Love is Sacrifice

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto TT

Well I had previously written a story but because I didn't like the way it was going I deleted it…. so this can technically be called my second story but I consider it my first so please be kind to me.

Italics are thoughts, and in this story I have made Sakura strong : She has had quite a bit of training with Tsunade and is has now surpassed her. She also trained with Kakashi (in secret) as well as the other characters to gain abilities that others would not expect of her so she has an advantage. Also, I want to explain that this is a sasuke/sakura story but the first couple chapters are set-up so I can start off the story so don't get to impatient.

cough cough ………Why? Why did come to this? wheeze It was getting harder to breathe. I tried to pick myself up knowing I had no chakra…knowing that I was going numb. I could hear the screaming voices, the clashing of metal, the running foot steps, and the smell of blood was overwhelming even though I could not see. So I guess I was already losing my sight. I had to get back to the fight. I had to save Konoha…even if I had to sacrifice it all. Even if it hurt. Even if I had to betray my sensei. Even if I had to die. I gathered all the strength left in my body I focused if into my arms and voice. I lifted my arms into a seal and whispered,

"Sozo…….Saisei"

New strength flooded through me and I felt invisible. However I knew it would not last long. I had to end this.

I just wish I could see Sasuke one more time.

"Garaa-san, thank you for your hospitality. We will ensure that the scroll is safely delivered back to Konoha." Sakura and her team were on a mission to pick up and deliver a scroll of forbidden jutsu to Konoha for safe keeping. "Your welcome Sakura, I will have my security escort you out," answered Garaa.

"Awwwww, Garaa, why can't you escort us. It will be more fun," whined a hyper active blonde. Garaa stared at Naruto with a blank face but you could see the amusement in his eyes as he replied. "Are you expecting me to leave my office and let the paper work pile up?" Naruto pouted but then grinned and said "Fine, but next time we visit you better let us stay longer!" I rolled my eyes but smiled. That was what I loved about Naruto.

"Naruto, hurry up. We must leave so we can get some traveling in before sunset. You don't want to feel the wrath of Neji now do you?" Immediately Naruto's eyes widened and he went speeding out the door.

I took a step to follow Naruto out but was stopped by Garaa's voice. "Sakura, I didn't want to tell you this in front of Naruto because I know the tension between him and the Sound but I know you can handle this news better. I have received reports from a few of my ninja that there were sightings of the Sound nearby….so be careful on your way home."

My eyes widened while I processed the information Garaa had given me. "How long ago was this?" "About three hours ago." Damn... I will need to tell Neji to keep a look out for them. This is strange though, something about this rings false. Since Orochimaru was killed by Sasuke the sound have been without a leader and have been absent for a while. The only people who the Sound would listen to are Kabuto or Sasuke. Have they found a new leader?

"Thank you for telling me this. I will tell Neji to look out of them and keep Naruto out of the loop." Garaa nodded at me and I hurried out the door, if I took to long the others would get suspicious.

While walking down the halls to the door I was in such deep thought I didn't notice I had arrived and Naruto, Neji, and Lee were staring at me. Lee was the first to break me from my thoughts.

"Sakura-san where is your youthfulness? We are about to head out." "Oh right, let's go," I replied. I walked past the group but paused at Neji to give him a meaningful look, I knew he would get the message.

Over time I had gotten to know Neji a bit more and we became close comrades. Of course not as close as Naruto and I but enough to trust each other's abilities and see each other's worries. We started to run towards the village's gates where the escort party lead by Temari waited for us. While running Neji pulled up beside me. "What's wrong," he asked. I looked past my shoulder to where Naruto chatted loudly to Temari, then to the front where Lee was also absorbed in a conversation with a friendly ninja ahead of us. "Garaa told me some information right before I left his office. I want to make sure that Naruto is not told….he told me that there were sightings of Sound ninja a couple hours ago. Could you keep a look out for them?" "Of course, however, I fail to see why the Sound would be over here…" Neji replied "Same here Neji but let's just hope it was a fluke."

"Hey Sakura-chan, when are we going to stop and take a break? I'm getting hungry!" "Naruto, it has only been an hour since we left and said goodbye to the Sand ninja. We can still fit in another hour or two," replied a colder voice. "I was asking Sakura-chan, not you! Tsunade-baa-chan but her in charge this time," Naruto resorted with a smirk. Neji only raised an eye brow before continued to scan the forest like he never heard Naruto speak. Naruto was the only one who would break the comfortable silence for long.

