AN: I know this chapter is a day late. Apologies. I finished it last night and wanted to read it over after sleeping on it. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

As always, thank you all for favoriting, following, and reviewing. This tiny little story has gotten more traction than I ever imagined and I am beyond grateful. Your feedback has been invaluable both to this story and my writing in general. If you haven't yet, please let me know your thoughts! Especially on this chapter, it's long but I am pretty proud of it.

I am a little backed up responding to reviews and messages but I promise I see them and will get to it soon.

Enjoy!

Chapter 12

The pink-haired medical ninja slowly crept out of the campground into the forest ahead. One foot in front of the other, the Kunoichi did her absolute best to remain silent and undetected. When a batch of freshly fallen leaves crunched under her step she held back the urge to scream. Sakura was on edge, and there was no use trying to pretend otherwise. Looking around, it didn't appear that anyone had noticed her. She knew either Naruto or Sasuke were taking the first guard shift, as Shikamaru never volunteered, and was thankful that whichever one of them it was must be stationed on the other side of camp. After a few more minutes of stealth-walking, she decided the coast was clear, letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

Despite exhaustion radiating from every part of her body, the pinkette had found it impossible to sleep. She had been tense ever since they left the abandoned village. It had taken a while to find a suitable place to spend the night as Naruto had been surprisingly picky. As soon as they chose a spot she forced herself into medic mode. Naruto and the rest of the guys had taken care of making the fire and gathering supplies so she could focus entirely on inspecting Hinata.

It hadn't been a particularly taxing examination; she was used to much worse. A few chakra scans confirmed the Hyuga girl was completely okay. The only notable detail was a trace amount of foreign chakra around her head that was fading away along with her headache. Sakura recognized it as a symptom of powerful genjustu, and Hinata confirmed her suspicion. The more bothersome thing for the medic was the total silent treatment she was receiving from her patient. Other than answering questions when asked, Hinata refused to look her in the eyes let alone make any attempt at casual conversation. There was a tension between the two of them and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. It had gotten to the point she had almost just asked the girl outright, but Naruto had appeared and Hinata felt well enough to debrief.

Hinata's story made enough sense. It confirmed their suspicions regarding the Otsutsuki Clan and other dimensions, and it was believable that as a Hyuga Hinata was the only one to see this "guardian," as she called it. Still, as soon as Toneri was brought up she had almost shut down. It was definitely odd, even for the usually odd girl. She had expected Naruto to push it as he clearly noticed it too, but when he didn't question her she went along with his decision. They had agreed to rest and figure out a plan of action in the morning.

After that she ate a quick dinner of shinobi rations before setting up her sleeping mat and heading to bed. After an hour of tossing and turning however, she decided her mind was too amped to slumber, thus leading to the current situation of sneaking away from her group. She knew it was irresponsible, but didn't want to ask Naruto's permission. He was, after all, the reason her mind was so awake in the first place.

There had been no major interaction between the two of them since leaving the temple and it was bothering her more than she cared to admit.

Her mind kept flashing back to the cave and what had happened. Sakura came to the conclusion that she had indeed viewed her and Naruto's collective memories and it wasn't just a made up mirage. She wanted to be confident he had seen them too, but doubt boiled up inside her. 'If he had, why hadn't he said anything?' She asked herself. That wasn't a fair question considering she too had remained quiet, but she thought it none the less.

Other memories of the two of them started flooding her system as she walked. There were so many, far more than she expected if she was being honest. Obviously the two of them had known each other since childhood, but up until now, Sakura hadn't really grasped the sheer quantity of experiences that added to the depth of their relationship. He had always just been...Naruto.

Her Naruto.

Always by her side, never questioning whether she needed him there or not. Even after she became physically strong enough to take care of herself (which was later than she cared to admit) he never stopped being there for her. The thought was both comforting and disheartening at the same time.

She thought about the years of abuse she put him through, both physically and mentally. She had forgiven herself for most of it, but some instances continued to leave a sour taste in her mouth. The promise of bringing Sasuke back and her fake confession topping the list, even after they had discussed the forming at the Academy two nights prior. She knew Naruto forgave her for it, but that didn't mean she forgave herself.

