Hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Years! *cheers*

"Hey Konohamaru!" Sakura proclaimed, delighted to see her kohai and comrade.

Sakura had walked into the mess hall to see that it was pretty much vacant except for a few other shinobi sitting in the corner whom she didn't recognize at first glance. When she trained her eyes to study the group more closely she saw Shee sitting with what appeared to be others from Kumo. He looked deeply involved in the conversation as he didn't even look up at her entrance so she didn't attempt to get his attention.

After spending all of yesterday afternoon filling him in with all of the necessary information about the Zetsu clones Sakura concluded that she rather liked the guy. She learned he was a jounin and he expressed amazement that she was still only a chuunin but so talented as a medic nin. He commented that she seemed to be at least jounin ranked when it came to that aspect of her shinobihood and she was flattered at his unwarranted compliment. They spent the majority of the time in the lab (well, it was a tent with lab settings) then she introduced him to Shizune, who took over from there. Later on she ran into him again in this very mess hall and they shared a meal together before Sakura went back to her duties. She hadn't seen him at all today and was pleased at not eating alone and perhaps getting to know more people from his village.

"Hey Sakura," the young Sarutobi responded glumly. He unenthusiastically plopped rice onto Sakura's tray. He was standing on the other side of the line obviously serving it.

"Why the long face?" Sakura asked, taking a few pickles and settling them alongside the rice. "You haven't been here since the start of the war. I thought you'd be excited to get out of Konoha for a little while."

Konohamaru suddenly threw his hands up in the air. "I was! But what's my assignment when I get here?" He looked around himself with an expression a child might wear when asked to clean their room. "I'm stuck on meal detail!" he practically screamed out in frustration. "I thought for once, finally, I get to see some action! But nooo...I'm ordered to do the same lame-ass things I was ordered to do back home!"

Sakura blinked at his outrage, but was then promptly infuriated herself. She dropped her tray onto the metal counter, a loud clank echoing throughout the mostly empty room, and she stepped right up to Konohamaru and grabbed him by his shirt collar.

"Listen here," she growled low, looking him directly in the eye. "You have no idea what this war is like...what war is like." She thought back to her battle against Zabuza and Haku: their black, dead eyes, their inability to move of their own accord because of the enemy's control, all the bodies littered around, the blood, the detached body parts, the heat, smoke, people crying out in pain and the ominous sounds of imminent death...

"This isn't fun and games. This isn't even like the chuunin exams, which you have yet to take part in. This is war and that means death is all around us. There is an enemy out there actively pursuing our ruin. I almost got attacked by an enemy clone when I had just finished healing him. Healing him! They have infiltrated our camp and people are dying by the dozens because they have found a way in!" She pulled him closer so their noses were almost touching. "Don't start whining to me about how you're not out there on the battlefield because you have no idea what it's like!"

The grandson of the late Third Hokage looked sufficiently chastised. He pulled back when Sakura released him and smoothed out his clothes. "H-hai!"

Then Sakura felt guilty. She sighed heavily, sagging her shoulders, realizing all she did was just relieve her pent up emotions onto poor Konohamaru. "Look, sorry. Things are really tense around here with the enemy attacking and killing our medics. I understand you don't want to be out there just because you're bored. You're a shinobi...die with honor and glory and all that, right?"

Konohamaru's eyes that were wide with fright now gleamed with eagerness. "It's hard, you know, watching your friends go out there and fight for Naruto-niichan when that's all I want to be doing!"

Sakura spared a roll of her eyes and ruffled the genin's dark brown hair that was sticking up every which way behind his Allied Forces hitai-ate. "I know. I get it. If I were in your shoes I would be feeling the exact same way. Besides, what you're doing here and back home is also helping those out on the battlefield tremendously."

Konohamaru's frown returned but was not as sulky as his previous one. "Yeah, I know."

She chuckled lightly, then started to eye the food warily. "So, anything good?"

When she left the food line she made her way over to the other occupants of the mess hall. It was evident that they saw the exchange between herself and her younger Leaf comrade because when she drew nearer and saw that her intention was to sit with them they immediately became quiet. Shee looked up at her expectantly but did not address her. Okaaay...

Sakura thought it was weird that he didn't acknowledge her but brushed it aside.

"Hey Shee-san. Mind if I join you guys?"

