I left them to grow and was brought back half there. My body was battered and bruised, broken and beaten. I ran into Uchiha's brother and enemy. He took it upon himself to torture me and eventually kill me. Luckily he never got to kill me. Uchiha, Naruto and Sensei found me and saved me first. I don't remember the trip but I remember them finding me.
Sensei was the one who came across me first. I was locked in a bedroom tied to the bed with my own clothing. Cuts riddled my body over the many bruises and my life was seeping out of me as I lay there waiting for my captor to finish me. Sensei took my in his arms and whispered in my ear how I would survive and would get better and it was all over. He cut my bonds and called to Uchiha to help him. Uchiha came in and shock masked his face then disgust. The second hurt me deep, far deeper than I let anyone know. Sensei picked me up and told Uchiha the mission objective had changed. The mission was now to get me home safe and alive. Sensei then covered me with the bed sheet and that was when I looked into his eyes and passed
out.
The next thing I remember was waking in the hospital and having medic ninjas surrounding me. They were saying how it was a miracle I was still alive, the blood loss should have killed me long before they found me. Kami must have favoured me they said. Then darkness claimed me, but not with out it's friends. The nightmares were intense. I relived all that had happened to me. I was eventually tied to the bed so I wouldn't hurt myself or the nurses. I dreamed of the beating and his worst attacks. He took me many nights and I remember all of them. In the end to hurt me even more he made me think he was Uchiha, my first crush and love. When I woke again my heart was cold and I refused to speak. When Uchiha came in I screamed and threw things at him from my bedside table to my meal. I couldn't see him, too many bad memories, too much pain.
It didn't take long for the doctors to find out the problem. They sent for the Hokage, the best healer in the village and had her test me. She must have found something terrible as she gasped and jerked her hands from my head like I had hurt her.
Latter that day Sensei came to see me. He brought me flowers, cherry blossoms and white roses. A strange mix but they were touching to me. He sat at my side not saying anything even when I took his hand in mine and fell asleep. That night the nightmares subsided and I slept peacefully.
When I woke up Sensei was still in my room holding my hand. He was sleeping and his mask was slipping off his nose. I always wanted to know what was under that mask so the temptation was far too much to push away. I slowly reached out and gently pulled at the bottom of the mask. Slowly the black fabric slid from his features revealing a most handsome face with small kissable lips and a strong nose.
At this time Sensei woke up and knew what I had done. He said nothing as he looked into my eyes. After a minute he lowered his eyes and sighed reaching to replace his mask. Without thinking my hand shot out t stop him. He looked at me shocked as my hand moved from his hand to his cheek. There my fingers dances over his smooth pale skin to his nose and his lips where they rested for a moment until I regained my senses and jerked my hand away as if the tips of my fingers were burned.
"Sakura?" Sensei questioned as he replaced his mask. I couldn't look at him. Shame was printed on my face as he stood. "You are a strong girl, no young woman Sakura. Don't let that bastard break you or your bond with Sasuke. You do that and he has won. I am leaving on a mission today with Sasuke and Naruto. We will be gone for a month. When we return I want you greeting us at those gates. That is an order Sakura." with one last lazy trade mark masked smile he was gone.
The next few days I sat silent and still thinking about what Sensei had told me. He was right of corse but I was so scared, scared that if I opened my mouth all that would come out would be screams. I couldn't let that happen, but I couldn't let the bastard win either. The Hokage might br able to get valuable information from what I saw or heard possibly what I felt. I had t force myself to do it. If not for the village and it's safety than for Sensei. I would tell them all but I couldn't promise anything else after that. So the next day when the nurse came to me I spoke, "Bring the Hokage here." in a rough worn cold voice. Minutes latter the Hokage rushed into my room where I told her everything, nearly.
A month latter I was at the gates in a standard ANBU uniform. In the last week I joined their ranks as a medic-nin. At the appointed time my three boys, well men now, walked over the hill and came into view. They must not have recognized me until I said hi as that was when Naruto jumped me and nearly crushed my ribs with one of his hugs. Sensei gave me a once over and must have been happy with what he saw as he nodded and looked to the last member of their group. Uchiha hadn't changed much so my initial reaction was to run away from him as quickly as I could screaming but I forced myself to stay put and speak with him.
