An: I would like to thank those people that take the time to review as always. Also, I'm going to try to keep putting this story out at a bi-monthly schedule but will not make any promises. Furthermore, the poll Harem option in the poll is really beginning to pull away so I believe that is the direction I'll be heading. I thank everyone that has given me their input on the matter. In addition to the purely Naru/Saku fans of this story who may feel disappointed with that decision I'm working on a straight Naru/Saku one that I'll post after the wrap-up of the current Arc is settled. Again, thanks for all the reviews your humble author S. o. t. A.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I'm doing this for fun not profit

Chapter 10: Declaration

Sakura and Naruto were currently inside a cleaning supply room that they had found after sneaking aboard. It had been a day and a half since the ship had left the hidden base that had been located in the southern half of Kumo. Despite her wanting to talk to Naruto about what he had said about not being a part of each other's lives. She knew that in a storage closet on an enemy ship, was not the best place to hold such a conversation. However, due to how strained things were between them that meant outside of a few guesses as to where the fleet was heading, they really hadn't talked.

That was why she was surprised when Naruto suddenly blurted out, "Why do they always wear masks?"

"What?" she asked confused.

"I'm merely curious why the rank and file enemies of Konoha always seem to wear masks," Naruto said. "To me it seems monumentally stupid. I mean look at us. We were able to sneak aboard simply by looking like we belonged, which is a lot easier when nobody can recognize you because your forces standard uniform covers the face. If I ever start an evil organization, I'm going to make sure the uniforms don't cover the faces and that everyone knows each other by name."

Sakura laughed as quietly as she could. Glad that Naruto had said something as she really missed how he would often say or do things to lighten the mood. Although her good cheer faded somewhat as she remembered how she used to act, often blowing his efforts off even though a part of her would always secretly enjoy them. The time they had first met Kakashi came to mine when he had set up the eraser to fall on the Jounin's head. Although aloud she had scolded him when the eraser had bopped Kakashi she remembered complimenting Naruto in her head on what a perfect shot it had been.

Before her disposition darkened too much and not willing to let Naruto's efforts to lighten the mood go to waste this time she said, "You may have to include the masks or at the very least a cool helmet." She could tell Naruto was surprised by her playing along by the way he tilted his head at her. Continuing she said, "Masks may be how you get so many people to join. Maybe that was how Orochimaru got so many people to flock to his banner. By designing a uniform with a mask so everyone could feel they were cool shinobi like Kakashi –sensei." She finished her sentence by smiling up at him and was glad when she noticed that his shoulders were shaking indicating he was laughing.

As she watched him she really wished she had been more open about her feelings when she was younger, instead of hiding them in order to be perceived as cool by others. She really wished she had been more inclined to let Naruto know that she had appreciated him. As she was positive that once the mission was over, despite the light moment they were currently sharing that she would have a hard time convincing him of her sincerity. Pushing the thoughts of what was to come away she concentrated on enjoying the moment as she didn't know if there would be more in the future.

"Consider yourself on report Captain Needa," Yato said shutting off the communication to the carrier Vengeance.

"Is there a problem Admiral?" the captain of his flagship asked.

"There may be, Nagisa" he replied before giving the details, "Apparently before we left a pilot of Captain Needa's failed to return. Instead of informing me of this development he chose to ignore it. An hour ago he received a communiqué from Refueling Point Six telling him they found his pilot and he had apparently been killed."

The Admiral moved to the forward window staring out at his fleet. Coming up behind him Nagisa said, "Still it may not be anything worth worrying about sir they can't possibly know where we are heading."

"I wouldn't be so sure Captain," Yato said folding his hands behind his back while closing his eyes in thought, "The body was found in the same area that we had disposed of that patrol. What's worse is the bodies that we had hidden were uncovered."

"Yes that is a problem sir. But I'm afraid I still don't see how they would know our destination."

Instead of answering her Yato said, "Have each ship conduct a door to door search looking for stowaways. Keep it quiet. Do not use the speaker system I want my orders delivered to each ship in person."

"Sir…"

"If the patrol has found our base they may be aboard our ships hoping to find out where we are going to report to their masters. We cannot allow that to happen."

"I'll see to it personally Admiral," Nagisa said leaving the bridge to inform the security details as well as to send a glider to each of the ships to pass the Admirals orders on.

She was dreaming again and this time it was quite pleasant as it was just her and Naruto. The dream was also more vivid then most even possessing Naruto's scent. The dream was of what would possibly have been her life if she had said yes to any of Naruto's many requests for a date. Her mind kept spinning for her happy outcomes for the most part. There were still some sad points such as Sasuke's defection, the destruction of the Leaf, and many of the other crises the village had faced over the years. But through them all with Naruto by her side they never seemed as bleak as they had then.

Her dream was currently in the process of showing what would have happened had she simply said yes to Naruto's date request after he first came back with Jiraiya, instead of acting rather haughty with him. She imagined that had she simply recognized how important Naruto had become to her then, life would be rather different for her now. Although his date request had been to Ichiraku she knew she would have still had a good time. As that was what the dream had shown her before arriving to its current point of her and Naruto standing in front of her home. He was leaning in to give her a kiss but just as she was closing her eyes he said, "You have to wake up now Sakura?"

