Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update, but I thought I really wanted to get this chapter right... I hope you all like it!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 9: Confession

"We'll head back to Tazuna's house," Kakashi said lightly as he shifted Sakura in his arms. He glanced down at the girl as he watched his comrades begin to walk toward Tazuna's home. He followed slowly.

"Stupid girl," Kakashi muttered as he lightly brushed some hair out of Sakura's face.

Naruto waved enthusiastically as the group walked across the 'Team 7' bridge. "I'm glad this was our first real mission," Naruto said while smiling largely.

Kakashi stayed quiet; he had been noticing Sakura's behavior silently since she had woken up. Sakura had not spoken since her declaration for Haku; Kakashi was becoming increasingly worried.

"I'm amazed at how well you all did," Kakashi finally said. He glanced toward Sakura to see her listening. "Facing a jounin missing-nin; that is no easy task. I will talk to the Hokage once we return, but I'm sure he'll agree with my decision. I'm going to recommend you all for the chunin exams."

"Really?" Naruto yelled excitedly. "Yay! We're going to be chunin, Sakura-Chan!"

Naruto cheered as he skipped next to Sakura. Grabbing her up in his arms, he swung her around in the air; Sakura's face brightened slightly, and Kakashi could see a slight smile tugging at her features.

"We have to pass the test, Dobe," Sasuke muttered as he glared at the ground. His hands were pushed tightly into his pockets, and his face seemed a little paler than usual. "We have to be accepted first even before we can start the exams."

"What?" Naruto's face dropped quickly. He set Sakura down on the ground softly, and pouted cutely.

"Naruto," Sakura said quietly while placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get into the exams; you should know though, that there will be a written exam."

"What?!"

"I'll help you study for it once we get back to the village," Sakura said as a light smile tugged on her features.

From behind the group, Kakashi couldn't help but smile at the girl lightly. She was finally healing; hopefully Team 7 would become like her new family. Naruto her younger brother, Sasuke her older brother, and himself as…

Kakashi wasn't sure where to put himself in Sakura's new family; he wasn't sure where he wanted to put himself.

Sakura's smile widened a little as Sasuke came to stand next to her. "He left this for you," Sasuke said as he took out a mist headband. Sakura's smile faded when she realized who's headband it was. "I don't know what he meant to you, but he did save your life; I can't hate him for doing that."

"What are you talking about, Sasuke?" Naruto asked as he stepped up to Sakura and Sasuke's conversation.

"I… I don't like the thought of you being with someone, Sakura," Sasuke said while looking down toward the ground; there was a light blush on Sasuke's cheeks as he said this.

"He was like a brother, Sasuke," Sakura said as she tightened her hand around Haku's headband. "He was like how I see you and Naruto; a close brother."

The rest of the walk home was silent, it seemed all of team 7 were lost in their thoughts; the pink haired girl more so than others.

As they reached Konoha's gate, Kakashi made his way up to the front of the group. "I'll see you tomorrow," Kakashi said. "We'll meet at our regular training grounds."

Kakashi walked into the gate, and the rest of his team followed silently. Sakura looked to her remaining two teammates, gave a small nod, and then went her own way.

Walking down one of the side streets of her village, Sakura noticed a few shinobi she could not recognize along with one of the leaf academy kids.

One of the shinobi she could not recognize was wearing a dark black outfit, he was male and seemed to be angry about something. The female next to him had dirty blonde hair that was raised up in four small buns; she had a large fan on her back. Sakura, also, noticed a chakra signature on top of a tree next to the other two; shinobi were usually in teams of three, anyway.

" What are you doing here, ya' little piece of shit?" The male in the black outfit asked as he grabbed onto one of Naruto's young friend Konohamaru. The male thrust Konohamaru against a fence that was beside them. "You're not good enough to touch me."

"What's going on?" Sakura asked as she walked up to the group. The male looked at her quizzically; he had obviously not sensed her chakra, or even heard her coming.

"None of your business," the male sneered as he glanced at Sakura. Sakura smirked lightly, and grabbed a kunai from her pouch. In a blink of an eye, Sakura was in front of the male, the kunai pressed tightly against his neck.

"I believe it is my business," Sakura whispered hotly into his ear. "When someone from another village attacks someone from my own village; especially when that someone is attacking the grandson of the Hokage."

The male let Konohamaru drop to the ground. Konohamaru glanced quickly up to Sakura, before he ran down the street.

"Bitch," the male muttered under his breath. Next to him, the female was snickering lightly.

"It's your own fault, Kankuro," the female said with a snort. "It's nice to see Leaf genin aren't as weak as we first believed."

