The morning sun shined brightly. An otherwise perfect morning if there wasn't such tension in team 7. Naruto and Sakura in particular. Naruto did his best to sleep despite having Sakura in his thoughts. Sakura however, couldn't sleep at all. The guilt had been slowly growing and kept her up all night.

"Morning all. Hope everyone slept well" Kakashi greeted his team.

"Morning sensei" the three genin said in unison.

"I'll go get some fresh fruit" Sakura said as she left to gather some fruits

"Guess I'll get the leftover firewood and make a fire" Sasuke said as he began making a fire

"Then I'll pack up our camping gear. After we eat, we head out. Naruto, that leaves you to make breakfast. Are ya up for it?" Kakashi asked

"Yeah! I'll make up something we'll all like"

"RAMEN isn't breakfast Naruto" Sasuke said growling as Kakashi started to snicker.

"FINE!" Naruto yelled as he got ready to cook.

Naruto began to make breakfast. He made a very healthy meal of cherry oatmeal and some chocolate pudding for dessert. He knew that it was Sakura's favorite. Despite how hurt he was, making her happy took first priority to him. And her happiness became his second nature. Breakfast smelt great. And Kakashi and Sasuke noticed.

Meanwhile Sakura had found some fruits. She was trying to decide if she should pick the apples, or the tangerines. She knew Sasuke was particularly fond of apples. And she also knew that Naruto was a tangerine fanatic.

Inner Sakura

"Sasuke-kun eats apples a lot. He must like them a lot. So, I'll pick some of these."

Sakura picked as many apples as her arms could carry and began on her way back to where everyone was sitting and about to have breakfast. But before making it over, she turned her head and took one last look at the fruit patches where she had just picked.

Inner Sakura

"...I don't have enough room for the tangerines too...Naruto will just have to settle for the apples too...Sasuke-kun will be happy at least...Sorry Naruto.

Back at the camp, Naruto had just finished making breakfast. It was finally done and Kakashi and Sasuke were both hungry in the worst way.

"Ok guys, foods done, eat up" Naruto called as the food was done

They both started making themselves breakfast.

"You know, I don't particularly like you Naruto. But, you can cook for me anytime" Sasuke said as he enjoyed his mean.

"I'm with you on that Sasuke. Naruto this stuff is great. You need to take over the cooking duties next time" Kakashi said will shaking his head in agreement.

They both started to go for seconds until Naruto suddenly stopped them.

"Can't you guys at least wait until Sakura eats too? He said in a tough, firm voice.

Sakura had just come back and was welcomed by the sweet aroma of the cherry oatmeal. She was happy that her favorite breakfast was made instead of the usual crap that Kakashi makes. She assumed it was Sasuke that made it for her. And that made her smile.

"Wow this tastes wonderful Sasuke-kun. I brought apples back with me. I knew they were your favorite. There were tangerines too, but I knew you didn't like them." She said.

Naruto heard that. He got up and once again put distance between himself and the rest of the team. Feeling a bit dejected, he started doing his morning exercises and preparing his gear for the rest of their journey to sand. Kakashi looked as his young blond student began to walk off. He began to figure out what was wrong. But for now, he'd let them try to handle their problems themselves. He wanted to allow his students to grow up.

"Sakura, I didn't make breakfast..."Sasuke said as he continued on with his food

"Oh...I'm sorry Kakashi sensei, it tastes great" She said embarrassed.

"Wrong again Sakura" he said as he too continued on with his food.

"Wait a minute, you don't mean to tell me..." Sakura gasped

"YUP" Kakashi and Sasuke said in unison.

"These aren't my favorite apples. I only like macintosh apples" Sasuke said angrily as he threw the apple far away in a very disrespectful demeanor.

Inner Sakura

"Geez you could at least try to be appreciative Sasuke-kun...Naruto...Naruto made my favorite breakfast for me...he is so considerate. And I left the tangerines behind knowing Naruto liked them...all in favor of Sasuke's apples. Which he didn't even like or appreciate. Oh it would be so nice if Sasuke would be more like Naruto...so sweet and caring...and always cheerful.

Naruto...always doing for me...why are you so devo..."

Sakura's train of thought was broken when Kakashi complained and said for everyone not to eat the apples because they were rotten inside. Sasuke wasn't going to eat them anyway. Naruto heard that and walked over to the rest of the team.

Sakura began to have a sad look on her face. She felt disappointed and like she was a screw up. So Naruto despite what Kakashi had just said, grabbed an apple and began to eat it.

"NARUTO! Do you WANT to get sick?" Kakashi yelled as Sasuke and Sakura looked on

" I won't get sick sensei...a kind hand picked these apples. And I would never let those hands efforts go to waste" Naruto replied as he kept eating away at the apples

Sakura was in total shock. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Naruto was the kind of guy that she wished Sasuke would be.

Inner Sakura

"I can't believe how much compassion he has...willing to make himself ill, just to make me smile.

And I didn't even get his favorite fruit. Instead I opted to get the fruit for someone that didn't even appreciate the time and I effort I put in getting them.

I...I told him I hated him...But how can I hate someone like you Naruto. You, who cares about making me smile above all else...you should be the one hating me instead..."

Sakura looked at him with both sheer intensity and sincerity. Anywhere Naruto moved, her eyes followed. She wanted to talk to him so badly. To at least say how sorry she was. But she knew that he would find some way to distance himself from her yet again.

