Author: Naturana (me)

disclaimer: I do not own Naruto...that's way this is a fanfic and not part of the show

Key:

"Talking"

'thinking'

Love Triangle

Chapter I: The Mission

It was early in the morning on the day that Sakura and Naruto were called to receive a message from Tsunade. While they were walking to Tsunade's office Sakura couldn't get Sasuke out of her head. She kept thinking about the day he left the village and what he said to her. Naruto noticed the pink haired kunoichi and saw that her mind was somewhere else.

"Sakura," Naruto said after wondering, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing Naruto I'm fine." Sakura replied trying to sound glad.

Naruto knew she was feeling upset but didn't want to say anything else for he knew that she was thinking of Sasuke.

Sakura was wearing her usual red outfit and a heart shaped locket that she was holding close to her chest with her right hand. Inside the locket was a picture of squad 7 before the chunin exams. Sakura kept thinking about the two things Sasuke said to her before he left the village. In the two years Sasuke has been gone, she decided to let her grow out. Now she kept her hair in a bun so she wouldn't be forced to cut it in middle of a battle.

Flashback

"After all this time I thought you were going to change." Sasuke said with the wind blowing through his hair, "but I can see…that you're still annoying."

Sakura stood there with the wind still blowing and the words echoing through her head. Sasuke started to walk the path out of the village.

"Sasuke I love and I always have! Please Sasuke-kun I know you feel the same way so please, don't go!" Sakura cried out when she saw him trying to walk away. Sasuke just ignored her and kept walking. "If you leave I'll scream really loud and" Sasuke disappeared from right in front of her and ran behind her.

"Sakura" he said calmly, "Thank you."

Sakura gasped at this for no known reason. She wanted to say something but Sasuke knocked her out and left her on a nearby bench while he made his way out of the village.

End of Flashback

What did he thank me for? I just wanted him to know how I felt so he would stay. Was it that I made him feel strong? Sakura thought hard about it. She couldn't stop wondering why he thanked her.

Sakura thought so hard about this that she didn't notice that she was walking straight into the wall. Sakura bumped into the wall and fell on the ground. Naruto went by her to help her up.

"Are you sure you're ok Sakura?" Naruto asked concerned for the girl "It's not like you to walk into a wall like that."

Sakura got up and gave Naruto an emotionless smile, "I'm fine. I was just thinking about why Tsunade-sama would call us so early in the morning."

"Ok Sakura if you say so."

--Tsunade's office--

The two finally got to Tsunade's office. Naruto opened the door for Sakura, thinking she was going to bump into it again. Tsunade was sitting at her desk looking through some files.

Sakura noticed that some of the forms were meant for missions. Tsunade looked up at Naruto and Sakura.

"Come forward. I have a special mission for you two." Tsunade said looking at Sakura with a grin on her face.

"What kind of mission? Do we have to deliver something or what?" Naruto said looking tired and annoyed.

"You two do remember when Sasuke left this village and you two went with Jaraiya to get him back several times right?" Tsunade asked making sure they didn't forget their teammate.

"Yeah. I remember. We kept failing those missions cuz we always came to a dead end." Naruto said trying to keep himself awake.

Sakura was interested in this mission because Tsunade was looking at her the whole time while describing the mission.

"Well this time you won't get to a dead end." Tsunade said trying to stay calm, "I have received word that Orochimaru's lair has been found. We have the blue prints right here." Tsunade waved some blue documents in her hand. "You both are going on another rescue mission and this time I assure you it won't fail." Tsunade was trying to get Naruto and Sakura excited for this mission.

"ALRIGHT!!!! C'MON SAKURA LET'S GO WE DON'T WANT TO WASTE A SECOND!" Naruto yelled in excitement.

All right this is what I've been hoping for! Sakura thought with glee. As Sakura was thinking about her great reunion with Sasuke, she wondered if Naruto and she would be accompanied by other higher leveled ninjas on this mission.

"Tsunade-sama, will other ninjas help us in this mission?" Sakura had to ask to be sure.

