AN/ I saw this idea on another fanfic. I'm going to disassemble Naruto Manga chapters 455 - 458 Where Sai tells Sakura that Naruto loves her. This will be told from Sai's stand point. I can hear your wheels turning, 'But, SaixSaku isn't canon!' You're right, they're not, but when I interpret Sai's motives, anything can happen. I will be using dialogue from the manga for the talking, but the introspective will be mostly my own. I, of course, do not own anything except a '98 Saturn.

Nervure

I watched the woman beat Naruto to a pulp for information. As I consider myself an elite ninja, hiding behind a tree and watching a person I consider to be a friend get the crap beat out of him doesn't bother me as much as you'd expect. That's not here or there, I need to help the moron. Racing out from my hiding place, I manage to stop her fist from connecting with the bloodied Naruto.

"Woah!" She screeches when her fist meets my hand.

Naruto stirs, "Huh?"

"What the hell?" she spits at me. "Don't interfere. This is what he wants."

I narrowed my eyes, Naruto is so messed up right now, even I can see it. There's no way that this is what he wants. "I don't think so."

"Sai..." he voice is hoarse I can hear the blood in his mouth, "Stay out of this."

My eyes would have rolled if I could afford to let them leave the seething bitch in front of me, "Naruto, there's no reason for you to get beat up for Sasuke's sake."

The blonde sagged, "Shut up...It's," he coughed, "my decision."

He spoke about Sasuke's so called friendship, but I'd seen evidence of it for myself. That arrogant human trash doesn't have friends. "Sasuke..." I tried again to tell him, "Has done nothing but hurt you." And Sakura, but I don't think now is the time for me to bring up that. "If it were me..."

She drew back her fist again, "Fine, if you're gonna interfere, I'll just hit you too!"

Hit me? She wishes, I'm getting good at avoiding fists, having Sakura as a teammate will do that for a person. With a smirk, I sidestepped, letting her fist whistle harmlessly past. Her team mate stopped her, and they spoke while I tried to help Naruto, "Naruto.."

"I want to talk to the Raikage."

"Naruto!" I should have pointed out he was too ugly to talk to anyone, let alone a kage.

I saw her for the first time, a gorgeous woman with short blond hair swaying by her ears, turned to us, "We don't know anything about you. I can't let you meet the Raikage now when we won't have a full guard."

Naruto slumped again in my grip. We watched them walk out of the village. "Sai..."

"What?"

"Take me to Kakashi and Yamato." Fantastic. That was the plan all along, so I hoisted him, and we followed the other nin to the gates. We took our time getting back to the medical camp. In his current state, Naruto was beyond moving quickly, and it gave me time to think. There must be a way to save Naruto from Sasuke. I may be the boy without emotion, although I don't consider myself that way anymore, but even I can see that this bond is tearing the Kyubi container apart. Never mind what it's doing to Sakura. I only want to keep them safe, especially with Danzo in charge. I do not trust the man anymore, but my loyalty is branded on my tongue. I will help them. Any way I can.

Getting Naruto into the tent I share with Kakashi and Yamato is easy. No one cares much for me anymore. I know they consider me somewhat of a traitor. Or maybe they think me lucky for being able to move past being Danzo's lap dog. Either way, most of the Root ANBU avert their eyes when they see me coming with the gore soaked boy. Settling Naruto on the cot, I pulled the first aid kit from the chest stuffed into the tent. Kakashi and Yamato came in as I was wrapping Naruto in yards of white linen. "Maybe Sakura should take a look at you."

He swung his head in the negative, "I don't want to have to explain this." he smirked, "Besides, I heal quickly, so it's ok." His brow drew together, "Hn. Sai, I'm sorry." I was surprised, "Thanks."

I gave him a smile, a warm one by my standards, "No problem."

I sat back on the floor as Kakashi talked to Naruto, "They really did a number on you."

While I finished using all the bandages in the chest, I couldn't help thinking back to the last conversation I had with Kakashi.

*flashback*

The man stood there, a purposely lazy slump to his shoulders, "I see," His visible eye roamed my face, "So that's what happened."

I had to ask. Naruto and Sakura would say no more than, 'he our friend', but maybe Kakashi could help me understand. "Kakashi?"

"Hmm?" he shifted his weight to the other foot.

"Is the bond Naruto and Sakura have with Sasuke really that important?" My eyes must have been wide. I felt like I was treading on ground sewn with land mines. "Even when it causes so much pain? Why do they still care?"

Kakashi's eye abruptly became sharp, as it lanced my own, "Sai, You're supposed to watch Naruto, right?" I tried to say something that wouldn't result in my curse seizing me. "It's ok, I know. But helping Naruto isn't part of your job, is it?" I knew he was right, I was not supposed to care about any of my teammates. "I think you know why," Kakashi leaned forward, "Sai." I did know. My soul, what there is of it, was burning in shame. My job is not to help Naruto. My job doesn't include fantasizing about a certain pink haired kunoichi. My job is keep the fool from killing himself, and to keep him in the village on the Hokage's order. I lowered my eyes, but the man had already left.

*end flashback*

"Ow!" I was so lost in thought, I had hurt Naruto by accident.

"S-sorry." Kakashi started asking questions, and Naruto answered. I paid just enough attention so that I could answer should they ask me anything, but I was lost in my thoughts again. I was jerked out of reflection momentarily by Naruto's revelation that the fourth hokage had spoken to him. Even further when Kakashi addressed me. "Yes?"

Kakashi's masked visage turned toward me, "You tell the Hokage."

