Chapter 32 Where loyalties truly lie

"So let me get this straight hmm." Deidara said as he shuffled himself against the wall of his house cross armed.

"You are both ex ANBU from Konoha, who were meant to have been killed when that Kyuubi Bijuu attacked Konoha around fifteen years ago hmm?"

Ronan nodded, and Deidara's only visible eye narrowed, while his other hand began to casually slither to a strange bag connected to his belt, "Give me one good reason why I should not kill either of you right now hmm?"

Thomas spoke as if the threat was never made, "But you are no longer a member of Iw-"Deidara's grunt cut him off.

"It doesn't matter about my current standings with my old village. What matters is that you are part of a village whose 'yellow flash' was responsible for hundreds if not thousands of deaths in Iwa...and members of my own clan were in that list of his rampage, hmm!" Deidara hissed out, while Ronan could note his hand was moving around oddly inside that bag.

"Be that as it may, the 'Yellow flash' as you call him, or Yondaime is dead. He died sealing the Kyuubi within the chosen vessel. That does not undo all that happened in the war, but the man responsible for so many lives lost is no longer amongst the living....and if recall Deidara, you're own clan doesn't exactly think highly of your...ideals, and unless Yondaime did something to your family directly, you were not even three years old during the war." Ronan countered neutrally, while inwardly he snickered.

'I praised Yondaime for killing so many of you bastards back then.' but didn't show any signs of his inner insult.

Deidara smirked, his eye full of amusement, "So I see you do your research well hmm."

'How strange, it was almost like he was trying to get us to fight.' Thomas mused, inwardly puzzled at Deidara's strange actions.

Deidara looked blankly at Thomas, "Is your guy here always this...strange hmm?" Deidara asked, sliding his hand back out of his bag, although an audible tear was heard, along with chewing.

"I was originally a member of the elite ROOT in Konoha hand chosen by Danzou-sama himself, we are trained to be top efficient killers, with no obstacles of emotions getting in our way." Thomas said neutrally. Deidara raised an eyebrow at Thomas, then he turned back to Ronan.

"Sounds to me a little odd that he refers to his old leader in respect."

Thomas was about to respond, but Ronan answered, "That's because he still works for him."

Thomas span around and held a face that Deidara couldn't resist chuckling at, it was almost as if Thomas didn't know what emotion he was to feel.

"Ronan, I no lon-"

"Do you know why the average life expectancy of a shinobi is mid twenties?" Thomas blinked but didn't respond, as Ronan continued in a voice full of arrogance.

"It is because to a shinobi, nobody can be trusted, not your own allies, friends, lovers, family... One minute the person you thought you could always trust was in actual fact working for the enemy...or was a downright disappointment." Ronan hissed towards the end, as he remembered a person he thought was a prodigy, but instead was responsible for the murder of his entire clan.

Ronan then looked at Thomas's face with no emotions readable on his own, "You don't live for as long as I have unless you are on your toes every moment you draw breath, as it could be your last in a shinobi's eyes."

Thomas after several moments spoke in his neutral voice, "I see...so why did you not kill me?"

"I used you to keep tabs on Danzou without you even knowing it. Your contact that you would meet at a random interval was indeed talented to get past Araiki...but he had another thing coming if he thought he could get past me." Just then, Thomas almost jumped in surprise when a hawk landed on Ronan's shoulder.

The Hawk perched on Ronan's shoulder was roughly a foot and a half tall, and was coated in dark brown and yellow feathers. Its black eyes were exchanging glares back and forth between Deidara and Thomas, until it stretched its foot long right wing out, and scratched at its feathers with its beak.

Ronan scratched at the spot with his hand casually, as if the Hawk was requesting for it to happen. "This, is the last remaining surveillance Hawk of the Uchiha clan used back in the shinobi war. He is twice my age, and nothing gets past him. His name is Senchi."

Deidara raised an eyebrow at its name, 'Foresight? Heh that's original for a 'surveillance' bird now.'

"Do you know why these birds were considered primary targets during the war?" Ronan said as if addressing a student.

"Watch." He said, as his eyes flickered to their red sharingan orbs, as they glared into the black eyes of the hawks.

'What is that?' Deidara wondered, but shook his head in confusion when the once endless pit of black eyes of the hawk's now held the same flaming red eyes.

After several moments, the hawk's eyes changed back to normal, and Ronan closed his eyes and appeared in deep thought.

Within moments his eyes opened, revealing his normal eyes, "Your contact found the message you planted at the point not far from the outpost, he appears to have summoned a bird of his own using a strange jutsu and attached a message to its foot...it appears our sudden change in situation will soon be found out by Danzou."

Deidara blinked in surprise, "You can read that things memories hmm?!" He said in interest.

Ronan said in pride for his clan, "We, the Uchiha, refused to rely on other clans to aid us, and that includes surveillance and tracking. It would be a cold day in hell if we were to rely on valuable information from another clan like the Hyuuga or those feral Inuzuka's."

Deidara didn't reply but inwardly thought, 'Not that I know anything about your clan, but it sounds to me you 'Uchiha's' were up to something...or you were just arrogant know it all's.'

Ronan fixed a glare on Thomas, "Now then, explains yourself." he commanded. Thomas was about to speak, but didn't get a word out when a strange spider lunged and attached itself to his chest. The spider was roughly the size of a hand, and seemed to be made out of the same material as the sculptures around Deidara's residence.

"Try anything funny, and you go out with a bang hmm." Deidara smirked, his hands in a seal.

'As I gathered, Deidara is a man practically begging to jump into a fight, even if it is not his own.' Ronan mused, but returned his attention to Thomas.

Thomas spoke, strangely far too calm for a person in his position, "I was assigned to watch over you and your group when Danzou-sama was aware of your survival. Our units were sent in when the Kyuubi was first sighted. A retrieval team was never dispatched because it was believed nobody could have survived the chaos the Kyuubi made in its path."

"Get to the point." Ronan said in annoyance, not wanting to remember that night.

"I was one of the original survivors, I reported to Danzou-sama when I returned that there were other survivors like yourself, however injured. This was after the council's decision of what was decided for the jinkuriki."

Thomas paused to recall his thoughts and continued still neutrally, "It was then that Danzou-sama ordered me to return and inform you of what the outcome was."

"You originally were sent ahead to get assistance, you knew how many injured we had!" Ronan growled in memory the orders he had given Thomas, when the odd twenty survivors thinned down to their mere six.

Thomas continued as if he never heard Ronan, "When it was agreed that justice needed to be dealt with, Danzou-sama assigned me to keep tabs on our progress."

Ronan's eyes narrowed, "My suspicions were correct, Danzou never was going to agree with Sandaime's decision."

Thomas shook his head, "You were only to be considered a threat if you were to try and attack Konoha directly, but Danzou-sama was curious to see if our mission would eventually be successful."

Ronan's firm gaze did not leave him, "Why are you so freely giving me this information, I know ROOT fear death lightly in comparison to others."

Thomas gave a strange smile, "Danzou-sama knew you would work it out sooner or later, and instructed me to inform you of everything I was sent to do, and if you didn't kill me, I was to inform Danzou-sama of your knowledge. To my understanding, Danzou-sama wishes to speak to you."

Ronan gave a loud "Hmmph" to Thomas's story, while the silent Deidara mind was wondering.

'These 'ROOT' people are strange indeed...I wonder who this Danzou is.'

"Where is your contact going to move to next?" Ronan ordered.

"I instructed them to wait by a river line at a specific location, where a squid summon with my message would meet with him."

