Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Seal Of Hurt

Sasuke shoved his hand deeper into his pocket as he made his way to Hokage tower. A frown marred his face as he continued on his way. He had been summoned by an ANBU hours ago, informing him of a mission he would have to complete.

His thoughts ran through his mind as to whom he was being partnered up with now. Since his return to the village, a few months ago, Sasuke had joined various teams on their missions.

His team however didn't exist anymore. Team 7 were no longer together. Each disbanded.

He still met up with Naruto and had an occasional mission with Kakashi. He still hadn't been formal introduced to the other members, or ex-members, as they were now, Yamoto and Sai .

Then there was Sakura. Just thinking of Sakura seemed strange to Sasuke. He hadn't seen the young girl in years.

Sasuke frowned deepened at the thought of her. Naruto, the same Naruto that had fought so hard to save him, that Naruto now hated the pinkette. Sasuke never knew the full story but apparently, harsh words had been said between the two. Words that Naruto couldn't forget or forgive.

He also mentioned some new boyfriend that Sakura had gotten. Sasuke couldn't believe Sakura could be so pathetic to leave them for a boy, but is didn't surprise him. He still remembered how she was when he was young.

Sasuke had, by now, reached the tower and had climbed the stairs. He lifted his hand to the door handle turning it as he heard the raised voices inside.

Letting himself in, he looked around to see Naruto arguing with Tsunade, Kakashi was reading his book while Sai and Yamoto were having a private discussion. And looking out the window, daydreaming, was Sakura.

Sasuke observed the girl. He was wrong, she had changed. Sakura face had thinned, dramatically, her eyes hollow but he couldn't make out much with all the make up she had on. Sasuke look at her closer, she was wearing baggy clothes. A long sleeved, red top with black trousers.

Shaking his head, he turned to the two blondes in the room.

"I REFUSE TO GO ON THIS MISSION. GET SOMEONE ELSE" shouted Naruto at Tsunade, slamming his hands on her desk.

"YOU WILL BE GOING OR I WON'T LET YOU ENTER THE JOUNIN EXAMS, NEXT YEAR" retorted Tsunade, slamming her hands down harder then his, making it crack slightly.

Naruto eyes widened in disbelief, he glared over to the pinkette in the window before he sat down in defeat.

"I'm not going," stated Sakura bored, her gaze not leaving the window. She placed her hand under her chin.

"Yes, you are" said Tsunade, turning her head towards her apprentice. Her glare increased at the woman's nonchalant attitude.

"Well I don't need to be a Jounin, so I can refuse," commented Sakura, getting up from her seat to exit the office. She reached up to turn the handle.

"I'll strip you of being a ninja if you don't," snapped Tsunade glaring at the medic.

Sakura's hand fell to her side, her brows furrowing together, before she turned around and stared at the elder woman

"But I don't want to go with them" she altercated, pointing at the rest of the group. They all looked back at her, frowning, but she ignored them. Sakura stomped towards her mentor. "Please, send someone else"

"Sakura your going" stated Tsunade calmly, ignoring the pleading looks, she was getting "now all of you get out and meet at Konoha gate tomorrow at 8. DISMISSED"

Sakura turned around angrily and wrenched the door open before exiting. She was about to descend the stairs but a sharp tug on her arm stopped her. Spinning her around harshly, she came face to face with the kyuubi-container.

"What do you mean you don't want go because of us?" snarled Naruto, as he glared down at the young women. Sakura pulled her arm from his grasp, her eyes narrowing.

"It means I would rather drop down dead then go on a mission with a retard like you. Do I have to remind you again, of what you are? Hmm demon, even if you died no-one would care" Sakura spat, her facing cleared itself of all emotions. Sasuke couldn't believe this was the same weak fan girl from his childhood. He watched the confrontation between the two former best friends

She was about to leave when Naruto looked at her in disgust.

"Sakura you've changed since Koji came; you're so pathetic and weak. Sakura I have friends who would care if I died. Who do you have? ". With that, Naruto pushed past the kunoichi and ran down the stairs. Sakura froze on the spot but she shook her head before descending down her self. She acted as if she didn't care but Sasuke saw the slight hurt in her eyes when she halted.

The next day, Naruto scanned around him. He had been waiting for the last hour and so far, everyone had turned up, even Kakashi, except for the female of the group.

