Disclaimer: If I owned it, Gai would be placed in a coma for long periods of time (I'm sorry 'Yame, there's really only so many flames of youth I can handle) Kakashi would be embarrassed at least once because he's way to easygoing, Sasuke would NOT be so annoying in chapter 210 or whatever it is, and I wouldn't have to rant about all the things I would change. Oh yeah and I apologize in advance for a really bad chapter.

You know what I realized while writing this? It's really, REALLY hard to keep Sakura in character once you take away her crush on Sasuke, since it's such a huge part of what and who she is. It's like her obsession with him is a big piece of her identity...

Chapter 7: Go Home

Sakura adjusted her pack on her shoulder, the little backpack with everything she needed inside. She was almost outside of Konoha now, about fifty yards from the actually border. She relaxed slightly, letting the tight control over her constant mask slip a little like a small girl secretly loosening the laces of a too-tight dress.

Just as she was about to take to the trees, she sensed chakra nearby, brooding and almost sinister. She stopped and whirled around, kunai in hand, before recognizing the energy for who it was. "Sasuke-kun," she said in surprise, staring right at the place where he'd been hiding, following her.

He stepped out. The years hadn't changed him much. His eyes were a little less angry and desperately driven, the old fanatical light replaced with a much healthier determination. His hair had remained the same (Inner Sakura thought it looked like a duck's butt, although Sakura thought it was just a little messy), as had his face. He was still in many ways the beautiful, distant boy he had been as a genin. He had grown somewhat, but not as much as she had; they were about eye-to-eye now. He still wore the dark blue jacket and white shorts, although now he had a chuunin vest to put over the jacket.

"Sakura," he said simply.

"What do you want?" asked Sakura, her tone polite. We have to LEAVE, dammit! Yelled Inner Sakura. Outer Sakura repressed her quickly. If he gets suspicious, things will get bad, she answered. I know this is time we can't afford, but it will be worse if I ignore him. Haruno Sakura would never ignore Uchiha Sasuke, no matter how much of a hurry she's in or how long ago she stopped loving him. Remember?

"Tsunade-sama said you had a mission," said Sasuke, tone flat. "B-rank."

"Yes," she said, wondering what he was getting at. "Listen, Sasuke-kun, I need to go—"

"Don't," he said sharply, stopping her. More smoothly, he continued "Let this mission go to someone else. Don't take it."

"Why not?" she asked carefully. Was something going on she didn't know about? Why shouldn't she take this mission? What was wrong?

He raised an eyebrow at her, as though she had just said something incredibly stupid. He didn't say anything for a long second, just let her stare back with a growing twinge of impatience and unease. "It's B-rank."

"We've established that," she said shortly, more rudely than she'd intended. She knew Sasuke would probably beat around the bush unless she broke character and sped him up, and he was taking time she couldn't afford. It was forcing her to gamble a little, but she didn't have much of a choice.

"You and I both know you can't take B-rank," he said. He was probably trying to be gentle about it, but the words stung her ears. A few years ago, they probably would have crushed her. Even a few days ago, they would have thrown her into a depressed spiral of self-hate.

But right then, it had the opposite affect. He had come to tell her to refuse a mission, not because there was something going on, but because he thought she was too weak to handle it! Inner Sakura flared up like dry tinder struck by lightning, but Sakura didn't need her alter-ego's rage to fuel her own.

For an instant, overwhelming fury shone out of her eyes, which were rapidly darkening to emerald. But just before she would have cracked and done something regrettable (and really, really violent) her hard-won self-control saved her. Sakura clamped down forcibly on her rage, trying to contain it.

Sasuke saw the wrath glittering in her eyes like a visible energy and for an instant he was taken aback. This was Sakura? The weak little lovestruck genin? She had never displayed anything close to what she held in check by a thread now. But then it was gone, and he wondered if he'd imagined it.

"Go home, Sasuke-kun," she said softly. He couldn't read her eyes or her voice. She was looking down at the ground. "I have a mission."

"No. You'll hurt yourself or die. You go home. I can take whatever it is."

He doesn't even know what I'm doing and he's telling me I can't handle it? That chauvinistic, interfering, oblivious, egotistical, self-centered, arrogant, overly-proud, stuck-up, full of himself, self-important, meddling, power-mad little ASS! "I said go home, Sasuke," she said tightly, in her growing anger forgetting to add the signature little 'kun' to his name. She glared at a blameless little twig on the ground, the harsh angry stare hidden from Sasuke by her bangs.

"At least take a partner," he said reasonably, not seeming upset at all. Or in any hurry to get lost, either.

