Sakura hugged her knees to her chest gazing deeply into the fire watching the dancing embers. Most everyone else was already sleeping, although, she was startled to notice Hinata return to camp with Shino only a few moments ago. She didn't put much thought in it since they were teammates and Hinata had an obvious crush on Naruto. Why? She looked around and couldn't help but smile at Naruto sleeping soundly in his little bear cap. He wasn't so bad, she was forced to admit. He wasn't a Saskue but he had some good points.

Saskue... She was worried about him. He hadn't returned yet. Where could he be? Was he in trouble? Should she go look for him? She looked over at Kakashi-sensei who had just recently fell into a light sleep after being relieved from his watch by an Anbu female whose name Sakura didn't know. Standing up, Sakura decided to check on Saskue. They were teammates after all.

Saskue had gone off to train alone in his condition. Tsunade had healed him as she had done Kakashi. But still... Saskue's eyes were often glazed over. He walked favoring his right side. He got winded quicker then she even did. What if he was hurt alone somewhere?

Before she could take a step into the forest, someone grabbed her arm. Tensing Sakura turned her head cautiously only to find Ino holding her upper arm tightly. "What do you think you are doing, Ino-Pig?" demanded Sakura.

"You would think with a forehead as big as yours you would have some brains!" she snapped. "You can't go off on your own, especially after dark!"

A vein popped up on Sakura's forehead. "My teammate is alone and I must find him," she said with a tense smile.

Ino smirked. "I know. I've been waiting for him to get back. I'm going with you," she said.

The hell you are, raged Inner Sakura. "That's not necessary," she said with a failing smile.

Ino shrugged her shoulders. "Come on, Wide Forehead," she said over her shoulder as she began to walk towards the forest.

Shikamaru looked up from his sleeping bag placed outside of the tent. It was on a rock but it was too much effort for him to move it. Instead he just grumbled. "We can't sleep in the tent because she wants it but she stays up and goes after Saskue..." he mumbled annoyed. Girls sure were too much trouble... if only there was one that didn't act like Sakura or Ino. There was Hinata, who was too shy he would have to make all the conversation and that would be troublesome. Ten-ten, he never spent any time with her and starting now would take too much effort. Girls sure were a waste of time.

Sakura was dressed in a pair of pink shorts and a white tank top. She regretted having bare arms and legs as branches and thorns scraped her as she walked. As well as the league of bloodthirsty bugs swarming for a taste of her young blood. Also, she was barefoot and would either find herself stepping on something pointy or something gooey. She looked over to Ino who had her blonde hair in braided pigtails. She had on an oversized black shirt that probably once belonged to her father and a pair of shorts. She too had bug bites on her exposed arms and legs and also was barefoot.

"Are you sure he went this way?" demanded Ino annoyed as she stepped on something cold and slimy.

Sakura smirked turning towards her. "Of course, my love shows me where he is," she baited. She turned around and walked straight into a big spider web. She shrieked as a spider landed in her hair and the webs got tangled around her. She cried flapping her hands around to free the webs from her and to knock the spider from her hair. Ino laughed hysterically at her. "Ehhhhh, help me, Ino-Pig!" squeaked Sakura.

"Hold on, hold on! I can't see any spiders... oh wait, yes, there is that big black hairy one creeping towards your big forehead!" she teased squealing with delightful laughter.

Sakura was about to scream at her but was cut off by a strangled cry coming from somewhere right of her. "Saskue!" she screamed. Forgetting the spider and web, she took off running in the direction of the sound. She ignored Ino's calls. All that matter to her was finding Saskue.

Saskue felt an explosion in his chest, a great white fireball beneath his left set of ribs. Grimacing, he fell to his knee his breath short and labored. His vision swayed, blurred, and vanish to be set on repeat till his stomach filled with bile. His stomach retched and instead he dry heaved causing a shaking throughout his body and a small trickle of stomach acid slithered down the left corner of his chin. Blood roared in his ears like an ocean on a shore. For a moment, he thought he might pass out.

"SASKUE!" screamed Sakura terrified.

He heard the patter of her bare feet running on the dew covered grass. He could hear the panic in her rapid breathing. He struggled to stand not wanting to fail before her. He felt some irrational anger he always did at her for her concern. In truth, he couldn't handle her affection she so blindly threw at him. Her soft hands grabbed his shoulder and she pulled him back to rest against her budding chest. Her pink hair brushed against his cheek and her warm salty tears fell on his cheeks. He didn't relax both from the spasming pain in his chest and his embarrassment at her always so easily flowing tears. Did all girls cry like her? Her tears infuriated him yet her embrace was comforting reminding him of his loving lost female relatives. That comfort always hit him deeper after its momentary peace for she was not one. They were lost to him.

"Saskue... Saskue... Saskue... just rest. I'll take care of you," she said.

Take care of him? She would take care of him! In his conflicting emotions about her, he knew on thing, he would take care of her and protect her as he was not able to do for those he had lost because he couldn't care and protect them. He struggled forward against her grasping arms. She cried harder burying her face in his neck spilling her tears on the cursed seal Orochimaru had given him.

"Get off him, Forehead! He's trying to get up!" snapped Ino angrily. He opened his dark eyes to find her blue eyes filled with concern. They held no tears or fears for him. They weren't marred with telling signs of his failure. She smiled slightly at him and pulled the crying Sakura to her feet.

He was grateful towards Ino for the first time for intervening. In truth, he was too weak to get Sakura off of him herself. He got to his feet as his knees nearly gave up on him. He swallowed hard trying to force the wave of nausea from himself. He stood up and waited until the world stopped spinning before gingerly taking a step forward.

"Let's go to camp," he said gruffly.