W a r m vs. C o l d

A tale of a boy's quest for the love of a girl.

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story belong to me. They are all property of Masashi Kishimoto. And also, just for future reference, when you see "(| ... ... ... |) ", those are the thoughts of inner Sakura.

Chapter 4:  A Talk.

"It seems as though…Sakura-chan lost her memory."  Naruto gazed at Sakura's bleeding face in his hands.  This…  How did this happen, WHY NOW?!  Naruto clenched his jaw, wanting to scream and break something.  He wanted to kill Keisuke and Ryosuke. 

"Are you sure?" Sasuke questioned.  His face at least had some motion this time; still nowhere near any average person's though.  "Maybe it was just an instinct.  Either way it'd be stupid of us to stay here much longer.  Let's get her to Hokage-sama, if anyone can do something…It's her." 

And with that Sasuke and Naruto, who was carrying Sakura in his arms, ran towards Konoha. 

"She got hit pretty hard," Tsunade-sama said wearily.  She seemed very tired, a lot more seemed to be going on then just 2 runaway nins.  "…But she'll be okay.  I'm pretty sure her lapse of memory is just a temporary thing.  She may have just been confused in that little time that she was conscious.  She'll have to stay here in the hospital for a few days after she awakens.  I don't know when that'll be, but my hopes are that it is soon."  She brushed the hair out of Sakura's face.

"Thank you Hokage-sama."  Sasuke bowed and backed out of the room.  "Naruto, I'm going to go to the forest to check some things out."  With that he turned around and put his right hand in the air as a departure gesture.

"Show-off," Naruto muttered.

Tsunade looked over and smiled.  Just like Jiraiya. 

I want to find those two bastards.  Sasuke thought.  He walked down the long stretch of the hall when he saw a black shiny object round the corner.  That..Hair.

"Good evening Sasuke."  Rock Lee greeted.  He was holding flowers.  "I heard what happened to Sakura, I came by to see her."  Rock Lee looked very uneasy.

"Hm."  Sasuke said as he was greeted Rock Lee.  "I was just leaving."  Sasuke walked out of the door.  He gave Rock Lee the same departing hand gesture. 

That guy…  Rock Lee thought as he approached Sakura's room.  He reached the room and stood at the doorway.  The door was open.  Inside were Hokage-sama who was looking after Sakura and Naruto.  "Naruto.  Good to see you are okay." 

"Good to see you too fuzzy-brows."  Naruto said.

Naruto…There is a time and a place for everything.  Rock Lee laughed off the embarrassment yet again and walked over to Sakura.  "My beautiful love," he said as he took her hand into his.  Sooo..Warm.  Sooo beautiful.  He thought.  He felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and he let go of Sakura's hand immediately. "Ow!  What?"

"Hey, Fuzzy-brows.  Keep your hands to yourself," Naruto ordered.  He was just staring at a wall, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh..Oops..Sorry about that."  Rock Lee said as he threw Naruto the peace sign nervously.  "I'm just going to put these over here, alright?"  He set the flower in a vase and put some water in it.  He placed it on Sakura's bedside table.

"Hello Lee,"  Tsunade said smiling.  She waved.

"Ah!  Good afternoon Hokage-sama."  He bowed to her.  "How is Sakura?"  He questioned.

"She should be fine in a few days.  But she'll remain under my care."  She answered.

"I see.  Thank you Hokage-sama."  Lee looked over to Naruto.  "Jeez Naruto, you don't look so well."

Naruto was not able to hold concentration for long.  He had not eaten for quite sometime.  "I..Uh..I'm hungry."  He explained.  "But I'm gonna stay here with Sakura-chan because Hokage-sama has to leave soon."

"Well, if you want.  I could watch her while you go eat."  Lee nodded. 

"…"  Naruto narrowed his eyes for a moment.  Fuzzy brows wouldn't try anything, he's a good guy.  I can trust him.  "..Are you sure?"

"Yeah.  No problem."  Lee said convincingly.

"Alright!  Ramen!  I owe you one fuzzy brows."  Naruto ran out of the room towards the ramen place.

