Naruto isn't mine :(


THE TRUTH UNRAVELS


SIX YEARS AGO

She was going to tell her parents how much she loved them when she got home. She was so thankful to them, she didn't tell them that enough. She'd make it out of here and she'd tell them how she was so sorry for not listening to them.

She'd tell her team how she was sorry for not being able to help, and that they'd be better off without her.

Her parents were right, she wasn't cut out for the ninja life. She was in over her head, and nothing could have prepared her for this. Her entire team had almost died fighting Zabuza and she hadn't changed. She said she would, and yet here she was again. She was in the same situation then as she is now.

Her back ache and her legs were numb. She'd never admit to Sasuke but he was so heavy. And Naruto was lighter so she carried him, while Sasuke was tied to her back. And she was so tired. Every bone in her body screamed for her to run when Orochimaru attacked them, yet the one thing she would always remember is that you don't turn you back on your comrade.

Yet she was so tired. And she tried to force her mind to think of anything else, like the crow that had been following them for a while now. It was cute- or he/she, she couldn't tell the gender. And was it smart to give an animal a gender if it were going to be food next? She didn't know, but she knew she was hungry. So, so hungry but she hadn't killed an animal before. Fish didn't count. But she wasn't going back to that river.

So the crow was her option. The cute little crow with the beady eyes, that looked like they were staring into her soul. She quickly tore her glaze away from the crow as she focused on walking. She needed to find a place to hide her teammates from the creeps that were out to get them. She also needed to inform someone of Orochimaru being in the village. And whatever he did to Naruto.

She refused to cry. Not until she found a safe place for her team. She wanted to get them out of the gods forsaken forest.

She looked back and screamed when she saw the crow flying towards her. She tried to run, which was considerably harder when two tweens were attached to you. The crow landed on her head and she froze.

This forest had many strange creatures, and while the crow looked normal something about it was off. It was probably going to eat her knowing team sevens luck.

She took a few deep breaths before nicely asking the crow to leave. After ten minutes of standing in the forest looking stupid, did she finally start walking with the added bonus of the crow.

"So Mr. Crow- do you mind if I call you Mr? I never had crow meat before and I was wondering if you taste good?- Ow!" The fucking crow pecked her. After swatting the crow- only to be pecked again, Sakura let the crow chill on her head. "You better pull your damn weight Mr. Crow" she mumbled into the night air.

It must have been hours of her talking to the crow before she finally found the tree with the hollow open. She smiled as she went to work with laying her teammates down and tending to their wounds. They were fine. They were fine.

After double and triple checking that they were still breathing she went out and set traps. When she was done she sat at the tree entrance and grabbed Mr. Crow from her head.

"You're weird. And you're not normal, so I think you're a figment of my imagination. So I'm going to kill you. And I mean you no offense, I just can't go crazy when my team needs me. I hope you understand, and I really wish we could have been friends, but that sounds crazy. So goodbye Mr. Crow. and umm it's not you, it's me." She nodded her head as she slowly wrapped her thumb and index finger around the crows neck. Her lips trembled and before she could stop herself she was crying. It wasn't fair. He was a helpless animal and they were helpless kids. How was any of this fair, they were kids, trying to move up the ladder. No one should have to die to get stronger. She gently released the crow as she looked back to her team.

It wasn't fair that when all this was over she was able to crawl to her parents and they had to return to an empty house. None of this was fair, they were kids. No matter how much they acted like they weren't or acted like they were fine. Kids shouldn't have to be fine. Kids shouldn't have to be in a position to die or risk dying to save their teammates. And fuck the saying "they're ninjas" there's a difference between genin and chunin. There's a difference in fighting to keep something and fighting because you have nothing else to lose. And the latter was the definition of her team.

"You don't have to cry over Karasu." Her back went rigid as she quickly stood and spun in the direction of a man dressed in a red and black cape, who stood above Sasuke. Her grip tightened around her kunai.

How the hell did he get past her traps? She cautiously looked around and cursed when she realized it was morning. How fucking long had she been talking to that damn crow? She slowly focused back on the man, tracking his every movement.

