(A/N: I've decided to do a Naruto/Fullmetal Alchemist crossover. I honestly wanted to do this for a long time. I had several ideas for this, but never got around to it. This is heavily inspired by both BlackDeviousRose's 'The Story Untold' [I wish they would continue that fanfic] and STLHero's 'The Fullmetal Alchemist Sister' [and plus the fact I always wanted to do more Naruto crossovers]. I love their stories. You guys should check it out. They're awesome!

Ahem! Anyway, yeah this is a Naruto/FMA fanfic. I don't know how many times I plan to update this, so be pretty ready for a very slow burner as I'm more focused on my other FMA crossover. This is more on the side along with my other stories [whenever I get to them].

As for timeline… In the Naruto timeline… This takes place place probably a little over a year after the Fourth Great Ninja War. So, Naruko is eighteen while Ed and Al are fifteen and fourteen, respectively. And in the FMA side of things… Takes place after the Elric brothers leave Resembool after Winry repairs Edward's automail after his first fight with Scar.

Naruko [fem-Naruto] is Ed's and Al's adopted older sister. She was brought by Jiraiya to live with Trisha and Hohenheim outside the Elemental Nations. When Naruko turns eight, she has return back to Konoha to begin her ninja training without telling Edward and Alphonse why she's leaving, leaving them with same impression of her as their father [Ed's icy bitterness and Al's blatant sadness].

As for pairings, this is a Naruko [fem-Naruto]/Sasuke pairing. I always wanted to do a Naruko/Sasuke fanfic crossover with Fullmetal Alchemist, and here it is! As for others, I don't know. Canon, perhaps? Unless, you have any other suggestions. I was thinking of Edward/Sakura as one of the side pairings, but then I thought she may be a little bit too old for him. She is eighteen while he's fifteen. I don't know.

Well, anyway, I don't own Naruto or Fullmetal Alchemist. Let's get on with the story…! Enjoy!)

Bitter Departure

A boy with hair and eyes are bright as gold stared curiously at an older girl blonde tied into short pigtails and eyes as blue as the ocean's depth.

"Ed! Look! This is your new big sister, Naruko!" his mom announced, cheerily.

Edward stared at the older girl, his sister, with wonder and awe. With chubby legs, he toddled towards her. "Hi, sister!" he greeted, toothily. "I'm Edward!"

The girl smiled, widely at him. "Nice to meet you, Edward. I'm Naruko!" she greeted in return, gently rubbing his head.

Ed stood nervously as his mother searched for a nice pair of clothes to wear. They were going to take a family photo she had told him whatever that meant.

Naruko was already dressed in a pale blue summer dress. Her blonde hair was tied into their usual pigtails.

After he was neatly dressed in a burnt red shirt and brown shorts, his mom went to get his infant baby brother, Alphonse, ready as well.

His big sister grabbed his smaller hands and followed after their mother as she led them into a room where dad was along with a strange man with a camera.

He couldn't understand a word his parents were saying, but his could, seeing as her face was scrunched up in confusion.

Ed was picked up by Trisha as she held him out towards Hohenheim. His father tentatively placed his hands around his small waist as if he feared dropping him by accident.

Edward let out a large, childish grin. He couldn't remember the last time his father held him. His whole body trembled with childlike joy. Who could blame him? He couldn't remember the last time his father picked him up, even if his grip was uneasy and unsure.

His sister crawled onto their father's shoulder while their mother tenderly held their infant baby brother. They were one big, happy blonde family. All smiles and sunshine with no worry in the world as the photographer took their family picture.

At least… That's what Ed thought.

Now a little bigger, Edward and Alphonse sadly and dejectedly stood outside of the cracked door of their father's study watching the man on the desk, focusing on his research.

Ever since their family photo, Hohenheim has been crammed inside his study reading those books of his. Ed and Al never understood why. Why won't daddy play with them anymore? What was he doing that was so important that he would isolate himself in his room?

Trisha and Naruko had left to go someplace, leaving the boys alone with their father. The boys were feeling extremely agitated and bored. When was their mother going to bring big sister back, so she could play with them?

Edward may be only four, but he was more perceptive than most kids his age. His sister was starting to act strangely. There was nothing noticeable about her, but she seemed more tense and...sad for some reason.

He wondered if it was because dad was no longer with them. That bastard walked out on them almost year ago. He noticed how much Hohenheim's absence has affected their mother. Trisha tries to act like nothing was wrong, trying to strong for her kids, but they knew she was a little heartbroken from her husband's disappearance.

Edward would never forgive his father for leaving them. Hurting him was one thing, but hurting his mother was another. He hated the sad look on his mother's face. So it wasn't after their father walked out on them that Ed and Al tried to study alchemy. They were hoping to find the reason for why he left, and also keep their mother happy.

He remembered the first time he and Alphonse performed it. His mother smiled brightly, showering them with praises. Naruko tried to see if she could do alchemy as well, but it was too complicated for her to understand. Although, she was a bit jealous that her two younger brothers could do something so cool that she couldn't, she couldn't be any prouder of them.

