This is the longest chapter of any story that I've ever done...-is shocked-

Really, I mean, I can't believe it was even possible for me to go past my five page chapters. I don't know whether to be proud of myself or hate myself for making it so freaking long. Perhaps that's why I've been so sleepy lately. I've been making sure this chapter handled all the leftover of the introduction I had left that I spent hours on the computer figuring things out.

-sighs- Well it's done, and I hope people will enjoy it. After this chapter we'll begin entering to the actual plot, which is actually really simple. :)

I will add more characters from the show if they're needed, so just roll with me and read along lol. As for NaruSaku moments, after this chapter there'll be more and more, so look forward to that as well. But I did add a little narusaku interaction at the end if you're interested :P

-bows- apology now if you don't like long chapters, but it'll hopefully fill in all gaps!

Enjoy and I'll get ch. 4 out for you as soon as I can!

Disclaimer: Kishimoto is the owner of Naruto(The series I've dubbed as "The annoying one")

"It's not enough to have a dream unless you're willing to pursue it.
It's not enough to know what's right unless you're strong enough to do it.
It's not enough to join the crowd, to be acknowledged and accepted.
I must be true to my ideals, even if I'm excluded and rejected.
It's not enough to know the truth unless I also learn to live it.
It's not enough to reach for love unless I care enough to give it."
-unknown

She saw her today. It wasn't as awkward as she had first thought it would be. Still, she saw her, and it finally made Sakura fully accept her situation.

She saw herself. Herself as a seven year old girl.

Apparently, the Hokage was right, she was chasing after the seven year old Sasuke. After nearly three years of his absence in the village, Sakura had nearly forgotten all childhood memories she had with Sasuke.

She supposed it was to be expected. Sasuke, had hurt her far more than she was willing to let anyone know.

She realized, how truly dumb and innocent she was back then.

Her hand rubbed the small scar that lined her abdomen, and her green eyes watched the now empty hospital courtyard. Seven year old Sakura had left about twenty minutes ago.

Sakura sighed, and turned to face the entrance of the hospital. Her expression became serious.

It's been three days since her encounter with the Third Hokage. Which meant, the council members were due to come sometime today. She continued to rub her scar. She had found out from the nurse that healed her that she had received some type of chakra powered attack that left her nearly cut in half. She shivered, glad that she was unconscious for the entire ordeal.

These past three days, had left her to think about a lot of things. Particularly, what she was supposed to do now.

Her last memories before blacking out was Naruto and Kakashi shouting out her name. After that nothing.

Her enemies had clearly send her here through some time jutsu, the question now was...how was she going to take herself back?

Even more pressing matters, how was she supposed to do that? She had no clue about time jutsus and their characteristics. For the two years she trained with Tsunade, all she learned were medical techiniques and chakra control. To make it worse, even if she did have some idea as to what she was supposed to do in order to get back, the council still considered her a threat.

It would be difficult to ask them to let her study old scrolls from the village, and not to bother her so she could concentrate on getting back home. No, she realized the moment the Hokage made eye contact with her, that this task of returning back to her proper time, would be a hard one.

Sakura let out a heavy sigh and got up from her position on the chair by the window. She might as well let them come to her and hopefully they could come up with a compromise.

She plopped herself in the hospital bed and studied the scars on her body. The gray hospital clothes did little to soften the bright red color of the freshly healed scars on her abdomen and upper right arm. The bandages prevented them from reopening, but she feared these scars were there to stay. A remainder of something she couldn't even recall. Green eyes glistened with sadness, she truly missed her time.

She wanted to go back, but it appeared things weren't going to work that way for her, at least not for the moment.

Pink hair swayed as the knock of the door was heard. Sakura let out a semi-loud come in, and she settled herself against the hospital pillows.

The head nurse from before entered with a tray of food and her medical chart. She sent a warm smile at the pink haired kunoichi and set the tray of food on the bedside table. She grabbed the pen that was attached to her brown hair and began to take notes of Sakura's vital signs, blood pressure, IV fluid count, and the condition of her recovering injuries.

