Once upon a time, so very long ago, I loved KakaSaku more than any other pairing. But then I learned to love others more, and KakaSaku ended up falling to the wayside. Then, I didn't care about Naruto at all, until one day I suddenly wanted to write it again. But alas, tragedy struck, and for three weeks over Christmas, I lost access to my laptop. (needed a new battery and a replacement for a corrupted drive)

But during that time, I used my phone to read fics, and ended up rediscovering my old love for KakaSaku. I wrote fics on paper, waiting for the day I'd be reunited with my laptop. (corny much?) Once I was, the monumental task of transcribing all my work over to the laptop took ages, and was even interrupted when I finally 'discovered' the anime, Bleach. (effing awesome anime!)

Okay, all melodrama aside, this is my first serious KakaSaku in ages, and is inspired heavily by three awesome time travel fics that I read. Unbroken, In Case Of Blue Scroll, and When You Were Young. The latter of which always put the Killers song in my head ;) Not sure how long the fic will be, we'll see how it goes.

Okay, so enjoy, and remember that if the Naruto-verse belonged to me, there's no way that SasuSaku would have been canon. (I only like it in AU and non-mass)

Full Circle

Chapter One

"Wow..."

"I know, right? These ruins actually date back to before the Shodaime's era."

"Shizune! Sakura! Would you two please shut up?!"

Both women shut their traps as the woman before them, Legendary Sannin and former Godaime Hokage, glared at them before returning to paying her respects to the monument before them. The large stone monument had been built to commemorate a large and deadly battle, one of many in history that had been Senju versus Uchiha. This battle had apparently been one of a few without a true victor. The stalemate had only ended with an order from the Shogunate, and the memorial had been erected over fifty years later to remember the dead.

By then, the Leaf village had been formed, with a tentative alliance formed between the Senju, Uchiha, and other clans. When Tsunade had said she wanted to come here, Sakura had bee leery. Why visit a crumbling old monument? But then the significance had been explained to her, and she understood. Now, she stared around in awe, conjuring up awesome battles long past in her head.

Tsunade seemed to be done, as she went and sat on a nearby bench. Shizune and Sakura followed, the latter asking, "How often have you come here, shishou?"

"This is the third time," the busty blonde said as she pulled out a saké bottle and uncorked it, deftly keeping it out of the suddenly snatching grasp of her older apprentice. "Watch it, brat! We're going to have a toast to the honoured dead!"

Shizune blushed sheepishly even as she reached into her bag for three small cups. Tsunade poured them each a measure, then the three women bowed their heads briefly. "Heiwa to kyūsoku," she said, and Shizune and Sakura followed suit before they all drank.

They all sat there, silent for quite some time, then Shizune said, "Remember the last time we were here, Tsunade-sama?"

The Sannin sighed. "Fourteen years ago…" she mused.

"That was about the time that we were… ahem… hiding from Iwata-san, wasn't it?" Shizune remarked, and Tsunade scoffed.

Suddenly, all three women were on their feet and alert, as a moment later several shinobi had them surrounded. "Tsunade-sama," a voice drawled, the owner of that voice coming into view when they turned to face him.

"Who the hell are you?" the former Hokage demanded.

"I'm someone that's not very happy with you," he told her.

"That doesn't answer my question," Tsunade said.

The man tutted. "It hurts me right here," he said, thumping his chest, "that you don't remember Ikari Futoshi. How forgettable am I? Seriously?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Sorry, not ringing any bells."

"We met at my base of operations," Futoshi said, getting more than a little irate at her. "You waltzed in and beat up my men and I."

"Nope… Nothing, sorry," Tsunade said, eyes carefully flicking around to assess their situation. "You sure you've got the right person?"

"Who on earth would mix up the Legendary Sannin and Godaime Hokage of Konoha with anyone else?"

Tsunade just shrugged.

"Fine, we'll just get on to doing what we came here to do," Futoshi snapped, and suddenly the other ninja, who were likely nukenin, mercenaries, or even a combination of both, attacked.

Sakura and Shizune went on the defensive, though they also both quickly forced their opponents to switch as the two kunoichi went on the attack. Sakura was snapping bones and crushing limbs even as Shizune pulled out senbon and kunai covered in poison. The battle was furious as the two women moved quickly, and soon their enemies were defeated. But when they looked over at Tsunade, they were horrified to see that she'd been caught in some kind of chakra trap, one that may have even been planted in anticipation of their arrival.

"Shishou!" Sakura cried, pushing herself forward to her master, only to find herself blocked off by an invisible barrier.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune cried. "What can we do?"

"There's only one thing," Sakura said determinedly, and started making hand signs.

"Shizune! Stop her!"

But it was too late. Sakura's kawarimi no jutsu was complete, and she switched places with Tsunade, who stumbled and glared at Futoshi. The light of the jutsu coalesced around Sakura as it was completed. Futoshi looked furious.

"You idiot!" he screamed at Sakura. "This jutsu isn't meant for you! Aargh! My plans!"

