Sakura was exhausted.
She had run non-stop from Sasuke's side to the HQ hospital tents. She clamped down on her chakra to slip past the guards, thankful that the scheduled rotations had not changed since she was kidnapped.
She slid carefully into the long-term care ward, eyes searching for the charge medic. There was only supposed to be one at a time, and the shift should have changed not recently. Once she found and incapacitated the medic on duty, she should not be interrupted.
She was fully prepared to knock the unsuspecting medic out when her eyes found none other than Ino. Their reunion had been too brief, but she was thankful all the same. It meant so much to know Ino still believed in her.
She then began running non-stop again, not as far ahead of schedule as she would have liked. Sasuke hadn't given her much time to allow for delays or mistakes. She was thankful she had taken the solider pill when she did; its effects were still going strong and were well circulated through her body.
She was also thankful for the light of the full moon; traveling was so much easier and faster because she could actually see where she was going.
She glanced over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of Anko. She remembered when the Allies found her.
Kabuto had been using her like a medium with her curse mark to amplify his own power over the undead. Whatever he had done to her was starting to seem permanent. Sakura herself had looked over Anko on one of her relief days.
Sakura fought a laugh at the thought.
Relief days for medics meant relief from fighting, but not from healing. Every other shinobi had a few days to a week at most to do nothing but rest. Medics got one day and then were expected to help treat wounded in the HQ hospital until they were shipped back to the front.
Sakura didn't mind it much personally. She found that her thoughts would stop spinning while she was working, and getting regular sleep was a nice benefit as well.
Not to mention the showers she got to take while on relief days!
Sakura remembered how much showers meant to her as a genin after a long mission when she started to feel and smell gross. At the time the physical discomfort she felt was not as bad to her as appearing less than her best in front of Sasuke.
War time Sakura appreciated showers so much more than genin Sakura did. War time Sakura went a month at a time between showers and indoor plumbing. The lukewarm water from the cheap plumbing washed off layers of blood, dirt, and grime, cascading off her body in brown and red waves. The feeling was nearly indescribable.
She blushed as she thought that maybe her older self wasn't so drastically different than her genin self because she was glad her last relief period was only a week before meeting up with Sasuke. She was not nearly as filthy and smelly as she could have been!
When her legs began to protest, Sakura sent a tiny flicker of healing chakra into them to relieve the strain.
She still had a way to go, and she dare not slow down now. Ino would be giving her report any moment and there might be trackers sent after her. She had done her best to leave no trace as she sped along, better safe than sorry.
She wondered if Sasuke would be opposed to letting her sleep while he got started doing whatever it was he was going to do.
She frowned, worrying about him. He hadn't slept two nights in a row now. Maybe she should offer to take watch when she arrived so he could get at least some sleep?
Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt two strong chakras up ahead. She was still no long-range sensor, but those chakras wanted to be noticed. They were practically shouting, "Look and me and cower!"
Was Sasuke in danger?
Sakura picked up the pace, not worrying about covering her tracks anymore. Any half decent sensor and tracker within miles was aware of the two powerful ninja up ahead.
Could it be Madara? Had he gone after Sasuke?
She shook her head, fighting panic. Even if it wasn't the old Uchiha, someone had cast a powerful genjutsu on them not long ago. That enemy may have waited for them to split up to attack.
Sasuke had to be okay though, he had to be.
Even if he was tired and not at full strength again, not even Madara would be able to kill him easily.
Hang in there Sasuke, she pleaded in her thoughts, I'll be there as soon as I can.
She may not do much against opponents like Madara directly, but she could support Sasuke. She would keep him healed and his chakra levels up. She would do anything she could to throw off and disorient their enemy to give Sasuke a better opening.
She spared a moment to think of Anko.
How would she protect her charge in the middle of such a battle?
She thought through a couple options, none particularly ideal. She settled on summoning a slug. The slug would be able to keep Anko safe while Sakura focused on the battle.
A sweat drop formed and ran down her temple as she thought over the biggest drawback to that plan.
The moment she released her summons, Tsunade would surely be updated. Her master would have her last known coordinates and would send shinobi after her…
Sakura's train of thought was derailed as she noticed the two chakras were staying at the same level abnormally long.
What was happening?
Opponents would have begun exchanging blows and jutsu by now, effecting the chakra level she could feel.
She did her best to focus on the two chakras, trying to identify which was Sasuke's and if she could recognize the other.
She was almost there when she realized what was happening.
Her mouth hung open for a moment, and she nearly caught flies as she continued forward at the breakneck pace.
Then her face twisted in anger, and she began preparing her rant for the two knuckleheads.
"Shannaro," she cried under her breath, "I'm going to knock the two of them into next week!"
Landing just outside the clearing, she fumed as she took in the sight before her.
Sasuke and Naruto were almost touching, glaring intensely into the other's face, each challenging the other to attack first, but neither taking the first swing. They literally did not notice her presence because they were consumed with being acknowledged as more macho than the other.
Sakura forced herself to calm down a fraction, and carefully situated Anko against a tree. She strode forward until she should have just been in their peripheral vision, raising a single fist into the sky.
"Knock it off you two, shannaro," Sakura cried, bringing her glowing blue fist down into the ground. It shifted and groaned under her, a crack quickly forming and racing towards her teammates in the middle of their pissing contest.
The two lost their balance and began to fall forward.
Sakura's anger disappeared in a moment, nostalgia hitting her full force. The two teenagers broke their fall on the other's lips, eyes gone wide in horror. It was so much like that day back in the academy it hurt.
Sakura began laughing, unable to stop herself.
The boys leapt apart and settled on either side of the gaping earth, spitting in disgust before anxiously rubbing their mouths with their sleeves.
"Sa-ku-ra," Naruto whined at her, muffled as he continued to wipe, "Why'd you go and do that?"
"Not again," Sasuke said kneeling on the ground and closing his eyes in defeat his voice nearly a whisper, "This is the third time this has happened."
Sasuke's eyes snapped open when he realized his mistake.
Sakura's eyes had gone wide with surprise, "When was the second time?"
Sakura turned away from them, satisfied they were going to behave now out of embarrassment, and picked up Anko once more, "You guys can tell me on the way to a new location."
The two looked up at her confused for a moment. Then Sasuke sprang into action, clearing the camp site in record time. Sakura did what she could while keeping hold of Anko.
Naruto still looked confused as he watched his friends, "Why do we have to leave?"
Sakura sighed exasperatedly, "Because you two just invited any shinobi in at least a few miles radius to come and investigate. If we want privacy, we'd better move out."
Understanding dawned, "That makes sense, what can I do to help?"
"Nothing," Sasuke snapped at him, intent on leaving him behind.
Sakura smiled at Naruto, "Could you leave some fake tracks around here for us?"
Sasuke glared at Sakura, then added, "He's not coming with us."
"Why not," Naruto asked indignantly.
"He just wants to help," Sakura said at the same time.
Sasuke was not prepared for any of this. He stared at the two angrily. Why were they both so annoying?