Sakura stared at the nurse for a moment before placing her sight on the tray in front of her. She grimaced at the food. The young woman heard a small laugh coming from the nurse.

"I know it's not the best food. I would have gladly let you out of your room to let you get some real food, but you and I both know of the situation you're currently in. It'd be get us both in trouble with the Konoha council if I let you go out of hospital grounds unsupervised."

The nurse gave a shrug and smiled sympathetically. Sakura nodded slowly and let the nurse view her abdomen.

"Aa, I know. I just never get used to hospital food, no matter how many times I've been here."

The nurse took down some more notes and eyed Sakura curiously. "You've...been here before?"

Sakura nodded. The head nurse was the only one in the building that knew of her 'secret'. The Hokage thought it useful to let at least one person be able to communicate with her while in the hospital.

"Aa, I worked in the hospital as a medic-nin back in my time." Sakura's expression softened.

The nurse's smile widened and she patted the young woman's leg. "Well I'm glad we'll get a strong capable girl like you in our future ranks."

Sakura nodded her thanks and looked back at the tray. "I should at least try to eat something today...ne?"

The nurse gave Sakura a sympathetic look and nodded. "Gomen, I'm afraid you do though. With the council members and Hokage coming to visit you, it'd be wise to appear healthy and not pale from hunger like you look now."

Sakura blushed and let out a nervous giggle. "Yea, I suppose you're right. Arigato."

The nurse bowed slightly and left the room, but not before pointing at the food and then at Sakura making her point across that the young woman needed to eat it.

Sakura made a face at the hospital tray and pushed it away from her. "Bleh, I wish you were real food. Even ramen would be better at this point."

The young woman's shoulders slumped down as she remembered her teammates. She should be back home, eating ramen with them, not here. No, she didn't belong here at all.

The food, now seemingly looking better to eat, was grabbed by the melancholy girl and placed in front of her. She'll eat it, if only it meant getting her closer to the council meeting and possibly going home.

Ten minutes later, and Sakura miraculously finished the last bite of what looked like jello and slid it down her throat. Her body tingled with the weird taste of the food as it went down, and she let out a breath of relief. She didn't have to taste that ever again, or at least she hoped she didn't.

She put the tray aside and jumped off the bed. After nearly a month of unconscious recuperation, her muscles needed to start moving around again. Her feet guided her to the same window she's been staring at since three days ago.

Perhaps the sense of homesickness she was getting would go away if she saw someone she recognized walking outside. Even if they were eight years younger.

Sakura's time to reflect didn't last long though. She soon heard the footsteps of numerous people closing in on her room. She exhaled and rolled her eyes. She was nervous but agitated. She knew what was coming.

Accusations, possible cover-ups on her part, convincing lies from her to infiltrate the village, and other such ridiculous conclusions.

Her pale feet stepped more carefully over the tiled floor as she contemplated how many people were actually heading her way. Her brow furrowed together, she counted five or six people. A little more than she expected, but she would have to manage.

She retied her pink hair into a loose bun and placed herself back on the bed. Seconds later she heard the soft voice of the head nurse warning them to keep their voices down and avoid physical conflict if at all possible. Sakura assumed they agreed when she saw the shadow of the nurse through the door disappear.

She tried to relax her tense back against the pillows, but found it hard now that they were coming into her room.

The first she spots as the door is opened wide, is the Third Hokage who gives her a warm smile of welcome and proceeds to enter. The lady and lord elder enter next, their grave and calculating eyes staring at her as they make their way across the hospital bedroom. The next one who enters causes a shiver of disgust to run down her spine.

Danzo. So even in this time he still held some type of power over Konoha and its council. His one eye send a glare at her, which she gladly returned with her own icy green stare. The last two were Anbu nin, which she also assumed were assigned to guard the council members in the room.

