Morning set in on team 7. Team 7 was preparing to bring return princess Morrigan home. After the last time Naruto made breakfast, Kakashi was sure to assign Naruto cooking duties for the morning again. Sasuke, wanting to be alone went for fresh water. And Sakura was assigned fruit hunting again. Morrigan was still asleep while all of this was going on. Lastly, Kakashi himself began packing up the camp gear.

Sakura, still thinking about all the events of the day before went about getting fruits. She found the same bushes she went to the last time.

Inner Sakura

"Well...Sasuke didn't like the apples I picked last time. Not to mention they were rotted anyway...maybe...maybe I'll get the tangerines...Naruto will enjoy them...he's done so much for me...I'll bring some of both this time..."

Meanwhile, the princess was starting to wake from her slumber. She looked over and saw Naruto making breakfast. She had a warm smile watching him.

"Good morning blondie..." she grinned as Naruto turned and greeted her in return

"Morning! Are you hungry? Sorry we only have rations out here for the most part." He replied

"Sure, I'm not picky" smiling

Naruto began making oatmeal just as he did before. Morrigan noticed that he was stirring it too fast. She decided to give him a bit of advice.

"You don't have to stir so roughly you know" she said giggling.

"Oh ok. I'll try to be gentler."

Naruto wasn't any more gentle whatsoever. He tried to be gentle. But it just wasn't his style. Morrigan walked behind him and grabbed his hand. She began stirring it slower as she guided his hand.

"See? You have to be a bit more gentle." A grin gave way to Morrigan's face

"Uh...Yes" he replied embarrassed.

Sasuke had come back with some fresh water. He was kinda shocked to see Naruto so close to a girl. To him, Naruto was just the laughing stock of the village. And a princess was close to him no less.

" Since when do ugly clowns have princesses as girlfriends?"

Naruto and Morrigan looked at each other in awe and confusion.

"We aren't a couple Sasuke. We're just friends. Don't you have brooding to do is some cave?" Naruto said back with authority.

"Watch who you get loud with like that clown, you might find yourself hurt" Sasuke threatened.

"I'm not a clown. And if my loudness gets me hurt, I doubt you'd be the one to hurt me"

" Is that so?" Sasuke prepared for an attack.

Princess Morrigan saw the two were about to fight and decided to quickly put a stop to it. She ran directly in between them. And she was not going to budge for anything.

"Why are you so intent on picking a fight with Naruto? I don't want to see my friends fighting and I don't want anyone to be hurt. So, please Sasuke...stop" Morrigan said directly to Sasuke as her eyes never wavered.

"Hmph...Whatever" Sasuke said was he walked off.

"Sorry about that princess Morrigan" Naruto apologized

"It's not your fault...didn't I ask you to drop the 'princess' from my name when you talk to me?"

"I'm sorry."

"I don't accept apologies from my friends. I'll let you get away with it this time but, next time you'll owe me" she said winking at Naruto

Naruto continued with making breakfast as Morrigan looked on. Sakura had returned with the fruit and noticed Morrigan staring at Naruto. She decided to sit down with Morrigan. She was the only female there to talk with.

"Morning princess" Sakura greeted

" Hi there" the princess answered back

There was an odd silence between them for a while. Up until now, Sakura nor Morrigan really made much of an attempt to get to know one another. Sakura was about to ask what she was looking at. But before she could, Morrigan broke the silence.

"...What's he like..." Morrigan asked Sakura while still looking at Naruto

" Who? Naruto?...he's ok I guess" Sakura replied, not sure on what to say.

"Could you...tell me more about him?"

Inner Sakura

"What can I tell her?... It's not as if I took time to get to know Naruto myself. Although...I'm starting to wish I did get to know him..."

"Well, he's normally loud and pulling pranks...and where we live, Naruto is constantly mocked and shunned"

Sakura turned her head in a bit of shame as she said that. She remembered when there was a time when she was no better than the rest of the people. Ridiculing and hating Naruto, just for being alive.

"Yes, he told me a little about it?" Morrigan replied

"I...I was one of those who treated him badly as well. But, he's changed. Sure he is still loud at times. But as for the pranks, he doesn't seem to do that at all much nowadays."

