Shattered Dreams

Notice: This chapter contains some course language.

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Sakura had awoken with the sky still dark and realised she had fallen asleep whilst it was still afternoon. She groaned at her own laziness and rolled out of bed, with her head in her hands. She felt restless and uneasy but she wasn’t really sure why. Her eyes were drawn to the team photo on her bedside table as her thoughts suddenly flitted to her team mates.

Sasuke with his indifferent manner and completely stoic nature had never the less captured her heart at a young age. His brooding good looks, raven coloured hair that made her just want to run her fingers through it and grab a handful of it to pull him close, those dark eyes that never held even an ounce of passion or caring. She’d felt certain she could ignite a fire in those pools of liquid darkness but he’d refused her, her chance to do so. She was finally old enough and ready enough to do just that and yet where was he? Gone, left his friends and extended family of sorts in order to gain power and exact revenge upon his own brother. He’d alienated the people who cared for him in the process and once again Sakura felt very saddened by this. Would she ever see him again? Would there one day be at least a hint of warmth in those dark entrancing eyes?

And that’s when she realised her dreams of one day being the woman who could change him, be with him were shattered into a thousand pieces. Not only by the fact he had left them but because she now had someone else she wanted to be with. She wanted him back desperately but she no longer wished to be with him.

Then there was Naruto, still almost as childish as ever but slowly growing up to be a rather charming young man. He certainly had the potential to be a very caring husband to someone one day although right now he was still to childish to be much of anything to anyone except a good friend. That was one of his most redeeming qualities, his knack for total, unswerving, loyalty. He was always there when you needed him. He always did his best never to let anyone down or do the wrong thing. Of course unfortunately for him this conviction frequently led to the fact that he did do wrong but the fact that he tried so hard was sweet in its own way. Sakura smiled at the thought of Naruto’s slightly chubby, eager face, always striving to be the best was generally his undoing but she thanked him silently for trying so hard, before her thoughts turned to the oldest member of there team.

“Kakashi” she breathed as her thoughts lingered on him. How had she ended up falling for him? What was it about it that drew her in so much? She sat in complete silence for a few minutes and pondered on it. She supposed it was something to do with the mystery and intrigue, the mask always covering his lower face and his sharingan and that scar almost constantly covered by his slanted hitai-ate. Then of course there was the older man thing. He may have silvery-grey hair but she knew has wasn’t the old man some people probably saw him as. He was still young enough to tease her to the point of distraction and well that body of his… It was enough to drive any woman to distraction.

She saw tanned, toned bodies day in and day out in her line of work and yet still his held some total fascination to her. She saw him appear before her in her minds eye and almost jumped as she felt a small jolt of realisation. His eyes, that was what fascinated her the most. He reminded her in some small way of the young Uchiha she’d been in love with most of her young life. The dark, always teasing eye and his permanent sharingan. He shared something in common with her beloved Sasuke even if he wasn’t of the Uchiha line himself. She imagined that one day Sasuke would turn out similar to her sensei.

There was also something totally unique about him though. He exuded masculinity and charm even with his nose almost permanently attached to those damn Icha Icha books, it actually added to his charm. He may be a pervert but at least he was a semi polite one. He wasn’t trying to constantly get some of the newly of age konuichi into bed unlike certain shinobi she’d rather not mention. She felt sure however that no matter the fact he wasn’t actively trying to get any of them into his bed he’d probably thought about it. Had he thought about her at all? She pondered. This thought brought a flush to her face and snapped her out of her thoughts.

She couldn’t sleep now, so she threw on her sandals and opened to window before springing out and landing on the ground careful not to make a crater when she landed. She knew exactly where she was heading, she’d made the short trip whenever she couldn’t sleep. It comforted her to be here, while she couldn’t be near him she could get as close as she could by resting on the roof of his house and staring up at the stars knowing he was at least under the same sky made her feel closer to him than she had since he’d knocked her out and left Konoha.

Just as she reached her favourite thinking place she saw someone already there. She tensed ready to attack or at least let loose a tirade to the intruder before she recognised the charka signature.

“Naruto” She whispered as she landed on the roof behind him

Naruto had been too wrapped up in his own thoughts on the defection of his best friend, and hadn’t noticed her sneak up on him. His tensed body relaxed as he recognised the delicate whisper of his team mate. He released his death grip on the kunai in his hand and settled back down to stare at the sky. Sakura led down next to him and reached out her hand to grasp his in a vice like grip.

