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Chapter 6 - Family

Naruto

"Sandaime-sama, I-"

"Ne, Sakura-chan, what are you doing?" Naruto peered at the bowing form of his teammate. She was awfully formal, even with travel worn clothes and the overall triumph they all felt – should feel.

"As I was saying, Sandaime-sama, I am grateful-"

"Hey, old man! We finished an A-ranked mission! We're so awesome!"

"Naruto! Shut it! Sanda-"

"Why, Saaakura-chaaan. You're acting weird again."

"And you, apparently, have a death wish! I'm trying to pay my respect to a memory, to a great man and the sacrifice he made – will make – for us all. This might not be my world, but I'm trapped here, and I've decided to do my best for you all while I'm here! Be that days or...the rest of my life."

"You're acting really weird. 'Course you always... " Naruto could suddenly see her fist shaking, each knuckle white and... glowing? Perhaps he should shut up. It was just...so difficult. He had so many things to tell the old man: They had all survived their mission, and The Great Naruto Bridge stood proud to show the world who the next Hokage would be. That's right, they were Team 7 and they could do anything! Even though the others were a brooding bastard, a lazy perv and a violent, crazy female... Who was currently rambling nonsense, but at least she was happy-ish again, not dead looking as during the last weeks. Sakura-chan could live in her delusions as long as she was happy.

"Haruno Sakura." The old man looked both curious and serious. What an odd mix. "I would like you to stay for a while. I believe it's time we talked. The rest of you – good job. You're dismissed."

Nobody would hear him out about comrades and celebrations, so Naruto was forced out of the office with the remaining team. That was not an especially good thing, because Kakashi-sensei immediately poofed off, with a lame excuse about life catching up with him. Translation: He'd gone off somewhere to read that book. Pervert. Which left Naruto alone with Sasuke.

Teme had brought brooding to a whole new level on the way home. Who would have thought the guy could be any more gloomy? Seriously. He didn't die after all, he had activated those Sharin-something eyes, and they just completed an A ranked mission. If not celebration, the least he could do was brighten up a little.

Adding to the long list of good things happening right now, Sakura-chan was almost normal again. She didn't freeze them out after the whole hafta-work-together-to-survive incident, and she even smiled and talked now. And she didn't do it in the former I'm-talking-to-you-but-I-don't-believe-it's-you way. It was nice. They could finally be a proper team. Friends.

On that note... "Wanna go eat ramen?"

"No."

"Aw, come on! Temeee..."

"No."

"We're going for ramen! Don't be all gloomy and broody, Teme."

"Leave me alone, Naruto."

"Fine, no ramen. What about a spar?" That would do it! Sasuke never said no to training, and maybe they could eat afterwards. Perhaps they could rope in Sakura-chan, and go together.

Sasuke hadn't answered yet. He was actually really silent, and of course that was his other trade mark, apart from brooding, but he usually responded in some way.

"Eh... Sasuke?" Did he look a little pale? Perhaps he hadn't healed yet from the fight. That could explain why he was so tense, and refused to answer. He might be afraid to lose, 'cause Naruto had been pretty great, saved the day and stuff. Maybe the hospital was a good idea. "Let's get your wounds treated before I beat you." A generous offer, if he did say so himself.

"I need to think, Dobe, not that I expect you to be familiar with the concept. I'm all healed, anyway. Sakura fixed that days ago."

"Sakura-chan is so amazing! I'm going to take her on a date, and she'll be my girlfriend and stuff, and she'll stop hitting me. Believe it! And we'll be together always, and you'll be there too – but keep away from Sakura-chan – and we'll be the awesomest team that ever lived, and then I'll become Hokage, you can be my underling, it'll be so grea-"

"Naruto! Shut up!" Sasuke stormed off with a murderous, thundering face. Somewhere along the line, Naruto had apparently pissed him off. Maybe it was the underling thing?

Sakura

Sakura stretched her legs, and set out at a run in the chilly morning air. She dearly missed her body, scars and all. This pathetic, weak shell just didn't cut it. She could not sleep any more anyway, and she was determined to pull her endurance and strength up from the sewers of uselessness and into the light. It was a disgrace for the Hokage's apprentice to be like this - although these people only saw a fresh genin – and Sakura would only accept it over her dead body.

A few people were up already, setting up shop and preparing for another day. They seemed so real. All of them did. It was hard to keep up treating them as figment of her imagination or jutsu, and not proper people. Actually, after the Bridge incident she gave up on that. Mostly. They certainly reacted as if they were people, just like her memories predicted. It could still be a trap of some sort, but the possibility of this being a parallel world kept getting stronger.

It was still nice, all these blissful Team 7 days, but Sakura was afraid to grow too comfortable, lulled into a possible illusion.

Small cracks appeared, though, easily overlooked. But as she saw one, another became apparent until a web of fractures screamed at her from everywhere. This Naruto was not quite as cheerful, not the same loudmouth as the one she remembered. Sasuke wouldn't look her in the eye, after she had told him exactly what he would become. Kakashi-sensei... He treated her differently too. Nothing was the same after the Wave mission, and still she felt better. Alive, somehow, as if she had woken up. Even though she might be in a dream cracking at the edges.

"Oi! Forehead!"

Sakura whirled around, taking in purple clothes that revealed too much even at that age, long, pale hair and clear blue eyes. She felt the urge to cry, and embraced her child(hood) friend. "Ino! It's so good to see you again, it feels like ages."

"H-hey, Sakura, what are you doing? You're the one who declared us rivals, right? Ew, you're all sweaty too."

