AN: I am trying something new, I haven't written in a few years so bear with me. This story takes place post-war, but I am not following canon after the ending of the war or around chapter 698.

Thank you all very much for your support! Please review, follow, or simply tell me what you think.

A year after the Great Ninja War, Konoha finally began to assimilate back to normalcy. The village was rebuilding and growing for the chance of a promising future. Every ninja and civilian aided in the efforts to recreate what was damaged. The village, despite its loss, was ready for a renaissance.

Team 7 successfully saved the world, and news of their triumph circulated throughout the whole ninja world. They were heroes.

All except Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke was not immediately accepted back into the ranks of Konoha's fleet. Tsunade, as one of her last acts as Hokage, sentenced Sasuke to parole. Sasuke would be allowed to rejoin the ranks of Konoha's finest, but he needed to serve roughly 10 months under surveillance. Sasuke, thankful for not being imprisoned, accepted the punishment willingly.

As a result, Sasuke lived quietly under the surveillance of the ANBU for several months. Sasuke was not allowed to go on missions so he spent his days on the training grounds or helping with the reconstruction of the village. Sasuke wanted repentance for his crimes, and he found such repentance in helping rebuild Konoha. Itachi would have wanted it this way.

Alsmot every day Naruto visited Sasuke. The two made up for lost time and quickly strengthened their friendship; even Kakashi would visit the duo to spar or relive old memories. Despite Sasuke's attempt to socialize there was still one person he did not reach out to...and that was Sakura Haruno. Sakura Haruno was often held hostage at the hospital, and this allowed Sasuke to keep his distance. He wasn't ready to address whatever mess was their relationship.

This, in the beginning, hurt Sakura. She felt deeply ignored and unimportant. Naruto would tell her all about his time spent with Sasuke, and all the shenanigans they would get into. Sakura's heart was broken. She wanted nothing more but to be close to Sasuke, she did not expect him to do anything romantic but she hoped to rekindle their lost friendship.

After a few months, and still no visits from Sasuke, Sakura focused on work. Sakura worked herself into the ground daily. The hospital was demanding and pushy, she wasn't allowed the leisure time combat ninjas were allowed. During peace time combative ninjas were needed less, but medical ninjas were needed more. The hospital was still full of victims, mostly from the war, and they needed treatment.

Tsunade, once she announced her retirement, put Sakura and Shizune in charge of the hospital. Sakura was given a new load of responsibilities that took up all her time. Eventually Sakura's worries about the third member of team 7 subsided, she accepted Sasuke's rejection and moved on.

Ultimately Sasuke's parole was up, and he was allowed to become a Konoha ninja once again. He then dived into missions with the rest of the village's ninja and he became an important member of Konoha's social circle. Sasuke's past mistakes were forgotten by most and within a year he was highly regarded as Konoha's "lighting that strikes twice."

On a particularly low Tuesday, Sakura found herself locked within the hospital doors researching a new experimental surgery she proposed. She was deteriorating underneath the fluorescent lights, her health has never been worse. As she read through several medical journals she felt her body become heavy and stiff.

"Ugh, how many hours have I been sitting here?" Sakura looked up to see that her shift ended hours ago, it was well into the hours of the night.

Sakura, lazily, pushed herself out of the chair and prepared to go home. She reluctantly pushed all her paperwork to the side and left the hospital feeling drained.

The streets of Konoha were empty, just the way she liked it. Right after the war Sakura purposely left the hospital hours after her shifts to prevent seeing anyone. Socializing wasn't her thing lately. Soon this preventative measure became a habit, and Sakura only walked through the streets of Konoha in the early hours of the morning or the mid hours of the night.

Once Sakura reached her apartment she unlocked the door and saw mail piling on the side of the entrance. When was the last time she spent time in her apartment? She didn't know.

Her phone on the kitchen table was blinking red with unread messages. The red light angrily blinked, but Sakura decided to leave the messages a mystery. The voicemails were never positive. They were always Naruto or Ino, and the messages were always full of worry. Sakura appreciated the care, but she wasn't in the mood to listen to her friends' guilt tripping words.

Sakura stepped into the shower and let the hot water run until her skin was red. Time was a nonexistent thing to Sakura, she couldn't keep track of the now, so by the time she left the shower her whole body was red and her vision was blurry.

