Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto, Shonen Jump and Viz comics etc. I own none of the characters and make no profit from writing about them.
This story contains spoilers for episodes 110-130 of the anime I believe, and manga chapters 180-236-ish. I f you have not seen/read this far and do not wish to be spoiled stop now.
N.B. This is not an alternate reality fic. If at any point it seems confusing/not canon, please keep in mind that this is mostly from Sakura's point of view. Thanks to the narutobetas lj community for letting me post this to have it looked over and thanks specifically to candysweetkiss, randomsome1 and lady lefaye for their constructive criticisms.
It was over. He had vanished into the night and the fallen leaves. She was alone. The boys, not even old enough to be mistaken for anything other than children, had chased him. They had fought battles against foes that those with more wisdom would have balked at. Supposedly they had won, but at a sickening cost. His selfish arrogance had broken all of them the way it had broken her. By all reports, it seemed that Neji was missing a shoulder and no one seemed to know whether Choji would ever regain consciousness. Shikamaru was crippled with doubt and self-loathing while Kiba was slowly bleeding to death and unwilling even to attempt to fight with Akamaru also close to death. All of them had fallen victim to his ruthlessness. Then there was Naruto.
Naruto had frightened her in a way nothing ever had before. Seeing him wrapped in bandages, having to be carried back to the village by Kakashi, had made her go cold and still. Naruto could not be stopped, slowed or repressed, not by anyone, not ever. This was a truth of her life as fundamental as her love for the last Uchiha. Naruto was always fine; he shook off any injury after a few hours rest. Yet there he was in the hospital, silent and unmoving. Even when he did wake he was subdued, staring out the window or down at his still bandaged hands.
The implications of the situation terrified her. The entire world, her entire world, was literally turned inside out. The Sand-nins were now friends to be trusted. The same trio that had attempted to destroy her comrades before now guarded them. The strange red haired boy, Gaara of the Desert, who had inflicted crippling injuries on Lee, now stood with him as an ally. And Naruto was silent. And Shikamaru was crying and the Hyuga and Choji might die. And Kiba was alone.
And Sasuke was the enemy.
Haruno Sakura reached a decision that day in early fall.1 Her life was over. She had no more time for fantasies of white weddings and romantic forevers. The only constants left to her now were what few talents she possessed. It was time for stocktaking. She was intelligent, gifted with precise chakra control, decent with her genjutsu and a quick study. She was also lacking in stamina, power and speed. She would need to improve in at least two of those areas if she hoped to be anything resembling a decent ninja.
Naruto was gone. Jiraiya had taken him off to parts unknown and unspecified for further training, in hopes of keeping the boy from repeating mistakes of the past. Neji had recovered. Choji was awake and eating heartily, flanked by a beaming Shikamaru and an adoring Ino. Kiba was playing fetch with Akamaru.
And Sasuke was the enemy.
Sakura knocked once on the door of the Hokage's office, opened it and entered. The world was different, but only she, it seemed to her, understood how much so.
1 I am running on the assumption that the Academy Graduation/Genin test occurred in spring, the Chuunin exam in summer and that Sasuke decided to be an ass-hat come the fall. Please correct me if I am wrong.
The next chapters will be in the post-time jump reality of the manga, which starts in ch.245 by the way. If you have not read that far you may want to before continuing with this story. Many thanks.