"I can handle myself," she said, managing to call up a smile from somewhere as she looked up again. She had the feeling it looked more like a controlled snarl, but it was the most she could manage at the moment and it probably went right over his head anyway. He had never really noticed her emotions before now anyway.

He gave her a knowing, politely skeptical look. She knew he was trying to break her down, waiting for her to crack first. Sakura decided that she didn't feel like putting up with it right now. I don't have time for this. "Good-bye, Sasuke," she said shortly.

She turned away from Uchiha Sasuke, leaping into the nearest tree and taking off without a backward glance. It was, quite possibly, the most uncharacteristic thing she had ever done publicly in her life. And damn it felt good to leave him standing there with his mouth open slightly.

Hell yeah, both Sakura's thought enthusiastically, Inner Sakura throwing a fist in the air.

Sasuke was too surprised to move and follow her. Had Sakura...just walked away from him? Right after actually defying him? He stared at the place she'd been standing, stunned mind trying to make sense of it.

He had known that she was no longer head-over-heels for him. That had been a bit of relief at first, since he'd finally had room to breathe. But after a while he realized just how much of an ego boost it had given him to have the girl his rival wanted nearly glued to his hip without his ever once encouraging her. And after he came to acknowledge that, he realized how used he had gotten to finding little tokens of affection everywhere, how much he had taken her acceptance and love for granted.

Haruno Sakura had offered him the only unalloyed love he had ever known...and he had ignored her. In return for her determined, undying passion, he had given her cold words and a colder shoulder. After all, what was stopping him? He had nothing to lose—it wasn't like she was going anywhere; she would always be there, always remain by him, no matter what. She had said so herself.

Sasuke didn't feel himself sink slowly to the ground, consumed by his thoughts. How long he sat there, he could never have said. His mind ran through memories and new revelations, oblivious to the world around him.

Even after she and Naruto had pulled him away from Orochimaru, and Sakura had said sadly that he had broken her heart one too many times to keep her formerly undying love alive, he hadn't truly believed she'd given up. After all, it was Sakura. His number one admirer, cheerleader, and possibly the clingiest, most eager-to-please girl in the world. She would never refuse him if he just asked her to return to him.

He had believed that all these years. That all it would take was a few words, perhaps some flowers or something. But now...she had just walked away. Like there was something more important to her than he was. Like he didn't matter anymore.

He sat dumbly, unmoving. He could have been a statue, except for the whirling thoughts and conusion and stunned pride that swirled through his eyes, the mixed emotions no artist would ever be able to capture all that showed he still lived.

She had completely ignored his opinion. That had never happened to him before. Ever, from anyone. People had disagreed with him—Naruto was a prime and frequent candidate for that—but never just brushed him off. No one had disregarded him like that...least of all Haruno Sakura.

With Ino & Hinata

They both watched Sakura run off, then Ino invited Hinata back inside to finish the tea.

Hinata sighed and stared off into space, images of Naruto drifting in and out of her mind. For a while, Ino seemed content to let her wander, but after a few minutes of watching her friend's dreamy face, she asked

"Thinking about Naruto-kun?"

Hinata was startled away from the memory of sharing a cookie with the loud ninja, staring into Ino's blue eyes, different from Naruto's aquamarine orbs. "Uh—well, I..."

Ino sighed. "It's okay, Hinata-chan," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I already know you like him." Hell, everyone EXCEPT the boy you like knows you like him! Even Kiba-san knows, and he's normally almost as clueless as Naruto!

This led into a conversation about Naruto, Shikamaru, boys in general, and a few new jutsus.

Before the two girls closed up the shop, Hinata asked Ino for the rest of Sakura's hair, which was currently strewn all over the floor. Ino shrugged and said sure, so while Ino made sure all the flowers were neatly arranged and watered and the mess from the attempted robbery was entirely clean, Hinata gathered up the long pink strands and coiled them into a shining pink rope that she tucked away in one of the pockets of her chuunin vest.

With Sakura

Her victory was short-lived. As good as it had felt to leave him, her common sense quickly reasserted itself. She had just broken her carefully-constructed self into little tiny splinters. The work of years, of establishing herself as irreversibly bound to Sasuke, had just been overthrown by a moment of careless frustration.

No one else knows, pointed out Inner Sakura. And it's not like he's going to go around telling people you ditched him.

She had to agree there. But still, he had just become a loose end...and she hated loose ends.

Sakura reached the Village of the Hidden Mist slightly winded and hungry, but otherwise fine. She stopped before entering the boundary, mentally checking to make sure everything was right and she had everything she needed on her.

