-The Second Betrayel
The night was becomming clear over Konoha, the stars were shining at their brigtest and the wind calmley pushed the leaves around outside. 3 years... Sakura thought in her bedroom starring out her window. For 3 years ago, on this exact night, on this moment of time... Sasuke left them... to join the most evil of people. Yet she had been stuck with Naruto, he was the same as ever, stupid... weird, but in a good way. She liked him alot... as a friend. But Sasuke... she thought about him every night, how had he changed, was he still as she remembered him? Or was he suddenley become a totally different person? A sudden chill slipped through the window which made her shiver. She closed it quickly and sighed. She stepped backwards and heard a paper rastling under her feet. She looked down and picked the paper up. It was the ball... the Ninja's of Konoha were invited to this ball, she had almost forgotten about it. She turned against her closet and opened it. There in the middle was her dress. White as snow, and pink as a cherry colored lipstick. This dress had been there for 3 years. She had hoped Sasuke would invite her to the dance... he never did... and so, the dress had been locked up. She got it when she first became a ninja. Since there was a ball every 5 years, she had made sure it would fit her when the 3 years would pass. Sasuke... she suffered and looked up at the stars. Where are you?
Naruto was tight asleep in his bed that night, when he woke up, he notised a bird had crashed in the window. Ofcorce he was always sleeping like a rock. He mumbeled something. And looked around in his dirty room after a pair of pants then he saw the letter about the ball. He smiled to himself. He just had to invite Sakura, he just hoped she would be okay with it. He got dressed and put on his Ninja headband. Opened the door and almost fell backwards when Jiraya hit him. "Hey what was that for!" He yelled and got up. Jiraya twisted his hands. "I was merely knocking" he protected himself. Naruto crossed his eyes. "So what is it?" Naruto asked and put his arms in a cross. "I was at Tsunade's office, and she asked to see you." He smiled. Naruto looked stunned. "I thought Ninja's weren't aloud to have a mission around the ball time!" he cried out and ran past Jiraya. "Could you clean my room while I'm gone? Thanks!" he shouted and ran out the door. Jiraya laughed and turned around. What a M.E.S.S! "NARUTO!" he yelled.
When Naruto arrived to the office of Tsunade, he noticed it was extremely warm in there, and when he looked at Tsunade, he saw a temperature meter hanging out of her mouth. "No comments Naruto just sit down!" she said and sneezed. "Bless you" Shizune said while cleaning the books away. "Naruto, have you noticed anything weird with Sakura lately?" she asked. Naruto startet to itch his head. "No, how come? Is she okay?" he wondered. Because they were no longer a three teamed squad, and since Sakura had become a medical ninja, Naruto had joined different kinds of other ninja groups on their missions, he had hardly time to see Sakura lately. "Something's up with her, these last days, she has been doing every little detail perfect in her training..." Naruto smiled. "So she is turning better and better?" Tsunade took out the temperature and saw on it sighed, and put it away. "Naruto, she is too chippy... she almost seems as if she is sad somehow." Shizune mumbeled something and went over to Tsunade. "You are overworking her Tsunade, give her a little time off, this dance might be good for her." Tsunade looked over at Naruto. "I want to keep an eye on her, give me a report daily, that will be your mission for the next month."
Naruto left the building and startet to head against Sakura's place. When he came there her mother opened the door and led him to Sakura's room. "Sakura?" he asked and she turned around and smiled. "Naruto! What are you doing here?" she asked and put down a book she was reading. "I thought I should check up on you, see how you are doing..." Sakura smiled sweetly. "I am fine Naruto, how about you and Sai?" she asked. Naruto thought for a while. "Now that you mentioned it, I don't know... we haven't been on the same missions lately... would you like to go for ramen?" he asked. Sakura shook her head, "Thanks Naruto, but I have already eaten..." Naruto took his palm on Sakura's forehead. "You aren't sick, why are you inside?" Sakura looked down and then up again. "Just... hanging around... let's go for a walk" she ended her sentence with a fake smile and left her house with Naruto three steps behind. "Sasuke again isen't it..." he said and looked at her with a most disappointing grin. Sakura nodded. "I keep hoping he one day will come back..." she whispered. Try every day...Naruto thought. "Anyway... I was wondering if you were going to the ball this year" Naruto smiled at her sweetly. The smile was not returned. "You are asking me to go with you?" she stopped and looked at him. Naruto blushed and looked at her. "Well... yeah... kinda..." Sakura did not take her eyes off him. "Naruto... I... I am sorry! I really am but... I don't want to go to this party at all..." That was the last thing she said before she ran away from him, leaving him behind. "Sakura!" he yelled after her a bit worried.
