The next morning, Itachi snuck back into the house, hoping that Sakura wouldn't be awake yet and that he could sneak back into his room. He tip-toed into the living room and nearly had a heart attack when he saw Sakura's pink head sticking out from behind the couch.

"What in the...Sakura?" Itachi asked, making her stir awake.

"Itachi...? Where were you?" Sakura asked before she sat up, making Naruto stir awake.

Naruto rose from under the covers and yawned. "Morning..." He yawned.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?" Itachi asked with a smirk.

"Long story..." Naruto said as he rolled out of bed. He was not a morning person by any means.

"Oh my Rabbit Goddess I hurt." Sakura said as she cracked her back. That's what she got for sleeping while sitting.

Itachi couldn't help but snicker. "Fun night, huh?" he teased.

"Not really...been helping out this Baka all night..." Sakura yawned before something dawned on her. "Um, what time is it?"

Naruto took this time to stir awake and remembered last night. "Did I kill some guy last night?" Naruto asked, last night being fuzzy.

"Wait...kill somebody?" Itachi asked.

"No, you didn't. you beat the shit out of some punk who smacked Karin." Sakura reminded him.

"Oh right. Never mind, false alarm." Naruto said as he stretched his back.

"Really...I probably would have helped you." Itachi said.

"So, would I. Anyway, what time is it?" Sakura asked.

"Um..." He said before checking his pocket watch. "About 8 am."

"8AM?! Shit!" Sakura shrieked before bolting out of bed, her shirt getting snagged on her pink panties which Naruto was able to get full view of.

'Awesome...' Naruto thought.

Sakura dashed out of the living room and slammed the door behind her to her 1st floor bedroom just down the hall.

"So...Naruto...have fun last night, did we?" Itachi smirked as he gently nudged Naruto with his elbow.

"I guess so. Arabian Nights was an okay film." Naruto shrugged.

"I don't mean that." Itachi said before pointing to the bed he had slept on.

"Oh...OH!" Naruto said, finally realizing what Itachi was eluding to. "No, it's not like that. Nothing happened. Nothing like that."

"Oh...? Then why was she complaining she was sore?" Itachi knowingly questioned.

"That, um, she slept upright, on her knees."

Itachi snickered.

"Not like that!" Naruto exclaimed in embarrassment.

"Well then, how about you explain it to me." Itachi smirked before Sakura ran to the door.

"Going to work! Bye! Love you both!" She said quickly without thinking before dashing out the door.

Unfortunately, Naruto didn't pick up what she meant and Itachi wouldn't dare spoil the fun. "Yeah, see you Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out as he grabbed his trousers and pulled them up.

"Nothing happened, huh?" Itachi teased.

"No, why do you keep asking?" Naruto asked, wanting nothing more than a strong cup of coffee in the morning.

"Oh, nothing...here, I'll make a pot of coffee while you tell me what really happened last night."

"I would love that. But seriously, nothing happened. I beat up some punk, ran away, Sakura nearly hit me with her car and we came back here." Naruto said as Itachi led them both into the kitchen.

"Really? Then how come she slept with you?"

"I just...I felt better if there was someone sleeping beside me. I didn't expect her to join me on the couch bed."

"Hmm..." Itachi mumbled before he started preparing the percolator. "You know...she does like you, Naruto. Ever since you left, you and Sasuke were the only ones she would talk about."

"Really? I can see Sasuke, but she used to hate me."

"She never really hated you, you do know that. It was her way of playing hard to get."

"Really? Cause I asked her out so many times? What changed?"

"She was getting older and maturing. It wasn't an overnight change. She always said that you'd get reckless and get your friends hurt, but she still hoped you'd come back in one piece. Then when you did come back, that's when I noticed a change in both her and you."

"Really? What?" Naruto asked.

"Well...when she saw how the war had changed you, both physically and mentally, she seemed to grow fonder of you and I see that with each passing moment. But she's also worried about your mental well-being. She cares a lot about you and I wouldn't be surprised if this sort of thing..." Itachi paused, motioning to the couch bed. "Happens more often."

"So... wait, then she was serious about taking me on a date?" Naruto deduced, making Itachi stop dead in his tracks, his eyes going wide.

"Sakura asked you for a date?" Itachi asked in awe.

"Yeah, I think so. Happened last night when we just drove up. I thought she was joking." Naruto said.

"Naruto...knowing my sister as well as I do...she rarely if ever asks any guy for a date. Mostly it's her turning down every guy who asks her. If she asked you, then she's serious."

"Wait, really?" Naruto asked with genuine hope.

"Really. And I think this past night proved that she was willing to do anything for you."

"You're joking. For real's?"

"Wow you're as thick as ever...yes, for real." Itachi sighed.

"WHAT!?" Naruto screeched. Realizing his mistake.

"Ah...that was my ear." Itachi grumbled.

Naruto just slammed his forehead against the table. "I'm an idiot."

"Yes...but-"

"Man, I really screwed the pooch this time...here I thought she'd hate me for Sasuke getting killed."

"Naruto...listen to me. The fact that she even asked you means that she doesn't for starters. The next thing is...start looking around for places you'd both like and find something nice to wear. Did she say when?"

"No! She just said that she'd like to take me out for a date."

"Well, then it could be anytime. But don't panic...just be calm about it so you don't fuck it up."

"I didn't accept yet." Naruto said.

"So, I don't think she is planning one anyway."

"Are you going to accept? I have a hard time believing you wouldn't."

"Well yeah, of course I would."

"It hardly matters now anyway. She is off to work. So just ask her out when she gets back." Itachi said.

"Alright...yea, I will accept. It's what I've been wanting for years. Like hell I'd pass this up." Naruto declared.

"Good to hear. I think Sasuke would have wanted that. I know I would." Itachi smiled before plugging in the percolator. "But seeing as she's at work, what are you going to do in the meantime?"

"No idea. Maybe have the guys over. Or check in with my parents. Make sure that I don't have to turn myself in." Naruto shrugged.

"No need. Remember, my family is the police. They're not looking for you." Itachi waved off.

"Oh, that's good." Naruto said as the coffee finished pouring into the pot.

"They do, however, want you to come down to the station to ask you some questions regarding the incident. Your mom already explained the situation, but they still want your side of it. No rush, just at your earliest convenience."

"I think I'll get that out of the way now. Save everybody the grief." Naruto said as Itachi poured him a cup of coffee.

"Probably a good idea. Don't worry, they just wanna ask questions, not charge you with anything."

"No problem." Naruto took a sip of his coffee and smiled. The fresh drink was like nectar from the gods to his lips. The sun was shining. Sakura had apparently fallen for him while he wasn't looking. It was a new day.

Meanwhile, 200 miles east of the Hidden Leaf village, a resplendently dressed general looked down upon a man of the northern border to the Land of Fire. Upon his chest adorned many medals from his decades of service. In his mouth, he chewed on a wooden pipe handed down from his father, inscribed with a decorative red and white fan, the symbol of his house.

He studied the tiny tank and army figures laid out along the map and took a puff of his pipe.. Twelve figures stood at the northern most point of the Fire border to symbolize twelve companies. The 9th and 10th Division that would hold the line which the 11th had secured after the battle of Bloody January.

Suddenly, the door to his office swung open to reveal a very nervous lieutenant.

"General Uchiha, sir! We have a problem." He exclaimed.

"Spit it out, son." Fugaku said as he took out his pipe.

"An Axis mechanized division has broken through the front lines! They are heading for the Leaf with nothing to stop them!"

"WHAT?!" Fugaku roared. "Where are they coming from? East? West?"

"North, sir! They are coming with a large platoon of Tiger 2's, StuG 3's and...what appears to be a Maus."

General Fugaku froze when he heard that. "A Maus...the Tigers are bad enough, but a Maus..."

He then turned serious. "Mobilize every available division to intercept them from the West and alert Lord Minato. Division 11 is still there." He ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The aid said as he scurried off to the telegram room.

'Dear god...please hear this prayer...keep my family and the citizens of the Leaf safe...' Fugaku prayed in thought.

Back in the Leaf village, his daughter, Sakura, was enjoying a much slower day than she had the previous day at work. Mostly because today she was allowed to break for lunch. A fact that she relished after having to stand up for 3 hours straight with sore knees and a sore back.

'Oh sweet Sage, why did I let him sleep on my lap?' Sakura thought to herself as she punched out for lunch.

BEEP BEEP

"Hey, Forehead!" Ino called out from her truck.

"Hey Pig! What's up?" Sakura called back.

"I thought I'd take my favorite girlfriend out to lunch, but Hinata is gone, so do you want to come with me?" Ino joked.

"Oh very funny. Did it take you all night to come up with that one?" Sakura joked as she climbed in.

"Better part of the morning, actually. I missed you this morning for the car pool." Ino said as they sped away.

"Yea, I kinda slept in after what happened last night."

"I figured. I honked my horn a few times before I really disturbed the neighbors."

"Didn't even hear you, honestly."

"Yeah, what happened to you last night between you dropping me off and now? Did you hear about Naruto?"

"Heard about it? I almost hit him with my car on the way home."

"You what?" Ino asked.

"Yea. He ran right in front of my car going down Lightning St. He's lucky that I didn't hit him. Ak, Damn back..."

"You alright?" Ino asked.

"Yea...damn back and knees are sore after I brought Naruto to my house last night."

That sudden bit of information made Ino slam on her brakes, bringing the truck to a screeching halt.

"ACK! What the fuck Ino?!" Sakura shrieked.

"Oh my gosh, Sakura, I'm so happy for you!" Ino squealed as she reached over to hug her.

"Eh...? For what?"

"We can finally share stories. How was it? Is Naruto a good kisser? Did he go down on you? How many times did you two go at it?"

"Did he...WOAH! Nooo nononono...we didn't do that." Sakura exclaimed in embarrassment. "Even though I wanted him to...kinda..."

"Uh huh, sure. Cause your legs and back just happened to cramp up now?" Ino teased.

"Well that was my own dumb fault. Just drive and I'll explain everything." Sakura said.

"I'm already driving." Ino said before remembering that she had stopped. "Oh wait."

"I'm starting to wonder who the bigger Baka is here. Naruto, or you?" Sakura snickered.

"Maybe you have a type. You love to surround yourself with idiots." Ino laughed.

"Thank you for proving my point." Sakura smirked.

"You're welcome, bitch." Ino smirked as she rounded the corner.

"Anyway, to explain what happened, Naruto ran out in front of me last night. I get him into my car after I noticed that he was covered in blood. He proceeded to tell me that he killed someone but later found out he didn't. I'll tell you that in a second. Anyway, I get him to my house and I send him into the bathroom to get cleaned up. I called his mom to get more details on the subject and found out that he beat the shit out of some punk who smacked Karin in the face."

"I heard. Lady Kushina called me to ask if I had seen Naruto last night."

"Yea, that kid was one of my runs earlier. Naruto really fucked him up good." Sakura snickered.

"Good. Anyone who hits that cutie Karin deserves worse." Ino stated.

"I agree. Anyway, Kushina left Naruto in my care for a few nights so he's staying with me for a while until this whole thing blows over. Will something happen? It's possible. But anyway, I set up the pullout sofa bed and make it up for him. I figured I'm all set...till he asked me to sleep with him..."

"Woohoohooo, Naruto has gotten bold." Ino smirked.

"Wait, you said that you two didn't sleep together?"

"We slept together, but we didn't have sex." Sakura clarified.

"How is that possible? Here is a strapping young man with a soldier's body who is crazy about you before he even liked girls. And you, the modestly attractive young doctor who is always stressed and recently noticed said young man." Ino stated.

"He thinks I blame him for Sasuke's death..." Sakura sighed sadly.

"Come on, Sakura, we both know that it's more than that."

"He blames himself and from what I gather, he doesn't see himself as worthy enough to be with me. And he confirmed that to me last night as we spoke after he got done talking to his mother."

"I still have my doubts, but alright." Ino shrugged.

"Well, anyway. He only asked me to stay with him because he sleeps better with others around him. Probably from being in the army." Sakura deduced.

"And you didn't offer him the goods because?"

"Because, Pig, I want to date the guy before I fuck him. I have standards you know."

"Well he is going to be gone in a few days to fight the war again. What happens if you never see him again?"

That's when Sakura paused in horror of the thought. "Oh shit...I never thought of that..."

"No you didn't, but thankfully for the both of us I happen to be the brains of our little duo and considered it for you." Ino smirked as she came to a stop in front of Fat Anko's Dango Shop.

"That means it's do or don't...I don't know if I can bring myself to do that..."

"I know. So I thought of a perfect solution to your dilemma." Ino said as she exited her vehicle.

"Okay...What would that be?" Sakura asked as she got out.

"I'll tell you inside." Ino smirked as she entered the 449-year-old establishment.

"Hello, and welcome to Fat Anko's." A cheerful teen girl in a paper hat greeted them.

"Table for two. Non-smoking please." Ino said.

"Of course. Seat wherever on the right side." The girl smiled. Sakura and Ino then took a booth seat next to the window.

"Alright, so what's your plan?" Sakura asked.

"My plan is too enjoy my cheat day by having the most sinfully delicious dango this joint has to offer." Ino said as she looked over the menu.

"I meant your plan for me and Naruto. What exactly is your plan for that?"

"Oh I had been toying around with this plan for a while now. You remember The Nine Tails?" Ino smirked.

"The club with the bands?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, remember how we all went there for everyone's 18th? I thought we could go again once all the boys had returned." Ino said, now feeling sad after being reminded that their circle am of friends would never truly be whole again.

"I see..." Sakura said sadly, understanding Ino's sadness.

"Yeah, so the plan still stands. We could grab Tenten and Temari and invite the boys to a night of dancing for fun. It'd be the perfect atmosphere for you and Naruto to really get close." Ino smiled.

"That's not a bad idea, but will be go?" Sakura asked

"I've already spread the word to most if the group. They've all agreed to come. Naruto wouldn't refuse even if he wanted to." Ino smirked.

Sakura shrugged. "Alright then. Better than my plan."

"And what was your plan?" Ino curiously asked.

"Come out of the shower completely naked for him."

"Woah girl!" Ino cheered.

"Yea, I was gonna do that but this is a better idea."

"Was this going to be after your first date or just one night before you go to bed?"

"Both."

"Well put a pin in that idea. If all goes well you could do that too."

Sakura mulled it over for a second. "Yea...I probably still could. But then again, I don't want to scare the poor Baka." She giggled.

"Eh...he'll get over it." Ino waved off just as the server came to take their order.

"Hello. What can I get for you today?" The waitress asked.

As they were ordering, back at the Uchiha compound, the boys had all gathered together in the basement to take advantage of the Uchiha pool table.

Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba, Lee, and Choji all gathered around the green felt table with pool cues in hand and Lucky Strikes between their teeth.

"You guys sure you don't mind playing 3 on 2?" Naruto asked Shikamaru and Choji as the blond dusted chalk onto the tip of his cue.

"Nah, its fine." Choji waved off.

"Alright, just don't complain when we win the pot." Lee smirked as he racked up the balls.

"You guys..." Naruto started. "Something awesome and completely unexpected happened last night."

"What? Did your mom become single?" Kiba smirked.

"No you ass." Naruto grumbled. "She wouldn't go for some immature dick like you anyway."

"So what did happen?" Lee asked.

"I slept with Sakura-chan. In the same bed." He said proudly.

"Bullshit." Kiba said.

"No seriously. Just ask Itachi." Naruto affirmed.

"I think I will because this sounds like a load of bull." Kiba said before marching upstairs.

"Yes he did, I walked in on them this morning!" Itachi called out from kitchen.

At that, Kiba stopped dead in his tracks, Lee spit out his soda, Choji dropped his bag of chips and Shikamaru dropped his pool cue.

Kiba then trotted back down the stairs and put his hand on Naruto's shoulders.

"Naruto...are you...a man now?" He said all sarcastic and teary eyed.

"I didn't have sex with her if that's what you're asking."

"Oh you fucking virgin, why not?" Kiba cried.

"There's a reason..." Naruto said calmly.

For the next 10 minutes, Naruto told everyone what happened the night before all the way up to him waking up and Itachi explaining the recent changes in Sakura.

"Okay, but that doesn't explain why you didn't have sex with her." Kiba stated at the end of it.

"A part of me wanted to...but I respect her too much to take advantage of her like that."

"Good on you, Naruto." Lee gave a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, seriously." Shikamaru agreed. "And it seems that after all this time, she finally feels the same way about you."

"I know, right? And all it took was for me to go to war." Naruto smirked.

"Well congrats regardless." Shikamaru praised. Their moment of happiness was cut short when they heard the city sirens blaring. It was the emergency warning system for when the city was either under attack or in danger.

"Oh no..." Kiba breathed out.

"Get moving boys! Get to the barracks and suit up!" Shikamaru ordered,

"Itachi, were going to need to borrow your car!" Naruto shouted.

"Go for it! Just be careful with the clutch!" Itachi called out.

One by one, the men of division 11 bolted out of the house, Naruto catching Itachi's keys as they ran out. Once outside, the air was thick with the sound of sirens blaring. Troops from other divisions were swarming the streets while the civilians ran for cover.

"What the Hell's going on?" Naruto asked.

"Doesn't matter. We need to report to the barracks immediately." Shikamaru ordered just as they rounded the corner and stopped when they saw Itachi's car.

"A Model T?! We all can't fit in that!" Kiba bellowed.

"Make do! Now move!" Shikamaru ordered.

One by one the boys hoped into the two available seats. One for the driver and one for the passenger. Lee and Shikamaru scrunched together in the passenger seat while Kiba and Choji hung off the edge and Naruto took the steering wheel.