Sakura didn't want to eat. Every time she wanted to eat, visions of the lives she could not save came back to her and her appetite would instantly vanish.

Her body was suffering. She knew she was thin, too thin, but the occasional flash of a corpse was all she needed to avoid food. Sakura's signature pink hair was outgrown and dry, even the color seemed somewhat faded. The pinkette's infamous short hair had grown past her shoulder blades, she knew it was time for a trim, but she didn't have the time. The last visit she had with Ino the outgoing blonde made sure to tell Sakura of her recent physical shortcomings. Sakura didn't take it personally; she knew she looked like shit.

Sakura went to bed that night unsettled. Most nights her tired body would drift her mind into sleep, but tonight the picture of young team 7 haunted her. She heard rumors of Sasuke gallivanting around the village happily. The nurses of the hospital were obsessed with him, she heard the young girls giggle and gossip about the handsome last Uchiha. Whenever Sasuke was in the hospital for treatment he requested Shizune, or some other doctor to heal his injuries. Sakura was prepared for Sasuke's social rejection, but his professional rejection she was not. Her skills were unmatched, she was expected to be one of the best medical ninja in history, but yet she was still useless to Sasuke Uchiha.

"Why do I even care, he was a part of my past life. My life is so different now." Sakura thought aimlessly. She was successful and intelligent; she didn't need any man's recognition. Within a few hours Sakura Haruno drifted into a restless sleep.

The next morning Sakura woke up to the harsh sound of her alarm clock. The time was 5:00 AM, her typical wake up time. She did her basic hygiene routine (she had forgone makeup a long time ago) and ran out the door.

The sun was just beginning to rise and the streets were empty...all except the distant figures of Naruto Uzuamki and Sasuke Uchiha.

Sakura felt a surge of panic flow through her, was it too late to turn back around? What were they doing awake? Have they seen her? Sakura hasn't spoken to Sasuke in almost nine months. She hasn't even spoken to Naruto in a month, despite his endless messages and letters.

Sakura prayed that her signature pink hair would not be a dead give away, but in the middle of her contemplating she heard the blonde's loud voice.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted as he rushed over to the petite pink haired girl.

Great. She was stuck.

"Uh...hi Naruto." Sakura squeaked as she tried to offer up the best attempt at a lively smile. She didn't want the blonde to sense how vacant she actually felt.

"Where have you been? I have been trying to get in contact with you for forever! I was even going to go stalk your receptionist to know your schedule." Naruto proclaimed. Sakura knew, despite his joyful tone, he was upset with her. The sad look in his eyes was evidence of this.

Sasuke, keeping his distance, finally joined his teammates. Sakura could not bear to look at him; she felt that if she looked into his eyes she would turn to stone. She was already cracking under the scrutiny of his gaze; she knew he was observing her in his typical judgmental fashion.

"I have been really busy, the hospital has been hectic." Sakura stated as she looked to the floor.

Naruto looked dissatisfied with that answer, clearly unbelieving of his pink haired friend's excuse. "Are they working you too hard Sakura-chan? You know, as future Hokage, I could tell them to back off!" Sakura Haruno was the closet thing he would ever have to a sister, he was afraid to loose the bond he shared with her. It took years for him to accept that Sakura would never romantically want him, and eventually he didn't care about that. He found Hinata Hyuga, the sweet girl he needed, but he still wanted his old teammate Sakura Haruno to be a part of his life.

"Its ok Naruto, I just need some sleep."

"You need to take time off." Sasuke interjected harshly with his typical cold demeanor.

Sakura, deeply offended by Sasuke's suggestion, tried to hide her seeping anger. His first words to her, after months of silence, were to stop working. He insinuated she was loosing it, and she knew it. Sakura was aware she looked rugged, but for Sasuke to point it out...well, that was the last straw.

Sakura gave Sasuke the cruelest look she could muster. "I didn't ask for your advice."

Naruto, sensing the tension between his two friends, quickly tried to dissolve the problem. He knew Sasuke didn't mean to offend Sakura, in fact he knew Sasuke didn't like Sakura's recent work ethic. Sasuke did not approve of the extreme long hours the girl put in at the hospital. Naruto also knew Sasuke would never voice his concerns.

