Author's note: Ah forget it. I haven't gotten any comments, so I'm just going to put up the next chapter. I really want to get this one over with now so I can post my next story. And I know this chapter is kind of choppy, sorry about that.

Disclaimer: Pigs will fly before I own this.

2. To Become Strong

Sakura woke up bright and early the next morning, ready for the day's mission. She had no idea why, but for some reason she felt better.

It was talking to Sasuke, what else could it be?! Her inner self demanded happily.

Smiling to herself, she nearly skipped to the bridge, but held back.

"Good morning, Sasuke!" Sakura smiled at Sasuke.

"Yeah." He said.

"Morning!" Sakura turned to see Naruto running up, a little earlier than normal.

"Morning, Naruto." Sakura smiled again.

"Hey Sakura! Listen to what happened last night at…"

Sakura actually listened to him today she felt that much better, so when Kakashi showed up two hours late, she joined Naruto in scolding him.

"Sensei, if you're always late, how are we going to be able to get good missions?!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"

"Hmmm, well today we're not actually going on a mission."

Naruto looked nonplussed. "Huh? Then what are we doing?"

"Sparring!"

"Ooooohhhh! Do we get to choose partners?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Kakashi appeared to think about it. "hmmmmm…nope!" He said, in an annoyingly happy voice.

Naruto's face fell considerably, and Sakura almost felt sorry for him, until she heard the pairings. Naruto was training with Kakashi-sensei, and she would be partnered with Sasuke. This produced mixed feelings. While she was happy (understatement) that she got to be Sasuke's partner, she was also freaked out-he was much better, why had Kakashi paired her with him?!

Kakashi took them to the training grounds, where they had first learned the meaning of the word "teamwork".

"Alright. Now I want Sakura and Sasuke over there, by the trees,-" he ointed, "-and Naruto, you and I will go over here."

"Hn." Sasuke walked toward where Kakashi had pointed, and Sakura ran to catch up. Naruto and Kakashi walked in almost the exact opposite direction, until Sakura couldn't hear Naruto's voice any more. Sakura and Sasuke walked to the small group of trees, then Sasuke turned to face her.

"S-sasuke, I'm sorry, I'm not that good."

"Attack." Sasuke crouched into a fighting position.

"But I-"

"Sakura," Sasuke stood up straight again, "remember what you deided in the Forest of Death."

Sakura looked surprised, but then she looked resolved. "To become strong."

Sasuke crouched down again. "Attack."

Nodding, Sakura grabbed a kunai, lunging. Sasuke ducked, sweeping his leg to trip her, but just as he was about to, she used substitution, coming again, from behind. Just as she was about to raise the kunai, she found herself flat on her back. Sakura squinted at the bright sun, until Sasuke's silhouette blocked it as he stood over her.

"A straight approach like that is too obvious. Get up." He turned and went back to his original spot as Sakura got up. He went back into his former position. "Again."


They sparred until Kakashi appeared, telling them they could go home. Sakura was tired and a bit sore, but happy. She knew Sasuke had gone easy on her, but he had been helping her ,and it made her happy. She had gotten a whole day with Sasuke, even if they had only been training. Smugly, she thought of what Imo's expression might look like if she knew.

She smiled as she walked next to Sasuke, but didn't say anything. She was learning he preferred silence (yeah, no duh!).

She was still smiling when she got home, flopping on her bed with a contented sigh. Maybe tomorrow Kakashi-sensei will let us spar again, She thought hopefully.


Unfortunately for Sakura, the next day they had another mission. Sakura hid her disappointment when Kakashi showed up (finally) and told them.

We have missions to do, I don't have time to feel sorry for myself.

She knew it was only a d-ranked mission, but Sakura knew better than to make Sasuke feel like she was in the way or useless. Team 7 set off for their new assaignment.


Well ,she felt like she hadn't really gotten in the way, and she had been able to help too, so Sakura was fine on the way home. She was still a little put out that they hadn't gotten to spar though.

"Are you unhappy?"

Sasuke's voice brought her out of her reverie.

"Ummm…I had been hoping Kakashi-sensei would let us spar again, but I'm fine."

"Hn." Sasuke stopped, then turned down a different road.

"Uh, Sasuke?" Not knowing what else to do, Sakura followed after him. He didn't protest to her following, so she assumed it was okay.

When they stopped, Sakura was surprised. What kind of business would Sasuke have here? She wondered as she looked around. It was flat, open ground covered in short grass. The area was small from the trees that bordered it on all sides, most of them being cherry blossom trees. It was a little like where they had been sparring.

"You still want to get better, right?" He was turned away from her.

'Yes!" Sakura said, determined.

Sasuke turned and slid into a familiar crouch. "Attack."

Sakura smiled and got ready.


They were sparring until it was nearly too dark to see. When Sakura got home, her mother had been upset from her getting home a little later than usual, but it didn't dampen her mood. She was way too happy. She fell asleep hoping the next day would be the same.


The next day was very much the same, They went on another mission, came back, and Sasuke taught Sakura. He taught her a lot, too. She was a fast learner, he was a fast teacher. She was very surprised (but happy!) that he had chosen to help her, when normally he barely talked to her. Now he spoke to her a lot. It was mostly just telling her what she shouldn't do, but still.

As she walked home, the sun shone a bright gold as it began to sink below the horizon. For a moment Sakura stopped to stare at it, then smiled, continuing on. I will get better.


The next day, they started another mission, and again, Sakura ended up supporting a rather bruised, scratched up Naruto. They were about to go their separate ways when Kakashi said,

"Oh, by the way, there will be no missions or training tomorrow. You've got the day off."

"…"

"…"

"…"crash! "Ow!"

This was met by mostly silence, until Sakura let go of Naruto in surprise. He fell to the ground, only to spring up moments later and point an accusing finger at Kakashi.

"ALRIGHT, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH KAKASHI-SENSEI?!"

"Calm down Naruto, I'm me."

"Kakashi-sensei, do you have a fever?" Sakura asked, half worried, half skeptical. (As you can hopefully tell, Kakashi never gives days off.)

After Kakashi had thoroughly convinced them he was not running a fever and was in fact himself (using a little help from Naruto and his sharingan, heh heh.), Sakura asked why.

"Oh, I don't know. Tomorrow just seemed like a good day for it. Well, later!"

"Huh? But Sensei-" Sakura started, but he was already gone.

"Do you think he was kidding?" Naruto asked, trying to figure it out again.

"Why would Kakashi kid about something like that?" Sasuke said, walking off. Naruto stood there comically, still trying to make sense of it, but then gave up in a moment or two.

"Oh well. Bye Sakura! Guess I won't see you tomorrow!"

"Bye."

Naruto ran off, and Sakura followed Sasuke to their make-shift training grounds.


A/n: well not too good in the way chapters go, but I really liked that moment with Kakashi being accused of being fake!