I'm so sorry about the dramatic delay. I had a severe case of writers block on how to transition this so I apologize again, but things are going deeper. Who knows what will happen next. I don't even know what's going to happen next! Thank you to those wonderful people: SasoLOVE111, TeamTHEFT, iloveSKITTLES, Nikooru-sama, Wikedlovely, Onion Bay, himeko63, dragontamer ri-chan, Galatia, ..CHoMP., Lungs, person, Red Rose, SummerSunsation, Neon Skies, Ashtyn Leigh, mayalice, , Ace Lilac Princess, BDiederich867465, aadya, Sexxiness, Sariko-chan723, AngelDemonSakura,

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any other characters from the series.

WARNING: TIME SKIP!

"Talking"

'Thinking'

'Inner Sakura'

RECAP:

"So you want us to capture her," the plant like member spoke as his voice then darkened, "Then eat her. She is not for eating."

"Precisely Zetsu," Pein replied. "I want you to go about your regularly assigned missions, but you also need to be on the search for her."

"If we capture her, you want us to then bring her back to the base," a stitched man assumed as he pulled out his bingo book and skimmed through the pages.

"Yes Kakuzu," he replied as he looked around the room. "According to Deidara, she has just left Suna. I assume that she will be heading towards earth country next. Understood?"

"Hai," they all answered.

"Good, now that you're all here we have work to do concerning Sasori," Pein told them as he stood from his chair and looked towards another member, "Konan."

"Hai, Pein-Sama," she replied as she moved towards the back of the room where there was a table with what looked to be puppet parts scattered across.

Pein smirked towards the table then looked back to his organization, "Let us begin."


Ch.7 Long awaited return

It was time. Finally time.

It had been two years since Sakura Haruno had been exiled from the hidden village in the leaves and she thought it was about time she checked back in. She had no idea whether or not the gate guards would have commands to kill her on sight, but she knew it was at least worth a try.

Besides, she could take both of them if she had too. It's not like her two years away went to waste in the outside world.

She walked along Konoha soil in her tall boots with a slight heel, giving her a bit of a lift. She couldn't keep her old attire and ended up discarding in along her journey so she now wore tight black pants that met at the start of her black boots past her knees with a kunai pouch strapped to her thigh. Her upper half was adorned a long gray vest that tied around the small of her waist, singeing in her slender figure. Sakura's famous bubblegum tresses reached slightly past her shoulder while her facial features showed more maturity and strength.

'I can't believe I'm finally coming back.'

'Oh yeah, real exciting,' her inner voice replied sarcastically back to her. 'Let's throw a party and get naked. Then while we're at it we can ride the ponies that will be at our welcome back party.'

Sakura smirked outwardly at her innered's childish antics. 'Well, glad to see someone's in a good mood this morning.'

'Har, har, bitch. I don't know why you're getting so excited. We might not even be let back in.'

The pinkette sighed as she ran her gloved fingers through her vibrant locks, 'You're so damn negative. At least try and be hopeful about the situation.'

'Fine, but if it goes poorly don't come crying to me.'

Sakura let out a short laugh, 'It's not like I can count on you for cheering up anyways.'

As she walked the familiar dirt path that led to the front gates of the village she glanced around the trees the covered most of the sun that was shining down over the trail.

"The trees have gotten taller," she spoke allowed to no one in particular as a soft breeze flew through the air, letting streams of light shine through the leaves and play across her pale skin.

When she glanced down the path once more she noticed the tall gates that held her home village not far in front of her. Once she was within ten feet of the gates, she paused and took in a calming breath before she walked those last ten feet.

Sakura had masked her chakra a considerable length away from the village, so she wasn't surprised when neither of the gate guards looked up to her form when she halted at the entrance. Probably assuming she was just a civilian.

"Name and purpose?" she heard Izumo question evenly as his eyes, as well as Kotetsu's, remained down at the bingo book at the post they were seated at.

Sakura let out a light sigh as she placed a hand on her cocked hip, "I've been gone for two years and that's the welcome back I get? How cold."

The men's eyes immediately snapped up to the female form in front of them and could only stare at her in shock.

"Sakura-san," Kotetsu whispered astounded at her form standing only a few feet away from their own.

She gave them one of her famously sweet smiles, "Kotetsu, Izumo, it's nice to see you both after so long. It's also nice to see that you're not under orders to kill me on sight."

