Hello again. I'm so so so sorry to anyone who read my first chapter and then had to wait several months for this one. But now it's here and its like 3x longer than the first chapter. So your wait was not in vain. There are probably a whole bunch of gramatical mistakes in this one because I haven't had a chance to reread it yet. I will as soon as possible and repost it. Anyway, on to the chapter.0)


The rest of the night found Sakura in desperate want of sleep, but her mind refused to turn off. All she could think of was how the next day would play out. She wasn't afraid, just simple worried. A hundred different scenarios spilled through her mind, each one ending in some kind of disaster. As the night rolled one it became clear that all she really wanted was Sasuke. It no longer mattered what her training said. She wanted him there with her and she hated herself for it. She was back to being the weak little girl who couldn't do anything without help. Even her own job. For the umpteenth time that night, the young women rolled over in an all to awake state. Her only comfort was the hopeful idea that when push came to shove she would get up tomorrow and do what she had promised. Because, in truth, he would not be home tomorrow or the next day and in truth she had to stand alone or not at all. Whether the whole thing went smoothly, she convinced herself, was out of her hands.

As the sun finally showed its face, Sakura was revived to have caught at least a few hours of sleep. The peaceful silence of morning surrounded her, but in no time it seemed the house was once again filled with comforting noise: the children really wanted breakfast. For a few blissful hours, the mother was allowed to forget the worries promised for the day. It was such a stark contrast to what she knew the day held, almost unbearably normal. Just as she had a moment to dwell on that thought, though, little Naota began his daily crusaded against his imagined inequality with his sister. Today started with cereal. The four-year-old didn't quite his crying until his mother had convinced him he physically couldn't eat that much and Haruko had offered to split a banana with him. He readily accepted the banana. Haruko took hers with her; along with one she snuck for the road, as she left the table for her room. This morning, like every morning, the 7-year-old had a training session that she had to get dressed and ready for. Meanwhile Sakura, after cutting up Naota's half a banana, eat her breakfast. Then she would get both Naota and herself ready for the day. Before it was time to leave, Haruko would reappear for help pulling her hair back and tying her newly obtained forehead protector. The little girl would then run off to her training as Sakura, with Naota by the hand, headed to the Hospital.

Once there, Naota was handed off to the aged, but capable, hands of the daycare nurse, while Sakura finally embarked on her morning rounds. With the additions from the night before and the patients already admitted, the rest of the morning was all but taken up. When it was nearly 11:30, the medical-nin decided she better be done with her promise before lunch rather than have it hang over her head all day. The trick of the matter would be sneaking past Naota at the daycare center, which was nicely positioned right next to the main entrance. Of course, this was a simple task for a trained ninja. If her son did see her, though, he would most defiantly throw a fit and want to know why his mother was abandoning him. Oh, very nice, Sakura, sneaking around your own children. There goes mother of the year. The thought made her snicker, but before she could do any seeking, in fact, before she even reached the ground level, a nervous looking nurse approached her.

"Your daughter," she hesitated a moment, collecting her words, "is waiting for you by the daycare." Another hesitation. "She sent me up here to tell you she would really like to talk to you before you leave." The young women's eyes beg for an explanation. Sakura could imagine the questions going through her head: how could a little girl seem like an adult? How could her voice could so superior?

"Thank you, Midori," answered the lead medic and left the nurse with her questions.

With this new factor, Sakura knew Haruko had made her mind up for her and she had a good guess what was coming. Getting pass her son would have been easy, getting pass her daughter wouldn't be. Plus, even if she did manage it, the little ninja would assuredly realize it and scourer the village looking for her. This would undoubtedly put Naota in the biggest fit of his short life, as in his eyes he would be abandoned by both his mother and his sister. Sakura silently sighed and laughed to herself. If you could only see your children now, Sasuke.

As expected, upon entering the small waiting room, the mother found her daughter standing next to the daycare. Smashed to the mesh barrier behind her was the little brother, looking like a convict eager for freedom. A small crowd had accumulated before the lunch hour, though a wide berth had formed around the two children. Like parting the Red Sea, Sakura defied the unspoken warning; Haruko had more to fear from her than anyone had to fear from Haruko. The little girl looked totally unaware she had done anything wrong and as her mother approached simple stated, "I want to go with you." Sakura tried to look as disapproving as possible.

"Why are you so sure I'm going somewhere?"

"Because Uncle Naruto asked you for a favor last and you'ld want to do it before lunch."

The mother gave a heavy sigh and squatted down to her daughters level.

"Haruko, you shouldn't listen in on other people's conversations. Especially adults'."

"But isn't spying part of being a good ninja?" the confusion was apparent on her face. For a moment she was just a little girl puzzled about something common. Sakura sucked it up, knowing it wouldn't last long.

