-- Disclaimer: I only own my imagination and the tools to show them to others via internet…

-- Warning: Unnecessary use of bad words… On the other hand, I added a little action, so look forward to that!

-- Note: I will be out of town for a week or so, so I won't be able to update until sometime later. I don't know how long this chapter is, but I hope it's long enough for you to to be satisfied anough until I get back. When I get back I may get rid of this note with the next update or I'll just leave it. Whenever I see notes like this with the next chapter already posted it makes me feel awesome. I don't know if that's the case with anyone else, but what the heck? Anyways, I'll update as soon as I get back so, see you later and I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Oh, and don't forget to comment! The more I see the more inspiration I get and I type like a freaking animal when I'm inspired! Just thought you'd like to know…


Naruto

Finally Clear To Me

By: Plushie-Sensei

Chapter 3: Not So Strong Alone


"Mommy… Daddy…"

Naruto landed on the roof and paused, his ears pricking up in a curious fashion. It was nothing but a silent weekend morning and not very many people were even up yet. With a shrug he stepped forward and tried to pry open the window.

It was locked…

"What the hell, Sakura-chan…?" He pouted and wriggled the window a little. To his surprise, the lock gave and the window slid open. He hopped onto the sill and frowned at the lock loosely latched down. Either she doesn't know how to properly close a lock or that window needed to be fixed. He made a quick mental note and stepped inside, feeling no guilt whatsoever by entering her house without permission. He figured he had the right, after all…

He approached the bed and frowned at what he saw. Sakura was lying on top of the covers, her skin covered in goose bumps. She had a light sheen of sweat covering her face and arms and her bottom lip was softly quivering. That wasn't something he wanted to see this morning…

He quickly pressed a hand to her forehead, ignoring her stirring and low groan, and swore. She was burning up. With just as much haste he pulled her limp body into his arms and pushed aside the covers. He placed her in the bed and covered her as best he could and made his way to the kitchen.

Maybe it was a bad idea to leave her in her own house, if he was going to return after just one night to find this…


Sakura rose to the warm scent of tea leaves and honey and shifted, feeling hot and uncomfortable. She pushed the covers down and cold air smacked her skin, making her draw them back up only to find herself uncomfortably hot again. She groaned in frustration and turned in the sheets, opening her eyes to see a welcoming sight, smiling at her.

"Naruto…?" He smiled a bit more as he placed the tea on the bedside table and took a seat on the chair he'd pulled over.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked. Sakura frowned, blushing in embarrassment. She pulled the covers over her nose and said nothing. Naruto chuckled and reached out to feel her forehead again.

"I'm such a dork…" she whined, pulling the covers down so she could breath.

"You're not a dork," he said, pushing her bangs from her eyes. Her eyes lidded comfortably and she relaxed under his cool hand. "But you are irresponsible…"

"Coming from you…" she teased. He chuckled again and helped her sit up, handing her the warm tea. She took it with a grateful smile, but didn't sip it just yet. She stared at her reflection in the dark liquid and frowned in disappointment. It seemed she couldn't do anything right lately…

She sipped the tea finally, ignoring the bitterness. At least it wasn't so bad since there was a dash of honey, but who was she to complain? At least he tried.

"Thank you…" she said quietly, still feeling ashamed of herself.

"No problem, but I don't want to have to do this again," he scolded gently, prodding her shoulder playfully. "As much as I like taking care of you, I don't like to see you sick." Sakura's face grew hot and she sipped her tea again, trying to hide it.

"You're a dork…"

"Coming from you," he countered and she smiled.

"Touché…" Naruto chuckled and took the time to get up and see what was easy to make in the kitchen. He'd already eaten, but he knew she hadn't and decided to play the gentleman. Sakura slowly sipped her tea in silence, occasionally glancing up at the doorway when she heard the light bangs of him sifting through her cupboards.

She sighed and placed the tea on the bedside table again, pulling the covers around her shoulders and then leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes. Her Inner Sakura was having a field day naming off every stupid thing she'd done lately, and getting sick was a hot topic. Her head was beginning to pound with all the dents to her ego…

Speaking of dents

"Sakura-chan, what happened to your wall?" Sakura opened her eyes as Naruto walked in with a small bowl of ramen—figures—looking particularly upset. She took a deep breath and sat up again.