"Kiba! Get out and crank it!" Naruto bellowed.

"Crank it?! Stupid old car!" Kiba jumped out and did just that.

Slowly but surely, the old timer of a car cranked to life.

"Go! Go!" Kiba cried. Naruto reversed and gunned it down the drive way.

"Not without me you idiot!" Kiba shouted as he ran after the car, just barely managing to jump aboard before they sped off down the road.

Back at the Dango shop, Sakura and Ino were scrambling to get everyone in there to calmly get to a safe location.

They directed everyone to the bomb shelters and dashed to their own car. They needed to get back to the hospital as quickly as possible.

As soon as they made it to the car door, a model-T came barreling down the street.

"Itachi?" Sakura thought aloud before the car came close enough to see that Naruto was driving it along with the rest of the guys. Then it zoomed past then without even slowing down.

"Oh god...If they're going then it must be serious." Ino said.

"Turn on the radio." Sakura said.

Ino did just that and turned the radio on to the emergency broadcast channel.

"-safety. I repeat, this is not a drill." They heard Minato say over the radio. "A wave of Axis tanks were spotted headed directly for the Leaf. I urge everyone to find a safe house or bunker immediately."

"Dear god...No..." Sakura gasped out.

"Sakura, hang on." Ino ordered before she sped off to the hospital.

"Preparations for defending the city are underway and General Uchiha is currently sending in every available platoon to intercept the Axis troops before they reach the city. I urge everyone not to panic in this situation. Find your loved ones and get yourself and them to safety."

"My father..."Sakura mumbled. "If we're in his hands, then we'll be okay..."

"Yeah. Your dad's a jerk. But he knows how to lead an army." Ino nodded.

"Yea...I still miss him, though."

"I know. Just focus on your job right now. That's what we all have to do." Ino reminded her.

Within 15 minutes, the boys had returned to the barracks and been reassigned to their original unit. Each of them were given a rifle and some ammo and sent immediately outside the village walls to defend it. They had no specific orders besides repel all invaders at any cost.

"The hell have those guys been doing since we left? Playing cards?" Kiba protested.

"More like sitting with their thumbs up their asses." Choji grunted as he placed his machine gun onto the tripod and cycled the chamber.

"Well it hardly matters now. Shikamaru, we're gonna need some shovels for foxholes if they seriously want us to defend this spot." Naruto said as he inspected the area their squad was to defend. Save for the type of trees, it was eerily similar to the battleground they had fought in January.

"We're gonna need a lot more than that." Shikamaru said as he read over the scout reports.

"What makes you say that?" Kiba asked as he passed out some grenades he had managed to snag before they headed outside the walls.

"Reading over these reports, there are 50 Tiger 2's, 30 StuG 3's and a Maus headed this way."

"The hell is a Maus?" Choji asked.

"The only heavy tank that could make our O-I tank look like a tinker toy..." Naruto said grimly.

"Shit, so what is the plan, Shika?" Kiba demanded.

"Lee, go spread the word amongst the other squads. Any commander challenges it, tell them I told you. Naruto, Kiba, go grab some guys and find as many shovels and anti-tank weapons as you can find. It's gonna be a long night." Shikamaru ordered.

"I have an idea." Choji said as he started walking away.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked.

"You'll see!" Choji called back.

"Never mind Choji, now the rest of you, go!" Shikamaru ordered.

"Yes, sir!" They all called out. The men all ran off to complete their tasks. There was no hesitation or worries to be found amongst them. They had their team and they had their assignments. They were back in their element.

About half an hour later, anyone division 11 could find was hard at work at digging their trench until Shikamaru felt the ground vibrating.

"What in the Hell?"

He then heard the roar of a diesel engine and the sound of bushes and shrubs being crushed.

Shikamaru was about to call out that the enemy had arrived when he realized that the noise was coming from behind him. He turned around and saw a massive SPG with Choji riding on the barrel.

"Hey Shikamaru! Will this work?!" Choji called out.

"Where in the Hell did you get that?" Shikamaru cried out.

"Reserve platoon! It was just sitting around collecting dust and I figured we can use it!"

"I assume there is a crew inside there who actually know how to operate that tank." Shikamaru said.

"Well, duh. How else do you think I got it here?" Choji said as he jumped off the barrel. "It's the T92 we've been saving for a rainy day, and she's loaded with a full rack of HE shells."

Shikamaru considered this and gave the exterior of the tank a once over.

"Is this the only tank you could find?"

"The only one that can do any damage to a Maus."

"Is that so?" Shikamaru said as he placed a hand against the armor of the tank. "In that case, help me bury it."

"You got it!" Choji said before banging on the hull. "Alright, boys! Let's trench this bitch!"

"Um, maybe you use the dozer on the rear end?" Shikamaru suggested.

"Huh? Oh, right. Alright, boys! You heard the man!" Choji called.

As Shikamaru and Choji were busy working on the big gun, Naruto and the others were getting things organized with digging the fox holes in a V formation.

In the cold morning of early February Naruto, Kiba, and Lee and worked tirelessly to pierce the frozen earth with their spades. The forest outside of the Hidden Leaf village main gate being largely uncultivated, making it all the more difficult to dig into. Yet the men did not falter. Though their hands grew raw from abuse and their muscles ached they worked tirelessly to build their trenches as they had been trained. As they and other's dug trenches, still other soldiers from the city's defense and the men once on leave all ran back and forth from the interior of the city to grab supplies to back out to the trenches.

Back in the hospital, things were no less chaotic.

Nurses and doctors alike were scrambling around the hospital making preparations for war on their home front. Moving patients to a safer location and setting up triage tents in a remote location. All except for Sakura, Ino and Tsunade. Said three were in a private meeting to discuss the matter at hand.

"Now then...with that said, we need to be on our toes for any incoming wounded. Ino, I'm aware that you're a therapist, but I'm still going to need your help. Can I count on you?" Tsunade asked.

"Well, it's out of my norm...but I'll do what I can." Ino said.

"That's all I ask. In the meantime, I want you to report to the reserve base and await further instructions. Dismissed." Tsunade said, causing both Sakura and Ino to stand. "Sakura...wait a minute. There is something I want to discuss with you."

Sakura nodded and sat back down while Ino left the office and closed the door.

"It has come to my attention last night that a couple nights ago, you had unlocked your hidden Chakra. Is this true?" Tsunade asked.

"My...oh yeah. Yes, I did." Sakura confirmed.

"Can you call upon it at will?"

"I... haven't tried, but-"

"Try now." Tsunade ordered.

"I'm sorry, but what does this have to do with-"

"Just do it."

Sakura sighed. "Fine, I'll try." Sakura focused on searching her body for that energy she called upon a few nights ago. Being the smart woman she was, she remembered back to what enraged her that night. It wasn't long before her hands had a faint greenish blue glow to them. It wasn't nearly the same amount as before, but it was enough to prove that she did in fact discover Chakra control.

'Just as I thought. Even after only experiencing it once in her life, she can still manipulate her Chakra. She's just like her ancestor.' Tsunade thought before she started digging around in her desk. "This is an amazing find. I've talked to Minato and he agrees with what I'm about to give you."

"And what's that?" Sakura asked.

Tsunade pulled out what looked like 3 very old scrolls and placed them on her desk. "These right here will be your first lesson. They teach you how to create the long forgotten medical jutsu; the Mystic Palm Technique."

"Wait...you mean the technique the Second Hokage created?" Sakura asked in astonishment.

"The very same. Except this one is the perfected version that the 5th Hokage made. This one is by far more reliable, but it's also more difficult to master. However, knowing you and your talents, I'm sure you can have it down in a few days."

"Well, that's great and all...but don't we have more pressing matters to tend to?" Sakura asked.

"That can wait. This right here should be your primary focus. If you learn this, no doctor in the world will be able to match you."

"How...do you know this? Can you use it, too?" Sakura asked.

"That's not important right now."

"I think it is. I want to know what makes this so much more important than what's in front of us because right now this seems like a waste of time." Sakura said firmly.

Tsunade sighed. "You're just as stubborn as your ancestor and just as impatient..."

"Huh? How would you know that?"

"I had hoped to save this for later, but it seems I have no choice..." Tsunade sighed. "I know more about this jutsu than anyone else...do you know why?"

"Passed down to you by your ancestors?" Sakura guessed.

"No...Sakura, the Senju line ended with the 5th Hokage...she never bore a child so there were no more Senju's after her."

"But, your name is Tsunade Senju. Surely you are a descendant of her."

"I'm not a descendant of the 5th Hokage...because I am the 5th Hokage."

"EHH?! No way! You're just pulling my leg." Sakura said skeptically. "If that were true, you'd have to be-"

"Over 500 years old? Well honestly I'd say I don't look a day over 30." Tsunade smirked.

"Exactly. There's no way you could be that old. It's impossible." Sakura said matter-of-factly.

"I'll have you know that I was fighting in wars like this long before your ancestor was crapping her diapers, young lady." Tsunade snapped. " Hell, I even trained her in the medical arts. She was my top student. Not only did I teach her everything I knew, but she even came up with her own versions of my jutsu. Including the 100 hand seal that you see on my forehead now."

"Wait, I thought that was just a tattoo."

"It's not." Tsunade said before she activated her seal. Sakura started to see lines grow from it and spread all over her body like wild vines. It was something she had never seen before.

"Why are you telling me this now? Why tell me at all?" Sakura demanded.

Tsunade answered her by standing up, taking the scrolls in her hand and placing them on Sakura's lap. "Because I firmly believe that you can surpass even your ancestor. She had long surpassed me and I have little doubt that you can do the same." She then put her hand on Sakura's shoulder and smiled. "Study them hard. Be better than any medical shinobi ever was...I've lived long enough to see wars and students come and go and not a single one of them even came close to the bar you and your ancestor set...so I want you to set that bar even higher. Do that...and I'll teach you all of my secrets and even the secrets of medical ninjutsu that your ancestor never revealed to anyone but me. You've already made me proud and I want you to continue to do so."

Sakura looked at her boss, no...the 5th Hokage in person in awe. "You...really think I can?"

"I know you can...if you have even a fraction of the determination your ancestor had then you can do this." Tsunade smiled.

"B-but she was trained in chakra all her life. I only have the barest fraction of chakra."

"That's the thing about your line. You are gifted with exceptional chakra control. It's in your blood. Hell, your ancestor's chakra control was better than the 7th Hokage's and he was the freaking 9 tails Jinchuriki. You have the control already and one of those scrolls will teach you how to further increase your control."

"I just don't see where I will have the time between all my work and the preparation for this upcoming battle."

"If you have the determination, you'll make time. I believe in you Sakura...don't make me think otherwise. That's not the attitude of the talented young doctor I know so well."

"This just seems like a very odd time to tell me." Sakura stated.

"Well, perhaps. But then again...I'm not your typical person, now am I?" Tsunade joked.

"No, you're." Sakura said as she held up her scrolls. "I will check these our later." She said before dashing off.

'Make me proud, Sakura...like you did centuries ago...' Tsunade thought fondly.

Then Tsunade remembered something and ran to the doorway. "And don't tell anyone about what we just talked about!" She called to Sakura.

"I won't!" Sakura shouted as she ran to find Ino, who was busy putting together personal emergency med kits for the boys out front.

"Ino!" Sakura cried.

"What took you so long, Forehead? And... what's with the old scrolls?" Ino asked.

"Something Tsunade gave me. I think she's going crazy." Sakura said.

"Well, we've known that. Anyway, wanna help me set up these first aid kits for the guys?" Ino asked.

"Sure thing." Sakura said as she dove right into the work Ino already had underway.

She filled each med kit with everything that a soldier would need in a pinch. One instructional manual on how to use said kit, one morphine tartrate, eight sulfadiazine tablets, five envelopes of sulfanilamide powder to stop the growth of bacteria when sprinkled on an open wound, some field dressing, and a tourniquet to stop bleeding. All wrapped up in a convenient little pouch for soldiers to use on themselves while waiting for a medic.

"Well, I think that should do it." Sakura said confidently.

"Yup. All we need to do now is take them to the guys." Ino said.

"Wait, isn't there a courier for that?" Sakura asked.

"There is, but they're tied up at the moment. So, how about we make a little field trip?"

"Sounds great." Sakura said as she grabbed three crates full of med kits and carried them over to Ino's truck.

"Wait, what about the preparations we need to do here?" Sakura asked in realization.

"That's all taken care of. Plus, with all the field medics helping the doctors, we're kinda useless right now anyway." Ino waved off.

Ino then stacked her own pile of crates into the truck. "Come on, no sense in going without a full truck."

"Agreed." Sakura nodded as she went to grab more crates.

In no time at all the girls had filled the truck to the brim and driven off towards the developing front lines. By now the sun was setting and the woods outside the main gates had been completely transformed into a makeshift fortress. Trenches littered the forest floor. Men in uniform rushed around carrying guns, shovels, and ammo from one trench to another like startled ants. It was surreal.

BEEP BEEP Ino honked the horn to grab the attention of someone in charge.

One on the MP's walked over to the truck with a rifle in hand. "This isn't a place for civilians. Please leave."

"We're doctors and we have med kits for all the soldiers." Ino explained.

The MP looked in the back and saw the various medical crates that had the medical symbol on it. "Alright, proceed to camp 11. That's where they're needed the most."

"And where is that?" Ino asked.

"Just right up the road. At the very front of the lines. They sent Division 11 up there. Poor bastards. Held the line for a month and now they gotta be the first to hold it again." The MP said.

"Okay." Ino said.

"Just look for the large tank." The MP added.

"A single tank? Sage of Six Paths, thanks." Ino said as she took off down the road.

500 yards later, the two young doctors had arrived at the front lines to the home front. Where the remnants of Division 11 could be seen digging trenches in a V formation with one SPG having its own private trench to maneuver around in.

"Jesus, that thing is huge!" Sakura exclaimed in awe.

"This whole operation is massive. I've never seen so many soldiers in one place." Ino said.

Their time to gawk was cut short by a knocking in the glass window. "Ino?"

"Shikamaru?" They both said at the same time as Ino rolled down her window.

"Well if it isn't the wonder twins. What are you two doing here?" Shikamaru asked.

"Bringing you medical supplies. Check out the back." Sakura said as she got out.

"Wouldn't those be better served in an aid station?" Shikamaru asked.

"She means med kits. One for every soldier." Ino corrected as she jumped out of the truck and opened up the back.

"HEY BOYS! MED KITS! COME AND GET THEM!" Ino cheered.

Like a heard of bison, they all came rushing to the truck to grab the med-kits. Ino started passing out crates to the soldiers. A few of whom couldn't pass up the chance to wolf whistle at her.

"Sakura-chan?" Sakura heard behind her.

Sakura turned around and there he stood, dressed on his full combat uniform with an M-1 Grand in one hand and a shovel in the other. He was caked in sweat and mud, but somehow, he looked better than Sakura had seen him in days.

"Naruto-kun...hey..." she said a little shyly.

All their friends stopped dead in their tracks when they heard what Sakura said.

"You brought us med kits? Thanks Sakura-chan." Naruto smiled as he reached behind her and grabbed one.

Sakura smiled. "Anytime."

"Hey, listen...I wanted to apologize for how I was acting about your date offer...Itachi explained it to me..." Naruto said sheepishly.

"Did he really? What did...he say exactly?"

"Enough that I have something very important to ask you." Naruto said seriously. For the second time in Sakura's life, she noticed just how taller Naruto was compared to her.

"Um...o-okay...what?" Sakura asked.

"After we win this battle...would you...like to go out with me? On a date?" Naruto asked nervously yet firmly.

Sakura felt her chest warm up. She didn't care that all of her friends were staring at them because she knew what she was gonna say and do.

"That makes about the 100th time you've asked me...and do you know what I'm gonna say?" She asked making Naruto nervous.

'Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.' Naruto chanted in his head.

"Yes, Naruto. We'll go on that date." Sakura smiled with a blush on her face.

Naruto's eyes shot wide open as if to look at Sakura for the very first time. Her smile on her face, her eyes glowing in the sunset along with her hair. She looked so beautiful.

"YEAH NARUTO! WHOOO!" Kiba cheered along with the rest of the men in the platoon.

"W-wait...seriously?" Naruto breathed out in shock.

"Yes, you Baka." Sakura giggled. "I told you I was serious about giving you that date."

Naruto's look of surprise soon turned into a grin, splitting his face from ear to ear before he scooped up Sakura into a bone crushing hug and twirled her around. "Hell yeah!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Ack! N-naruto...too tight..." Sakura wheezed.

"Don't care, too happy!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sakura just rolled her eyes. "Well...you better win this thing...and just to give you an incentive..." She leaned her head in and planted a soft but brief kiss on his lips.

"Oh man, the Axis doesn't have enough men now." Naruto said.

"Good. Take me on a really amazing date and you'll get more. You hear?"

"You know it. Whatever you want Sakura-chan. Candlelight dinner at the classiest joint in the Leaf? Boat ride down the park river with just the two of us? You name it." Naruto stated, his smile like a thousand-watt bulb.

Sakura thought about it and remembered something Ino told her. "How about the 9 Tails dance hall? Ino wanted to invite you and the entire gang out for a night of dancing, and I would love for you to take me."

"Consider it done." Naruto grinned.

"Good. Now do your job. I'll be waiting for you." Sakura smirked, feeling more and more confident now that she had finally gotten her worries off her chest.

"Yes, ma'am." Naruto smiled, having a similar feeling as Sakura.

All their friends present couldn't help but look on with smirks on their faces. This was it. This was what they were all fighting for in this war. A chance at life and love.

