An: Again thank you for the reviews. Your humble author S. o. t. A.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I'm doing this for fun not profit.

Chapter 5: Make a Choice

Sakura decided she was not going to just give up on getting on the mission with Naruto as Kakashi had told her to. He may be convinced that her emotions would put the mission in danger but she was convinced that the lack of a quality medic could be just as hazardous. She was going to confront him again in order to make him understand. She would have tried to explain her reasoning to Naruto but he had either been out of the village for the past few days or avoiding her. Considering how emotionally distant he had been to her since coming back into her life she couldn't say which.

It was that cold disinterested way he talked to her that hurt her the most. She would almost rather he shout, yell, and cuss her name than the way he treated her as merely an acquaintance. Entering the Hokage office she marched to her desk and demanded, "I want to go on the mission with Naruto."

Sighing wearily Kakashi said, "We've had this discussion Sakura."

"Your right and if my emotions weren't getting the better of me when we had it, I would have pointed out that a mission this dangerous practically calls for medical support."

"Well it seems Naruto agrees with you," Kakashi said but seeing Sakura face light up with hope he added, "But you still aren't going."

Crestfallen she said, "But you said…"

"I said Naruto agrees that he needed a medic," Kakashi said cutting her off, "not that it would be you." Reaching into his desk Kakashi pulled out a folder and tossed it to Sakura.

Scanning the contents Sakura said, "Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"It's no joke, I take it you know him," Kakashi asked.

"Of course I do," Sakura said angry Naruto would take the man in the file over her, "He was a medic-nin who when the man accused of killing his sister was admitted to the hospital took the opportunity to exact his revenge. Lady Tsunade was absolutely livid when Shizune discovered it during the autopsy."

"Well I guess I can see why Naruto would take him then."

"You can't be serious," Sakura said disbelievingly.

"Why? As far as killers go this Kiyoshi Higa is probably the most harmless of the group he has thus far assembled."

Getting even angrier Sakura said, "That's why he needs somebody he can trust to go on this mission with him."

"Sorry Sakura, he only wants to take criminals," Kakashi replied not liking the reckless look that appeared in her eye as a result of his statement.

Her anger draining from her body, Sakura said, "Fine, sorry for wasting your time Lord Hokage."

Positive she was about to do something monumentally stupid and better suited to her blonde teammate he said, "Sakura hold up. Tonight I'm having a meeting featuring many of your classmates. I want you to attend as well."

"What for," she asked.

Giving an eye smile Kakashi said, "Well you'll just have to attend to find out now won't you."

"Yes Lord Hokage," she said the reckless look came back before a grim smile appeared on her face, "Actually that would be perfect."

Sighing at how well he could read his old student he got up and made his way to the hospital. Heading to Tsunade's office he knocked to announce his presence before entering. Tsunade looked up from her paper work to see who it was coming into her office before her gaze hardened and said, "Oh, it's you. Planning to send anybody else I care about on a suicide mission?"

"Actually, I'm trying to stop that from happening," Kakashi said, before asking, "So just how many shadow clones can you make?"

Tsunade confused put down her pen and listened as he explained his fears about her apprentice.

The past four and a half years had turned Mizuki from a soft chunin into a hardened inmate of the Leaf Maximum Security Prison. Sitting in his gray prison uniform with the sleeves cutoff to show his more muscular physique Mizuki asked, "So let me get this straight. You expect me to give up this nice comfy lifestyle of three meals a day to go on a suicide mission for the very village that locked me up?"

The masked man he was addressing responded, "That's right."

"Forget it."

"Very well," Naruto said standing and heading for the door, "See you in another hundred years then. That is when you are first eligible for parole isn't it?"

"Wait."

Naruto smiled behind his mask as he turned back to Mizuki, "Make up your mind please, I haven't got all day."

"Fine I'm in," Mizuki said after a moment.

Naruto nodded his head before heading to his quarters at the prison. Mizuki had been the last prisoner he felt he could control with the variation of the Caged Bird Seal he had come up with. Having taken a passing interest in Fuujutsu due to hoping to one day keep the promise he had made to Neji, he had stumbled across a temporary version of it. But some of the prisoners here couldn't keep their dark impulses under control, even with the threat of their brains being scrambled so he would have to go one person shy of the original twelve he had hoped for.

Suddenly one of the guards came running up to him, "Kyo, there is a woman here to see you."

Hoping it wasn't Sakura he asked, "What does she want?"

"I don't know sir. She said she would only speak to you about it," the guard replied.

"Take me to her then," Naruto said.

Following behind he breathed a silent sigh of relief when his visitor turned out to be Kurotsuchi. She hopped off the table she was sitting on when he entered the room and before he could ask what she was doing here she blurted, "I want in."

"Excuse me," Naruto asked confused.

"This mission you are heading out on," Kurotsuchi said, "I want in on it."

"You do realize we aren't expected to return from this mission don't you?"

"Yeah I realize that," Kurotsuchi responded steely, "just like you should realize these Grass bastards torched my home and may be using my fellow shinobi as guinea pigs."

"Alright, just wanted to make sure you knew what we were facing," Naruto said, "Welcome to the team."

Kurotsuchi nodded glad that the mercenary had accepted her. Naruto figured even though she was an Iwa-nin and despite that he barely knew her. That her heart was in the right place so informed her, "You'll be my second in command. Let me head to my room to grab my stuff and we can head back to Konoha."