" I see...what has he done to everyone to make him an outcast like this?" Morrigan said in worry

Sakura was still looking away, feeling ashamed to answer the question. And even stupider to the answer she was about to give.

"Princess...to be honest...I don't know why everyone despises Naruto...everyone else in the village did, I guess it just...rubbed off on me"

"Your teammate, Sasuke...tried to pick a fight with Naruto while you were away..."

Sakura turned her head back toward the princess in shock.

"Sasuke-kun and Naruto are friends. They disagree on many things. But in the end, they both know they depend on each other"

"I feel a little better about that little display they had now" the princess smiled

"So...Sasuke-KUN huh?" the princess was implying something

"I take it you see Sasuke as something more don't you Sakura?"

Sakura embarrassed at first didn't even want to bother answering. But she knew she couldn't lie either. It was easy to keep her feelings inside with a bunch of guys. She was the only female member of team 7. But keeping feelings hidden from a fellow girl wasn't quite as simple. So she decided to answer honestly.

" Yes, I would love for Sasuke to feel for me the way I feel for him. But...he never returns my feelings. In fact, sometimes...I feel like he hates me. Most of the girls my age have a crush on him too. I don't remember exactly when I began liking Sasuke-kun. I just do"

"Is that so?" the princess said still implying

"What the HELL does that mean?" Sakura got annoyed.

"It MEANS I know you were spying on Naruto and I last night. I felt your presence there with us. And your heart gave off an aura of despair." The princess said sounding equally annoyed.

Sakura began to calm down, now realizing that she had been found out.

"I...I ... was curious I guess"

"Curious...then why did become jealous and walked off once I hugged him? You stayed for just about our WHOLE conversation until that point."

"HOW DID YOU..."Sakura became loud

Sakura stopped shouting and quieted herself. There was a silence between her and Morrigan for a while.

"...I was just...worried about him." Sakura said in a low voice.

"Sakura, do you consider yourself a leader or a follower?"

"Dammit I don't follow anyone. I'm a leader. What kind of stupid question was that?"

"Everyone hates Naruto so I will too. Every girl likes Sasuke, so I think I like him too. Everyone else is doing it, so I will too" the princess was mocking her

"Sakura, be a leader. If you don't become a leader soon, you just MIGHT have something to worry about. Be honest to yourself"

Morrigan got up and walked toward Naruto. Sakura on the other hand, had a great deal to think about. The princess's words, if they'd have been any more on point would have pierced here like a javelin. She had many thoughts swirling throughout her mind.

Inner Sakura

"Who the hell does she think she is? Where does she get off telling me I'm a follower?...Is she trying to say I'm just crushing over Sasuke like most of the other girls in konoha. No...I know I love Sasuke.

"HEY EVERYONE...FOOD'S DONE!" Naruto yelled out.

Everyone was up and ready when it came down to food. Kakashi basically did a rush job on packing the camp gear once he heard the food call. Sasuke despite the little spat he and Naruto had earlier was rushing to get there as well.

Everyone sat quietly together eating. It was the first time in a while that they actually did anything together aside from the missions themselves. Morrigan sat at Naruto's left side. She was exceptionally close considering she didn't really need to be. Sakura didn't really want to watch.

Inner Sakura

"Does she have to be next to him that way? And why do I care anyway, it's not like he's my boyfriend"

Sakura turned her head away from looking at the two of them. She just didn't want to see Morrigan that close to Naruto. Naruto saw Sakura and became concerned.

"Hey are you ok Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked

"I'm fine" she said, not even looking at him

Everyone finished their food in silence and began on their way to bring Morrigan home.Kakashi had taken point. Followed by Naruto and Morrigan walking side by side. Sasuke and Sakura took the rear.

Sasuke was still nursing his many wounds and limping heavily from Malhavoc's assault.

"Sasuke-kun, do you want to lean on me for support" Sakura asked politely.

"I don't need help. Especially from someone so weak" Sasuke said cold-heartedly. Maybe it was his pride that made him reject her help. Maybe it was the fact that she was always swooning over him. Maybe it was both.

