Untitled, Part I.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, all rights go to the genius who made it… His name escapes me.
January 7th
0901 hours.
Hokage's Office.
A small knock on the door filled the large office that was up to the roof in paper work. A muffled "Come in," and the door opened.
"Ah, Sakura!" The Hokage smiled at the pink haired woman entering the room.
"You wanted to see me Hokage-sama?" She asked meekly as she took a seat in the crimson arm chair opposite from the Hokage who was scribbling a signature onto a piece of paper.
"Yes, I wanted to know what happened on that mission, Sakura-Chan, you seem different lately, what exactly went on?" The Hokage asked as he scribbled onto another piece of paper.
"Are you asking this as a Hokage, Hokage-sama or the gossiping woman I know you truly are," Sakura asked, eyeing off the Hokage, "Besides I think you should ask Nikoto about this. He was the team leader after all."
"I'm asking this, Sakura-Chan as both," The Hokage asked, ruffling his blonde hair as he looked at an obviously confusing request.
"Oh…" was all Sakura said.
"I'm concerned, Nikoto said it all went well but you seem to act differently now, what happened on that mission, Sakura, and don't lie, Naruto knows when Sakura-Chan is lying."
What exactly did happen on that mission? Sakura wasn't sure…
January 4th
2354 hours.
Outskirts of the Fire Nation.
The team of three ninja darted through the thick canopies of the trees as they normally did each eager to get back to camp. Leading the group was Nikoto 'Nicky' Ichiwama. He was a tall man, at age just twenty with piercing blue eyes and a mop of black hair. Nicky had a well built body and was skilled tai-jutsu master, thus making him lead ANBU.
Just behind Nicky another man leapt from branch to branch, this one having bleached blonde hair and dark eyes. He had a skinny build, but a strong chakra filled him. It seemed that Tokia Yamuo never ran out of chakra but then again he never used all of it either, preferring rather to talk peace with the ninja, which seemed in it's own twisted way to work. Peace keeping wasn't the biggest priority of an ANBU, but it seemed that Tokia was an exception.
Finally following behind, though she could easily over take the two men but chose not to, Sakura Haruno played the mission over in her head. Sakura had grown into quite a young lady she had been told so many times and it seemed that this mission had told her just that. She wasn't the naïve little innocent girl anymore. She could kill, she had the power to. More than kill, she could wipe out a small army in a matter of seconds. It didn't scare her that she could wield this power, she embraced it. She embraced the fact that some of the strongest ninja were lining up to fight her, she embraced that she was now a house hold name. It was exhilarating to go to work each morning at the hospital and see the relief on the patients face when they released she was to look at them and that she knew what she was doing.
It might have been three years ago that she and Naruto had gone their separate ways, each going to be trained, but to Sakura it seemed that only yesterday that Naruto had smiled at her and said how much she had grown since they had started out as rookie ninja. It was hard to believe that since that time three years ago, Naruto had become Hokage, proposed to Hinata and had just found out they were expecting. Sakura couldn't help but smile at the thought of a mini-Naruto running around Konoha, causing all sorts of trouble.
Of course, her love life hadn't been that flash hot. Ino liked to play the roll of match maker; after she had gotten her self with Shikamaru she had decided that Sakura needed someone too. Thanks to Ino, Sakura had gotten involved with all types of dating, but had found that each one she had tried she disliked the thought of getting with someone more and more. So, Sakura had asked Tsunade to put her on more missions, getting her out of Konoha and into the fresh air.
"Alright, camps just up ahead, we can walk now," Nicky called back descending from the tree tops and landing quickly on the ground.
Tokia followed with Sakura close behind.
"How long till we get back to Konoha at this rate?" Tokia asked as he kicked a large stick out of his way.
"We should be there by lunch time tomorrow, if nothing holds us back," Sakura said as they arrived at camp.
"What could hold us back?" Tokia asked his peace loving side shining through.
"Rogue Ninja, demons, an opposing Ninja clan, anything really," Nicky shrugged.
"Oh," Tokia mumbled as he bit into an apple he had had in his pocket since they had past an apple tree on the way home.
"I'm going to bed, Sakura, you're on watch tonight, have fun," Nicky said as he snuggled down into his sleeping bag, before Sakura could whine although the ninja was asleep.
"Ditto, I'm hitting the sack," Tokia chimed and threw his freshly eaten apple into the bushes behind him.
Sakura groaned. She hated night duty.
Of course, it wasn't the duty that bothered her, or the night. It was just that it was so damn boring when she had to do it. There was nothing to occupy herself with in the eight hours til dawn. Maybe she'd get some water and make a sand castle. Pft, she was turning into Gaara. All Sakura knew was that from ten til dawn she had to be idle; in the boundaries of the campsite of course.
The time slowly ticked by, it must have been around midnight when Sakura heard a rustle in the bush to her right.
'It's probably just a squirrel, it'll come out soon and realise that I'm one of Lee's friends,' Sakura thought, remembering how she and Naruto had dubbed Bushy Brow, Emperor Squirrel.
