A/N: Wow everyone really seems to be getting into the story. That's good I'm glad that you all are enjoying it. I'm really putting a lot of effort into this fic. Well without further ado here is chapter 4.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto I would be rich sitting on a yacht on a private island somewhere. But I don't so you know the drill.


Sakura double checked to make sure she was well prepared for the mission. Judging by the details of the mission she would be gone for some time. She would be with Naruto. It wasn't like she wasn't used to being on missions before, they were teammates. Yet things were more complicated this time around. Her relationship with Naruto hadn't been quite the same for awhile now. She had actually been sort of confused on her feelings for the blond for years. Sakura wasn't sure at the time. But even she couldn't deny that there was something there.

She knew for sure that her feelings for him were deep every time she had seen him get hurt. She cared and the only thing that mattered was making sure that he was okay. Every time he sent her one of those foxy grins it caused all sorts of feelings to stir inside of her heart. She knew for quite some time that she had indeed wanted to be with him. As she grew older she realized that her infatuation with Sasuke was just that an infatuation. There was never any real love there. It was a silly little school girl crush that she had already put to rest.

"I do want to be with him." She thought. "He really has become such a major part of my life."

The pink haired medic Nin realized that she still had time before she was to meet up with Shikamaru, Chouji, and Naruto. She sat down on her bed gazing out of the window.


(Sakura's Daydream)

Sakura was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard the knock at the door. After a few moments the knocking didn't stop. It just continued over and over again.

"Go away." She thought.

Only the knocking continued. It was beginning to seriously annoy her.

"Damn it. I'm coming."

She walked to the door and opened it. To her surprise she saw that it was Naruto. He had an apologetic grin on his face. He knew that the knocking must have gotten on her nerves.

"Naruto?"

"Hi Sakura-chan can I come in?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

The taller blond walked into the apartment. She wondered why he was suddenly here. Was is it about their mission? Had something suddenly happened?

"Um Naruto is something wrong?"

He turned to face her. He had that apologetic smile on his face again.

"Sakura-chan I'm sorry."

Sakura blinked in confusion. She didn't understand what he was apologizing for. As far as she knew he had done nothing wrong.

"Naruto I don't understand why are you sorry?"

He walked closer to her. They were now standing a few feet away from each other. Blue orbs staring into her jade green pools.

"It took me some time to realize what I was doing to you. I was stupid for going out with Ino when you were here this whole time. I should have never led her on."

He walked closer towards her again lowering his face to hers. Her cheeks flushed red. She could literally feel her pulse quickening.

"Naruto…" She whispered.

"It's always been you Sakura-chan. You know that, I know that, I think everyone knows that. I'm tired of denying my feelings."

He leaned down capturing her lips in a soft passionate kiss. Sakura's eyes widened in surprise she couldn't believe this was happening. Her mind told her that she should push him away. This was wrong Naruto had a girlfriend. She should not be kissing him back right now. Yet her body had reacted first. She wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer. For the moment nothing else mattered but the two of them. She wanted this for such a long time.

"Wait no." She stopped herself pulling away. "This can't happen."

The young woman was shot back to reality. Her heart was racing from her latest daydream.

"Damn." She whispered. "I have to stop doing this to myself. I need to go get ready and meet up with everyone."


Ino stood behind the counter of the flower shop. She was bored out of her mind. A part of her wished that she had a mission today, just so she could be out of the shop. It wasn't like she minded looking after the shop every once in awhile. It was just that it was such a lovely day. She could think of better things to do on a day like today. She sighed as she looked through a magazine.

"Damn it's boring." She thought.

She found herself wishing that Naruto was around. There was never a dull moment with him that was for sure. She was brought out of her thoughts when the door to the Yamanaka's flower shop opened.

"Welcome to Yamanaka's flower shop." She spoke. "Can I help…?" She looked up to see none other than the blond she had just been thinking about. "Naruto-kun." She said cheerfully. "What brings you by? Did you come to steal me away from all of this?" She laughed.

"Very funny Ino-chan." He laughed as well. "No getting out of your responsibilities."

"Yeah I know." She nodded.

Naruto then turned his attention to the flowers for a moment.

"Okay I get it. You came to stare at the flowers. Geez Naruto you're a really great boyfriend. You're staring at those flowers harder than you do me." She teased.

"Ah Ino-chan you know that you are the prettiest flower of all." He told her as he kissed her on the lips.

"Good save. How's your day going so far?"

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Ino I have a mission and we're leaving in a little while."

Ino was quiet for a moment. "You're leaving." There was a hint of sadness in her voice. "Who's going with you?"

"Shikamaru, Chouji, and….."

"Good they'll watch your back." She immediately cut him off. "Shika's lazy and Chouji is always eating." She laughed. "But you can count on them for sure."

"Yeah I know." He agreed.

It was then that Ino realized that he was about to add another name in.

"Oh you were going to say something else weren't you?"

"Um…" He paused. He knew that he couldn't just lie to her. Ino noticed his reluctance. This didn't sit too well with her.

"So are you going to tell me or do I have to read your mind?" She spoke as she readied her jutsu.

"Shit having a girlfriend that can invade my mind really sucks." He thought. "That won't be necessary." Naruto laughed waving his hands in front of his face. "Sakura is going too."

The blond girl became quiet for a minute. She would be lying is she said that she didn't sometimes feel those lingering insecurities. And she hated to feel insecure about anything. Because in truth she believed that Sakura did have feelings for him. She still hadn't forgotten their conversation a few years ago.


