Hello, did you think I was dead? Cause I aint and I'm back this holiday season! Hope you all been well. I have written 9 chapters of this story so far and I will be writing more once winter break start hopefully. I have a few ideas for the war but no worries, I am still not changing the plot line of Naruto. There's just some twists I thought I add.

Alright this chapter is during season 10 I believe? And this is a continuation from my Stirring Emotions story. Remember you can always check my profile for updates on stories I'm working on. Oh and if your curious what my characters look like it's on my deviantart page simplyplain42

Some reminders because I know people get confused with OC stories

Team H consists of:

Iroha Hyuga: sensei, usual team captain, jonin. He is already part of the Naruto universe.

Saryie Hatake: essentially the main character, chunin, taijutsu expert, uses water style ninjutsu, trains with Lee. Her family are farmers and have disowned her, Saryie has issues with her mom, Tsubaki, and has a little brother named Nao. She is not a direct relative of Kakashi, more like second cousins.

Michi Haruki: chunin, defensive fighter, uses Earth style ninjutsu, can summon lizards. Has three younger sisters. The youngest is Aoi who is 4, Airi who is 8, and Miyu who is 12. Airi and Miyu are currently in the ninja academy. His mother name is Akiko Haruki and his father's name is Miruko Haruki.

Azumi Heizu: chunin, long-distance fighter, genjutsu user, uses senbon that are sometimes coated with paralyzing toxins. Azumi has no siblings and her mom is dead. Her father is Isamu Heizu and is handicapped.

With that please enjoy the first chapter of Sharing Emotions!

Spoilers if you haven't gotten to season 10 of Naruto Shippuden.


Sharing Emotions

Chapter 1

It had been a few days since Saryie heard from Sai. She tried to not let it bother her… but she knew something was up with him. He had acted so strangely in their last encounter at the infirmary. She was worried about him and was upset that he hadn't come to see her since.

Saryie tried to push her thoughts of Sai to the back of her mind. There was no use overanalyzing it. Saryie believed he would come back on his own, but a part of her wondered if it was true. Would he really come back to her? Was it all just a façade to him? Saryie didn't know and didn't want to think about it.

She just hoped for the best like she always did. She was glad to be out of the infirmary though. Her stitches were finally healed and the medics were no longer concerned about her head trauma. She was free to lend a helping hand to anyone she could.

Saryie had been initially surprised by the damage done by Pein's attack on Konoha. No buildings had remained standing and rebuilding the village took place in the center of the giant crater that Pein had made. Saryie was astounded at how strong Naruto must have been to defeat Pein. He defeated all six of them and was still in top shape afterwards.

Saryie quickly took on any responsibility that she could as she helped pass out supplies, help the construction workers, help move debris, or help find lost personal items. Saryie was all over the place once she was free from the infirmary, which was the day after Sai came to see her. She was happy to get her hands dirty and help rebuild Konoha.

Saryie was sad to hear that Tsunade was in a coma and that the new Acting Hokage was Danzo. Saryie also heard through the grapevine that Danzo had declared Sasuke Uchiha a rogue shinobi. Saryie wondered how Team 7 was doing with the news. Naruto and Sakura had such a strong bond with Sasuke that Saryie was positive they wouldn't be so happy at accepting the news. She didn't know what they were going to do about it.

"Why so glum?" Michi called, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Saryie looked to her teammate and huffed a sigh. "I'm not." She didn't want to think about it; she just needed a distraction.

"Liar," Michi stated, calmly, reading her like a book. "He still hasn't talked to you?"

"No," Saryie answered shortly as she focused on her task at hand. She was helping Michi and his family rebuild the Haruki compound. They were laying the ground work for the walls that would surround the compound as others of the clan were laying frames for houses.

Michi's eyes narrowed in concern, letting the silence engulf them. "You sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"I'm sure," Saryie answered, softly, pausing in her work. "I'm… not sure what to say anyway… I just told him what happened during the attack… and then he… left."

