AN: I hope you forgive me for taking so long, it was due to exams and then family problems… oh well. Enjoy.

Chapter 6: Understanding

Kaita stared impassively at the vast amount of greener y around her. Nature. It was supposed to be calming. It was supposed to make her blood stop rushing through her ears at such a loud volume that it was deafening her.

Having spent three weeks in the hospital for her injuries brought on by the fires of her compound, she was somewhat relieved to be free enough to sit and enjoy nature. Too bad that she couldn't enjoy nature. Not when the stench of death surrounded her being, and not when the memories firmly implanted into her mind kept playing over and over again.

She closed her eyes in annoyance. 'why am I so weak?'

She sighed before lying back in the grass. Did mother nature abandon her family? She certainly hoped not. After a moment she noticed that she wasn't alone. "What do you want?" she asked curtly as she saw the pink thing in front of her.

"Umm… I wanted to apologize… for what I don't know, but I wanted to at least… I'm sorry for your… Will you quit staring at me like that?"

If it had been a normal day, a day when she knew that she had family to go to, Kaita would have found this amusing. But as it is, it was not. "I'm not staring at you" said Kaita simply.

"You're making that look again. You know, the one where you look like you want to rip something to shreds… its unnerving."

"Nice to know," said Kaita in a deadpan voice.

"We got back two days ago." Said Sakura, this only got a blank stare from Kaita.

"Look, you're worrying everyone, especially Naruto. I mean he hasn't asked me out once, not that I'm complaining, since your…" Sakura paused. Really, she is usually more tactful than this… at least she thinks so.

Kaita frowned. Then stood and walked away from the clearing and into the village. Sakura was close behind. When they reached the village Kaita disappeared. Sakura blinked in surprise before going to find Sasuke… and Naruto. For wherever Sasuke is during the day, mostly training, there is Naruto. When she reached the training grounds she was glad to find that at least she was right about their location.

Pausing in their spar, Naruto turned around and grinned, though it was slightly forced, at Sakura. "Sakura-chan, how are you?" He asked in a calm voice. Sakura was once again surprised. So there was no screaming of her name… eh?

"Im fine, Naruto. I think we should take Kaita out for lunch… or maybe just out. She needs to stop dwelling on the past and move toward the future. I mean, it has been nearly a week since it happened and she still hasn't gotten completely over it."

She was confused by the mirror looks of contempt that she was receiving from her teammates. "What?" she asked confused.

"You don't know how idiotic you just made yourself look," said Naruto with a disgusted look on his face.

"She just lost her clan, her family and you're saying she should be over it in a week? Have you lost your… mind… then again, have you ever had one in that pink inflatable balloon that you call a head?" Asked Sasuke with a sneer in her direction. It was the most emotion that he had let show that wasn't in tangency with his avenger role.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke before walking away from Sakura. Sasuke was right behind him. Pausing in step Naruto tilted his head over his shoulder, "As much as I love you Sakura, Sasuke is right about your actions."

With that both Naruto and Sasuke disappeared in a swirl of leaves. 'When did they learn to do that?' was Sakura's stray thought. With a growl of annoyance, Sakura made her way to the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

"Hey, Forehead girl, wassup?" said Ino as she came from behind the counter. She had already checked on all of the flowers. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Ino frowned in confusion. "Do you think I'm the right person to be asking that question?"

"Shut Up Ino-pig!! I really need to know." Yelled Sakura in annoyance. Ino glared at her. "I was being serious. Why would you ask me that?"

Sakura sighed before telling Ino all of what had transpired with her and her teammates. Ino stared contemplatingly before sighing, "I don't think You're an idiot. I think you're just a bit ignorant and therefore unintentionally insensitive."

Sakura blinked slightly. "You mind… repeating that in a language that I can understand."

Ino rolled her eyes. "You don't know what it feels like to lose your family in a short amount of time and thus don't know what reaction is the right one in this situation."

Sakura sighed for a moment before saying, "Okay, repeat that, one more time and in a shorter sentence"

Ino growled slightly before turning around and grabbing a few flowers together, "Here." She shoved them into Sakura's hands, "Go and apologize to her for being your cruel self."

Sakura glared at her in annoyance and anger, "I'm not cruel, and I'm not stupid! I just wanted you to quit trying to act so intelligent and self-righteous! I'm not going to apologize to her either, because I didn't do anything!"

Sakura threw the flowers at Ino before stomping off in a huff.

Meanwhile…

Naruto and Sasuke had found Kaita sitting in the park on the swings. She was staring straight ahead with a blank look on her face. "Kaita-chan?"

She glanced up, "Ohayou" she muttered before turning her attention back to swinging back and forth.

"You want to spar?" asked Sasuke, he knew that it would only be temporary but at least she could lose herself for a while. She shook her head. "No," she said with a frown on her face as she swung back and forth on the swing. "I don't feel like doing anything," she said in a whisper.

"Not even revenge?" asked, surprisingly, Naruto. Both Kaita and Sasuke looked at Naruto in shock. "What? I'm not allowed to think like that or something?"

Kaita shook her head in bitter amusement, "Naruto-kun, I only remember the smell of sulfur blood and snake venom."

They were silent for a while before Kaita broke the silence, "So, did your mission go well?"

Sasuke noticed the tone of her voice but let it slide.

"Yeah, it went okay, it was kind of difficult working with Sakura when she would always flirt with Sasuke," said Naruto, "I think they began to suspect us somewhere near the end, because Sakura tried to kiss Sasuke…"

Sasuke shook his head in disgust and annoyance, "she almost blew our cover… despite everything, she's not a very good actress."

Kaita sighed before standing from the swing and walking toward the village market, "So, anyone up for some Ramen?"

Naruto practically dragged his two teammates to the Ichiraku's ramen.

As they sat there with Naruto who ordered enough Ramen to feed a small army while simultaneously talking about the mission, Kaita looked over at Sasuke who was giving her a knowing look. She gave a small smile and nodded. He returned the nod.

There was understanding in his gaze and she was glad that at least these two knew somewhat how she felt. With a sigh she leaned her head against the platform of the Ramen shop.

Why was it she was more so at peace with her boys than with nature?

With a last sigh and a small smile, her eyes closed and the drone of Naruto faded into the background as she fell asleep. Her last thought…

'My Boys'