"Why are we returning to Konoha if you already selected the team?" Kurotsuchi asked following him to his quarters.

"The prisoners are being transferred there," Naruto answered, "We'll be spending the next few weeks in one of the training grounds there learning to work together."

"Never thought I'd see the day where I'd be training with criminals in order to fulfill a vital mission," Kurotsuchi said amused.

Laughing lightly Naruto said, "It's just a sign of the times I suppose and desperation makes for strange bed fellows."

Sakura was the last to arrive for the meeting that Kakashi had informed her of. As she stepped in front of the desk she noted that even though she was surrounded by a few of the people she had alienated due to Naruto's supposed death the glares they sent her seem muted. Hinata's especially, now that she thought about it she had been under the belief that Hinata was in the Five Elements Village. Figuring that she had been reassigned, Sakura wondered if the fact that they didn't seem as upset as they had been meant that they knew Naruto was alive. Her desperate plan to get on the mission wouldn't work if they already knew.

Calling the meeting to order Kakashi said, "The reason I've called you all her today is to let you know we will be stepping up security since Training Area forty –four will be the home of some of our criminals for the next few weeks."

"I assume we will be acting as guards around the perimeter than," Neji said.

"That is correct," the Hokage responded, "Kyo will be training them for a vital mission for the Alliance and while he claims to be able to keep them under control. I still don't want to take any chances considering some of their records."

Chouji said a little distrusting, "I still don't understand why you would agree to this plan Lord Hokage. How do you know we can trust this mercenary? I heard he has ties to the woman from Akatsuki."

That was the opening Sakura was waiting for as she blurted out, "Because he's Naruto."

Looking on either side of her she expected to see looks of shock. But, as she looked to her right and saw Neji, Hinata, and Tenten. They all seemed to share the same look of anger directed at her. Turning to her left she saw similar looks on Ino and Chouji's faces. Turning to Kakashi she saw his anger directed at her and although she expected it. The look he was giving her reminded her of the looks Tsunade would give her when she messed up.

She learned why all the looks were the same despite the difference faces, when they all burst into smoke to reveal that her fellow shinobi were shadow clones of Tsunade. Turning to Kakashi he too burst into smoke and Tsunade sat in his place. The two stared at each other before Tsunade standing said angrily, "You little fool. When Kakashi told me he thought you were going to do something like this I didn't want to believe him. But here you are proving him right. What were you thinking that if you spilled an S-class secret and earned the death sentence Naruto would put you on the team so you could earn a pardon?"

Sakura looked down unable to meet Tsunade's angry brown eyes and didn't say anything. So Tsunade said, "What if he didn't Sakura? What if he let you die?"

Sakura looked up shocked at that saying, "You said Naruto doesn't hate me. Is that a lie?"

"No, but he would be well within his rights to wouldn't he," Tsunade said. Looking sympathetic she added, "Sakura you aren't thinking clearly. Yes what you did would have shown him the lengths you are willing to go to be by his side. But at the same time you would have disregarded what he wants in order to achieve your own ends. He doesn't want everyone to know he is alive right now. Don't you think by revealing his secret it would make him even angrier at you?"

Shaking her head sadly tears reaching the corners of her eye Sakura said, "I just keep screwing up when it comes to him don't I?"

Coming around the desk and wrapping the girl in a hug Tsunade said trying to soothe her, "It's alright Sakura, the thought is there. You just have to realize this isn't a problem with a quick fix. The two of you didn't arrive at this point overnight and it won't be fixed that quickly either."

Pulling her head off of Tsunade's chest and looking into her eyes panicked Sakura tried to say, "But the mission…

"Shh, Sakura calm down," Tsunade said pulling her head back down and stroking her hair in a motherly way, "Sure when you first told me Kakashi agreed to send Naruto on this mission I intended to put him into orbit. But we have to have faith Naruto knows what he is doing."

"I'm just so scared that I'll never get the chance to make things right between us again," Sakura said.

"Sakura he forgave a man that killed his master, he chased after Sasuke even after the bastard tried to kill him twice, and he even forgave a foolish old woman who mocked his dream of being Hokage. That boy's heart is too big for his own good sometimes, but despite all the reasons he has to hate he never gives into it. Things may never go back to how they were between you, but that doesn't mean they can't be good again."

Sakura nodded her head and hoped her Master was right.

Dr. Zin was a small frail man well into his eighties with liver spots covering his bald head. He was hunched over a microscope studying the latest batch of test samples in his quest to unlock the mystery of the curse seal. Hearing the door to his lab bang open he resisted the urge to sigh having a perfectly good idea of who his visitor was.

Turning from his microscope he spotted the muscular and scarred man as he said, "If you insist on continuously distracting me Katsuro I will never get anything done."

Grabbing the scientist by his pointed beard and lifting him off his feet Katsuro said, "Do not test my patience worm."If I had my way, I would have left you locked up in that prison you were stashed in after the Second Great War."

"Yes, but since your leader has lost faith in you and your Deathseekers abilities since that Kyo cut through those men of yours, he wants a cursed army now. Doesn't he?" Zin said smugly knowing he was untouchable, "He has even rebuilt my beautiful prison bigger and better than ever."

"Your time will come worm," Katsuro spat before letting go allowing the man to fall to the ground.

