Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I also don't own the title "When Calls the Heart". It was the title of a book by Janette Oke…I forgot to mention that before. So don't sue me.
Thanks for the reviews!
Dust-in: Deidara will be back, either in this fic or the sequel. But don't have high hopes for him and Ino. And I don't hate Itachi because of the way people portray him in their fics. I genuinely hate him. Why wouldn't anyone? Hello, he massacred his entire family and clan! Not to mention he's the reason Sasuke left Konoha in the first place…yah, I'm still bitter about that.
Sleepykittycat: Yah that's not what Itachi whispered to Sakura. And you're darn right she deserves some recognition! Have you seen the Shippuuden episode where Kakashi and Naruto find out who strong she got over two and a half years? The look on their faces was priceless. As for your problem with the story: well, they never mentioned anything about having any type of medical training to become a Genin so I assumed that they didn't. They found Akatsuki's hideout by following Deidara and using Hinata's Byakugan, which I assume has gotten better over the time-skip. Sorry if it seems that unrealistic, but their all Chuunin (excluding Naruto and Sasuke) so I assumed that their skills also got better. Sorry if it sounded unrealistic or anything. But they had to find Sakura or she would've died! And we can't have out heroine die…now can we (at least not yet)? Overall I'm glad you like my writing! It's always nice to have a fan!
Chapter Eleven: Traps
Sasuke and Sakura caught up with Naruto, Hinata, and Sai. Before they went any further, Hinata stopped them.
"What is it?" Sakura asked.
"Don't move your foot, Sakura."
"Why?"
Sasuke looked and swore. "Sakura, look what you're stepping on."
She looked down and frowned. The sunlight glinted of something. Upon closer inspection, she found that it was a string. A string that led to…
"Oh no," she whispered.
"Hyuuga, use your Byakugan and see where it leads." Sasuke closed his eyes, and his jaw clenched in fury.
"Byakugan!" Hinata concentrated more chakra into her eyes so that she could follow the near-invisible line. She gasped.
"This whole area is set to explode! It leads to a tree with dozens of explosive tags. If Sakura lifts up her foot, it will trigger them all."
For once, Hinata wasn't quiet or stuttering. Naruto was impressed.
Sakura swallowed.
Sasuke swore. "Damnit Sakura! Why didn't you watch where you were going?"
"Well excuse me! I'm not perfect, okay?!" She clenched her fists. Damnit! I am so stupid! How could I not notice it?
"Knock it off you two! You sound like an old married couple," grumbled Naruto.
Sakura's cheeks tinted red and Sasuke folded his arms.
"Hn."
Sai smiled his fake smile. "Now, now. Shouldn't we worry about that trap that Sakura's about to spring?"
Sasuke's face clouded over. "Damnit. Hyuuga, is there any way for Sakura to let go and not trip the mechanism?"
Hinata shook her head. "I don't see any."
Sakura sighed. "Well then, there's only one thing to do."
"What?" Naruto asked.
"You guys should just leave-"
"Sakura we're not leaving you! Don't even think of sacrificing yourself for us!" Sasuke would've grabbed her, but moving her was improbable at this point.
Sakura blushed. "Uh…actually, I was going to say, you guys should just leave and look for a weak spot in the trap so that I can get out of here."
Sasuke blanched, and then turned around and folded his arms across his chest. "Hn. I knew that."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Sure."
"Hinata, you're sure there's not a weak point in the string?" Sakura asked, the mood serious again.
Hinata used her Byakugan to search, but could find none. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but I don't see one."
Naruto looked at Sasuke. "What do you want to do, Sasuke?"
"We should do like Sakura said, and split up and look for a way out of it."
Everyone nodded and they all jumped in the air, but not before Sasuke and Sakura exchanged a look.
Five minutes later Sasuke swore vehemently. He could find nothing to help Sakura.
Hinata, Sai, and Naruto could find nothing either.
They all met at the beginning of one of the ends.
They were about to head back to Sakura when a blast knocked them off their feet. They each got up shakily, and Hinata gasped.
"Oh no…"
"No," Sasuke whispered. "Sakura!"
