I'd spent the better part of the morning in the hospital getting my wounds cleaned and healed. The nurses had spent a long time removing the glass from my forehead, using tweezers and a magnifying mirror they worked their way over my dried crusted red face and scalp. When they had finished removing all the shards of glass they opted for ushering me into the bathroom attached to the patient room, deciding I needed to be washed down rather than just wiped. They chattered softly as they cleaned my hair and face, making sure to disinfect my wounds then leaving me to finish washing the rest of my body alone.

I came out to a spare pair of cloths laid on the bed, some basic black slacks and black t-shirt which I happily threw on as I waited. After a short while the nurses came back to start healing my wounds, they worked quickly, knitting the lacerations closed leaving no evidence of the early scraps and cuts. They let me know I'd be free to leave once my guardian arrived, which had me wondering if they meant my mum or..

"Knock.. Knock.. Knock.." I heard as thick tufts of silver hair and a single smelling eye appeared from my cracked door. Followed by none other than one bubbly overly confident blonde and sulking Uchiha.
Spinning my legs so they hung off the side of the bed, facing the small group, I could feel my body relax as I took in the sight of Naruto and Kakashi more fully. A small smile graced my lips when the feeling of safety and warmth seemed to fill me up, replacing the fear and anxiety of earlier. I noticed Naruto's face grow red then redder as the moment passed in silence and I wasn't quite sure why. Kakashi's head was cocked to the side, single eye closed with a hand to the back of his head like he did when he was thinking.

"Sakura, good to see you're doing okay." Kakashi said in a friendly manner. "Sasuke here, was quite worried when he came to find me this morning. He mentioned you were hurt and acting quite strange." He said in good humour, knowing it would get under his more serious dark haired students skin.
"And, well, you do seem.. a little… different, I suppose." With that he eye'd her face a little more seriously, dropping his overly happy facade for the moment. Naruto had the clueless look on his face again as he crossed his arms and nodded in agreement.

"Sasuke the Baka, made it sound like your face was all messed up or something but you look fine to me. Those eyes not working or something TEME? Maybe you should be the one in here getting looked at! HA!" He laughed, grabbing his belly pointing at Sasuke.
Kakashi just grimace, while Sasuke looked like he was about to end Naruto's very existence.

Feeling my face flush again as I remembered my impulsive actions from earlier that morning, I thought fast on my feet and quickly constructed an idea. I had to play it right otherwise the subject could be pushed further.
Taking a deep breath for what I was about to try do, I coyly looked up from below thick lashes, a flush of embarrassment still painting my cheeks. I checked to see if I'd caught their attention which I certainly had and brought my bottom lip between my teeth, biting softly as I shrugged my shoulders looking down and away as I did. Hoping I was giving the correct impression.

"I guess I'm getting too that age now, where things start to change and… I wanted to experiment a little with makeup." I spoke softly, like I was embarrassed at it being brought to the groups attention. "I'v heard Kunoichi use it to alter their appearance in missions and I wanted to try it for myself I guess." I looked up to see if they were biting and I had two of them hook line and sinker. Kakashi didn't look so convinced but didn't push it further either.

"Sasuke mentioned you were hurt?" Kakashi asked, monotoned.

"I guess you could say I tripped and hit my head pretty hard, smashing my mirror and probably giving myself a concussion." I rubbed the back of my head with a small smile and embarrassed laugh trying to keep the mood light. It worked a charm as the males in the room finding that to be a perfectly good explanation and let it drop. Whether or not Kakashi truely believed me was something else but he excepted it and moved onto something else.

"So, about our meeting this morning. Though it's late notice I'v put you all forward to the Hokage to enter this years Chunin exams." Kakashi said. Continuing quickly before Naruto could ask what that even was.
"After our recent mission to the Land of Waves, I was given the impression that you're all up for a bit more of a challenge then just D-rank missions. It will be up to you individually to decide if you're ready to enter or not and you'll have tonight to think it over as the first test starts tomorrow at 8am Sharp. Yes Naruto, I will speak to you after to explain everything." Kakashi sighed, reaching for his little orange book. He'd be needing it for this.

Kakashi gave them a wave with Naruto trailing behind him, a hundred and one questions in tow. I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out at the sight of it. Kakashi stoped to shoot a look over to Sasuke. "Why don't you walk Sakura home? We wouldn't want her running into any more foreign Shinobi now would we?" He winked as he closed the door to leave.

Sasuke's cheeks were noticeably red and his eyes stayed averted. A little pout playing on his lips with arms crossed he seemed so much younger than I remembered him being at this age. He always felt so mature form memory, like he was a man trapped in a boys body but looking at him now I think I just wasn't paying attention.

"Sakura, let's go." He said already leaving, his back turned to me and his hands in pockets. Standing and trailing a few steps behind him we made our way out of the hospital and back into the bustling streets of the village.

It had been a long day and I was exhausted.
Ready for sweet sleep my mind wondered as we walked, trying to decipher what had happened to lead me here. I knew for certain this wasn't a Genjutsu now, so was I in a parallel universe? Or back in time? Those thoughts became overwhelming and added to my frustrations with not knowing exactly what had transpired on that bridge with Sasuke and Kakashi. Given that I had about as much physical strength and chakra as an academy student who'd not yet graduated I'd say something pretty damn bad happened on that bridge.

Before I knew it we were standing on my street not far from my house, we hadn't spoken a word since the hospital but I felt I owed him an apology for earlier. The boy in front of me wasn't the man that tried to kill me and I continued to let that thought run through my head as I spoke.

"Sasuke.. I'm sorry about today and thank you for helping me out, I do appreciate it." Even though his back was still turned to me I looked away embarrassed, hoping he would just nod and slip away like I remembered him doing in childhood. Instead he turned to me with curious eyes lost in thought.

"How did you know the Shinobi from earlier?" He spoke keeping he's watching eyes on my face, undoubtedly for signs of deception while completely ignoring my thanks. He had always been a top tier ninja but I had years on him, it wouldn't be that easy to catch me lying.

"I had a concussion Sasuke, I was confused and scared. I didn't really know what I was doing or why." I said like it was obvious and he should know better then to be asking something with such an obvious answer..

"Why were you scared then?" He tilted his chin up in challenge, obviously not satisfied to leave it at that.

"I just was. There was a lot of blood and It brought back memories from our last mission." It wasn't exactly a lie either though he's eye's sharpened just a tad.

"So why were you scared of me?" He said in that velvety voice, leaning down towards my face with hawk like eyes I couldn't hide my blush with him being so close. I was starting to get frustrated by how often I was turning red today, was it always like this? Seduction wasn't just taught to Kunoichi that's certainly true, all ninja had some training but usually after becoming Chunin and certainly not while a Genin fresh out of the academy.
'Maybe these boys just had a natural talent' I mused, realising I'd let a silence fall between us as he waited for me to reply, I decided I would give him a taste of his own medicine.

Stepping in closer, looking into his black onyx eyes I let my body briefly press against his in a bold but subtle move to get close to his ear.

"I just didn't want you to see me like that." I whispered softly for his ears only, "I know you find me annoying Sasuke, so why do you even care?" Every word was soft, slow and dripping with intent. When I finally pulled back I noticed he was dazed with rosy cheeks and eye a fraction wider than usual. Smiling to myself I decided I would leave him there with a wave and a see you tomorrow.