"Of course not, Sakura-san," Izumo replied quickly as he and his partner walked over to her slightly shorter form. "We received no such orders."

"That's a relief then," she told them quietly as they saw her relax slightly before looking up at them. "I wonder if you guys could take me to the Hokage's office. I don't want to overstep my boundaries and show up unannounced and by myself."

"Sure thing, Sakura-san," Kotetsu replied as he summoned a near by shinobi to take their places. "Shall we go?"

Sakura gave them another genuine smile, "Whenever you're ready."


As Sakura walked down the bustling streets of Konoha with Izumo on one side and Kotetsu on the other side, she couldn't help but feel normal once again. Both of the gate guards didn't ask too many questions about her long absence and they held light conversation as they walked. The pinkette glanced around the busy streets, seeing some people she recognized and some she didn't.

"It's Sakura-sama!" she heard a young voice yell to her right. Her emerald eyes turned to see a group of young children between the ages of five and eight that she remembered had looked up to her when she was working back at the hospital. The children began to run over to her much taller form.

"She's back!"

"Sakura-sama!"

The popular pinkette bent her knees and crouched in front of the excited Konoha children as they stood in front of her with animated emotions, "Well hello everyone. My, my you guys have grown so much!"

"Sakura-sama we knew you would come back!" one of the little girls told her energetically with one of the largest smiles on her face.

"Well of course," she told the little girl softly with a warm smile gracing her features as she looked around the group. "I have to see you guys grow up to be big strong shinobis of the hidden leaf. Plus, who's going to take care of you at the hospital when you get hurt training?"

"Sakura-sama, where did you go?" one of the little boys asked. "You were gone for such a long time!"

A small pang of guilt hit her heart as she stared into the little boy's big green eyes, "I'm sorry I wasn't here, but I had to go away for a little while. But don't worry, I'm back now."

"We missed you Sakura-sama," another little girl said as she moved in to hug the pink haired medic around her slender neck, making the other children follow suit and latch onto her slim figure.

Sakura wrapped her arms slowly around the group of children that were currently making her want to cry with their talk of missing her.

As the children released her, she slowly stood up and looked down upon them with a sweet smile, "I have to go meet with the Hokage right now, but I promise you will see me soon."

"Awwwwww," the group of children whined making Sakura and the two shinobi smile at the group.

"See you later, Sakura-sama!" one of the boys spoke with a wave as she, Kotetsu, and Izumo made their way to the large tower. Sakura gave the children one last wave before facing forward once more.

"You were greatly missed, Sakura-san," Izumo told her with a small smile.

"It seems that way," she replied quietly with a small smile still lingering on her features.


Tsunade sat at her desk facing the large bay window that faced out over the city. She heard a knock at her door and let out a sigh, "Enter."

She heard the door creak open, "Tsunade-sama, there is someone here that wishes to have a word with you," her dark haired assistant informed her as she stood in the doorway.

"Tell them I'm unavailable."

"Um, ma'am, I think you'll want to take this," Shizune retorted quietly.

The busty blonde let out another sigh, "Fine. Send them in. But this better be important, Shizune."

"I assure you, it is," her quite voice spoke before she closed the door behind her.

A few moments later another knock sounded at her office door.

"Enter."

"Hokage-sama," Kotetsu greeted. "We have someone here for you."

"What is with all of this beating around the bush?" the Hokage questioned irritably as she began to sin her chair around as she gazed at the people in her office. "This person-"

Tsunade's words halted in her throat as she stared at the fourth person in the room.

"Sakura," she whispered quietly as she slowly rose from her chair.

"They probably didn't tell you because you would never believe them even if they tried to tell you," her previous apprentice spoke quietly with hardly any emotion in her flawless features.

The blonde looked at her student sadly before clearing her throat, "That will be all gentlemen. Return to your post."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

And in a flash, the two women were left alone.

"You're back," the Hokage finally spoke in a hushed tone. "Sakura, I'm-"

"I don't want your apologies until I get some answers," she cut off her mentor with a firm tone.

'Oh being a bitch now. I like it.'

Tsunade remained silent as she took in the appearance of the girl she considered a daughter. The girl that she knew she hurt more than she ever thought she could.

"I don't want any lies, or any of this 'I can't disclose that information' nonsense," her apprentice spoke bravely once more. "I deserve to know."

The brown eyed leader let out a sigh as she moved around her desk to lean against the front of it. "I want you to know, that I regret the choice I made two years ago. But I also want you to know, that it was going to happen regardless."

