Chapter 6. Squirrel Interruption

At that moment Naruto, Hinata, and Kakashi were heading out of the village. Since Tsunade wanted them to leave as soon as possible, they had dinner quickly, packed, then left. Of course it had taken a while, because the explanation was long! Naruto had kept asking questions… Anyway, it was the middle of the night when they left.

A gust of wind blew Naruto's spiky hair forward, messing it all up. (A/N Is that even possible?!?) He turned around and saw explosion dust shaped like a mushroom shooting up high in the air.

"Do you think the village is under attack?" Naruto asked. Kakashi and Hinata turned around, acknowledging the dust.

"Hmm… most likely, no. For the village to be under attack, do you think the 'army' could sneak in and attack the middle? And, wouldn't they want to attack the Hokage's tower?" Kakashi explained then pivoted around and started down the path again.
"I guess so…" Naruto shrugged and turned around as well. Hinata was still analyzing the location then she spoke up, "Is-Isn't that near Shikamaru's house?" Naruto turned around and began to look too, "Maybe…That's weird, I hope he's alright…" He turned his head toward her and smiled. She blushed and turned around. He looked confused and thought he had offended her or something. He quickly ran after her.

"Hinata…I'm sorry, are you ok?"

"Eh?" Hinata looked over at him, surprised that he was right next to her, "Oh-oh-oh…. N-no! Its not like.. that! I-I'm fine!" Naruto released a breath of relief, "That's good! You just seem to avoid me…" Hinata looked at her feet and calmed down, "…I'm sorry… I don't mean to… make you… feel that I'm avoiding you." Naruto looked at his feet as well, "Heh, well… I guess I never really tried to get to know you…we've known each other for so long…" He started playing with his hands and his palms were getting sweaty, "And, this feels like the most we've ever talked, friend to friend." Hinata scratched the back of her neck and smiled, "Naruto… I-"

Kakashi interrupted, "Ok, guys lets sleep here for the night." The both nodded and went to set up their tents. As Naruto passed him, he noticed something different about him, his face showed understanding and compassion. –Which is strange for Naruto to have both those things- Kakashi eyed him suspiciously, "Hey," he said to catch his attention, "What's the matter?" Naruto grinned, "I'm fine, just a little tired…" Kakashi wasn't convinced but went along with his tent. After everything was set up they all crawled into bed. Naruto drifted to sleep thinking of what Hinata was about to say.

About an hour later he awoke all of a sudden, "Wha- eh?" After 10 minutes of trying to get to sleep he finally just pulled the blankets off his head and unzipped his tent in frustration to not being able to get back to sleep. As he stepped out he saw Hinata sitting at the edge of a cliff looking at the moon in the sky. He zipped his tent back up quietly. She was admiring the beautiful sky when Naruto abruptly sat beside her, she jumped a little.

"Naruto! Wha-at… are you doing up?" He looked up at the sky at the stars as she looked at him, "I could ask you the same question…" He said and looked down at her. She grinned slightly, feeling a little more confident then usual.

"I guess, I couldn't sleep without knowing what you were going to say…" She blushed and played with her hands in her lap, "Well…" She looked at her hands nervously. He became nervous too, "If you don't want to say, its ok." She smiled sweetly.

"Naruto, something has changed about you…" She looked up at the stars, leaned back, and put her arms back to support herself, "I can't say exactly what it is… but you have…" Naruto's face softened again. (Just the same as Kakashi had noticed, understanding and compassionate.)

"Something's changed about you, too." Naruto copied her position. After a few minutes of gazing at the stars, and not knowing what to say. Surprisingly Hinata spoke up, "Thank you Naruto…" He turned to her and questioned, "What for?"

"For helping me… believe in myself…" He smiled and sat up looking down the cliff, "That's nothing I should be given credit for." Hinata sat up quickly and put her hand on his back, "You do, Naruto! You pulled me through graduation, through missions, through the Chunin exams, through my entire life! I've moved forward because of you!" He looked into her eyes, "How did I do that? I didn't really stand up for you until your battle with Neji!?" She blushed and realized she had practically blurted about that she had liked him since she had known him!

"You… you w-were an example for me…" She came up with quickly. He smiled feeling satisfied.

"Truthfully, I didn't really know how amazing you were, until the chunin exams… all those years I missed something wonderful that was in front of me." He realized that he had blurted too much also, "I- uh mean, that didn't sound weird did it? I didn't mean to!" She smiled faintly at him. He looked into her clear, beautiful eyes. He felt really nervous… 'Why do I feel this way?' he thought. But unwillingly he leaned in. Hinata too, leaned in. They both looked deeply into each other's eyes. They moved closer and closer. Their lips about to meet when… without warning a squirrel landed on Naruto's head. Hinata jumped back. "What the!?" Naruto jerked the mammal off his head, "Why you little-" Then he noticed some paper on its back, "What's-" Hinata had already seen it, "Naruto! Paper Bomb!" She ripped it off and threw it off the cliff. It was already half burned and blew up soon after. Naruto looked dumbfounded and put the squirrel down, it scampered off, frightened. Hinata was terrified, "Who would have?" Naruto got up and pulled her arm to stand her up, "Come on, lets go get Kakashi up!" They ran down to his tent.

