Mona's eyes opened as the sound of footsteps rung in the halls. Where they Sakura and Cheero's? No…There were a few more then two pairs of feet. The small ninja sat up from lying next to the sleeping blond and looked down the hall. She saw no one coming, but she could hear them. "Kakashi?" She called slightly loud. She didn't want to wake any of the men that slept near. Then she saw shadows dancing on the wall, as someone made their way around the bend in the hall. Then Mona sighed in relief. It was Kakashi and Tsunade. But they weren't alone. A few ANBU; to watch over the Hokage and a few medic ninja to help; just in case something went wrong.

When Tsunade arrived, she knelt down beside Naruto and set a hand on his forehead first thing. As she did this, Gobi had woken up and gave out his own sigh of relief. As soon as she was finished with that, she and the medic ninja started working together to heal his wound. "How long has he been like this?" The blond asked soon after.

"About 30 or 35 minutes…" Mona answered as she watched the healers work their magic. Tsunade gave her a nod and glanced over to the masked ninja.

"Where is Sakura at the moment?" She asked. "Do you have any idea?" Kakashi shook his head and knelt down. "Damn..." She then muttered. She then looked at Gobi. "What direction did she go in?" The blond asked; a little annoyed now.

"The direction in which you came my lady." Gobi answered as he pointed in the very direction. Tsunade's eyes slightly widened and she looked over her shoulder. The ANBU where standing right behind her and seemed to lose their attention to her. The look she gave them was almost like a mental order. Half of them nodded, turned around and started running through the halls in search of the pink haired woman she called a student.

"I'll go too!" Mona yelped as she stood up. Then she looked at Gobi. "Come on Gobi-kun! Let's go help!" The man nodded and stood up as well. Then before anything else was said, the two former rain ninja were gone. They ran through the halls and soon caught up with the ANBU. "That's weird…ANBU are really fast…how come we caught up?" Mona muttered in confusion.

Then her question was answered. The ANBU were standing near a person leaning against a wall. There was blood all over their white robe and they looked awfully fatigued. It was Sakura…or more like Talaya. Mona jogged over and got a better look at the pinkette. She wasn't wounded but she was growling at the ANBU; practically telling them to back off. Then her green eyes looked at the small girl and the growling stopped.

"Is he still alive?" Sakura asked with narrow eyes. Mona slightly nodded and the older woman grabbed herself by the head with her free hand. "He's still alive!!" She screamed at the Sakura within her head; making everyone slightly back up. "Stop yelling at me!! I'm trying to leave!" She then yelped as she held the vile up with the other hand.

"Wait! Where's my Sister?!"

Sakura let go of her head and looked at the small girl. "I have no clue…" She answered. "She just disappeared. But from the wounds I gave her…" She trailed off and looked at the wall in front of her. "She's going to die from loss of blood within this day…." The pinkette then said. Mona nodded slowly and looked at the ground for a moment. Then she looked at the ANBU next to her and tugged on his arm.

"Can you search for her body please?" The 11 year old asked. "She has pink hair just like Sakura…maybe if you find a blood trail, it will be easier." The ANBU nodded and he and the others ran off to search. "Talaya…are you really going to leave?" She then asked as he looked at the pinkette again.

Sakura nodded and looked at the vile. "Your sister was stupid…she had no idea that a God and Goddess have minds of their own. Even if she did, she didn't show it. I finally came to realize how much pain she caused with these two young adults…The woman has a strong will and she's been yelling and cursing at me within my head this whole time. And…what the boy said to me earlier…" She trailed off to think about what he had said.

"I'd kill myself for her!" He had said. "I'd do anything for her! Even if it meant taking my life! I love her, and I want to be with her forever! But 'you' are getting in the way!" She remembered him jabbing his finger in her chest with angry blue eyes. "If 'you' hadn't of come along! If Cheero hadn't of come along! Sakura and I would be happily engaged and cuddling in bed right now!"

The pinkette shut her eyes for a moment, and then when she reopened them she took the cork out of the vile. "I'm going to leave; I'm not sure what will happen, but its better then nothing." She told the young girl. Mona nodded, and before anything else was said, she took a drink. Then after gulping it all down, the vile dropped to the ground and shattered; making the shinobi standing near step back.

The pinkette slid to the ground and stared at the bloody and floor before her. Her eyes were wide with shock. This told Mona and Gobi that Sakura had returned. "Wha-what happened?" She asked in a panic as she looked around. Apparently this time she didn't remember anything. "Why is there so much blood?!"

