DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Naruto" and am in no way associated with it's writers or producers.

--

Sakura was sitting by herself again, drinking hot tea at a café in the village. All she could think about was Naruto and Hinata, and her mixed feelings of love, anguish, depression and hatred towards them. As much as she hated to admit it, she was feeling something she thought she'd never feel……. jealously. True jealously against Hinata, unlike her stupid feud with Ino over Sasuke. This time, Sakura really was in love with Naruto. She flashbacked to yesterday afternoon, when her and Naruto talked after coming back from the mission.

--FLASHBACK--

"Hey Sakura." Naruto asked her. "So did you and Hinata have fun together with the mission?"

But Sakura was too depressed and too angry to wanna think about Hinata.

"Umm….. yeah. We sure did." Sakura put up a smile. "I mean we finally got to know each other and she told me…….I mean she told me all about the two of you now."

"Oh, really?" Naruto asked surprised. "So I guess, now you know huh?"

Sakura sighed. "Yeah, I finally understand. I guess I'm happy to know ya'll really like each other." But the depression and heartbreak began to sink in. Sakura walked backwards and sat down on a street bench.

Naruto glared at Sakura and quickly realized she wasn't alright. 'What,' Naruto thought, 'did me and Hinata suddenly somehow make her depressed?' He sat down on the bench by her.

"Sakura" Naruto whispered to her. "It's okay."

Sakura looked up at him. "Wha…..what is?"

"I know how you must feel right now." Naruto told her. "You miss Sasuke don't you?"

"What?!" Sakura yelled.

"I can tell." Naruto explained. "Me and Hinata finally being together and in love. It reminds you of Sasuke, doesn't it? How much you love him, and miss him that he's gone." Sakura just sat speechless. "Now you feel left out and have a hole in your heart, right? But it's gonna be okay. I made a promise I'd bring Sasuke back home for us…… and for you. And I can tell you right now, whomever it may be, you'll find someone that'll fill that hole….. that void in your life."

Sakura was smiling to Naruto.

"Just like I found Hinata, to fill mine." Naruto finished. This quickly made her smile vanish.

Sakura couldn't believe what Naruto was telling her. Her heart pounding oh so fast.

"Naruto, you don't underst-….." Sakura began to say tear-eyed. But then she stopped. "I mean…… thank you Naruto. I sure hope you're right."

And to Naruto's surprise, Sakura did something Naruto thought she could never do….. she reached over to hug him! Naruto hugged her back….. but felt nothing.

"Now have I ever been wrong before?" Naruto jokingly laughed in hopes to cheer her up.

Then finally Naruto and Hinata left together, leaving Sakura alone on the bench.

In all here pain, Sakura held her hands to her heart. She finally realized how much Naruto cared for her all this time. All Sakura had wanted to do was tell Naruto how wrong he really was. She wanted to confess to Naruto the truth: that she was finally in love with him. She cried because Naruto still believed she was in love with Sasuke, whom walked out on her and never cared for her.

Sakura rubbed her face as she looked at Naruto and Hinata walking away. Mainly she looked at Hinata. "It's all because of you!" Sakura growled. She started frowning badly and clutching her fists. Her teeth gritted like they were about to shatter in her mouth.

"It's all your fault…….Hinata Hygua!" Sakura yelled to herself. "Naruto doesn't not love me. You took him away from me!"

--END FLASHBACK--

Sakura could see her face in the reflection of the tea in her glass: a mad frown, her eyebrows way down, her eyes still watery, and the steam still rising up for the hot tea.

That's when something caught Sakura's eye that made her gasp and look up.

Hinata, walking right in to the café to order a glass of tea herself. Hinata noticed Sakura as well.

"Oh, hi Sakura!" Hinata greeted her.

"Oh, hi." Sakura mumbled back. Hinata just walked up to the counter to make her order. Sakura with her mad face tried not to look at her; but she kept staring to her thru the corner of her eye, watching her. Once Hinata had her tea she began to leave the café, as if to drink it somewhere else. Hinata looked and waved back to Sakura to say bye.

That's when Sakura reached out and grabbed her jacket to stop her.

"Hey!" Sakura looked at her. "We need to talk."

"Huh?" Hinata gasped.

--

Just seconds later, Sakura and Hinata were sitting together on the table in the café tent, drinking their tea.

"So, I hear you and Naruto have still been hanging out with each other, a lot." Sakura said, looking eerily down at her glass with her elbows on the table and her fists holding her chin up, almost in an emo fashion.

"Why, yes." Hinata replied. She had smiled, but it quickly went away. "Why? Is everything okay?"

