I know this chapter isn't long, but this is all I have enough time to write before this weekend, so enjoy. I'm finally free (God bless winter vacations) so I'll probably be able to post another chapter next week. Good luck for those of you who aren't on vacation yet, hope this makes you last until then! By the way, I apparently enticed quite a few of you with my last scene of Sakura giving massages to people. Originally, I just wanted to put Gai and Sakura's reunion, but it turned out this way in the end. I'm glad it did, ne? Thanks for the reviews, they gave me enough energy to write this! I love you guys!

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There were few things in life that could make Sakura feel like she was in her time in this one. Yet seeing Naruto and Sasuke fight to win against the other was like a slap in the face. She had seen them fight so many times over stupid and unimportant things that she had lost count. However, one thing they had never fought over was her.

"Sakura-nee-san is my nee-san!" exclaimed a pouting blonde.

"Get away from my nee-san," answered little Sasuke in clipped tones, eyes darker than ever.

Sakura sighed, feeling a mix of affection and mild annoyance swirl inside her at their childish actions. No one else had ever managed to make her feel this way. How had they come to this? Ah, right. She had made the mistake of saying she needed to buy something to keep her patients entertained when they were not well enough to leave yet but bored out of their mind, and Mikoto had suggested she take her sons with her to carry her bags for her. Jiraiya had disappeared, presumably to spy on women, and since the older Uchiha woman could not go with her as she had to attend a meeting with her husband, she could not go with her on her errand. Both sons had not protested, especially since they knew how scary their mother could be when things didn't go her way. Besides, they quite liked the young girl. However, on their way, they had crossed paths with a certain Uzumaki. Thus the arguing that ensued.

Itachi remained silent, inwardly sighing at his brother's childishness. He was fortunately saved by Sakura who whispered in his ear, "The store's just up ahead. Let's go while they fight it out." With a secretive smile, she released his sleeve and tiptoed around the two children. He did the same, steps silent and secretive, and followed her in the store, closing the door quietly behind him. Through the windows, he could see the two kids still arguing. Really, his brother could be such a child at times.

Already, Sakura was looking at games, wondering what she could buy that would keep grown-up ninja entertained for long hours of rehabilitation and rest. As it was, she was lightly dragging her fingers across a shogi board when a lazy voice sounded next to her.

"That board looks nice, but the one at its right is sturdier."

"Really? Thanks," she said with a smile. "Oh, but am I in your way? Were you looking for shogi boards yourself?"

"Hn. For my son. Troublesome."

Kami-sama. That general attitude…It positively screamed Nara. And one whose son liked shogi? It had to be Shikamaru's father.

"Actually, I'm looking for a board for my patients. I don't have much money, so one board is all I can afford. I hope it will keep them occupied while they recover."

The Nara's attitude seemed to change. He turned fully toward her and observed her with an interested glint in his eyes.

"Are you any good at shogi, sensei?"

"Well, I like to think I'm good, but it's been a long time since I've played."

The speculative gleam in his eyes became brighter; it was fortunate that Sakura couldn't see it or she probably would have turned tail and run. As it was, she only wondered how he knew that she was a medic. She hadn't thought her reputation had spread so fast that she would be recognized on sight away from her home.

"Play a game with me and I'll pay for the board."

That she hadn't expected. Nor had Itachi. His eyes widened fractionally. Apparently, without even trying, the young medic had managed to grab the interest of two of the most important Clan Heads in Konoha.

-:-

"Anata, dinner is getting cold."

Some time ago, Shikamaru's mother had lit a lantern above their head so they could continue to play on the veranda even though it was getting dark out. They hadn't looked up from their game since then.

"Troublesome," muttered Shikaku in a way eerily reminiscent of his son.

"Hmmhm," agreed Sakura. "However, you are going to win in 19 moves, so we can cut it short and spare me embarrassment if we go in, ne?"

Shikaku nodded slowly, getting up and extending a hand to her. As he pulled her to her feet, he murmured that she was a worthy opponent and added that whenever she came to visit in Konoha, she could stop by for a game or two with him.

And then they sat down at the table and Shikaku looked at Shikamaru with a distrusting gaze, not liking the look in his son's eyes as he looked at his guest. As soon as the kid opened his mouth, he drawled a lazy but firm "Forget about it. She's my shogi partner" to which Shikamaru muttered a "Troublesome" and caused the two females to chuckle lightly, though the adult one scolded her husband for wanting to monopolize Sakura.

"I'm not a genius at shogi," said Sakura, "but if you're willing to bear with me, I can play with the two of you whenever I come by Konoha. I'm sure I'll have enough time to play at least one game with both of you."

Shikaku took a sip of his tea and murmured a "That would be acceptable" that made Shikamaru smile and proclaim that after they finished eating, they would play a game with his new board.

