Intermezzo: Chapter Two

"Mom, Dad, I need a favor," Sakura asked. Her parents were both in the kitchen, thankfully-- her mother at the counter, making lunch, and her father sitting at the kitchen table with paperwork spread around him. They both looked up from their work at her, and she gulped. Hopefully they'd agree right off, but if they didn't-- well, she still had a backup plan.

"What is it, sweetheart?" her father asked. Ever since Sasuke had left the village and Sakura had been left behind their daughter had been unusually depressed. She'd wandered around the village in a daze, hardly eating or sleeping. Now that the rescue team had returned she had seemed to recover, but there were still dark circles under her eyes. They'd agree to whatever she asked, because she was their baby girl and they'd do anything to help her start resting peacefully again.

"Can Naruto stay here for a week?" Sakura asked.

Except that.

"Er," her mother said.

"Um," said her father.

"Absolutely not," they said in unison.

Sakura almost growled in anger.

"Why not?" she asked. It was hard to keep the frustration out of her voice. She'd been expecting them to say no, but she hadn't expected them to be quite that vehement about it!

"He wouldn't be here that long, he just needs somewhere to stay while he heals. He can't go home right now without someone to take care of him."

"Wouldn't it be better for him to stay in the hospital, then?" her mother asked. She was trying to sound like she was seriously concerned for Naruto's health, and not just brushing off Sakura's request.

"Maybe, but he doesn't want to," Sakura explained. "Besides, I told him he could stay here. He's not a bad kid," she continued, seeing her parent's reluctance. "He's just a little... loud sometimes. But he's hurt right now, so I don't think he'll be doing much more than staying in bed. Please?" She shot her parents the puppy-dog eyes. That usually worked pretty well against them.

Her parents exchanged glances, thirteen-year old memories of death and destruction flashing through their minds. This was the Kyuubi brat. Even if he was so badly injured he couldn't move, he could probably still take them out. It had been hard enough agreeing to let him be on their dear Sakura's team; there was no way they were going to let their only daughter be in the same house with him.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I don't think it would be a good idea," her father said, in the tone of voice that indicated he was finished with the conversation. "It just wouldn't be right to allow a boy we don't know to stay here."

Sakura ground her teeth together. "Oh, fine!" she said, turning and stalking towards the stairs. It was time for plan B. "I'll just start packing, then."

Her parents bristled in shock behind her. "Wait-- packing?" her mother said.

Her father stood up so fast his chair almost tipped over. "Where are you going?" he asked.

Sakura turned and looked at them, trying with all her might to project nonchalance.

"To stay at Naruto's apartment, of course," she said. The expression of pure shock on their faces was worth every bit of frustration she'd been going through for the past ten minutes. "If he can't stay here, then I'll just have to stay over at his place instead. Either way, I'm going to be taking care of him."

"I forbid it--" her father protested, while at the counter her mother was still shocked speechless. "You can't stay over at his house by yourself! It's-- it's just not proper!"

"You can't stop me," Sakura said quietly, effectively shutting him up. They both knew it was true. She had become the first ninja in their family in generations, and had been able to sneak past her parents since she was six years old. There was nothing they could do to stop her if she was determined enough.

Her father sat back down, scooting his chair up to the table so he could rest his head in his hands. "But-- oh, fine," he said, resigned. "Naruto can stay here. But ONLY until he gets well again." It was better, after all, than having Sakura all alone in Naruto's apartment-- this way they could at least watch him, even if they wouldn't be able to stop the boy if he tried anything.

"But, dear--!" Sakura's mother protested.

"It's fine," he said, even though it wasn't. Everything in him protested bringing such a danger into their home.

Mrs. Haruno sighed. "Oh, all right," she said, turning back to her lunch preparations. Her knife began to flash in a steady rhythm as she took her anger out on the vegetables. "I hope you know what you're doing," she mumbled under her breath at her husband.

"It'll be fine," he repeated, just as quietly. "He likes her, remember? He won't do anything to hurt her." He hoped.

Sakura was rejoicing, oblivious to her parent's argument. She hadn't expected them to put up so much resistance to having Naruto come and stay, and it puzzled her, but plan B had worked exactly as she'd hoped it would. This hadn't been the first time she'd used that tactic.

"I'll just set up the guest room, then!" Sakura said cheerily, heading for the stairs. "Naruto will be over after lunch."