The entire area within fifty almost completely obliterated. All they could see were high-rising flames quickly devouring anything in it's wake. Sasuke ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He sniffed the air, expecting to smell burnt flesh. But he only smelled smoke.
They raced to the place where they had left Sakura. The surrounding trees had been completely blown away, and there was a crater where Sakura had been standing moments ago.
They approached the edge of the crater cautiously, and covered their faces so they wouldn't inhale the smoke.
"Sakura!" Sasuke yelled. He coughed as the smoke consumed all of the rest of the oxygen in the air.
"Byakugan!" Hinata's all-seeing eyes scanned the surrounding foliage. "I see her!"
Sasuke glanced sharply at her. "Where?"
"Right in the middle. She-she's alive!"
Naruto stepped forward. "Then we've got to go in there!"
Hinata grabbed his arm, stopping him. "N-Naruto, there's no path to her…"
Naruto looked down at her. "But-"
"I'll go."
"Sasuke-"
Sasuke didn't look at him as he cut him off. "I wasn't there for her before. I can finally make up for lost time."
While they were talking, Hinata frowned. "Sasuke, she's not there anymore."
"What? What do you mean? She's not-"
"Dead? Now, why would I be dead? You all can't think a little explosion would kill me?"
They all turned to see Sakura standing behind them, a hand on her hip and smiling.
"Sakura? What the hell happened?" By his expression, Sakura could tell that Sasuke was beyond angry.
Sakura swallowed. "Well, you see…it happened like this…"
Sakura swore. "There's no weakness in the trap. Hinata said so herself. Damnit! Sasuke's probably ranting about how weak I am, and what a dead weight I am, always bringing them down. Well, not anymore. I won't let them get hurt because of me. From now on, I can take care of myself."
She closed her eyes and concentrated. "All of their chakras are far enough away that they won't be hurt by the blast. I guess it's now or never."
Without moving her feet, Sakura bent her knees and began gathering chakra into her chakra points. After a few minutes, she took a deep breath and as she exhaled, she stepped off of the string. At the same time she released the jutsu, and the chakra exploded all around her, blowing away the oncoming flames. The chakra surrounded her while the flames engulfed the area around her, but her jutsu shielded her from harm. After the blast, she released the jutsu, and then, emitting chakra from her hands, blew away the flames and made a path through the flames.
"And well, then I saw you guys….and here I am!"
Sasuke glared at her. "Do you know how stupid that was?"
Sakura flinched. "Sasuke-"
"You do realize that if your jutsu hadn't worked that you'd be dead."
"But-"
"Not to mention that you potentially endangered the lives of everyone else."
"I checked to make sure you guys weren't near-"
"Sakura, that was a very stupid thing to do." Sakura looked down on the ground. Instead of trying to argue even further, she bowed her head in defeat. Well, he's right, she mentally agreed with Sasuke.
Nothing surprised her more than what happened next. She saw a shadow loom over her, and then a pair of strong arms encircled her, and squeezed for a moment. Sakura stood there while Sasuke gently hugged her.
"I'm glad you're okay," he whispered in her ear. He held her for a few more moments and then let go abruptly. His voice resumed it's usual coldness. "And don't you ever do that again."
Sakura bit her lip to keep from smiling. She nodded her agreement.
Naruto came up to her and gave her a big hug. "Sakura! You really had me worried there! I thought you were dead! But that jutsu is so cool! Hey are you okay you're face is turning blue!"
"Idiot, you're strangling her. She can't breathe." Sasuke glared at Naruto.
Naruto instantly let go of Sakura and looked sheepish. "Sorry, Sakura."
Sakura coughed and wheezed out, "It's okay, Naruto."
Even more to Sakura's surprise, Sai came up and gave her a hug too.
"What was that for?" she asked.
Sai smiled, this one actually genuine. "Well, everyone else did. I read in a book somewhere that that's what friends do sometimes."
Sakura nodded. "Thanks, Sai."
Hinata smiled at Sakura, and Sakura did likewise.
After a few moments of silence, Sakura spoke in a cheerful tone. "Well, shall we be moving on?"
Everyone but Sasuke nodded.
