Alrighty guys! new story!! w00t! :P

hope you guys like this one, its a semi long chapter for me ^_^; but i really hope you like it. This ones kinda different... harder to get, most of it is based around this ONE (yes seirously one) song i wanted to use so it'll be pretty random. but hey, it'll be interesting ^_^ Tell me what you think of this one and oh! why your at it!!!

Go to FictionPress . com and look up "Punching-at-lies" and read Past the Hollow Tree its an actual story i wrote and i want reviews! xD yes i'm greedy...

oh and another IMPORTANT THING here's what Sakura looks/dresses like in this story
deviantart .com/art/Naruto-and-Sakura-Future-76714754 (Just no space)

Chapter One:

From Past to Present

Tsunade looked at the mission statement in front of her and then to her student, "Sai requested you for a mission." she whispered softly, a smirk across her lips as she put down the folder. Sakura's mask was solid, unbreakable as she stared at her sensei.

Sakura's eyebrow raised slightly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her head, "He did what?" she asked quietly. Tsunade handed her the file for Sakura to look over.

Tsunade looked over at her student, her eyes calculating the past and the present. Haruno Sakura, age 14, a die hard Uchiha fan girl. Short pastel hair, emerald eyes glowing with innocence, over sized forehead, her body still awkward with her. Wanting to become a medic because she was to weak to save them with their own hands. Chakra control seemed to be the only thing she could handle as a ninja. A kunoichi who wore her heart on her sleeve.

Time has changed from then, and it was easy to see. The woman sitting in front of her hand changed greatly. Long light pink haired waving lightly from long periods kept in a pony tail cascaded down her shoulders, glowing green eyes glowed with wisdom instead of innocence. Her face hand grew into her forehead, her whole body maturing beautifully to become one of the most beautiful women in the village. Haruno Sakura, age 20, second in command of the ANBU squads: talented in taijustu, ninjutsu, and chakra control. Sakura had become great at hiding her emotions,one of the best.

Tsunade let her eyebrow quirk up as she looked at her pastel haired student, trying hard to find even the slightest emotion in her emerald eyes. Nothing. Smirking slightly Tsunade sighed, "Sakura, you can let your guard down with me." and with that simple statement confusion and pride flooded her eyes. "What do you think?" she asked about the mission.

Saskura shut the folder and set it in her lap as she crossed her legs, "Honestly..." she whispered quietly her eyes narrowing, "I think there's something you're not telling me. Or that the mission is rigged one way or another." she was quiet giving Tsunade a deadly look.

Tsunade laughed, "Sakura, you're always suspicious of missions, especially involving Sai." she muttered simply a light smirk gracing her lips, Sakura returning it joyfully. "Go talk to Sai tonight, tell me what you think in a couple days. I need you guys out of here A.s.a.p if you're leaving." Sakura stood up with a nod leaving the room silently. She's grown so much in five years... I just wish she'd understand certain things.

Sakura stopped outside of the office giving a heavy sigh, putting the folder in her backpack she put back on her emotionless mask as she walked down the street. The village hasn't changed too much in the seven years Sasuke's been gone. Looking up to the cotton ball sky Sakura smirked, Naruto had brought Sasuke back three years ago when Orochimaru's time limit was up, but the Uchiha was quick to escape.

With her hands in her white jacket she walked along the street, her mind wandered silently. Everyone from the rookie nine had graduated as a jounin and worked either for ANBU or as a teacher in the Chuunin exams. "Sakura-chan." Slowly turning around Sakura was surprised to see the man behind her.

"Ah, Yamato-san!" she called happily seeing the dark haired man now in front of her. Giving a half smile she muttered, "I didn't expect you back so soon." Yamato held his head high next to the young woman and gave a soft smile. "Something wrong?" she asked quietly.

He didn't move his head but his smile became forced, "Iruka-san... he's looking for you." Sakura's eyes hid all her emotions quickly as she gave a nod and began walking the opposite direction she was headed. "Sakura-chan?" Yamato asked quietly as she passed him, her long hair blowing in the wind, tied in a loose pony just at the end. "Please... be ok."

Sakura said nothing as she kept walking, her hands clenched into hidden fists in her pockets. Something isn't right... she muttered as she closed her eyes, chakra bouncing into her feet exploding her up onto the roofs as she began running. Iruka what the hell is going on... she thought as her speed increased becoming almost blinding as she kept running.