Realizing that her dream was ending and with a little control of it she said, "I don't want," after all in the real world she was on the verge of losing him forever.

But the next time she heard, "Sakura you have to get up," it was coming from the real Naruto as he gently shook her.

Opening her eyes and coming alert instantly she asked, "What is it?"

"I think they may suspect we are on the ship," Naruto said having already changed back into his normal attire. "They are keeping it under wraps, but there are groups of shinobi moving about the ship in a search pattern."

Seeing the mask that she had come to hate back in place she said, "What are you doing in your own clothes then?"

"They aren't going to just look at people in uniform and say okay you're cool, move along," Naruto said standing to move towards the door. "I want you to find a way off the ship. We've been at sea for at least three days the only place of interest to attack that far from Kumo is Kiri."

"Then we should sneak off together," Sakura said standing and moving to Naruto.

"Someone needs to make a ruckus to distract them and besides I plan to end the threat they represent right here," Naruto said about to open the door and leave her again and giving her the distinct impression that if he did he would follow through on his idea of leaving her behind forever.

Therefore she said, "No," which caused Naruto to turn to her.

"Sakura we don't have time to argue," Naruto said sternly.

"Then I suggest you don't argue," She replied, pulling her mask off, "I told you I will not let you just walk out on me. That's why you want to get rid of me. Even if I got off this boat it would take at least as long as it took to reach this point as it would to get back."

"Then head to Kiri we should be close and if there is a smaller craft it should be faster," Naruto said his voice raising in frustration, "Our duty is to warn our allies of the impending attack."

"That's right OUR duty," Sakura said, stressing our in her sentence. "But you're talking about staying behind to be a one man army. If that's your plan then I'm staying as well."

Naruto was about to argue more when the door suddenly burst open and a squad of Sky Ninja burst in having heard the raised voices. They focused on Sakura first seeing the familiar uniform but then one of them seeing the masked shinobi turn towards them said, "Fuck it's the Desert Fox."

Cursing that he had allowed a squad to sneak up on them due to his frustrations with Sakura's pig-headedness, Naruto moved before the men could bring their kunai launchers to bear. Grabbing the head shinobi he smashed the man's head on the bulkhead in the hall. When the other three with launchers turned to train their weapons on him Naruto used the dead man's body as a shield to absorb the kunai. Before Naruto could move towards them a kick delivered by Sakura caught one of the men in the side sending him flying into his two companions.

Sakura stared at him with a little smirk on her lips and before he could stop her. She ripped her Sky Country Uniform off to reveal she had put her own clothes on underneath it sometime during the past three days. Sakura could tell Naruto was annoyed that she had destroyed her means of blending in but the sound of something hitting the ground attracted his attention.

Naruto turned towards the sound and saw a mechanic who had dropped his wrench. Realizing he must look like quite the site still holding the dead Sky Ninja, he wasn't too surprised when the man took off running screaming about how there were intruders on board.

"Come on," Naruto shouted harshly as he threw the dead ninja to the side.

"Where are we going?"

"If we are going to make a stand we have to get outside of the ship," Naruto said taking the lead and concentrating on where the shinobi were as the alarms began blaring around them. "With those kunai launchers it's too dangerous to fight in an enclosed area."

"But if we fight outside they'll be able to launch those gliders," Sakura pointed out following behind him.

"I know, but I much rather have the room to maneuver. So we'll have to chance it," Naruto said torn between being annoyed with the girl or worrying for her safety.

"Sir, we have found the intruders. They are aboard the Revival," Nagisa said entering his cabin.

"Excellent work Captain," Yato said from his desk without bothering to look up from what he was working on. "Inform me when they are either dead or captured."

"It may not be that easy I'm afraid," his captain replied causing him to look up.

"Why?"

"One of the intruders is the mercenary Kyo," Nagisa answered the worry she felt evident in her voice. Getting up quickly, he made his way to his bridge. Grabbing a pair of binoculars he pointed them at the ship in question. Standing on the flight deck were two shinobi fighting against what appeared to be the entire crew of the Revival.

He had heard of Kyo having received a Bingo Book on people of interest within the Shinobi Alliance Forces. Kyo was an S-ranked Shinobi and the book recommended fleeing on sight. As far as he knew only one of the Akatsuki would be capable of fighting against him. He may pose a challenge, but Yato doubted even he could best the mercenary. Coming to the sad conclusion that the Revival was lost he ordered, "Captain have all ships prepare to fire on the Revival."

"Sir?"

"We either sacrifice the one ship or the entire fleet Captain," Yato said sternly. "Also launch several bombers to mop up what's left as well."

"Yes Sir," she said after a moment. Yato knew that his decision may have cost him some standing among his men, but measured against the success of the coming battle knew it was a small price to pay.

Sakura couldn't believe how strong Naruto had become. It was almost like watching what Pain had been able to do against Konoha as many of the Sky Shinobi barely slowed him done. One or two managed to survive at least a few minutes against him but Naruto was truly in a league of his own now.

