There was a frantic knocking at Sakura's front door that morning. She woke up, practically falling out of her bed from sitting up so quickly. She quickly made her way to the door and opened it.

"...H-Hello?" She said sleeply
She was practically glomped off her feet by Naruto, who burst through the door with a cry of joy.

"Sakura, thank heavens you're okay!" he cried. "I was so worried about you! Did you hear about the attacks last night? Four people had to be put in the hospital! I was scared you were one of them!"
"Ah! Naruto!" She yelled out when he grabbed her "....I-I'm fine. I'm glad to see you are too."
He kept hugging.

"Waah! I was so scared!"
Now Sakura was starting to get annoyed.

"I know ok....."
He let go of her finally.

"Wanna come get some ramen with me at Ichiraku?"
"…Well, um…ok."
"Hmm? What's the matter?" Naruto asked
"..It.....It's just that last night...... Sai he.... he was attacked. He came to me last night. I ran him to the hospital. Seeing him like that..." She paused, the images of last night returning "I just need to know hes okay first..."
"Okay. I'll go with you, if you want."
"....Thank you Naruto...."

Naruto sighed as he walked with Sakura. "Nice day, huh?"
"Mmhmm..." She wasn't in much of a talking mode her mind was too busy reminder her of last night
"Huh? You're awfully quiet."
"I'm sorry.. I ..I just.... I don't know..."
"Well, we're here!" he said as they came to the hospital.
"I can see that...Baka" She said sort of playfully
He whined at being called baka.

"Well, let's go, then!" he said as he opened the door.

Sakura was about to go inside when a familiar form on the other side of the building caught Sakura's attention.
"haah Sasuke!!!" she said

'He really is here... he's back..' She thought happily
"Huh? Where?" Naruto asked, looking around franticly
Sakura, becoming her old Sasuke obsessed self ran over to where she had seen him. Naruto followed right behind her. But by the time she got over there Sasuke was gone.

"Huh....b-but he was right there.....And I saw him last night too!"
Naruto sighed. "Sakura, you're seeing things . . . I'm gonna go inside." He left after that.
'Rrrr I was NOT seeing things!! Sasuke was right there!! God that baka!!!' Inner Sakura ranted

Sasuke jumped down from above and landed behind Sakura when Naruto was gone.
"Sakura. What did I tell you about avoiding shadow?" Sasuke scolded.
"Huh? Sasuke....I...oh..... I'm sorry..... And I promised you I'd be careful too."
Sakura then took a few steps back to she was in the direct sunlight, Sasuke remained where he was.
"Ive been monitoring Sai's condition. He's still weak, from blood loss, but he'll be all right."
"Oh thank god. I'm so glad to hear that."
He lit up a cigarette before continuing.

"You need to keep an eye on him, though, because the ones I killed are not the only ones that now have a taste for his blood."
"Wait, you mean more than one bit him or something?"
"Yes. But the ones that bit him are dead. There were some that got away that managed to get some of his blood before they escaped. They are known as the Masters."
"So ... there going to send even more after him?"
"It is possible."
"I just don't understand. What makes Sai and those other people so special to them? If anything you think they'd go after someone more powerful."
"Again, it's not Sai they're after, it's blood."
"Then if they want blood so bad why don't they be smart and like take out some one powerful? Then when everyone is all in disarray from it they can take them all."
"They're not targeting anyone, Sakura. If they get a taste for blood--Sai's or otherwise--they go after it . . ." He exhaled a long stream of smoke. ". . . with ravenous hunger."
Sakura knew she was probably sounding annoying with all her questions but she just wanted to understand what these 'vampires' were about. Sasuke looked at her and sighed.

"This is a dangerous thing that's going on. At least a thousand have been attacked here in the Land of Fire. Five hundred were killed, and at least one hundred are now vampires like them. And that's just the beginning."
'So many people..' She thought 'And who knows how many others from the different lands...' '
Sasuke brushed a hand over her face.

