AN: Hello again everyone. I know this update took longer than the previous ones, but I've gotten busier so I'll be updating every like 7-10 days rather than every 3 or so like I have been up to this point. Don't worry though I still have plenty of ideas and dedication to this story so it won't be going on hiatus. This chapter is going to start off a little different. I've wanted to throw a small bad guy part in so I decided to do it here. Hope you all enjoy.


Sasuke was seated at the main table inside the Akatsuki's hideout where he had been recovering from his eye surgery. Madara was there discussing "strategy" and the newest recruit to the group, Kabuto, was also there listening. Sasuke was barely interested in what Madara was saying but he was there pretending to listen. Sasuke was still annoyed by the fact that Kabuto had joined them, he had always hated Kabuto when they both worked for Orochimaru, and now he was pissed that the creep was going to be here with the Akatsuki.

Zetsu finished his update on the success of Kisame's infiltration into The Village Hidden In The Clouds. Madara said, "Now since Kisame is focused on acquiring the eight-tails for us, the rest of us should be focused on the nine-tails. Sasuke seeing as you have such a close relationship with the blonde Jinchuriki your thoughts would be of great help. I expect the great nations to try and shelter and hide away their remaining tailed beasts, so we need to figure out some way to draw Naruto away from Konoha. What do you think would be the best way to accomplish this Sasuke?"

Sasuke's annoyance grew at the mention of his relationship with Naruto. He couldn't understand the unwavering loyalty that Naruto seemed to show him no matter what he did, and that made him angry. He really just wished that Naruto would condemn him like the rest of the world and that way he could just destroy everything without a second thought.

Sasuke looked up at Madara and answered, "Naruto is a simple idiot. He is loyal to a fault and would do anything no matter how stupid or against his orders it was to save one of his friends. To draw him out the best way would be to kidnap one of his friends and leave an obvious trail for him to follow and then spring a trap for him."

Kabuto nodded and said, "The little interaction I've had with him makes me totally agree with Sasuke's assessment. May I suggest that we take Hinata Hyuga, I have some interesting experiments I'd like to try on a female Byakugan user."

Sasuke turned his head with a look of disdain towards Kabuto then said in an uninterested voice, "Hinata's a good enough target, they are close. Naruto would do anything to save her."

Madara nodded and said, "Fine Kabuto and Sasuke I'll leave acquiring the nine-tails to you two, you guys can figure it out however you want. I'll be leaving with Zetsu to start preparing for the early battles of the Fourth Great Shinobi War. I've got my eye on some possible new recruits for the Akatsuki I'd like to secure before the fighting actually starts. Make sure to succeed, once we secure all nine-tailed beasts we'll be invincible." Finishing his statement Madara motioned to Zetsu to follow and the two of them exited.

Kabuto turned to Sasuke and gave him a creepy smile as he said, "Looks like we're teammates." Sasuke got up from the table totally ignoring Kabuto and walked out of the room.


Sakura knocked on the door to Tsunade's office and heard her older sensei scream, "Enter." Sakura opened the door and walked into the room to see the blonde Hokage seated at her desk, a glass of sake sitting there. Tsunade said, "Oh hello Sakura, why are you here today? I really don't think I have the time for more training, not that you need it, you're the best medical ninja I've worked with since Shizune."

Sakura smiled and said, "Thank you Lady Hokage, that's very nice of you, but I actually came here to talk to you about Naruto."

Tsunade perked up with interest at the mention of Naruto as she was curious about what news her apprentice could give. Tsunade asked, "Why do you want to talk about Naruto?"

Sakura answered, "Well Lady Hokage I saw him out around town with the Mizukage, and I was wondering why she was here and interested in Naruto?"

Tsunade asked, "What exactly did you see?"

Sakura answered, "Well I was walking around town and I saw the two of them kissing in the middle of the street. I was shocked, she seemed so much older than him, but she said that she kissed him, and that you knew about it."

Tsunade was not happy with the news that Naruto was making out with Mei. What the hell was Shikamaru doing? It was his job to stop that from happening, he was normally so very reliable she would have to chew him out for fucking up this most important mission. Sakura continued, "I don't understand why you would order Naruto to be with her."

Tsunade answered, "I did no such thing, this is a very complicated situation Sakura, but do not worry I have people dealing with this as we speak."

