Naruto-the Story Continues

Chapter 2: Reunion Knock Out

The silver-headed Jounin stood hidden well behind the bushes. He watched as his two former students stared at each other. Even he did not know what was going to happen next.

'Is Sakura going to cry and hug him? Or slap him hard? OOOOH…' He chuckled at his thought but knew it was no time for this. He kept his guard up.

Deep within him, he wanted to hold her and apologize for leaving her like that in the past. But at this point he knew he had to flee.

"SASUKE-TEME!"

'Damn, too late…'

"YOU THINK YOU CAN LEAVE AGAIN AFTER ALL THIS TIME I'VE SPENT TRAINING? THIS TIME I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS!"

'Bring it on, dobe…I guess I'll finish quick and leave…' He thought as he hastily ran into the woods right outside of Konoha. He wasn't afraid to fight the other Leaf Ninjas that might come after him from the commotion but he didn't have time. His main priority was Naruto. To test his strength by killing him, then knowing it's time to go after him…

He felt the blond "dobe" following him and smirked, 'I guess things haven't changed…'

When he got far enough into the woods, he stopped and got into his fighting stance, activating his Sharingan. He had a feeling Naruto wasn't going to be as easy as he was before.

Naruto threw a punch, expecting Sasuke to block it. Just before the punch was blocked, Naruto kicked hard but in the speed of light.

'Training with Lee did help.' He grinned wide as Sasuke fell on the floor.

'Damn, his speed has increased too dramatically…' As he shook his head and stood up, he immediately felt someone was behind him. He quickly threw a dozen kunais before seeing who it was.

Turning around he saw Sakura effortlessly catching all of the dozen kunais that were aimed at her. She, then, lightly tossed them on the ground. She had no expression on her face, but her eyes gave it away, she was miserable.

"Sasuke, I'm not the weakling that you were forced to call a teammate in the past anymore. If you're here to kill Naruto…you're going to have to kill me too!" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she got into a fighting stance. Sasuke could see her trying so hard to hold it in.

He had no intentions ever of even fighting Sakura…but killing her? Not in a million years…

'Is she really challenging me?' He stared curiously.

"What's wrong, Sauske-teme? Scared of Sakura? He he he! I guess you should be, she has old hag, Tsunade's strength and she's a medic Jounin training to be an anbu!"

"Shut up, dobe! I guess it'll be two verse one then…" He smirked trying to hide his emotions. 'I was wrong, things did change…'

Kakashi watching from far could definitely see the uncertainty of Sasuke when it came to fighting Sakura. Naruto charged without hesitation at the missing Nin, but Sasuke kept blocking him and eventually got annoyed. He activated the curse and his whole body became painted with the patterns of Orochimaru's powers. Quickly making hand seals, he blew flames out of his mouth toward Naruto.

Sakura, on the other hand, did hesitate, but she grabbed her kunai and to Sasuke's surprise, stabbed him a couple times. Kakashi noticed she didn't aim anywhere that would seriously kill Sasuke, but weakened him.

'Sakura, your still too soft, even if you have Tsunade's strength…' thought the Jounin.

Both Naruto and Sakura exchanged glances nodding. They charged a Sasuke together, and in the middle both yelled, "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" All their clones aimed at Sasuke. He fought constantly killing the clones, many at a time, searching for the real thing. He was too focused on fighting the clones he didn't see it coming.

The real Sakura had jumped high and landed her elbow on Sasuke's back, causing him to kneel on the ground coughing out blood.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I can't let you leave again…" she saw his face full of different emotions: confusion, shock, anger, and hidden sadness.

As he was about to activate the third stage of the curse, he saw Naruto charging in with his Rasengan.

"CHIDORI!" But before the blue lightning could appear, this time Sakura had pushed the pressure point causing him to fall quickly on to the ground unconsciously.

"Sensei, you know you can come out now…" Kakashi sighed as he realized Sakura wasn't the Sakura she used to be.

'Whatever happened to my three cute ninja-wannabes students?' He was carrying Sasuke as he stared at the awful curse markings.

They were back at Naruto's place. All four of them…Team 7, or Team Kakashi, reunited after almost three years. The breeze shifted his silver mane as he stared out the veranda. The blue eyes of the kitsune stared at his former sensei thinking, 'What's going to happen now?'

'I don't know Naruto, this time, even I don't know…'

Meanwhile, Sakura glanced at the cold boy she once knew and all the awful markings on him. She couldn't bare it anymore! He was sleeping anyway. She lost control of herself and quickly held Sasuke before her ninja conscience could remind her a ninja keeps their emotions hidden. Sasuke felt tears pouring down his face, but he wasn't crying…he opened his eyes slightly.

There they were…all the original Team 7 members…two-outside knowing not of what's to come next, one returning a hug for the first time in his life, and the last-trying to get a grasp of reality through her tears.

Good? Bad? Weird? Tell me! -H3AJiN