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"The Akatsui strike again... There breaking into Fire Country. If you stay in one spot it's a danger to you and the people living there... I'm sorry Naruto but you must leave Konaha..."

The boy with bright blonde hair stood there with a look of gloom in his big blue eyes. One of his closest friends stood there with his dark eyes filled with rage. The words leave Konaha made his already spiky black hair stand up on end.

"Naruto... could not leave, he was one of his friends," Sasuke thought this with a look of grief. "How would Sakura take this? Since Sasuke came back from Orochimaru, he noticed Naruto and Sakura have gotten closer. Not that they love each other and want to get married... more like a brother, sister bond. Just like the brother, sister bond Sasuke feels about Sakura and Naruto."

There teacher looked at the Fifth Hokage with a look of surprise in one eye. You can't tell if the other eye was just as surprised for he covered it with his hidden leaf head band. You also could not tell if the rest of his face was surprised for he wore a dark blue mask over his face in which he doesn't take off in front of anybody. Nobody's seen Kakashi Hatake's face that lies beneath his mask. He looked at the Hokage and shook his head as the mop of messy silvery hair of his became even messier...

He said to the Hokage, "No."

"No?" replied the Hokage.

"No, I'm sorry but, Naruto needs the protection of his friends. You can not expect him to go out and wonder on and on for days on end with no protection. Eventually they will capture Naruto." Kakashi explained this with no emotion that the Hokage could find but, Naruto and Sasuke knew Kakashi well enough to know that he was concerned."

Kakashi cared about his team more than people give him credit for. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were his friends. His own team mates died years ago and nobody ever passed his test to become Gennin. Kakashi planned on protecting those three even if it risked his life. He was not going to let Naruto go out alone and die.

"Kakashi, I was not planning to send Naruto out alone... I was planning on sending Naruto out with you, Sasuke, and Sakura. Battle plan is simple Kakashi you up front with Sasuke, Sakura behind protecting Naruto... Any objections?"

"Tsunde-sama why can't I fight!?!?" requested a flustered Naruto. "I thought since Sakura's a medic ninja I need to protect her! Why is she protecting me?" Naruto said this with concern in his voice...

Sasuke nodded in agreement.

Naruto doesn't want Sakura hurt because of him... he cares for Sakura and he would never forgive himself if she died protecting him. Sasuke feels the same way that Naruto does about Sakura. Sasuke doesn't mind Sakura now... ever since he got back she has not been clinging all over him and chasing him. She's not obsessed with him like she used to be. She talks to him but not in a girly flirting fashion. That is the Sakura he likes... not that annoying little girl who had to always side with him and be with him.

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One day Sasuke heard Ino talking to some other girl, "What's up with Sakura? Sasuke's back and she doesn't seem to like him?" the other girl said with a questioning tone.

"Oh, Sakura is so happy that Sasuke's back, she told me that her self. Naruto and Sasuke are both happy so she's very happy. She also told me that she doesn't like him like she did when she was twelve. Sakura likes Sasuke a lot but, more as a close friend than a boy friend."

"Really? So you going to take him? You get him Sakura gave up! You won Ino!"

"No I like someone else now..."

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Sasuke thought of this with a relief Ino doesn't like him... yes! Sasuke's happy thought was stopped from a noise coming from the front of the room.

"Naruto, I know you care for Sakura... so do I. She is one of my best students and I have taught her many battle jutsus and techniques not just medical jutsu. Tell me Naruto when is the last time you saw Sakura fight? Hmmm... A while ago right...so don't worry that's the last thing Sakura would want." The Hokage looked at the boy and gave him a smile. "Not to mention but, guess who else is coming with you? Team Gai has offered to help on this mission. You will be meeting them in two hours with your stuff to leave with them. I will go over the aspects of your mission then. You have any questions? You may leave... Go say good-bye to your friends for now for this may take from a week to five years. Who knows? Bye, see you in two hours."

The three of them nodded and made there way out the door.

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On there way out the door they passed the medical clinic. They walked out of the building into a sunny day. The streets were busy. So busy that you would never be able to find anyone in that crowd. The two boys and there sensei passed the book store. On the shop window there was a big sign that read...

New! New! New!
Three New Books added to the Icha Icha Book Series!
For one day only! They will be here and only here....
For 50% off! Come get your Icha Icha book today!
Rated R for restricted

Oh, course Kakashi ran into the book store to get his beloved books... It was just Naruto and Sasuke trying to make there way through the busy streets looking for people they knew so they could say good-bye.

"Somehow I think were never going to find anyone..." Naruto said this with a grin on his face.

"Naruto, you think Sakura knows about the mission?" That for sure whipped the grin off Naruto's face.