Sakura still looked confused and she asked, "But I don't understand, why is the Mizukage kissing Naruto? I just don't get it."

Tsunade studied the girl in front of her and was intrigued by her reactions. The relationship between Naruto and Sakura had always seemed to Tsunade very reminiscent of her own with Jiraiya. Naruto would always bug Sakura about dating her and she would always treat him like an annoyance. When it came down to it though Naruto would do or give anything for Sakura, just like Jiraiya did for her. Tsunade was always so saddened by the loss of Dan she never felt she could open her heart to Jiraiya. More than that though, she needed Jiraiya's friendship. She was always such a screw-up, and all the men in her life always died or left her. She could never give in to Jiraiya because that was the only way she would lose him. But she was wrong, it didn't matter, she lost him anyway, and he died without her ever letting him know how much he meant to her. Tsunade felt a wave of sadness engulf her. She saw Sakura perhaps taking a similar path to her own that has made her this sad and lonely woman.

Tsunade decided to try and prod Sakura to confront her feelings towards Naruto rather than hide from them, like she did all of her life. Tsunade asked, "Why do you care who Naruto is kissing anyway?"

Sakura answered, "Well I'm just worried about him, he's got so much on his shoulders right now, he doesn't need some older woman toying around with him."

Tsunade laughed and asked, "Oh really, are you sure you're not jealous?"

Sakura looked stunned as she stammered out, "What, why would I be jealous."

Tsunade smiled at Sakura and said, "Look Sakura I know that you are still young and don't really have much figured out. I know that sometimes Naruto can be annoying and childish, and sometimes he can frustrate the hell out of you. I also know that Naruto doesn't fit you little girl fantasies about the handsome prince that you want to marry. But you and I both know that Naruto would go to hell and back for you. You've grown so much in these past years Sakura, I just don't understand how you can't realize that you will never find someone who would treat you better, or love you more than Naruto. Most women would give anything to have a man like Naruto so devoted to them."

Sakura took in the words that she had just heard her sensei say. It hurt her to hear it from someone else. A large part of her has been thinking the same things about Naruto for a long time now, and now to hear it come from the woman who had taught her how to become stronger than Sakura ever dreamed she could be, meant that she couldn't hide from it any longer. She asked, pained confusion saturating her voice, "I'm just so scared sensei. When Sasuke left the village years ago I felt like my heart was ripped from my chest. I loved him so much even though he never looked at me with anything but annoyance. That rejection hurt for years, but thankfully Naruto was there suffering with me to help me get through it. With Naruto, neither of us knows anything about making love work, what if we screw it up, or what if after all these years of me blowing him off he doesn't want me anymore. I got through Sasuke leaving me because of Naruto, if I lose him too I'd be all alone, I just can't risk it, I need him too much. He's the only person I can count on."

Tears started to roll down Sakura's face as she confronted her feelings about Naruto, and Tsunade got up from her seat and pulled her young apprentice into a hug. She said in a comforting voice, "Sakura I understand better than anyone the way you feel. Jiraiya was just like Naruto. He bugged me for years and years and I always ignored him, but whenever something terrible happened he was always there to pick up the pieces for me and put a smile on my face. I needed him and counted on him more than anyone in the whole world. Part of me always wanted to give in and be with him heart, body, and soul, but I was just too afraid. All the men I showed my love too always died so I thought if I never let Jiraiya know what he meant to me I could have him with me forever. But then something even worse happened Sakura, he died anyway, and he died never knowing what he truly meant to me." Tsunade also started to cry as she continued, "I have so many regrets in my life Sakura. I may be one of the legendary Sannin, but I'm also a legendary fuck-up. But of all those regrets, the worst one by far is never being with Jiraiya. Not being able to ever see his stupid goofy smile after we kissed. Not being able to feel his warmth next to mine in bed after we made love. Dan was my first real love, but Jiraiya was my soul-mate, and it kills me inside every second of everyday that he died fighting for me and our village and he never knew how much I loved and appreciated him. Don't be like me Sakura, don't lose Naruto because of your own weakness. He looks at you just like Jiraiya always looked at me. If you never let him know for real how important he is to you, those looks will haunt your heart for all of eternity."

Sakura looked up at Tsunade eyes still full of tears and she said, "Wow sensei I never knew you loved Jiraiya that much."