"Step away from him." She slowly hissed out. She had three kunai's left and four shuriken. Seeing as he was able to bypass her traps, let her know she was at a disadvantage. "I SAID STEP AWAY!" She was no longer crying, and the crow was gone. Good, she was sane.

Her eyes widened when he turned to her. His intense charcoal eyes almost made her wet herself. He was intimidating. Like Orochimaru, but dare she say worse? The man wasn't even leaking killing intent but she was already scared shitless.

"I'm not here to hurt you."

"I don't care if you were here to offer me a way out of this place, I said get. Away. From. Them!" Her eyes widened when he stepped closer to them. She wasn't sure what the fuck was going on but she swore his eyes lit up.

"If I refused?" Before she could retort her trap went off. She spun in the direction before instantly realizing her mistake. Shit, she thought. Her team were going to die because she was an idiot. She could hear Sasuke telling her to never turn her back on an enemy, while Naruto would scream how it was ok because he would always watch her back.

"Damn are you sure Sasuke went this way?" Her breath hitched, when this was over she was going to beat Sasuke's ass.

"Shut the fuck up Zaku!" A team slowly emerged from the forest and once she was getting ready to do something the man wrapped his head around her mouth. She froze and gripped the kunai closer to her.

"They can't see you." Yeah fucking right, she mumbled. They were standing in the entrance of the tree and the girl was looking right at her! She'd be damn if she didn't put up a fight. But her odds were slightly better off if she only had to fight one of them.

She watched hesitantly as the team searched the clearing before they left saying how Sasuke must have gone west. She did not relax as the man released her and instead turned and jammed the kunai between his eyes. She stared horrified as the blood spilled over his face, and she quickly ran to her team before throwing them over her shoulders and taking off in the opposite direction the other team went.

She didn't get far before she leaned over a tree and emptied her stomach. She killed a man, oh gods she killed a man.

Sasuke and Naruto were safe, she tried to tell herself. But nothing could calm her, not even when Mr. Crow landed on her head. She was grateful he hadn't seen her commit murder.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied as she wiped her eyes. "Thanks-" she stared in shock at the man she just murdered. "It was a clone?!"

The man nodded as he glanced at Sasuke, Sakura quickly squeezed him tighter to her, as she took a step away from the man.

"He needs to get the mark checked." His intense gaze remained on Sasuke and Sakura felt very nervous. It would only be a matter of time before he decided to kill her and take Sasuke. She had to leave.

"So ummm mister? The thing you did earlier, that was genjutsu right?" She said while taking a step back.

"Hn." Another one.

"Oh! That's so cool! I have a natural style for it." She mentally curse herself the moment she said it, while taking two steps back.

Was she basing her escape on distracting him so she could get a head start run? Totally, was she embarrassed? Yes, did she care? Not at all.

"If you wish to be of use to your team you should learn it." She paused, before spinning and running. She no longer had any idea where she was going.

He was right, just like her parents, she wasn't helping. And sure maybe she thought it would be easy to stop being a ninja and return home to a merchant. But what would that say about her? Why couldn't she learn to be a ninja, and not just any ninja, a ninja that could be side by side with Sasuke and Naruto- because no matter what anyone said, Naruto was one hell of a ninja.

She didn't want to be the weak link anymore, she refused. She was a ninja, regardless of what anyone thought. Naruto and Sasuke could depend on her. She'd prove it.

Her shoulders hurt but she'd be damned if she ever stopped carrying her team.


THE TRUTH UNRAVELS


Tsunade looked at the group of eight in front of her.

"Sasuke, I'm assuming you're willingly returning to Konoha?" Sasuke shot a glance at Naruto before nodding.

"Hai."

"There will be consequences, seeing as how you left with the man who killed the Third." Sasuke stiffened but nodded his head,

"And my team?" He asked, and she smirked.

"They have done Konoha no wrong- if they wish to reside in Konoha they will be interrogated and if all goes good they will be allowed to stay." After the three nodded, ANBU appeared and took them into T&I.

"What's his punishment baa-chan?" She hadn't been surprised that Naruto had asked, she'd been teaching him the ropes of politics for the better half of the year.