Naruto jumped up on one of the roof tops. He needed to keep an eye on her... that was his mission... As he started to follow her through the woods he stopped on a branch and nearly tripped as he heard someone call his name. He turned around looking down. "What is it Neji?" he asked. Neji and Hinata were down there.. "What are you doing?" he answered and jumped down on the ground. Hinata blushed and Naruto seemed to notice. Although he thought she was just worked up. "I am after Sakura, I got a mission by Tsunade to hold an eye on her..." Neji crossed his arms. "And I bet you just lost her now didn't you?" Neji asked. "Wha-?" Naruto turned his head. "Damn it! Where is she, she was just here!" he looked away and got a most annoyed expression. "Well? What are you standing here for? We are training, and you better run if you want to either find, or catch up to her!" Naruto nodded. "Right, bye!" he shouted after him and continued.
Even by nightfall, he couldn't seem to find her. There was something wrong... he knew it. Well he had to get to Tsunade's office again and tell her the bad news. When he arrived there his eyes grew wide. Sakura was standing by Tsunade's desk looking up at him. "What is it Naruto?" Sakura asked angry. "Don't tell me you have been here all day?" Tsunade rose from her chair. "Naruto, unless you have to scream I would like you to leave right now, your mission for today is over!" Sakura smiled shortley and left with Naruto. "Why did you run off this morning?" he asked curiousley. "I didn't run off Naruto, I had to get to Tsunade's office right away to work! Don't tell me you were supposed to follow me all day?" she said angrily. "Well um... yeah... kindof." Sakura crossed her arms and started to walk faster. "Good night Naruto!" she said loudly and left him.
A few hours after Sakura and Naruto had split up, she rised from her bed and started to pack her bag. She opened her door and sneaked slowly outside. No one was out. Exept the ANBU... which she easily could sneak pass. Every piece of her heart told her it was right, every fiber in her being told her it was wrong. She had told Naruto she wouldn't be at the ball... even though she wanted to go. She sneaked past some of the guards just as Sai appeared infront of her. "Wha-?" she whispered and fell to the ground of astonishment. "Sakura? What are you doing out this late?" he asked and held his hand out to her to help her up. "I am heading to Tsunade's office, what are YOU doing outside right now?" He got a split look on his face. "Sakura... I am an ANBU, I work out the nights... and you surley don't look like you are heading towards Tsunade with that backpack... would you like to take a walk with me?" Sakura nodded and started to walk side by side with him. When his guard was down she hit him in his vital organs and he fell unconsious to the ground. "I am sorry Sai... but this is something I must do alone..."
The next day Naruto woke up in his still untidy room. He didn't do the job did he... he thought and mumbeled something as he started to get dressed and went to the table to chew on a piece of bread. "N-Naruto?" a voice said from downstairs. It was a girls voice. "Who?- Hinata! What are you doing here?" he asked and got down to her. Hinata's long hair was beautifully put down her shoulders. He started to blush just as she did. He haden't seen her at all almost since he came back. "Konoha might be in trouble..." voices outside said. Naruto looked outside the door. Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba, Rock Lee, Neji, TenTen, Choji and Shino stood outside the door. Hinata backed up a little. "What do you mean Konoha might be in trouble?" Ino shook her head. "I knew this would happen, I just knew it!" Hinata looked back at Naruto. "Tsunade want's to see all of us... a crisis has begun..."
"Why did you call all of us here?" Naruto asked and looked straight into Tsunade's face. "Naruto, Sai, your teammate, one of the ANBU... has been seriously hurt in his vital organs and is now in the hospital." She looked at Shizune. "Take over for me half an hour, the rest of you, follow me." As the crowd gathered in one of the hospital rooms. Naruto looked almost annoyed over Sai. He was consious but he couldn't move. "Sai? What happend!" he shouted. "You don't need to yell at me." Sai replied. "I can hear you!" Tsunade looked over at Naruto. "Tell me Naruto... do you see anyone missing?" Naruto looked over the crowd. "Sasuke!" he said. Tsunade mumbeled something. "Idiot, he's been gone for years! Who else is missing?" Naruto checked again. And his eyes spid open. "Where is Sakura?"
"So you are telling me, Sakura did this?" he asked Tsunade. She nodded. "No one else but her in this village, and Shizune because they are my apprentices, knows how to knock someone out like that by hitting them on that exact spot." Naruto looked behind him. "That still dosen't explain why everyone is here, and where Sakura is..." Tsunade looked at him. "I think you will be able to find that out for yourself... and bring her back... this is an S-Class mission I am assigning all of you." Sai started to get up. "With an exeption of you Sai!" Tsunade shouted and pushed him back down. Sai felt a bit of pain though. Naruto looked as if he was in deep thoughts then he turned against the others. "She has gone after Sasuke." Kiba suffered a bit. "We know, so now what?" Shikamaru was the one to answer that. "We can meet infront of the gate in one hour... then we can figure some things out." He sighed.
