Saku and Kakashi were surprised when Sasuke didn't manage to fight his way through to their world. It was actually a bit unnerving. They came prepared to fight and when they didn't get one nothing really sat well within them.

That was probably why Kakashi sent Saku home and stayed near the veil the entire night watching, and waiting for what essentially turned out to be nothing since no one returned from the other world. He was afraid he was being paranoid but didn't too much mind if it kept his world safe.

"Do you think they're alright?"

Saku asked after a couple of days had passed. She came by every so often to check on him and bring him food and water. They never really said much to each other mainly because neither knew what it was they could say. Things were still awkward yet they still gravitated to one another.

Kakashi frowned and accepted the food Saku passed him. She sat down on the ground next to him careful to keep a respectable amount of space between them. "Define alright." Saku stared at Kakashi silently wondering what was going through his mind. He slowly lowered his mask while he waited for her reply and began to eat the food she brought him. It wasn't bad. It wasn't great either, but all that mattered was that he had sustenance to keep him going.

Saku stared at his face for a while well aware that her heart was racing. His words didn't really penetrate her brain as a few thoughts that had come to her mind since Kakashi began to guard the veil can to the surface of her mind. He'd think she was crazy if she voiced them. However, maybe it was too late for that. She was already mad so why try to hide it? Saku gathered her courage and set free the question that had been bubbling in the back of Saku's mind and let it touch her lips.

"Don't you think it's odd?" Kakashi turned his head slightly and looked at her questioningly. Saku sighed knowing she'd have to be clear. "Why is it that when Sakura and I met that nothing significant happened?"

"I don't know the rules of inter-dimensional travel Saku."

"Neither do I but I do know enough to realize that something is off about everything."

"Everything?"

"In her world and in ours." It was a big claim that she had nothing to back up with and yet her gut was telling her that she was on the correct trail.

"Explain."

"Let's start with the Uchiha Clan. In Sakura's world they were completely wiped out with the exception of her less than sane Sasuke and yet here they were not."

"The time-lines are different. People made different decisions here."

"Why?" Kakashi paused and stared into Saku's eyes that were begging him for something that he couldn't phantom.

"Saku, you're thinking about this too much."

"Or maybe you're not thinking about this enough. Come on Kakashi. I'm staring at a genius that I need to work with me and not against me."

"Why would I fight you on this?"

"Because someone doesn't want anyone to realize the truth."

"What truth would that be?"

"That there isn't a Sakura's world or a 'Saku's world'. There's only one world. There's no such thing as other dimensions."

"Then explain the world our summons live in." Sakura shook her head strands on hair flying to and fro.

"That's completely different."

"How is that Saku?"

"I don't know! All I know is that this doesn't feel right. I really wish I could speak to Sakura right now. I know if I could just talk to her then we would be able to piece together what I'm missing." Kakashi sat his food down on the ground before him having lost his appetite and gave Saku his undivided attention. He could see the frustration on her face but couldn't, for once, tell where any of this was coming from and yet he couldn't find it in himself to brush her off. Saku had keen intuition regarding most things, and if her instincts were telling her that something was wrong he would listen.

In canon world:

She healed them all separately in her bedroom so that she could talk to them without being overheard by the others. She healed Naruto first mainly because she was angry at him the least. It was a reversal of her youth where Sasuke could do no wrong, but she supposed things changed. She raised his head so she could heal the small cut on his upper lip and his eyes shone with something that she couldn't quite understand and didn't know how to question.

"Naruto, do you know what Sasuke and Kakashi are doing?" His eyes flickered briefly with guilt that Sakura had been watching for. Still she waited for a denial, for him to say it wasn't so, because if he said he didn't know she'd believe him.

"Sakura..."

It was funny how all he had to do was say her name and she had concrete evidence. Of course he wouldn't lie about it-especially not to her. That wasn't his way.

"Naruto you know you can't be involved in something like this! In fact, none of you should."

