Author's Note : Hiyaaaaaah hello everyone it's me again (I'm sure you hadn't guessed...) Ok first things first I'm sorry for the long delay but I've been pretty busy with my first semester exams and all so I couldn't update earlier, but I really appreciated all your kind reviews people, so don't worry from now on I'll be updating more frequently ^__^

I'd also like to thank hikaruko for ALL her (now I know your a girl ^_~) funny and kind reviews ***huggles*** thank you so much! As an apologize for making you wait this long (you really seemed to want another chapter :p ) I'm dedicating this one to you, I hope you like it ^___^ Oh, and yes I know the third novels is airing now in US but I don't live there, here we're already at volume 10 (and we're still far from Japan...but fortunately you can find anything you want on the Internet...and talking about this chapter 209 is WONDERFUL) Hum...that's really not the point, I'm sorry. ***Slaps herself for talking too much*** I'm really sorry.

Now on with the story ^____^

Disclaimer: As always. See previous chapters.

[ thoughts ]

inner Sakura

Chapter 8: Doubts.

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"Grrrr Naruto no BAKA! Where is he AGAIN? "

Sakura was exasperated. Sasuke and her had been looking for him for nearly an hour now and she wanted to go back home. On the other hand, she was grateful she could spend some time alone with her Sasuke-kun.

HELL YEAH!

Sasuke was walking ahead, searching for any clue that could lead them to find Naruto and bring his fat ass back to Konoha. Then maybe he could train FINALLY. [ Such an asshole, making me lose my precious time. I swear I'll make him pay. ]

Silence made the pink-haired girl feel uneasy, and Sasuke's silence was driving her crazy. Not that she wasn't used to it anyway. [ I hope we find Naruto soon...]

What the hell are you talking about? Can't you see you're all alone with Sasuke-kun?

[ I know that but he isn't even paying attention to me. ]

Since when do you care??? Here's your chance, just take it, god dammit !!!

[ You're right! ]

"S-Sasuke-kun? "

No answer.

"You know...since we've got no training today and all...I...thought maybe, after we find Naruto, maybe we could..."

"SAKURA-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!! I'M HERE !!!"

"It's...Naru...! "

She was cut by Sasuke's hand on her mouth. He looked in the way a few birds were flying away.

"This way." He grunted.

[ Shoot! Just when I was about to ask him out on a date, damn Naruto! ] "Ah, wait for me Sasuke-kun! "

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Kakashi and Gai were sitting at the ramen stand. They had both agreed on not going to the Ichiraku since they would most probably fall on some on their students, and they didn't want to justify themselves about, well...skipping training.

"I'll never get used to how fast you can eat." Gai said eyeing his rival's maxi-sized super special ramen empty bowl ordered only 2 minutes before.

"Jealous of my abilities?" the silver-haired jounin teased rubbing his full stomach.

"Afraid to show that ugly face of yours that much?" the other man retorted, grinning [ Hell yeah! Take this!!! Yoshiaaaaaaa!!!! ] Gai seemed overjoyed by his little 'joke' since he was hitting the air joyfully with his fists.

"Why should I be afraid of that?" Kakashi simply replied, smiling "After all you do dare show yours."

Gai stopped in his tracks, dropping his arms to his sides. [ Grrr...Damn Kakashi! How come you can be this smart? You really deserve to be my # 1 rival. ] "Is that how you treat someone who feeds you?" he asked, faking a shocked expression.

"Ah, gomen, gomen" Kakashi replied, moving his hand before him "But you're the one who started with that."

[ And I'm not finished yet!] Gai thought, prepared to counter-attack once again. "Did you know Asuma and I have been betting on you? He said there were about 6 people who saw your face entirely. I said there were less. I'm sure you weren't expecting this, right? right???" he said with a satisfied grin.

"I'm not really surprised. Asuma likes stupid bets. It's his #1 hobby, after playing shogi and drinking sake, that is. I can't even count how many times we did bet on you actually."

Gai's face turned white.

"For example, we've been betting a lot on the reasons of your inhexistant love life, and also on why we never see you with a girl...this kind of stuff." Kakashi teased him "You know...you can talk to me about it if you want to, Gai-kun." He added, winking at him.

"Temeeeeeeeeeeeee...I DO go out with girls!!!! It's just that...I'm really demanding in my choices, that's all." He pouted.

"Please, please, don't get angry. Just joking. Plus you should be happy since you've won your bet. Seems like you know me better than Asuma does."

"Of course I do." The thick eyebrows sensei replied. "You're my eternal rival Kakashi, and as long as I'm alive I'll do anything to be the best, don't you forget that!" he added pointing at himself with his thumb.

[ Yare, yare...he's still at this. And what does this have to do with what we were saying anyway?] Kakashi thought as he watched the other man do some kind of little dance on his seat. [ He sure still is as energetic and optimistic as he's always been. He kind of reminds me of her...]