“Sakura?” Naruto said looking up alarmed to see tears flowing down her face as her other hand was wrapped around her drawn up knees. She looked so young and vulnerable in that position. He imagined her as the young teenage girl he’d had a serious crush on instead of the blossoming young woman in front of him. Naruto moved behind her in one swift co-ordinated move and wrapped his arm that wasn’t clasped in her grip around her as she cried out her sadness. She moved to bury her face half in his chest and he gently moved his hand soothingly up and down her arm.

They stayed like that for a quite a while, Sakura slowly relaxing into something closer resembling her normal state of mind. She grinned at him awkwardly, and shivered a little, but he just grinned back his normal slightly goofy grin to show that it was ok, before he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her, leaving him in just his plain white t-shirt. He held her comfortably as they stared at the stars. Both secretly hoping that somehow, somewhere, Sasuke and Kakashi were looking at the sky and thinking of them, even if it was fleetingly. Sakura sighed doubting it, but she felt certain that just for one split second there was some kind of connection between the four of them. It was just a feeling that arose in her heart, she felt certain that both their absent team mates had felt it to. One look at Naruto’s face was all the confirmation she needed and she settled back against him as they sat in complete silence and tranquillity.

They remained there till the early morning rays of light began to flow over the village spread out so peacefully beneath them. As they began to spread further Sakura un-entangled herself from Naruto’s arms and prepared to head home and get ready for her day of work. Neither of them said anything as Naruto walked her home, his arm around her shoulders. As soon as they reached her house Sakura turned to Naruto.

“Thank you” she whispered reaching up and pressing her lips to his cheeks, surprising the pair of them.

“Well… um gee Sakura, I… I was trying to be a good friend” he mumbled turning beetroot but grinning his goofy grin anyway.

“You’re a great friend Naruto. I don’t know what I’d do without you” she whispered, slipping his jacket off her shoulders and preparing to give it back.

“Keep it” he smiled. “You never seem to have any winter jackets, so keep it. Besides it’s a token of my friendship ok?”

She smiled gently at him, squeezed his hand and jumped up into her bedroom window. She turned to give him one more grin before disappearing into her bedroom. Naruto turned around and disappeared heading straight for home.

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Sakura jumped in the shower and scrubbed herself down quickly before putting on her medic uniform and headed out the door calling a goodbye to her parents as she exited. She made her way to the hospital with thoughts of the previous night on her mind. She knew for a fact that both Sasuke and Kakashi had seen and felt the things she and Naruto had. This thought comforted her immensely.

“Hey, forehead!” Sakura heard the slightly irritating voice of her best friend/rival.

“Ino-Pig!” she replied in greeting causing Ino to giggle slightly. They both knew they only half meant the insults they threw at each other. “So what brings you here today?” she asked

“Oh you know the usual” she replied as she hitched her thumb over her shoulder towards her team mates. There stood Shikamaru holding up a rather unhappy looking Choji.

Shikamaru acknowledged her with his usual nod and Choji looked up to greet her, but groaned instead.

“Eat too much Choji? Or to fast?” she grinned at the larger boy.

“To fast” he moaned “Come on help me out would ya?”

“Ok, ok” she giggled reaching into her backpack and pulling out a special bottle of herbs she’d created to ease the discomfort he felt. “Here” she said offering it to him “I made it just for you in case it was ever needed.”

“Thanks Sakura, you’re the best” he groaned reaching for the bottle and taking a swig.

“See you later forehead!” Ino called out looking back as she exited the building with Choji and Shikamaru following.

“Bye Ino-Pig!” she laughed back as she continued to her desk ready to see what her days work might entail.

She sighed as she saw the long list of patients she had to sort out. She stood up prepared herself for what looked to be a tiring day ahead of her. After treating a bunch of minor wounds and one case of broken ribs she settled onto the bench outside the hospital gratefully and sighed. She was very glad that it was lunch time. She was tired, she totally needed this break.

“Sakura!” She heard her nigousan call out.

“Oh great! So much for my break.” She muttered under her breath resigning herself to a very long day indeed.

“Coming, Lady Hokage!”

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Sakura returned home that day decidedly dishevelled and thoroughly exhausted. She’d come home rather later from the hospital than she’d planned. She went straight up to her room stripping off and heading straight for the shower to ease her tortured muscles into relaxing again. She sighed gratefully as the hot water drenched her from head to toe, allowing her body to unwind for the first time all day. As the weariness eased away she sank to the floor of the shower and just sat there, arms wrapped around her knees, that she’d pulled up to her chest. She leaned her head back against the wall allowing the water to land on her face.

