Chapter One:

"But you've heard about it, haven't you, forehead?" Ino's question came out in a vicious slur, each sloppily formed word like a slap to the face. Sakura fought the desire to roll her eyes and hesitantly wrapped her friend's arms around her shoulders. She couldn't say she wasn't used to this by now. It had become a steady routine.

Mission. Success. Return to Konoha. Celebrate. Take a drunken Ino back to the apartment they shared.

Sakura herself wasn't much of a drinker. She still wasn't able to understand how Ino could be so carelessly. Didn't she understand what their lives were to be from that moment so long ago onward? The second they became full-fledged Anbu Black Ops, they should have given up frivolous things. Their hearts were now sewed onto their village. Their minds were supposed to be swarming with thoughts of protection and precaution.

The trouble was, they weren't.

Sakura slipped off her bar stool, still balancing Ino's weight against hers, and smiled bitterly at the bartender. The young man tapped the marble counter impatiently, dark eyes shining impatiently. Sakura sighed. Her unoccupied hand slipped into her pocket and pulled out a few dollars. She placed them on the counter.

In one swoop, the bartender collected the money, counted it and lazily waved them off. Sakura turned away without another word and began her and Ino's long walk home. Ino's movements were uncoordinated. She swayed on and off Sakura, babbling nonsense into the pink-haired ninja's ears. Ino poked Sakura's forehead. "Hey!" she hissed, poking her friend a few more times. "You listenin' to me, Sakura1? It's important!"

Sakura groaned. "I doubt that, Ino." She muttered in response, quickening her step by just a bit. Her new pace forced her to handle even more of Ino's weight, but she didn't care. The closer they got to their home, the more torches and lanterns were put out, engulfing the two in thick darkness.

Ino shuffled her feet in resistance. "It is important!" she insisted. When Sakura didn't respond, Ino persisted. "I was walking around when we returned from our last mission, trying to find… ugh… I don't remember what I was trying to find." Ino's head hung limply on Sakura's shoulder and Sakura assumed her friend was finally out. To her annoyance, Ino's head lifted back up almost immediately. "Anyway, so I heard this thing…" Ino giggled. "This thing thing… ha… thing is such a cool word. Thing thing thing thing-"

"Ino!" Sakura whisper-screamed. Ino smiled and hiccupped. "Yeah… this thing.. About this group of strong ninja trying to… ugh… word, word! Sakura help me, what's that word!?" she chanted. Sakura bit her tongue. She decided that Ino was to be ignored when inebriated and was more than thankful when she found herself outside the apartment. She climbed the steps, wrestled her keys out of her pocket, unlocked the door, and half-chucked Ino onto the couch. Locking the door behind her, Sakura slumped onto the floor.

Great as it was being home after such an exhausting mission, Sakura refused to ease her shoulders and relax. An outsider looking in might have assumed her actions were fueled by pure stubbornness. However, her attitude was a result of experience. Anbu members rarely ever had a long rest and Sakura knew that by tomorrow noon she would be out again. This was the life of the elite. True, Sakura could have refused, but she somehow felt obligated to take on the service. Kakashi-sensei had been an Anbu member and look at him. He was as laid-back as ever. Sakura knew her time of anbu service would one day come to an end.

And thank all that is good when that day arrives.

"Sakura…."

"Go to sleep, Ino-pig." Sakura breathed from her position on the floor. She, at that moment, decided that the floor and the door were all she needed. She was so tired, she felt she could sleep in that position. Just not having to move anymore would be worth the aching back she'd have in the morning.

"But Sakura…" Ino muttered, kicking her legs against the couch. "I remember what I was saying!" Sakura cringed as Ino turned to her, the blonde's face still bright pink from her drunken state. Her skin looked angry, as if bitter from the alcohol burning in the blood vessels it shielded. Ino smiled none the less. "It wasn't a regular group of Shinobi. It was a group of… that word again. Jinchuuriki! That was it!" Ino squealed happily, attempting to clap her hands. She flinched. "Yeah... They mentioned a few names… I remember, cause one of 'em sound familiar. Naruko? Narutsko?"

"Naruto…" Just the name brought a chill to Sakura's spine as the name spilled off her lips. She remembered that name from when she was just twelve years old. His image and the image of all of Team Seven was still implanted in her mind. Sakura looked at Ino. "What did you hear?"

Sakura waited patiently for an answer. After a few minutes she was met with nothing but snoring and the sound of Ino moving around on the couch. Sakura remained silent. She averted her gaze from Ino and stared at the wall for a moment. The memories… the scorched memories that stung each time she thought of them were flooding into her head once again. Images flashed left and right in Sakura's mind, make as little sense as a puzzle with most of its pieces removed. She could see her teammates. One second they were there, the next they were gone. Gone from her mind. Gone from Konoha. Gone from existence.