Sakura was hurt by that remark. But to her, it wasn't so bad. She had become used to Sasuke's mistreatment. It didn't hurt as much as it normally did. But it still hurt. She was looking ahead and saw Naruto and Morrigan walked about 10ft ahead of her.

Naruto felt Sakura's eyes on him. Call it intuition. He called out to her asking if she was well.

"Hey Sakura-chan, are you feeling all right? You look upset"

"Huh...yes I'm fine" Sakura said with a small giggle. A giggle that signaled that something was indeed troubling her.

Naruto let Morrigan get ahead of him for a little bit and walked toward Sakura. He figured maybe she just didn't want to say what was wrong out loud.

"Sakura-chan are you sure you're ok?"

"Ohhhhhhhh so now you want to be around me? Morrigan took a lot of your time huh?" Sakura said with a lukewarm, jealous remark

Naruto had a hard time reading her. He doesn't really understand women to begin with. So he didn't catch onto her jealousy.

"Well no...not really" He said, rubbing the back of his head

"Naruto...go away..."Sakura mumbled

"Sakura-chan, did I..." Naruto was completely confused.

"Do I have to spell it out dumbass? G-O A-W-A-Y" She snapped at him harshly

Naruto, hurt and saddened did as Sakura asked. He got away from her. Just two nights before he thought they had an understanding. He thought they were friends. He went back to where he came from and didn't look back. He didn't want to see Sakura's face. He knew it showed anger at him. He just didn't know why.

"What's wrong Naruto?" Morrigan asked seeing the evident despair in his eyes

"Honestly...I don't know"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I thought a friend and I had come to an understanding. But I always get her mad. And this time I don't even know what I did wrong."

"Hmmmm, Sakura right?" she pretty much knew it was Sakura. His face told quite the story

"...Yes"

"Well, how do you feel about her?" Morrigan already knew the answer to that, but she wanted to hear it from him.

"Well...I'm in love with her. But she doesn't love me. So...I happily accepted being friends with her."

"How could she not like you Naruto? Who does she like?"

"Sasuke" he said with no enthusiasm

"OH you've got to be kidding. He is so disrespectful. Not to mention antisocial"

"Yeah tell me about it" Naruto said with a smile

"Well a girl that doesn't give you the attention you should have doesn't deserve to have you anyway. I meant what I said before, you are special" she said smiling

"You think so huh"

"I KNOW so" she said as she grabbed his hand.

Things were pretty much as normal as they could be until the reached the land of waves. Naruto and Morrigan stayed behind Kakashi, talking and carrying on like two school kids. Sasuke, being as emotionless as always was following behind them. And as for Sakura, she was just alone. She felt totally out of place.

"Allow me to be the first one to say...Mission Complete!." Kakashi said as they reached the wave country.

"Thank you all" the princess showed the team that saved her gratitude.

"You're very welcome Princess" Kakashi answered for the team

"Yeah, it was mine...I mean...our pleasure" Naruto started to blush

Morringan walked up to him and gave him a sincere kiss on the cheek

"Thank you my special blond hero"

Sakura was very impartial she didn't really have anything to say. Princess Morrigan walked passed her. But not before whispering something into her ear.

"It's not like you have feelings for him or anything. Besides, no need to be jealous. You love Sasuke right?" she said in an almost competitive tone as she walked away.

Inner Sakura

" Sigh...just my luck...the second coming of Ino"

"All right team, first order of business. Naruto, Sasuke, do you two remember what I said? We are going to get both of you checked out by a doctor." Kakashi reminded them about going to have their injuries checked.

"Dammit sensei, NOW?" Naruto clearly protested

"Yes NOW!"

Team 7 began on their way to the nearest hospital. However, Kakashi had plenty to think about. After so many years, Malhavoc has shown himself. And as an enemy no less. The last words he said beckoned as a dark omen of things to come---"By the way I guess you can have the princess, since YOU guys are the enemy things have changed"—. What he thought was just going to be a simple hostage rescue had become something that just might hit close to home. Maybe too close. Kakashi didn't want to worry his team just yet. So for the time, he kept his concerns to himself.

To be continued...