All six people stare at Sakura with mixed emotions, and it was starting to piss her off. If they were here to talk, then they needed to start, she was getting beyond anxious at this point.

The attention of the room fell on the female council member when she coughed lightly and stared at Sakura.

"How are you today, Sakura Haruno-sama?" Her voice was cold and mechanical. She had planned to start the discussion in this manner for some time.

Sakura withheld a glare and remained stoic as she replied with equal neutrality in her tone of voice. "I'm doing exceptionally well lady elder. Arigato for your concern."

The elders flinched. It seemed they did not expect her to be as ruthlessly cold as they were being to her. They both smiled anyway and continued.

"I assume, if what Saratobi informed us about before arriving here is true, you know who we all are." The male elder spoke, his tone more authoritive and commanding.

Her expression still stoic, Sakura numbly nodded and replied. "Hai, though I never formally spoken with you in my time I do know who you are and what your jobs are in our village."

Danzo eyed her curiously and asked. "'Our' village now is it? How can we so easily assume a complete stranger like you really lives here present or future."

Sakura frowned but didn't turn to look at the man. She was already mad enough that this man removed nearly any and all emotions Sai had.

The Hokage frowned as well and shook his head. "Enough Danzo we're not here to point any accusing fingers yet. Our job right now is to find out about this girl's situation and what we intend to do about it."

The one-eyed man scoffed but kept quiet to let the elders continue.

"As I was saying. Seeing as you know who we are and we now know who you so acclaim to be, we can skip introductions and go right into the root of the matter." Everyone, including Sakura nodded their agreement to the male elder's words.

"Haruno, you arrived here nearly three weeks ago in critical condition. You had multiple injuries that could only be made through an intense nin on nin battle." The female elder spoke her words like a long lists of grievances against her, and as much as Sakura wanted to argue about her tone of voice, the young woman simply nodded.

The female elder continued. "That is where we drew our first conclusion. You are indeed a nin. What surprised us was the fact that you wore a head band of our village. This it where problems arise." Sakura looked down at her folded hands, finding them much more interesting than the woman speaking.

"We were at first going to lend our aide and send you on your way, but after this disturbing discovery we knew keeping you on solitary lockdown would be best. At least until matters were dealt with of course." The male elder stared at the pink haired Kunoichi with slight disdain. She wasn't even brave enough to stare them in the face.

"And it appears the time to resolve unanswered questions is now, Haruno." Danzo let a smirk form on his face as the female elder placed a hand on the hardboard of the hospital.

All eyes were once again, on Sakura.

The Hokage remained silent the entire time, knowing that sadly, this was something Sakura must handle alone. At least for the moment.

Green eyes managed to rise and stare at the people surrounding her room. She smiled bitterly and released a sigh.

"Well, I'm all ears elders...please go ahead with your questions." Her back was aching from sitting so rigidly on the bed, and her pulse was pounding faster and faster.

The male elder nodded towards the female elder and coughed before asking. "State your full name, status, and ninja team if you so have one."

Sakura stared at them hard. They were trying to pry out valuable information from her. This must have been Danzo's doing, such questions like this weren't ask of to a normal nin. She would have to be careful with what she does and doesn't say.

"Sakura Haruno, current status in present-day Konoha medic-nin and chuunin level no current team." Her voice came out calm and cool. No trace of doubt whatsoever. Which surprised and startled the elders.

"You said present-day Haruno. What did you mean?" The female elder's eyes narrowed as she spoke.

"As you have heard from Hokage-sama Lady elder, I am indeed eight years into my past. You asked my status and I answered truthfully."

Once again the elders were taken aback. The Hokage smiled at the girl's brash take on the situation.

"I see. Then explain to us how it is you arrived here Haruno. We cannot just simply believe you and welcome you with open arms." Sakura's left eye twitched upon hearing Danzo's voice. She was hoping on avoiding talking to him during this entire interrogation.

