Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Blood Ties ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

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Michael “TheZorch” Haney's

 

“Blood Ties - A Naruto Fan Fiction”

 

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Chapter 2

 

Golden rays of sunlight bathed the Village Hidden in the Leaves in its warm glow. It was early morning but most of the village was already awake. The sound of hammering, sawing, and metalworking could be heard all throughout the streets and causeways as the villagers worked tirelessly to rebuild. It had been several weeks since the disaster of the Chunin Exams, since the betrayal of the Suna, and the loss of the one person in the entire village who was able to keep things running smoothly. The death of the Sandaime Hokage hit Konohagakure no Sato harder than anyone was really willing to admit. They had come to depend on him so much, perhaps a little too much. The council of elders discovered just how hard a job it was to deal with the complexities of maintain a shinobi village in proper order. There were certain social-political considerations that had to be made at all times when dealing with the heads of the nobles clans and Daimyo of foreign nations. Thankfully, however, the village now had a new leader, a new Hokage. One of the legendary sennin, and a legend in her own right as one of the best if not the best Medical Ninja in the entire world.

 

Few knew that a certain blond haired, blue eyed, knuckle headed genin had been the key to Konoha receiving its new Hokage. Nor would those who did know understand the destiny that this young boy would have and how it wold ultimately affect not only the entire village but all of the Elemental Countries as well.

 

Uzumaki Naruto opened his eyes. At first his vision was blurry but after rubbing his eyes a bit he was able to see clearly again. He instantly recognized where he was. He was in his room at the hospital again. It was a room reserved especially for him. For the longest time he never really understood why he was given such a privilege despite how most the people in the village disliked him. But, he knew the reason now ever since Mizaki revealed to him his terrible secret. The secret of the Kyuubi no Yoko, the nine tailed demon fox. He was kept in a separate room so the other patients in the hospital wouldn't be afraid to be around him. The nurses were nice to him though, they learned a long time ago that he was a good person and not the terrible demon most others thought him to be.

 

Looking around the room he was surprised to see flowers and a card sitting next to his bed on the night stand. He'd never gotten flowers before. Naruto guessed they were probably from Sakura. Thinking about her made him feel funny in his chest. He didn't really understand that feeling, but he guessed what it was. He remembered how she'd cried and almost begged him to bring Sasuke back. Yes, that was why he was here again, they'd gone after Sasuke-teme. They failed ... he failed. The thought of how that probably made Sakura feel hurt him inside, but there was something else. As Naruto thought about Sakura, the pretty young pink haired koinichi, he didn't feel that warm and fuzzy feeling he normally got. No, this was a different feeling, it was a warm feeling yet it was different from before. It was the same feeling he had when he thought of Iruka-sensei and the Sandaime.

 

What did it mean? He loved her, right? Right?

 

She loves Sasuke. She only sees me as a teammate and a friend, but not as a boyfriend.

 

It wasn't an easy revelation to accept, to tell the truth Naruto only had the vaguest of ideas of what love was. He didn't know how to tell true love from a simple crush. Naruto had very few examples to draw upon in his life. He certain didn't know what it was like to be loved by someone. Hate was something Naruto understood all too well. Oh, he understood hate just fine. All he needed to do was looking into people's eyes everyday and nine times out of ten he'd see hatred there. Not everyone in the village hated him, but quite a few did. Those who didn't were in the minority. Perhaps the only example of love he did have in his life came from Iruka-sensei. Theirs wasn't a father-son thing but more a big brother, little brother sort of love. Iruka never was a father figure, though Naruto cared for him a lot. No, that honor went to someone else, but now that person was gone.

 

The blond Jinchuriki sighed and sat up. He didn't know how long he'd been in the hospital. Probably not all that long, he healed pretty fast. Before he didn't know why he healed so fast, but now he did. He hardly ever had to stay more than a day in the hospital before and almost always got out the next day after being admitted. So great was his healing powers that even the most serious of training injuries were gone the next day. Not even a scar was ever left behind. He still ached all over, his skin felt like he'd received a minor sunburn. It was probably due to the red chakra from the Kyuubi, he guessed. Naruto could only remember tiny snippets from that epic fight in the Valley of the End, but what he did remember frightened him.

