Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto series.

Chapter 12

Sakura felt weightless…

...yet she also felt she was being pulled somewhere.

As soon as she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was that she was on some sort of boat along a flowing stream. She peered at the direction of where she was going, the current was flowing towards a distant light. It felt warm. She hugged herself, her skin felt like ice.

I guess I'm heading to the afterlife.

But something was strange, she was being tugged in the opposite direction of the current.

"Not yet, Sakura." Sakura whipped her head, searching for the familiar voice.

"Rin? Rin are you here?" Sakura called out.

Tracing the voice she looked back towards the light again and saw Rin and Obito floating on the surface of the waters in their own boat, towards the light. Rin was on one end of the boat where she directly faced Sakura. Obito sat in front of her but he was turned so he could see Sakura with a knowing smile.

The scene was slowly registering in her head. "Where...are you two going?"

"Sakura, you've done more than enough. Your teammates are waiting for you." Rin said.

Sakura reached her hand out to reach for them but something inside of her already knew where they were heading. It was their time.

Obito nodded and gave one last smile towards Sakura and faced Rin. From what Sakura could see, he knelt down in front of Rin and embraced her. Sakura could only see the scraggly tips of his hair peeking out from the side of her shoulder. She watched as Rin gently ran her fingers through his hair. As they floated further away, Sakura could faintly make out Rin's mouth as she was saying something to her.

"Thank you."

Sakura raised her hand, feeling her throat choking up. "Goodbye Rin. Obito."

As they neared the light, its rays grew stronger and Sakura strained to see them. Soon the white color invaded her vision and they vanished.

A tear escaped as Sakura opened her eyes. Sakura shivered as she felt a warm, gentle breeze. Above she saw familiar black clouds, now becoming sparse with the blue sky showing. For a moment she took in her surroundings. She was in the world of the living.

Kakashi's head turned to look down at her in surprise. "Thank goodness you're awake." She could hear him breath out a long sigh.

As she was sitting up, feeling the weight in her own body again, she said, "Rin and Obito are gone, aren't they?"

"Yes, they used the last of their chakra to bring you back in exchange." Kakashi looked mournful. But Sakura also sensed relief in his eyes. That one of his students didn't die and his entire team could rest in peace.

For her sensei, it must be like he finally woke up from a long, terrible nightmare he kept to himself, carrying the years of pain of his comrades. The burden he carried of killing Rin and his regrets about Obito were lifted from his shoulders.

Sakura nodded and patted her teacher's good arm. "I'm glad I got to meet them. Rin is very sweet."

He chuckled, "Yeah, she always cheered us up when things got too heavy. Obito was really fond of her especially."

Sakura nodded and looked around. A few medics were bringing back injured shinobi scattered across the field, dead or alive back inside Konoha. No sign of Madara, Kaguya. Something else important was missing, Sakura thought.

"I don't see Sasuke or Naruto, where are they?"

Kakashi fell serious. "They thought you died. Something changed in Sasuke."

Growing worried, Sakura asked, "What do you mean, 'he changed'?"

"He grew angry and took it out on Naruto. He said he lost faith in this world and that it should burn to hell. They're both fighting to be the next Hokage to determine the fate of Konoha."

Sakura didn't need to hear another word. She stood up and asked where they were.

They're fighting again. I'll kill them both myself! Sakura screamed in her mind. She raced as fast as she could to the area where Kakashi pointed out.

She found them bleeding from where their arms should've been. As she knelt over them and focused her chakra to cauterize their wounds, Sasuke opened his mouth but all that came out was a hoarse sound. He could barely get out a word before Naruto interrupted.

"Hey...Sasuke...look...Sakura's back…aren't you glad...Sasuke-kun," Naruto was heaving between each word but still pushed himself to tease her at his last word.

"...I thought you died-"

"Shut it Sasuke. Just take deep breaths while I do this. I can't focus with your blood everywhere. Just what were you thinking? Destroying Konoha again?"

A long silence stretched. "I'm sorry Sakura...for everything."

