I do not own Naruto. I do own this fic. And the outcome…I think :-D also…how do I break in high heels? Anyone know? By next Saturday would be nice…lol! Thanks

Now You Notice Me?

Ayame looked to Kakashi, "You think anyone attacked her?"

Kakashi shook his head, "No. They'd have a death wish to come between them right now."

Ayame smiled up at Kakashi, "So you do understand love?"

Without hesitation, he enveloped her hand in his and held it firmly. "I always have." he looked down to her as she nodded.

"So you have."

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Naruto was torn between pulling away and feeling the warmth of Sakura against him. He should push her away, right? She loved Sasuke. It was evident to everyone. Why was she doing this to him?

"Naruto, I know I can't control who I love. And I know I can't ask you of anything because you've already done so much…but do you think you can at least hear what I have to say? Without turning and walking away?"

"If I was to turn and try to walk away, I would walk right into you." he jested, though they both knew he was hurt.

But he wouldn't mind walking into her. She wouldn't mind neither. Neither knew that though.

"Naruto, please?" she begged in almost a whisper against his back.

He tensed at the request. "Fine. No lies, Sakura." he warned. "You owe me only the truth."

She let go and walked around to sit on the side of him so the fire wasn't in the way of her sincerity. "I owe you much more." she said honestly.

He didn't answer but left her to do her explaining. He didn't care if she loved Sasuke, he didn't care what happened to her that night. He only cared right now on why she came back to his side. He wanted to hear her say it.

"Where do you want me to start?" she asked.

Naruto looked at her blankly, "How about starting with why you came back here tonight and why you aren't lushing over Sasuke."

Sakura took in a breath and nodded, "Ok. I can do that…"

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Sasuke talked a bit to Ino. "So has she stopped following you around?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Naruto."

"She can't get enough, now right?"

Sasuke looked at Ino with a dull stare, "Guess not."

Ino shrugged, "Oh well. Are you to stay all night?"

Sasuke nodded.

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Ayame and Kakashi had left Sasuke to do whatever he was doing. They walked up to the circus part of the carnival and looked in the tent. "Shall we watch the show, Shi?" she asked.

Kakashi nodded. "Sure." he looked down to Ayame. His treasure of so many years. He knew it was wrong to hold her hand, her heart. He didn't want her to die. So many that he knew had died that were close to him. What if he couldn't protect her?

Ayame, as if reading his thoughts, squeezed his hand as they walked into the tent. "Don't worry about me Shi. I know fully well the consequences. But I also know the award if it's to be. I'll do anything for that." she promised and looked back to him. "I haven't ever really left your side, Shi. I don't intend to start now."

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Sakura looked at the fire and started, "When we were in the clearing, I didn't mean how it sounded. I didn't want anyone to be left alone." she picked at the fire a bit and set the stick down in the flames.

Naruto watched as the fire licked the bark and then turned back to Sakura, "Like you were?"

Sakura looked at Naruto, "I wasn't left alone." she said, "I went to use the bathroom." she admitted.

Naruto nodded, "Which is why there was no struggle."

Sakura looked back to the fire, "I thought you wanted to know why I came back tonight."

Naruto straightened up, "Yea."

Sakura spoke again, "When we were at the festival, Miss Ayame and Sensei stood between Sasuke and I. I didn't even look at him. I couldn't after what he did. How afraid I was." she paused and swallowed hard.

Naruto stared at her intently, waiting for her to go on.

"When he stepped aside, I thought he was only looking at a small stand. But when I turned back because he fell behind the group, I saw Ino and him smiling, feeling completely comfortable with each other. And I knew that would never happen with either of us together."

She looked at Naruto's gaze. "That doesn't explain why you came back."

Sakura shook her head, "No. But I'm not finished." she explained more, "I knew that we couldn't be together and be that peaceful. But I did know who could."

"Sakura…"

"Kakashi and Ayame." she said quickly. He paused and looked at her strangely, "They've been hurt too long, Naruto. I figured I'd only be prolonging it if I stayed by them."

"I said no lies." he stood up and moved to leave.

Sakura jumped up and in front of him, "That's only one reason and it's not a lie!" her temper was showing again.