"Maybe he wasn't sure how to respond," Michi reasoned as he watched Saryie continue laying down cement and bricks for the walls.

"Maybe…" Saryie drawled out. "I think he didn't know what he was feeling… and that's why he left. What if he doesn't want to feel?" Saryie questioned, looking earnestly in Michi's eyes.

Michi tried to smile. "Then you know you did the best you could. Ninja like him, who are programed to be mindless soldiers, they don't know how to adapt when they start tapping into their humanity again. You're going to have to let him go, if he is trying to revert back to being mindless," Michi spoke, carefully.

Saryie sighed once again as she looked up at the sky. She knew Michi was right. She knew she couldn't make someone feel something they didn't want to feel. If Sai wanted to suppress his feelings and revert back to what he was, there was nothing Saryie could do.

Even though it hurt, she wouldn't take back any of her choices she made. She was glad to have met Sai; she was glad to have spent time with him; she was glad she went on a date with him; and she was glad to share her first kiss with him. She wouldn't change how she lived her life. There was nothing to change. There were only things to learn and grow from in life. She can't take back who she was.

"Would you two like some water?"

Michi and Saryie both turned at the offer to see Michi's mom, Akiko, carrying a tray of canteens. She smiled gracefully as Saryie and Michi both nodded. Saryie gave a small smile of gratitude, thankful for the distraction as she grabbed the canteen and began gulping the water down.

"Thanks Mom," Michi commented as he turned back to get to work.

"Sure thing. It's so nice to see you finally working without complaining for once." Akiko gave a light laugh. "I half expected you to sneak off and catch a nap up in a tree early on in this process of rebuilding the village."

"Oh believe me, a nap is still on my mind," Michi mentioned, before yawning. "Actually it be really nice now. If you excuse me…"

"Oh don't even joke with me like that!" Akiko's voice rose, her brow furrowing.

Saryie laughed at Michi teasing his mother, seeing Michi's toothy smirk as he worked. Michi's mother stopped short then, her gaze falling onto Saryie and softening.

"Saryie."

Saryie looked up at Akiko, curiously and was surprised when she received a big hug. Saryie was taken back for a moment before she lightly placed her arms around Michi's mother.

Akiko soon stepped back and smiled gently at Saryie. "I never got a chance to say this, what with all the changes this Village has been going through lately, but I really appreciate what you did during Pein's attack. I am thankful that you are alright and I'm thankful that you are Michi's teammate. Without you, I don't know what might have happened out there to my children," Akiko confessed, her eyes grave.

Saryie gave a soft smile. "No need to thank me. I'm just happy that I was able to help Miyu and Airi get to safety. You guys are like my second family."

Michi's mother smiled as her eyes began to well up with tears. "Yes, you are much a part of this family as my own children. You can come eat, sleep, stay whenever you want in my home."

"Hey… Hey…Let's not get to hasty," Michi spoke, turning back to his mother with his hands up, a playful smile on his face. "I already have three sisters. I don't need an another one."

Saryie cracked a smile at Michi and lightly nudged him. "Awe you know I wouldn't be a bad sister. I wouldn't take up all the hot water in the bathroom, I would save you a bit."

"Tch, add that to my other three sisters and it be cold showers for a week. I hate the cold," Michi muttered as he scratched his head.

"You hate any kind of weather," Saryie commented, with a roll of her eyes.

Michi shrugged as Akiko giggled. "I'll let you two get back to work. No slacking off now Michi. Saryie, I trust you to keep an eye on him," Akiko commented as she left.

"Oh come on! I'm older than her!" Michi whined as Saryie chuckled and nudged him again.

"Get back to work."

They continued working on building the wall to the Haruki compound throughout the day. Saryie made sure Michi didn't slack off and Michi made sure to keep conversation light as to not let Saryie get depressed again. Airi came around during the day as well. Her ankle was all better thanks to Sakura's medical ninjutsu and was running around carefree passing out a few snacks to the workers.