I watched Neji continue to scan the forest. Hmmmm, maybe it was nothing after all. I am pretty sure that we will be able to stop and sleep tonight without trouble. I guess…

"Sakura!"

My mind jumped into action. It only took a milla second to analyze the situation. "Neji! The location."

"The ninja are 3 and a fourth mile northeast of our location and they are heading southwest."

"How many"

"Two"

"Their speed"

"Fast, the look like they are in a hurry….we should be in contact in about five minutes"

"Lee, take the offensive position, attack once the enemy is in sight. I will also take the offensive position with you.

"Alright"

"Naruto take the defensive and guard the scroll with your life."

"WHAT!!"

"Neji, you will back us up if needed and you will take the scroll and run in case of emergency. Keep posts on their location. Keep look out for any more Sound ninja during the fight as well. Is he coming towards us?"

"Yes, weather he intends to or not he is coming towards us."

By now I noticed Naruto's eyes blazed. I guess he noticed the "look for any more sound ninja during the fight" part.

"They are getting closer however they just changed their direction!"

"Which direction"

"South and they will slide right past us"

"They must be up to something. Everyone hide your chakra…we are going to find out what they have planned."

"Sakura, are you sure you want to follow them? Our mission was to get the scroll delivered to the village and by doing this we are endangering the scroll. This is not a very youthful decision."

"I know Lee that is why Neji and Naruto will protect the scroll but I am doing this because I have a bad feeling about this and I want to find out information to report back to Tsunade."

I glanced back at Naruto to see how he was dealing with the new information. I knew he had grown to be a strong shinobi but when things came to Orochimaru, Sasuke, and the Akatski you never knew how he would react. Naruto seemed to have digested the fact that sound ninja were close by but I could still see the resentment blazing in his eyes. Great…what am I going to do? I know that everyone can hold their own, if it ever came to a battle and it is obvious that the Sound are not after the scroll but if there are only two shinobi running thought the forest then they can't trusted. We must finish this quickly. Also…now that I think about it…

While we quietly ran, stalking to Sound shinobi, waiting to get close I thought again about how Konoha had not heard about the Sound for quite some time and then trained my thoughts on Naruto.

Through my peripheral vision I saw something move. I jumped out of the way before the kunai hit its mark. Well I guess it was about time that they notice we were following them.

Lee and I sprung into action. I gathered chakra into my feet and jumped into the trees where our attackers waited. Chakra focused into my fists and I speed towards my enemy. The shinobi tried to doge but was to slow. My fist only grazed him but it was enough. It was obvious that he had ruptured an organ. That was too easy. I turned towards Lee who had also quickly ensured victory but at least his victim would not die in a few minutes. I walked over to Lee and Naruto and Neji who had also kept a low profile joined me.

I looked at the unconscious man wondering why we had been able to defeat them so easily. Something was either false or they were low level ninja who were on a small errand. I noticed a small pack that had a unique design on it. When grabbed the pack he had on his waist I saw that it was not a design but a seal. A top level one at that.

"Guys, look at this!" Naruto looked up eagerly hoping for some action. "There is a jounin rank seal on this scroll. Why would such low level ninja be carrying something that has such important information on it?"

Naruto took the scroll from my hands and studied it. "Hey guys, are we going to read it?" well first we need someone who had enough skill to open it first Naruto-kun" replied Lee. "Well what are you waiting for Neji? You are a jounin! Open it!" Neji looked at Naruto and then the scroll. "Do you think I should open it here? Should we wait till we get to the village?"

"Well you have a point Neji but what if it contains information that we really need now…I mean what if it is something so important that we should open it now? If it is not then it is not like we bent rules. I guess I just get a really bad feeling from this though."

Neji looked at me as did Naruto and Lee. "Sakura, are you ok? I mean you always think so logically…I mean not like Neji but it isn't like you to say stuff like that." I was a bit surprised by what Naruto said but then I realized it was true. Why was I getting such a bad feeling?

"Gomenasai guys, but please open the scroll." Neji did a series of hand signs and muttered a few words I didn't recognize and the seal dematerialized. Naruto and Lee bent over Neji shoulders as he unraveled the scroll and read it. As they read I walked towards them but stopped dead at the look on their faces. They looked frozen. I snatched the scroll instantly knowing my gut feeling was right. The scroll was addressed to the Akatski and it was from Sasuke. There would be an attack on the Konoha.

End of the first chapter! : Please review and tell me if you like it and if i should continue. Also it you have any sugestions or if you see a grammer error please tell me so i can improve.