"And why was that?"

"Because the council is corrupt, Sakura," she answered back. "My decisions are being watched as well as judged. It was not my idea, but some of the council member's idea to send you away."

"But why?" the pinkette questioned desperately as she dug her nailing into the flesh of her palm. "I've never done anything wrong."

"That is true, and I'm sorry I couldn't explain anything to you before," her mentor apologized softly. "But the reason you were exiled from the village hidden in the leaves was because, as I'm sure you realize, the council began to see you as a threat towards the safety of this village."

"But that's absurd!" Sakura commented fiercely as her emerald orbs sparked with fire. "I have never done anything that would put this village in danger. As a matter a fact, I was a helping asset to the village. I ran the damn hospital and was the head medic for Kami's sake! Why? Do you understand what I went through because of this?"

"I don't understand," the Hokage told her sadly. "And apologizing to you millions of times will never help me understand."

"What is the real reason?" her seething apprentice questioned.

"The real reason?"

"It was the Akatsuki, wasn't it?" the pinkette asked as she hung her head slightly and let out a short venomous laugh. "I knew it. I knew it."

"Did you make contact with them while you were gone?" Tsunade asked the younger girl, her tone taking a slightly serious turn.

Sakura let out a snort as she moved over to lean up against one of the walls by the bay window, "On plenty occasions. But more recently, I'm sure I've greatly pissed them off."

"Did you fight any of them?" her shishou questioned carefully.

"Yes."

"Did you kill any of them?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Konan," the green eyed medic replied with a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, "Their leader's partner."

"How long ago?" the older woman asked with an impressed glint in her eyes.

"A couple months, maybe three or so," the pinkette told her. "It happened by coincidence actually; one that ended in her death."

"Have you made contact with any of them since that time?" the busty woman questioned as she sat on top of her wooden desk.

"Not in person, but I did see them on the borders of fire country in a small village I was staying in," her apprentice explained. "But they turned around and went the opposite way when they didn't find anything they were looking for."

"So they have no leads on where you are?"

"I'm not stupid, Tsunade-shishou," Sakura told her mentor quietly as she looked up to meet her brown eyes. "I always cover my tracks. It's why they haven't found me for so long."

The Hokage remained silent as she gazed sadly at her student.

Sakura finally let out a sigh, breaking the silence once more, "I understand if you still don't want me to stay. With the evidence I just gave you, I'm not really making my case to allow myself to stay with the Akatsuki obviously after me, but I thought you deserved to know the truth."

The blonde understood the underlying meaning in her words. She deserved to know as much as Sakura has when she was exiled.

"I want you to stay, Sakura," Tsunade told the female quietly. "But with the Akatsuki so actively trying to get to you, we have to keep you on the down low. I want to have you here as much as the next person, but if the Akatsuki move to attack the village, something will have to be done."

"Understood."

"Welcome back, Sakura," Tsunade told the pinkette with a small smile as she moved to hug the petit ninja.

"It's good to be back," Sakura whispered back to her mother figure.


Once Sakura left the Hokage tower, she knew exactly where she had to go.

Tsunade informed her of where she could locate her old team, since they luckily were not on a mission. As she walked down the streets receiving stares of astonishment as well as friendly smiles and waves from the villagers, she would send back a sweet smile and wave at the people she recognized.

As she got closer to the training grounds, she heard what sounded like a bark coming from behind her. When she turned around, she saw Akamaru's large form running at top speed towards her own.

"Akamaru!" Sakura squealed in delight as she bent down slightly and rapped her arms around the loving animal's neck.

The beige dog wagged his tail happily as he licked her face in excitement. Sakura couldn't hold back a giggle at the dog's antics as she loving scratched him in his favorite spot behind his ear, "I missed you too, boy. Where's Kiba?"

As if on cue, she heard the dog trainer's voice calling out for the dog before he turned to corner to see his partner cuddled up to the long lost pinkette.

"Sakura," he whispered as he halted and stared at the female standing before him.

He in front of her in an instant, pulling her tightly to his chest with one hand in her hair, while the other placed itself on the small of her back. "Sakura," he whispered into her hair once more.

"Kiba," she mumbled into his muscular chest as she took in his rustic sent while her arms wrapped around his abdomen. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Sakura," her told her. "Everyone did."

"And I'm sorry that everyone was worried."

