The walk to Konoha was a pleasant one there were now enemies the only thing that could be seen where immobilized statues.
The journey home took a week due to slow pace but who cared the world seemed to be at peace if only for a moment.
Shion never seemed to leave Naruto's side and made conversation with him speaking mainly of each others lives.
And even Sakura seemed to be stewing with hatred and jealousy. How can she just command all his attention to her? He was mine from the start he followed me, even when I rejected him.
Sneaking up behind Sakura, Temari who arrived to help save the world softly whispers into Sakura's ear.
"Some one sure seems jealous." The sheer shock caused Sakura to screech and jump forward.
"Temari don't do that!!" she yelled causing attention from everyone towards them.
When everyone resumed walking Sakura confronted Temari
"Why did you do that and what are you getting at 'I'm jealous' are you crazy."
"You should see yourself you have been staring at them this whole time and seem to be in a very bad mood."
"I'm not in a bad mood Temari!" Sakura yells at her.
Laughing she backs off of Sakura for a while Suna was still a long way to go Konoha was only a brief stop until she arrives home.
=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=. Shion and Naruto
She really has grown attached to me or something she won't seem to leave me alone Naruto's thoughts wonder as the walk home continues.
"Naruto-kun tell me do you have a girl friend?" Shion asked in almost a childish tone. Both her arms wrapping Naruto's arm she looked up at him with her which seemed to hold a purple haze.
With his only free arm he scratched the back of his head. "No Shion I don't have a girl friend, though I do have many girls whom are my friends none of them seem to take an interest in me that way." Her eyes seemed to brighten as the gears turned in her brain a plan was soon to come into play.
"Oh, she seems to know what she wants huh Sakura." Temari continued to irk Sakura as they over hear Shion and Naruto talking.
"Temari please for the love of god shut up I don't care if Shion likes—" "oh, look Shion is making out with Naruto." Temari interrupts Sakura causing Sakura to flip "what!? That slut is touching Naruto!"
"Oh my god it's so much fun to mess with you Sakura no wonder Ino likes to do this so much." She laughed so hard it began to hurt. Sakura stomped off toward Naruto.
"—and then like fwoom I was able to summon Gamma Bunta before Garra could have beaten me." Naruto tells his story with so much enthusiasm and he wears this bright smile as he reminisces on his past ordeals. Shion clings to his arm as she listens to him speak. She smiles like she never has before not only has she been able to meet Naruto but she has begun to develop feelings that she could never have been able to comprehend before.
"Naruto it's so amazing that you have been able to learn such advanced jutsu and for the age you are now only being 15 like me." Shion says, she doesn't know why but there is now a constant blush pasted on her face.
"Oi! Naruto" Sakura calls as she walks closer to the two. Shion purses bottom lip in a frown. She is my enemy, she has had many chances with Naruto-kun and now only when his is mine, now she want him.
Naruto feels her arm clench his own, not to the point to stop blood flow but enough to give him the idea Shion doesn't like Sakura.
Turning to Shion Naruto whispers softly into her ear "I'll be right back." She slowly relinquished his arm and Naruto moved towards Sakura. "What's up Sakura?" Naruto asked "nothing much really I just wanted to hang out with you if you don't mind." She wore a face of innocence which instantly won Naruto over.
"Of course you can." He quickly pulled Sakura to where Shion and he were and continued talking only to Shion.
This isn't exactly what I had in mind. She silently huffed and turned to see Temari giggling like a kid. With only a day till their arrival to Konoha the teams set up camp. The girls bunked with each other while some of the guys either shared a tent or slept beneath the stars.
In his back Naruto lay awake outside staring at the sparkling sky. The fire crackled a few feet away from him, it was his turn to be on watch, though the use of his eyes weren't all too necessary, more so the use of his ears to detect any strange unfamiliar noises.
Rising every now and then Naruto checked the tents to ensure that everyone was fine. The girls all sharing one tent was quite tempting but Naruto some how was able to bury this inner pervert within him. Placing his ear to the tent flap he could distinctly hear the three distinct snores of the three girls.
Returning to the camp fire he poked at the fire shifting the embers slightly raising the fire.
Snap
Whipping a kunai out with lightning reflexes he soon places the weapon down when he recognizes Sakura he becomes more relaxed. "So what's going on?" he asks staring at the sky again.