"Oh, sorry. I forgot." Sakura let go of Ino a bit reluctantly. A stray lock of pink swung in front of her face and she caught it, twirling it around her finger.

"But seriously, what are you doing? And what are you wearing, Forehead?" Sky blue eyes swept critically over her comfy clothes, previously only worn within the confinement of four homey walls. They were most certainly found lacking.

"I'm training, Ino. You should do it too. It's better to do it before a life-and-death situation, you know, and the Chūnin exams are coming up soon."

"Oh Sakura, is this about what happened in Wave? I heard about that." It wasn't really, but that was a good explanation, served on a silver platter and all.

"Yeah. The life of a ninja... It's not something kids should play around with, you know. Come join me, I work out in the mornings, does 6 o'clock sound fine to you?"

"I know all that!" She didn't, really. Nobody really understood before they had splatters of blood covering them, or helplessly seeing a jutsu being sent their way with no means of defending themselves. "I might join you... But so early? When do you sleep?" Ino looked positively shocked at the prospect of losing her beauty sleep.

"Before that? I don't sleep well anyway, so it's fine."

"That's not even close to fine. Seriously girl, have you looked at yourself? You're giving me Sasuke."

Sakura snorted, she just couldn't hold it back. That was all fine with her. Of course Ino looked scandalized, shocked that a theme such as Sasuke could bring forth anything but extreme competition. "Whatever, just join me for a run, Pig. Or do you want me to leave you in the dust? If you start to become lazy, people might just think that Shikamaru's rubbing off on you."

Ino showed up every morning, bright and early, after their little encounter.

Sasuke

"Hey! Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!"

"Naruto! Be more careful, you almost crashed into me!" Sakura was irked, and her fist jerked up before it relaxed again. She probably put a lot of conscious effort into not hitting the Dobe. A pity.

"Heh, sorry Sakura-chan. But I have this awesome discount on Ichiraku ramen, and will you go on a date with me?" That was definitely going to earn a punch. She could never seem to go a long time without them, and Sasuke was just glad every time it was not directed at him.

"Oh, Naruto." Her whole face went soft, and her frown melted into a smile. Maybe she wanted to lull her prey to lower his guard or something. "I really do love you. So much."

The world froze. They were all caught in it, the life and force of nature terminating, winding down to a halt. There must be some mistake. Actually, he would have to get his hearing checked out. Haruno Sakura did not love Uzumaki Naruto. It was impossible. Naruto agreed, by the looks of his complete shock. So… there was nothing wrong with his ears. She must have meant to say something else.

"Naruto. I love you. You're family. You're like my brother. When I see you, even when I know you're not my Naruto, this is what you are to me. I wish... I wish I could have told my Naruto. And... I should have told him. He deserved to hear it, though I hope and believe he knew. Most of all, I wish I deserved his friendship. I'm such a burden... And he kept me from falling apart."

Her words were spinning a tale which could not be true. Sakura was strong, unnaturally so, she would never be a burden. Her existence was of steel and resolve, she never let her vulnerabilities show. Something nagged, piercing into him even though he tried to ignore it. She was strong, Sakura. She was blinking back water from her eyes. And not once since their team formed did she say anything insincere. Her conviction reverberated throughout her whole body, her beliefs were steadfast in the core of her being. If she ever tried for deception, he would spot it immediately.

"Sakura..." The Dobe spoke, and the world moved again, suddenly too fast and daring. Too much, too little, more than Sasuke could keep a grasp on. He felt nauseous. Sakura and Naruto would run through his fingers and he could do nothing. Watch. He could do that.

She roughly swiped the tears away, and smiled again, shakily. "That's why I could never go on a date with you. Brother." A Naruto-grin enveloped them. They had something now. The two of them. Bonds. True family. Sakura became sunny again, almost completely happy. Her shadows were mostly gone, for a few seconds. Because of Naruto. "Besides, I could never do that to Hinata. Even in a dream or illusion. Definitely not in another world." She had spun the conversation from the start, turning the world upside down and back again. The surprises just kept coming with her.

"Ehh? Hinata? Isn't that the girl who always runs a fever? What's she gotta do with it?"

"Why don't you take her with you to Ichiraku and find out?" Sakura the matchmaker. Figures. Wonder how long the Dobe would be oblivious. Sasuke felt quite certain of one thing: Naruto would not ask his 'sister' out again. The world was draped in new colors, and they were all pink and sunshine. Sasuke could be a part of it, perhaps. Maybe if he tried to touch it, all of it would shatter into a million pieces. That man would make sure of it. Itachi. Or maybe the darkness within himself was enough.

He would kill his... team. So she said. Friends, actually. If he was to be completely honest. Damn it! They were his friends. He could feel it, every day, when Kakashi-sensei looked up from his book and smiled with that one eye, when Naruto was annoying and Sakura went from caring to fiery and back. They could have been a family. These bonds hurt so damn much. He would ruin everything, hurt them, kill them, become a monster too, in the process of achieving his revenge.

It just wasn't possible! When Sakura stood passively while the enemy charged, and when the senbon came for Naruto, he had acted on instinct. His body had moved, and every fiber of his being had screamed to protect them. How could he lose it so completely?

"Yo, Teme! Enough brooding, let's all go to Ichiraku Ramen!"

"I told you, Naruto, no date."

"Nonono, not like that. As a team." A little later, and quieter; "as a family." Sakura smiled radiantly, grabbed them both, and started marching them off. Sasuke had no choice but to hang on while trying to preserve some dignity – after all, there was no way he would be able to break free of her grip.