When she stopped at Saryie and Michi, she was excited to inform them how Iruka was taking over construction of the academy. Airi was happy to express that she would be able to get to training again. Saryie was glad to hear it as Michi asked where Miyu was. Airi told Michi how Miyu was helping their dad build their house.

When night time rolled around the wall was almost complete and the frames for the houses were already set in place, as Saryie and the rest of the Haruki clan called it a day. Saryie headed over to her tent which was her temporary living arrangements as the construction workers built new houses. Her tent was small, but had enough room to fit a sleeping mat, desk and a chair. She lit the candle in her lamp as she got ready for bed. She took off her dirty clothes and put on a fresh t-shirt and shorts before she decided to lay down.

She stared up at the ceiling of her tent as her mind wandered back to Sai unwillingly. She soon turned off her lamp and rolled over to fall asleep, hoping the next day would bring a new distraction from the way she felt. She felt at a loss. She didn't know what she could do. She couldn't force others to feel and she definitely can't force others to understand. She had to wait… for either Sai to come to her…. Or for the pain to go away.

The next day at the meal hall for lunch was when word of Lord Danzo, Acting Hokage, was defeated in battle. He was no more and gone from this world. People began theorizing and wondering who the next Hokage would be then.

It came as a shock that the new Hokage who hadn't really taken office yet was already gone. There was a lot of anxious uncertainty in the air. Saryie could feel it in her bones that the Village was unsure of its future without proper leadership. Saryie was concerned as well. She didn't know what Danzo's death meant for Sai. Who would become his new commander? And who was fit enough to become the next Hokage?

Saryie sighed inwardly, feeling her head piling up with questions. She quickly scarfed down her lunch before she and Michi headed back over to the Haruki compound to help anyway they could. They had finished building the wall that morning and were now helping others build the houses for the compound.

Everyone seemed to be talking about the New Hokage. Michi had asked her what she thought of it. Saryie really didn't know. The legendary Sanin were all out of commission it seemed.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru were dead and Lady Tsunade still lay in a coma. The Third Hokage's son, Asuma Sarutobi, was dead too and Konohamaru was much too young. That just left all the possible jonin in the Village.

Shikamaru's dad seemed like a wise choice, but Saryie wasn't sure if he was the strongest of them all. Saryie really wasn't sure who could be the next Hokage. Michi offered that he thought it might be Kakashi since he was the 4th Hokage's student and since he had such a high reputation as a ninja. Saryie contemplated the thought of Kakashi being Hokage. It made sense but she wasn't sure if Kakashi was equipped to be Hokage.

That night Saryie found it to be confirmed. Kakashi was going to be nominated as the New Hokage by the Konoha council, however it wouldn't be confirmed until the next day. As she was walking back to her tent for the night, she spotted Kakashi outside of her tent patiently waiting for her as his nose was in his orange book.

Saryie stopped in front of him and tilted her head curiously.

"Hey."

"Yo," Kakashi greeted, his one eye glancing up from his book.

"Uh… what are you doing here?" Saryie asked, bluntly.

"Came to see how you are holding up. I'm pleased to see you're no longer in the infirmary," Kakashi mentioned, briefly.

"I'm doing just fine," Saryie answered, her face somber.

Kakashi studied her face a bit longer, before his eye drifted back to his book. "Is that so…?"

"Yes." Saryie voiced, irritated at being challenged.

"Perhaps we should talk inside."

"Whatever you say." Saryie agreed as she headed into her tent first, pulling the flap away to enter.

Kakashi followed after her and glanced around as he placed his book back into his pouch at his hip. He folded his arms as his eye drifted back to Saryie who was staring at him evenly.

"So I suppose you heard the news?"

"That you're going to become Hokage?"

"Yes there's that…" Kakashi admitted bashfully, as he huffed a cough. "But there's other news that I'm actually referring too."

"What other news?" Saryie looked skeptically at Kakashi, trying to prepare herself.

"That Lord Danzo is dead; he was attacked after the Five Kage summit."

"Yea, I heard about that, so?"

"Sasuke Uchiha had killed him," Kakashi stated, evenly.

