Author's Notes: Thank you to those who reviewed and said that they loved the story. It really makes me happy hearing from you guys! and now, time to answer some questions:
blisblop - Well, they don't really show Naruto on TV. Unless you live in Japan. You could download the manga, since the anime has been dubbed (coming out in July here) then some of the subbing groups stopped. I think there's some available, you just gotta find the right places. ;D
Scorpion05 - Sasuke's in a coma because before Itachi was captured, he fought with his brother and..yeah. Itachi won. As for why Itachi is there ..that will be revealed near the end of the story.
crazy-antman - Itachi kept him alive, for a reason. Which, will be revealed near the end. It's sad seeing Itachi the way he is now, but its for the story.
now, on with the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!
"A Beautiful Mind"
chapter four: Conflicts
That previous night, it took her quite a while before she could go to sleep. She didn't know why, but his words began to haunt her. Even in her dreams, her every thought. She was enraptured by the way he could get inside her skin so quickly, but also feared it. Tossing and turning on her bed, she quickly covered her eyes with those pink covers as the sun rised, starting the day. She didn't want to wake up, but she had to. After all, she had a very important mission to do today.
Naruto was probably on his way here right now to wake her up, so there was no use trying to ignore it. Besides, she couldn't just ignore the mission because she had only an hour or two of sleep, that was her fault to begin with. "I guess that's what happens when I pry into things.." she said to herself standing up. She looked back at her bed, and noticed that the covers and the pillows were everywhere. One of the pillows was on the floor..
She'll pick that up when she came back from the mission..
She walked into the bathroom, and then looked at herself in the mirror. "Ehh.." she had bags underneath her eyes, her hair was messy, and some drool was left over running down her mouth when she fell asleep for one or two hours. She wasn't the morning type. She removed her nightgown, tossed it to the floor, and entered to quickly take a shower.
Minutes later, when she walked out she could have sworn that she heard a knocking sound. "Naruto's here already?". Blushing, she quickly grabbed her outfit, and placed it on as quickly as she could. If Naruto had found her in a bath towel, she could have died right there on that very spot.
"Oy! Sakura-chaaaaan!"
That energetic voice reminded Sakura of who was behind her door. She grabbed her brush, brushed her hair neatly and then ran towards the door to open it.
"Naruto! It's too early!" she remarked.
"Ne, Sakura-chan! It's never too early!" he grinned, scratching his head. "So, so are you ready for the mission?"
"Hardly, but I have enough supplies to last." She closed the door, allowing him to enter. "But, after this mission I'm going to have to restock."
"I see, I see.." he replied, sitting on one of the blue couches that were in her livingroom. "Ne, Sakura-chan do you know anyone else who's going on this mission?"
She blinked, "I'm not really sure. Either Hyuuga-san, or Shikamaru is going to be our leader.."
"I heard Shikamaru's too preoccupied with that once-wannabe Sasuke freak."
"Oh?" Sakura picked up a couple of things that were on the floor. "Ino's bothering Shikamaru?"
"Well, not really. But I heard that she wants to have children, and Shikamaru says that they're too young to be having kids. That idiot said it was 'too troublesome' to be taking care of kids .."
"So, I'm assuming that Hyuuga-san is our leader?"
"Like Ino's going to stop Shikamaru from a mission.."
She shrugged. "Well, we will find out once we get to the meeting place."
Naruto nodded. "Um, Um..aren't we supposed to be there in a couple of minutes?"
Sakura reached for her pocketwatch and then looked at the time. "We're supposed to be there in an hour, actually."
"Oh! Heh, my bad then.."
"No, it's alright. This way, we have time to get prepared." she smiled. "Anyways, since we have an hour to kill, would you like some breakfast?"
He nodded. "Un! It's been awhile since i've tasted your cooking, Sakura-chan!"
She smiled, and then walked towards the kitchen. If she was someone else, she would've assumed that Naruto and herself were an 'item'. She chuckled, and then prepared a quick breakfast. It has been awhile since the two hanged out the way they were now. Even during missions, they couldn't really spend as much as time as they wanted to. With Sasuke gone, Naruto made it the obligation that he tried to help Sakura as best as he could. After all, that's the sort of thing he would do for her..
