Sakura wheezed, pressing her left arm against her side and her aching ribs, tears springing to her eyes - not tears of grief or regret, for the first time in a long time.

"Uh. . . Sakura-chan? Are you all right?" Naruto asked, wincing and putting a hand over Sakura's arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you. . ."

"It's okay," Sakura told him, lifting her free hand to catch his and squeezed gently, still a little breathless, "it hurts a bit, but I'm all right, and . . . I really needed that." she admitted, tugging at Naruto until he leaned down, resting their brows together.