Saryie's eyes widened as Kakashi continued.

"It's no secret that Lord Danzo had declared Sasuke a traitor to Konoha to all the nations before his passing. Naruto had attempted to change the minds of one of the Kage to excuse Sasuke's actions. I had left in the company of Naruto and Yamato to accomplish this. Afterwards, when Naruto's pleadings had failed we were met by Sakura, Lee, Kiba, and Sai. Their arrival was unclear as Sakura attempted to confess her love to Naruto."

Saryie looked taken back and confused as Kakashi continued.

"Naruto didn't buy Sakura's act and they left assumingly to Konoha."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Saryie asked, perplex.

Kakashi sighed. "I know you have some form of a relationship with Sai, correct?"

Saryie nodded, hesitantly as she bit her lip.

"You haven't spoken to him in a bit right?" Kakashi continued to question, probing for information.

"Right," Saryie barely managed to say.

"I figured as much." Kakashi nodded in agreement. "I could tell Sai had a lot on his mind the days before the Kage Summit. He seemed to be struggling internally. I had talked with him before I left with Yamato and Naruto. He was divided and confused where his loyalties lie. Danzo had ordered him to spy on Naruto but I could see in his eyes that he was unwilling to follow that order. I had asked him as member of Team Kakashi to not sell his comrades out when he knew Naruto was going to leave Konoha. And you know what?"

Saryie shook her head as she stared wide-eyed at Kakashi.

"He didn't sell his team out. He chose to keep the bonds he had formed with Naruto and Sakura intact and tried to do what was best for his comrades."

Saryie could feel her stomach starting to twist. "Is Sai alright?" Concern was growing in her mind.

"Sai is perfectly fine." Kakashi reassured her with a smile under his mask. "I just wanted to inform you that Sai may not understand completely his emotions, but he is starting to develop them more and more. He has chosen where his loyalties lie and I believe he was able to make that choice because of you. I think you have helped him grow as an individual and I thought you should know that."

Saryie's eyes slightly filled with tears but didn't let them fall from her eyes as she tried to push her feelings down. She was happy for Sai for choosing his comrades and for helping him feel something towards others instead of being distant to them.

Kakashi watched Saryie silently as she smiled lightly at Kakashi, trying to hold on to a brave face. Even if Sai chose to keep his bonds with his comrades, it didn't necessarily mean he had chosen her. It didn't mean he chose to be with her again and that part saddened her. If he had decided to feel something towards her again, he would have come to tell her this himself instead of Kakashi.

"Saryie."

Saryie looked back up at Kakashi's one visible eye that no doubt could see all her hurt in her eyes.

"Give it time. He's not used to feeling such emotion and doesn't understand most of what he's feeling. When I talked to him, he had mentioned you. He sounded very disheartened about your fight with Pein. I don't think he's ever felt that way with somebody. He may be distant towards you at the moment, but I believe he is still sorting out his emotions. Don't get discouraged," Kakashi advised, with a light tone.

Saryie blinked rapidly as the tears in her eyes began to disappear. She smiled fully now at Kakashi.

"Thanks Kakashi."

"Anytime kid." Kakashi returned her smile.

"I can't believe you're going to be Hokage," Saryie remarked, in better spirits.

Kakashi sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "Don't remind me."

"If you become Hokage, can I finally get an A rank mission?" Saryie pestered.

"No," Kakashi answered shortly, giving her a dry look.

"Oh come on!"

Saryie whined as the night came to a close and Kakashi left to get some rest. She knew she was going to have to be patient until Sai came back to her. She was going to stay positive no matter what.


End of the first chapter to chapter 1 of this sequel. I know it's a lot of information in the chapter, but a lot of stuff happens right after the war.

No Sai at the moment but he's coming back no worries. Hopefully Kakashi doesn't seem out of character. If you are all confused about this chapter, then you didn't read my last story Stirring Emotions. Stay tune for the next chapter.

Let me know about the start of this sequel and what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do own Saryie, Michi, and Azumi.