Even after all these years, he still loved her..
But, he knew that in her heart, the only man she ever will love, was Sasuke.
He had hoped for an opportunity and just when he thought it was possible, Sasuke returned to Konoha..
He smiled to himself, as he layed back against the couch. Those blue hues would gaze up at the ceiling and then they would shift towards her figure in the kitchen. 'Sakura-chan..'
Even with his love being one-sided, he'd do anything for her..
"Naruto! don't just sit there like a lazy bum and come help me!"
He stood up. "Yeah, yeah! I'm coming!"
Their breakfast didn't take that long too finish, neither did it take that long for them to consume it. They soon foumd themselves walking through the streets of Konoha, onwards to their meeting place. They weren't sure who else were coming with them, but they knew it wouldn't be that many.
"Maybe like, 3 people?" Sakura asked him, as they walked towards the entrance gates of Konoha.
"I don't know. Granny Tsunade said that the mission needed an exact amount of people, or else it wouldn't be as successful"
"I see.."
They weren't really sure exactly what they had to do for this mission, all they knew was that Tsunade had requested for Sakura and Naruto to be on the same team. Perhaps to balance out the skills of the team..
"This mission needs attention ASAP, and must be carried out on an exact date." she told Naruto and Sakura. "You will find your team at the entrance gates, make sure you're prepared. This mission will carry out on a week after this very date. Please be prepared."
"How long will it take, Tsunade-Shishou?" Sakura asked.
"It depends on your team. If your team is successful, then it should take only 2 days.."
"What if we're unsuccessful?"
"Then it could take almost a week.."
Something in her stirred, as she began to remember that day. Naruto glanced back at her, and cocked his brow. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?"
She briefly smiled. "Yeah, I'm alright.."
She just remembered that she promised to see Itachi once every day. If she didn't show up for 2 days, or an entire week...
She doesn't even want to know the consequences, but she couldn't back out of this mission..
"You guys are 2 minutes early.."
Sakura and Naruto stopped dead in their tracks, as they saw Neji standing before them near the entrance gates. "Oh? you're our leader Neji?" Naruto asked.
"Actually, I am.." Shikamaru replied, walking towards Neji. "I was assigned as the leader of this mission. Jeez, I never get a break.."
"But you're an excellent leader, that is why Godaime-sama picked you, Shikamaru." Neji replied.
Shikamaru sighed. "Anyways, I just received the details of the mission before I left the house.." he pulled out a scroll, and then placed it against the ground. "Our target, is to retrieve an important document in the village of the sand. The kazekage had requested for Hokage-sama to look at this document. They sent a fake representive, because there were suspicions that an enemy were trying to get their hands on it. Their suspicions were correct, they found his body three days later. Hokage-sama has requested our team, to retrieve that document and bring it safely back to Konoha, without any casulties."
Sakura nodded. "I see, so the enemy is out there?"
"Most likely, they are waiting for us."
"That is why the byakugan is needed.." Shikamaru applied. "Why we need Sakura's medical skills, Naruto's determination and willpower, as well as my leadership skills." He stood up, and glanced at his team mates. "Remember, I'm responsible for your lives so don't doubt my orders, understood?"
They nodded. "This might take a while, did everyone bring food and supplies?"
"I brought enough medical supplies, as well as emergency food.." Sakura replied, showing them the inside of her backpack. "I also brought extra medicine for any type of emergency, which I made myself just in case.."
"Excellent, as far as taking care of the team and healing, we should be fine with what you have, Sakura." Neji replied.
"So then, we've already exceeded the time that we were supposed to leave Konoha.." Shikamaru remarked. "Remember, be careful the enemy could be everywhere, and anywhere.."
They nodded once more.
"So then, let's go.."
With that, they no longer were still figures, but blurs in the trees...