"What's wrong, Sasuke?" Sakura asked, seeing his expression.
"Nothing," he said quietly.
"You look troubled," Sai observed. Sasuke shot him a glare.
"Hn."
Sakura rolled her eyes. He never changes.
Yesterday morning.
Hokage's office.
"Tsunade!" Shizune burst into the Hokage's office.
"Hmm? Oh, what is it, Shizune?" She quickly wiped away the tale-telling drool from the papers and blinked to rid herself of the aftereffects of sleep.
"Shikamaru and Temari are back!"
Tsunade frowned, not hearing the rest of the team's names'. "Send them in!"
Shikamaru and Temari walked in, dirty and tired.
"Report!"
Shikamaru quickly explained all that had transpired.
Tsunade had her hands folded in front of her, and closed her eyes in thought.
"Well, what are we going to do, Tsunade?" asked Shizune.
"Hokage, you should send ANBU-" Shikamaru started to suggest, but was interrupted by the Hokage.
"I need all the ANBU here for Konoha's protection. We're on the brink of war, not only with Orochimaru, but with Akatsuki as well. I'll assemble a team of Chuunins-"
"With all due respect, Hokage, this is an A-rank mission. We're dealing with Akatsuki and Orochimaru. I would suggest Jounin if nothing else-"
"Shikamaru, you're mind may be faster than mine, but I have the wisdom that only comes with age. I am the Hokage, and you will listen to and obey my orders!"
Shikamaru sighed. "Hai, Hokage. My apologies," he grumbled out.
Temari stepped forward. "I'll go."
Shikamaru groaned. "Temari!"
Temari ignored him. "I owe Naruto Gaara's life. I owe Sakura Kankuro's life. I owe them everything. The least I can do is go and rescue them."
Tsunade closed her eyes in thought. "Very well."
"Women are so troublesome," Shikamaru said under his breath.
"What was that, Shikamaru?" Tsunade asked, an eyebrow raised.
He grinned nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, I just said we men should be grateful you ladies are around."
Temari snorted.
Shikamaru cleared his throat. "What are my orders?"
"You'll assemble a team of Chuunin, or any Jounin that are available and go and bring back Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Hinata. Here is the list of available Chuunin shinobi."
"What about Uchiha?"
Tsunade sighed. "I don't want to fight him as well. Feel free to try and bring him home, but it's not part of the mission."
"Hai."
Shikamaru and Temari bowed respectively and left the office. They went in search of the shinobi on the list and informed them of their duty as shinobi of Konoha.
"So what's the plan, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.
"Hey, wait a minute! Why don't you ask me what the plan is?" Naruto yelled.
"Okay, Naruto, what's the plan?" Sakura asked, feigning a nice voice.
"Uh…."
"Exactly. Sit down and shut-up." This time it was Sasuke who spoke.
Naruto grumbled out something inaudible, which made Hinata blush, and then knelt down next to her.
Sasuke closed his eyes. "First we…"
Unbeknownst to the five of them, two ninja were currently listening in on their so-called "plan of attack". One of them chuckled quietly.
"He will be mine now!" His long tongue extending to lick his lips greedily, a sinister look in his yellow eyes.
Okay, you guys probably hate me by now. I'd apologize but y'all already know that I'm sorry for the lack of updating (I still made it within my one-week policy…although just barely). Anywho.
I'm still not sure where I want to end it and begin the new story, so we'll just wait and see what happens.
If you aren't updated with the manga, don't read ahead. (I know…it's tempting to, but if you do don't complain because I warned you!!!)
So I just read manga chapter 345...ARGGGGHHH! Who do you think it is? Sasuke or Orochimaru…what happens could have an impact on my story…I think that it's Orochimaru, just because I don't want it to be and it seems like they always do the OPPOSITE of what I want them to do…but anyways. I really really hope it's Sasuke, though…but I'm actually not sure if it is or not. Just have to wait for another week to find out! (I kind of wish I wasn't updated with the manga, just so I wouldn't have to wait forever to find out what happens). If I had a penny for every wish I ever made…okay, I'm rambling, so I'm going to go now.
Review please! Thanks!
belle2990