At first I was confused. The hokage is...he wants me to report to Danzo? "Oh...Ok." Then I received another shock. The fourth was Naruto's father? I stood with shaking limbs. That was insane. It fit Naruto to a tee.

Kakashi and I walked to a clearing outside the tent grounds. "When you report to the Hokage, don't tell him Naruto's gone. Tell him he hasn't made a move."

I sat before my scroll, why was Kakashi doing this to me? I know I'm not his student. I know I'm the poison snake in their midst, but I'm on their side!

"You..." I took a deep breath, "Still don't trust me." It was a statement.

"Danzo sent you to spy on Naruto." His was not a question either, and I turned my face away in shame. "But you're also a member of team seven." If he'd hit me with a hammer I couldn't be more shocked. Kakashi's eye crinkled in silent laughter, "I have faith in you." I was floored again by his simple words. Coupled with Naruto and Sakura's repeated demonstrations of personal loyalty, I couldn't help but let a grin decorate my face. "See ya." He left in a buzz of displaced space. I knelt in that forest clearing and smiled like a maniac as I composed my note to Danzo. Curiously, I wasn't feeling much better. I sat on an exposed root, and my mind wandered again. Sakura and Naruto. It's kind of a theme today.

*flashback*

Sakura turned to face Naruto and I, "I've got something to do, so I'll go on ahead." She smiled at us, her green eyes catching the light, "You guys report to Kakashi!" Swinging around she gave us a half-hearted wave, and marched down the street.

"Yeah! We will!" Naruto shouted after her retreating back. We stood motionless, the both of us watching the girl walk away from us again.

"Ah." I stole a look at Naruto. Smiling again. "Naruto?"

"Hmm?" he put his hands on his hips, but his eyes never left the last place Sakura had been.

I don't know why I wanted to ask. "You like Sakura don't you?" A part of me curled up. I already knew the answer.

"Wha?" He most certainly did like her.

"I read it in a book," I turned to look in his astounded face. I only hoped my own quiet desperation wasn't showing. "People always smile around people they like. And you're always smiling at her." With a small frown, I added, "Did you tell her how you feel?" Please say no. "Well?"

He paused, his face going hard, "Hmph. How can I? I can't even keep my promises." I knew what he was talking about. Our first mission had been all about schooling Sai on Sasuke.

*end flashback*

His words from earlier came back to me, "Sai, Stay out of this." I didn't listen then, and I wasn't going to listen now. I can't just sit here and do nothing, Naruto. Not with her happiness on the line. With a resolute look, I walked back to the tent city, and located Sakura. Her chakra signature is as familiar to me now as my own. I saw her, kneeling with Shizune and the unconscious godaime. "Excuse me."

She looked up, confusion writ large in her eyes, "Sai?"

"Sakura..." someone should have told me this was going to hurt. "I need to talk to you."

She stood, "Do you have news, Sai?"

"Not the kind you want to hear, I think." I proceeded to tell her of the altercation between the Mist Nin and Naruto.

"He what?" Her voice was rising.

I stood as still as I could, "Yeah," I released a breath, "He was protecting Sasuke." Damned fool. "She beat him up, but he still didn't sell him out. and he told me not to tell you because he didn't want to worry you."

I watched her eyes fill with tears, "Naruto."

"He went to ask the Raikage to forgive Sasuke." I paused to push my hair off my forehead, "It's probably useless, though."

Shizune dragged her eyes away from Tsunade, "Why would he do that? Isn't Kakashi with him?"

This is my problem, I don't really trust anyone either, Shizune-san, "Kakashi has faith in Naruto. I think he wanted to give him a chance even if it's useless."

Shizune turned back to Tsunade's prone form, as I turned my focus back to Sakura, "I only became part of your team recently when I replaced Sasuke." A colossal mistake on Danzo's part, "So I don't really know everything that's going on." Hard. This shouldn't be so hard! "I don't really understand people, either." Understatement. I only want to understand these people. "And I don't know what promises he's made to you." But, I did. It's not as if you've hidden yourselves from me. You've spoken of it enough. "But" I looked into her wide eyes, "Even I can tell that he really loves you!"

Her eyes filled with unshed tears, and my heart thumped. I was taught the mission before the team. I was taught that I have no choices. I wish now that I could have remained in that dark, restrictive space of orders and tight reins. Then, my heart wouldn't be trying to kill me right now. I have realized something about myself, now. I am a creature of habit. The habit of sacrificing myself.

I press on as Sakura cries, "Naruto's been shouldering that promise for a long time. I think he means to shoulder it for the rest of his life." My eyes narrow. I want to think that it's to drive my point home, but it's to keep the unfamiliar stinging sensation buried. "I don't know what you said to him, But it's just like what's been done to me. It feels like a curse." How am I still talking? My mind is numb with pain, and my stomach hurts, causing this beautiful girl to cry. "Sasuke causes Naruto pain." I exchanged a few breaths, "But I think you do too!"

Her tears rip me up. I can't believe I am sacrificing myself again. If this is a shinobi's life, why can't I just be a boy? A boy who loves a girl, and who has a friend who loves her too.

AN/ Nervure are the veins in a leaf. I wanted to show that there's always more going on besides what we see or hear. How often do you think of the veins in a leaf? But, without them, the leaf would not be a leaf. Sai is complex, like a leaf. Next word is: ophidian. Oh, you know, I liked the fanfic I took the inspiration from. Don't flame, you don't like this installment, just wait for my next one. :) Thanks to my readers, and I hope I've not disappointed anyone!