( Disclaimer: I Don´t own NARUTO or anyothers of his character! They belong to His Highness Masashi Kishimoto! )

Chapter Five - Don't Bring Flowers

The pink haired kunoichi opned her eyes slowly and a blurry image of a white ceiling appeared above her.

She turned her head to the nightstand beside the bed she laid in and saw a vase with a single red tulip in it.

" So, you are awake..."

" Where am I..?" she asked with hoarse voice.

" You are in safety... In Konoha..." a clam and soft voice said from the corner of the room.

The pink haired kunoichi froze in her bed. It was almoste like déjà-vu, even if it was like 7 years ago she had been bedridden like this.

" Are you alright?" the calm voice asked.

" What do you think!? Of course I'm not okay!" she growled to the person, who still hadn't left the shadowy corner.

The door suddenly fly open and a blond haired and noisy man entered.

" Sakura-Chan!" he cried and stoped by her bedside. "I was so worried for you! Well, everyone was... You should be thankful to Kakashi-Sensei, he was the one who find you at in that forest and brought you here."

" He-he did..?" Sakura said with a confused look in her eyes.

" Yes, I did... And now when you have Naruto with you, I will take my leave..." the calm voice said from the corner and finally he did show his silver hair and weary face. "See you later, Naruto..."

The blond haired man smiled at the silver haired man who went out through the door.

" He really look tired..." Sakura said to Naruto. "More then usually, I mean..."

" Oh, you notice his bags under his eye..?" Naruto asked her. "I'm not surprised. He haven't slept since he brought you here and that means he have keep an eye on you for 4 days..."

" You are kidding me, rigth!?" she said stunned.

" No. He didn't even left the room to eat. Yesterday I took some Ramen with me to give him, but he didn't even eat it... He must be starving by now." Naruto said and placed himself on the bedside, Sakura glanced at him. "You know... He cares for us, like he always have..."

" That's not true! He ordered you and the others to kill Sasuke!" Sakura yelled to Naruto, who looked at her.

" He didn't... He ordered Team Yamato to hunt Sasuke down and then bring him back to Konoha..." Naruto told her. "I don't know what you have heard, but that is the truth... Kakashi-Sensei didn't kill Sasuke..."

" Then why is he dead then!?" Sakura cried out. " Why is Sasuke dead!?"

" Sasuke died becouse of something he did belive in... Sakura, he was an avenger nothing I told him could changes his mind. I'm not surprised he didn't took your request, he didn't need us anymore or anyone..." Naruto said to her and Sakura looked down to her hands in her knees. " Yes, he told me and Sasuke was not overjoyed to hear that you still was alive. I did what was best for us and Konoha, so we all could be happy again. However Sasuke said it himself, that he rather got killed then be taken back to Konoha and so he did."

" That-That still don't explain why... Why you left me behind! We did a promises back then! You and Kakashi... You two betrayed that promises!" she told him anger start to rise in side of her.

" I know we did... And as I told you before, I tried my hardes to make Kakashi-Sensei change his mind and let you come with us... But he was as stubborn as a mule and Yamato told me to give it up... Yamato told me something that Kakashi-Sensei maybe had reason for not letting you go with us..." Naruto said to her and then he smiled at her with his famous smile. " Well, he knew our weakness as much as he knew our strength. Your weakness was Sasuke, maybe that was why he didn't send you with us..."

" That's just stupid! Why would my weakness be to a man who almost killed me!?" she told him, but Naruto wasn't so sure about that. "And I still thinking you are not telling me the whole truth..."

" I'm telling you the truth. And Sasuke is your biggest weakness, why els would you bring him up everytime we sees and just that fact that you still hate us." Naruto told her and lay a hand on Sakuras head. " Just talk to him, then maybe you will get your answers..."

" Alright, Alright... I will talk to him, when I get out of this place..." she mutter and Naruto patted her head.

" That's good to hear..." he said. "And don't beat him up this time..."

" What do you mean about that?" Sakura growled.

" Yamato-Taichou said something about you almost killing Sensei... And I still don't know why." Naruto said and rised from the bedside.

