Chapter 7: Crossing Paths, Friend or Foe?

"N-naruto?" Sakura stuttered in both shock and relief.

The blonde quickly ran to her side arms out stretched and grabbing her in a fierce bear hug. "Where have you been? It's been four days!" he looked down at her lap, at the unconscious man laying there. "T-teme? What happened to him?"

"Naruto, you pain where did you run off to?" a tired voice sounded from the bushes.

"Over here!" Naruto hollered in reply.

Naruto's gaze drifted back to Sasuke and then up to Sakura's face.

Meeting his gaze Sakura could see the questions in his shimmering eyes. She didn't want to answer them now, she was too tired. She tore her eyes away as Shikamaru emerged from the bushes.

The calm man made his way over to where they sat. Taking in the situation he asked, "What happened to you two out here?"

"What does it look like?" the kunoichi snarled, offended by his calm exterior.

"Hey, it was a simple question, no need to bite my head off. Why are you so pissy?"

"You're the one making me get all pissy!" she snapped, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"What the hell?! I didn't even do anything!" he shouted defensively.

"Stop harassing Sakura-chan!" the blonde intervened, latching his arms around her shoulders protectively.

"I didn't do anything!" Shikamaru protested.

"Yes you did! You pissed her off!"

Shikamaru sighed in defeat, he may have been a smart strategist and all, but he had no strategy for winning this battle, nor a will to continue it. "Fine, whatever."

"Apologize to her!" Naruto pouted, while Sakura glanced at him expectantly.

"How troublesome," he mumbled under his breath.

"Apologize now!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh. I'm sorry for pissing you off Sakura."

"Like you mean it!"

"It's okay Naruto. Apology accepted."

"Do I get to know how I pissed you off?" Shikamaru asked in a toneless voice.

"Sure why not?"

He waited as she took in a deep breath and slowly released it. Finally talking in a low and fast tone, she answered his question.

"Well, it was really just how calmly looked at us in our bloody states and then all calmly walked over to us and calmly asked what was wrong and what had happened with that calm attitude you had. I don't know why but that really pissed me off," she explained sweetly, while leaning her head against Naruto's shoulder.

Shikamaru sweat dropped. "So…because I was calm…you got pissed?"

"Pretty much."

"Now that that's all cleared up, what happened to teme? And you, you Sakura-chan. What happened to you?" Naruto asked worried eyed.

"Sasuke-kun! We have to get him help. We have to get him to the hospital quick!"

"Why? What's the problem? Why can't you fix him up here?" her teammate asked her, confused.

"I-I don't have any chakra," she answered quietly, looking to the side.

He looked down in silence, knowingly.

"Then, what happened to you two?" The lazy man spoke up.

"We were attacked by a group of ninja."

"How many were there?"

"I think there were…about eleven no wait! Twelve, yes there were twelve of them," she answered thoughtfully, "I'm sure we took down at least half of them."

"What about these arm injuries and some on your legs, they look older than the rest."

"Well, I was attacked, before Sasuke found me…I was alone then and they attacked me. I think there were seven of them that time but I can't be sure my brain was pretty foggy from blood loss."

"Do you know who the ninja were?"

Sakura was getting annoyed with all the questions. "They were sent by him," she said drowsily.

"Him?" Shikamaru repeated raising an eyebrow. It was then that he noticed that she was annoyed or as you could say, on a short fuse. "Okay, one more. Why were you attacked? What were they after?

She tilted her head to the side with a sarcastic glance up at him she replied, "That was two…Do you rally want me to say it?"

He didn't say anything, so she took that as a yes. "Me." Her voice was small, meek like a child's. Naruto held her tighter in response to her sudden attitude change.

"I see, well, that's all then," he said in a reserved tone.

"Sakura-chan, I have a question of my own."

"What is it Naruto?"

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Her cheeks turned scarlet as she looked down and realized that she was, in fact, still, shirtless. Wiggling her way out of his hug she wrapped her arms around her chest. "Shut up!" she hollered at him.

"I was just ask—Ow! You don't have to throw sticks at my face!"

"I don't mean to break this up or anything, but it seems that Sasuke needs medical attention, so I think we should go now," Shikamaru piped in.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered turning her attention back to the avenger.

"I can't carry him," she announced loud and bold. "I can't carry myself either."

Both of the boys sweat dropped. 'She sure seems like she can walk fine.' Whilst Naruto was thinking 'Sakura-chan's probably lighter than Sasuke-teme.'

"I'll carry Sakura-chan!" Naruto declared. "You carry teme."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "How troublesome," he mumbled lifting Sasuke's body off Sakura and the ground.

"Don't drop him Shikamaru," Naruto advised.

He rolled his eyes again. "I wouldn't do that to an injured person, unlike some people."

"Hey! It was one time okay?" he protested. "Here Sakura-chan, climb onto my back." He told her crouching down.

"O-okay," she said trying to stand with little success. So she grabbed Naruto's collar and hoisted herself up, surprising Naruto in the act.

"!!! You'r-re c-c-chok…king me!" he gasped out.

"Oops, sorry Naruto," the girl apologized releasing his collar to place her hands on his shoulders.