"Calm down Sakura." Gobi muttered as he set a hand on her shoulder. "Everything is going to be fine, we'll be leaving as soon as Naruto is healed—"

"Healed?!" Sakura yelped as she stood up. "Did I hurt him again?! Is he ok?! I did hurt him didn't I?!" The pinkette started weeping as she sat back down on the ground to cry in her hands. Gobi shook his head and grabbed one of her arms to pull her back up.

"You didn't hurt him…" He lied. He didn't want her to break down so a lie was all he could do at the moment. "It was Cheero….And Tsunade is with him right now healing him." He then told her; once again lying.

Sakura nodded and he started to lead her down the hallway back to where Naruto and the others were. When they arrived; everyone looked, except for Naruto of course. As soon as the pinkette caught a glimpse of the blond she rushed over immediately. Sakura fell to her knees and cupped the boys face as tears fell down her blood stained cheeks. His hand print still there. Some of the tears dripped down on his face, but no change in his look was made. "Naruto…I'm here for you…." She muttered. "Don't give up…come back to me now…open your eyes please…"

Nothing happened. He kept his eyes shut and Tsunade set a hand on her shoulder in sadness. "I'm sorry to say Sakura…" She said. Sakura knew exactly what she was going to say next. This wasn't happening…he can't be…. "He died on us just a few moments ago…" Tsunade then said. Sakura's heart stopped. Then she threw herself onto his chest and wept.

"Allow me…"

Everyone looked up and saw a woman with very long brown hair. She was dressed in a traditional Arabic robe and was smiling sweetly to them all. "Who…are you?" Sakura asked as she gripped Naruto's jacket.

"It's nice to see you in person Sakura. And it's nice to see you when you're not screaming and yelling at me." The woman said as she walked over. Then she knelt down on the other side of the blond and set a hand over Sakura's. "I'm Talaya; Arabic Goddess of rain. And, since this is my doing; I shall fix it." She then said. Sakura gasped and shot a glare at Gobi. He was a liar, and she had just found him out.

Talaya smiled again and set a hand on Naruto's forehead. After this, Sakura pulled away from her beloved and watched the goddess reach over to his wound. Tsunade and the others were standing up now, but Sakura stayed put on the ground. The brunette goddess then shut her eyes and started mumbling Arabic words to herself. As each minute passed with the Arabic chanting, Sakura kept glancing over to her loved one. Nothing had changed, was what Takaya doing working? Or was this just some Chant first; result later thing….

Then the last of the chanting was finished and she opened her eyes. As soon as she did, she brought her hand up from his chest; bringing it along with her. Then his chest went back down and rose again. This was repeated, several times. He was breathing. "There…." Talaya said with a smile. "He's alive. He's now just asleep and will need some rest." They all nodded and she stood up.

"Now I must return to my sisters and father…" She muttered as she turned around to face them again. "I hope that one day, Naruto can forgive me for my actions…I'm not always so angry and rude…" She smiled and started to fade away. "I hope that you too Sakura…can forgive me."

"Of course I can…" Sakura said back. "You healed him…I can never be this forgiving." She gave the goddess a smile and received one back. Then Talaya was gone. The pinkette looked at Naruto and smiled. He was alive. They could be together again and things will go back to normal. But then out of nowhere she felt a pain in her chest. "Ow…what the hell…" She grabbed her chest and shut her eyes in pain as people knelt down beside her to see if she was ok. Then she wound up lying next to Naruto completely unconscious.

Sakura slowly opened her eyes and found herself in the hospital. She could tell by how the roof looked and the smell of the sheets and room. She felt something holding her hand and slowly looked down to see what it was. It was another hand…but who's? Her green eye's traveled up the arm and soon found the owner of the hand. It was Naruto. He was sitting in a chair next to her bed and had his eyes shut; like he was sleeping. He looked handsome…and perfectly healthy like nothing had happened to him.

Slowly sitting up, Sakura tried not to disturb her hand so he wouldn't wake. Then when she was sitting all the way up, she glanced around the room and saw that their where many flowers by her bed. She slightly giggled and looked at Naruto again. Most of them where from him. 'How sweet of him…' She then thought as she set her free hand on his. As soon as her fingers came in contact with his hand; his eyes slowly opened.

Naruto rubbed his left eye with his free hand and slightly yawned. Then when he noticed Sakura was looking at him with a smile; his hand went down and he threw himself onto her with a huge Naruto-like hug. "Sakura-Chan I'm so glad you're back to normal!" He said with tears of happiness. Then he let go of her and smiled his trade mark like smile. He then grabbed a glass of water and held it to her. "Thirsty?" He asked; almost in a suspicious tone.