"Kakashi! Kakashi! Wake up!" Naruto yelled. Hinata looked around, searching for the enemy. There was movement and grunts were heard from within, finally it unzipped and Kakashi emerged, no shirt and a blanket over his face. Naruto looked at him blankly.

"Hmm? What's this all about?" He sighed.

"Why the heck do you have that blanket around your face?!" Naruto said, forgetting the paper bomb. Kakashi patted him on the head and asked again, "What happened?" Hinata turned toward him and explained the bomb, leaving out the kiss part.

He nodded throughout the explanation, "So…what were the two of you doing up there?" Hinata blushed and Naruto snapped back to reality, "Uh… well, does it matter? Uh, we should worry about that bomb! Who did it? Why?" Kakashi laughed, "Ok, avoid the question, that doesn't make it any less suspicious…"

Naruto frowned, "…"

"Anyway, lets hurry and get the tents and head off, we'll soon be at the town."

Naruto exploded, "How can you be so calm?! AND ANSWER MY QUESTION!! WHATS WITH THE BLANKET?!" Kakashi turned around and went into his tent to change. Soon Naruto noticed he wasn't going to answer his question he went off to pack up.

After a while, they were set. Kakashi was in no hurry. Naruto was pumped up, and was ready for a fight. "Come-on-Come-on-Come-on…" He mumbled as he slowly walked beside him. Hinata calmly walked on the opposite side of him. Naruto would run a way up the path, search the area quickly and wait for them to catch up.

"Come on! We've been attacked! Could make haste?!" Kakashi sighed. Hinata didn't say anything but was thinking the same thing.

"Naruto, could you stop fidgeting? You're acting like a child." Naruto took this offensively, "WHAT?! I'm 16! Don't tell me I'm acting like a child! Jeez!" Hinata laughed because he was acting like a child.

"See? That's what I mean." Kakashi stated. Naruto folded his arms and was silent.

In the village Sakura was just walking down her stairs, half asleep. She was going down to get a drink of water. She looked at the clock on the counter, "Its already 6:30? Its so dark outside.." She pulled a cup out of the cupboard and filled it with water at the sink.

"Well, since I'm up, I better get ready…" She was about to head upstairs to take a shower when someone knocked at the door. "Who would be up and about at this hour already?" She slowly made her way to the door, carefully fixing her hair. She opened the door and to her surprise Ino was standing there. She looked at her then began to close the door in disgust.

"Wait, Sakura! I have news about Naruto and Hinata!" Sakura opened the door and stepped outside, closing the door behind her. Ino raised an eyebrow, "Why didn't you just let me in, instead of coming out?" Sakura smirked, "I wasn't about to let you in my house, you pig…" Ino frowned and complained, "You're going to ruin this joyous moment!"

"What is it, then?" Sakura leaned against a wall. Ino smiled, "Naruto and Hinata got a mission together!" Sakura sprung up, "What really?! That's awesome!"

"Yeah I know!" They jumped up and down, "Wait, is there anyone else with them?"

"oh, just Kakashi…" Ino informed. Sakura laughed, "Good, Kakashi won't talk a lot to Naruto and he'll have to talk to her!" They both cheered and Ino turned to leave.

Sakura frowned, "And next time, pig… wait till morning to tell me…" Ino laughed, "But you seemed already awake! Don't give me that crap!" Sakura boiled inside, "You know what! Maybe I was! And next time, don't come to my house! Ugh!" Sakura went inside, frustrated and happy at the same time.

Meanwhile, Naruto was bored half to death by walking in silence for so long.

"Are we there yet?" Naruto began.

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"I just said, no." Kakashi said with annoyance rising. Hinata yawned. They walked down the path a bit when Naruto started again, "Are we there yet?" Kakashi didn't even answer. "Hmpth…" Hinata stretched her arms up in the air. Naruto scratched his neck and played with his headband. And Hinata seems to be looking around and every now and then she would catch a glance at Naruto. Kakashi watched them both fiddle around, looking nervous. He smiled to himself.

"I'm going ahead, you guys stay behind… If there's any trouble, Naruto protect her." The next second, he was gone. Naruto blushed just like Hinata always had. They both wanted to say something to each other about the night before…

"Hinata…I…"

(A/N Eww… cliff hanger…. Sorry about that. And sorry about waiting months to do this… its been sitting in a dusty desk drawer, waiting for me to type it and put it up here.. but I just hadn't had the time… or I was too lazy to do it… lol I hope you enjoyed it! No telling when I'll get around to typing chapter 7… haha…)