She's just so…fascinating, thought Sasuke, his mind struggling in its attempts to free him from bewilderment. Sakura sat at a chair in the small dining area within the large RV, sipping the ceramic tip of the cup clasped between her palms. She suddenly felt eyes boring into her head, and so turned to act on this to find Sasuke's curious gaze. He quickly realized she was looking and stepped away from the room, acting as though he did not have a care in the world. However, Sakura could feel his slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable feelings, and knew he had been watching.

They're going to act differently towards me now…Well, perhaps Naruto will stay the same, but Kakashi-sensei…and Sasuke…I wonder what they think of me now…

Her mind seemed so clouded with thoughts lately that it seemed impossible to relax and return to a carefree nature. She could still remember clearly what her afterlife had been like, and she felt excitement whenever the scenes would replay in her imagination.

Still, no matter how much the others tried to understand what she was going through, no one would ever understand it as much as Sakura did.

Not even Miss Higami.

While her soul was within the vastness and amazement that was the bridge to all life's consciousness and, what Sakura believed to be, an afterlife of salvation and purity, many secrets to humankind and life and everything that coexisted was revealed to her in ways she could not even speak of. It was a secret that was meant to stick with the spirits that fled the Earth and life and bodies; it was information that those who shall return to what they once were (in other words, to a living state) would not be able to comprehend it properly. The knowledge was far too superior and intellectually etiquette that even Sakura, whom had died herself and was given the chance to learn this, could not fit the pieces of the puzzle correctly. She did, however, have a rough outline and extremely fine points to the secret that was the universe and everything- matter, souls, thinking minds, and emotions- that lived within.

She knew of one of the most powerful emotions, one that could drive a spirit and everything it possessed near it.

That feeling was something along the lines of - love.

The blonde jinjuriki bounded down the narrow hallways of the vehicle, trying to find his pink-haired teammate. A few questions sprang into his mind during the night; they were ideas he could not possiblywait to have answered.

"Sakura-chan!" he called as he ran near her room. He could peer into the small doorway at this point, and he saw a figure beneath a set of sheets.

Just before he could call her name again, or come any closer, a hand clasped around his mouth, preventing any sounds to escape. He was rather violently jerked backwards, his back smacking against a somewhat sturdy chest. Naruto tried to whirl around to face his attacker, but the person held him in place.

"Shh…Naruto! Don't be such a loser!" Sasuke whispered harshly, glancing up to the doorway to see that the figure beneath the sheets was still in place.

The Uzumaki roughly grabbed Sasuke's hand that was over his mouth and smack it away.

"What the hell is your problem, Sasuke?" he roared, standing up over the crouched Uchiha.

"Shut up Naruto! Sit down!" he whispered in a fierce tone. He wrapped his hand around Naruto's wrist and forced the loudmouthed blonde to come to a kneeling position on the floor.

"What?" the Uzumaki said, finally keeping his voice octave to a minimum, if that were all possible.

Sasuke jerked his head towards the sleeping girl. "I'm watching her…"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Why? Why are you, of all people, watching my Sakura-chan?"

The Uchiha sighed. "I don't really know…I guess that…she's just so…"

"What?"

Sasuke took another intake of breath, only sharper than the previous. "She's…different, Naruto. I mean, I would never have guessed that she, of all people, would turn out to be…Besides, her behavior has been so off that I was beginning to think 'Sakura' wasn't really Sakura at all. I still don't."

Naruto's eyes widened even more, his face seeming to grow. "What?"

"Shh, Naruto!" Sasuke scolded. The blonde quickly put both of his palms over his mouth.

"What?" he began in a harsh-whisper. "What do you mean? Of course she's Sakura…she just has a special gift. I mean, you're an Uchiha…and you have a…uh…kekkei genkai, the Sharigan."

"So?"

"So, you have a special gift, too." And so do I…I have the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of me, Naruto thought, bitter-sweetly.

Sasuke seemed to take a moment to contemplate this by bringing his gaze to the floor. Within a few seconds, his head whipped back up.

"This is different, Naruto! She died! She was dead; I saw it with my own eyes. You saw them burn her body. And then…and then she just came back…she said it was her soul…and then we could see her body in the flames. Next thing I knew, she was laying on the snow, naked. I saw a glimpse of her body, Naruto. There were no scratches, no bruises, or any large scars that I could see. Her had body been gone. She could not possible have accessed her chakra when it was all burned up in the fire. I don't know what she is. Being a ninja, of course we'd expect all sorts of strange things…but for a person to come back from the dead like that, without any sort or jutsu or healing technique? Why hasn't anything like that happened before? Why didn't my family come back? Why is it only her, for all we know, that has this gift?"

He could feel sweat pouring down the sides of his face. He was becoming flustered and angry, and…tired. Sleep would have been welcoming, had his thoughts not kept him awake. Thinking about his clan was difficult, and somehow, he envied Sakura to the point of jealousy.

"But…but…Sasuke! Why are you acting like you wish she didn't come back to life? You sound like she would be better off dead!" Naruto whispered accusingly, staring the young Uchiha down with a glare.

"No…It isn't that I'm not happy she came back. I don't want to lose anyone that I care about ever again. It's just…I wish she weren't the only one who could do that."

Before Naruto could say another word, Sasuke had already begun his trek back towards his sleeping quarters.