After what seemed an eternity she dragged herself off the floor, turning off the water as she stepped out and grabbed a towel to wrap around her and another for her hair. Sitting down on her bed not bothering to dry herself she kept the towels wrapped tight around her, as she picked up her book from where she’d thrown it on the floor last night, she threw herself back on her bed and began to read.

After a few hours she realised she really should get into bed and even if she didn’t sleep she should at least close her eyes. After dressing in her favourite red cropped shorts and top to match, she unwound the towel around her hair and allowed her shoulder length hair to fall around her face as she reached for her brush. She ran the brush through her soft silken hair before crashing back down on her bed and closing her eyes.

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Two weeks later:

“Sakura!” she heard Naruto’s voice behind her. She turned to watch him approach and noticed that the newest member of there team was trailing behind him looking almost bored.

“Hello Naruto” she grinned at him in greeting before turning her attention to the awkward and often embarrassingly blunt artist. “Hello Sai.”

“Hmm… Hello…” He muttered his usual greeting. Sakura dearly wanted to sock him one for being so rude but held herself in check. She couldn’t be bothered to even think much on the artists inept attempts at a greeting. ‘He really was brought up the ANBU way,’ she thought. He had no idea of how to react in a social situation. She almost felt pity for him but knew that he wouldn’t want that and instead turned her attention back to Naruto.

“Uh…Sakura have you… Um… heard anything about Kakasi-sensei from Grandma Tsunade?

“No Naruto.” She sighed dejectedly. She dearly wished someone knew where there sensei was but he appeared to have vanished off the face of the earth since Tsunade had sent him on his scouting mission.

“Hey Sakura we’ll find him one day. You know it!” he said slipping his arm around her shoulder as tears welled in her eyes. He knew she couldn’t bear to lose there sensei as well as Sasuke. He wondered how much longer she could cope with all the weight piled on her young shoulders.

Sai watched the two with keen interest. 'So is that what friendship is like?' He wondered as he continued to regard them with his keen eyes.

“Naruto I have to get to work now.” Sakura said pulling away gently from Naruto’s warmth. She hated to leave the feeling of safety he gave off when he held her like an over protective brother but she had to get to training or nigousan would kill her.

“Ok” Naruto said releasing her and smiling sadly at her. “He’ll be back before you know it, Sasuke to!”

“Why would you want that traitor back?” Sai asked bluntly, not understanding the bonds of friendship and seeing Sasuke as nothing but a defector.

Sakura and Naruto turned to look at him with murderous intent glistening on there thunderous faces and Sai realised now was the time to make a very hasty exit or risk being beheaded by the extremely volatile and frequently violent konuichi. Not to mention the look on Naruto’s face could have killed him with one look if he had the chance to stare at him much longer. ‘Or at least burn a hole right through my body’ Sai thought to himself as he took off at high speed. Naruto made to follow him and give him a piece of his mind, his fist to for that matter but Sakura laid her hand on his arm gently and silently pleaded with him to leave it just this once.

She smiled at him sadly again and he reached to touch her cheek, running his thumb over her cheek bone before releasing her and disappearing over the rooftops. Maybe he’d catch up with Sai later and give him a good hard thump just to make himself feel better.

Sakura sighed and turned back towards the hospital, allowing the tears to flow freely from her jade green eyes as she thought about how they had now lost two members of Team 7. Sure they had Tenzo, (oh sorry Yamato as they were supposed to call him when on a mission or not in private) with them and Sai now to, but that just wasn’t what she wanted. Although they technically weren’t a team right now since Naruto was still mostly with Jirayai and she with Tsunade but they had been on a mission together and she felt sure it wouldn’t be long before they were given more missions together. Then they would really become a team.

She thought about this. Sai, who looked like actually almost disturbingly similar to the missing Uchiha. ‘Well he may look like him but he has none of his sex appeal and charm’ she thought to herself. He exuded some kind of appeal that much was sure but she felt certain it was just his naive nature and those dark eyes. Those eyes that she sometimes felt she could fall into so similar were they to Sasuke’s dark, mysterious eyes. But still he just didn’t compare to her childhood crush and he definitely didn’t compare to her ex-sensei. How could he?

