Sunlight beamed in through the window, creating heat rays over the comforter of the young woman's bed. She lie there, in peaceful slumber, her rosette strands sprawled out amongst the pillow tops, and over her shoulder only slightly. Her body was neatly tucked into itself, with one hand palm up next to her head. A soft groan rasped through her vocal chords as a ray of sunshine grazed over the closed lids of her sea foam eyes.

She blinked twice, bringing her nimble wrists up to shield her eyes from the unwelcomed light. She rolled over, a sigh emitting from the depths of her lungs. The young kunoichi sat up, looking back to the window, her eyes landing on a crow that seemed to flit graciously across the bright blue sky.

"At least its nice out today," She commented aloud. There was no one around, there hadn't been for quite some time. And it comforted Sakura to hear some sort of voice, even if it was just her own. Over time she had grown accustomed to the quietness that reverberated through out the plain walls of her apartment.

The girl untangled her limbs from the blankets she was currently draped under, twitching slightly as her bare feet met with the cold, hard wood floor. Sakura readied herself, having showered the night before, tying her proctor to its usual place atop her cranium, and slipping into her not-quite knee high boots. With the lick of a lock behind her and a medium sized tan backpack placed upon her shoulders, she quietly made her way to the village gates, hoping she wasn't the first one there.

Though it wasn't uncommon.

Sakura began to think, on her little trek alone. About how far she had come as an individual, and more importantly, how far Naruto had come as well. There was a portion of their lives that was spent apart. Since their genine years… Sakura had become the 5ths prized pupil and Head at the villages hospital. Not only that, but she had ranked up to jounin and was given an offer to join the ANBU corps as one of their lead medics for a squad. While she was incredibly flattered, she had turned the offer down, at least for the time being, for reasons like wanting to continue learning all she could in the medical field. For so long she trained herself to become such a kunoichi that she was no longer under estimated, and that she was no longer a burden.

And Naruto had matured, and grown. Training under Jiraiya for three years and coaching the village genine once he returned, when he wasn't on missions of course, had really set the boy straight. He was determined, and strong-willed. Sakura shifted her gaze, remembering his promise to bring their beloved Sasuke back to the village. There wasn't a day that passed where she ever recalled losing faith in him. And there wasn't a day that he quit.

In the end however, it was Sasuke that surprised them all.

Despite his best efforts to stay away from all things leaf in the previous 4 years, the boy had ultimately returned on his own accord. At that point in time, he was a missing nin, and his past relationship as team seven and their efforts to bring him home, meant nothing and he would be treated as such. Sasuke was confined, questioned, and punished for the trouble he had caused, and he had taken every bit of it in stride and respect.

Now, he roamed the village as a citizen and shinobi. Tsunade would have been a fool to disallow him to fight for their village. He was a valuable asset that no other village had. His reasons for returning, you may wonder? Sasuke was no idiot.

To fulfill his revenge, he would need to put an end to Itachi Uchihas life. Plain and simple. Itachi however, just so happened to have been given the task to retrieve Sasukes former teammate and friend. The younger Uchiha figured he would have a better chance of running into his tormentor this way, rather than searching for him on his own.

Though Sasuke had made one thing extremely clear, and no one ever bothered to argue him on this matter: If they did happen to run into Itachi out on a mission, no one was to lay a hand on him, unless otherwise attacked. He wanted nothing more than to watch his brothers blood spill from every opening in his body, and grant him the most painful death he was able.

That was his dream. And though slightly morbid, who was to keep him from it? Surly not his friends.

Sakura sighed, recalling these things, but another's presence pulled her from her thoughts. And if it wasn't the Uchiha himself. She paused mid step, having hardly noticed his still figure. He was leaned up against the village gates, his arms crossed over his chest, and his head angled towards the ground. From here, Sakura could tell that his eyes were closed, though with deeper analyzing she knew he wasn't sleeping.

His hair had fallen over his face, almost concealing his features. He was handsome and she knew it.

Though her feelings for the ninja before had long since dwindled out.

She hadn't realized that he was now looking up to meet her observing gaze. He let out a deep breath, his own pupils flashing between hers before his deep, velvet voice broke their silence, "Sakura."

The kunoichi had almost forgotten that this was his first official mission since his return, "Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

She offered a soft smile and the slightest of waves as she stepped closer. Silently she wondered if he was excited to be on a team again, with the original members of team seven no less. There was a lot she wanted to ask him, and he could feel it. But after her soft reply the conversation ended and they were surrounded by the melody of dawn once again.

She scuffed the dirt beneath her toes, swaying slightly as to avoid standing there awkwardly. Time passed and slowly more squad members filed in, until all 5 were present. Team seven plus one; Shikamaru.

"Alright," Kakashi started, "The Lord Kazekage has requested aid in their village. "He paused, scanning the familiar faces, "This is an 8 day mission, any longer and another squad will be sent to retrieve us…understood?"

They all nodded, more than ready to get on the road. They all knew the majority of the time they would be traveling. While Sand wasn't all that far, it was indeed, far enough. Not to mention they would be passing awfully close to sound on their way there and back.

Without another word, Kakashi began to walk away from the gates of Konoha, the others falling in step behind him.