Naruto is owned by the almighty Kishimoto! If I owned it, Sasuke would be back by now and would not be a member of Akatsuki! (just letting you know)
"N- Naruto?" A small voice peeped up from within the group of three shinobi.
"Sakura-Chan? You're okay!" Lifting her from the odd position Ino had placed her in, Naruto pulled her into a immense embrace, making the pink haired girl jump with shock.
The whole Akatsuki (who was left) stared at the scene in front of them, disgusted at how much love and friendship just poured off of the small group.
Suddenly, Sasuke felt something creep into his chest. What was it? He definitely hadn't felt it in a long time... Whatever it was, it was yanking on his heart. Though, it was now shriveled and withered to almost nothing, he could care less, but it just wouldn't stop. He realized it was longing. To think... If he had stayed in Konoha, he could be the one on the receiving end of the young girls hug. The girl who confessed her love to him so many years ago. Five years.
"Naruto- I need to see Tsunade!" Without any notice the small woman collapsed to her knees and coughed up blood.
"Sakura!" Naruto shouted picking the frail cherry blossom up from the ground bridal-style, "We have to hurry..."
"Hai!"Ino and Shikamaru nodded and flew into the canopy, jumping from tree to tree as fast as they could. The couple was to arrive at the village before Naruto and Sakura so they could get the medics ready in time for the injured cherry blossom.
xx
"Sasuke..." Naruto looked at him with the same pain as someone would have if they just were ripped away from their accomplishment. But, then again... that's what happened, right?
"Naruto. Get yourself and the sorry excuse for a twig out of here... She is rather useless, I presume..."
Madara, and Zetsu snickered as they both vanished. Zetsu slipping into the ground, Madara practically disappearing out of thin air. The only ones to remain from Akatsuki were Sasuke and Kabuto.
"Well... Sasuke-kun..." Hissed Kabuto, "I'll take my leave."
Red and orange flames began to lap at his legs, moving towards his head and finally vanishing, leaving no trace he was even still alive.
"Sasuke!" Naruto bellowed from across the open grounds, "How could you?"
"What?" The young Uchiha teased, knowing it would be about his comment earlier.
"You can mess with me..." The blonde looked down as if trying to find words, "You can beat me up! Just so I'm on the brink of death! But you can NEVER talk about Sakura-chan that way! Sasuke, she isn't weak... She's strong. Stronger than any of us! You don't know what she has been through."
The bijuu slowly making his way to the edge of the forest, "I still don't know what she sees in you, teme..."
Naruto stepped towards the shadows, them finally engulfing him fully.
Sasuke stood there, his gaze just as impassive as if he had just woken up in the morning, as if nothing had happened.
Maybe, just maybe. If he just listened to his small, shriveled heart for once, it may become not as empty, not husk-like. Swiftly he glanced over his shoulder before strolling back to where he knew he would be needed. Where he could... Hope...
xx
"Nani? Five minutes! Onegai?" I snuggled my head against the pillow. It wasn't mine, but from working there for a few years I could tell I was in the hospital.
"Sakura... Come on! I haven't been able to see you for three days!"
"No! Naruto! Get out!" I yelled, this time chucking the pillow at 'Naruto'.
After I still heard shuffling, I realized he wasn't going to leave.
"Ahem!" A voice from across the room cleared their throat... DEFINITELY not Naruto... Shit!
Slowly, I raised my head, turning it slowly so that I could see who was there.
"Moshi!" I exclaimed, coming in contact with blonde hair, a big bust and high heals. Shit! Shit! "AHHHHHHH!" I screamed into the mattress in front of me.
Tsunade! TSUNADE! I threw the pillow at Tsunade! I mean, I know she loves me to death... So does that mean she hates me and my end is imminent?
"Glad to see you're awake!" The busty woman trotted over to my bed.
Realizing I was no longer going to be pulled to pieces, I rolled over on my back.
"Sakura, I know you just woke up, but... well, he's back..." I looked into her eyes. What? Shifting my view, I looked at everyone behind my shishou. Nobody new...
"Who's 'he'?"
"Well, eh... Sa-"
"Waaaait! Let me guess!" Why do I have the sudden urge to jump through a hoop?
"But..."
"Uhhh- Oh! I know! Gaara! No- He's Kazakage..."
"Sakura, honey-"
"Tenten! Oh... wait... She didn't leave, did she?" The people at the door where amazed at how oblivious I was... Hey, doesn't meat sound good to anyone?
"Hey! Choji! Want to get some barbeque!" He nodded eagerly, I knew he wouldn't refuse! With renewed energy, I hopped out of the bed, making my way to the door and sliding on my shoes.
Thank god Tsunade had the nurses change me into my usual outfit consisting of a red skirt, red vest and yellow under shirt, my red headband and the black boots I was now slipping onto my feet.