"I bet she isn't coming" presumed Naruto, frowning at ground. His head was so mixed up. He hated Sakura, he really did. But a part of him still loved her. Why had she changed all of a sudden. He tried repeatedly with her but it ended the same, with him getting his heart crushed. Where had his sweet sister-like team-mate go? He clenched his fist at all the cruel things she had ever said to him. She broke his trust, his friendship and he wasn't ever going to forgive her.

"Let's just leave without her," he said turning towards the gate.

"Wait" ordered Kakashi, his gaze on his little orange book. "There she is"

Sakura was running to the gate. Her clothes were slightly dishevelled and her lipstick was smudged. Sakura was wiping the sides of her mouth in trying to tide it up slightly.

"Sorry I'm late" she said slightly out of breath, straightening out her attire

"I bet you are," commented Sai snidely, his eyebrow arching in annoyance. Sai looked at the girl in front of him. She didn't even look at him. Sai thought this girl was his friend, but now he knew. She was just a compulsive liar. She taught him how to feel alright. Anger, betrayal, hurt. Sai was a fool to have trusted Sakura. She let herself into his heart as a friend then destroyed in from within.

Sakura ignored the ink-user's comment and continued walking out the gate. Sai looked at Sakura, noticing her limp slightly but decide not to ask her about it. Why should he care?

The kept walking for five hours before deciding to rest at a nearby village. The whole trip was consumed with silence expect for the small talk between the boys. Sakura ignored all talk and focused on the ground ahead of her. The boys, however, acted as if she wasn't even there.

Everyone split up in different directions but Sasuke was suspicious of Sakura so followed her around the village. He wanted to see what she was like now.

First, Sakura entered a deserted tea stall. Sasuke frowned when Sakura smiled at the old woman who had served her some tea. His smile reminded him of the old Sakura. He closed his eyes remember that smile, how it had faded since his return. Sasuke continued to watch her as she took a pack of makeup out of her bag.

Sakura looked into the mirror, her eyes watering at the sight. She carefully replaced her lipstick before adding more eye shadow to her lids. Once she was happy with her cover-up, she placed the make-up back and left the tea stall.

Sasuke watched the young kunoichi make her way to a medical store. She exited with a bag full of bandages and ointments. In her hand a bag of painkillers. Sasuke assumed this was for the mission until he saw Sakura pop two pills in her mouth. He frowned at her actions but left, as it was time to meet up again.

The group was heading back home after completing their mission. They had to retrieve a very valuable scroll that had various forbidden justus on it, so it was vital that it didn't fall into enemy hands.

"It's late," commented Kakashi, stopping ahead of the rest of the group "we'll set up camp here and leave first thing in the morning"

Sakura walked off, not saying anything to rest of them. She knew that she had to stay within a range so they could still feel each other's chakras. Grabbing her pack, she kept her ears open for running water.

Sakura had been away for over half an hour so Kakashi told Naruto and Sasuke to go look for her. It was time to eat and sleep so the group had to mask their chakras, not to alert other ninja .With a lot of refusing, curtsey of Naruto, both boys headed out.

"Wonder where the she is?" said Naruto, each word coated in venom. Sasuke looked at the emotionally wounded boy, before nodding his head to the right. He could sense they were getting closer to Sakura's chakra.

"Dobe why are you so angry at her?" asked Sasuke never seeing this side to him. "You forgave me for everything I did"

"Sasuke, I understand why you left. You left for a reason, a real reason" Naruto started "but she ditched us for her boyfriend then started to avoid us. And when we did talk to her, she called Sai was a loner who had no-one to care or love him and that all I was … was a demon holder, who brought disgrace to our village and that everyone hated, that she hated. How do you explain that Sasuke. Were we that insignificant to her? What she said and did wasn't for any reason. She wants to hurt us. "

Sasuke looked at Naruto who was clutching his fists, pain evident on his face. Naruto looked up to the sky, holding back the tears that threatened to fall.

They kept walking towards the pinkette's chakra signature, Sasuke thinking about what Naruto had said. Even when he came back, Sakura never spoke to him but he thought it was because he hurt her so much.

Nearby Sasuke heard splashing, he peered closer to see Sakura bathing in a river. She was wearing a tank top and shorts. She must have them on under her normal clothes thought Sasuke

"Sasuke" Naruto grabbed the black-haired boys arm and tugged on it "what is that on Sakura?"

