Hmm yet another SakuraNaruto moment, aww they're so sweet together.Now who out there really thought I'd leave the story unfinished? Shame on you! No SakuraNaruto goodness for you! That's right, turn around and leave this fanfic! Come back next chapter.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Following the right path
Hospital Research Lab, Konoha
After all the intensive research on the samples brought back from the Rain Country Massacre, Sakura finally felt she was on the right path. Eyes glued to the microscope her tiredness was pushed back as she noted something new. The little pills were finally giving up some of their secrets.
This is interesting, I better write it down.
Without looking up from the microscope, Sakura reached out her hand to grab the ink brush, sentences already forming in her head. Her hand hit something, at the same time soft and hard, definately not pen shaped. Absently she tested it searching for a brush, not recognising the outline she raised her head slowly. Extracting her brain from sample analysis was like swimming up through thick syrup. Blinking a few time to refocus her eyes a shape swam into veiw.
"GAAAAAAAAH!" She screeched yanking her hand back as if it'd been burned.
"Naruto?" She asked unsure, her brain still half swimming with her work.
Naruto stood back turned, body rigid as if he'd been touched by too much electricity. Slowly his head turned to look at her, a priceless look on his face.
"Sa-sakura-chan." He whispered.
Sakura felt her face heat up, shaking her head violently trying to forget the sensation of his butt under her hand.
"Gah! I'm sorry Naruto, I didn't know anyone was there! I thought your were a brush, I was looking for a brush, only I wasn't looking and then, and then..." She trailed off her face hot enough to fry eggs on. Naruto didn't seem to be listening.
Thankyou butt pants! Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!
Naruto relived the moment in his head.
"Hey, Naruto?"
Naruto opened the door to the Lab juggling two takeaway bowls of ramen. Sakura hadn't left the hospital for days now, he missed her company, Sasuke was on mission and training alone just wasn't cutting it. So he'd put on his newest pair of butt pants and sauntered over to the hospital research labs. Sure enough there was Sakura hunched over a microscope.
"Hey! Naruto!"
Her bedding, tossed in a corner, was rumpled and the room smelled like chemicals and dead air. Wrinkling his nose, Naruto entered, Sakura didn't even twitch. Naruto was used to that, when she was doing her research she really gave over all her concentration. It was part of the reason a young women like her was allowed to even work on a case like this one. Naruto was proud of her. Absently he wandered around the room, waiting for her to take note of his presence.
"Oi! I'm talking to you, hello!"
He knew better than to disturb her, she could be in the middle of an important break through. So he waited, he noted an untouched bento box sitting on a bench beside Sakura. Figuring he could set up a romantic dinner scene without disturbing her he slid in next to her and began laying out things. He'd much rather not eat in this room, but he knew his chances of getting her out of here before the research was finished or Tsunade-sama ordered her out, were close to zero.
"Naruto! I'm talking to you!"
Obessional was a word which suited Sakura. Like him or Sasuke. So he laid out the ramen bowls, opened the bento box...and then it happened. Her hand was touching his left butt cheek. Trying very hard not to move Naruto felt his heart stop. Was she really feeling him up? Never in his wildest dreams did he think it would start like this. Not with her, he'd pictured her as the shy type, she'd blush while he proved his strong, yet sensitive (the book said chicks digged sensitive, strong men, chee women were complicated!) manly desire, and then just as suddenly her hand was yanked back and Sakura's screech filled the room.
"Naruto Uzumaki, if you don't start listening to me I swear I'm going to pummel you!"
Naruto opened the door to the Lab juggling two takeaway bowls of ramen. Sakura hadn't left the hospital for days now, he missed her company, Sasuke was on mission and training alone just wasn't cutting it...
Before the replay could continue any further a heavy blow knocked Naruto to the floor. Dazedly Naruto lifted his eyes a vague feeling of pain spreading from the top of his head. Sakura stood above him panting, eyes wide, different emotions fighting for dominace. Embarassment, anger, shame, laughter. Naruto grinned, she was so cute when she tried to deny her more hormone driven feelings. Deciding to see if today was the day she admitted her attraction to him he opened his mouth to speak.
"Ah! Sakura-chan, you don' have ta do that, after what we just shared you can.."
Sakura's face found new shades of red.
