So Far Away: The Beginning

Sunlight and a light spring breeze filtered in through closed curtains and into the jade eyes of the pastel pink haired woman who laid in her bed cursing the sun for being too bright like she always did on sunny days.

'At least it isn't raining' Sakura thought as she pulled a pillow over he head trying to fall back asleep getting a feeling that she wasn't going to be able too because as soon as she had found her comfort spot someone was tapping on her window.

"Damn it, Naruto!" Sakura mumbled throwing a pillow at the window to signify that she was still in bed and that she acknowledged his presence.

Naruto chuckled when he heard the soft thud of the pillow hitting the window. Slipping through the open crack of her window; he made his way to Sakura's bed taking a good look at her half nude form and the blankets that had been kicked off onto the floor before crawling in beside her pulling her into his arms loving the way she felt in them.

"You're annoying.." Sakura mumbled snuggling into Naruto's chest wrapping and arm around his waist inhaling his scent.

"And a good morning to you too, Sakura-chan." Naruto said giving her a light hug and kissed the top of her head taking in her intoxicating scent.

They lay there enjoying the closeness of each other as they did each morning, unless they were on missions, ever since Naruto had returned from his training with Jiraiya a year earlier; their friendship had blossomed into a close friendship.

Naruto still had a crush on Sakura and Sakura was developing a on him; but neither one wanted to risk the friendship they had and never asked each other out both quite content on how things were now. Maybe they would be together in the future. Who knows?

"So what brings you here this morning?" Sakura asked, smirking as she looked up at Naruto at the same time trying to stifle a yawn.

Naruto grinned, "Oh, Granny Tsunade sent me to see why her number one student was late." He said knowing that Sakura wasn't actually late, but loved watching her run around like a chicken with its head cut off.

"Ne! Late!" Sakura screeched frantically pulling herself out of his arms falling off the bed in the process.

Naruto chuckled as he watched his best friend scramble around her room trying to get her usual clothes on while trying to do a million other things at once.

Finally remembering to check the time she saw that it was only 8:06am and she usually didn't meet with Tsunade until 9:30. Her eye twitched as she turned to face the now laughing fox demon.

'That bastard!' Inner Sakura exclaimed, 'He tricked us!'

Cracking her knuckles she descended upon her laughing chum planning to beat him within an inch of his life.

Sensing danger from his pink haired friend, Naruto did what he always did: He took her into his arms and kissed her before she could land the first punch.

Sakura stopped when she felt his lips on hers making her forget what she was about to do. Closing her eyes she began kissing back, but with more ferocity, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Naruto nibbled on her bottom lip and pulled her closer causing her to moan into his mouth as their tongues battled with untold passion when Sakura granted Naruto wish.

Naruto's hand trailed its way to the small of her back and was about to go lower when he felt Sakura's hand grasp his and her pull away.

"One of-" pant "These days-" pant " We're not going to" moan, pant "Stop." Sakura said tearing herself away from Naruto her face burning with the blush that spread across her face.

Naruto was panting as well, a blush on his cheeks. They may have not been a couple, but they sure acted like one. "Yeah." Was all he could say.

Looking at the clock she saw that it was almost quarter after nine, "Shit." She mumbled, "I have to go see Tsunade-sama." Sakura said grabbing what was needed and left.

She used this as an excuse to leave instead of having to face the awkward silence that usually followed after one of those sessions.

Naruto fell back onto the bed replaying what had just happened in his head. He actually wouldn't mind if he and Sakura go all the way.

'I have been with Ero-sannin too long.' Naruto thought with a sigh before getting up. Before he left he made Sakura's bed and tidied up her room for her. Something he usually did if she had forgotten to do it.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After finding Tsunade asleep at her desk with an empty bottle of sake by her side, Sakura woke her teacher up to find that she had the day off. Happy that she was free for the day, she decided to go find Naruto so that they could train together; but after what happened that morning she wasn't sure if she wanted to face Naruto just yet. So she settled with going to Ino's flower shop to see what she was up to and if she wanted to do something.

Walking down the road to Ino's shop; she saw a bunch of jounin and some of the ANBU squad running for the village gates.

'I wonder what's going on?' Sakura thought watching them pass overhead. 'I don't know but lets find out!' Inner Sakura said as Outer Sakura abandoned the plan with Ino and ran to the gates to see what was up.

Arriving at the gates a short while later she saw them gather in a circle while the others were telling the slowly forming crowd to back away. Spotting Kakashi, she called out his name and ran over to him.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked looking up at her former teacher while at the same time trying to see who it was the jounin and ANBU had gathered around.

Kakashi put his hands on Sakura's shoulders leaning down so that his face was only a few inches from hers, "Sakura. I don't want you to see this. Please leave." He said with a hint of worry in his voice.

Now Sakura really wanted to know who or what it was in the circle of people. Pushing away from Kakashi, Sakura foolishly and somehow made her way past the jounin and ANBU to find the last person she ever expected to set foot back into Konoha.

"Sas…suke.."

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So it begins, ne?

Standard disclaimer applies.