An Old House: Part I

Sasuke took out his bloody sword out of Kabuto's chest. The bloody stains that covered the sword dripped onto the dirty floor.

Kabuto's arms released the suffocating kunoichi and fell down on his knees, while Sakura grasped for air desperately as Naruto immediately came over to help her stand up right.

"You okay, Sakura?" Naruto asked worriedly. Sakura coughed a little, and then gave him thumbs up, meaning she's going to be all right.

Kabuto fell completely onto the ground, not making a single movement. "I-is he dead?" Naruto asked nervously.

"Hmph…he should." Sasuke smirked.

Sakura calmed down on her coughing and her face was returning to its normal color. She got on her knees beside Kabuto and pressed two fingers up his neck. "I could no longer feel any vibration, heartbeats, whatsoever inside his body. He's…done for." She sighed.

Sasuke had put away his sword and stood quietly.

Naruto and Sakura gazed at him with such a questionable expression in their faces.

"Naruto, Sakura…I…I accept your offer. I-I'm very sorry." Sasuke bowed his head and looked away, but the two still looked at him with a confused expression. "You know, for…everything. I'll go back now; it's time for this foolishness to stop. I guess it's about time you two finally convinced me to leave," his eyes still looking away.

Naruto's face immediately filled with enjoyment, with such happiness, that his eyes got watery all of a sudden. Sakura did the exact same thing. They both ran towards Sasuke and held him so tight; it doesn't even look like a hug anymore.

"Uh…I…I'm getting squished, Sakura…Naruto. Get…off."

As the two finally released Sasuke, their eyes was filled with tears, wanting to roll down their cheeks. Their countless missions to retrieve the Uchiha finally paid off. In several years, both Sakura and Naruto have dreamed for this moment. This moment, to be reunited with their teammate, comrade…friend, Sasuke Uchiha.

"Well, well, well, I guess I missed out on the action." An unexpected voice came out of nowhere.

Every head turned to look, predicting another enemy.

But Sai stood at the center of the hallway with bruises and scratches covering his body.

"W-what happened to you?" Sakura asked, walking towards him, thinking she could treat the injuries.

"Oh, this? I ran into some trouble on the way finding that guy." Sai took a glance into Sasuke. "But I took care of it… So what's new here? Anything happen?" While Sakura tried to cure his bruises, curiosity filled his mind as his eyes wandered throughout the destruction that surrounded him.

"You're right on time, Sai! Sasuke had just beaten the snot out of Kabuto here and he's coming with us!" Naruto answered, giving him a huge smile. Sasuke didn't respond.

Sai replied with a fake smile. 'I see… I wonder how Naruto did it… or maybe it was Sakura…' He looked at Sakura then switched to the disappearing injuries in his arm.

After Sakura was done treating Sai, the four ninjas ran to the nearest exit out of the lair. Since Sasuke already knew the way out, there shouldn't be any problem finding the exit. Sakura explained everything to Sai what happened to them right from when the three of them got separated to the moment Kabuto appeared and how Sasuke agreed to Naruto. Well, everything except for the part that she and Naruto held hands. She tried to keep that one a secret and she hoped Naruto would too. But the fact that the two of them did held hands made their relationship towards each other even stronger than ever, even though it was just holding hands.

…

Half an hour passed. Everyone decided to camp out under the stars. They laid their bags and blankets throughout the open floor, and then made themselves comfortable.

"Hey, Sakura! You want me to tell scary stories to pass the time?" Naruto asked happily, hoping Sakura would agree.

"Uh…yeah, sure Naruto." Sakura replied with a sincere smile, making Naruto's expression jump for joy at the agreement.

Sasuke and Sai already fell asleep, not knowing that Sakura and Naruto were still up. The night drew close and Naruto and Sakura still told scary stories to each other.

"So how about that last story, Sakura? Pretty scary, huh?" Naruto gave the young Haruno a huge smile, which Sakura thought was…cute.

She, then, gave him a crooked smile. "Eh…kinda boring, Naruto." Sakura teased.

"What!? You're such a liar. You were really scared. I could tell." Naruto smirked.

"You're exaggerating. I was not scared. My story was so much better." Sakura giggled, as she lightly nudged Naruto's shoulder.

Soon after the giggling and chatting, both have stayed up all night gazing up into the stars.

"The sky is so beautiful, Naruto…" Sakura whispered as she lied down and covered herself with a blanket.

"Yeah, it's quite amazing. I didn't even know there would be this much stars in the sky. I never really paid attention to them."

"I could stay up all night just watching them and daydreaming."

"Me too."

Sakura and Naruto stayed gazing up into the sky. The bond that the two had for one another had become so strong, it might last for a long time…maybe even a lifetime. They've been friends since childhood and their relationship has been growing…

"Sakura…?" whispered Naruto. But there was no response. He got up and looked at her. He smiled wonderfully and whispered, "Hehe…so much for staying up."

He wanted to tell her…tell her tonight.

…But she had already fallen asleep.

…

The next morning, Naruto woke up with a slight disturbance.

"Hey, hey!...Naruto! Naruto! Wake up!"

Naruto opened an eye and saw Sasuke's face in front of him. "I'm too tired, five more minutes…" he moaned then fell asleep again.

'What a drag…I finally decided to come back and I have to baby sit this knucklehead.' Sasuke sighed then kept poking Naruto and shaking his shoulder in an attempt to wake him up. 'Well…even though I have to put up with him, I actually miss these times back then.' He looked up at the other teammates and saw Sai having the same problem with Sakura.

Sai kept nudging her to wake up but she refused.

"So, how are you doing with Sakura, Sai?" Sasuke asked with a blank expression.

"Same thing as you're doing, they won't wake up."

"Let's go get water from the river." Sasuke suggested.

Sai and Sasuke took off to the nearest river and collected some water. They plan to do a dirty trick on Sakura and Naruto. They thought it would be cruel, but on the other hand, it was also for their own good.

NEXT TIME: An Old House: Part II