CL: Grief, it's been so long… My apologies to those that wanted me to continue SKoH, feel free to carry it on in my place – just PM me. Ugh, not much else to say really. I feel like I'm slacking off with writing since my exams started – even if I'm on study leave. That reminds me, I bought Fire Emblem: Awakening… I'm hooked. Nothing else to say about the matter. Also, I feel like having new contacts on my 3DS, PM if you want to talk – I'm so bored when I'm not writing! Send me a PM about that too. Sorry this took so long to release. I've finally finished my exams but I'm working on another two stories so please bear with me. One of them is for Fanfiction, but I'll write a few chapters before releasing it.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

'Inners/ demons/etc'

"Demons"(From Hell)

'Demon's Thoughts' (From Hell)

Flashbacks

"Song lyrics"(If I have any…)

(Authoress notes)

(If there's anything I've missed, tell me in a review or PM me and I'll rectify it as soon as possible)

Chapter 6: Caught.

Sakura sighed when she woke up to Naruto's loud snoring. She rolled over, pushing herself up, as she yawning and moved her hair out of her face. She quickly scanned the room and took note that Sasuke was just waking up himself. Said boy shot an annoyed glance Naruto's way but sat up and leaned up against the wall. His eyes met hers. Sakura raised her brow before breaking eye contact with him to rummage though her bag for some clothes. She felt his eyes remain on her until she made her way to the door and out.

Sakura changed in the privacy of the bathroom, making sure to brush her teeth and wash her face while she was in there. She quickly returned to the bedroom, Sasuke's eyes returned to her, taking in her clad black clothing. She looked round to him and took in that he too was changed into his usual outfit. They both looked over to Naruto then back to each other. Sakura sent him a look and walked out the room. Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch before walking out the room after – not wanting to wake Naruto.

Half-way though breakfast Naruto came down the stairs and caused a ruckus about how no-one woke him up for breakfast. In return, Sakura sent another look to Sasuke and he shrugged her off, continuing his breakfast. After that, breakfast continued without a hitch. Sakura strapped her blade, Rozen von Sorrow, to her waist and followed Tazuna to the bridge. She sat under the shade of a nearby tree and watched with eagle eyes. After, at least, an hour's work she saw some workers walk up to Tazuna.

She made her way over, only catching the end of the conversation. "Don't come back to the bridge tomorrow." Tazuna muttered as he walked past them to continue working.

"Tazuna-san, allow me to help." Tazuna's angry face turned towards her.

"What make's you think that you'll be of any help?" He replied bitterly.

Sakura smiled and shrugged, "I can carry the really heavy stuff!" she spoke proving her point by picking up a metal beam with one hand and swinging it around a bit. "Besides, this is good training."

Tazuna's face brightened up a bit and he flashed a thankful smile. "You're hired!" He called to her and he began instructing her on where to put what.

The day passed quickly and Tazuna called it a day – the remaining bridge builders gave their farewells and headed home. Tazuna announced that they needed to go into town and buy food for dinner. When they walked though the town Sakura felt her heart twist in sympathy. She gave money and little snacks she had to the people who pleaded for it.

"It's been like this ever since Gato came here and took control of our ports." Tazuna began as he scanned the near-empty shelves for food – most of which weren't even in good quality. "Everyone who opposes him just disappears." He continued as he dropped the produce in a grocery bag.

They walked out and headed back to the house. "I'll do everything in my power to make sure that bridge is built!" Tazuna spoke as he neared the door. Sakura nodded and smiled, "I'll do what I can to keep you safe on duty." She replied. In her peripheral vision she saw Naruto and Sasuke walking over, "You don't mind me going for a walk do you? I should be back before dinner." She asked and Tazuna nodded and she walked away.

In Tazuna's house:

Sasuke and Naruto had been resting up in Tazuna's house for a while after, finally, reaching the top of the tree. Kakashi had congratulated them and then left them to do what they wanted to until dinner. Sasuke found himself immersed in the book he was reading yesterday. Naruto was bothering Kakashi to teach him something else and said man just ignored him, reading his book.

Kakashi looked at the clock and took note it was almost dinner time and Sakura wasn't back. "Sasuke, Naruto." He called. Naruto immediately shut up and Sasuke looked up from his book. "Go look for Sakura, it's almost dinner." Sasuke sighed and folded the corner of the page before closing the book and walking out the door with Naruto at his heels.

The two walked out the house and began wandering around the forest, looking for Sakura. They came to clearing and soon found, what they thought to be, the remnants of a battlefield before their eyes. Kunai and senbon began flying overhead and deflecting of each other, joining the discarded ones that littered the field.