"No Sakura this is only for you and Naruto." Tsunade answered, "So get going!"

--Sakura's house--

Sakura went straight home after she and Naruto received their mission.

Sakura packed some food for energy, weapons for combat, her headband for ninja identification, a map so she would know if they were going the right way, and a picture of Sasuke incase anyone has seen him in other villages.

'I can't believe after so long...I could finally see his face!...Hear his calming voice,...'

Sakura was so glad that she was going to be reunited with the guy that she has loved even after he left. Though her happy thoughts ended when she remembered all the bad times they had.

'But what if he forgot about me...what if...he hates me..I was weak back then...no help to him at all...I told him how I felt and he didn't even try to open up and say something kind and warming...he just left...without a real reason...'

Sakura shook her head to stop those horrid thoughts that were forming in her head. She tightened her hair tie so her bun wouldn't fall out. She walked around her house just to remeber her precious moments with her parents before they died.

Flashback

"Mom...I'm so sorry!" Sakura cried over her mother whom was poisoned and badly wounded.

"You don't have to be Sakura my sweetheart...It wasn't your fault...I should've been more careful here...and not have let my gaurd down..." Sakura's mother struggled to speak for she was in great pain and near death.

"No Don't say that! I Let my gaurd down! I wasn't watching for the enemy! I-"

"Sakura!...It wasn't your fault...no matter how much you say it is...it really isn't...you have always made your father and me proud...In the next world we will be looking down at you...and watching you...knowing we have raised a beautiful...successful...girl that we are very proud of..." With that being her final words Sakura's mother passed away.

End of Flashback

'I know I have made you proud mom and dad...I will continue to make you two proud...even if you two are in a better place!'

Sakura had her bag ready, and left to meet Naruto.

--Naruto's house--

Naruto packed weapons for combat, his headband for luck, Sasuke's headband incase they could track his scent, and at least ten cups of instant ramen for his pleasure. Naruto ran out of his house with such excitement that he forgot it was five in the morning and woke up Kiba. Naruto also ran so fast that he bumped into Hinata. Hinata was very quick though and ran behind a tree immediatly after he bumped into her!

"Hey Naruto what's with all the noise I'm trying to get some sleep here!" Kiba shouted out his window angrily.

"I'm going on a mission!" the hyper boy shouted back.

"What are you going to do on the mission?" Kiba knew it had to be something good if Naruto shouted loud enough for all of Japan to hear.

"Why should I tell you?"

"You woke me up and I think I deserve to know why!"

"Alright but don't tell anyone," Naruto didn't want to bring Sasuke back with everyone huddling them, "Tsunade wants Sakura and me to go and bring Sasuke back!"

"Wow! That's great! I won't tell anyone! Good Luck Naruto!"

Naruto laughed a bit to hear the support, "Thanks Kiba!" Naruto walked away in a good mood still talking to himself about the mission.

--Ino's house--

Ino tossed and turned when she herd Naruto shouting in excitement about the mission with Sakura. Though Sakura tried to keep Naruto quiet. She didn't want anyone to know that they were going to get Sasuke. Ino got angry and grabbed a training shurakin and threw it at Naruto. The rubber weapon missed but stopped Naruto and Sakura in their tracks.

"Naruto I'm trying to get my beauty sleep here!" Ino shouted.

'It's gonna take a lot more than sleeping for her to get pretty' Sakura thought nearly giggling at her insult.

"Sorry Ino. We're just going on a mission. A special mission." Naruto bragged.

"Naruto shut up we have to get going." Sakura didn't want Ino knowing they were getting Sasuke back from Orochimaru. Sakura knew that if Ino knew Sasuke was going to come back to the village then the second they walked into the village with Sasuke, Ino would run right to him and take him away.

"We're going to" Naruto started.

"Deliver this map to the village hidden in the sand." Sakura interrupted holding up her map so Ino could see.

"Oh. That's you 'special' mission? I thought it was something like getting Sasuke-kun back." Ino said angry and annoyed.

