Hiya! So, I didn't have my laptop for three weeks! It was in getting a new battery and a new d: drive over the Christmas period, since I actually had the money to do so. But I did some writing on paper, and I've been transcribing it over now that I have my laptop back. :) This was a small drabble that occurred to me after I read a few time travel fics on my phone. I'm still transferring the stuff I wrote over, but this was ready, so I decided to post it now.
In any case, disclaimer that I don't own Naruto, and a warning that you might need a tissue. Seriously, though, I wish I'd had that warning, because I made myself cry when I was finishing this up. :'(
And Time Came Round Again
Neji was minding his own business (he really was) when it happened. One moment he was leaping through the trees, returning to the village from a solo mission, the next, he was flung back as a chakra explosion erupted almost directly in front of him. There'd been no hint of it, not a single warning, despite not having his byakugan activated. Even without it, there should have been some sign, but there had been nothing.
There was an overload of chakra emanating from where it had happened, and Neji could feel it permeating him, though he had no idea how it was doing that. There was nothing he could do about it, except get treatment once he returned to the village, but in the meantime, he was obliged to investigate what had happened. And what was happening. Right in the middle of where the explosion had occurred, the basic outline of a person appeared.
Rather quickly, that outline became an actual person, a male, roughly six foot, twenty-seven to thirty years old. Neji instinctively took note of the man's features, also noting the scratched Kiri hitai-ate on his head. He immediately moved into a defensive stance, but the nukenin ignored him, taking off immediately. The Hyuuga prodigy would have given chase, but four more outlines appeared, then coalesced into four Leaf ANBU operatives.
"Where's the target?" one with a dog mask immediately spoke, and a cat masked ANBU pointed in the direction the nukenin had taken off in.
"Cat, Bear, track him down, I'll be there in a minute." The two ANBU in question immediately took off. "Fox, it seems there's an eyewitness," the ANBU who seemed to be the Captain spoke. "Check him for chakra residue. Hyuuga, over here, now."
Years of automatically following his superior's orders had Neji moving over to them without question. "Fox," the Captain said. "Can you handle this? Fox? Fox!"
The Fox ANBU had been staring at him, Neji realised belatedly. "Sorry, taichou," the ANBU spoke, their voice feminine. "Hyuuga, this way, I need to check you over."
"I'm heading out after Cat and Bear," the Captain said. "Get rid of the chakra, Fox, then send him off. We'll be back as soon as we acquire the target."
"Yes, taichou," Fox said, and then Neji was alone with the ANBU.
"Sit over here," Fox said, indicating to a fallen log.
Neji sat and watched as the ANBU approached him, hands glowing green. A medic, then. The way she worked on him filled him with a sense of familiarity, and he wondered if he knew her. Not that he would ask, she was ANBU, after all. No one was supposed to know who they were. The glowing hands hovered over him in diagnostic mode, before a hand came down to rest on his chest so she could begin eliminating the chakra they'd spoken of.
Years of training to notice things allowed Neji to realise that the ANBU was shaking slightly as she healed him. There were few who would even notice such a thing, she hid it well. His observation skills were almost unparalleled, though.
"Are you alright, ANBU-san?" he asked. "Your hand is shaking slightly."
"Oh! Uh… side effect of the chakra," she told him, and Neji wasn't entirely sure that was true. "How are you feeling, Hyuuga-san? Any dizziness or shaking yourself?"
"A little nausea," Neji admitted. "No shaking, though."
She nodded and concentrated on the healing. The minutes ticked by, then she said, "Sorry I was staring at you before. You just… You remind me of someone I knew once, someone who… who died. He, um… He was a Hyuuga, like you."
Neji tried to think of his family members who might have died in the last decade, with a few who came to mind. She seemed to realise what he was thinking (though how, he had no idea) and said, "It was a long time ago, during the war."
"Ah."
Then this kunoichi might be older than he'd been mentally calculating. He'd thought she might be in her early twenties, but if she'd lost her Hyuuga friend in the third shinobi war, then she might be older, perhaps in her thirties, then. He knew that Gai-sensei was about thirty at the moment, though he'd denied it vehemently when Tenten had brought it up the other week.
