I still hear your voice, when you sleep next to me…
I still feel your touch in my dreams.
Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why…
Without you it's hard to survive.

Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.
And every time we kiss, I swear I could fly.
Can't you hear my heart beat fast, I want this to last.
Need you by my side.

"Same as always…" Sakura sighed and shifted slightly. Naruto quietly heaved for air, still remaining in his unconscious state. Yamato stared at the kunoichi, his eyes full of empathy.

"I can only do the smallest things for Naruto." Sakura gasped somewhat loudly. She narrowed her eyes, but continued healing the fallen fox-boy.

Sakura did her best to hold back her tears, but two things were bothering her. The fact that she was unable to stop Naruto at his four-tailed state, and the wound on her arm. Sure, he didn't mean to give it to her, but that didn't stop the severe stinging that it caused.

"It's not what you do for Naruto that's important," Yamato began, "It's how strongly you feel about him that counts." He grunted, "Sakura, I can tell just by looking at you… The truth is you-" Sakura's feeling for Naruto were about to be openly spoken.

Sakura's head shot up. She panted, and ran her hand down her face. It was perfectly drenched with sticky sweat. Sakura sighed, and looked over to the side. Pitch black darkness absorbed the streets of Konoha. A few lights were shining through the dark, a desperate attempt to brighten the overall night. The dark was to thick to penetrate, though.

Sakura bit her lower lip, "Another nightmare." It was the same one she has been having for the past week. A dark figure follows her, knowing her every move, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. A deep red claw reaches over Sakura, and manages to dig it's nails into her flesh. Blood spurts out of her wound, and the claw soaks it up, becoming even more vibrant. Sakura only sees the figures face before she slips into her unconscious state, which was actually consciousness. She was waking up from a dream, after all. The face had piercing crimson eyes, with pupils similar to that of a cat. A wide smile was spread, with dagger-sharp fangs poking out of his mouth. The bloodlust was overwhelming, and instantly scared Sakura. She knew who that was, the one in all of these horrid dreams.

Naruto.

Sakura let herself fall back onto her pillow, pink hair flying in with ever way it pleases. She began to stare blankly at the ceiling of her room, the empty space of nothingness… She just couldn't stop thinking about what happened at that fateful encounter with Orochimaru. Just the thought of it bothered Sakura too much to bear.

"Naruto…" She hadn't seen him or a while now, or Yamato for that matter. They were too busy perfecting Naruto's "Ultimate Jutsu." Augh, they would have to finish it by tomorrow, otherwise Team 7... What's left of Team 7 wouldn't be able to back up the Akatsuki battle with Shikamaru and the others. It's impossible. "Naruto would never be able to pull it off…"

"What?!" Inner Sakura screamed, "How could you say that about him? You love him, and you know that." Sakura's eyes quickly flashed open, but they closed once more after a brief silence. Soon, the silence enveloped Sakura, and she drifted into a deep sleep.

The Next Morning

"GODDAMN IT!" A frustrated cry echoed through the air, and startled a few birds away. A blond rubbed his arm, wincing. A few gashes were stretched across it, and blood slowly dripped onto the ground. A dark haired Jounin stood of to the side, frowning. He didn't move, or say anything. There wasn't any reason to do so.

Naruto fell to his knees, gritting his teeth painfully. The dark red blood continued to flow, but in much smaller amounts. Yamato, sighed, and walked over to the fallen Genin. (AN: Yes, I'm still bitter about the whole Genin thing.)

"You know, if you channeled your chakra better you might be able to pull it off." Yamato said, but Naruto heard more of an insult.

"Hn." Naruto growled. He had used up damn near all of his chakra, for the various clones, and trying to pull the technique off. Yamato's smartass remarks weren't helping.

Yamato narrowed his eyes. He was disappointed at the blond. He could do so much more, with his near infinite chakra, and yet we was already giving up.

"Why don't you use the Kyuubi's chakra?" Naruto perked up. He looked over at Yamato, like he was insane. Even after he gained a fourth tail, Yamato wanted him to risk his humanity just to get chakra? Hell no!

"Never again…" Naruto grumbled. Yamato furrowed his eyebrows.

"You know, if you didn't fear the Kyuubi so much, you could harness an amazing amount of chakra." Yamato stated in a matter-of-fact sort of way.

"But I- But I can't…" Naruto started.

"What are you afraid of, brat?" Naruto's eyes widened as the voice echoed in his head. "You shouldn't be so stubborn. I would like you to use my chakra, that way I can at least be able to taste the blood of the people you decide to slaughter." Naruto bit his lower lip. Kyuubi's bloodlust disturbed him, beyond anything. "Heh, at some point, you know, this horrid seal will break, and I'll be free to destroy your pathetic village. Kyuubi cackled. He was just begging for Naruto to use his chakra. But Naruto couldn't, ever. He wasn't going to risk anyone's life.

Naruto snapped back into the real world, as the evil voice drained from his head. Yamato continued to stare at him, as if he was trying to ask him what's wrong. Naruto turned his head, and gripped his arm. The blood had stopped, and the wound was near healed.

In Konoha

Tsunade folded her arms across her desk. Her face was kept at a serious tone, which would intimidate anyone who got on her nerves. Her eyes lazily moved over to the side, looking at Sakura, who had just walked into the room.

"I see you've made it, Sakura." The Godaime said.

Sakura nodded, "Tsunade-sama, why did you call me so early?" She kept a soft gaze at her sensei.

"I've called you here to inform you that Team 7 has been assigned a new mission…" Tsunade began. Sakura was confused. Why did the Hokage summon her just to tell her something so… insignificant? "To invade Akatsuki."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat.

"Yamato has told me that Naruto's new technique isn't perfected yet, but it's strong enough that you'll be able to back up Team 8." Tsunade finished, closing her eyes.

Sakura didn't know what to say, or even think. It was wonderful that Naruto can perform his technique and all, but if the same thing happens to him as when he fought Orochimaru… She did her best not to think about it, although, it was impossible.

"Sakura." Tsunade narrowed her eyes. The pink-haired kunoichi was distracted by something, and that something must have been really important to stain her mind. Tsunade was surprised, she assumed Sakura would have been happy with the news.

Sakura blinked, adverting her mind from those horrible thoughts, and replied to her sensei, "Hai, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade nodded briefly. Today was going to be a very, very long day…

Meanwhile…

"What's with him today? It's not like him to be so quiet." Yamato thought to himself as he, and Naruto, headed back toward Konoha. The sunlight was severely dulled by the thick clouds that seemed to loom over the two. Naruto had an unusually straight face on. His eyes seemed blank, as if there was no life in him at all. Yamato narrowed his dark eyes, and pulled his gaze away from the blond Genin.

"What's wrong with you, Naruto?" Yamato thought quietly.

ZOMG! It's my first Naruto fanfiction! Well, I had fun writing (typing) this, but I can't say that there will be another chapter out soon. I'm busy, I can only get on the computer on weekends, and I usually work on this when I'm bored. :D So yeah.

Either way, chapter two will be out at some point!

...Gobi