His punishment wouldn't be severe. Sakura had already talked her into saying she had assigned Sasuke an S Class Mission to infiltrate Orochimaru and kill him. And seeing as Sasuke hadn't caused any of the other four great ninja villages a problem- she could do it.

"You are suspended from missions for the next year." At her pause, Team Seven straightened up preparing for the worst. She smirked, "I don't trust you Uchiha, you'll be supervised for the next two years but if anyone should ask, you're on vacation from your 5 year long S class mission- in which you completed your obligation in killing Orochimaru and delivering Itachi Uchiha to Konoha." Their eyes widened before Naruto quickly punched Sasuke in the shoulder.

"SEE TEME!"

"My lady is this wise?"

"The only people he hurted is Team Seven, so unless anyone here wants to push for a harder sentence- speak up now."

"Maa, don't worry Tsunade-sama- I'll keep a tight leash on him."

"Alright, Uchiha will you be returning to the Compound?"

"No!" Naruto quickly cut in before Sasuke could answer, "I mean, Sakura-chan wouldn't want you to- I don't want you to be alone so live with me." Because after everything, Naruto didn't know how to live in the house that has his parents and Sakuars ghost in it.

"It's my house." Sasuke bit out.

"I know. And it's not going anywhere, so when you're ready to return home it'll be there… but for now, for now stay with me." Naruto was searching desperately in his face. Team Seven would fall apart if they didn't fight for eachother.

"Hn." Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest.

"DISMISSED." She leaned back in her chair as the members of Team Seven left.

Sakuras murder was still at large but Naruto and Sasuke would convinced themselves he was in T&I. They would convince themselves that they found justice for their pink-haired teammate. She wouldn't though.

"Danzo, I was wondering when you'd make an appearance." The old man gruffed as he sat in the seat opposite her.

"Itachi is in T&I" She tilted her head up, staring him down.

"Team seven brought him in as I'm sure you have heard."

"Hokage-sama, while executions aren't advisable, the village and I could understand if that is the way you wish to handle this awful situation." His face gave nothing away, her face gave nothing away. Danzo was doing damage control.

"It's very rare for the two of us to agree to things." She stated, "I'm afraid in this light, it would have to be a unanimous vote from the council." Danzo hummed thoughtfully before bringing his head down.

It wouldn't be hard to get the clan heads to agree to Itachi Uchiha's death. She'd have to get Itachi to speak- Sasuke knew nothing and would not be a reliable witness.

"I'm sure after the news they would agree to it without fuss." She nodded her head approvingly, as Danzo stood to leave.

"I never thought you'd rise to the plate Hiruzen left.." He spoke as he made his way to the door, "I'm glad to see his Will Of Fire passed down to you."

She glared at the door the moment it shut.

She didn't like fighting battles with people who refused to fight, but Sakura Haruno laid down her life for this. And she'd be damned if her student died in vain.

/.../

He hadn't thought Sasuke would agree to live with him. And he briefly wondered if he could convenience Sai to break his lease but quickly shook the thought from his head. He glanced at Sasuke as he quickly showed him around the house automatically avoiding Sakura's room.

Sasuke frowned as he picked up a book laying on the floor in the near empty hallway and turned to him,

"Sakura?" Naruto sadly nodded his head at him before ripping his glaze from the book. He kept telling himself he needed to pick her things up, but everytime he grabbed them they burned.

He showed Sasuke to the guest room and paused. After Sakura, Naruto opted to sleep in this room- his own room was directly across from hers and he couldn't bring himself to step foot in the hallway.

"Is this your room?" Naruto quickly shook his head.

"No no no, I was just… I'll grab my stuff ok!" Naruto forced out as Sasuke pushed himself into the room.

"It's fine dobe."

"Huh oh ok? Are you sure? Cuz I can leave ya know! I can go to my parents room dattebane it's-

"Shut up dobe! If you want to go then go, it's not even my house." Sasuke said as he stomped up to the bed and knocked Naruto's belongings on the ground and flopped in the bed.

Naruto glared at him.

"What!" Sasuke hissed.