"Arigato, Gai." He spoke lowly.

"Mmmmh? It was nothing but a bowl of ramen, don't thank me for this."

"Not...only for the meal." Kakashi didn't like to show his emotions. Or was it that he didn't know how to do so? Anyway he knew Gai had done all this to cheer him up and make him forget the meaning of this day, and he was grateful for that. The least he could do was to thank him.

Gai seemed to understand as he replied "No prob' man."

A weird silence hung in the air around them. They were rivals for sure (from Gai's point of view of cousre) but even though no one of them would ever admit it, they were more than that. They were friends. Somehow they both felt relieved when a third voice spoke.

"Ah, Kakashi! I was looking for you."

"Hey! Iruka! How've you been recently?"

"Oh, Gai, sorry I didn't see you. I've been fine thanks, what about you?"

"Well you know, Youth Power makes things so..."

"Did you say you were looking for me, Iruka?" Kakashi's voice cut the other two before they started their annoying talk.

"Ah yes, gomen. Actually I was looking for Naruto, did you see him?"

"Naruto? He and his teammates are having their day off. Did you try the..."

"He's not at the Ichiraku ramen stand, and they said they didn't see him today."

"Really? Then what about..."

"I've been around Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke's houses, but it seems noone of them have gone back home."

"Weird..." Kakashi thought out loud. [ I told them to do free training but I really didn't think they would actually train. I thought Naruto would directly head to the Ichiraku and Sakura would chase after Sasuke for a date...I wonder what they're doing.]

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Naruto was looking at the woman standing before him. She was really beautiful with her long raven hair, her pale skin, her glossy pink lips and most of all her eyes. They were the color of the starless night. Deep dark blue. He was caught in her gaze.

"Are you lost, boy?" she asked in a low voice, not seeming really concerned.

"Who are you?" the blonde ninja answered by another question.

She didn't show any expression but simply stared at him [ He's wearing a forehead protector...so he's from Konoha.] As she noticed the leaf symbol she seemed to almost imperceptibly frown. She took a step closer and spoke slowly.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" She moved closer. "You're out of the territories of your home village..." She stopped right in front of him and bent until she was face to face with the young genin. Lifting her hand to his foxy face, she touched his right cheek.

"You know...you shouldn't hang around alone in this forest." Her voice turned into a whisper. "This could be really dangerous."

Naruto froze, not daring to take his gaze away from her deep, yet inexpressive eyes. They were so attractive but at the same time they seemed...lifeless. He felt her hand travel from his cheek down to his neck and held his breath. He felt he couldn't move anymore and he closed his eyes...

"Naruto!!!"

Sakura's voice pierced through his mind and his eyes flew open. He turned in her way and saw the pink-haired kunoichi run towards him. Walking slowly a few steps behind her was Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan...Sasuke..."

His eyes widened as he remembered there was someone else with him a few seconds before and quickly turned his head. But there was no one in front of him. [ Wha- ?]

"Naruto no BAKA! What are you doing here? Sasuke-kun and I've been looking for you all the time! Do you realize that we..."

"Sakura-chan" Naruto cut her. "Did you see her?"

The girl raised her brows. "Are you all right? You sound weird...did something happen?"

"There was someone else here, right? You did see her right? A woman with long black hair, she was standing just before me, right? Right????" he said with his hands on her shoulders, shaking her.

"Naruto! Stop that, you're hurting me!" What the hell's wrong with him??? her inner-self shouted. "I said: STOP THAT!!!" She poked him on the head.

"Aouch! What was that for, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked with teary eyes, holding his head with his hands.

"And you're asking WHY?? You're the one who's crazy around here! There was no one but you here! Stop playing dumb! Right, Sasuke-kun?" she asked turning expectantly at the other boy.

Sasuke didn't say nothing. His hands shoved in his pockets, he simply turned around and grunted.

"Let's go back to the village."

"But..." Naruto pleaded.

"NOW." Was the other boy's reply.

The three of them silently headed back to Konoha. Even loud Naruto kept silent. Sakura leaned closer to Sasuke.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun. Don't you think Naruto's acting weird? He's not saying anything."

"Mmmh."

Without turning his head, Sasuke eyed the boy next to him. He was walking silently, head facing the ground, his left hand lightly touching his neck.

[ I wonder what happened to this baka.]

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[ I wonder what they're doing...could something had happened? After all Naruto's the kind to drag himself into the most unexpected situations...but if Sasuke and Sakura are with him it should be all right...I guess.]

"Do you think...something could have happened?" Iruka asked Kakashi, as if reading his mind.

"Eh? No, I'm sure they're fine." The jounin tried to convince himself as well as the chuunin walking beside him.

"Kakashi-sensei~!"

The silver-haired man raised his head as he heard his student's voice.

