Sakura wanted to remain calm and composed. She had to, decided to. With every step she took, she could hear her heart pound. Her mouth was dry and butterflies plagued her stomach, cliché but Haruno Sakura was nervous. She was, in fact, more than nervous. Finally, after mindlessly chasing him for six years, he was back, dragged back though, by none other than the self acclaimed and future Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. Before she realized, she was already standing outside the room where Naruto and him were recuperating for their injuries during the fight that brought his ass home. Questions and possible situations flashed in Sakura's mind and she found herself hesitating, again. Her mind was screaming for her to just simply slide the door open and meet her former team mates but her hand stubbornly remained at her side. She could hear Naruto's voice loud and clear from outside. He was talking to Sasuke in his rare serious voice. Sakura's heart skipped a beat, hearing his familiar 'Hn'. Sakura continued standing outside, pretending to be eavesdropping on their conversation but she was already taking a step back, away from the door.

"I wonder what's taking Sakura chan so long?" Naruto whined.

The mention of her name made Sakura freeze in her steps. She didn't hear him say anything and felt a tad bit disappointed, no, make that devastated. Sakura continued backing up and found herself up against the wall. She closed her eyes and her knees buckled and a slow ache massaged her chest.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" The Godaime Hokage's stern voice cut right into Sakura's thoughts.

Sakura scrambled to her feet, embarrassed that her Shisou had to catch her that way. She bowed her head slightly in respect and avoided the Hokage's piercing gaze.

"Why aren't you going in?" Tsunade asked, in a gentler voice.

"I-I, t-they need some time alone," Sakura replied quietly.

"Come in and conduct an examination with me," Tsunade ordered and turned her back on Sakura as she touched the handle of the door.

Sakura's eyes widened and her eyes flew to Tsunade's hand as the door slid open, amplifying Naruto's voice.

"Baa chan!" Naruto greeted.

"Sakura, come in," Tsunade said, giving the pink haired medic a hard look.

Sakura entered the room, feeling extremely light. She felt detached and cold.

"Sakura chan!" Naruto greeted, grinning widely.

Naruto's voice became a blocked up whisper of sorts and she walked up to stand beside her Shisou, not really meaning to, a blank expression plastered on her face.

"Sakura?" Tsunade called out.

"You can check on Naruto," Tsunade ordered.

Sakura nodded weakly and walked over to Naruto's bed, her eyes roaming his bandaged body.

"Sakura! Don't worry! I'm completely-" Naruto boasted and stopped as Sakura flung herself towards him.

Her hands wrapped around his neck and her face buried in the crook of his neck, her eyes were squeezed shut as she hugged Naruto.

"Sakura chan?" Naruto called out.

Tsunade looked over to her apprentice, a small smile plastered on her face and she turned back to her own patient, Uchiha Sasuke who had his usual blank expression plastered on his face. He was staring at the awkward embrace between Sakura and Naruto but averted his gaze to look at Tsunade as Sakura pulled away.

"Don't lie to me Naruto. Shisou said you were badly injured," Sakura mumbled.

Naruto let out a weak laugh and scratched his head.

"I was so worried Naruto. What if I lost you too?" Sakura whispered.

Naruto's cerulean orbs widened with surprise and a serious smile spread on his face.

"I promised you, didn't I?" Naruto asked in a gentle voice Sakura never knew he possessed.

"I'd rather you broke the promise if I knew you might die," Sakura stated.

"I didn't die and he's back. Aren't I great Sakura chan?" Naruto joked.

Sasuke darted his eye over to Sakura for a second after hearing what she had said. He, for one, was a little surprised at her reaction. Sasuke had to admit, he must have missed out on a lot while he was gone. Naruto and Sakura seemed to have strengthened their relationship a lot.

"You're the best Naruto," Sakura said sincerely, giving Naruto one of her rare sweet smiles and Naruto grinned again.

Sakura spent the next fifteen minutes checking up on Naruto's injuries, healing and bandaging as the two engaged in small chatter. She knew she was ignoring Sasuke and even Naruto, who was dense knew that Sakura was purposely ignoring Sasuke, kept his mouth shut. Tsunade had left minutes before Sakura finished her examination on Naruto, leaving the three to 'talk'. Occasionally, Sakura could feel Sasuke's gaze on them but she ignored it. She was afraid, she wasn't sure how to react at all so she chose to ignore and run.

"Naruto, I have to go. I'll come visit you first thing tomorrow, okay?" Sakura said and stood up.

Naruto nodded, casting a look at Sasuke who was staring up at the ceiling. Sakura turned and walked towards the door, relieved to have avoided any contact with the 'Sasuke problem'.

"Sakura!" Naruto called.

Sakura turned around and smiled, "What is it Naruto?"

"Don't you have anything to say to Sasuke?" He asked, more like demanded.

Her smile faded and she found herself staring very hard into Naruto's determined and serious expression.

"I don't need her to say anything," Sasuke's cold voice pierced the staring competition.

His voice resonated in Sakura's ears and she felt herself inching forward, back to Naruto's bed. Sakura felt happy, no, relieved to hear his voice. She had longed for it ever since the last time they met. No matter how cold he sounded and no matter how hard he pushed her away, she was waiting for him.

Naruto yelled, "Shut up Teme!"

Sakura's fists clenched and she lowered her head a little, focusing her intense gaze to her legs of Naruto's bed.

"Sakura chan, just ignore this idiot okay?" Naruto said caringly.

"There's nothing to say anyway Naruto," Sakura said softly in a choked voice.

She looked up, plastering a fake smile on her face and tried to keep a straight face while her eyes took in Sasuke's features. Her fingers were digging into her palms as she felt the familiar emotions rampaging in her heart, forcing tears to well up in her eyes.

"What did you want me to say Naruto?" Sakura asked, in a louder voice.

Naruto studied Sakura and for once, remained silent.

"Did you want me to say how much I missed Sasuke kun?" Sakura demanded, anger evident in her voice.

"Or how I waited for him to come back?" Sakura continued, practically shouting now.

"Because he doesn't care Naruto!" Sakura barked.

Sasuke looked at Sakura, noticing her glassy teal orbs and clenched fists.

"So don't say anything Sakura," He blurted

Sasuke was surprised those words came out of his mouth. They practically rolled off his tongue. It wasn't as if he didn't mean that or he felt that Sakura was overreacting and being her crybaby annoying self again. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt and had decided to keep his mouth shut, except his old self was emerging and he couldn't help but hurt Sakura.

"Shut up," She hissed.

Sasuke and Naruto were definitely shocked, hearing Sakura shut Sasuke up. Naruto's eyes widened and Sasuke raised an eyebrow and obeyed.

"Naruto, why did you bring him back?" Sakura asked sadly.

"Sakura chan? What are you talking about?!" Naruto asked, feeling angry himself.

"We don't need him. We never did," Sakura continued.

"Sasuke's our friend!" Naruto countered.

"Naruto, I hate him," Sakura finished, spinning her heel and dashing out of the room.

Naruto watched Sakura dash out of the room and slumped back onto his bed and gazed down sadly at the flowers that Ino had brought in earlier.

Why is this happening?