Sakura didn't say anything for a while. But eventually she spoke up. "I suppose so." She finally mumbled.

"Sakura" Hinata said. "Wha….whatever it is bothering you, you can tell me." Hinata reached over and put her hand on Sakura's arm, to her surprise. "I'm your friend Sakura. You can tell me anything."

Sakura just looked dead and emotionless.

"Yeah" she whispered back.

Suddenly things got silent for a moment. Then she spoke again.

"So I also hear you and Naruto have been training together also" Sakura said. "Practicing stuff, helping each other out huh?"

"Oh um……" Hinata stuttered. "Yes indeed. We've been exercising our techniques and getting much better at them. We've even had some sparring matches with each other. Some really great fun sparring matches." Hinata smiled and blushed, remembering yesterday with Naruto at the river.

Sakura still looked pale, looking down at her glass with her chin propped up on her hands.

Then she finally looked over at Hinata with an unusual smile.

"You know what?" Sakura said. "That's it Hinata. That's what I need is some exercise."

"Huh?" Hinata looked up.

"If you really wanna help me feel better, you know what you can do." Sakura spoke up. "Let's have a sparring match ourselves!"

"Wha…..what…." Hinata was surprised. "A…..are you… sure? That's really what you…."

"Yes! What do you say? Come on!" Sakura urged her and yelled. "Uh, I mean……yes. It'll really help me feel better and clear my head."

"Uh….." an insecure Hinata stuttered. She had no idea. "Sure. Okay."

"Come on. Follow me." Sakura began leading them outside.

Moments later Hinata and Sakura were walking outside in the village. But it just didn't feel right, Hinata thought. This doesn't make sense. She barely knew Sakura and she was suddenly asking her for a sparring match. Sakura still had that unusual emo like expression, her eyes wrinkled. Without Sakura's knowing, Hinata activated her Byakugan. She noticed Sakura's blood was racing awfully fast, and her nerves were shaking very much inside. And outside, Sakura was hiding it.

"Come on." Sakura said. All the suddenly, Sakura jumped up at a building, jumping from roof to roof. "Hey wait!" Hinata called out and quickly began following her, jumping from the roofs to her.

Sakura finally stopped, landing on the roof of an old two-story building that'd been abandoned. Hinata easily caught up and landed.

"What is it?" Hinata curiously asked.

"Nothing." Sakura still creepingly looked to her. "I just wanted to find a nice quiet spot, away from everyone. I mean we are gonna spare, right? We shouldn't be in anyone's way."

Hinata looked at Sakura in the eye. "Sakura, something's wrong." Hinata yelled to her. "You're not yourself to today, I can tell it."

"Who says I'm not myself today?" Sakura frowned. "I just wanna exercise. Like anyone else."

Hinata could still see Sakura's nerves frantically shaking. Sakura's face still pale and wrinkled, looking at Hinata with a dark smile.

"You gave me the idea Hinata. You and Naruto have seemed to have some fun sparring matches like you mentioned." Sakura mysteriously ranted. The smile became a frown. "I thought you and I would be perfect sparring opponents, just like you and Naruto. You're so in love with my friend Hinata. My teammate. Ya'll seem to be having a perfect time…….what's wrong with a sparring match with me?!"

Hinata gasped out loud. That's when Hinata finally came to a stunning revelation!

"Wait a minute!... is that what this is all about Sakura?" Hinata asked her. "Naruto?"

Both Hinata and Sakura stood silent. The wind was picking up on the roof.

"Is that it?" Hinata asked. "Are you trying to fight me because you're jealous of me and Naruto?"

Sakura finally let out a huge sigh. "I never thought I'd say it Hinata." Sakura answered. "You know, it was Kakashi who always kept telling us to enjoy the little things in life because 'You don't know what you've got until it's gone!'"

Hinata couldn't believe it. "So you are in love with him." she whispered. "So you are jealous of me."

"Unlike you Hinata, I was blind all this time." Sakura said. "But now, I finally see the light. I love Naruto." Sakura now officially declared. "I've been in love with him all along, and never realized. I've always loved Naruto…… more than you'll ever know Hinata!" she shouted.

Finally Sakura clinched her fists and took her fighter stance.

"Now what do you say?" Sakura frowned and yelled to her. "Let's do this."

But Hinata shuttered, scared and worried for Sakura's well being.

"Sakura please!" Hinata begged. "This isn't the answer. I don't want to fight you. We don't need to be doing this!"

Sakura just looked her in the eye. "I don't care!"