"Perhaps, but not yet has it? Is this merely a social call or does it have a reason?" Zin said picking himself up and dusting off his lab coat.

Grumbling Katsuro said, "More of the samples from the original donor have arrived."

"Ah excellent although I do wish Madara would turn over the source to me. With the actual specimen who knows what wonders I could create. Now has there been any word on if they have found Orochimaru's research notes?"

"No, whatever Kabuto did with them when he disappeared from Sound he left no clue," Katsuro replied, "Are you any closer to stabilizing the transformation so that your test subjects will keep their minds?"

"No I'm afraid not. All the test subjects seem to revert to their more bestial instincts sooner or later."

"Good," Katsuro said meaning it finding the path his leader was walking revolting.

"My dear Katsuro you almost sound like you want this project to fail," Zin said tauntingly but noted that the Deathseeker had already left.

Smiling to himself, he thought, "Ah, it's those honor bound fools that are the easiest to manipulate."

Zin was far closer to realizing the project he was truly working than any of the guards watching him suspected. The end of the Second Great shinobi war taught Zin a great deal about what happens to men like him when their usefulness come to an end and it was never good. He had run this prison during the war conducting his experiments and created dozens of jutsu. But when the war ended and Grass had been on the losing side he was locked away. True the leader of Grass at the time had claimed he had been killed but the man knowing such black hearted individuals were rear had merely kept him hidden. Still he had been a prisoner and he vowed he would never be one again. He knew if he handed over the cursed army Katsuro would very likely be given the task of killing him. After all Grass wouldn't want it known they had been sitting on a war criminal for decades in the event they lost the war.

Now with a fresh batch of material to work with it was almost time to take back what was rightful his. His home Blackwood Prison and he'd use his pets to do it.

Naruto was sitting in the Konoha records room with his mask off, since Kurotsuchi was taking a break and he was alone, going over every schematic the village had of Blackwood Prison. Which luckily for them turned out to be quite a bit since after the war they had inspected it thoroughly to find out what horrors had been committed there. Unfortunately, it was decades out of date as Kurotsuchi said the new labs were located underground, something that didn't exist when it had been shut down.

It had been a couple days since he had left the Leaf Maximum Security prison but his prisoners still hadn't been transferred yet. So, he was doing as much of the planning for the mission as he could now since once they arrived he figured they would be his first priority. The only part of the plan he truly hated was that many of the people he had recruited were real scumbags. Scumbags that would be allowed to go free if this mission was a success, but he vowed to keep an eye on them and if they committed a minor infraction after being pardoned they'd go right back to where he found them.

The other good thing about being so busy was he hadn't really had time to think about Sakura. He knew the distance he was keeping from her hurt her, it hurt him after all. A knock to the door alerted him that he had a visitor. He didn't need to enter sage mode to know who it was. He knew she would be back he was actually surprised it had taken her so long. Putting the mask back on, he said in a detached voice, "Enter."

Tentatively crossing the threshold of the room Sakura shut the door behind her. Before she could speak and with his back still towards her, Naruto asked, "Is there something you need Sakura?"

"I need to talk to you," Sakura said taking a step closer.

Naruto stood up to look at her and stepping to the side of the table said, "Sakura, I'm busy. We'll talk later."

The part of Sakura that often responded aggressively to such matters, when concerning Naruto, snapped at his calm dismissal. Didn't he know how much she cared? That she had almost thrown away her ninja career, just for the chance to be by his side and ask for his forgiveness? She was tired of walking on egg shells around him she wanted the old Naruto back.

He was about to return to his seat to sit down again when she charged forward grabbing him by the front of his flak jacket and bodily picked him up slamming him into the far wall. Looking into the mask her eyes showed the anger she felt at his lying to her, his letting her think he was dead for over a year and letting her live with the guilt. The anger reaching her voice she said, "We'll talk now. What if there isn't a next time?"

Calmly in a way that sapped her strength he said, "Then there isn't a next time."

Her glare hardened but he merely responded, "What? If you don't get your way are you going to hit me Sakura?" She shook her head no her voice failing her, but his didn't as he said, "I thought you always just wanted Sasuke to acknowledge you." That I always got in your way. Are you really going to close in on your goal of making Sasuke yours by chasing after me?"

Hearing what she said to Sasuke on the day Team Seven formed caused Sakura to stumble back as she asked, "How did you hear that? Were you spying on us?" She was angry but also shocked that he still had been there for her all those times knowing what she had said about him.

To answer her question though he stepped up to her and leaning in whispered into her ear, "You have a large charming forehead, makes me want to kiss it. Just kidding, that's something Sasuke would say isn't it?"

Her eyes opened wide in distress, as what Naruto just told her hit her hard, almost taking her breath away. It hadn't been Sasuke that talked to her that day; she had said those horrible things to Naruto directly. Furthermore, the one who read her so well; the one who had repeated her childish fantasy of her forehead actually being considered something of beauty had been Naruto.

Naruto though simply began walking back towards the table, when she said, "Naruto I'm sorry…"

"It doesn't matter Sakura," he replied his back to her. "You never made it any secret that you preferred Sasuke to me. Sure what you said hurt but I accepted it."

"But can't you recognize my feelings have changed," she said trying to make him understand.

"Yes, of course I can. But so can mine," Naruto said finally turning back to her.