Tsunade smiled sadly as she answered, "The saddest thing is that I never knew either, or at least I never could admit it to myself, until after he died. It's too late for me Sakura but it's not too late for you, don't make the same mistakes as me. There's no one who deserves to be loved and appreciated more than Naruto, and you've always meant more to him than anyone in the world Sakura. The two of you might make each other miserable sometimes, but I know for a fact that if you don't end up together you'll be even more miserable."

The master and apprentice broke out of their hug and Sakura asked, "So what do I do Tsunade?"

Tsunade answered, "All you can do is go out there and tell him how you feel, just be truthful Sakura, don't try to manipulate him. Open your heart like you did to Sasuke when he left, I know that there is no way Naruto can turn you down. You are the girl who will always hold the dearest spot in his heart."

Sakura wiped the tears out of her large green eyes and stiffened up straight as she said, "Thanks Lady Tsunade. I'm really glad you were here to help me sort out my feelings, for these past years I've been so confused about Sasuke and Naruto. But seeing Sasuke this last time, I saw there was nothing left of my friend. I'm not even sure if there was anything there in the first place. I think I might be ready to give Naruto the chance he deserves. You are right sensei, not only would Naruto do anything for me, but he also knows me better than anyone. He could see right through me the last time when I tried to play with his emotions. I feel so bad, I've always relied on him so much, and he's given me all I've ever asked for and so much more. All I've ever done for him is take him for granted and punish him, and he always takes it with a smile and keeps on loving and supporting me. It's time Lady Hokage. It's time that Naruto gets to be happy. It's time that I look into his hopeful blue eyes and tell him what he deserves to know. That he is the greatest friend and companion anyone could ever hope for, and I want to spend the rest of my life trying to live up to him and make him feel as good as everyone whose life he has ever touched. And I want to let him know the most important thing, that I really do love him."

Sakura got a determined look on her face and turned opening the door and exiting Tsunade's office. Tsunade sighed as she walked over to her personal bar and grabbed the gigantic bottle of vodka that she saved for "special occasions". She got a large glass and dropped a few ice-cubes in it, then drowned them in vodka, adding only a splash of tonic water and a single slice of lime. She sat back down in her chair and spun it around to look out the window. She took a sip and felt the cool rush followed by the burn of the vodka in her chest trying to soothe the pain that had lingered in her heart ever since her oldest friend left her alone in the world.

She looked out over the village that she loved as she realized that talking to Sakura like that helped alleviate some of her heart-ache. She very rarely opened up to people, but Sakura was like a daughter to her, and she didn't want someone she cared so much about to suffer from the same burdens that she did. She also felt a little bad about her earlier pep-talk to Hinata after sending a third girl after Naruto. She had never meant to meddle in Naruto's love-life, but deep down Tsunade had always hoped that her two favorite young leaf Shinobi would end up together. She wanted the two of them to live the life of happiness that Jiraiya and she never got to.

It really was amazing how much Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were like Tsunade and her former teammates in the Sannin. She frowned as the sadness of her own life washed over her. She really hoped with all of her heart that things would turn out right with this war and everything else. She wanted nothing more than to see Naruto and Sakura save the world from Madara and his minions, and then live a long happy life as the Hokage and his wife. Tsunade slurped down the rest of her drink and got up to make another one as she smiled at the picture she had in her mind of Naruto and Sakura's future family.

AN: I decided to end the chapter here. I hope you enjoyed, I'm sure some of you Sakura haters are probably not going to like this part, but as I've said all along I like Naruto and Sakura together when I'm in certain moods. That's not to say I decided on making this a Naruto and Sakura pairing, I have had this Tsunade and Sakura conversation in some form in my head since I started this story. Sorry to disappoint those of you who were looking forward to Mei and Naruto fluffiness in this chapter but I 100% promise it will be in the next chapter. I initially was going to put the Mei Naruto and Temari part here too, along with a little Shikamaru and Hinata part, but I got very into the Tsunade and Sakura part and I went with it. I'm not going to be able to write anything for the next couple of days, but I wanted to put this up since I haven't updated in a while. I'm hoping the next chapter will be up by Tuesday or Wednesday. As always I'd love to hear your thoughts even if you want to bash me for the mildly pro Sakura content of this chapter. Thanks for reading.