She is nervous for some reason, she has had many conversations with Naruto some of those conversations when he was half naked, in the hospital of course. "I don't know I'm just bored right now, I mean I'm glad that now the village is safe but, I don't know I feel like something is missing." She looked at his face as if she was pleading him to read her mind confess your love for me please. I need to hear it, I need to hear you say it even if its only one more time.
"its strange you know, I mean we have known each other forever. And yet I wish that…"
"Naruto-kun?" her voice shattered the conversation "I cant sleep." Shion walked toward him like a small child who had woken up from a nightmare.
"its ok Naruto go to her I'll take over your watch." Sakura said smiling forcing back tears in her.
This is my punishment I assume…I've had all the time in the world to finally confess to Naruto through all the beatings I've given him, the times I had shunned him only to go to… to go to Sasuke who left not just me but Naruto as well. I have lost. I just hope that Shion will be able to make Naruto happy…
"Someone sure seems depressed." Temari sits next to Sakura; she added a few sticks to keep the fire alive.
"you want the truth Temari, its that I have been falling for Naruto since he came back from his training trip." Temari was slightly shocked that Sakura would say it so calm and abrupt. "but the thing is… I don't deserve him. Though I have never… well I wouldn't say never but even though I have not physically hurt him more than Sasuke had when he defected. I've done more damage than I could have ever thought possible."
Temari listened as Sakura continued to blame herself for every insult, bump, and bruise.
"I'm not even going to try anymore. I am simply going to let Shion have her way with him; as long as she treats him as I should have I'm happy for him."
````~~Shion~~````
She now slept beside him both in their own sleeping bag but nevertheless did she remove her hand from his she fell in to her dreamscape where she would occasionally have her visions. This one seemed different than the rest, this one not only involved Naruto but it involved Sakura as well…
The green grasses of Konoha sparkled with morning dew. Like a non existent being she could move freely in the environment though any physical contact with the trees and plants for example would never hold true. If she was to rip a leaf from the tree branch then no more than two seconds later it was back in its original condition. She could make out a small stream flowing beneath the bridge. She could see Naruto holding Sakura in his arms, softly whispering something in her ear. The two looked like a couple until a pink mist sprayed in the air "Sakura-chan" was all Shion could hear him say before her Naruto died.
Her eyes sprang open glowing then slowly fading back to their original silver purple hue.
"fate can change, destiny is not real, everyone can change their own path." She whispered trying to remember everything Naruto had taught her. "you have protected me now it is my turn to protect you."
That morning as the team continued towards Konoha, Sakura seemed to be in a depressed state that even Temari would not poke or prod at.
"Shion I need to talk to Sakura for a minute." As he noticed his friends state. As much as she hated to leave him she let him go and Temari soon replaced his spot.
Once next to her Naruto looked at her though her face seemed normal, he knew it was quite similar to the mask he once wore. "Sakura-chan? What's the matter with you?" in a concerned tone I cant look at him, I need to push back all my feelings. "its nothing Naruto its just… I thought of Sasuke for a bit, you know hoping he was here with us now." It made sense now the pair would always become sad when an issue came up dealing with Sasuke though with Naruto he had a tendency to become angry because his leaving hurt Sakura the most.
With Temari and Shion though their conversation was a little different. "so Shion how has your company been with Naruto?" She smiled back "Naruto-kun is a very nice guy and I really like the way he talks about his adventures. It seems as though his sensei has put him through quite a lot but with all that training it isn't strange Naruto is as strong as he is."
"Shion…what are your intentions for Naruto?" Temari was somewhat protective of Naruto because not only was he alone most of his life but he had helped Garaa and in doing so she, and her brothers are indebted to him.
"I'm sorry what do you mean?" Shion questioned.
"well I kinda feel like I'm a big sister to him, he does need looking after every now and then but I can be protective especially when it seems as if some girl wishes to go after his heart. Naruto…is a very fragile person…though he does seem strong now emotionally he is a wreck."
"For Naruto-kun…well he has helped me realize that I don't need to like fate because it can be changed anyway. Not to mention he is a cutie." She finished with a blush.
"Just remember if you hurt him I hurt you." Patting her fan that rested in her sash.