An hour later they were all gathered by the entrance of Konoha. "We should divide the teams into four and three, this will not be completely your normal teames though." Shikamaru took out a piece of paper. "I have found the best possible solution of teams." Naruto looked at him. "So? What are the teams?" he asked. "Team 1: TenTen, Ino, Shino and Choji. Team 2: Neji, Me, Rock Lee and Kiba. Team 3: Naruto, Hinata and... Sai" he said and put down his pen. Naruto looked at Shikamaru. "Sai won't be moving for a while... Tsunade said so." Shikamaru mumbeled something. "I recover fast Naruto." Naruto turned and saw Sai up on one of the rooftops. "Then let's get going." Naruto smiled.
Sakura had been going though the woods three day's without a break. Until finally she appeared infront of where she and Naruto had last seen Sasuke and Orochimaru three years ago. She had always known they would come back there. Suddenly a whole bunch of ninjas surrounded her. All wearing masks. Sakura looked serious as she faced them. "I would like to see Orochimaru... I came alone" One of the ninja's stepped backwards and told the others to check the area. A few seconds they all came back. "No one is here exept her." Sakura looked at him. "Kill me if you want, but I promise it won't be easy, and I have something to say to Orochimaru. And if I get killed by meeting him, so be it." The ninja held a hand sign and the other ninja's disappeared. "Really? I never knew you would come as well Sakura." A known voice said. The ninja that had held up his hand, removed his mask. "Kabuto..." she said calmly. "Lead me to Orochimaru now!"
Hinata, Sai and Naruto were jumping from branch to branch. To search for Sakura the three different teames had gone in different directions. Naruto looked at Hinata. She looked a bit tired. "Are you okay Hinata?" he asked. Hinata nodded and totally blushed. "You look exosted!" he commented her red face. "I- I'm fine Naruto." Sai looked at them. "It think we better take a brake." Naruto said and they all stopped on the next branch. Hinata took off her backpack. "Let me get that for you Hinata" he took her backpack and fell to the ground. "Have you got stones in here? No wonder you were tired." he cried out loud and lifted it over to the other backpack's. "I got some things I thought we might need" She blushed and looked over at Sai. "We better take a pause for the night. We might miss a branch and die in this deep forest dark. Naruto grumbeled something. "I am starving." He muttered. Hinata rose and found her backpack. "Do any of you guys like ramen?" she asked. Naruto got his eyes up. "I love ramen!" Sai only smiled. He jumped over to Hinata and looked in her backpack. "You got a whole bunch of them!" he smiled with stars in his eyes. "Actually I was going to give 9 to each team, but I seemed to forget it somehow." By the time she said that Naruto had already started to eat.
The halls were dark and unpleasant. That was the first thing Sakura noticed when she entered side by side with Kabuto. Knowing this might be the last seconds of her life. "You are either courageous or extremely stupid." He laughed but instantley stoppet when he saw Sakura's annoyed grin. A set of two doors opened and he pushed her in. When she turned behind the doors were already closed. In the dark part of the room. She felt someone watching her. "Who is it?" she calmly said. Her eyes widened when she saw who came out of the dark, but instantley remained calm again. "I suppose you already know me... but who are you if I may ask?" A darkhaired Orochimaru said halfway laughing. "Sakura Haruno..." she said quietly. "A medical-ninja, apprentice of Tsunade."
After they had lit a fire. Naruto instantley layed down on the matress and looked over at Hinata. She was reading over by the fire for some light. Sai was just holding guard. Naruto had never seen him sleep. Naruto got up and looked up against Sai. "See anything?" he asked. "If I did or do, i will tell you." Sai replied in a way which one can not understand if you are angry or happy. "Would you like something to drink?" Sai shook his head. Naruto sat down by Hinata who instantley blushed. "You know, if you get so warm by sitting her that you turn almost as red as a tomato, you should have some water." He took two cups out of his backpack and filled them with water and handed the one to Hinata. "Thanks." She blushed. "So what are you reading about?" he asked and turned to see. "Um... I-It's about this girl, who tries to be better than she knows she can ever be, and who likes this guy who dosen't know she likes him, she looks up to him. But never is able to face completley without blushing." She drank her water and clipped the page. "I think we should get some sleep... we have a long day tomorrow... sorry for keeping you awake." She took up her own matress and layed down on it. "Don't worry about it... I wasen't able to sleep anyway" he smiled and pulled some covers over. Sai was still just smiling. Before soon, Naruto and Hinata were sleeping.
