Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. And if I did, Kakashi would be a real person. ;D
She always felt she had something to prove. That she had to work hard to show him one day just how strong she could be. And yet…Would he even notice? Or would he think her the same weak girl she had been before. The girl who always cried, who always whined, who never thought farther than then nose on her face. That girl from before was a shallow piece of porcelain. It was no wonder that he had never liked her…had never loved her. That would all change now. He would see just what she had become and then she would move on. Finally be able to leave behind her past mistakes and begin her life anew. She was ready.
Sakura stood, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her pink locks hung damply in a tumbled mess around her face. Blowing out a breath and not even bothering to pick up the brush that lay off to the side she drew the mass of hair back in to a bun. Blinking once she turned from the mirror and in to the small room that connected the bathroom. She was pulling on her shirt when she heard the muffled knock on her door from inside the depths of cloth. With a hop over the bed she trotted into the living room and opened the door that was there. An ANBU stood there, holding out a scroll silently. Sakura took it, just as quiet, and watched him turn from the door. Closing it with a slight click she turned to lean against it and open the scroll. Her emerald eyes perused it quickly before moving to gather her things. She had assumed after her last mission she would be getting a break. That was not to be so it seemed. With a sigh she put on her vest and excited out the window.
He saw her leave out the window, as was customary for her to do. He couldn't think of a time she ever used the door. For most he would say it was to show off, but for her it was because she lost her key most of the time and this was just a way to keep the door locked and not have to worry about it. He chuckled once as he tucked his book in to his pouch. Kakashi was not one to take much interest in others lives, but he found himself fascinated by Sakura. Even since he saw the change in her from a small, sniveling child with great potential, to a strong woman with amazing talent he couldn't seem to keep his eye off her. That said eye followed her lazily as she sauntered across the rooftops, exerting energy only when it came for the need to move on to another roof. Shifting from his position from where he leaned against the tree he began his walk to meet the hokage.
A hit to the head awoke the blond ninja from an amazing dream. He grumbled once and then turned on his side. Another thwack was heard and his startled curse.
"Narutooo," came the female cry. "Get up! An ANBU is here for you." Naruto sat up fast, allowing the female that had been sitting on him to tumble off. He rubbed his eyes and then stood from the bed, stumbling out of the room and to the door. "Naruto! Clothes!" He either ignored her or didn't hear her, but either way that is how he arrived at the door, butt naked. The ANBU didn't show any reaction to this, and that would be because one he was wearing a mask, and two he was rather used to it.
"Here. Hokage wants you at her office now." He held the scroll out to Naruto and then with a barely heard snicker turned and went off to do whatever an ANBU does. Naruto looked up with a happy grin to see his elderly neighbor across the street watering the flowers on her window. He waved cheerily at her as he turned inside. Opening the scroll as he walked he read what was there and then rolled it back up. As he entered the room he saw the girl he had picked up last night lounging on his bed. His face screwed up in thought and then he snapped his fingers.
"That's right. Amy!" He hopped on the bed and rolled on to her. "I have to go. Big important ninja stuff." He grinned foxily down on her and saw the pout on her nice, but not beautiful face. Her legs though made up for that entirely.
"That means I need to go doesn't it…" her voice trailed off as she waited for him to deny and say she could stay as long as she wanted.
"Im glad you understand. Now would probably be best." He kissed her noisily and then rolled off the bed to his feet, his sensei had taught him well. He scrounged about, looking for his things and didn't even pay attention the huff behind him and angry grumbles. A door was soon heard slammed. Not much later Naruto was seen running from his house, a vest hanging from one arm and his head coming out his short sleeve.
Sai was sitting on the third hokage's head, when the ANBU found him. He stopped from his painting only long enough to take the scroll. Neither the ANBU nor himself said anything. He set the scroll to the side and brought his focus back on his painting. It was when he was finished that he took the effort to pick up the scroll and read it. With no hint of emotion to what he read he stood and began to make his way to where he was summoned. When he left his house later, he happened to live down the street from Naruto, he saw the blond fleeing from his house in great haste. He shook his head with a snort. "Same as always."
Tsunade stood, hands held behind her back, gazing out the window on her village. She heard the slight knock on the door and the quiet opening of it, and turned to face Shizune.
"They are all here," Shizune said with a pleasant smile to the hokage.
"Alright. Send them in then." She sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly, before moving to sit behind her great desk. When Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sai were gathered before her she began to speak. "Sasuke has been spotted on the outer edges of Wind country. Now, the Kazekage has agreed to cooperate with any needs in the success of this mission. But only if a few things are instituted. One, Sakura, since you are a great mind on medical matters you will help train their medic nins. Two, you will not cause trouble on the populace to gain your goal of the mission. And three, the Wind Country is not responsible for any costs on this mission." She paused in her speech to take in the emotions that were ranging on the faces of her ninjas. Sakura, Sai, and Kakashi were all pretty stoic in the knowledge that Sasuke had been found. For Sai it was because he really didn't care, for Kakashi it was because his face was covered by that damn mask and because he was not one to show what he was feeling, and as for Sakura. Tsunade, who knew Sakura pretty well because of their training together, figured it was because Sakura was feeling so much that all the emotions were battling each other too ferociously to show upon her face. Naruto on the other hand was not as subdued. His blue eyes were wide and his fists were clenched at his sides. He looked like he was about to burst with all his pent up emotions.
