Summary: "I may not be strong in the body, but I'm strong in heart…and that's all that counts, Sasuke-kun." A normal mission was all it was supposed to be… But, Sakura didn't expect to see Sasuke…or be kidnapped by him. Sasu/Saku, Naru/Hina, Shika/Tem, Neji/Ten

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/Action/Adventure

Author: Akatsuki Blaze

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…He's Hinata's…

Lethal Empathy

The sun rose gracefully over the set of many trees in the leaf-swallowed village. The fall leaves glistened beautifully, as the early morning dew was dripping hollowly to the slightly damp ground. Voices, of the early rising civilians, and ninja rang through the crisp, cool October morning. Shinobi bustled in and out of the Hokage tower and ANBU headquarters. All ninja were awake, except one.

Tsunade, the Godaime of Konohagakure slept peacefully on her desk, face laid on a memo from the Kazekage, and drool rolling down the side of her pale cheeks. But, unfortunately for Tsunade, two of her assistants came bursting through the door screaming something about, a Haruno, an Uchiha, a missing-nin, a bench, and crying. The female sannin blinked.

"Ok, ok calm down and explain to me what happened," she said her beautiful ringing voice, that sounded kind of dead, thanks to lack of sleep.

The rambling assistant took a deep breath, and plunged in to his heart-wrenching story.

"Today as, Kichii, and I were gathering your forgotten papers, we took the short path that led to the way out of Konoha," he took a breath "there we found Haruno, Sakura lying on a bench. We told her to go inside, or she'd catch a cold, sleeping out here. As, she came to, Haruno-san bolted upright, and yelled while crying; 'Sasuke-kun!' When we had, calmed her down, she started to explain the story, which went like this:

Flashback

"I have family, I have friends, but…if you leave…it will be the same as being alone!" sobbed the pink-haired, kunoichi, crystal tears, streaming down her cheeks. Sasuke glanced back at her, and started on his way towards the exit.

"Sasuke-kun…I, I… I love you!" she shouted, finally admitting what she had kept locked up inside for so long.

The handsome prodigy froze. His cold onyx eyes widened in shock. He then put one more foot forward, jolting Sakura to think of the only way for him to stay.

"Wait! Don't go! If you do I'll scream!" Sakura weakly threatened, her innocent eyes still streaming out tears. Sasuke walked for a second longer. He paused. Sakura took a deep breath preparing herself, for what he might do to her.

But, suddenly Sasuke wasn't in front of her anymore. The female member of team 7 felt his immense chakra behind her. Sasuke leaned down slightly, and whispered in her ear, with his warm breath that sent shivers down her spin: "Sakura…Arigatou" She gasped.

The prodigy, filled his palm slightly with chakra, and brought down on Sakura's pressure point, on the neck. Before Sakura fainted she whispered her last words before he betrayed everyone, and everything:

"Sasuke…kun…"

Six years later…

The wind gently swayed the pink blossoms, in the cherry grove, sending the petals scattering in the warm, breeze. Orbs, of jade green looked up at her namesake and gave a slight smile.

Haruno, Sakura held out her hand, as a pink blossom, softly landed there making the scene even more serene. The short stylish pink hair that was her trademark, swayed gently as the wind caressed it.

"Sakura-chan!"

Once, again peace was shattered by none other than Uzumaki, Naruto.

The pretty kunoichi sighed. "Yes, Naruto?" she asked gently. Naruto stopped in his tracks. He knew that voice. It was the calm before the storm.

"Erm, uh…" the kyuubi vessel stuttered. "Looks like he's picking up on some of Hinata-chan's habits…" she thought to herself.

Naruto and Hinata had started dating about a month ago, Shikamaru and Temari had been seeing a lot more of each other recently, and Neji had recently asked Tenten to marry him.

Sakura smiled at the memory.

Flashback

The original genin's all were at Tenten's 19th birthday party, drinking, laughing, and dancing. While, Tenten sat in the corner, gloomily thinking about something. Neji noticed this, and decided to cut his conversation with Gaara short.

"Tenten, what is bothering you?" he asked her in his velvety soft baritone voice. The weapons mistress looked up at him, and stuck a fake smile on her pretty face. Being, Neji he could tell it was fake. "Why, nothing Neji-kun" she said.

The reason she called him 'Neji-kun' was because that had started dating at 16.

The Hyuuga prodigy narrowed his silvery eyes. "Seriously, Tenten what's wrong?" The Chinese style woman glared at him. "I said nothing was wrong!" she said huffing childishly.

Neji sighed.

"Well, I guess I'll just half to do this" he said. Neji took his calloused hand, reached into his pocket, and pulled out, a tiny black box.

Tenten's chocolate brown eyes widened in shock.

"Will you, Matsumoto, Tenten, take me, Hyuuga, Neji, to stay by your side, forever and ever, never leaving in sickness or death, and eternally loving each other?" he asked, while he was down on his knees, Tenten's graceful hand gently incased in his.

"Of course!" she yelled happily, as Neji put the gold ring, with diamonds all around it over her finger.

Neji gently rested his hand on the back of her neck, and brought Tenten's head in, giving her a sweet chaste kiss.

Sakura sighed. Those two were meant for each other. But, Tenten had said something to Sakura when they had talked over the phone last night. The weapons master said: "You and Sasuke were meant for each other, Sakura-chan"

It had bothered Sakura greatly.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Sakura-chan?"

"SAKURA-CHAN?"said poor Naruto for the upteenth time. (And appearently was asking for a death wish)

Sakura slowly turned towards him, her pastel pink hair covering her eyes. She cracked her knuckles.

"Restricted viewing is advised, some materiel may not be suitable for children." said Kakashi, popping out of nowhere.

"Kakashi-sensei!" yelled the sunshine blonde, pleading to be saved from Sakura's demonic wrath. "Yo" Kakashi greeted totally oblivious to Naruto. "Kakashi-sensei!" yelled Sakura happily.

Naruto breathed.

"Sakura, Hokage-sama would like to see you know"

The pink-haired kunoichi looked at him curiously than disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Tsunade-shishou!" Sakura said happily. Tsunade forced on a smile, but Sakura new it was fake. There was something bothering her sensei and Sakura was going to find out what that was.

"I have a mission for you" said Tsunade, as she watched Sakura, take an ungraceful plop in to one of the female sannin's many chairs, scattered all around the semi neat office. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

"To retrieve a sacred scroll, from Sunagakure" she said grimly. "Shikamaru, Naruto, Hinata, Neji, and Tenten will be going with you. They have already been informed" Sakura blinked. What was so grim about this mission?

"The one thing about this mission, is that you will have a high chance of encountering Sound ninjas." The pink-haired medical ninja clenched and unclenched her fists. "You will leave at, 3:00 A.M. tomorrow morning, by the main gates. That is all" said her second sensei, dismissing her.

Sakura was the last person to arrive at the mission spot, and was greeted by a typical Hinata, happy Tenten, smirking Neji, a 'troublesome' Shikamaru, and an overly hyperactive Naruto.

After, they had all said their greetings, they pulled their ANBU masks over the faces, and marched.

Marched in to the outside world. Which would lead them…to a new life

.I have a really bad habit with cliffhangers… and I kind of got lazy at the end of this chapter, but otherwise I like it a lot.

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Ja ne!
Akatsuki Blaze