She also found herself feeling bad about just how much she had relied on him while ignoring his feelings. Her own voice screaming his name after the Pein attack echoed in her mind. In that moment, there was no question who she had needed, who they all had needed. Still, even after that, she was so convinced she loved the Uchiha that she hadn't considered the greater implications of what it had really meant.

She sighed. 'If he did see, I have to make things right somehow. It's the least I can do.' She thought to herself. Her eyes squinted as she exited the forest into the clearing ahead.

Coming out of the trees, the girl was greeted by a truly breathtaking sight. The massive lake that seemed to stretch across this entire dimension had split into a smaller, calmer pool of water. There was no sand, just a soft grassy bank that bordered the waterfront. The other side was visible from where she stood, and a large hill across the way cased a shadow on the large moon behind it. The moon was larger in this place and took up a good portion of the horizon. It was bright and cloaked the landscape with a soft purple hue. Fireflies danced around the edges of the forest, and the sound of the distant waves drummed against her ear. She took a deep breath in, feeling a little calmer than she had before.

She walked to the water-bank and took her gloves off. Cupping her hands, she brought water to her face and splashed herself with it. It was cool and crisp, covering her face with a refreshing ting that woke her up. She sat down, hugging her knees against her chest, and looked up at the moon and the stars.

It was hard to believe just how quickly her emotions had bubbled up. Over the last few days the stable ground her and Naruto had been treading on felt all but gone. Three weeks ago everything had been normal, a week ago Naruto had been ignoring her, and last night she had slept cuddled against his chest. She shivered as she remembered waking up against him, feeling his torso rise and fall as he inhaled against her head. A small blush filled her cheeks and she buried further into her legs.

"Stupid Idiot, with his stupid body..." she mumbled to herself.

Her head shot up and a bead of sweat formed on her forehead when she felt a familiar chakra signature emerge from the tree-line.

—

Unbeknownst to Sakura, Naruto had been silently trailing her from the second she wandered off the campground. When he had seen her pink hair and sensed the all too familiar chakra, his body had moved before he had time to think. Something had to be up, Sakura wasn't the kind of shinobi to wander off without saying something.

He knew that as the team leader he should confront her, see where she was going, tell her to stay within the reach of the secure camp. He was about to do just that when he had gotten close enough to see her form.

A breath caught in his throat and he hid his chakra entirely, jumping silently into the tree branches above. His instincts kicked in and overruled his logical mind. That happened far more than he cared to admit when it came to the girl before him. When she was around he just couldn't think straight, and it was crazy to the blonde just how much power she held over him. She had a loyal subject and she didn't even realize it.

For the last few hours, Naruto's thoughts hadn't drifted away from his pink-haired companion, but for the most part they were coming from a place of emotion. Especially after what had happened with Hinata, the blonde was deep in his feelings, so much so that he had avoided interacting with her too much after leaving the abandoned village. He knew it was wrong and selfish, especially after how much that had hurt her last time. This was different. He justified it by convincing himself he wasn't pulling away from her or ignoring her, rather he just needed a little space to breathe and calm down. He didn't want to say anything stupid or do anything idiotic and impulsive, which knowing him was entirely likely.

Now, however, Naruto's thoughts were focused on the physical and only the physical.

The blonde was tantalized by every single movement she made. From his perch in the trees above, he could freely take her in for the first time all day. He watched as she softly stepped on a pile of leaves and he had to stop himself from laughing: her reaction was too adorable. When the back of her neck moved he knew exactly what expression she was making. Her lips were pouted out and her brow was furrowed, making her forehead slightly more noticeable. It was the expression she made whenever she was mildly annoyed, and one he had come to know and love after being on the receiving end up it so many times. If he had been in front of her, Naruto would have seen he was right on the money.

This girl drove him crazy, and he had briefly forgotten about it during the mission. She was his picture of perfection. He had known it since the first time he laid eyes on her and age and time had only served to prove him right. Hinata and Tsunade were certainly gifted, but neither they nor any other girl held a candle to Sakura. The pink hair that was so uniquely her. Natural pink hair sounded so ridiculous in concept, but somehow she made it seem like it was the most fitting thing in the world. No other color could suit her better.