"Shut up!", a few tears dripped downwards, unable to be held back any longer, pooling into her glowing green hands and leaking into the stump of Sasuke's arm, "You don't get to say that. Not after everything…"

He stared at her, which made her feel more awkward. On the other hand, she wanted to punch Naruto for giving her a shit-eating grin despite being on the edge of death.

"You idiots! You damned idiots!"

Tears started to flow down her cheeks. She was sure she was also starting to turn red from all the stress and now the embarrassment. She just couldn't hold her composure around these two.

A hand grabbed the top of her palm. It stopped her from crying. She looked down at Sasuke. They didn't exchange words but something unspoken crossed between them again. Her gaze softened.

Naruto broke the silence. "I hate to break this moment but-"

"Oh shut up Naruto!"

After they were mostly healed up, both men sat up, the three of them laughing merrily and telling jokes, like old times. Kakashi watched at the top of the cliff, smiling at the sight of his team, altogether.

Sasuke stood in front of Konoha trial surrounded by the jury. Sitting at the other side of the court was the newly formed council of Konoha with Sakura seated in the middle as one of the advisors.

They ruled out Sasuke's sentence to be punished as an S-class criminal as well as to be in supervised confinement for a year. They went down a list of other traitors or shinobi with questionable acts of behavior, Karin, being one of them. Since she decided to stay in Konoha, she was to be under watch from ANBU until she proves her loyalty.

Last was Sakura. She walked from her place and stood alone to face the trial.

From one of the corners of the room, she heard Naruto yell at her defense. Sakura looked over her shoulder at him as if to say It's okay, Naruto. I need to do this. She turned towards the Council and bowed her head to accept whatever punishment.

Sakura anticipated it. She knew she also had to pay for killing a prisoner of war without permission. And she did a lot of damage on their own forces being under a genjutsu. Her punishment would have been a lot worse if it weren't for her teammates managing to stop her from going inside the walls.

To her surprise she would have mandatory check-ups from the ANBU for six months, to keep tabs on her whereabouts.

That's pretty doable, she thought. She expected far worse.

One of the Council members spoke, "We need all the qualified people we need to train the next generation of medics in this new era. It would make no sense to suspend you from your duties when you can be utilized as per proper punishment."

Basically she would have to work more for the next half of the year. Sakura bowed her head. "Understood."

With a new council and new Hokage, there were serious changes planned for Konoha within the couple of weeks. It was time for an official re-election of Konoha's council and Hokage, being Kakashi.

After the announcement, Sakura slumped against a large glass window in the prison clinic. A flush, green scenery painted across the scener, flowing past the mountains of the Hokages' carved faces, Kakashi's face now included next to Minato's.

She glanced at her reflection and picked at the ends of her hair, starting to reach her chest. She needed a haircut again. Maybe to keep it short for good this time.

She looked at her wrist watch and saw that her next shift was about to start. She gathered her medical supplies and a tray of food down to the lowest level of the prison. The underground levels.

Two ANBU regarded her as she approached the cell. A ballistic glass separated her and the prisoner. At the sound of the dangling keys and the clink of the glass door opening, Sasuke looked up. Sakura stood briefly at the doorway, taking a good look at Sasuke before closing the door.

Turns out no one wanted to treat the Uchiha. Sakura remembered the expectant looks of all the physicians as they stared at her.

Sakura sighed, "Fine I'll take care of him."

Being assigned as Sasuke's physician seems like extra punishment to her. She was required to give weekly monthly physical check-ups as well as spoon feeding him his food daily. His entire body was restrained in a long straightjacket that wrapped around his ankles. It was under strict protocol to keep him from escaping again.

It was weird. Without chasing after grand ambitions, the boy in front of her seemed frighteningly normal. She avoided his eyes as she fed him food, a nutrient enriched rice porridge with some fluids in cartons. It must be humiliating for him, she thought, but he never complained. He was actually very compliant and didn't talk. It made her visits a lost smoother.

When Sakura put down his finished bowl and switched to his drink, her mind started to wander. She heard of his plans to leave Konoha for a mysterious reason for the sake of the village. Was it a way for the Council to indirectly banish a prized clan that fell to ruin? To put away with one of the world's most dangerous traitos, who used to be one of their most beloved citizens, to save reputation?

