Chapter Seven

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"So what would you think of taking Sasuke up to the surface and letting him explore for a bit. I mean the three of us could keep an eye on him." Kakashi and Sakura studied Naruto closely to see if he had grown another head, as soon as they came to the conclusion the two fellow scientists considered Naruto's statement. Of course while doing so they had to consider his reasons for asking such a thing.

"Naruto, if you don't mind me asking. Why would you want to do that? I mean you haven't exactly gotten along with him since we've got here." Naruto grinned at Kakashi.

"Well, because I kind of wanted to get to know him and all that stuff. I mean really, he is freaking awesome! Who else do you know that can control lava? No one! Not even Shikamaru would be able to do that and he's a genius." Sakura poured the rest of her unfinished tea down the drain then turned to Naruto.

"Naruto, I thought you said he was a stuck up bastard that only cared about himself and we should steer clear of him."

"What! I didn't say that… I just said that he was a bastard that needed to get some freaking fresh air because it wasn't good for his mental capabilities to be cooped up in a cave all day and night." Kakashi chuckled, then shook his head whispering, 'only you Naruto.' Sakura shook her head as well questioning Naruto's state of mind.

"And what exactly did he do to give this impression on you?" He grinned again then rubbed the back of his head.

"Well he called me an idiot." Sakura started to laugh, while Kakashi placed a hand in front of his mouth and laughed into it.

"Oh Naruto, what could make him think of you as an idiot?" Sakura placed her hand on Kakashi's shoulder to help calm her giggles.

"Trip over your own feet?" Another series of laughter broke out between the pair as they gasped for breath. Naruto turned red in the face then strode up to the table.

"Stop making fun of me! I'm not that clumsy!" Just as the words left his lips he slipped on a wet spot that was left after Sakura cleaned her coffee mug, and crashed into the kitchen table. Sakura doubled over in hysterical laughter, while Kakashi took in a deep breath trying his hardest not to laugh; but as fate would have it as Naruto tried to get up off the floor he banged his head on the side of the table. What little control Kakashi had managed to grab ahold of while taking in the breath was released as he watched Naruto hit the floor again. At that moment Sasuke walked in from the living room to see what had happened and ended up face to face with Naruto as he steadied himself on the door frame.

"What happened in here?" Sakura started off on another round of laughter as she clutched her stomach and wiped a tear away from her eye. Kakashi took in some steadying breaths relaxed his facial features into a serious line, then looked Sasuke in the eye.

"It was nothing but a little Naruto humor couldn't handle." He started to crack up again walking out of the room passed Naruto and Sasuke to make his way into the living room. Sasuke decided to look to Naruto for the answers since he was the only one not combusting from the constant laughing the other two were doing.

"What does he mean?" Naruto shook his head a little angry then sighed.

"Well, I was trying to prove a point, but the universe hates me so it decided to make me look like a complete dunce." Sasuke smirked.

"But isn't that what you are?" Naruto grit his teeth then huffed.

"I don't need you to make fun of me too! All right?" He shook his head yes then motioned for Naruto to join him at the table.

"So tell me, how did this all start?" Naruto followed him over to the table then made himself comfortable in the chair.

"I was trying to tell them that it would be a great idea for you to come hang out with us on the surface. Then you wouldn't have to be cooped up here all the time by yourself. No one would have to know where you really live; we could just tell them that you come from California or something." Naruto looked over the table to a shock still Sasuke, his face was void of all emotions, and his posture was stiff as a board. Naruto waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention but it didn't work, Sasuke was still not moving, pondering on what to do. After several minutes went by, he blinked then looked at Naruto.

"What would possess you to think that I would willingly go with you to the surface knowing that if I was caught people would set out to destroy me?" Naruto scratched the back of his head then laughed sheepishly.

"I didn't mean it that way; I just thought that it would be a great chance to hang out with people. You know so you don't have to be alone all the time." Sasuke leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table and study the blonde on front of him.

"That is all that you intend to do?" Naruto smiled.

"Well of course. My friends and I wouldn't let anyone know what you really are… so just for the sake of conversation, what exactly are you?" Sasuke smirked.