"Tsunade? Of Konoha?" he laughed and faced her. "How long have you been her apprentice? And why would a little girl like you come running here?" Sakura did not like the word little girl at all. "Soon three years, and I came here because I-" he started to walk around her. She did not know if it was fear, or uncertanty that she had probloms with ending her lines. "Because I know you need medical assistance." She said and turned against him. "And I know you have a bunch of people here with you, more than Kabuto could ever manage alone, and Tsunade was by the way the best medical-ninja ever, and I am almost up to her standards." Orochimaru did not know what to think. Tsunade had always been hasty, so it didn't wonder him that she would come running here, and about the medical ninja fact, they were to few. "You sure know how to speak wizely, what makes you think I won't kill you right here and now?" Sakura smiled for the first time. "Because I know you need me, and although I have only been an apprentice for three years, I have often been told I have great talent and skills and I control chakra very well." Orochimaru smiled and laughed. "Kabuto! Give this girl a room." He smiled and went off in the black. Kabuto came in though the door. "That must be the first time someone has come here and been able to convince Orochimaru to stay." he smiled. "You do know, if this is some kind of trick, your old teammate will be given the honor of killing you!" Sakura looked at him. "Sasuke's here?" she said as if she was surprised. He did not reply but opened a door and gave her a key. "Assistance with me starts tomorrow." She went in her room. "I will be there." Was the reply. The room looked normal. There was a bed, a bathroom, a kitchen and some books about medical-tecniques. This room must have been designed only for a medical-ninja. She layed down on her new bed and looked up in the seeling. Hoping that Naruto would not come looking for her, as he had done for Sasuke.
Sai had awakened both of them at 7 AM the next morning. Hinata got slowly up while Naruto needed to be awakened three times before he actually got up. That was when they realised they haden't taken with breakfast. Sai smiled. "No need to worry, Team 1 came here just for a few minuts ago, they are waiting for you guys to join them right now. "Team 1? Wasen't that Ino, TenTen, Shino and Choji?" Hinata asked. "Don't know, Don't care" Naruto smiled and started to look around. "Hey! I thought you said they were here!" Sai nodded. "The breeze wouldn't let them lit a fire, so they went behind that stonewall over there!" he pointed. Naruto turned against the stonewall where Shino and Choji were already eating. TenTen and Ino were making pancakes over the little fire they had been able to make. "May I have one?" Naruto begged. "Take it easy Naruto! It's over there!" TenTen pointed over to 3 plates next to Choji and Shino. "May I have more?" Choji asked. "Choji, You have already had eight portions!" The girls mumbeled. "So have you guys found any trace of Sakura yet?" Naruto asked. TenTen shook her head. "We have however found this." She took something out of her pocket. It was the red ribbon Sakura always wore. "Where did you find it?" Hinata followed up. "Actually I was the one that found it, just a few miles back heading this way." Shino answered. Ino looked at Naruto. "We have to report this instantley back to Tsunade, and we caught up to you guys to tell you the way." Ino said and told them which way to go. "We better start heading back, we hope you find her though." Choji smiled. He just had to get something to eat when they came back.
Sakura awoke by the glimmering sunlight gently warming her face. She got up and wondered where she was when she suddenly remembered. It was almost 10 o'clock. After getting drest and taking a shower. She got an apple from the small kitchen and opened her door. When she was about to close it she saw a letter hanging on it. She opened it. It was a guide so she knew how she could get around in the place. Medical-Assistance was supposed to be just around the corridor. When she opened the door she saw Kabuto straight infront of her and a few mashines infront of him. "What is that!" she asked. It was a picture of her room on the screen. "We had to be sure you weren't lying to us about joining or betraying, this was merely a test." He replied. "You meen... you have been watching me all night!" she shouted angry. "I am not going to betray you, but I would like my privacy!" she said and knocked her fist at the machine. And it instantley crashed. "Somehow I knew that was comming." He answered. "Now if you will help me my medical-assistant" he smiled and led her to a room full of ninja's whom were wounded.
After Team 1 and 3 had parted Naruto, Hinata and Sai continued looking in that direction. When Sai suddenly stopped on a branch. Hinata and Naruto stopped on the next. "Why did you stop Sai?" Hinata asked. Sai looked up at them as they jumped to the branch he stood on. "A footprint, barely older than yesterday." Naruto looked confused. "She must have been in quite a hurry, and for the looks of it, kept working on getting there the whole day, while we keep taking breaks every fifteen minutes, and have no idea where she is." When he said fifteen minutes. Hinata knew it was because of her. "Well, we have no time to get worked up over this, we need to keep going, even though we take many breaks." Naruto stood up for Hinata and started jumping again, Hinata and Sai right after him Hinata didn't just blush now... she felt helpless.
"You are new here aren't you!" one of the ninja's said to Sakura as she was curing some poison from him. "Quite" she replied quiet and started to bandage his hand. Just as she was about to turn around to get some pills that would make the healing go faster, she saw in the open door, Orochimaru passed by... and then... Sasuke. He didn't notice her, not even knowing she was there, and Orochimaru never knew they had been teammates before. She stood there and felt her heart beat as Kabuto looked in on her. "Everything okay here?" Sakura turned around. "Yes, I was just getting som pills for him." She handed 2 to the man and the man looked up at Kabuto. "She is really good at this!" he laughed and left. Sakura looked at Kabuto and smiled. "May I take a break?" she asked. "Five minuts" was the reply. Sakura nodded took off her medical-jacket and looked at her guide as if she was going to get back to her room. Kabuto kept watching her and that gave her a bad feeling. She ran towards the halls, past her own room and turned the corner, stopped and backed up. Sasuke would notice if she just put a step around it, and with Orochimaru there, she didn't dear. "Ready for training already Sasuke?" Orochimaru said. Sasuke did not reply, he just opened a door and went in. Sakura knew that there and then she couldn't do anything. She sighed and ran to her room, picked up a random medical-tecnique book and got back to the medical-room. "I found my book!" she smiled to Kabuto and got her jacket back on and turned the pages as if she was reading something, then closed it and went to another of her patience. However, she startet to feel Kabuto trusted her... at least a little for now.