"I don't know... I think granny Tsunde would have told her but, I don't know," replied Naruto in a sad voice.

"Naruto, I'm just as concerned as you are about Sakura fighting. I don't want her hurt so I'll try my best not to let them get back to her and you okay? You should be more concerned about yourself though, idiot, there after you not Sakura..." Sasuke looked at Naruto with those dark eyes.

Sasuke had been so much happier with his friends, somehow even though he had not got his revenge... he was happy to be here with his friends and when they weren't happy nether was he.

"We haven't seen her fight since the Chunnin exam that was a couple years ago...." Sasuke said this in a almost laughing kind of way.

"We? We? What are you talking about you weren't even there to watch her! You were in the hospital room... How could you have-," The flustered Naruto was cut off by Sasuke who started talking.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke mocked Naruto with a grin on his face. "Yes, I was in the hospital room and yes, I saw Sakura's match between Ino..."

"But...How?"

"There was a TV in the room and a camera in the place where they held the matches. When I woke up I saw Sakura's match and everybody else's after her, including yours."

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Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other. Naruto had that "oh" expression on his face while Sasuke muttered "idiot". When Naruto tried to punch Sasuke He and Sasuke saw something over by the tree line that surrounded the outside of the village. There was a girl sitting an the top of a tree. She had bright pink hair and wore a red dress with black shorts on underneath. The boys knew who it was... it was there third team mate and only kunoinchi on there team Sakura. They made there way out of the crowd and started yelling her name (apparently she had been practicing her chakra control). The pink haired kunoinchi would not answer... the closer they got to her the more they noticed her eyes were closed and she was not moving. Sprinting now the two boys stopped screaming and they both thought the same thing... "Please don't be died, Please don't be dead..." They placed the right amount of chakra at there feet and ran up to the top of the tree to there limp looking teammate. When they reached the top there sat the limp body of Sakura. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other and both hugged the limp body until they felt it move?!?!?!?

"What the hell are you guys doing!?!?!?!?" yelped a sleepy looking Sakura.

"But, you were dead just a couple of minutes ago?" replied the shaken up Naruto. "Sasuke run it's a ghost!"

"You idiot I was sleeping..." Sakura yawned when she said this. "I was practicing my chakra control till I got tired and fell asleep in the tree." She explained. "Sorry I scared you. Do you guys have all of your stuff for the mission?"

"Ummm... no?...?..." Naruto and Sasuke said this at the same time.

"Oh, come on, I alright got my stuff ready so I'll help you guys... Come on..."

Sakura began to walk down the tree followed by Naruto and Sasuke. They went into the village bought supplies and things they would need. After they were done shopping they headed to Naruto's house to pack then Sasuke's. It was 1:15 when they finished packing. They had seen the Hokage around 12:00 so they would have to meet her and team Gai by 2:00. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura went to the road that they would take to walk out of the village and set there packs and stuff down there. An ANBU officer was on duty there patrolling who went in and out of the village. They asked him if he would watch there stuff and he kindly agreed.

"Lets go for a walk... we have awhile before we leave on are mission and this my be the last time we see the hidden leaf village for a long time. We still haven't said good-bye to are friends," Sakura looked at the two boys and gave them a soft smile.

"Yeah, you're right... Come on let's go see Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino first..." Naruto said this thinking to himself... "Friends? Yeah, like they were his best friends... the lazy bum, the fat ass, and the Sasuke idiot... oh, well he knew Sakura wanted to see Ino (Sakura and Ino are friends now)."

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Sasuke nodded his head in agreement and, they were off. Squad seven came across Squad ten in a restaurant. Oh, course Choji was eating his heart out, Shikamaru ate what he could get, and Ino watched what she ate for she clamed she was on another diet. The two boys walked in first with Sakura behind. Naruto and Sasuke walked up to the table and said "hi" and explained they were going on a mission and would not be back for some time. Once they were done explaining. Squad ten invited them to sit down. But one person from squad seven was missing?

"Where's billboard-brow? Am I not good enough for her to say good- bye too?" Ino said this in a playful tone expecting Sakura to jump out at her any minute.

"Yeah, Where's Sakura isn't she going with you?" Asked the curious Shikamaru.

"Yeah, she is, she wanted to say good-bye to you guys too... She was right behind us when we walked in to the restaurant?" Sasuke had a look of terror in his eyes when he said this. "What if the Akatsui took Sakura to get Naruto to follow and make an exchange for Sakura back Naruto would have to... No he's not joining them and Sakura's not going to get hurt!" Sasuke thought this in an alarmed way. "Naruto come on we have to go find her..." Sasuke said this out loud and got up immediately. He was not going to let his team split not ever...