"Can you please take off the mask? At least let me see you as you say that," Sakura asked just wishing to see his blue eyes again.

"Sakura it won't change anything," Naruto replied sidestepping her request. "You don't really want me back; you want the good old days of Team Seven."

"Are you saying you don't?"

"No, I just recognize they aren't ever coming back," Naruto said, "If Sasuke ever wakes up. He'll be lucky not to be executed for the samurai he killed in the Land of Iron. Not to mention his attack on Killer Bee."

"That doesn't mean things can't go back for you and me thou Naruto," Sakura said hoping to reach him. To receive some sign of hope that he considered it a possibility.

Instead he said, "Sakura, all we can ever do is go forward. Excuse me please, I really need to get back to work."

Putting her hand to her chest, feeling her heart clench in pain she dejectedly said, "Yes of course, sorry for taking up your time."

Walking out of the room Sakura gloomily thought, "Looks like you were wrong Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade watched Sakura walk into her office looking like she had been emotionally browbeaten. Having a perfectly good idea of who was the culprit she thought, "You stubborn little fool." Handing the patient file she had been looking over to one of her doctors she proceeded to leave to go pound some sense into the young man she thought of as a younger brother.

Reaching the file room he had sequestered himself into she opened it without knocking and found him discussing mission details with an Iwa Kunoichi. Entering she said, "Kunoichi leave."

"Look you may have been the Hokage but you're just a medic now. We are busy, come back later."

Tsunade could hear Naruto groan at what Kurotsuchi said, but she simply responded, "You can leave through the door or you leave through the wall, pick one."

Wisely the kunoichi left through the door. Locking it Tsunade quickly closed with Naruto who was fearfully saying, "Look Granny Tsunade I was going to tell you…"

She silenced him with a flick to the forehead that sent him crashing into the wall and knocked his mask off. To respond he said, "Now wait a minute Granny…"

But she cut him off saying,"I'm not here to come down on you because you are going on a mission you little fool. I believe in you, and you said you aren't going to die until you become Hokage. I'm here because you are hurting Sakura with this cold act of yours and it has to stop."

"Granny it isn't that simple."

"Really," Tsunade said disbelievingly, "Well then why for everyone else has the old Naruto come back. You are not acting any different for Lee or Kiba. But the one person who has missed you the most, she gets the cold shoulder."

"Because," Naruto said, "I'm different now."

"Are you?" Tsunade said, "You could have easily avoided that flick to your forehead I just gave you. You defeated Pain for Kami sake. But for me, you want to be the same old light-hearted Naruto. So, why not for her?"

"I…I don't want to talk about," Naruto said weakly.

"Naruto…"

"No, Granny I said I don't want to talk about it. So drop it," Naruto said with more passion behind it.

"Fine, but you should know. She was so desperate to join you on this mission she almost got herself into serious trouble by attempting to reveal you are alive to the rest of your friends. She was hoping that you cared enough not to let the punishment she would have received to happen," Tsunade said heading for the door.

Before she left she looked back sadly and said, "Please, don't let the reason you are acting this way towards her be because you are enjoying the reversal."

Looking at her shocked she would suggest such a thing he said, "It isn't like that at all."

"Are you sure?" Tsunade countered, "When you were younger you pursued her, but here you are the cool indifferent one with her desperate to reconnect with you."

"Granny it isn't like that," Naruto said weakly.

"Then what is it?" Tsunade asked but he merely looked away so she said, "Are you afraid you'll never be able to match up to Sasuke in her eyes?"

Naruto turned his back towards her telling her she hit the bull's-eye so said, "I suppose that is a valid fear. But let me ask you this, when you were pursuing her back then, how would you have known if she choose you for you or merely settled?"

Tsunade left after saying her piece leaving Naruto to merely whisper, "I don't know."

Kurotsuchi didn't know what the last Sannin wanted with Kyo, nor was she all that curious. Retreating to the hotel room that she had been provided with she decided to run over the list criminals that pretty soon she would be risking her life with.

First on the list was a woman named Tayuya. She had worked for Orochimaru and escorted Sasuke Uchiha to Sound when he had defected. After the Anbu found her she had spent almost a year learning to walk again. Other than her language she had been a model prisoner. There was a small note in her file that said she had collapsed around the time Orochimaru had been killed and her curse mark had faded. Of all the prisoners she was probably the weakest since many of her abilities were tied to the curse mark.

The medic of the team was a man named Kiyoshi Higa. He was imprisoned for using his status as a medic to get close to the killer of his sister. When the murder had been undergoing surgery he had made a small incision during the operation that had guaranteed he would die a slow painful death as a result. He probably would have gotten away with it had Shizune, the Lady Tsunade's apprentice, not caught it during the autopsy.

Strangely much of the reason the next prisoner was locked up was censored. All she had been able to read was that Mizuki Touji had attempted to steal an important scroll from the village and had been caught. Most of his file had been blanked out.

The next two on the list were Saburo Aizawa and Okado Izo. They were nothing special just a couple of chunin that had screwed up on a mission killing an innocent bystander during a battle with a missing-nin. Their teammate was going to report it, but they decided to kill him instead. Needless to say the truth eventually came out.

The next file contained the records of a shinobi named Otoya. He was a believer in the One King movement. It was a movement to destroy the one ninja village per a country system seeking to consolidate power behind the Daimyo instead of the various Kages. After the messy business with the Twelve Ninja Guardians fiasco several of the movements' bases in the Land of Fire had been raided and he had been captured then.