"Alright, love birds. Break it up." Kakashi clapped to get his men's attention.

"Sorry, sir." Naruto said sheepishly before putting Sakura back down.

"It's alright. I was in the same boat as you not long ago. Now I have a family of 5 to come home to." Kakashi waved off.

"So save this for when you're on leave."

"Yes, sir." Naruto nodded. He started to walk away, but not before Sakura pulled him in for one last kiss.

"That was because I wanted another one. Now get to work." Sakura winked.

"Ahem..." Ino playfully said to get Sakura's attention. "All the med kits are unloaded. We don't have to be here anymore."

"Right." Sakura smiled as she practically skipped back to the truck, feeling light as air.

"What? We don't get kisses for good luck?" Kiba joked.

"Not from me you're not." Sakura said.

"Well maybe from me." Ino teased.

"No time. We've got work to do." Kakashi said.

"Hold on. Choji! Come here!" Ino shouted.

"Huh? What for?" Choji asked.

"Just get over here." Ino giggled.

Choji shrugged and walked over to Ino. As soon as he was in arm's reach she wrapped her arm's around him and planted a big old kiss on his cheek. "You stay alive too. You and Shikamaru." Ino smirked.

"Um...s-sure, Ino..." A stunned Choji stammered.

"Just don't overthink it." Ino smiled as she patted Choji on the cheek before returning to her car. As soon as both her and Sakura were in, they drove off. Sakura couldn't help but squeal with joy as soon as she was sure they were out of earshot of the boy's.

Naruto also couldn't contain his giddiness at finally earning his date with Sakura-chan. He felt like he could leap over the moon. The anguish he had been harboring for weeks seemed to just float away. Who cared that the enemy was baring down upon them? Who cared about any imminent death that awaited them? He got his date with Sakura and a bunch of kisses from her too.

"Alright boys, you've had your show, now get on the line. No telling when or if the enemy could hit us!" Kakashi shouted out to the men still hooting and hollering at Naruto for getting the girl. "Two men to a hole! I want light and noise discipline from here on out! Sleep in shifts and prepare for anything!"

"Yes sir!" They all shouted before getting right to work.

Naruto grabbed his rifle and leapt into a foxhole with Kiba. Choji and Shikamaru took the hole next to them and Lee and another man from the company took the hole next to them. They kept their jabs and joking quite to not piss off the commander, but the mood was nothing but jubilant among Shikamaru's squad. Each of them feeling more relaxed than they had in weeks. Among all their brothers this was the best news any of them had heard since their enlistment.

"My man, Naruto. Finally getting some after all these years." Kiba smirked.

"I don't think anyone is happier than me over this. Except maybe Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

"You finally did it. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it." Shikamaru smirked.

"Yea, man. Sorry I doubted you earlier." Kiba said.

"Don't worry about it. I'm over the moon right now." Naruto smirked.

"Good to hear. We're proud of you, man. And I bet Sasuke is too." Shikamaru said.

"Right. Thanks." Naruto said.

"So are you gonna hit that on the first date or what? Cause she seemed pretty eager." Kiba said.

"Well...If she wants to then I guess so." Naruto shrugged.

"And what do you want?"

"I already got what I want. Her...She's all I ever wanted."

"Jesus man, that's such a beta male thing to say. It's gonna be a long, cold night and it would warm my heart to hear how you plan to fuck her." Kiba stated.

"Personally, I think you're just a hopeless pervert." Naruto said, making Shikamaru snicker.

"Aahh fuck you..." Kiba grumbled before lighting up a cigarette.

"What about you, Shika? I'm surprised that Temari let you out of her dungeon last night. How's that going?" Kiba asked.

"Well, you know how it is. She was kinda moody today so it's good to get some fresh air."

"Isn't she normally moody?" Naruto asked.

"More so than usual."

"You don't suppose she's knocked up, do you?" Kiba asked.

"I doubt it. We haven't been back long enough for her to show signs. It's just her time of the month I'll bet." Shikamaru said, not daring to reveal that he had accidentally broken Temari's favorite leather straps and she set him free only so she could buy new ones and check in with her father.

"Well alright. Just don't be surprised that when we come home from this that you have a kid running around." Kiba shrugged.

"I'd be more concerned about you coming back home to a kid you didn't plan on. What's this I hear from Choji about you guys unknowingly sleeping with hookers?"

Kiba just sweat dropped and turned away, not saying a word.

"I don't know. They seemed nice. Mine gave me my money back." Lee spoke up.

"That bad, huh?" Shikamaru joked.

"Bad? She gave it back afterwards." Lee clarified.

"It was a joke man. That's pretty awesome that you were able to screw her so well."

"I call bullshit." Choji said.

"Eh you're just jealous because you and Kiba had to pay." Lee smirked.

"So what did you do that was so damn good?"

"I don't know. I got off first before she did and it didn't seem right. So I just kept kissing her and exploring her until she started moaning too. A few hours and a few...other things later I paid her and she just handed the money back to me. She also gave me her card." Lee explained.

The boys continued to talk throughout the night, their conversation the only way to pass the time. Yet it could not stop the encroaching sense of dread each man felt as the night wore on. That thought in the back of every man's mind about the enemy coming closer with every minute that passed. The uncertainty as the higher ups kept news from trickling down to the men to keep them from growing relaxed or succumbing to fear.

For the civilians, even for Sakura, they went to bed knowing that any minute they could be awoken to their homes being under siege. For Sakura, it was a sobering thought that the man she had just confessed to could be fighting and dying while she slept or when she was working miles away.

By morning, the sense of jubilee had vanished. Everyone's minds could only focus on their own immediate task and the war that was approaching their doorstep. Naruto and his friends all awoke with their guns ready and their hearts lighter for having survived the night. Then the morning.

The veterans from the Battle of Bloody January ate their lunches fast, knowing just how catastrophic it was to lower their guard for even an instant.

Scouts were sent out with the afternoon and reported nothing by the evening.

The boys all gripped their rifles a little tighter that evening as the moon rose again.

The next morning was more of the same, as was the morning after that. Until finally on the evening of the 4th day, it happened.

"Flash! Allied Radio News reports...General Uchiha and his mechanized division successfully intercepted the rogue Axis division. Stopping them cold 100 miles north of the Land of Fire's capital city of the Hidden Leaf." The reporter on the radio announced.

"Alright!" The mean all cheered. The battle was won, but not the war. They could go home now and enjoy the rest of their leave.

"Man, that was anticlimactic." Lee said as he lit one of his Lucky Strikes.

"Who cares? I can see Sakura-chan and take her on that date!" Naruto cheered.

"Yeah, no shit. Now go get her, tiger." Kiba said as he stole a light from Lee.

Back at the Leaf, Sakura was finally able to read over Tsunade's scrolls and have been studying the first one for over an hour, on proper Chakra Control. As it turned out for her, Tsunade was right on the money on these scrolls. What's more, the handwriting was an exact match to what she had seen from recent medical reports.

"Hey, sis. You alright?" Itachi asked from her doorway.

"Oh, I'm fine." Sakura said as she rolled up the scrolls away from prying eyes.

"You haven't said anything in a few nights. Worried about Naruto?"

"Of course I am." Sakura said as she looked our longingly at the window. "This whole thing with the rogue enemy division is maddening. You'd think we would have heard something by now."

Sakura turned back to face her brother. "I don't know how or when...But I love him, Itachi...I can't imagine life if I lost him too."

Itachi just smiled knowingly at his sister. "You've got a big heart, Sakura. Only matched by your brain. You'd find a way to live, as painful as it is. But I wouldn't worry about that yet." Itachi smirked.

"What do you mean I shouldn't worry?" Sakura snapped.

"Well mostly because your dad already saved the day." Naruto said as he stepped out from behind the door frame into Sakura's room.

Sakura's face lit up like a 10,000-watt light bulb as she shot out of bed and tackled Naruto to the floor, smothering him with kisses and a big bear hug.

"Hey, hey, Sakura-chan, hold on!" Naruto laughed in between return every kiss Sakura sent his way.

"No way...I was so worried..." Sakura cried.

"Come on, Sakura-chan. You seriously think an army was gonna stop me from going on a date with you?" Naruto teased.

"Well...No, but I was still worried..."

"I'm kidding, Sakura-chan. I was scared too." Naruto admitted as he held her more tenderly than before.

"I'm gonna leave you two alone. I'll be in the den if you need me." Itachi said before leaving them.

If the two of them heard him, they didn't show it. They were both content with just holding each other on the floor. Until of course Naruto remembered what he came here to ask of Sakura.

He held her out arm's length away from him and never tore his gaze away from hers. "Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to do this first date right at the dance hall." Naruto stated firmly.

Sakura smiled. "Good...I can't think of a better place."

"Yeah, and that means I don't want to see you until I pick you up later tonight. In the meantime, I want you to get all dressed up, the best dress you've got. And I'll go buy the swankiest suit a rifleman can afford. I wanna sweep you off your feet tonight." Naruto smirked.

"You playboy..." Sakura giggled. "Alright. See you then."

Sakura reluctantly rolled off of Naruto and sat up. "Just don't be late or else." Sakura playfully threatened.

"Wouldn't think of it and you know it. I'm not like my commander." Naruto smirked.

"I'll take your word on it. Now go, I need to prepare." Sakura said as she gleefully shoved Naruto out of her room.

"Alright." Naruto chuckled.

Naruto quickly turned around and gave Sakura a quick peck on the lips before heading down the hall to the stairs. Sakura watched him the whole while, swaying back and forth as giddy as a schoolgirl. As soon as he disappeared down the stairs, she ran back into her room and grabbed her telephone. Her fingers dashed across the dial as she dialed Ino's home phone number.

"Yamanaka Flow Shop. Ino speaking."

"Eeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiii!" Sakura squealed into the phone.

"Ack!" Ino yelled out, moving the phone away from her ear. "Who is this?" She demanded.

"It's me, Ino-Pig. Naruto just asked me out." Sakura gushed in a very un-Sakura like fashion.

Now it was Ino's turn to squeal. Her voice was so high pitched that Sakura didn't even hear it over the phone.

"Oh my God! I'm so happy for you!" Ino squealed.

"Me too! Ino, I need your help. Naruto says that he wants the both of us to dress up fancy tonight. Except all my dresses suck or are too small." Sakura said.

"Say no more. I'll be there in 5 minutes with everything I've got." Ino said before she hung up the phone.

As this was happening, Naruto made it all the way down to the bottom of the stairs where Itachi was on the couch reading the daily newspaper on his father's recent success.

"So, am I going to have to call you my brother-in-law soon?" Itachi smirked as Naruto grabbed him by the collar.

"Itachi, help. I said I'd buy a nice suit for my date with Sakura-chan tonight but I don't know how too and my dad is gonna be at work all day. Help me!" Naruto hissed so that Sakura couldn't hear him.

"Woah, easy man. Yea, I'll give you a hand. We'll head over to Woolworth's and see what they've got."

"Please, this date needs to be perfect. I seriously love your sister more than I've ever loved any other girl." Naruto stated.

"Yes I know you do. And she loves you if you didn't hear her say that."

"Then let's go!" Naruto exclaimed as he grabbed Itachi by the arm and dragged him to the garage.

Itachi Pulled out of the driveway with Naruto and headed to the store. Not two seconds later, Ino pulled in the driveway with her dad's Jeep.

Ino leapt outside and was greeted at the door by Sakura.

"How many did you bring?" Sakura asked desperately

"Just a few dozen. If they don't fit, we can have them fitted at the dress shop."

"Whatever, just get in here. I don't know when Naruto will be back."

"I'm pretty sure I just saw him and Itachi drive off somewhere. I'd bet my sweet ass that they are going suit shopping. Which is weird, I'm pretty sure that by attending the army, Naruto is gift a set dress uniform for formal events." Ino said.

"Yea well. We both know he doesn't think that far ahead."

"Then I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually. Now get your butt up to your room. We need to knock that idiot's socks off." Ino smiled.

Ino and Sakura quickly retreated to Sakura's room. Ino laid the dresses out on Sakura's bed while the latter proceeded to strip down to her underwear before she noticed the dresses.

"Um...Ino. Those dresses won't work." Sakura stated.

"What are you talking about?" Ino asked.

Sakura took her bra off and then pointed to her chest then the dresses. "In care you forgot, I'm flat as a board."

"Damn, right. And we can't stuff your bra. Naruto will find out when he tears into you tonight." Ino said with a serious look on her face.

"God I hope he does..." Sakura sighed. "So, what do we do?"

"Well we get them adjusted like I said we would." Ino shrugged.

"Well, alright then..." Sakura shrugged as she picked up the first dress. It was a simple pink number, strapless and form hugging that seemed to come halfway down her thighs.

Ino whistled. "Not bad, what else looks good?"

"I think it looks too short..." Sakura said.

"You're going to want that if we will be dancing all night." Ino said.

"Yea well...the only eye candy I wanna be for is for Naruto. Not every perverted Joe schmo in the dance hall."

"One problem with that. If you look good to Naruto, then you look good to other guys too. Face facts, Forehead. You're hot." Ino stated.

"How am I hot? I have mosquito bite tits and an average looking body. You are far more well-endowed than I am."

"You have a pretty face, a great ass, and legs Naruto would die for." Ino countered.

Sakura took a minute to look at herself in the mirror and to look at what assets she had. "Well...maybe."

"And the second you walk into that dance hall with the War Hero Son of the 25th Hokage, everyone is going to ask who is this amazing girl. And you bet your sweet bippy that Naruto will stake his territory against any predators that comes howling." Ino smirked.

"Hmm..." Sakura looked at the dress, then the ones on the bed, then at herself in the mirror and then back at the dress. "I'll put this one aside for now. I wanna check out more."

"That's the spirit." Ino smiled.

"Hand me that blue one." Sakura said as she set the pink one aside.

Meanwhile, Itachi and Naruto had arrived at Woolworth's to find something for the blond idiot to wear. Once inside, they found endless amounts of casual wear, but not much on suits.

"Damn...they don't have much." Naruto stated.

"Well we can try Sears." Itachi suggested.

"Yea, let's do that." Naruto nodded.

Over the course of an hour, they had been to Woolworth's, Sears, Penny's, suit shops, just about everything that was there and they still couldn't find anything to suit Naruto's taste.

"Man...I'm so screwed..." Naruto groaned.

"Hey, we'll find one. Don't worry." Itachi assured before a thought occurred to him. "Wait, don't you have a military dress uniform?"

"My what? OH! Son of a bitch!"

"Just what I thought...alright, next stop your house." Itachi said before making a left out of market street.

On the other side of the city, Shikamaru was leading Temari to her "Valentine's Day surprise."

"You still haven't told me where we're going." Temari stated.

"Hence my referring to this as a surprise." Shikamaru smirked as he held Temari by the hand, letting every passerby know their secret.

"Shikamaru...we're supposed to be keeping this a secret..." Temari hissed.

"I thought you said you didn't care if we stopped hiding it?" Shikamaru smirked.

"I don't. But I'd rather not have my father or my brothers find out through gossiping shoppers." Temari stated.

"Oh don't worry about that. They won't know." Shikamaru waved off.

"Since when are you so laid back about the details, Mister Strategy and Tactics?" Temari mocked.

"Since I know something you don't." Shikamaru smirked.

"Is that right?" Temari smirked as the scenery started to turn familiar.

"Yup."

"Wait...why are we around here?" Temari hissed.

"You'll see."

Temari's eyes darted all around the shops surrounding her. There was the small diner that she ate at when she could not bring herself to cook. There was the baker and butcher where she purchased for her family bread, sweets, and meats. Over there was a flower stand selling red roses by the bouquet. And opposite that was a walled off section of a block with the symbol for the Hidden Sand Village. Her home since she was 14 years old. The Land of Wind Embassy.

"Shikamaru, no, I do not want to risk an argument with my father on Valentine's Day." Temari hissed, tugged at Shika's arm to lead him anywhere but there.

"We have to tell him, Temari. It's better we tell him now than him finding out through some random Joe Schmo." Shikamaru stated seriously.

"Okay, fine, just not today. Some other time." Temari said nervously, only to feel Shikamaru's hand against her cheek, forcing her to look at his determined eyes.

"Temari. My Division is moving out tomorrow. Your words got me thinking. And you're right. I don't want to live with what ifs and regrets. I want to live with you. To go out on dates with you in public. If that means standing up to your father and your brothers then so be it." Shikamaru stated.

"But...does it really have to be now?"

"Temari...you know as well as I do that there is a good chance that I won't return home. And if that happens...and by some chance you end up carrying a child from our rather steamy encounters, your dad is going to ask questions and make accusations. It's now or never, Temari."

"It doesn't have to be..." She whispered.

"I want it to be." Shikamaru countered.

Temari sighed quietly. "Alright...but just to warn you, my dad is a very intense man. Don't expect a warm welcome."

"The only warm welcome I need is from you."

"And you have it..." Temari sighed as he laid her head on his shoulder.

They continued to walk until they reached the front door to the Sand Embassy. "Shall we?" Shikamaru asked.

"Let's just get this over with..." Temari sighed.

Temari took out her house key and let them both in. The interior of the house was tastefully decorated in the style of home found in the Land of Winds. Tapestries adored the walls, telling the visual history of the Sand and the Land of Wind.

"Temari, is that you?" One of her brothers called out to her from the living room. Temari took a deep breath.

"Yea, it's me. Can...you get Gaara and father?" Temari called back.

"Father is in his study. What do you need them for?" Kankuro asked.

"Tell them...I want them to meet...my uh...b-boyfriend." Temari said hesitantly.

