First: Thanks for those nice reviews! And here we go with the next chappy, hope you like it.


This morning she was really in a good mood, even thought her alarm clock threw her nearly out of bed at four. 'I hate getting up early!' her inner self moaned. She just sighed and went to the bathroom. Sakura skipped breakfast as usual and left her apartment.

On her way to the hospital she heard the birds singing and she smiled. 'This is going to be a beautiful day! Except Tsunades mood is horrible again…' inner Sakura sighed. 'You're so right.' She replied and walked on with a slight smile on her lips.

"Morning Shizune." She smiled as she entered the room. "Morning Sakura." The dark haired Kunoichi replied. "Good mood this morning? What's up with you?" "Nothing." The pink haired smiled back. "How should I explain?" she asked herself, scratching her chin. "I've just turned the page. Maybe that's the best explanation. Life goes on, right?" "Sakura, you're sure you're not ill?" "Yeah. I'm pretty well." "Hmm, don't get angry, but it's a little strange." "What's strange? I'm waiting for years, and nothing ever happens. Nothing good I mean. I thought about it over and over again. I don't want to wait any longer. I am living right here and right now." She grinned, and packed her stuff to go through the patients' data, leaving a very irritated Shizune behind.Hours passed by like time's running and it was ten to twelve when Sakura finally finished her work. She went to Tsunades office to give her the reports. As expected said woman was fast asleep on her desk, drooling on her papers. Sakura grinned, placing the reports as silent as possible on top of the others and left the office tiptoes.

She paid her orders, waved Teuchi goodbye and walked towards the academy. When she was only ten meters away from the door a mass of students ran out laughing. She smiled at them, remembering back to her academy days and then sighed and stepped through the door. She caught Iruka and Shikamaru right in front of the classroom. "Hi! Thought you might be hungry." Sakura smiled and handed them the packages. Iruka thanked her five times on their way out to the yard. They sat down under the tree and started eating.

"How was your day?" Shikamaru asked after finishing his meal. "Oh, quite silent. Only Lee started a little screw up because I told him he had to skip training for one week." "They've already returned from their mission?" "Yes, I thought Neji might have showed up?" "No, he hasn't." Shikamaru answered. "So you're all friends, hu?" Iruka asked. "Yeah." Shikamaru nodded. "In a way thanks to Naruto." Sakura said. "And it feels right." She stated, looking up to the sky. Iruka smiled. "Right. Naruto changed many things." "Hmm." Sakura nodded, leaning back against the tree trunk. "I have to admit I really missed him. It's kind of refreshing to have him around again." "He told me he started going out with Hinata?" "Yes." Sakura grinned. "Hinata asked him for their first date." "You're kidding!" Iruka said with wide eyes. "No! I'm not kidding. Ino pushed her self-confidence like hell." "Now that's nice." The brown haired Chunin smiled. "Yeah." Sakura sighed. "Sorry, but I got to go." Iruka said while standing up. "Still got tons of work to do. Thanks for your help Shikamaru. Have a nice day you two. And thanks for the lunch." "No prob, you're welcome." Sakura grinned. "So, what are we doing now?" She asked Shikamaru. "Nothing too troublesome." He answered. "How about Shogi?" She asked. "Ok, if you want to lose again..." He winked and stood up, dodging a punch aimed to his shoulder. He held his hand in front of her nose to help her up. "I don't think that I'm able to help you up if you only stare at it." he said, rolling his eyes. "I know." She stated grinning, grabbing his hand.

As they slowly walked down the streets towards his home he asked her curiously: "What's up with you?" "Why?" "You're quite strange today." "Oh my, Shizune told me the same this morning." "She was right." "There's nothing wrong with me. I actually don't know what's up either. I feel good since I woke up. The birds were singing on my way to work, the patients were normal, Tsunade was fast asleep… So, it's just a really beautiful day. I feel free, in a way. Sounds crazy, hu?" It took him a while to answer. "No, I don't think so. I'm used to crazy stuff thanks to Ino, but that sounds normal. It's just strange because it's a sudden change, know what I mean?" "Yeah, I know and I understand. But see, no one whines and complains all the time except me. And that's annoying or like you say 'troublesome'. And I don't want to be a cry baby. That's all, hell, I'm a medic and Chunin." She said more to herself. "Who called you a cry baby?" "Nobody. I call me that. And I know that I'm right. When I was still a Genin and we were on our first missions, I always trusted on Sasuke and Naruto to do all the fighting. I was useless. That's the reason why I started training with Tsunade. I wanted to be needed and a help. Not always the weight that slows everyone down. Even Kakashi-sensei sometimes rolled his eye when I stood there, unable to move and just crying. And he's a very patient man." She finished with a side gaze to Shikamaru. "It looked different on these first Chunin exams as you fought Ino." "Hmm, maybe luck?" "I don't think so." He stated, fishing his keys out of his pockets and unlocking the door.

