A/N: Thank you for all the story alerts, Favs and reviews! You are all amazing :) It's people like you that encourage myself and XspriteyX (co-writer to this fic, as I mentioned in chapter one) to continue writing!


Two years had passed since Obito had been walking absentmindedly through the meadows of Konoha and had met little six year old Sakura. And in those two years he was pleased to see his plan was paying off since Sakura had made friends with a blonde girl called Ino Yamanaka. She was also interacting with many different people in a bid to learn something he didn't know. His little plan had worked better than he could have imagined.

Not only was she making friends, Sakura was more open in general, her confidence slowly building. A sign of this was evident as she had started wearing her hair tied back with a red ribbon, which Ino had given her. She had blushed like crazy when Obito had complimented on it.

The only problem he discovered arose from his plan was that it had worked too well since she was willing to tell him everything…EVERYTHING!

The day she came to him prattling on about her crush she had started to harvest with his cousin, Sasuke, had to be one of the most girly-ish chats he was ever exposed to! There were just some things he didn't need to know. It was unnecessarily cruel not to mention awkward as the eight year old girl gushed about how 'Amazing' and 'Cool' Sasuke kun was.

Bleh!

How on earth would he know what Sasuke's favourite colour was without stalking him? Or his favourite food? Or his favourite ninja tool? Or that he supposedly liked girls with long hair? As said before, he had to endure some very girly love-struck conversations with an infatuated eight year old more times than he cared to count, patiently listening and adding the odd word here and there whilst secretly hoping the crush would end just so he could have some peace!

If he spoke truthfully he thought Sasuke's hair looked like the back end of a duck and that his little cousin had way too much angst to throw around. Although, considering what had happened to the poor kid, Obito could understand the darkness that seemed to be building inside Sasuke…he only hoped Sasuke's anger and pain wouldn't fester and cause problems for himself and everyone else in the future.

Thinking back to the source of Sasuke's torment, Obito couldn't help but feel some of that same darkness creep inside of himself too. He had been shocked, and oddly not, when Itachi slaughtered all the Uchiha clan except Sasuke. That day had been one of the most awful to watch, unable to do anything, since he had become a ghost. He had screamed in anger and anguish as he watched Itachi slaughter the Uchiha clan, not from fear but from pure anger. He had tried in vain to attack the Uchiha gone rogue…but what use are a ghost's translucent arms and legs trying to kick and punch, when all they manage is to fall straight through their opponent? Due to not being a solid form, going through sold materials, such as people, is way too easy. Obito had tried to pick up Kunais along with other ninja weapons, but was unable to pick them up. His hands passed through them as if the weapons were merely made of water…In the end, he was at a loss; unable to do anything but watch. He watched, frustrated, devastated, filled with sorrow. Even though he had his differences with the Uchiha clan, and at times he didn't even really like them, that didn't mean he had wanted or ever thought this would happen; they were his family after all, they were people he knew, and he thought they would always be there.

So, he watched the massacre, feeling he owed it to his clan to be strong and watch them in their final hour. Even as the blood spread, he still stood and watched. He well knew if he had been a solid form he would have been splattered with the scarlet substance. He also knew, if he could have, he would have cried. But, as he discovered bitterly soon after his death…ghosts can't cry.

Soon after the massacre, Obito discovered some of what the Uchiha clan had been planning. After he discovered this knowledge he had no choice but to see some crazy sense in the extermination of the Uchiha clan. Because wiping out the clan had put an end to some terrible happenings that would have occurred in the near future. Yet, he could not find any real justice in it at all. The Clan had faults, yes, but didn't all clans? At the end of the day, it was Obito's family Itachi had murdered; his own cousin no less had done the damage! Even children had been victims, something as disgusting as that had been performed by Obito's own flesh and blood upon his own flesh and blood; something that made next to no sense to him despite whatever so called 'good' intentions Itachi had…And really, small children had nothing to do with the happenings of the Uchiha clan, they were the innocents. And innocents always seemed to suffer.

The only child that Itachi seemed to allow to live and yet suffer in arguably the worst possible way was his own little brother Sasuke.

Sasuke hadn't been the same since and it was clear to Obito as he watched in his quiet shadowlike form, the path Sasuke was walking was steadily moving down deeper into the depths of darkness. Obito had often hoped that his cousin would not pursue Itachi to the extent of throwing away everything important in his life just to do so…In the quietness of his ghostly solitude, Obito vowed that if he could, he would try and help the darkness seep away from his baby cousin, and help the light enter Sasuke's world again.

However, this would be very difficult as a ghost so he doubted he'd be able to do anything. But if Obito could. He would.

Maybe all the young female affections Sasuke seemed to be receiving would do him some good and who knows, maybe he could get himself a pretty little girlfriend to lighten up a bit.