"What are we doing waiting!? Lets go now," he cried, his foxy face going red with exertion. He leapt as if to run from the office, and would have if Kakashi hadn't got a firm grip on his collar.
"The Hokage is not done yet, Naruto," Kakashi said in his deep voice. His one charcoal eye glowed with amusement.
Tsunade pressed her lips together to keep back a smile and resumed with her speech. "Your mission to find Sasuke, capture him and bring him back. " She looked each one of them in the eye. "Bring back our comrade so that we may decide his fate." Nodding her golden head she stood from her desk. "That is all. Sakura you are team leader, gather you team and leave soon as possible. Since Sasuke is associated with dangerous people this is an S class mission. Make your goodbyes if need be. Good luck and return soon."
Kakashi was not surprised Sakura was given the position of team leader. Though he had the most experience, Sakura was being groomed for Hokage. Just in case anything was to happen to the well loved hyper active blond, Sakura was to be back up. It was a well thought up plan by Tsunade he had to admit. Though Sakura did not seem to have any inclination to being the next hokage.
Sakura was prepared to being given the job of team leader. Tsunade had been heaping more responsibilities on her lately, and seeing that she could handle them had started to escalate them in to more important jobs than before. Smoothing strands of hair from her face she turned to her team once outside the Hokage tower. "Alright. Do what you need to do and meet at the gate in a half an hour."
"Aye aye team leader," Naruto said with his familiar grin. He would have liked to have been given the position, but found it awesome that Sakura was it. He also found it kind of sexy…a woman in uniform and with power. He stared at Sakura and began to move towards her.
"She will kill you, you know," Sai said with a sigh. He had recognized the look on his perverted friends face, as had Kakashi and Sakura. He noticed that Kakashi's hand had tightened in to a fist from where it was tucked in to his pants pocket. Raising a brow slightly he tucked away the data to be used later on when more had been established. Sakura merely snorted and turned away.
"See you all soon." With that she began to walk. Naruto turned in the opposite direction, Sai with him since they both lived on the same street.
Kakashi lived in the same direction as Sakura so he lazily strolled next to her as they made their way down the quiet street. He stared forward, though looked at her from the corner of his eye. He took in her pink locks, so soft looking, and her large emerald eyes, gone so steely from years of killing and watching people killed…not being able to save those that she felt she should have saved. He still remembered when her first battle victim died on her. She had showed up at his house, soaking wet from walking for hours in the rain and on the verge of hypothermia. He had not asked question having recognized the hollowed look in her eyes. He merely brought her in, got her warm and held her through the night. He believed that was when he first started to truly notice her. She on the other hand, had thanked him for them comfort and continued on her way. When had his little flower bud grown so cold?
Sakura felt the heat coming off from Kakashi as he walked close to her and fought the urge to move even closer. Ever since that time when she had woken up in his arms, feeling completely safe and turned on she had felt herself drawn to him. And it scared the shit out of her. She couldn't feel anything like that for her former sensei. Even more so because he did not feel anything for her. Tapping her fingers against her pant leg she watched him from the corner of her eye, staring straight ahead. His silver hair was just as messy as usual, and his masked face as ambiguous as usual. She had yet to catch a glimpse of that mysterious face, but assumed and hoped beyond all recognition that it was as sexy as the aura he gave off. Blinking, she stopped herself from thinking any more about him, sure that it would soon start to show on her face.
She came to her house and turned to the wall where her window was up some stories. "See you soon," she murmured before gathering some chakura in her feet and pushing off from the ground. Crawling inside she began to pack her bag for the journey ahead.
Kakashi watched her sail up and enter her house with her usual routine, his dark eye slightly clouded. More then anything he wished he was going in there with her, packing with her, and maybe sneaking a kiss or two before it was their time to depart. With a sigh he turned and made his way towards his house.
Naruto waved to Sai who had turned to enter his house, and continued on to his down the street. When he noticed a feminine figure sitting on the steps he grinned. "Why hello…" His voice trailed off as he searched for a name. "sweetheart," he decided on.
"Naruto," she said with a breathy giggle. "I thought I would stop by and see how you were. Its been a couple months…" She raised a hand. "Im married now too." She giggled again as she linked her arms around his neck..
"Well, that's just lovely. Good for you, baby." Perfect he thought as he began to back her inside the house. "I don't have much time to get reacquainted, but its enough…" His trademark grin spread over his face, hearing her answering giggle as he pulled the door closed.
Alright, so that's it for the first chapter. Just a sort of introduction of the characters and how they are now. I know the time line is not very clear yet and I will work that out more in the next chapter. I hoped you enjoyed it. :D