They dived into the bushes in hopes of not being detected. "Little girl, stop playing around. Give me your shards and this will be over. I promise to kill you quickly." A man's voice boomed over the empty field. He got no reply from his opposition. Sasuke and Naruto glanced at each other and before they could even exchange quiet whispers, the ground shook and a tall, stocky man landed in front of them. The number 'Four' was printed on the side of his bald head.

"I found you!" he sang, in a voice of sheer insanity. The two boys froze and the man picked up the two of them by the scruff of their collars. They tried wiggling out of his grasp, but no avail. "You're not my opponent!" He roared in their faces before thinking for a few seconds. "I guess I'll kill you anyway!" He smiled, and tightened his grip on their collars, causing the two to choke.

There was a blur of black before a sickening crunch sounded. Sasuke and Naruto dropped to the floor and breathed heavily, trying to recover from their low oxygen supply. They looked to their saviour, only to see Sakura, enraged. "Don't bring my team mates into this, Four." She growled as she lowered her leg, dipping to retrieve a fallen kunai and senbon. She stood before her team mates protectively. "Shade. Light 'er up!" The small demon appeared over her shoulder in a burst of flames – igniting the kunai. "Naruto! Sasuke! Get to safety!" She called as she ran at Four.

The man glared at her after looking up from his broken elbow. The bone jutted out of his skin at off angles and he hissed. "You're gonna pay for that bitch…!" He pulled out more kunai and threw it at the three of them.

Sakura took the brunt of the attack, deflecting the majority with her own kunai. Sasuke threw her a glare and a: "What the hell is going on, Sakura?!" It was quickly followed by a laugh from Four.

"Oh, so your puny friends don't know?" Sakura growled and appeared in front of him in a flash.

"I don't believe they deserve to know." Four jumped back, dodging a blow to the side.

"Know what?! Sakura-chan! Tell us!" Naruto called from behind the two duelists.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan, tell them." Four paused to smirk. "Tell them how you sold yourself to the God of Hell." Sakura heard the duo gasp from behind her.

"As if you didn't either, Four. Unlike you, I still have my soul and my freedom!" She spoke darkly as she closed the gap between Four and her kunai. Four cursed as he leaned backwards as far as his stocky body allowed. The kunai cut at his necklace. Sakura quickly took them for her herself and sneered at him as he fell on his rear. "I dare you to try and take this back you lowlife scum. I'll break your neck and leave you for dead." She pronounced every syllable, and fear washed in Four's features.

He backed up waving his good arm in defeat. "I'll get you back bitch." He snarled as he high tailed it out of the open space, cradling his broken arm.

Sakura turned to her team mates, who were still in open space despite her warnings to take cover. They looked at her with a look. One Sakura couldn't place her finger on. Sakura sighed, and looked away from her team mates. "I guess you want an explanation." They both seemed to shoot her the same 'Damned Straight' glare, though Sasuke's was much more forceful. Sakura laughed awkwardly as she pocketed the string of shards. "I'll explain when we get to the house. No point in leaving Kakashi-sensei out." She spoke quietly.

They quickly made their way back to the house. They ate dinner in an awkward yet forced silence. Kakashi noticed the tension between his students and called them up stairs to their shared room. Sakura sat in front of the window, soaking up the rays of the evening sun. Kakashi sat opposite her, Sasuke leaned on the wall to her left and Naruto was sat on the floor to her right. "I'm sensing some form of hostility, and I want to know what it's about and why it's happened."

Sasuke was quick on the gun to reply to his words: "Sakura is keeping something from us."

Sakura scoffed. "It's not something you're supposed to know."

Sasuke quickly threw her a glare. "If you're really a team mate then you wouldn't keep something this big from us." Kakashi and Naruto sat in silence, watching the exchange. The room went silent after that comment.

Sakura threw her head back and laughed, bitterly. "Oh, that's fucking rich. So, how much is there that you haven't told us Uchiha…? Hm. I find it so fucking hilarious that I have to tell something because some goon thought it was okay to mention it to you but you can leave your skeletons hanging in the closet while mine's open for you all to judge!" Sakura's voice rose.

Sasuke inwardly winced, understanding what Sakura was saying. "Tch, it doesn't matter anyway. I said that I'd tell you. I do expect you to tell me something. Not now, maybe later, or in a few days, just as long as you do." Sakura muttered, crossing her leg over the other and resting her arm on the window sill.