"What we shared? We didn't share anything! My hand slipped, that's all!" Sakura babbled desperately.
Naruto's face fell ever so slightly at her frantic denials. Seeing it Sakura winced, the familiar feeling of shame creeping through her. Hitching up his smile again Naruto came up to kneeling.
"I brought lunch, if you're hungry, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned at her.
"Th-that's great Naruto, I do feel hungry." She said extending her hand as an apology to help him to his feet.
Naruto felt his heart skip at the offered contact. Stopping himself from grabbing her one hand with both of his, Naruto climbed slowly to his feet savouring the cool feeling of her skin.
Once standing Naruto found himself unwilling to break contact, it was very rare that someone actually touched him, especially from choice. On her side Sakura found herself reliving the agonising moment when she'd realised what she was touching. Firmly she tried to push all memory of the feeling of firm rounded flesh from her mind Breaking through the memory Sakura realised that she was still holding Naruto's hand. Blushing again she removed her hand quickly, taking a step back. Naruto didn't try to stop her.
Poking her head into through the open door, Tsunade saw her younger pupil, and the village's number one loud mouth staring dumbly at the floor. Noting the tension she sighed, how she wished Sakura would just get over this stupid shyness, one good round with Naruto and things would get better. It just wasn't normal for young shinobi to not be engaging in physical relationships. Not with the threat of death hanging over their heads. In her memory only the Hyuugas were this prissy. Even the Uchihas weren't this strict, and thinking about Uchihas, if ever there was a shinobi that needed a good rolling Sasuke was it.
Rubbing her temples Tsunade had a fleeting thought for Kakashi, also a confirmed celebate, this team was made for each other. She remembered she had her first real experience with sex when she was 14, but then Konoha had been in the middle of a long drawn out war and everyday could've been her last. War makes you grow up fast, and after you've killed your first enemy, the difference between child, and adult blurs. For the umpteenth time she considered using some fobidden jutsus to get Sakura moving in the right direction, but even thinking about Sakura's and Shizune's reactions to that little plan made her wince. Those two knew way to much of what she got up to.
"Ah Sakura, I was looking for you." Tsunade said loudly trying not to snort when the two jumped further apart.
"Ts-tsunade-sama!" Sakura blurted. "I was just going to... I mean, I think I found something!"
Naruto hooked his hands behind his head and grinned. His Sakura-chan had come through again.
"Yes, yes that's very nice. But I have more important news." Tsunade flapped her hand at Naruto in a shooing motion.
Naruto frowned and opened his mouth to argue about his having lunch with Sakura.
"I need to borrow Sakura five minutes, after which I'll order her to eat lunch outside with you, ok?" Tsunade said.
Naruto nodded and scooped up the laid out food, showing proof of his incrediable shinobi skills by making it out of the door without spilling anything. The door closed after him.
Outside Naruto tested the ramen for temperature frowning when he found it had cooled.
Tsunade-baba better hurry up or the food's gonna be cold. He grumbled to himself.
Moments later Sakura joined him, a fierce frown of concentration on her face. Without waiting for her to decide against lunch in the face of her obvious new obsession Naruto had scooped her up as well and jumped for the roof tops. Ignoring of course her swarked protests.
Konoha roof topsThe best things about roofs was the feeling of being above everything, Sakura decided leaning back satisfied. Or maybe it was the way the wind smelt cleaner up here, or maybe it was the company another smaller part of her whispered. Her eyes flicked down to Naruto sitting happily playing with the last little pieces of food.
"Oh no! It's the Naruto monster! Run! Oh no he's got me! Help me! Help me! Oh pitié! Ahhh!" Naruto said in a super squeaky voice, imitating a very small person being eaten by a very large idiot.
He dropped the little piece of sausage into his gaping mouth and made a show of eating it 'alive'. Sakura winced slightly at the 'Naruto monster' reference. It reminded her of the games they used to play at school, where Naruto would always end up the chasing 'monster' in the games of tag. Looking up at her from his lower position on the ground Naruto blushed slightly at his antics.
"Sorry." He mumbled, eating another piece in a normal manner.
Sakura leaned back on the roof edge and sat down.
"Is there any more?" She asked looking away over the rooftops.
"Sure! Close your eyes!" Naruto said holding up a small piece of fish.