Her slender shoulders that gave way to her toned arms. Her tiny waist that turned into strong yet dainty legs. He forced himself to stop when he caught his eyes lingering on her ass. It was secretly one of his favorite parts about her and had been the subject of many a fantasy in the past. Still, out of respect, he forced himself to look away. He swore long ago he would not become his Sensei, but right now the prospect was very tempting,

When she exited the clearing, the young shinobi observed her rinse her face in the water and take a seat on the shore. The landscape before him was stunning, but Naruto barely even clocked it. His eyes were on Sakura.

Suddenly his mouth became dry and he naturally ran his tongue over his lips to try and alleviate the discomfort. His eyes widened a bit when her head rose and he cursed internally. The boy had been so focused on her his chakra control had slipped. He briefly panicked before shrugging it off and revealing himself. He did want to talk to her. Besides, he could never really hide from her anyway.

—

As Sakura watched his silhouette emerge from the woods she felt her pulse pick up. She should have known better. After all, Naruto was one of, if not the most skilled shinobi in the entire world, there was no way she could get away from him. A small part of her was thankful for that. It made her feel safe. Wherever she was, he could find her and he would find her. Cocking her head back over her shoulder she met his gaze. Tiny white dots danced in the corner of his cerulean eyes. He walked slowly, his hands tucked in his pockets and Sakura could have sworn he looked almost nervous. A soft smile graced her lips when he finally approached her.

"Sakura-Chan?" The blonde asked, as if to confirm that it was actually her. The dim light of the moon bounced off of her pale skin and Naruto swore that she was actually glowing. When she smiled at him he returned the gesture, putting his hand behind his head and scratching.

"Hey..." she responded as Naruto took the last few steps, standing a foot away looking down at her. 'When did he get so goddamn tall,' she thought to herself quickly. "I'm sorry. I know I should have reported I was leaving camp. I couldn't sleep and thought maybe a walk would do me some good."

He raised his hand to quiet her. "No worries Sakura-Chan. I get it. I went to get something from my pack and saw you weren't there, so I got worried." He lied, not wanting to tell the girl in front of him he had been staring at her body for the past fifteen minutes. She seemed to buy it and turned her attention back to the lake in front of them. Her eyes looked heavy.

"Everything okay?"

No everything was not okay. Sakura was filled to the brim with new and powerful emotions for the man next to her. She wanted to scream, punch him, kiss him, kill him, and...some other things all at the same time. His voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Um...Sakura-Chan?" Naruto blinked twice down at her with a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Oh...Sorry! Yea...just a long day I guess" She sighed and forced herself to give him a fake smile. He saw right through it, but didn't say anything.

"I feel that..." Sakura sensed the distress in his voice and it saddened her. "Well, I just wanted to check-in, don't stay out too late..." he began to back away when Sakura's hand shot out and grabbed his.

'Let him go he needs to rest and you need some alone time' her inner self said before her voice finally left her throat.

"You can stay...if you want...I wouldn't mind the company." She looked away from him again, trying her absolute best to hide the small blush now resting on her cheeks, and patted the ground next to her. 'Damnit!' She yelled inside her own mind. Naruto didn't seem to notice.

A large grin plastered itself on his face as he sat down next to her. A calm silence fell between the pair. It wasn't bad or awkward, and it wasn't unwelcome. It was just two people sitting with each other, content by just being there. They looked out as the light shimmered and reflected off the water's surface.

"It's a pretty out here isn't it?" Her voice was a little less confident than she would have liked.

"Beautiful..." he almost whispered, although his gaze was locked entirely on her. Beautiful, that was the only word to describe everything she was in that moment. When the young man realized he was staring, he quickly corrected himself and cleared his throat. "It's got nothing on Konoha though." Not a lie, but not what he was thinking.

Sakura giggled and tilted her head back to look at the moon, putting her arms behind her to support her weight. "Naruto Uzumaki, loyal to a fault." He chuckled and some of the tension she was storing left her body. "Still worried about being a captain?"

"Nah, it's not as different as I thought it would be. You were right. Plus I have the best medic-nin in the world! So there's not much to worry about." he gave her his signature grin, and Sakura lightly hit him on the shoulder.