She took a breath and called for Shade. "Hai, Sakura-chan?" he answered, and he perched himself on her shoulder as usual.

"I want you to hear this too. Everything." She said and Shade nodded and everyone got comfortable.

"It all started two weeks ago, when team 7 was founded. A three man cell consisting of: Uchiha Sasuke, the last Uchiha with the dream of killing his brother for the murder of his clan. Uzumaki Naruto, the village's number one knuckleheaded ninja. And Haruno Sakura, the little civilian fan girl. We were assigned to special Jounin, Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan Eye and ex-student to the late Yondaime." She began and she saw the males with shocked and confused looks and she shook her head.

"Questions later. Kakashi gave us the bell test and we failed the first time round. Naruto was tied to the post but Kakashi gave us a second chance. We passed. For a week and a half we were given D-rank missions. The last being catching the runaway cat: Tora. (Insert groan from Naruto) On that same day we were assigned a C-rank mission thanks to Naruto's persistence. We were going to the land of the waves, mission: Protect Tazuna. On the way we were attacked by two Chuunin, Demon Brothers. The Mission changed to a B-rank but Team 7 pressed on. They then encountered Momoichi Zabuza – a Jounin-level missing nin. Team 7 fought hard and soon the battle ended. The battle ended by a senbon to the neck by a Hunter Ninja working for the mist. He took the body away."

"Kakashi was left in bad shape for a few days after Team 7 had declared that the mission was actually an A-rank. Team 7 and Zabuza clash again, four days after their first encounter. Kakashi fights Zabuza whist Naruto and Sasuke fight Haku – the 'Hunter Ninja' – and Sakura protects Tazuna. Haku eventually loses his life to Kakashi by protecting Zabuza from a Raikiri. Gato appears and states that he was going to kill Zabuza and Tazuna. Zabuza kills Gato. The villagers, led by Inari, fight back against the rest of Gato's men. The mission is complete along with the bridge, which is named the 'Great Naruto Bridge' after Naruto because he saved Tsunami and Inari from Gato's thugs. Team 7 return to Konoha and return to D-rank missions." Sakura stopped and took a breath, she took a moment to gather her thoughts and relive them.

"This is where things go downhill. Kakashi nominates Team 7 for the Chuunin Exam. Prior to telling the Team, Naruto and Sakura run into three Shinobi from the village of Suna. The sand siblings – children to the Kazekage. Sabaku no Gaara, a powerful and formidable opponent, but houses a tailed beast which yearns to be free. Kankuro, Gaara's older brother, who controls puppets. And Temari, the eldest of the three, and uses a fan for both offence and defence. Kankuro was about to attack Konohamaru for bumping into him on accident but was stopped by Sasuke, momentarily before Gaara stepped in, threatening to kill his older brother. After that, Sasuke and Gaara exchange names – in hope of a future battle in the Chuunin Exams."

"The following day, Kakashi gives us the registrations slips to enter. The following day we were in the Chuunin exam, with the rest of the rookie nine – Team 8 and Team 10. We took a written test and then the 'Practical' test if you wish to call it that." She stopped again. She looked away from her team mates with shifty eyes. "I don't really want to… talk about the next parts…" She mumbled.

Shade patted her shoulder and she looked at him, he smiled. "It's okay Sakura-chan, you don't have to. Just use a Genjutsu to show us everything." Sakura nodded. Throwing her hands into a few hand signs she pulled them into her mind. Sakura closed her eyes and when she opened them the five of them were in her mind: A blank, white landscape. She immediately saw Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Shade.

"Guys…" she began and they turned to face her, "Welcome to my mind." She continued and she walked towards them. "Now: you will watch, through my eyes, the ups and the downs of my life and my secret." She whispered as she faded away and they all became Haruno Sakura. (Basically she's showing them what happened in the Anime up to a certain point, then through half of Chapter One when she actually returns to the past but not where she kills her adoptive parents.)

When Sakura had finished showing her memories to her team mates she let them go from her mind and they all looked at her sympathetically. Sakura glared, "I'd rather you not give me your sympathy. I'm here to change what happened starting with: keeping you," She pointed at Sasuke, "away from Orochimaru and inside of Konoha." Sakura spoke as she leaned back in her chair.

"Doesn't that mean it will be fairly easy for you to change everything then?" Kakashi asked, shuffling in his chair.

Sakura bit her lip. "I'm afraid it's not that easy. Not only are there numerous paradoxes occurring around me from using Hell as my ticket back, if I change something then it will obviously change something else further on in time. Every action has a consequence." Sakura spoke as she tapped her fingers on the windowsill. She soon turned her glance towards her team mates. Kakashi seemed to have understood but Sasuke and Naruto still seemed confused.