"Just promise to keep yourself safe, all right?"
Naruto's voice suddenly called. "Sakura, what are you doing?"
Sakura Turned to see Naruto walking over. She looked back to see Sasuke gone again.
"Sakura?"
"Oh um nothing. I was just ...observing a bird. But it flew away when you came over. No big deal." She said coming up with a lie on the spot.
"Um . . . Okay. Yeah, um, Shikamaru and Kiba are up visiting Sai as well. If you wanna see 'em, you can come on up."
"Okay then, lets go,"

Naruto walked up to the room and went inside.

"I found her. She was 'looking at a bird'."
Sakura elbowed him in the side.

"Oh shut up!"
Sai narrowed his eyes.

"Naruto, do you have to assume that every girl is lying to you?"
"Well after my last girlfriend dumped me for that goth freak after cheating for two months--"
"We get it!" they all shouted in unison.
"Right," Naruto said, sitting down.
"So um... how are you feeling today Sai?" Sakura asked taking a seat next to Naruto.
"Well . . . um . . ." he blushed lightly.
"Spit it out, Sai!" Naruto said.
"Fine. Thank you. And thank you for helping me."
"Well that's good. I'm just glad I was able to help."
Naruto sighed.

"I think Sakura's the only one here without problems."
Kiba and Sai glared at him.
"Just sayin'."
'Oh you have no idea' She thought
"Anyway . . ." Kiba began, "like I was saying before the little drama parade . . ." He turned to Shikamaru. "Hana found one of your deer last night . . . dead."
"What? ...*sigh* oh great, isn't this troublesome..."
"Yeah. She said that it had been completely drained of blood."
"It was drained of it's blood?" Sakura ask/repeated
"Yeah, from two puncture wounds in its neck."
"Well that's weird." Shika said
Naruto agreed.
"You think it might have to do with those attacks last night?" Naruto asked.
"I guess it's possible." Shika said
He sighed. Sai then began to try and stand up, Naruto tried to stop him.
"Sai, what are you doing? You need to rest!"
Naruto's right Sai. You don't want to strain yourself. It's better to just relax." Sakura said
"I feel fine."
"Sai, Please...it's for the best...''
"I said I feel fine, though . . ."
Sakura then just gave him a glare.
"What? I feel fine, really!"
''...Just lay back down...." Sakura said, obviously very annoyed now.
"Sakura, I have a mission today!"
Sakura then lost it and punched Sai.

"BAKA!!! YOUR IN THE HOSPITAL!!! WHICH MEANS YOU STAYING HERE UNTIL LADY TSUNADE SAYS YOU CAN LEAVE!!! UNDERSTAND???'
He stared at her with wide eyes.
"Sakura . . ."
Sakura didn't say anything. She just looked at him.
"Just let me go, Sakura . . . I hate hospitals . . ."
Sakura just gave him a glare that said 'Shut up and deal with it...or I'll punch u again'
"No, really . . . I'm afraid of them . . ."
"So are many other patients. But they learn to deal with it."
"Sakura . . . Please . . ."
"I said no okay!! Complain to me one more time, I dare you..."
He sighed. "Fine . . ."
Sakura smiled in victory.
Naruto perked up. "Hey, Sai, if you stay here, I'll bring you some ramen from Ichiraku!"
Sai thought for a moment.

"Hmm . . ."
"Sure beats the rotten hospital food." Kiba said
'It's not that bad...' Sakura though 'Course...it's not that good either. But hospital food is fine!!'
Finally Sai nodded. "Okay. I'll stay."
"Good!" Sakura said happily

---

((Ugh, there chapter 3 done. This was kind of a filler chapter in a way. But whatever.

Lolz, I can just picture Sai being in a hospital bed, all hooked up to I.V.'s and stuff and then Sakura just being like POW!!!! Punching him XD!!!

Poor Sai.

Yeah, lots of crap is coming up next chapter so yeah...

BYE!!!

Oh.... yeah, I own no rights ^-^))