Hi everyone! I'm orexis (bows). I present to you my 1st fanfic... (please go easy on me?)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto (but I wish I do)

She could feel the emptiness growing inside of her as she slowly glance at the clock.

2:49 am.

She was all alone now in this apartment. The pink-haired shinobi felt as if nothing could ever make her feel alive again. Sorrowful thoughts filled her head as she lay still in her cold dark room.

Haruno Sakura's body trembled as she recalled the fateful day she would never forget in her entire life…

Flashback

She had just come back from an A-class mission to rescue some of her fellow medic-nin held captive by the Lightning Country. At seventeen, she was considered as one of the top kunoichi of Konoha. Not only that she has proved to be an excellent medic-nin her self but she also showed incredible skills in various forms of jutsus. When she got back, news about consecutive murders were fast spreading in the village.

"Sakura-chan! I heard you're back!" yelled a blonde-haired lad waving at her. She made her way to the corner where the blonde stands. "So what's the news Naruto-kun?" she asked while smiling at her former teammate.

Five years have passed and a lot has happened. Naruto has established a great deal of reputation in Konoha by himself. Wearing a mesh shirt and black pants with a beige trench coat over it, he is now one of special jounin commissioned to protect the village. The boyish grin is still there but he seems to have gained a lot of wisdom throughout the years.

"Before we go to that topic, mind if we get something to eat at the Ichiraku? I'm starving…" he said.

A few minutes later…

"A lot of murders have been happening around the village and the victims were brutally killed. Unluckily, the ANBU squad lead by Sasuke hasn't been able to track down the freak." Naruto explained.

"There weren't any leads?" she asked.

"No there aren't." he paused staring at his bowl of ramen, "I guess even teme couldn't figure out who the killer was up until now."

"Are you talking about me, dobe?" a familiar voice called behind them. They found a masked ANBU coming towards them.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura said certain that it was him. He removed his mask.

Uchiha Sasuke is now an ANBU squad leader. When he returned to Konoha 3 years ago, it seemed that something had changed in him. Except for his onyx eyes and raven hair, he is not like the same vengeful power-hungry boy that left the village. Somehow his eyes were gentler now.

"Hey Sasuke! Haven't seen you in a while." Naruto said grinning at his bestfriend.

"Hello Sasuke-kun…" said Sakura, smiling at him while he joined them.

After years of being infatuated with the Uchiha, Sakura had learned not to be persistent. Even though much had changed, it doesn't change the fact that he still not interested with girls. Well at least that's what she thinks. She is more mature now not to push herself to someone who doesn't like the attention. The past years have been the reason that they have become closer to each other and she's happy for that.

"So how's the investigation going on, Sasuke-kun?" she inquired, a little curious about the case.

"Not good. Even for us ANBU, guarding the village every nook and cranny is impossible. And something tells us that this is not just an ordinary killer." The raven-haired boy looked at her seriously.

"You mean to tell me that…" her voice trailed off. It couldn't have been a shinobi, she said to herself.

"This is bad. If we don't catch him soon, many innocent lives would be in danger. I'll ask Tsunade-sama's permission, it's related to my work anyway" Naruto said with a determined look on his face.

Sakura also decided that she wanted to help but when she was about to voice off her decision, she felt a sudden chill. Clumsily, she dropped the cup she was holding and it shattered into pieces on the floor.

Naruto and Sasuke looked at her worriedly but before they could utter another word, Sakura hurriedly walk out of that place. "I have to go…"

The two stared at each other, baffled by the kunoichi's sudden plight.

Sakura rushed back to her home. She had a bad feeling that something bad has happened. Her heart was thumping hard on her chest. Molding chakra on her feet, she took shortcuts jumping on roofs to reach her apartment. She was relieved to see the lights on from her mother's bedroom. She sighed and walked up to the door. 'All that rush for nothing…' she scolded herself.

She was stunned to see that the door was ajar. 'Mother wouldn't leave the door like this' she thought to herself. She groped for her kunai knife and held it tightly in her hand.

For the first time after many years, she felt fear coursing through her veins. Her knees buckled and her fingers were shivering terribly against the kunai. It's not as if she is afraid of a enemy attack. She was more afraid that what she might see inside would only confirm her worst fear.

She mustered all her courage to push the door open. She found herself walking down the dark corridor but before her eyes have gotten accustomed to the darkness, she stumbled upon something on the floor.

Sakura's jade eyes widened when the moonlight illuminated that 'something'. She lost herself at the sight of a crumpled form of a woman lying face down on a puddle of blood.

End of flashback

so what do you think? I'm kinda short on ideas so I'll appreciate if you could share some. And reviews are very welcome.