He looked at her strangely. "Oh? You weren't finished yet?" he asked sarcastically.

Her heart was tattered, torn and ripped out then. "That's…not fair." she said.

"What isn't fair?" he asked and crossed his arms.

"That's something Sasuke would have said." she looked down.

Naruto felt like an ass. He just spoke to Sakura as if she was below him in every way. "Sakura…I didn't mean--"

She put her hand up to stop his words. "The other reason was because as I saw them together, I knew there was someone who would make me feel that relaxed, that safe, and always make me smile when I wanted to cry." she looked up at Naruto, tears threatening to fall. "Have I made a mistake?"

Naruto stayed silent.

The tears fell, "HAVE I MADE A MISTAKE, NARUTO!"

Naruto pulled her into his arms and held her as she cried into his jacket. "If I was anything like Sasuke, I'd say 'yea like you always do…'" he felt her try to push away a bit, "But…" she stilled as he continued. "There is no mistakes made in hopes and the feelings of the hearts. Emotions are things we can't change, we can't alter them at all Sakura. You can't make a mistake with them."

"But have I…have I made a mistake coming to you because…" she buried her head deeper as if she was hiding from her own words, "because I saw you as the one that made me feel relaxed, safe, and always making me smile? Is that my mistake?"

Naruto bent his head and brought Sakura's face up to his with one hand. Her cheeks were tearstained again as he lightly placed a kiss on her lips.

As he pulled away, he looked at her and smirked, "Sakura. You're still so silly." he said as he wiped away her tears.

She gave a half smile. "Then…I wasn't mistaken?"

Naruto brushed her hair back and hugged her close to him, whispering against her ear, "I will try to do everything you want me to-to my fullest, Sakura." he promised, "But that's only if you want me to. I'm not going to chase after each opportunity to make you smile. I won't try to make you feel safe when you shouldn't be scared. I won't relax you when you need the tension."

She nodded against his chest and breathed in some his scent, smiling. "I know."

Naruto closed his eyes and strung his fingers through her hair slowly. "I…"

"There she is!" Naruto to the side of them as Sakura froze in his arms and clung tighter to Naruto's jacket.

"Who are you!" Naruto ordered, holding Sakura closer to him, turning away a bit from them so if something happened, she wouldn't be harmed.

Sakura whispered almost too low for Naruto to hear, "Don't let them take me again." she begged.

Naruto saw rage, hate, and possession as he made Sakura move behind him as he got into a defense position. "Sakura, get away." he threw over his shoulder.

She shook her head and walked around to stand by him, kneeling in the same position.

"Sakura!" his eyes said it all. He didn't want her to fight. He knew she didn't want to fight her captors.

"I am a ninja as well, Naruto. I won't leave you to battle alone." she looked at them in fear. "They may have taken me that night. But I'm not alone this time."

"How cute." a man, taller than Kakashi walked out. He was built like a brick house as he stomped over to them with a battle axe in his hand. "Children in love."

Sakura glared as Naruto put his arm in front of Sakura to still her. "Calm down, Sakura."

It would have usually been Sakura telling him to calm down. But because the situation was altered and she was previously involved in the gang before them, he knew she could lose her senses against them. And that could be fatal.

"Why are you here?" Naruto demanded an answer.

"We're back for the girl." the leader pointed his axe towards her. "You, however, we can kill."

"Why do you want her!" Naruto yelled back.

Sakura grimaced and held her head in shame as the leader began to speak. "She's such a tiny morsel, but she's got enough energy to stay awake through everything. She really did try, you should be proud of your girlfriend." the leader smirked.

Naruto faltered, "What…what do you mean?" he looked to Sakura as she turned away.

"Don't judge me, Naruto." she frowned.

Naruto looked back at them. "What do you mean!"

The leader propped up against the axe, "Let us have introductions. My name is Rashid. These are the bandits of these mountains. You are Naruto because the girl said your name and now we know Sakura's name. She escaped you know?"

Naruto tensed as he glared more, "What are you doing back?"

"She jumped off the cliff into the river, it's a miracle she lived." the leader smiled ruthlessly at Sakura's saddened features.

Naruto stepped in front of her, flicking out his ninja spikes, "What are you doing back?" he repeated.