Her head bend down slightly, and her hands tightened around the cloth of her hospital shirt. "I...I'm not sure. I was on a mission when I was attacked and before I knew what had happened I was covered in a blue light and found myself here."

Danzo looked doubtful as she spoke and asked. "How can your memories be so easily erased like that if you are still able to remember the fact that you were in a conflict with a group of nin."

Sakura's green eyes darted at the man's wrinkled face and replied. "You ask the same of yourself if you were up against a group of nin who seemed weak then suddenly turned the table on you. Tricked you then did something to you that practically broke your body and send you hurling years into your past. Then you might understand the reason why I can't remember." Both of them gave each other fierce glares. Sakura's cheeks turned red from anger and Danzo was having a hard time controlling his flaring anger.

The female elder stood in between the harsh glares and gave them a cold glare of her own. "Enough!! We have no time for petty quarrels such as these. Danzo you have better learn to control your anger. For the time being she has done nothing wrong. Understand?!"

The man mumbled something, but submitted to the request. Sakura breathed in deeply and looked back down to her hands.

"We have never heard of a jutsu that was successful enough to send someone back or forwards in time. Which is why you must understand our situation Haruno. We couldn't just accept that as the truth. Not when there where more logical and sensible conclusions. The top being a spy nin, missing nin, or a wanted nin in the bingo book." The male elder had moved positions and was now staring out the window.

"We have a village with troubling ties with unstable villages that could turn on us at any moment. Our Hokage will not last forever, Saratobi is growing old, and the uneasiness of someone possibly infiltrating our village is always around the corner." His hand laid on the cool glass of the hospital window, the elder's eyes intense with thought.

Sakura stared at the old man and smiled sadly. "I understand perfectly. Please don't try to justify your actions when I know you're doing it for the village. After all Konoha is my home, protecting it is natural instinct to all who live here." Her voice sounded meek and quiet compared the male elder's but her message was heard.

She was not an enemy, she spoke the truth. They didn't need to fear her, they could give her some trust.

"Those were our previous thoughts. Yesterday, a chuunin officer located old scrolls from the fire temple that was destroyed seven years ago and handed them over to Saratobi." The female elder's expression softened considerably and she motioned for the Hokage to pick up from there.

"It appears we were all mistaken Sakura. There was indeed an attempt long ago of a time jutsu. It was of course unsuccessful, but we found out that the one who attempted the jutsu was from a small clan known as the Kimura." His tired brown eyes become more tired as he continued speaking. "The scrolls have suffered massive damage of course and we know little after that. We believe perhaps the Kimura clan is still existent..."

"And still trying to perform the jutsu in my time." Sakura finished quietly, her brows knotted together in thought. It would make sense. A clan can become bitter if a jutsu they drive to make their own doesn't work. Perhaps the nin she was attacking before her world went black, was part of this clan.

The elders and even Danzo nodded at this. "Hai, it's very possible and since their clan is of such a small size, they can perform such dangerous attempts without being questioned and stopped. The fact that the clan is migratory adds to their advantage." the female elder spoke quietly also seeming to be contemplating over the situation.

"Now, we don't know what to do about this. For you see if we track them down, it could reveal more about you than we are willing to let out. There's also the fact of their hideout. If they are in a neighboring village, taking them by force may cause an uproar with that village's council causing even more political issues. There's also the fact that we may be wrong. If that is so, we would be capturing innocent people and trying to take away the information of their jutsus without permission." All in the room nodded gravely.

Sakura's expression turned into a scowl as she repeated what the elder had just said in her head. He was right, there was far too much risk in doing all of the above. Especially if it turns out they were wrong. Still, she wanted to return home, without some type of clue for her to start with, she might be forced to stay in this time for a longer period than she would like.

The elders were yet again shocked by the girl's actions as Sakura rose from her bed, sat quietly on the floor and bowed to them. Even Danzo and the Hokage were thrown off by Sakura's sudden action.