 

Naruto sensitive ears picked up the sound of the door handle to his room turning long before the door even opened. The door only opened a small way, the person outside seemed reluctant to continue. After a few seconds of hesitation the door opened all the way. He turned around from where he stood looking out of window to see a very nervous looking Hyuuga Hinata. The young kunoichi held in her hands a bouquet of fresh flowers. The blond noted that were the exact same flowers which were on the nightstand next to his bed. So, she was the one bringing me flowers, he thought to himself. Naruto had always liked Hinata, she was shy, quiet, a little weird, but she was also very nice and kind of pretty too.

 

“Uh ... ano ... N ... Naruto-kun, h ... h ... ow are you f ... feeling?” she stammer her question while looking at her feet nervously.

 

“Better, Hinata-chan, I heal really fast,” he replied with a foxy grin of confidence that she loved so much.

 

She went over to the nightstand and changed out the old flowers for the new ones. “That's nice, N ... Naruto-kun.” she blushed when he called her Hinata-chan. Before he could say anything more she headed for the door fully intending to make a run for it, but something stopped her. She held the door handle, all she had to do was turn the knob and run but she couldn't. Something deep within her screamed at her and for the first time in a long time she didn't tune it out. Slowly she released the door handle and flipped the lock. It wouldn't do for someone to barge in and interrupt. Her father had told her she needed to work on her self-esteem and her courage. She heard his words echo in her head.

 

“You cannot allow yourself to be afraid of what you are, of who you are Hinata-chan,” she recalled his words. “Believe in yourself, I know its not easy but you must. Face your fears and conquer them, you are a Hyuuga. We do know the meaning of fear. Hold your head up high and be proud of who you are and what you are.”

 

Naruto just stood there looking at her. He wasn't sure what was going on with the strange girl, he stopped trying to figure her out a long time ago. Strange behavior was just par for the course when it came to Hinata. He still liked her though, she was the only one at the Academy who was ever really nice to him. Yeah, he hung out with Choji and Shikamaru and Kiba and skipped class with them but he never really did play with them or sit around and talk with them. It was always Hinata who was there with kind words, stuttered in that cute shy manner she always spoke in, but never did she say an unkind thing to him.

 

She was always so nice to him. That one thought went through his mind over and over again. Maybe his recent experience matured him a little, he wasn't sure but he was starting to see people in a whole new light. The same way he realized that Sakura would never love him the way he wanted her to he was also beginning to see something about Hinata that he never really bothered to notice before.

 

He heard the click of the door lock and uttered a “Huh?”. Before he could ask what was going on the pale eyed kunoichi whirled around, her eyes brimming with tears and raced towards him. Naruto didn't move, he could only watch in surprise as the girl ran to him, wrapped her arms about his waist and bury her face in his chest. For what seemed like forever they stood there, he could feel her shacking and heard her sobbing in his chest. Tentatively at first he brought up his arms and put them on her shoulders, then slowly he brought them around into a hug and just held her. It felt ... well it felt ... right ... to hold her. He'd never experienced this sort of thing before. Naruto only imagined what it would be like to hold a girl in his arms, he often fantasized holding Sakura in his arms but the real thing was much better than anything his adolescent mind would come up with.

 

“H ... Hinata-chan, are you ok?” he inquired when the girl's sobbing finally stopped.

 

Blushing as red as a rip cherry, the Hyuuga girl moved back and looked up into his bright blue eyes. “Gomen, I ... I was so worried for you, N ... Naruto-kun,” she nervously replied. She tensed up when he put his hands on her shoulders but she smiled despite herself. Courage, I must have courage, she told herself in a mantra over and over again.

 

“Hey, its no sweat Hinata-chan,” he told her in a confident tone. “It'll take more than that baka teme to bring me down. Hahaha!” He laughed and scratched the back of his head. Yet, inside he didn't feel all that confident or strong. After all, he'd made Sakura a promise and he'd broken it by not bringing Sasuke back. Yet, this strange new behavior from Hinata had the gears in his head turning. Contrary to popular belief Naruto wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination, he was a bit slow on the uptake but he wasn't stupid. Anyone who faced him in a fight knew this first hand, he was one hell of a strategist when push came to shove.

 

Then, Hinata did something that blew his mind. She stepped up to him and kissed him gently on the cheek. Before moving away and running to and through the door she whispered into his ear. “You mean a lot to me,” and with that said she was suddenly gone leaving a stunned Jinchuriki behind. It was more than a minute and a half before Naruto could move again, he hand immediately went to the cheek the young girl had kissed. A smile creped its way across his face as a shocking realization suddenly hit him like one of the Tsunade-basan's Finger Flicks of Doom.