After Naruto, Hinata and Sai started moving again, Hinata kept opening and closing her mouth as if she was going to say something, but didn't know how to say it right. "What is it Hinata?" Sai suddenley asked. "Well... Um... you see, I think we are going in the wrong direction." Those few words made Naruto stop instantley. "We have been going this way the last 4 hours, and Sai hasen't even noticed anything wrong!" Naruto looked questioning on her, which really made her blush... or... Hinata didn't seem to do it this time, she was able to keep her face normal for once. "As Neji told me about Sasuke, that he did not want to be found, maybe this whole thing was merely a trick." Sai looked at her. "I don't think that has anything to do about it, lets keep going." Naruto held out his hand infront of Sai. "Let her speak!" he angrily said to him. "Sakura leaving her ribbon behind, in a place she knew someone would find it if someone was looking for her. She would put it pointing one place, and go in the opposit direction, so none of us would get hurt!" Naruto looked at her. "Team 1 found the ribbon, clearly it was pointing in a direction and, Oh my I think you might be right Hinata! Sai, give me the map!" he quietly said and looked at it several times both backwords and front. "I'm not good at telling anything about this, you guys find out where we are!" Hinata got a pen and together with Sai, circled around Konoha, then how far they had gone in that specific direction. When Hinata pointed it in the opposit direction she showed it to Naruto. For once he was smiling. "Ofcorce" he said. "That's were we found them last time, they must have retreated back there by now." Naruto looked at Sai. "Don't you have something to say?" Sai looked at Hinata who smiled at him. "Fine, I'm sorry you outbeated an ANBU."
After helping out Kabuto in the medic-section she went back to her room, wondering if Naruto and the others were looking for her... for their own sake, she dearly hoped they weren't hurt. Well, she couldn't be inside anymore, she better get up ground and get som air. Outside the sun was shining, yet there were no birds chippering or leaves brushing. The grass was totally brown and nothing really looked to pleasent, yet if this was what she had to go through to be with Sasuke, she would live with it, because she loved him... even after he betrayed them and she haden't seen him for years... Sakura held red hand up against her hair to take out her ribbon, when she remembered she had left it in the middle of the woods so they wouldn't find her, unfortunately, there were the smart ninja's of Konoha, which might have started to find out, or knew right away. Well, she didn't want to be up here anymore, she started walking down the stairs again just as he heard voices not to far away. "We will resume training tomorrow Sasuke." Once again, no reply. She knew Sasuke was more of a listener, than a talker. She heard the footsteps direction... they were coming her way. And there was no way she could get back out in time before he saw her. This was it, after three years... she was going to meet him face, to face... again.
When they finally got back to the place they first took camp for the night, Naruto had kept moaning for the last hour when they were going to get there, they had taken a whole days trip in the complete wrong direction, and no new clue of Sakura. "Neji would have known right away because he knows things like that, and Shikamaru... well he is a genius, and Kiba could have fished up just the smell of her, tell me why did Shikamaru put all those experts on one team!" Sai only smiled. "I guess you will have to ask that when you meet them again." A known voice said. "Shikamaru!" Naruto said quietly. "What are you doing here!" Shikamaru looked at him, "Let me answer your prior question, at the gate, I said we would be the searching group, Kiba's smell, Lee's Speed and Neji's Byakugan, if you guys weren't back in three days, we would come after you, so yesterday when Team 1 arrived back, we set out to find you guys." Hinata looked at her cousin and then back at Shikamaru. "We found a ribbon which belonged to Sakura, and it was a trap, we just found out a few hours ago..." Shikamaru looked at it and gave it back to Hinata. "Kiba and Akamaru, I want the to of you to join Team 3, the rest of us will go on. I advise we go together, but we might have to split at one point."
The seconds filled Sakura with a bad feeling, yet a very loveable one. She haden't even known how they were going to remeat, and when she suddenly saw his shadow, her heart felt still. He looked her straight in the eye didn't say anything, just passed a few steps behind her. "What are you doing here Sakura?" he asked in his normal voice, the one that she had heard the day he had left her. She did not know how to speak... did not know what to say. "I-I am a medical-assistant for Kabuto." She said without turning. "I started just yesterday, and I came alone." Sasuke did not reply to that. "You shouldn't have come at all." Sakura looked up. "Why?" she asked and turned around. He was already gone.