"Idiot..." she mumbled to herself.

"Y'know, you don't hit as hard as you used too..." Naruto said, smirking and leaning forward on one of his knees.

Sakura scoffed and pushed her hair behind her ears. "That's because I'm saving it for when you really mess up." Naruto audibly gulped and a bead of sweat broke across his temple. Eventually, they both laughed before returning to the calm of silence.

Minutes passed as they listened to the soft howl of the wind and the rattling of the trees behind them. For a brief moment, Sakura felt totally at ease, but before long she felt something bubbling up from within her and before she could stop it the words came out.

"What happened with Hinata?" His whole body froze.

Sakura was fuming at herself. She hadn't meant to ask it, it had just come out. She was so goddamn curious but was afraid a line had just been crossed. She immediately went to backtrack but Naruto cut her off.

"What...what do you mean Sakura Chan?"

She sighed. "It's just...ever since we regrouped you both seem...down, her especially. I just wanted to make sure you're okay..." Sakura held her breath and watched her friend contemplate her words. She was sure he was going to push her away before a long sigh escaped out of his open lips.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don...

"No. It's okay. I like talking to you about this kinda stuff." His words carried more than he meant them too and his heart skipped a beat.

"Hinata...well Hinata confessed that she uh..has feelings for me. Again. Confessed again I guess." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before his lips pulled into a tight serious line. "But this one was more real, not in the middle of a battle or a war." He looked away from Sakura to the moon ahead.

"Oh..." Sakura whispered. It was weak but all the medic could muster.

"You don't sound surprised..." he cocked his head back down to her.

Her spine straightened and she began to wave her hands in front of her face frantically. "No! I mean yes! I...I mean I guess I'm not. We all knew that she had feelings for you but I di...

"Relax Sakura. It's alright." He laughed when she crossed her hands across her chest and pouted. "But it did take me off guard."

"W...what did you tell her?" Finally mustering up a bit of courage, she forced herself to look back at him, only to find Naruto staring at her with an intensity she hadn't expected. It was the same intensity she had seen that night at the academy, and the following night in his bedroom.

"The truth. I care a lot about her, but not in that way. And I don't think it will ever be in that way. If we got together it would be a lie, and I refuse to live a lie." A soft smile pulled at the edge of his lips as he tried to make any hurt he felt at the memory go away.

Meanwhile, the pinkettes heart was threatening to jump out of her chest. The confirmation that he didn't have feelings for the Hyuga heiress made her happy despite herself. Unfortunately, her usual inquisitive nature came out regardless.

"Why don't you like her in that way?" She blushed when he looked at her with a shocked expression. The question had clearly taken him off guard, he hadn't expected her to push it.

'She isn't you...' he thought to himself. He sighed softly and stretched his head back over his shoulders.

"I guess...I just have a feeling." He responded. He suddenly wished that this conversation wasn't happening. The blonde was treading on dangerous ground.

"A feeling?"

"Yea...that she isn't the person I'm meant to be with. I... wish there was more too it." Naruto quickly forced himself to change the subject slightly. "But I still don't like hurting my friends."

A sudden warm feeling on the top of his hand shook him out of his melancholy. When the boy looked down, he saw the dainty hand of his friend resting on his own. His gaze followed her arm up to her face, and nearly melted when he saw the smile she was giving him. She squeezed firmly.

"Naruto, anyone who knows anything about you knows you wouldn't hurt your friends. It's kinda what makes you...you. Hinata is hurting, but deep down she knows it too. Give her time. I'm sure she'll come around."

"Sakura-Chan..."

Sakura had no idea what had gotten into her, but at that moment her blonde friend had looked so sad that words didn't feel sufficient. The small touch had to suffice, and it seemed it had when he beamed back at her. She was surprised, however when Naruto shot to his feet and pulled her up with him. She stumbled forward, but he placed his free hand on her shoulder to steady her. Her arms fell briefly on his chest before she pushed away and regained her balance.

"What are you doing idiot!" She wanted to chastise him more but the glint in his eyes stopped her in her tracks.

"We're going for a walk" He beamed down at her and her eyes widened when she understood he was mimicking her words from two nights ago.