"Please. I ask for your permission to reassign me as a temporary nin of this Konoha. I have to find a way back to my home, and I believe I might be the only one who can do it. If you let other people get involved, it would jeopardize not only their lives but the lives of the entire village, and I don't want people's deaths on my shoulders. I know that with your current dilemmas, trusting me to do a mission on my own in Konoha territory would be stupid and irresponsible of you. But please understand mine. I had to see my seven year old counterpart today, and it made me feel nauseous. Because I know I don't belong here, she belongs here. I belong in my time...not here." Sakura's eyes were brimming with new tears, and she bit on her lip hard trying to contain her sobs. It took all her strength to stop her voice from shaking as she spoke.

The Hokage knelt down besides the shaking Sakura and patted her back softly. The elders dropped their high and mighty appearance as they watched the girl plead to them. Danzo remained indifferent, choosing instead to look out the window.

He was the first to speak, which surprised them all. "I still think we cannot trust you, to be honest I still don't trust you. But you have made a good point Haruno. To place our current nin into such missions would be stupid. After all they are human, sooner or later they would let the word of a time traveling nin in our midst slip from their tongue. Though we would have to make precautionary steps before you could even begin this little mission of yours, I am willing to allow her to find a way back to her time."

Sakura still remained on the floor but stared at the man with slight respect. He may still be an ass for what he turned Sai into, but if he was willing to let her find a way home, she would put aside her hate for him.

Both elders looked at each other than at the trembling girl beneath them. The female elder sighed.

"I still have a hard time believing you are truly the Haruno's seven year old daughter now transformed into a fifteen year old chuunin, but I suppose it's the only thing that makes any sense now. For now, we'll let you finish off your days in the hospital and assign you a place to stay where we can keep an eye on you without making it obvious of your presence."

"We'll discuss more of what you must do in order to even begin your search another day." The male elder let his shoulders relax for the first time since entering the room and watches as Saratobi helps Sakura back to her feet.

"Don't take this as a sign that we're letting our guard down Haruno. You may be getting out of this without a punishment, but you're still not to be fully trusted. For all we know, you could be lying to us now. I'd watch your back as we will watch ours." Danzo's eyes narrowed in a silent threat he gave to the pink haired girl. Her green eyes met his own dark ones, but she remained indifferent.

She simply nodded and bowed slightly when he swiftly left the room. Uncomfortable seconds passed by shortly after his departure. The Hokage looked at his anbu guards and his face lit up.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Sakura since you will be released from the hospital soon, and you'll be on watch from now until the council sees fit, I will assign you bodyguards." The Hokage beamed as Sakura and the two elders stared at him in bewilderment

"B-Bodyguards Hokage-sama?" Her voice squeaked in indignation. She didn't need bodyguards.

"Hai, and you two will agree with me on this." He pointed his unlit pipe at the elders before returning his attention to Sakura. "You'll be mingling with people that you recognize, only eight years younger. They will all undoubtedly find you familiar but if you keep your appearance slightly different than how you look like now, then they'll think of you as just another Haruno. I also believe that you'll need these anbu because I'm not allowing you to use your ninja skills outside the Hokage tower."

Sakura's eyes widened in unexpected shock, and the two elders nodded simultaneously.

She shouldn't have been surprised, after all they were right. Showing her nin powers would ruin everything she was planning to return to her time. She watched her feet go back and forth, hitting the mattress and nodded as well.

The Hokage chuckled and patted Sakura's head affectionately. "I know for a chuunin with years of experience on her belt it will be hard to revert to being a normal civilian, but I know you understand why I'm forced to make this decision. You will be fine."

Sakura nodded again and gave the Hokage a small smile. He returned it and motioned for the two anbu that have been standing by the corner the entire time to come forward.

"I know these two very well and trust them enough to take care of you for the time you are here with us."

Sakura's eyes twinkled with amusement, she recognized one of those anbu. It was Kakashi-sensei. She missed seeing those weird locks of gray hair of his. It felt nice to see something familiar that didn't make her completely homesick.