 

Hinata likes me ... as in likes me as more than a friend. She like me!!! A few more of the last vestiges of his Sakura crush crumbled away.

 

oOOOo

 

Hyuuga Hinata rushed through the streets of Konohagakure no Sato. Her face still burned with a bright red blush, she couldn't believe what she'd just done. It wasn't like she told him her big secret that she loved him ... no ... worshiped the very ground he walked on but what she said was close. She'd basically admitted that she liked him. That wasn't a bad thing, she was finally showing some of that courage her father hoped she would start showing. She smiled despite herself. He knew now, at least he knew that she liked him. Tell him the whole truth could come later. Hinata knew that Naruto had a big crush on Sakura, it was only a matter of getting him to fall in love with her instead. She needed to formulate a plan of attack.

 

She knew that her father knew of her crush on the boy. The fact that he never tried to discourage her in her pursuit of Naruto was encouraging. It meant that her often times, very stern father approved. What she didn't know was that her father liked the positive reaction being around the boy had on his daughter. When Naruto was around Hinata's self-esteem went up and she became more courageous. If only it had been possible to put them on a team together, but there were some things even the Hyuuga clan patriarch couldn't control.

 

So, sensing his daughter's thoughts and mood as she ran through the house to her room Hyuuga Hiashi smiled. It was a rare sight and it had the servants and members of the branch family nervous. Hyuuga Hiashi very rarely ever smiled, and when he did it usually meant trouble. So, you've finally started down that path daughter, he thought to himself. Good for you, Hinata-chan.

 

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“Goddammit!”

 

Uchiha Itachi glanced at his companion, without an expression on his face or a word he looked away and pushed a piece of his chicken dinner into his mouth. They were in a camp some distance outside of Konohagakure, far enough away not to be detected by ANBU patrols but not too far away that they couldn't reach the village in a short time. They retreated to this new camp after their encounter with the gama sannin. Neither he nor his companion, the shark skinned Kisame, had expected to run into someone of his caliber. Itachi knew his limitations. Taking on the legendary Jiraiya one on one was a fight he couldn't win even with Kisame's help. So, here they've been since their strategic retreat. With every passing day the gray skinned Akatsuki member became more and more agitated. However, once they reported their encounter with the sannin they'd been ordered to back off until further notice. The Kyuubi no Yoko was not needed just yet, more time was needed to prepare, but when the time was right they would strike.

 

“I hate this sitting around,” Kisame hissed angrily and shattered a nearby tree with a casual swing of Samehada.

 

“Pein has commanded that we wait,” Itachi said without emotion. “That is what we shall do until we are ordered to do otherwise.” He looked over at his companion, his Sharingun eyes flashing. The shark skinned, S-rank missing nin calmed down and slung his massive skin stripping sword back onto his back. Samehada craved blood, he could feel the sentient weapon yearning for it. The feeling was like a nagging ache behind his eyes.

 

“What the hell are we waiting for?” Hoshigaki Kisame demanded. He gestured with an arm in the general direction of Konohagakure. “According to our intel the gaki hasn't left the village since their failed mission to get your little brother back from snake breath. Konoha is still weak, we could literally waltz in and grab him and be out without anyone knowing.”

 

Itachi just peered at him with his full Mangekyo Sharingun. Kisame turned pale, if that were possible, and quited instantly. Though the Uchiha showed little or no emotion he knew when his partner was agitated and when he wasn't. He didn't often get mad but when he did Kisame knew better than to make it worse and he knew when to get the hell out of the way.

 

Itachi said, “It is most unwise to underestimate them so foolishly.”

 

“Geh,” Kisame snorted and bit a huge chunk of meat from his roast chicken which was still on the stick he used to turn it over the campfire.

 

Uchiha Itachi knew that they'd been very fortunate when they went to Konoha that one time. It had been a gamble, things could have been far worse. They'd encountered the Sandaime's son and some Juunin who was still wet behind her ears. Their encounter with Hatake Kakashi was unexpected and while he was able to neutralize him with his Tsukuyomi technique via his Mangekyo Sharingun they'd already attracted way too much attention to themselves. It was by sheer luck that they didn't encounter a Hyuuga. Itachi knew that if it had been a Hyuuga they encountered, a man family member, then the outcome of their fight would have been different. They wouldn't be alive right now to have this conversation, if that is what it could be called.

