Disclaimer: Yeah, we wish. Naruto—not ours.

Summary: When their paths intertwine and the unthinkable happens, Sakura and Sasuke form an unlikely alliance to bring back their teammate from the Akatsuki. The way is long and narrow, but they go on. Breaking barriers and catching tears, they find their love and friendship all over again.

Orange Peel

Coke and Soi

Prologue

As if she were stiff with emotion, Sakura pulled out a seat at her kitchen table and sat herself down. Her eyes were glazed over; she was in another world right now. She was in the world of regret and disappointment, where guilty claws constantly scratched and scarred her heart.

She wasn't strong enough. What had she been doing for the past two and a half years? Thinking she had improved so much, while her boys were so far ahead. What was wrong with her?

She knew the answer. I'm weak.

After telling that to herself for so long, she had subconsciously developed a habit. Being without them for so long had given her the comforting thoughts of 'I'm stronger now,' and 'I can watch their backs now'. But she was wrong. The reunion had brought one conclusion crashing down to her.

I'm nothing compared to them.

With her gaze fixed on her kitchen's view of the village, she reached across the table to the fruit bowl. She looked down at the laughing children, and the scolding mothers. She hadn't noticed how the sun was already setting, and shadows were already growing long.

I'm always in the way.

Her fingers lingered over the smooth textures of the fruits.

I'm always dragging them down.

She stopped over the cold skin of the orange. It came fresh from the market, and was still glowing of the sunshine it had soaked up.

They're always ignoring me. Sakura plucked the orange out of the bowl. I'm almost at Tsunade-shissou's level, but I'm still not strong enough. Her movements were becoming sharp and brusque; she tossed the orange in the air and snatched it before it hit the table. Why can't I do it? Every time I improve, they improve even more.

She dug her nail into the orange peel.

What…, she began.

She pulled her thumb down, ripping the peel with it. Fruity mist burst out, and the sweet scent of citrus put a cover on the dusty atmosphere.

Am… She pulled the peel off the orange, and left it on the table. I… She set to work on another section of the crisp and firm skin. Doing…?

She was trembling now. She heard herself sniff. The sound seemed far, far away now.

I…want to help…

She held the peeled orange in her hands.

I want to bring Sasuke-kun back…

She felt the tears emerging. She was always crying because of them…

I want to be strong…

A tear rolled down her cheek, and clung to her chin. Sakura let the soft orange fall from her grip. Her head dropped and her throat made the unique sound it always did when she cried.

"Why can I only cry alone…?"

The orange hit the floor with a soft, muffled thump and rolled away.

-

-

His hands slapped down on his thighs as he breathed heavily, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion as he tried to steady himself.

Naruto swallowed and ran his fingers through matted blonde hair. Sweat and dirt told of his hard work, and his hunched form told of his tired state. But after a pause where he rested for a brief moment more, he straightened back up.

Though his breaths were not quite yet back to steady rhythm, the teen managed to raise a seal up to his face. With blue orbs narrowed in the effort, he gasped out a jutsu.

A puff sounded, and smoke foamed out from the ground. A few clones of himself were left behind as it faded away, and Naruto appeared even more worn out than ever; he had been out there training until the sky had darkened into the pale gray of evening, yet, he had not stopped once to rest.

Sasuke…

Sudden dizziness overwhelmed him for a minute. He staggered on his feet, weary fingers placed delicately upon his forehead.

As his head began to throb into a massive headache, and the terrain beneath him started to spin, Naruto closed his eyes and considered turning in for the night. He was nearing his limit—he could tell. Thick fog had already taken over his senses, causing him to feel both tired and stupid. But in the soundless ringing that filled his mind, a single memory surfaced, and his eyes snapped open.

Sasuke. In their last encounter. How strong he was.

How strong he had managed to get.

Naruto's fists clenched, nails digging into his palm. Determinedly, he shook his head to clear both the desire to rest and the blurriness that hazed him.

Sasuke, you bastard, he snarled inwardly. Teme…

Two of his clones started on the Rasengan, and the other two on the wind chakra.

He watched them as he forced his limbs to hold, another thought swamping the others and filling him with the sense of stubbornness.

I will become stronger than you.

-

-

Sasuke barely spared a glance as the door opened with a muffled creak and a narrow beam of light patterned the flooring. He lay there, still and unmoving even as a as dark figure entered to stand a ways off from his bed.

The man set down the tray of food quickly on the table, so that the metal clattered jarringly throughout the room. But opposed to his fierce glaring, Sasuke remained a motionless blank statue.

In the pause that followed, the mere servant of Orochimaru scowled at him with obvious distaste—yet this was not acknowledged by the Uchiha, hinting that he was used to such treatment. Clearly frustrated further, the man backed out and slammed the door.

It was not until the footsteps faded away that Sasuke allowed himself a quick sigh. Sliding his arms away from where they had been folded behind his head, he sat up to gaze at what his usual delivered meal was composed of that night.

His nose wrinkled just the slightest as his eyes fell upon the same soup and fruit that was presented to him on most days; and he reached out to pluck one from the tray, ignoring the steaming bowl next to it.

With his hands closed over an orange, he twisted the plump fruit between slender fingers to balance on his palm.