Ronan nodded then placed his attention back on Deidara with a less hostile expression, "Now then, what is your final answer Deidara?"

Deidara ran a hand through his long blond hair, "You guys sure don't mess around, I assume the payment you said 'would be worth my while' is still up for offer, hmm?" Ronan reached into his cape, and tossed the small sack to Deidara, who opened the sack and smirked.

"My artwork is at your service then, however once this 'Jinkuriki' is terminated, we will go our separate ways hmm." Ronan nodded in understanding.

"That is more than fine with me, now if you don't mind...can you please remove that explosive of yours from Thomas, because we are going to see exactly what his boss wants."

'D-Did he just ask me what I think...he just asked me?'

Sakura went agape and her emerald orbs stared in shock at the worried eyes of Naruto. Naruto didn't know why he was suddenly finding it so hard to breathe, it was almost as if all the air in the once bright and warm room had been sealed away in a closed freezer. It was suffocating, and he could see that Sakura was sharing the same drama.

Sakura finally broke out of her confused state and a pink hue appeared across her face as she tried to breathe in the air she denied herself from her shock for what seemed like minutes. She then broke the disturbing silence.

"Na-Naruto...wh..."

She shook her head as if clearing her mind and tried to glare, "That is none of yo-..."

She gritted her teeth and released a heavy and shaken sigh as her tense face attempted to relax. She swallowed the lump at the back of her throat, and tried again.

"Why do you want to know that...Naruto?" She asked, seemingly calmer in voice, although her body language showed her discomfort of the topic. Naruto cursed himself for putting himself though this with a bad and now awkward start.

'Why the hell didn't I think my words through?! That's not what I truly meant to ask!'

"I am sorry...I am a baka, never mi-"

"What? No! I mean...you are not a baka..." She gave a small smile as her tensed shoulders relaxed.

"...Only I am allowed to call you baka...and you are not that this time..." She then continued, in a voice that seemingly was showing her increase confidence and trust.

"You wouldn't ask me something this...personal...unless you felt something was very wrong...so please, tell me why you want to know about my feelings for Sasuke-kun?"

Naruto was thankful at least Sakura was more comfortable and gave a small smile of his own, "I didn't mean to ask that, or at least not exactly."

Sakura's brows furrowed in confusion as Naruto continued, "Before...when Sasuke tried to hurt you-"

"Kill me." She corrected him, as she winced in memory, but Naruto continued as if she never said it.

"-Although I didn't see it all...but Sakura-chan...you froze. The look on your face said you didn't know what to do. Then in the last moment you attempted to evade, but Sasuke was already too close for you dodge." He said in concern.

Sakura nodded her head after several moments of looking into his concerned gaze, "I know..."

"What I want to ask Sakura-chan is if...If Sasuke was to try and hurt you...What would you do?" Naruto asked, his voice full of concern and worry.

Sakura nodded again slowly, as she tried with all her strength to not look away, "I-"

Sakura then dropped her gaze to the floor in defeat, "I don't know Naruto....you are right though...I did freeze up, and when I was preparing to evade, it would have been too late...if you didn't save me." She gave a thankful smile to him, but soon turned back to a frown.

"Then I didn't do what we agreed to do, and didn't force you to let me help you with Sasuke-kun...I know you told me not to... but I know if I persisted you would have let me...it probably was the cause to everything after that..."

"Sakura-chan...don't be so ha..." Naruto stopped his attempt when Sakura shook her head.

"Don't...it was my fault...then I lost all confidence in myself, and I only really helped when Sasuke-kun was about to..."

'Kill you'

Sakura dropped her gaze again, as her throat seemed to constrict, "I always make mistakes when it involves Sasuke-kun...and it always seems to result in you getting hurt for it."

Naruto couldn't take seeing Sakura so down any more, and swallowed his pride, "Sakura-chan...we all do dumb things when we have a crush." He then held a pink hue as he pointed to himself with his fox like grin.

"Look at the dumb things I did!"

Sakura couldn't resist a lightening giggle, "You baka....at least you kne-Know...you know when to stop...sometimes."

Naruto gave his own chuckle as he scratched the back of head in embarrassment. Sakura had no idea why she was strangely so comfortable with discussing with Naruto his crush on her, but she reverted to a cringe as another memory hit.

"Also Naruto...you at least are rational between well, me...and your loyalty with everyone."

Naruto blinked in confusion, "What do you mean Sakura-chan? I mean sure you spoke highly of Sasuke...but you never did anything-"

Sakura stopped listening to Naruto, as her mind spoke above his soft words.

'I haven't told anybody, not Ino, not Tsunade-sama...not even my mother!' She internally confessed.

Sakura then focused on Naruto's penetrating gaze, not hearing what words he was saying to her, although his mouth stopped moving and raised an eyebrow in question when her mouth formed a smile.

'I trust you Naruto.'

"Naruto...I did do something very stupid..." Sakura said suddenly, causing Naruto to go wide eyed.

Sakura continued, although her voice was full of hesitation, "...The night Sasuke-kun left the village I confronted him as you know..."

Her hesitation grew as her heart raced in anxiety, Naruto didn't say anything and waited patiently. Sakura continued almost chocking on her words, "I-I...I tried to persuade him to stay...when he didn't...I offered to leave with him, but he refused."

Sakura winced when she heard Naruto's gasp, which resulted in him coughing. Sakura looked hard at the ground, afraid to meet Naruto's gaze she felt was burning into her hidden face.

'I really am worse than trash…I was going to throw away my friends, my home, and my other teammate…to be with Sasuke-kun.' She finally concluded to the question she didn't know the answer to for so long, and felt cold, very cold.

"...What the hell does that make me? Please Naruto tell me...what am I-" She gasped in shock and surprise when she felt a strong supportive hand resting on her shoulder as she met the genuine smile of Naruto .

"You are Haruno Sakura of course." He said in a strange comforting voice Sakura had never heard before.

Sakura gave a chuckle, as she wondered why her face felt so wet all of a sudden, "Where is the baka I know?" She asked as her head fell on to the side of his shoulder as she sobbed.

Naruto stroked her back, "I am still here dattebayo."

Sakura had no idea why she found that simple phrase amusing, as she giggled through a sniffle.

"...I have kept asking myself every day if I truly meant what I said...I-I don't know what to think or believe anymore Naruto...I have done so many wrong things, all from a crush." She whispered over a sob, recalling the way she almost destroyed her friendship with her best friend Ino, and the way she treated everybody around Sasuke.

"You should always trust what your heart believes Sakura-chan! It is what makes you who you truly are." Naruto said softly as he patted the now shaking Sakura's back. Naruto usually would be ecstatic by this point that he was able to not only hug Sakura once, but more times than he could count in one day without getting a fist in the face, but today was different.

Naruto hated seeing Sakura so torn up, so broken because of what has happened that joy was the last thing on his mind. Naruto was determined to try and make this all better and continued.

"...What does your heart tell you what you would have done Sakura-chan, if Sasuke let you go with him?" Naruto asked softy to Sakura, whose head was resting over his shoulder.

When he felt her body stiffen he added smoothly, "I will never judge you."

He as quick as it came, felt her body relax, almost as if an overwhelming fear was suddenly relieved with his words.

Sakura was silent for a while, until she burst into a fit of sobs and cried out, "...I-I w-would have froze...t-t-the moment we reached the front gate...a-and I-I would have t-tried to convince him a-again, after that...I don't know Naruto!" She half shouted at the end and cried in defeat, she felt

Naruto tighten his now seemingly warm embrace, "Sakura-chan, you just were desperate to try and get him to stay with us in Konoha. You are loyal to all of us, even if you left with Sasuke, you would have thought about your friends and family that you left behind every day." He beamed at the end of his words.