"So…Cold."  Lee's head dropped.  "Okay!  Time to protect my love."  He grabbed a chair and put it next to the doorway.  He sat down, and kept his body upright with strict discipline.  Uhh...Maybe I should have eaten before-hand.  He felt his stomach growl.  "Damn," he muttered.

Naruto walked down the halls, his head hung.  Damnit, Sakura-chan.  Why did this have to happen now?  I finally got things going my way and this happens.  When I find those two ninjas, I'm going to kick their asses so badly!  "Oof!  Sorry!"  Naruto said after he bumped into somebody. 

"Naruto?"  The man said.  It was Iruka-sensei, and he was holding some money in his hands.

"Heehee."  Naruto laughed mischievously.  "I was about to go eat some ramen, but good thing I bumped into you.  I didn't have any money and I was going to have to duck the bill!"  Naruto laughed.

"…  But.  Ah, whatever.  Let's go."  Iruka was happy to accept.

*--*

Sasuke collapsed against a nearby tree.  He had been searching all afternoon and into the midnight and had come up with no leads.  "Where..The hell are they?"  He pulled out a canteen of water that was attached to his side.

"Where are who?"  Kakashi questioned, sitting on the branch above Sasuke's head.  He seemed to have come out of nowhere.  He closed the page on his finger and jumped to the forest ground.  He straightened up after the landing and opened the book again.

Sasuke looked at him irritably.  "Keisuke and Ryosuke," he muttered.  "The two spy ninjas." 

Kakashi gained a look of interest.  "Oh?  You found their names?"  he questioned.  "Did you meet them?"

"I guess you could say that.  But they got away.  They were…Fast."  Sasuke tried to straighten up, but his muscles aching. 

Kakashi noticed the unusual strain.  "You've been searching all afternoon, huh?  Well where's Naruto and the rest?" 

"He is at the hospital with Sakura and Hokage-sama."

"The hospital?  Why?"  Kakashi scratched his head with the edge of the book.

Guess now is as good as ever.  "The two ninjas ambushed Naruto and Sakura as they were coming back into town.  Sakura got kicked and ended up hitting her head on a tree.  She lost her memory it seems."

Kakashi's visible eye widened.  "What did Hokage-sama say?" 

"She should be okay.  She just doesn't know how long it will last."  Sasuke sighed.  "I want to find out more about those two ninjas.  I was about to find out where they came from but they got away first."

"Ahh, I see."  Kakashi leaned up on the other side of the tree so their backs were separated by the thick of it.  "Sasuke.  I've been meaning to talk to you."

"About what?"  Sasuke was staring into the sky.

"You've only changed a little bit since the first days we met.  Remember when I gave you that lesson on teamwork?" Kakashi asked.

"Lesson?  Is that what it was?" Sasuke said calmly.

Kakashi blinked for a moment.  "Yes.  Yes it was.  Anyways, your teammates and you seem to be growing further apart.  You sitting out here and them at the hospital is just testament to that."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"Sasuke…  Just remember.  Without your teammates, you may not be here."

Sasuke's eyes widened.  The point Kakashi just made was one he had never even touched on before.  …Not...Be here?...  How?  He's right though.  Sakura and Naruto have saved me just as much as me them, maybe even at more important times.  This is a horrible feeling.  Sasuke pulled himself to his feet.  He dusted himself off and walked off towards the hospital. 

"I'll see you around, Sasuke."  Kakashi said, his eyes not leaving his novel.

Sasuke threw his hand in the air as he disappeared into the night.

*--*

4 bowls later, Naruto finally decided to end his fiesta.  "Thank you, Iruka-sensei.  Next time I'll get to 6!"

Tears rolled down Iruka's cheeks as he glared at his hands which once held a wad of cash, now substituted with a few meager coins.  Reluctantly, he spoke, "You're…You're welcome."  I needed a new mattress too.  He pushed his one bowl of finished ramen back to the cook and got off the stool.

"Well, Iruka-sensei.  I better get back to the hospital, I don't want Sakura to be scared when she wakes up and not having me there to protect her!"  Naruto turned around and saw Sasuke leaning up against a light post.

"Come on Naruto, let's go."  His eyes were closed, and his arms were folded over his chest.