"This one is dog, the other is weasel. They actually were one of the anbu who located you three weeks earlier." the Hokage chuckled as he patted both of the young men's back causing them both to stumble slightly.

Sakura studied the shorter one more closely. The hairs on the back of her neck raising. She didn't like this weasel anbu, his aura was eerie and horribly familiar. Yet with her mind on other things, she couldn't quite remember.

"Arigato, I'm grateful for this Hokage-sama." Sakura replied monotonously, her eyes never leaving the weasel mask. She knew he was staring back.

"Well then. It appears we're done with our discussions for the day. You'll be released in another two days, by that time we will have everything ready for you to settle in and begin your difficult path to your time." The female elder spoke quietly and to the point.

"Hai, arigato to the both of you as well. I won't mislead your trust." Sakura bowed gratefully from her position on the bed.

"Let's hope it remains that way...Sakura-sama." The male elder smiled quickly and left the room, soon followed by the female elder who sent a small wave of farewell to the young kunoichi.

The anbu nodded at the Hokage and silently left the room, but not before bowing to Sakura. A sign that they would be following orders from her as well.

"They've appeared to like you my dear girl." The Hokage sat down at a chair and relaxed himself against it.

Sakura remained by the edge of the bed and nodded. "Well, I hope so. Or I'll be stuck as a freaking prisoner."

"Hmm, indeed." The Hokage lit his pipe and placed it in his mouth. He chuckled. "That won't happen though Sakura, so please don't worry anymore."

Sakura's mind returned to the anbu who would become her bodyguards as soon as she left the hospital. Her green eyes narrowed. "Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage, who had been staring down the window at the group of children playing outside the hospital walls, turned to acknowledge her.

"Those anbu...will I really have to remain with them, the entire time I'm here?" her lips formed a tight line and her face showed worry.

"Do they bother you?" Though he spoke calmly, Sakura still flinched at his tone.

"It's not that, I just feel...like they don't trust me like you and the elders have done. There might be some problems." she spoke with a quiet tone, almost afraid to speak out of what she thought of the anbu.

She hears a sigh as the Hokage releases a heavy puff of smoke into the air. "Yes, I suppose it would make sense for them to mistrust you for the moment. You and them are still complete strangers, but no worries Sakura. Even if they do dislike you, as you so suspect, they are under my orders not to bring you any harm under any circumstances. Unless you retaliate first of course."

Sakura eyed the Hokage still uncertain with his words, but nodded anyways. "Hai, you're right. Gomen." Sakura stuck out her tongue in feign embarrassment and rubbed the back of her head.

The Hokage rose from the chair and walked over to Sakura. His brown eyes looked slightly troubled. "I'm glad you're becoming more open to me Sakura. I have my own worries though. If you are to remain here, I must at least know everything of your past."

Sakura placed her hands on her lap, her own eyes saddened. "The only things I can reveal of my past to you, are just my personal moments Hokage-sama. Anything involving other people or the village's would jeopardize this time period and my own, I hope you understand Hokage-sama."

The old man chuckled and patted her shoulder. "Of course, I expected nothing less. The council and I fully comprehend that there are some things you cannot reveal. As for me though, the more I know about you the better I can defend you against the elders if they ever decide you're too dangerous to keep." His tone became lighthearted and then serious in a short time.

"Hai, I'll tell you all I can." Sakura replied her brows furrowed together in full understanding.

Another puff of smoke escapes the old man's lips. "Arigato. The day you leave the hospital you'll be escorted to my office and we'll have our talk then. In two days, we'll begin your path to returning home. Take care until then Sakura." He smiled and began to walk off towards the door.

Sakura's voice stops him half way out. "Did...you see me today?" though it sounded rhetorical, he knew what it meant.

"Hai, you're still curious about the stranger found in our village, most of the other kids have become curious as well."

Sakura let a smile appear as she heard the quiet click of the door being closed. So there was another reason why she saw herself this morning.