"Oh i'm not sure Sasuke! You're fucking dirty laying on clean sheets in your fucking dirty ass clothes!" After an intense five minute staring contest, Sasuke stood as he quickly snatched Naruto's clothes from the dresser and went to the shower.

Naruto grinned as he grabbed his own clothes and headed for his parents shower. His good mood ended the moment he stepped into the shower.

He wasn't ready. He thought once they brought Sasuke home everything would be alright. That maybe if he had someone else to focus on, it would be easier to move past her. He didn't understand how he was supposed to move on.

The past two years had felt like a movie. He remembered the first day he went home, and she was there to greet him. That had been the happiest day of his life. Never in 16 years would he think he had someone waiting for him at home. But she had made sure he did.

He fell in love with her all over again but it was different than sex and romance, she was his soulmate. His sister.

When Sakura first came and apologized to him, he gained so much respect for her. This girl who got dealt a hand she wasn't ready for- not with how she was raised. He honestly thought she'd back out of the team- not that he would have let her but nope. She looked him in his eyes and told him she respected him. And then she said the one thing he'd never thought he'd ever hear in his life. Something she'd go on to say everyday.

"I love you, Naruto."

And he- he didn't know how she could love someone who couldn't keep his promise. But Sakura-chan we did it. Teme's home. His back collided against the shower tile as the water washed his tears away.. But you're not here and I- I don't know what to do next.


THE TRUTH UNRAVELS


TWO MONTHS AGO

She absolutely refused to believe what was happening. There was no way.

Sakura Haruno was smart. She didn't jump into fights without thinking of every possible outcome. She didn't hop in a surgery until she knew which part of the body she was going to operate on. She didn't disregard Tsunade-samas papers because they seemed boring, not when those papers would make or break Konoha. No, first and foremostly, Sakura Haruno was a book ninja. She loved to read about jutsu, theory, skills, the things that would only further ninja training.

She was smart and careful. She prided herself in it. She never allowed herself to get hurt on missions and she'd be damned if she allowed her teammates to get hurt as well. She'd make sure everyone who went on a mission with her, returned alive. It was something she got from Kakashi-sensei.

She could out drink anyone because Tsunade-sama taught her. She could be poisoned and she'd shoot right up- because she was taught right. She could look a man dead in his face and lie clear as day because she was taught correctly. She knew over a thousand ways to kill a man because people taught her that. And she's rambling now because she was taught how to use proper contraception. She was taught how to use her chakra to flush any sperm out of her body killing all the cells in the process. But here she sat in the empty hospital room, staring at the ultrasound- her ultrasound where one cell had festered into a fetus.

She knew her body. And she didn't mean that in a light way. She knew when drugs entered her system, she could break down a poison to a T in her body because she knew her body. She knew how it worked. She was a medic who experimented on herself so she could save someone else. Sakura Haruno knew her body.

Yet a week ago Sakura started noticing little changes. Like cells that shouldn't be in her uterus. And she tried to deny it, but you could only deny science so long.

She bit back a smile- this was totally not a good thing, she just turned nine fucking teen. She frowned as she quickly wiped the gel off her stomach and shut the machine off. Like hell!

She stormed out the room- out the hospital until she reached her and Naruto's home. She was pissed that little shit got her pregnant. She wasn't ready at all and how was she going to tell her team- fuck she had to tell the father. She screamed into her pillow which turned into a manic fit of laughter. Fuck so many people were going to kill her now.

Naruto was due back from his mission any minute now and he could not see her like this. With that in mind Sakura dragged her covers over her face and decided sleep sounded very good right now.

/.../

"SAKURA-CHAN! DINNERS READY!" As Naruto jumped in her bed spilling cereal in his wake- Sakura wondered if living together was worth it.

"Why are you eating this?" She said while snatching his bowl and taking a bite.

"You said no ramen for dinner- ever- only lunch!" Naruto grinned at her while pulling a spoon out of air and digging into the bowl with her.

Personal space- they didn't know of it.

"How was your mission?" She asked between bites.

"Ehh- It was fine, Sai-baka convinced us to go to a hotsprings then grabbed my dick in front of everyone." Naruto said offhandedly. Milk snorted from her nose as she pushed the bowl into Naruto's hand while bending over and laughing.