7 shinobi were now in a large group. "Have you been able to figure anything else out?" Lee asked. "Nothing, just the ribbon and a fake footstep." Then just suddenly, Neji told them all to stop at once, Akamaru started barking. "What is it Neji?" Shikamaru asked. Neji retreated his Byakugan. "We are here... watch out there are many traps and shinobi around here... atleast 20 " Great our chance rate in winning against them, would be about 50." Shikamaru suffered. "Let's stop here, and think though this." They all landed on the ground, the ninja's hadn't noticed them yet. "The only way we can highten our success rate to 55 is if Naruto and Sai go first take out as many as you can, then we take a counter-attack by Lee and Kiba, Neji and Hinata, keep your Byakugan's on and try to show us where the traps are, if we are lucky, we should be able to make them go right into their own traps. "I wil try to bind as many as possible with my shadows, if you work together, you might be able to make it." Neji and Hinata started their Byakugan, and Sai and Naruto ran towards their target.
Sakura ran around the corner. He really had gone. Suddenly she felt a shiver around her, one which gave her the shivers. She turned around and looked straight into Orochimaru's face. "Sakura was it? Why are you here?" once again his voice was like a thundering laughter. "I was done with the medical-assistance for today and decided to get some fresh air." She smiled and started to head back to the room. "I don't know what relationship you have with Sasuke, but if betray us, he will be given the honor of killing you." Sakura started to get the feeling that... nomatter what she did, sooner or later... she would be killed. And that... scared her... she ran into her room and sat down on her bed, crying. Why did Sasuke say she shouldn't have come? Did it anger him that she was there. These last to days, all the had done was work, read, sleep, eat or get some fresh air. And just going back to Konoha would give her a deathsentance just walking outside. She really wanted to be with Sasuke... she really did. But he did not seem to want anything to do with her anymore. When a tear slid off her face, she for once really did wish... that her friends... could help her. Even though she had betrayed them.
Naruto made a shadow replication which came out of the fog with Sai, and they were about to attack when they found out they were somehow binded. Looking at Shikamaru out of astonishment, most of them got hit by Sai's drawing or knocked out by a shadow clone. "Neji, Hinata! Where is the first trap!" Shikamaru shouted. "In the tree right next to Sai! And below Naruto!" they said and suddenley Shikamaru noticed that his Shadow tecnique was wearing off. "Kiba! Lee! Now!" Kiba and Lee's counter-attack went better than planned. They haden't even noticed them! Naruto got his one shadow clone to make a rasengan. "Everyone get out of the planned circle!" he shouted! Naruto ran against the first person with it, and he seemed to take with a whole croad down. And after about to minutes they were all down. "That seemed to easy..." Shikamaru noticed. "These people were new adult genin!
Had we known that the winning chance would have been 99, these guys didn't even seem as if they knew how to fight at all!" Naruto turned against one opening. "That's the entrance... I have been here before!" Naruto shouted and ran with Sai. "Wait Naruto!" Shikamaru said and binded them with his shadows. "Team 2 will be standing here and come in if you aren't back in 15 minutes. Right now, I just hope you are able to get Sakura back better than you did with Sasuke." Naruto nodded, was realeased by his shadows and continued with Hinata, Sai and Kiba with Akamaru. "There are no guards!" Kiba noticed. When Hinata took on her Byakugan she noticed something different though. "Kiba stop!" she shouted. Kiba looked at her. "What is it?" he asked. Just as an exploding note started to glimmer on one of the walls. "Retreat!" Sai shouted. As they jumped out, the entrence became blocked, and now everyone down there, knew someone unwelcome was there.
Sakura was just cleening up a wound, when she heard the shattering outside the door. As she turned the corner she saw Kabuto. "What happened?" she asked unsurely. "Intruders, nothing big, probably just a few wanderers." He touched his kunai, just as he clicked the computer on. And on the screen. No one was there. "There isen't anyone there!" she mumbeled. "Let's rewind a little shall we?" They went back 10 seconds. Still no one there, but when he paused it. Sakura's heart skipped over a beat. She could see Kiba and Naruto jump backwards from the entrance, and two people behind them she couldn't see. "Looking for you I suppose?" Kabuto said angrily. "Just like Sasuke, when will they learn!" he clicked on a button and 5 bombs went off.
Naruto stopped on the top off the stairs. Suddenly he felt some vibrasion under his feet. "There are more!" he yelled. Behind them Team 2 looked questioning at them. As they jumped Hinata noticed something unexpected right infront of Naruto. "Wait Stop!" she yelled and got infront of Naruto just as a few poisoned needles hit her. "Hinata!" Naruto yelled when they arrived back to Team 2 "Hey! Hinata!" Shikamaru said. "What happened?" Kiba looked at Naruto. Hinata was put on the ground and Rock Lee removed the needles. Neji looked quietly around him unsure of what to say. "Hinata! Why did you do that!" Naruto asked. She blushed a bit. "Because... I wanted this mission to succeed... for you... and we all know I... am... the weakest." With those words she lost consiousness. Naruto closed his eyes and opened them again. "I will help you Hinata, I promise!" Neji looked back at Naruto. "Let's go!" he only said but Rock Lee stood infront of him. "Hinata is your cousin Neji, I think you and I should stay here. If all of you are not back in 15 min, I will have to get her back to Konoha in record speed." Naruto nodded. "Thanks..." he said and made a Shadow Replication to make his Rasengan and smashed the stones that had blocked the entrance. The big group, ignoring Shikamaru's team idea, all went in... it was a matter of Hinata's life... and Naruto would not brake his promise.