What the hell is this bastard doing here?  Naruto looked at him, and then to Iruka-sensei.  He was still staring at his hands.  What a weirdo.  Naruto walked off towards Sasuke.  "Thanks again Iruka-sensei!" 

"Yeah, yeah...  *Sob*  It's not problem Naruto, anytime."  My money.. He sluggishly made his way back towards his apartment.

"What are you doing here Sasuke?"  Naruto questioned, pointing directly at him.

"What are you so upset over?  Let's just get back to Sakura, Lee is probably sleeping."

Always acting so cool!  Bah!  Whatever.  "Fine."  The two of them silently walked to the hospital.  Man, this is weird.

This is so awkward.  Sasuke thought.  He rolled his eyes at the fact that a few words from Kakashi would make him change his demeanor.  Whatever, he is right. 

Naruto coughed, and then broke the silence, "Sasuke.  Do you think Sakura-chan will be okay?"

"Yes.  Hokage-sama said so.  She fixed Lee, and he was in worse condition.  So her diagnosis is accurate, I'm sure."

"Yeah, that's true."  Damn, I hate it when he's right.  They entered the hospital and made their way to Sakura's room.  They tip-toed to the doorway and peered inside.  Rock Lee was sitting in a chair right at the doorway.  A shadow was casted upon half of his face, and the other half looked pissed off.  His mouth was curled downwards, and he stared blankly at the wall. 

"Lee…." Both Naruto and Sasuke said quietly.

"Hey, fuzzy-brows!  Snap out of it!"  Naruto poked Lee's forehead.  Lee took a while to react and then he blinked.

"Na..Naruto?  Sasuke?  When did you guys get here."  He blinked, as if he was sleeping.

"Can you sleep with your eyes open, Lee?"  Sasuke asked.

"Uh."  He laughed nervously.  "No, no way!  What are you talking about?  I was awake…I was just testing you."

Sasuke and Naruto both narrowed their eyes. 

"Uh huh." Naruto said sarcastically.

"Well.  I think it would be best if we all stayed here for the night," Sasuke suggested, "If she wakes up soon we should be here."

Naruto and Rock Lee both nodded and made themselves comfortable for the night ahead.  Naruto took another chair and leaned it against the wall at the foot of Sakura's bed.  He sat down and tipped it back so it was only on two legs and dozed off immediately.  Sasuke sat down against the wall nearest to Sakura and closed his eyes with dreams of revenge.  Rock Lee managed to crawl under the bed and sleep on the ground.  Heaven.  He thought as he fell asleep to his romantic dreams of him and Sakura enjoying a fair together.

*--*

"No!  Where are you going?"  Sakura yelled.  Her voice seemed to echo for an eternity.  "What..  What is this?"  Memories were swirling around her and some of them were never seen again.  "What's happening?!"  Images of Naruto, Sasuke, Rock Lee and Ino all circled around her and disappeared.  "Are my memories leaving me?  Where am I?"  She felt a presence within her, it wasn't her inner self either.  It was an intruder.  "The spy ninjas!"  She remembered as she was on her way to the tree seeing who had kicked her.  "Is this genjutsu?" she thought.  She struggled to break free, this situation very similar to her battle with Ino in the Chuunin exams.  "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" she screamed as her images went back and forth.  Her brain was in a confused state.  She fought it, and it finally vanished.  "Uh.  I feel so…  Tired."  She slipped into a normal dream.

*--*

Ryosuke stumbled and fell over to the ground.  "That girl.  She's stronger than she seems."  He was rubbing his head.

Keisuke looked back at Ryosuke.  He had just come back from going out in the woods and collecting food and water.  They sought shelter in a cave they had found on the edge of a waterfall deep within the forest.   "She broke your spell?"  he asked as he started to prep the food for cooking.

"Somehow…She did."

"I find it highly improbably that one so weak as her can break your genjutsu.   Are you sure you just aren't tired?"  he asked.  "Maybe your chakura is too low?"  He handed Ryosuke a canteen of water.

"No, that's not it.  She definitely broke through it."  He said as he took the container.

"Well, we needed to contact Kabuto-sama with the information anyways."

"You're right."  Ryosuke replied as he put the last of the water to his lips.