The three day journey to the Land of Whirlpools passed quickly .It was dusk.

"The Land of Whirlpools should be coming in sight soon." Shikamaru said from the helm as they flew on either side of him.

Naruto felt a strange mix of emotions within him. He wasn't sure what to expect.He knew Kakashi sensei said all the people from the Uzumaki had gone but a part of him was still hopeful.

"We don't know what we're going to find. So everyone be alert." Shikamaru continued. "Oi! Naruto! Are you listening?" 

"I know, you know." Naruto replied.

Sakura looked over at him. Shikamaru was right to  warn him. He was often one to rush headfirst into battle, she had seen it countless of times.He had undoubtedly matured alot over the years and she could hardly deny that as a shinobi , he was one of the greatest in their generation. Still, caution could never hurt.

In short order, against the orange hues of the evening sky, the could see a dark mass coming into view.The mass growing bigger as they approached.

"Hinata! Use your Byakugan to see if there is any sign of the enemy." Shikamaru commanded.

Hinata complied immediately.

"Byakugan!" she activater her dōjutsu.Her pupils became more distinct and veins near her temple began to bulge. "I-I don't see anyone." she reported "But there seems to be a strange glow emanating from the left side of the island."

"Sai! Take us down on the left side of the island." Shikamaru commanded next.

"Understood." Sai replied as they began their descent.

The birds took a dive towards the shoreline, their black ink disintegrating when they had landed successfully.

The waves crashed against the shoreline thunderously.

"It will be dark soon." Shikamaru told them. "It probably wouldn't be wise to explore unknown terrain. We'll find a place to make camp and come up with a plan.Hinata, you have the Byakugan. Take first watch."

"Mmm" Hinata agreed, her voice barely a whisper. She looked at Naruto. She wondered what he was thinking now that they were in the land of his ancestors.Even in the slight darkness, she could see the tension in his blue eyes.

"N-Naruto kun." she spoke to him. "I'm sure things will be ok."

He looked at her and gave her a smile.

"I know, you know." he replied as they began moving further inland, leaving the crashing waves behind them.

Dark mountains loomed ahead of them and there was a chill in the air.Shikamaru walked ahead, his eyes darting here and there for any possible sign of danger. Sai followed immediately after with Sakura behind him and Hinata behind her as Naruto brought up up the rear.

The Leaf Shinobi looked around as they walked. Night had fallen and everything was still and the air was cold. 

Naruto adjusted his scarf and smiled.

They walked for a while before they came upon a came some ways inland.

"We can rest here." Shikamaru told them "I'll go survey the surrounding area." Before they could respond, he was gone.

"Hinata." he called to her.

"Byakugan!" she responded, looking in the direction of the cave. "I don't see anything." she told him.

He stalked inside.Followed by Sakura.

"Aren't you cold?" Hinata heard Naruto's voice behind her. "You should hurry and get inside."

She was indeed a little cold. Her ninja gear didn't have any sleeves and her shorts were well cuffed at her thighs.

Without a word, she nodded and followed her comrades inside.

Naruto stood at the mouth of the cave, looking at the starless sky. At some point in time, his mother had looked at this very sky when she'd lived here. He knew what the aim of the mission was, but there was still some part of him that was hoping to see something from a past he'd never known.

If his mother hadn't gone to live in Konoha, he might have even been born here.

"Are you alright?" Sakura came and stood adjacent to him.

He continued to stare at the sky, both his hands in his pockets.

"It's just kind of strange." he confessed. "Being here. I only met my mother through the Chakra my father sealed when he was sealing Kurama."

"What was she like?" Sakura asked

"She was beautiful." he replied. "I wish she could have stayed longer."

Sakura looked at him.

"Naruto." she said his name softly.

As though he didn't want to be sad, his voice perked up and he smiled at her.

"Well. I'm glad I got to meet her. Even once." he smiled.

Sakura smiled inspite of herself.

"How could he be that way?" she marveled. No matter what kind of adversity he'd faced. He was always smiling.He always refused to succumb to sadness.

"I'm sure she's proud of the man that you've become." Sakura told him. Her voice dropped a little lower and she looked at her hands "I am."

He turned to face her now, his blue eyes searching her green ones.

"Sakura chan?" 

She felt hot under his gaze and desperately tried to keep the blush from rising on her pale skin.

"I-I mean. You've done so many amazing things. We're all proud of you." she scrambled to recover.

"Right." he replied. He sounded disappointed.

She knew. She knew how he felt about her. She'd always known but she'd always been selfish. She only ever ignored him while she chased Sasuke.Her tears had never fallen for him until that day.

It was the first time she'd felt that she could truly lose him forever. It was the most scared she'd ever been in her life.She had been desperate to save him. At the time she thought the overwhelming desire to save him was borne out of their friendship but after the dust settled, when things had calmed down after the war, she realized it was much more.

She couldn't imagine her life without him for so many reasons. She wanted to be with him and only him.

Suddenly their captain returned.

"There doesn't seem to be anything suspicious." he told him as he walked by them and into the cave. "We will take turns in 3 hour watches." he told him.

Hinata approached the mouth of the cave and Sakura turned to leave.

Her heart was heavy but this was the right thing to do. It had to be.