Even though she wanted to hit Kabuto unconscious and then run out with Naruto and the rest, she couldn't. Because of Sasuke. And if she left... what would happen with her AND the others on the time it took to get away from a place like this. She looked down and went out the door. Kabuto looked at her. "Where would you be going this time Sakura?" he smiled. She looked back at him. "That would not be of your concern." She said and flew out the door, her medical outfit slowly falling to the floor behind her. She ran around the corridors until she got to the training room where she knew Sasuke and Orochimaru were always training. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Naruto has come with a bunch of other people." She said not even looking at Sasuke. "Leave." Sasuke said. "Tell everyone to leave. I can take care of them." He was almost smiling. Sakura suddenly had a dark feeling in her heart. And it said, that this... was wrong!
Sakura stood there frozen for a moment, she couldn´t do nothing but nod. She closed her eyes and tightened her fist. "I can take care of them…" she said slowly. She looked at Sasuke whom looked unconvincing at her. "Sakura, both I and you know you would be unable to hurt them." Orochimaru suddenly looked over at Sasuke. "Tell me just exactly how do you know her Sasuke." He looked away. "My previous teammate, Sakura Haruno, and most likely out there, are our friends and Naruto, my other previous comrade." Orochimaru suddenly laughed. "Then I suppose you might as well slay her at the same time as the others!" Sakura suddenly felt the shivers going up her spine. "She won´t be worth killing, she may attend to Kabuto immediatly!" Orochimaru´s face exspression didn´t change, he just left. Sasuke looked at her. "If you are smart Sakura, you will leave us, this side was never ment for you!" Sakura looked down and then up again. "Not without you Sasuke… never!" she said and walked a bit behind him… soon to be attacking her own friends!
Kiba had made Akamaru sniffed out the last couple of bombs and other things protecting the cavern. After the sign from Shikamaru they entered the building. Naruto, Sai, Kiba & Shikamaru. After running through the different tunnels looking helplessly around, Naruto stopped. Sai knew what it was and stopped as well, and just after him, the others. "Hey, why did you guys stop?" Kiba mumbeled. Sai looked at the wall. "We are going the wrong way." Suddenly they both looked like a question mark as Naruto followed up. "Last time we were here, we stopped by a sound of an explosion… it was a few corners back." Shikamaru knew that questioning would just make things worse. They all went back following Naruto and Sai´s lead. Due to it was morning the last time they had been there, it was a bit harder finding their way. But they finally saw the opening. And Naruto prepared for the worse. The next thing they saw was the most unexpected. And it almost made Naruto jump out of his own skin.
Last time, they had escaped this, Sai and Naruto. This time… it was the real battle. The only thing lighting everything up was the moon and the stars. Infront of them, Sasuke and Sakura were standing side by side. Akamaru suddenly started to growl. And wanted to attack but Kiba held him back, he knew that Sasuke and Sakura were too strong of an opponent for him. "Wait... Sakura!" Naruto suddenley yelled in disbelief. "Sasuke... have you got some mind genjutsu over her or something?" Sakura stepped forward. "Enough Naruto... I came here on my own free will." Sai was rather quiet, yet eyeing Sasuke a few times. Shikamaru and Kiba looked at each other and nodded. "Kiba and I will tell the others to take Hinata back, oh and... don't die Naruto, you either Sai..." Shikamaru left. There they stood, as in a circel... of betrayel, love, teamwork, hate, power, dreams, and friendship.
"Long time no see..." Sai said loudley. Sasuke showed no emotion. He started to pull up his sword. It was the same as last time. But rather than attacking Naruto and Sai, He pointed it towards Sakura. She felt that it just bearley hit her arm and a stripe of blood fell down."Sasuke what-" "I told you, you weren't ment to be here, neither am I, yet some things have to be done." Everyone understood what Sasuke ment. This wasen't the time for Sasuke and Naruto to fight... it just wasen't how it was supposed to be. Sasuke but his sword back and went away. Naruto suddenley running against him. "Wait Sasuke-" some kind of a door in stone he had gone through, suddenly blocked itself. "Sasuke!" Sakura yelled while ignoring the pain in her arm. Sai went up to her. "Everything Sasuke said was true Sakura, this is not your side, nor are you supposed to be here." Sakura suddenly looked down. She felt the 4 eyes staring at her. And she suddenley began to cry. "This was not how I imagined this." She said between the cries. "Hey, Sakura..." Naruto said in a rather angry voice. "You need to come with us... Hinata needs your help!"