"Honey, you don't have to be a ninja all the time. Sometimes you can just be Haruko and not worry about being a good ninja. Do you understand?" There was a nod in response but the confusion had not all together left.

"Now about you coming with me." The little girl was replaced once again with the serious ninja. "There isn't anything I can say to convince you otherwise, huh?"

It was a dry, methodical voice that answered her. "There were two others at my training session that seemed to think I should know whoever it was that was captured last night. They acted like this person should be of some importance to me." For the third time that day Sakura sighed, along with making a mental note to talk to Ibiki about teaching his students to keep their mouths shut. "Fine you may come but you have to listen to everything I say, Okay?" There was no argument.

Throughout the conversation, Naota had been trying to listen intently. He hadn't understood much of it, but his mother's last words had been very clear. Haruko was getting to go and he wasn't. Of course, that was just plain unfair. With this realization, came the sudden urge to cry, which the little boy promptly did. "I want to go," he shrieked. Then again a little louder, "I want to go. That's unfair. If Haruko goes, I want to go." As he was screaming he began shaking at his miniature prison like the world would end if he stopped. Sakura had anticipated this and without hesitation, rescued her son from his imagined abandonment. Unsurprizingly, the tears stopped as soon as Naota was in his mother's arms.

"Fine, we'll all go." And with that Sakura grabbed Haruko by the hand, thanked the daycare nurse, and marched both her children out of the hospital, the possibilities now much more trouble than anything she had thought of last night.

It didn't take them long to reach the Hokage tower. As they stood in the elevator, going down, Naota was set down and the medical-nin readied herself for the task at hand. At the hospital she had checked and filled her medic-pack with anything she might need. Now, all she had left was the tack itself and keeping the children out of trouble.

"I will let you two beyond this point no two conditions: One, you stay outside the whole time. Two, Haruko, if I or any other adult says go, you take Naota and you go, no questions, understand?" Her voice had changed from a scolding mother to a stern official. There was a nod from both children, but Naota, understandable, was looking very confused. Haruko understood perfectly, whether she would play along or not, had yet to be seen.

The elevator didn't take very long to reach the underground level. There was complete silence as the three exited. Naota was now walking on his own with one hand in his mother's and the other in his sister's. The little boy seemed unaffected by his menacing surroundings as thy walked down the single high-ceilinged corridor of the high security prison. Besides the electric bulbs on the walls, the only light that was seeping in was from the small portholes at the top of the walls and a small amount squeezing through the bared windows of the cells. Haruko observed everything with a critical eye. Small, high windows made it more difficult to create an escape. But they also allowed the possibility of one. It would have been better, the little ninja thought, to leave out the windows, especially in the cells.

Whether the prison was efficient or not, it seemed to be in fractional use. There were no occupied cells anywhere near the elevator and only a few sprung up as they walked. It was one of these cell, only a few from the end, that was their first stop. After identifying herself to the guard, Sakura turned one more time to her children and reminded them of their promise. The door was opened to reveal the cell's blue-skinned occupant. This would be the easy part of her promise, since this man posed very little threat to her. If things did take a turn for the worst, she could take him out herself without involving the guard. As she walked in he lifted himself up from his slumped position against the sidewall, just enough to give her a sinister smile.

"Ah, a woman. Excuse me if I don't get up ta greet cha' properly," he sneered, widening his smirk to show off an array of pointed teeth.

"I'm here merely to make sure you live long enough to be of use to us," stated Sakura as she visually evaluated him. It was obvious he couldn't have stood at all on his own. One leg was badly broken, not to mention several open wounds and numerous other injuries.

To start the job was the hardest part. Just the thought of touching him made her stomach squirm. That blue skin implied a sliminess and those beady little eyes…but she just went about her business. He seemed to find a kind of comfort in talking even without replies from her. More than once he made overly rude comments, clearly fishing for a reaction.

Sakura had successfully pulled herself out of the situation, so it took her a few moments to notice the man's sudden silence. When she looked up, the source of the interruption was very clear: a dark-haired head was peeking around the doorframe.

"Haruko!" it disappeared. Sakura turned back to her unwanted patient; sure he would have another round of comments. There was a devilish grin across his face. He looked as if he had a secret that he would greatly enjoy spreading.

"You've been having fun with the little Uchiha. Hope he enjoyed his little treat. You look like a first-rate thrill." He was just egging her on, she told herself. Luckily, she had finished. As a small parting gift she gave him a well-deserved punch in the jaw. He rebounded from it quickly and before she left, spat out, "Itachi will just love that little brat of yours."

It was a tempting thought to turn around and give him another punch or a hard stomp in the gut, but the more pressing issue had already taken her mind. Outside the cell, she gathered up her children and, as before, they walked on down the corridor.