"I am sorry for any inconvenience I may have been to the three of you a month ago. I didn't know what I was doing but am taking steps to fix the problem." my voice was sincere and apologetic but it lacked the joy I once used to exhibit every moment of the day. As this Sensei and Naruto looked down cast but as always Uchiha was impersonal and unemotional. "We must hurry, the Hokage wants you to report for debriefing and a new mission."
The three nodded at the same time and fell into step with me as I lead them to the building with the Hokage's office in it. During our walk Naruto kept sending sly glances my way and I had to stop it. "I became ANBU a week ago Naruto. The Hokage gave me permission to do the test in your steed Sensei as she trained me as well." Sensei nodded as we continued to walk. "My first mission was a success and I will be starting my second with you three today. I hope to do you justice Sensei."
"You are doing me justice now Sakura. As well, you can stop calling me Sensei now. We are equals in every way so we should act it as well." I nodded as we walked into the Hokage's office.
"Welcome." the buxom blond said as e entered. "Sakura you know what your mission is and their firs is confidential. Go to the training rounds and they will meet you there." I bowed and quickly walked out of the room.
Half and hour latter I was viciously beating a group of trees to splinters when the three arrived. They stood watching me finish my rounds completely destroying the trees then spoke. "We leave soon, get ready." was all Uchiha said. There faces were grim like I thought hey would be when they found our my part of the mission. They would have tried to stop it, yelled and demanded, well Naruto at least, but I had to do it. "We meet at the bridge in half an hour. Go." We all shot off in different directions to say goodbye or get ready.
I headed for my apartment in the inner slums. It was a nice area but still the worst of the village's neighborhoods to live in. Most bars and whore houses were located in that area. I lived alone in a small one room apartment and was only there to sleep so it suited y needs perfectly. My only problem was the land lord wanted me to work down stairs in his whore house and kept trying to convince me it was worth it.
I gathered my thing and placed a letter to the Hokage on the bedside table for if I should not return. In side were things I needed to say but never could tell her or anyone while I was alive. If I lived it would stay sealed and safe but if I died she would read it and do what I asked. I took one last glance and quickly walked out leaving a photo f myself and my team behind with the letter.
As usual I was the first one at our meeting place ad decided to hide and watch the others interact. My chakra was well hidden and I sat in an oak tree nearby so I could see and hear everything. Minutes latter Uchiha and Naruto came around the corner towards the bridge. They were strangely silent as they neared the bridge. When they were at it's top they stopped and looked at each other. "She has changed." Naruto said quietly. Uchiha just shrugged and stood there looking at the water. "I something goes wrong she will be taken again. Should we risk it?"
"It is not for us to risk but for her. If she wants to go back than she should. Maybe it will help her get better."
"But what if she relapses? I don't want to see her like that again Sasuke. It eats me up inside knowing what happened to her and that we couldn't stop it. Worse we didn't even know about it!"
"Shut up Naruto. Do you think she would want you talking about it at all let alone in public. Think for once." Uchiha said never once looking up from the water. "Moron."
"I'll let that one slide for Sakura but I wont stop. We let that happen to her once, we shouldn't let it happen again. Who knows, he might just kill her when he sees her. What are we to do then? Find someone else? I wont let it happen!" Naruto jumped to the top of the bridge and shook his fist. "She has helped me in the past and we let her down before. How can we let her down again Sasuke?"
"We wont Naruto. Trust me." Sensei said from the shadows of a building. He walked up to the end of the bridge. "She is stronger now than ever. Her, trials, have given her more strength than you realize. In the case that she does need us we will be there. She may not even need us. If you didn't notice," he continued at their skeptical looks, "she was training hard for half an hour and hadn't barely tapped her power. She has changed, wither it is for better or worse we will soon find out."
About then I decided it was time to come out so I quietly moved to where I should be coming from and calmly walked towards them. They all looked at me and watched as I approached them. Naruto was surprisingly calm and not fidgety, this was really important to him. Sensei stepped aside for me and Uchiha just stood there staring me down. I cringed inside at just how alike he looked to his brother now. Before there were differences now they all seemed to blur together. He was kin to he bastard that hurt me and I still let him live. I was soft but it wasn't his fault, not entirely. If they knew why I left they would be furious. As I neared Uchiha I turned and spoke, "Let's go. We don't have time to waste." They all nodded and we ran out of town to our destination.