She removed her forehead protector, and then to cover the obvious tanline she tied a soft, fluttery yellow strip of fabric around her head that was about the same width. The ends waved gracefully, tickling her back. It was a very pale yellow, complimenting her soft pink hair and pretty green eyes.

Thankful that she and Ino had remained roughly the same size, Sakura changed quickly into the pale yellow wide-neck shirt and denim skirt her friend had lent her. The sleeves of the shirt were wide and long, mimicking a kimono; that way she could still wear the little weapon-holsters on her forearms, but no one would notice. The denim skirt was short enough to make it interesting, but not so short that she couldn't move and still long enough to hide a few kunai under.

Her backpack had a little hidden pocket or two, which were put to use hiding the various weapons she couldn't still fit under her clothing.

For a few seconds, the harsh metal of the throwing stars was icy against her skin, hidden beneath her clothing. Then the heat of her body warmed them and she stopped noticing them so much. It didn't take her long to forget they were there at all.

With the ease born of practice, Sakura settled a nondescript, vaguely pleasant expression over her face, feeling the muscles tense and relax as they were supposed to. In less than a second, she had a pretty, deceptive light shining out of her eyes like a young woman sightseeing on her own for the very first time. Which was, of course, what she was going for.

As the sun rose overhead, a young and pretty tourist made her way through the gates and into the Village of the Hidden Mist.

Ok I'm really, really sorry this took so long. And that the chapter SUCKED. It probably doesn't mean anything to you if I say I'm way more disappointed in this than any of my readers, but I am. (In my own defense, I haven't been writing because my writing gets noticeably worse when I'm not depressed, and lately I have been relatively cheerful. Lame excuse I know, but at least you know it's true; who the hell would make something like that up? A lie usually makes sense -makes face- )

Anyway. Before I babble out about being busy and start ranting about research papers (which, I am learning, REALLY suck) here's the reply to the reviewers.

efterklang-san:
Yay, another one! Is that a request? Email me and tell me what kind of story you're looking for and I'll write it for you!

Dagorwen of Ithilien-san:
Here is the update, I'm sorry it sucked! -tear-

understar-san:
Intriguing? Really? How so?

neu chi no nai u-san:
I think I got a request for a sasuke X sakura, so if youhold out for a bit I'll make one...but sadly no this is not with Sasuke. Right now he's getting on my nerves a little, so I'll wait until he stops bothering me before writing one. Shouldn't take too long, I have almost no temper to speak of.

Sasuke-Is-Mine:
-blink, blink- temper, temper...
I believe I have heard "you suck" enough times out of you. Are you even bothering to RAD this anymore, or are you just skipping to the bottom to flame me?

Hao'sAnjul-san:
You're back! -waves- hello! Ah, you're alive! Don't worry about it, I'm just happy you didn't hate this and stop reading for some reason.

cocoa-latte-san:
Yeah me too. I love being an authoress and being able to screw with anything I want -evil grin-

Umino Ayame-chan:
Yay! –still laughing at review- thank you so much for the suggestions. And for giving me Hanabi's age, I had no clue...
Sakura can't die, she's the main character. Be content that I dislike cliché as much as you. I applaud you sticking with this, I know how much you erm...dislike her...-snicker-.
That is the longest review you've ever written in your life, isn't it? And it made me laugh...at 3-something in the freaking morning...hahaha HanabiIS a twit.

Magus Black-san:
Thank you! A lot.

Arandomreader-san:
-waves- Hi again! Sorry, there's no other person on this mission; it's her first-ever solo mission.

MKRA-san:
WooHOO! Yay, I'm so glad you're hooked! -makes funny "squee" noise- ThankyouThankyouthankyouthankyou!

BloodLasts4ever-san:
Thank you, I'm so glad you think it's good n.n

Shiroi Hikari-san:
Oh no, her family definately isn't her only secret. There are more. I'm just having trouble getting them out...

TrueLoveHurts-san:
Yes ma'am (sir?), right away! -clutches cat- believe me you really shouldn't try to kidnap Shiroari...I named her "termite" for a very good reason. As for those buckets, now...would they by any chance have tea or something good in them?

Toki Daisuke U-chan:
Oh...-incredibly happy- You read it! And you LIKED IT! Yay! Thanks for the critique, really that's what I'm looking for is suggestions. Thank you! -bows many times- I'll be more descriptive next chapter...I already had this one written when you reviewed.

Ok, until next time this is it. Oh yeah, and if anyone has any thoughts or ideas on what the hell I can do next...I'm clueless. -sweatdrop- I have no idea what to have happen next...

Kage and Shiroari