Sasuke gave him a strange look before turning his eyes to the pink-haired medic. He activated his sharingan to give him a closer inspection.

Sakura slowly rose from the water, her body covered in bruises and scratches. All her make-up had been washed off and underneath Sasuke could see that her lips were swollen; her cheeks were bruised while her she had two black eyes. Team 7 didn't even fight that much to retrieve the scroll, so how had his team-mate gotten those bruises

Sakura wrapped her arms around her body as she shivered in the moonlight.

Being a warm night, Sasuke knew the young girl must have been crying. Sakura turned back to the shore, rubbing her eyes as her breath came out in hiccups.

Sasuke felt movement to his side and noticed Naruto was about to go out. Sasuke quickly pulled the boy back, holding him straight so he didn't make any noise.

Before he could do anything, Sasuke had dragged him away from the scene, back to camp.

"Sasuke, we should go talk to her," he hissed at the black-haired boy.

"No, we need to tell Kakashi-sensei and the others to find out what is the matter with her"

"Fine" Naruto stalked a head, he was confused. He didn't want to care but he knew he always would for Sakura.

Meanwhile Sakura was slowly putting her clothes back on trying not to wince. She started to re-apply her make-up for the umpteenth time that day. Unknowing to her that her team-mates were finding out some of her secrets.

"Kakashi what should we do?" asked Sai, he too felt the same as Naruto. He wanted to, but just couldn't give up on the pinkette.

"We wait and see what happens" the older Jounin said calmly, his face straight as thoughts ran through his head. He wished he had paid Sakura more attention, secretly he felt as if he failed her. He deserved how she was treating him.

"WHAT?" shouted Naruto

"Kakashi is right Naruto," commented Yamoto, "Sakura obviously doesn't want out help or she would have told us so we have to find out ourselves before jumping to conclusions so till then stay quiet"

It was true Yamoto wasn't that close to the members of team 7 but he use to feel close to Sakura. He didn't question her actions, he just put it down to some kind of teenage phase, though it did hurt him a little. He couldn't even bare to comprehend how the rest of the team felt.

"Fine" Naruto said upset. He felt guilty for how he treated Sakura not knowing what was going on her life.

Sakura entered camp feeling tension all around her. A different kind then what she was use to her but she brushed it off and went to sleep, not noticing the sympathetic looks she was getting from the men in her team.

Back at Konoha, Team 7, quickly delivered the scroll to Tsunade. Sakura left the others as soon as the scroll hit her mentor's hand.

The boys decided that they would follow her, hoping to determine the cause of the bruises. They saw Sakura stop by her house to drop her mission bag off before setting off towards one of the training grounds.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow at the scene. Usually after a mission, a ninja would shower, maybe even have a nap, but Sakura seemed in a hurry to get somewhere.

They followed to a training ground where they saw Sakura meet up with her boyfriend.

Sakura walked up to her boyfriend, a nervous smile on her face. She opened her arms to give her a hug but her face fell when a stinging sensation made it's way across her cheek.

"Did you have fun on a mission with five men you slut?" spat Koji, his face red with rage. He pulled the girl close to him, holding by her forearms. Koji tightened his grip on her arms, as she whimpered.

"N-N-Nothing happened Koji-kun," Sakura cried, her face distorting in pain. Koji smirked when he pushed her, making Sakura fall to her knees.

The boys watched as Sakura did nothing. She stood their shaking, her arms up in front of her as she tried to create a barrier between herself and the boy she claimed to love.

Fight him back Sakura. You know you can. thought Sasuke

However, just as the words went through his head, he saw Koji do some hand signs. Sakura kneeled over on the ground, her arms wrapped around herself as she cried out in pain.

Koji knelt down and grabbed the girl by the throat, pulling her up. He quickly grabbed her jumper and yanked it over her head as she tried to steady her breath. Koji grabbed Sakura by the arm and threw her to the floor. She braced herself with her arms as dust flew around her.

On the back of Sakura's shoulder was a strange seal.

Koji placed a hand on Sakura's seal causing the girl more pain. He stepped back watching more bruises from on his girlfriend, admiring his work. Once again, Koji did some more hand signs causing the seal to glow. Sakura bit her lip trying her best not to scream out as much. Tears were pouring down her face as blood leaked from the newly formed cuts her lips.