Sakura said through sobs, "I-I would have?" She asked uncertain if she could trust herself anymore.

Naruto still beamed without doubt, "I know you would have Sakura-chan. It is your nature to care for everyone, even those you find annoying or possibly even hate Sakura-chan. That is what makes you Haruno Sakura!" Naruto concluded without any trace of doubt in his voice.

Sakura didn't know why her heart skipped a beat, or why even more tears streamed down her face from Naruto's words. She enwrapped her good arm around Naruto, returning the long embrace.

"T-thank you!" Was all she could muster as she cried in the warmth. Naruto rubbed his hand up and down her back in comfort.

"You're welcome Sakura-chan." He said above a whisper, as he felt Sakura tighten her hold as she cried. Naruto didn't know how long he held the crying Sakura for, but he was glad when he felt her gentle breathing brushing coolly down his shoulder, as it sounded like she was asleep.

'Having something like that bottled up for so long would drive you insane. I thought I had it bad with worrying about my friends knowing about the Kyuubi…Sakura-chan was terrified of everybody questioning her loyalty, and couldn't even trust herself…' Naruto said to himself as he looked to see her eyes were indeed shut as she was sleeping lightly. Naruto couldn't resist the lightening comment.

"Those soldier pills really have knocked you out Sakura-chan." He whispered as he rubbed her back.

He almost reacted in surprise when he saw her tired emerald orbs open through heavy lids, and she only commented with a moan showing she heard him, and let them fall again. Naruto gave a small chuckle, but decided to let her rest, listening to her steady breaths that tickled down his side.

Naruto almost yelped in surprise when he felt her head turn, and snuggle her forehead into his neck, her cool and steady breathes tickling down his shirt. Naruto was completely stunned by her action, what only added to his dumbfounded features was when he noticed Sakura was still asleep. Naruto finally recovered and tried his best to control his flush, or his racing heart.

'Sakura-chan doesn't see me any more than just a friend.' He reminded himself, although he knew he would be kidding himself if he was to think she was just a friend to him.

'I used to have a crush on Sakura-chan at first sight because she was very pretty. When time past though, I really admired her, as she was like me, but in a whole different matter. Sakura-chan told 'Sasuke' that she wanted to do anything to be accepted by him, not just because she loves him, but she wanted Sasuke to accept her for who she was, and not just a nobody it was the same thing I wanted to do, but I wanted to be accepted by everyone.'

Naruto gave a small smirk, 'It also motivated me to try and be accepted by Sakura-chan, I would be lying if it was just to achieve her friendship...' Naruto's smirk melted into a minor frown, as he looked down to his side, to only see some of Sakura's hair.

'Sakura-chan does accept me for a friend, and that really means so much to me...but, she really loves Sasuke. I knew that when I made that promise to her before we tried to bring Sasuke back home from those sound ninja's.' Naruto told himself, brushing off as best as he could his sadness. Naruto ran a hand up and down her back gently.

'...I tried to move on from Sakura-chan after that, although Ero-sennin's constant teasing didn't help...but the moment I saw her on that bridge...' Naruto gave a soft smile, which seemed impossible for his usual hyperactive self.

'She hasn't changed at all. She is still pretty no...She is something more than that now. She still has that blazing attitude that is so scary, yet so defining of who she is...My crush came back full force for her at first sight yet again...Ero-sennin is not going to stop teasing me about it if he hasn't worked it out already...' Naruto could not hold back his smile, as he cradled the sleeping Sakura.

'I want the best for Sakura-chan, I know she loves Sasuke...but I like her....a lot.' Naruto smile softened. 'I will still ask for dates, but I will not be pushy. That is what I decided I would do after the bridge, there is no harm with that. Unless Sakura-chan and Sasuke...are together after he is brought back...I will never stop asking, as long as I don't annoy her...or damage the friendship I already have.'

Naruto then casted a lone eye at his ramen bowl, then an idea brewed in his mind. He shook Sakura lightly.

"Sakura-chan?" He muttered in question, happy to give in if she was in a deep sleep. Sakura head moved as she moaned tiredly in question after a few moments.

Naruto grinned, "Would you like to try some ramen, it will help you stay awake if you would like?" He felt Sakura tense, maybe becoming aware of where she was, but soon felt her relax as she gave a tired chuckle that tickled his neck.

"I have had ramen befo-...oh I see, I haven't tried 'Ichiraku's miso pork ramen' now have I?"

Naruto laughed lightly, "You always had their diet offerings."

Sakura replied now more awake and amused, "I still need to go back on that diet, and it's your ramen anyw-"

"You look more than perfect to me Sakura-chan, and somehow I don't think several servings of anmitsu in a single go is considered a 'diet' food." He replied cheerfully, not aware that Sakura suddenly was blushing at his compliment. Sakura pulled herself out of the long embrace and tried to hide her flushed features from Naruto.

'W-Why do I always get like this now!? He has given me compliments before!' Sakura asked herself desperately.

Naruto didn't seem to pick up what he just said and continued still cheerfully, "Honestly Sakura-chan, you train so much I am sure you will work it off and get back to normal no time."

Sakura quickly recovered from her flush and instead glared as a vein started to show, "Are you saying I will be classified as fat to you if I have even one ounce of junk food?!" Naruto went wide eyed in surprise to her sudden accusation.

"W-What?! NO! There is nothing wrong with being fa- wha- oh crap! no wait-" He now was saying incoherent words, while waving his arms in a panic, remembering a piece of advice Jiraiya told him a while ago.

'Never under any circumstance imply that a woman is fat Gaki...or you might never find out what it is like to be hokage.'

Sakura's glaring eyes narrowed, "Naruto!..." She hissed, trying to hide her amusement.

Naruto paled, "I mean your fine the way you a- I MEAN-" Sakura 's sudden outburst of genuine laughter caused Naruto to stop and raise an eyebrow.

"It's ok Baka, I know what you meant...but it still is your food, aren't you hungry?"

Naruto sighed in relief, before shaking his head, "No-"

His stomach decided to announce his lie aloud, causing Naruto to flush heavily in embarrassment.

Sakura giggled in response, "Baka!" She chirped once she calmed.

Naruto scratched his head, with his embarrassed grin still there, "I umm...might be a little hungry."

Sakura raised an eyebrow in amusement while crossing her arms knowingly, "Oh really? I never would have thought." She said smugly.

Naruto then pointed to his drawer, "I have a spare set of chopsticks and a spoon in that drawer." He announced.

Sakura nodded while still chuckling and pulled out the chopsticks and spoon, "Are you even going to survive sharing half a bowl of a single, lone, miso pork ramen, which is your last one until you return to Konoha?" She said teasingly, eager to find out his answer.

Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Neh Sakura-chan, it's just ramen."

Sakura blinked in shock, "W-What?!"

Naruto soon had to control himself from bursting into laughter at her expression, since laughing too hard would hurt, but decided to settle for a giggling fit.

Sakura soon furrowed her brows, "You tricked me." She stated the obvious, more to herself than to the giggling Naruto.

"I am sure I will last." He finally said over his chuckles.

Sakura smirked, "Well then, if you don't mind, I will take you up on that offer."

Several minutes had passed as Sakura placed the disposed of bowl of ramen back on the tray near the drawer and let out a satisfied sigh, "Well I must admit I can see why you like miso pork so much, but how you can eat the stuff, or ramen for that matter, daily is still beyond me." She said with new found energy and a livelier grin.

Naruto matched the grin, "Then how can you eat so much anmitsu?"

