If Tomorrow Never Comes

By Revelias

Author's Note: I do not own Naruto or anything there in so please do not sue me.

Chapter 1: The Departure

The last member of the Akatsuki was dead and the war which had begun ten years prior was finally over.

There had been no fanfare when the blond shinobi returned to the Leaf. Rather, he was greeted with the same hate filled eyes that had always meet him when he returned from a mission. Today was no different, his life had been put on the line once again for the place he called home only to have his efforts rewarded with disdain. Still, for the blond, the feelings of the villagers mattered little. He had long ago cease to care about what they thought of him. In truth, it had been years since he had truly cared for anyone or anything other then those few precious souls he called friend.

Passing through the streets of Konohagakure Naruto could clearly hear the whispers of the people. "Why did he come back?" "Don't get to close to him or you'll be killed." "Why won't he just die and leave the us in peace." It wasn't anything new for the blond. Since he was a child there had always been those villagers that wished to see him expelled from their lives. A wish up until know he had been unwilling grant.

"Well done Naruto. Jiraiya would be proud." Tsunade applauded the young man before her.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Naruto replied surprising the older woman.

"What, don't tell me that your fight with Pein knocked some respect into you?" She teased the young man before her. He remained respectfully quite, to quite not to cause her a small amount of concern.

"Is there something wrong Naruto, you don't seem yourself?" The Fifth asked.

"I'm just tired." He replied half heartedly.

Tsunade could see that there was something more then simple fatigue troubling him and chose to press him for an explanation. "Are you sure? You look as though there something else you want to talk about?"

The Hokage's had caught him off guard and for a moment he considered whether he should confide in her before he began to speak.

"I'm tired Baa-chan. I'm tired of serving a village that would rather see me dead then come home safely. I'm tired of pretending that it doesn't hurt every time someone puts me down! I'm tired of being hated and despised just because of what I am! I'm tired of lying to you, my friends, and epically myself! I'm just tired!" Naruto said releasing all of the pent up resentments he had been harboring.

"I'm sure you're over reacting, no one despises you. Sure you're annoying at times and..."

"They said they wished that I had died, that they would rather I had never come back to the village!" Naruto hesitantly cut off the Hokage. "I'm tired of being where I'm not wanted. With the Akatsuki finished and Sasuke safely home there is nothing left for me to accomplish here." He rushed on.

"You can't be serious, how could you ever think of leaving? What about your dream of becoming Hokage? Are you just going to give that up and what about your friends? Are you going to abandon them just because of what a few ignorant people say behind your back?" She questioned.

He looked away from her. He didn't want to see the hurt in her eyes that he heard in her voice.

"We both know that neither the Elders or Civilian Council would ever allow me to become Hokage and my friends will be my friends regardless of if I stay or go. Believe me Tsunade when I say that I have thought about this for a long time and after considering everything there simply isn't a good enough reason for me to remain in Konohagakure. So I'm asking for your permission to leave. But regardless of what you say I'm leaving." Naruto told Tsunade as she watched him in disbelief.

"And what If I say no, Brat? What if I summon the Anbu and have you placed under arrest? What then Naruto?" The Fifth asked hoping that he would chose to remain in the village rather then try and fight his way out.

"I would hope that you wouldn't do that. The last thing I want to do is to leave the only home I have ever known with the blood of it's people on my hands." He simply responded.

Tsunade was surprised by his response. Judging the man before her, Tsunade was well aware of how far he had progressed over the past few years. Training alone would make him formidable but aided by the power of the Nine Tails Naruto would be near unstoppable. Still she hated to see him give up on his dreams but at the same time could not simply let him walk away from the village.

"Are you asking for a mission or are saying goodbye?" Tsunade asked as she took a flask of saki from its' hiding place.

"What's the difference?" Naruto replied refusing to look at the woman he considered family.

A small smile graced her lips as she relished the simplicity of his question before she turned to look out towards the village.

"Well, a mission leaves open the possibility that you might come back someday. The other means that you are turning away from us forever." The Hokage began.

"If I send you on a mission then you are still apart of this village but if you just leave then I would have no choice but to declare you a rouge and send Hunters to bring you back."

Despite what many believed about him Naruto was not a fool and recognized what Tsunade was trying to do for him.

"Then I am formally requesting a mission Hokage-sama." Naruto said as he watched her in the windows reflection.

"Very well. Naruto Uzumaki, your mission is to search the world for the place where you belong. However, I want you to promise me something Naruto. Should you grow weary of your journey or your heart begins to long for the familiar sites of home then you are to return as soon as you can." Tsunade said as she turned to face the young man before her.

"It's a promise, My Lady." Naruto replied before turning and leaving the Fifth alone with her flask and memories.

To Be Continued