Ducking under a punch thrown by a muscular man she raised up delivering an uppercut that knocked him out of his shinobi sandals and over the side of the ship. All in all she was surprised at how well they were doing or more to the point how she was. While the bulk of the forces they faced concentrated on Naruto enough came after her to pose a threat.

After escaping the storage room the pair had attempted to find a path outside but had run into the bridge of the ship instead. Naruto had made short work of the captain while she handled the crew. After clearing the bridge of enemies Sakura had found a map of the area they were in quickly memorizing it and realized that due to the path they were taking the fleet would arrive in Kiri in four more days. Whoever the new leader of Sky Country was, she reasoned he was cautious.

Before she could inform Naruto of her discovery several Kunai launchers from outside opened up on the bridge. But these Kunai also carried exploding tags wrapped around their handles. Forced to jump through the glass of the bridge she had landed among the enemy shinobi and had been fighting since.

She side kicked another shinobi away from her and sensed another attacker coming up from behind. Turning she saw a shinobi holding a large wrench about to bring it down on her skull. Raising her arms she knew that she was too late and that the blow to her skull would probably be fatal. However she was saved when Naruto landed behind the man taking the wrench from him. The man turned to see who had grabbed it and barely had time to register the danger before Naruto gave it back in the form of burying it in his head. Kicking the body into several of his advancing colleagues Naruto said, "I bet you wish you had followed my plan now, don't you?"

"No," Sakura said, "If I did die here I would want it to be at your side."

Naruto actually did a double take, but whatever he may have said was swallowed when an explosion went off on the deck. "What!" he exclaimed only to see several puffs of smoke coming from the enemy ships before a whistling sound indicated they had incoming. Both of them quickly moved avoiding the explosions as they went off.

"Those bastards are actually shooting at their own people," Naruto said the anger evident in his voice as they ran alongside the edge of the ship.

"You shouldn't be surprised," Sakura said, "Don't forget that Shinno wiped out a few of his own ships just to test the cannon on that flying fortress they raised. More importantly what are we going to do?"

"The biggest ship is probably the one the commander is on," Naruto replied, "I doubt he will order his men to shoot at him."

Spotting the ship he was talking about Sakura said, "That's a lot of ground to cover by running over the water."

"If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing," Naruto replied from several steps in front of her. His voice gave her the impression that he was smiling beneath his mask. Sakura truly hoped that it was a sign that things were healing between them and not just the flashes of the old Naruto that she would get from time to time that seemed to be merely for the sake of the mission. She was about to tell him she was ready when an explosion went off right in front of them.

Blown off her feet, Sakura looked around for where Naruto was but only saw a wrecked piece of the ship where he had been. "No…" she thought panicking afraid that Naruto had been taken again just like that, "Oh, Kami please no." Oblivious to the other explosions going off around her as she scrambled to the spot where Naruto had been she saw that the portion of the ship had been blown off and was sinking into the ocean. Without thinking Sakura dived off, positive that he was in the water. Sure enough she caught sight of him as he slipped deeper into the ocean depths apparently unconscious.

Catching up with his descending form she grabbed a hold of him and pulled him to the surface. Once she did so, she pulled Naruto up wrapping her arms around his chest letting him rest against her to keep his head above water breathing a sigh of relief as he was still breathing. A shadow passed overhead showing one of the bombers of the Sky Country forces which hovered above the center of the ship before emitting a large blast that destroying what was left of the ship. The resulting waves also pushed Sakura and the unconscious Naruto a good distance away. But, it became apparent that the man in charge wasn't taking any chances as he launched several squads of gliders to search the area.

Sakura henged Naruto and her into a floating piece of debris as the gliders circled overhead. Eventually the gliders landed and the survivors of the sunken ship were picked up before the fleet began moving again.

Sakura didn't know what to do as she watched the remains of the ship they had stowed away on burn. A part of her wanted to surrender so Naruto could be looked at as she was worried that he was suffering a concussion or worse. But if the man in charge had been willing to kill his own people she didn't doubt that he wouldn't hesitate to kill the pair of them. Once the fleet was out of sight she released the henge worried that she had postponed their immediate deaths for a more slow and arduous one. After an hour in the water and Naruto not showing any signs of waking up a sight that made Sakura's heart pick up passed overhead as a flock of birds flew by.

Rising above the surface she ran across the water following the birds confident that at the very least the birds were heading in the direction of land. She didn't know how long she was running for but eventually began to feel the strain of the chakra she was expelling. As she reached her limits she finally spotted what appeared to be land in the distance. Racing to it she was reaching the first stage of Chakra Exhaustion but wouldn't stop until Naruto was safely on land. As the speck of land grew closer Sakura could see that it was an island. Entering the shallow water of a lagoon she couldn't maintain her chakra enough to stay above the surface so had to trudge the final few feet to the sandy beach.

Once firmly on land Sakura sunk to her knees letting Naruto off of her back as gently as possible. She took a moment to look at him quickly running a scan with what little chakra she had left. Confident the fox was already healing him she stared at him hating the mask that covered his face. A part of her wanted to take it and throw it into the ocean, but resisted as she was too tired and it would mean so much more if he removed it himself. No longer able to fight off her exhaustion she placed her head on his chest and was quickly claimed by sleep.