"Are you two settled yet?" Shikamaru asked impatiently.

"Yeah!" Naruto called back with a wide grin. He jumped up to a standing position, tipping backwards as he did so.

"Be careful!" Sakura screeched as Naruto regained his balance.

"Quit fooling around guys, its gonna take us long enough as it is to get back," Shikamaru yelled at them.

"Sorry!" the blonde yelled back. "Ready Sakura-chan?" he asked in a softer tone.

"I suppose so."

"Okay! Lead the way Shika—Shikamaru?" he asked tossing his head around.

"Naruto," Sakura whispered, pointing a finger upwards.

"Up here you idiot," a husky voice answered his call.

"Oi, Shikamaru! You could've told me where to go!"

"Yea, you know he's incompetent," Sakura added.

"Sorry I forgot, just hurry up already."

"I am not!" He yelled jumping up onto the tree branch Shikamaru was perched on.

"Let's go, follow me," Shikamaru directed looking over his shoulder at them.

He nodded his head in understanding.

Shikamaru took off jumping branch to branch and Naruto followed soon after, that is until he heard Sakura's protests.

"S-sakura-chan, you don't look so good," he told her coming to a stop.

"P-put me down!"

He looked at her questionably.

"Now!" she shrieked.

He complied to her command, jumping to the ground. He kneeled, allowing her to get off his back and move forward falling on her hands and knees.

"Blehhhhh!!!"

Naruto looked to the side, flinching every time she made a new gagging sound. When the noises subsided he looked back at her, she was sitting with her knees folded to the side, wiping the corners of her mouth with the palms of her hands, and she was also starting to cry.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto whispered in a worried tone.

"I'm scared," she whispered back holding her stomach now. "So, so scared."

Naruto was at a loss of what to do, he didn't even know what it was that she was scared. "What is it Sakura-chan? What are you scared of?"

"Him. I-f he finds out that I'm still alive, that me and Sasuke survived the fall, he'll come. I know he will. He did last time, he'll do it again!"

Naruto fell onto his knees, holding Sakura protectively. "It's okay Sakura-chan, I'm here to protect you and as soon as teme's better he will be too," he reassured her, trying to ease away her sudden fears.

"You saw Sasuke! You see me! That could just as easily be you too if you try and protect me. He'll do it to you! He'll do it to anyone that gets in his way!"

"Who Sakura-chan? Who? Tell me who it is!"

Just then Shikamaru jumped out of the trees. "Hey, you could have told me you were going to stop you know?"

"Sorry," Sakura said standing, "we can go now."

Naruto stood too. "Tell me," he pleaded with her.

She shook her head, and he grabbed her shoulders, facing her towards him. "Go on ahead Shikamaru, we'll catch up in a minute," he said not looking at the genius.

Shikamaru sighed, "Fine, but hurry it up. It's getting dark out." With that said he jumped back up and out of sight.

"Tell me Sakura-chan, and I swear he will never ever hurt you in anyway again."

She wouldn't look at him, her head to the side her brow furrowed.

At first she didn't reply and he made no move to push it any further.

"You cant. You cant promise me that," she finally told him, shaking her head, eyes closed.

"The hell I cant—"

"Stop," she cut him short, placing her fingers onto his lips. "This isn't you're problem, I'll deal with it on my own."

She moved her hand and Naruto spoke in a low murmur, "Tell me who at least."

"Not here. When we get back," she promised in the same whisper.

He kept his head down, indecisive, but decided that was the best he would get from her for now. "Okay! Lets hurry and catch up to Shikamaru!"

Sakura smiled, glad that he wasn't pushing it any further, "Okay," she agreed climbing onto his back.

"Hey, you're not going to puke or anything, are you?"

"I'll try not to, but I shall make you no promises."

"Great," he said sarcastically.

He hopped up, pushing forward off of the branch he landed on.

"Sooo, why were you and Shikamaru our here for?" she asked conversationally.

"We were on our way to sand to deliver a message when we heard something in your direction."

"Oh! But that means that me and Sasuke are stopping you from completing your mission!"

"Don't worry about it. You two are way more important."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled anyways.

"Hey, the Kazakage will understand," he assured her with a grin.

"I suppose," she agreed with a half smile.

They were silent for a while, looking out for Shikamaru. And after about another half hour they finally caught up to him.

"Stop bouncing so much," Sakura whined.

"Don't be a baby Sakura-chan," he chuckled.

"Fine, its not like I'm the one that'll be covered in puke anyways," she snorted.

"What's her problem?" Shikamaru asked not really caring for the answer.

"She doesn't feel so good right now."

"Hm…I see. So about our mission…" Shikamaru's words faded away from Sakura's ears as she blocked everything out.

She gazed over at Sasuke in Shikamaru's arms. A tear slipped down her cheek and onto Naruto's shoulder. He looked back at her unnoticed, and continued his talking with Shikamaru.

She gripped Naruto's shirt tighter and squeezed her moist eyes shut, drifting off to a far away dreamland.


Sorry that its has taken me so long to update and stuff, i tried to make this chapter better then the last, so please let me know what you think, Thank you!