It was him and two other male Kumo nin. One of them was checking her out without even attempting to hide it and the other looked at Shee. Shee suddenly looked...uncomfortable.

"Uhh...we're almost done," he answered lamely.

Sakura saw that their half-eaten meals indicated otherwise.

Perhaps it was the anxiety she was feeling because of the war or maybe it was because there was still a remnant of the aggravation she experienced with Konohamaru a few minutes ago but suddenly she was peeved again. She put one hand on her hip.

"What's the problem?" she asked testily. She could see what Shee was doing. He was trying to convey he didn't really want her to sit with them without being overtly rude. That just didn't make any sense! Sakura was given the impression yesterday, except for their initial meeting, that they were able to get along. Maybe not friends, but certainly not enemies.

"Yeah, what's the problem, Shee-san?" the shinobi that was looking at Shee asked, his voice raised an octave so as to sound feminine, obviously mocking Sakura. Shee's dark eyes narrowed at his compatriot but said nothing.

Sakura just didn't understand, but ultimately it wasn't worth the effort to mull over. Instead, since her anger was so red hot she wondered if she had steam coming out of her ears, she focused her chakra to the very tip of her finger and gently touched the edge of the table. Conversely, the added chakra to the surface of the table probably amounted to that of a sledge-hammer being pounded into it, but with the surface area of her finger being so small it resulted in just a fraction of the table being broken. Sakura knew her quick calculations were correct because the portion where Shee's tray was resting suddenly lifted and landed right into his face, food and fluids flying all around.

"What the hell...?" she heard one of the other nins say, hastily leaning away so not to get food on himself, but Sakura kept focusing on Shee.

"I don't know what the deal is but you're an asshole!" she yelled then stormed off without a backward glance.

She slapped impatiently at the mess hall's tent flap and stomped outside. She was met with various shinobi milling about, talking casually in groups and others running around, probably completing errands on someone's orders. No one paid any attention to her and she didn't spare a look at anyone else as she huffed away. Then she realized she was still holding her tray. Crap. She really didn't want to go back inside and face Shee again. Instead of going all the way to her quarters she decided she would eat in the woods circling the compound. She made a sharp right and found a little path between the earth barrier some of Iwa's doton users had set up. It took her away from the hub-bub of activity in the compound and she could eat in peace but still be within the safety zone.

She sat down against a tree that still kept the path in her line of sight. She picked up some fish with her chopsticks but looked up when she heard footsteps approaching. Her eyes immediately met the dark ones of Shee as he briskly walked toward her. He looked raring for a confrontation and anticipation of an altercation made Sakura swiftly stand.

He stopped a few feet in front of her. "What the hell is your problem?" he demanded, the same question she had asked him back in the mess hall.

He had rice grains stuck in various places in his hair, a brown sauce that was smeared across his cheek, like he tried to rub it off but wasn't completely successful without a mirror, and specks of soy sauce dotted over his face, neck, flak jacket and exposed part of his arms.

Sakura fully intended to lash back out at him, but the sight of Shee's nose flaring, his eyes wild with anger, and the bits of food on him took the wind right out of her sails. She let out a bark of uncontrolled laughter and covered her mouth at the unexpected reaction. When Shee's eyes widened further and his jaw clenched Sakura continued guffawing, placing her hands on her knees. She didn't stop until she felt tears form in her eyes.

When she looked up she found Shee no longer angry but his mouth frowned in bemusement.

"I'm sorry-" Sakura stammered between giggles. "Here, let me..."

She walked up to him and ruffled his hair. The sticky rice didn't want to come out so that resulted her in plucking them individually. Shee turned his body slightly away from her and Sakura noticed the movement.

"Do you want me to get this out or not?" she meant to ask sharply but came out as giggles instead since she still thought it was funny.

He didn't answer so she kept at it. Then she walked over to where her food tray was and picked up a napkin.

"You've got some...um...there some-" she tried to get out amidst a few chortles but started giggling again.

"Gimme that," Shee snapped, snatching the napkin out of her grasp. Sakura watched in amusement as he perfunctorily wiped the napkin over his face. He didn't get it all.

"Oh, let me help you," she said condescendingly, taking the napkin and taking over.

She was concentrating on the spots on his face but when she looked up into his eyes she saw that he was studying her intensely. She remembered vaguely that he did that yesterday, too, when they were working together. She didn't know if that was the way he looked with everyone or not, but it unnerved her a little.