The team would also feature several Kunoichi besides the previous mentioned Tayuya. First up was Oden Takahashi, she was in her mid twenties with a plain unassuming look to her, which served her chosen field of expertise quite well. She was a notorious poison expert that haled from Konoha. She was imprisoned for poisoning a pot curry in a nearby village to hurt a man she had been having an affair with. Unfortunately the curry had been used in a festival the village had been having resulting in the deaths of twenty-seven people most of who had been children.

Sada Abe, was the next kunoichi on the mission. She was an infamous seductress and as a result was quite beautiful. She hailed from Grass Country and had tried to seduce the Sannin Jiraiya. Who despite his lecherous reputation had seen through her ploy and caught her. She had been disavowed by her country and was no doubt looking for some pay back.

The last kunoichi, besides herself, was Yaoya. She was from Kiri and had gone rogue shortly after Mei Terumii became Mizukage. The reason she had left was due to the end of the Bloodline Massacres. It wasn't that she hated the people who possessed Kekkei Genkai but she had enjoyed burning their villages to the ground. She may have once been pretty but half her face was burned away having got too close to a fire she started in Fire Country that had resulted in her capture.

The next to last on her list worried her the most. His name was Okubo. Just looking at the man gave her the creeps. It wasn't anything to do with his looks since he appeared o be quite handsome and well built. It was the eyes that disturbed her. He had raped and murdered over twenty-seven kunoichi before he had been stopped by Anko Mitarashi. Most of his victims had been outside of Konoha, but eventually he had targeted her and paid the price for it, since there was a rumor a certain part of his anatomy was missing now.

The final prisoner was a man named Kazuro. He was in his mid-forties and had retired from the Shinobi business. Unfortunately he had decided to go into the Yakuza instead. Acting as a hitman for them he had attempted to kill a judge who was in charge of the trail for his boss. He had been stopped by a chunin by the name of Iruka Umino.

Looking at the arresting chunin Kurotsuchi found him sort of cute. Putting such thoughts away Kurotsuchi instead turned them inward thinking about her own reasons for joining the mission and that was for payback. Not just for her village thou but for all the poor souls that had been housed in that horrible prison.

After Iwa's fall she had been transported to the prison along with several of her fell shinobi. While in the prison part of the complex which consisted of the mansion looking complex she had watched as they had one by one been taken down into the lab portion below ground. Most never came back after that. She had been one of the lucky ones that had seen the lab but apparently whoever ran them hadn't been ready for her.

Knowing that next time she might not be so lucky, she began to plot her escape. She had noticed one of the guards leering at her so had easily seduced him and when he had entered her cage in order to have his way with her she had easily over powered him. Unfortunately, her escape hadn't gone smoothly which was why one of those beasts had been sent after her along with a controller for it. Meeting Kyo had been a stroke of luck since otherwise she would probably have been dead.

While she knew the primary mission was to destroy the facility. Kyo had promised her that they would make every effort to save the prisoners as well. Especially since the escaping prisoners would only make it harder for the guards of the prison to stop them. But strangely enough she got the feeling that the mercenary would have done it regardless of the benefit to the mission

Deciding to call it a night she tried to forget the faces and the screams of the hell that the lab levels of Blackwood Prison had been and that soon she would be returning too.

Naruto was sitting outside the Forest of Death watching as Kurotsuchi maneuvered the prisoners into some semblance of order. In truth he was only half paying attention his mind still going over what Tsunade had said to him about Sakura. As he thought about his behavior towards her, he had arrived at a rather sad conclusion.

Tsunade had been right.

While he still maintained that he needed to keep his emotional distance from his old teammate he had been enjoying the reversal. A part of him had even delighted in it. Why else would he have told her that it had been him on that bench when Team Seven first formed? The answer was simple; he had wanted to twist the knife a little. He had wanted to hurt her as some of her actions had hurt him.

Then there was what else Tsunade had said. How would he have known if Sakura had chosen him over Sasuke or had merely settled? In the end he still didn't have an answer to that. If that day in Iron Country had never happened and he had started a relationship with her, would he always be wondering if she truly loved him. Was he that hung up about trying to surpass Sasuke that he would constantly worry that the avenger would show up and sweep Sakura off her feet? The truth was he was worried about that. That was the whole reason he couldn't let her near his heart again after all.

Sighing for what must have been the thousandth time since Tsunade had confronted him; he idly wondered when the world had gotten so damn complicated. There was a time he would have taken everything at face value; he really missed those times right about now. Especially when confronted with the problem Sakura's love confession had raised for him about any hope of a relationship between them. Which was that any relationship between them would probably have been doomed even had he accepted Sakura's confession at face value. Not because of anything she would have done but because of his own insecurities.

But putting such thoughts away for later he decided that the two of them needed to have a talk. A real talk, not the half-assed ones he had permitted where he had shut them down quickly by manipulating the guilt she felt. He needed to at least tell her that even though he was being distant it didn't mean he hated her and that she didn't need to take such crazy risks in order to earn his forgiveness. There was nothing to forgive. He would of course have to find a kinder way of saying his continued distance from her was simply due to her being a weakness he couldn't afford.