Now it was Edward's turn to be worried about her. Through, the cracked door of her room, he could see his sister staring sadly off into space. Peeking in further, he could see Naruko was actually staring at the small wooden horse he and Al alchemically made for her for her last birthday present. He remembered how happy and proud she was of them because of how much their alchemy improved in just a few months, slobbering them with kisses and hugs, much to Alphonse's delight while Edward groaned in disgust yet secretly happy.

He frowned. So...why? Why was she crying while staring at it? It both shocked and hurt Edward to see the shimmer of barely controlled tears in his sister's blue orbs, sticking against her long eyelashes. It was rare for her to cry. His sister never cries even when she broke her ankle when she fell off the tree that time after helping their mother pick some apples for her apple pie later that night. Why was she crying now? Did she not like wooden horse, after all?

The door squeaked louder as Ed tried to shove himself closer. The noise the door made caused Naruko to whip her head around to see her little brother standing there, a look of confusion, worry, anger glowing in his golden eyes. She knew where that anger was directed at. Their father. She knew about the bitter resentment Edward held for Hohenheim for leaving them and causing a small painful rift in their family.

"Ed?" Naruko spoke, questionably. "What are you doing in my room? You should be in bed?" She hopped out of her bed, clad in yellow pajamas, rushing towards him.

"Sister, why are you crying?" Edward asked, skipping straight to the point. He charges at headfirst at the center of his concerns, no sense of tact at his young age. Golden eyes stared into his big sister's own blue ones, face twisting into one worried-driven confusion and painstaking sadness.

Naruko blinked once then twice before her face contorted into a wide smile. "Did I worry you, Ed?" she asked, cheekily. "Sorry about that." She affectionately rubbed his head.

Edward frowned even more. He knew his sister was deliberately avoiding his question. He clenched his small fist. "Is it dad?" he growled, lowly.

Blonde brows rose in confusion. "Huh?" she said, dumbly.

Her younger brother pushed away from her, his expression filled with rage and bitterness at the man who left them. "Are you crying because dad's gone?"

Naruko's expression disheartened slightly at the mere mention of their father. Watching Ed's face darken even more, she shook her head. Of course, she was a somewhat saddened by Hohenheim's departure, but...for some reason...she never held it against the man, not like her little brother did. Originally being orphan, she was just have to have someone to call a 'father', even if it was a short while.

The older blonde shook her head, vigorously. "Ed, why do you hate dad so much?"

Edward gritted his teeth, golden eyes gleaming with rage. "The bastard ditch us!" he yelled, furiously.

Naruko frowned at that. She could perfectly understand her younger brother's bitterness towards their absent father, but having an absent dad was better than having no dad at all. At least, Hohenheim was alive somewhere.

Ed watched as his sister gently stroke his cheek, blue eyes softened. "Ed, you shouldn't be angry at dad all the time," she advised, softly.

"Why shouldn't I?" he argued, heatedly. "He doesn't care about us!" His whole body shook, golden eyes glancing at the floor, pain and sadness reflecting in them. "He doesn't love us," he mumbled out, dejectedly.

Seeing how hurt her brother was, Naruko pulled him into a hug, softly stroking the back of his head in a soothing manner. "Edward, father didn't leave because he hates us, dattebayo. I'm sure dad loves us, cherishes us." The Uzumaki would never forget the heartbroken expression Hohenheim wore as he walked out the door, suitcase in hand.

"I'm pretty sure dad didn't really want to leave us," she continued.

"Then why did he?" Edward's pained voice was muffled by her shirt.

Sadly, Naruko couldn't answer that because she doesn't know the reason for their father's disappearance. She didn't know what to say to justify it, or even if she should justify a man leaving his wife and kids behind.

There was only one thing she could say.

"Remember, Ed, no matter what, dad had always and would always love us. Bonds aren't destroyed that easily. I'm pretty sure mom and dad love each other very much."

He pulled away from her slightly, desperately staring into her eyes. "Then why does mom get sad whenever dad's name is brought up?" he asked, pleadingly, silently waiting for his sister's answer.

There was short pause as Naruko contemplated her answer. Her blue eyes drifted out towards the window, staring at the moonlit night. She swallowed a thick lump in her throat, her heart twisting painfully in her chest.

"Sometimes, dear little brother… Sometimes love is painful. Sometimes a person has to make sacrifices because they love someone and hold them very dear to their heart. And if you could overcome that agonizing pain, then you know that your love is real."

Edward didn't realize at that moment that Naruko wasn't just speaking about their father, but about herself as well. Childishly oblivious to his older sister's soon to be departure.

"Ow!" Edward squeaked out, painfully as he was hit by a wench. He glared up at his blonde haired friend. "What was that for, Winry?"

Winry huffed. "Stop acting like such a jerk, you alchemy freak!"

Naruko shook her head in amusement as her younger brother and friend argue, heatedly. Alphonse clutched the back of her blue shirt, watching them both wary, gold eyes.

