A/N: Hi there!

So this is my debut onto fanfiction! a.k.a. my first story. So please be nice, but I would love for constructive criticism!

The story is a simple one-shot, this is mostly likely all I will write for awhile unless another idea pops into my head and demands to be written.

Enjoy!

The rain fell slowly, creating a translucent veil between the kunoichi and the horizon.

The kunoichi was soaked to the core and only through her circulating chakra did she manage to stay warm. Her pink hair was plastered to her face. A cloak hid her body from view. The cloak was large on her, encasing her arms and legs. The kunoichi paused her walking for a moment and looked up. The small drops of water hit her face one after another. However, she refused to let the chilling water deter her from her mission.

Her mission was not assigned by her Hokage or a superior during the chaos of war. It is a mission she gave herself. She left her home, her friends, her calling. Gone to her is the village bustling with activity, while loyally being protected by its shinobi. She can no longer see the smiling face of Naruto, the forever present scowl on Sasuke's face, or Kaka-sensei's eye smile. Instead, those images are replaced by Naruto's frantic movements as he fought to keep an enraged Sasuke away from her and Kaka-sensei's indifferent look as he escorted her to the edge of Hi no Kuni and Nami no Kuni. Tsunade-shishou's disappointed frown and exhausted appearance are the only images the kunoichi can bring forth from her memory and it shames her to realize her actions caused these results.

She is dead to the world. Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Tsunade are the only ones in Konoha who know the truth. Tsunade marked her as KIA instead of as a Ronin and the kunoichi will be forever grateful for that. She would rather physically die before being marked as a Ronin.

The kunoichi looked up, dragged out of her musings as a familiar chakra signature became known to her. She had reached the shelter in Nami no Kuni quicker than she expected. Just minutes later she can make out the silhouette of a tall, imposing shinobi. She tentatively brushed her chakra against his and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

As she began walking towards the shinobi she realized that she couldn't feel his signature. She continued walking, desperately grasping all her years of training as a kunoichi in order to stay calm.

"Sakura…"

Sakura froze. Never in all her years knowing the shinobi did he ever call her by her name. It was always Kunoichi or whatever nickname he would chose for the day.

"Kisame?" An anxious note became obvious in her tone.

So much information was given in this simple exchange of names. Something was wrong, and Sakura wanted to know now. If he didn't tell her now, heads would roll.

"He's gone, passed away yesterday." Sorrow, anger, and regret distorted Kisame's face briefly. His voice stayed level and unemotional except for a hitch of breath.

His reaction paled in comparison to hers. Sakura fell to the ground, gasping in short bursts of air. Her cloak billowed open and her knees landed on the muddy ground. She dug her fingers into the ground as her body spasmed in the wake of her emotional pain. She stared at the ground with wide eyes.

Not long ago, Kisame contacted her during an escort mission. His only words were "it's his time."

That was the spark that created the fire.

Unsurprisingly, Sasuke put two and two together and realized the significance of past events. It took the combined strength of Naruto and Kakashi to keep him from attacking her in his blind rage. They quickly returned to Konoha to see Tsunade.

~Flashback~

Sakura entered quietly behind Naruto, Kakashi followed her and Sasuke followed him. Tsunade looked up from her desk and attempted to hide her sake bottle. Her annoyed gaze quickly turned quizzical when she realized Naruto wasn't talking, or shouting, or complaining about annoying escort missions. She imploringly met Kakashi's gaze and frowned.

"Well what did Naruto do now?"

"It wasn't Naruto, Hokage-sama." Kakashi glanced at Sakura, "It's Sakura."

Tsunade frowned seemed to deepen in response to Kakashi's terse words.

"Sasuke, Naruto, leave."

Sasuke left abruptly but Naruto lingered behind.

"Tsunade-baa-chan, don't…" He sighed, not knowing exactly what he wanted to say. "I'm sure it'll be okay, Sakura-chan."

He didn't sound so sure.

After Naruto left Tsunade turned to Sakura, "Explain."

Sakura stared on ahead and breathed in, "I am romantically attached to Uchiha Itachi. I have been seeing him for the past few months."

The room was deathly quiet for a long and antagonizing moment. The unnatural silence was broken by the Hokage slamming her fist on her desk. Her sake bottle tipped over rolling before it spilled onto the ground and shattered.

"What were you thinking Sakura? Do you realize what this means?" Tsunade's voice vibrated through the small pink haired kunoichi.

"No, Shishou." Sakura murmured back dutifully.

Tsunade rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and pointer finger.

"We could forget this whole thing ever happened, that you didn't fraternize with a Ronin, let alone an Akatsuki." Tsunade mused while Kakashi stood quietly.

"Sasuke wouldn't allow that, Shishou.

"I wouldn't allow it."

Tsunade eyed Sakura, eyebrows drawn together.

"Sakura," Tsunade spoke hesitantly, "if you were forced to choose Konoha or Itachi. Who would you choose?" Tsunade fisted her hand, "don't lie to me."

Sakura face drew together in shame and she focused her gaze onto a old stain on the floor, "I would chose Itachi, Shishou."

Kakashi let out a sigh, the only sound he made the whole exchange.

"Dammit, Sakura." Tsunade slumped back against her chair, "What are we going to do with you?"

No one spoke for hour long minutes.

"Sakura, look at me." Tsunade's tone left no room for argument. "You will be labeled as Killed In Action. A Ronin disposed of you during your last mission." Tsunade ignored Sakura's wince at her offhanded wording. "No Hunter-Nins will be sent after you, and as long as you avoid Konoha, Konoha will avoid you."

"Hai, Shishou." Sakura spoke to the ground again.

"Hokage-sama." Sakura looked up in alarm, "I am not your shishou anymore." Tsunade studied Sakura attentively, gauging her every action.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Sakura's face contorted to a grimace.

"Good. Kakashi, escort Sakura out of Hi no Kuni."

"Hai, Godaime-sama." Kakashi walked to the door and stopped, looking expectantly at Sakura.

"Wait." Tsunade spoke quietly.

Sakura turned, her gaze hopeful.

"Give me your Hitai-ate."

Sakura closed her eyes, her breathing quickening before she schooled her emotions back into line. She reached up to the back of her head and untied her Leaf insignia. She dropped it into Tsunade's waiting hand and quickly followed Kakashi out of the office.

"Goodbye, Sakura…" Tsunade's quiet murmur went unheard.

~End flashback~

"Sakura." Kisame's voice interrupted her memories.

"I didn't know if you would come or not. I buried him."

Sakura nodded, sitting up before she fell back until she was sitting on her feet. She placed her muddy hands on her equally muddy knees.

A blue hand adorned with a single Akatsuki ring was offered to her.

"Come. I'll show you his grave."

Sakura nodded and whipped the tears out of her eyes, smearing mud on her face. She grasped his hand and allowed him to pull her up. She staggered uncertainly forward, nearly falling before Kisame grasped her forearm.

They walked until they came to a clearing. The clearing was unremarkable except for upturn dirt beneath a slab of stone decorated with some sort of hand carved inscription.

The sun was still hidden by the clouds, but the rain had ceased. Sakura walked forward while Kisame stayed respectfully behind. She kneeled in front of the patch of upturned dirt, eyes too clouded to read what Kisame wrote.

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