"For example:" She spoke and both boys looked at her, "If Kakashi wasn't to kill Haku this time around and Zabuza was to help us fight against Gato, what would happen after that. Would they stay and protect the Wave Country? Will they turn their back on everyone and continue down their current path? Will they come with us to Konoha? If something different happens then there will be a knock-on effect. One that might affect us for the better or for the worse is something we won't know until it hits us." The two nodded in understanding but grew silent to digest the newfound information. After that the team dispersed and went to separate places in the house. Sakura remained seated at the windowsill.

Sakura pulled off her necklace and attached her new shards to it. "That's two more. We just need four more." Shade spoke from Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah but now that I think about it, why do I have to collect these? My… I guess you can call it a wish, has already come true and I'm already a Soul Eater." Shade laughed, and Sakura sighed, "For his amusement then, huh…?" She mumbled to herself, face-palming.

Sakura changed into her pyjamas but remained by the window, soaking up the last of the Sun's light before going to bed. Sakura fell asleep sometime before Naruto and Sasuke walked in to go to bed. Naruto looked at Sakura with guilty eyes. "I never knew Sakura-chan…" Naruto whispered as he stepped towards her, but stopped a few inches before her. "I'm gonna train hard Sakura-chan! So we can change the future - You, Me, Teme and Kakashi-sensei too!" He whispered loudly, and he flashed her sleeping body a grin and got changed and crawled into his sleeping bag.

Sasuke, who watched Naruto talk to Sakura, turned over in his sleeping bag when he had finished. 'She's from the future, the future which I destroyed…' he glared at the wall. 'But why would I leave Konoha for power? I mean... I know I need power to Kill Itachi but... Konoha is my home. Right…?' Sasuke thought to himself but no matter how much he asked himself he could never come up with an answer that could make him feel at ease. 'But then again, all that power… enough to crush an entire village…!' Sasuke pondered. "Tch, I'll think about in the morning…" He muttered to himself aloud as he tried to get to sleep as soon as possible to avoid having to listen to Naruto's snores for the rest of the night.

When morning came Naruto was, once again still asleep, so the rest of Team 7 moved out to the bridge to protect Tazuna. Sasuke began fighting with Haku and Kakashi with Zabuza like the previous time. Sakura remained, protecting Tazuna, like last time too. Naruto dived in to help Sasuke when he arrived. Sakura stood her eyes darted across the battlefield, watching everyone's movement. Something caught her eye. In the thickness of the mist, a flash of familiar red hair blurred towards her. Sakura dived and caught the hurtling body of her brother. She skidded to a stop after his body hit hers. "Hibiki…! Are you okay?!" She called as she shook him.

His eyes blinked open as Tazuna ran over. He shook his head in attempt to clear his muddled thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just got caught unprepared." He groaned out as he stood up.

Sakura grabbed his wrist and let her medical chakra move through him, checking for injury. "Caught unprepared…? By who…?" Sakura asked leaked her chakra to check her surroundings.

"I think his name was Tamaki or something. Number Three." Hibiki spoke and Sakura nodded.

"I think I've located him." Sakura spoke and then she looked between her brother and Tazuna. "Do you need help or…" She trailed off and Hibiki shook his head.

"Nah, I'll be fine, if worst comes to worst, I'll come back here or spike my chakra." Sakura nodded and Hibiki drew his sword and headed back off in the direction that his opponent was.

"Be careful, Hibiki." She whispered more so to herself than to her brother as she watched him off. She turned to face Tazuna. He looked at her with a questioning gaze. "My big brother." He 'Ah'-ed and nodded his head and then silence met them once again as they waited for the battle to end.

'So the events have stayed the same so far… well for the most part at least... So what's going to change…?' Sakura thought to herself. On cue a laugh rang on the battlefield and Zabuza cleared the mist away. "Momoichi Zabuza…! Getting beaten by little kids…? How disgraceful!" Gato called, and his army of men behind him laughed. Zabuza scowled. "Why are you here, Gato?" He called back and said man smirked. "I'm here to toss out the trash. That includes you, your little bitch over there and Tazuna himself." Zabuza looked at Kakashi and jumped away from him.

"I guess this means our battle is over, Sharingan Kakashi." Kakashi nodded at him and turned his head towards Gato, ready to fight. Sakura watched as Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors smash into millions of pieces and everyone was revealed – her team mates were relatively okay. Sakura let out a sigh she didn't know she was holding. She turned her gaze back to Gato who was directing his men left and right to attack. Sakura pulled her hands into a hand sign and made three shadow Clones.