"Sakura, I'm serious." Hinata tried to calm her down. "I know you're hurt. I know you're jealous and sad and angry. But I can help you. I know you just want to take out your frustrations and let the anger out, but this isn't the way. Please. I'm your friend Sakura."

But Sakura just laughed to herself. "We're not exactly 'friends' yet Hinata." Sakura said. "We've only barely known each other. And you have something very precious that belongs to me."

At that moment, it finally sank: there was no way around it. There was no way of calming Sakura down. Unwanting, Hinata took her fighter stance as well.

"You don't wanna do this Sakura." Hinata pleaded on last time with her eyebrows lowered. She knew Sakura was no match for her. "But I guess there's no other choice. I'll fight you, and help you relieve your frustrations."

Sakura was finally tired of waiting and she ran and charged after Hinata.

"I'd like to see you try, Hinata Hyuga!" she yelled.

Hinata charged after her to, activating her Byakugan. I'm sorry Sakura, she said to herself.

With that, Sakura and Hinata finally caught each other's hands in a crash that shook the entire building! Letting go with her left hand, Sakura went for a punch aiming at Hinata's head, but Hinata easily dodged it. With her right, Sakura swung at her again and Hinata swiftly ducked and slid away. Sakura went for a kick to the stomach and Hinata jumped back, though Sakura still came after her throwing more punches.

Hinata just kept moving extremely fast, using her speed to duck and dodge Sakura's punches. She stood up straight and with Sakura still throwing punch after punch at her, Hinata used her hands to block them, moving them back and forth at lightning speed, blocking punch after punch from Sakura. Sakura suddenly then went for a leg-sweep, and Hinata leaped over her to dodge it, but as she landed Sakura came right back up throwing another kick for her stomach. Hinata quickly blocked and caught Sakura's leg with both her hands. Holding on, Hinata swung Sakura around like a baseball bat and threw her. But to her surprise, Sakura landed using her hands, then using her super strength, bounced back off the roof thrusting her leg out in the air going for another fierce kick. Hinata blocked it and dodged out the way. Sakura landed back on her feet.

Sakura couldn't even touch her. Hinata was didn't want to attack Sakura because she was afraid of hurting her. They both breathed fast.

"Well?" Hinata said to her.

"I'm just getting started!" Sakura yelled, charging at her again.

Sakura threw more punches and Hinata swiftly moved back dodging them. Sakura jumped up going for another air kick, and Hinata once again caught her foot and swung her away. However as she was being thrown, Sakura reached in then threw three shurikens at Hinata. Hinata frightenly gasped as they hit her in the stomach……or so it seemed, as Hinata used a substitution to counter, switching places with an old rock from the roof.

Hinata reappeared behind Sakura in shock.

"Are you crazy Sakura?" Hinata yelled. "Why are you attacking me with those?!"

"Hmmph!" Sakura just turned back around to her with an angry smile. "Sorry. Guess I just got carried away!"

Sakura came back throwing another punch. Hinata grabbed and blocked Sakura's fist with her hand, but the punch was so powerful from Sakura's super strength, its force sent Hinata skidding and sliding backward on her feet several yards. But Hinata kept her balance. Shaking her hand, Hinata realized Sakura was trying to take things to another level.

Sakura yelled and using the super strength from her fist again, she jumped in Hinata's direction and punched the ground, sending giant shockwaves at Hinata. The waves made Hinata lose her footing for a second and she cover her eyes, but the shockwaves shattered and shot up several chunks of the old cement roof that came flying at her.

Hinata gasped and quickly began spinning. "8 Trigrams Palm Rotation!" Hinata yelled. She spun around quickly, releasing the spinning chakra wall to block and safely knock away all the rocks hurling at her. A few of them came flying back towards Sakura, forcing her to jump and dodge them.

"I'm still far from finished!" Sakura shouted, now getting frustrated for her inability to hit her.

Sakura came charging at Hinata once again, with her fingers together. "Shadow clones!" Sakura yelled. She created three clones that, along with herself, came after Hinata. Hinata was still scared to hurt Sakura, but now with four of them fighting her, she realized she wasn't gonna have a choice.

The four Sakuras came attacking all at once, surrounding Hinata. With her Byakugan, Hinata began stepping it up, moving much faster and quicker, trying to stay focused as the Sakuras kept trying to throw fierce punches, leg-sweeps, high kicks, and kicks from the air at. All the while, Hinata kept moving quickly jumping, blocking and dodging the attacks. Two of the Sakura clones even pulled out kunai blades and tried to cut Hinata with them. That's when Hinata realized she'd really lost it and was going too far. Hinata still managed to avoid the blades and push them away. Although Sakura came extemly close several times, Hinata still avoided every blow.