With his confident, laid back nature. His one dark, keen eye and the other blood red. He always managed to pierce her with just his one eye, as if he could see into her soul and when he uncovered his sharingan the gaze was so intense it sometimes stopped her breathing, even if only for a second. The scar that ran right down his left eye only served to enhance his appearance or well what she had seen of it. She felt certain however that it would only add to his masculine and yet almost effeminate looks she was certain resided under his carefully placed mask. She hoped one day to be able to see just how good looking he actually was. She felt sure he would be able to ignite a fire in her belly just by looking at her with his mask off. But with him missing right now she worried it might never happen.

“Kakashi-sensei where are you? Why can’t you come back to us and make everything alright?” she cried out in frustration.

Sakura glanced around in panic hoping no body had happened to be near and hear her whine like a newborn puppy, luckily for her no one appeared to be out and about this area of Konoha right now. She sighed grarefully and ran the rest of the way to training with her nigousan, hoping that she would keep her so busy today that she wouldn’t have time to dwell on the fact that her two favourite men were missing. One of them possibly even presumed dead! No she couldn’t think like that. He was the Great Copy Ninja. He could get out of anything, she felt certain he may be temporarily incapacitated right now but he would come back to them soon enough.

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Sakura could still remember the chaos that had ensued the day Sasuke had returned. Her mind drifted back to that day 6 mths ago.

Time skip Flashback

Cries echoed along the corridors of the hospital as the excitement reached fever pitch. “Uchiha’s back!” “He’s home!” “He’s returned!” the excited voices practically screamed in each others faces. Although they feared him and would most likely be entering his lynching party tomorrow Sakura could feel happiness spread through her as one of the most important men in her life had returned to her.

“Kakashi, why couldn’t you be here with us to witness this?” she sighed before realising she wanted to get to Sasuke asap.

She ran so fast she was at the main gate in less than 2 minutes. She noticed people gathering around to watch the raven haired shinobi’s return and yet they seemed to pull back a little in fear as he approached closer. She stood alone in the middle of the gates, the guards on either side of her unsure whether to chance capturing the feared missing-nin or to stay back until further instruction reached them. Suddenly the dark haired man raised his eyes to stare into the jade ones burning back at him.

“Sakura” he sighed as he stumbled a little due to the rather large open gash on his right leg.

Sakura ran to his side, tears flowing freely but she just didn’t care right now. She felt what seemed to be almost the entire village gasp as she ran to him wrapping her arms around him so tight his breath caught in his chest. He felt her tears fall onto his top, soaking it in seconds but he didn’t care. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer and allowed her to beat her frustrations on his chest. He didn’t really regret leaving the village to further his own ends but he felt a sadness at having hurt his two best friends all the same.

Suddenly Sakura pulled away from him, a fire burning in her eyes, turning them from a stunning pale jade to an extremely dark emerald as she berated him. He felt completely belittled under her furious tirade of words.

“You bastard!” She spat venomously at him. “How could you do what you did to us? You fucking asshole!” she screamed tears still falling heavily from her eyes. But her intentions were clear, she meant to make him pay for all the hurt he’d caused them. He hadn’t been aware that her vocabulary contained such vicious words. She wasn’t the annoying little brat he remembered. She had clearly grown into a very capable and impassioned young woman. He smiled at her as she continued her rant. He couldn’t help it, she was rather beautiful when she was angry.

“You fucking shit!” she cried launching at him again. “You have the god damned audacity to laugh at me after what you did? You brain dead, scum bag. I hate you!”

She screamed into his face as she threw a punch aimed right at him.

He sighed again. He deserved it, that much he knew but actually hearing those words from the one woman who had truly loved him all those years ago actually caused a pang of guilt in his heart. He reached out his hands and grabbed her wrists before pulling her close to him again.

She sagged against him, as she allowed him to pull her into his embrace again. Her emotions spent too far to even be able to stand properly. Despite the cut in his leg he supported her and brought her head to rest on his shoulder. Staring down at her he realised there was something he wanted to say to her and with her now immobile in his arms it was the best time. He drew in a deep breath and hoped she was listening because he’d never say this to her again, it took every fibre of his being to even think about saying this but he felt he owed it to her.

“Sakura...” he whispered leaning his head down to breath in her ear. With his breath washing over her she relaxed a little and listened, he felt almost all the remaining stiffness leave her body as he whispered so gently in her ear.

“Sakura… I’m sorry” he breathed his voice sounding unlike his usual self as he smoothed a hand through her hair.

“Sasuke?” she breathed pulling away just enough to look deep into the jet black eyes mere inches from her face. “Say it again” she growled almost threateningly.