Tayuya crashed into a tree hard enough to cough up blood. Sliding down it she got back to her feet and was surprised to see that Konan appeared distracted. Not willing to waste an opportunity she charged the woman who dodged her punch at the last second, grabbing her arm and then with a kick to her shin flipped her onto her back.

"Fuck…" Tayuya moaned staring up at the woman who again was staring off into space. Wondering what was bothering her Tayuya asked, "What is it?"

"Kyo may be in trouble," Konan said prompting Tayuya to sit up quickly despite the pain she was in.

"What? How do you know that?"

"I gave Kyo a special piece of paper that allows me to track him in order to get in touch with him when need be," Konan answered, "That paper has been either soaked or destroyed rendering me unable to tell where he is?"

"Well if it is only wet, won't your ability to track him return?" Tayuya asked her concern evident in her voice and face.

"No, which is what worries me as I gave it to him covered in lament. For it to be destroyed would mean…"

"Let's go," Tayuya said cutting in and standing giving a small wince as she did so.

"First go see the doctor," Konan said holding her hand up in order to stall Tayuya's inevitable protest. "You will only slow us down in your present condition. I will inform the Hokage of this development before we leave."

"This better not be a fucking trick to leave without me," Tayuya said sending Konan a glare of warning.

"Do not worry," Konan replied hardly intimidated, "I know that you care for him and will meet you here in an hour."

Tayuya agreed running off towards the hospital to have the ribs she bruised healed before leaving. Arriving at the hospital Tayuya was met with a variety of stares. The few that knew of her past allegiance to Sound looked at her with mistrust, but it was the women that were after Kyo that sent her the darkest glares. Those didn't even faze her as she went to the head nurse on duty to ask for a doctor.

Sitting in the lobby she watched two nurses obviously civilians since qualified medical shinobi were always in short supply talking about her. Unaware of her excellent hearing she listened as one of them said, "It's that bitch that thinks she has dibs on Kyo."

"Forget about her," the other one said, "I heard Sakura is alone with him on a mission."

"What! That's where she has been for the past few days? I thought she had returned to her home village."

"Afraid not."

The first nurse said, "Is she even a part of the bet?"

"No," the second nurse said. Causing the first to breathe a sigh of release which prompted the second nurse to say cautiously, "I wouldn't be so sure that doesn't make her a threat. I've seen the way she looked at him when he dropped his partner off after training. She wants him of that I'm sure."

"Crap, it's not fair," the first nurse said holding her cheeks as she added, "I want to be alone with him on a mission. Using him to keep me warm at night."

Tayuya stopped listening after that her fear that Kyo was dead mixing with the information the two gossiping nurses had supplied her with. In truth she had noticed the pink haired girl had stared at them forlornly whenever Kyo's training had forced Tayuya to visit the hospital. But when Sakura's eyes would land on her they would change. They would give off a desire to be in her place and a sadness that she wasn't.

Did Kyo and Sakura have a past? Was that why he often refused to stay in the hospital with her as she waited for treatment? As Tayuya pondered this she realized that she didn't really know anything about Kyo. However, if he and Sakura did share a history together maybe she could uncover his through her. Deciding she would look into the pink haired girl's background she got up to go brow beat the two chatting nurses into fetching a doctor for her. After all if they had time to talk they had time to work and she was running against the clock in more ways than one.

Naruto awoke slowly to the feeling of warmth on one side and his lower half feeling cold and wet. Opening his eyes he blinked the sun out of them and turned to the warmth he felt seeing an unconscious Sakura laying on him. Another wave hit him making him realize that where ever he was the tide was coming in. Gently moving Sakura who moaned a little at being disturbed he stood painful aware that he had survived almost being blown to kingdom come.

Staring down at Sakura he noticed that her pale skin was beginning to turn red due to her exposure to the sun. Picking her up he wondered where in the hell they were when he noticed a column of smoke in the distance. For a moment he wondered what it was before he realized that it was likely the ship that they had been on. Judging by the distance it must have been at least thirty miles away. Also due to the position of the sun Naruto guessed he had been unconscious for close to three hours. That meant Sakura had probably run the entire way carrying him on her back over the water. A difficult run for him considering the chakra drain, a damn near impossible one he would have imagined for her.

Staring down at her in amazement at what she had done and fear she had pushed herself too hard, he took her to the nearby shade that the trees of the island provided. Reaching into the pack he wore on his side he cursed as he felt the hole that meant he had lost all his gear. But had to admit he was still rather lucky as a few inches in the other direction and he'd be busy regrowing a liver.

Hoping Sakura's kit was more intact he pulled it off and found an assortment of medicines he had no idea that did what. However he did recognize the food pill, and idly wondered if it was one of the horrible ones she made herself. The memory of her bringing them to him while he trained to learn to master his wind element appeared before him causing a smile to appear. But it quickly faded as the elation the memory used to bring to him faded with the realization she only did it to help his training in order to bring back Sasuke.

