The Fight

"What have I told you two idiots about training when I'm not around," Sakura scolded as she rushed to Naruto's side preparing to heal the bloody mess that was his arm.

He gently pushed her away with his good limb, "go take care of Sasuke first. You know how fast I heal," he reminded her.

She eyed him carefully but listen to him. Ever since they had returned with Sasuke to the village she had been acting totally different toward him. She wasn't hitting him over every little thing. Her hands lingered on him when she was healing him more than necessary. She would even do as he asked without argument. He was trying to figure out what had caused her to change. He assumed she was just grateful he had kept his promise of a lifetime.

"Thanks, he really ripped into me today," Sasuke commented as she healed his broken arm.

"Its not a problem, I just wish you guys would have me here to take care of you guys right away and not make me feel the earth shake to figure out your out here tearing each other apart," she lectured.

"You always look so sad when we fight, so we don't ask you to watch," Naruto stated looking into the blue sky, not watching his team mates interact with each other. He knew it was for healing purposes only but he still didn't like to watch her touch him.

"I will be sad if I could have prevented you guys ending up in the hospital or worse," she muttered.

"Think we'll kill each other?" Sasuke snorted.

She grabbed his ear causing him to wince in pain. Her abuse was something he was becoming accustomed to.

"You may think that's impossible but accidents happen and I'll be damned if I loose either of you," she snapped.

Naruto felt his jealousy flare, she use to berate him and use physical force to make him listen to her words. Now she was showing Sasuke the same attention she used to do only on him.

"Why don't you two get a room," Naruto huffed as he got up to leave.

"Naruto, sit down, you're not going anywhere till I look you over," she commanded, her tone was serious, she was in medic mode. It stopped him from retreating from the heart ache his best friends together was causing.

"Whatever," he grumbled sitting next to a tree.

Once she was done fixing up the raven haired boy she moved on to the sulky ninja. She checked him over thoroughly. Gentle fingers brushed over his arm. She figured there wouldn't be anything wrong with him by the time she was done with Sasuke, but she wanted an excuse to be close to him. Ever since the war all she could do was think about her friend who had been by her side through everything.

Sasuke could see it all as plain as day. Sakura no longer fawned over him like she did in the past. Even when he tried to kill her, she had still been memorized by him. But now all she saw was Naruto. His friend being the idiot he was had yet to realize what her shift in attitude meant.

"Looks like you're fine," she smiled, "are you two done or should I stay for round two?" she asked, bright green eyes boring into blue.

"We're done," he answered dully looking away from her.

Sakura couldn't help but sigh. She was either going to have to be more forceful or spell it out for him. But the last time she confessed to him still burned deep on her heart. She couldn't blame him for acting the way he did but sometimes she wished something would just open his eyes. She decided to leave her team mates to their own devices.

Sasuke watched as the pretty pink haired ninja head away from the training ground. She had changed a lot since he had left. Team 7 was stronger than ever and Sasuke couldn't help but be a little smug about it. He pushed both of them to be stronger but they may have come out just as strong or stronger if he had taken a different path. There was no way of really knowing.

"When did she stop loving me?" Sasuke wondered out loud.

"What are you talking about? She's been head over heels for you forever," Naruto remarked.

"You're an idiot," he stated like it was no big deal. Naruto's eyes darken into a glare.

"You don't know anything about her! You've been gone for years!" the blond ninja roared fits coming up fast.

Sasuke just smirked, Naruto just proved how big of an idiot he was.

"Fine, I'm going to ask her to be my girl," he tested the blond.

"If you want her, I won't stand in your way," Naruto deflated, fist back on the ground by his side.

"Great," Sasuke grinned as he vanished.

Naruto knew she would be thrilled. She would finally have the man she had pined for. His best friends deserved to be happy. He got up and headed back to the village. On his way home he came across the couple. Sasuke was leaning an arm up against the wall the girl he loved was leaning her back against. He whispered into her ear, but she didn't respond the way Naruto expected. Her eyes narrowed into a glare, and her chakra spiked in her arm. Sasuke didn't see the warning signs before she punched him, sending him into the wall across the way.