"That is none of your concern." Naruto huffed but didn't push the subject any further. "As for visiting the surface that would be fine with me…" He didn't even get to finish his sentence before Naruto was rushing to the living room to tell his friends.

"Kakashi! Sakura! Sasuke's goin' to hang out with us!" Sakura looked up from the cards she had in her hands.

"What?" Kakashi looked up from his cards as well.

"Naruto I still don't understand why you feel the need to take him out of his home when he is perfectly content, but whatever." He shrugged his shoulders before looking down at his cards again. Naruto walked up behind him and peered at his hand. If they were playing poker, than Kakashi was defiantly going to lose that match. Sasuke walked in a few minutes later, and made himself comfortable on the couch next to Sakura so he could watch her kick Kakashi's ass at poker. It was almost worth laughing at, if the two weren't so serious.

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Two hours went by and all that resulted in the time was a neck ache, a sore loser, and a sleeping Sakura. She couldn't believe that it had been that long since Kakashi and her started playing, and she didn't know how long she was out but she found herself waking up in the bed that had been occupied a few hours before. Sasuke must have left her there after she won the game; but she could have sworn that she was still asleep on the couch. She couldn't remember anyone moving her, and she was a very light sleeper. There was no way that Sasuke could have moved her from the position on the couch without her knowing, and yet there she was wondering how on earth she had got into the bed without noticing who took her.

Sakura moved to sit up but stopped when she noticed the door swinging open slowly. She unconsciously held her breath waiting for the intruder to show himself, and when he did she just about fainted from the way he looked at her. Such intense eyes that pierced through the soul whenever she found herself making eye contact with him. She could have sworn if she wasn't sitting on the bed her knees would have buckled and that would have been embarrassing.

He moved over to the chair beside the bed and made himself comfortable on the stiff chair. Once he lifted his eyes from his lap Sasuke looked over at her again with confusion in those beautiful eyes. "Sakura, what do you think of me visiting the surface?" Slightly taken aback by the question, Sakura broke the contact between gazes and studied the wall closely.

She didn't know exactly what to say, 'oh if anyone finds out that you're a guy that lives in a volcano and has for more than two hundred years; then you would be sent to the mental ward, or a science lab.' Sakura took in a deep breath and shifted in the bed so that she was resting her back on the headboard.

"I don't know Sasuke, it's your decision." He closed his eyes and let his head fall back a bit unconsciously exposing his perfectly pale neck to her hungry eyes. Wait a minute! Hold on a second! Sakura thought as she shut her own eyes and forced the naughty images from her mind. It was difficult when he decided to sigh just at that moment and open his eyes to look at her again. She licked her dry lips and swallowed, hoping that he didn't catch her staring at him, and his, dare she say it… beauty?

"Well, I wouldn't mind seeing the surface again. I'm sure that it has changed quite a bit since the last time I was there." Sakura smiled then swung her legs over to the side of the bed and standing.

"Come on; let's go tell Kakashi what you have decided so we can go get our stuff at the camp site." Sasuke nodded then stood as well, to follow her out. Sakura could have sworn that she felt intense eyes were watching her every move as she walked out into the living room where Naruto and Kakashi was in a heated game of Rats. "Hey guys! Sasuke wants to come with us when we leave tomorrow."

Kakashi looked up after setting another card down on the pile and sent a look in her direction. It looked as if he was smiling but she couldn't tell from the lack of light in the room. Naruto slapped the deck as hard as he could and laughed, once he lifted his hand he dragged the card pile over to himself and added it to his slowly increasing deck of cards. Kakashi looked back in disbelief at the cards that were being straightened in his opponent's hand. "Naruto, you were supposed to wait until I was paying attention." Naruto laughed again.

"There is nowhere in the rules that says I have to wait for you when you lay your card down. It's your turn now old man." Kakashi pouted then laid down another card followed by Naruto's own card and the game had resumed. Sakura smiled at her friends then walked into the kitchen once again followed by Sasuke. After she reached one of the chairs she sat down and stared at the table before placing her head on it. Sasuke walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" She smiled then sat back up in her chair.

"Oh it's nothing, just tired but I know I won't be able to go back to sleep."

"Hn, how about some tea?" Sakura shook her head no.