The morning was bright and promised excitement for the day. At least, Naruto thought so as he ran through the cramped hallways to where the others were, most likely eating breakfast (Oh boy, I hope we're having ramen!he thought) without him. Coming to a skidded halt just after the small doorway, Naruto ran the few feet to the table, sat down and waited for food to be served to him. Sasuke was already sitting there, his arms folded over his chest, as he, too, waited.

Suddenly, pink hair and green eyes entered the picture as she walked under the doorframe. Naruto turned around in his seat to smile at her and say good morning, while Sasuke merely glanced upwards to show he had noticed her presence. He then allowed his eyes to downcast and travel the floorboards.

For some odd, strange reason, Sakura's very body being in the room brought an onslaught of emotions to the Uchiha. Sakura knew this, also.

She strolled as casually as she could to the Uchiha's right side, plopping down onto the seat. His feelings grew more intense, which greatly amused her. She would never have imagined that Sasuke – a boy she thought was so level-headed, aloof, and (sometimes) someone whose emotions could never affect his ultimate cool – could feel so much at once.

Of course, he is only human, her conscience told her.

Sakura shook her head to rid her thoughts for a moment. No, this was not good that he felt this way. She should try to do something -at least, be friendly to him and loosen the tension- so he could try to get his feelings under control.

So, what did she do?

Why, the dumbest, most horrific thing she could do to Sasuke Uchiha when his emotions were out of whack.

She kissed him.

Not full-out on the lips (this would later be a bit of a relief for her) but on his right check. It was a quick, simplistic, tiny little peck on his skin, but it was enough to make his eyes- and his emotions- seem completely on-edge.

"Sakura?" Naruto gawked, his eyes almost as wide as Sasuke's. He could not believe what he had just seen.

"Uh…" she began, before mentally excusing herself and scurrying out of the room. Both of the boys stared at her retreating back in complete shock.

"You see what I mean?" Sasuke yelled, once he had recovered. He too, seemed to have the urge to exit the room as well.

Naruto was left to stare at the doorway to see if his teammates would ever make a re-appearance. To his disappointment, once the food had been brought by someone on the movie crew, his friends had yet to come.

Sakura sat in her tiny sleeping room; her knees were huddled to her chest. Even when she may hold a bit of the greatest knowledge to all humankind, she still screwed-up. She had only wanted him to feel easier, but instead, she went right ahead and did the last thing on the list of things she should have done. One of her greatest fears was that she had lost all hope of gaining his full respect – and, perhaps, his trust- in those few seconds.

Why can't I ever do anything right? I don't care if Miss Higami thinks I'm the greatest spirit or human or whatever to ever walk this earth, I still mess things up! This is one thing, but what if I really make a blunder on something more important? I don't understand why that woman instantly has all the trust in her whole being aimed at me. I just don't get it! I'm just one person! Just one kid!

She had the sudden urged to scream, remembered where she was, and clamped her mouth shut. There were still so many things she did not understand about this world; there were so many secrets about her own specimen and emotions she had yet to tap into.

She felt as though a huge responsibility was dumped onto her tiny shoulders.

After all, you are only human, her conscience reminded her.

Sleep came that night to Sakura much faster than she would have ever anticipated.

Rather than travel the earth as a soul, for one of the first times since discovering her spiritual abilities, Sakura dreamt.

She was standing on dark gray concrete, wind and colors whizzing past her, a gasoline smell wrapping its way around her nose.

Where…where am I?

She could only wonder.

Looking to her feet, she could make out thick white and yellow lines on the street, some long strips, others broken lines. She wondered vaguely why they had been painted onto the ground.

Looking skyward, large, intricate patterns of brick covered giant buildings, their tops almost touching the darkening blue sky. Lights danced everywhere; they were in the windows, in the streetlamps that dotted the road, and glimpses could be made out within the colors buzzing by.

It was so loud, she noted, as loud honking noises and engines attacked her ears. She felt confused; she was dizzy, even.

Whilst in this chaos, she looked upwards to steer her eyes away from the lights and pigments and all the confusion to see a large figure descending downwards.

It progressed at a steady rate, and eventually Sakura could make it out to be a large, solid…thing. A name for this did not ring into her mind. Suddenly, several of these strange specimens followed, and explosions could be felt as they made touchdown.

Sakura screamed, covering her head with her hands. Large beasts began to prowl, picking up the large vehicles (Sakura had the chance to decipher what those colors belonged to) and destroying the beautiful buildings.

Other voices and other screams were audible, only making the disunity even more chaotic. She did not know what was happening, or how to escape this nightmare world.

"Stop!"

Her eyes snapped open, and her world seemed still. She had awakened to find onyx eyes staring into her green ones.

"Sakura?" Sasuke asked, tenderly touching his hand to her arm. Her shouts had startled him.

Her breathing was uneven and rapid. Eventually, however, her breaths became more natural, and she sat up to face him.

"I-I'm fine," she lied, clasping her hair between her own sweaty palms. She shook her head lightly, ridding herself of the horrible images and loudness.

All that remained were new memories that greatly puzzled her, and a strange, hard feeling within her chest.

Plot twist no jutsu. Reviews are greatly appreciated. P.S., the one who spoke "'Stop!'" was Sakura, not Sasuke. Just to clarify…