Time passed and Kakashi returned. Perhaps he would know what was up with the fox?

"Now that Kakashi-sensei is back, we can all eat!" Sakura said.

The jonin gently took the blonde aside checking him over and changing any needed bandages, a long with adding new ones, before helping him wash his soily hands for dinner.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Sasuke asks, glancing at the fox-boy's hands.

The blonde glanced to him curiously.

"Come on, Sasuke!" Sakura grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the table. "Let's eat!"

Kakashi lead the blonde to a chair and sits himself. It turns out that Sakura had made hamburgers, as a treat. The meat drew the fox, lettuce not so much.

"Naruto, don't be so picky," Sakura scolded.

He removed it anyway biting the patty.

"Naruto, the lettuce is good for you, you should eat it," Sasuke said gently.

It wasn't like he didn't get vegetables, the ramen guy made an effort to hide them in his meals, but Naru didn't quite agree either way.

"Oh, just eat them," the pinkett rolled her eyes.

He remained stubborn as always. Sakura continued to chastise the fox, trying to get him to eat. Naruto avoided the leaves entirely, watching her with an odd look.

"You can't have anymore meat until you eat the lettuce."

He reached for one anyway.

The female slaps his hand. "What did I just say?"

He flinched away.

"Eat your lettuce, and you can have some more meat. But you are not getting up from this table until all your vegetables are gone."

Kakashi just watches amused. She was basically telling a fox to eat rabbit food when he would clearly rather have the rabbit. Sakura watches the meat intently, making sure the fox-boy doesn't eat it. Naruto wasn't understanding the concept, let alone Sakura. Foxes were carnivores so why the hell should he eat it?

Sasuke sighs. "Naruto, Sakura just wants you to eat healthily. You are (technically) a human, so you need to eat vegetables to stay healthy."

The blonde blinks at that. He hardly ever heard someone call him that..

"So can you please eat them?"

He sat for a moment before taking a small bite. Sasuke gave him a smile.

It still tasted like rabbit food..

"Pretend it tastes like your favourite food," the raven suggested.

He ate it, slowly but begrudgingly. As soon as he ate it all, Sakura dropped her gaze from the platter of patties, granting him access to it. The meal continued the fox going back outside once done. Sasuke and Sakura clean up the dishes.

Kakashi watched the blonde from the window. "So what do you guys think about today?"

Sasuke followed his gaze thoughtfully. "We should keep a closer eye on Naruto."

"Well yes.. but didn't you notice anything odd about his behavior?"

"He wasn't stuffing his face full?" Sakura suggested slyly.

Kakashi sighs, he had hoped they'd finally start looking more into the neglected blonde..

"He looks left out," Sasuke glanced pointedly at the female. "Maybe we should try and be nice to him?"

"Did you ever think about why he didn't fight back at first?"

"No, not really," Sakura says.

She was hopeless..

"It's obvious that Naruto knew he wasn't strong enough to beat them," Sakura continues.

"No actually.. He thinks there's no point in fighting them because they'd just come back again.."

"So we should be on guard?" Sasuke asks.

"Probably not while we're here, but we have to return to the village sooner or later.."

"I thought we were staying here until Naruto turns back into a human," Sakura says.

Kakashi nearly face palmed. "Sakura I'm going to explain this slowly.. Have you ever seen him hang out with anyone other than missions? Have you ever thought why he got hurt in the first place? Have you ever noticed that the whole village tends to avoid him?"

"No."

The jonin groans.

"He still has to come back to the village."

"Yeah.. So you finish up here, I've got something to do.." Kakashi grabbed the mysterious box from the cabinet and headed outside.

The two genin finish up quickly and follow him out, curious about the box.

Kakashi sat in front of Naruto holding it out to him. "Should have given you this the other day but now is as good a time as any. Iruka says he'll take you out to ramen when we get back."

"So, what's in the box?" Sakura asks.

Naru takes it, taking a moment to remember how to open such things. Inside was a handmade plush, a blonde fox with spiky hair and two tails. And a card from Iruka wishing him a happy birthday. The blonde grins tracing the whiskered face.

Sasuke sighs. Of course, it was Naruto's birthday! How could he have forgotten? Kakashi smiles ruffling the blonde locks.

"Happy belated birthday," Sasuke says, smiling at the fox-boy.

Kakashi leans back on the tree. Naru, watching the sky as stars shone overhead. Sakura wished Naruto a happy birthday a little while later as well.

It wasn't too long before the blonde dozed off again. Today being rather taxing on his weakened body. When he noticed that the fox had dozed off, Sasuke carried him inside, fearing he would catch a cold. Kakashi smiles softly beneath his mask as the others followed.

As the sky grew darker still, Sasuke and the others decide to turn in for the night as well. It wasn't till about two in the morning that anyone stirred.

Sakura wandered outside, unable to sleep. The night was clear but very chilly. Sakura shivered, and wrapped her nightgown tighter around her, gazing up at the moon and lost in thought.