" Let us say that he did something he shouldn't..." Sakura mumbled to him.

" Really? Then I believe he did something that really did pissed you off..." Naruto said while laughing.

" What's so funny?" Sakura looked at Naruto.

" Oh, nothing... I'm just happy." he told her.

" Happy about what?"

" I'm happy that you finally had a conversation with me, that was longer the 1 minute..." Naruto smiled to her.

Sakura gave Naruto a glance that could kill.

" Is that so..? In that case I recommend strongly that you start to walk out of this room, before I will consider to stop talking to you forever..." she told him and he start to walk towards the door with a faint smile. "And by the way. Don't bring flowers next time I end up in the hospital..."

" I didn't bring that flower..." he told her before he went out of the room and the door closed behind him.

Sakura looked at the closed door.

`Then who did bring it?´

" Tsk... That man. Thinking he is so smart just becouse he is the Hokage... He is still stupid..." Sakura muttered. "But not as stupid as that Copycat..."

Sakura sighed and looked at the flower once again. She really did wondering who had give her that flower. It was not her favourite, but it was a nice flower and what Sakura had learned from Ino about flower language this flower meant; Declaration Of Love.

Who ever had give her that flower, thought of her more then just a friend. And that annoyed her.


***


Sakura walked down the street of Konoha with a black haired man with bushy eyebrows and he looked at her whit a soft smile on his lips.

" I'm glad you are better now, Sakura-San..." the man said to her.

" Thank you Lee... And by the way, I want to thank you for that flower you gave me..." Sakura said to him and smiled back at the man, who looked confused.

" Flower? I-I didn't give you any flower. Well, I did buy a flower... But when I was on my way to give it to you at the hospital, your-your Sensei was there..." Lee told her and his smile faintly. " He kind of surprised me with his present and he did have a quite evil glare in his face... So I didn't dare to enter the room... I'm sorry Sakura-San!"

Sakura looked at Lee and raised a eyebrow at him.

" It's OK, Lee... So you don't have a clue who could have give me that flower?" she then said to him and he shook his head.

" I have no idea... Have you asked Kiba or Choji?" Lee aksed her.

" I have and even Konohamaru and his friend..." she told him with a frustrating voice. "I still wondering why I even asked him... Anyway, neither of them had left the flower..."

`Oh God, why do I even care about this stupid flower anyway? But it stills annoys me.´

" That only give us one left..." Lee then told her.

" Who?"

"Naruto-Kun..." Lee then said to her.

" Naruto?" Sakura start to laugh. "Sorry, Lee... But I have already asked him and he told me it wasn't him. And he isn't the kind of person to give a flower to a girl like me..."

` At least if he not want to speend his day as a crippling...´

" That maybe be true... But that means that you must have a secret admirer!" Lee said to her with eyes that start to burn. "And hewill be my Rival of Love!"

" You are crazy..." Sakura looked at Lee and then sighed.

Why would someone even bother to give her a flower in the fist place? Not even Lee had asked her for a date.

`And whose fault is that?! Well, mine I guess...´

Sakura growled to herself and Lee looked curious at her.

" Oi, Sakura!" a lazy voice called behind them.

She turned around to see Shikamaru and Choji walking towards them.

" What do you want, Shikamaru?" Sakura asked him annoyed.

" Tsk... Still in a bad mood..." he grunted. "Naru... Eh... Hokage-Sama want to see you in his office right now..."

" What does he want?" Sakura looked at Shikamaru who looked back at her.

" I don't know... He just asked me to find you and tell you to go to his office, before me and Choji head out one our one mission." Shikamaru told her. "If you want to know, you better see him at once..."

" Well thank you, Shikamaru... I do really feel like to visit him to day..." Sakura growled to him.

" Geez... Womens really are troublesome..." Shikamaru said and scratchs his neck. "Let's go, Choji... And by the way, Sakura... Thanks for the gifts to our daughters."

Sakura saw at him and then a smile spread out from Sakuras annoyed face.

" You are welcome." she said and watch how Shikamaru and Choji walked away from them. " I guess I'm leaving you know, Lee..."