Kankuro popped his head out from behind the doorframe. "Oh boy, Father is gonna be pissed."

"N-now hold on a sec. He's one of the Army boys from Division 11. Maybe that will soften the blow."

"Division 11? you mean from Bloody January?" Kankuro exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, the very same." Temari said with a little hope in her tone.

Kankuro looked upon the man in question and smirked. "Well I'll be damned. She finally picked a good one."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Shikamaru asked.

"Oh come on. Like I'd let any schmuck date my baby sister. But a War Hero like from Bloody January? I'd be a fool to scoff at a guy like that." Kankuro said. "Name's Kankuro. Hope you impress my Dad."

"Shikamaru Nara." He nodded.

"Wait, you mean from the prestigious Nara clan?" Kankuro asked before turning to Temari. "Aren't we distantly related to the Nara Clan?"

"Kankuro, that was over 400 years ago. It hardly matters now." Temari scoffed.

"Right, right. Alright I'll be back." Kankuro said before heading off to find the rest of the family.

"Is it weird that everyone knows their family history from a few hundred years back?" Shikamaru asked.

"Maybe we pay more attention to our world's history." Temari shrugged.

"Whatever." Shikamaru shrugged.

After a few moments, they could hear 3 sets of footsteps walking down the hall. The both of them took the other's hand into theirs. Just as they did that, Kankuro rounded the corner, followed by a red headed man and a taller, gruffer looking man.

"Go easy on her, father. She's got a good one this time." Kankuro said.

"I'll be the judge of that." His father said before approaching Temari and Shikamaru. "What's your name, boy?" He demanded.

"Shikamaru Nara, sir." Shikamaru answered respectfully.

"A Nara, huh? Well, you're off to a good start. What do you do for a job?"

"I'm currently a squad leader in Army Division 11 Fox Company. Before the war I was studying History with a minor in Literature." Shikamaru stated.

That got the man's attention. "Army Division 11 you say?"

"Yes, sir. The same one that won the battle of Bloody January."

The man stroked his chin in contemplation. "And you say you're the squad leader for said division?"

"One of them, sir." Shikamaru clarified.

"Mmhmmm..."The man mumbled as he thought it all over. His daughter had brought home many boys over the years. Fast food workers, library snobs, hell even ditch diggers. But never a war hero, and a Nara at that. "How long have you two known each other?"

That was the question both Shikamaru and Temari were dreading. They had been seeing each other for well over 3 years. They have carefully kept that a secret for so long that if they told him the truth, it may piss him off. But not telling him and then finding out about it later would make matters worse. So, Shikamaru was the one who stepped up to the plate to confess.

"Honestly, sir...we've been seeing each other for over 3 years." Shikamaru admitted, expecting the worst.

"I knew it." Gaara said.

The man scowled before turning to his daughter. "So...you've been hiding this and lying about it this whole time, is that it? Thought I would never find out, huh?

"She was worried you would overreact and send her back to the Sand." Gaara explained.

"Gaara, be silent. She has a mouth and can respond without your help." He scolded.

Gaara remained silent and let his father continue.

"Well young lady? I'm waiting..."

Temari gave him a year filled nod, confirming her father's accusation.

"I see...well I think I should ship your ass back to the Sand for this. You know my rules."

Temari felt her world crumble around her. She knew this would happen. She just knew it.

Then her father's frown turned into a smirk. "If...It wasn't for the fact that you quite possibly found the best man any one of us could ever hope to find."

"What?" Temari asked, not sure if she heard that right.

"You heard me. I'd be a damn fool if I sent away this fine young man here. Yes you lied to me for 3 years and...Maybe I do overreact a bit sometimes. But this one is by far the best one you've brought home. In short, I wholeheartedly approve and I'm glad you two came clean with me."

"Oh Daddy!" Temari cried as she reached out and hugged her father for all he was worth.

"There, there...my little sand queen..." Her father said softly as he hugged her.

Shikamaru couldn't help but look on and smile. It was a great time to be alive right now.

"Thank you. Thank you for understanding." Temari cried.

"Well, hey. I'm not getting any younger and I wanna see grandkids sometime before I die." Her father joked.

"Daddy!" Temari playfully slapped her father's chest.

"What? It's an honest dream. Besides, it's not like I'm getting any from these two slackers." Her father said as he pointed to Gaara and Kankuro.

"Hey!" Kankuro cried as Gaara just shrugged his shoulders.

"So. Since you two have been dating for 3 years, when can I expect a ring on my daughter's finger?" The father asked.

"Um...well...since I go back to the front tomorrow-"

"Ah, say no more." The man waved off, interrupting Shikamaru.

"Uh, what?" Shikamaru asked.

"It's quite alright. You just come back in one piece, you hear? I want to see you put a ring on my little girl's finger."

Shikamaru nodded. "In time, I will."

"Good, because as soon as you propose the sooner I can expect some grandkids." Rasa smiled.

"Uh...right." Shikamaru said nervously. He wasn't sure if he wanted kids at all.

'Does my Dad not realize that we've already had sex?' Temari thought.

"So did you two do it yet?" Kankuro smirked, only to get smacked upside the head by his father.

"Fool! You do not ask such a question! Especially when it pertains to your sister!" Rasa scolded.

"Hey! It's an honest question!" Kankuro defended.

"It was idiotic. Of course Temari is smart enough not to have sex before marriage." Rasa stated.

"Yea...about that..." Temari said hesitantly.

Rasa froze. "Temari...please tell me you were smart enough to wait."

Temari just sighed heavily. "We've been in a sexual relationship for 2 years to the date..."

The three men all blinked a few times.

"God, no wonder you were so nice the year before this guy left." Kankuro pointed at Shikamaru.

Rasa sighed in exasperation, running his hand down his face. "Well that's not what I wanted to hear...but given the fact that you haven't had a child give me a reason to believe you've been playing it safe...right? Or do I have grandchildren that I don't know about?"

"None...that I know about yet." Temari admitted.

"And what does that last part mean?" Rasa demanded.

"It means we will know in a week." Gaara said bluntly.

Rasa threw up his hands in frustration and started to pace around. "So that means when he goes back to fight that you will MORE THAN LIKELY have a child during that time, is that it? What if he dies, Temari! How could you be so reckless?!"

"I...wasn't thinking. I just missed him so much, daddy." Temari cried.

"Well it's evident that you weren't thinking!" Rasa shouted.

Rasa then turned to Shikamaru. "You...for your sake and my daughters...you best make it home alive."

"Hey, if she wasn't thinking than neither was I." Shikamaru said as he stepped in between the father and daughter.

Rasa saw how serious Shikamaru was being. It was evident that he would protect Temari at any costs, even if it meant his own life. He then sighed defeatedly.

"Very well. Since I can't stop you two from seeing each other, I will accept you." Rasa stated.

"Thank you, daddy..." Temari said softly

"Just take care of my desert flower. Cherish her and never mistreat her." Rasa stated.

Well...shoulda seen this coming...my eyes are no longer perfect."

"I promise, sir. No matter what happens." Shikamaru stated.

Rasa smiled and held out his hand for Shikamaru.

Shikamaru shook Rasa's hand in a firm handshake.

"Well, this is cause for some celebration. I assume you have plans to take my daughter out for a Valentine's Dinner Date?" Rasa asked as he motioned everyone to follow him into the living room.

"Well, we were invited to a dance party with the rest of my friends." Shikamaru said.

"I see, you're both going dancing? Excellent. Just like the many times I took my late wife out dancing. Oh those were grand times." Rasa said fondly. "But I can't imagine that you would want to spend your dinner here with us. So I insist that you have a drink with us before you go." Rasa walked over to one of the bookshelves and grabbed a handful of glasses. "Kankuro, could you grab a bottle of Cheval Blanc 1922?"

"Yes, father." Kankuro said before walking away.

Rasa handed out the glasses to everyone. "You know we have a saying in my country of Wind."

"What's that?" Shikamaru asked.

"Alcohol is the enemy of the people. And therefore, it must be consumed." Rasa smiled as Kankuro returned with from the wine cellar with the requested bottle.

"Hey, I won't argue with that." Shikamaru shrugged.

Kankuro filled everyone's glasses and Rasa raised his glass. "To Shikamaru. May he have a long and happy life."

"I agree." Temari said fondly as she leaned into Shikamaru.

"And to the Allied Nations. May we crush the Axis and lead the world into a new era of peace." Rasa said as he tipped back his glass. They all rose their glasses to toast for a new beginning.

Meanwhile, in Sakura's room, Sakura and Ino were still busy trying to find the perfect dress.

"Ugh...We've been at this for an hour..." Sakura grumbled.

"And we expected it to take hours more. No one ever said that beauty was easy." Ino said, annoyed at Sakura's whining.

"Yea, Yea..." Sakura scoffed before she noticed a particular orange dress that she hadn't seen before. "What about that orange one?"

"Orange? Not really your color..." Ino said as she looked over the strapless silk cocktail dress the shimmered with orange and cream colors.

"But it is Naruto's and I know one thing... He'll drop his jaw if he sees me wearing his favorite color. Now toss it over here."

Ino shrugged and tossed over the dress.

Sakura gave it a once over and noticed that it looked like it would fit her perfectly. "Is this one of your old ones? The bust is a lot smaller than the others."

"Yeah, that was my prom dress in my sophomore year in High school." Ino nodded.

"Well this might do it." Sakura said as she put it on over her head.

As soon as she slipped it on and Ino did the zipper in the back, she immediately realized that it was a perfect fit. She filled every nook and cranny like it was tailored for her body.

"This is it..." Sakura breathed out.

"You know what? I stand corrected. You do look good in orange." Ino smirked.

"I know, right?" Sakura said as she twirled around, letting her dress flow.

"Ino, it's perfect!" Sakura squealed.

"You're right. Now we just need to find some shoes to match." Ino smiled just as the telephone rang.

"I got it." Sakura said as she picked up the phone she had in her room. "Uchiha residence. Sakura speaking."

"Sakura. It's Tsunade."

Sakura nearly tripled over herself. "Oh lady...I mean, Dr. Senju, what can I do for you?" She asked slightly nervously. After reading over one of those scrolls, she was more inclined to believe that her boss really was the 5th Hokage.

"I need some help down here and I don't have enough hands. Can you come in for a few hours?" Tsunade asked.

'Shit...' Sakura cursed mentally. "Well, I have plans this evening."

"And we'll be done by then. But I have word of casualties from General Uchiha's Division being transferred here in a few days and I need to free up some beds. That means performing surgeries a few days in advance. I need my best surgeon on staff." Tsunade said.

Sakura sighed heavily. "Alright...Just give me time to clean up and get ready."

"Alright, see you then. Oh, have you had a chance to look at those scrolls?"

"I have, yes. And...At first I didn't believe you...So I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Don't worry about it. Tell me what you've learned when you get here." Tsunade said before hanging up.

"Shit, I gotta go." Sakura said.

"Go? Go where?" Ino asked.

"Go to work. Dr. Senju ordered me back there for a few hours." Sakura sighed.

"Are you serious? Aw man..." Ino pouted.

"Yeah...And I don't know if I'm gonna make it to the party on time...dammit."

"Yea, not to mention Naruto is supposed to pick you up for the party."

"Oh shit! I forgot about that!"

"Well, you better blaze through your work like you never have."

"I will, just cover for me if I can't make it home in time!" Sakura said as she rushed out the door.

"FOREHEAD, WAIT! YOU'RE NOT PROPERLY DRESSED!" Ino yelled out.

"Ah, shit!" Sakura cursed as she looked down at her frilly pink underwear.

As that was being sorted out, Shikamaru and Temari were out walking the streets together, the two of them clinging together like they never had before, unafraid of strangers looking upon them. Shikamaru had his arm wrapped protectively around Temari's waist, resting on her hip; while Temari was basically hugging Shikamaru's chest, her head resting against his shoulder. The both of them had never felt more at peace with one another.

So of course, Shikamaru's buddies just had to show up and ruin the moment. "Hey! Love birds!" Kiba called out, announcing his presence behind the pair.

"Kiba, what's up?" Shikamaru said happily.

"Sergeant. It's time for our...liberation of our comrade." Kiba smirked knowingly.

"Ah...Yes of course." Shikamaru nodded. "Temari, you up for a liberation mission?"

"Sorry, no, this sounds like one of your dumb ideas. And I do not want to get involved." Temari said.

"Oh not really." Shikamaru said before he leaned over to whisper their plan into her ear.

"Wow, that is dumber than I imagined." Temari said.

"How? He's a good friend of ours who probably won't get shipped back with us."

"Wait...Why not?" Temari asked.

"Was too close to a frag grenade... He's lucky he even survived." Kiba stated seriously.

"Oh..." Temari said sadly. "But that's not why I'm against the plan. If it backfires you all could all get in serious trouble."

"There is that risk...But we make similar risks on the field every day." Shikamaru said.

Temari just rolled her eyes. "Fine." She said before kissing him on the lips. "You go do your thing. Just don't be late for the dance hall tonight. Or else I won't forgive you." Temari smirked.

"Yea...I know your type of being unforgiving. And it usually ends with me in a dog collar and tied to a bed."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Kiba asked.

"Never you mind. Unless you want to end up in the same way. Only difference is, Shikamaru will get to see me naked. You'll just be tired up and bleeding." Temari smirked.

"Wow, I didn't realize you two were into such, kinky things." Kiba smirked.

"Yea we are. Only difference is, Shikamaru doesn't pay me to screw him or tie him up." Temari smirked.

"I'd pay you to do that..." Kiba smirked as he stepped in close, only to get a fist to the nose from Shikamaru.

"Why do you egg him on like that?" Shikamaru asked.

"Because it's fun." Temari shrugged.

Shikamaru just rolled his eyes. "Right. I'll pick you up at 8."

"Don't be late, little boy." Temari smirked.

"Never." Shikamaru smirked as Temari brought him in for one last kiss before walking away, her hand lingering on his chin as she walked away.

Shikamaru smiled as Temari disappeared into the crowd. How a lucky stiff like him ever got with a woman like that always eluded him. Sighing at his good fortune, Shikamaru picked up Kiba off the ground.

"Come on you son of a bitch. Time to round up the rest of the gang."

"Wow...look at all the stars..." Kiba mumbled.

"Quit milking it. I broke your nose, not your brain." Shikamaru said as he dragged his delirious friend past some uninterested police officers.

Sometime later, Naruto and Itachi could be found in the Hokage mansion master bedroom with Itachi sitting on the bed looking amused, Naruto impatiently standing in front of a mirror, and his mother and sister fussing over where to pin Naruto's new ribbons onto his dress uniform.

"Maybe his Bloody January ribbon should go here?" Karin suggested.

"Does it really matter?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, it does." Kushina said. "No, up a little more, next to the other ones."

"But then it will be mixed in with the others and hard to see. No, I think it should go on the otherside." Karin insisted.

"Karin, who was pinning medals on your father's jacket for all these years? I think I know the proper protocol for the placement of service medals on dress uniforms." Kushina stated.

"Alright, fine..." Karin sighed.

"Are you two finally done?" Naruto asked, annoyed.

"Don't take that tone with your mother, young man." Kushina scolded before finishing up.

"Sorry, sorry." Naruto apologized.

"And you're done...you know I'm so proud of you..." Kushina said lovingly.

"Thanks mom." Naruto said as he stepped backwards and put his hat on. "So, how do I look?"

"Like a dweeb..." Karin snickered.

"Oh hush. You look extremely handsome, Naru-chan." Kushina gushed. She wasn't exaggerating. Dressed in his uniform, everything prim and proper, her son looked like he just stepped out of an army poster.

"Thanks mom. I hope Sakura-chan will like it."

"Oh please...don't tell me you're gonna ask her out again." Karin groaned. "You know she'll just reject you just as she always had."

"Oh is that right?" Naruto smirked. "You want to make a bet on it?"

"Pffft. I'll win and you know it." Karin scoffed.

"Well then you've got nothing to worry about, don't you?" Naruto replied.

"Yup. I bet...my entire life savings on you getting shot down again. that's 5000 Ryo."

"Well then you better pay up." Itachi said.

"What?" Karin asked.

"Sakura asked him out first." Itachi smirked.

"What? Bullshit." Karin cursed.

"Nope, it's true. I was there. Who would know better than her own brother?"

"Yeah, but I'd bet you're just gonna make her accept the date to win my money." Karin said.

"Sis, I'd give up all that money just to see the look on your face when I prove you wrong." Naruto stated.

Just then, they heard the doorbell ring.

"No way that is Sakura." Karin stated firmly.

Naruto bolted past her in a blur to go answer the door. But he thought he was gonna pick her up?

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried as he opened the door wide open for Lee and the rest of the gang.

"Nope, just us." Shikamaru said before he heard Karin laughing hysterically.

"SHUT UP, SQUIRT!" Naruto shouted.

"You owe me money!" Karin howled in laughter as she tried not to fumble down the stairs.

"I didn't bet anything and Sakura did agree to a date tonight!"

"Oh yea, she did, didn't she..." Shikamaru mumbled.

"She did. I take it now's the time though?" Naruto whispered.

"It's as good a times as any."

"Perfect. Just hope to be back in time to pick up Sakura-chan."

"You kidding? Five minutes in, five minutes out. We'll have time to pick-up some coffee and dango from Fat Anko's on the way back to your place." Kiba said.

"Oh give it a rest. You're never gonna date Sakura." Karin said, now growing annoyed.

"Oh yea?" Kiba smirked. "Ask anyone of us. We even saw them kiss."

Karin laughed again. "Yea right! Like that would ever happen! Hahaha!"