Team 7 soon set out and continued on their way to the sand village. They had trekked a long way and stopped at brief intervals to catch a breather and to replenish their energy. All the while Sakura walked along side Sasuke. Naruto kept his distance as he had been doing since the very start of this mission. And as for Kakashi, he took the rear and minded his own business. The wind began to pick up as the sun began to set. Sakura was starting to get cold. She saw this as an opportunity to get a bit closer to Sasuke.

"It's cold..."she started shivering, hoping to get Sasuke's attention.

"What kind of ninja comes unprepared for the weather?" that was the response she received from Sasuke.

"I'm sorry Sasuke-kun..." she said batting her eyes

"Whatever. Why are you saying sorry to me anyway? You're the one that's freezing here?" he said as he started to speed up to get away from her

Sakura just looked down and closed her eyes as she continued walking.

Inner Sakura

"Why can't he show at least a small amount of compassion for me? I try to be strong for you Sasuke-kun...can't you learn to accept me?"

Naruto was ahead of them, but he did catch a glance of Sakura shivering. Even if she didn't want him near her, he would find a way to help her nonetheless. He took a jacket out of his bag and hung on a nearby tree that was about to pass. Sasuke noticed what Naruto had done, but paid no mind to it.

When Sakura got to the tree she saw the jacket. At first she was worried that it may have been set as a trap of some sorts or that someone may have lost it. But then a sudden blast of wind fell on them and she decided to put the jacket on. She was quite content with it. It warmed her up right away and she loved how the inside of the jacket felt against her skin. But she noticed a funny itching at her neck. She pulled out the collar of the jacket and saw a name.

Inner Sakura

"Naruto...even when he's distant...he finds a way to help me...

He protects me without restraining me...oooooh...if you were only Sasuke...Sasuke could really learn some things from you Naruto...Thank you...

Naruto just kept about his business. Walking as if nothing happened, not noticing how Sakura had been gazing at him. She was beginning to have a deep admiration for the teammate she once thought to be worthless. She stared to crack a smile.

"What are you smiling about" Kakashi asked as Sasuke looked, both awaiting a reply

Sakura saw Sasuke looking at her and didn't dare say what she was smiling about.

"Oh...uh ...nothing...nothing at all. I was just happy that I am actually close to Sasuke-kun" was her reply.

When he heard that, Sasuke just shunned it off and kept on walking. Sakura saw Sasuke's demeanor and it saddened her. Sakura began to wonder if Sasuke would ever return her affections.

The team just at the horizon at the village of sound.

"Listen up team, we will camp right here. The sand village is just over this horizon. Stretch, rest your muscles, get some sleep. Do whatever you need to for unwinding and preparation. Tomorrow we rescue the target." Kakashi told his team.

"Yes sensei" The three replied in unison.

Sasuke just walked of and found a secluded spot to get in a bit of exercise. Sakura was about to follow behind him to make yet another attempt to win his heart. However, she turned and saw Naruto. She wanted to have a talk with him. But she was afraid of how he'd react. The last time she tried he found an excuse to get away. But she said to herself she'd try anyway.

Naruto was quietly sitting up in a tree. The view was perfect. He had a great view of the skyline. Naruto saw Sakura walking toward the very tree he had planted himself in. Sakura stopped and looked up at Naruto. Their eyes met and stayed fixed on each other for a while until Sakura asked if she could come up.

"Would it be all right...if I came up there with you?" she asked as her eyes never wavered from his.

"All right..."

Sakura climbed the tree and sat side by side with Naruto. Naruto began to slide over to make at least some distance between them. But Sakura grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"...You don't have to move...please don't move..." she asked softly

Naruto had stopped and turned his head away from hers

"Don't look away either... I want you to see me..." she took his cheek into her palm as she turned his head to see her.

Again they had a brief moment of silence. It seemed that they were just drawn to each other. Sakura loved looking into his eyes. They had a warmth and beauty that she only dreamed that Sasuke's had.

"Naruto...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to treat you like I did two days ago. Please...forgive me. I didn't mean to take away your sense of self the way I did. For that I'm truly sorry...I ...I ...realize I was much happier when you were yourself...I do like you...I do care about you..." she said still looking at him eye to eye

"Sakura...I forgave you the moment you yelled at me...I just thought that maybe you would be happier if I'd do exactly as you said"

"...No...I was wrong. Very wrong. Can we be friends again...?" She asked still gazing into his eyes. Almost ready to cry.

"I never stopped being your friend Sakura...I'll always be there for you" Naruto said smiling.

Sakura gave him a warm smile. Naruto returned the smile. And that relieved her. The Naruto that she had been traveling with was sad and distant. That Naruto was foreign to her. She was much more accustomed to the smiling, gleeful Naruto. That was the Naruto she preferred and made her smile.

"Naruto, please listen to me. I want to give you my friendship. But...I can't give you my heart. I'm sorry...that's for Sasuke..." she said as she finally broke their gazing.

"...I know..." Naruto said softly as he looked away.

Sakura wrapped her arms around her teammate. She was happy to have his friendship. But she felt horrible about breaking his heart. She knew he had a crush on him for as long as she could remember. But she started to wonder if it was more than simply a crush. She came to wonder if Naruto truly loved her. And that is what she was looking for from Sasuke.

" Thank you..." she whispered into his ear and she slowly let go of her embrace. She walked away and headed off to where Sasuke was.

Naruto just starred as the pink haired kunoichi walked off. Sakura's intuition felt his warm eyes glaring at her. She loved how he looked at her. She turned around and gave her teammate one final glance and ran off, no longer in sight.

Inner Sakura

"...his eyes are so inviting and warm...oh why couldn't Sasuke be Naruto and Naruto be Sasuke...

And with that, team seven went on about the separate ways till morning.