"Come on, Choji-kun!" I shouted, jumping from my previous squatting position and grabbing Choji's 'big-boned' arm.
"Sakura!.. Sasuke's back!" Tsunade yelled at me down the hall.
"Oh... Really? It's about time! Tell him he can join us too!"
"What? Did she really-" Ino began.
"Not cry?" Naruto finished... Apparently that was weird...
They all sweat dropped big-time...
xx
"Eh-he!" Naruto chuckled nervously, his stomach growled, "Anyone up for barbeque?" The ninja in front of him (Tsunade, Kakashi, Ino, Shikamaru, Lee, Tenten, Neji, Hinata, Akamaru and Kiba and, Sai) collectively, also had apparently not eaten lunch...
"Yeah..."
"Sure..."
"Okay..."
"Great! Let us dine with the villages beautiful and youthful cherry blossom!" Lee pumped his fist in the air before running down the hallway and out of the hospital.
The others just smirked at this regular Lee behavior, walking through the door and into the outside world.
"Hey... Kakashi?" Naruto squinted, continuing to walk towards the barbeque house.
The copy-ninja glanced at him with a usual passiveness and nodded for the blonde to continue.
"Shouldn't we go get Sasuke? I mean, you know... He's still part of team Kakashi..."
"Naruto... We should, shouldn't we? Okay, we'll meet you all at the barbeque house, save some for us!"
xx
Kakashi and his student walked over to the Uchiha district, since Sasuke's punishment for a five year treason was only two weeks of house arrest.
"Hey! Sasuke! Open up!" Kakashi called from the front patio.
"Oi! Teme! Come On!" Naruto pounded on the door until it swung open unexpectedly, knocking the blonde off the porch and into the grass.
"What..." The young Uchiha questioned. He seemed mad... Oh wait, that was his usual mood...
"You're going to barbeque!" Kakashi seized hold of Sasuke's arm and tugged him out of the house.
"Why..." The black haired boy asked, even though it sounded like more of a statement.
"Everybody's there!" Kakashi wailed, "This will be the first time in forever that team Kakashi has done anything together!" The copy-nin picked up speed, while Naruto and Sasuke's eyes made contact, 'no matter what,' Naruto vowed, 'I won't let teme hurt Sakura-chan ever again!'
xx
"Well this is it! The barbeque house! Oh, it's like a dream come true!" Choji drooled, somewhat disgusting me, but at the same time, was like throwing off the earths gravitational pull and making me just want to pinch his cheeks and talk to him as if he was a child. Imagine... Me, Sakura Haruno, container of the Onkei, pinching and throwing an unsuspecting 300 pound mini-hippo around. Plausible...
We went to the back rooms and ordered enough plates for ourselves and the others. Choji sat at the table across from me, just waiting for our food. Well, I really wouldn't say he was waiting, more like trying to fiddle with as much as possible to keep himself from thinking of the smell of meat.
"Hey! Sakura!" A shrill voice screeched throughout the back rooms, "Thanks for inviting us!" The blonde kunoichi sat next to me patting a seat where Sai eventually sat.
"This is great! We're all together again!" Tsunade kneeled on the other side of me, "Just like old times!"
"Chotto!" Kiba strode over to sit opposite of Tsunade and Shikamaru sat on the opposite side of Choji with Hinata sitting right next to Lee, Tenten and Neji, who left the rest of the table to the rest of team 7.
"Here you go," an old woman came over to us, laying down multiple trays of meat and rice down on the table.
"ARIGATO!" We all said together before piling mounds of food on our plates.
Suddenly Akamaru, about as tall as my waist, jumped onto the table and scarfed down my food. He jumped back to Kiba's side. Was anyone even looking? I peeked at the giant dog straight in the face. Was he glaring at me?
Out of nowhere, he barked, sending everybody around me into a shock, he almost never barks.
"What is it, boy?" Kiba cooed, stroking the dog's scruff. The dog, intent on getting some sort of fight going, growled and looked STRAIGHT AT ME!
"Sakura! What did you do to Akamaru?" He accused me? That Bastard!
"I didn't do anything!"I stood, slapping my hands on the table and glaring at Kiba.
"Are you calling Akamaru a Lyre?" He also stood, slapping his hands on the table.
Our faces were centimeters apart as we ourselves growled, sending a zig-zag of energy between us
"Why, yes! That rat is the closest thing in this room for failing a lie-detector test!" Quickly, I grabbed my plate with spit and slobber on it and tossed it at the wall behind him. It shattered, creating many reflections of the confused and somewhat embarrassed faces.
"THAT DOES IT!" He maneuvered his hand under the table to flip it and hit me,but I ducked, sending it crashing to the ground behind me.
