"Kakashi-sensei's instructions are pretty clear, Sakura said in a fairly low voice so that only Naruto could hear. "We climb that mountain there and the package is near the peak, but since we're being followed, maybe we should go up the other mountain and set a trap, crossing that gorge by a wire, then retrieving the package, and, then, if necessary, confront our pursuer on the way back." She waited for her teammate's assent, he nodded his approval but murmured;

"What if the trap doesn't work?"

"It doesn't have to work, we can just use it to delay this guy while we cross the gorge. Once we're on the other side, it will take him a while to cross, and that's if he knows where we are."

"Good point, I don't think it's a high ranking ninja anyway, they're being pretty clumsy"

"Maybe, but don't let your guard down, we don't even know what this package is."

"Got it."

We've never done a mission on our own before, Naruto thought, who knows? It could be fun.

Yeah, yeah kid, don't you think about anything other than missions? You do-gooders are scum.

Why are you still talking to me? We've barely spoken in 16 years, why start this regular thing now?

I got bored, but to be honest, this chatting thing isn't much better. Try killing people, seriously, start with her-

NO! If you dare touch her, I swear I'll-

You'll what? Kill me? The demon fox laughed, and Naruto had to clutch his hand to his head, it hurt... God it hurt... I won't die kid, I'll not die until you do, and you can't die until you bring back Sasuke and become Hokage right? So there's nothing you can do to me. Because you promised her

Sakura had noticed her friend's pain, and, after watching him for a little while, deduced that the cause was that thing inside him. She wasn't stupid, she had researched the Kyuubi in her free time when she'd been training with Tsunade, looking back, it wasn't unlikely that Tsunade had actually intended for Sakura to find out... Letting her have unlimited access to all her files, dropping odd hints about the demon fox's attack on the village, the book with the information in it had actually been on top of a book she'd asked Sakura to fetch... No, Tsunade wouldn't have intentionally let it slip, would she? The Third had made discussion of Naruto being the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki illegal, but after discovering the truth, Sakura had researched the Kyuubi rigorously until she was confident that she knew all the facts, and then she'd cried.

Naruto had endured so much, and she'd been no help at all, she hadn't even known why everyone avoided him. She'd confronted her parents about it, and the looks on their faces told her that they knew, and had always known.

"Naruto, is it the Kyuubi? You look in pain." She whispered, her eyes didn't move from his face as she waited for him to answer her. Naruto kept his eyes averted and pretended not to have heard. She sighed and turned her attention back to the trees in front of her, he didn't want to share it with her, didn't he know that she wanted to help him?

Why was she asking him that? Didn't she know that he wanted to keep her away from the demon fox? Didn't she understand how dangerous the Kyuubi really was? He hadn't ever wanted her to find out about it, but he supposed it was inevitable that she would find out, she was too intelligent not to.

As they continued on towards the mountains, they were each lost in their own thoughts, both sets of thoughts about the other person, both sets of thoughts worried.

The clouds kept rolling in, blue streaks running along them.

Tsunade sat in her office, looking out the window at the village, her village. She shook her head, she still couldn't believe that she'd actually become the Hokage, something that was always a terrible idea to her. Her brother, her lover, and Naruto, shared the dream that had instead been thrust upon her, someone who hated the prospect, thinking it a disgusting, pointless job. Well... she had thought that... once. She reached for her sake bottle, and took a swig without pouring it into the cup that sat before her... on top of a pile of paperwork.

Please... no more...

But the knock at her door signalled the arrival of Shikamaru and more paperwork, mission reports, mission requests, arrivals and departures of various people within the village. She sighed heavily and grunted her permission to enter, Shikamaru opened the door and carried in another massive pile of files and papers. He staggered slightly as he approached the desk and lay them down with a thud, he raised his heavily lidded gaze to the Hokage and separated the files into five large piles and one smaller one, Tsunade quickly took the smaller pile and opened it, raising her eyebrows when she saw that it was titled, "Departures". Shikamaru pointed to the other five and said, "Arrivals, Mission requests, Mission reports, Village accounts and- your personal debts..."

"Fine, fine, I get it, just go." Tsunade snapped, glancing down the names of departing people.

Man, loads of people come, and then stay for the hospitality, or the freaking tourist novelty of such a prosperous ninja village.

She reached the most recent departures and laughed softly.