That was ultimately what he came to believe about a lot of what had happened after his return to Konoha with Jiraiya. Which was, while she had come to like and appreciate him, a miracle in itself considering her earlier opinion of him, she only had eyes for Sasuke. Placing the ball in her mouth he helped her chew and swallow it. He allowed a small smile to grace his face as she made a face at the horrible taste of it, before standing and moving back down to the beach. Creating a hundred clones he had ten stay on the island to search it for signs of life, fresh water and other basic needs, while the rest began running out over the water searching for the main land hoping with his chakra reserves he could make it. Or at the very least get a good idea of where to head should they need to make a raft as being trapped on an island was the last thing he wanted, even if it was with the woman he had long dreamed of being with.

"Are you sure it was Kyo?" Madara said having appeared in Yato's office to check on his progress.

"As sure as I can be about any man who wears a mask being who he says he is," Yato said pointedly to the masked leader of Akatsuki. "But he certainly fought like an S-class Shinobi and I had to sink one of my own ships to kill him."

"What makes you so sure he's dead?"

"We searched the area and didn't find any sign of him or his accomplice. So either they went down with the ship or they hide themselves. But another search of the ships found nothing so he is either dead or stranded in the middle of the ocean," Yato replied walking to his liquor cabinet. "In the end losing a ship was a small price to pay to kill a man that has given your forces so much trouble."

"That's what worries me," Madara replied before clarifying, "He's been thought dead or cornered before and he always turns up."

"Well even if that were to happen it should be too late to do anything about our attack on Kiri," Yato said, "I trust our reinforcements are on their way."

"As agreed," Madara said adding with a little levity, "You almost sound like you don't trust me."

"Perish the thought," Yato said, "I trust you enough to know that you need a second front opened badly if you are going to be able to strike into Fire or Wind Country territory. It would not be in your best interests to betray us. But I also know that you do not have a particular strong sense of loyalty and see all of us as pawns in your game."

"And yet you joined me," Madara said crossing his arms as he leaned against a wall.

"Of course," Yato said, "Understanding that about you means I can make the best choices that align our desires for a shared outcome. You want a second front in your war. I want a homeland for my people. You want Konoha in ruins as do I. The trick is making sure I don't become an expendable part of your plan."

"Fair enough," Madara said inclining his head in agreement, "I can expect the attack to begin in four more days correct."

"Three," Yato corrected, "I have increased our speed to put as much distance between us and the Revival as possible in case someone comes to investigate."

"To the destruction of Kiri," Madara said before disappearing from the room.

"Indeed," Yato said clicking his glass and the one he had poured for Madara together before downing them both.

Sakura awoke to the surprising smell of fish cooking. She kept her eyes closed though still too tired to open them and tried to ignore the taste of something awful in her mouth. After a moment of guessing she blushed in sad recognition that it was her food pill.

"Are you awake, Sakura?" Naruto asked, and for a moment she considered pretending to still be asleep but figured that he already knew.

"Yes…" she answered weakly still too tired to even open her eyes, and was surprised when she felt Naruto cradle her head to lift it up.

She felt a bowl pressed against her lips, and Naruto said, "Here drink this it'll make you feel better."

Carefully she complied and drank what turned out to be a broth made from some of the fish Naruto had caught and held in half of a coconut shell. Feeling slightly better she opened her eyes only to be greeted by the mask that she hated instead of the warm eyes of Naruto.

Naruto helped her sit up and she asked, "How long was I out?"

"A day and a half," Naruto answered returning to the fire pit to pull the fish he had cooking on a stick from the fire.

Hearing that Sakura stared at her surroundings in surprise as she was sitting in a cabin almost as big as the one Yamato would make and almost as nicely furnished. But before commenting on her surrounding she said, "We have to get…"

"Relax Sakura," Naruto replied bringing her one of the fish, "I already summoned Gamakichi he'll pass the word on to a messenger frog and they'll get the word to Kakashi or Konan."

"Oh…" Sakura said taking the fish tearing into it ravishingly. Making short work of it she said, "Where did all this come from."

"I may not have Yamato's Kekkei Genkai," Naruto said lightly, "but I have the next best thing." Before Sakura could ask a clone came in saying, "I brought more fish like you wanted," before dispelling.

Sakura smiled at that, guessing that with his own workforce handy he could easily match what Yamato was capable of. "I take it we'll be here for a while then," Sakura said her stomach growled as she smelled the new fish cooking.

"Not if I can help it," Naruto said in a way that made Sakura grimace.

"I shouldn't be surprised," she thought sadly, "the mission is for the most part over and he wants to get away from me as soon as possible." Following along that line of thought she said, "Why don't you have the toads reverse summon you Natuto? I'll be fine now."

Naruto turned towards her from the fire saying, "Sakura, I'm not trash that would abandon a comrade. If they reverse summon me to the mountain and I leave it they won't be able to send me back here. Wherever here is?"

"Comrade," Sakura thought despondently, "not friend."

"Don't worry Pa is working on a way to summon the pair of us but it may take some time," Naruto said not unkindly.

"Sure," Sakura said the melancholy she felt evident in her voice.

