hello, hello!

i loved the reactions to the extras, i also thought they were cute. the next update will be some more extras.

pff. i think it's super funny that Sakura like star-struck over Mito. i don't know why but it makes me laugh whenever i think about it.

hope you like this chapter. some things are happening...

anyway, much love always for the reviews, please keep reviewing!

alex xx

Chapter 8: Reanimation

Madara felt it when Sakura relaxed into sleep. Her body softened in his arms, sinking into the mattress, and she snuggled closer to him into the warmth and comfort he provided. She sighed contently in her sleep and he wished he felt the same way she did. Since the second he saw her hesitate at her front gate, he'd been overcome with a hope that he might get close to her. That she would invite him into her house, into her bed.

The hope was realised, but in a way Madara knew he couldn't argue or fight against. It was the depth of loneliness he'd seen her eyes, that he recognised had been exactly what people had been seeing in his for a time. He'd wanted to, but couldn't fight that look, or what she asked. She'd allowed him to touch her. He'd felt her trembling, seen her shaking, seen the fear in her eyes. He'd swallowed everything he wanted to give her what she needed.

He sighed, tilting his head downwards so that his forehead almost rested on the top of her head. Before he'd met her, he never imagined he'd ever respond to someone in this way. Madara had never considered himself particularly selfish, but the way he acted with Sakura was new and unexplored territory. He'd never wanted to give someone everything before, to lay aside his own wants in favour of theirs.

But with her in his arms, he understood the lovesick looks that Hashirama gave Mito, and the protectiveness Yuri felt over Matsuri. He knew why there were people in his clan who were never the same after their partners were gone. If anything happened to Sakura now, after she'd just started to come back to the way she was...he shuddered to think how he would respond. Losing her was unimaginable.

Madara fell asleep at some point but was easily woken when Sakura's hand snaked around his waist. He felt goosebumps on his skin, and his breath came harshly as his muscles tensed. Sakura had a punch that could bring down a mountain, but she wasn't a monster. There was so much power packed into her small, feminine body. Under all her temper and prowess, she was a woman, and he was far too aware of it with her touching the bare skin of his waist.

Using all his skill as a shinobi, he untangled himself from her and slipped out of the bed. He slipped his shirt on and took one last longing look at Sakura. She was still sleeping soundly, there was a soft smile on her lips. Her cheeks were flushed with sleep. His heart felt like it was being torn into pieces seeing her like that. He wanted to see her wake up, to lie beside her every morning and be the first thing she saw. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his hand and quickly left her house, afraid that if he stayed he'd do something he would regret.

Sakura sat on the training field with her legs crossed in a meditative state. Her chakra reserves were at a level she was finally okay with, but she wanted to grow her them more. Being friends with Naruto and Sasuke with their own huge charka reserves compared to her was bad enough. But Hashirama had as much chakra as the Nine-Tails. He was like some kind of monster and when it was all unleashed it was hard to stand too close, she remembered feeling that vividly from the battle against Zetsu. Tobirama and Madara also had incredible amounts of chakra and Sakura wanted to be able to stand beside them and not be looked at as the one who didn't belong. She'd done it before, she'd reached Naruto and Sasuke, and she was sure as hell going to do it again.

She felt two familiar chakra signatures approaching and opened her eyes. Across the field, Shouta and Hikari arrived. It was the first day she'd be training them outside the hospital for combat. She'd been thinking about it for a while, but since Tobirama had been getting busy and cutting short their morning sessions, she decided it was about time get her assistants heads out of the books.

"Good morning, Lady Sakura!"

Hikari waved energetically, beaming and running across the field. Shouta seemed to sigh behind her and picked up the pace so he arrived before Sakura a moment later.

"Good morning," Sakura greeted them.

She was feeling a little nervous. Was this how Kakashi felt meeting their team or before their first few trainings? She internally frowned remembering their first encounters and wondered how she ever thought that. She almost laughed at herself. Kakashi wasn't a good person to compare anyone else with. He was entirely singular.

"Good morning," Shouta said.

"Well!" Sakura put her hands on her hips. "Can either of you tell me what the most important thing for a medic-nin to remember is?"

They were both quiet for a moment.

"To always be prepared to support?" Hikari questioned.

Sakura's brow furrowed. She looked at Shouta. He shrugged. Sakura felt a prickle of irritation.

"Haven't you been listening to anything I've been telling you?"

Hikari and Shouta both flinched back at the tone of her voice.

"The most important thing to remember is that you can Never. Get. Injured!"

Sakura aimed a punch directly at Hikari's chest, and Shouta stopped it in his palm. Good reaction time, Sakura thought. It wasn't filled with chakra, so he stopped it easily. Hikari gasped and looked shocked. Shouta's eyes were narrowed. Sakura stood back.