"So you followed them eh? Well, I must say I'm surprised, but after all, what can I do? I'm only the Hokage..." She laughed softly, and sat back in her chair, looking outside at the storm, she touched her neck, where she used to wear her necklace and frowned in concern.

Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to this...

"Keep them safe."

As they neared the base of the mountain, Sakura and Naruto reached into their backpacks and pulled out wires and kunai knives.

They listened to make sure that their follower was still there, and then rushed forwards to set up the trap out of sight, Naruto's rasengan dug the hole and Sakura cast the genjutsu to hide it, then, a little before the hole, they strung up a tripwire and kunai trap.

Running around the bend, they grinned at each other, they'd done it all in 4 seconds, not too shabby. Naruto reached into his kunai pouch and pulled out a kunai with some rope attached to it, he pulled back his arm to throw but Sakura stopped his hand with hers, he looked down to see her smiling coyly, she held out her hand for the kunai.

"Oh... I guess you're right." Naruto had forgotten how strong she was now. She took the knife and threw the kunai; it buried itself deep into the rock on the other side of the gorge. She held the end of the rope as Naruto crossed first, he cringed, it was a bruise to his male ego, but she was the strongest.

He then watched her swing across and helped her over the edge of the mountainside; they were now on a narrow rocky path that went on a steep incline before sharply turning left out of sight. Sakura pulled out the kunai and rope before the sharp twang of metal wire sounded across the gorge and they rushed up the mountain, slipping out of view.

"Come on Naruto we're nearly there now." The pink-haired Kunoichi grabbed her partner's hand without thinking and half dragged him up the mountain. "What's the matter? Am I going too fast? Ah..." She let go of his hand, Naruto's face had coloured a light shade of pink, which was almost a match for Sakura's hair. She reached in her pack and fished out a bottle of water, "Here." She offered it to him and continued up the mountain.

Idiot girl, that's not why he hesitated, you fool!

What do you mean? He was out of breath.

Since when does he get that out of breath so easily?

... OH! I-

Save it girl, honestly, and people call you intelligent?

Leave me alone.

They neared the peak of the mountain and saw a small run-down shack near the edge of a steep drop. Naruto's eyes widened.

"Is this the place? What the hell could granny Tsunade want from here?"

"Naruto! Don't call her that! It's disrespectful!"

"Sorry Sakura-Chan."

"Sigh"

They slowly approached the small cabin, it was, very small and abandoned-looking, was there really anyone inside? As they neared the door, there was a crash of lightning and both ninjas jumped, Sakura emitting a small squeak of surprise. Then they both laughed a little.

"Nervous?" Sakura challenged. Naruto grinned and adjusted his forehead protector.

"Nah, you?"

"Course not."

She took a deep breath and reached for the handle. But jumped back as she felt a small shock pulse through her black leather gloves.

"This isn't right." She murmured. "The door is rigged."

Naruto nodded and walked round to the dirty window by the door, peering through into the single-room.

"There's no-one inside, but there's a parcel on a table in the middle."

"Another test?" Sakura hissed. "I thought Master was done with all that. Damn it. Alright, Naruto? Any ideas?" She looked to him with a relaxed expression, it made his stomach flutter. Sakura was asking him for advice on this test, she'd done it a couple of times but it still made him happy. He nodded, beaming.

"There's a way in up at the top I think, I saw a small gap in the roof, but I'm not sure if it's big enough." He pointed up at the roof, "And it might be guarded by traps."

"It's worth checking, give me a boost? I'll pull you up after."

Naruto obediently knelt on the floor and provided a foothold with his hands, Sakura used focussed chakra so that she wouldn't fall and scrambled onto the surprisingly high roof, then, kneeling over the edge, she offered her hand to Naruto.

When they were both on the roof, Sakura saw what Naruto had meant, there was a small gap in the roof tiles near the top. "You spotted that with one check? Wow." Naruto couldn't help a small blush, he was still susceptible to these compliments, and they still made him warm inside. He was getting them more and more now, but that didn't change the reaction.

After Sakura had checked for traps, Naruto helped her tear away at the roof tiles until the hole was just big enough to slip through, Naruto went first and landed softly on the wooden floor, he checked the room over quickly before beckoning for Sakura to join him, she too landed noiselessly in the old floorboards. They both stood still for a few moments, holding their breath.

Sakura glanced warily at Naruto when nothing happened, he frowned.

"It shouldn't be this easy."