"You have no reason to apologize to anyone, Sakura," the brunette whispered into her hair as he held her closer, loving the feeling of her returned warmth in his arms. "I'm just sorry we couldn't help you at all."

"It wasn't something I could ask for help with," she replied as she looked back up into his dark brown eyes. "It's so good to see you again, Kiba."

"Likewise, babe. Likewise," he retorted with his famous smirk. "Where were you headed before my mangy mutt attacked you?"

Akamaru just yipped happily and continued to wag his tail at the comment causing Sakura to laugh lightly. "I have to go see my team," she old him as she laid her forehead against his muscular chest and he sensed the worry in her voice.

"It'll be fine," he told her. "They will be shocked, but happy as well."

"Thanks, Kiba," she replied as she looked up at his handsome face once more. "Once I see everyone, I'd like to catch up with you if you have the time."

"Sure thing, Sakura," the dog trainer answered back as he pulled her in for one more hug before shooing her away towards her old training field.

The pinkette heard her old team members before she could see them as the sounds of rigorous training fluttered into her ears. In that moment, she was nervous to see them even though Kiba told her it would be fine.

'But what if it's not?' she asked herself. 'What if they hate me? What if Naruto hates me? I…I can't cope with that.'

'You'll never know unless you go and find out. So get out there.'

And with her innered's wise words, she stepped onto the back area of the training field where she saw Naruto and Sai sparring, while Kakashi and Yamato watched carefully from the opposite side of the field.

'Here it goes.'

No one noticed her approach through the trees at first because she still hadn't unmasked her chakra, but the second she stepped out of the trees Kakashi stood straight up from his previously lounged position against the tree.

Yamato noticed Kakashi's gaze and turned to look only to have a similar look on his face.

"Sakura."

Naruto and Sai quickly halted their fighting when they heard the name Yamato whispered. There she was in all her wonderful glory. Their lost teammate stood at the opposite end of the field with a small smile showing on her perfect lips. She was perfect.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered as he panted from his training.

"I'm back," she spoke barely loud enough to here as her teammates could see the anxiety in her emerald eyes.

In an instant Naruto appeared before her and pulled her into the tightest hug she had ever received, but she didn't care. She quickly returned his hug with almost equal force as she buried her head in the crook of the tan male's neck.

"Naruto," she whispered as her arms tightened around his neck and one brushed into his blonde hair. "I'm so sorry. I-"

"Stop," his voice interrupted her as he held her tighter. "Stop it, Sakura-chan."

"Naruto, I just-"

"Don't apologize. Don't you ever apologize about not being here," her blonde friend whispered firmly. "I'm the one who's sorry. I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan."

"You have nothing to be sorry about Naruto. None of you do."

"But we do, Sakura-chan!" the Kyuubi container argued. "You had to go through all of that all by yourself and we couldn't help you. We left you alone. You were alone because of us."

"There was nothing you guys could have done," she told him softly, still letting her heartwarming smile play across her lips as she placed a hand on his whiskered cheek. "I'm fine, Naruto. Really."

"Dickless, let go of the Hag," Sai's voice sounded from behind them as he walked over to the pinkette. "She would like the chance to hug a real man now."

"Shut up, Sai! We all know that I'm more of a man than anyone here!"

Sakura let out a laugh that made her team members smile at the melodious sound.

Naruto reluctantly released his best friend as she moved to pull Sai in a snug embrace, "Nice to see that you missed me, Sai."

"Of course, ugly," he replied with a small genuine smile of his own.

"Can't say I'm happy that your nicknames for me are still around, but I guess I can't complain," she told him with a short laugh as she lightly brushed her fingers through his ink black hair.

As she moved away from Sai, she turned to Kakashi who she knew was smiling under his dark blue mask. "Welcome back, Sakura," he spoke evenly as he wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug.

"It's good to be back, Kakashi."

Lastly, she moved quickly to Yamato with a smile on her face as they shared a hug as well as a wordless conversation.

"Time to celebrate!" Naruto chanted as he moved back over to his pink haired teammate and pulled her into his side.

"What are we celebrating?" Sakura questioned as she and her team began to walk towards the city.

Kakashi smiled under the fabric of his mask, "Your long awaited return."


As Sakura sat in a local restaurant surrounded by all of her friends that she had missed dearly over the two years she was gone, she couldn't help but smile at the bustling group.