“Sakura” he chuckled “You’ll never hear me say it again, and if you tell anyone including Naruto what I said I’ll deny it point blank and you know it.” He grinned

“Sasuke, your such a prick!” she said sounding very much annoyed he knew however by the softening in her eyes to her normal jade, that she only half meant the bitter statement she’d spat at him.

Sakura relaxed deeply into the taller shinobi’s arms when a cry rang out from an orange blur running at them full speed.

“Bastard!” Naruto cried as he made a beeline straight for Sasuke.

Sakura quickly jumped out of the way, trying to pull Sasuke with her but he stood his ground and seemed to accept that he deserved the fist heading right for his face. Naruto’s fist connected with Sasuke’s jaw and his head rocketed back as he flew through the air and landed with a very hard thud a few metres from Naruto. Naruto panted heavily and made his way towards Sasuke, who remained prone on the ground.

The blonde haired man moved towards him and Sasuke felt for sure another jaw breaking punch was heading his way until he noticed the blonde hold a hand out to him to help him up. It was the equivalent of a hug between these two. Sakura grinned at the two men in front of her. Things felt a little better now that she had her two best friends by her side again. She knew nothing would ever happen with Sasuke now, she had come to accept that fact a long time ago. It was no longer what she wished but she wanted him back in her life as a friend. At least it seemed one of her wishes had come true finally. She ran towards him again as he turned to Naruto.

“Where’s Kakashi? I know he probably wouldn’t want to see me right now but I can’t even sense him anywhere.” Sasuke said looking around a little before turning a quizzical face back to Naruto.

He felt Sakura stiffen again before fresh tears erupted from her eyes, not a day went by without her missing their old sensei deeply. She collapsed against him once more practically in hysterics as Sasuke realised the reason behind her tears. His face changed to one of shock as he considered the fact that the Great Kakashi Hatake must either be dead or missing.

With his arm around Sakura’s waist he moved forward gently pulling her with him. Sakura shifted so that she had one arm around his waist and the other held out as the headed back towards the village. Naruto moved to her other side and she slipped her arm around his waist as he wrapped his arm around he shoulder. They made there way to the gates with Sakura looking up at these two special men of hers in turn and grinning a little despite her self.

Upon reaching the gates however two members of ANBU jumped down from above and landed in front of them.

“Sasuke Uchiha you are under arrest for the defection of your village and attempting to kill certain members of your village. Please come with us without causing trouble or we will be forced to hurt you.” The taller man said.

Sasuke sighed as he pulled his arm away from Sakura and prepared to go with the two men without a fight. He’d been expecting this and was prepared to take his punishment for what he’d done. But, just as he prepared to separate from his two friends, Sakura moved in front of him.

“Sakura?...”

“Shhh” she practically hissed at him.

“Sakura, it’s ok. I have to do this.” He said to her reaching to place his hand on her arm only to have her shrug it off.

She raised her head to look at the two men in front of her. Even they were taken back by the intensity of the fire practically dancing in her suddenly dark and dangerous eyes. They had taken on an even deeper emerald than before, an almost black sapphire as apposed to green. They took a step back from this obviously highly violent female. They knew they could take her if needed but well, she was Lady Hokage’s student! She’d trained under the legendary sennin herself and they weren’t entirely sure what this rather unpredictable female could do to them in the few seconds before they’d manage to restrain her. They looked at each other unsure of how to proceed as the entire crowd held their breath.

“Sakura, it’s ok” Sasuke told her, wrapping his arms around her waist and restraining her hands. She turned to look at him and the look on her face would have killed a lesser man. He was actually a little startled at the ferocity within those normally pale dewy eyes that right now rivalled his own in terms of darkness.

“You don’t have to do this” he whispered bringing his lips right against the shell of her ear.

The entire village was relieved to see the anger drain out of her eyes as she rested against him briefly before tensing again at the arrival of Lady Tsunade. He looked up from Sakura’s face to see the busty blonde staring at him intently. He knew she probably wanted to kill him but she also seemed to be thinking as she regarded him standing there injured, with his arms wrapped around Sakura restraining her, protecting her.

What was she thinking? He wondered. Could she thinking of having him executed? Or did she see the way he was looking at Sakura and see that maybe he could be reformed? He wondered what was in store for him as the blonde woman stared at him before she turned to the crowd and announced

“Well let the three of them through, this man needs medical attention.” She sighed moving ahead of the three friends she cut a path through the on lookers before turning to the ANBU members at her side and saying “Once he’s healed we’ll call for you”

“Yes Lady Hokage.” They nodded at her before disappearing.