Naruto picked up on her mood but chose to ignore it. Simply keeping his attention on the cooking fish the hut filled with an oppressive silence. Naruto handed her the fish once they were done before saying, "I'll be back. Get some rest." Before he made it through the door he stopped and said, "Thanks for saving my life Sakura."

Naruto then headed outside before Sakura could really respond and found a nice quiet place to sit. As he watched the sun set on his first full day on the island he remembered the talk he had with Fuksaku.

"Well Naruto-boy it seems you have gotten yourself in another fine mess," the elder toad had said in good humor having been summoned along with Gamakichi.

"What can you do about it?" Naruto asked hoping Fuksaku would have a way off the island before Sakura woke up.

"Well that's simple just have her sign the toad…"

"No," Naruto said quickly causing the toad to stare at him in confusion.

"Naruto-boy we could have you back in a matter of days if she signs the contract," Fuksaku said.

"I know but then…"

Sighing, the toad said, "I understand. I'll see what I can come up with."

"Thanks," Naruto said before the elder toad disappeared returning to his home.

The sun having set, Naruto finished the thought of what he hadn't been able to put into words to the old toad. "Then I'll never be free of her."

If Sakura signed the toad contract she would be able to summon him anywhere that she wanted and vice-versa. However that was the last thing he wanted at the moment. "How ironic," he thought as the sun sank beneath the horizon, "I created the Kyo persona to avoid being trapped on an island and yet I now find myself in that very situation with a woman that I would have loved to be with like this a year ago."

Turning from the horizon he saw the hut that he had built and wished he had gone through with his idea of making a second one, but he had wanted to keep an eye on Sakura's condition. Not to mention that may have made him out to be a bit too much of a jerk especially since he owed her his life. He looked out at the moon as it appeared losing himself in though until.

"Naruto…" came the timid whisper of Sakura.

Without looking at her, he replied, "You should be resting Sakura."

"I want to talk to you," she replied afraid to move closer.

"Look now really isn't the time…"

"Time seems to be all we have at the moment," she said a hint of challenge in her voice. "Last time I let you have your say. Please let me have mine."

Standing and turning to her he replied, "Fine, what is it Sakura."

"I…I love you," she said going for broke.

Unlike the previous time though there wasn't a moment of silence as Naruto absorbed what she said. Instead he scoffed turning from her and as he walked away said, "This again."

"Wait," Sakura shouted but he didn't stop so she ran in front of him placing her hands on his chest to prevent him from going forward. She could feel his body tense under her touch but pressed on. "Naruto I know I hurt you last time, but please believe me that I have come to truly love you."

"Sakura…"

"Naruto, you have to…"

"Save it Sakura, we've had this talk already," Naruto said.

"No we haven't," Sakura snapped her anger getting the better of her. "I admit when I confessed to loving you last year I wasn't being truthful." Shaking her head she said, "That isn't entirely correct as my feelings have been growing for you, but I was still blinded by my pursuit of Sasuke. But losing you…losing you opened my eyes Naruto. It opened my eyes to how important you've become to me, to how much I've come to need and admire you."

She tried to step in towards to lay her head on his chest but he stepped back. She stared up into the emotionless white mask tears entered her vision as he said, "It's too late Sakura. I've moved on."

He tried to walk around her but stopped when she said, "You haven't moved on, you're afraid."

He scoffed saying, "That's rather arrogant of you now isn't it." Turning back towards her he continued, "Is it truly that difficult to believe I could move on from you. I mean really, I could probably have any woman I want right now couldn't I?"

Feeling emboldened by what Konan had said as to why Naruto wanted to keep his distance she continued, "If you mean what you say then tell me that without the mask."

"Are you done Sakura?" Naruto countered avoiding her demand, "It will not change anything."

Sakura stepped towards him and he took a step back and since it appeared almost defensive she said, "You aren't willing to accept that what I feel for you has changed. Your new abilities allow you to sense moods and others shifts in emotion and you could easily tell if I was telling the truth but you won't why?"

"Why is it so hard for you to imagine I no longer have those kinds of feeling for you?" he said heatedly trying to regain some of the emotional ground he felt he had lost.

"Fine," Sakura said crossing her arms, "Do you or do you not love me?"

"I…it doesn't matter," Naruto said after attempting to say he didn't several times.

"I thought so," Sakura said, "Enter your Sage mode. Tell me I'm lying…"

"It doesn't matter," he replied cutting her off.

"Why? Why do you keep saying that?" she said her voice gaining an edge of anxiety.

Snapping he shouted, "Because he isn't fucking here Sakura."

Sakura took a step back having never had Naruto yell at her before. But she didn't consider it a bad thing if anything it was an improvement in their relationship. As Avaron had told her the best relationships were ones of give and take. Well between her and Naruto it had been decidedly one sided in the past with her taking and not giving anything in return. He needed to vent the frustrations that he had always kept buried before.

Naruto continued his rant saying, "Your right I can tell if you are lying, but so what? Whatever I read off you doesn't matter because Sasuke is not here." She tried to interject that Sasuke was in Konoha but he didn't allow it as he said, "The only time I've ever meant anything to you was when Sasuke was gone and all it took for you to possible betray Konoha and me was the opportunity to be with him. So what if he gave you that now huh? Would I hear how you didn't want to live with the regret of not being with him as you left me for him?"