Sakura glared, "And what is wrong with anmitsu?!"

Naruto waved his hands back and forth protectively with his grin still held, "N-Nothing at all!"

Sakura chuckled, "Alright I see your point."

Sakura soon turned back to a serious expression, "I still haven't answered your question yet have I?" She asked flatly as she rubbed her sore and heavy eyes again. Naruto shook his head and Sakura sighed.

Naruto cringed, 'I don't want her to get anymore hurt than my question already has done to her.'

Naruto mused as he voiced his thoughts, "You don't have to answer Sakura-chan, I don't have a rig-"

"No Naruto...you do, since you saved me." Sakura interrupted giving a thankful smile and look.

"Besides...I avoided the question and blurted out something that didn't really have anything to do wi-"

"But how do you feel now?" Naruto interrupted with a knowing grin.

Sakura chuckled, "You have no idea." She said, her voice full of just how relieved it was to get that off her chest at last.

' I should have apologised, since a lot of my stupidity was because of my crush...I will apologise later.' Sakura reminded herself, bringing her back to focus with the current topic. Sakura then closed her eyes for several moments and began after opening them again, although she couldn't help but notice the atmosphere had somehow brightened, and allowed her to speak more freely.

"Naruto, I made a promise to myself, that I would protect both of you. I don't want to hurt him as much as I don't want to hurt you..." She paused and the image flashed across her mind again almost as if to haunt her. The detail she caught this time was Sasuke's dark, cold, sadistic fanged smirk. The smirk made her wince, but she refused to cry this time. She then she looked straight into Naruto's worried blue eyes and the state Sasuke had left him in and her heart felt a strange sting which made her close her eyes for a moment.

'I will not lose you because of my issues!' She mentally shouted as she opened her eyes, no longer showing any hints of exhaustion as she said with full energy.

"....But I don't...I will NOT let him hurt you like what he did ever again!"

Naruto was about to say something but Sakura beat him to it, "If Sasuke-kun tries to come for your life again...I won't hesitate to act until he has hurt you like what happened before." She lifted her broken hand in its cast for emphasis still looking straight into Naruto's shocked eyes with her almost burning with determination emerald set.

"I will protect myself if he comes after you again with everything I have...I will put your well being in front of my own as long as it means you are safe...This doesn't apply to just Sasuke-kun either, this also includes the Akatsuki, or anybody else that wants to hurt you...I will help you next time, not make it worse. I told you that day two years ago in the hospital that next time I would not be a hindrance, now that I know I can do something other than cry, I am damn well going to keep my word to you like you always keep yours. This is my promise to you Naruto, that I will keep for the rest of my life!" She finished strong without even an ounce of hesitation in her voice, as her eyes never even left Naruto's.

Naruto was in shock, his eyes were wide and his mouth was agape. Naruto had no idea why Sakura's promise had effectively stunned him. Kakashi had said he would protect them a long time ago, but Sakura saying this to only him had a whole different meaning for him. Naruto finally formed a grand smile.

"....Thank you Sakura-chan." He replied in almost a whisper, although Sakura could hear just how grateful he was to hear her say those words. Sakura gave her own smile in return, and lowered her casted hand.

'But I am not letting you die to save me, ever!' Naruto's mind almost shouted in rebuttal.

Naruto broke their momentary silence, "We better go see Shikamaru, before he starts complaining about how troublesome this is." he beamed.

Sakura chuckled but shook her head, "You are not going anywhere, Shikamaru can whine all he wants, He is coming up here." She then looked back at her hand again, then with her good hand, reached for her weapon pouch on the drawer and sat it next to her. She then pulled out a kunai with a roll of skin toned bandages.

She placed them both on the bed she was sitting on then put the pouch back on the drawer. She then gripped the hilt of the kunai in her good hand. She gritted her teeth in pain as she tried to cut the cast with no avail.

Naruto offered his own opened hand, "Let me help." he chirped, as Sakura gave him the kunai and rested her arm, which Naruto held in his other. Within moments he cut her hand free from the cast, and released her hand, only for her to present it again.

"Please keep it steady, mending broken bone is very hard, especially when it's being performed on yourself." Sakura instructed, and Naruto did as told, resting Sakura's hand on top of his own, gripping it as gently as he could. Sakura then used her right hand to begin healing with the familiar green glow. Sakura occasionally winced in pain as she continued healing, and Naruto's eyes widened when Sakura's broken hand started to twitch.

Sakura smirked, "Amazing isn't it what you can do with chakra?" Naruto just nodded dumbly still shocked.

"However it does have its limits though." Sakura added when the humming on her hand died down and she reached for the bandage roll and unrolled it partially with her teeth.

She grinned though when she still felt Naruto's supportive hand still holding protectively onto her own.

"You can let go now, Naruto." She giggled when Naruto blushed and turned to the side huffing out with now crossed arms.

"I was just waiting for your instructions."

She payed no attention though as she began her task, but encountered a problem. Each time she tried to grip onto the bandage to begin wrapping her injured hand, she hissed in pain. She sighed and looked back at Naruto and presented the bandage slightly flushed.

"Help." was all she muttered as she looked away in embarrassment.

Naruto chuckled and got to work. He was soon done and asked 'pin?'. Sakura blinked in remembrance and grabbed her discarded pouch again and opened it with her free hand. She then presented a small safety pin, which she handed to Naruto, who then fixed it in place.

"All done." He said in an exhausted huff that caused Sakura to snicker.

"Thank you 'doctor' Uzumaki." She said in sarcasm while rolling her eyes.

"Does it hurt?" Naruto asked, ignoring the tease. Sakura tried closing her hand and then opening it, then gripping onto her kunai and gritted her teeth and winced.

"A little bit. Just sore and stiff, along with minor bruising. I probably will have to watch what I am doing for a couple of days." She concluded but decide to add like educating.

"Chakra can be used to help repair bone, but it is limited in what it can do, it doesn't top healing over time naturally, it only speeds it up. Meaning that if I am not careful it will easily break again until properly healed."

Naruto nodded in understanding and then felt a brush of his guilt return, "What about..." Sakura smiled softly as she placed her hand over the remaining wound and continued healing.

'I stopped earlier because I couldn't concentrate.' She mused in memory.

"Did you speak to Ero-sennin about your decision?" She asked.

Naruto nodded, "He wasn't exactly happy at first, but he understood more or less."

"Did he at all say what you will be learning instead?"

Naruto shrugged, "He said he thought of something...but he wouldn't tell me." Naruto said, voicing his annoyance at said sannin.

Sakura casually shrugged, "I am sure you know other jutsu anyway." She stated as she continued healing, not seeing Naruto's embarrassed face.

"U-Umm...I don't really know any others."

Sakura choked, "W-What?!" She said in disbelief as she stared wide eyed at the flushed Naruto.

"You are telling me...you only know...rasengan, kage bunshin and summoning?!" Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously.

"U-Umm...Y-Yeah."

Sakura blinked, 'No way!' She thought in disbelief.

"But what about those other jutsu's you were gloat...ing...about." Sakura narrowed her eyes at the now red in the face Naruto.

"W-What Jutsu's do you know Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, knowing he had been caught red handed.

Sakura blinked again and answered, "Why, I know several different genjutsu's, my medical jutsu's, which are in the dozens, my summoning contract, and my chakra co-"

She paused when she realised what she was doing, she was belittling Naruto, and she didn't like it, one bit.

'I am trying to make up for what I did to Naruto in the past, not add more things to apologise about!' She scolded as she shook her head dismissively.

"You know what? It doesn't matter how many jutsu's you know."

