Me: Gotta love the cliffs!

Naruto: They hurt…

Sasuke: Here's Sasuke!

Me: DX right…anyway here is the sixth chap!


'What happened?' Sakura thought.

'You fainted.'

Her inner said.

Sakura opened her eyes and blinked a few times. Naruto was in front of her and looking a bit worried.

"Sakura-chan! You're awake!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine…" She said getting up.

Tsunade looked at her student with worry.

"Sakura, I think it might be best you don't communicate with Sasuke…" Shizune said.

"Yeah…I'll just go find Shikamaru or Ino. Ino might be on a date with Kiba though so I'll just go find Shikamaru." She said heading out.

Tsunade smiled at Shizune in knowing. Shizune nodded.

"Bring him in!" Tsunade called.

Sai and Kakashi, two of the best ANBU, brought him in. They sat him down in the chair and Sasuke looked over at Naruto.

"What? No pink haired teammate?" Sasuke sneered.

"We thought it would be best that she didn't see you in the kind of state she is in right now." Tsunade said.

"What state, Grandma? Tell me!" Naruto yelled.

Tsunade sighed and looked at Shizune.

"By records of Ino Yamanaka and Shikamaru Nara, we have found that Sakura has been doing better than she was. Since Naruto left, she has been in a depressed state. Her mother, now five years dead, was the only one she would talk to. Ino then, set her up on a blind date with Shikamaru. It ended up being that Sakura was smiling since then." Shizune recited.

Everyone stared at her, except Tsunade. Shizune set TonTon down and pulled out a folder. She laid it down on the desk and sighed.

"Ino fears that Sakura will become the same as she was if she is not happy with a person, in this case a boyfriend. She hopes that Sakura will choose Shikamaru because Ino knows he cares for her." Shizune finished.

Sasuke started twitching.

"Hey…Shikamaru-lazyass is like the perfect match for Sakura-chan! He is smart, she is smart…and I'm sure he doesn't think she is troublesome." Naruto said.

Sasuke sent a glare his way, but Naruto didn't see it. Kakashi looked at the man sitting in the chair. He was twitching and growling softly. Kakashi rolled his eyes and hit the back of the chair.

"Well, Sasuke…you have returned to Konoha willingly…tell us…how is Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked.

"Dead." Sasuke spat. "I killed him and Itachi. I had nothing to do, so I returned here."

"Lady Hokage have you seen Sakura?" Someone asked coming inside.

The person glanced around at the scene. He saw Sasuke sitting in the chair, held by Kakashi and Sai.

"Hey Shikamaru. She just went to find you." Naruto said. "I'll come with you to find her."

They headed out the door, and Shikamaru caught an evil glare from Sasuke.

'That man is too scary for his own good.' Shikamaru thought.

Naruto and Shikamaru left the tower, and headed to Ino's flower shop.

"So, you like Sakura-chan, ne?" Naruto asked slyly.

"What? Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you." Shikamaru said.

"So you love her then?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, so?" Shikamaru asked.

His eyes widened as he realized his mistake.

"You're really conniving you know that?" Shikamaru asked glaring at Naruto.

"Yup." Naruto said. "Wait, what's conniving?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and entered Ino's flower shop. Sakura and Ino turned to look at him.

"Hey Shikamaru!" Sakura exclaimed hugging him.

"Hey, how about me Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

She laughed and hugged him too. Shikamaru breathed the scent of the flowers and turned to look at Ino. She stared back, and nodded.

"Hey Sakura. Why don't you go ask Lady Hokage if she can give you an easy mission? I'm sure that's what you need." Ino said.

Sakura nodded and bounced out of the flower shop. Unbeknownst to them was that a dark shadow was following her, and waiting…


Me: Another cliffy! Yay!

Naruto: Who is it? Who is it?!

Me: stays silent

Naruto: ……….silent treatment ay? Two can play at that game….

Sasuke: Hey Naruto.

Naruto: Hi!

Sasuke: You lose.

Naruto: ……shit….

Me: laughs R and R!