Tears streaming from her eyes she pleaded, "You have to believe I didn't mean those words Naruto. I wanted to stop Sasuke, but I didn't have the willpower to see it through. You were in sage mode then can't you tell me…"

"Sakura it does…"

"Yes it does," she yelled, "It does matter, because I Love You."

Sakura could sense that he wanted to believe her but they both needed time to cool down some and to think. "I know that you have ample reason to doubt me Naruto," she said softly. Her gaze sought out his and with all the feeling that she had come to possess for the blonde said, "But even if it takes me the rest of my life I'm going to prove to you that I love you and that if you would only give me a chance we can be happy together."

Naruto didn't say anything in reply so she walked back to the hut. After several hours she finally gave up on him coming back to talk to her and attempted to get some sleep which proved elusive. An hour later he entered sleeping on the opposite side of the hut. When she felt confident he was asleep she turned to look at him only to see that he was sleeping with the mask on. Fearing that her words had failed to reach him she drifted off to sleep hoping to find a way to prove her love for him in the near future.

"Admiral, we are in position. We are ready to launch the fighters and are waiting for your order" Captain Nagisa informed Yato.

"Good, remember this day Captain as the day Sky Country took its place among the giants. Consider the order given."

A smile appeared on Nagisa's face as she walked to the speaker box passing the order along. Within moments the gliders began to launch. The first to take off circled above until all the fighters had launched. Once they had formed up into their squads the gliders began flying in the direction of Kirigakure. Moments later the front of the larger ships opened to allow the bombers to get out of their hangers following behind the gliders

They passed over the rice field of a village on their way to Kiri and while most of the villagers looked up wondering what was going on two of them did not. "So it looks like you were right," the woman said her sandy blonde hair covered by a bandana farmers wore when working.

"You don't have to sound so surprise, besides the message Kakashi sent all but confirmed it" her partner said lighting a cigarette as he used the walkie talkie he wore to inform Kiri they had guests inbound. When she glared at him for his habit he smugly replied, "I think I deserve it, don't you?"

Watching the last of the gliders fly overhead she said, "In any case I wish I could see their faces when they see what we have in store for them."

"Not me," Shikamaru said causing Temari to ask, "To troublesome?"

"No, simply forgot to bring an umbrella."

As the village of Kirigakure came into view the flight leader gave the sign for all wings to prepare to attack allowing a predatory smile to cross his face. The ground pounders below wouldn't even know what hit them. As more of the village came into detail he hoped that Yato would chose a new site for his proposed Village Hidden by the Birds as the mist that covered the village seemed to be too depressing. As only the tops of many of the building could be seen.

The flight wings were almost to the point where they would begin swooping in when something began raising from the center of the village. Focusing on it, the flight leader wondered what was giving the round sand-colored ball the ability to float.

A squad leader gave him a hand-sign asking what it was they were seeing. He signed back, "A balloon perhaps?"

But it was no balloon as the ball began to open like a flower to reveal the Kazekage standing atop a platform of sand in front of the incoming gliders. The flight leader didn't even have time to warn his men of the danger before Gaara raised his hand and the sand that had been covering him moments before lashed out hitting the glider on the flight leader's back before moving on to do the same to more of his pilots. Right before the flight leader hit the ground he really wished he had begun working on the idea he would have called a parachute.

As Gaara crushed, destroyed, and killed the pilots of the incoming flights. Sai raised out of the mist to lend a hand since most of the gliders were targeting the Kazekage. Passing one, he cut the wing off with his tanto causing it to crash into the mountains that surrounded the village on all sides. He had the ink bird he was riding bank hard to the left to avoid several incoming Kunai from a glider above him before rising to meet the new threat.

A glider passed through a small cloud of insects that had seemed to appear out of nowhere. At first he wasn't worried as it happened from time to time. But, as the bugs began eating the chakra that powered the glider and even some of the wings he began to panic. Of course by then it was too late as the glider broke apart sending him screaming to his death. Shino watched impassively before directing his swarm to a new target.

Mei Terumii stepped onto the top of the Mizukage Mansion flanked by her bodyguards and E, the supreme commander. As the gliders were destroyed by the combined efforts of the alliance the Mizukage said, "That strategist of yours is proving to be worth his weight in gold."

"More," E said crossing his arms in front of his chest, "I'm glad that Temari brought his concerns to the Kazekage as I didn't really consider it to be as big a threat as Shikamaru did."

"Yes, it thankfully Gaara was willing to come personally otherwise I don't think we would be doing this well." Taking aim Mei fired a glob of lava at a glider that hit the pilot in the chest burning a hole through him before asking, "How did you come to learn that Sky Country was going to attack us?"

"Shikamaru became convinced that Madara wanted to attack Kiri to open up a front in the war. That was why he was all set to send forces here, but we only learned that the attackers were Sky Country because of the mercenary. Apparently he got a message off to Kakashi somehow despite going missing," E answered.

"Any word from him since?" Mei asked staring at a line of the incoming bombers.

