A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news and bad news. Good news first. My surgeries are over. Bad news: Now I have to find a JOB to pay for everything. Still, I'm feeling a bit better now. Really. Kinda. Sorta. I'm hanging tough though, having just come out of the woods...only to work my ass off as a bloody dishwasher! Not fun! Not fun at alll! UUUUUGH! I'm woking almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But nevertheless, despite this pesky little hiccup-I wanted to get word out any way I could, and since for some strange reason the site is being buggy, I wasnt able to work on this anywhere near as much as I would've liked. Sarcasticles is to be credited for this idea, thanks to his story Life's Chapter's, he's just letting me expand on it! Still...

Here it is, and thank you all for your support in this hard time! Its been really hard with my uncle having died; I knew him ever since I was little and the thought of him being gone like that...by his own hand no less...it makes me wonder if I really knew him at all. So once again, thank you for all the support.

I love you guys so, soooo much! *Cries*

I suppose I'm writing this as a result of his death. My uncle never really had many friends you see, and sometimes I wonder if just one would've changed that. It was either continue writing what I'd initially started with this fluffy little fic, or drown my sorrows in alchohol. And as much as a might enjoy the occasional bear, I'd much rather pour out my grief into something productive, that will hopefully make me feel better, rather than get drunk and angry. Now, without further adeu, with an idea weeks in the making...

...here we are!

"What is a friend? Someone who always stands by your side."

~?

Friend

It was a wonderful thing to have friends. A friend, even. The longing for a companion, for someone to talk to, for someone to help you off the ground when you're down. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? To be there for someone when you're needed; a hand to steady you, a shoulder to cry on. Someone to laugh with, share stories, play, have good times. Would that be so bad? Someone who'd never turn on you, never try to betray you. Someone who likes you for who you are, not for who you should be.

Perhaps for someone to love you, even when you fail.

Sakura glanced over her book at the new girl in their class, a refugee from a village on the boarder of the Fire Country that had been regrettably destroyed in a mission gone horribly wrong. The girl had no friends and seemed to like it that way, her snide remarks and off-putting personality mixing with her outsider background to put her lower on the social ladder than even Naruto. And that was saying something. It served her right, the pinkette thought. Ino had tried to make friends when she had first arrived, only to be studiously ignored.

"You're still here?" Ino called from the doorway. "Come on, Forehead! Sasuke's gonna come around any minute!"

"Sshh!" Sakura giggled. "This is the library!"

She put her books away quickly, not wanting to be seen as a nerd or a weirdo, and more importantly not wanting to keep Ino waiting. In her rush, Sakura didn't see that someone else was entering the library until she had nearly bowled him over. All she saw was a flash of yellow hair, a streak of orange and blue. Then ground.

"Gah!"

"Hey, watch where you're going!" When she identified who it was, her temper flared. "Naruto!" Nearly a year older than her and having failed the genin exam once already, the whiskered boy stood at least a good head taller than her, but that didn't stop her from shouting at the dead last in spite of his size.

"H-hey, sorry, Sakura," he said with a sheepish grin. No 'chan' this time either, she realized. He'd stopped using it when that new girl had arrived.

"Apology not accepted!" Sakura snapped, conking him on the head. "What're you doing here anyway? You never study."

Somehow he brightened, despite the blow. "I'm meeting my friend!"

"As if a moron like you could have friends."

Sakura looked up at Ino, shocked that she would have the boldness to say something like that out loud, even if it were true. Naruto glared at her, puffing out his chest. "I'm gonna be the Hokage someday. It would be moronic not to want to be friends with me!"

"That doesn't even make sense," Ino replied in a cutting tone. "They don't let losers become Hokage!"

"I'm not a loser! You take that back right now!" The sudden realization that he was even considering himself to be such seemed to bring a wave of rage to Naruto's mind with all the ferocity of a great and dark tempest, his whiskerd visage darkening dangerously. For a very real instant Sakura feared he'd fly at them in a rage but instead he just stood there, smoldering silently.

"Says who?" Ino challenged.

"Says me."

The three academy students turned to look at who had spoken. It was that new girl, the refugee. She had an angry, cold look on her face that sent a shiver down Sakura's spine, but Naruto only grinned.

"See, I told you I was meeting my friend! Thanks for helping me study, Robin!"

"That's your friend?" Ino asked incredulously, her lips pursing in disbelief. "Might as well talk to a rock."

By this point Sakura was beginning to feel very uncomfortable, but a two on one fight wasn't fair, so she nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Anyone who wants to hang out with you instead of watching Sasuke with us has got to have something wrong with her head."

Robin turned her piercing gaze on Sakura, her hands clenching into fists. "You know, Sakura, for someone who reads as much as you do, you're an idiot. Come on, Naruto. Let these girls play at being ninja. We're going to study for that test tomorrow."

"Then ramen?"

A slight smile plucked at the girl's lips.

"Sure, why not."

Sakura and Ino gaped as the two rejects left the library. Not another word was said to them, no parting remarks flunb at the gobsmacked girls. After she had a moment to collect herself, Ino's lip curled in disgust. "Who does she think she is?!"

"I don't know," Sakura said quietly, looking at the ground.

"Who needs them anyway? Let's go, Sakura. Sasuke should be finished training by now."

Sakura hesitated. "Actually…I think I'm going to study a little bit longer."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm going to be ninja, and a real ninja takes advantage of every moment she has to prepare."

A/N: Once again, many thanks to Sarcasticles for lending me this idea, and I'm giving him full credit for it! Pairing is NarutoxRobin, and yes, this story begins in their academy days. Robin still has full access to all of her abilities, making her a very dangerous enemy in any situation. And before anyone says anything, there is no bashing in this fic! I worked long and hard on this despite what might be crippling depression, so I'd truly appreciate your feedback, dear readers.

So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly? This sad soul would certainly appreciate it =D

R&R! =D