Alone Together...

Forget About Everything

Normal POV

A deep sigh was heard over the sizzle of the meat as it cooked on the grill. It wasn't the first sigh, ever since the rest of Team Seven met up with Naruto and Sakura, sighs had been heard between them every few minutes.

"...So Naruto, how's training?" Haku asked as he chanced a glance at Sakura. The chopstick that was being fiddle with snapped from the sudden violent action her hand made. A deep frown appeared and the people on the other side of the window could practically feel her glare. This was practically a new sight of the girl who they had yet to see before.

"Good." Was all Naruto responded. He too had a frown, but that was ordinary for Naruto. He tended to frown lately from lots of things, pertaining to training, or Sasuke as usual.

Sakura was the one who rarely showed her negative emotions. They knew since the moment they found them standing in the middle of the road, that something was wrong. They were both so deep in thought that Haku had to physically gain their attention. The second sign of something happening, had been the kids. The kids who were there had a confused and scared expression. In the end, they didn't find out anything from them as they went who knows where running in a very fast speed.

"...That's good. I'll be able to help out for the remainder of the week." Haku offered, trying to lighten up the mood. An annoyed grunt erupted from Sakura's throat and that made the table become silent once more. Everyone was now in deep thought, all very different, but all connecting to the same problem.

'That red-headed guy...he hadn't even done anything and I could still feel the power he had...and more importantly, how does Sakura know them?' Sasuke thought as his glare intensified on the steak that was cooking on the grill.

'How could that guy be such a jerk to Sakura-chan! I thought he was her friend! And then the look that Sakura-chan had when they left...I've never seen Sakura-chan look so sad before...' Naruto thought as he grumbled out and glared at the little pieces of steak on the grill. His hands that were on the table had fisted tightly as many questions to only seemed to increase with time.

"...You think he hates us?" Inner asked sadly as she sat and pondered on what had happened earlier. A plush version of Gaara, that only she knew where she acquired, was cuddled in her arms.

'No...I think he's just confused. This meeting was so sudden for them and after what he's been through...it's probably hard for him to trust anyone again.' Sakura responded as her glare softened and she closed her tired eyes.

'I'm not thrilled at the way he handled the situation, however, I'm glad that they at least seemed close to each other...' Sakura thought with a sigh. She couldn't help think about what happened not even an hour ago. The hurtful memory still fresh in her mind.

~Flashback~

"...W-What are you doing here?!..." Temari asked with disbelief. Standing before their eyes was a girl they could never mistake for anyone else. She had been their first friend after all and with her unique features, it was nearly impossible to forget her.

After what happened in Suna, they believed they would never see her again. They were just children back then, so they didn't know the extent of what occurred that night.

They visited the park where they had played together and would hope she would be waiting for them when they arrived, but after a few days, she was nowhere to be found.