They came to the end without a word being spoken. A subconscious tension had fallen over the three, starting with the mother and spreading to the children. Waiting for them at the last cell of the complex, along with the guards, was a tall, silver-haired man with half his face covered. On that little bit of exposed face, Sakura recognized a look of worried surprise. They didn't speak though. There was no need; with her eyes she reassured him she had it under control. She did need to speak to the children, however.

"I'm changing the rules." unhappy faces answered, "Neither of you two are to go near this cell. You are especially not to look in." This last part was directed chiefly at Haruko. The little girl did not argue, but it was obvious she did not like the new rule. On the other hand Naota voiced his opinion right away.

"That's not fair," he nagged, "you can't change the rules."

"Naota I'm your mother. I can change whatever I want." With that she led them over to the wall, several feet from the cell and sat them down. Then, after a quick nod to her former teacher, Sakura came to the moment she had been dreading.

The occupant of the cell sat slumped against the back wall. Dark shadows eclipsed his face and torso, as the only light was from the small window far above him. She thought he looked diminished, nothing like the mental image she had created of him. His eyes were closed, his face rather tired and pale. His cloak with the red clouds had been removed, revealing the strong arms and torso of his chosen lifestyle. Though, at present, his left arm sat cradled in his lap. The medical-nin suspected something was dislocated. His other arm and legs were sprawled out around him. For a brief moment, she almost pitied him his sorry condition. His present, battered state suggested a genuine defenselessness. The little laps of feeling soon passed. She could not forget for long why this man was classed a missing nin or why she personally hated him. It was not helping his case, for her pity, that he so resembled his brother; her Sasuke. As she drew near him, she found herself wanting more to put him out of his misery than to do any healing.

He did not open his eyes until she was almost touching his feet. When they did open, they showed the same worn exhaustion of the rest of his body. The only acknowledge he gave to her presence was to push himself a little more up right while his dark eyes stayed locked with hers. He was sizing her up. It gave her a slight chill up her spin.

"I'm here to –"

"Continue your assignment. I already understand the situation." He spoke in an arid, detached voice. She hated how familiar it sounded. It made her blood boil that she had no other choice but to comply with that voice. But the thought of touching him, of helping him in any way, seemed completely grotesque to her. This was the man that had ruined her Sasuke's life. The man that had tortured him and nearly killed him. Hoe could she ever help him? How could she ever face Sasuke again knowing she had done such a thing? The mere thought made her feel sick. But she had a job to do. This was not to help him. It was to help her village. She tried her best to detach herself from the situation, as her training had taught her, and continue her job.

The limp left arm was her first concern. After a quick examination her concerns were confirmed. The whole shoulder was dislocated. It would have to be forced back into the socket and bandaged into place. Her patient gave no reaction to the normally very painful procedure. Even the most conditioned of ninjas at least flinch, but this man just stared toward the door. She barely believed he was still alive, until, as she bandaged the shoulder, he spoke to her again.

"Your in love with my brother." He said it as a fact; emotionless and flat. The words startled Sakura enough to make her pause. Silently she cursed herself. Obviously, he wanted a reaction out of her and she had just taken the bait.

"Your so sure? How do you know?" She put as little interest into her voice and continued working. Half of her was angry she responded at all; the other half curious. What did he want her to say?

"This village morally believes it must hate me for my actions. Your hate is different. It is the same as his." There was a pause, filled with sounds of the medical-nin's work, then, "You have entangle yourself in a bloody legacy." For a moment she thought he was warning her, but no; it was again a fact. He was informing her of her choices effects.

At the very same moment her ninja mind informed her someone was at the door. Suddenly the mother replaced the medical-nin. "Haruko!" she scolded, but the head retreated simply with a stare. She returned to her work without looking at her patient. Her mind had shifted, though, back to the children outside. She was so deep in thought over the best way to punish Haruko, that she didn't notice the dark little head sneak stealthily around the doorframe.

When the young Hokage called Kakashi in that morning, he knew it could be nothing good. When his old student continued to tell him of Sakura's task and that he was swamped with paperwork and meeting, Kakashi knew exactly what was coming. He agreed right there and then, but also reminded Naruto of how enraged Sasuke was going to be when he came home. All of this led to where he was now: standing outside a high security cell waiting for his former student to heal the now not-so-missing-nin Uchiha Itachi. He was also keeping an eye on the little girl trying to sneak a peek inside.

Kakashi had to admit the little girl had talent. After her failed first attempt, she entirely changed her tactic. Silently slipping one eye around the edge of the doorframe several, she noted exactly where her mother was and what she was doing. While she was doing all this, the little boy had wondered up behind her, obviously wanting a piece of the action. Kakashi found the whole scene rather amusing. When his mere presents alone didn't snatch his sister's attention, he began to quietly whine while tugging slightly on her shirt. This in turn made the little girl have to turn around, shoosh her brother, and explain to him that if they both peeked mom would know. Before turning back to her spying, she promised to tell him everything she saw and then she told him to be quiet. Kakashi also turned his attention to the cell, convinced the two kids wouldn't cause any trouble. It was partly because of this that he didn't notice when Haruko left her brother at the door and ventured into the cell.