Sakura was frozen in place, unable to move or speak as she felt chakra being drained from her. "Ikari!" Tsunade boomed. "What have you done?"

Futoshi glared at Sakura, then sighed in resignation. "Fine," he sneered at her. "Enjoy your life in the past, you stupid little brat!"

A bright light covered the area, and Tsunade and Shizune were forced to shield their eyes as Sakura disappeared from their sight.

OoOoO

"Incredible..." Shizune breathed.

She and her mentor, the Sannin Tsunade, were visiting an old ruin. It was a monument to an old battle between the Senju and Uchiha, commemorating the honour of the lives lost in that bloody conflict.

"This is only the second time I've been here," Tsunade said. "The first was with my parents and grandparents when I was six."

She moved over to the memorial, bowing her head in respect and offering a prayer to Kami. Shizune watched on respectfully until Tsunade stood and stepped back. The two of them had come here to 'hide' from debt collectors, most notably one Iwata Akihiro. The man was notorious for being able to collect a debt from anyone, but Tsunade was determined that she would be the first to escape. They'd left Iwata back in a small village in Lightning country, and were now in the south east of Fire country.

The two women were about to leave, their respects paid, but they both immediately stiffened, just before part of the ground lit up with a golden light. It was almost blinding in its intensity, but when it cleared, a figure stood there. Well, for a moment, anyway. A pink haired woman sporting a Konoha hitai-ate collapsed to the ground in front of them. The medic in Tsunade had her rushing forward to check her over, hands lit green with chakra before she even reached the girl.

The woman's head lolled back as Tsunade moved her into an easier position, and Shizune gasped. "Lady Tsunade! Her forehead!"

There, in the middle of the woman's forehead, sat a diamond juin, identical to Tsunade's.

Tsunade hesitated only briefly, before saying, "We can worry about that later."

Pushing her chakra into the young woman, she noted that there were only a few minor scrapes, which were actually starting to heal on their own. A flick of her eyes to the young lady's forehead as she knew why that was. It seemed the only real issue was her chakra exhaustion, there was so little of it available outside her juin. Cutting off her chakra, Tsunade stopped, knowing the only thing to do now was to just wait until she woke on her own.

"She'll be fine," Tsunade said, pulling the young woman into her arms as she stood. "Come on, we'll take her into Niseko and get a room at that inn we saw on the way through."

Shizune picked up the strange girl's fallen pack, then followed her mentor away from there, a worried and wary expression on her face.

OoOoO

Sakura's journey into consciousness was slow and sluggish. Muffled noises gradually got louder and louder, until she could hear hushed voices.

"…your technique!"

"I don't know. But that light…"

"It… it felt like pure chakra, milady. What kind of jutsu could it be?"

"We can ask her when she wakes up. Until then…"

"Until then, what?"

"Hush Shizune, look. She's coming to."

Sakura felt a hand on her forehead as she struggled to open her eyes. The image of Tsunade and Shizune faded into existence as she struggled to speak, finally making her lips move after some concentration.

"Shi…shou…?" Sakura slurred.

The hand on her forehead started to glow with chakra. "Hey there," Tsunade said as she ran her diagnostic. "Don't try to move too quickly, you did deplete all of your chakra after all."

"'M sorry," Sakura mumbled. "Promise… not… to do it… again, shishou."

She sighed and closed her eyes, missing the way Tsunade's eyes widened when she realised that Sakura was calling her shishou. "Do you remember your name?" the blonde asked.

"Haruno… Sa...Sakura," was her answer. "Shishou… What happened after…?"

"After?" Tsunade prompted after a moment of silence.

"After the nukenin and that guy… that you c-couldn't remember?"

Tsunade and Shizune were both beyond shocked now, not that Sakura could tell. She was a bit too busy feeling woozy, yet secure in her shishou's hands.

"We'll… We'll discuss it later, Sakura," Tsunade said. "Sleep now."

"'Kay," Sakura mumbled, and allowed herself to drift off.

The two women watching over her were speechless.

"Do… do you know her?" Shizune eventually managed to ask.

Shaking her head, Tsunade said, "Never met her. But I'm sure there's some kind of logical explanation. Or maybe nonsensical, the world's full of those sort."

"Do you think she's a spy sent by Iwata-san?" Shizune asked. "Maybe some kind of imposter?"

"Who would she be posing as?" Tsunade asked. "The only things I can think of that would explain it in some way, are false memories, time travel, or maybe she's…"

"A stalker!" Shizune gasped. "That would make sooo much sense! I bet that thing on her forehead is a fake!"

"It's the real deal," Tsunade interrupted. "I checked when I was examining her. Both times."

Shizune's eyes widened. "But it's impossible for anyone but you to master that technique!" she said. "I haven't, and you've been my teacher for years!"

"Well, maybe I've been her teacher for years, too," Tsunade suggested, then snapped, "Don't give me that look, Shizune!"

"B-but you're implying you believe she's genuine!" the younger woman gasped. "That you believe the time travel theory!"

