"You mean that all this time I've been thinking he's dead, you've been seeing him every day! Why didn't you say something!"

"Well I didn't know you knew him for one, and two you know I don't like to talk about work."

Naruto watched as Tenten continued to argue with her mother, her team-mates trying to calm her down. He smiled as he realized that both women seemed to be enjoying having their little fight.

"Naruto."

Naruto flinched at the tone Shikamaru used, before turning to his friend. The expression on Shikamaru's face was not good.

"What the hell happened this time?"

End Chapter.

AN: that's all for now folks. I'll try my best to have the next chapter to this fic out as soon as I can. That goes for my other stories as well.

See ya,

Arty x