Yeah, I'll change the title to 'Titled'. XD It does make more sense, now that I think about it. -Ponder- I think I'll also try for longer chapters, but not really-really-really long ones... I mean, do you guys actually want to sit here for three hours reading through paragraphs and paragraphs of my crappy writing? O.o;

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, though I wish I did. =D

Titled. Chapter Three.

Wait a minute. Sakura brushed her tears away, frowning slightly as she sat up. What was it that Kakashi had whispered to her before he ushered them off? Sakura, if there are any problems, feel free to come talk with me. I'll be in the forest for this one week. She had a fleeting vision of Kakashi grinning at her through his mask, his one visible eye curving in a happy arc as he spoke.

She got up resolutely, brushed herself down, and began the walk towards forest.

Stumbling around in the undergrowth, pausing often to brush back her pink hair, Sakura somehow managed, through her watering eyes, to get lost. Go figure.

It was stupid of her to do what she was going to do, but she was going to do it anyway. Every genin knew that when you're alone, weary, and want to yell for help, don't do it. You never know when your loud voice might attract some enemy or other. But Sakura ignored this tidbit completely, and fully intended to bellow her lungs out, if it would get Kakashi's attention.

But luck favored her - even if she was lost - for Kakashi decided to show up at that particular moment. Sakura slumped against a nearby tree in relief. "Kakashi," she called, waving a hand at him as he toddled over.

"Yo," greeted Kakashi, smiling beneath his mask. The friendly smile turned to a look of concern as he peered down in faint worry at her puffy red eyes. "Sakura, you've been crying." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"Hai, Kakashi," she said quietly, standing up and scuffing her foot. "I wanted to come talk to you."

Kakashi straightened and glanced around her. "Naruto and Sasuke are not with you?"

"No. They're who I need to talk about."

Sensing something was not quite right; Kakashi sat himself down, and patted the space beside him, inviting Sakura to sit. She sat. "Now, Sakura. What's wrong?"

Between sniffs and rubbing of her eyes, Sakura related the problem to him. How she couldn't stand a week of this hostility, how Sasuke and Naruto were going to fight every other hour, how they wouldn't give up and act like friends, how crazily insane Kakashi was to give them this mission...

Kakashi listened in silence, only inclining his head once or twice when Sakura stopped to take a breath.

"I see," he said simply, and fell silent. When he next spoke, it was a question that seemingly had nothing to do with what Sakura had explained. "Sakura, if a fox and a snake were fighting, what do you think would happen?"

"Kakashi, what does this have to do with --?"

"Answer the question, Sakura," he cut across her.

Sakura appeared slightly blank, but she responded, assuming this was one of Kakashi's random animal-related questions. "Anou - I suppose the fox would win because it's bigger... But if the snake were poisonous, then the fox might get bitten."

Kakashi nodded, his eye turning into a happy arc. "That's right. What would you do if you saw a fox and a snake fighting?"

"I'd -" she paused, giving her better an odd look, and then continued, "I guess I'd try and separate them."

"And what if the snake bit the fox, and the fox was dying? Would you not be scared?"

"Anou - anou - Hai, I would be, but the poor fox!"

The silver-haired Kakashi smiled widely, though his veil hid it from Sakura's view. He patted the top of her head fondly. "That's right, Sakura. Now, if I am correct, you need to run back and separate our own little fox and snake from fighting before the fox gets bitten." His smile faded, and the look he gave her was obvious.

Sakura jumped up. Fox... Kyubi... "Oh! Naruto!" she exclaimed, scrambling off in a rush, yelling back, "Arigatou, Kakashi! I know what I have to do!" Her words faded as she disappeared through the forest. Kakashi lay back, watching her receding figure. He chuckled. "Cute."

Run-run-run! Sakura skidded to a stop outside Sasuke's house, panting for breath. Her chest heaving, she yanked the door open and staggered inside, her legs aching. As soon as she caught her breathe, she choked out, "Naruto?"

A curled up ball of orange in a corner answered her with a sniffle. Sakura's face fell, and she tottered over to him wearily. Patting his back, she peered over at his coiled form. "Oh, Naruto, are you all right?" She received another sniffle as a reply. Exerting a great amount of force, she managed to pry his hands away from where they had his face nicely covered. She blinked down at his black eye and bruised cheek. Not usually so sympathetic to poor Naruto, but she was sympathetic now, for she patted his back comfortingly, feeling vaguely guilty that she had run out on them. Kakashi was right. She had to try and keep peace between them, before the snake - Sasuke, bit the fox - Naruto. She supposed she would be the anxious bird hovering between them.

She stroked his back, while Naruto rocked back and forth. "Aw, it's all right, Naruto, don't worry, I'm sure Sasuke didn't mean to hit you so hard..."

The ball that Naruto had drawn himself into loosened, and he sat up, his puffy black eye looking quite disastrous. Sakura winced. He gingerly touched the swelling around his eye, growling, "You think he didn't mean this?"

Sakura was silent. Naruto sniffed, and flung his arms around her waist, face buried in her shirt. Sakura almost reacted negatively - but then she remembered his hurt expression from this morning when she told him that he made her sick. Her eyes softened with pity, and she hugged him back.

From the doorway, Sasuke stared silently at them. The beginnings of jealousy were poking at his heart.

- - -

Yay. O.o So what did you think? I'm not sure I like the ending so much, though, it's kind of rushed... But that's me. I end up rushing all of my chapters. XD But I feel proud. I updated twice in two days. x)