Giving Naruto a 'you better not do anything funny' glare, Sakura closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Chewing slowly, Sakura opened her eyes to see Naruto crouched in front of her holding another piece of fish ready. Giving her a grin he offered the next piece, Sakura leaned forward and took it in her mouth.
Naruto grinned wider and offered the last piece. Sakura chewed it slowly admiring the way the sun seemed to make his hair more gold than just yellow. Naruto noticed her admiring look and blushed, looking sorrowfully at the empty bento box. If only there'd been more he could have kept going. Damn his huge hunger.
"Whup, no more food." Naruto said keeping the dissapointment out of his voice. "I guess ya need ta get back ta work don' ya?"
Naruto looked hopefully up at her through his fringe, his blue eyes wide. Sakura dropped her eyes rather than see that look in his eyes.
It was true she was on the point of a breakthrough on the make up of the pills and therefore on their intended effects, and it was true that Tsunade-sama had just told her that a file on Kabuto's possible medical activities was coming in with Sasuke and Kakashi in a few days, but... Naruto was trying so hard to lure her into staying with him a little longer, and she had been ignoring him the last few days since their date. Ignoring or avoiding she didn't know which. It was true her work was important, and once she started it was hard to stop, and she did long hours at the hospital anyway, and, and... that things were complicating quickly between her and Naruto.
The Date
Sakura wandered aimlessy along the river Naruto following alongside, she looked like she was simply enjoying walking with her boyfriend, looking at the moonlight, watching the lanterns floating on the river. A more romantic night couldn't be imagined, especially as the young man concerned was obviously in love with the dreamy eyed girl. It was in the careful way he always walked with a certain distance kept between them, the way his eyes would flick continuously towards her a soft smile playing on his lips.
They wandered further and further a comfortable silence between them. Occasionally Sakura would break out of her reverie and smile at Naruto who would grin in return and then they would continue as if afraid speaking would spell the end of their time together that night. Naruto softly whistled as he rubbed his thankfully quiet ear. He'd managed to dump the ear piece in the bathroom at the restuarant, which had relaxed him considerably. The restaurant had gone well they'd stayed until the place had closed talking and laughing about a lot of things.
Still he didn't put it past his little 'helpers' to be tracking them now, 'just in case he needed help'. Yeah right, after the third time Ino had suggested he kiss Sakura, he'd figured out that mostly they just wanted the inside scoop on his date with Sakura. At least Kiba had proven to be a real friend and had kept out of his love life! Sakura looked at him confused as he jumped around checking things out incase his overzealous friends where hiding there.
Before she could ask 'what the hell are you doing Naruto?' he jumped back into place beside her as if nothing important had happened. Looking down at her from his greater height he grinned unfazed until she sighed in exasperation and returned to her thoughts. Looking around their surroundings Naruto sighed.
"Are ya thinkin' 'bout Sasuke?"
Sakura jerked out of her thoughts. Naruto's question had surprised her, for once she hadn't been preoccupied by the dark brooding one. She turned a puzzled face to Naruto, a niggling doubt biting her. Did she spend so much time brooding over Sasuke that Naruto automatically assumed that when she was deep in thought she was thinking about Sasuke?
"No." Sakura said truthfully, a puzzled look on her face. "Why do you ask?"
Naruto pointed behind her. Sakura turned and looked at the the large wooden doors behind her. Her face blanched as her eyes picked out the faded design of a paper fan painted on the lintel above it. At a loss to explain how she'd ended up here without even meaning to Sakura hung her head, hiding her face in her hands. Yet another sign that she was as firmly entangled in Sasuke as ever. Even when she wasn't thinking about him, she was thinking about him.
Naruto hooked his hands behind his head and thought hard, something he didn't do when he could avoid it. Was now a good time to tell Sakura that he and Sasuke knew of their suspicions about Kabuto? She was already worried about Sasuke on mission, a little more worry, or maybe a little less, wouldn't hurt would it? He turned to speak to her when her face hit his.
It was a kiss, if a little violent in the application, but Naruto was too surprised to take advantage of it. By the time all his thoughts had climbed back into his head though the hole they'd created in jumping out of the back Sakura was already pulling away. She blushed and looked away. Naruto stood mouth open for a few moments then shaking his head like a dog he grabbed Sakura's shoulders pulling her closer.