"Sakura..."

He then turned to Iruka and smiled at him.

"See?"

The other man nodded his head.

"So~ children, how was training? I hope you've got something new to show me."

Sasuke grunted.

Kakashi raised his brows. "Nani? Did something happen?"

"We couldn't do any training," [ nor anything else] Sakura thought, eyeing Sasuke "since we had to look for Naruto the entire time."

"Really?" Kakashi scratched his head. Naruto was really the type to lose himself in a small forest, even if he was a shinobi.

"Yes, really. And now he's babbling about some weird stuff and an inhexistant woman..."

"But she WAS here! I saw here! I even talked with her!"

"You met someone in this forest?" Iruka asked.

Naruto nodded. "Iruka-sensei, you have to believe me! There was a woman there. She had long raven hair and incredible blue eyes. It was like I couldn't take my gaze away from hers..."

"Ah, yes." Kakashi said flatly "I too sometimes have this dream."

Iruka threw him a killing glare and Sakura rolled her eyes. The other man held his hands out defensively. "Gomen, gomen. Go on Naruto."

"Her eyes were mesmerizing...how could I put this...not because they were bright but on the contrary because they weren't. Their emptiness was scary but astounding at the same time. She was like...a lifeless but powerful doll."

Kakashi said nothing but frowned. It was rare for Naruto to talk this way. He turned to Sakura who only shook her head 'no' and then to Sasuke who simply shrug his shoulders.

"Okay..." Iruka seemed concerned by his former student's story. "What else do you remember? Was she from Konoha? What did she tell you?"

Naruto shook his head. "She didn't have a forehead protector, nor any other sign, but I'm sure I've never seen her in the village. She asked me if I was lost, but when I asked her who she was, she told me it was dangerous to be alone in the forest...and then..."

He lifted his hand to touch his neck.

"And then?" Iruka asked kindly.

"And then...Sakura-chan and Sasuke arrived, and she was gone." He decided not to talk about the 'incident' and turned to Kakashi. "You have to believe me, sensei! I don't know how it happened but she really was in front of me before disappearing in a blink."

The scarred man looked at the other one. "It could have been genjutsu, don't you think?"

Kakashi sighed. "Ok...I'll report this to Hokage-sama tomorrow. You'd better all go back home now, especially you Naruto."

"I'll take him back home" Iruka said, putting his hand on the blonde boy's head, who nodded silently.

"Oh, I just remembered" he added before leaving. "I don't know if it's important but she was holding a bouquet of white flowers...I can't tell which ones since I've never been good at flower arrangements." He added rubbing the back of his head.

"Ok...Sasuke, you walk Sakura home."

Sasuke wanted to protest since his house was the total opposite direction from hers, but Kakashi didn't let him.

"This is not a request, Sasuke."

The young boy grunted but he knew he didn't have the choice. "Tch."

Sakura looked back and forth from her sensei to her beloved one and her inner-self exploded.

Kakashi-sensei!!!! I LOVE you! Sasuke-kun is walking me home! Yes,yes,yes, YES!!!!

She wanted to take him in her arms and thank him a million times, but Sasuke had already began walking.

"Ah, Wait up!" Before leaving, she waved at her sensei: "See you tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei!"

He waved back at her absent-mindedly [ I don't know what to think about all this story...Naruto might have truly seen this woman, still neither Sasuke nor Sakura can confirm this really happened...]

'she had incredible blue eyes...' He shook his head as he remembered Naruto's words. ' she was holding a bouquet of white flowers...'

Then a silly idea came to his mind. If this woman really existed, what was she doing alone in the forest? And if she knew it was dangerous, why was she walking around with no weapons but with flowers? White flowers...lys ? No,he was thinking too much. But his feelings were taking over his reason, and before he could even realize it he was heading back to where he was a few hours before in the morning, jumping from tree to tree.

When he arrived at the small hill, nothing had changed. Nothing except there was a whole bunch of white lys on one of the graves, instead of the single one Gai had previously brought. Kakashi's eyes widened as he stepped closer to the graves. Akane's flower was withered, white petals scattered on the ground as if someone had stepped on it. The beautiful bouquet took its place. He slowly bent before Sanae's grave and picked the other flower with a shaky hand. The previously pure-white petals had turned...black.

"What the hell...?"

-tbc-

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Author's Note: So,so end of chapter 8, how did you find it? Good? Bad? Awful? Anyway please leave a review before you leave! ^^ I'm almost finished writing chapter 9 so I think I'll be updating soon, action and battle scenes are coming too, I hope I'll do right for my first fic.

Oh and before I forget! DarkDemonMaster: of course I do NOT consider your review a flame! I would be really puerile if I did O___o Thank you for the note, since I'm trying to improve my English skills it really helps, so I'll try to correct this when I have time. Thanks again! ^___^

'Till next chapter minna!