Heh maybe Sakura could get her dream and go out with him!

Sakura was a great girl, smart, sweet, friendly. It had to be admitted she had a few anger issues but she was generally a very caring person. Though something that worried Obito about her was... she could still see him!

All other kids her age had long passed the age of seeing ghosts! Yet the eight year old Sakura still came running to their meeting place everyday, smiling widely and waving with an enthusiastic shout of "Obito kun!"

Not that he really minded. He enjoyed having someone to talk to, even if it was a bit strange she hadn't grown out of him yet. Well, he'd enjoy it whilst it lasted since it couldn't be too much longer that she'd keep seeing him. It was going to be rather lonely without the little pink haired girl to talk to…since Obito had met Sakura he had felt so close to feeling…alive again.

He looked around the meadow that had become their meeting spot. It was spring again which meant the flowers were in bloom and the Sakura petals were full of colour, the soft green grass rustled a bit with a spring breeze.

Studying the ground closer he found a few small purple flowers that Sakura loved, he'd have to remember to show her where they were sometime. "Obito kun!"

Speaking of which…

"Hey Sakura chan!"

Sakura ran towards him tripping over her feet and tumbling onto the ground. She looked embarrassed as she lifted her face from the ground to peer up at him with blushing cheeks. Obito chuckled "You really are a klutz huh? Up ya get."

Sakura nodded as she sat up, dusting herself off, "Right um. Anyway did you know that the Chunin exams are being hosted in the land of lightning this year?"

Obito looked sheepish, "Ah actually I do since Kakashi got told in a meeting the other day-"

"-But you said you'd teach me tree walking today!" She said whilst pouting slightly.

Obito ruffled her hair, well tried to. A few strands moved under his ghostly touch, very much like a cool light breeze gently caressing the delicate pink hair,

"Uh-uh I said I would if you told me something I didn't know. You know the deal so better luck tomorrow. So what did you do today huh?"

Sakura swatted his hand away, not noticing when she did that her hand hadn't made contact with his arm like it should have, instead her hand went straight through Obito's arm, "Well today Iruka sensei- ACHOO!"

She sniffed rubbing her nose. Obito grinned evily as he said teasingly, "Why Sakura chan, is someone talking about you? A boy perhaps hmmm?"

Sakura flushed a pale pink, "No! No! The only boy that would talk about me is Naruto baka! Sasuke kun doesn't know I exist...Which is Ino pigs fault!"

Obito looked surprised, taken aback by her sudden harsh tone of voice, "I thought you and Ino were friends?"

Sakura crossed her arms, "We can't be friends when we're both rivals for Sasuke kun!"

Obito tilted his head, "But can't you be friends and rivals?"

Sakura blinked, shocked, as if that idea hadn't even seemed possible.

But then again why shouldn't it?

They could be friends and compete for Sasuke at the same time, couldn't they?

After all, if he picked either of them, what were they going to do then?

If Sasuke kun was dating either Ino or Sakura then they couldn't be rivals unless they extended their rivalry to their ninja careers.

It all seemed pretty pointless to Obito. Girls could be so fickle!

Sakura frowned, "I'll... have to think about it."

Obito smiled encouragingly "That's the spirit." Heh he found that statement totally ironic since he was a spirit…

"So what were you saying about Iruka sensei?"

Sakura thought a moment then perked up, "Oh! Right well he said we should practice our throwing so we- ACHOO! ACHOO!"

Sakura sniffed miserably, rubbing her eyes. Obito frowned in concern "Eh Sakura chan are you feeling OK?"

Sakura smiled weakly "Just have a little cold. I'm fine. ACHOO!"

Obito analysed her critically realising that her skin was pinker than normal, she seemed a little feverish but he couldn't be sure without touching her forehead, and hello he was dead not exactly easy, and her nose seemed redder than it should be.

Obito gently said "Sakura chan I think you should rest at home, you don't look too good."

Sakura shook her head stubbornly "I'm fine, just a little cold."

She sneezed again hunching over in a ball and shivered, Obito glanced at the sky it looked like rain was coming. "C'mon Sakura chan you'll get even sicker if you stay out in the rain."

Sakura shook her head and huddled down even further…of the entire kunoichi trainee's to be friends with why in the hell was his one so stubborn!

He stood up, "Fine I'm leaving anyway."

He walked away in big measured steps glancing over his shoulder waiting for her to admit defeat and head home. Instead she shivered more and didn't move. Now worried, he ran to the KIA memorial rock hoping Kakashi would be there…oh who was he kidding he was always there!

As predicted the famed copy nin was staring at the stone. Obito went to tug his arm,

"C'mon you one eyed weirdo! Sakura's sick and she needs to get home!"