"We're here to take her back, I told you." Rashid dodged the spikes as he ran towards Naruto and knocked him into an oak tree and held a dagger up to Naruto's neck.

Naruto was smirking and disappeared. "Naruto!" Sakura cried and looked around.

Naruto fell from the tree above Rashid and landed on his back, holding him in a headlock. Rashid flipped Naruto off his back and picked up his axe and came towards Naruto, who was just barely getting up.

"No!" Sakura ran over and slid her foot under Rashid, tripping him quickly before he got to Naruto. She helped him up, "We have to get away."

Naruto looked at her, "There are too many, Sakura. We can't outrun them." he grimaced.

Sakura looked down at his ankle, "That's why you couldn't move fast enough!" she gasped as he sucked in a breath as he stood on his swollen ankle.

"Sakura, I will say it again. Get away."

"No." she wasn't leaving. She told him that.

Rashid smirked and walked over to them. "You two are quite sneaky. But I will not have two children defeat me!"

He summoned his bandits and they grabbed at Sakura. She fought at them. "No! Let me go!" she cried out as they pulled her away from Naruto, "Naruto!"

He went to her, wincing as he ran on his ankle. Rashid grabbed his collar and threw him into a tree. "I will not have an unfair fight. She will not interfere again. You know what to do boys!"

As Rashid pushed Naruto up against a wall and smirked. His size was his advantage to Naruto. He leaned in, "You wanna know what I meant when I said she's quite a sport?" he moved aside as he saw one of the bandits unsheathe his sword.

"Sakura!" he tried to break free but he was held fast by Rashid's arm against his neck.

Sakura looked down in shame as the bandit sliced her dress down baring Naruto and the rest of the bandits her skin. The dress fell to the ground as she turned away.

"Don't judge me, Naruto."

He knew what she meant now! He fought against Rashid's grasp, "Cover her up now!" he ordered.

Rashid smirked and got into Naruto's face. "She held out, you know? Calling for help. 'Kakashi!' 'Naruto!' 'Ayame!'" he imitated her voice half heartedly.

Naruto froze. Why didn't she cry out Sasuke's name? Did he forget?

Sakura knew he was wondering, "He wouldn't have come." she said. They looked towards her.

"What was that!" Rashid yelled at her.

Naruto watched in horror as Sakura's tears streamed again. She yelled at Rashid, "HE WOULDN'T HAVE COME!"

Rashid turned to smirk at Naruto, "You wouldn't have?"

Naruto knew the true meaning of her words. He glared at Rashid, "No." he smirked then.

"What are you so happy about? Seeing your maker?"

"No. you seeing yours." Naruto promised as his eyes glowed a bit and he transformed into the Kyubi, sliding from Rashid's grasp.

Sakura gasped as the Kyubi lunged at Rashid's neck and bit into it, slicing the esophagus with his fangs.

While Rashid fell, Kyubi arched his back up and bared his fangs at Sakura's captors.

The others, frightened, let go of her and ran into the forest. All you could hear was "It's a kyubi! A kyubi!"

The Kyubi was bluffing. Sakura knew it. She walked over to it as it limped towards her. "Oh Naruto." she sighed as he transformed back and fell against her.

"Seems…I need to lean on you for now." Sakura heard him say in a tired voice.

"Naruto…I owe you so much."

Naruto grabbed his jacket and pushed it weakly to Sakura. "It…takes a lot out of me, that's it."

He closed his eyes and fell unconscious as she put the jacket around her and waited for Kakashi and Ayame to return.

"Naruto…I love you." she whispered as he slept in her lap.

"Naruto…I love you." It was probably just a dream he was having again. But now the voice was so clear who said it. Sakura. He smiled into her lap. His Sakura.

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Hmm…not a good fight scene…damn, but anyway, at least u figured it out a bit more…yep yep…we haven't gotten to Ayame's training. I still have about another chap or two…the reason why Naruto wasn't able to do much in this chap was cuz of Rashid's size and his thoughts wandering with what happened to Sakura. Sakura didn't really fight because she was afraid it would happen again. Yep. Hope that explains it a bit more.

Reviews please

kage1586