"A walk? Naruto we're kinda out of space to here..." His grin only widened as he took an overdramatic step out onto the calm water of the lake.

"Ninja, remember?" He winked at her, and she felt entirely stupid. The feeling was short-lived however as the medic had an idea of her own. She channeled chakra into her feet and pushed passed him as she began to run.

"Race you to the middle!" She shouted out, already a quarter of the way there. She heard Naruto let out a loud laugh but didn't turn around to face him. When she reached the center of the lake she paused, her chest rapidly moving up and down as she rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath. It might have only been because of the head-start, but a win was a win and she felt triumphant none the less. She turned around fully intending to gloat, only for Naruto's arms to wrap around her waist. He sported a Cheshire grin as he tackled her full force. Her eyes widened and the wind left her lungs fast a second before she was knocked over. With a loud splash, the two ninjas were taken underwater, leaving only a ripple where Sakura had been standing.

The freshwater allowed Sakura to open her eyes as she sunk a foot deeper, only to be met with a smug Naruto, smiling and holding his breath while waving at her. Small bubbles left her nose and she tried to punch him, but underwater it was difficult to get a good hit in. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back up towards the surface. The blonde pulled them up and they refocused their chakra in their feet before regaining their footing. Naruto guffawed while Sakura fumed and caught her breath.

She was mad and didn't plan on hiding it. "You IDIOT! Why would you do that! I was having such a nice time and now we're both SOAKED! Urgh!"

When Naruto continued his laughter she went to hit him again, this time at full force. Before she could inflict damage however, he grabbed both of her arms and pulled her flush against his chest. Her face turned a dark shade of crimson when he took her arms and wrapped them around his neck, letting his own hands gently grasp at her waist.

"N...Naruto what are you doing?" she squeaked out.

He smiled back at her, doing his best to hide the nerves that were rattling through his system. "Watch this."

Sakura's eyes widened when glowing orange chakra began to emerge up from under the surface of the water. In a matter of seconds, a chakra avatar of a fox head formed around the two. Its jaws snapped shut above their heads as if it were eating them, completely enveloping the pair. All the coldness of her unexpected dip disappeared as the warm velvety chakra cloaked them both. She let out a soft hum of satisfaction, watching as the water evaporated off of her skin and clothes. Instinctively, she cuddled closer into his chest. Naruto couldn't help himself and rested his chin on top of her head. They stayed like that for a few moments before the chakra cloak faded away into the night, leaving them warm and dry.

A blush was covering her head to toe, but Sakura didn't have the strength to move. She didn't want too ever leave the comfort of this moment. Safe. That was the only word to describe it. She finally angled her head up when she felt his chin move.

"That's a neat trick..." she mumbled out barely above a whisper before finally meeting his eyes. When she did, any remaining breath left her. His eyes were a dark blue and completely lacked their usual humor. What replaced it she couldn't tell. What she did know was if given the opportunity it was a look she could become addicted too. She inhaled sharply when his eyes flickered shut and he tilted his head down to hers. Blood boiled and brain cells short-circuited. Without thinking she closed her eyes, anticipation exploding for the moment they were about to share.

But it never came.

Suddenly, all warmth and support that the pink-haired girl felt was yanked away. Her eyes shot open and she saw Naruto a few yards away. His hand was on his chest and he was breathing hard.

Naruto had stopped. He had forced himself to stop. He was about to kiss Sakura, but in the end, he couldn't do it. Fear had boiled over within him. He had seen she wanted too, but seeing wasn't believing. She was tired. She was caught up in the moment. She still loved Sasuke even though she said otherwise. His mind wandered to any possible conclusion other than the one he desperately wanted to believe. Turning on his heels the young hero began to move. Running away was his only option. If he stayed he wouldn't be able to stop himself, and he would not do that to her. He steadied his resolve and took another step when he heard her voice.

"Naruto?" He paused but didn't turn around. His eyes widened at her next words. "You saw them, didn't you? My memories? Our...memories?"

Time froze, and for a second everything else faded away. It was just the two of them. Two leaves fell through the air and landed on the water's surface between them. The seconds felt like seasons before he turned around to face her. Tears were forming in the corners of her jade eyes, but she stood strong. She didn't waiver, and it gave him courage. He took a step closer.

