"Is everything okay Shikamaru?" he asked.
"Sasuke was spotted twenty smiles away from here, he didn't enter the village and the Anbu scared him away for now. It looks like he's heading towards the Sand, I think you should alert Gara and let him in on the situation or at least tell him Sasuke is now wanted rouge ninja."
Naruto nodded, "I'll send a message at once, are you sure he didn't enter the village, check his home and make sure nothing is missing please."
He nodded and left them alone once again, he looked at the tense girl sitting across from him, "Sakura?"
"I'm okay. I can't fear him, forever can I?" she gave him a soft smile.
She was getting better little by little, she still had nightmares, she still felt like she was being watched wherever she went even when she was at home. She reached out to Tsunade but she was busy helping with the hospital she hasn't been able to talk to her. Her parents were away so she couldn't go there, all she had was Naruto. He was always the one who helped her whenever she needed help, he was always defending her, he was always there when she needed someone to talk to or just needed someone. He would come up to the hospital and check on her and make sure was eating and taking breaks, he always cared for her and use to be so mean to him.
She wasn't always nice to him, she often hurt his feelings and was just rude to him and she regretted it. She always wanted to go back in time and change the way she treated him, but she knew couldn't, but she could make up for it now, she could treat him the way he always deserved to be treated. She often felt like she didn't deserve him, and other would agree with that statement, a lot of people here frowned upon the way she used to treat him.
"What's on your mind?" she looked up pulled from her thoughts and was now standing in front of her.
"Just thinking about you, and the way I treated you back then." She ran a hand through her think pink hair and sighed.
"The past is the past Sakura, why are you thinking about that now?" he asked leaning back on his desk.
"I just, i just feel bad and I don't think anything I could ever do for you would ever make up how I treated you. I feel like I don't deserve you, you do everything and anything you can to protect me and you always have and all I eve do is cause trouble or pull you into my messes." A tear fell from her green eyes.
He looked at her smiled, he knew she never meant any harm when they were kids, they we kids and back then he was a monster to them because they didn't understand the beast that was inside of him. The more time she spent with him the more she got to know him and understand him and before he knew she was his best friend, she would always try to find a way to help him, she always healed him when he was reckless, she took care of everyone around her but herself. She worked hard to get where she was, she always wanted to catch up tp where they were but what she didn't realize is that she passed them in ways she never knew.
"Don't think about that now, we were kids. I know you're going through a lot right now and I know it's hard maybe you should go see Ino or even go see Tsunade at the hospital and talk to someone else about it?" he ran his fingers through her hair and smiled as she leaned into his hand.
"I could go see Lady Tsunade and check up on the hospital." She stood up and gave him a hug and quick peck on the cheek.
She left his office and made her way to the hospital, it was full of life when she walked in the waiting room was full, nurses scrambling around trying to get things under control. She found her way to her office where she knew Lady Tsunade must be, and she was right.
"Ah, Sakura."
She smiled at her former teacher, "How are things going here?"
She looked up from the stack of papers, "It's been busy, we had a few come in for the flu, we just had a botched mission and most of them are here or dead very few walked away with no injuries. We're managing things but I want to know how you're doing."
"I wish I could say that I'm doing better but that would be a lie, I see him in my dreams, I see him when I'm out in public, and I always feel like I'm being watched, even though I know I'm not. I don't know what to do anymore." She sank down to the chair in front of her desk.
"It's not going to be easy, but you will get through this I know you have Naruto to help you, but I want you to understand he can only do so much to help you. The rest you have to do on your own, this is a battle within yourself that only you can fight." She set her pen down and looked at her former student, she was losing weight, her eyes had lost their sparkle, and her hair was frail and losing its shine. "You need to take care of yourself Sakura, Naruto is going to need your help as well. He walked in on the aftermath of what happened to you and almost lost one best friend and lost another one. I know he's probably putting on a brave face for you but you're not the only person who lost someone that day. You need to be there for each other, protect each other and love each other and make sure the other doesn't go down the wrong road."
She looked at her former and knew she was right, she was so wrapped in herself she didn't think of his pain and what he could be going through. They talked a little more and she left to go to his place, the sun had set, and the cool air rustled the leaves on the tall trees. She set a fast pace and made it to his house, she knocked on the door seeing the light flicker on and the door opened. He was in a black pair of pajama pants with no shirt.
"Sakura?" she didn't realize how late it must've been.
"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to wake you." He smiled and pulled her inside, he wrapped his arms around her.
"You're fine, is everything okay?" his voice rumbled in your chest.
"I came here to ask you the same question." She looked up and met his blue eyes with her green ones.
"Why wouldn't I be okay?" he asked still holding her close to him.
"You lost your best friend and witnessed a horrific thing Naruto, it would upset anyone, and I've been so wrapped in what happened to me I didn't think to ask you how you are doing."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead and pulled her towards his room so they could lay down, he wrapped his arms around her again and played with her hair, "Seeing you like that, hurt. It hurt a lot, and then to find out that my best friend is the one that hurt you, hurt even more."
She snuggled closer to him her head on his chest, she could hear his heartbeat, it seemed to beat faster as she spoke about what he saw and how it felt, "I'm sorry you had to see that Naruto."
She didn't know what else to say to him, he rolled over and looked her in the eyes, "Don't be sorry, I'm just happy I found you before it was too late."
He placed a hand on her cheek and captured her lips with his, and she kissed him back, this felt right. This kiss was warm and inviting, she could feel the love her had for her in this one simple jester. He pulled away first and smiled at her, she smiled back and tried to hide the blush that appeared on her cheeks, but it was no use.
"You always did like my sloppy seconds." That voice sent fear through her body, and anger through his.
"What the hell are you doing in my house?" he stood up and growled at his former friend, his eyes burning red.
"I came to take back what is mine, all you have to do is give her to me and i won't rip you to shreds." He stepped forward unsheathing his sword, tip pressed against his neck.
He laughed pushed the sword aside, "Did you really think you could just waltz in here and take her? Did you really think I would let you?"
He was now face to face with his best friend, with the person who attacked the girl he loved most in the world and nothing was going to stop him from the hell he was about to unleash. She stood up grabbing him arm, he turned, and his eyes soften, she knew she was scared but he couldn't stop the rage he felt inside. A low growl slipped from Sasuke and they turned their attention back to him, his eyes burned red watching their every move.
"She is mine."