"I'm not involved Sakura." Which she translated to mean that he hadn't killed anyone. Sasuke and Kakashi were doing all the dirty work. It didn't make her feel any better. His hands were still stained just like hers were now that she knew. How were they any better than Danzo himself?

"If you know then you're involved. Naruto, this is treason! I expect this type of behavior from Sasuke but you...you're going to be the next Kage. You have to help me stop them."

Naruto pulled his face out of Sakura's hand and looked down at the ground. "Sakura-chan he's trying to kill you."

"That's my problem. Please don't let them continue to do this."

He raised his head and looked at her apologetically. "Eh, Sakura you know as well as I that those who break the rules are trash..."

But those who abandon their teammates are worse than trash.

The words went unsaid yet it didn't stop the tears from springing to Sakura's eyes.

"Kakashi-sensei and I will never abandon you Sakura and Sasuke...you know he'll never let anyone harm you except for him."

Sakura chuckled bitterly. Of course Sasuke wouldn't. A part of her cursed Sasuke knowing that he was the one that had influenced Kakashi and Naruto to join him in this madness. What she couldn't believe was how well they hid Naruto's slight involvement from her.

She knew that at this point there was nothing she could say that would change their mind on the subject. She was going to have to figure out another way on her own.

Sakura wasn't sure how she managed it, but she scored some alone time with Itachi after his fight with her boys. Naruto, Kakashi and Sasuke had all gone out to eat and she was supposed to join them after she finished healing Itachi, but they were taking their time. They were in the bedroom that Sasuke had given her. He was insisting that she stay at his place and since she really had no desire to fight with him over something else she relented easily.

They sat on her bed side by side. They made no move to touch each other even though they both itched to reach out.

"Why did you fight them?" She asked softly though her voice seemed loud to her. She was certain he could hear the anxiety in her voice but she struggled to keep herself calm. "You have nothing to prove to them."

"...your naivete is as refreshing as it is frustrating Sakura." Sakura folded her arms across her chest and huffed.

"I'll never understand men." Itachi's lips quirked slightly. His hand reached out and grabbed a lock of her hair twisting it between his fingers gently. He saw a little sigh escape her lips before she closed her eyes and savored his actions.

"Do you love him?"

Sakura turned her head and finally looked at Itachi only to find that he had been staring at her the whole time. She wanted to feign ignorance, but she knew exactly to what he was referencing. There was no point in putting it off any longer. It was something they had to talk about.

"Yes. I love Sasuke. I always have."

Itachi looked away from her unable to look at her anymore. When her hand reached out and grabbed his he wanted to pull away but something told him that this would probably be his last chance being anywhere near her and that he should savor it.

"But I love Kakashi too, as well as Naruto. They're my team Itachi. I'd die for them again and again and again if it meant they'd be happy. However, you are what makes me happy. There is no need for you to worry about my heart wavering from you."

Itachi took her into his arms and had thoughts about famous last words.

End canon world

"Alright Saku. Close your eyes." Saku's brow arched incredulously. She was in the midst of having a breakdown because she was certain the world wasn't what she thought it to be and he wanted her to close her eyes?

That was such a Kakashi thing to say and yet she did as he asked because fighting him would take too long and in the end she'd lose anyway.

"Good. Now take a deep breath and let it out." He thought she hysterical and was trying to calm her. She didn't need to calm down she needed him to help her find answers. She opened her eyes to tell him just that only to find him staring straight at her. The sight unnerved her so much that she immediately closed her eyes once more feeling like a naughty child being caught in the act of mischievousness. She ignored his chuckle and took the deep breath that he asked her to.

She wasn't sure how long they continued on but suddenly Saku felt a lot more at ease. She finally opened her eyes to find Kakashi waiting to hear what she would say. "Perhaps our time lines are different. Perhaps people made certain choices that shaped who they are now. However, there is something that hasn't changed in either world and that's my connection to you."