"Fine, don't believe him. It'll just make you more surprised when he proves you wrong." Choji stated.

"Oh please...give me a break." Karin scoffed.

"It's true." Shikamaru stated seriously.

"Guys, just drop it." Naruto said.

"Yea, we gotta go anyway." Lee said.

"Right." Naruto said as he stripped off his jacket and threw it at Karin's face. "Hang that up for me, would you? I'll need it for my date tonight."

"Yea, yea. Probably another date with your left hand." Karin snickered before taking his coat upstairs.

Naruto's eyes went wide and his mouth hung open. "Wha- When did she start using those kinds of jokes?"

"With my cousins at her school, she probably got it from them." Kiba sighed.

"Thus, keeping up the tradition of stuff we can blame you for." Shikamaru said.

"Yea...real funny..." Kiba grumbled.

"Ah, cheer up Kiba. We'll all buy you some dango after we liberate Neji." Lee said.

"Yea, you better."

The guys all laughed and patted each other on the back. They walked together like brothers, closer than they had ever been before. That was the funny thing about trauma, it brought people closer together.

After a few minutes of walking the streets, Choji had a thought. "Hey guys?"

"What's up?" Shikamaru asked.

"Doesn't this remind you of something? They way were all walking?" Choji asked, pointing out each of them walking near shoulder to shoulder in a line.

"Hmm...Not really." Naruto mused.

"Oh come on, this doesn't remind you of that one time in mid-January when we were on that patrol?" Choji asked.

"Oh yeah! I remember now!" Kiba said in realization.

"Yeah, the fighting had dulled for a bit so our commander sent our squad out to scout ahead." Naruto said.

"Us and that Jin guy. The one with the lips protruding past his nose." Kiba laughed.

"Oh god...that guy was ugly as sin." Shikamaru laughed.

"Yeah, whatever happened to that guy?" Naruto asked.

"We had to leave him behind after he took a bullet to the neck and there was a hail of enemy machine gun fire between us and him.

"Oh...that's right..." Naruto said sadly.

"What the Hell was that kid's name? I know we called him Jin, but he hated that." Choji said.

"I don't recall." Shikamaru admitted.

"Me either." Kiba said.

"That's a shame. He was a good kid." Choji said. "Not even old enough to buy a beer."

"Such is the life of being in the Military..." Shikamaru sighed.

"What life? Jin was in training with us for half a year, he spends 2 weeks of fighting and makes one dumb mistake." Naruto said.

"And sometimes that's all it takes." Lee said.

"It shouldn't." Naruto said.

"Well, whether it should or shouldn't is irrelevant. We gotta focus on the here and now." Shikamaru said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Anyway, we gotta pull this off discretely. So, here's the plan..." Shikamaru said before he went onto explaining his plan.

As Shikamaru was doing that, Sakura was up to her elbows in another man's guts.

"Clamp." Sakura ordered.

A nearby nurse handed Sakura a clamp used to clamp down arteries.

"Use the clamp..." Sakura clarified in annoyance.

An older nurse grabbed the clamp out of the other nurse's hands and applied the metal tool onto the requested artery.

"Thank you." Sakura said as she started finishing up.

After a few moments, Sakura was done with her surgery.

"And that's the last one...Shizune, sew him up." Sakura ordered.

"Yes doctor." Shizune said as she got to work.

Sakura took this moment to strip off her gloves and mask. After nearly 2 hours of nothing but surgeries, she was finally able to take a breather.

"Good work everyone." Sakura sighed.

Sakura then turned to the new nurse. "Kina...please come here."

The nurse known as Kina nervously walked over to Sakura. "Yes, doctor?"

"Next time...when I ask for a clamp, don't hand it to me. Use it where I need it." Sakura quietly scolded.

"I-I'm sorry, doctor...I just started here." Kina said nervously.

"That's no excuse. You were taught how to operate during a surgery. I expect you to remember that."

"Yes, doctor." The nurse said shamefully as she looked at her feet.

Sakura sighed. "Your last name is Sarutobi, right?"

"Y-yes, ma'am." Kina replied.

"Well, miss Sarutobi. I hope that you will improve by the time you enter the next operation with me. I'm more forgiving than Doctor Senju."

"T-thank you, doctor." The girl exclaimed, feeling so relieved.

"Forget it. Now help the others." Sakura ordered.

"Yes, doctor." The nurse bowed before dashing off to help with clean up.

Sakura walked into the next room and stripped herself of her scrubs. Once that was done, she proceeded to do some last-minute rounds before her time was up.

'Once I'm done with these rounds then I can head home to get ready for our date!' She thought giddily. Never in her life did she ever think she would relish the chance to go on a date with Naruto. But somehow, over the course of this week, she fell for him harder than a sack of hot potatoes. Even with Sasuke's death still weighing heavily on her mind, she was happy that she could bring back the old Naruto.

'Just you wait, Naruto. When you see me in that dress...you'll flip your lid.' Sakura thought giddily.

That's when she saw 5 men carrying another man out of a patients room. A room that had a patient that shouldn't be up and about.

"What the...? HEY!" Sakura called out.

'Shit!' The men all collectively thought.

"Leg it!" One cried, prompting the others to run down the hall, carrying their patient body over their shoulders.

"GET BACK HERE BEFORE I BREAK YOUR LEGS!" Sakura yelled out before giving chase.

"Fucking run!" Another man screamed as the rounded a corner.

"Wait a minute... That's Sakura-chan." The blond one announced in realization.

"What? Naruto!" Sakura cried as the guys all screeched to a halt, just long enough for Sakura to run up to Naruto and smack him right in the jaw.

"The Hell are you guys doing?!" Sakura growled before she noticed that they were carrying Neji. "Neji is still recovering from having 10lbs of shrapnel removed from his gut! Are you TRYING to kill him?!"

"Ugh... Sakura-chan, why are you here?" Naruto groaned.

"I was called in for a few hours but that's beside the point! Get Neji back to his room...Now..."

"No can do, Sakura-chan. We're liberating him." Lee said while Kiba helped Naruto up.

"Liberating...This isn't a prison, Lee! He's a patient who is still recovering!" Sakura snapped.

"Oh, come on. You guys keep him cooped up here all day. We're just letting our boy out to stretch his legs and get him fitted into his dress uniform." Kiba said.

"No, you're not. Don't make me call the MP'S...Because I will." Sakura threatened.

"Hey, hold on, Sakura-chan." Naruto said in surrender.

"You gonna put him back?" Sakura asked sternly.

"No, but we've got a really good reason. I swear." Naruto raised his hands.

Sakura rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Alright...I'll bite. But it better be a good one because if he tears his stitches..."

"Neji wants to go dancing with Tenten. And we knew the hospital wouldn't let him out anytime soon, so we decided to liberate him." Naruto explained simply.

Sakura mulled it over for a moment. "Dancing, huh? I mean, I understand that he wants to do that, but he'll have plenty of time to do that once he's healed. I put him on a 4-month medical leave."

"And what about us? Tonight's the last night we may get to hang out with our buddy for a while. If ever." Naruto added.

"So why can't you just do that here?" Sakura asked, not knowing the answer Tsunade had already given them.

"Come on, Sakura, how depressing is it to have a party in a hospital room." Kiba asked.

"Besides, Tsunade already told us we can't." Naruto added.

"Oh..." Sakura said, now feeling guilty of the situation. She took in a deep breath and sighed deeply. "Fine...Take him...But if anything happens to him or if this gets out that I let you take him and I lose my job then I'm ripping your asses off and mounting them on my wall."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

"Good." Sakura said as she patted him on the cheek. "Now, I have a few rounds to make and then I'm done. So pick me up in an hour. You hear?"

"You gonna be ready in an hour?" Naruto jokingly asked.

"Pfft...With Ino waiting at my place for me, I'll be ready in ten minutes. Oh, and just wait till you see what I'm gonna wear." Sakura playfully winked.

"Oh, you little vixen." Naruto purred.

"Only for you. Now get going before I change my mind."

"On it." Naruto said, throwing up a playful salute at Sakura and then leading the guys down the hall with Neji still on their shoulders.

'I love him...But he's gonna be the death of me.' Sakura thought.

As soon as Naruto and the guys were out of sight from Sakura, he whispered to them. "I love that girl. But she is gonna be the death of me."

"I don't wanna hear it." Shikamaru said. "You've been bellyaching for her to love you in return since we were kids and now you're gonna complain. Nothing ever pleases you."

"Do I look like I'm complaining." Naruto said as he turned back to show his ear to ear grin etched onto his cheeks.

"You're something else, you know that?" Shikamaru smirked as they made their way out of the hospital.

Unknown to any of them, a certain 500-year-old kunoichi had witnessed the entire thing. She had stuck to the shadows and easily out-maneuvered these glorified civilian versions of their originals. Still, Tsunade couldn't help but smile with pride as the boys walked out of the hospital, still valuing their friendship over everything.

'Somethings never change. Even after five hundred years.' Tsunade thought. She smiled remembering when she first saw all those boys again. She had just heard through the grape vine that the 25th Hokage had been chosen and bore the exact same name as the 4th. This would have been a fun little coincidence if he hadn't also announced his marriage to a Kushina Uzumaki. That intrigue was enough to make Tsunade come out of hiding again to serve the newest Hokage. A few weeks of interrogation and the unearthing of several highly-classified documents confirmed that Tsunade was in fact THE Tsunade Senju, the 5th Hokage who discovered the secret to immortal life. That put Tsunade right back at the head of the Medical Division in Konoha just in time for her to be there for the rebirths of all of the Konoha 12.

Eleven screaming babies later, she finally got to see her surrogate daughter again. That adorable little pudgy face with the tuff of pink hair on top. Knowingly looking up at her doctor who brought her into the world like she recognized her old mentor. Tsunade's heart shattered when Sakura cooed at her with those beautiful green eyes.

Her mind also couldn't help but wander back to when her ward had married an Uchiha. The same one who caused so much trouble before and during the 4th Shinobi War. How Sakura could marry a guy like that was beyond her but they somehow made it work. Now as she looked upon her predecessor several centuries later, she finally sees the love between her newest ward and the current Naruto Uzumaki. Something she had hope to see centuries ago. It gave her a sense of pride and joy just thinking about what they will be like after the war ends.

Tsunade wiped away her misty eyes. She had work to do. 'It will be a cold day in Hell when I miss that wedding.' Tsunade thought before leaving to take care of the rest of her duties.

About half an hour later, Sakura was back in her bedroom getting ready for her date. With help from Ino of course.

"Okay. This pair or these?" Sakura asked Ino as she held up two pairs of heels

"What are you going to church?" Ino asked sarcastically.

"What? Too formal?" Sakura asked.

"Too flat. You arc your heels up so his eyes trail up your legs and at the rest of you." Ino said.

"But these are the highest I have."

"Half an inch? Are you serious?"

"Yes. Why would I need anything taller?"

That's when they heard someone knocking on her door.

"Ah, shit, is that them!" Sakura cried.

"No, it's me." Itachi said from the other side of her door.

"Oh...come on in." Sakura said.

Itachi came in holding a small box in his hands. "I have something for you."

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"It's something mother left for you...she said it was for when you finally find that special someone." Itachi said.

Sakura's eyes went wide. "M-mom...left this for me...? But...what is it?"

"I don't know. Father and I found it in the attic 12 years ago with a note attached to it." Itachi said before handing said note to Sakura.

Sakura took the note and began to read it.

Dear Sakura. If you are reading this, then that means I'm no longer with you. I hope you did not grieve too much from my passing. It is not what I would have wanted. Anyway, inside this box is a few things I wanted to pass onto you when you finally found that special someone. Please take care of them, and remember...I will always love you.

-Mebuki Haruno Uchiha.

Sakura sniffed as she finished reading the letter. Little raindrops fell onto the paper.

"Damn it, Itachi. You gotta do this now? Bring out something like this after we finished her make-up." Ino ranted as she came at Sakura with a box of tissues.

"It's fine, Ino..." Sakura sniffed as she took a tissue and dabbed her eyes.

"Thank you, Itachi." Sakura smiled.

"Of course, sis." Itachi smiled before he handed her the box.

Sakura opened the box and gasped at what she saw. She saw a pair of beautiful high heels, a necklace with pink diamonds and a charm bracelet.

"I wondered what happened to those." Itachi mused.

"They are incredible. They must be worth a fortune." Sakura gasped as she lifted them out of the box for Ino to see.

"According to mother, they have been in the family for generations. Not sure who had them first though." Itachi said.

"Woooow..." Ino breathed out in awe.

"Will these shoes work?" Sakura asked.

"Forehead, they're perfect." Ino said approvingly.

"You really think so?" Sakura asked as she slipped on the shoes and found them to be exactly her size.

"I don't even have shoes that nice. You'd be dumber than Naruto not to wear them." Ino said seriously.

"Fine, I'll wear them. What about you? Aren't you coming dancing too?" Sakura asked.

"Well, yeah. Of course, I am. But I know of a thing called fashionably late, so." Ino joked.

"Oh don't be that girl. I wanna dance with Naruto but I want you to be there too."

"Oh keep your panties on...at least until you bring Naruto home." Ino snickered. "I'll be there."

"Hopefully not when I bring him home." Sakura said.

"What? You're not gonna share?" Ino teased.

"Hell no! You get your own Army man!" Sakura laughed.

"Hey. When we were 14 we agreed that if one of us locked down a man before the other we'd do a 3-way. Remember?"

"INO-PIG!" Sakura screamed, completely embarrassed that she'd mention something like that in front of her brother.

Itachi just held up his hands. "I know nothing."

"QUIT BEING STINGY!" Ino shouted back.

"GET YOUR OWN MAN!" Sakura replied.

"Oh I will..." Ino smirked before eyeing Itachi.

"Meh, sure." Itachi shrugged his shoulders.

"WHA- You can't be serious!" Sakura shrieked.

"I'm not. Sorry, Ino. You're just not my type." Itachi said.

"No worries. I already asked Choji to escort me anyway." Ino smiled.

"EH!? So why did you ask Itachi?!" Sakura screeched.

"To get a rise out of you." Ino said like it was obvious.

Sakura just glared at Ino. "I hate you..."

"That's what you get for not sharing Naruto-kun." Ino shrugged.

"Yea yea..." Sakura grumbled just as they heard the doorbell ring.

"OH SHIT!" Sakura cursed.

"Relax, you're ready now." Ino pointed out.

"Why don't you get ready!"

"Oh relax. Choji isn't picking me up for another half hour. I got time."

"Fine, whatever, I'll see you then." Sakura said before hugging her best friend goodbye.

"Go get him. This may be your only chance." Ino said.

"Don't remind me. And don't be late." Sakura said.

"I'll try."

"Don't try. Do. This might be our last chance to be with all our friends." Sakura reminded her.

"I know. Now get going! Don't keep him waiting."

"Fine!" Sakura shouted as she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs. Her heart pounded as her feet hit the steps. She stopped at the front door to compose herself. She took a deep breath and finally opened the door.

There, in front of her, was none other than Naruto himself. Completely dappered out in his dress Army uniform.

"Hey Sakura...woah..." Naruto breathed out when he caught onto what Sakura was wearing.

He had never seen anything like it, much less on his beloved Sakura-chan. A shimmering dress of orange and cream that looked light as air yet still highlighted Sakura's petite figure. Her simple curves looked so elegant to Naruto, and the dress only made them more dazzling to the man. Two see through straps held up the dress that went down to Sakura's knees. She looked stunning, absolutely stunning. And with those shoes, a broach and a necklace, all of them emerald green to match her eyes. She looked like a movie star.

"Wooow..." Naruto gaped in awe.

Sakura giggled. "I take it you like it, huh?"

"I love it. I wanna take a picture so that I can keep you in my pocket." Naruto said without thinking.

"You can later." Sakura smiled.

"Right. So...shall we?" Naruto smiled as he held out his elbow.

"Yes, lets." Sakura said as she hooked her arm around his and leaned on his arm.

Naruto's smile grew even wider at the feeling of Sakura's body pressed against his, and Sakura just loved how big and strong his arm felt.

"It's kinda funny, isn't it?" Sakura asked as they walked away from her house.

"What is?"

"This...us...together going on a date...kinda funny how just a year ago I would never have even given it a brief thought, let alone consider it." Sakura said, still laying her head on his arm.

"Yeah...well... I was kind of a brat back then." Naruto admitted. Remembering what a cocky son of a bitch he used to be. All the boasting he used to do in front of the guys. Talking about his pranks, and getting with Sakura, and killing a thousand Axis soldiers before the rest of them could spit. He just wanted to step back in time and slug his younger self right in the face.

"But you brought something new from the monotony of everyday life...I guess I just didn't see it at the time until you came back."

"Maybe. What matters is the here and now though, right?"

"Right...but what I was saying was that I would have never even done this. Never would have crossed my mind...but this...us...it feels...right, ya know? Like it's supposed to be like this."

"Yeah, I completely agree." Naruto said. "I honestly never thought I'd make it out of that front alive. Much less see you again."

"Well I'm glad you did...and now you have even more incentive to come home alive."

"Damn straight." Naruto smirked as he nuzzled his nose into Sakura's neck.

Sakura giggled. "That tickles you Baka."

"Really? I was hoping it would make you squirm." Naruto huskily breathed into her ear.

Sakura knew what he was doing, but she said that to make him keep doing it. Evidently it worked. "It is..." Sakura breathed out. "You have no idea...how long I've been trying to hold it together..."

"I do. Cause I lied. Ten months of training...and I only had you to occupy my thoughts on my rare moments of privacy." Naruto admitted.

"Really...?" Sakura asked.