This simple fight of many started because Winry wanted Naruko to braid her hair. Edward sneered at the request with disgust at doing something so...girly, and jealousy at the young blonde preoccupying his older sibling's time.

Naruko mused at that. Edward had always been jealous of anyone grabbing her attention away from him, even Winry and Alphonse. She remembered fondly at how Ed would angrily pout when Al scraped his knee, forcing his sister to tend wounds while mother was busy making dinner, completely unaware.

He even went as far as to deliberately injure himself, so her attention would be drawn from Al to Ed. The oldest blonde sibling had felt an extreme sense of happiness at how much Ed and Al adored her. Always begging, pleading for their sister to play with them whenever she wasn't busy helping mom with chores. It was so favorably different from the blank, unfeeling stares she used to get her orphanage.

Naruko was snapped out of her musings when Winry struck Edward on the head with another, indignantly calling him 'a stupid jerk'. She wholeheartedly loved her adopted family! She wouldn't trade them for anything else in the world!

Edward and Alphonse stood out the kitchen doorway, scared and worried. Their sister was in the other side talking with mom. They couldn't make out the words that were being said, but sounds of distraught, hurt, and terror were clear.

"Brother, what do you think sister is talking about with mom?" Al asked, nervously.

Ed shook his head, sadly. "I don't know, Al." He was frightfully worried. What was mom discussing with their sister about that she needed to rush him and Al into bed early just so they wouldn't hear?

"Did you think it has something to do with why mom leaves with sister sometimes?" His little brother's trembling voice broke Edward out of his depressive thoughts.

"Where do you think they go, Al?" Ed asked, his younger brother.

The boy of four pondered this immediately. "It has been somewhere really secretive and girly if mom can't bring us," Al concluded.

Ed blech at that. "Well, if mom wants to spend some girl time with big sister, then we shouldn't stop her," he answered, phasing his words with much more tact than he would discussing about Winry than with Trisha.

Edward and Alphonse jumped slightly in surprise as the kitchen door swung open to reveal a tear stricken Naruko. Fretful and distressed, Ed and Al rushed to her side.

"Sister, what's wrong?"

"Why are you crying?"

Hearing her brothers distraught and worried voices, Naruko bit the inside of her lips to keep herself from breaking down in front of them.

"Ed. Al. There's something...I have to tell you," Naruko spoke, quietly. She couldn't stop herself from trembling, her voice hoarse from her nonstop crying.

"What is it?" her two younger brothers asked, eager and scared. Does it have something do with why their sister was crying?

She mumbled something quietly under her breath. So quiet that Ed and Al couldn't hear.

"Huh?" Twin pair of blond brows furrowed in confusion, trying to strain their ears to hear sister's barely contained voice.

Two words broke the boys.

"I'm leaving."

Naruko was packed and ready to go, despairingly ready to leave her family and return to her place of birth for who knows how long. She was spotted by an upset Alphonse. The look of heartbreak on his face was truly agonizing.

Small padded feet rushed towards her, hand clinging desperately at her shirt. "Please, big sister! Don't go!" Alphonse sobbed.

The older blonde shook her head, soberly. "I can't."

"Why? Do you really have to leave?"

"Sorry, Al," Naruko replied, softly, trying to remain strong. "But I… I really have to go." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I promise to come back someday."

"Don't even bother!" A different furious voice rang out. Both Naruko and Alphonse turned their heads to see Edward standing there in the hallway, little hands balled into angrily trembling fists. "We don't need you! You're abandoning us just like dad did!"

Al gasped at the harshness of Ed's declaration. "Ed!" he cried out in disbelief.

Naruko smiled, bitterly. She was expecting this sort of hostility from Edward. While Al had been pleading nonstop for her to stay, Ed had been avoiding her all week, sending her an occasional enraged and resentful glare everytime their paths crossed. It broke her heart see her dear little brother who absolutely adored her suddenly wanted nothing to do with her.

She reached out towards him and softly and affectionately patted his head like she used to do. But instead of the usual happy grin she always received, a vicious growl erupted from Edward's throat as he angrily slapped her hand away as if it was contaminated.

"Stop it! Just leave already!"

Blue eyes saddened immensely when Ed furiously refused to look at her. Naruko sighed dejectedly.

She grabbed her bag and headed out the door, ignoring Al's cries and pleads for her not to leave.

Closing the door behind her, Naruko finally let out the silent, depressive sobs she was desperately holding in.

(A/N: That's it for the first chapter! I really hoped you liked it! Wow, I'm getting really good at these introductory chapters. I remember I used to suck at them. Anyway, I think I already said everything I needed to say in the beginning of the story. Once again, the story this time is a Naruko/Sasuke one. I honestly wanted to post this before my other Naruto/FMA crossover, but things happen and plot bunnies roam free. I may be working on this more than the other one since this plot came first, and I have more ideas for this than the Naruko/Hino one. Well, please leave any suggestions, comments, and questions in a review, and thanks for reading!)