"Yeah. Naruto gets excited for everything." Sakura said trying to keep Ino from guessing that what she said was the real mission.

"Well don't wake me again or I'll use a real shurakin next time! GOT IT!?" This time Ino was furious.

"Go to sleep Ino we won't wake you again." Sakura said trying to make Ino think she was better.

--in the woods--

Sakura and Naruto walked the path out of the village. They sped up to reach the next town by sunrise.

Sakura was ahead of Naruto since she had the map and she seemed more eager about getting Sasuke back than Naruto thought he was. They were three miles away from the Music country. Sakura wanted to stop so if they came across any enemies she wouldn't be to tired to face them.

"Naruto let's take a quick break. We can keep going when we recharge our energy." Sakura shouted back to Naruto.

"Alright Sakura." Naruto answered with no complain.

The two stopped to set up a little picnic.

Sakura brought out the fruit and tea bags she packed. Naruto got out some of his ramen to share with Sakura.

As they were eating, Sakura took out the picture of Sasuke. She wanted to look at his picture and remember how he looked and how different he might look now if he changed at all. She remembered that during the third chunin exam, he was wearing a black one-piece training outfit while he fought Gaara.

Naruto saw Sakura stare at the picture. He wanted to grab it and take a look too; he decided to let Sakura have her moment alone with her memories and continued eating. He was just like Sakura when it came to trying to bring Sasuke back: concerned, determined, scared (though he would never admit it or show it). Naruto was still remembering the last time he fought with Sasuke.

Flashback

Naruto threw another rasengan attack this time with more power to see if Sasuke was serious about killing him. The rasengan hit but a giant hand was covering Sasuke's body.

closer look showed that it was a demon wing from his mark.

Sasuke prepared for another chidori attack. Naruto was ready with another rasengan and the two charged at each other.

The attacks were evenly matched but Naruto ran out of chakra. Before Naruto collapse, he saw Sasuke slowly walking into the woods.

End of flashback

'What was that thing he became? Was that even Sasuke? Why did he want to kill me if I was his best friend?!' Naruto was so frustrated with these thoughts that he accidentally gave a frustrated yell.

The birds flew out of the trees. Sakura nearly dropped her tea.

Sakura went to Naruto and smacked him on the back of his head.

"Baka! Do you want the whole country to know we're here?!" Sakura said whispering in a tone meant for shouting.

"Sorry Sakura. I was just remembering the time I tried bringing Sasuke back." Naruto said apologetically.

"Oh. I know you miss him too Naruto." Sakura said in a sad voice, "but don't worry. Tsunade-sama said this mission wouldn't fail!"

"How do you know that Orochimaru isn't going to expect us there? Granny Tsunade didn't tell us who gave her the blue prints." Naruto said nearly yelling again.

"Well you do have a point there (Inner Sakura: We don't get much of those from him.) So maybe we should keep our guard up the whole time we're in this country."

The two ninjas continued eating.

As the two were packing their picnic they herd Tsunade's voice coming from Sakura's necklace.

"Hey what are you guys doing?!" Tsunade had attached a tracking device to Sakura's locket so she could tell if they would need back up or not.

"Tsunade! We're just recharging our energy before we enter through the village gates." Sakura said kind of angry that the tracking device was the one thing she treasured next to Sasuke.

"Hey Granny Tsunade, who exactly gave you the blue prints?" Naruto asked

"One of our ANBU blackops, but he was acting strange when he gave it to me. I suggest you two stay alert the whole mission." Tsunade answered.

"Alright we will." Sakura answered back even though she hated the fact that Tsunade underestimates them.

"I'm just making sure Naruto doesn't do anything that will put both of your lives on the line." Tsunade replied.

With that Naruto and Sakura went into the village with their headbands in their bags for the secret cover and Sakura admiring the beautiful village streets.

Welll...I won't brag cuz you guys have to tell me what you thought! I know it wasn't much but I put a whole lot of thought. The next chapter will be about the sound village!...oh and ummm...if it isn't a problem...could you guys give me some names for pets?...I could really use some...Thanks