She gets off the bed and walks over to the window, just catching a glimpse of the Hokage turning a corner to return to the Hokage tower. She stands against the wall adjacent to the window for a couple of minutes. Letting everything sink in.

They trust her. She can find a way home now. They'll let her find another way to use a time jutsu to return home. To return home. Yes, she'd like to be there very much.

A sigh of relief releases from her lips. One worry down the drain.

She turns her head slightly to face the door as she hears it being knocked twice. The head nurse's brown haired head pops in. The nurse smiles.

"Good news! Hokage-sama informed me that I'm allowed to lessen the security around your room now that the meeting is over...so want some fresh air?" The nurse giggles in excitement as she watches the stunned face of her pink haired patient.

Outside. Breathing natural air. None of that synthetic medicinal air she was growing used to smelling inside the hospital.

She can actually hear the birds chirping, and the scents of different foods waft over her nose. She can feel the small breeze pass through her clothes and into her hair. Her feet are touching soft ground, no wooden floors or marble tiles.

She can feel the sun warming up her pink hair and her entire body. So this is how it felt to be outside again.

Sakura grins and lets her entire body envelope around the hospital courtyard.

She's been inside for far too long.

She sees the nurse wave hello to her from inside the building. A smile on her own face.

Sakura waves back and begins walking around. Her feet apparently still need more exercise to regain the strength she lost in the near month she was out of commission. She grows tired quickly and sits on a bench near the entrance gate to the hospital.

Her green eyes watch over the entire hospital. Her mind begins changing things in front of her. The hospital looks older and there are more people walking around. The flowers look brighter and more full of life. She sees her master, Tsunade walking around making sure her people are recovering properly. Shizune right behind her, a smile on her face as she waves to the people she sees. She can see Sai sitting on the steps of the hospital drawing some other little imaginary thing of his. Yamato looking at something up in the sky, a tranquil look on his face. Then she sees her sensei and Naruto. Kakashi reading his book as usual, and trying to keep Naruto's curious eyes away from it.

She sees Naruto's blue gaze turn on her. His fox-grin appearing on his face and him running towards her while waving happily.

And then a small blue and white ball lands on her lap. She blinks as if just awakening and stares at the small toy.

She was day-dreaming it would seem. She sighs, disappointed for letting her imagination getting the better of her, and for being interrupted.

Her pale bandaged hands grab the small ball and she stares at it peculiarly. Who would be throwing a ball in here?

The head nurse had told her that the hospital wasn't housing any sick children. Sakura looks around to see if she can spot the child who may have lost his or her ball.

A frown appears on Sakura's face when she fails to see a child of any age nearby. She didn't want the ball either.

Fixing to give the ball to the nurse so she could donate it to someone else, Sakura stops as she hears a little gasping voice asking her to stop.

She turns around ready to give the little child the ball back, but stops in her tracks.

Sakura's green eyes widened in shock. A mess of blonde hair, bright blue eyes, whisker marks on each cheek. This little boy running towards her with a pleading look in his eyes was...was...

"Naruto..." she whispers out her friend's name so softly she can barely hear it herself. The little boy stops in front of her and hunches over to catch his breath.

Sakura holds onto the ball, but her attention is on the little boy with blonde hair. She can't help but take a step back when he looks up at him again. It appears that was a mistake to make.

The boy's eyes become frightened, almost as if her flinch meant harm for him. She quickly regrets it and bends down with a shake in her legs to be at his eye level. Sakura smiles softly at him.

"Hello. My name's Sakura. It looks like I managed to catch your ball." She giggles as she puts the ball in between them.

His eyes lose their fear and are replaced with happiness. His grin wide, and his cheeks a bright red he nods. "Yea, sorry 'bout that. I was kinda playing and I kicked the ball real hard cause some boys told me that I couldn't hit a ball to safe my life. And I got mad and I wanted to prove them wrong cause I can do whatever I want! And then...well it went woosh! And over the fence like this!" Naruto's little arms demonstrated to Sakura everything that happened as he saw it, and she couldn't help but smile.