He wasn't really hungry—it had been a long time since he had felt that properly, as though coming to Orochimaru had somehow dulled his appetite. But he dug into the peel nonetheless, for, if anything, his own entertainment.

Suddenly, his nail caved in too far on one section, and a trickle of juice bubbled to the surface.

Sasuke leaned forward to instinctively lick the sweet droplets from his skin, and noted the faint bitter taste of the peel that had remained. As vaguely as anyone could, he cocked his head at the contrasting flavors.

It's like I'm peeling away the only layer of protection for the orange.

He examined the rough texture on the outside with consideration, and back to the soft fruit underneath.

Just like a person… Eyes narrowed; his grip tightened slightly.

They put up barriers to protect what's inside. He relaxed his form, and continued to tear off the covering. To shield their feelings.

Because they're fragile…

He held the unpeeled orange firmly, feeling the exposed delicacy bend under the pressure. It was ready to break at any moment.

So fragile.

Sasuke stopped, and unfurled his hand. And almost with hesitance, the raven-haired began to separate the slices. I have a barrier like this. He didn't want to admit that—to accept that deep in his mind, he was afraid that his own self would be just as bitter.

Or just as sweet.

-

-

It seemed like hours before Sakura finally stood and stoically walked out of the kitchen, and out her front door.

Outside, her footsteps seemed alarmingly loud. She had followed the street down to a narrow and deserted pathway; and though it was already late evening, Sakura's feet never stopped, taking her where they knew she wanted to go.

Eventually, she stopped in front of a bench. There was nothing special about it, really. There was no specific significance to set it apart from any other bench. It had the same, smooth seat and the same faint smell of wood that teased your nose. But this one was placed conveniently by the cobblestone pathway, right on the border of a small forest; and Sakura found herself sitting down without a second thought.

Sakura sighed and leaned back. The sky was darkening rapidly into black, but she only drew her eyes to a weary close.

She was tired of thinking. Tired of blaming herself; giving herself that ongoing mental beating. Just so tired.

She wanted to stop her thoughts and focus on nothing, but the wind pushed against her face and brought strands of her short, pink hair whipping around her.

Maybe I'll never catch up to them. Maybe I can never help them—

Suddenly, she did stop her thoughts.

Something was wrong with the wind. It was sharp, and felt strangely hard, in a way only wind can feel hard.

There was chakra in the wind. She was a ninja, of course she'd be able to tell. She slowed her breaths, and listened hard.

Off in the distance, probably deep in the forest somewhere, Sakura heard grunts. Soon following the heavy grunting was heaving panting, and the harsh sounds of cutting winds.

Sakura would have smiled if she wasn't already overwhelmed with the urge to begin bawling.

So he's still training.

Sakura covered her mouth to keep in the trembling cries.

She listened harder. She could hear his distinct voice now. He was talking to himself, or to his clones.

"Ah! Dammit! So close! I'll try it like that again!"

Sakura held her eyes shut, keeping in those damned tears.

"Alright! Here we go!"

He was so good. How could he keep himself going? He must be so tired.

The swooshing sounds of the wind chakra got louder.

Please get it.

It sounded unstable. It got louder and louder, until finally everything fell apart and a great wind swept down on everything. Trees gave way and bent with the wind, while leaves fluttered, littering the place with green decorations.

Sakura had no trouble staying glued to the worn seat of the bench, but her hair and clothes blew around wildly. She sat quietly, listening to Naruto.

She heard him choke back a roar, and tell himself that it was no problem, that he would surely get it the next time. She heard him cry. Sakura shook at the amount of emotion in his voice, and instantly felt the weight of them on her own shoulders.

Why did it always break her heart to hear him cry? She felt the pain with her own tears, but his always multiplied that pain ten-fold.

His cry brought new levels of understanding to Sakura. His pain was her pain. His happiness was her happiness. His desire to bring back the one who seemed like family to them was just as strong as hers. But why were their attitudes so different?

In his cry was determination, stubbornness, and sheer longing. Sakura finally realized. I don't have to be weak…

I don't have to let them get too far ahead of me…

I'll work hard too…

Naruto ended his cry, yelling, "I'm coming for you Sasuke! Just you wait!" The familiar poofs of clones were heard, and Naruto began the difficult process again.

His words—as they always did—tugged at her heart and soul, and she bent forward to contain her trembling. She stood up on the pathway, and with her eyes squeezed tight in feverish emotion, she brought her head back and yelled at the sky from the very bottom of her heart.

She held out her voice as long as possible, knowing that Naruto would hear her and understand. And for a fleeting moment, she thought Sasuke would hear her too.

She stopped, and took quick and short breaths. The gloomy cloud that had been lingering over her the whole day, or even the greater part of the past two and a half years, finally felt completely dissolved away.

"Naruto," Sakura looked up at the dimming sky, and with her face scrunched up in this new feeling, promised, "from now on, I'll work as hard as you!"

Sakura shook her head, clearing herself of the disappointment, regret, and guilt. She wiped her arm over her eyes, and cleared them of the blurry, watery wall against the world.

She had shaken away her tears.

—

AN: Thank you for reading all this! Sorry if you don't understand the 'orange peel' concept right now, but it will be explained later on. (So you have to read on...XP)