"Really." Naruto breathed into her ear. "You gonna smack me for being a pervert?"

"No...because...I was doing the same thing...but only this week..." Sakura admitted shamefully.

She could feel Naruto smiling against her skin. "I'm glad."

"But...it was because of what I walked in on a few days ago..."

"Hmmm? What did you walk in on?" Naruto asked, briefly broken out of his spell.

Sakura's cheeks turned red as she remembered watching a certain bun haired girl riding a bed ridden man at the hospital. "Never mind, it's not important." She squeaked.

"Oh come on. I wanna know now." Naruto pressed.

"Ummm...I...Don't really wanna talk about it...It's too embarrassing..."

"Oh, I think I know...You walked in on Neji and Tenten, right?" Naruto asked.

Sakura was completely stunned when the number one idiot in the city guessed correctly. "Wha-how did..."

"Neji told me." Naruto answered.

"Oh man..." Sakura groaned. "Yes...That's what happened...And I...Well...You know..."

"Yea I get it. It happens." Naruto shrugged off.

"I imagined it being...us..." Sakura admitted nervously.

Naruto paused before devious thoughts began circling his mind. "Oh really? And where did you imagine me? On the bottom letting you furiously thrust against me; or on top, where I was giving you the business?" He leered.

"Both, actually..."

"Woah, since when do you admit that so easily?" Naruto asked.

"Since I saw you in that torn and bloody uniform, yet standing proud like a hero from all the legends." Sakura admitted. The sight and the timber of his voice back then still making her wet.

"Then why don't we skip the main course and go for desert?" Naruto growled huskily.

"No." Sakura said firmly.

"Ah, but Sakura-chan..." Naruto whined.

"not right now." Sakura clarified. "Ideally I would like to date a few months before we do it...but seeing as your leaving tomorrow, you give me a date to remember and I'll give you a night to remember. Deal?"

Naruto pretended to think it over for a few seconds before planting a kiss right on his girlfriend's lips. "Deal."

Sakura felt like she was putty in his hands, but she wanted to push a little more out of him. "Come on, you call that a kiss?" Sakura teased.

"No, I call it a peck on the lips." Naruto stated, taking her words as a challenge. He grabbed her face and held it gently yet firmly. "This is a kiss."

He descended on her like a cobra, slow but surely. Tilting his head to its side he claimed her lips with his own. She found herself compelled to open her mouth wide and accept his tongue lightly exploring her mouth. Sakura fought back though, pushing her own tongue into his mouth. Tasting all that was Naruto. Feeling her head grow fuzzy as the seconds felt like minutes.

'Ooohh...Man... If this is a dream, don't wake me up...' Sakura thought in ecstasy. She was using all of her willpower not to take him right then and there.

Naruto then released her lips with an audible pop. Sakura just stood there, dizzy and giddy.

"Oh my god..." Sakura gasped. That was by far the best kiss she ever had.

"Be good on the date and you may get another one of those." Naruto smirked, using her own words against her.

"Oh, we better make this date quick..." Sakura breathed. She was really squirming now.

"Nope...I'm gonna make this one to remember." Naruto smirked. He had her wrapped around his finger now.

"Aahhhh...you're torturing me here..." Sakura whined.

BEEP BEEEEP "Jesus! Do we need to drop you too off at a motel!?" Lee shouted from the driver's seat of his car.

"Oh zip it!" Naruto called out.

"Lee?" Sakura cried before she punched Naruto in the gut. "Ass, why didn't you tell me others were watching us?"

"Ugh, you didn't ask..." Naruto groaned.

"Ugh, whatever..." Sakura huffed. She was too hot and horny to care.

She took his arm again and they both made their way into the car and found it filled with all their friends.

"Hey, Sakura." Tenten smiled from the back.

"Hey." Sakura waved. She still couldn't look her in the eye.

"Thanks for letting Neji get out of that hospital." Tenten said as she hugged Neji's arm.

"Think nothing of it...Just don't get me into trouble."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Neji said.

"I hope not. I don't wanna lose my job." Sakura stated seriously

"Okay, we promise we won't ever tell." Tenten raised up her hands.

"Good...alright let's get going."

"We will as soon as you scooch over." Kiba said, motioning over to Naruto who was still standing outside the car.

"Oh, oops" Sakurai said sheepishly as she slid over more. Naruto stepped in and snuggled closer to his date. Just by having him so close to her, she snuggled into his chest, the only sound known to her then and there was his breathing and heartbeat.

"Damn, man...how did you make her fall for you so hard?" Kiba asked.

"Animal magnetism." Naruto smirked.

"Yeah, sure." Kiba scoffed.

"Love works in funny ways, Kiba. One day you'll learn that." Sakura said softly. She loved her man pillow.

"I'm sure. Lee, we gotta get our own dates when we get inside. You and me, each other's wingman." Kiba pounded Lee on the shoulder.

"Not if it means paying them like last time." Lee grumbled.

"Hey, I thought they were regular girls. I said I was sorry." Kiba narrowed his eyes.

"Well at least she paid me."

"Huh? I thought she just gave you your money back."

"Plus interest." Lee smirked as he put his Suburban in gear.

"Also, I asked her to the dance and she said yes." Lee added.

"Oh bullshit!" Kiba cried.

"You'll see when we get there."

"Well, good for you, Lee. I'm glad you found someone." Tenten smiled.

"Yeah, a hooker." Kiba muttered.

"AH, SHIT!" Naruto cried out, making everyone jump.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"I completely forgot something. I need to get to a telephone." Naruto said, leaning over the seats to get right in Lee's ear.

"Naruto, what's up?" Sakura asked again.

"Here, pull up right there!" Naruto pointed at the nearest phone booth. Lee shrugged and pulled up next to the curb

"Wait, right here, Sakura-chan." Naruto said before hopping out and dashing into the phone booth. He pulled out his wallet and the piece of paper he had kept in it for a week. He inserted a couple of coins and dialed the number.

While the phone rang, Sakura was left in the car with the others feeling flabbergasted. "Um, what is going on?" She asked no one in particular.

"No idea." They all answered

Sakura grew frustrated and kicked open the car door to let herself out. She walked around the car to see Naruto hunched over the phone, speaking intimately to it.

"No I haven't forgotten about you. Just some things came up out of nowhere." Naruto explained. "Yes, besides the whole battle thing." He laughed.

"What in the fuck...NARUTO!" Sakura hollered, clearly pissed off.

"Huh, Sakura-chan?" Naruto turned when he saw his new girlfriend looking at him more pissed off than when his mother caught him painting all the Hokage monuments.

"Who the hell are you talking to like that?!" Sakura demanded.

"Hold on, Fu." Naruto said into the phone before opening the booth door.

"Who the Hell is Fu?!" Sakura demanded

"Just this girl I met a few days ago." Naruto explained, feeling like he stood on the edge of a great a terrible abyss. "She's a refugee and doesn't have a lot of friends. So I wanted to invite her to come hang out with us."

"Really..." Sakura said as she folded her arms across her chest. "The way you were talking to her, it looks like she's more than just a friend."

"Well she's not. She's cute and sweet, but I literally forgot about her until now. Cause I was hoping you and Ino and the others could befriend her while I was away." Naruto admitted, going in all or nothing.

Sakura looked into his eyes to find any sort of deception. There wasn't any. "Alright. For your sake, you best be telling the truth."

"I'll prove it. Yeah, hold on a little longer Fu. We'll pick Fu up and it'll be just like I said it is." Naruto promised.

"It better be. Because let me tell you what will happen...this date will end and you will not get another one from me. Ever." Sakura said firmly.

Naruto gulped. "Fu, you're hearing this right?"

"Put me on." Fu said.

Naruto held out the phone for Sakura.

Sakura took the phone and put it to her ear. "Yes?"

"Now listen...Naruto is cool and all, but he's not my type. He's just my friend who I owe a lot to. He saved me from getting hit by a car a few days ago. Okay?" Fu explained.

"Is that right? And how do I know that you aren't covering for him?" Sakura growled.

"Simple. Because I did ask him out and he told me that he had his heart set on another; you. And I'm not one to step on anyone's toes."

"Well excuse me if I'm skeptical." Sakura growled.

"Hey, be skeptical all you want. What I'm saying is the truth. He's more like a brother to me than a potential date."

"You never thought of dating him? Not even for a bit. You say that he's not handsome enough? He saved you from a car didn't he?"

"Yea, but when he told me he had his heart set on you I backed off that thought."

"Well he called you cute and sweet. What do you say to that?"

"I say it's flattering." Fu said simply.

"Fine. But I'll be watching you like a hawk." Sakura warned.

"Go for it. I'm gonna have my eye on that Kiba guy Naruto told me about. He sounds fun."

"Kiba? He's a total playboy creep." Sakura said.

"Well, that's what I've been told but I don't go by hearsay. Besides I'm just looking for a good time."

"Fine, it's your evening." Sakura said. "Where do you live anyway?"

"359 East Branch Ave. Near the old Hyuuga compound."

"We'll be there in 10-20 minutes. Depending on traffic." Sakura said.

"Alright, I'll be ready."

"See you then. Be so nice to meet you." Sakura said before hanging up.

"Well?" Naruto asked nervously.

"We are going to pick her up at her house." Sakura said with her arms crossed.

"Okay...where is that?"

"On West Branch Avenue." Sakura lied.

"Oh, okay." Naruto shrugged before turning back towards the car. "Hey Lee, we gotta go to West Branch Avenue." Naruto said before opening the passenger seat.

"West Branch? But that's clear on the other side of town." Lee said.

"Hey, Lee!" Sakura called out. "I misspoke. It's East Branch. 359 East Branch near the old Hyuga compound." Sakura said as she came up behind Naruto, her chest feeling much lighter. Naruto didn't challenge her about the address, i.e. he didn't know where Fu lived, i.e. they really were just friends.

"Oh that's better. That's just 5 blocks away." Lee said as he started his truck back up.

"Really? That close?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, just a hop, skip, and a jump. Hang on." Lee said before speeding off.

The couple scooched into the seats next to Neji and Tenten before Sakura relaxed against Naruto's chest again, feeling completely relieved. Naruto was surprised by being forgiven so quickly, but decided to just accept it and enjoy it. Tenten raised an eyebrow on Sakura's change of attitude and leaned forward to give her a quizzical look.

Sakura peeked open her eye and saw Tenten staring at her. She responded with her own quizzical look.

Tenten then gave her a knowing look.

Sakura relented by giving Tenten a look like an admission of guilt, followed by a, 'you know why I did this and you would do the same.'

Tenten replied with a look that said, 'no I wouldn't. I would trust Neji.'

'Well you've been with Neji longer. Naruto met this girl before we got together so he might have don't something with her and lied about it. I had to test him.'

'You're starting to sound like Temari.' Tenten narrowed her eyes at Sakura.

'Well maybe she has some good ideas.' Sakura looked away from Tenten. Her woman's intuition told her that Tenten was trying to tell her, 'just don't do it again. Naruto has earned that much.'

Sakura lowered her eyes. 'Yeah...'

As this was going on, Naruto and Neji were none the wiser, simply enjoying sitting close with their girlfriends.

"Naruto...I'm sorry I flew off the handle like that..." Sakura said sadly.

"Hmmm? Eh, don't worry about it. That probably did look really shady." Naruto admitted.

"I was just...afraid, you know? Afraid of having a repeat of last time..."

"Last time?" Tenten asked before catching on. "Ooooohh...I get it..."

"Last time?" Naruto repeated.

"I uh...was dating a guy about a month after you left...let's just say I got burned badly with him..."

"You what?" Naruto growled, halfway jealous and the other half angry at any guy that would give Sakura a hard time.

"She got cheated on." Tenten said, a little hesitant.

"Who's the dead man?" Naruto asked.

"You wouldn't know him. He's a steel worker that manufactures the armor for our tanks." Sakura informed.

"The Hell is he doing not fighting on the line? Is he a coward?" Kiba asked.

"I don't know..." Sakura sighed.

"Still though. What was his name?" Naruto pressed.

"Torgora Miachi...he seemed like a sweet guy at first...but I slowly started to notice that he was distancing himself from me...then I caught him screwing one of the nurses I work with."

"That son of a bitch. If I was back home at the time I would clean his clock." Naruto growled as he pounded his fist.

"And I would help you." Lee added.

"Don't forget me. Nobody two times a friend of mine and lives to tell about it." Kiba said.

Sakura smiled. "Thank you..."

"Where is this guy now anyway?" Neji asked. He might not have been able to dish out a beating thanks to his stitches, but he would sure as Hell give that punk a piece of his mind.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him lately. I think he's still at the steel mill."

"And he'd better stay there if he knows what's good for him." Tenten growled.

The gang sat in murmured agreement while Lee pulled up to the side of the road. "We're here."

"Huh? Where?" Sakura asked.

"Fu's place." Lee said as he pointed to their left at a rundown old apartment complex. Cracked walls, faded paint, and trash on the sidewalk.

"Oh my god...she lives here?" Sakura asked in horror.

"I told you she was a refugee. Not exactly the easiest lives they have." Naruto said.

"Poor thing..." Tenten said sadly.

"Yeah, come on, Sakura-chan. I want you to meet her." Naruto said.

"Alright." Sakura nodded.

Naruto stepped out of the car and offered Sakura his hand. She accepted and the two headed inside the rundown apartment feeling extremely overdressed. He led her inside where a ragged man could be seen sitting in the middle of the hallway, paying them no mind. Sakura took Naruto's hand as he led her up the stairs to Fu's address.

"I...I didn't know she lived in this crummy place...I feel worse knowing this..." Sakura said sadly.

"Neither did I. I knew she was scraping by. But I never thought it would be this bad. It's terrible." Naruto cursed.

'I feel so bad for yelling at her the way I did...' Sakura thought shamefully.

They both finally came across a door with the numbers 359 on them which Naruto gave a good few knocks.

"Coming!" They heard from inside.

The door immediately swung open and out stepped a beautiful green haired girl with mocha skin and a modest hand me down dress from the 20s. Still cute, with its matching round hat, but it had been clearly picked up from the second hand store.

"Oh...did-did I underdress?" Fu asked nervously as she looked upon the two of them.

"No-no." Sakura quickly cried. "If anything, I overdressed. Hi, I'm Sakura."

"Ah, so you're the one who Naruto is so crazy about." Fu smiled.

"Yes, and you must be his friend he met the other day. I need to apologize. I overreacted." Sakura bowed, feeling completely ashamed of herself.

"Eh...don't worry about it." Fu waved off.

"I will worry about it...I acted like such a-

"Hey, Sakura-chan? Maybe we don't do this here." Naruto suggested.

"Oh...yea, we'll talk in the car." Sakura nodded.

"Or we don't talk about it at all. Water under the bridge." Fu said as she slipped past the couple.

"Are...you sure?" Sakura asked.

"Positive. You two are in love, it's new love, so of course you'd stake your territory. It's fine, I've seen it before, now let's go have some fucking fun!" Fu cheered.

Sakura just blinked at this girls bluntness. Oddly enough, she had a point.

"I can see why you befriended her so quick." Sakura whispered to Naruto. In a lot of ways, Fu reminded Sakura of Naruto.

"What makes you say that?" Naruto asked.

Sakura sweat dropped. 'Why did I have to fall in love with an idiot...'

"Never mind. Let's go already. I want to see if you've still got that second left foot I've heard so much about." Sakura teased.

"Hey! Who says I have two left feet?" Naruto grumbled.

"Me. So prove me wrong." Sakura challenged.

"Oh ho... Is that a challenge?" Naruto smirked as he led Sakura back to the car.

"Probably not. Knowing you, you'll let me lead." Sakura smirked as she opened up the car door.

"Oh, we'll see about that." Naruto smirked as he and Sakura squeezed in.

"You two lovebirds ready to go?" Fu asked from the front passenger seat. Naruto and Sakura were surprised to see her sitting on Kiba's lap of all places.

"Um, Fu? You know that you can sit in between Lee and Kiba right? It is a bench seat." Sakura pointed out.

"Yea, but I like his lap. And we can talk about whatever pops up." Fu said as she made herself comfortable on Kiba's lap.

"Damn...Where did you meet this hottie, Naruto?" Kiba smirked. He was really liking this chick.

"Saved her from a speeding car. Was having an episode, wandered out of the park, and then I noticed a girl with mint hair." Naruto explained.

"I like her..." Kiba smirked.

"Likewise, Army man." Fu winked.

'Oh gag me.' Lee thought, now feeling like the 7th wheel.

"So... What do you want later?" Kiba asked Fu.

"Oh...I dunno..." Fu said innocently as she rubbed his thigh with her hand. "Do you have any...Ideas...?"

Kiba shifted around in his seat, enjoying her touch in all its forms. "Many."

"Just make sure you don't have to pay her later." Neji warned.

"Pay? Oh no. I'm no prostitute. I'm just a lonely girl looking for some fun." Fu said.

"If it's fun you're looking for..." Kiba growled as he wrapped his strong arms around Fu's waist and held her close to his chest. She could feel his hound like breath trailing down her neck. "You've come to the right place."

"Good..." Fu sighed contently.

"You know, that whole lap sitting thing looked fun." Tenten teased.

"Not with Neji, please. The last thing we need is his surgical site to reopen." Sakura warned.

"Yeah, I know..." Tenten sighed sadly as she rested her head against Neji's shoulder.

"I know it sucks, but-EEEP!" Sakura squealed surprise as she was lifted up and placed on Naruto's lap.

"Baka! Let me know before doing that." Sakura scolded playfully.

"And miss out on your cute squeals? Never." Naruto laughed.