The only reason Sakura knew they were real is because Kakashi-sensei was still around. On the rare occasion she had the chance to speak to him, they'd reminisce about the old days when he was her mentor. Naruto and Sasuke. Those were the names of her teammates. It was a strange feeling to recall them. All she had left of them were their broken images. She didn't remember how she felt towards them in detail. Every girl had a crush on Sasuke back then and Sakura knew she was no different. She remembered thinking Naruto to be annoying…

But that was it. Two feelings, love and annoyance. Two feelings for two teammates that her special anbu training had taught her to discard.

As Sakura slipped into unconsciousness, she allowed the memories to slip away. The pain that accompanied them weren't worth it. She was older now, stronger. If those two had really ever mattered, they would have been with her to that day.

Naturally, Sakura was the first to wake up in the morning. The dim light that shined behind the curtain of a window on the opposite side of the room fell on her face in a single ray, warming her cheek.

Sakura got up, stretched, and walked over to Ino. Ino was sprawled out on the couch; her hands hold her head with fierce intensity. She moaned miserably, tossing and turning. It was to be expected. Sakura didn't feel even a bit of sympathy. Ino never suffered from hangovers for long anyway. No doubt by the time the two were assigned a new mission, Ino would be up (maybe just a bit unstable) and ready to go. She'd whine for a bit, but she'd get over it. After all, if it hurt that badly, Ino would have stopped after the first incident.

Sakura took it upon herself to shower, get dressed, and make herself something small to eat. Ino surely wouldn't be in the mood to eat after she wakes up and Sakura didn't want to make food just for it to get cold and feed rats. Wordlessly, she left the house (and a sleeping Ino) and went about, trying to enjoy the few hours she had.

"Sakura! Yo!" Sakura turned to see Shikamaru, hands in his pockets, nodding to her. "Morning… where's Ino?"

Sakura didn't bother answering. Shikamaru rubbed the back of her neck and groaned inwardly. "Such a drag…" he muttered. Sakura smiled, shaking her head. "That's your girl, right there. You asked for it."

Shikamaru's lips twitched into a smile. "Yeah…" he said, lowering the hand that was rubbing his neck. "Next time I do something like this, stop me."

Sakura laughed a genuine laugh though it was soft and airy. "I'm sure you're not regretting it. Go to the apartment. I'm sure if you knock loud enough she'll crawl over and open the door. She might curse you… but I'm sure she'll appreciate your company." She gestured back towards the direction of the apartment and winked. "See you two later."

"Yeah. Thanks."

And Shikamaru left without another word. Sakura cracked her neck and sighed. Why couldn't she find someone like Shikamaru? Well… she took that back. Not exactly like Shikamaru. Sakura could do without the laziness. However, she would appreciate someone who cared for her like Shikamaru cared for Ino. He put up with her flaws (and goodness know Ino-pig had so many) and still managed to fall more and more in love with her each day.

Sakura stopped herself. She never liked jealousy. The fact that she was human and susceptible to it was enough reason to stop her rant. She refused to fuel that green monster. What kind of ninja would she be if she let it rule her?

Stopping her walk, Sakura stared at the person up the path. Shizune stood by herself in the middle of the road, waving to Sakura with a smile. Sakura came to meet the hokage's assistant halfway, her own smile lighting her face with faux joy. The look in Shizune's eyes said it all. Sakura and Ino already had another mission. Sakura had been hoping she'd have just a few more hours. Life just loved to kick her while Ino was down.

"Good morning, Sakura! I heard your mission was a success! Congrats." Shizune chirped too cheerfully for the morning. Sakura nodded weakly, lifting one unwilling hand to receive the next mission scroll. Shizune hesitated for a moment. She'd hoped to at least engage in some sort of chit-chat with the hokage's former apprentice. Sakura was so busy now that was an anbu. Shizune felt guilty for being the one to suggest that Sakura had earned the role. Of course, the pink-haired girl was more than capable of being an excellent anbu. She was an excellent anbu. But she was also young and only human.

Anbu always aged just a bit too much before their time. Sakura's once vivid pink hair was a paler shade and her once vigorous emerald eyes were now a dull, swampy green. You could tell she was in her early 20s… but she was certainly tired. Shizune wished could give Sakura a nice long break. She'd be sure to recommend it to Tsunadae once Sakura's next mission.

Shizune tossed the scroll into Sakura's hands and gave the younger a sad smile. "You and Ino should leave in the next hour." Her voice grew strained, her gaze stern. "Oh, and Sakura? Be very careful. I wish you had time to recover, but we have no time to waste. The enemy has powers beyond human belief… you'll need to be at your best until the other squads arrive to attack all at once."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What is this mission anyway?" she asked tiredly.

Shizune lowered her head. "Scouting for now. Just promise me you won't get captured. We chose you strictly for your chakra control and Ino's ability."