His friend nodded in agreement and they slowly approached the box on the table, looking at each other as they did so, they reached out for the package simultaneously.

And they both ducked up to avoid 5 kunai flying towards them from traps in the walls.

"Shit!" Naruto exclaimed as a trap door opened beneath them, he went to jump up, reaching to catch Sakura as he used to, to save her, but she had already jumped away from the trap door and had reached to catch him. They landed either side and laughed a little at their reactions.

"Don't swear in front of a lady, Naruto." Sakura scolded, keeping her senses alert for further traps, Naruto just smiled, reaching for the package a second time.

"Second time lucky?"

"Don't jinx it."

He picked up the brown paper-wrapped parcel slowly, when nothing happened, he checked it over and quickly tucked it into his backpack. He gave his companion the thumbs up and she laughed happily, he was still relaxed and cheerful even when they were being tested by the Hokage.

"Now we have to get out..." She trailed off, above them, the hole in the roof was sealing up.

"Damn it!"

"Well, it couldn't have been that easy could it?"

They stood back to back, holding a kunai each, the girl's green eyes narrowed and she tensed, ready to avoid any attack, she turned her head to the left and then to the right, the windows were now boarded up, there was no light except that of a small candle in one corner. It had almost burned out, Sakura looked closely... It wasn't an explosive, just a candle. She sighed in relief.

The candle fizzled out.

Suddenly the whole room was lit.

"Exploding tags!"

There was no time.

They grabbed each other's arms and jumped down the trap door.

Naruto felt the shockwaves of the explosion and looked up to see flames chasing them as they fell. He held tight onto the girl's wrists and she had caught his; they were falling back to back waiting for the floor to come. As the flames receded, the two teenagers gathered chakra in their feet and held on to the walls of the hole.

Panting heavily, Naruto released Sakura's wrists and they stood still in the darkness.

"How far down do you think this goes? We must have fallen pretty far already."

"Hmm." Naruto grunted. "I think we should keep going."

"What? Are you stupid? We don't know what's down there!"

"Well I'm going." He released the chakra in his feet and dropped down, Sakura, who had been leaning against him, fell upside down against the wall, she was- not best pleased.

"Naruto!"

Baka Naruto!!! Wait till I get my hands on him!!!

Well... I have no choice now, I can't leave him.

And she too let herself drop down into the blackness. Closing her eyes.

I swear Naruto, if either of us dies, I'll kill you... wait...

That makes no sense!

I know, damn it, well... I'll do something to him.

Kiss him!

What?! Where did that come from?!

Look out!

Sakura landed softly on the stone floor of a dimly lit cave, Oil lamps burned on the walls and there were three passages leading in different directions. Naruto was sat on the floor with his hands on his knees looking from one to the other. As Sakura approached him he turned his head to face her, he was wearing a smirk on his face.

"Really, Naruto, you shouldn't be so impulsive, what are we going to do now?"

He pointed to one of the passages with certainty. "That one."

"Gut instinct isn't credible enough Naruto. Why that way?" She stopped in surprise. "Oh."

Two shadow clones emerged from the other passages to the one that Naruto had pointed to. Naruto smiled good-naturedly, "The other two couldn't get out."

"Fair enough then." Sakura smiled back shamefacedly. She shouldn't have doubted him; he was more tactical than before... Still impulsive... But more tactical.

She started to say something but stopped herself. Why was she going to say that? She'd already told him he was good, he didn't need to hear it again. He'd get too egotistical, like Sasuke had been, he'd become furious towards the end because he could see Naruto surpassing him.

What?! Don't you dare Bad-mouth Sasuke!!!

Why did I think that? He was angry because if Itachi, it wasn't his fault, anyone would have behaved the same.

No, not anyone.

Naruto wouldn't.

True.

Yeah.

"Hey Sakura-chan, are you coming?"

"What? Oh- yeah."

"Kinda spaced out there..." He smiled, and offered her his hand, she raised her eyebrows, but took it, and he blushed a little bit, his lined cheeks turning pink. "You might faint." He justified. She shook her head;

"I'm fine." She protested, but she didn't take her hand away.

Together they ran off down the passage.

Shizune and Tonton watched the cabin explode, Tonton squealed sadly, but Shizune just watched. They wouldn't have been blown up; the trap door had been opened, she was sure. Now she just had to wait at the exit.

She put a hand to a cut on her ankle, healing it.