But that could wait as Kurotsuchi waved to gain his attention. Standing he walked next to her and then pacing up and down the single file line she had formed them into said, "Welcome to the Forest of Death. The next couple of weeks we will be living in this forest with nothing but each other as company." As he passed in front of the powerfully built Okubo leaned forward and spit on Naruto's sandal.

Grinning, the rapist said disrespectfully, "Sorry about that sir."

"That's alright," Naruto said calmly, "I've stepped in worse. However, I do have to thank you for volunteering."

Okubo looked confused until Kurotsuchi created a hand-sign after receiving a nod from Naruto. The muscular man reached for his forehead and fell to his knees as the seal activated, scrambling his brain.

Wiping his foot on the pained man and giving the sign to tell Kurotsuchi to stop, Naruto said, "Now then. As you can see, that seal on all of your foreheads is for more than decoration. It is the way that you will be kept in line. Behave, do your job, and you will be pardoned for the crimes you committed. Push me, and not only will you find yourselves back in prison but for those of you with a death mark you'll find it immediately carried out. Are there any questions? No. Good. Move them out Kurotsuchi."

Kurotsuchi told the prisoners to follow her as she proceeded to lead them to the spot the mercenary and her had chosen as their campsite for the training of the prisoners. As Naruto watched them leave he again wondered if letting scum such as Okubo out of prison had truly been a good idea but figured it was too late now. Getting himself moving he set his mind to the task of turning criminals into a team.

Sakura was making her way to the Five Element Village part of the team escorting the latest shipment of medical supplies to the village. Rumors had it that the Raikage was preparing an attack against Rain Country, which was why the village had been stocking up on supplies lately. It seemed possible since unlike the rest of the shinobi escorting the supplies she was being temporarily reassigned to the village.

As she walked her thoughts turned to Naruto and her disastrous attempt to close the rift between them. A part of her was furious at the blonde, the part of her that had clung to that day on the bench as proof that Sasuke had hidden feeling to her. But in the end she remained calm, remembering that for as dirty a trick as it had been, it had backfired in Naruto's face due to what she had said. Ultimately, instead of getting angry or sad over it, she had elected to take Tsunade's advice and realize that it was just one of the many mistakes committed by both Naruto and her that had led them to their current predicament.

She had also come to realize just how truly remarkable Naruto was. She had known he was special sure, but when he had come back from his training trip with Jiraiya he had quickly and effortless become one of her most important people. So much so, that she at one time she would have said he was her best friend. But she had meant so much more to him but he hadn't given her any clue that he still had those types of feeling for her. It had been Sai who had pointed out that he loved her. Which raised the question, why was she so desperate to get Naruto back in her life?

True, he had in effect become the closest friend she had that was her own age upon his return. But was her need for Naruto to stop being distant a desire to recapture that closeness or something more? When she had told the comatose Sasuke good-bye she had hinted that not everything she had said to Naruto was made up. Not to mention, Yamato had hinted that her feelings for Naruto ran deeper than she suspected. In the end, she supposed it didn't matter having heard the rumor that Naruto, as Kyo, and Konan were together. She figured that if the rumors were true, and considering Konan and Naruto had shared a hotel room with a single bed during their mission to Iwa that they probably were, then the best she could hope for was to gain back his friendship. However she was surprised at just how unhappy the thought made her.

"Kami how selfish can I be," Sakura thought humorlessly, "He pinned after me for years and now that he has moved on I'm upset." Deciding his friendship should be enough she noticed that they had finally arrived at their destination. Leaving the rest of the escorts to deal with seeing that the supplies made it to where they needed to go, she made her way to the head of the hospital to report in.

Asking where the hospital's head director was she was shown to a small office located in the hospital's basement. Sitting in the cluttered office was a woman in her late thirties with long brown hair that ended in a ponytail that ran down her back. Looking up from her paperwork Sakura could see a cigarette hanging from lips and that the woman's brown eyes were judging her critically. Although she looked friendly she lost that affect as she said, "What do you want?" in an annoyed manner.

A little put off but not wanting to start working under the woman in a hostile fashion Sakura replied, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I was directed to report here. My name's Sakura Haruno."

The woman got up from behind her desk cigarette still hanging from her mouth and walking around Sakura said, "We work for a living down here Haruno. Are you going to be able to keep up?"

Sakura merely stated, "I'll do my part ma'am."

"What no mention that you are Tsunade's apprentice?" the director asked.

"Well does that truly matter here?"

Smiling despite trying to remain stern the director said, "Not in the least." Sticking her hand she introduced herself saying, "Name's Avaron Nakano."

"So did I pass?" Sakura asked while shaking it.

Laughing lightly the woman put her cigarette out and said, "Only the first test that shows you aren't going to act all high and mighty just because Tsunade Senju trained you. As far as to whether you have the chops to be here, well since you were one of the primary healers in the Leaf during the Pain Invasion of Konoha, I believe you are more than just a pretty face."

Walking back to her desk Avaron said handing Sakura a packet, "Here is the information about where you'll be staying. It's a small one bedroom apartment reserved for the medical staff of the hospital. Also, inside the packet is information that you will find helpful about the village as a whole. I'll expect you back here bright and early tomorrow so I can go over your duties with you."

Sakura nodded her head and left the office to get settled into her lodgings. After a plain meal at the communal mess hall that fed the whole village she returned to the tiny apartment to get some sleep. Pulling a picture of her and Naruto out of her backpack she set it on her nightstand and looking at it said, "Goodnight Naruto. Be careful please."