Sakura started to protest then subsided quietly blushing hotter and fixing her eyes on his chest. Naruto lifted her chin and looked deep into her eyes (finally something he'd read about in ero-senin's books!) and lightly brushed her forehead with his lips. He was rewarded with a change in her blush, her hands stilling on his chest.
"I don' mind if ya think'a him while you're with me, he's team, 'cept when I kiss ya." Naruto kissed her cheek.
"Then it's just me, 'kay?" He whispered.
Sakura nodded her head closing her eyes and lifting her face towards his. Naruto obliged willingly.
After a while Sakura pushed Naruto away, slapping his hands which had developed a tendancy to wander a little too far. She held him at arms length a shy smile on her face. Naruto blushed in his turn.
"Uh... sorry for the grabbin' thing. Ahh, I promise I won' do it again?" He looked at her hopefully.
Sakura snorted with laughter at his look, he grinned and pulled her closer again. She stopped his kiss with her hand pushing him back again, straightening her yukata a little. He stepped back clearing his throat straightening his top in turn. They glanced at each other then looked away blushing.
"Uh, I could walk you home if ya like." Naruto offered not sure if he wanted to dance or skip or simply make ALOT of noise.
"Uh, actually I wouldn't mind if we hung out a little more. I don't think I could sleep tonight." Sakura said softly turning away from the Uchiha compound with a longing look.
"Is that 'cause'a my awesome kissin' skills? Or Sasuke bein' on mission?" Naruto asked half jokingly.
Sakura smiled embarrassed.
"Half and half." Sakura admitted.
Naruto grinned.
"I got mad kissing skills." He said proudly.
"Yeah," Sakura said suspiciously, "who've you been practising with?"
"Oh, ya know, lots'a girls. I'm a heartthrob now, girls been throwin' themselves at me." He said nodding seriously.
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Well now they'll just have to find someone else to throw themselves at." She said firmly grabbing his hand possessively.
Naruto grinned and nodded.
PresentSakrua wanted to put things on hold between her and Naruto, at least until they could work this into the team, without pushing Sasuke away. Sakura had given herself headaches trying to figure out how she was supposed to be in love with Naruto and Sasuke at the same time. More importantly, how was she supposed to make sure they both knew they were her 'boys' equally, when she was conducting a relationship with only one of them? Unless she 'dated' both of them, like forever.
Hmmmm that might work, erk, Ino is definately having too much of an effect on me. Sakura thought .
There were moments she wished that her best friend hadn't gone out again on mission already. Shaking her head Sakura dropped the issue back into the too hard to figure out basket and stood up reluctantly.
"Walk me back to the hospital?" She asked offering her hand.
Naruto grinned and grabbed it swiftly kissing her cheek before she could stop him from reflex. They walked a while before Naruto's mind wandered back to the question that had been niggling him for weeks. Should he tell Sakura that he and Sasuke knew about their supicions of Kabuto and the new Sound? Really it was a miracle that he hadn't blurted it out already. There wasn't really a good time to tell her, though it was probably better when he wasn't immediately hoping for a kiss from her. Besides a little more worry would be lost in the worry she already felt for Sasuke. Pleased that he'd made a decision Naruto prepared to tell Sakura that her little secret wasn't a secret.
"Uh, Sakura-chan." He started.
"Hmmm?" She said mind already back in the lab.
"'Bout the thing in Rain Country."
Sakura felt a cold stone hit her stomach, now she felt guilty about taking the long lunchbreak. How could she be goofing around when Kabuto was out there doing who knows what to who knows who. When Sasuke was off running around the country where he might run into rumors of Kabuto at any second, she was being hand fed by Naruto on a peaceful Konoha rooftop. She almost didn't hear Naruto continuing to speak, but a couple of words drew her out of her reverie with a wash of cold fear.
"...we...Sasuke an' me, we kinda heard you and Kakashi-sensei talkin'. 'Bout Kabuto, an' so y'know, Sasuke he's real upset an' all, but Kakashi-sensei is with him, an' Sasuke won' do nothin' stupid 'cause, 'cause..." Naruto's babbling ran down.
He had no good idea about why Sasuke wouldn't do something 'stupid', he was clinging to the hope that Kakashi-sensei could keep hold of him.