How did I get caught off guard by that? Sure they'd not had long to set a trap, but I know what Sakura can do. There's no excuse, and now I have to waste chakra.

Tonton scampered towards the wreckage.

"Tonton, they won't be there!" Shizune called out to the small pig, which then looked back and returned to her friend. "We have to go and fight them soon; Tsunade's test will be meaningless otherwise." The black haired girl put on her mask and pulled up her hood.

"Do you think they'll recognise me?"

Tonton shook her head no.

"Good."

Light. Naruto could see it. Spurred on by the thought of daylight, he sped up, and Sakura was perhaps even more enthused at the thought of the open air and she overtook him, running ahead slightly, but all the while keeping an eye out for traps that Naruto had not noticed with his shadow clone technique. She saw a couple that had been set off by the kage bunshin but other than that... nothing.

They both stood at the mouth of the cave taking in the view. The light wasn't as bright as they had thought from inside, dark clouds loomed over Konoha in the distance, and they could clearly see lightning coming towards them. A deep rumble caused Sakura's face to contort with concern.

"We need to find somewhere safe to sit this out, we were told that the package is fragile and we can't fail the test now. I think- Naruto?" He was looking down the mountain at something Sakura couldn't see.

"There's another cave down there, it'll be a bit difficult to get to but it'll be dry at least." He grinned at her and started to climb down the rocky slope, Sakura watched him for a while before following. She felt another pang of respect for his observational skills and knew that he was a lot more capable than she had ever thought he could be.

I'm sorry I underestimated you Naruto. You really are an excellent Shinobi now.

I'm quite jealous! He notices things I don't, it's not fair!

Then we're a good team, we work well together.

Well, I won't argue that. But do you really mean as a team?

You always twist everything I say!

You liked holding his hand before right? I know girl, I'm in your head! Ha-ha!

I wish you weren't!

Oh my god... I held her hand!

Breathe boy; we can't have you dying now...

I held Sakura's hand!

I get it, big whoop.

She didn't hit me for it either!

Breathe!

Ignoring the Bijuu, Naruto swung into the hollow inside the mountain, and was surprised to find that it was bigger than he'd thought at first. The cave had a lot of stalactites and stalagmites leaving little room for an actual tent, but it was a big cave, mostly in darkness but he could tell that it went a long way back.

A small tak behind him told him that his teammate had also just come into the cave.

"What do you think? We can stay here for a while right?"

"It's ideal!" Sakura lit a flare and put it on the floor to provide some light, in a place that couldn't be easily seen from outside. "Really, Naruto, it's a good job you found this place." The rain arrived suddenly and it was torrential.

They both set out their camp beds and placed some seals around the entrance so that no-one could get in. But, not being tired they sat opposite each other in deep thought.

"I can't help but wonder..." Sakura began, "Why Master is testing us again..."

Naruto nodded, "It does seem a bit pointless... Maybe the test with Kakashi wasn't enough or maybe..." Naruto grinned, "This is my chuunin exam?" He looked at Sakura hopefully.

"Sorry, Naruto I don't think so."

He laughed, "I can hope." He looked out at the rain and sighed; "I hope this lets up soon... I really want some ramen..."

"What?! Naruto, we just had some!" She looked at him wide eyed, disbelieving. Surely he wasn't hungry? The boy's stomach growled and he smiled a little, embarrassed.

"Heh..."

There was a silence, broken only by the dripping of water somewhere out of sight.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Hmm?" She smiled at him.

"Do you- I mean... Do you still love Sasuke?"

"..."

Sakura bowed her head; tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. Naruto bit his lip; he hadn't meant to make her cry.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Sakura shook her head, sparkling droplets scattered around her. "No, Naruto don't be sorry anymore... Neither of us could do anything to help him."

Naruto looked out at the storm. A bolt of lightning temporarily blinded him and he blinked a few times.

She didn't answer your question, boy.

She didn't have to.

Sakura blinked away her tears, not moving her hands to her face, not once.

Damn it... Why am I crying? I don't feel like crying... So why am I crying?

She looked up at her blond companion, her eyes still glassy. He was avoiding her gaze, looking out at the dark sky with a solemn expression on his handsome face.

Did I just say handsome?

Thunder crashed and a flicker of lightning illuminated the comparatively dark cave.

Do I still love Sasuke? Why did Naruto ask that? What made him- why did he ask me that?