They stepped in, left the shoes next to the door and went on the balcony to sit down. "Has Ino ever told you anything about Asumas last words?" "No." she said, looking a little shocked. Shikamaru smiled a little sad, then continued: "Ino, don't you lose to Sakura. Neither in Nin-jutsu nor in love." She was speechless. "Really?" "Really." He nodded. "But he never had seen you fighting. Ino was the strongest Kunoichi after we finished the academy, but your training with Tsunade brought you more than one step ahead. As you punched that Iwa-Nin back on that mission… Ino would never be able to cause that much damage." "But she has a Hiden." "Yeah, I know. Choji, Shino and me too. But I doubt that even Choji would be able to cause such damage." "That's not such a big deal." Sakura said, moving her next pawn. "Yeah, yeah." "No, really. That's just good chakra control. You only have to release it at the right moment." "Oh man, that sounds so easy. Ino practises this 'release at the right moment' for nearly three years now, and doesn't make any efforts with it." Sakura just shrugged her shoulders. Then her eyes widened 'Damn! I'm losing again!'

After losing two matches she decided watching clouds wouldn't cause that much damage to her self-esteem. "Strange." She murmured after a while. "What?" "Ah, nothing. Just thinking about last week. I heard Kotetsu and Izumo talking about us. I mean, about us all. They said that it's strange, that we are such a big group, all friends and stuff. Do you think it's really that strange?" "Hmm. No, I don't think so. But if you think about it, a Shinobi normally shouldn't have friends and stuff." "I know the conduct." Sakura sighed. "I just think it's somehow wrong. We're living people with feelings after all." "I know. But civilians refuse to believe it, sometimes we do it too. Just to save us." "You're right, I don't doubt it. It's sometimes just not fair." "Life is not fair." "Hmm." She made, looking a little cloud disappear into nothing. "What are you thinking?" he asked her after a while. "About a big strawberry ice cream." She grinned. "Are you serious?" "Why not? Come on Shikamaru-kun! It's summer! Do you think I like eating an ice cream in winter or what?" She said teasingly. "Won't surprise me." He murmured, and grinned. "Should we go then?" "Do you think the ice cream is coming to us?" she said with a big grin. "What a drag." He sighed silently. Sakura laughed. "Man, sometimes you're just too lazy and grown-up." "And you're sometimes just too…." he broke off. "What?" She shot back. "What do you mean?" "Never mind." He grinned, pushing her to go.

"Can you tell me why we act like kids when we're together?" Sakura asked him after they had bought an ice cream, walking towards the park to sit down on a bench. "I don't know. It always just happens." He smiled. "Geez. Right." She said smiling back and eating her ice. "Sometimes I wonder what the other ones think about it." "Do you really care?" "No." "See." And both laughed out loud. "Ino told me you are leaving to Suna on Sunday?" Sakura asked after she finished eating. "Hm." He made, looking up to the sky. "How long?" "Dunno. Tsunade told me Gaara needs help on a Mission. Kiba and Lee join too." "Take good care of them." She replied and he shot her a confused look. "You got me right. Lee is hot tempered and Kiba sometimes too. Looks like you'll have loads to do." She grinned. He sighed. "Sometimes I think you enjoy it to see me suffer." "You're suffering?" Sakura laughed. "Man, Shikamaru-kun you're sometimes truly a joker! You don't know what suffering means if you've never been on a mission with Naruto and Sai." "Maybe you're right." He grinned back. "Choji and Ino are companionable. The only annoying thing is Inos' mood." "I don't think Ino is that problematic like I am." Sakura murmured, but loud enough for him to hear. "Since Naruto mostly is your aim I can't say I've got any problems with your mood." He said in a matter-of-fact tune. Sakura kept silent. The last year she really worked on her temper, but working with Tsunade sometimes upsets her that much so she wasn't making big efforts. But Shikamaru put her at ease. That's something she realized after a few weeks. But to be honest, Narutos clumsy actions didn't upset her that much anymore since she saw him nearly turning himself into a Mini-Kyubi. She had seen him suffer and it had hurt her. Since that day she knew she really loved him like a brother. Sometimes he was still able to flip her out, but that always happens accidentally. Naruto has a pure and good heart, even though he had such a sad childhood and a really hard start at the academy and squad 7.

Ino and Tsunade where the ones who seemed to like it to push her I-go-crazy-and-rip-you-apart-button. Sometimes it seems that a little vein is popping out on her temple when she gets angry, and all those who are able to read the signs like Kakashi-sensei got out of her way in that state. In the past this was a proofed sign that she would flip out if only one wrong word was coming next. Now most of the time it's the only sign that she's annoyed. Thanks to Shikamaru she was gaining her self-control back.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her after a while. "About how things have changed." She simply replied. "And about tomorrow. It has been a long time since we all spent a day together. I'm really looking forward to it, but I know that there'll be trouble too." "Ino and Naruto." Shikamaru grinned. "Poor Hinata. She'll try everything to calm them down and fail until Tenten helps her." "Yeah, always the same. These two blondes." And they laughed again. "Maybe we shouldn't worry that much about what might happen. I mean, last time Sai wasn't with us, right?" "Right." Sakura said nodding. "Just wait and watch." "You finally getting the point." He grinned. "So, what do we do now?" She asked him. "Cultivate our dearest hobby." He said laughing. And they spent the rest of their day watching the clouds drifting by.