"I've nearly finished," she murmured. "There's quite a bit of the chakra here… Were you standing right next to it or something?"
"If you mean the chakra explosion, it happened almost directly in front of me," Neji told her.
"That would do it," she said.
She was rather chatty for an ANBU, Neji decided, especially when she asked, "So, how old are you, Hyuuga? Sixteen, maybe?"
"Seventeen, ANBU-san," he replied, and she sighed.
"Aah, I miss being seventeen," she said. "So young and naive to the world, despite everything going on around me… Got yourself a girlfriend, Hyuuga?"
A wistful image of pink hair flitted though his mind, and Neji stiffened slightly at the question. The ANBU noticed though, and was immediately apologising. "Sorry if I'm being too forward, Hyuuga-san," she spoke. "Just trying to alleviate any tension. Aah! There you go. All fixed up now. Still nauseas?"
"A little," Neji admitted, feeling that sensation of familiarity wash over him again.
He realised then that her manner was rather similar to a certain medic nin he knew, but she was definitely not in ANBU. "The feeling should pass, Hyuuga-san," she told him. "Just stay seated for at least ten minutes, then you should be fine."
They stayed there for awhile, Neji sitting stiffly on the log, wondering at how much she reminded him of Sakura, feeling uncomfortable as the ANBU tried not to be too obvious with her staring. After about ten minutes, Neji was about to speak up about heading back to the village, when suddenly the ANBU captain was there. Fox jumped up and immediately went over to check on him.
"Everything's done," the Captain said as Fox healed his minor wounds. "Is he clear of the chakra?"
"All of it is purged from his system," Fox said, stepping back once her job was done. "He's good to go."
The Captain turned to him. "Head back to the village now," he said. "I don't think I need to stress with you the need to not mention this to anyone."
Neji nodded and stood. "I understand, ANBU-taichou," he said, bowing slightly.
Neji took off then, resuming his course back to the village. Before he was out of range, he gave in to his curiosity and activated his byakugan, looking back to see Fox, leaning into her Captain as if for support. She was shaking… crying, Neji realised. Quickly deactivating his kekkei genkai, he quickened his pace and resolved to put this matter behind him.
OoOoO
Sakura tried to hold back her tears, but when Kakashi opened his arms, she fell into them immediately, letting loose her sobs. It had been so unexpected, to see him here. After all these years, having to put his death behind her, to move on, when the two of them hadn't really been able to… Her heart twisted and she sobbed harder, oblivious to her returning team mates, their target flung over Yamato's shoulder.
Yamato and Sai stood by awkwardly as Sakura cried, until Sai hesitantly spoke up, "Perhaps it would be best if we returned. I… I know Ino-chan will be willing to assist in comforting you."
Sakura pulled away from Kakashi, trying to get a hold of herself. "Y-yes," she stuttered. "We should d-definitely go now."
"Will you be alright, Sakura?" Yamato asked, and she nodded.
As they headed off to a secluded area to begin the trip home, Sakura thought briefly on why they were there. Orochimaru had sent a message, telling them that a nukenin had stolen some research into time travel that he had. It had taken them months, but they'd finally managed to track him down, just as he was attempting the time travelling jutsu.
Thanks to the research they'd done, they were able to do their own jutsu, and even managed to turn up exactly when he had. Now they had to get the nukenin back and destroy all evidence and research for the jutsu. Orochimaru hadn't been happy with that part, but it was necessary in exchange for their help.
"Alright, everyone ready?" Kakashi asked, then he and Sai started up the jutsu.
Sakura smiled softly at the idea of seeing her daughter soon, and, if reports were correct, maybe her husband as well.
They vanished in a flash of light, back to the future.
So what did you think? It was sad at that one point, wasn't it? This is my NejiSaku head-cannon. If it weren't for the fact that he died, he could have ended up with her. :(
Any way, reviews would be greatly appreciated. :)