"So which one did you sleep with?" sneered Koji "Naruto, your 'brother' like team mate, the dirty demon holder, or was it that emotionally retarded one Sai. Oh I know"

Koji's face reddened with anger as he dragged the pained girl to her feet once more. He wrenched her head back, pulling on her hair, so she could meet his bulging eyes.

"Sasuke, right, the village traitor. You use to love him and now you had him all night," he spat at her.

"n-no Koji" pleaded Sakura "N-N-Nothing happened. I'm telling the truth"

Koji sneered at her before head butting her, causing the girl to fly backwards.

"That's Koji-kun, my dear Sakura-chan"

The girl whimpered on the floor, her whole body shaking. She looked at him, fear in her eyes as she nodded.

"You're lucky I have to leave my dear blossom" smirked Koji "we'll finish this later"

Sakura sat on the ground, hugging herself as she cried. Her hand glowed green as she healed up her face.

She felt so weak and useless. She could crumble a city with one fist. Heal an entire army.

But she couldn't get rid of this one man.

No matter how many times she tried to fight back, she'd end up on the floor overcome with immense pain, and she couldn't even find anything on this seal to try and get rid of it.

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He stepped out of where he was hiding and walked towards the crying girl.

Sakura looked up to see not just Sasuke but the rest of her team too.

Scrambling on the floor to find her top, she stopped when someone hugged her from behind. Naruto kneeled down and let the girl fall on him as she sobbed away. His own tears mixing with her's.

"I'm so sorry Naruto" she wept "I'm sorry for the last few years, everything I did, everything I said" she kept apologising over and over again while crying into the blonde shinobi's chest. She clutched on to him. Naruto shook his head as he buried her deeper in his chest.

"It's okay Sakura" he looked up to his team-mates "Sakura why didn't you tell us?" he asked her.

She looked up at Naruto, terror in her broken eyes "he would kill me Naruto, he would murder me if anyone else found out."

The men had never seen this side of Sakura before, even when she was younger, she never let fear over take her like it was doing now.

"Sai" Kakashi ordered, "find out where Koji is and what he is doing"

"Hai" Sai said before disappearing in a swirl of ink

"Kakashi -sensei" Sakura tried getting up, grabbing her sensei's arm "Please… please d-don't do anything. He'll kill me sensei" Sakura started crying again.

"Don't worry Sakura," said Yamoto, placing a hand on her shoulder "we won't let him hurt you anymore"

Naruto placed an arm around the whimpering girl and they all lead Sakura to Hokage tower, letting Tsunade examine the seal.

Sasuke shook his head. He wished he had been more involved in her life when he came back.

Naruto was angry but inside was a slight feeling of relief. Sakura didn't leave him. She was there all along but he failed to recognise the pain she was in. Naruto was angrier with himself then anything else.

Tsunade was pissed when she heard the story. She wondered what happened to her sweet apprentice to change her so much.

"Sakura, I can't believe you were so stupid that you didn't tell anyone," shouted the Hokage, shaking the girl in front of her "you should have came to me sooner"

Sakura face fell as she looked to the ground. Tsunade sighed before she gently turned the girl around to look at the seal on her back.

"Hmm Sakura, this is a forbidden seal" inspected Tsunade, tapping her chin "that is why you couldn't get information on it"

She touched it lightly

"It will take some time to remove it, till then we can't let Koji know we're on to him. If he held it for too long, he could have killed you Sakura," continued the elder woman, "I'll send him on a mission for a few days. Till it is removed"

"How come I can't heal my bruises Tsunade-Sama?" asked Sakura, turning to face her mentor.

"Because in the old times this seal was used on slaves," explained the Hokage "if they were disobedient, owners would activate the seal and the bruises would appear to show others what would happen if they, too were disobedient"

Sakura wiped her tears and put her long sleeved top back on. Sasuke stepped towards the girl.

"Sakura we're going to stop him," he said seriously, holding the medic by her shoulders "he won't get away with hurting you"

Sakura nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. Before she left she hugged Sasuke tightly then turned and hugged the other members of team 7 too. She had missed them so much.

