Disclaimer: I think it's understood that I don't own Naruto . . .

Author Note(s): thank you all for feedback and reviews. For those who wonder I do in fact reply to every review I get and try to keep the opinions of my readers in mind when I write when it comes to certain things such as editing and length. On the editing note I am sorry I am in fact writing this story on my phone I do not have a spell check and my phone believes auto correct is right and i am wrong and thinks for itself lol.

I also seem to be getting mixed reactions about my OOC Fugaku but guys c'mon ours fanfiction, you guys have fun with someone and everyone always makes Mikoto the likeable parent. Plus he was drunk.

Chapter 6:

Alone

*~*o.O.o*~*

Walking up to the doors of the hospital I smiled and took a deep breath. This was the one place that could never truly change. There would always be people who needed to be saved and some that would just need the passing eased when they were beyond help. When I had gone to the Hokage with my concerns about Mikoto trying to kill me, which were brushed off, Minato asked if I could help over at the hospital wherever time allows me to. I had been thrilled to hear this, any form of normality would be welcomed in this insane place and I think that's really why the offer has been made. It also gave me a place to hide from the insane woman. Honestly since Itachi had left for his mission, making sure I was never alone with Mikoto had become a necessity. The woman scared the shit out of me. Is been three days and I think she's tried to kill me at least four times.

Walking up to the receptionist, a young woman with dark green hair and violet eyes that were focused on a book that I noticed has a bright orange cover, I smiled, "I need to speak with the head physician."

"Reason and name?" The woman didn't do much as look up at me and continued reading. Slightly irritated I kept my smile, but it was quickly turning to a fake one that could rival my ink using teammate.

"Joining the staff, my name is Ishi Yamada. The Hokage sent me." I had to occasionally remind myself that my real name couldn't be used. Even here. Sakura Haruno was dead, and ever do slightly, I was starting to feel that way too. The feeling disturbed me.

Violet eyes glanced up at me then back down to her book, I swear if that was a copy of Icha Icha I'd have wrung her neck back home, if Tsunade didn't beat me to it. "Forth floor. His office is next to the labs." Without saying goodbye, because honestly she probably wasn't paying attention, I headed up. The office next to the labs, that used to be Shizune-chan's office... Will I be able to stand in there without seeing her? It's hard enough going to the Hokage tower and not think of Tsunade-shishou... Walking in silence through the halls I watched nurses and doctors going to tend to their patients or seek out clipboards for information. It was a slow day... Tsunade never liked them. Said they were a bad omen. Usually she was right, would her superstitions extend to this hospital too?

*~*o.O.o*~*

Standing in front of the office I couldn't bring myself to knock. I couldn't even remember the last time i had to knock on this particular door, except for when a certain Genma Shiranui was in for a 'private' consultation. Taking a deep breath I knocked on the door and no answer came. Whoever is in charge isn't in his office apparently. Sighing I considered waiting but decided against it. Turning quickly I collided with paper and the person carrying them.

"Sorr-" looking up I froze. Silver hair. Glasses. "Must be in the wrong place." Walking away not bothering to help the man.

"Excuse me who are you?" I didn't answer. I just wanted to get away. If he was a member of this staff no matter how high or low, they couldn't pay me to be in this hospital, as staff or patient. I'd die first. But I would be watching, very carefully. Whatever this place was that I got stuck in, nothing could ever make me believe he was trustworthy. I learned my lesson about him long ago. And that lesson was he's even more dangerous than a snake. Kabuto Yakushi. Footsteps raced towards me and he grabbed me. Instincts set in and i turned his grip against him and pushed him into the wall, cracks spiderwebed around him, but not deep enough to break through and make a hole.

"Don't touch me," I snarled pushing his face into the dry wall, "stay as far away from me as you possibly can. Understood?" Not waiting for an answer I released him against my better judgment and inner screams to kill him now and be done with the matter, and left.