"I… Well, I ran into it…" She pulled a sheepish grin, hoping he'd dismiss the subject, but she wasn't that lucky.

"How'd you manage that?" He sounded aghast, as if he couldn't believe someone could just run into a wall whenever they felt like it…

"I… tripped…" she lied lamely. Oh well, it wasn't as if Naruto was smart enough to—

"Really…?" he asked looking quite exasperated. Apparently Naruto was a freaking genius… Great…

"Well… Yeah. Yeah, I tripped… over my covers…" She should've quit while she was ahead, but she just had to create an entire story, thinking it'd save herself from any more questions.

"How'd you do that…? Your bed is all the way over here…" He looked a bit scared now. Sakura sighed in frustration and gave up.

"Okay, I had a nightmare and I ran to see… my parents and I hit the wall thinking the stairs were there! Jeez!" She folded her arms and huffed, turning her head away with a small hue of blush staining the bridge of her nose.

It was quiet… Too quiet… Ditheringly quiet…

She slowly turned to see what had kept Naruto busy that entire time and she paused, her arms drooping. Naruto had his head down and if it wasn't for his headband, his bangs would've surely hid the guilty look in his eyes. His fingers were curled into tight fists on his knees and he frowned. Sakura placed a cold hand on his knuckles and he quickly took her hand, warming it beneath both his palms.

"None of this is your fault, you know," she said, catching his gaze when he looked up at her. "It's nobody's fault. Things just happen." She smiled and after a few moments he smiled a bit too.

"Sorry… It's a habit…" She giggled knowing that all too well. "It's just hard to watch someone suffer and not be able to do anything about it…"

"Naruto, you're ridiculous." He looked up and she glared playfully at him. "I mean, look. You made me tea and ramen. What more can I ask for?" His shoulders slumped, not much appreciating her humor.

"And I'm ridiculous?" Sakura quickly nodded and Naruto couldn't help but smile at her strange behavior. She pulled her hand back and placed it on his shoulder, patting it a few times before relaxing back again.

Not much conversation followed after that as Sakura finished her tea and ate her breakfast. Naruto had a few things to do and ended up leaving anyways, so she took the time to pry herself from the covers and take a long warm shower.

It felt great on her skin as she washed away the sweat and grime from the previous day and night. Her fever had passed, though she was still slightly warm. She hoped she wouldn't have to use any chakra any time soon. Whenever she wasn't feeling up to par her chakra tunnels tended to act up on her, and sometimes it really hurt…

She had just begun to scrub her scalp when her mind began to wander. Nearly a month and a half had passed since her parents' passing and although her heart was still sore from the experience she truly felt she was getting better. And most of it was thanks solely to Naruto.

She found herself smiling uncontrollably as she stepped out of the shower, drying herself. She secured the towel around her and began brushing her hair. It was almost hard to believe Naruto, of all people, could've helped her so much. He'd always been that weird, over determined blond guy on her team, but over and over again he continued to surprise her. She made her way to her bedroom and her eyes immediately caught the couple of photographs on her dresser. One of her parents and the other of her teammates; the most important people in her life…

She picked up the most current picture, replacing it with her brush and she studied it. Her green eyes roamed over Kakashi and Naruto's faces, trailed over her own—not enjoying the way her hair looked—and stopped on the brunette…

"Sasuke-kun…" Her thumb brushed across the glass over his face and she frowned, glaring sternly, yet softly. "You're such a fool…" she whispered daringly. Her heart gave a painful throb and she looked away, placing the picture back where she'd found it, taking her brush back. She ran it through her damp locks a few more times before grabbing a pair of panties and pulling them on under her towel.

She paused for a second when the apartment shook suddenly. Her eyes slowly moved to the slightly parted drapes and—ignoring the rest of her clothes—she secured the towel more firmly around her and threw back the curtains. She stood silently watching a thick cloud of dust rising into the atmosphere only a few blocks away. Her heart rose to her throat as she peered through the dust, seeing a large something moving and on top of a nearby rooftop stood Kakashi, kunai ready in hand.

