Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. This is just fan work for other fans and not for profit in any way.

Chronicle One: Shinobi in the Mist

Chapter 12

The streets were deathly silent in the twilight hours of the morning. Under the starry sky, two figures quietly negotiated the paved roads of the harbour town. Lee sighed as he continued to trudge along the dim streets. They didn't want to attract any attention with their attire so he had donned a black dress robe. He had stashed away the garment earlier for the express purpose of having some civilian clothing at hand. Sakura however, had used ninjutsu and was now disguised in a flowing blue dress. Her head was currently leaning against Lee's shoulder, her eyes peacefully closed. He had his arm wrapped around her waist, guiding along her tired footsteps.

As they walked, his thoughts gravitated towards her. She was his colleague, his teammate, his precious friend. Glancing down, his gaze brushed over the contours of her angelic face, tracing her sensual mouth, her perfect nose and her serene eyes. Her heavenly scent wafted around him, filling him whenever he breathed. As the soft moonlight illuminated her face, Lee couldn't help but admire how stunningly beautiful she was. Beauty, strength, intelligence, Sakura was all that and more. Right now she was exhausted, barely conscious. They hadn't wanted to chance on any encounters so to escape the base, Sakura had just used her strength to smash through three levels of ceiling to the surface. That last bit had drained what little energy she had left. Lee's arm tightened protectively around her; she trusted him to guide her home and he will not fail her.

Sounds of revelry suddenly reached him and he knew that they were nearing the docks. It seemed the harbour-side taverns were open all night. The docks and piers were lit by lamps, both from the street and from the various ships anchored there. Lee searched the forest of masts, looking for a specific vessel. Once he located it, he slowly and carefully guided his companion towards the ship.

Sakura woke to the sound of breaking waves and soft gentle swaying. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes to find herself lying on a large comfortable bed. She was in was a small and cosy room with elegant wooden panelling. The pink haired shinobi frowned and sat up. No, that wasn't panelling, it was the hull of a ship. She suddenly recognized her surroundings as the suite of the yacht that she and Lee had chartered to Fukaku town. They must have set sail and were heading back towards Konaha.

But where was Lee?

She noticed the place beside her had been recently vacated, someone had slept their during the night. With a smile, Sakura noticed that a large robe had been left for her. Grabbing the garment, she wrapped herself within the soft comfortable fabric and exited the room.

A fresh gust of cool morning air greeted her as she walked onto the deck. The bright rays of the sun shone down from high in the air; she had been asleep quite awhile. The smell of salt and brine was heavy in the air as the ship cut through the bright blue waters, sending up intermittent sprays of sea.

"Ma'am," a respectful voice spoke from behind her. "I trust you slept well."

Sakura turned to see the Captain of the ship greeting her from his position at the helm. "I slept wonderfully Captain," she replied. "Thank you so much for your hospitality."

"No thanks necessary ma'am," the man replied with a warm smile. "We do whatever we can to please our customers. A few more hours and we should be within sight of the Fire Country."

"That sounds great," Sakura replied.

Noticing Lee sitting at the bow of the ship, she wished the Captain a good morning and made her way over to her companion. He was dressed in a black dress robe, his legs crossed as he sat at the bow, looking forward across the great blue expanse.

Sakura sat down beside him and followed his gaze. Lee was staring into the distance towards their destination.

"Sakura-chan," he spoke as he noticed her presence beside him.

"The Captain said we'll be in the Fire Country within a few hours."

"That is good," the dark haired young man replied. However, Sakura noticed a troubled expression on his face. Was he still concerning himself with the events of last night?

"About my failures yesterday," he began.

Sakura ruefully shook her head and interrupted him with a kiss on his cheek. "You didn't fail," she replied. She turned Lee's face as so to look into his eyes. When his gaze met hers, she gave him a reassuring smile. Trust him to fault himself for what everyone else would see as a remarkable display of courage and bravery. He had singlehandedly assaulted an enemy stronghold to save a teammate and he was worried that he hadn't been fast enough.

"The mission was a success," she reminded him. "We both got out alive and we're heading home. That is all that matters."

Taking a hold of his arm, Sakura leaned her head against Lee's shoulder and looked out towards the horizon.

"We are going home," Lee agreed and the two of them gazed off into the distance towards Konaha.

The End of Chronicle One