Naruto followed him with a look of panic in his bright blue eyes. Shikamaru said he would help them find Sakura. Ino and Choji also wanted to help. They got up, squad ten paid for there meal and left with Naruto and Sasuke.

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Now, lets go back to what happened to Sakura when she was about to enter the restaurant.

Sakura was walking behind her two brothers (figure of speech people!!!!) when Sakura got separated from them... remember the streets were crowded that day so as people hurriedly ran past her she got pulled back farther and farther from Naruto and Sasuke. She ended around where she started, near that road they would have to take to leave the Hidden Leaf Village. But there were sounds coming from that road?...?...?

"Who is that? What are you looking at? Hello are you in there!?!?"

One of the boys down there started running up the road toward Sakura. The boy was pretty tall, not as tall as Naruto though. Had black hair with not a piece out of place, not like Sasuke's messy black hair though. The boy running closer and closer had this happy look an his face, not like Naruto's playful look though. The boy who was almost up the road had big, big, bushy eye brows, not anything like Naruto and Sasuke's eye brows. Sakura knew who it was... it was Rock Lee.

"Sakura-chan!!! I missed you so much my angel!!! We're going on a mission together... I'm so excited!!! Sakura-chan!!!!!" the gleeful Lee ran up to Sakura and flashed her a big smile. Sakura returned the smile. Before any other words were said, two other people had made there way to the top of the hill with Sakura and Lee.

"Lee what is going on?! Gai sensei was in the middle of- Oh, hello Sakura..." Tenten's voice was frustrated and raging at Lee and when it came to Sakura it was soft and happy... it was kind of creepy the way it changed...

"Hello Tenten," Sakura gave Tenten a smile and changed the direction of her eyes and instead looked at the boy who was looking at her with a cold stare that would have sent anybody running for cover. The boys stare was like a thousand needles going through your body. This boy Sakura had seen many times before. He was part of team Gai that was made up of Lee, Tenten, and Hyuuga... Neji Hyuuga. That cool stare was still on his face. She could tell he was using his Bykugan. This was an advanced bloodline trait of the Hyuuga clan. Sakura had another friend from that clan... Hinata Hyuuga who also carried this trait.

"Neji, at least say hi to Sakura! Don't just stand there and stare at her with your Bykugan!" Tenten said this even louder than she had when she screamed at Lee.

Sakura looked at the Long brown haired boy and said "Hi" in a reasonable voice. The Hyuuga just stared at Sakura without a word. That look made her squirm a little it was one thing for someone to look at one and another for someone to look in side you. It gave Sakura the chills for she knew Neji was examining her insides. It turns out Gai was at the bottom of the road calling for his team. Tenten and Lee were about to go down the hill when Neji was still standing there observing. Tenten called to him but he ignored her. He would not listen to her. Finally she gave up and walked down the hill with Lee. Once they reached the bottom of the road Neji stopped his stare and looked up at Sakura and with a hateful tone Neji started to talk to Sakura.

"I have to go on a mission with that. I thought team Kakashi was supposed to be one of the strongest teams in the Hidden Leaf. So much for that idea. How did someone like you get put on a team with Naruto and Sasuke?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to star at Neji with hate in her eyes. Neji noticed this and said, "Were supposed to be fighting people with advanced skills not some kid who just graduated from the academy. I wonder how you graduated for the academy?"

Sakura was pissed now and wanted to punch him so badly now. Her fist was clenched but, she was not stupid. She could not fight Neji unless he wanted to he was not an enemy of the Hidden Leaf she was not allowed to attack him even though she wanted too.

"I'm a Chunnin... I graduated by my self with out help and am now a medic nin." Sakura said this coldly as she said this Neji looked at her and said, "Really..." the way he said this, he sounded interested.

"How about a fight then right here right now? No one will see us. Oh, but if you're to scared we don't have too." Neji looked at her and grinned. Sakura nodded and in her head Inner Sakura was screaming, "Hell yeah! He is going down!!!!!!!!

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They stared at each other and then at the same time they screamed "go!" They started Neji wasted no time bringing out is advanced bloodline. Sakura thought for a minute. Okay, if he has an advanced blood line like the Sharingan he can know what I'm doing or at lest how I do it. I could hit him with a short termed jutsu- Sakura was not able to finish her thought for Neji had started running at her. He chucked at kunai knife at her it hit Sakura but with a puff of smoke she was gone. There lying in her place was a log.