Later:
Night had fallen, and the team was stranded in the middle of the forests that led towards the sand village. They took rounds protecting their camp, and this hour was Sakura's turn. She sighed, her green eyes glancing towards the fire that Naruto had prepared earlier. Everything was quiet, and still.
She could hear the crickets chirping, as well as Naruto snoring..
'If I was back home, then I would've been on my way to visit him again..'
"Something wrong, Haruno?"
Sakura glanced up, and noticed Neji standing infront of her. "H-Hyuuga-san!"
"You seem deep in thought, mind if I joined you?"
"But you don't have duty until I finish mine.."
"I couldn't sleep."
She blinked, "I see. Well, then I wouldn't mind.."
He sat down beside her. Those hollow white hues would glance into the fire as well, and it seemed like he was in deep thought as well.
"Hyuuga-san, what's wrong?" she asked him, looking at him.
"Nothing, I was just thinking.." he closed his eyes, and then turned to look at her. "Besides, I should be asking you that question.."
She blushed a bit, and then blinked once more. "What do you..mean?"
"With these eyes, I could tell that something seems to be troubling you.."
'How does he..?.' She smiled. "Nothing's wrong, Hyuuga-san. I'm probably just worried about the mission, that's all.."
The veins soon appeared on the sides of his eyes, as he squinted to take a good look into her eyes. For that moment, Sakura felt that the hyuuga genius was trying to get a good peak into her soul. "I see.."
"W-What do you see?"
He then glanced down towards her chest, keeping up with her rapid heartbeat. He quickly raised his eyes, glancing back into those green eyes of hers. The veins disappeared, as he replied "Your heart, as well as your soul, is in turmoil. It's seeking something, but I don't know exactly what you are seeking.."
She sweatdropped. "Do you, really believe that?"
"Is it because of Uchiha Sasuke?"
She glanced into the fire once more, as she crossed her arms against her chest. Why did he have to mention Sasuke to her? It was as if, by mentioning Sasuke, she would suffer even more..
The hyuuga genius took notice of this, and then sighed. "Forgive me, it was none of my intentions to make you unhappy than you already are. You should get some sleep, I'll take over for you, as well as complete my own round.."
She stood up, and then sighed. "Thank you, Hyuuga-san."
He nodded, and watched her slip into one of the flatable futons to sleep in. His eyes would glance back towards the fire, and then sighed. 'Haruno, what is it exactly that is making you seem this unhappy? If it is Uchiha Sasuke, then I cannot forgive him for what he has done..'
Two days later:
It didn't take them that long to reach the sand village. By the afternoon of the second day of their mission, they arrived at the entrance gates. They went to go see Gaara, the kazekage, who gave them the document that they were supposed to bring back. Sakura hid it underneath her medical supplies, incase the enemy would try and take it from Shikamaru, who had a fake one with him.
"This way, at least we can compromise and we can run away when they take the fake one, before they realize that we have the real one.." Shikamaru remarked, as they left the sand village.
"Then this mission shouldn't take that long.." Neji replied, scouting around the place with his Byakugan.
"Yeah! We'll be back home in no time!" Naruto remarked, grinning.
Sakura seemed the less joyous of the three. It's been two days already..
Surely the elder Uchiha was angry with her, and if he was..when she returned back to Konoha, what would he do?
"Haruno, we're ready to head back to Konoha.." Neji remarked, removing her of her dazed state.
"Oh, I see..."
"Oy, Sakura are you alright?" Shikamaru replied. "What? do you need to use the bathroom or something? 'cause, Ino's been telling me about 'certain girl problems'..."
"It's not that!" Sakura remarked, giving him a death glare.
Naruto blinked, "What girl problems?"
"Nevermind, you idiot." Shikamaru replied.
Neji glanced at Sakura with keen interest, it seemed that she was more troubled than she was the night they left..
They left without any more words, and into the forest they leapt heading back to Konoha..
The fourth day:
While they were half-way into entering Konoha territory, the enemy suddenly attacked.
They were able to defeat the enemy, but not without suffering many injuries.