The rustling continued and was annoying Sakura, who was wanted the stupid squirrel to go away. Finally when the rustling didn't seize, Sakura got up and stormed over to it. Spreading the thick bush with her hands she set the most furious look she could muster to the damn squirrel.
Sakura couldn't even cry as a pair of hands clamped over her mouth and pulled her body into the bush.
The hands clamped over her mouth tightly as Sakura struggled to get free of the grasp. She kicked and punched although to no avail. Her limbs were suddenly pinned down and Sakura was pushed onto the ground, a hand still covering her mouth.
It seemed that her captive waited for her to settle down before they spoke, Sakura noticed. Now as calm as a captive could be Sakura's emerald eye looked behind her to see anything that might tell her who was pinning her down.
Nothing.
Suddenly, a deep male voice tickled her ear and made her entire body shiver.
"I got you… It's alright…"
Sakura calmed down, she stopped struggling and turned her head, noticing that it wasn't pinned down in the ground anymore and got a good look at the man that was holding her.
He was a stranger, a peasant maybe, but something about him seemed familiar. Dark hair swept over his face with dark eyes shining in the moonlight, he had a well toned jaw and a flawless cream complexion. The stranger wore a simple white tunic with dark pants and the usual sandals that everyone wore. Across his waist however was a dark piece of rope that wrapped around four times before being tied into a messy knot. It also held, she noted, a large black sword.
"Who are you?" Sakura choked out.
The man didn't say anything, only yanked her up to her knees. The intimate and gentle words he had spoken before seemed to contradict his actions.
"Watch," He whispered harshly as he made Sakura face her campsite.
Sakura was suddenly horrified at what she saw. Two ANBU ninjas descended from the trees and landed at the campsite and looked over the two sleeping ANBU on the ground.
Sakura's eyes moved over to the man next to her, who was intently watching the ANBU ninja in front of him.
He had such an intense gaze... He almost reminded her of… Sasuke…
Then suddenly it hit her. All these years of learning to not to think of the boy that had stolen her heart, who had left and left her on that bench; all these years alter and here he was sitting next to her. This man was her Sasuke-kun…
Her eyes turned back to the ANBU ninjas that were now searching their camp. Sakura fought the urge to jump up and fight them. Sasuke seemed to notice this and tightened his grip on her.
"Who are they looking for?" Sakura squeaked out, scared at that one moment they would send a kunai through her team mates chests.
"You," Sasuke replied emotionlessly.
Sakura wanted to ask so many questions but decided that wasn't the time, they might be caught.
It seemed like an eternity, but finally a taller ANBU sighed heavily and called the other, a red head. "Let's go Lunar; she's not here, though I could have sworn…"
"You always think you know things, but you don't. We're never going to find her…" The red head huffed then jumped into the trees, "let's go."
The taller ANBU responded to Lunar by also jumping into the trees. Moments later they took off, back to where ever they had come from.
"Let me go," Sakura whispered into the darkness.
Sasuke done as told and let go of the young woman.
"Who are you?" She asked, her eyes still fixed on her team mates.
"I thought you would have recognized me, you of all people, Sakura," Sasuke said as he got up.
"You've changed Sasuke… You changed to me the day you left," Sakura said sadly.
"I didn't come here to have that conversation Sakura," Sasuke said bitterly.
"Then what did you come here to do Sasuke?" Sakura looked up at him, his features were tense as he stared back down at her.
"To save you from those guys," Sasuke said emotionlessly
"Why?" Sakura asked tears forming in her eyes. This was getting all to much for her. She batted them away quickly. She didn't want to cry in front of him, seem weak. That was the last thing she ever wanted to do.
"How long has it been, Sakura?" Sasuke asked, suddenly changing the subject.
"It's been six years, Sasuke, since you left," Sakura said back, turning to the ground.
"You've changed Sakura, not just physically," Sasuke stated, "I can sense how strong you've become."
Sakura didn't know what to say, but she didn't have to as Sasuke kept going on.
"I've become stronger as well. Just as I learnt to use the curse mark to my advantage, I killed Orochimaru. I killed my brother two years ago; I have nothing left to do now."
"You think that earns you brownie points do you?" Sakura asked coldly, shooting a death glare to Sasuke.
"As a matter of fact," Sasuke soothed, "I believe it does."
"It depends with whom," Sakura shot back, her tongue feeling like fire and her words like venom.
"I assume not with you, I'd have to do something spectacular to ever receive them from you," Sasuke said back, no wanted venom in his words.
"You had them once, Sasuke, then you left and they left with you," Sakura said, sadly but certainly not without venom.
"I left because I HAD to, Sakura," Sasuke fumed, grabbing Sakura by the arm, "Look at me," He ordered.
She couldn't look at him, she pulled her head away, but his free hand caught her chin and he made her.