"But thanks for asking; I kind of just want to go home. Ya know?" Sasuke sat in the chair across from her and cocked his head to the side in questioning.

"No I'm afraid I don't." She shrugged her shoulders then rested her elbows on the table studying Sasuke's features again. That seemed to be her new habit now, making sure she remembered everything about the guy sitting across from her.

"Well, then it's hard to explain. I was just thinking about all the things on my to do list when I get home and it's a bit overwhelming." Sasuke smirked.

"Ah, so what kinds of things are on this, 'to do list?'?" Sakura smiled then moved her arms to cross over each other so she could rest her head on her folded arms.

"Things like, beat my friend Shikamaru at a game of chess, bake a whole bunch of cookies that taste completely wonderful, go shopping for some new hiking gear, and get some more books on medical research." Sasuke shook his head.

"And that's not all is it?"

"Nope, not at all." She giggled a bit at her own silliness. Wanting to go home just so that she could beat one of her friends at chess was a bit ridiculous, fun; but ridiculous. Sakura was surprised when Sasuke stood from his seat and made his way over to her only to hold out his hand for her to grab.

"Well then, it wouldn't be good to keep those things waiting now would it?" Sakura grabbed a hold of his out stretched hand and let him lead the way out into the living room where Kakashi was busy celebrating his victory over Naruto. When the two entered Kakashi noticed their intertwined hands and gave a tiny grin in their direction, she didn't stop to wonder why he gave them that smile and she didn't care.

"All right guys let's get packed up so we can leave." Naruto stopped his pouting and looked up.

"Really?" Sakura's smile brightened, then she nodded her head yes. Naruto jumped off the couch and started dancing around the room. "Alright! I can't wait to get out of this…" One look at Sasuke made Naruto stop in mid-sentence and consider his words carefully. "Awesome place…" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Heh." Kakashi walked over to Naruto and sighed.

"Perhaps you should come with me Naruto, before you get into any more trouble." He quickly agreed then followed Kakashi into the bed room that they were sharing. Sakura watched them go then took a seat next to the lava fall to watch is slowly make its way down into the floor. Sasuke followed her example and sat next to her. The warmth that emanated from it kind of reminded her of a fire place and she instantly relaxed, placing her arms around her legs and resting her chin on her knees.

"How long do you plan to stay up there with us?" He looked over at her then resumed his mindless stare at the lava cascading down the wall.

"As long as I can stand it. Listen Sakura, I can't stay up on the surface that long or else I'll start to turn into a huge rock pile." She quickly looked over at him in shock.

"What? Why?" He let a small smile tug at his lips before replying.

"Because the temperature up there is too cold for me; I have to have a certain amount of heat intake every day, and depending on the temperature up there, I could be there for a week or an hour." Sakura nodded her head in understanding.

"I think I get it. If you don't get enough heat into your system then you start to freeze."

"Yeah, something like that." She sighed then resumed her staring at the makeshift fireplace. Sasuke shrugged then leaned back onto his hands and stretched out, letting his feet touch the ever present warmth that surrounded the area. Sakura had to admit to herself that she was content just watching Sasuke relax in his own element that she wasn't quite sure that she wanted to see him any other way. She had to stop and think for a moment because things were getting out of hand.

First of all, she felt as if she could trust Sasuke in the short amount of time that they had spent together. Second, she felt herself get nervous the minute he started talking about being out of his element. Third, was it normal for her to feel as if she belonged sitting there next to him, just basking in the heat that was provided by the lava fall in front of them. Last but not least, she couldn't shake off the feeling that they were about to do the wrong thing. What kind of wrong thing she wasn't sure, but definitely something wrong. Shaking her head trying to clear the thoughts, Sakura continued to stare into the falls and think over all the possibilities that could happen in the days to come.

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AN: Thanks for reading another chapter. I was hoping to get it in last night but whatever, here it is and I hope that you guys are enjoying it. I think that this is the fastest I have ever updated a story and I have to jump for joy at that. :) I would love to hear your thoughts, so don't be afraid to drop a review or a PM message to tell me what ya think. For those who don't I'll just pretend you liked it enough to keep reading. Thanks for the favorites and story alerts they mean a lot to me. Happy Writings :D