Sakura playfully slapped his arm. "Ass." She giggled.

Naruto just held her tighter like a long-lost puppy. The three couples plus Lee all reveled in each other's company as they drove up to The Nine Tails Dance Hall.

From block to block, people lined up at 7:30 just to get in to the swankiest joint in the entire Leaf Village. The sun had since gone down and neon lights ruled the night life. The streets lit up with every color imaginable. Lee pulled up to a corner driveway with the exterior designed like a palace. The couples all stepped out of their cars, the boyfriends leading the way to offer their hands as Lee handed the valet the keys. Naruto needed only to drop his father's name for the seven of them to be led to the front for the hostess to seat them immediately.

"Damn, Naruto. I thought you didn't have much influence here." Fu said.

"I have influence. I just don't like to use it." Naruto admitted as the hostess found them a table for 12.

"Oh. I never took you for the modest type." Fu admitted.

"Really? What made me look...whatever the opposite of modest is?" Naruto asked.

"Well, most guys aren't so I just assumed, you know?"

"Wow, I'm hurt." Naruto fake pouted as he held his hand over his heart.

"Oh spare me, drama queen..." Sakura teased.

"Hey, who are you calling drama queen?" Naruto teased back.

"You." Sakura smirked.

"You keep it up and I might pay you back for it later." Naruto growled into Sakura's ear.

"You better..." Sakura purred.

"Geez you two. Leave that stuff to the couples with history." Tenten teased as Neji and her sat down opposite one another.

"No way, Tenten. Naruto leaves tomorrow...I wanna get the most out of this night as possible." Sakura insisted.

"In that case...Waiter!" Tenten called out.

"Yes, miss?" A nearby waiter asked.

"A bottle of your best wine. Top shelf stuff. For the Hokage's son, his date, and their ten friends." Tenten ordered, gesturing to the blond haired first son of the Leaf.

"Right away, miss." The waiter said before scurrying off.

Tenten leaned back in her chair, feeling satisfied. Only to look over and see Naruto giving her a questioning look.

"What? Just because you don't like to flaunt your name around doesn't mean that I don't." Tenten shrugged.

"Yea, Naruto-kun. Lighten up a bit." Sakura agreed.

"God I'm kidding. Just don't make a habit out of it. That goes double for you, Kiba." Naruto laughed.

"I have no idea what you're talking." Kiba said innocently.

"Sure you don't." Naruto smiled as he shook his head. "You be careful with that one, Fu."

"Eh...He's fine." Fu waved off.

"You won't be saying that later tonight." Kiba smirked into her neck.

"Oh we'll see about that." Fu smirked.

"You'll be screaming something else."

"Yea, so I've been told before. But the last guy I was with was screaming instead of me."

"He was a pussy." Kiba stated.

"He was an Army Lieutenant." Fu smirked.

"He's still a pussy. You need a real man." Kiba nipped at her flesh.

Fu let out a low moan in pleasure. "S-stop...Not here..." She breathed out.

"Oh? You don't like when I bite you there?" Kiba smirked.

"I do but...Not in a place like this...Not in public..."

Kiba smirked as he darted his tongue out to give the spot a quick lick. "I'll remember it tonight."

As all the couples were talking, Lee distracted himself by taking in the view of the club. The joint was packed with soldiers and their girls all out for one last night on the town. And for Valentine's Day. Red and pink drapes were hung from every conceivable spot. A golden chandler hung above the polished wooden dance floor where couples were cutting the rug to the swing band playing on stage. Waiters went from table to table around the dance floor and up the stairs to the second floor where more tables and the bar could be found.

All around him there was laughter and the smells of cigarette smoke and entrees as they came pouring out of the kitchen. Lee could see seared steaks, lemon sprinkled salmon, vegetable soup, and a dozen other delectable dishes all traveling past him.

On the dance floor, skirts flew light as air as girls danced with their dates. Men tapped their army boots to the beat of the trumpets. Off in the corner, some buddies had gathered to toast with beer and liquor. Fine cigars hanging out of their mouths. All while another group of girls stood nearby to gossip and flirt.

Lee sighed, wishing that his own date was here to keep him company. Which made it absolutely perfect timing when he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

Lee looked over his shoulder to see none other than the girl he was waiting for, making his face beam with joy. There was the girl he had gotten with a week ago. Wearing a sparkling golden dress that matched her shining hazel eyes and her long, flowing, chocolate brown hair.

"Candi!" Lee exclaimed happily.

"Wait a minute...Tamaki?!" Sakura exclaimed in shock.

All eyes turned to Sakura. "You know her?" Naruto asked.

"Of course, I know her. She's Tamaki Uchiha, my third cousin." Sakura informed.

"Your cousin is a prostitute?" Kiba exclaimed.

"I had no idea she was." Sakura said before looking at her cousin.

"Call-girl. And I only do it for the boys in uniform. I call it a more pro-active Dear John letter." Tamaki stated as she traced a little circle on Lee's uniform.

"When did you start doing that? I doubt my father would approve." Sakura frowned.

"What your father would approve of would fill a large note card. As for me, I couldn't care less for what he thinks." Tamaki says.

"Not surprised...you never did."

"I don't see why you don't get in on it. I think you'd enjoy it after a while."

"Why I don't take up prostitution?" Sakura asked with a tick mark on her forehead.

Tamaki just sweat dropped. "Well you make it sound shameful when you put it that way. Anyway, you are going to love who gave me a ride here." Tamaki smiled.

"Yea I bet. And unlike you, I don't spread my vag open for every Tom, Dick and Harry that walks through the door."

"Well that's reassuring." Temari said as she walked up behind Sakura, arm in arm with her lover Shikamaru.

"Tell me about it." Ino said as she came up behind them with her arms wrapped around Choji's big, strong arm.

"Hey. Glad you guys could make it." Naruto greeted.

"I'll say. Sakura, where did you find this handsome gentleman?" Temari asked. "Naruto will be jealous."

"That is Naruto." Shikamaru stated.

"I know. I was teasing her. Try to keep up." Temari stated.

"Yea, he does clean up nice, doesn't he?" Sakura chuckled.

"He does. And are those scars permanent?" Temari asked, tracing her finger along her cheek.

"That's what the station doctor told me." Naruto said with a weary sigh.

"Well I like them." Sakura stated. "They make you look brave."

"Oh come on Sakura-chan. You don't really mean that."

"I do." Sakura insisted as she leaned in close. "When I first saw those scars, I was intimidated. They looked nasty and frightening. I knew whoever had those scars had been through something truly horrific and yet that man stood so tall before me. Like a true hero from those legends of our village." Sakura reached out her hand to stroke Naruto on his whisker scars. The man actually purred against her touch. "Imagine my surprise when I recognized that it was you who wore those scars. You looked so heroic to me. So brave."

"Not to mention, with those scars, he looks almost exactly like Lord 7th." Tamaki pointed out.

"Yeah, as if I've never had that comparison made in my life." Naruto grumbled.

"Oh hush. You look even more handsome than some old Lord." Sakura stated.

"If you say so." Naruto shrugged off.

"I do." Sakura pressed, growing angry that Naruto might think of her words as just words.

"Sorry...I just get annoyed when people try to compare me to my ancestor. I'm nothing like him nor do I wanna be."

"I understand." Sakura said softly. "But I meant what I said. I love the scars."

Naruto just smiled before pecking her on the lips. "Thanks, Sakura-chan."

"No problem, babe." Sakura smiled with the kiss. Just in time for the waiter to return with Tenten's bottle of wine.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow. "Babe?" He smirked.

"You heard me." Sakura smiled as the waiter filled her glass with the dark red nectar.

"Well alright then, babe." Naruto smirked.

One by one each of them had their glasses filled to the brim and the waiter left them with orders for 12 of the finest steaks the kitchen could make.

"A toast." Ino raised her glass with her silk glove.

Everyone else raised their glasses to join in.

"To our brave boys. May the Sage protect them so that they may come home." Ino stated.

"To them!" The girls cheered before everyone drank to the toast.

"And to the girls and our family. Who welcomed us back and made it all worth it." Shikamaru raised up his half-emptied glass.

"Cheers!" The guys all said before they all finished their glasses.

Ino slammed her glass down on the table as the band played a new tune. "Oh, I love this song. Let's dance!"

Almost at once, everyone started getting up to hit the dance floor. Naruto personally, was a little worried because he couldn't dance for shit.

Sakura just stood up and held out her hand. "Hey, about that challenge?" She smirked.

Naruto secretly gulped so she couldn't notice. "Yea, sure." He said with fake confidence.

Sakura led him onto the dance floor. The more experienced couples surrounded them, dancing and twirling to the beat. All of them seeming like experts, making the blond hero feel even more inadequate.

"Naruto...don't be so nervous." Sakura said calmly

"I'm not nervous." He lied.

"Then why are your hands shaking?" Sakura sweat dropped.

"Okay I'm nervous." Naruto sighed. Funny how he felt more tense being expected to lead a girl on the dance floor than he did leading men into battle.

"Look...just relax and move to the sound of the music. Let your body do the work."

"I...don't know if I can." Naruto admitted nervously.

Sakura sighed. "You wanna know something?"

"Sure?"

Sakura held up a palm to his face and let it glow green slightly. "I'm learning where it comes from and how to control it...it scares the fuck out of me, but I'm progressing well. If I can do something as difficult as this then you can learn how to dance. It's a lot simpler than trying to control Chakra, believe me."

"You...you're learning to control Chakra...? How? When?" Naruto asked in awe.

"Never mind that now." Sakura waved off as she put her hand down.

"But...it's so amazing...no one has learned to control Chakra in centuries!"

"I said don't worry about it. I'll tell you more later. Now it sounds like a slow dance is coming up. Put your hand on my waist." Sakura ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Naruto obeyed, placing his rough palm against her silk dress.

"Now, take your other hand into mine." Sakura instructed further.

Naruto did just that. The both of them could feel each other's rough hands. His from battle and training, hers from long hours of surgery and doctoring.

"Alright everyone! This next song is for couples only." The lead singer of the band said over the microphone. Almost none of the dancers left the floor. This was Valentine's Day after all.

"Now...focus on me and listen to the music...let your body do the work. Let it move to the rhythm." Sakura instructed.

Naruto looked down and saw Sakura's hips swaying to the piano keys. Her hips were like hypnotic snakes bringing the love-struck boy under her control more and more the longer he looked. Soon he too felt compelled to follow her in the rhythm and swayed back and forth. Never taking his hands away from hers. Soon the band's lead singer took up the tune. Singing a melancholy melody in a foreign tongue, yet Naruto could tell it was a prayer of sorts for her love to come home. Come home and be happy together forever. A fairy tale ending, after the world finishes burning.

Naruto looked up into Sakura's emerald green eyes and she had him. Without him realizing it, he had her too.

"Naruto..." Sakura said softly.

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto repeated. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something. A man with spiky black hair. It almost made Naruto wanted to dart his eyes away and cry out, yet he couldn't look away from Sakura. Eventually, the figure turned his head and Naruto saw him with a jaw as round as a thumb and he pushed it out of his mind for good.

"No matter what happens...I want you to know that...I love you..." Sakura said softly.

Naruto smiled. "And I love you...more than anything in this whole world."

"I know...so I want you to come back to me...you hear me?"

"What did I tell you before? The Axis doesn't have enough men to keep me from coming back to you. I'd kill them all to see you again." Naruto said as he rested his forehead against hers.

"And you know how I worry...but I believe you." Sakura smiled.

"Thanks Sakura-chan. It means everything hearing that from you." Naruto smiled back.

"Don't thank me just yet...there is still one more thing I wanna give you before you ship out tomorrow."

"I don't think we ship out. More like march..." Naruto said, more to himself than anything. "We're nowhere near the ocean."

"You know what I mean." Sakura chuckled.

"Right, of course. So, what do you want to give me?"

"It's a surprise..." Sakura whispered into his ear.

"Is this surprise going to involve a motel room?" Naruto whispered back.

"No, it's not..." Sakura whispered.

"Ah..." Naruto pouted.

"It's going to involve my room." She said coyly.

"I don't think so, Sakura-chan." Naruto said seriously.

"And why not?"

"Cause I don't want Itachi hearing you scream all night long." Naruto smirked.

"And what if I told you that Itachi wouldn't be home tonight? That he was off on business." Sakura smirked.

"I'd say what are we waiting for?" Naruto leered.

"Patience, babe. I still wanna dance some more and we haven't had dinner yet." Sakura said.

"Fine. But the second we get to your place, I'm ripping that dress off with my teeth." Naruto growled.

"Not if I rip your pants off with my teeth first." Sakura purred.

"Ooohh you tease..."

"Yup." Sakura chirped. "Just keep that trouser snake caged up until we get back to my place."

"You keep swaying like that and I'm gonna have to drag you into a bathroom stall." Naruto said without thinking.

"Kinky...But not tonight." Sakura winked.

Naruto whistled. "Where did that Sakura go that used to beat me for looking at dirty magazines?"

"Oh, she's still here. She just had a change of heart is all."

"So long as she keeps her passion, I'll never let her go." Naruto smiled.

"Whatever you want, you'll have." Sakura smiled, her emerald eyes sparkling in the lights of the dance floor.

"I want you." Naruto said as his shined under the overhead lights.

"And you can have me...I may not have always been the nicest person to you, but that is going to change, starting now..."

"Just keep being you. The girl I fell in love with the moment I saw her sitting on that playground swing."

"And you don't change...no matter what happens on that battlefield l, I don't want to see you come home all depressed like you did...it breaks my heart to see you like that..." Sakura admitted.

"So long as I can come back to you and your smile."

"You will...always..." Sakura breathed on his lips.

That did it. Naruto slammed his lips against Sakura's, who eagerly let him in. Amidst the crowd surrounding them, they were alone. Just the two of them in utter bliss.

Hours later, they made their way back to the Uchiha compound to be alone again.

"Are...you sure you're ready for this, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as Sakura unlocked the door.

"I am... even though ideally I would want to wait for another few months...but I wanna give you a lasting remembrance before you leave...and its...my first time so..." Sakura said as they made their way inside.

"It's...mine too..." Naruto admitted.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Really? I would think that you would have taken care of that by now."

"I almost did. But I didn't go through with it." Naruto admitted.

"Why? I thought that's what every guy wants to do."

"Hey, it's not all that's on our minds. We think of other things besides sex. Sufficient to say I was waiting for someone special." Naruto defended.

Sakura blushed. "You mean me...of course."

"Yes." Naruto whispered as he shut the front door behind them.

"Then take me...I'm all yours..." Sakura whispered.

Naruto needed no other invitation and scooped Sakura up bridal style. Sakura shrieked with laughter as Naruto ram through her house and up the stairs. She grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss while he opened her bedroom door with his hand previously carrying Sakura by her legs.

'Yes! Finally!' Sakura heard a voice in her head. One she hadn't heard since she was a kid.

Sakura ignored it as Naruto carefully laid her down like she was made of porcelain onto her bed. For some reason, she became very aware of the texture on her sheets.

'Did...he take my dress off already?' Sakura asked herself. No, she realized that it was just her open back and her fingers tracing along the fabric. Her dress still clung to her, but not for long.

Sakura decided to make the first move by sliding the straps of her dress off her shoulders.

Naruto smirked as he decided to match Sakura and rolled his own jacket off of his shoulders.

"I'm...I'm sorry if you don't like what you're about to see..." She said nervously as she slid the top part down further and exposing her chest completely to him. Her face as red as a ripe tomato, her stomach full of butterflies. She hoped that he wouldn't think less of her from her rather small chest.

Naruto's eyes went wide. Her breasts were two quarter sized areola atop two perfect scoops of cream colored flesh, untouched by the sun and seen by no other man but Naruto. They looked perfect.

Sakura nervously bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry that...they're not larger..."

"Don't apologize." Naruto huskily stated as he approached her as a predator would to his prey. "They are beautiful." His hand wrapped around her backside, coming dangerously close to her ass. "And perfect." Naruto's other hand trailed up her belly to cup Sakura's left breast and push it up. Her nipple looked so enticing Naruto couldn't stop himself. His mouth was watering while Sakura's lower lips began to moisten. "And tasty." Naruto attacked Sakura's breast, clamping his lips over her teat and suckling away like a starved baby. His tongue flicked at Sakura's nipple, making her squirm.

"Oh wow...mmmm..." Sakura moaned. It was like music to Naruto's ears.

Naruto slobbered all over her breast, his saliva dripping down her chest and Sakura couldn't help but pull his mouth in closer.

Naruto allowed this, but not before he slowly had a free hand travel up her dress.

'Oh god...he's doing what I think he's doing, isn't he?' Sakura thought frantically and happily.

Just then, her mind went blank when she felt a finger poke her womanhood and felt it slide up and down her folds.

"Oooooooooo..." Sakura moaned in a voice she didn't even knew she had. Her back arched as her whole body squirmed. She could feel the temperature in the room rise 30 degrees. Either that or it was her.

'She likes that.' Naruto thought gleefully as he continued to replicate what he read in the classic Make-Out novel series.

Despite her panties still being on, Naruto was still able to make her squirm from his touch. He could feel her underwear getting more damp the more he rubbed her womanhood.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Sakura cried out as she began humping Naruto's hand.

"Wow, Sakura-chan. I never knew you could sound like that." Naruto smirked.

"Shut up and never stop!" Sakura cried as her nails raked into Naruto's back though his shirt as she suddenly reached her first climax of the night.

"AAAAAAAH!" Sakura screamed out, her body shuddering and squirming as she rode out her first ever orgasm.

Naruto just stood over Sakura in shock as she grew limp as a wet noodle.