"I left because I had no other choice, I had no family, I was an avenger, it screamed at me everyday. I needed to kill my brother, I needed to feel that my family had been avenged and were sleeping peacefully. I needed to have the power to protect other people; I never wanted anyone to be taken from me again if I could help it."
"You're wrong; you were stronger than anyone at Konoha, Sasuke! You had family, Kakashi, Naruto and I, we were your family! You could have gotten stronger if you stayed; you could have been the best Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried, tears now flowing down her face.
"No I couldn't have."
"Why not?" Sakura asked, cocking her head to the side.
He couldn't say anything, what could he say? That he would get stronger training under a crazed S Class criminal than in Konoha. Of course he would, but with maybe all the wrong skills.
Her emerald eyes bore at him for an answer and he knew he had to give one. In an instant his lips lingered on hers and his fingers gently caressed the tip of her jaw line.
She was surprised at the answer, as anyone would be, but soon Sakura felt herself giving to his kiss, not only that, wanting more. The moment Sasuke attentively pulled his lips away from hers, she felt herself leaning into his now crouching body.
Sasuke's hand travelled across her agonising soft skin, caressing until it got entangled into her strawberry hair and pulled her back in for another kiss. This time, Sakura's hands travelled up Sasuke's chest and rested on his broad shoulders. She couldn't resist his touch, she really couldn't.
The moon shone high above them, bathing the two in its glow.
"Are you coming back?" Sakura whispered, tilting her head back. She was now sitting between his legs.
"I've been thinking about it, Sakura…" Sasuke replied, planting a kiss on the back of Sakura's neck and rubbing her shoulders softly. "You know you look extremely attractive in that ANBU outfit."
Sakura smiled, "Kakashi said the same thing."
"But he didn't mean it as much as I do…" Sasuke murmured, kissing down til he reached the hem of her t-shirt.
"Do you even hear yourself, Sasuke? I need to go soon anyways, the sun will be rising," Sakura whispered.
Suddenly a sharp pain jolted through her body and she couldn't help but squeal. But as quickly as it came it was replaced with a warmer sensation.
"You bit me!" She exclaimed, her eyes watching Sasuke who was lapping up the blood.
His strong arms wrapped around her waist pulling her closer. "I know," He murmured.
Through the trees, Sakura could start to see the first rays of sunlight, filtering their way through. She tipped her head back and could now see Sasuke's face clearly. She was almost taken back by how handsome he had become. He certainly was jaw dropping, dark eyes and eyebrows, a soft complexion that seemed to glow his dark hair had kept its shine and style, which flattered him to no end.
"I have to go, you have to leave, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered, kissing him on the lips gently, tasting her own blood on them.
"Alright," He whispered onto her lips as they parted. Slowly he let her go and rose to his feet; Sakura noticed the warm affectionate gaze had disappeared.
"Try not to get into trouble next time, Sakura, I can't always be here to save you," Sasuke said as he looked to the trees, obviously ready to leave.
"You never told me why you did that, Sasuke-kun, will you?" Sakura asked curiously.
"I love you," Sasuke said emotionlessly, then suddenly looked down upon her, the same warmth and affection she'd seen before hand in his eyes, "I'm not so far away."
And then in an instant… He was gone.
Sakura's head went into a spin, but slowly she regained control and looked Naruto straight in the face.
The concealed mark on the nape of her neck throbbed.
"Nothing," She said, looking Naruto straight in the eyes.
He seemed unconvinced for a moment, but slowly, under Sakura's intense gaze his eyes softened.
"All right Sakura-Chan, whatever it is, I'll let it go, you're obviously not going to tell me," Naruto sighed, "Can we grab some Ramen later? Hinata's getting a little bit moody and yeah."
"Sure, am I dismissed?" Sakura asked, itching to leave.
"Yeah sure whatever, see you later, at six okay?"
"Yeah sure," and with that she walked out of the Hokage's office and into the vast hallway.
The bite mark on her neck stung like hell under her shirt and Sakura winced as she walked out into the now snow covered streets of Konoha.
Whatever happened that night, it was private. She didn't need anybody knowing about it. She would replay those precious memories of her Sasuke-kun in her own time and of course those three words he had said to her as he left.
No one knew what happened and she would keep it that way no matter what.
As Sakura walked home, brushing off the small snowflakes that settled on her head and shoulders, she couldn't help but feel watched. Unconsciously she scanned for chakra…
Hey, I'm just randomly updating. I couldn't think of ANYTHING to call this one, so yeah. Oh my gosh, we've stumbled on two conjoined petals. Each still hold their own story, but one from one time and the other the next. Enough metaphors. What I'm saying to get to the point is that this chapter and the next are conjoined, but aren't. You get me?
The relate but then again they can be taken as individual.
Please review, I'd like to say thanks for all the reviews, I never expected my idea would be so popular.
And I've decided, thanks 4evagurl, that once this one is done I'll start a '26 Little Petals', dedicated to Naruto and Hinata! Woop woop!
Thanks and continue to review and encourage me! It means heaps!
Luv always,
Bra.