Naruto's averted gaze looked up as she continued, "What matters is how effectively you use them." She concluded with a grin, which Naruto formed too and gave a chuckle.

"I still think I should learn more...I will have a long way to go if I want to catch up to Sasuke now."

Sakura nodded but added, "Hey! Don't forget me too!"

Naruto chuckled, "Sorry, we won't let Sasuke get ahead of us." He corrected with a fox wide smile. Sakura's glowing hand dimmed as she looked at her handy work, it was almost like the wound was never even there.

"See."

She presented her arm to show, "No scars, nothing." She said dismissively, but almost gasped when she felt Naruto brush his hand across where the wound used to be.

'What is the matter with me?!' She asked herself for what seemed like at least the tenth time again, as her heart rate began picking up.

Naruto was completely oblivious, and pulled his hand away from her arm and smiled, "I am really glad." He admitted.

Naruto soon blinked in question when he saw Sakura's state, "Sakura-chan, you look like you're burning up, are you si-"

"It's my hot chocolate!" She interrupted his innocent question and turned her head away to hide her now flaming cheeks, while taking her mug of drink and drinking it faster than necessary.

'What is wrong with me?!'

After a moment of calming herself, Sakura placed the kunai in her pouch and stood up and drank the rest of her now mildly warm drink, then placed the mug in the empty bowl, and lifted it with her healed hand.

"While I enjoy sitting here and talking, I will go and get the others alright? I will be back as quick as I can, if something happen-"

"I will be ok Sakura-chan." Naruto interrupted with an assuring smile, which she nodded to with a grin.

Once her back was turned she remembered another question she didn't answer and said softly, too afraid to turn, "...By the way Naruto..."

Sakura suddenly felt that suffocating tension from before come back to her, as suddenly all oxygen in the room seemed to have vanished again. The oblivious Naruto gave his attention to her back, looking at her near blooming clan insignia.

"....Argue with me all you want...but I know your first question held just as much meaning as your correction."

Sakura heard his sharp intake of breath, knowing she had just pulled him back into the same dilemma, "I don't want to hurt you...but I don't want to lie to you either..." She paused as she battled with her mind.

'What am I? A coward? TURN AROUND!' She shouted to her body, as she reluctantly turned to meet

Naruto eye to eye, "...I still have strong feelings for him Naruto."

Naruto didn't say anything, but Sakura could see just how much damage those words had done, and she didn't even know why she felt as terrible as what her eyes were seeing in Naruto's hurt orbs.

"But..." Sakura swallowed the hard lump at the back of her constricting throat.

"...I don't know if I love him... at least not in that way anymore...or if I ever did in that way in the first place." She then turned and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Once the click of the door was heard, Sakura gasped for the air she wasn't able to breathe in for that entire time.

'That...was the hardest thing to admit ever in my life...but I don't care. I could not stand the look of pain in his eyes.'

On the other side of the closed door, somebody else was gasping for air, along with a minor cough to go with it. Naruto was fully agape and his eyes were staring wide at the closed door in complete disbelief to what he had just heard Sakura say.

'S-She doesn't!?' Naruto didn't know why the sides of his mouth began twitching upwards, nor why he felt a sudden rush of joy and hope.

"Check mate, Kakashi." Shikamaru yawned as he moved his bishop through the 'queen' and pinned Kakashi's king in the corner.

Kakashi scratched his head in confusion, "You have gotten better at detecting genjutsu's Shikamaru?" He enquired in confusion, which seemed forced, only to have Sakura walk in on their game and sigh at the sight before her.

Kakashi had his sharingan eye visible, and from what she could tell he had been checkmated by Shikamaru in a pathetic corner. The part that made her eye twitch was that the cause of the cornering was mostly by Kakashi's own pieces boxing in his king.

"Kakashi-sensei....you really are that bad at shogi?" Sakura said rhetorically, quickly adding after a groan.

"How...in god's name do you lose in shogi when you are placing Shikamaru in a genjutsu...with the sharingan!!?" She near shouted in disappointment towards the end.

Kakashi was about to respond raising his hand, but Shikamaru beat him by saying flatly, "He copies strategies he 'observed' between me and Asuma-sensei's games....eh, Kakashi?"

Kakashi lowered his hand as his sweat dropped and with a deflated and defeated voice murmuring, "Maybe."

Sakura shook her head, 'Seriously, Kakashi-sensei can't be that stupid with his strategies....it doesn't make any sense, I beat Shikamaru...but Kakashi-sensei is a lot smarter than me.' She decided to drop the matter as she walked past them into the kitchen to dispose of the tray and bowl. Shikamaru stretched in his seat and groaned.

"Well I suppose it's time to summarise the situation now." He said lazily, as if it was a chore he hated doing.

Kakashi lowered his forehead protector, "Indeed it is." He said flatly as he remembered his one second of looking away during his fight, allowed Ronan's teammate to help him escape.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "You were more concerned about Naruto Kakashi...we all were when we heard Sakura's scream. Even most experienced nin's make a mistake, no point beating yourself up about it."

Kakashi nodded, "Hai, I know that Shikamaru."

Sakura then returned, "Naruto isn't in the best condition to move Shikamaru, it would be best if the meeting was held in his room." Sakura said being surprisingly polite to the shadow user.

Shikamaru blinked in surprise but answered, "Of course, give me a minute to go find Lee and Jiraiya-sama and we will be right up." Sakura nodded, then suddenly changed expression's entirely and her once neutral eyes began to mould into a glare.

"Now that I know Naruto is ok..."

'Oh boy, here it comes.'

Sakura continued with anger clearly present in her tone to match the glare, "Why the hell did you not tell me about Naruto swapping with one of the kage bunshin's?!" She hissed.

Shikamaru stood up and met her eye to eye, "I am sorry...the point of it was your reaction is what lead them to believe they had Naruto, making them expose themselves to us. It allowed us to confirm how many there were in total, and their locations...and Naruto did not agree with my plan either." Shikamaru said neutrally and almost closed his eyes in waiting as he heard the knuckles crack from Sakura's now violently shaking fist.

He gasped in surprise though when she nodded her head and walked to the door, and without turning back said still in her angered tone, "I understand...I still don't like what you did one bit Shikamaru...but Naruto is ok, and that's all that matters right now." She then disappeared down the corridor.

Shikamaru blinked in confusion and sighed, 'Women...I will never understand them.' Shikamaru ignored his inner puzzlement, and turned back to Kakashi.

"Lee should be still in his room, as for Jiraiya-sama..." Shikamaru rolled his eyes when his conclusion came to him in an instant.

"...Probably teasing Naruto about something troublesome."

Shikamaru couldn't have been more right on his speculation of the toad sannin's whereabouts.

"So gaki, I was right yet again!" Jiraiya beamed through his smirk at his student.

"Don't you have something better to do?" Naruto growled in annoyance as his right eye twitched. While he was more than thankful for Jiraiya's advice, Naruto sure as hell didn't appreciate having his nose rubbed in its success.

"It's good to hear though you're still a smooth talker as ever though hmm." Jiraiya said while grinning.

Naruto glared daggers from his upright position on the bed, "Ero-sennin...I was being sincere!" Naruto said, quickly losing his battle to not yell at the sannin.

'Why did I agree to telling him a few things that I said...gah!' he mused in agitation. Fortunately somebody else delivered his message for him.

"Ero-sennin..."

Naruto's spine unconsciously received a chill as he heard the silent death inducing voice of 'that' Sakura. Jiraiya couldn't move at all in his terror, as his now sweating and paled face turned to met the eyes of what he was starting to call 'the green eyed monster'.