There was another explosion and Sakura dove to the floor as a burst of dust rushed above her through the window. She scrambled to her dresser, opening the bottom drawer and pulling out whatever she grabbed first and put it on. It was a white sundress which wasn't what she had in mind, but whatever covered her chest and underwear she supposed… Yet another explosion shook the house and she rushed to the window again.

People were racing from the source of the dust in thick crowds, most of them women and children. She looked back to the dust cloud upon hearing someone cry out and her heart sank, eyes going wide. An enormous lizard like beast ripped into a building and threw its head back, pulling on a bundle of cords which in turn snapped. Electricity shot out and sizzled on the tips of the ripped cords as they headed toward a few people still trying to escape the dust. Sakura narrowed her eyes and leapt from her window, forgetting her shoes and headband and rushed to the people.

A woman carrying a child pulled her other daughter as she ran, looking back in horror at the approaching power lines. She yanked her daughter to her and closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

Sakura cried out as she broke a thick lamp post and swung it toward the approaching cables. They snapped about the post, wrapping tightly around and she yanked, stepping back a few feet as the lizard came tumbling down. She dropped the pole and it shook the ground with a heavy thud. The woman quickly raced off with her children as Sakura fell to her knees, her arms trembling.

Thick red lines trailed down her arms and slowly receded as she concentrated. She swore, wiping her eyes. She really had to be more careful when using her chakra to such extents, and while she wasn't fully recovered… She was becoming just as impulsive as Naruto…

A sudden burst of foul air brought her to attention and she looked up. Her nerves bundled in fright as the lizard growled in front of her face, eyes blazing. It drew in air, its neck going rigid and she shot to her feet, escaping just before it ate the ground she'd once sat on. She raced down the street, thankful that there were no more people running about, but she was sure as hell in trouble. She shot up again as the lizard bit down where she stepped and landed on the roofing. She barely had time to catch her balance before the monster shredded the building under her.

Roof to roof, she hopped until she looked over her shoulder, eyeing the beast wearily. She wondered where everyone had gone for a brief moment before her foot caught on a broken roof tile and she tripped. Her body hit the ground hard and she quickly rolled on her back just as the beast opened its jaws above her. She let out a horrified scream and in the same instant, none other than Kakashi appeared out of no where and kicked the creature so hard in the jaw it came unhinged as it fell back.

Sakura barely had time to catch her breath when she was suddenly swept up and carried out of harm's way. She instinctively grasped the man's thick shirt and closed her eyes, waiting until they landed and he placed her gently on the roofing before him. Her eyes shot open and she looked up uncertainly as Naruto glanced over her body, inspecting for any obvious injuries. He frowned at the marks on her arms.

"They're nothing, just used a little too much chakra all at once," she explained quickly and grabbed his shirt. "What's going on?" Naruto looked over her head and she followed his gaze to the beast locked in a battle against the ANBU as well as Tsunade herself. The beast's eyes were wild as it thrashed about, blood pouring from large wounds. It seemed more sluggish now than it had been before and took on the defensive as Tsunade punched its head. "What is that…?" she asked frightfully. Naruto hugged her closer, his lips ghosting over her hair as he spoke.

"I want you to stay here. Don't try to help, alright? Just stay here." Sakura panicked as he released her and she grabbed his shirt, her eyes wide.

"Wait, what are you doing? You can't just leave me here!" she argued. He grasped her hands and her fingers relaxed, releasing him. She shook her head, pleading with her eyes, but he only smiled, infuriating her. She drew in a breath, ready to swear, insult, bagger him, but he stopped her, placing a kiss on her forehead. Sakura bit her lip, feeling her heart leave its usual position yet again.

"Then head back home, but do not follow me," he murmured, his lips lingering on her temple, "I have to do something… It's my responsibility."

"No, don't, Shishou and the ANBU will handle it," she said hurriedly and he pulled back to look in her eyes.

"Do not follow me." In an instant he disappeared and Sakura's attention instantly shifted to the sorrowful whining of the lizard creature as it tore away from the village and into the forest. She flexed her joints, ready to leap away, but she just couldn't. Her brow tingled in response and she relaxed as best she could as the beast disappeared from her view. The village began to settle and only the low rumbling of the creatures retreating footsteps could be heard…


Sakura padded through the village streets her eyes roving over the broken windows and few people creeping out of hiding as she passed. She walked alone, stopping in the middle of a small clearing where fruits and papers littered the ground. A few people stepped forward, watching her carefully.