Hearing slight tapping at his roof Iruka walked to the door. Opening it to see nothing his brown eyes opened wide. "Iruka, you shouldn't leave your window open." A voice whispered from behind him. Iruka spun around grabbing a kunai from his pocket and holding it out in defense. Sakura smirked sitting on his couch looking over to him with sharp eyes, "Yamato-san said you wanted to talk to me?" she asked as she watched him calm down.

Iruka took a breath, "Sakura... you scared me." he whispered as he put the kunai down and gave a sigh as her eyes narrowed even more, he was dodging the question.

"Iruka..." she growled, "What did you want to talk to me about?" her snapped as he sat across from her.

Iruka sat silently and looked at the kunoichi with calculating eyes. Please... any emotion just anything, show me you're still alive in there Sakura. He watched her eyes slowly, almost an undetectable amount, grow in annoyance. Thank you. Clearing his throat his eyes met hers, "Since Kakashi's death," he watched her flinch, his name was the one thing that ever made her break her mask, even Iruka choked up. Clearing his throat again he whispered, "Since Kakashi's death you no longer have a guardian."

Sakura was silent. Her parents made it very clear in their will that they wouldn't allow Sakura to be without a guardian until she was 21, and because she was a ninja they could only ask a ninja to take care of her. Not trusting many of her friends with her personal life secrets, so she didn't have many options. She gave a sigh and looked at the dark haired man, "Who are my choices?"

He bowed his head, "You already turned down Tsunade-sama, Sakura." he whispered softly.

With her elbows on her knees and her fingers laced in front of her face, "She has to much work, she doesn't need to worry about me." Sakura said in a stern voice, her eyes sharp as they glanced at her old sensei. "Who else?"

Iruka looked down and closed his eyes thinking about who was qualified by the Haruno parent's qualifications. "The Hyuuga family... even Neji might work. Any one older then you with a strong linage is what your parents asked for. The Nara family, maybe even Yamanaka..."

Sakura closed her eyes, Living with Ino... that could be a trouble... Looking up she let him continue with the list he had thought of over and over before.

"Legally i cant choose for you Sakura... but please reconsider Tsunade-sama..." he asked but seeing Sakura's eyes narrow he knew she never would. Sighing he went back to his mental list, "Aburami family maybe?" Sakura closed her eyes and shook her head, "Do you have anyone in mind?"

I'm going to regret this, Opening her eyes Sakura "Sai." Iruka looked at her with confused eyes as she began explaining, "I have a mission with him anyway, he wont bother me and i wont bother him. Within a year I'll be out." her explanations were short and simple.

Giving a soft nod Iruka nodded, "I'll check into that. What's your mission anyway?" he asked the same way a parent would.

Sakura's mask stayed constant, she wasn't allowing him in. "Out of the village, some type of spy work and capture mission. That's all i can say." she muttered quietly as she stood up, she was done here. As Sakura was about to reach for the knob on the door she stopped, a lingering feeling hung in the air. Sakura might have been finished but Iruka wasn't.

Iruka gave another nod knowing she couldn't tell him too much about the mission. Leaning back he gave a heavy sigh and looked at Sakura's back with sad eyes, "Are you going to visit him today?"

Sakura lowered her head, her bangs covering her eyes. "Don't I always?" she asked quietly as she opened the door and walked away.

Sighing Iruka bowed his head, Kakashi... we might be feeding her to the lions. Shaking his head he closed his eyes thinking about both the past and the present. The future was too unbearable at this rate. Getting up he shut the door that Sakura had left open, looking at the picture of Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi and himself. Only 3 years... I think you taught her more then she'd like to admit Kakashi.

Sakura ran, she couldn't stop. Her heart beat in her ears as she jumped from roof to roof pushing her limits. Come on! Her mind screamed as tears stung her eyes, Not this time, she hissed to herself as she jumped over to the grave yard. Jumping beside a large black granite stone Sakura felt the tears sting even more, Fuck Kakashi... Falling to her knees involuntarily she began to cry, Why'd you have to leave? she called out in her mind as she shed the first tear she had since the day they buried the copy ninja.