"Sorry about that," Sakura softly, sounding remorseful. She wiped away some that got on his ear then worked her way downward onto his arms. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and elbows guards so she proceeded over his shoulders and biceps. She swallowed hard, attempting to keep her mind on her task and not the thick bands of muscles.

"You should be sorry. That was rude."

Sakura looked back up and saw that he was still observing her closely. His tone lacked censure; he stated it like it was fact.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Well, you were being rude first," she answered indignantly. "I don't understand why you didn't want me to sit with you, but whatever."

She received no answer to that so when she was finished she balled the napkin up and threw it onto her tray. They stared at each other for a few brief, awkward moments before looking away. The birds chirping, the gently rustling leaves from the trees and the busy sounds of the shinobi over in the compound were the only noises.

"Uh...did you get any more orders from HQ as to where you'll be stationed next?" Sakura asked hesitantly, feeling like she needed to fill the uncomfortable silence with polite questions.

Shee cleared his throat. "Yes. Since I completed my training here with the Medical Division I'll be heading back to the Sensor Division for more Detection Barrier exercises. We have received reports from the Intelligence Division that the six captured jinchuuriki have been resurrected."

Sakura blinked in shock. "What?" This was the first she was hearing of this.

"Yes," Shee went on. "HQ is currently dispatching Naruto's clones to every division to help out with distinguishing the Zetsu clones from the Allied Forces shinobi and the real Naruto is to meet the jinchuuriki on the battlefield-"

Sakura was nearly hysterical. "What?" she shrieked. "Naruto is fighting?"

Shee only raised his brows at her.

"They're supposed to be hiding him!"

There were a few moments where nothing was said. Shee seemed to be allowing Sakura time to digest this new information.

"Naruto is the only person that can detect the Zetsu clones because of his nine-tails chakra," Shee responded calmly.

Sakura was pulling at her hair in despondency but suddenly stopped. "Oh." The Zetsu clones absorbed the chakra of their victims so no typical chakra sensor could detect them. "I see. Hm. Makes sense. But still! This war is to protect Naruto - and B-san - from Akatsuki and they're just flippantly allowing Naruto to run around-!"

Shee held up a hand to stop Sakura's tirade. "I don't think HQ has flippantly decided anything," he contradicted. "Do you not have more faith in your teammate?" he asked.

Sakura bristled defensively. "That's not the point! It's not safe for Naruto to be so exposed to the enemy!"

"I don't think the heads of the Shinobi Alliance - your Hokage - have made any rash decisions regarding Naruto's involvement in the war."

Sakura thought back to just after Tsunade met with the other leaders of the Alliance when she was complaining about how the other Kage basically overruled her opinion that Naruto be on the battlefield instead of being confined. From the very beginning her Shishou had thought Naruto should be fighting and now it turns out her initial assessment was correct and being put into action.

Sakura sighed wearily and rubbed at her forehead absently. "This isn't going to get any easier, is it?" she said rhetorically. Then she asked, "Well, I'm assuming since B-san was supposed to be helping keep Naruto hidden I guess that means he's fighting, too. Are you okay with that?"

She watched as Shee's eyebrows pinched together in thought. "It's irrelevant whether I'm okay with it. As long as Raikage-sama is aware then it makes no difference what my opinion is."

Sakura frowned. Shouldn't he have more concern for the Raikage's brother, his own comrade? Kumo had just as much stock in this war as Konoha because B was the other jinchuuriki. She shook her head minutely. No matter. Shee seemed to trust the Raikage a lot, if his cavalier attitude about the jinchuurikis fighting was any indication, so Sakura thought perhaps she should have more trust in her Hokage as well.

Shee suddenly changed the subject before she could comment.

"How did you do that?"

A corner of Sakura's mouth lifted in a sly smile, knowing he was referring to what she did with the table.

"Observe," she said, walking over to a tree. She swung her arm in a simple karate chop and the bark splintered, pieces breaking off and flying outward, the trunk cracking from the force of the impact. Sakura didn't want to knock the whole tree down, but the giant fissure she created proved the point. She looked to Shee to see him staring incredulously at the tree, then he turned to face her.

"So, you have super-human strength?" he asked curiously.