Over the next few days, Tsunade worked on removing the seal from Sakura. Koji was sent on a week's mission to give them sometime.

All of rookie 9 and team Gai were happy to have there old friend back.

Most of them were told about what happened and all wanted to kill the pink-haired kunoichi's 'boyfriend'. They were all really close to each other

Sakura was surprised at how easily her friends had taken her back. She thought they would hate her for how she acted the past few years. But they all understood why she was like that.

It had been the fifth day of Sakura's healing sessions. Sasuke accompanied her to the Hokage's tower. Over the last week, he felt he had learned more about Sakura then he even had since they were genin. He liked to see her smile, and he promised himself that he would protect that smile.

Tsunade drew a seal on top of Sakura's seal and did various hand signs before pressing on the seal.

Sakura screamed in pain. Tsunade bit her lip, she knew she had to heal her pupil but she didn't want to cause the girl pain.

Sasuke immediately stood in front of the crying girl. He placed his hand in hers, squeezing it to give her some support. Sakura squeezed back but soon she had passed out

Once Tsunade stop, she looked at the mark to see that it had disappeared.

She looked over to the black-haired boy and smiled. Tsunade's gaze lingered over the Sasuke's hand, which was still in Sakura's.

Sakura ran to the gate to meet Koji. She was wearing her red sleeveless jacket with her black training shorts and cream skirt over it. Her face clear of all make-up.

Sasuke and the rest of team 7 watched from a distance as Sakura walked up to Koji.

Koji looked Sakura up and down before he dragged her towards the deserted training ground, fury growing within him. Unknowing to him, five men where following them.

Koji pushed Sakura into the training area. Sakura stumbled forward before turning to face her 'boyfriend'.

"How DARE you wear those clothes" he shouted, his eye bulging from his reddened face "so other men can see what belongs to me"

He went to punch Sakura in the face but she pushed his arm away. Koji looked at her in surprise before his anger took over again. He did his hand signs waiting for Sakura to kneel over.

But she just stood there looking at him with a smirk.

His eyes widen when he released his seal was working. Again, he tried the hand signs.

"You can try all you like" smiled Sakura taking her jacket off, to show the tank top below. Baring her shoulders.

Koji snarled when he couldn't see his seal on her.

Sakura glared at him before reaching into her back pocket to get her gloves out.

"I'll enjoy this" she smirked, while putting the protective items on.

Koji paled at the medic nin. He wasn't stupid, he knew her skills. He tried stepping back to run but collided into a chest of steel.

Looking up he peered he saw red eyes that started spinning. He gulped before staggering backwards.

Falling to the ground, her saw team 7 surround him. Each person getting closer. Some were glaring at him, others smirking cynically. He crawled backwards until he felt a pair of legs behind him

"Hmm so I'm just a dirty demon-holder am I?" sneered Naruto, his hand on his hips, "want to meet the kyuubi?"

Koji shook his head. His face started sweating more when he saw an ink snake slither towards him.

"Hmm maybe I should show what I do when I feel … angry is it? See because I don't know what anger is, as I am an..." Sai looked at Koji dead in the eye "...what was it 'emotional retarded' right?"

Again, Koji shook his head, he looked at all the men, not knowing which one to keep his eyes one.

Until he felt a pair of legs behind him.

Sakura dragged Koji to his feet and punched him hard in the face, while everyone watched. "Hmm Koji-kun, this is quite fun actually"

After Sakura had nearly beat Koji to death, ANBU was sent to take him away. It was a criminal offence to use a forbidden seal on any innocent member of the village. The Hokage, however, may have extended his life sentence, as personal thing.

After the day's event, team 7 all went Ichiraku's to celebrate the re-birth of the group.

"To Team 7" said Sakura raising her glass "may we never split up again"

"Like I'm ever going to let that happen," commented Naruto, placing an arm around the girl while taking a swig from his cup. The others followed suit.

"And no more secrets" added Sai looking over to Sakura.

Sakura looked down into her glass "I wish I told you guys sooner just … I was … scared"

"We know but at least it's over with now" smiled Yamoto giving her a gentle pat on the back.

Sakura looked up at her team

"And now I'm never leaving you guys again" she grabbed them all into team hug. Naruto being the only one happy to return it.

The End

A/N: OMG I must have edited this about 50 times and uploaded about 50 times, so glad it is done though