Sakura knew her daughter was still stealing peeks. At this point she didn't really see a reason to keep scolding her. As long as she stayed outside the cell, she and Naoto would be safe, and the mother was sure her little girl would not dare risk coming in, with her right there.

The man had not spoken since Haruko's interruption. Not wanting to imagine what he was thinking, the medical-nin forced her mind even further away from the situation. First she ran through her grocery list, and then the new patients at the hospital. When those subjects were exhausted she moved on too medical scrolls and writings. She was just finishing a sealing scroll she had read some time ago when she had a sudden itch to look behind her. What she saw utterly emptied her mind. There was Haruko, several steps from the door, coming toward her. No, not her; towards her patient. The little girl's face was vacant and pale. Her eyes were just the same, but at the same time wide as if in awe. And they were beginning to turn red. An immediate alarm went off in Sakura's head. Without hesitation, the medical-nin turned back to her patient to be confronted with her worse nightmare. This man she hated too deep to measure, had trapped her daughter right under her nose. In ant instant she knew what she had to do. She lunged at him, her goal to break the line of sight, but he was ready for her.

As fast as she had reacted, just as quickly her attempt was thwarted. His one good arm was all he needed to keep her pinned to the wall behind him. In a split second she had gone from being able to help her daughter to simple being a witness to her entrapment. At the door, that now seemed miles away, stood her former teacher on guard, contemplating how to get everyone safely out of this situation. She already knew he wouldn't move without a plan to rescue her, but if he would just grab Haruko. There was no hope everyone could escape completely unskaved. She was already trapped; Haruko was too far in; the cell was too long. The factors were against them, and her daughter continued to walk.

Then, as a risky plan to try to distract her captor formed, a new factor introduced itself. Opposite Kakashi at the door, appeared a second little head. This one was pale-haired with a face full on little boy distress. The mother was sure she felt her heart stop. It was painfully obvious what was coming; Haruko had broken the rules. The mother's mind began a race against time. What could she do? A plan began to solidify. Kakashi would have to grab Naota. At the same time she would put all her strength into forcing herself free. Then she would snatch up Haruko and race for the door. There was a slim chance she could get pass the door before her captor caught up. There was an even slimmer chance they could pull Haruko out of her trance without the s-classed ninja's assistance. It was the only chance they had left; the chance would have to be taken.

Her son, though, had a different idea of how things were going. Before she could break out of anything, or signal anyone, Naota's mouth was wide open, doing what it often did: complaining.

"Haruko, that's not fair. Mom said we couldn't go in." When the little boy saw that his sister wasn't paying attention, he began to get angry, and even louder. "Haruko! HARUKO!" Still no response, so the little boy screamed withal he had, "HARUKO! LISTEN TO ME!"

There was silence. Naota had realized something was wrong, as fear and confusion reshaped his face. At the other end of the cell, Sakura was confronted with completely opposite emotions. As the last of her son's screams echoed around the narrow cell, the mother could clearly see the red fading from her daughter's eyes. The little girl stopped her mindless trudging forward and, without even acknowledge the two figures in front of her, turned too face her brother. An instant later she was scooped up by Kakashi and in another instant both children were outside and very far away from the door.

Apparently the whole event seemed to have surprised the cells true occupant as much as his prisoner, because not a minute after he had lost control of Haruko did his hold on Sakura just slightly relax. Sakura, seeing an open opportunity, freed herself with near ease, putting more than a few steps between her captor and her before looking back at him. With Haruko now literally out of his reach, he turned to meet her eyes. The stare she gave him would have killed a normal man on the spot. She wished the whole world she could hurt him, punish him in someway, but she dared not go near him again. Instead she turned to the waiting door and confidently strode out. Just that they had all come out unharmed was enough of a win for her.

The confidence disappeared as soon as she stepped outside. She couldn't help but trap both her children in a smothering hug. She made Haruko meet her eyes until she was satisfied the little girl's eyes were only their normal green. Then she had to do a complete check over of both of the children. When all was said and done, she ended up with Naota snug in one arm and the other restraining Haruko tightly to her. With a heavy sigh of relief she finally turned to her old teacher, a relived smile spread across her face.

"Well, I think we're going to get some lunch. Would you like to join us, Master Kakashi?" There was no argument. All four of them began their walk back down the hall, the children blissfully unaware and the adults all too aware of the disaster that had just been averted. The only thing that was left was to wait for Sasuke to return home and think of some calm way of explaining this to him.


I really hope you enjoyed my story and if you did please please please review. I'm pretty much finished with this story. If I have some time I might write an epilogue, but it will be really short. Bye for now. OP