A/N: Voila! Let's skip some few years from this chapter. I've been thinking of the storyline for some time now and hope to keep that as live as possible. And I've pretty much covered the base for twelve year scenario, or hope so. Again, hope for your continued support! It's like a recharge to me, keeping my interest in writing this story more alive than anything else.

CHAPTER 4:

He was in front of her. And he was close, too close. His face was a few inches above hers as she stood against him, never losing its radiant smile. His eyes were burning with a happy fire as he held her by his hands and chest.

"I love you, Sakura chan"

With that he inched down and caught her lips with his. To him, it was a sign of his love. To her, it was a feeling beyond comprehension. Her whole body felt very light as she leaned on him more strongly and deepened into his kiss. Somehow, it just felt right. Like it was the best thing she had done and may ever do. But the kiss wasn't satiable for her. She wanted more than that. She slid her hands to his head and held his blonde hair tightly. It was long, smooth and ponytailed…

'Wait PONYTAILED?!'

And then he separated a little from her and opened his mouth.

"LET MY HAIR GO, FOREHEAD"

'What the hell?'

The reality of her surroundings came crashing down on her. She had slept in her room at the hospital, sitting in her chair rather awkwardly and was now holding the long ponytail of a very irate Ino Yamanaka rather too hard. The blonde was leaning over her, apparently trying to wake her up and looked red with anger.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Can't you take a day off and sleep like a normal human?"

"No way, Ino pig. Too much work"

"I don't see other medics sleeping in their cubicles. Face it girl, you're exhausted. Just get out of here and see the village. We are all meeting today. And you are coming"

"Didn't you just listen pig? Too much work"

"Tell that to yourself. I spoke with Shizune san and she agreed to let you go. So cut the story and get out of here"

Ino Yamanaka found it her duty to take care of her reconciled friend. The fifteen year old who stood before her now, in her pink sleeveless shirt and black shorts was almost nothing like the Sakura Haruno she had rivalled in her childhood. Her friend had changed completely within the last three years. After Sasuke's defect and Naruto's death, she had taken her training very seriously and had distanced herself from the village and her friends. Even after her training had reached an end, with her becoming one of the foremost medics of Konoha, next only to Tsunade and Shizune, and becoming possibly the strongest kunoichi of her age, she had maintained a low profile and become a recluse. Ino or the others had rarely seen Sakura for many months now. She had started working in the hospital and had taken extra shifts to keep herself away from others. Each time Ino had tried to talk her into meeting the others, she had turned it down curtly. Her face was set but vacant. Like she had not been happy for years now.

But that was not happening today. She was making Sakura come with her, willing or otherwise.

"Alright. You win. Let me clear my stuff before coming"

Sakura Haruno let out a defeated sigh and followed her friend out into the village.

Sakura trailed behind her friend as she observed the village for the first time in three years. The village which had survived three great ninja wars and stood at the top had walked over the invasion that happened three years ago with relative ease. As she walked through the streets, the village was live and bustling as she remembered it from years back.

"And here we are, forehead"

She was standing in front of a cozy barbecue restaurant. Inside, she was able to spot a few familiar faces, all of whom were grown now.

Shikamaru Nara was sitting the farthest in the table, in his standard chunin attire. He sported a fanned out ponytail which gave him a pineapple-esque appearance. On his right was Chouji Akimichi who had grown in length and width. He wore a red battle cloak and his brown hair had spiked down to his elbows. The last member of team ten and the one who had dragged her out, Ino Yamanaka, was now wearing a purple shirt open at her midriff and purple shorts, her hair drawn into a long ponytail. But they were not the only people there.

The other side of the table was occupied by three more people, the members of team eight. The first was Shino Aburame, whose outfit had not changed much and still exuded an aura of enigma. The next was an indigo haired girl in her white jacket. Hinata Hyuga had grown both physically and mentally in the last years. She now looked more feminine than the others and was sure to grow into a beauty. Her face played into a calm smile as she held the hand of the boy next to her. Kiba Inazuka. He had discarded the attire she had seen in in as a student and sported a chunin attire. His companion, Akamaru had grown beyond imagination. The small pup that sat on Kiba's head was large enough to carry Kiba himself. He smiled happily as he squeezed into her hand. It had been a year since Hinata had started going out with him. Naruto's death had struck her hard and she had tried to cut herself off from the world many times, but then, he happened in her life. Kiba stood by her and helped her ease the pain. He had helped her overcome her shy and confidence-lagging self to become a firm kunoichi. And he had slowly managed to bring her out of Naruto's loss. Now, she loved him with her heart, though Naruto was not something she could ever forget, but had finally moved on. She looked as two girls entered the room, the latter of whom had not been spotted for many weeks now.