"Like hell," she yelled.

Sasuke recovered quickly and was quickly restraining her against the wall. Lovers quarrel was what sprang to Naruto's mind. Sakura looked pissed but there was another emotion hidden under her mask of anger. She was scared. Naruto moved before rational thought had time to think over the situation. In an orange haze he was between the two of them. Sasuke didn't looked surprised by his actions. He looked like he had expected it.

"What do you think you're doing? That's not how you ask a girl to be yours," Naruto confronted.

"She said no so I was trying to be more convincing," Sasuke explained, evil glint in his eye. He was playing the bad guy. He was enjoying it a little too.

"Forcing yourself on her isn't the way to convince her," he scolded.

"Don't be mad I have the guts to go after what I want," Sasuke taunted.

Sakura wrapped her arms around Naruto, holding onto him. Naruto felt like she was holding him back, not wanting him to protect her. Something in the way she moved to she clutched to him a little more desperately made him change his opinion. She was holding onto him for strength, she had always felt weak when Naruto protected her out on missions but something was different when he was protecting her from a male competitor. It thrilled her in a way she had never known before.

"I thought you loved him," Naruto admitted, feeling like he was in unfamiliar territory. The girl he loved pressed up against his back. He could feel her breath through his thin shirt.

"So did I, but I don't," she came clean.

He heard it in her voice, she wasn't lying. But he was still guarded. He couldn't dare hope that she would love him instead of the dark avenger. He sprung away from her like she was a poisonous snake. The action was not lost on the girl. She couldn't erase the years of violence directed at the blond boy, all her harsh words, or her stupid promise of a lifetime. Her empty arms clung to her chest. She didn't know if she could save the situation.

"What are you saying Sakura?" Naruto yelled.

"I don't know," she snapped back, some of her old temper flaring at him. He couldn't help but feel relaxed by her outburst. He knew how to deal with that. Her being nice was beyond his comprehension.

"Let me know when you figure it out," he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning to leave.

"Figure it out?" she ran and as he turned to face her his chin caught her fist full of chakra, sending him to the ground, "I may have taken a while to come to the realization of what my feelings for you were but I've owned up to them before and you couldn't take it. What I can't figure out is how to get your dumb ass to open your eyes," she declared.

He got up rubbing his sore face. Even her punch gave him a sense of calm. He liked her temper, it showed how much passion she had. When it was directed at him it made him feel like she was passionate about him, even if it was in a negative way most of the time.

"Don't bother with him, just come home with me," Sasuke butted in wrapping a lazy arm over her shoulders. Naruto wanted to punch him but Sakura beat him to it by elbowing him in the gut.

"Did I loose your love? I wouldn't blame you if I did, but you're going to have to tell me what to do to make it up to you. And if there is no way to get your love back, then I'm going to have to move on. Tell me, Naruto," she pleaded.

"I have always loved you, you know that," Naruto spoke softly.

"And every time I say I love you too, you tell me I'm a liar or to figure it out. Fine, I'll figure it out on my own," she snarled stalking past him slamming her shoulder into his on her way by. They fought all the time, he didn't think much about it. He would give her a couple days and things would be back to normal. He couldn't help but feel he didn't want normal any more. He wanted to except her feelings. Watching her retreating form Sasuke knew he had messed up and pushed them too far. Naruto wasn't ready for the truth.

After a couple of days Naruto went to her place to check up on her. When he knocked on the door it opened a little so he let himself in. She was no where in sight. After looking at the rest of her apartment he made his way to her bedroom. It looked like it had been cleared out. He noticed something on her dresser that made his heart stop. Lying there was her head band with a note with his name on it. Only words she left for him were, "Going to see the world and figure it out."