-:-

"Were you out at a bar? It's the middle of the night!"

Jiraiya sounded worried, but Sakura still looked unimpressed.

"Ne, jiji, what are you thinking about such a cute child as me? Out at a bar? At my age?"

Of course, her innocent act didn't fool anyone, and both of them knew it.

"No matter how humiliating it is, we all know that you could drink me under the table any day. And heaven knows how you managed to make all the bouncers in Konoha accept you when you enter a bar."

"Sorry, sorry, I know you were worried and it's kinda sweet, but I was only playing a game of shogi."

More than skeptical, the Sannin looked astonished.

"Shogi? At this time of night?"

"Yeah…" said Sakura, embarrassed. "I kinda got caught up in the game."

"You…got caught up…in the game…" repeated Jiraiya slowly, sounding unbelieving.

"Hey, I tend to get serious when my opponent is good."

"Who the hell was good enough at shogi that you spent half the night playing against them?"

"Actually, until dinner time, it was Nara Shikaku, but then, his son, Shikamaru, cornered me after we ate. So…yeah. There you have it."

She flopped down on the couch, face first, and mumbled something along the lines of "Sleep…I'm so tired…" that made the Sannin shake his head and mutter that she would not sleep well on the couch. He took her in his arms, mentally reflecting that she was much lighter than the women he was used to taking in his arms. He walked to the bedroom and drew the covers back with one hand before carefully putting her down and tucking her gently. He was getting soft. That was official.

-:-

"Food…"

The groan sounded like a last request before agony, which made Sakura roll her eyes mentally.

"Get up, you big oaf! Breakfast's ready!"

Jiraiya trudged in the kitchen minutes later, hair in disarray, and sat down sleepily, scratching his stomach with a yawn. He seemed to revive after a few bites and tore heartily through his meal, mentally praising Sakura's cooking skills.

"You know, I had to go down to the market to buy ingredients, 'cause I don't know how often you cook, but there was nothing edible in your fridge," remarked Sakura smartly as she handed him another service of rice.

"Hm. Well, even though I have an apartment, I'm not here often. Most of the time, I'm travelling, so I don't keep much here," replied Jiraiya apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. In exchange, come here so I can brush that bird's nest you call hair. And no whining."

Gulping, Jiraiya prepared himself for the worse, but Sakura was surprisingly gentle. Her sender fingers coursed through his long mane of hair slowly, prying every knot apart before brushing the hair until it was free of all tangles and smoother than it had ever been.

"I know you're not a girl, but if you have long hair, you should take care of it," she chided him in a motherly way.

"You know, it astounds me that you take such good and gentle care of my hair when you positively yank on yours every morning," remarked the white-haired man.

Sakura couldn't help blushing.

"I didn't always have long hair. Until recently, I cut it short to not have it in my way, but since I lost my sight, I decided to let it grow again. When I was younger, I was more concentrated on style and looks than anything else, which was probably due partly to my environment and then I realized I had to be strong by myself and long hair was just a liability. Maybe I should just cut it again."

"Don't. It suits you. Why don't you just tie it into a ponytail or something? Then it wouldn't be in your way anymore, right?"

Sakura shrugged, murmuring that she would think about it. In the past, ponytails had been Ino's trademark, so she had never wore one by respect for her. However, now she had no reason not to wear one. She could do just about anything now. Ino didn't know her here. Nobody did. Not really.

She still had the brush in her hands when Itachi stopped by to ask her to heal his injuries after his training session. Jiraiya made himself conspicuously scarce as the young boy explained that he was training on his own but didn't want his family to know.

"Can you heal me so no one is able to tell I've been training alone? And not tell my family?" he finished with.

"Sure," agreed Sakura with a soft smile. She understood perfectly his need to not feel constrained by his family's expectations. Had he been the same in her original timeline?

She had watched him spar, entranced by his movements, and hadn't moved an inch despite the flying weapons and dangerous jutsu, so fascinated was she by his lithe form. She had almost forgotten to eat the peach she had brought as a snack and hadn't noticed when the shadow of the tree she was sitting against had moved until the sun had glared in her face, reminding her that time had passed by rapidly.

In the end, she didn't know how they had ended up that way, but after healing the bruises he had managed to get after battling a few shadow clones of himself, she had brushed his long hair to untangle it. He had lain down with his head in her lap as she had run her fingers through his silky hair and, feeling completely at ease, had dozed off lightly, knowing that she would wake him up if necessary.

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Yeah! Another chapter! And they're getting closer and closer! Next chapter: Tsunade confronts Sakura! Wait for it!

Anata is, among other meanings, a way to refer to your husband and shogi is an intellectual game that resembles chess.