"I've had enough of this Sakura!" Hinata finally yelled at her.

"8 Trigrams!" she shouted. Finally Hinata attacked back. Spinning around fast, Hinata struck all four Sakuras in the heart with great fierce from her fingers, causing them to shout in pain. The three clones were finally destroyed, and Hinata charged after the real Sakura.

"Gentle Fist! 8 Trigrams 64 Palms!" Hinata yelled.

Hinata immediately came striking at all of Sakura's body, striking out her charka flow lines and chakra points, making Sakura gasp and yell in pain with every hit! It all happened in such an instant.

At long last having taken the vicious blows, Sakura stood still, holding her body in pain. She coughed as both her and Hinata were breathing fast.

"I'm sorry Sakura, but you made me do it!" Hinata said to her. Hinata was twitching her eyes in fear for Sakura's being.

An emotional Sakura looked at Hinata in defeat. She stayed standing on her feet, but it began sinking in. All her effort, all her strength, and Hinata was still standing the victor. All because Sakura wanted Naruto. She loves Naruto and wanted him back from Hinata. Still frowning in frustration and jealously, Sakura tried to hold back her tears.

"I guess it's over now, huh?" Sakura whispered in defeat. "You've shut off all my chakra points, and now I can't go on."

"No." Hinata told her. "Not all of them…….only about three-fourths of them. I was doing everything I could not to try and hurt you, so I only attacked some of them. I told you, I don't want to hurt you Sakura."

Stunned by what she did, Sakura's eyes shot open. She then fell to her knees, still coughing and feeling the pain of Hinata's gentle fists. Hinata, having been worn out by the fight, kneeled down to her to try and ease her pain.

But before anything else could happen, Hinata and Sakura heard someone jump on top the roof. They turned their heads in shock, to see Naruto had suddenly shown up with a worried expression.

"Hinata? Sakura?" he said.

Both the girls gasped. "Naruto?" Sakura looked at him.

"What happened? Are you two girls alright?" Naruto frantically asked. Still shocked to see him suddenly arrive, Hinata finally spoke.

"We're fine Naru…..Naruto." Hinata said.

"I was looking all over for you two." Naruto said calming down. "That lady at the café told me she'd seen you both there not long ago, then I heard some loud crashes and fighting!"

"No, really" Sakura finally spoke. "It's okay Naruto. Hinata and I were just having a friendly sparring match and practicing our jutsus together. Everything's fine."

Naruto look at them both. They were still kneeled down by each other.

"I hope so." Naruto said. "Okay, I'll leave ya'll alone then. You just both had me worried, but I'll head back and let you girls be."

"Thanks Naruto." Both Hinata and Sakura respectively. Then Naruto leaped off and left the two on the roof.

Sakura and Hinata looked back at each other. The breeze was still blowing. Sakura knelt her head down in tears crying for her loss. Hinata immedialty put her hands on her shoulders to comfort her.

"Sakura, listen to me!" Hinata cried out to her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry we had to do this, but you shouldn't beat yourself down for it."

She lifted her head back up.

"I know Naruto and I are together and he's in love with me……. but he still loves you to, Sakura. He always will. You shouldn't be jealous." Hinata said to her.

"wh….what….." Sakura whispered back.

"You're a great girl Sakura." Hinata said. "And a great ninja to. You put up one heck of a fight for me. You should be proud Sakura. You don't give yourself enough credit. Naruto still cares for you. And I'm still your friend. You're gonna be okay Sakura."

Although her sad frown could still be seen, Sakura cried after hearing Hinata's words of wisdom.

"Thank you……Hinata." Sakura finally whispered. "I needed that."

Feeling like crying herself for Sakura, Hinata reached out and wrapped her arms around her. Letting Sakura cry on her shoulder, Hinata hugged Sakura to ease her pain and show her she still cared for her. But despite her loving hug, Sakura couldn't pull herself to hug back.

Hinata eventually let go and got ready to leave. Before she did, she turned her back around to Sakura. "I'll be here for you." Hinata said. Finally she left the rooftop, leaving Sakura to herself.

--

Back out in the city, Naruto was walking by himself back home. He turned his back in curiosity.

"Hmm, I wonder" Naruto whispered remembering seeing Hinata with Sakura. "Naaah! Of course not."

--

Sakura still looked down at the broken rooftop, feeling just as broken as it was. What Hinata had thought were tears of relief and happiness from Sakura, were still tears of pain and anguish. Sakura gritted her teeth and dug her fingers into the broken cement, clutching and breaking the rocks in her fists.

"Hinata…………….you…………….."

TO BE CONTINUED