"What was that…?" came a small voice. A few murmurs and whispers rose up behind her as she stared at the ground, eyeing a small splash of blood.

"It was just like the nine tailed fox! It's the work of a demon!"

"As if we didn't have enough problems… Now we're going to have to worry about another demon!"

Sakura fisted her hands and stomped her foot, releasing a large amount of chakra through her leg. The people quieted instantly as her foot sank into the ground causing a large crater. Her emerald eyes snapped back and she stared down each and every one of the villagers, daring them to say another word. When they didn't reply she walked away, swearing at the red lines coursing, along with pain, down her leg.

She left the company of the townspeople and ended up at her apartment, thanking the heavens it was in the untouched part of town. She hopped up on the roofing, reaching the window ledge and stopped. She glanced back, looking through the parting in the trees, her chest feeling cold. She wanted so bad to see if Naruto was okay, but he'd told her to stay…

She pulled herself into the house and glanced at the dust covering the floor. She'd be more upset over the mess she'd have to clean later, but her mind was elsewhere. She turned to the forest again and frowned, pulling herself onto the ledge again. She stayed, though, remaining on the sill and watching with soulful eyes as the forest remained still. She made a face then and looked at her side, gasping at the heavy blood stain on her dress. She quickly stepped inside and shamelessly drew her dress up, running her hand over her side to check for injury.

She found none…

She spun toward the window again, eyes wide with dread. That idiot was hurt! Her chest stung, her heart yearning for her to follow him, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Not when he'd asked her like that… She sunk helplessly to the floor, struggling to suppress her tears.

"Dammit, Naruto… Please be okay…"


A loud poof of smoke swallowed the lizard carcass and as it faded it revealed nothing but a clearing where it once stood. Tsunade sighed, wiping her hands on her shirt and turned to her comrades, nodding in approval to their healthy enough appearances. She frowned, however, when her eyes came across Naruto's rigid form, separated from the rest of the group. She breathed slowly, turning to the ANBU instead, choosing to leave him alone.

Kakashi, on the other hand, approached the boy, stopping a few feet away. He looked tired and blood was smeared across his Jounin jacket, but he took the time to check on his former student, knowing the impact the battle must've had, both physically and emotionally…

"Yonbi no Sokou…" Naruto muttered bitterly. Kakashi bowed his head as the blond fisted his hands in contempt.

"It couldn't be helped. He was already gone—"

"Don't try to cheer me up!" Naruto yelled, spinning to face the elder man. "I… I didn't know there were more than two…" he mumbled, his voice trembling. "Why do so many have to suffer because of those damn demons…? Why do they have to be sacrificed like that? They didn't even have a choice! It's not FAIR!!" Naruto's ranting trailed as Kakashi stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on the younger boy's head and pulled him forward, hugging him tightly to his chest, despite the blood.

"You're right… It's not fair…" he said bitterly. "But that's life and you're just going to have to deal with it. You can't save everyone, Naruto. You can't…" Naruto buried his face in the elder man's vest and drew in a sharp breath.

"Then what good am I…?" Kakashi was quiet for a moment before he narrowed his eyes, peering down.

"What about Sasuke?" Naruto looked up with wild eyes, backing up at the stern look in the sensei's eyes. "You still have to find him and bring him back." Naruto looked down, fisting his hands again.

"But—"

"And what about Sakura…?" Kakashi dropped his arm and Naruto looked up again, eyes just as wild. "You can't just abandon her… She's alone in this world and you need her just as much as she needs you… You wouldn't give up just like that, would you?"

"Never," he retorted, frowning at his own ignorance. "Not ever…"

"Then quit your bitching and let's get back. We've got work to do, making sure everyone's okay." Naruto nodded and allowed Kakashi to get a head start, taking his time a moment longer.