Sakura felt the foreign chakra from before manifest itself behind herself. Sakura quickly leaped away from the male, Kankuro, before the nin could completely get behind her.

"Ga-Gaara!"

"What is your name?" The intruder said as he looked Sakura in the eye. Sakura glanced up and took in the red head's appearance. It was clear they were all sand ninja; the sand that flew behind the read head supported her theory.

"Sakura Haruno," Sakura said as she took a step away from the group. With a nod, Sakura walked away. Waving behind her, she called, "I assume we will meet in the chunin exams; Gaara of the Sand village."

---

Kakashi stood silently inline with the other jounin team leaders. They were all standing in front of the Hokage; they were all getting ready for the Hokage's discussion of the chunin exams.

"If there are any requests for teams for the exams, I want to hear them now," Sarutobi said as he stood from his seat. Kakashi immediately stepped forward.

"I would like to nominate Team 7 for the chunin exams, Hokage-sama," Kakashi spoke easily.

From behind him, Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai all stepped forward. "We believe all our teams are ready for the chunin exams, Hokage-sama," Asuma said.

Sarutobi smiled lightly. "We will have three first year genin teams then, and one second year representing Konoha then, so be it."

"Now I have other things to discuss with you all…"

---

Sakura boiled the water quietly. Though it was dark outside, she couldn't sleep. Tomorrow the team would meet up with Kakashi, and discuss the chunin exams.

A quiet knock caused Sakura to walk over to her door. Opening it, she smiled lightly seeing Kakashi there.

"Is there something I can help you with, Kakashi?" Sakura asked as she leaned against her front door. Kakashi walked passed her, and entered her apartment.

"Where do we stand, Sakura?" Kakashi asked seriously. He sat down on her couch and placed his head in his hands.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked as she shut her door. Walking over to Kakashi, she sat across from him.

"Our relationship, Sakura," Kakashi said through his hands. "What are we to each other?"

"Kaka-?"

"You said Sasuke and Naruto are like your brothers… I need to know where I stand with you." Kakashi still couldn't meet her eyes. "I feel weird saying this… but I think I'm starting to like you Sakura; more than a teacher should a student."

"Kakashi I- I'm not sure what you are to me right now," Sakura said quietly. Now it was her that could not meet his eyes.

"I understand," Kakashi said while standing. He walked over to her door, and glanced back. "I'm sorry I bothered you."

The door shut swiftly, and Sakura sat staring at the place Kakashi had just left.

---

Sakura and Naruto sat leaning next to each other against a tree. Sakura's eyes were closed, and her head was tilted slightly back. Naruto had a book in his hands, and looked to be furiously studying.

"What's the Dobe doing?" Sasuke asked as he sat beside Sakura. Sakura smiled lightly.

"Studying," she replied easily. Sensing him before she saw him, Sakura stood up and waited for Kakashi to appear. He did so within seconds causing both Sasuke and Naruto to jump up, too.

"We'll have partner sparring," Kakashi fumbled out. "Sasuke you're with me, Naruto you're with Sakura."

Both Sasuke and Naruto blinked, but nodded. Kakashi usually always picked Sakura to spar with; something must be going on. Sasuke walked over to Kakashi while Naruto an Sakura stood a few yards apart.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura brought chakra to her fists. She motioned Naruto over to her with a nod of the head. Naruto came flying at her; clones already made.

"You're going to lose this time, Sakura-Chan!" Naruto yelled as a clone shot at her. Sakura blinked her eyes shut before they flashed a forest green. She ducked Naruto's clone as it tried to kick her in the head.

Sakura tripped the clone as she swept one of her legs under his, and tripped him to the ground. Sakura flicked the clone in the forehead causing it to poof away in spoke.

Two more clones came at her, and Sakura's eyes told her the real Naruto, too. She dodged the real Naruto's punch as she punched his two clones; they too poofed away.

Sakura leaped at Naruto, pouncing on him before he could make anymore clones. Sakura pinned him down with her strength, and Naruto grinned cheekily at her.

"I'll getcha next time," Naruto said as Sakura stood off of him. She grabbed his hand and helped pull him up slowly. Naruto's grin widened as he nodded over to the tree they had previously been leaning against. Sakura nodded and the two sat down against the tree again.

They watched as Kakashi easily dodged one of Sasuke's fireballs. Taking out his book, Kakashi brought it up to make it look like he was reading it, but Sakura knew better.

She saw the sadness in his eyes, and she couldn't help but feel responsible.

"I think I made a mistake," Sakura muttered quietly to herself. She gave a small longing glance over at Kakashi; he wasn't looking.

"I think I do like you."