"Maybe you need a change of scenery Sakura-chan! Sasuke and I are going on an A-ranked mission next week, maybe Kakashi-hokage will let you join us!" Naruto suggested, finding the idea brilliant.

Both Sasuke and Sakura shared a look of extreme disapproval. Sasuke, clearly irritated, stared down his best friend in anger.

"Oh, its ok Naruto. I can't leave the hospital." Sakura pleaded. She was scared. The idea of spending a few days alone with the old team seven was torture. Besides, Sakura was certain her body was not strong enough for a mission.

"Shizune can take care of it! Its ok Sakura-chan, I will ask Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto boasted, he would not take 'no' for an answer.

Sakura's anxiety climaxed, she saw an avoidable future unfold before her. "Oh no, Naruto really its ok –"

"Its happening Sakura-chan!" Naruto interrupted. The blonde then ran ahead of the pink haired girl to avoid any debates. The handsome raven-haired man followed his friend, not offering a word of goodbye to Sakura.

Sakura watched the two men walk away, stunned by the events that just occurred. The simple thought of doing anything with Sasuke Uchiha sent a shiver through her spine. She didn't expect to see him, especially at 5:30 am in the middle of a street. Sakura was simply lucky Naruto accompanied him, if he was alone they probably would have said nothing to each other.

After Sakura's uncomfortable morning, work proved to be no better. The hospital was immensely understaffed, which meant Sakura had to do everything. Every surgery and every emergency patient was assigned to her. By the end of the day her chakra was depleted and her body was sore. Sakura, again, didn't eat throughout her shift. She attempted to eat an apple, but after one bite the memory of an earlier dead patient came to mind.

Sakura sat at her desk for hours starring into her cup of coffee. She completed none of her paperwork and none of her patient files. Sakura figured it was due to her awful morning, and with that excuse in mind, she decided to leave the hospital early for the first time in almost a year.

Sakura walked through the streets of Konoha observing all the life that was around her. It was unusual for her to explore Konoha during normal hours; she was never done with work by then. The sun was setting and the village was bustling. Children were playing throughout the streets. Some children were even pretending to play "ninja". A waste of a game, Sakura thought.

The pinkette felt out of place, as if she was a bystander in real life. Sakura once was so open, so social. She loved meeting with friends and spending time in the village. She wished she knew what changed?

By the time Sakura reached her apartment her depression reached new heights. She was a shell of her past self. Sakura knew something was wrong, she knew for months, but it is easier to ignore a hurtful truth than face it head-on.

Sakura looked in the mirror for what seemed an eternity. Sakura hasn't looked at her reflection in a long time; she was partially scared of what she would see. She now knew, she was right, she had a right to be scared. Her hair was too long, she was too thin, and her skin was too pale. At the young age of twenty she even noticed intense dark circles surrounding her eyes. She knew she looked like shit, but she didn't know she looked so sickly. Sakura never considered herself a pretty girl, unique maybe, but not pretty. She never considered herself pretty, but she never considered herself ugly...until now.

In the middle of her rut she heard a loud knock on her front door. Strange? She never received guests... she never invited guests.

Sakura quickly opened the door to see an angry Ino Yamanaka standing on her front steps.

"Can't return any of my calls?" Ino said as she invited herself into Sakura's apartment.

"Ino...I just."

"Save it Forehead. We are all worried about you, even Naruto is worried about you. Where have you been?"

"Do you at least want to sit down before we start fighting?" Sakura asked, trying to avoid her best friend's infamous irritability.

"Don't play cute Sakura, we need to talk." Ino retorted as she sat down on a random chair.

"I figured. Why else would you show up at my apartment?" Sakura then seated next to her best friend with two cups of water. Sakura felt unprepared for an emotional battle, but Ino was here, and she couldn't avoid her feelings forever.

"You work too much and you look too thin. Are you even eating? The only reason why I knew you were home is because Tenten called me saying she saw you leave the hospital. That is how worried we all are, we are on patrol to find you."

Sakura, very uncomfortable, didn't know what to say. "I am in charge of the hospital, I don't have the luxury of spare time."