Sakura felt her body start to shake violently, but suddenly Naruto was there holding her and he was so warm and so strong. Sakura calmed herself with effort, her worst fear had come true and now she had to minimise the damage. She took a deep breath in ane let it out shakily.
"Oh, that's not good." She said stupidly. "I should tell Tsunade-sama right away."
She took a shaking step towards the hospital and then another, Naruto slowly opened his arms to let her move away from him on trembling legs. She picked up speed with each step until she was running so fast she couldn't feel the tremours in her body anymore. She could feel the hot breath of Naruto on her neck as he followed her step for step.
Sakura burst into the hospital waiting room and skidded to a stop against the reception desk. She started to hammer the hapless the nurse with questions before she noted Tsunade-sama herself walking towards the desk, a Jounin talking ceaselessly into her ear. One look at the tense expression on Tsunade-sama's face was all the confirmation needed as Sakura folded to her knees with a small moan of disbelief.
A million other reasons for Tsunade-sama's expression passed through Sakura's mind, but all were rejected by the weight of her all consuming fear. Tsunade-sama passed the still and silent Sakura and Naruto crooking her finger at them. Naruto helped Sakura to her feet and they followed the Goidame to a small private consultation room. Sakura gave a moan and turned her face into Naruto's chest as they saw the pale figure of Kakashi lying in the bed.
"Sakura, get over here." Tsunade-sama's terse voice broke Sakura free of her distress and reminded her of her duty.
Brushing a hand quickly over her eyes she approached the bed. Receiving no instructions from Tsunade-sama, Sakura immediately started a scan of Kakashi-sensei.
"He's poisoned, bad, I don't recognise all of it, but the major component liquifies the organs. I know three common poisons which do that, but they can take up to a week to act, this acts much more quickly. There's the presence of a general anti-poison in his blood stream that's slowing the effects, but it's not enough, this poison is more virulent than most. It needs a precise anti-poison and quickly. I suggest Golden Beard for the side ingredients, for the major maybe Ice Leaf to slow the liquification, but I need to study it to find something more effective."
Sakura stepped back guarding one hand on her sensei's chest her warm chakra flowing through him soothing the pain and interfering with the poison's actions. With a squeeze she recognised the antipoison as her own mixture and felt a wash of relief mixed with gratitude that she'd made all her team carry it. It was Naruto who asked the question fluttering in her own throat.
"An' Sasuke?"
Tsunade-sama's face didn't change, even a fraction, from its tense almost volcanically angry look. Internally Sakura quailed, externally she waited concentrated on the even flow of her chakra and the even flow of her breath. Her face still as if in the deepest of meditative trances.
By contrast Naruto looked ready to leap onto Tsunade-sama and strangle the news out of her.
"Gone. According to Pakkun, he was taken by an agent of Kabuto."
If Tsunade-sama had expected an outburst from Naruto at the name of Kabuto she was dissapointed.
"Wa-was he hurt?" Sakura whispered.
Tsunade-sama paused pursing her lips. Sakura drew in a shaking breath and tweaked her chakra flow to distract herself from the sick falling sensation she felt.
"Pakkun says he was drugged, but that he chose to go with the agent to save the three others." Tsunade-sama rubbed her forehead.
"Always hadda be the hero." Naruto muttered.
"When we goin' after him?" Naruto asked bluntly.
"Go where?" Tsunade-sama asked grinding her teeth. "We have no idea where the new Sound village is, and I am sufficently sure that that's where they're going."
"Pakkun can track him." Sakura said. "I'm sure of it. Is he still around?"
Tsunade-sama nodded.
"He said he figured he'd be needed but his abilities are lessened due to Kakashi's state." Tsunade-sama pointed a threatening finger at Naruto.
"And you, you will wait until I have a tracking team ready before you go haring off into the wilderness after ghosts."
"I'll get on to the anti-poison then." Sakura almost whispered.
"You will prepare yourself for the mission missie." Tsunade-sama commanded. "Last time it took both of you to bring back the last Uchiha heir alive, I figure this time will be no different. I'll take charge of Kakashi's case myself."
Sakura felt tears of relief rise in her eyes as she bowed low to her teacher.
"Yes Tsunade-sama."
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Tracking team, any requests? You have, as normal, one week before the next posting.