The Hokage looked up casually from her pile of paperwork on her desk. When she saw Sakura standing there, her brown eyes widened.
"Sakura!"
"Hokage-sama," Sakura said quietly with a low bow.
There was an uncomfortable silence that followed during which Sakura didn't raise her head.
"Hmm...I was wondering when you'd get back," Tsunade said in a cool voice.
Sakura raised her head, surprised. "You...you expected me?"
"I had a feeling you would survive," the Hokage replied. "Take a seat."
Sakura hesitated, but told herself to keep her composure and obey the request. She sat at the very edge of the chair and suddenly felt very small in the large office.
"I...I'm sorry I was late coming back. I know I worried you and others," stammered Sakura, trying to avoid the Godaime's penetrating gaze.
Tsunade laced her fingers together, elbows on the table.
"The mission report has already been submitted, but I may have to add some things depending on what you tell me," she paused, watching Sakura.
"So...what do you have to say for yourself?"
Sakura studied the carpeting on the ground and swallowed hard. Her mouth was dry.
"Ano..." She wrung her hands and scratched somewhere behind her ear. She hated how the Hokage could always make her feel like a young, naive girl.
There was a pause as Sakura gathered her thoughts.
Then, Tsuande spoke, "You met him." There wasn't any doubt in her voice.
Sakura felt her stomach flip inside of her. Her eyes met Tsuande's suddenly.
She knows...
"Don't lie to me," the Godaime warned in a low voice as she furrowed her brow.
When a stunned Sakura didn't respond, Tsuande turned her head and sighed. "I should have known better than to put you on this mission. But you were the only qualified medical ninja on duty, and I thought you would refuse if you had a problem with it."
Sakura was silent.
"Look, I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I do know that it's been at least seven years since you last saw him. Do you mean to tell me that you still have feelings for this person, even after he became a traitor to our village?"
Sakura felt her cheeks grow red with guilt.
"I don't!" she cried, a little too loudly and quickly to be convincing.
Tsunade could see through her easily. "You performed so well on the past few crucial missions. But once I assign you to help in the assassination a good looking boy you—"
"He's more than a just good looking boy!" Sakura screamed instinctively, trembling with anger. Then she realized her mistake: she had defended Sasuke without thinking of the consequences and she had yelled at the Hokage. This was going to cost her.
She stopped and averted Tsuande's gaze, but not before seeing the muscles tense in the older woman's face as she stood up.
"Watch who you are talking to, girl!" she snapped in a raised voice burning with outrage.
Sakura bit her lip and lowered her head. "I...I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama...I don't know what came over me...I..."
Tsunade remained silent. Eventually she cleared her throat, smoothed her blonde hair, and sat down in her chair again.
"Sakura," she said in a calmer voice. "It is your duty as a Konoha ninja to tell me what you saw on the mission."
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Sakura nodded, with her head still lowered.
She paused and lifted her eyes slowly to meet Tsunade's.
"It began..." she started. Sakura took a deep breath before continuing, "It began in the woods...an ANBU nin and I were retreating when—"
For the next ten minutes, she thoroughly recounted the details of their initial encounter- but just the bare facts. During some parts, Sakura found it painfully difficult to continue; with every word she spoke she felt as if she were somehow betraying him. Nevertheless, she had to tell the truth: she disclosed what she knew about the cabin, his residence, and even told Tsunade that he led her home.
Tsunade wrote quickly and twitched slightly when she realized Sasuke had come so close to Konoha.
"Now, what did you do with him during this time and what did you talk about?"
Sakura shifted uncomfortably. That was something between her and Sasuke, a series of events that she wouldn't even reveal to her most intimate friend. Some things she preferred to keep for herself, especially when telling someone else seemed to cheapen the whole memory.
Tsunade eyed her curiously.
Sakura said finally, "We didn't do much. He led me home...that's it. He didn't reveal his plans to me." She was relieved that this was in fact the truth and that Sasuke had not told her about his current ventures.
Tsunade paused meaningfully. She was fully aware that meetings with old teammates could get a little emotional. She was also a realist.
"Did you sleep with him?" she asked seriously.
The words threw Sakura off-guard and caused her heart to race. What a question. This was getting extremely embarrassing and complicated.
"Well?" Tsunade pressed.
"W...With all due respect, Tsuande-sama, is that really relevant?" Sakura asked in a soft, nervous voice.
"I need a measure of how attached he is to you."
Sakura tried to hide a sad sigh. "He's not. I'm sure of it."
Tsunade searched her face for a sign of deceit. There was none.
"I still need evidence."
"He told me as he left," Sakura said quietly, "if I ever saw him again..."
"Yes?"
Pause.
"...He'd kill me."
Tsunade's pen scratched onto the piece of paper, and Sakura finally noticed the beads of sweat that had been gathering on her forehead.
The sound of tapping stopped as Tsuande looked up at Sakura again.
"One final question, then you can go...Did he appear hurt at all to you?"
"No..." Sakura replied candidly.
After a few more marks on the paper in front of her, Tsunade closed the folder and stood up.
Sakura got up as well, using the arm rest as a support since her knees seemed not to work. She felt she had gone through a day-long confession though their meeting had only been for half an hour.
"Alright, Sakura. That's all I needed from you," Tsunade said professionally, but her voice was a little gentler now. "You have the day off, so use it to relax your nerves a little. I'll let the ANBU know that you're alive."
Sakura gave another low bow and turned her back to leave.
Only when she shut the door behind her did she lean back against it with her eyes shut, taking a deep breath. That was over. Sakura took a moment and reviewed her answers. She said everything correctly, right?
Suddenly, she realized that Naruto was probably waiting somewhere outside for her.
Did he hear? Sakura was worried.
She ran down the hallway and finally found Naruto in an enthusiastic conversation with Konohamaru.
"Guess what I did then?" Naruto asked with excited eyes.
"I don't know!" Konohamaru was totally entraced."Guess!"
"I really don't know!"
"Well I—"
Sakura sighed with relief, calling his name, "Naruto!"
Naruto suddenly looked in her direction, sheepishly.
"Uh, Sakura-chan! You're back! How was it?"
Sakura shook her head and put a palm over her hot forehead, "I'm just glad it's over."
She walked toward him, took his arm, and tugged him toward the exit.
"What I need now is some hot, delicious ramen. You said you'd treat, right?"
"Ahh?" Naruto felt himself being dragged away. He yelled back to Konohamaru, "Sorry...hey I'll tell you the rest later okay?"
Sakura shook her head as they left the building.
"I can't believe you still tell him those outrageous stories. And I can't believe he still listens! He's what...16, 17 now?"
Naruto tugged back his arm, a little hurt. "Not everyone finds my missions boring you know. Unlike some people, many think they are fascinating and inspiring."
Naruto folded his arms and raised his head proudly.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Sakura mumbled as she walked forward. "Let's get going."
They walked in silence for a moment, then Sakura remembered, "Hey, doesn't the early bird special end at noon?"
Naruto's eyes widened and suddenly disappeared running down the street.