Today had been rather eventful. Would Sasuke do for her what he did for Naruto?

It was hard to say.. Really what's she ever done except crowd him? Sakura sighs, and grips the railing in front of her.

What to do..

It was still early in the morning, so Sakura couldn't exactly cook breakfast yet, and she couldn't wake anyone up...

Something moved out of the corner of her eye. Turning, Sakura grabbed a kunai knife hidden at her waist.

It was Naruto. He didn't seem to have noticed her though. Warily, she watched him quietly.

It was too cold for him to be out here.. He didn't have his jacket when they found him with the Hokage and it wasn't like he had a spare..

Sakura watches him intently, not making any moves. He wandered over to a small pond a little ways off and sat down by it. The pinkett continued to watch the other from the shadows.

He seemed upset, his face was sadder than she's ever seen him. He sat hugging his knees looking out to the water.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. What could he possibly have to be sad about? Sasuke and Kakashi to watch over him, and he was getting a lot of attention.

Well what does she know? Add Iruka, the Hokake, and the old ramen man and he had what? Five friends vs a thousand haters?

But who did she have?

Her parents? Ino? A stable lifestyle that he never had?

But how did any of that compare to friends? Was she really better than Naruto?

He shifted pulling at his well-worn shirt till it came off. Even under the bandages you could see how thin he was, it was thanks to his power that his body was as strong as it was. Though kyubii was able to heal major damage Naruto still had a fair share of scars. They must have been pretty bad to still be visible.

Through all of Sakura's pride, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the fox-boy.

The blonde stood up walking into the water. Sakura leans in closer, curious about what would happen.

The water must be freezing.. Yet he just walks out till he was deep enough to duck under water.

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. Surely he couldn't be drowning himself?

He seemed to be trying at least.. In the end he was under for almost two minutes before he finally came up gasping for air.

The pinkett stepped out of the shadows. "Naruto, what are you doing?"

The blonde jumped sharply slipping back underwater. Sakura jumped in after him. No matter how much she hated Naruto, she couldn't just let him die.

He seemed to have just lost his balance in his surprise though, struggling to right himself again.

"Jeez, don't worry me like that," Sakura muttered.

As soon as he got his barrings again he shied away with a whine.

"Don't drown yourself," she scolded.

He sat there shivering from the chill (and from Sakura catching him.)

Sakura sighed inwardly. "Get inside. You're sopping wet."

He rushed off quickly. Sakura followed to make sure he got in the cabin safely, then fetched him a towel. There was something about being up so early that made her want to help the fox-boy.

Naruto curled under it, almost hiding.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Sakura said, then muttered, "Because if I did, Kakashi-sensei would have my hide."

He still didn't come out.

"Okay..." Sakura sighed again.

He didn't look like coming out, still shivering pretty bad.

Sakura glanced around for a clock. It was still pretty early. "Well, I'm staying out here, like it or not. There's nothing better to do."

...Maybe he was just cold? Sakura sat there idly, watching to make sure Naruto didn't go try to drown himself again.

The clock ticked on, Naruto's shivering not getting that much better. Sakura grew more irritated by the second, waiting for him to warm up.

It really had been practically ice water..

"What do you need, a fire?" Sakura growled.

This wasn't going well..

Sakura glared, frustrated with Naruto's inability to speak. It wasn't that great on his side either.. Finally the shivers seemed to cease.

"Finally."

He still didn't move though. She didn't mind. At least he wasn't freezing. It was rather quiet now. Sakura sat there, rapping her fingers against the arm of the chair.

...Was he even breathing..?

"Naruto...?" the pinkett said cautiously.

No response.

Sakura ran to the room Kakashi was staying in. "Sensei, Naruto isn't responding to me."

"Wha..?"

"He feel into a pond, so I gave him a towel, and now he's stopped moving."

"Did you even dry him off? That water is freezing." He shifted up.

"Can't he do that himself?"

He sighs going to check. Sakura padded after him.

Kakashi lifted the towel and sure enough Naruto still looked wet and cold, either he didn't know he was supposed to get dry or he just plain didn't care.. Sakura facepalmed.

Well it should have been obvious when he just sat there not moving..

She growled quietly. Kakashi sighs starting up the fire place before drying off the poor kit. The female genin hides by the doorway, hoping Kakashi wouldn't chew her out.

After wrapping him up in a thick blanket and setting him in front of the fire, Kakashi turns to Sakura, "Why was he out there anyway?"

"I dunno, I just found him outside."

"Hmm..?"

"He went into the pond by himself."

"And?"

"And then I pulled him out and brought him in."

"..."

Sakura shifted from one foot to the other.

"Sakura.."

"Yes?" she responded hesitantly.

"What happened?"

"He walked into the pond, so I dragged him out, and sent him back to the cabin, then gave him a blanket!"

He sighs rubbing his face, so Naruto still had depression issues..

Sakura stood by while he thought.

"Let's just keep an eye on him for now. He should be fine."

"Okay."