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The four of them made there way to the hospital and found Sasuke an empty room. After pulling down the blinds on both the door and all the windows, Tsunade turned to Sakura and said

“I know you can handle this. I’ll be across the hall. I’m giving you three some time alone. Heal any wounds he may have. I’ll be back later.”

“Understood Lady Hokage” she replied nodding towards her nigousan.

Naruto moved to sit cross legged on the bed next to Sasuke’s and watched Sakura begin her work. Sasuke watched in fascination as she pushed her charka into her hand and as it began to glow green she raised it to his face and healed the large bruise slowly spreading across his jaw along with a rather sizeable lump. Sasuke led there amazed at his old friends rather impressive abilities and rather glad that Naruto hadn’t actually broken his jaw, although he’d have deserved it if he had. She finished fixing the damage Naruto’s punch had inflicted and moved to the rather messy wound on his leg. She made sure to clean every last particle of dirt and debris from inside before knitting the muscle and flesh back together. Sasuke gasped slightly as her charka tingled through him, filling him with warmth and taking all traces of pain and discomfort from him.

After she was finished Sakura sat on the end of his bed and looked down at the floor. Sasuke sat up and pulled her to him as he relaxed back against the pillows. Sakura snuggled up to him and relaxed completely for the first time since she’d found out he was back. He rested one hand on his knee and brought the other around her back to rest on the top of her arm where he ran his hand soothingly up and down her arm as he contemplated his old friends.

“Are you back for good?” Naruto asked bringing him out of his thoughts.

He felt Sakura’s muscle tense underneath his hand awaiting his answer.

“Yes” he replied simply

“Sasuke…” Sakura whispered as she pressed herself tighter into his chest her breath hitching as she broke down again.

“Shhh, everything’s going to be ok now” he soothed holding her tighter than ever. “I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”

“You promise?” Both Sakura and Naruto asked earnestly.

“Yes” he chuckled seeing the eagerness shining on both there faces as if they were all twelve years old again.

“You shouldn’t laugh at your friends. It’s not nice.” Sakura berated him half heartedly.

“Aww but you know I love you guys” he chuckled before his face froze in shock at the words that had just tumbled from his mouth. Sakura had felt him tense as the realization of what he’d blurted out had hit him.

“That never leaves this room!” Naruto said a little too loudly. Had Sasuke just said he loved him? In a friendly way of course but still…..

“Agreed!” Sasuke answered thankful that Naruto didn’t want any one to get wind of what he’d just said. He did love his friends he’d come to realize that. It’s why he’d come back prepared to accept whatever was thrown at him if he could just see them again even if it was only for one last time. But to admit it to them and to have others know about it? The raven haired man still had his pride damn it!

Sakura had remained silent during this exchange between the two men. She absently minded reached up and twirled a lock of his hair around in her hand squirming in his lap as he turned back to look at her.

“Sakura” he whispered his voice dripping honey as he whispered the words in her ear so that Naruto couldn’t hear. “I wouldn’t recommend moving like that again. It’s been a while since I’ve been with a woman. And though I want you to remain as one of my best friends if you move like that again something might happen, something we might just regret.”

Sakura’s eyes widened in realisation, as she turned to look at him in shock. She nodded her understanding as Sasuke wrapped his arms around her again chuckling slightly at the hint of a blush that spread across her face.

“Pervert!” she scolded as she brought her lips to his own ear.

“I can help it when there’s a beautiful woman in my lap.” He laughed. Judging by the look of disdain on Sakura’s face she didn’t believe she was beautiful. He had no plans to start up a relationship with her other than friendship and he felt certain she felt the same way but still he had to admit she was a very pretty woman now. Those bright, wide jade eyes seemed to glimmer just like the precious jewel of the same colour and the deep emerald green hue they had taken on earlier, had made her look if possible even more beautiful, deadly yes but also beautiful. Her pale, absolutely flawless skin, the feminine curves she’d developed over the last few years all combined to convince him that his friend had matured in to a very beautiful woman.

Naruto had watched this entire exchange confused. He couldn’t tell what they were whispering to each other and he felt annoyed they were keeping secrets from him already. He frowned at this unwelcome change. He’d shared that same relationship with Sakura and he felt it was being ripped away. He frowned deeper. Sasuke sensed his friend’s unhappiness, he felt guilty that he seemed to be ripping some connection between his former friends.

“Don’t you agree Naruto?” he said trying to make things right and not cut Naruto off before he’d even been back an hour.