"I'll protect Tazuna; you go wipe out the rest of Gato's goons. The quicker this is over with the better." Sakura ordered and glanced around as her clones headed towards the mass of ninjas. Gato was quickly wiped out by Zabuza and Haku after Kakashi and Sakura's clones cleared a path straight to him.

"That was our meal ticket! Are you gonna pay us?!" The mob exploded angrily.

Only to be pelted with arrows from the Wave Villages Citizens. "Get away from our village!" "Leave and don't return!" "Go away, ninja scum!" the villager's screams were loud and most of Gato's remaining ninja high-tailed it out while they had the chance.

They cheered and a smile passed Sakura's lips, "Better than last time I guess." She mumbled as her clones poofed away.

Kakashi made his way over to Zabuza and Haku, discussing something with them that Sakura couldn't quite hear over the loud roars that came from the villagers. Inari and Tsunami came over and began speaking with Tazuna, so Sakura left them to it, taking it upon herself to heal her team mates' major injuries, if they had any. "Hey, Naruto, Sasuke. You're not too injured are you?" She asked once she reached them.

Sasuke shook his head and Naruto grinned, "Nah, we're fine, just these stupid needles." Naruto spoke as he lifted up his arm to yank one out. Sakura quickly closed the distance between them and slapped his hand away. He let out a quiet shriek of surprise and looked at Sakura's face.

"You shouldn't rip them out. It could scar, but worse of all it will actually hurt more if you just rip them out." She spoke as she pushed him gently away from her, waving the three senbon needles that were in his arm. He blinked, his head moved from the senbon needles to his arm, and then back again. He then met Sakura's gaze with a confused but excited look. Sakura smirked, "And you didn't feel a thing. Now both of you come here and I'll take the rest out." Naruto walked over and Sasuke, reluctantly, followed after him. It only took Sakura five minutes to get them all out and she smiled, "All done!" She spoke, patting them on the shoulders.

Sasuke nodded in thanks and Naruto grinned. "Thanks Sakura-chan!" The duo wandered off and Sakura perched herself on the bridge scaffolding and sighed. Her eyes locked onto the celebrating villagers and then to Kakashi, Zabuza and Haku. Kakashi's hand's moved in a persuasive manner, Zabuza had a contemplative look, though he hid it well with his usual furrowed brow and bandaged face. Haku looked indifferent about whatever the three of them were discussing.

Sakura looked towards the woods where her brother disappeared. She sighed, "I swear, you better be alive." Sakura toyed with her necklace, looping her fingers around small glass containers that held her Chronos shards. Sakura noticed Kakashi giving her a look and she walked over. "Is there a problem?" She asked looking between the two parties.

Kakashi nodded and explained the situation, the reason why Zabuza and Haku was working for Gato. "They needed the money to pull together a coup to change to Mist Ninja Academy."

Sakura looked towards the two of them. "But I don't see how this is a problem." Sakura spoke, confused. "Especially because the Mizukage has already passed away."

Kakashi sighed - probably resisiting the urge to facepalm, "That's the problem. They've lost their reason to fight and they'll be hunted down by Mist Hunter Nin."

Sakura coughed, "Oh… right. I'm pretty sure you can deploy yourselves here as protectors to the Wave Country or perhaps you can come to Konoha, if you haven't attacked any Konoha Nin then you should be able to stay – considering it's the most likely place that will give you a chance as opposed to executing you on sight. I believe that you would be a valuable asset to Konoha, or the Wave Country."

Zabuza and Haku looked between each other before turning their gaze back to the pinkette. "Are those our only options?"

Sakura shrugged, "They're the only ones I can pull from the top of my head that would benefit you both greatly and possibly Konoha also." Zabuza nodded his head. Kakashi looked at Sakura and then to Zabuza, "You have time to think about it. Until the bridge is finished. If you make a decision prior to the bridge being built, come to the bridge anyway." Once again, Zabuza nodded.

Then Haku spoke up. "What if we don't turn up?"

Sakura sighed, "I'll consider it a decline to either offer and we'll leave, no questions asked. You'll have to deal with your problems alone afterwards." Haku hummed and Sakura quirked her brow in return. He looked away. She turned her gaze to the woods once more. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei…" He looked at her and she noticed that he still hadn't pulled down his head band. "I need to go look for my brother." Kakashi didn't move or question her so she just left. Quickly taking off towards where she saw her brother head off to.