"I've been on this earth far longer than you have, Shizune," the Sannin said. "I've seen things to make your skin crawl… Time travel's not too far out there for me, especially since my old team mate, Orochimaru, once looked into it and found it to be a viable thing!"

"Really? …He did?"

"We can ask her how she got here when she wakes up," Tsunade said with an air of finality on the subject. "Until then… Do me a favour and go down to the reception, get some food up here. It's going to be dark soon, and we missed lunch because our little 'adventure'."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Shizune reluctantly agreed, and left, shooting a worried glance at the girl on the bed as she stepped out of the room.

Tsunade grabbed a chair to sit on and watch over their new guest, flicking distractedly through a magazine as she pondered her presence here.

OoOoO

When Sakura woke again, it was dark. She felt much more rested and relaxed, could feel that her chakra was almost completely back up to normal. It was enough to function, at least. She stretched, opening her eyes to see her shishou and Shizune sleeping in other beds in the room. Sitting up, Sakura looked around for her pack, but didn't find it. She contemplated getting up to look for it, but then a memory assaulted her with a gasp.

'Enjoy your life in the past...'

What on earth had that meant?

Suddenly Tsunade bolted upright, eyes darting over to her and widening once she saw she was awake. She stood and made her way over, slightly on the defensive, which confused Sakura. Why would her shishou need to be defensive around her?

"How are you feeling?" Tsunade asked.

"Fine, now," Sakura told her. "Shishou, why are you…?"

"Why do you call me that?" she was interrupted. "Shishou, that is."

"Because that's what you are," Sakura said, frowning in confusion. "My teacher."

Tsunade stepped closer then. "I have a question that may seem strange," she told her, "but it's important that you answer. What year do you think it is?"

Sakura's eyes widened. No… She licked her lips nervously and answered.

"I knew it!" Tsunade yelled suddenly, waking Shizune.

"Who… whazzit, where?"

Tsunade lost her defensive stance and grabbed a chair before sitting right next to the bed Sakura was on, and telling her what year she thought it was. "So," she asked. "How far did you come back, then?"

"F-fourteen years," Sakura said, feeling dread pool in her stomach. How on earth was she going to get home?

"You need to tell me everything about how you got here," Tsunade told her, leaning forward. "Who was involved, any jutsu you remember, what you were doing at the time…"

"We were at the memorial," Sakura said. "You, me, Shizune. Then this guy turned up with a bunch of men, nukenin and mercenaries, by the look of it. He apparently had a score to settle with you, though you couldn't remember him."

"So I was his target?" Tsunade asked, and Sakura nodded. "Who was he?"

"Ikari Futoshi."

Sakura saw that the name still didn't ring any bells with her shishou, and she sighed. "Maybe you haven't met him yet?" she suggested, then continued, "Shizune and I were busy taking care of the nukenin and mercenaries, and when we'd dealt with them, he'd somehow caught you in a jutsu. I wonder, though, if he hadn't known we were going to be there, and laid the trap beforehand."

"Wait," Shizune interrupted. "If Tsunade-sama was the one caught in the jutsu, then how are you here?"

Sighing, Sakura said, "When I realised I couldn't get through the jutsu to pull you out, I used kawarimi no jutsu to swap us. He was angry, but apparently he couldn't undo the jutsu, so I was sent back… here."

Tsunade and Shizune sat there absorbing that, then the elder one sighed. "This really is a lot to take in," she said. "Even though I'd figured it was something like this. Still, thank you, Sakura, for keeping him from possibly erasing me from the time-line."

"It was nothing, shishou," Sakura said softly.

"Right!" Tsunade exclaimed, standing. "We should go to Konoha, see if they have any information on this guy. We're close by anyway. And I'll see if I can talk to my old team mate about the whole time travel thing."

"O-old team mate?" Sakura asked, a bit of apprehension about just which team mate she meant.

"His name's Orochimaru," Tsunade said. "Surely I've told you about him?"

"I've… met him a few times," Sakura evaded. "Wait! Are you sure it's a good idea to bring others into this?"

"It'll be fine," Tsunade reassured her. "Orochimaru's likely your best bet at getting back home, anyway."

Sakura felt depressed at that thought.

"We should all get some sleep," Tsunade said. "We can head off to Konoha in the morning."

She went back to her bed and settled back in, Shizune following suit with a frown on her face as she shot a glance at Sakura. The pinkette sighed and flopped back down on her bed, her mind racing over everything that had happened. It took well over an hour before she could get to sleep, and when she did finally manage it, she was restless, her dreams plagued with images of a sneering Futoshi calling her a stupid brat.

So how was it? I think that I did a pretty good job, considering this was done on paper. Though I did touch it up here and there once it was on my laptop. The next chapter's mostly done, it needs a bit extra added, then some extension.

Review please! :)

Kawarimi no Jutsu: Substitution jutsu.

Niseko: Real Japanese town, because I can't make up a name for one, sheesh!

Heiwa to kyūsoku: Peace and rest.