Kabuto was in Kimimaro's room, stabilizing him again, after his last operation. He couldn't even count how many times was the man in front of him operated, and his condition never getting better, only slowing down his barely working lungs. Now it only worked 12% of it's capacity, and he knew if it gets lower than 8, he could be dead as well, since there is no way back from that. He was running out of time.

He walked to his desk, filled with documents of all sort.

His spy gave him regular insight to Konoha too, and one time he even took the risk, and went on his own, to check on Sakura's poison status. He knew that she continued her medical ninjutsu with Tsunade, which made her even more able to cure Kimimaro. Just his stupid poison...

It was not much left, for it to be gone from her body though

Gaara was on the way to Konoha. Finally, after two years he was granted entrance to Fire country, and he was running fast, making the Ichibi almost complain in him, and the old woman with him voiced those complaints.

Throughout the time, he became a personal advisor for Temari, although, his sister was still a Kazekage only in practice, and he wasn't sure how he became the advisor in the first place. All he knew, is that he gave up on killing, because he knew it satisfied his late father. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy it, but it had more to do with Xiaoying's smile and bright eyes, those made him fuller than any murder he ever committed.

He received a letter one time from the Hokage herself, expressing the need of a special plant from Suna, to possibly cure a poison in her apprentice, and Gaara sent it as fast as he could, using his hawk. He also sneaked in something he saw in one of the stores in Suna, two small, white gold butterfly earrings, it reminded him of her story of the butterfly lovers.

On the memory of her recounting the story, he realized too late the surrounding ninjas around them.

Tsunade sent out the ANBU and jounin teams since Akatsuki presence was reported closely to Konohagakure.

What she didn't expect were the bodies that were brought back. She recognized one, being her old rival at healing, Chiyo from Suna, and she felt her arm tremble at the thought that she died.

The blonde woman looked over at the other, red hair dimmed in sweat and dirt, yet Tsunade felt something was not right. She went over to him to touch his wrist, and there it was, a brim pulse, so light, most people would've missed it.

Stepping back from this realization she started shouting at Shizune, to bring this young man to the hospital right away, and prepare her equipment for healing. Somehow he survived, and she is gonna save him!

Sakura was on the Uchiha compound, cleaning the house that the boys left again. Of course their excuse were always missions, that she couldn't attend to yet, so it was left to her to clean, like she was their mother.

She hated this with all her heart, but couldn't actually yell at them, since all her teammates were orphans, she would just need to learn to deal with it.

With a sight, she started moping the floor, when she heard loud footsteps, or more precisely someone running towards her, and the door opened, revealing a very disconcerted Moegi on the porch.

"What happened?" she asked, throwing the useless mop on the floor

"The Hokage demands your presence at her office right away!" she said, and Sakura was already putting on her boots, hastily closing the door behind, hearing the little gennin, trying to keep up.

Sakura burst into Tsunade's office, not knowing what to expect. Her shishuo was sitting at the table with a serious face.

"Sit down" she said, pointing towards the chair which the pink haired girl took, but less calmly.

"What happened Shishuo? Is everything okay?" she asked, and was already thinking that her parents died.

"No, nothing is okay. Yesterday Akatsuki members were in close proximity to the village gates. " she said, and Sakura's mouth hung open 'Akatsuki? Itachi?'

"They attacked the delegates from Suna." she said, and Sakura felt herself growing stiff, 'please no! Not him!' "One of them died, while the other was on the brink of death" she said, and Sakura's fingers whitened at the hand rests.

"Who?" she whispered with a shaky voice

"Chiyo from Suna and a young man with red hair" she said, and her eyes grew wide "The old healer didn't survive, only her body was brought back, I finished the healing on the redheaded man from the morning, he is now stable, just unconscious." Sakura let out a breath that she didn't know was holding. "I don't know who this man is, but he is murmuring your other name ever since I finished." she said with a pointed look

"Xiaoying?" she asked with a raspy voice, it's really him

"Yeah, I need you to identify him, g-" Tsunade couldn't finish because Sakura was already out of the office, leaving the door open.

Sakura was using chakra to pound up her speed, as she was sprinting on the roofs towards the hospital. She asked rapidly which room he was, and as soon as she heard the number, she was gone from the sight.

But as she was standing in front of the private room, she grew weary. They had been separated for so long, and she only had bits and pieces about him, how would he react to her? Last time at the chunin exams he grew so cold, she didn't know if she could take that hit again.

Shaking her head, she gathered herself, before opening the door.

Here he was, laying on the bed. His red locks grew a bit, and Sakura saw how his features sharpened slightly, yet still kept the essence of his face. One of his arm was out from the blanket, and the muscles there were evident of the training he probably did.

With shaky legs, she walked over, and looked at him closely, feeling the tears that run down on her face, landing on hos blanket. He truly was there.

From the tears, she did not see the movement the rims made, but she heart a deep hitch. Brushing over them, she was faced with his eyes, looking intensely at her, and she brought her hands to her mouth, covering the whines of cry from her.

He lifted one hand, brushed over her wet cheek softly, and that was the last push she needed before embracing him in a tightly, that he returned eagerly.