 

Kisame growled a question, “There's something about that place that you're afraid of, what is it? You were nervous when we went there that one time. What in the hell could you possibly be afraid of there?” He knew he was treading on very thin ice with what he just asked but it was really getting on his nerves. His partner wasn't showing it very well, but Kisame knew him well enough to know the Uchiha was very worried about something.

 

“Pray you never find out,” Itachi replied, and it was the last thing he said to Kisame the rest of the night.

 

oOOOo

 

Why do I love him?

 

Yamanaka Ino had begun asking herself that question more so now than ever before. She'd taken the death of the old Sandaime Hokage rather hard. She used to really look up to him like a grandfather of sorts, while she really never did talk much with him she still felt that way about “The Professor”. Just knowing that Sasuke had actually willingly abandoned Konoha to join forces with the man responsible for the Sandaime's broke her heart. Her sensei was the Sandaime's own son, so the pain was really hitting close to home. It hurt, oh gods it hurt worse than any wound she'd ever received. It made her begin to question why she loved the dark, brooding Uchiha heir in the first place.

 

Knowing what she knew now about him Ino looked back and made some realizations. She wasn't really in love with him, she was in love with the idea of being in love. While she was still at an age where she didn't really fully understand what real love was like she knew this much. Sasuke had seemed cool, but now her memories were tarnished. Perhaps it was because the rose colored glasses she used to wear when viewing the world had been taken from her when she lost her innocence at Chuunin Exams. A lot of people lost their innocence in the bloodshed of that battle, she wasn't the only one to experience death first hand that day, nor was she was the only one to kill for the first time. Since that faithful day she looked at the world in a new light and she began to look at Sasuke in a new light also. What she saw was not what she thought she'd been seeing all these years.

 

The only other person whom felt closer to the Sandaime was Naruto. Ino found herself thinking about the blond prankster a little more then usual recently. Whenever she saw him together with the aged Hokage it was like seeing a grandfather with his grandson. Those two just had this chemistry between them that was just too obvious to ignore. She didn't really know why, but the Sandaime seemed closer to Naruto than anyone else in the village. Yeah, she looked up to the old man but it was Naruto who had a real relationship with him. She wasn't falling in love with the blond genin, absolutely not, but a part of her was really worried about him. Word of the failed mission to retrieve Sasuke had spread like wildfire across the village. Word had it that Naruto had fought Sasuke and had been seriously injured. It really irked Ino at how some people seemed pleased by this news. They were actually “happy” that Naruto was badly hurt. It pissed her off.

 

When she was finally given some time off from the flower shop Ino picked out a potted plant she thought the blond might like. She heard from Sakura at one time that Naruto liked growing things, so she guessed a potted plant might be a good gift for him. It had a pretty orange flower, which seemed to be the boy's favorite color. She walked down the hospital corridor to his private room. It came as a big surprise to her that Naruto had his own room in the hospital, again it was just another oddity that perplexed her about the blond haired, blue eyed enigma. Not really paying attention to her surroundings she reached for the door knob and stopped when she noticed another hand reaching for the same thing.

 

“Sakura-chan,”

 

“Ino-chan,”

 

Blushing slight Ino pulled her hand back allowing Sakura to open the door first. They were greeted by the smiling sunny face of the blond genin who made up one third of what had once been Team Seven. Ino noted that the boy was always happy and smiling no matter the situation. Except for that day when it was believed that he had failed the Genin Exam she never saw him with a sad expression on his face. Seeing how well he performed at the Chuunin Exam fights really surprised her. Who knew the class screwup would improve so fast in only a year?

 

“Sakura-chan, Ino-chan!” Naruto greeted them with his usual enthusiasm.

 

Sakura grasped her hands in front of her in an uncharacteristically demure fashion when she asked him, “How are you feeling Naruto?” She was heart broken that Naruto had been unable to bring Sasuke back, but the thought of almost loosing someone she'd grown to care about as a dearest friend had hurt her far worse. No, she didn't love him, she knew that he did like her and at first the attention he gave her was annoying but over time she grew to like the attention. She was completely unaware of the thoughts in Ino's mind at that moment, nor of the conflict in her heart and the resolution she was to make later that day.