Naruto sneezed as he looked up at the stars from the branch he was sitting on. Looking down at the collection of prisoners he had been trying to turn into a team he let out a put upon sigh. He should have known that it wouldn't have been easy to get them to work together, but he had hoped that they would eventually begin to remember some of the pride they used to feel as shinobi.

In truth, the only one that seemed to be genuinely hoping for the second chance the mission seemed to be offering was Tayuya. Although he supposed, his feeling on the matter could be colored by the fact that he had spent the most time training with her. The reason he had devoted such a large time training the girl was simply she had received almost zero training in any of the other ninja arts besides genjutsu. In many ways he felt a little like Jiraiya who had spent so much time during the training trip correcting the inadequacies in his own taijutsu form. He also felt sorry for her. So much of her previous self-worth had been tied to her status as one of Orochimaru's elite shinobi. Without that status though, she carried herself with an air of vulnerability. Something that a predator like Okubo had easily picked up on and had already tried to exploit.

When Naruto had warned the large man to back off, he had done as ordered. But not before saying that Naruto was lucky they had given him the cage mark or else he'd show the mercenary who was boss. Looking at the other prisoners he could see the same thoughts reflected in their eyes so had challenged the rapist to a fight. Okubo had been all too quick to agree. What followed for the large man had been a lesson in humility and pain as Naruto easily trounced him.

Throwing the beaten man at his fellow prisoners' feet Naruto had informed them, he didn't need the Cage Mark on them to keep them in line. It was simply there so that he didn't need to damage them in the process."

His little demonstration had served its purpose though as since then most of the prisoners seemed to shy away from testing him. However, he knew Okubo was merely biding his time and Naruto wouldn't be surprised that as soon as he received his pardon that the bastard would come after him. That suited the blonde just fine. It would mean he wouldn't have to worry about what the degenerate was up to once free.

Sensing a presence coming up behind him he said, "You should get some sleep Kurotsuchi. It's going to be another fun filled day tomorrow."

Smiling humorlessly she sat down on the branch and asked, "Do you really think we'll be able to pull this off?"

"It's a little late for second thoughts now," the masked boy replied.

Naruto seeing her grim nod said, "If you don't feel confident we will succeed you can always pullout of the mission."

Giving him a harsh look she replied, "I'm not a coward…"

Holding his hands up to calm her, Naruto said, "Nor am I suggesting that you are. I understand how you feel. I've been asking myself the same thing constantly these past two weeks."

"I just don't understand why I feel this way about this mission."

"I suppose it's the nature of it," Naruto said, "Most missions we are given are done so with the idea that success is assured as long as we perform to our best. This time we are being told that even at our best death is almost a sure thing."

"Sure takes the fun out of it I suppose," Kurotsuchi said pulling her legs into her chest.

"Yeah, but just imagine the bragging rights we'll be privy to once we pull this off," Naruto said causing the Earth kunoichi to smile at him.

"I'm up now," Kurotsuchi said, "so if you want to get some sleep of your own feel free."

"Thanks," Naruto said getting up and proceeded to head towards his sleeping bag. Before falling asleep he hoped that his words to Kurotsuchi proved to be true as he had missed the opportunity to talk to Sakura and found that while he wasn't scared of dying. He didn't want to do so with things the way they were between them.

Sakura was grabbing some food in the giant mess hall that served the entire Five Element Village. Life so far in the military driven village had taken a little getting used to, but once she got used to missing some of the creature comforts of Konoha had found that it wasn't too bad. She also found her superior, Avaron to be a fully competent hospital director and enjoyed working for her. Even if she couldn't understand how a doctor could chain smoke the way she did.

Her plate full she turned to find a table when she felt someone bump into her shoulder almost causing her to spill her food. About to apologize she stopped when she realized that the person was Hinata and that the Hyuuga had more than likely done so on purpose as she hadn't even slowed down on her way out of the mess hall. Sighing she looked for a spot to sit and found Konan at a table by herself. Deciding to be friendly, since she noticed that those around the ex-Akatsuki were eyeing her nervously she sat across from the blue-haired woman.

Smiling she said, "Hello Konan."

Looking up from her food Konan dispassionately said, "Hello again Miss Haruno."

"I told you, Sakura is fine," Sakura said doing her best to sound friendly despite the emotions she felt at sitting with Naruto's lover.

"Very well," Konan replied just as serenely as before.

The two settled into silence although to Sakura it was a little uncomfortable since there was so much she wanted to ask the woman but didn't know how to bring it up. Luckily or unluckily for Sakura one of the bigger questions on her mind was brought up when a Kiri kunoichi from one of the other tables came up and asked, "So is it true."

"Is what true?" Konan asked calmly realizing the woman was addressing her.

"Is it true you are shacking up with the Desert Fox?"

Sakura could see that the women at the table the kunoichi had come from, were all looking on in interest. Their faces were a mixture of mortification at their bolder friend's behavior and curiosity.

As calmly as if she had been asked the weather Konan replied while studying Sakura, "I don't see how that is any of your concern."

The woman unperturbed said, "Well just call it curiosity. I wouldn't want to step on any toes were I to set my sights on him."

"And your friends at the table behind you," Konan replied still staring at Sakura who was trying her best to not look interested but failing.