Saku ignored the stunned look on Kakashi's face and continued on. "Yes, we've had a bumpy time of it. Our friendship has suffered as a result of it but I'm still sitting here right now wearing my heart on my sleeve and loving you madly. The question is why doesn't Sakura feel the same way about her Kakashi? They are as close if not closer than we once were. Why haven't they crossed that line after all they've been through together? There was no Itachi in her world to distract her-"

"There is a Sasuke though."

"But-"

"Saku, I see the correlation. There isn't an Itachi but there is an Uchiha that Sakura is bound tightly to."

"Kakashi listen to me." She moved closer to him and took his hand. His first instinct was to pull away and yet for some reason he didn't. "I've met your counterpart. I've talked to him. They were so close to falling for each other and yet for some reason they haven't crossed the line. Why not?"

"Because the feelings weren't there."

"That's right, because the feelings were here."

Kakashi blinked slowly. "What are you saying Saku? State it plainly."

"Think of it as looking at your reflection in the mirror. The orientation of everything is the opposite and yet you are still you when you walk away."

"I don't understand Saku."

"I'm saying that we're just a reflection of their world. Sakura doesn't love Kakashi because the opposite of everything that happens there happens here. There is no Saku or Sakura. There's only one of us."

"If that were true Saku the second the two of you touched then-"

"Yes, I know. I've thought about that, but maybe the earthquakes aren't about balance. One person being here and the other being there. Maybe the earthquakes are the illusion shattering."

"Then who put the illusion up in the first place and why?"

"I think that's a question for our Kage, don't you think?"

Saku and Kakashi looked at each other knowing that Tsunade knew more than what she had been telling them. Without another word the two rose and sped to the tower.

When Kakashi and Saku made it into the Hokage's office it was to see that she wasn't alone. Sasuke was there with her. Kakashi waited to see whether or not she would dismiss the Uchiha, but when she didn't he frowned. He glanced at Saku who didn't look surprised that the Uchiha was staying. Instead, she moved into the nearest chair, took a seat, and then launched into the conversation like Sasuke had every right to be there.

"There isn't two worlds there's only one. Isn't there?"

Tsunade stared at her apprentice for a long period of time before asking. "What would bring you to a conclusion like that?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense."

Sasuke grinned at her and said, "Nothing in the world makes sense, Saku."

"There's a logical conclusion that can be drawn for everything." Sakura countered causing Sasuke to shrug.

"If it pleases you to think so." Tsunade gave Sasuke a look that silenced him.

"Elaborate Sakura."

"I don't think the earthquakes are occurring because a few people are in places that they shouldn't be. Although that may be part of it. I think the earthquakes are occurring because the worlds are merging back together as they were meant to be. Sakura and I switching worlds was the catalyst that started everything."

"Yet they weren't the cause." Kakashi finally getting the gist of where her mind was going. "Like you said this world is a reflection of the other one. The orientation of every major event is the opposite. In Sakura's world there is no Uchiha Clan. Here there is. In her world Sakura and Kakashi are merely friends while we..."

Kakashi broke off and glanced at Saku who's cheeks were stained red. He cleared his throat and continued on.

"Sakura's Sasuke is damn near insane while ours is a diabolical genius-"

"But still damn near insane just in a different way." Saku interjected when Sasuke began to grin easily wiping the smile off his face. Kakashi ignored them both.

"The cause had to be the death of the Uchiha Clan. Isn't that were the divergence of history begins?"

Saku looked at Kakashi. "I don't know. I don't think I ever asked Sakura, did you?"

"I wasn't exactly amiable to speaking with her. If she did tell me I didn't retain too much of it. Perhaps Itachi knows."

However, Itachi wasn't there and they had no idea when he would return.

"You don't need to ask Itachi or Sakura. You're right about everything." Kakashi and Saku both looked at their Kage stunned.

A/N: Saw the movie 'Frozen' a few weeks ago and for some odd reason it inspired me to work on Reflection. I have high hopes that Reflection will be completed this year. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Sometimes...when writing this story I question my sanity. XD