"I am grateful you pushed Naruto to ask me, as it allowed me to clear a lot from my mind...but if you tease him, just once more about what he said to me... I swear it will be the last thing you will ever do..." She near whispered, although the killer intent amplified the whisper into a glass shattering hiss.

Jiraiya just nodded while inwardly crying, 'demon!'

Sakura held her glare for a few moments longer, then softened instantly as she faced Naruto and sat down on the side of the bed from before.

"Everything ok?" She asked in concern.

Naruto shook himself from his shock but nodded dumbly. Jiraiya really didn't know what to think.

'She's the shinigami itself one second, then she acts like an angel the next....Naruto sure as hell knows how to pick them.' Jiraiya mused, although glad he wasn't sent flying through a wall or window today.

Lee and Shikamaru soon entered the room, being tailed by Kakashi who was reading his new book, his lone eye portraying the emotion of deep concentration. Jiraiya smirked at his number one fans antics, as he pulled Kakashi out of his thoughts.

"Enjoying it are we Kakashi?" He teased. Kakashi reluctantly tore his gaze up from the book.

"You have truly outdone yourself this time Jiraiya-sama. This level of drama, fluttering of the heart, burning tragedy, the evil secrets, and the beautiful love of a man and a woman is truly wonderful!" Kakashi exploded with a large smile that could be seen even through his mask.

Sakura looked straight at her crazed sensei in bafflement, 'What garbage, there is none of that at all....is there?' Sakura's alarms went off when she suddenly realised what she was thinking, and threw the thought to the very depths of her mind, praying it wouldn't come crawling back.

Shikamaru muttered his typical, 'troublesome' then added, "While I am sure everybody is DIEING to hear a review of your 'masterpiece' Jiraiya-sama, can we actually get down to the matter at hand?"

Once Shikamaru had said that, they each began telling what had happened during their fights. The group paused though at Lee's conclusion to his fight.

"How was something as major as that get overlooked?" Shikamaru voiced in shock at Lee's discovery of Araiki's involvement in Sasuke's departure. Naruto gritted his teeth, while Sakura's brows were furrowed.

"It does make sense unfortunately." Kakashi stated, but then decided to change the topic since he could see his two students weren't taking the news very well.

"...But what about what happened with the summon?" Shikamaru groaned in response.

"This is so confusing, what on earth was the summon trying to do to that Hyuuga? We have seen it heal a wound before, but never engulf the person completely in its tentacle." Shikamaru said with a grunt.

Lee shrugged, "I wish I knew more too Shikamaru-kun, it seemed like the summon was trying to prepare the body for something...since it seemed like it was trying to scoop up Araiki-sans body."

Jiraiya groaned, "That sounds similar to what the two guys tried to do when I had them in my trap. I destroyed them before the summon succeeded in rescuing them." Jiraiya said void of emotion.

Sakura's brows furrowed in thought, as she looked at Jiraiya, "Could it be then...that Wani was trying to pull them into the squid's realm?"

Jiraiya shrugged and blinked, "You mean like a reverse summon?...I really don't know about that."

Jiraiya then put his hand to his chin in thought, and then looked back at Sakura, "Tsunade signed you to the slug contract didn't she?"

Sakura nodded, but soon got the general idea what Jiraiya was thinking. She bit her non injured hand's thumb and ran through the seals necessary before placed her palm down on her knee. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu." She announced as she was engulfed in smoke. The smoke soon cleared to reveal a slug roughly over a foot in length slithered across Sakura's shoulders.

The slug had long fine blue stripes running across its smooth body almost like a pattern, and although it appeared to be coated along its skin with some sort of liquid, Sakura wasn't at all wet from the contact.

Sakura turned her head to her left to meet the face of her summon, "It's good to see you again Sakura-sama, how may I be of service?" The slug said in its mythical feminine voice without its mouth appearing to move.

"It talks without moving its mouth?! Sweet!." Naruto blurted out, causing Sakura to stretch her neck over her summon to at least make eye contact with Naruto.

"Naruto, this is Katsuya-sama, queen of the slugs, don't treat her like she is some sort of object!" She scolded, and Naruto's eyes widened at her words.

"Q-queen?! Slugs are so cool!" Sakura rolled her eyes, but was surprised when Katsuya emitted a soft chuckle.

"Don't be so hard on him Sakura-sama, If I recall right you didn't exactly act normal when you first heard a toad speak." Sakura blushed in embarrassment and tried to mumble an excuse but didn't say anything else to avoid further embarrassment.

Katsuya noticed the presence around the room and asked again with no sign of annoyance, "How may I be of assistance, Sakura-sama?"

Sakura recovered quickly and returned her soft smile, "I was wondering if you could elaborate on what you told me earlier about the squid contract and its abilities to all of us please."

Katsuya slid slowly down Sakura's left arm, causing Sakura's eye to twitch in pain when Katsuya passed over her hand. Once Katsuya had settled across Sakura's lap, she shot a blank look back at Sakura that she recognised was an apology.

"I would be more than happy to, while I am explaining though Sakura-sama, please just rest your hand on me and I will see if there is anything I can do to help."

Sakura's smile softened in appreciation, while muttering in a half whisper 'thank you Katsuya-sama' as she rested her arm across Katsuya's body, while Katsuya turned its head to her anticipating audience.

"The squid contract originally came from the hidden mist village, but to my understanding it was soon brought to shore, and has been passed down through the fire country to the ANBU member of today. Although squids can only truly fight and survive while being in water, they soon learnt how to transport portions of their body using chakra through special seals which are passed down to the summoners."

Katsuya briefly paused to collect her thoughts before continuing, "As most of you already know, the head or more so mother, of the squids is called Wani. While subordinates do exist, Wani seems to cannibalise her young and subordinates to grow larger and more powerful. Her main unique ability, which extends to all of the squids are their amazing regenerative ink, which can heal any wound as long as it hasn't been too long over time, it can even bring the recently killed back to life."

Katsuya paused to see if there were any questions, but rolled her antenna like eyes upwards to meet Sakura as she asked, "Is it possible for the squids to be able to pull alive people through the tags?"

Katsuya didn't look away as she responded, "Even a summon with such an ability has a limit. For example Sakura-sama, if you were to be summoned into the slug realm, which is more than possible, it would require a special reverse summon which takes great time and preparation to perform. If the object is inanimate though, such as a corpse, it is quite plausible since the person's chakra signature disappears when they die. Pulling a living being through a tag though...I strongly doubt it is possible Sakura-sama."

Sakura was slightly agape at the knowledge of the reverse summon, but quickly recovered and nodded with her soft smile of gratitude.

Shikamaru asked surprisingly at attention, "What are the squid's weaknesses?"

Katsuya's eyes shifted onto Shikamaru, "Squids are water creatures, they cannot survive long outside water since they breathe underwater, Wani being the only exception due to her evolution. While the squids ink can emit from most parts of its body, the greatest weakness to the squids amazing ink is it is very flammable liquid due to the chakra flowing through it. Any kind of open flame to it will result in fire that is almost as wild as setting oil alight."

Naruto snickered as if something clicked for him, "No wonder squid-teme got crisped by me and Gamakichi."

He chuckled, although he felt a pair of emerald orbs on him telling him to 'shut up' but the grin across her face almost invalidated her silent request. Katsuya payed no attention to the pair and continued.

"The tags most major flaw is that if they are destroyed once the portion of the squids body is out, it will essentially cut that portion clean off, since the connection between the realms are severed. The tags are also not instant, they require a couple of seconds for the chakra to channel from the squid to activate them."

