Disclaimer: Neither Naruto nor anything in the Naruto universe belongs to me. This is a story written entirely for my own amusement and not for profit.

Title: Home

Summary: Sakura thinks that Naruto needs some protection against Itachi.


Home

„Erm, Naruto, I have been thinking..." Sakura said.

„Yeah, so what?" He let his eyes wander, from the stranger sitting behind her in the shadows, his face covered beneath a large hood, back to his long-time friend and secret love.

„Well, yes, with you being a Jinchuuriki and all..."

„I know that I am a Jinchuuriki, so what are you going to say?"

„I thought that, you know, Akatsuki is behind you, after all, and maybe you should be a bit more careful and not go out so much on your own..."

„What? Akatsuki has been after me for three years! I am still alive, unlike some of them! I don't need to be more careful!"

„Yes, I know, but you have not yet faced Itachi, and it's him who is after the Kyuubi. Compared to him, the guys we fought were like genins in their first year."

„Itachi, Itachi. You never stop talking about Itachi and how dangerous he is. I have fought Itachi! I have defeated his genjutsu!"

„But, well, I mean, this was not the real Itachi. The real Itachi is much more potent and dangerous."

„I am dangerous as well."

„Sorry, I did not want to offend you... I know you have stamina and a lot of chakra and have learnt to use your taijutsu and your ninjutsu well, but, I think, Itachi with his genjutsus and his manipulations of soul and mind might be a bad match for you. I thought it might be useful to have someone with you who is better suited to fighting Itachi, someone who knows how to counter Itachi's specific attacks, actually, the best one there is."

„What are you talking about? I don't need anyone to protect me. I can well protect myself! I am as well suited to fight Itachi as anyone else!"

„Stop acting stupid! You know that Itachi uses techniques that are far beyond your ability to defend yourself! Confronted with him, you will be helpless, just as when Chiyo and myself had to save you from his genjutsu!"

„I have grown since then! I won't be helpless!"

„Shut up and get rational! Even Kakashi thinks that you need help, or he would not have put you in a group of three!"

„Hinata is not with me to protect me, but to help us find Sasuke with her Byakugan! And Yamato's job is to keep the demon fox under control! Actually, it's me who is in the group to do the fighting! I am there to protect the rest!"

„And why do you think Kakashi assigned you his giant dog! Just for sniffing? You are badly in need of someone to protect you, with you acting like a little child who does not know his limitations! I have found you someone who is able to fight Itachi and to keep the demon fox under control!"

„I told you that I don't need anyone to protect me! I am as strong as anybody else! When will you finally stop acting as if you were my mother? When will you realize that I am not any more the kid who failed every exam, but one of the strongest and most gifted shinobi of Konoha?"

„I am just worried! Can't you show a bit of gratitude for the fact that I care for you? I don't want you to die when Akatsuki extracts the demon fox, and want someone to support you who is able to stand his ground against Itachi, which you are clearly not!"

„I am! You will see it when we finally fight him! - You" he interrupted himself, turning to the stranger. „Have you listened? I don't need a protector. You can well leave us."

The stranger in the shadows did not move, just relaxed a little. He was home at last.