"Holy crap, I made her faint." Naruto exclaimed.

"Mmm...no... I'm fine..." Sakura moaned, feeling better than she had ever felt.

"I was going to say. We just started and you're already down for the count." Naruto chuckled.

"Just give me a sec to...catch my breath...wow..." Sakura gasped.

"Damn, was it that good?"

"It was my first ever orgasm..." Sakura admitted.

"Really? You've never...taken care of that yourself?" Naruto asked, astonished.

"No, never."

"Well then color me honored." Naruto smirked.

"Not yet you're not." Sakura smirked as she slid the rest of her dress off. Now all she had on was her panties and her mother's necklace.

"Oh sweet sage." Naruto said as he took in the view.

"I saved the last for you..." Sakura said in a sultry tone as she wiggled her hips around a little.

"Oh you did, did you?" Naruto asked, drinking in the sight of her curves.

Sakura nodded, pointing to her wet underwear.

Naruto smirked before his hands for to work tearing his belt off his pants, then went his button and fly, until he was standing in front of Sakura his boxers bulging out at her as if to say hello.

Sakura sat up and gasped. Even through his boxers she could tell that he was by no means small.

"Jesus...you plan to stick me with that?!" Sakura exclaimed in shock.

"I do." Naruto stated as he took a step closer to get his crotch right up in Sakura's face until she could almost taste his musky scent. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Sakura smirked and took a hold of the elastic band around his boxers. She gave it a good yank and she was almost smacked in the face by his boner.

"Sweet Sage. It looks like it hurts." Sakura said.

"Not really." Naruto shrugged off.

"Still, you need relief." Sakura said as she inspected his penis, taking in every vein and analyzing its girth.

"Oh yea...you need relief." Sakura smirked as she grasped it with her small, delicate hands.

Naruto hissed at her touch. Her hands felt so cool against his flesh he thought his dick would melt.

"Oh? Does that feel good?" Sakura giggled before she started stroking it.

"It feels fucking amazing." Naruto bit his lip, trying to hold back a moan.

'Oh yea, he's getting into it now.' Sakura giggled in thought.

'Suck on it.' The voice in her head said.

'Inner? What the, I thought you were gone!'

'Guess again, bitch!' Inner smirked. 'Now, suck on his rod.'

'I am stroking him. Isn't that enough?'

'Girl, you got a lot to learn...' Inner shook her head. 'Nothing drives a man crazy than having a warm wet tongue lick his dick like a lollipop.'

'And how would you know?' Sakura asked.

'I'm your subconscious. This is you remembering something you read long ago. Probably from reading one of Ino or Itachi's dirty magazines. Now focus on the D!'

Sakura sighed, there was no use arguing with her inner self once she got worked up. She thought that half a decade of therapy would have cured her but things could never be easy. With that in mind, she knelt down to face her task. Six inches of hot, pulsing, man meat with a mushroom head. Sakura gulped.

'Don't be a pussy!' Inner shouted.

'I'm a girl!'

'You're point? You're still a coward.'

'And you're an annoying voice in my head!'

'Quit focusing on your head and focus on his head!'

'Ugh...fine.' Sakura groaned. Sakura closed her eyes and dived right in. She didn't know what else to do so she opened her mouth and stuck his dick in her mouth.

"Gah! Oh God!" Naruto exclaimed, never having felt something like this before.

'He likes that?' Sakura thought as her tongue lightly touched the underside of his shaft.

'I told you!' Inner shouted.

Naruto arched his back slightly when Sakura pressed her tongue against him like he had just been sucker punched.

'Damn, he really does like that, huh?' Sakura thought.

'Of course he does. Now remember. Lollipop.' Inner thought.

'Mmm...no. Popsicle is better.' Sakura smirked.

'Now you're getting it.' Inner smirked.

Her confidence growing, Sakura sucked harder and harder, her tongue becoming more daring. She began using her mouth and her hands together, all the while listening to Naruto's pants and moans. Like a sluty little safecracker.

"S-Sakura-chan..." Naruto moaned, his limit nearing.

'Cup his balls.' Inner instructed.

'Huh? why?' Sakura asked.

'To send him over the edge. You want that dick in you, don't you?'

'Well, yea...'

'Do it! Make him nut!'

'Make him...What?'

'Ejaculate!' Inner thought just as Naruto went over the edge thanks to Sakura's repetition alone.

"GAAAAH!" Naruto hollered out, exploding his load in Sakura's mouth.

'Oh my God, that's salty!' Sakura thought as Naruto held her head in place as he rode out his high.

Soon Naruto's strength left him and he slumped against Sakura.

'Oh my god...His sperm is in my mouth. What do I do?'

'Spit or swallow. Naruto isn't the kind of guy to be offended by the former, but the latter is more polite.'

'Well...I uh...I guess so.' Sakura said with uncertainty. She shrugged and with an audible full, she swallowed his seed.

Naruto breathed deep to regain his senses. "Holy shit."

Sakura licked the remaining cum off her lips before speaking. "Feel better?" She giggled.

"I feel great, yet somehow unsatisfied..." Naruto said. They both looked down to see his flag still at full mast.

"I think I can fix that. Lay down." Sakura ordered.

"You're taking control?" Naruto smirked.

"Just do it..." Sakura sighed. In reality, she was bracing herself for what she knew would be a very painful experience.

'It doesn't have to be painful.' Inner thought. 'Just relax. Take it slow. You broke your hymen years ago anyway.'

'I never broke it.' Sakura countered, a little nervous.

'What? You know what? Fine, it doesn't matter. Just relax and enjoy it.'

'I'll try.'

'No, don't try. Get him to stroke you. Kiss you. Get yourself drenched down there.'

'Well, I think I already am, but-' Sakura stopped mid thought when she felt Naruto tugging on her panties.

"Oh man...how I've waited to see this." Naruto said in anticipation.

Sakura smiled lovingly. "It's all yours, babe."

Like a boy unwrapping his present, Naruto slid down the soaked lacy fabric and beheld his prize.

There...Right before him, was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen; Sakura's most private area. Two fleshy and wet folds, covered in a forest of pink hair, oozing juices. And behind those folds was the promise land of blissful pleasure.

"Beautiful..." Naruto whispered.

While Naruto was in his stupor, Sakura took this as her opportunity to shift her position to have Naruto laying on the bed and her on top.

"Just relax, Naruto-kun. You've been through so much. Let me service you..." Sakura whispered as she positioned herself to straddle his legs.

"No complaints here. Loving the view." Naruto smirked.

"Same." Sakura said as her fingers walked up his torso.

Sakura positioned his member to her narrow opening, which was flowing with her own juices. She hesitated for a moment before proceeding. 'Am...I really ready for this?' She asked herself. Giving up her virginity was not an easy task mentally.

'Well, you said it yourself. He goes back tomorrow morning and he deserves this the most.' Inner reminded her.

'I know...it's just...this isn't an easy thing to do.'

'You're right. It's a hard thing to do.' Inner raised her eyebrows. 'Eh? Eh?'

'Very funny...you know what I mean.'

'I do, but here is the rub. You back out now and Naruto will forgive you. He may not like it, but he will suck it up and say it's okay for your sake. The only one who will ever regret not doing it now will be you.'

Sakura thought about that and as usual, her inner self was right.

'Just ease into it. Trust him.'

Sakura slowly eased her body down, feeling the tip of his shlong against her as it demanded entry.

Naruto grabbed her hips to help support her. Her smooth, sexy thighs feeling magnificent against his big strong hands.

"Sakura-chan..."

"This may hurt a little..." Sakura mumbled as she continued to press downward. Already, it was starting to hurt as her hymen was being stretched to its limits.

"Just take it slow...ugh..." Naruto groaned. "I want us both...to enjoy this..."

"I know...oh god..."

"I've got you..." Naruto whispered as he supported Sakura by her hips.

Slowly but surely, Sakura got the tip through. It was painful, but it wasn't bad. It helped that she had plenty of lubrication coming out of her and the rest was fairly easy. As soon as she felt her waist meet his, she knew she was all the way down and feeling quite full.

"Oh-hohoho..." Sakura gasped as she felt him pulsing inside her.

"Ah, fuck!" Naruto cried as his sense of pleasure shot up his spine like lightning.

"Oh...wow..." Sakura gasped out, having never felt this way before.

"Shit this feels good." Naruto moaned.

"Yea it does...you're so...big..." Sakura breathed out.

"And you're so tight. Fuck, it fits like a glove." Naruto sighed.

"Yea...it's almost like..." She paused to lean into his ear, feeling his member slid out a little creating a wave of pleasure neither of them had ever felt. "Oh god...like we were...made for each other..."

"Made for each other..." Naruto smirked. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too..." Sakura smiled.

The two of them just stayed in place, breathing in and out, reveling in the sensation of being one. The two of them had never felt so relaxed and so excited at the same time.

"Ready to take this up a notch?" Sakura smirked.

"Damn straight."

"Then hold onto your butt." Sakura giggled before she started thrusting up and down.

"I'll hold onto your ass." Naruto smirked as he grabbed her love buns.

Sakura giggled as she continued to bounce off of Naruto's pelvis while he thrust upward into her. The two were in sync, both drunk on lust, their higher brains turned to mush and replaced with animal desires. "Oh wooow...this is amazing..." Sakura moaned like a bitch in heat.

"To think...Shikamaru...and Temari...have been doing this for y-YEARS!" Naruto grunted as he tried not to blow his load too quick.

"Y-yea...ugh...and now I... Oh god...I know how...Tenten feels..." Sakura moaned.

"Fuck, I bet she doesn't have an asset this nice. How do you do it, Sakura-chan?"

"Looong hours in the ER, babe." Sakura smirked.

"Thank God for the ER." Naruto smiled as he squeezed her cheeks.

"And jogging..." Sakura gasped.

"And jogging." Naruto smirked as he changed his angle slightly and sent Sakura's back arching.

"Ooooohh yeeeess...fuck me..." Sakura moaned loudly.

"S-Sakura-chan...I can't...hold it..." Naruto grunted. He had reached his limit.

"I'm gonna orgasm too...let's do it together..." Sakura breathed out.

"Fuck!" Naruto bit his lip as he reached up and grabbed the shit out of Sakura's right tit.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! AAAAAHHH! FUUUCK!" Sakura screamed as she came, Naruto doing the same, exploding inside her for all he was worth.

Sakura grabbed Naruto and pulled him in as close as physically possible as they both rode out their orgasms. Crashing against them wave after wave.

The two collapsed on top of one another, panting.

Naruto struggled to bring them both farther onto the queen-sized bed and pulled the covers over both of them. Naruto lay on his back while Sakura curled her arm across his chest and rested it on his shoulder. Her nose buried in the crook of his neck.

"That was...awesome..." Sakura breathed out.

"You're awesome." Naruto smiled before kissing Sakura on her forehead.

"I'm going to miss you...a lot more than you think..." Sakura said sadly.

"Not as much as I will miss you." Naruto replied as he held Sakura a little tighter.

"I love you...and when you come home for good, I don't want you to ever leave my sight..."

"Same." Naruto said, knowing exactly what she meant.

"If I have to, I'll move in with you and I'm serious."

"You serious? You want to move into my parent's house?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, equal parts excited and confused.

"If that's what it takes to keep you in line." Sakura smirked.

"Nah, screw that." Naruto laughed. "I'm not living under the same roof as you, my mother, and my sister. Maybe I'll just get my degree in political science, mooch a job out of my father's contacts, and buy us a house to live in of our own."

"Shit, we can do that now with my income." Sakura scoffed.

"Ah come on, what kind of man would I be if I let my girlfriend buy us a house?" Naruto chuckled half-heartedly.

"And what kind of girlfriend would I be if I let my war hero man do all the work? Oh no, I'll buy us the house. You'd shit your pants if you knew how much money I have saved up."

"Fine. But I'm buying the car, and every year we are bringing in a real Christmas tree. None of that fake plastic crap I see you Uchihas putting up every year." Naruto countered.

"That's fine by me. Plus, I already have a car, remember?"

"Yeah, but it's a truck. I'm getting us a town car with four doors and plenty of trunk space."

"A truck? No that's Ino's. I have a Studebaker, remember?"

"Sakura, I don't even know what a Studebaker is. Don't tell the guys." He whispered with a hush.

"Whatever, we'll need two cars anyway." Sakura said.

"Fine by me. I want a woody wagon anyway." Naruto grinned.

"No, those rot...I think a Ford F-1 would be better."

"And that is...?"

"A pickup." Sakura shrugged.

"Be good for getting groceries...sure, why not?" Naruto shrugged.

Sakura blew air out of her nose as Naruto massaged her back. The two relaxed in each other's presence, all the while really wishing one of them could get up and turn off the lights.

"You know what really scares me?" Naruto asked.

"What's that?" Sakura asked.

"That I'll go back out there, get all geared up and ready to go, and then I'll just get taken out. Mortar, stray bullet outta nowhere, a landmine, something...all before I can do anything more..." Naruto admitted.

Sakura bopped him upside the head. "Don't you dare talk like that. I'm already worried about sometime like that, don't reinforce it."

Naruto just looked at her with that same serious face from when he came back. "I want to at least do something. Take out one other guy, clear one bunker, do something to help out the rest of my squad before it happens. I don't want to be like Sasuke. Who never even got to fire a shot."

"Naruto...you won't die out there. You're too stubborn to. So please stop talking like that..."

"Sakura...I don't want to die. But I don't want to die without doing anything more." Naruto stated.

Sakura sighed. Try as she might, she knew she couldn't stop him. Wishful thinking wouldn't save him. Only God could save him. "Just promise me you won't be doing anything intentionally suicidal." Sakura said, defeated. "Give me that peace of mind."

"I promise, Sakura-chan. I still have to come home to you, remember?" Naruto assured.

"Good." Sakura smiled as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Naruto adjusted his position to get more comfortable and followed suit. All across the Leaf village the same scene played out at one time or another for the rest of the couples. Kisses and promises were shared and the populous drifted off into one last peaceful snooze.

The next morning Naruto and Sakura woke early to a quiet breakfast. Naruto got to enjoy Sakura's own attempts at cooking and it was quickly recognized by all that Sakura could take a few lessons from her older brother.

With the teasing out of the way, Sakura drove Naruto to the barracks where he was reunited with his squad and given his new equipment. Some jokes and jabs were thrown at each man who took it in strides.

As soon as the boys were all set to go, they received their new marching orders and were sent towards the main gates for one last goodbye.

"You'll write every day?" Tamaki asked Lee at the main gate as she stuck to him like glue.

"Every day I'm able." Lee assured.

"You'd better. I won't send you pictures otherwise." Tamaki teased.

"So long as he agrees to share them, we'll make sure he remembers to write." Kiba teased.

"I'm not sharing them." Lee stated.

"You're no fun. I'm sharing mine." Kiba said.

"Oh no, you're not!" Fu scolded as she twisted his ear.

"OW! Damn it! I was kidding!" Kiba cried while the rest of the guys laughed.

"You better be! Or I won't send you any at all, mister!"

"And that goes double for you, Little Boy." Temari playfully lectured Shikamaru as she retied his tie, finding the act itself, erotic. "Although I'm sure you don't want the guys to see what I'll send to you." Temari tightened the tie right up to the man's neck, making him gulp. "Not for your sake."

"Gotcha." Shikamaru gave an uneasy smile in excitement.

"Same for you." Sakura told Naruto sternly.

"Hey, I'm treating any letters sent from you as sacred treasure." Naruto held his hands up in defense. "Like I'd let these Bozos mess with it." Naruto pointed his thumb at his remaining squad.

"You better."

"Alright men. We need to head out." Kakashi announced.

"Yes, sir!" They all responded as they gathered their bags.

"Naruto..." Sakura sniffed. "You come back to me...please..."

Naruto leaned forward, quick as a cobra, and planted a lingering kiss on Sakura's broad forehead. "I will." Naruto smiled before slipping something into Sakura's open palm. It was long and heavy, and when he finally broke away Sakura glanced down to see that it was his family's three-pronged kunai. The one said to be held by every great Hokage in history.

"Wha-no, Naruto. I can't have this!" Sakura hissed.

"Don't worry! I'll take it back when I come back for good!" Naruto called out as his column marched towards the main gate.

"You better come back...I'm not done with you yet..." Sakura cried as she held onto that kunai tightly.

"I ain't done with you either!" Naruto shouted. "I gotta marry you, don't I?! I'm gonna trade you that kunai for a ring!"

Sakura's eyes went wider than dinner plates and her heart felt like it was on fire. She couldn't believe she heard that and yet...she couldn't be happier to hear those words.

The guys all cheered, laughed, and shoved Naruto along to keep up the marching pace. Sakura watched them go as Ino held her close so that she wouldn't fall over. The crowds cheered, igniting a sense of invulnerability in the soldiers as they marched out to the unknown wilderness.

They were off, once again, to war.

Author's Note from Panda: AAAAAAND FINISHED!

I don't know about you guys, but that last one dragged on. Maybe its because we decided to power through this entire story in one go. Even as short as it is, it can be draining. That being said I am glad that we got this published. I've always wanted to do a war story for Naruto, mostly just to have this romantic tension between Naruto and Sakura when Naruto comes back.

Who knows, maybe one day when we have a lot less stories to update we'll revisit this world or create a new one entirely. One where the Konoha 11 goes to war for 7 straight years against every other ninja nation. Or maybe just stick to these back-home scenes with the flashbacks like we just did.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed this story. Hopefully you'll leave a review telling us what we did good and what we could improve upon. Either way, I hope you have a great day, wherever you are.