Of course his hands phased right through Kakashi making Obito trip over himself, letting out a surprised yelp as he tumbled to the ground. Kakashi rubbed his arm frowning at the sudden chill he felt… Obito cursed himself for being dead once more, why the hell had he allowed himself to get crushed by that huge bloody rock all those years ago? Hmm? Was he so incompetent he couldn't have stepped to the side before it flattened him like an early morning pancake? Noooo! Obviously not as he picked himself off the ground after another result of his ghostlike qualities going straight through solid objects – in this case, Kakashi.

Kakashi looked at the sky and said mournfully, "I know."

Obito bent his knees and pointed an accusing finger at him, as he angrily shouted at the Jonin, "Listen to me you stupid porn reading pervert! I'm not in the freakin' sky! Newsflash! When you die you don't go anywhere! You're stuck down here just like every-bloody-one else! So I'm right here you dumbass! And I need you to take Sakura home since I'm dead and can't do it!"

Kakashi didn't say anything at first but then he nodded and said, "Yeah I probably should have done that better too. Sorry."

Obito facepalmed and groaned, frustrated, "Oh for the love of…I don't know why I'm even bothering to shout at your silly assed mug! You can't even hear me!" Obito proceeded to jump up and down, around, side to side, waving his arms. You may think he did this to get Kakashi's attention but in actual fact…he was doing it to vent off some of his annoyance and make himself feel better!

He stopped, panting slightly, before breathing in deeply and desperately shouting at his old friend, "Oh C'mon! For once in your bloody life man! WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME!"

Kakashi 'hmmed' as a small whisper on the wind to his right caught his attention. It felt like there was a presence, all of a sudden, standing beside him…like an old friend. Not only that but the eye Obito gifted him was twitching…very strange to say the least.

Obito paused, blinking, as Kakashi looked right at him. Tentatively he stepped back, Kakashi gaze following him. Elated he headed back to where he had left Sakura, "Luck don't fail me now! Kakashi you like to track, well follow me!"

Kakashi willing to trust this weird feeling just this once followed the directions his heightened instincts were telling him to go, following seemingly invisible tracks. He found himself being led to a meadow where a pink haired child was, huddled, shivering despite it not being that cold out. Kakashi picked her up,

"So…is this what you wanted Obito?" he softly asked, his eye glancing once again to the sky. He noted then, that the sharingan eye had stopped irritating him. "Very interesting…" he thought as he lowered his gaze from the sky before taking off at his skilled ninja speed, deciding to take the girl to the hospital wing as she seemed to be brewing up quite a fever.


Sakura rubbed her eyes sleepily wondering where she was, the sheets were scratchy and the room smelt sterile and super clean. As her eyes cleared from groggy sleepiness she was greeted with walls of white and a familiar face…

Obito was sitting on the end of her bed legs crossed and beaming,

"Good mornin' sunshine!"

Sakura tried to sit up rasping weakly, "Obito kun? ACHOO!"

Obito waved his hands, panicking, "Hey take it easy!"

She settled back down onto the pillows weakly. Relaxing now he saw her lying down again, Obito continued, "The doctors said you had a high fever as well as a severe cold so you need to rest."

Sakura asked, "Am I in the hospital?"

Obito moved to the chair beside her bed that was currently empty, Sakura's mother had gone to get a coffee a few minutes before, after spending the whole night waiting for Sakura to wake up.

"Yep. Kakashi brought you in."

Sakura blinked somewhat unfocussed, "Your friend Kakashi?"

Obito nodded, "The very same."

Sakura yawned, "Oh. I don't feel so good..."

Obito smiled sympathetically, "Yeah I know it sucks. Hey how about I tell you some stories of my genin days to pass the time?"

Sakura nodded and happily listened to the time Obito, Kakashi and Rin chased after some evil cat called Tora that resulted in Obito being pegged upside down in his underwear in his Aunt Mikoto's yard. Sakura had giggled until the drowsiness claimed her and she fell asleep once more.

Mrs Haruno returned a moment later with a coffee for herself and a chocolate milkshake for Sakura for when she woke up. She was pleased that Sakura didn't look troubled anymore in her sleep but instead had a soft smile on her face as she dreamt. Mrs Haruno sat back in the chair by the bed and quietly placed the milkshake on the bedside cabinet ready for when Sakura woke up, wondering curiously who brought in the purple flowers sitting on the bedside in a glass of water that hadn't been there before.

Obito maintained watch from the foot of the bed, whispering gently,

"Sleep well Sakura."


A/N: Personally, I quite liked this chapter (I know I wrote it...but that doesn't always mean I likewhat I write, sometimes I really don't like what I write haha!) what did you think of it? :)

Sorry for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes.

Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review. ^_^