How could he have been so neglectful? His teammates were always priority in his mind, but after battling a fellow Jinchuriki… More like the Bijuu itself… The Yonbi no Sokou, four tailed lizard demon… He wondered just how many helpless infants and seal performers had been sacrificed to capture such terrifying creatures…

It did him no good just wondering. He shook his head, trying to dismiss his thoughts, and leaped off, following his comrades back to the village.


Sakura sat in the Hokage's office, keeping to herself as Tsunade and Shizune went through various documents on her desk. She fiddled with her fingers impatiently waiting for someone to walk through the door. She was told if she waited long enough, Kakashi and Naruto would come by, since both wanted information, and they wanted it now.

Sure enough, a knock resounded on the door and Tsunade beckoned them to enter. Sakura remained seated, telling herself not to get her hopes up. It was very possible it wouldn't be either one of them. Her doubts were soon quelled as Kakashi, followed by Naruto, strode through the door. Ecstatic, she prepared to hop to her feet, but she stopped as Naruto marched up to the desk, slamming his palms on the table.

"Tell me what the hell is going on!" he demanded. Tsunade merely dismissed his over reactive tone and continued sifting through her papers.

"You tell me. You're more than likely to know more than I do."

"Don't play games with me! I know it takes a lot of emotional distress to cause a Jinchuriki to freak out like that. Something must've happened to have it attack the village. Have you talked to Ero-sennin at all?"

"No, I haven't. I haven't seen him." Naruto swore, bowing his head in frustration. Tsunade glanced at Kakashi, catching his eye and peered over at Sakura, motioning for him to do the same. The elder man eyed Sakura with a guilty expression as she sat, curled into herself by the window, trying to ignore the others in the room.

"Now what…?" Tsunade rolled her eyes at Naruto.

"I think you have bigger things to worry about. Your house for instance…" Naruto's head shot up and he paled.

"Why do you sound so cheery while saying that…?" he whined. Tsunade only smiled.

"Well, you'll need some place to stay, and you're sure as hell not going to stay with me… Maybe if you behave yourself, Sakura will let you sleep on her couch. I hear it's quite comfortable…" Naruto stood up, his hands dropping from the desk to his sides and he turned, his eyes catching the pink haired kunoichi sitting in the corner, peering out the window. She caught his eyes for a brief second before looking away and moving her body to sit more properly on the window sill. Naruto glanced at Tsunade with an irritated glare and left, allowing Kakashi to step up and converse more civilly with the Hokage.

Naruto advanced toward Sakura and as soon as he was close enough, she pushed from the window and threw her arms around his neck. She hugged him fiercely as he hesitantly drew his arms up to hold her middle protectively. He pressed his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent as it subdued his qualms.

"Why do you always have to be so reckless…?" she whispered, her brow knitting in anger. Naruto held her more assuredly, closing his eyes.

"When it comes to your safety nothing else matters…" Sakura sniffled, quite aware of the situation, but she didn't want to pull away. She couldn't. Never in her life had she felt safer than she did now, with Naruto's arms around her. It brought tears to her eyes, but she fought them back.

Reluctantly, she pulled away, letting her hands grip his shoulders, just to stay close to him. She quickly wiped her eyes and looked into his, feeling relief that he was okay. She looked down then, at the large blood stain over his stomach.

"Don't worry about it," he said quietly, "I already got it taken care of…" Sakura only nodded.

"So, Naruto, have you got yourself a place to stay for the time being?" Naruto turned to glare at the pigtailed woman over his shoulder.

"He'll stay with me," Sakura interjected, drawing Naruto's attention back to her. Tsunade nodded and returned to the papers littering her desk, dismissing all unwanted personnel to leave her be. Blushing, Naruto and Sakura separated and they followed Kakashi out the door.

"Sorry about your dress…" Naruto said as they strolled down the hallway. Sakura smiled, examining the stain.

"It's alright. I hate this thing anyways…" They said no more as they proceeded out of the building.


Sakura sighed in relief as she finished cleaning up her apartment and stored away all her cleaning utensils. She peered into the living room and smiled. Naruto sat on the couch on top of bundles of blankets, in a pair of loose pants, watching TV. She stepped inside and instantly, all his attention turned to her and he smiled.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked as she closed the window. Naruto nodded, grinning madly. She giggled and shook her head before heading back toward the kitchen.