She sighed. No matter, she braced herself for him to leave nonetheless. Whatever, she was used to him leaving anyway.

Life would resume back to normal at Konoha. And she would wait for him again. It was always this way.

Sakura paid a visit to Ino in the hospital. She was still recovering but she was able to sit up straight by herself. As soon as she saw Ino, Sakura gave her the tightest hug she could without aggravating her wounds. Sakura sat down on a nearby chair and they chatted for a bit.

"How are you Sakura?"

"I'm okay. Having people camped outside of my room and watching my commute to the clinics isn't exactly calming but it could be worse."

A comfortable silence lay between them, neither minded.

Ino paused and looked abashed. "I...I think I'm ready to take the next step with Sai."

Sakura's eyebrows rose. "You really want to spend the rest of your life with him?"

She fiddled with her thumbs in front of her. "Yeah, I can vision it. He compliments me everyday, he's loyal, he's sweet." Ino glanced at the collection of bouquets that littered the table next to her. Sai always knew what her favorite flowers were. It also made the room smell lovely.

Sakura clasped Ino's hand in hers. Sakura smiled, unable to hide her happiness for her friend. "I'm really happy for you Ino."

Ino looked back with tears forming at the corners of her eyes and sniffed. "You have to be there, Forehead. You're gonna be my best girl!"

Tenten's pregnancy was starting to show and was told to suspend her tasks until after the birth. Tenten wasn't happy about that but she couldn't hide her state any longer, she loved fighting and training. She was 12 weeks in.

"What else am I to do in the meantime?" she asked exasperatedly to Sakura. Sakura gave her a light punch on the arm.

"Congrats Tenten. I never thought you had it in you," Sakura teased.

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Tenten said incredulously. Her moods have been a bit more sensitive lately.

Sakura laughed. "You just seemed like you were 'too good' for romance."

"I felt that way for a long time but things change," she looked at the blue sky littered with huge fluffy clouds, "It was Neji that made the first move. And I just...accepted him."

Sakura tried her best not to wiggle her eyebrows. She opted to change the subject. "How's Neji and Lee doing?"

"Lee's always training with Gai as usual, Neji is working out some family rearrangements with Hanabi since Hinata and Naruto seem to be going on strong."

Tenten continued, "Hinata's relationship with Naruto was accepted by her uncle since they anticipate Naruto being the next Hokage once Kakashi is done. Her relationship would take priority over the family. Then they have to figure out who will retain head leadership and formally transfer the heiress titles to Hanabi," Tenten slumped, "It's a lot of drama. Neji's been super stressed over it."

Sakura shook her head. Clans always had their problems. "What will you be doing once everything settles?"

"I was thinking of opening up a weapon shop on the side once this baby is out. Be a mom while being an instructor."

Tenten scrunched her face. "Hey, don't let this info spread but Neji feels pressured to have us get married as soon as possible. He said he's worried it wouldn't look too good on his family if he had a child out of wedlock. Some old-fashion sentiments. Honestly I don't mind either way but I'd rather wait since he's trying to sort out enough family roles as it is"

Sakura laughed at the thought of Neji being uncomposed and flustered all the time. It did not seem like him at all. "You two are so sweet together."

Tenten smiled. "Thanks girl. By the way, let's eat. I'm starving!"

The last person she visited that she didn't think she would was Karin. She claimed to swear loyalty to Konoha but was still under probation for a couple more months.

Karin was finished with her job at another clinic. Once she saw Sakura, she placed a hand on her hip and pushed up her glasses. "What are you doing here?"

Sakura wondered that herself. "I don't really know."

"Come to pity me?"

Sakura breathed through her nose, feeling her irritation growing. She crossed her arms. "No…"

Karin looked at the ground, "Did you hear he's leaving for a mission?"

"Yeah, yeah I did."

Karin pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "Hey, pinkie. Let's settle this. I'm deciding to stay in this village. It would be weird to keep being weird around you like this, get what I mean?" Karin held out her hand, "Truce?"