"Sakura-Chan...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean too..."

"Idiot..." she interrupted. "You don't have to apologize." She looked down at the ground before meeting his gaze for the umpteenth time that night.

"I am the one who needs to apologize to you. God, it feels like a bad dream. After all the years of ignoring your feelings. All the years of beating you down, not acknowledging you." Tears began to stream down her face, but she kept going. "I hurt you so much Naruto. I made you keep that stupid promise. I toyed with your heart. I didn't do it on purpose, I never meant to hurt you but I still DID do it. And now I finally see it and it's too late and I'm only hurting you again." At this point, she knew the tears were flooding her cheeks but she refused to give up. She had to let him know. She had to see it through. After taking a second to recompose, she continued. "I don't expect you to reciprocate anything, and if you don't want to be around me anymore I understand. But I will fight for your friendship. In the end, I'm glad you know. Naruto..." she paused and took a deep breath before plastering a smile on her mouth, a stark contrast to the tears in her eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for everything, and I am so truly sorry." She finally broke the eye contact they were sharing and let the tears fall and melt into the lake below. Soft sobs escaped her lips.

Naruto meanwhile was standing with his jaw hanging open. The memories had been real. Her feelings were real. He felt a whirlpool of emotions rage inside him. It was so overwhelming he couldn't do anything but watch as the girl he loved cried and poured her heart out to him. The heroes brain screamed at him to do anything, anything at all, but his body just wouldn't listen. He would have stayed there, frozen like a statue, if the soft sound of Sakura's steps hadn't snapped him back.

"I'm...sorry...I'm just tired...I think I'm gonna go to be..." she said, hiccups interrupting the words.

She froze when she felt warm fingers grasp the tip of her chin. Forcefully, yet with a touch of gentleness that was very welcome, her head was forced up. Fresh tears came but her eyes stayed open as she felt a soft pair of lips graze ever so softly against her forehead. The grip on her then tilted her to look into his ocean blue eyes.

"Sakura-Chan. You have a beautiful forehead. It makes me want to kiss it." Naruto smiled down at her and she saw the beginnings of tears in his eyes.

"That...that was you..." more tears fell but a smile pulled at her lips regardless. So much more needed to be said between the two of them, but it would have to wait. She felt his hand tilt her head up even more, and her hands landed on his chest as his lips finally pressed against her own.

Naruto kissed her like his life depended on it. All the years of hiding his emotions and caring about her needs over his own dissolved into nothing. Everything else was gone: All that was left was her. It was his first real kiss, and he suddenly understood what his pervert of a sensei had been obsessed with all these years. He had never felt so hot in his entire life, yet he never wanted to cool down. Panic briefly flashed in his mind realizing what he was doing, but it too vanished when he heard Sakura moan against his lips, and begin to move against them. Consequences be damned, he would deal with it all later.

Her arms found their way back around his neck and his hand moved from her chin to join his other hand on her hip, holding her in place. She pressed against him with just as much feeling as he did, letting her lips softly glide over Naruto's. Naruto. She was kissing Naruto, and she couldn't imagine it feeling this way with anyone else. His lips were rough, yet softer than she had imagined. Her pulse was erratic and she swore she saw stars despite her eyes being clamped shut. His grip was tight it almost hurt her hips, but she loved it.

They stayed like that, kissing under to the moon for a few more moments until they had to break apart for air. Their foreheads pressed against each other as they both panted trying to come back down to earth. A huge grin formed on Narutos face, his eyes still closed as Sakura returned the expression.

"Wow..." He whispered softly against her.

"Wow..." She parroted, a smile glued to her face. "Does...does this mean...?" She was interrupted when Naruto's eyes shot open. All of the previous emotion was absent from his blue orbs, and she felt concern shoot up her spine.

"You have got to be kidding me..." He mumbled under his breath. Sakura was about to get angry when she saw he was staring behind her. Breaking away from the grip she had on his neck, she turned around.

There, hovering in the air in front of the moon, was Toneri.

AN: You wanted fluff, here's your damn fluff!