"Sakura-chan…" She stopped and turned in the doorway to face him. Naruto breathed in and out and stood. "I hope I'm not bothering you by staying here. I mean, my house is sort of… well, it'll take a while to fix it and all. I could always look for another person to bother if you mind." Sakura stepped up to him and sat him back on the couch, smiling at him.

"You're ridiculous, you know that? You can stay here as long as you want. We're a team, remember?" Naruto nodded guiltily.

"Yeah…" Sakura nodded and leaned forward, kissing his brow. She could feel his shoulders twitch under her palms and she smiled against his temple before pulling away to look at his face. He searched her eyes, looking hopelessly lost as her smile dimmed a bit. Her heart began to pound painfully against her ribcage and she gulped lightly, her throat suddenly dry. Her lips quivered.

Why was she feeling this way all of a sudden? It was almost like the very sight of Naruto sent her heart in a tailspin, but it was weird. She thought back to her picture, of Naruto, and her, and Sasuke… She'd told him she loved him, so now what? It seemed so wrong to think of anyone other than Sasuke with such emotion, but…

Sakura released the breath she'd been holding as Naruto bowed his head and pressed his scalp against her stomach. She was about to push him off with a silly grin, but she couldn't bring herself to do so after he released a slow, shaky breath.

"Naruto…"

"Why can't I save everyone…? Everyone deserves to be happy, right?" Sakura shook her head and pulled away to kneel before him. He closed his eyes, but he couldn't hide his pain. She pulled his head to her chest and hugged him, hoping it would help at least a little. He grasped her shirt and buried his face in her bosom. She would've blushed, but he was in pain, and the worst kind of pain…

"I don't know what to say…" she whispered, running her hand over his wild blond mane soothingly.

"Then don't say anything," he retorted, gripping her with more force. She nodded and held him, trying to ignore his quiet sobs. She really felt for him… She didn't know much about the situation, but she knew it hit close to home. Naruto always tried to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, disregarding anyone who tried to share the blame. It was in his nature to protect, but sometimes he tended to take it too far.

Sakura bowed her head, resting her cheek on his hair. If all he wanted was for her to hold him, then she would, it was as simple as that.

"But what about Sasuke…?"

She bit her lip, holding Naruto tighter. It was Naruto who needed her now. It was always Naruto…

And she needed him…


Sakura turned back as she switched off the lights. The TV was shut off and Naruto lay asleep on the couch under the blankets. His sleep was peaceful at least. He wasn't frowning, though he wasn't smiling either. As long as he was getting his rest, it didn't matter.

She quickly switched off all the lights and got to bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin. She lay there quietly for a while, listening to his faint snores every now and then. It was actually quite soothing to hear him, even though he was snoring. Just knowing he was safe was enough to calm her.

"This is getting outrageous…" she whined to herself. She turned to the window, a faint hue of blush revealing under the moonlight, then grabbed a pillow and buried her face in its fluffiness. "Great, I'm probably going to dream about him…"

Her eyes traveled to the picture of her parents on the nightstand and she smiled a bit wearily. Her eyes traced the contours of the gleam on the glass and she sighed, resting on the pillow again.

"I think… I think I love him, mom…" She closed her tired eyes to hold back her tears. "I think I really love him…" She buried her face in her pillow and hoped to the high heavens that Naruto was too deep asleep to hear her…


A sharp slap of thunder echoed through the village, jolting Sakura to her senses and she sat up with a quite gasp. Rain pattered against the window with so much force she had to get up to make sure it was actually rain. Upon opening the curtains she saw nothing but darkness in the sky, think black clouds carrying the promise of a lot of rain. Already puddles were beginning to form on the dirt roads making up the city and several people were still cleaning up what the lizard demon had destroyed.

She sighed, her breath fogging against the glass for a moment before she turned and pulled on a robe. She headed toward the kitchen, not able to sleep anymore. If she had another nightmare she feared she'd become an insomniac…

As noiselessly as she could, she made herself some hot tea and took a seat at the table, turning on only the cool lighting under the cupboards. From her position at the table she could see clearly into the small living area and watch Naruto as he continued to sleep soundlessly. Another shock of thunder made her shoulders jerk and she placed the tea down so as not to burn herself. Normally thunderstorms didn't scare her. She knew the mechanics of a storm and what it was and wasn't capable of; a little thunder and a lot of rain.