Shikamaru and Kiba arrived outside only minutes later. Looking straight at Neji. Whom had by long feared the worst. "They didn't get her back?" Lee said quietly. Kiba shook his head, there just wasen't enough time to win and get her here! Lee took his arms around Hinata. "I will go at my full speed Neji!" Suddenly just behind them Sakura, alongside Sai and Naruto ran towars them. Sakura not looking to happy met the questioning, yet a bit dissappointed friends. "Sakura!" Lee smiled as they stopped. "Put her on the ground." Was the reply. "Quickly, if she was stung by the needles, it wouldn't surprise me if she only had seconds left."
After everyone arriving to Konoha again, everyone included Tsunade seemed to act as if it never happened. She went to medical training, lived a normal life. And everything seemed to be back at place. Later the doorbell rang. She wasen't quite surprised to see whom it was. "Naruto, what are you doing here?" Naruto blushed. "Well, I was wondering if you still had someone to got to the ball with tonight?" Sakura smiled. "I will come Naruto, but I don't think I will be doing anything, right now I am a bit tired... I'll see you at the ball" with those words, the door shut. Leaving Naruto questioning outside. "Darn... I thought that... whatever." He thought about inviting TenTen, but she was a year older so that would be embarrasing, Ino probably already had a date... but what about Hinata? She probably didn't have anyone to go with.These 2 days since they came home from getting Sakura, she must have recovered? While walking to her house he could see Hanabi, Hiashi and Neji training outside, just then Hinata came out with some tea, just... watching them. "Hey Hinata!" Naruto called. Hinata's head turned and faced him. "N-Naruto.." she blushed and turned against him while comming over to her she felt that she didn't blush. Probably because she was pretending he was Kiba or Shino. "I... I was just wondering if you had someone to go to the dance with?" Naruto looked at her. Hinata was blushing like never before. "I-It's OK if you don't want to go..." Hinata looked down a moment. "I'd... I'd love to" she smiled. This time it was Naruto's turn to smile. "See you at the ball!" Naruto said and started running down the street jumping up and down. Hinata ran inside and shut her door. She was going to dance with him... she needed to sit down, she took a pillow and hugged it so much the feathers almost fell out.
Sakura had just taken on her long decided dress. She looked in the mirror as she set her hair up. She was truly beautiful. She looked out the window in the dark emptyness. She closed her eyes, thought of how much she had wanted to be with Sasuke. Then she opened them. On the tree just outside her house. Sasuke was suddenly standing. "Sasuke? What are you doing here! If ANBU gets you you're dead." He looked down. "You look beautiful Sakura, but that's not why I came..." Sakura's eyes widened. It wasen't an illusion... he really was there... standing infront of her. "I don't want you, Naruto or anyone else to come looking for me again." Sakura ran down the stairs and outside. Now it was only her, darkness, him and the moon. "I'm not sure we will be able to do that Sasuke... but I learned my lesson about Orochimaru's side." Sasuke looked at her closely. Jumped down to her. "I didn't forget Sakura... not this day… the day I left… 3 years ago, when I last saw you, trying to stop me from leaving... I don't want you to stand in my way before I have killed Itachi..." Sakura nodded. "I can promise that..., but wouldn't you be stronger if we all went together? Team 7?" He looked at her. "This is something I have to do myself..., I will be leaving now... Goodbye Sak-" " Wait Sasuke!" Sakura stopped him. "I know this is a bit- well... I want you to dance with me... right here and now... just for a minute." Unexpectantley Sasuke did dance with her. The thought in Sakura's mind wasen't that she had been able to use this dress for a reason, it was that he was there... with her... soon to leave and be out of her life again... perhaps forever. She stopped dancing and kissed him a second. "Will you promise to come back Sasuke? Will you promise?" Sasuke looked at her one moment, and dissappeared in the darkness. Sakura felt a tear fall down her cheek. "I love you... I love you Sasuke!"
Since that day, Naruto actually started to ask Hinata out more often. Soon they became more than friends. The ball was great, it turned out to be a big success although one of the Jounin got beaten up by Choji, for saying he couldn't have anymore to eat, and let the others have some. Kiba was mostly with his dog drinking champagne like a rich man, Shikamaru was just sitting there, and left halfway in the party, Shino was abcent, he didn't want to go. Rock Lee was dancing to fast for the girls to keep up, so he was mostly alone, Neji was dancing with TenTen, and they actually seemed to like eatch other... First when Sakura arrived, Ino couldn't help but be angry with her about being with Sasuke... Sakura however felt confident. Happy... and more relieved than she had been the last 3 years.
"Sasuke? Where were you this evening?" Kabuto asked later on. Sasuke looked over at him, and smiled for once. "Goodnight Kabuto..." On his mind he found Sakura. And the feeling was stronger than ever before.