*~*o.O.o*~*

Sitting at the café across the street from the hospital I waited. Drinking my second green tea I had made up my mind. Even if the history of this place was different there was too much at risk to believe that people may have changed as well. Kabuto Yakushi was not a Kohona native, but an orphan from the third war, brought here by Orochimaru and Danzou. His being here made the hairs on the back of my neck raise with a cold chill that only I could feel.

"If it isn't Yamada-san." Looking bring me I made eye contact with none other than Shisui Uchiha, "what brings you here?"

"I don't see how that would be any of your concern Uchiha." I deadpanned and returned to watching the doors of the hospital willing Kabuto to step out.

"Avoiding Aunt Mikoto is not a wise move." Shisui sat down in the chair across from me, "Why are you studying the hospital so intently I wonder? Going to catch someone are we? A boyfriend perhaps? Why else would you be sitting here all alone?" Shooting a glare at the man I returned my attention back to the hospital. "What is going on between you and my little cousin?"

"Uchiha-taichou extended me an offer and I accepted. Nothing more than that."

"Shisui-san do you want your usual?" A waitress stopped by the table with a tray full of empty cups. She smiled brightly at the annoying Uchiha, though not as annoying as others. From a side veiw Shisui was what some women would consider as attractive, but then he'd open his mouth. -don't even try that, he's hot and you know it. He's an Uchiha after all. Stop getting him mixed up with Sai.- inner poked humorlessly.

"Sure Kiyoko-chan." Shisui have her a small smile and she quickly walked off. "So are you going to tell me why you're eyes are glued to the hospital?"

"No." Finally after being here for three hours Kabuto walked through the doors and headed down the street, my eyes following his every move.

"Ah, you met Kabuto. Guy sets of everyone's alarms. There's something off about that guy if you ask me." Shisui followed my line of sight, "no proof though. A year ago Itachi followed him for a week with nothing to show for it." My lips turned down into a frown. "So what did he do that bothers you do much miss more than adequate?"

"He exists." Standing up I left the money for my bill on the table and headed out, Shisui followed me.

"Isn't that a bit extreme even for ANBU logic?" Shisui asked as we took to the rooftops, keeping a small gap between us and the silver haired medic. "You make it sound like he should be dead."

"In my opinion he needs to be. But as you said, no proof... Yet." Watching Kabuto take a left we did the same. Coming back to the same road he has been on, he was gone. No sign off him anywhere or a chakra signature. "Damn."

"Happens every time." Shisui muttered as I dropped to the ground. Looking around the street was deserted. Wait this road... Sai had shown us where the entrance to root had been after the war and everything had settled down. Looking carefully, I scanned the walls on the right side of the road for the kanji for shadow. Behind me Shisui hung like one as well. "What are you looking for? He's gone. No matter where we follow the freak to, he disappears with no trace. A Kami forsaken ghost."

"Not quite but almost." Stopping I bent down and dusted away some dirt from next to a window. There it was.

"Kage?" Looking down the street both ways making sure we were completely alone I made the tiger seal and pushed chakra into the kanji. Beside us a trap door appeared.

"The one thing he wants to be but will never be."

"Who?"

"Kabuto's current boss." Forming the ram seal I placed chakra back into the symbol and watched the door disappear. "Later, we will come back. When we are less likely to be seen by watchful eyes."

"More than adequate... Just how long have you been following him?" Shisui muttered, i didn't bother to answer him, and he followed me. "So where to now?"

"No idea, we just need to be away from here right now. All chances are, we were seen. If that's the case, we may very well end up being followed until there is an opportunity for them to silence us."

"You mind explaining what the hell you're taking about."

"Root." I said as if that explained everything, which to me it did. Turning I stared Shisui in the eye, "I'm going to the Hokage, meet me at the poisoned senbon tonight at midnight. We'llcome back here and see what we can dig up." A small nod of confirmation was all i needed before I ran to the Hokage tower.