"Someone is still in this village it seems, Hinata" Kiba spoke playfully. "Do you remember any of us, Sakura?"

"Of course she has to be here. Why? Because she is a medic and works in Konoha's hospital. As for remembering us, there is a fair chance of that not happening, given the number of times she saw us during the past year, which is almost nil. So logically there is a …"

"SHUT UP SHINO"

Hinata giggled at her teammates' antics as Sakura took the center of the table and Ino went to her teammates.

"It's been a while since you joined us, Sakura san. Have you been busy?"

"I've been fine, Hinata. It's very busy at the hospital. How have you been?"

Sakura started to fill her plate and Hinata started to speak.

"You should have seen it, Sasori senpai. I proved once and for all that ART IS BLAST"

"Shut up, Deidara. Don't make bravado of your folly. If not for my art you would be in a dungeon in Suna by now. Accept the fact that art is eternal"

The two men walked down the woods at a steady pace with their prized mission. A red headed teenager in maroon robes and with a sand gourd in his back. The person they had went to great lengths to capture. Now they were nearing their destination.

"How longer, Sasori senpai?"

"We are almost there, Deidara. Stop whining"

A cave sprung into their view as they neared their destination. The two men entered the opening and the one identified as Sasori made a few hand signs. The whole entrance glowed for a second as his seal activated. They had some extraction to do.

A small pair of eyes followed the two in their black cloaks, studded with red clouds as they disappeared from its view. The viewer, a small toad, disappeared from the forest in a small puff of smoke.

The whole day had passed pleasantly. For the first time in three years, Sakura Haruno understood what she had missed under the pretext of training. The fun she had today was the best thing for her in years. As she walked into her home, she sported a small smile after a long time.

"Welcome back, Sakura dear. How was the day?"

"It was fine thanks. Met a couple of friends and spent time catching up"

She could not bring herself to smile and talk with her mother or her father after they had yelled at her for 'supporting the demon'. Even after three years of his death, he was being hated by the village and its people. His death was celebrated as vigorously as the October tenth, ironically his birthday. She abruptly left their presence and locked herself into her room.

In the silence of her room, Sakura found herself thinking the one thing that nagged in her brain as she rested on her bed.

Her dream. And what she saw or did in it.

'Why would I dream like that now? Three years after he is dead?'

She was not meant to find the answer as the exhaustion of overwork caught up with her and sent her into sleep.

The sun was rising slowly as the village began its routine. Or at least, everywhere else.

"WAKE UP, TSUNADE SAMA"

"WHO THE HELL DARES TO DISTURB ME?"

The Godaime Hokage jerked awake to find an angry Shizune waking her up. It was almost the same for her every day. Ever since Naruto had died and Jiraiya had left Konoha three years ago, a part of her felt lifeless and cold. She was sitting in the chair as Konoha's supreme leader only because Naruto had brought her to that. And she would try to drink herself out of the cold feeling, only to be woken up by Shizune the next day.

Before she could find words to yell at Shizune, a soft tap was heard in her window. A hawk stood in the window sill with a scroll tied to its leg. It hopped inside and waited for the pair to take the message. Tsunade untied the scroll and glanced at the message. As she read through each word, her shock and anger mounted and by the end of the letter, she looked livid.

"CALL KAKASHI AND SAKURA . ASK TEAM GAI TO DEPLOY TO SUNAGAKURE FROM THE BORDER. NOW"

"What happened, Tsunade sama?"

Tsunade's face was rigid.

"The Akatsuki has finally made its move"

"And…?"

"And they have kidnapped Gaara, the Kazekage"

A/N: finally action coming. I removed Hinata entirely out of the equation as I'm trying a Naruto x Sakura and I suck in writing multiple relationships. My shortest chapter till now and meant only as an intro into the time skip.

Did an edit to replace Sai with nobody. May sound absurd but i rather dont want any interruptions in emotions upcoming. Please, im sorry for my haste.

And my exams are beginning tomorrow. Cant update for a week now.

Arrivederci!