Within the moment she felt the tear fall her body stopped, shutting down and making sure it wouldn't happen again. Looking over his name on the stone she could only sigh, "We miss you," she whispered softly as her green eyes glowed with all the emotions she had been hiding for years. "Days are getting slower... everything seems to have lost its sheen." She smiled up at the sky and sighed, "And I think I'm starting to become as late as you were Kakashi..." she had dropped the "Sensei" on his name the day he saved her from herself.

"Sakura?" his voice was soft, quiet covered by the roaring thunder that shook the ground and the lightning that broke the sky in half. Rain pored down in buckets as Sakura sat on the steps of her destroyed house, her head buried in her hands as her knees were pressed against her chest. She didn't look up to see who was calling her name; she didn't care. "Sakura." he said in a deep voice as he knelt down to her level.

Sakura's green eyes peered up over her arms, dull, broken and confused. "K-Kakashi-s-sensei..." she sobbed as her salty tears mixed with the rain. She was 14 years old, and her world was being torn apart from the seams.

He was dressed in black, as was she. Kakashi could easily feel the pain that radiated from his student, she was breaking right in front of him. With a fatherly sigh he sat beside her and pulled her close, "Sakura..." She looked up at him with wide eyes, "It's going to be ok, I'll make sure of it." he promised in a stern tone that made her almost believe it.

The normally distant Copy Ninja was intent on making the girl smile, "I'll be here whenever you need me alright?" She gave a soft nod and lowered her head. "Sakura?" he asked wanting her attention to be on him instead of the depressing thoughts her mind held.

She began crying harder, "Why Kakashi why!" she screamed as she buried her head into his soaking chest. He only closed his eyes and held her close, "Why cant I ever be strong enough..." she cried as her body shook in grief.

He closed his eyes and gave a soft smile through his mask, "You were always strong Sakura, you just have to believe it and keep going... You can do it, you've always been smart with difficult situations." He looked down at her, the Hokage's student, crying harder then she had when her love Uchiha Sasuke had abandoned her. "You're the Hokage's student Sakura, you're stronger then any kunoichi physically. You can make it through this." he said simply as the rain slowly let up. Sakura's eyes glowed as she looked up at him, scared to know if he was being honest, his words healing her more then he would ever know.

Months pasted and Sakura trained hours a day trying to become the best. Four hours with Tsunade and, when he wasn't on missions, six hours with Kakashi. He was making her stronger, keeping his promise that it all would be ok. Sitting in front of her parents graves Sakura looked up to meet the distant eyes of the silver haired man, "Kakashi?" she asked quietly.

Kakashi tore his eyes away from the graves and looked down at his closest student. "Iruka-san told me something today..." she whispered quietly as she looked down, "Are you my god father?" she asked softly as she grasped her skirt in her hands.

Smirking under his mask Kakashi kept his eyes closed for a moment, "Legally, yes, but i will be only if you want me to."

Sakura didn't waste time, she was on her feet hugging him tight. A smile curving her lips in a way they hadn't since the day her family died. Kakashi laughed with her tousling her hair, "You'll move in tomorrow. I cant promise you anything though Sakura." he said sternly. "I'm not the most... sociable person, i wont be there all the time." Sakura gave a soft nod, "But I'll be there whenever you need me."

Sakura smiled up at her sensei, the best father figure she had ever had. Maybe... things are looking up.

Sakura slammed her hand down on the grass as tears glazed her eyes again, Damn memories! She spat as she took a deep breath, creating a balance within her body. Kakashi had taught her so much within three years, she was a completely different person and she was happy with it. No longer was she weak. Sakura's mind began racing with thoughts darting between past and present as she stared at his grave.

"Hag, you're staring." Sai smirked as he walked up behind her. The distant look of hurt in her eyes was surprising. The only emotion Sai had ever seen from Sakura in the past years were anger. For some reason, it was a pleasant surprise. It was easy for Sai to make fun of Sakura, but when she didn't respond his eyes wandered to the stone. Oh. Sai was silent as he bowed his head. Kakashi was as much of a teacher to him as anyone. "Sakura... we need to talk about the mission."

okie! so what'd ya think of that one?? xD i need reviews!!!

oh. and if you havent voted on the poll yet, do it! cuz i'm serious about not updating "Second Chance" until i have ten -.-

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