Tora's P.O.V.

"Are you going to leave with them?" Naruto asked me as we were on our way back to Konoha.

"I don't know."

"I think you should." Sakura said unexpectedly.

"Sakura, how can you say something like that? Tora should stay with us!" Naruto said slightly upset at the thought that I would leave them.

"Tora has been separated from her family for nine years, think about it Naruto!" She thumped him on his head as she began lecturing him. "If you had a second chance to be with the family you thought was dead wouldn't you take it?"

"Sakura does have a point." Kakashi added.

"I don't know… If it means leaving behind my friends and the family I've made in Konoha I don't think I could." Did that just come out of Naruto's mouth? Those were deep words for an airhead like him; maybe he wasn't so airheaded after all…

"Admit it Sakura you just want me gone so you can have Sasuke all to yourself!" I taunted her not knowing what else to say.

"What? No." She started to blush and I could feel Sasuke's glare boring into me.

"Oh boy, don't start." Kakashi said in an exasperated tone.

I just smiled matching her pace I put my arm around her shoulder. "You don't have to worry Sakura. Sasuke is all yours!"

'You've been quite. What do you think?' I asked Sasuke telepathically when I was done taunting Sakura.

'The choice is yours.'

'Thank you Mr. Obvious!' I said and he scowled at me. 'I just want your opinion.'

'You should go.' Not the answer I was expecting but it told me all I needed to know about what he was going to do.

Soon after we made it back to Konoha the Hokage, Tsunade, wanted to see me. She made Shikamaru and I Chunin. Shikamaru I can understand why but me a Chunin? What on earth possessed her to that?

"Tsunade, not that I'm not happy but why on earth would you make me a Chunin? I didn't even fight." She took a deep breath before answering.

"You may not have fought but from what I'm told you forfeited to help the third Hokage, you knew something wasn't right. You have great intuition and sense of priority. You showed great courage and strength when helping the village." I didn't say anything after that, what was I supposed to say? I still see the future but I couldn't do anything to stop the Hokage's death?

'Stop beating yourself over it. There was nothing you could do.' Sasuke chimed in through my chaotic thoughts.

My team was off who knows where so I was hanging out with Shikamaru and his team at a barbeque restaurant.

'Aren't you going to congratulate me?' I asked Sasuke while I watched Ino argue with Choji over the last piece of meat.

'Why do you ask? I know you don't want me to.'

'Still I would like to hear you say it.' Becoming a Chunin still hadn't sunk in yet and getting congratulations from everyone made me feel weird, especially now that I have to wear the vest.

'Congratulations.'

"Earth to Tora!" Before I had the chance to say anything back Shikamaru pulled me out of my thoughts. "Tora you're distracted."

"Sorry. There's just a lot of stuff happening recently." I said fidgeting with my chopsticks. "The third Hokage's death, Orochimaru, finding out I'm not the last Irai and then there's sasu-"

"What was that about the Irai?" Shikamaru interrupted then I remember I hadn't told him what happened on the last mission I was on. I went on to explaining to Shikamaru and the others everything that happened on my last mission; leaving out the part of Kaede knowing I was bonded to Sasuke.

"I think it's a good idea." I stared at Shikamaru surprised. He was the last person I expected to tell me to leave Konoha.

"What?"

"Tor don't misunderstand. I think it's a good idea because you'll be able to get a better handle on your kekkei genkai." Asuma interrupted him.

"Not only that, but maybe they'll have a better chance at figuring out what done to you." They had a point maybe my clan could help me more than Konoha could but did I really want to leave?

We were about to leave when Ino started to lecture Choji about going on a diet and something along the lines of only skinny people get noticed. I decided to help out Choji and to annoy Ino a bit.

"Ino that's only your opinion." I said moving next to Choji and placing my hand on his shoulder. "I, for one, think Choji is cute and a really great guy just the way he is." I moved closer to Choji and kissed his cheek right when Shikamaru came out of the bathroom. Ino looked extremely surprised at my actions. But Kissing Choji's cheek did cause my skin to crawl, I guess I'll never get over that, but it also caused me to have a vision. I saw him battling in the forest; using his strongest jutsu.

"What did I miss?" Shikamaru question brought me out of my vision.

"Nothing." I laughed but stopped when I felt Sasuke's anger. "It's getting late and I have some things to do." I walked passed Ino when Shikamaru grabbed my hand causing me to have another vision. He was also battling in the forest but he was losing.

Something bad was going to happen soon...

"Are you sure you're ok? You've been acting differently recently." I nodded my head and questioned him. "You're different; you've been acting like your old self recently; like the Tora I used to play hide and go seek with when we were younger." I smiled at him, he had a point I was happier and less irritable recently.

"I'm great." I said locking gazes with him. "Don't do anything reckless, I don't want to lose you too." Before he could ask any questions I walked away.

I found Sasuke sitting on a tree near the hospital; he looked miserable. I could tell when he saw me but he didn't want to talk or want me around.

"You're sitting under a tree in the middle of the night, you look miserable and your emotions are a mess... What's on your mind?" I said standing in front of him.

"You should know." He was right I did. He was frustrated that Naruto had become stronger than him; that Naruto was progressing and he was always a step behind. He was envious of him and disappointed that he wasn't able to make Chunin.

I crouched down in front of him looking over at his right arm where the uncovered dragonfly mark was. I pulled up my left sleeve. "My strength is your strength. Without one there's nothing." Sasuke just stared at me. I grabbed his arm then pressed our forearms together, the burning sensation starting instantly. "It's a saying among the bonded in my clan. It means we are stronger together. If one is stronger the other will be stronger too."

"Tora."

"Sasuke." I mimicked his bothered tone. "We are a team, not enemies." I knew no matter what I said it wouldn't change his mind; his anger was dead set on Naruto and I knew he would pick another fight with Naruto if he had the chance. Only that time when he did no one would be around to stop it.

"I used to taunt you saying that you were weak, I never meant it. You are anything but weak." I kissed his cheek. "I'll be at your place if you want to talk." I was about to leave when I felt like I was being watched.

I turned around but saw no one. 'What is it?' Sasuke asked me telepathically. 'It's nothing.' I said leaving.