"Well there is a small wager on whether or not you are sleeping with him," the kunoichi replied.

Reaching for her drink Konan said, "I see and where do you fall on the debate."

Giving a grin that showed her teeth where filed to points the woman answered, "Well since I heard you two share a room. I figure you have to be getting some."

"Then you may go collect your winnings," Konan said putting her glass back down.

"Hell yeah," the woman exclaimed before asking, "Is he any good? I bet he's a stamina freak, if what I heard about his prowess in battle is anything to go by."

Konan though merely replied, "You have received the answer to your wager. However I don't believe you need to know all the details behind our time together. If you are curious, by all means try and seduce him. I lay no claim on him."

Sakura had looked saddened by the news till Konan finished her statement. Her face took on one of confusion as she stared at the woman. Did she just give another woman permission to try and get with Naruto? They were intimate weren't they?

The kunoichi though said, "I think I'll do just that," and then headed back to her table where money exchanged hands. Sakura didn't know how to feel. The idea that Naruto was sleeping with the woman in front of her, but felt nothing for her just didn't fit with the picture she had of the blonde. She also didn't know why it bothered her so much. She figured it must have been that it was just another sign that he had begun to hate her. She knew it was unfair to him but she just always assumed that Naruto would have waited for her forever. The fact that he seemed to have moved on hurt her, but she didn't know if it was because she felt more than friendship for him or because Naruto was right and all she truly wanted was the days of team seven where she chased after Sasuke and Naruto chased after her.

As if reading her thoughts Konan said, "It's alright not to feel anything more than friendship for him."

Sakura looked up in surprise but saw that Konan was already standing to leave. Quickly getting up to follow the ex-Akatsuki, her untouched meal forgotten Sakura asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said," Konan said as they walked the village, "you don't need to force yourself to love him. If the only feelings you have for him are friendship that is fine."

"But, he…"

Konan cut her off saying, "I know that his remaining distant from you bothers you. But you should understand his reasons behind it before you go and try to correct it."

Sakura nodded her head saying, "And that would be?"

"He loves you," Konan said her voice carrying a certainty to it.

Despite how certain the blue-haired woman sounded Sakura scoffed, "Maybe once…?"

"I assure you what I say is true," Konan said, "I have been with Naruto for quite a while but he has never been mine. That is why I told that kunoichi she is free to pursue him. But even if she manages to get him in her bed he still only truly loves you."

"Then why will he barely talk to me," Sakura asked exasperated.

"Because you frighten him," Konan replied.

Again Sakura scoffed saying, "He defeated Pain by himself something the whole village of Kohona hadn't been able to do. Why would he be frightened of me?"

"Because you alone could truly hurt him," Konan said, "Tell me do you love Naruto?"

"I don't know."

"Yet, you told him you did," Konan said and when Sakura tried to explain her reason she held up a hand to stop the pinkette so she could continue, "Whatever your reasons they are your own. My point is that by telling him that it made him question if he could ever truly earn your love or if you would just chose him because he was there. To him you have never truly made a choice and that if you did end up with him should Sasuke ever come around you would push him to the side for the Uchiha. That would probably destroy him in a way no enemy ever could and that is why he stays distant from you"

Sakura mulled over what Konan told her so the ex-Akatsuki added, "That is why I say it is okay not to love him. Everything he did for you he did because of his love for you. But you don't need to force yourself to return those feelings, because it will not change his for you. However you do need to decide. He deserves that much."

Sakura nodded her head before asking, "How will I know when I've truly decided?"

"I can't tell you that," Konan said, "Your story actually reminds me of a book I read when I was younger."

Sakura looked earnestly at her so the woman continued, "It's called 'A Tale of Two Villages' it is set against the backdrop of a peasant rebellion. One of the main characters is a peasant that fell in love with a young noblewoman. The woman however loves a nobleman who the peasant resembles. In the course of the story the nobleman is captured by the angry villagers and is going to be executed. In the end the peasant takes the place of the noblewoman's love and the two leave him to die."

"Are you saying I'm the noblewoman and I'd let Naruto die to be with Sasuke?" Sakura asked getting angry.

"That isn't my point at all. My point is. Who do you think loved the noblewoman more?"

"The peasant," Sakura answered.

"Why, because he was willing to stay and die for her happiness," Konan asked. When Sakura nodded her head the woman said, "You can't be sure because the nobleman wasn't given the chance to display his love in a similar manner. While there is no doubt who the noblewoman loved, she doesn't need to feel guilty that the peasant died for her because that was his choice. It would be far crueler of the noblewoman to have pretended to love the peasant while secretly longing for the nobleman. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that you need to decide who your heart truly belongs to and then follow whatever path it sets you on."

Sakura accepted what Konan told her before saying, "Thank You."

Konan gave a little half smile before turning into little paper butterflies. Realizing it was getting late Sakura went to her apartment and went to bed. That night she dreamed that Kohona was being attacked again but this time by Sasuke. Naruto had already left to confront him and she had followed despite his insistence against it. She had come across the two as they each hit each other with their respective jutsu. She watched horrified as they both fell to the ground. Sasuke was calling to her to help him as he lay dying, while Naruto merely looked up at the stars with a smile on his face. She stood motionless unable to decide on who to help which ultimately cost her both of them as they died in front of her.