He was still a loudmouth, still a bragger, and still as decorative with his stories as ever. Even in his younger years.

The surprise of finding Naruto's seven year old counterpart was wonderful for Sakura. She was missing him terribly for some unknown reason to her, and even seeing this mini Naruto would be enough for her.

"So that's what happened." he finished his tale, breathless from all the arm flinging and jumping he did. His fox grin appeared on his face as he rubbed the back of his small blonde head. "If it's not too much to ask, can I get my ball back now...umm Sakura-chan?" his face became red again and his blue eyes looked down to the ground.

Sakura stared at the blonde in front of her. Her face looked so relieved. She had missed hearing 'Sakura-chan' even if the voice was a lot higher and more childish than her Naruto back at home.

She placed one of her hands on his head and patted it affectionately. Naruto looked up in surprise at the sign of love she was giving him. Sakura handed him the ball and smiled.

"Of course you can, better take care of it next time okay?"

His blush never left and he nodded fervently. "Aa!! I will, you're a really nice and pretty lady Sakura-chan!"

Sakura blushed at the compliment. She could hear the other Naruto say that to her too...wait...he's called her pretty plenty of times before hasn't he?

"Arigato...what's your name?" she asked softly a sad smile on her face.

"It's Naruto Uzuamki! And you'll get to know me better soon cause one day I'm gonna be Hokage! The old man won't know what hit 'em!" he laughed loudly as he held onto his ball.

Sakura giggled. Still the same Naruto in so many ways. He really hasn't changed at all.

"That's good to hear Naruto. I'm sure you'll make a good Hokage someday" Her smile widened as his grin was directed at her again.

"Yep I will! And then I'll let only nice ladies like you live here cause those are the only ones worth knowing right?" he asked excitedly. He never met an adult so interested in what he had to say.

"Aa, absolutely." Sakura laughed even more as Naruto nodded even more fervently, making him look like a bobble head.

"Well I gotta go! It was nice meeting ya Sakura-chan! I hope you get better and stuff!" he waves at her as he runs out towards the gate, but before fully disappearing around the corner he shouts out. "And thanks for not yelling or hitting me like the other bad adults I've met!"

Yelling and hitting? What did he mean by that? Sakura's happy expression becomes disturbed by what the seven year old Naruto had told her.

How could he talk so calmly about it? And at his age, he didn't even flinch at the thought of being hit. Sakura remains glued to the ground. Her happy encounter with the younger version of Naruto spoiled by his own words.

Was that why he was so scared when she flinched upon recognizing who he was? Were people actually...hitting him? People of this village?

The world around her disappears for a moment as she envisions the Naruto of her time. Always smiling and never letting things getting him down. That Naruto, the Naruto that was always strong and brave. He was abused as a child?

She just discovered of the kyuubi in his body, surely people weren't cruel enough to blame the tragedy of the kyuubi attack on a poor innocent child...right?

Never Naruto. Or did he never trust her enough to tell her the truth about his childhood.

Tears begin to roll down Sakura's cheeks as she hears the rapid footsteps of someone in white coming towards her. The thoughts of returning home, of the day's events, the council trusting her, were all out the door.

Because as she thinks more and more about her blonde teammate, she realizes. It wasn't because he didn't trust her that Naruto never said a thing about his childhood.

No, it was because back then and maybe even now, she never cared about his childhood. Never even gave it a second thought after her discovery of the kyuubi inside his body.

At that one moment, as the head nurse tried to shake her our of her stupor, as she recalled the last moments she saw Naruto before blacking out, Sakura felt like the most unworthy thing on this planet.

She was never a good friend. She lets a bitter smile form on her lips. 'I was never a good friend...was I...Naruto?'

It's done and all of you have made it! congrats!

Cause I'm one of those people who can't read a long chapter lol -is proud of all of you-

Hope to hear from you through reviews! your opinion matters! (though some of you disagree ;p)

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