Sakura looked down at Katsuya in question, "Katsuya-sama...does that mean that when Wani's mouth was summoned...If a single tag was destroyed during the process, her mouth would have been cut in half?!" She asked in surprise and partial shock.

Katsuya returned her gaze to Sakura, "Yes Sakura-sama, which is why Wani only ever uses it when the target is trapped." Sakura nodded in understanding but then remembered something.

"During my fight after you were forced to return to your realm Katsuya-sama, the ANBU said something about Wani enjoying the taste of my chakra...what did he mean by that?" She asked in curiosity.

"As I mentioned before Sakura-sama, Wani cannibalises her own kind to gain power and grow...this does not change when devouring a person."

Sakura's eyes widened but Katsuya continued, "All people have different chakra signatures, to a summon like Wani, this is almost like a different sort of food flavour...once a person has been consumed, their chakra pool is added to Wani's, increasing her power greatly, as well as possibly inheriting abilities from the user." Katsuya said gravely. Sakura nodded while swallowing the lump at the back of her throat.

Shikamaru groaned, "That would explain how the Gigas were able to use my jutsu against me." He muttered more to himself than anybody.

"Is this anything else you would like to know?" Katsuya asked aloud to her audience of shinobi, Shikamaru shared a glance with Kakashi but turned back and shook his head.

Katsuya turned her attention back to Sakura, "Do you mind if I stay around for a while longer Sakura-sama?" Katsuya asked.

Sakura smiled wide, "Of course not Katsuya-sama, I was going to ask you if you could stay to look at Naruto's wound later if you didn't mind." Katsuya didn't show any expression, but to Sakura she could tell she was happy. Katsuya was similar to the toads in a way, that they enjoyed spending their time around their summoner. Unfortunately with Tsunade and Shizune always busy, she never had time to summon Katsuya for company, leaving Sakura as the only person who summoned her in free time, which is why they were quite close with one another.

"I would be more than happy to Sakura-sama." Katsuya replied as she rested across Sakura's lap, with Sakura's bandaged hand still resting on top. Jiraiya was next in his explanation, not much interesting was noted other than the squids attempted rescue. To Jiraiya though, he could have sworn he heard the annoying Gamakichi chuckle out 'little Jiraiya' somewhere. Kakashi sighed and began his own explanation and his serious discovery.

"I thought that ANBU looked familiar. So Ronan did survive the Kyuubi attack...this is a serious problem indeed...it would also explain why Orochimaru was there with Sasuke, probably looking for a tutor to help Sasuke with the sharingan."

Kakashi nodded at Jiraiya dry explanation, "That is what I believe as well, Orochimaru knows very little on how the sharingan works, and the only way Sasuke would be able to use it effectively is if he was taught by an elder Uchiha."

"Kakashi-sensei, how did you learn so much about using the sharingan?" Naruto asked suddenly, Sakura nodded as well in agreement.

Kakashi inwardly sighed, 'Oh crap.' If it was one thing he didn't like discussing with anybody, it was his past, so he figured he would settle for a border trace of the story.

"When I was given this-" He tapped the metal of his forehead protector.

"The basic effects on how it worked were trivial, such as being able to see fast motion with ease and being able to read and copy jutsu's. However the sharingan has a lot more to it than just that, which does not come from just having the kekkai genkai over time. The Uchiha clan did not approve though of teaching me those advanced techniques, but I learnt how to use it in my times in ANBU from an Uchiha who was more than happy to help." Kakashi said, trying to avoid the mention of who that Uchiha was.

Sakura's interest got the better of her, "Who did you learn from Sensei?"

'I could lie...' Kakashi wondered, but then looked back at his two students who were waiting patiently in interest.

'No' Kakashi concluded.

"I was taught by my partner in the ANBU...Uchiha Itachi." Several gasps were heard from Lee, Shikamaru and from Sakura's side, followed by violent coughing which got her attention straight away.

Naruto settled though with light pants, "Y-You, were taught, by him!?" He gasped out looking shocked at Kakashi.

Sakura held confusion across her features, while a part of her felt left out, "Do you know him Naruto?" She asked innocently, which made Jiraiya groan loudly.

'I forgot to tell her about him.' he inwardly cursed.

Naruto was still breathing lightly but nodded, "He's..he's Sasuke's older brother Sakura-chan." he whispered. Sakura gasped in shock and her eyes widened, she also was gripping tightly on Katsuya with her bandaged hand, but the slug didn't say anything.

Sakura snapped back to Kakashi, "I-Is that true? That means Itachi is the....."

Sakura couldn't finish her sentence but Jiraiya did, "The one that murdered the entire Uchiha clan, leaving only Sasuke alive." He said void of emotion.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, "I was taught by him a year before the Uchiha massacre, I concluded it was his own way to spite the clans wishes by teaching me after that night." he confessed.

Shikamaru couldn't hold back his disgusted tone which he could last time Kakashi mentioned the man, "What sort of a brother would do that?!"

Jiraiya shrugged, "Nobody knows why Itachi did what he did, but we know that after that though he joined the Akatsuki."

Sakura's sharp gasp stopped everybody, as she looked back and forth in disbelief between Naruto and Jiraiya.

"He is after Naruto as well!!?" She shouted, looking in great concern to Naruto, while unconsciously tightening her grip on Katsuya to the point where her hand was hurting.

'She needs the comfort.' Katsuya concluded as she still said nothing.

Naruto nodded slowly, "He and some fish faced-teme came after me when me and Ero-sennin were searching for Tsuna-nade-sama." Naruto said softly, stuttering his attempt at pronouncing 'Tsunade-sama'.

Kakashi added, "His name was Hoshigaki Kisame, a missing S ranked nin from the mist."

Sakura averted her gaze down to her crossed legs, and realised what she was doing and released her hold on Katsuya, eyeing the deep mark her fingers made into her summon, and stroked the area apologetically.

'This is what Naruto tried to keep us all away from...that baka!' Sakura inwardly shouted, but knew that this no longer was case and didn't voice her thoughts.

"I understand..." She said. After a moment of awkward silence Sakura looked back up at Kakashi and tried to lighten the mood.

"What happened at the end of your fight Kakashi-sensei?" she asked softly, still stroking Katsuya.

Kakashi inwardly cringed, 'This I will lie about, the last thing she needs is more ammunition to dump guilt on herself about.' he concluded.

"Ronan made himself scarce once Sasuke was knocked out." He said, earning a glance from Shikamaru. Sakura nodded in acceptance to his explanation, making Kakashi inwardly sigh in relief.

Naruto scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously, "I guess that le-"

"I already explained our story Naruto, while you were out." Sakura interrupted Naruto softly. Naruto mouthed a silent "oh" and shrugged.

Shikamaru decided to clear his throat, "When do you believe Naruto will be fit enough to move around again?" he asked, dropping this 'very troublesome' topic.

Sakura blinked at the change of topic but recovered, "I am not sure, he should be able to walk around fine, but anything that tires him will result in pain, and anything that causes him stress will do the same thing. A wound this serious would take a very long time and constant treatment to heal properly, but with Naruto...I honestly don't know, I should be able to tell you after tomorrow. If you are not careful though Naruto, your wound will open up again and we will be back to where we started." Sakura said in seriousness as she looked back at Naruto.

Sakura wasn't satisfied by the curious look in Naruto's eye and decided to outline a basic do and don't list.

"You can get up and walk around as long as somebody is with you, you can still talk like you are now. You can NOT yell, do ANY training at all, or even CONSIDER sparing or fighting. Do you understand!?" She said in a tone that left no room for objection.

