I wake up in the forest, lying on my back, looking up through the trees. It's still pretty dark so I guess it's early morning. I try to remember what I am doing here. Why I am in the forest alone, and by the stiffness in my muscles as I try to sit up, I can tell I have been here all night. I pull myself up against a tree trying to remember, alert to my surroundings. I can only seem to remember a few things.

One, I am a skilled kunoichi. If I had to guess, I'd say I am about jounin level, if my chakra is anything to go by. I remember all of the jutsu I have learned, but I can't remember who taught me.

'I wonder what village I'm from.' I think vaguely, assessing my surroundings.

The thought snapped me from my daze. Well, it looks like I remember about the villages and the shinobi system. But where am I from and why can't I remember? I mentally slap myself for losing it.

'Ok, clam down' I think to myself. 'Panicking won't help, just clam down and think. What else do I remember?'

I look up at the trees rustling in the wind, thinking about how I got into this situation, and not having much luck. I look around trying to find something I might recognize. It's definitely early morning, there is hardly any light and the air is cool. I see the tall trees standing all around me; it is definitely an old forest. The leaves and grass rustle quietly in the wind. It isn't scary though, the breeze is almost calming. I start flexing my arms and mentally slap myself again.

I'm so stiff I can barely move! What if I'm attacked! I need to loosen up so I can at least run if I have to.

I start to move my shoulders a bit, then bend my arms. I listen to the leaves blowing in the wind, the birds chirping, the crinkling paper…

Wait, paper?

I look around again and see a bag lying next to me.

'I must have leaned on it and crushed something,' I think to myself

I reach over and pull it to my side; it is a simple brown shoulder bag. My stomach feels a bit strange as I lean over, but I push the thought aside to look through the bag. A crumpled note fell out of the bag as I opened it. The note was kind of scribbled, like whoever wrote it was in a hurry. I open and smooth out the paper so I can read it, but right away my attention is drawn to the bottom of the paper. At end of the note, there is a bloody finger print. I tear my eyes away from the blood and read the note.

Saya,

Go to Konoha, Talk to Lady Tsunade.

Jiro will be waiting for you at the gate; he will take you straight to her.

Tell her to have Inochi unblock your memories.

You'll know what to do from there.

I love you.

….

…

..

.

Huh?

Well… that answers some questions I guess.

Ok, so my name is Saya, and by the sound of it, whoever wrote this note knows what's happened to my memories and this Inochi person knows how to get them back.

You'll know what to do from there. I reread the line.

'Am I on some kind of mission?' I wonder.

'And who wrote this saying I love you?'

An image suddenly flashes in my mind, an image of a man with black hair, pulled back in a low ponytail. He's wearing what looks like a black cloak with red clouds. He's tall, I think, strong looking, though not bulky. But what captures my attention are his eyes. They're black as midnight, but so soft and filled with love, that I immediately know he must be the one who wrote me that note.

'So it looks like I should head to this Konoha.' I think, wanting to know more about this raven haired man. But how do I get there? That's the next problem, I ponder in my head.

I look through the bag again, there are some clothes, some food and water, a compass, a thick envelope, and, aha, a map. The map had two spots circled on it. One circle was labeled Konoha, even though there was nothing there.

'Well, there must be something there,' I think. 'So the other circle must be where I am. Well that was easy enough. I guess whoever that man is really wants me to get to this village.'

I put the compass and map back into the bag and grab the envelope. I open it and inside there is only a scroll. On it says "Lady Tsunade."

'Ok I guess I am supposed to give this to her.'

I close the envelope and put it back in the bag. I take out some of the food and eat a bit before I go. The sun has risen a bit more and I can see a little better. I think I can see a beach a little ways off. I keep thinking a bit about what I am supposed to be doing, there seems to be something more important that I am forgetting. My musing is cut off by the sound of wings. I look up, and sitting in the tree in front of me, is a raven.

It doesn't do anything, just sits there and looks at me. Normally, I would think this is strange, but my situation is hardly normal, and there is something comforting about the raven's black eyes. Suddenly the same image pops into my head again, the man with the dark but soft eyes. But this time, a name comes with the image, Itachi.

I know then that he needs my help in some way. I start to put everything back into the bag. It's then that I notice for the first time what I am wearing. I'm wearing standard black shinobi sandals with black jounin pants that are slightly loose. Now that isn't unusual, but what gets my attention is my shirt. It's a normal blue shirt that ties around the waist, but it seems longer than it should be, about mid-thigh length, and a bit tight around the middle.

I mentally pound myself yet again for not paying attention to myself and my surroundings. I mean, I know it was still kind of dark when I woke up, but it was light enough that I could see the note. And I'm a shinobi for crying out loud! I should have noticed!

And what, might you ask am I mentally yelling at myself for? Well, I just happen to remember the most important thing

I'm six months pregnant.