 

“Yeah, I heard you took quite a beating.” Ino commented.

 

Naruto flexed his arm showing some muscle. “Nah, I've had worse. I feel great now.” he said, but unbeknownst to the two girls he was in a great deal of pain doing that move.

 

Sakura laughed, “Yes, you do seem to heal pretty quick.” It often amazed the pink haired kunoichi just how fast Naruto was able to rebound after taking a good thrashing. Knocking Naruto down was one thing, making him stay down was a real bitch though. She recalled their last real mission together with Sasuke. It was supposed to be a simple C rank mission to watch over a movie actress, but it soon became an A rank mission bordering on S. In the end they'd gotten a lot better, she developed a lot more confidence and they made friend's with a real life Princess.

 

“Was it as bad as they say?” Ino asked Naruto as she looked into his eyes pleadingly. The blond genin sighed and looked away. Since waking up and meeting with Hinata he'd learned about the condition of the others. It didn't look good, but they were in luck. The Hokage was the best medic nin in the entire Elemental Countries.

 

He replied, “It was really rough. Orochimaru's guys were really tough, it took everything we had just to take them down. They wore us down one by one until it was just me and Sasuke.” Naruto didn't meet their gazes until he felt a hand on his leg. Looking up he was surprised to see a look of sad sympathy in Ino's eyes.

 

“I checked on Choji and the others before coming to your room, except for Shikamaru and Lee they don't look too good.” she told him. She smiled and added, “Well, at least Kiba and Akamaru are conscious, but Choji and Neji still haven't woken up yet. Lee is fine, he's just got a few bruises.”

 

“They still have Choji in intensive care,” said Sakura while looking down at her hands. She didn't really understand how bad things had gone until she went to check on the others before coming to Naruto's room. The mission hadn't been a total loss, they'd dealt Orochimaru a serious blow defeating his elite Oto nin. Certain details of the mission specifics were still classified but what little she did know was that Orochimaru was going to have a hard time rebounding from this.

 

“I saw Gaara walking to the Hokage tower with his brother and sister,” Sakura said getting an interested look from Naruto. “They couldn't talk much but Temari said they'd be staying in Konoha for a few weeks to help bolster the village's defenses.” Konoha certainly needed the help. Their surviving Juunin and Chuunin was being run ragged doing as many missions as possible to keep up the appearance that the village's strength hadn't diminished. If Iwagakure knew just how vulnerable they were right now it would be bad indeed.

 

Naruto smiled and nodded, “Yeah, Lee told me Gaara showed up and helped him fight that one freak who used his bones as weapons. Wish I could'a been there to see that fight.” Ever since the Chuunin Exams there was this bond between Naruto and Gaara. Sakura knew that Naruto had saved her from the boy, she barely remembered anything that happened during that fight. All she could remember was that after the battle Gaara was suddenly a different person.

 

“Sasuke didn't hurt you too bad did he?” Ino asked him. Naruto looked at her and for a brief moment she could see the hurt in the boys eyes before he shielded his true emotions. She's heard a lot of crazy stories about what had happened at the Valley of the End, it was hard to tell what was true and what wasn't. All she knew was that one hell of an epic battle was fought there, they felt the discharges of chakra from that fight all the way back in Konoha.

 

Looking down at his hands Naruto suddenly looked very vulnerable, it passed quickly. “I tried,, gods I tried Sakura, but I couldn't keep my promise ...” He was interrupted by the pink haired girl as she drew him into a tight hug.

 

“Its alright, I'm just glad that you came back alive.” she said wiping some tears from her eyes. She was sad because Naruto had failed to bring Sasuke back to her, but she was even more sad that Naruto felt that he'd really let her down. Loosing Sasuke hurt, but the thought of loosing both of them would have hurt far worse. Ino nodded in agreement and save the blond boy a cheerful smile.

 

The door to the room suddenly burst open and the girls jumped back. It wouldn't do for someone to get the wrong impression. Kakashi regarded them with his one eye, the mirth Sakura saw in it tell her that he knew exactly what was going on. Behind him came Kiba walking with some crutches. Akamaru was in his usual spot perched on his head. The puppy had his paws wrapped in bandages but otherwise he looked in good condition. Ino's eyes widened when the gray haired gama sannin entered the room right after Kiba and Akamaru and following behind him was Shikamaru.