"Sakura-chan! Milk out your nose!" Naruto bit out, laughing in a worse state than her.

"He- he just grabbed- grabbed it?!" She clutched her stomach, her laughter only getting louder until Naruto joined in.

"Don't refer to him as an it!" Naruto said while half heartedly glaring at her.

She shoved Naruto out the bed, her other hand grabbing the bowl before it could fall.

"It's your fault baka!" She said in between laughs. She made her way into the kitchen and refilled the bowl as Naruto joined her in the aisle.

"You're training with us tomorrow right?" She hummed thoughtfully before nodding her head.

"Yeah only for an hour tops, I have surgery at 9." Naruto grinned at her as he poured them apple juice- the superior juice.

"What Sakura-chan?" he asked after noticing her openly gawk at him.

"Say Naruto… what would you do if you got someone pregnant?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Are you trying to make a virgin joke? Sai-baka does that enough Sakura-chan!" He whined at her, "I told him to stop saying I was a virgin- even if it's true and he acts like he gets girls. The only time he fucks is on missions to make sure Konoha looks good ya know!"

"Are you saying Sais dick game is so good- it makes others respect Konoha?"

"Yes! That's literally the only- no eww Sakura-chan no- I'm just saying… I'm just saying you and Sai-baka are evil!" Naruto drew out. She wholeheartedly laughed.

/.../

"You're late hag." She rolled her eyes as she took the seat opposite of him.

"You're the one who insists on eating breakfast at 5am."

"I fail to see how you're grumpy. Don't dates usually make girls happy?" She smiled sweetly at him.

"Sai, if you so much as call this a date to anyone- myself included I will rip your balls off and stuff it so far down your-

"You know I love a violent woman Hag, are you purposely trying to turn me on?"

"Only in your wildest dream."

"I dream frequently. Me, you and Dickless, though in my dreams we're usually naked. Sometimes Traitor makes an appearance-

"You're fucking wonderful Sai." He smiled at her, and she no longer had to worry if his smiles were true or not- they were.

"Hey Sai, what would you do if you found out you had a child somewhere out there?"

"As my hag of a doctor would say, that's the wonderful thing about vasectomies." She glared at him.

"You can get it undone."

"I could and yet I'd still fail to have children running around in Kumo."

She banged her head against the table. Or he could literally answer her question.

"When do you plan on taking a mission with your team?" She groaned- she'd been so busy she failed to schedule any mission for her and her team.

"After my next mission, I'm all yours."

"I love when you admit you're mine."

"Sai I honestly can't wait for you to get a freak and stop pushing yourself onto me."

"I read that teams who are intimate with each other tend to be closer together. And as you can tell, we're closer than balls."

A few other people in the tea shop looked over at them, disgust locked in their face.

Sakura sweetly smiled at Sai before punching him out the chair.

/.../

She pulled her mask off, marching quickly down to the basement until she could repeatedly punch the wall in front of her. She was still in the bloody stained scrubs. Blood was smeared all over her shoes, splattered across her face.

It had gone good- as well as to be expected then Muo Inoue threw a clout, and it went downhill from there.

She slammed her first against the wall until her bones cracked- blood gushed out her hand yet she refused to stop.

This man- Muo Inoue, who was a wonderful father, and even better grandfather who had fought like hell to live and it was up to her to drag him across the finishing line. Yet in a week she would attend his funeral. He'd been in the hospital ever since she first became Tsunade's apprentice and he was the highlight of her and fellow doctors and nurses' day. He was sweet, compassionate, wise, and he was the one to tell her that she deserved more from her parents. He was the one that told her everyone fucked up- it was part of being human but it was up to her to fix her mistakes.

She clung to every word he spoke. And he died under her hand.

They told her it got better with time- it was a lie.

"Sakura?" She let her fist fall from the wall and she slowly turned and faced the two men.

"Hey senpai, sensei, what are you doing here?" Yamato quickly stepped up and grabbed her hand.

"Can you heal yourself?" He asked while turning her hand over and carefully popping her knuckles back in place.

"You're dodging the question." she firmly stated.

