I don't own Naruto. On another note I apologies profusely for the lateness of this chapter and prostrate myself on the mercy of the kind-hearted reader begging forgiveness. On a side note this chapter was a big hairy bitch that refused to be written.

'Shit'

The word kept repeating itself in Sakura's mind. This was not good, this was not good at all. A little part of her mind was cackling madly and assuring her that Sasuke deserved this for being such a prick in times gone by but it was quickly hushed. An angry Sasuke was never a co-operative Sasuke, a furious Sasuke was never a careful Sasuke and a raging Sasuke meant a Naruto-beating Sasuke.

She quickly threw on some clothes and rushed out to meet Naruto who had been standing in the corridor. He grinned at her as she came out but the smile fell as he noticed her frantic expression. Grabbing her shoulder he made her look at him.

"Eh, what's up Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto, just be careful okay? Don't go near Sasuke... I..." Naruto's face scrunched up at this.

"Ahh, I know not to go near him when he's mad. What's crawled up his ass this time then?" He was pleased to see a slight smirk on Sakura's face.

"He read the letter" Stony and uncomfortable silence.

"He must have taken it out my bag or something I don't know but ..." She put her hand over her eyes and growled in frustration.

Naruto processed the information and if the situation hadn't been quite as serious he would have laughed his head off. Sasuke was consumed by the green-eyed monster and as far as he was concerned he deserved every minute. He mentally punched the air, one up on Sasuke!

After reassuring Sakura that Kakashi had gone to beat some of the anger out of Sasuke she seemed to calm down and they were now in a small restaurant in the heart of the town. Sakura looked over at her loud team-mate who was energetically describing what ramen was, how to make it and how much to bring him. When the slightly over-whelmed waitress left he settled back into his chair and smiled at her. She was suddenly caught by the amount of affection she held for him - he was her best friend and she had to make sure he knew that.

She reached across the table and grabbed his hand, he leant forward with a look of question.

"You're amazing Naruto, you truly are. I wouldn't be anywhere without you. I want you to know that you are my best friend and that I'm always here for you the way you have been for me. Thank you Naruto, thank you for everything" She spoke in a soft voice with her eyes locked with his.

Naruto swallowed thickly, his eyes damp. With a 'Sakura-chan' he launched himself across the table to capture her in a bone-crushing hug. When he released her they both grinned at each other. Best of friends.

Their moment of closeness was interrupted when a sulky Uchiha slammed down at the other side of the table followed by a tense Kakashi. Sakura and Naruto exchanged a look before both yeling 'YOU'RE LATE!' at their sensei in a moment of old-school antics. Kakashi smiled under his mask and even Sasuke managed a smirk thus breaking the tension.

The usual ritual of Sasuke and Naruto fighting for food eating dominance broke out. Sakura had reached over to pat Naruto on the back after he turned purple when she heard some people at the next booth discussing their plans. She signalled to the three men beside her to keep quiet so they could listen.

"... again, I told him that we wouldn't suceed if we rushed it, but no, we had to get him before those stupid ninja's arrived. And look where it's got us, nowhere and tight security around him"

"What can we do then? Make a distraction to get the ninja's away from him then strike? Or what?"

"I don't know, perhaps we could capture one, the pink-haired girl - she looks easy to take over"

The three men were torn between being angry at the dismissal of their team-mate and grinning at the thought of what Sakura was going to do to them.

"Right, keep an eye out for her, once we get her they'll have to let us have the mayor"

"She likes that shop, oh you know, the one that sells trinkets and other crap. Watch that place and grab her when she comes out"

"Right".

After this a woman and two men who had just been talking about them walked past them and out of the door, not noticing the anger radiating off the four ninja's.

The three young ninja's started plotting against their plotters. Naruto suggested an eleborate trap of clones and disguises, Sakura agreed in part saying they should let them capture a clone of her and hand over a clone of the mayor. Sasuke just said they should kill them, preferably right now.

Kakashi merely smiled to himself, he had a plan. Unfortunately, for his poor old body at least, the plan didn't include Sakura as he pointed out that she was in danger and accidents happen. He had to steel himself against the look of hurt in her eyes at once again being the weak one on the team. However he did manage to redeem himself slightly by saying that if they had their sights on Naruto or Sasuke they would have been in the same position as her.

Therefore Sakura was left roaming the halls of their accomodation bored stiff and more than ready to kick the shit out of some mayor-threatening lowlives.

Therefore when a carrier hawk tapping furiously at her window, carrying a message that she was unrgently required in Suna because Kankurou had managed to get himself poisoned again, appeared she jumped at the chance to be doing something useful.

And there was a good chance she'd run into her hot-tempered new beau. But that was only a fleeting thought. That kept re-appearing.

Anyway, once she'd located her boys, told them she was leaving, argued that she wasn't any use to them anyway, pried off a clinging Naruto and given Kakashi strict orders to only tell the Hokage that she'd gone to Suna to help out, she left.

Hmm, Gaara. Her mind refusing to leave that thought as she travelled.

Damn.

She had it bad.

NEXT TIME

Arriving in Suna, Gaara et Sakura flush/goodies.