Note: I have really fallen in love with this story- I don't know why really I guess its the style that I'm writing that makes me love it. I like to read and write in the style of what I like to call Narration Confusion; the definition is quite simple: its when the narrator asks questions in the story or explains something, like a word, that connections with the story in some way or another. If you like this style then you should read The Catcher in the Rye.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto characters nor do I own the Naruto storyline.

Chapter Six:

An Aching Heart's Pain

With every kick off a tree branch, with every step we advanced toward Suna my heart raced with frieght.

I was scared.

How could I not be?

Here I had been assigned to lead my friends to what could quite possibly had been their deaths- and for some I did actually lead them to their death- I would have been a fool not to have been scared. I don't doubt that my face relieved my feelings while the rest of them were calm and collect; we had been traveling for hours and now it was noon.

I had heard a crackle up ahead so I allowed myself to a stop on a large mossy branch- I should have known that something would happen because our travels had been to easy- and held up my hand to signal my teams to stop. They quickly recieved the message and hid all except for Gaara and Naruto- who had failed to see my signal and nearly slid off the branch.

That was so much like him.

He was always clumsy and unorithadox in almost everything he did, but it worked for him.

Regaining his balance, he questioned me, "Why'd we stop?"

I glanced at him then at Gaara- I was trying to see if he had heard what I had heard, and he had.

"Up there," I whispered to my blonde companion as the sand controller dissappeared in a whirlwind of sand.

We knew what he was planning for the those ahead of us- if they were in fact our enemies; we both waited for him to return but he never came back. Temari and Kankuro both appeared next to us their eyes speaking for them as Sasuke appeared next to Naruto.

Pointing in the direction I had indeciated Naruto said, "He went that way."

"So what do we do?" Kankuro asked me his tone had a hint of sarcasam in it.

"Uh..." I couldn't think of what to say.

I remember my thoughts clearly as if I was thinking them right now: why had sensei chose me?

I didn't want to lead them- I didn't want that responsibility. I would have galdly have let Naruto or Sasuke lead but I knew I couldn't and that fact irrated me; I wasn't there for glory or fame I just wanted to be a ninja- thats all.

The truth is that back then I had no goals- I had no faith in myself, and those facts had caused me to rely on Naruto and Sasuke alot.

"Sakura," the smoothe voice of Sasuke's had cute through my thoughts and brought me back to them from the depths of my mind, "Whats your plan?"

"Uh..."

What a good question- truth be told I had no plan at the time- my eyes shifted to eye face that was staring at me.

"Sakura," Naruto's voice cut through my thoughts this time, "You can do this."

How such a small statement could have made me believe that I could actually do this- lead them- I will never know but it did.

"Alright," I couldn't believe that my small, quiet voice held such a strong sense command in it, "This is what we're going to do: Sasuke you and Temari scout a head and hide yourselves among the brush you'll both be our back up in case these guys are stronger than what I think- Kankuro and Naruto I want you two to hide in the brush and wait for my signal."

"Whats your signal?" Naruto asked, he was trying his best to take in my plan.

I motioned my left hand so that my index finger and my thumb formed an L shape and held it above my head, "This is for you two- Temari and Sasuke this is our signal," I then motioned my right hand into a fist with the exception of my index finger and held it straight in front of me.

"Got it," Sasuke informed me right when Temari nodded her head; they both vanished as Kankuro and Naruto dissappeared in the tree branches.

I ran straight until I reached a small clearing in the woods where about ten rogue ninjas had Gaara surrounded; he was bleeding on his right shoulder the sight of his blood made me freeze up.

I didn't know how these strangers had managed to hurt him but I remembered that I had vowed to find out.