" Take care, Sakura-San." Lee said to her and she walked away from him.

****

" WHAT!?" the pink haired woman burst out in front of the blond haired man, who had put a finger in to one of his ear to take away the sudden deafness caused by the shouting woman.

" I said that the little village you was on a mission to, have been taking over by this gang. You failed your mission, Sakura..." the blond haired man told her.

" How's that possibly? I was there for months and nothing happened..." she said to the man.

" I don't know myself, but what I have been heard from one of the villager is not very pleasant." the blond haired man said with a worried look on his face. "The gang knew of your stay at the village and when you had left they took their opportunity to strike. They killed the village head and now this Shinkou has take the role as the head of the village..."

Sakura looked at the blond haired man behind his desk.

` That bastard! So he did more then just send his fellows after me...´

" ... And know I want you to put a end to this fellowship..." the blond man said to her. "I want you to return to that village..."

Sakura looked quite shocked at the man in front of her.

She had meet some of the fellows of that gang and she was quite sure that at least two of Shinkous henchmens was some sort of ninja, but she was not afraid if some of them would a ninja. She was more afraid that they would do something similar to the villager, like they had done to her.

`No... I can't do this... Not on my own...´

And more was that they had threatened her and one of them had raped her to nothingness, she should be glad that she still was alive.

" I can't do it... Let somebody els go to that village..." she mumbled and the blond man looked at her.

" I understand your feeling, Sakura-Chan... But you are most suited to this mission and besides that it's still your mission..." the blond man told her.

" It-It has nothing to do with my feelings! I got attacked by them, so what! But it's about the people in that village I'm concerned for..." she cried. "That gang threaten me... They told me, if I where to return they would kill all the new born!"

" I'm sorry..." was all the blond haired man could say.

" You are sorry...?! You aren't the one who should say sorry for this mess..." Sakura said calmer, but her voice had a bit of sarcasm in it.

`Well you should be sorry, Naruto. You were the one who send me to this stupid mission after all!´

" I can risk my life in any mission, but I can't risk the safty of this people of that village or anyone els who is innocent..." she told Naruto who sighed.

" I know what you are saying to me, but don't you think this village is in more need of our help now then it was before?" Naruto asked her.

" Well, that maybe be true. But what point is it to protect the village if it's citizens is all killed?" she looked at her Hokage. "They knew how I look like. They will kill with out hesitate..."

" That's why I will add one more to your side..." Naruto said.

" One more... Who?"

" Don't be mad at me for this..." Naruto smiled faint at her.

" How can I be mad at someone, I already are mad at..?" she muttred.

" Eh... Well, okay then... I have decide to send Kakashi-Sensei with you..."

A crash heard and a desk flew cross the room and hit the wall on the otherside. A choking sound could hear and the pink haired woman stod bend over the blond haired Hokage, who was slowly been suffocated.

" Anyone els, but not him! Do you hear me?!" Sakura yelled still choking Naruto.

" Re-Release... me... Sakura...-Chan..." Naruto said.

" Only when I get someone els... Like Ino, even Sai will do just fine!" she growled darkly at him.

" Ino and Sai... is one a mission... Please, Sakura... Release... me..."

Sakura let go of Naruto slowly and she looked at him.

She had almost choked Konohas Hokage and she had liked it pretty much. Lucky for her that he had been in her ex-team, he wouldn't hate her after that. At least she hoped so, for her own sake.

" I'm sorry again... But Sensei is the only one left, who could do this kind of mission... And you know that I trust both of you... Even with my own life..." Naruto said to her and she could feel a faint blush on her cheeks.

She hadn't expect Naruto to say this to her, after all she had abandon Narutos side a long time ago. Why should he trust her after that?

" You are not saying this becous you want me to feel regret or accept your choice of member?" she asked him.

" No, I'm not... I'm telling you the truth..." he said with a smile on his lips. "And don't glare at me like that..."

Sakura looked from Naruto to the smashed desk behind her.

" I'm sorry for that desk..." she mumbled and Naruto start to laugh.