"Out of the way!" Ino yelled, diving behind the table. Apparently it was a good idea, everybody but me and Kiba were back there, including a fearful Akamaru.
xx
We both spotted the platters and plates of slabs of beef and pork. We both knew that this would be a food fight to go in history.
Come on, I mean, what's more worthy of a record than chakra infused hunks of animal muscle flying across a room at epic speeds? Nothing...
xx
"Ahhh..."Kakashi sighed, "There's nothing better than fresh grilled meat." Slowly, he walked over to the sliding door that would open the restaurant, but was pushed aside as an old man and lady ran from the building with horror painted upon every inch of their face.
"Don't! Don't go In! Demons! They're demons!" The old woman screeched as she sprinted with the man to a different part of the village, leaving Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke to sweat drop.
Suddenly, through the doorway leading to the actual tables, screams and shouts were heard.
"Bitch!"
"Bastard!" The voice rang clearly through their ears. Sakura...
Suddenly, a chunk of what appeared to be meat, crashed through the screen door in which they had just entered. The three came around to the door to a room that was so clearly a battle zone.
They had to take their chances, discreetly they covered there 'lower extremities' in fear of losing their manhood to an estranged piece of meat.
Practically crawling, the three men made their way past the steaming cherry blossom and pissed mutt-boy, to get to the other side of the room and behind the table.
"Hello... Nice to see that you've come to join us," Tenten giggled.
"SHANNARO!" Another crash could be heard, maybe another piece of super-meat flying through the wall, but this was... different.
It was now quiet... A ragged, worn looking Sakura bent over the top of the table, the men under the flipped furniture had never realized that Sakura ever had a chest, and just by looking at her, they all covered their noses, trying to hide the fact that at any second they may just have a huge nose-bleed party...
"Sayonara!" She shouted trying to get the males attention... So far, she could talk to rocks and get a better response.
"Well... Bye, Sakura!" Tenten said, yanking Neji and Lee away from the provocative blossom despite her own knowledge.
"Yeah... Well, anyways, goodbye..." Tsunade lugged out of the room.
"Hey... I'm leaving..." Ino tugged on Shikamaru and Choji, snapping them out of their trance and out of Sakura's cleavage.
"Okay..." She stood straight up, waking the boys from their immature 'fantasies' and back into the real world.
"Hey! Actually, I have something to tell you!" Sakura ran over, taking Hinata by the hand and running towards the blonde girl, "Oh, bye!" The pink haired kunoichi yelled at the four males and sprinted out of the disastrous building.
"Hey, where did Kiba go?" Naruto pointed to a worried and wriggling Akamaru.
xx
They searched every corner of the room, intent on finding the missing nin, until rather suddenly, Akamaru started trying to dig under one of the overturned tables.
With Sasuke and Kakashi lifting the surprisingly heavy table and Naruto and Sai digging through the rubble, they eventually found Kiba in a surprising state of mind. 'God...' They all thought together, 'She was angry!'...
Kiba was currently in the fetal position, in a hole just wide enough for him to fit and just tall enough so he could sit up... Rubble and debris piled on that, ensuring it would be difficult to remove without caving the broken wood and plates upon himself. Not to mention the table TWO MEN had to lift to get into the hole.
If Sakura could lift that table, she could probably lift all of team Kakashi and maybe even a few more people on top of that. Wow...
"Well, teme... That goes to show... She's definitely weak..." Naruto stated sarcastically, walking out of the room with a wobbling Kiba and Akamaru right behind him.
'Wow...' The Uchiha thought, 'she could have killed him... And I don't think she's ever known him for long... What would she do if she decided to take revenge for me leaving back then...'
He shuddered mentally and strode out of the room, while Kakashi admired the pink girl's handiwork...
"Hn... She's definitely Tsunade's apprentice..." The jonin smirked under his mask, 'In more ways than one,' He thought, remembering when all the boys around him pinched their noses to keep the blood from pulsing out of their nostrils.
But as he exited the bashed and beaten barbecue house, he thought he noticed the Uchiha stare even when she wasn't bent over a table. Pushing this aside, he opened his small book and started to read.
Maybe the Uchiha wouldn't turn out to be like him, maybe he would find somebody to share his life with... Eh, all he could do was hope for the best...
Hey! It's me again! This time I wanted to not only ask, but BEG that somebody will comment! PM me, anything! I have written two chapters in one weekend... What do you WANT from me! - Cries and eventually floods house-
Hai= Yes; of course
Nani= What?
Onegai= Please
Moshi= Hello: less serious
Chotto= Hey
Rigatoni= Thank you
Shannaro= Hell Yeah!
Sayonara= Good bye
Please review! -I love you all! ;D