Naruto nodded his head dumbly while he paled slightly, "H-Hai!" He attempted to beam but it came out more of a whimper.

Shikamaru took their pause in their little discussion as a cue for him to continue, "Alright, until Naruto is fit to move, we will stay in Wave a bit longer. Once you deem him healthy, we will leave Wave."

Sakura and Naruto looked at Shikamaru in confusion but Kakashi added, "Their numbers are down to just Ronan and the summoner, all being that there are none in Konoha. They most likely have gone into hiding. In saying this, the citizens of Wave no longer need to be put in danger." He said softly, catching Naruto's approving gaze.

"Damn right!"

Sakura pondered though, and voiced her thoughts, "Where will we be moving to then? Konoha?" She asked in hope, but her eye brow rose in question when Jiraiya shook his head.

"I have been keeping in contact with Tsunade, she has now got several of her most trusted jounin keeping tabs on Danzou and to an extent, the ANBU. As much as she wants us back in the village, she feels it's still not safe until she has confirmed her suspicions, and instead has asked for outside help."

Shikamaru groaned, "We are going to Suna, who have agreed to more than happily aid us. They are sending the 'ever so troublesome' Temari as our escort to Suna, she will be arriving here in roughly three days time. On the plus side this puts us in the best position against that troublesome squid summoner, and from what I hear they are currently celebrating their new selected Kazekage...Gaara."

Naruto coughed violently, "GAARA IS KAZEKAGE DATTEBAYO?!"

"NARUTO!"

"...Sorry Sakura-chan" Shikamaru snickered at the pairs antics.

Shikamaru continued, "Sakura, you will have the watches off since your main task is taking care of Naruto."

Sakura nodded, "Hai!" Shikamaru then addressed the others.

"We will take the night shifts in pairs, I will go and greet that troublesome woman when she gets here on the third day." He said, again groaning at being reacquainted with Temari.

Naruto couldn't resist the chuckle, "She can't be that bad Shikamaru."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, as if the blond had no idea what he was talking about. "Oh trust me Naruto, she is the second most troublesome woman I know."

Sakura rose an eye brow and growled, "And who is the first most troublesome woman?!"

Shikamaru decided to play dumb. The truth was Sakura was ranked fourth, but was very quickly catching up to Ino, with the champion of all trouble blazing at the top never to be knocked out of first place...

...being his mother.

Shikamaru instead looked back at Kakashi, "It's getting late, let's get something to eat Kakashi, we will be on first watch."

Kakashi quickly nodded, although he was chuckling, and both left the room before he felt the murderous demonic roar from a flushed Sakura, "Shikamaru!!"

Lee scratched his head in confusion, "I will go too, I have some more training to do after tea."

Jiraiya staggered at the casual claim, "MORE TRAINING?! You seriously have got to be joking?!"

Lee gave Jiraiya the nice guy pose, "Jiraiya-sama it is important to stay fit at all times during the dawning of our youth, you being at the dusk of yours cannot appreciate it anymore."

Sakura and Naruto burst out in fits of laughter, although Naruto was coughing as well. Jiraiya didn't know if Lee meant it in a joking way or said it innocently, but either way he still held a lot of anger towards the miniature Gai.

"Again...I AM NOT THAT OLD!"

Jiraiya let out his frustration with a deep sigh and pulled Lee out of the room, "Let's discuss some far more important things, like I don't know, WOMEN perhaps?" He said as if discovering a miracle cure as he closed the door.

Naruto was lightly panting during Jiraiya's bickering, 'Wow, even laughing hurts, and my outburst with Gaara made my entire chest rumble...'

Sakura looked in worry now as the door closed, "You see what I mean now Naruto, you have to be very careful." Sakura sighed and added the cold truth.

"If your lung re-opens Naruto...you could drown from your own blood...do you understand me?" Sakura said softly with her concern present.

Naruto nodded, suddenly feeling deflated. "Ok."

Sakura grinned, "Hey, lighten up baka, I won't let that happen." Naruto's small smile was satisfying enough for her.

The silent Katsuya finally spoke, "How is your hand now Sakura-sama?"

Sakura emitted a little surprise yelp in remembrance and looked back at her summon, "S-sorry Katsuya-sama I forgot you were there." She then clenched and unclenched her hand and almost went agape at how little ease was required to move it so freely.

"It doesn't hurt anymore...thank you Katsuya-sama."

"You're welcome Sakura-sama, but please just remember that although the pain is almost gone, your hand is still very fragile. Do not put too much strain on it for a few days or it will break again." Katsuya said softly, Sakura nodded still smiling in appreciation. Katsuya slid off her lap and slithered around Naruto who watched in interest, but soon started giggling.

"T-That tickles Sebonegoro-chan!" He beamed, unaware Sakura went wide eyed in shock.

'...He didn't...JUST CALL KATSUYA-SAMA SPINELESS-CHAN!?!'

Before she could scold Naruto, she went agape when she heard Katsuya...laugh?

"Sorry Naruto-kun, I am just going to look at your injury now, you should feel a little warm but don't worry it's just my chakra." She spoke completely unaffected.

Naruto nodded his head furiously, "No problem Sebonegoro-chan!" Katsuya slithered around his back and rested her head over Naruto's left side.

Naruto giggled again, "Slugs are so cool!"

Sakura's eye twitched before she shook her head in soft laughter, "You are unbelievable, baka!" Was all she managed to say, as she then waited patiently for Katsuya's diagnosis.

Katsuya's eyes rolled up to meet Sakura's, "The Kyuubi is already healing the wound as we speak, but I can see you did most of the work yourself Sakura-sama. You did a great job, Sakura-sama." Katsuya said, her voice full of pride for her summoner.

Sakura rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled with a pink hue across her cheeks, "Thank you Katsuya-sama."

Naruto emitted another giggle as Katsuya slid off of him and was between the two, "You should get some rest though Sakura-sama, it seems you are quite drained from all the soldier pills you have been taking to stay awake and restore your chakra."

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, but remembering who she was talking to, she relaxed in understanding.

"You did more than heal my hand?" She asked rhetorically.

"Sakura-sama...the amount of drugs I felt present in your system is way over the limit of what a human body can handle...I won't scold you on how reckless you were, because you know yourself. It is amazing that you are even able to stay this conscious and alert. However I am glad to see that you are like this, instead of in a coma like you could have been in." Katsuya continued after a brief pause to let her words sink in.

"...However you seem extremely exhausted and tired, as expected. It won't surprise me if you get very nauseous tonight as your body gets them out of your system. Get some rest Sakura-sama, you have earned it and you are going to need it. I will watch over Naruto-kun tonight."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but she wasn't expecting her summon to be backed up by the blond too, "Yeah Sakura-chan, you still look terribly tired, and you were nodding off earlier."

Sakura gritted her teeth in response, "Stop ganging up on me!" She hissed in annoyance glaring between the two. She sighed in defeat after failing to win in a staring contest.

"Fine." She said as she rubbed her eyes and stood up.

She looked at Katsuya with a smile, "Thank you once again Katsuya-sama."

"You're welcome again Sakura-sama, as always." She then looked up at Naruto and grinned.

"Good night Sakura-chan!" He said in his typical warm and energetic way while waving.

Sakura turned to leave while still glancing and chuckling before returning the gesture and in said simply through her suppressed giggles, "Good night baka!"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined in a child like way at the now laughing kunoichi. Sakura suppressed her fits of laughter to chuckles as she opened the door and stepped outside into the bright corridor, but before she closed the door, she gave Naruto a genuine smile.

"Good night Naruto."