(Flashback 2 years ago)

Ino had just finished up her training with Ibiki Morino. A while ago she had decided that she wanted to pursue a career in Torture and Interrogation. Given her family's jutsu mind control ability she knew that she would be a natural. That and she just knew that she wouldn't back down in an interrogation. She could be very persuasive when she wanted to be. Ino was pretty sure that she had found her calling.

"Hey Ino?" She heard her name.

"Sakura what's up?"

"Nothing hey it's been awhile huh. You look busy."

"No I've just been training with Ibiki- sensei. But yeah you're right it has been awhile. Is everything okay?"

The pink haired medic Nin was silent for a moment. This was not going to be an easy conversation to start. In fact a part of her actually didn't want this conversation to come up.

"Hai, everything's fine. I was just wondering if we could talk."

"Sure." The platinum blond nodded and the two girls sat down at a nearby bench.

"Ino I understand if you don't want to talk about it. But I am kind of curious."

"Just spill it forehead say whatever's on your mind."

"Okay Ino-pig." She teased right back. "It's about you and Naruto."

Ino leaned back against the bench stretching her arms out.

"What did you want to tease me about my relationship with him? Well go ahead I don't care. Naruto and I we…."

"No, No." Sakura cut her off. "I'm not going to tease you at all. I was just wondering how you two ended up together. I mean its not like the two of you were ever close or anything."

The blue eyed girl nodded in understanding. She could see the point that Sakura was trying to make. It was certainly true she and Naruto had never been close at all.

"Yeah he and I were definitely not best friends. But I guess the more time I spent with him. I got to know him a lot better. He helped me a lot after Asuma-sensei died. Sometimes he didn't even have to say anything and I'd start feeling better. It was like just having him near cheered me up."

"That's Naruto for you." Sakura thought to herself.

Ino stood up staring at her pink haired friend. There was a serious glint in those aqua colored orbs.

"Look forehead I like him okay. I don't care if the whole damn village thinks it's odd or wrong. I'm happy I'm in a good place right now."

Sakura simply nodded forcing a bright smile.

"I'm glad that you're happy Ino."

"Yeah but why do you want to know anyway. Why do you care who Naruto dates?"

Sakura knew that she couldn't tell her friend the truth. She felt that she didn't have to right to go and admit how she felt about Naruto know. Also she could see that Ino was happy. She didn't want to go causing any problems in their relationship.

"You guys are my friends. Is it really so wrong to make sure that you're both okay."

Ino only stared at her for a moment as she processed what Sakura said. If she had any doubts about the pink haired girl's words she didn't voice her opinion.

"Nope I don't see a problem with that. Hey I gotta go I'm meeting Naruto at Ichiraku's. I swear him and that ramen. I'm going to try and break him out of it." She held determination in her voice.

"Ha." Sakura laughed. "Good luck."

"Yeah I know." Ino laughed as well.

"Well I'll see you later I guess."

"Bye." The blond waved

(End)


"Okay." Ino nodded. "Well that's good right. She's a good medic Nin she can watch out for all of you."

Ino suddenly went over to the roses so she could water them. Naruto blinked in confusion.

"Alright what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothings wrong. Why would there be." She replied quickly.

A pair of strong arms was now placed around her waist. He buried his face into her neck.

"Aw come on Ino-chan it's been 2 years. You don't think I know you by now." He told her.

Ino wasn't about to admit that she was feeling insecure about him and Sakura being together on a mission. She mentally cursed herself for feeling that way. She and Naruto had been together for 2 years now. They were solid weren't they? This had been her longest and definitely most serious relationship that she had ever been in.

"Naruto I'm fine really. Do you know how long you're going to be gone?"

"Hm." He thought. "Well we're going to Suna to help with the restoration of the village. You remember that attack that happened a little while ago?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"So Baa-chan is sending us out there to help out."

"So you're probably going to be gone for awhile."

"Yeah." He said in a low whisper.

The platinum blond closed her eyes a sudden uneasy feeling ran through her.

"Well you betterget going. You don't want to keep them waiting."

"You know that I'm going to miss you right Ino-chan?"

"I'm going to miss you too." She thought. "Are you getting mushy on me Uzumaki?"

"Only if you want me to." He smiled and gently pecked her cheek.

"Fine just go okay." She moved his arms from around her. "You don't want to keep Shika and the others waiting."

Naruto slowly backed up. He could feel that something wasn't right. The atmosphere in the room felt colder.

"Ino are you angry with me? Look you know if I could stay here with you I would."

"Then why don't you." She wanted to say to him. "Yeah I know. Just go okay and be careful."

Naruto walked over to the door. He placed his hand on to the knob. He really hated to leave things like this.

"Hey Ino-chan once I get back we're going out okay." He had a cheerful grin on his face. "We'll go somewhere really nice it's a promise. I'll try and hurry back, see you soon."

She flinched as she heard the door close. She hadn't meant to be so cold towards him. In truth she wasn't even angry with him. She understood that a mission was a mission. But it did little to ease her insecurity. Or help the fact that she was going to miss him. She would definitely have to keep busy for the time being.

"Maybe I'll ask Ibiki-sensei for extra training. It's not like it'll hurt. That and how else am I going to be the best if I don't work hard."

The blond leaned on her elbow as she stood behind the counter. Yes today was clearly goingto be a boring day. Yet there was something else eating at her. She still had that uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Also she didn't really like the way things ended with Naruto. As far as she was concerned that was no way to really say goodbye to your boyfriend. She decided to close the shop for awhile and go after him.

"I need to go see him off the right away." She thought to herself as she locked the door to the shop and made her way to the gates of Konoha.