Normal

"Speech"

Thought

Kyuubi

Warnings: I do not own Naruto. Rated "M" for language right now, but there is a possibility of lemons later.

Chapter 12:Picnic of Feelings.

Sakura continued to fuss and Myra ooched her way into the most comfortable position she could. Naruto was still bright red, but he was smiling. Lee looked very stiff and was avoiding eye contact with Myra. The green clad boy put the large picnic basket on the floor and got it open. Naruto shot forward to see what was in the basket.

Sakura took the chair and sat down next to Myra. "So how does it feel to be a Chunin?" Myra blinked in surprise. Naruto deflated a little.

"I hadn't really thought about it…" Myra chuckled and clutched her side "OW… I guess it hurts like a bitch…OW…" Sakura laughed. Myra nodded towards Lee.

"Hey, Gumby, you're pretty fast, and you have one hell of a kick." Lee's face lit up and he bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Myra-san." He stood up.

"Oh, yeah… Myra, this is Rock Lee. Lee, this is Myra" Sakura smiled as she made the introductions. Myra smiled and tried not to laugh. "I think it's a little late for introductions, but at least I have something to call him besides Gumby." Sakura giggled slightly. Both Naruto and Lee looked a little confused.

"So what did you bring for lunch?" Myra smelled the air. Lee pulled a bento box from the basket.

"Since we did not know what your favorite foods were, we went for a selection of different kinds of food." Lee smiled handing Myra the box. Myra took the box and rose a worried eyebrow.

"Umm… Did anyone think to ask one of the 2 featherbrains outside? I am sure that Poe would have given you pointers and recipes to anything." She paused for a moment. "Hand me those chopsticks would ya Lee?" Everyone had gone silent and there were some odd stares from the group.

"What?" Myra was confused.

"I didn't think we could talk to them." Sakura answered.

"Of course you can talk to them. They can understand you just like most animals can understand what you say to them. Edgar and Poe are just special animals that are able to talk back. It may not be something you want to hear, but they pick and choose whom they talk too… Lee… Chopsticks… Please…" Myra held out her hand waiting on the chopsticks. Lee snapped out of his thoughts and handed Myra the chopsticks. There was a tap on the window. Both Edgar and Poe were looking left out. "Speaking of the feathers for brains… Would someone please open the window?" Myra broke apart the chopsticks and started to eat.

Naruto shrugged and walked to the window to open it. Just before he got there, Edgar and Poe dove off the sill and out into the village. He blinked and looked back to Myra. Myra had a light pink color to her cheeks. Naruto smirked "What did he say?"

"You don't want to know… It was rather rude and not funny." Myra continued to blush.

The group of friends continued to eat lunch and chat about the test. Myra explained what she could, and keeping her promise to Tsunade, didn't mention anything about the transportation jutsu.

Myra and Naruto couldn't stop steeling a glance evey now and then. Sakura picked up on the tension between Myra and Naruto. There was a spark there, Sakura could sense it. Sakura could also sense the confusion in Naruto. He had a crush on Sakura from the very beginning.

Sakura had always loved Sasuke and always will. She had thought more than once about moving on with her life with Naruto, but she couldn't get over the fact that she loved Sasuke. "Maybe it's time I have a talk with Naruto" Sakura sighed. It was beginning to get dark when Myra started to yawn. Sakura cleaned up the picnic basket and handed the basket to Lee.

"When I get out of here, I am sure that we will have time to spar. Just not at top speeds. We will leave that for the enemy…" Myra chuckled with a grimace of pain. Lee smiled and gave a thumbs up. "It is a deal. We will see you at the dojo as soon as you are cleared to train." He exited the room waving his goodbyes. Myra had a smile on her face. Sakura grabbed an empty glass and turned to Naruto. "Um, Naruto-kun, can you get Myra a fresh glass of water." Sakura smiled and handed him the glass.

"Uh… Sure!" He turned and bolted for the water fountain. Sakura turned back to Myra who was watching him run out the door. Sakura put on the best Tsunade frown she could. "You like him. Don't you?" Sakura opened the window to allow the evening breeze into the room.

Myra looked shocked and then blushed slightly. "He is kind of cute. And there is something else that I can't explain. I feel as if I've known him forever, but that's silly right? We met yesterday for the first time. It's strange." Myra sighed. Sakura put a hand on Myra's arm.

"I think I can help, but on one condition. You hurt him and I will personally break every bone in your body." Sakura gave Myra an evil glare. It didn't scare Myra, but she could see how serious Sakura was about it. Myra put her right hand over her heart and lifted her left hand to swear.

"I promise not to hurt him..." There was evil smirk that crossed her lips. "Unless he asks nicely…" The two friends broke out in a fit of giggles as Naruto came back into the room with the glass of water. Myra winced again with the pain of her ribs. Myra yawned and tried not to stretch too much.

Sakura took the glass from Naruto and set it on the table next to the bed. A nurse appeared at the door with a tray of medication and clean bandages. "Visiting time is almost over and we have to change her bandages. So I am going to have to ask you two to leave." The Nurse smiled. Naruto frowned. He hadn't gotten a chance to really talk to Myra. He tried to say something, but his nerves had gotten the better of him and his voice went dry. Sakura shook her head and grabbed his elbow. She achieved pushing the protesting Naruto out the door and just before she was completely out the door she turned and winked to Myra.

"See you later!" Myra called to her friends. "How is she going to help?"

Sakura pulled protesting Naruto out of hospital to the side of the building facing the Hokage Monument. She lightly bonked him on the head and he stopped having his little fit. He rubbed his head.

"What was that for? I didn't do anything." He looked at her through one squinted eye. Sakura sighed.

"I just wanted to make sure you were paying attention." She smiled softly. "I'm going to be honest with you Naruto. I like you a lot. But not the way I think you want me too. I think of you more like my little annoying brother." Naruto looked at down and clenched his fists. "It's because I haven't brought back Sasuke isn't it."

"No, absolutely not!" She looked at the sky, then back to his eyes. "I love Sasuke and that is the way life is. It's better this way Naruto. Let's pretend for just a moment. I give up on Sasuke and fool myself into believing I could be happy with you. Maybe for a little while everything is a wonderful life. Sooner or later there would be a moment in the relationship where I would have to stop fooling myself and you into a lie. Happiness isn't easy; you have to want it bad. I want to be happy with Sasuke, and as long as I have you, that is a possibility." A lone tear trickled down her face.

"I believe you will bring back Sasuke one day, and then he and I will work out our happiness." Naruto kept his head down. "This doesn't mean I wouldn't walk through hell and back if you asked me too. We will always be Team 7. Nothing can change that. We will get Sasuke back and we will be a big family." Sakura started to drip more tears. "I don't want you to suffer because of me anymore Naruto Uzumaki. You have the right to be happy, so don't let me stop you." She whipped away her tears. He finally looked up at her. There were tears in his eyes too. Sakura took his head gently in her hands and tiptoed to kiss him on the forehead.

He waited for the spark and there wasn't one. That jolt of electricity he felt when Myra touched him. It wasn't there. Naruto looked at Sakura and smiled. He hugged her and swung her around. It was a very happy moment. Sakura was a little dizzy when he put her down. She slugged him gently on the arm. "Ok Romeo…" She pointed to the open window on the 2nd floor next to the tree. "Just know that if you hurt her, I will have to break every bone in your body. Then I will tell Lady Tsunade and let her break the rest of you." She gave him an evil grin. Naruto looked a little worried. Sakura smiled and waved as she walked back towards her house. Naruto looked back to the window. It was still open.