Matter Of Time

by Shadoah Kriegel

Sakura has felt like a third wheel for some time now, she sees Naruto and Sasuke got stronger when they left the leaf and now she feels it is her turn. What will her team say when she comes back with jutsu they can't even perform? Rating it M now because it will have Mature Content at a later time.

Chapter 1 Song – Just a matter of time, it is performed by John Cafferty and the Beaver brown band

the world seemed so wild
And so free
You just wrapped yourself up
In a dream
All you had to do was believe
And nothing was out of your reach
So sure how it all falls in line
It's just a matter of time

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Sakura sat at her table, a note dangling from her fingertips. She knew it was only a matter of time before Sasuke left the leaf village on a quest for redemption. She would never be enough to keep him in Konoha and it was time she faced the fact.

You come face to face with
Your pride
And how much you wanted
It all
You can't believe now you're
Taking the fall

She had a lot of pride in her love for the lone Uchiha, She always had faith that it would be enough to make him see what was offered to him. She quickly wiped the stray year from her cheek and tossed the note on the table. Things had been so much simpler when he first got back, they fell back into an easy rhythm that was like genin days. Her trying too hard to make him notice her while he merely scoffed at her weakness.

She took a deep breath and finally stood before grabbing her coat and heading out the door. Naruto got to travel with Jiraiya, Sasuke got to with Orochimaru and she was always stuck in Konoha with Tsunade. It was her turn to travel and see what she can learn outside the leaf village.

She stopped outside the doors to the hokage office and knocked. In her heart of heart's she knew she was compromised by her love for the Uchiha and she needed to try to get over what she felt for him. She stepped into the office and requested a mission to the mist village for anything. She needed to study and learn that jutsu Haku had back when she was a genin and the notes show it originated in the mist village.

Tsunade reluctantly agreed only under the condition she take Kakashi and Neji. Sakura was a highly valued shinobi with high level medical abilities that rogue shinobi would take advantage of. Tsunade would not send her without added protection. Sakura agreed only to get out of Konoha for a while. Kakashi and Neji were informed and were at the gates waiting for her. As they were walking towards the Mist, Kakashi asked Sakura why she chose the Mist village for a mission. Sakura filled him in on everything, including the note Sasuke left for her. Kakashi merely pulled her into a hug and whispered his apology. Sakura had always felt that Kakashi was the father she never had, he never trained her because he always wanted her out of harm's way. In Sakura, he saw the daughter he never got the chance to have with Rin.

Halfway to the village, Kakashi suddenly grabbed Sakura and spun with her in his arms as they landed against the side of a tree in what seemed to normal view, a very intimate position. Kakashi met her gaze and asked if she was alright, seconds before a voice cold with fury filled the area. "Kakashi…Get your hands off of Sakura, before you lose the use of both arms."

Kakashi and Sakura looked up and saw Sasuke standing right above them, he jumped down landing between Kakashi and Sakura. "She isn't really yours anyway Sasuke. She has always been like a daughter to me, and I have never abandoned her for any reason. Can you say the same thing?" Kakashi asked calmly, testing Sasuke's reaction.

"I left for her protection Kakashi. What do you think Itachi would do to her if he ever found out she is my weakness? I can tell you, he would subject her to the whims and torture of his Mangekyo for hours on end which would feel like an eternity for her. Then he would proceed to use whatever means were at his disposal to torture information out of her on my whereabouts, or worse, he could subject her to rape. NOTHING is above my brother's whims." Sasuke furiously replied, his hands grasping Kakashi's shirt and pulling him away from Sakura's ears.

Sakura stood by Neji and waited while Sasuke and Kakashi had a furious conversation before she finaly had enough of dancing on eggshells. She grabbed Kakashi and pulled on his arm, "Let's go, the mission isn't on pause ya know" she said, smiling when Kakashi walked after her.

They reached the Mist village by sundown and Sakura headed straight for the tower of records to track down the jutsu scroll. The scroll was accessible only with a Kage's scroll of approval which Sakura kept on her at all times. The guard at the door stopped her and asked why she was there, upon handing the scroll over and explaining that Kakashi and Neji were to protect her, the guard let them pass by and into the tower.

Sakura looked at the scroll in the glass case in the center of the room, she stepped up and carefully lifted it from the case before unrolling the scroll and laying it on a table to study the signs needed for the jutsu itself.

Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals

It was said that no method in existence can defeat this technique. In an instant, multiple mirrors of ice are created around the enemy, reflecting nothing but the user. The opponent is trapped in a dome of twenty-one floating mirrors made out of ice. Twelve remain at ground level, eight float above the first twelve and angled towards the ground, and the final mirror is above the rest and facing the ground. Once the user has entered the mirrors, it's possible for them to move between the mirrors at exceedingly high speed levels. It's near impossible to follow attacks sent out from this incredible movement. As every mirror shows their reflection, one could say it's impossible to see all of the user's attacks. Even if the opponent tries to attack the real body, the user will have already moved to another mirror. Without eyes like the Sharingan, it will be impossible to keep track of the user.

Sakura studied the scroll thoroughly and practiced over the course of several months. Eventually she began to perfect it, much to her delight. She looked at her calendar and realized that she had been there for 4 months. Thanking Kakashi for keeping Tsunade informed of her progress, she began packing everything up for home.

As soon as she stepped into Konoha, she felt out of place, like an outcast that no one wished to be around. As soon as she had seen her old team mates, they quickly vanished. Was she truly that different? Or was she just no longer welcome in their lives or circle any longer? Both thoughts were agonizing to her as she walked through the once lively streets of Konoha towards her old apartment.

A/N: I WILL BE WORKING ON THE NEXT CHAPTERS OF THE FOLLOWING IN ORDER, SO IT MAY TAKE ME A WHILE TO UPDATE.

- College Life - SasuSaku fic

- Dead without you – RinSessh fic

- Destiny – SasuSaku Fic

- Trapped – SasuSaku Fic

I will also be thinking about a possible yu yu hakuasho fic with Kurama and a OC created by me and not the owner of yu yu hakusho.