"Negative," E replied watching as the bombers took up a holding position, obviously surprised the gliders were facing such heavy resistance. A moment later one of the bomber sent up a flare which E guessed was the signal to retreat so said, "But Konan and that red-headed ex-prisoner have gone in search of where they were before disappearing."

"Yes sir, it's the Kazekage I'm sure of it," the special bomber equipped with a powerful radio reported to Yato. "He's swatting our gliders out of the air like they are flies."

"Dammit," Yato swore, before asking no one in particular, "How the hell did they know we were coming?" Calming the leader of Sky Country said, "Send up the flare and return to base."

"Sir…" Nagisa was about to say yet stopped when Yato cut in saying, "I know Captain, but the Kazekage isn't at a disadvantage in the air, and apparently losing his tailed-beast hasn't weakened him any." Speaking into the speaker box he ordered the crew chief, "Prepare squadrons twelve through fifteen and prepare the landing craft we'll set up a beachhead on the far side of the island."

Refueling Point Six had been quiet since they had found the body of the dead pilot. The commander in charge preferred it and truly hated all the activity that the fleet's arriving always seemed to generate. He was sitting in his office listening to a record of his favorite classical composer stirring a cup of tea when the first explosion went off. Naturally the tea ended up in his lap but the pain was forgotten as a shrill noise began and then the wall to his office exploded inwards revealing a woman wearing a bandanna that covered her red-hair and was holding a flute.

Hovering behind her was a woman with blue-hair and who had paper wings making her look like some holy angel. Of course she lost that estimate in his eyes when several of his shinobi appeared behind her and with a wave of her hand dozens of sheets paper came from her sleeve which folded into shuriken and buried themselves in his men.

The door to his office was kicked in as more men appeared throwing kunai but the red-head brought her flute back to her lips playing a melody which surrounded the girl in some sort of pink chakra bubble that deflected the thrown weapons before enlarging to blow the men off of their feet. The next melody she played targeted the men directly sending deadly sound waves at the men, which actually severed limbs and heads of whatever the pink blades hit.

He was just getting back to his feet when the red-head grabbed him and slammed the commander into his wall shouting, "Where is he?"

"W-w-who?"

"Don't fucking play games with me you asshole?"

The angel landed next to her placing a hand on the red-head's shoulder before saying, "Tayuya perhaps it would be better if I ask the questions."

Tayuya glared at the commander a few more moments before burying her fist in his stomach letting him sink to the floor. Paper began covering him as he gasped which eventually covered his mouth and nose. Staring down at the man Konan said, "The mercenary Kyo was here in the company of a pink-haired medic. Where is he?"

Removing the paper she received, "I'll never talk," this prompted Tayuya to close with the wrapped man but she was stopped by Konan. Covering the man's airways again she said, "I don't think you realize your situation. This is us being easy on you. If it were up to my associate here, we would currently be cutting little pieces off of you."

"Real fucking little. It'd take days for you to die asshole," Tayuya said menacingly.

The commander turning blue began squirming and murmuring something so Konan released the paper. Gasping for breath the man said finally, "He's dead."

"The fuck you say," Tayuya snapped about to stomp on the man but was again stopped by Konan who asked for him to clarify.

"Yato sent that fucker to the bottom of the sea," the commander replied with a sinister smile.

This time Konan didn't stop Tayuya as she brought her heel down on the man's face. Although Tayuya did so several more times she didn't kill him as Samui would be upset since she would undoubtedly want to interrogate the man. As the Kumo shinobi that had been sent to help Konan and Tayuya take the base carted the man off Tayuya said emotion cracking her voice, "He's fucking lying right?"

But it was Samui herself who answered having led the shinobi in the attack, "He at least believes what he is saying is the truth. However Kyo is still alive as he warned the Hokage that Sky Country was going to attack Kiri."

"How? And why the Hokage but not us?" Tayuya asked her feelings hurt by being kept in the dark.

"I don't know," Samui answered.

"Hey doesn't this fucking bother you Konan," Tayuya asked the stoic woman.

"Not particularly," Konan said having a good idea why he didn't tell her. After all there was currently only one person who could summon toads and she was pretty sure that was how he got his message out. Turning to the red-head she tried to soothe her hurt feelings, "Perhaps Kyo only had one chance to communicate his message and wanted to deliver it to where it could do the most good."

Although still not happy Tayuya nodded before saying, "Did he say where he is?"

"I'm afraid not," Samui said, "Also we have been ordered by the Hokage to keep his survival quiet as we believe he may be trapped in enemy territory."

Both women nodded before Konan asked, "What of Kiri? The attack should have started by now."

"We haven't received any word," Samui said.

"Very well," Konan said before telling Tayuya to follow her leaving Samui to the clean up.

Walking up beside the blue haired woman Tayuya asked, "Now we go find him right?"

"No, we'll head to Kiri," Konan could tell Tayuya was about to argue but quickly cut her off saying, "Trust me, if Kyo is still alive he'll turn up there before too long."

Tayuya nodded although her face showed she still would prefer to take a more proactive means of locating the missing mercenary especially since wherever he was he was most likely trapped there with a woman who wanted nothing more than to be with him.