"Maa Sakura if you wanted to fuck your hands up, you know where to find us." By the time Yamato was done her hand was completely healed.

She raised her eyebrow at both of them. Kakashi and Yamato both avoided the hospital if they could, which means they wanted something.

"What?"

"Why are you asking your teammates about them getting some poor unsuspecting girl pregnant?" She gaped and quickly turned to Yamato.

"Senpai! You'd let him question me like that?" Yamato hesitantly looked between her and Kakashi.

"We just want to make sure you're ok kiddo."

"Of course I'm not ok," She sighed, "I knew this surgery like the back of my hand and yet- He was great! And I was supposed to be great! And that's not even all of it! I'm so fucking tired, and I feel like I can't be tired because of all the shit that's going around. Our team is almost complete but we're still missing a member. And I feel like I can't be happy not with how the village is and nothing, nothing good is going to come out of this predicament. And I truly wish it does- but it's above me and there's only so much I can do. Yet here I am- worrying about things I can't change." She began pacing halfway through her rant. This wasn't just about her being pregnant now. This was still about the fact that nothing could change unless he spoke out.

He was content to have the village move on as if nothing had happened, and he was part of the problem.

"You're doing enough Sakura, it might not feel like it, but you are." She weekly smiled at him.

"I leave tomorrow, but once I get back we're going on a mission." Kakashi grinned,

"Great it's been too long!" Yamato boosted as he awkwardly pulled her into a hug.

/.../

"Good morning Shishou." She entered the office and made her way to Tsunade's desk and set the hospital reports in the proper place.

"Where are we on project U?" Tsunade wasted no time in getting down to business.

"We'll have his confession, I plan on extending this mission by a few days to reach him- I found a way to get him to confess."

"You've been saying that for the past three years." Tsuande regarded her, noticing the determination flare in her eyes, she smirked. "What makes you so confident now?"

"I've recently discovered a predicament that would interest him in returning home- Sasuke too."

Tsuande laughed, "I believe you brat" her glaze went serious, "Are you ready to face Danzo and the elders?" Sakura stood straighter.

"I've only had the best teach me."

"Don't get cocky now- this isn't over until Itachi Uchiha is safely in the village." Tsunade frowned and brought her hands forward. "Sakura, let me send your team with you."

Sakura smiled at her, "Aww don't tell me you think I need men to finish this mission."

"You know damn well what is at stake with this mission!" She was worried, Sakura knew but Itachi would shut down with them- she'd have to do this- she was prepared to do this.

"I'll be fine Shishou, I promise."

"Were not supposed to make promises we can't keep."

"I'd say lets bet on it, but I really don't want your luck." Sakura grinned at her, as she turned to leave.

"Sakura... don't let your guard down."

She nodded sharply as she opened the door and walked out.

She made her way to the gates thinking of what Tsuande said. She was right- it was far from over. And right now she needs to be more watchful then ever. Danzo was close to being brought down, and like any bacteria on it's last leg it always put up the biggest fight once it was almost removed.

She'd finish her mission in the Land of Mountains and then find Itachi. It was due time for him to come home.

Despite that she couldn't help but to experience a form of dread as she stepped out the village gates.


THE TRUTH UNRAVELS


Kakashi, Ibiki, and Tenzo waited in the observation room. Tsunade was due to come any minute now and for the past 12 hours Itachi hadn't moved.

Everyone in this room had taught Itachi how to act if he got captured and while a part of them were damn proud to see him not fold under the pressure- the scene was getting old.

Itachi was good. They just hoped Tsunade was able to get anything out of him to stall his execution. The council was due to vote by noon, and if they did, well by the end of the week Itachi Uchiha would be dead. He straightened when Tsunade entered the interrogation room.

"Uchiha, let's begin shall we." She sat at the table and opened up one file as she pulled the photos out and spread them around the table.

Nothing would prepare him for this as his stomach burned, the pictures he could make out were of Itachi's fellow clan members with their eyes gored out- dead. Though he understood, Tsuande did not have a lot of time left to get his confession.