" It's almost like the old days, when you would hit me with all your force if I ever tried to do the Oiroke no Jutsu..." he smiled even more at Sakura who pretended she hadn't heard him.

A knock from the door behind them could heard and Naruto said is was okay to enter.

" I'm here... now... What has happened in here?" the silver haired man said by the door and looked at the mess.

" Kakashi-Sensei! You are late... Anyway, Sakura decided she wanted to play a bit..." Naruto told him with a grin and Sakura glanced at him.

" I see..." Kakashi mumbled and looked at the smashed desk beside the door. "You have always been a fighter, Sakura."

Sakura snorted at Kakashi who entred the room and walked towards Sakuras left side.

` It's a miracle that he is still alive. After what Sakura have done to the office, that is to say...´

" Now that you are here too, Sensei. I will give you your mission..." Naruto said to them. "Your mission is to kill the gang leader of the Fellowship and release Chimachima from that gang..."

" Doesn't sound to hard. But wasn't Sakura the one who had that mission to the beginning with?" Kakashi said and Sakura glanced murderous at him.

" Hai, she had... And thinks have turned out in a different direction..." Naruto said more serious than before. "Sakura was attacked by some of this gang members on her way home..."

" Is that true, Sakura..?" Kakashi asked in a voice that almost sounded worried. But he knew what she would say to them.

" Hai..." she said without facing her Sensei.

The reason for that had been that she was ashamed of herself to have been the victim of that gang of filthy criminals. She always had been told by Kakashi that she was a strong kunochi, but the fact that Kakashi had find her in this kind of weaken state had blow a hole to her pride.

Kakashi was still looking at her. He wanted to tell her to not to be worried. Becouse he would be there to protect her, but saying that to her was like dig your own grave.

"...However, they threaten her with that they would kill every new born if she entred again..." Naruto proceeded on, while Kakashi looked disgusted about Narutos words.

" Still I don't understand why this Shinkou is so interested in this little village..." Kakashi said. "It's not like that little village have something valuable..."

" Even I don't know... It's a small village, maybe it is easier to take control over it..." Naruto said and let his hand pass over his blond hair. "Sakura-Chan, you will be leading this mission. Don't disappoint me." Naruto gave her the scroll.

She took it with a surprised look on her face.

` Well, it was my mission to the beginning with. But why did he choose me? When I have this Copycat beside me.´

Naruto looked at Kakashi who nodded and turned his head against Sakura, who still looked surprised down at the scroll in her hand.

" Sakura, we should pack our things..." Kakashi said to her.

" Aaa... And don't call me by my name...!" she growled to Kakashi who sighed.

" Hai, Hai... Taichou..." he muttred and start to walk after her.

" Wish me luck..." he then mumbled so Naruto only could hear.

" Good Luck." Naruto said with a grin.

` You are going to pay for this when I got back, Naruto...´

Kakashi closed the door behind them and Naruto looked at the door.

" I'm counting on you... Sensei..." Naruto told to himself and start to look around in his paper filled office floor. "Thank you Sakura. You just reminde me of how much time I don't really have..."

He bent forward to pick up some papers and then he start to smile softly.

` It's worth it... If it make Sakura-Chan to return to us. I don't won't to have anymore regrets and I don't won't to have one more to be like Sasuke... And I don't won't to bring flowers to your grave too, Sakura...´

Author note:

Sakura has once again been saved by Kakashi, to her dislike. And know she is struggling with this annoying flower she got when she laid in the hospital and if that wasn't bad enough she has to spend her mission with the man she hate the most. Will she manage it?

Sorry if it's some spelling errors. My brain doesn't function in this snowy weather ( it's like over 1m snow their I live ).

And some notes;

When I writes the text `like this´ it means that the person in question is thinking. When I writes like this the person emphasis just that word and when I writes like this that means flashbacks.

Do still feel free to ask me if something is bothering you. I will answer.

Take care!

Next Chapter: I Will Be There for You

PS: If you want to have a look at Sakura the way I think she would probably look like now. Then visit my Deviantart page ( you will find the link to it at my page here on FanFiction ), then you browse my gallery and look for a pic with the name Haruno Sakura. :D