Sakura looked at it in surprise. Then she clasped her hand with Karin's. "Truce."

It was Sasuke's last day in the cell. After eating, Sakura and Sasuke sat across from each other in the small room. She slumped on the stone wall and looked at a space above Sasuke.

Today was his last day. Sakura let the thought sink in. They didn't speak much for weeks but she was secretly grateful she got to spend time with him in some way. She was also well aware that they would steal glances at each other at times. It was a weird dance they did. Her intuition was nagging at her that he was trying to say something but she never gave him a chance. Though they were avoiding each other, never did she feel that Sasuke felt uncomfortable around her.

This time, they just stared at each other. His face held an unreadable expression, as usual. His eyes flickered downward. She followed his stare down to her old scar that peeked under her black legging shorts that stopped mid-thigh. Red, softened tendrils that looked like cracked glass reached to her knee cap. It was the wound she gave herself back when she was a genin to prove herself. She caught herself staring at the curve of his neck where the curse mark used to be.

They met each other's eyes again for a moment until Kakashi entered the room and nodded to the both of them. It was time.

The three of them reached past the looming gates of Konoha. Kakashi sensei bid his farewell to Sasuke with a nod and a pat on his shoulder. Sasuke nodded at his mentor. Then Kakashi excused himself. A little too quickly and all-too auspiciously for Sakura. Sakura eyed him as he walked past her but couldn't read his face since it was just an upturned eye.

Sakura and Sasuke stood in front of each other. Sakura rocked back and forth slightly on one of her heels.

"Hey Sasuke-kun. I know you're going to leave for a while but I want to talk about something with you."

He shifted his weight. "What is it?"

"I hope you got closure, about your brother. You deserve that at least."

She never had any siblings and wondered what it was like. Having someone to grow up with, to either look up to or have them look up to you. Or in Sasuke's case, having them take away everything dear from a young age.

Sasuke nodded. "I did. Thank you."

Sakura rubbed her arm and looked away momentarily. "And I know we had our...fights. And obviously, you know I've always had a crush on you. I'd like to put all of that in the past and start over."

Sasuke looked as if he was contemplating, then finally he just nodded.

Sakura continued. "I'm glad we're good friends now and I wish you the best." She said with the nod of her head and lips in a thin line, attempting to smile but it felt too forced.

Sasuke stared and she waited for his response. It didn't help that he had a great poker face. Sakura clasped her hands behind her back, anxiously waiting.

"Me too." Sakura inwardly sighed a breath of relief. Then she beamed a smile.

"Right! Well, take care, Sasuke." She nodded towards him and was about to turn away and break eye contact until he spoke up again.

"I'll come back this time." Sakura blinked. She did not expect those words.

A blush creeped up from her neck to her cheeks. He stepped forward and took her hand and placed something that felt like paper. Before she could get a good look at her palm, his gloved hand enclosed her fingers. She didn't know how long she stood there, their hands still touching.

Keep in touch. She read in his gesture.

He lifted his fingers to her forehead, it looked as if he was going to poke her? But then the tips of his fingers grazed the front of her forehead, sliding her bang to the side. His hand wrapped the back of her head and pulled her forward until their foreheads touched.

I better not be in another genjutsu. She thought. This new side of Sasuke was something she had a hard time getting used to.

After a while they parted. Sakura still felt the warm spot lingering above her eyebrows. Absentmindedly, she lifted her fingers to lightly touch the spot.

They nodded to each other before he turned and left. She stood there for a while, watching his back walk along the path. She felt the paper in her hand and carefully opened it.

Happy late birthday.

Sakura smiled. Guess people can change for the better after all.

End

A/N: Around this time last year I conceived the beginnings of this story in my head to practice making a complete chaptered story. In all honesty, I despised the writing of Sakura in the canon series and felt her character deserved a lot better, which was the fuel for me to do this project. In my head, I explored the 'what ifs' of Sakura having more meaningful roles and even tried to make SasuSaku make more sense to myself.

Anyway, writing this story was a struggle but a lot of fun. Thank you for reading this experimental, un-betaed, story!