She shook again with the next rumble and bowed her head, trying to keep calm. Her head and stomach hurt and she was still a little shaky from the bad dream she'd had, but luckily the tea was helping. Naruto made a noise and turned in his sleep and she glared. He was lucky he could sleep through that…

Naruto sat up then and rubbed his eyes, scratched his shoulder and yawned. She remained silently drinking her tea as he watched the storm from the couch, his eyes narrow and serious. He turned to her then and made a face of slight surprise.

"Do you want some tea?" she asked casually. Even though she whispered it still sounded loud. Naruto nodded and she took her cue to prepare another cup while he stood to join her. She concentrated as best as she could so as not to shake when the thunder rolled again, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. Her dream had ended abruptly with a smack of, well, thunder and she'd dreamt about a storm. Of course, she'd had dreams like that before, when they ended up matching what was happening on the outside, but everything before that was purely uncalled for and unwanted.

It thundered again and she jumped as a drop of steaming water landed on her hand. She swore quietly and paused to calm herself down, hoping Naruto wouldn't notice, but when had her luck ever granted her anything…?

She felt his palm on her back and she looked up at him with a frown.

"You had another nightmare, didn't you?" Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What…?" Naruto looked at the tea on the counter for a moment, his eyes softening.

"I knew you wouldn't tell anybody, but it's not an easy thing to hide… You don't look so good." Sakura bowed her head in shame. Of course Naruto would catch her… Thunder slapped the earth again and, inhibitions thrown to the wind, she threw her arms around his middle and hid her face in his chest. Naruto smiled, in spite of himself, and held her again.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, blushing when she remember he didn't have a shirt on. Naruto shook his head and leaned against the counter, pulling her with him.

"It's to be expected, Sakura-chan…" he sighed. Sakura peered up at him with a frown and he smiled.

"What's that supposed to mean…?" He chuckled.

"I'm not a burden to anyone…" he mocked, smiling at her glare, though it faded when the thunder clapped again and she whined. He chuckled again and pressed his forehead against hers. "I thought you weren't afraid of thunderstorms," he teased and she glared again, pulling away. She chose to ignore his pouty face and moved to give him his tea before sitting down to her own.

"I'm not—EEK!!" she shrieked as the booming became particularly loud and frequent and grabbed a chair, pulling it close to her. She glared at him until he took the hint and sat. He watched in amusement as she glanced around the house as if looking for leaks or something, ultimately paranoid. He wasn't used to seeing her like this, but it made him feel oddly proud. Seeing Sakura act as natural as she would in the comfort of her own home was fun, as well as enlightening, to watch.

For a moment he allowed himself to imagine having to deal with her everyday on that level. Waking up to her in the morning and falling asleep at night beside her, dreaming of everything in between. It was an appealing lifestyle and he knew for sure he'd never be bored. They were both very interesting and active people. In some cases he may not even be able to keep up with her, and vice versa. He smiled, however, thinking of all the wonderful things he could do with her… The things he'd teach her…

Sakura sipped her tea, her eyes narrowed on Naruto's perverted grin. She really didn't want to know what was going on through that dirty little mind of his. Most likely it had to do with him… and her—she blushed—under the covers while the storm raged outside with as much passion as…

She dropped her teacup and Naruto looked up.

"What's wrong?" he asked quickly, placing his own cup on the table. Sakura's eye twitched in disgust and she stood.

"I'm going to bed…" she muttered, eye still twitching.

"Okay…" Naruto nodded and watched as she limped to her bedroom looking about ready to throw up. He made a face of confusion, blinking several times before thunder struck again and Sakura was at his side in an instant.

"Then again, I don't want to leave this mess," she giggled nervously and began cleaning the clutter, while Naruto watched with a smug expression. She was so predictable…

It wasn't long until they both ended up watching TV on the couch, with Sakura too afraid to go back to her own room. She did manage to bring her comforter, though, and it was rather cozy on the couch while the storm carried on outside…


TBC...