“Huh? What?” he asked in surprise at being invited into the conversation.

“You agree that Sakura is a rather beautiful woman don’t you.” He said making it a statement rather than an actual question.

“Yeah” he replied glad things weren’t getting awkward already. “But she never believes me” he said looking at the pair of them critically.

“Maybe one day she’ll find a man who will prove it to her” Sasuke said pointedly at her.

“One day… You mean you guys aren’t gonna?...” he asked trailing off.

“No Naruto” Sasuke grinned while Sakura shook her head.

“But you two seemed so close just now and well…” he trailed off again.

“We’re just friends isn’t that right Sakura?” Sasuke asked looking down at her.

“Yes” she answered looking first at him then grinning at Naruto. She reached across the bed and squeezed Naruto’s hand before resting against Sasuke again very, very carefully. He laughed as he pulled her to him tightly, to rest her head on his chest.

End Flashback

Sakura came back to herself as she the memory of that wonderful day drifted back away. Sasuke had been allowed a reprieve after she and Naruto had fought the Hokage and the rest of the village tooth and nail to allow him to stay and not to be harmed. Sasuke had proven his worth and his renewed devotion to the village in the last six months and was now a member of Team 7 again. Sakura had felt so proud the day he’d been allowed to become a true shinobi again. Her heart sunk again however at the thought that Kakashi knew none of this. He’d be proud of Sasuke again she was certain of that. Even Sai had actually warmed to the Uchiha. Sakura’s thoughts slipped to Sai for a while. The awkward artist she’d felt incapable of true emotion had surprised them all by becoming well almost human. He interacted with people much better now. Sakura felt a giggle escape from her as she remembered how awkward he used to be.

Suddenly a deep but still childishly hyper voice that she recognised immediately practically screamed her name.

“Sakura!!” Naruto screamed as he threw himself through the doors at the end of the corridor followed by the two rather more nonchalant figure’s of her other two team mates.

“Sakura! Your not going to believe it!!” Naruto yelled skidding to a halt next to her desk whilst still managing to knock a pile of papers off the desk. Sakura sighed as she began to pick them up.

Sasuke drew up with a very uncharacteristic smile on his face. Not a grin, a smirk or anything like that, but a genuine smile. Sai seemed to be wearing the exact same face and Sakura sat stunned at the unusual behaviour for the stoic ninja and the still slightly awkward one.

“Well don’t keep me in the dark.” She grumbled “What is so important you had to charge in here and wake up my poor patients huh?” she asked not daring to hope.

“Sakura, Grandma Tsuande wants to see all four of us immediately!” Naruto grinned.

“But what’s going on?”

“Sakura, do you want to stand here all day with that idiot bouncing around and knocking everything over asking stupid questions, or do you want to come see what’s going on?” Sasuke asked smirking a little.

“Ok, ok, I’m coming, but that was so not a stupid question” she replied pushing the sarcastic Ninja in a friendly way.

Sakura slipped her arms around Sasuke and Narutos waist’s and began to walk forward. She was very perceptive however and noticed that Sai seemed to feel left out, like he wasn’t really part of the group. She grinned as she moved the arm that was around Sasuke’s waist and slipped her hand into his and pulled him along with them. Sai looked rather startled at this strange gesture of friendship from the normally grumpy and decidedly violent female. Deciding he rather liked the gesture however he gave Sakura a still pretty rare genuine smile and fell into step with the other three friends as all four made there way to the Hokage’s office.

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“Come!” Tsunades voice called as they knocked. “Ah there you all are. I trust you are all ready for a mission.” She said implying not asking at all and raising a delicately arched eyebrow at them as they all stood there mute. “Well?” she asked her voice taking on a dangerous note

“Yes nigousan” Sakura replied composing herself faster than the boys.

It was then that they noticed Tenzo stood next to the wall, eyeing them all.

“Hi sensei!” they chorused to him.

The brown haired serious shinobi nodded to each of them in turn before turning his attentions back to Lady Tsunade.

“Now then” she said addressing them all. “I know you’re all missing Kakashi, as is the entire village and we have searched for him without success for the last two years. Well it’s high time we had our best shinobi back and we have received word that there may in fact actually be reason the search again, where he should have been all along. We believe he may be in a cave near that area. As to why he’s still there and why he hasn’t returned to us the answers to these questions we do not know. Something has clearly happened to prevent him from returning and I want you five to figure out what it is and how to free him. There may well be a fair few enemies in and around the area, they may be guarding him or they may just happen to be in the same place but I want you all to stay alert and be aware of everything around you. Be prepared for every eventuality possible!”