 

“You still slacking off in bed, gaki?” Jiraiya joked as he ruffled Naruto's hair. “Boy I tell ya, kids these days always loafing off when there's missions to be done.”

 

Everyone laughed and they basked in the warmth of their friendship. After they talked and laughed reminiscing about past missions and about the fight with the Oto nin it was time for everyone leave. Naruto was starting to get tired and needed to go to sleep. Sakura and Ino were the last to say their goodbyes to Naruto as they left together. Side by side they walked through the streets of Konoha until the reached the intersection where they usually parted to go home. As they started to part ways Sakura stopped.

 

Without looking back she said, “Naruto will bring him back.” Ino looked back at her, not really in surprise but to see what more she might say. “If there is anything I know about Naruto its that he never ever gives up, and he never ever breaks a promise.” Sakura continued.

 

She turned to look back at the blond kunoichi and said, “Sasuke will be back. And when he does I'll be here for him. I won't loose to you.” With that said she turned to leave. Ino watched her go for a moment, but there was a burning in her chest that she just couldn't stand anymore.

 

“SAKURA-CHAN!” the pink haired kunoichi turned to see what Ino wanted and was shocked when the girl grabbed her up into a hug. Tears streamed down Ino's face as she held the girl who'd been her best friend so long ago.

 

“I ... I ... Ino?” Sakura was shocked to say the least. Why was Ino was crying? What was going on?

 

“Probably because she knows she has no chance against us!” Inner Sakura cheered pumping her fist.

 

Ino let go and stepped back wiping her eyes. Sakura took a handkerchief from her hip pouch and handed it to the taller girl. After Ino wiped her eyes she finally spoke. “I hope you do win his heart,” she said. The pink hair girl's mouth fell open in surprise, was she hearing this right. Her inner self fell silent suddenly.

 

“Wait, I thought that you ...” she tired to say but Ino interrupted her.

 

Ino said, “I don't care anymore. I've tried to hang on but I can't. For a while I thought I loved him but I'm not so sure anymore.” Sakura's eyes widened, did she heard what she thought she heard? Was Ino giving up on Sasuke? To sounded too good to be true.

 

“YES, now he's all mine!” Inner Sakura cried.

 

Ino looked away and continued, “I've been really thinking really hard and I came to the conclusion that I never really did love him. I think I just loved the idea of being in love with him. Sounds silly I know but its the truth.”

 

“But you've been after him for as long as I have,” Sakura looked at her in disbelief. She was having hard time believing what she was hearing. After all their years of rivalry over the Uchiha heir she was just going to walk away and admit defeat. Ino never back away from anything, she knew Ino too well to believe it just over just like that.

 

Sakura's heart was nearly torn in two as Ino's face twisted into a mask of anguish with renewed tears streaming down her cheeks. “I ... I ... I j ... just wanted ... my ... best ... f ... friend ... back!” she sobbed and put her face in her hands. She barely registered it when Sakura raced to her and put her arms around her in a tight hug. The two girls held each other and cried for what seemed like forever until no more tears would come. They ignored the looks they were getting form people, some curious, others worried, and some knowing. Most the knowing looks came from elderly women. They remembered what it was like to be that age.

 

“I could use some ice cream ... my treat,” Sakura suggested. Ino cracked a smile, it had been ages since they'd gone to have ice cream together.

 

“Chocolate double fudge?” she said and Sakura nodded.

 

“With hot fudge topping,” Sakura smiled. Soon the two girls were walking towards their favorite ice cream shop hand in hand. Ino looked back and could almost see an image of her older self standing there yelling and arguing with Sakura. That was the old Ino, the one who was obsessed with Sasuke. She'd never admit to Sakura that another reason for giving up on him was his betrayal of Konoha and for hurting his best friend. All that would have done was create a greater rift between them. She wanted to rebuild the bridges that she burned with Sakura. Looking at her smiling best friend's face deep inside Ino know that everything was going to be alright from now on.

 

Back in hospital, Tsunade stepped out of surgery pulling off her rubber gloves and plopped down tiredly into the closest chair. She smiled, Choji would live, it had been a miracle the boy was still alive when he was brought to the hospital. Her thoughts went to a certain blond, she knew he'd be pleased to hear the good news. Getting up tiredly she headed for his private room to give him the good news.

 

oOOOo

 

To be continued ...