That same day, on the night they were attacked, Sakura had to take care of her team and it exhausted her completely. Naruto, despite of the kyuubi being inside of him and allowing his wounds to be healed, he was still attacked pretty badly. Sakura did her best to take care of all of her team-mates, and she was able to help them survive.
When Neji, Shikamaru and Naruto woke up that fourth day, they found Sakura on the ground. She had collapsed that night..
The document was still with them meaning that the mission was a success, but if it hadn't been for Sakura then they all would have been dead. Naruto carried her on his back, as they rushed to Konoha.
"Damnit, if I had realized they were following us.." Shikamaru remarked, jumping from tree to tree.
"Don't worry about it Shikamaru, I'm sure Sakura-chan's going to be alright." Naruto remarked, holding unto her arms tightly so that she wouldn't fall off.
"Haruno must've exhausted herself, as well as used up too much chakra healing us.."
"Don't worry, it's alright Neji. Once we get Sakura-chan to the hospital, she'll be fine.."
They arrived in Konoha hours later..
Naruto quickly took Sakura to the hospital, where she stayed for treatment. The doctors said that she was able to go home that same day, but it was wise for her to rest that night.
"I'll stay with her at her place, guys.." Naruto remarked, glancing at Sakura as she layed on the hospital bed.
"Alright then, Hokage-sama said that she thanks us for the mission, and that there should be another one in a couple of weeks.." Shikamaru replied. He sighed once more, "If we had been extra careful.."
"Oy, Oy! I told you, it's fine! Look, Sakura-chan is, she's alright.."
"But still, she wouldn't have fainted if we weren't careful.." Neji remarked. "Anyways, if you are willing to look after her, then I should be leaving now.."
"Same here, I have to go report the details of our mission." Shikamaru replied.
Naruto nodded. "I'll see you guys later then."
They left, leaving Naruto alone with Sakura in the hospital room. "So, this is how you've must have felt eh, Sakura-chan? Everytime you saw that fool, Sasuke..."
He understood her pain, at that very moment..
Later:
Naruto was able to take Sakura home since she woke up a couple of hours later. He told her that he would take care of her that night, since the doctors ordered that she must rest and get enough sleep as she could. She layed there on her bed, glancing up at the ceiling.
'It's been four days, now..'
She sighed, laying on her side this time. 'I doubt he'll come here, since Naruto is here after all...but knowing him, I doubt that will stop him..'
She wasn't sure exactly what Itachi would do, or if he would come to pay 'her' a visit..
She was just scared to find out...
Her eyelids suddenly became heavy, as her vision began to blur. Sleep was overpowering her, and even though she was scared as to what exactly might happen in a couple of hours, she couldn't defeat how sleepy and tired she was..
'Sakura-chan..'
She looked up at him, and noticed that he was in her room. Before she could say anything, he placed his hand on her cheek, gently stroking it. 'I missed you..'
'Wait, no. Please stop..' she pleaded with him, a couple of tears falling down her eyes.
'You didn't come to visit me in awhile..' his face suddenly appeared leaning towards hers...
She sat up, cold sweat running down her face.
She looked at her pocketwatch, which was on her night table. "It's late.."
The sudden beams from the moon coming down on her made her realize how exactly late, it was. She must've been sleeping for hours now..
She sighed. She couldn't help but remember her dream, it felt so real. The way he would speak, the way she pleaded with him to stop...
It all seemed so real, it frightened her.
There was nothing to worry about, she told herself. "It was just a dream.."
"No, it's not a dream.."
She blinked, and then noticed a figure standing before her bed. She didn't want to, she didn't want to look up and see his figure standing before her.
Those dark onyx-eyes..
That figure of his covered in moonlight..
Those scars that seemed to be healed..
Those lips, curved into a malicious smirk...
She froze right then and there, leaning her back against the bed post. Her lips would quiver a bit, before they spoke his name.. "Itachi.."
She soon found herself pressed against her bed, his figure above hers. His hands would grab unto her wrists, pining her down with enough force to keep her from restraining. He smirked once more, lowering his face towards hers. His lips would whisper in her ear:
"It's been awhile, Sakura-chan. You haven't come to see me in four days.."