She sighed and turned to look at them all again. Hope shining on all there faces that there beloved sensei would soon be returned to them.

“Ok you have your mission statement. You are to leave as soon as possible. You are dismissed!” she said waving her hand towards the door.

The four young shinobi turned to look at each other. Shock as well as the previous expressions of hope written on all there faces. They stood stock still unable to completely comprehend what they had just been told.

“Are you all still here?” Tsunade asked anger rising in her voice. “I thought I told you all to clear off and go on a mission.” She ground out.

All five of them cleared out of her office very quickly after that, not wishing to see an example of her famed foul temper. Tenzo turned to look at his team and hoped they were ready for this. Most of all he hoped to have Kakashi back. The entire village missed him. Not to mention it had always seemed to brighten their day seeing him walk by nose buried in one of those perverted books Jirayai wrote, whispering ‘pervert’ as he passed. They never meant it as an insult more a friendly greeting than anything.

“Ok everyone, you have an hour to get what you need ready before we head on out. Are we clear?”

“Yes sensei.” They replied in unison before the group broke apart to get themselves together for this very important mission. Sakura had her entire bag packed in fifteen minutes, just as she finished she heard a knock on the window. She walked over and opened it to find Sasuke on the branch outside her window.

“Are you ready?” he asked holding out his hand.

“Yes” she replied slinging her pack over her shoulder and climbing onto the branch next to Sasuke. She closed the window and sealed it with a sealing tag before she turned to Sasuke and grinned. “Let’s go get Kakashi back!” she yelled

“Come on then.” He smiled at her knowing there was no one around to catch him doing it. He tended to reserve his grins especially for her and occasionally Naruto but generally those were just smirks, his real smiles were something he really only shared with her.

Sakura looked up at the dark eyed man next to her and found her self once again glad beyond relief he was here. Especially now they might finally find Kakashi and bring him home to. Sasuke had become what Naruto was to her, she saw them like her brother’s now. She shared everything with him well almost everything. There was of course one thing she kept from both him and Naruto. The fact that her desire to have Kakashi back wasn’t just because he was there old sensei, but also because she still carried a torch for her ex-sensei. She could remember every feature of his handsome face or the part of it that she had seen anyway. She remembered every contour of his slim yet perfectly muscled body. The way he always had his nose stuck in those damn books of his.

‘Hopefully I can change that for him when we get him back home’ she smirked to herself.

Sasuke had however caught that sly smirk spread across her face and wondered vaguely what it meant. It wasn’t anything to do with him, he was sure of that. They spent a lot of time together since he’d come back, well when she wasn’t at the hospital that is, but it was purely platonic. They cared for each other but there was nothing even vaguely sexual about it. He was certain she wasn’t smirking over anything pertaining to Naruto. That thought was pretty much laughable, besides he knew she had the same relationship with Naruto that she had with him. He also felt almost one hundred percent certain it was nothing to do with Sai. She clearly had no attraction to the artist. She viewed him as a friend and a team mate as well. That much was clear so why had she smirked then?

Sasuke found this matter rather perturbing. What could she possibly have to grin about when they were on a potentially very dangerous mission to rescue there ex-sensei? Suddenly Sasuke’s brain clicked into gear. Ah so that was it. Kakashi! She had feelings for him. He should have realised this before now, the way she spoke about him constantly was a dead giveaway for a start. Naruto had informed him that for years after he left she pretty much just spoke about him. But of course Naruto being Naruto hadn’t made the connection between the two things. He’d have to speak to his former sensei once they found him safe and well. He didn’t want Sakura to have her heart broken a second time. A smirk crept upon his face now as he imagined telling their former sensei to be gentle with her and not to hurt her.

Just as Sakura nearly caught the grin on his face, they felt Naruto and Sai catch up to them. They made their way to the main gate leading out of the village together in silence, all mentally preparing for the journey ahead. As they reached the gate they saw that Tenzou was already waiting even though they had only been half an hour. Apparently they were all very eager to get their sensei back.

“Ready?” he asked as they all landed in front of him.

“You bet!” Naruto yelled punching the air.

“Cha!” Sakura cried.

“Mmm hmm” Sasuke and Sai said nodding simultaneously.

“Then let’s go!” Tenzou replied. “Kakashi has been missing for far too long already.”

The other four nodded as they took to the tree tops, at top speed determined to find Kakashi and bring him home as quick as possible.

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