"A replacement jutsu, how simple but affective. The real Sakura jumped out of her hiding place. They began doing tail jutsu. Neji kicked Sakura dodged. This time Sakura punched, Neji dodged that too. Neji kicked again Sakura caught his foot! Neji all of a sudden aware that she had caught his kick with her hand, tried to brake free but it was to late. Sakura punched him into the ground. Down, down he went burred in dirt. He was not injured but he was stuck in the dirt. I can't get out! I can't get out! He thought this and for the first time in his life started panicking... He could hear Sakura above the ground she was going to finish him off it was going to be the end of this battle and he was going to be beaten by the girl who he thought was weak. Apparently he was wrong again this was the first time he had lost. Where did all this power come from she was weak during the Chunnin exams but then again the Chunnin exams were maybe three years ago. She had trained and gotten better. She was moving swiftly now he was ready. He was going to be finished off by a girl... Sakura was doing a bunch of hand seals. She reached out her hand and...

Well, shall we go back to the wondering Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.

"Where could she be?" After Naruto said this Sasuke did something he hadn't done in a long time, he gave Naruto a nervous glance.

"Maybe we should go look near the road if anybody took her they would have to go down that road and it's right over there so..." Shikamaru said this in the most un-Shikamaruish way. Naruto and Sasuke thought this odd that he was trying to cheer them up but hey he was trying and Shikamaru may never do something like this ever again. Naruto and Sasuke grinned at Shikamaru and all of the sudden they heard a huge boom coming from the road.

"What if that's Sakura!?" Ino said this in a trembling voice. The guys looked at Ino and started running toward the beginning of the road where they heard the sound. When they got there, there was a startling scene right in front of them. Neji was stuck in a hole on the ground and Sakura was standing over him with a glowing ball of chakra in her hand (no it's not Chadori...)

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"Neji! What are you doing!" Gai sensei had heard the huge sound at the bottom of the hill and ran to the top along with the copy eye ninja Kakashi. Kakashi was walking and ran into Gai and started talking to him. Of course they were talking about how great there students were (hello...rivals...) when they heard a sound at the top of the road they came running up. Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were still standing there in shock at what had just happened. "Kakashi your kunoinchi was about to beat up Neji!" Gai said this and Kakashi flashed him a happy look in his face (well, his eye...).

"My kunoinchi just beat up one of the best on your team..." Kakashi looked at Sakura who was standing over the whole she had made in the ground. Gai had a look on his face as if he were about to explode.

"But-but... No... Neji and Lee always win... your kunoinchi should have lost" Gai said this in a whimpering voice that was not something Gai would do. Sakura's chakra that was now not so visible on her palm faded away. She was about to go short out Neji's advanced bloodline. Tsunde-sama had taught her this not to long ago. It was a technique the Hokage had come up with her self. Neji was still stuck in the dirt and by this time stopped struggling. Team seven and team ten looked at the scene, thinking to them selves, "Neji in the ground, Sakura standing above him ready to attack... Neji in the ground, Sakura standing above him ready to attack.." It took a lot for that to sink in.

"Looks like I win this time Gai..." Kakashi said this and, looked at Sakura in an amazed sort of way. He would expect this with Naruto and Sasuke but Sakura? The Hokage was right Sakura had grown and now she might even surpass himself .

Sakura looked down upon the ground at where Neji was cramped in a hole. She fell to the ground and put her hands in. Sakura began digging up a lot of the dirt and when enough of it was gone she removed some of the old tree roots that were in the way (hidden leaf village I would assume they had lots of trees with leaves) and pulled Neji up out of the ground. He had a couple tiny scratches on his arms and legs. Sakura started to do hand signs again. Neji looked at her in a bizarre way till he used his Bykugan to see that she was using a medical nin jutsu. She looked at him and he nodded his head. By this time. The Hokage had come by and explained more in depth about the mission while she healed Neji. Sakura placed the chakra from the jutsu in her hand and whipped her hand down his arms then his legs.

"Her hands are so soft and gentle..." Neji thought this and suddenly gave himself a shack to the head. "What am I thinking! I'm a greatly honored ninja that's what I dedicated my life to. I should not be thinking this. I told my self I would not end up like that that perverted sensei of Naruto's. Why am I thinking this... Oh, it's probably from the crash in the head I received when I hit the ground. I do not in any way like some girl, especially not Sakura Haruno." Neji was healed and Sakura was fine. Squad ten stayed until they left the village. Kiba, Akamaru, Shino, and Hinata were out on a mission of there own so squad seven told Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino to tell them good-bye. Ino pulled Sakura over to the side. They talked, hugged and walked back to where everyone else was standing.

There they went... Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Gai, Lee, Tenten, and Neji. Speaking about Neji he left Konaha thinking he had forgotten about the whole liking Sakura thing which is where he made another mistake... instead the thought remand not in his head but know in his heart...







Please tell me what you think... You think I can make it better... tell me how... Thanks ^_^ I would really appreciate it! Even if you think it was the worst thing In the world... I would like to hear how I can make it better!