The girl turned her head away from Naruto and surveyed the cave, she couldn't see past a hundred feet as the darkness became complete and seemingly impenetrable. Looking up, she saw that the cave roof wasn't very high up; it was about the same as a house's ceiling.

Maybe this wasn't a natural cave; maybe at some point in history somebody had made this cave in the mountainside. Tunnelled into the rock to form a dwelling or passageway...

She looked back at her friend, who was foraging in his backpack for something to eat. She felt another tear slide down her cheek and lifted a finger to it in surprise. Again? Why? Naruto pulled out two onigiri and held one out to her wordlessly, she slowly reached out and her fingers closed around it.

"Thank you Naruto."

He let her take it and sat back against a stalactite, looking at her gravely. Holding his onigiri loosely he crossed his arms over his knees and let his hands hang loosely. He watched her as she ate her onigiri slowly. The boy glanced at his own rice ball and ate it before Sakura had reached the middle of her own.

He looked up again in surprise when she laughed.

"You never slow down, do you Naruto?" She had her head to one side and was smiling at him, such a warm, friendly smile. He felt a pang in his chest and his breath caught. He'd forgotten how good it was to be with old friend, not really doing much, just being with them. In those years with Jirayia he'd made new friends, he did that a lot, but Sakura was one of his first friends. After years of being alone, team 7 had been formed, and he'd made friends. True friends. Friends that he would love forever. He'd die for those friends, those bonds with others.

That damn Sasuke had ruined it all. When he'd left, there had been no more missions for team 7, Sakura started training with Granny Tsunade and Naruto, with Ero-Sennin gone, had tagged along on other missions, with other friends. He valued the others, but he'd missed the closeness of being with Kakashi-Sensei, Sasuke and Sakura as a team.

"You know me Sakura-Chan, I can't help it."

"Yeah Naruto, I know." She smiled some more.

You do know me Sakura-chan, and I know you. That's why-

Don't say it kid, I'm begging you, please don't say that, it's so... sickening.

Fine. I wasn't going to anyway.

Naruto's stomach rumbled.

"Here, Naruto, have some of mine, I'm not that hungry anyway." She broke the remainder of her onigiri in half and pressed it into his hand, Naruto's eyes widened.

"Sakura-chan I couldn't possibly-"

"Just eat it; I know you're dying to." She raised a pink eyebrow, it was true, and he couldn't take his eyes off the food in his hand. He looked at her sincerely.

"Thank you Sakura-chan." And he ate it.

The girl shook her head.

Oh dear...

They both ate in silence for a while. The flare began to burn dimmer so Sakura picked up her pack and began to get up. The boy was licking his fingers but stopped and looked at her.

"What are you doing?" She turned and lifted her pack slightly.

"I'm going to get ready for bed, it's getting later and I want to be awake early to see if the storm is over." She crossed her arms and frowned, "You didn't pack anything except the tent and camp bed did you? I knew I should have helped you. Didn't you learn anything with Jirayia-sama? Honestly Naruto." Then she laughed again, she was doing that a lot since their return to Konoha from that mission with Gaara. She dug into her pack and threw the boy a set of pyjamas.

"They're my dad's but I think they'll fit well enough, they were from when he was a ninja before he lost his leg, they'll keep you warm and you don't have to wear your day clothes tonight." She turned and walked off into the darkness, "But I'm getting changed first, no peeking!" Naruto's head snapped up.

"I wouldn't- I mean- I'm not Ero-Sennin!" Then, remembering that she was going to change, Naruto quickly turned his head away.

Haha! Whipped!

Stop taking an interest in my life!!!

Someone has to.

You're so mean ¬¬

"Done! You can go now if you want Naruto." Sakura tapped him on the shoulder and he did as she said.

She cares, not in the way I'd like, perhaps, but she does care. She's not the only one either, I have a lot of friends now, and I'm not alone anymore.

I should really do something about that...

What?! What do you mean?! You can't do anything!

We'll see...

Don't! What- TALK TO ME!!!

He came back from the dark recesses of the cave to find his friend already in bed, her things neatly packed away, she propped herself up on her elbows when he came back, she untied her Konoha headband and set it by her pillow, he understood, he didn't take his forehead protector off until last thing at night either.

"God, Naruto, you took ages, I was beginning to get worried. Well... Goodnight."

She cares... She cares... She cares...

Don't let the Kyuubi have her...

"Goodnight Sakura-chan."

Please... Don't let the Kyuubi have her...