Ino and Chouji were sitting farther down the crowded table conversing amongst themselves with Ino would add her input in others conversations that she would find interest in. When Sakura saw her friend when they arrived, she had cried tears of joy knowing that she had returned. She also informed Sakura that she and Chouji were engaged to be married in a few months and practically begged Sakura to be her maid of honor; which the pinkette agreed to quickly.

Hinata and Shino were at the table as well. They had been married for about a year and Sakura sincerely apologized for not being at the wedding. Hinata, of course, told her not to worry but asked her a favor in return.

"Anything Hinata," Sakura told the dark haired friend in front of her.

"I…I want you to be the one to deliver my baby, Sakura," the Hyuga spoke hesitantly as she twiddled her fingers nervously.

"Deliver your baby? You're having a baby?" Sakura asked her friend with an ecstatic smile spreading across her. "I would be honored, Hinata!"

Sakura pulled her friend into a friendly hug before she pulled back to glance down to her stomach and then back into Hinata's pale eyes, "How far along are you?"

"Three months," she replied with a small smile as Shino came up behind her and placed a hand on her stomach.

Sakura smiled back at the couple as she left them alone. The last couple at the table was Tenten and Lee, who were both still just in the dating stage saying they were both too busy with missions to have time to settle down at the moment.

As Sakura finished talking to Tenten and Lee, she noticed their last team member walk through the door and meet her gaze. She sent him a small smile, and he returned it with a rare one of his own as he moved over to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Welcome back, Sakura," he whispered.

"I missed you, Neji," she told him with a short laugh as she hugged him tighter.

"Same to you, Sakura," the Hyuga prodigy retorted as he glanced down. "I do hope you've kept up with your training. We are long overdue for a nice sparring session."

"I agree."

Soon after Neji arrived, Kiba showed up and gave her a friendly hug while Akamaru gave her face a nice lick. Shikamaru showed up not long after Kiba and held her in a warm embrace.

"I'm sorry we couldn't do anything to help you," he told her.

"It wasn't something you could help me with, Shika," she replied as they moved to sit at the bar and order herself a drink. "But you do have the right to know something."

"And what would that be?"

The pinkette let out a sigh as she brushed a hand through her pink tresses, "The Akatsuki are active, and becoming more active by every passing day."

"Tch," Shikamaru sounded in displeasure. "What are they after?"

"Me, for the time being," she replied as she took a drink. "There is a possibility that may change over time though."

"So that's why you were gone?" he asked as he leaned his back against the bar.

She nodded as the duo moved back to sit down at the long table with the rest of her friends. As they were all getting situated Genma, Gai, Anko, and even Kurenai made an appearance.

"Let's have a toast!" Naruto exclaimed as he held up his glass and turned to the pinkette seated next to him. "To Sakura-chan!"

"To Sakura!"

The medic raised her glass as well as she gazed down the table at all the smiles directed her way.

"Thank you guys."


"Akatsuki," a deep voice called through his ring. "Assemble."

Seconds later, two figures and six holograms appeared in their leader's office.

"You insolent fools continue to fail me," their leader's voice spoke darkly from his position in the room. "I give you a simple task of locating and capturing one kunoichi, and you can't even do that."

"The bitch is a lot more difficult than we fucking thought she was," one of the members spoke.

"I don't care how skilled she is, Hidan. Her defeat over Sasori as well as Konan is sufficient evidence of that."

"I prefer not to be reminded of such events," a voice spoke from their holographic form.

"Then you shouldn't have let yourself be defeated so easily, Sasori," the leader retorted.

The puppet master remained silent, although the members knew he was scowling. The room remained quiet as the members realized the dangerous mood their leader was in. "Does anyone know her current location?"

No one spoke up.

"Itachi. Wasn't it your responsibility to keep tabs on her?"

"Hai, Leader-sama. Unfortunately after her battle with Konan, we lost all trace of her," the Uchiha responded in his hologram form.

"So we have no leads to her where-a-bouts?"

"No, sir."

"I expect you insolent fools to change that quickly. Your new mission is solely to locate Sakura Haruno. Dismissed."

'You may have the upper hand now, cherry blossom, but have no fear. We will be sure to change that shortly.'


So so so so so so so so sorry about the long period of time that I didn't update. I hope I didn't lose your support as readers. I promise to be more active in my updates in the future! I apologize again, but I hope you enjoyed what I have written. Since I took so long, I'll give you a little hint to the next chapter.

HINT: Sleepover at Sakura's house. No girls allowed! Besides Sakura that is

Don't forget to READ and REVIEW!