I do not now Naruto…I do own this fic…cuz I'm cool…

And damn if I misspell Kyuubi one more time…grrr…SIGH! that's ok though…cuz I'm still cool (feeling dumb)

Now You Notice Me?

Sakura woke up shortly after her pillow moved away. She blinked as she saw Naruto jumping around on the trees, trunk to trunk.

"Well…yea, you got chakra, good for you. What the hell are you doing though? Your ankle…" she looked down when his finger pointed down the cloth by her leg. "…It healed?"

Naruto landed gracefully in front of her with his big corny smile, "believe it! I just needed to keep off of it. That guy really tore it apart!"

Sakura scratched her head, "But it was majorly swollen…"

Naruto grinned more, "Yea! My tendon was pretty bruised and the shot spasms into my foot muscles…that's why it took so long!"

"But if that's all true, how come you're just hopping around like it isn't bothering you anymore?"

Naruto looked at her strangely, "Oh…that. Uhm, I really don't know!"

Sakura sighed and shook her head, "I'm glad your feeling better, Naruto."

Naruto smirked again, "You're glad for a lot of things now. That's good to hear."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Let's get back to camp. I wonder when we'll begin training with Ayame."

Naruto nodded, "Yea." he helped her up and gave a slight blush when she didn't let go of his hand immediately.

"Hey Naruto?" Sakura looked to him.

"Yea?"

"I think Sasuke's got it wrong." she laughed a bit.

"About what?" Naruto wanted to hear her brag about him, at least that's what he hoped she'd say. But if it had to do with Sasuke being wrong, he loved it!

Sakura blushed a bit and looked away, "You aren't a loser like he always said."

Naruto smirked, "Yea? You think so?"

Sakura looked back at him, smiling genuinely, "He is."

Naruto loved her even more, if that was possible in that instant. They walked back to the camp, not holding hands anymore, but side by side, as the team should always be. (Minus Sasuke…JUST KIDDING! hides from fans)

--------

When they returned, they couldn't believe it. Sasuke was battling Ayame. Sakura blinked as Naruto tapped Kakashi's shoulder. He looked down at his student, "Welcome back." he said cheerily.

"Hey Kakashi Sensei…what is going on? Is Sasuke high or something?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi shrugged, "Ayame's training has started. Sasuke is the first to be trained. So far, he can't hit her once. Not even a slight slice." he beamed a bit.

Naruto's brow furrowed as Sakura looked on as well, "Man! Look at him and then look at her! He's exhausted and she doesn't even have a scratch!"

"Kinda like a Gaara thing, huh?" Naruto asked.

Sakura sighed, "Geh, sure. The difference isn't big…just he was a sandy idiot. And he didn't really fight back much in the Chunnin Exams…oh yea, and she's not a demon. And she's on our side. And she knows love and friendship, teamwork and commitment, determination and hard work."

"Like a Rock Lee thing?" Naruto asked, even looking dumber than previously.

"GEH!" Sakura's face faulted a bit and then they looked as Sasuke laid a punch on Ayame's arm.

Kakashi even looked up. Ayame glared as her arm felt battered and bruise from one attack.

"Little twerp." she muttered as she lowered into defensive positioning. "I said hit me once…you slid." she launched at him, "Block me and hit me! Stage two!"

Sasuke backed away, dodging barely out of Ayame's reach. 'She's fast!' he moved aside and she hit him from the other direction as if she was already there.

When he fell into the ground, she smirked and stood above him, a few feet out of distance of immediate victory for him.

Sasuke stood up and glared, running towards her, "I will pass!"

----------

Kakashi put his porn away and watched the fight. "It's over." he said in almost a whisper.

Sakura and Naruto gasped and looked as Sasuke landed a kick into Ayame's leg, barely grazing air but he hit.

-----------

Ayame landed and smirked, "Well done. You fail."

Sasuke blanched, "WHAT!"

Ayame cracked her neck a bit, "You fail. Do I have to repeat it once more? Third time is the charm."

Kakashi smirked, "I love when she teaches lessons."

Sasuke's shoulders drooped a bit, "But…you said…was it pointless!"

Ayame walked up to him and smirked, "Yes, I did. No, it wasn't."

Naruto blinked, "I am…so confused now."

Sakura looked at Ayame and then back to Kakashi, "You…for once, are not the only one."

Ayame began to speak again, "You deliberately ran into an opponent without thinking of consequences, losing sight of your goal, losing balance in your step, losing balance therefore in your chakra. Without that balance, you fail."

"I did not lose the balance at all!" Sasuke yelled, this was the first time anyone ever saw him so fired up unless he was in his demonic form.

"Are you sure?" Ayame asked.

"Positive."

"Really?"

"No doubt." Sasuke argued.

Ayame smiled widely, "You pass."

----

reviews (part 1)