"Oh…Thank you Naruto" Sakura muttered as she took the glass. As she took a drink, the blond's smile widened. Then when she took the glass away she looked at him and raised a brow. "What…" She finally asked after a few moments of staring at his smiling face.

"You didn't shriek in horror!" The blond said. "You're not hydrophobic anymore! That means every things normal now!!" He threw his arms in the air and fell back in the chair; but it fell as well and he came crashing down to the floor. Sakura couldn't help but laugh at him. "Alright! I'll go...um…get something for you to eat!" He yelped as he stood up. He picked the chair up and started for the door. "Be back in a bit!" Sakura was left with a confused look. Then she sighed.

'Please don't get ramen…'

After a good 10 minutes of staring at the Ichiraku ramen shop; trying to decide if he should get ramen or not, he finally decided to get the dang stuff. He got 2 orders for him; since he had eaten already and 1 order for her since she wasn't much of a ramen fan…but it was the only thing he could think off and he was kind of in a rush to be with her again. As he strolled down the streets he whistled a tune that cheered most people up when they were board. Then he saw Mona running straight for him. She looked frantic; like something had happened.

"Naruto-kun!" Mona yelped as she stopped in front of him. She took a few breaths and looked up to him. "I have sort of good news……and bad news….what do you want to hear first?" She asked.

"Sort of good first…"

"OK…Well…" She started as she stood up straight. "My sister's body was found and confirmed dead." She then told him. "The good part about it is that you and Sakura will have no more problem with her…but the bad part about it is that she's my sister…and I really miss her..."

"Hey…It's alright Mona…" Naruto muttered as he set a hand on her head. "She wasn't a very good sister anyway…" He then joked. They both laughed and then he remembered the bad news. "Oh…Tell me the bad news now." He then said.

"Sakura's missing!"

"What?!" Naruto yelped. "Why didn't you tell me that first!!" He then yelled as he dropped the ramen. Then he ran off to search for the pinkette leaving Mona with a confused look as well as Sakura did.

"But…You told me to tell you the good news first…."

Naruto searched almost all day. He looked in every ally of the village and even her apartment. Her mother clearly stated that she wasn't there and so he went to his apartment. No one but himself of course was there so he left to look elsewhere. He found his way over to Ino's place and asked her if she knew, but she had no idea she was even back.

Naruto landed on a water tower to take a breather. Where the hell was she? She was nowhere to be found. Mona appeared seconds later and got his attention. "Did you find her?" She asked. He shook his head and she sighed. "Me neither…I'll keep searching though…" The 11 year old then disappeared and left the blond alone.

The blonde looked around the village from where he stood and his eyes finally met the 4ths on the mountain. "Where is she dad…" He muttered. "Help me find her…give me a sign…something…" His blue eyes looked at Minato a little longer, until he noticed something. He smiled and shook his head. The last place he'd look…

The view of the village from up where she was was incredible. Sakura had been up on the monument once before; but it was a long time ago. She had forgotten how beautiful the village was under the sunset. After a moment of staring at the village she heard something behind her. Then footsteps slowly approaching. "Sorry Naruto…." She muttered as the blond sat down next to her. "I just needed to get out of there…."

"Nah…It's ok…" Naruto said as he looked at the village. "Kind of funny…." He then said. "I'm praying to my father to give me a sign where you are and you end up actually sitting above his head." Sakura giggled and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Sorry…again…" She said. He smiled and closed his eyes to enjoy the moment. Then after a long time he remembered seeing something in his apartment when he looked in there.

The engagement ring!

Naruto's eyes shot open and she politely pushed Sakura away before standing up. "Sorry Sakura-Chan…but I have to go get something!" He then said before disappearing. Sakura sighed and waited. He was probably going to go get the food…Ramen no doubt.

After what seemed like forever; the blonde reappeared and sat back down. Then he handed her the small box. With a raised brow she looked at it and opened it. Inside was a diamond ring. It wasn't too fancy…but it looked very nice. Her mouth opened to say something but she couldn't find the words.

"W-Will you marry me S-Sakura-Chan?"

Sakura nodded uncontrollably; unable to say anything. She smiled at the ring inside and took it out. Naruto chuckled slightly as she had trouble putting it on; from her shaking in excitement. Then when she had it on, she tackled him in a hug and kissed every inch of his whiskered cheek. He laughed as she did this. In a way…it tickled. "Haha! Sakura-Chan, that tickles! AH!"

They both lied on down in the dirt with their legs hanging over the mountains edge. The stars above them watched. And not only did the stars watch; but a certain brown haired goddess did. She was happy….that the two were able to be together forever…like Naruto wanted.

"Sakura-Chan! Stop doing that! It tickles!!"

END