Ino's face contorted into a scrunch. "You don't have the luxury to eat? You have missed so much. The group misses you...I miss you."

"I miss you too Ino...what have I missed?" Sakura didn't want to address the food subject; she wasn't ready to explain her issues.

Ino observed her best friend with worry. The Sakura Haruno sitting next to her was not the Sakura Haruno she knew and loved.

"Well...Sai and I have been on nine dates, I'm hoping he asks me for us to become exclusive soon. Naruto and Hinata are seriously dating, I heard a rumor that Naruto is even considering proposing. Shikamaru and Temari have been seen on a few dates around the village. I think Temari is considering moving to Konoha, but Shikamaru denies it. Tenten opened her weapons shop. Kiba is dating the cat-clan girl. Umm lets see what else..."

As Ino continued to share what has been happening with the group, Sakura couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Everyone was progressing. Everyone in the group was happy and getting into healthy relationships. Hell, even Kiba found someone to cherish. The burden on Sakura's shoulder suddenly felt two tons heavier.

"Shino became a sensei at the academy. Sasuke and..." Ino stopped midsentence. Ino didn't know if her best friend was ready to hear about the infamous last Uchiha.

"Its ok Ino, you can talk about Sasuke." Sakura assured the blonde.

Ino gave her best friend an apologetic look and continued. "Sasuke has been taking exclusive missions outside the village. He is a specialty ninja focused on the protection of the village. He has also been seen with a few girls around the village."

Sakura simply nodded. The pinkette kept her emotions bottled up, she didn't want Ino to see her vulnerability. Sakura wasn't romantically obsessed with Sasuke anymore, but she wasn't ready for the idea of Sasuke dating around. She knew he would eventually find someone, but she didn't think it would happen so soon.

"I'm happy for everyone." Sakura falsely stated. She was happy for everyone, but only to a certain extent.

"Sakura come out with us. Tomorrow we are all meeting at Ichiraku, why don't you come along?" Ino pleaded, hoping Sakura would agree to this one thing.

"I don't know Ino. I have a lot of work waiting for me at the hospital." Sakura excused. She did not want to go. Sakura dreaded any social gathering. She knew she lacked the energy and the interest to sit through a night full of forced interactions.

"You are going and that's final. I will see you tomorrow." Ino ordered as she left Sakura's practically empty apartment. Ino dramatically closed the front door and left behind an exhausted Sakura.

Sakura, having one of the hardest days in a while, decided it wasn't worth the fight. She will go tomorrow to Ichiraku to appease her two blonde friends. She didn't look forward to it, but she can't run away from her friends forever.

Sakura laid in bed that night restless. Her future was proving to be bleak. The hospital would always need her, she would always be a medical success, but her personal life had nothing. She didn't even have a personal life. Today was the most human interaction she has had in weeks.

"Fuck". Sakura cursed out loud. Even her body was regressing. Sakura could fit into the clothes that she once wore when she was a genin. Sakura tossed and turned until she felt her hair pull from under the pillow. Sakura hated her long hair, but yet she could not persuade herself to cut it. During the weakest phases of her life she had long hair, she didn't see why now would be any different.

Finally the thoughts of all her friends came to mind. She could picture all the weddings she would be attending alone and all the children she would help deliver. Jealousy was a bitter companion. She could even see Sasuke's wedding. He would marry some gorgeous jonin with normal colored hair and a normal sized forehead. The thought burned a hole in her heart.

Maybe she wasn't completely over the handsome Uchiha like she thought she was. She never understood Sasuke's rejection after coming back home. She didn't understand why he ignored her? What did she do to deserve being cut from his life?

For the first time since the war Sakura cried. Sakura cried out all the emotions and shortcomings she has bottled up for months. Sakura cried because of how awful her body felt. Sakura cried because of how alone she was.

Eventually Sakura fell asleep with a new mission in mind. She promised herself to do better, she promised herself she deserved better. That night Sakura finally felt a glimmer of the strength she lost.

Sakura Haruno was going to recover, and she was going to come back swinging.

AN: So that's the start of the story! I know it is slightly dark, but I promise it will be more positive.

Let me know what you think! I would truly appreciate if you review, follow, and fave!