*~*o.O.o*~*

"You want what?" Minato Namekaze sat behind his desk giving me an unbeliving look in his water blue eyes, across the back of his chair his white jacket was slung across it carelessly. The privacy jutsu in place, i knew i could almost speak freely. But i wasn't sure exactly what Inoichi had told the Hokage when it came to my memories.

"Permission to shadow select shinobi of village to ensure loyalties." I said as if it were completely reasonable, which to me it was. I knew things he didn't. Really i just wanted to watch Kabuto, but there were others that were known associates of Danzou... No one could be left out.

"Listen Sakura, or Ishi, whichever name you're going by. My shinobi are loyal to the leaf. We have no traitors here, Inoichi said our histories are different so people may be as well. I can not allow their privacies intruded on." Minato stared matter of factly.

"Yet you allow your shinobi to penetrate my mind and look through my memories giving me to remember very painful events in my past? Whether you allow it or not Lord Hokage I will act as I feel necessary. I'm just trying to be respectful to you by asking permission first." I stated in a tone that I normally used to deal with Kakashi-sensei, to turn it on a Hokage felt dangerous but I knew it may be the only way. "Minato-sama if it wasn't a serious situation I wouldn't do this but the dangers of ignoring what I know from wherever I am from could be fatal for many for wherever this is. If following a handful of shinobi could save the lives of hundreds of shinobi and civilians isn't the lack of privacy worth it? And if nothing comes of it none of them will be any the wiser."

"Sakura these are my shinobi we are taking about."

"I am aware of this. It is also the lives of all your other shinobi I am taking about. Could you let their deaths go if you knew you could have avoided them if you just let me do this? Would your conscience let you sleep at night with that on your mind? I know mine wont." An expression of defeat crossed the Hokage's face and i knew right then. I won.

"I'm sorry Sakura, but i will not allow this. If it is discovered that you are following any of these people i will have you arrested. The subject is closed." he looked up at me with anger turning this blue eyes into a storm, "first you accuse Mikoto Uchiha of trying to kill you and now you accuse my people of bring traitors...i have tried being kind and accepting of you with the situation but that can and will change if it must. Though i would rather it not."

I stared at him with complete astonishment, he couldn't be serious... Taking a deep breath i closed my eyes and tilted my head to look at the ceiling praying to Kami. "You are a fool Lord Hokage, i just hope that i am wrong on this. If I'm not people will die and it will be on both of our hands." Turning on my heel, i left the room. Good Kami i hope I'm wrong.

-he only said if he caught you.- i smiled to myself at inners comment. The lord Hokage didn't say anything about someone else being caught. I could always use a different henge, or... -or get Shisui to do it.-

*~*o.O.o*~*

Sitting at one of the back tables in the poisoned senbon I waited for Shisui. After following Kabuto we agreed to meet here then seperated, he even nodded so where was he. Looking at the time I frowned, he's an hour late. If this was Kakashi I was meeting I wouldn't be worried for another hour but an Uchiha... No this was not good. Sighing I decided I'd wait a little longer. If he didn't show, I'd head on alone because most likely, I'd find him there already, I could only hope he would be okay.

*~*o.O.o*~*

Shisui Uchiha laid in bed sharpening a kunai, wondering how long the woman would wait at the bar for him before giving up and coming back to the compound. Like he hadn't seen through her plot of trying to get him to come drinking with her. Scoffing he looked out at the sky. The trap door earlier was a nice trick, but if Itachi couldn't track someone no one could. Most likely it had been some childhood hideout our something. Honestly who would use the large kanji and make their 'organization' root, did she think he was an idiot? She has just been trying to get close to him like every other woman in the village, and most likely just so she could get closer to Itachi. Neither he nor Aunt Mikoto would allow someone who was just after the Uchiha name to get closer to Itachi or Sasuke.

Shaking his head, Shisui laughed and went to sleep. He couldn't wait to see her face tomorrow.

*~*o.O.o*~*

A/N 2.0: uh Ooooh was that a hint of plot? Lol dun dun dun. Reviews?