Next day, finally Friday, she woke up around ten in the morning. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear and blue. Sakura stood up and packed her things: towels, bikini and bento. She put on her sunglasses and her big straw hat (which was a present from Hinata to her last birthday) and waited for Shikamaru. He accurately arrived at twelve as he said and was surprised that she opened the door before he could even knock. He chuckled at her sight, he had never seen her with a hat before. "What?" She asked, and laughed as he pointed on her hat. "That was a present from Hinata, and actually I like it. And today is a good day to wear it, I hope Naruto won't jump on it or something." "I don't think he's that clumsy." "Would you bet?" "Nee, I won't." he grinned. "So, let's go. The rest is waiting." "Then let them." Sakura laughed and they walked off.

"HEY Billboard-brow!" Ino yelled grinning. "Ino-pig! Someday I'll kill you for that!" Sakura yelled back. Shikamaru sighed a silent 'troublesome' and put his hands in his pockets. "Sakura-chan!" Hinata waved. "I'm happy you could manage to come." "Hey Hinata-chan! Sure! I got a day off today." Sakura winked at Tenten, who poked Ino in the ribs whispering: "See, Sakura's always able to manage it." Inos brow twitched and she was about to say something but Hinata interrupted her: "Isn't it nice we can spend the time together?" "Yeah, nearly complete, only two missing." "Three." Hinata stated. "What the…" Ino looked at the Hyuga heir. "You have to count Akamaru too." "Well, whatever…" Ino shrugged her shoulders. "So Kiba, Akamaru and Shino weren't joining?" "Yeah." Hinata nodded. "They are on a mission with Shizune and Genma." "Oh, I didn't know." Sakura said a little disappointed. It was always funny when Kiba was around. "See, forehead-girl, since you always drown yourself in work, it's no wonder you don't know what's going on." Ino grinned teasingly. "Don't push me Ino, take this as a promise. I only drown in work because you're still an A-P-P-R-E-N-T-I-C-E." Sakura spilled that apprentice slowly and shot Ino and evil smile with it. "Ok you two, we finally got it." Tenten cut them off. "See, it's a nice, warm, sunny summer day and we are all happy that we don't have any mission duties today. And really NO ONE wants to hear your never ending conflict. So please, give it a rest." "Agreed." Both of them sighed. "Old habits die hard." Tenten sighed and the whole group laughed.

It really was a beautiful day. They enjoyed themselves, lying in the sun and swimming in the lake. When the sun starts to go down nearly all went home, only the four girls and their 'better halves' still sat there. Naruto was a short step from killing Sai because he started that 'thingy' talk again. Neji looked shocked, Shikamaru just said his standard sentence 'what a drag', Hinata blushed and the rest laughed. "Would you please stop such topics? That's so out of normal." Neji told him vividly. "Neji is right." Ino told him. "Those are things you only talk about in private." "YEAH!" Naruto shouted. "AND that's so NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" "But I just meant…" "Give it a rest, Sai." Growled Sakura. "Ok, if you want me to…" "Otherwise I'll force you." She stated bluntly. "Alright everyone, now play nice together." Tenten said smiling. "Right. The day is nearly over." Hinata said sadly. "Yeah." Naruto said, and sat down again, leaving enough space between him and Sai.

"Oh man." Ino sighed. "Back to hell tomorrow." "You're so right." Sakura sighed too. "Tsunade will drown us in work again."
"Why don't you tell her you want to go on mission, if you don't like to go to the hospital every day." Naruto stated bluntly.
"It's not that we don't like it, we just want to learn and practise a little more." Sakura said. "Right." Ino agreed.
"Then why do you complain?" the blonde asked again. "Because Tsunade is drowning them in work! They work much more than you!" Tenten said and felt like punching him for his dullness. Neji just grinned and looked away. That was so typically Naruto.

It was late at night as Sakura fell on her bed. She liked everyone in the big group, but sitting around with that last seven was something she really loved. To admit it, sometimes she liked their company even more like her parents'. Sakura was glad that Ino was with her the next two shifts, so it would be easier to deal with Tsunade. She looked at at the picture on her bed table and smiled: she with said seven around. Somehow her gaze rested on Shikamarus slightly smiling face, and then she fell asleep.


I hope you like it! I tried not to make that many mistakes like in the chaps before. Please tell me if I've messed things up!