"What reason do you have for stealing your dead clansman's eyes?" Again nothing changed as Itachi regarded every picture before his glaze went back to hers. "This is your mother correct?" She said pushing a photo closer to him. "Where are her eyes, Itachi?" She scrutinized him heavily. His eyes were impassive as he looked back to her.

Tsunade pursed her lips in a thin line before pulling out another set of pictures. She stared at them before slowly putting each picture in front of Itachi. It happened again and it was quick but she saw it. The flash of guilt and sorrow mixed with regret flashed in his eyes when he glanced at the picture of a deceased and beaten Sakura, but his stare was blank now.

And she knew what Sakura meant when she said his eyes were like a dead mans.

"You didn't murder her, tell me who did." Itachi remained quiet. She pulled another picture out before sliding it to him.

Itachi's hand reached out as he gently gripped the ultrasound.

It was fake, but she wouldn't tell him that.

"It was too early to tell the gender." She spoke.

He nodded his head as he let his finger slide across the picture.

"A girl." He said.

"Itachi, tell us what happened."

"It will only tarnish her reputation. Do you want that?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him, he sounded tired- defeated. "Shall I tell you she loved me with every fiber of her body? How she helped me evade Konoha's forces, or about the multiple times I snuck into the village seeking her out." His eyes never left the ultrasound. "It would only drag her down with me. There's no need, she was valued and respected here- let her keep that. Don't let this get out."

"Why are you always willing to play the villain?" she didn't expect an answer and was unsurprised when she got none.

"Do you think this is what she would want?" She stood, leaving the room- his voice stopped her.

"It's not about what you want." She didn't look back at him as she exited the room and went straight to the observation room.

"What was that?" Ibiki asked the moment she stepped into the room.

"That," Tsunade bite out, "was a man who's willing to die to protect village secrets."

"A true shinobi." Tenzo mumbled.

"What do we do?" Kakashi asked.

"I have nothing. The council will vote for his death."

"It has to be unanimous."

"I can't vote no with this- he's given me nothing-

"You can tell he loves her-

"Love isn't enough senpai." the room fell silent as they watched Itachi caress the ultrasound.

"That's not hers is it?"

Tsunade shook her head, her attention firmly on Itachis. Sasuke Uchiha was done chasing after his brother. His brother would die because he gave up. And she knew that wasn't fair but the only person that could possibly get him to talk wanted nothing to do with him.

Sakura was going to die in vain unless they found something. But time was running up.

"Delete the tape." Ibiki raised his eyebrow at her,

"As you wish."

"Wait- wait," Tenzo started "There has to be something there. If you delete this- you're signing off on his death."

"If this recording gets in the hands of the public Sakura will be labeled a traitor. The only way we'll get the truth to come out is if Itachi dies- but it can't be by Konoha's hands. We have no other moves."

"Is that an order?"

"No!" She said quickly, "No, we're not Danzo, we're not playing dirty."

"I agree with Tsunade-sama," Ibiki stated. "If Itachi wants to play the villain, who are we to stop him."

"He was once our teammate." Kakashi brought forth.

"Now he's just the man that murdered your student." Ibiki reached forward and hit the delete button, erasing the past hour.

"I have to go… get some rest, this isn't going to be pretty." Danzo would get away with Sakura's death, but he wouldn't live. Even if Tsunade herself had to kill him.

"LADY HOKAGE" A chunin yelp while bursting through the doors, "You must come now, it's urgent!"


THE TRUTH UNRAVELS


AN: Its the crow for me. Its Tsuande showing Itachi his dead mother for me. Its Tsunade giving Itachi a fake ultrasound for me. Its Itachi content to dying for a second time for me.

And I oop. Did yall peep chapter 5? Does this chunin have information regarding our favorite medic? How does that add up, now that we see the picture of a dead Sakura? Find out on the next episode of DBZ

Next chapter we will be getting closer to the truth, as we visit the Land Of Mountains. So, I want to hear yall theories, so drop a comment and let me know what yall think is going to happen next.

As it is, Happy Valenties Day! Remember self love is the best love, so grab a glass of wine and relax. And do some yoga with "Gravity" by John Mayer playing in the back ground.

Thank you lovelies, stay safe and always read.