"No, well, yes...I am naturally stronger than the average female, and probably most males by definition, but I also have the added advantage of perfect chakra control."

Shee's brows came together in that way that told Sakura he was pondering something and he looked down at the ground, pensive. She waited him out, seeing if he could figure out how she could break tables and crack trees with nothing but her hands. When he looked back up he appeared both pleased and smug.

"So you build up your chakra to a certain point and push it outward at the moment of collision," he said confidently. He tilted his head to the side, thoughtfully observing her. "Come to think of it, I believe I have heard of your abilities. You were trained by your Hokage, right? She has similar abilities."

Sakura nodded. "Yes. Tsunade-sama is my Shishou. She taught me that perfect chakra control helps a lot, but it's also about timing. I could have the aid of my chakra, but without precision I could wind up breaking my hand and arm if I try to punch through an object and the timing's off."

Shee shook his head appreciatively. "That's a very useful skill. In a taijutsu battle I probably wouldn't want to come too close for fear of blunt force trauma."

Sakura chuckled. "You said you came from the Sensor division and that you're going back soon to work on the Barrier Detection exercises...so you're a chakra sensor and a medic nin?" She wanted to know because she had never encountered a shinobi who had both abilities.

"Yes. In the same respect that your chakra control helps your taijutsu, my chakra control enables me to sense the enemy from very far distances, even if they're attempting to mask it, without being inefficient and overusing it."

Sakura studied the blonde-haired shinobi for a few long moments. She was sure glad he was on her side, the side of her village, of Naruto. She wondered what Shee would be like to battle against and started to think of how he might present himself in a situation where he was fighting for his life. He had a serious demeanor that honestly intimidated Sakura slightly. He seemed very intelligent, but she wasn't sure if that was her bias speaking since she knew he was a medic nin and a jounin. Her eyes briefly swept over his physique that she was trying hard not to ogle just a few minutes ago. It was impressive, sure, but it was nothing she hadn't seen before; all male shinobi demonstrated nicely defined muscles. Her eyes met his again and that was when she decided that he would be a formidable opponent for sure. His gaze pervaded her consciousness with such force that it was difficult to look him directly in the eye but equally hard to look away. Shee's gaze reminded her of someone; dark eyes glinting obsidian, severe, daunting.

Sakura suddenly remembered that Shee had fought against Sasuke only too recently. Shee had made it out alive obviously and she was curious to know what kind of injuries he might have sustained, if any. Despite how she felt about Sasuke, she admired Shee for the mere fact that he was standing before her today and had not been taken down by her former teammate.

Shee seemed to catch on to the fact that she was considering him and then Sakura noticed him doing the same to her. His eyes swiftly traveled, going down then back up...twice. Sakura shrugged in on herself slightly, a little uncomfortable but simultaneously flattered of his...consideration. She carefully watched his expression and he didn't seem disappointed. Sakura felt her face and neck grow a few degrees warmer, but then suddenly caught herself. Why was she allowing this Shee to affect her so much? Especially after he was such an asshole?

Shee must have seen the look on Sakura's face and suddenly it appeared like he had been caught doing something he shouldn't. He looked both angry and ashamed.

"I should get back-" Shee started to say.

"Yeah," Sakura agreed quickly, looking down at the ground awkwardly again.

The whole interaction was pretty anticlimactic and Shee began to walk away unceremoniously. Sakura watched his retreating back and was all of a sudden struck frustrated. It wasn't like her to not let him know what she was thinking or feeling and he basically ignored what happened back in the mess hall. If he was leaving today or tomorrow she didn't want things to end on that kind of note.

"Shee!" she called. The way he stopped: falteringly, then turning ever so hesitantly, told Sakura he knew why she was getting his attention.

She walked back up to him, carefully this time so he wouldn't become defensive right away. "Why didn't you want me to sit with you at lunch?" Her voice came out sounding quiet and curious, just how she wanted. And she was right. Instead of trying to thwart off a confrontation, she watched him frown. For just a moment his dark eyes looked sad, but then returned to their normal seriousness.

Sakura waited patiently. She really wanted to know, especially after today's interaction and getting to know him a little more. Shee opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted by a sudden commotion occurring within the compound. They both looked up and in the general direction and heard several cries and sounds of battle ensuing.

No time for delicate conversation anymore. They both looked back to each other and nodded before rushing back towards the action.

TBC