"As soon as you're injured, you're weakened. The weaker you get the harder it is to support your teammates." She looked at them both closely. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Hikari still looked a little shocked but she swallowed and nodded. Shouta also nodded, but he seemed worried.

"So we're going to work on dodging," Sakura said. "Shouta, I want you to meet me here thirty minutes earlier every day, we'll do extra work together to help your mobility."

He set his jaw in a line that she recognised as reluctance, but he nodded.

"Today, I want you to work alone through the basics and tell me how you feel. Don't hold back, don't lie to me. I'll know either way."

"Yes, Lady Sakura," he said, moving a little distance away from the two of them.

Sakura took the band from around her wrist and tied her hair back in a ponytail. She looked seriously at Hikari.

"Are you ready?" She asked.

Hikari swallowed.

"I'm ready," she said.

Sakura gave a smirk.

"Don't get overconfident," she said.

Hikari took her stance and attacked. Sakura sidestepped as she overshot it and grinned wickedly.

"You'll have to do better than that," she said. "And didn't I say before? This isn't about you attacking me, this is about me attacking you."

Tobirama crossed his arms over his chest as he observed Sakura training her assistants. The young Uchiha boy seemed stiff. It was clear he'd had training, but the way he moved was restrained. He only completed the most basic stances at a level far below what Tobirama would have expected from someone his age. The Shimura girl was quick, but it was clear she hadn't been given much training in taijutsu. Her movements and recovery were sloppy and inefficient. Sakura was holding back a huge amount from what she could really do.

"You better be a clone," Tobirama muttered to his brother, who was approaching from behind.

"Of course I am," Hashirama replied. "I take my job as Hokage very seriously."

They both stood watching the trio for a while longer.

"It's good to see Sakura so cheerful and active," Hashirama said. "A month ago I was worried."

"It's been a little over three and a half months," Tobirama replied. "If she was still the same as a month ago we'd have problems."

Hashirama hummed in agreement. The air was still tense between them, their arguments over Tobirama's research into the reanimation jutsu were unresolved.

"Are you here for a reason?" Tobirama asked.

"I have an invitation to dinner from my wife," he said. "For you and Sakura."

"Is she recovered?"

Hashirama nodded.

"Thankfully. It seems she had some kind of infection. She's been disappointed about putting off the dinner. She was worried Sakura would be offended or think she forgot."

"What time?" Tobirama asked.

"Tomorrow night at seven," Hashirama's clone said. He was watching Sakura and Hikari spar. "Those students of hers have potential."

"If she gets them up to scratch in three months, we can look at putting them in the rotation. Low-rank missions," Tobirama mused.

"The Uchiha boy might be more of a problem," Hashirama said. Tobirama looked at him in question. "His body was burned as a child. His mobility is limited. Madara said Izuna had been working with him to try and help, but his injuries were too severe to progress much."

Tobirama looked back at the kid. He could see it now, the reasons behind his stilted movements. He couldn't understand the point in continuing to train someone like that, it was wasted time and effort. Sakura could have any other assistant or student she wanted. He'd have to talk to her about it at dinner.

Shouta and Hikari were both laying out on the grass and panting by the end of the hour. Sakura grinned down at them. She was sweating, but her conditioning had really improved over three months of training with Tobirama, so she wasn't out of breath at all.

"It's just the first day, what are you so tired for?" She teased.

She now understood exactly why Kakashi had liked to poke fun at them. Hikari gave a little glower and sat up. Sakura passed her some water.

"I want the two of you to work on stamina on your own time. We'll be working together in the mornings before we go to the hospital. I'm going to have both of you shadow the doctor on the floor until lunchtime. After lunch, we'll work together on more advanced medical jutsu and you can have the rest of the afternoon free," she told them. "Training will get more intensive. You both need to make sure you eat right and get enough sleep."

Hikari and Shouta both nodded. Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"I hope you understand the position you're in. I'm not giving up my time for just anyone. You're not just my assistants now, you're my students."

"We won't disappoint you, Lady Sakura," Hikari answered.

She elbowed Shouta and gave him a look.

"I'll work hard," he said, not looking at her.

Sakura studied them both.

"Hikari, go on ahead. The Hokage's interruption had made us all late. Tell them we're coming soon."

Hikari slowly got to her feet and Sakura was just a little satisfied that she was properly sore after that workout.

"Today was just an introduction for me to gauge your level. Don't expect another lesson that easy again. Make sure you have someone look at any injuries," she warned.

Hikari looked a little scared at the thought that the training had been easy. She left, running off towards the hospital. Sakura let out a sigh watching her go.

"She has too much energy," she mumbled, with some fondness.

She looked back at Shouta and sat beside him. Unlike Hikari, who was just a girl of fourteen still, Shouta was seventeen. The same age Sakura had been during the Fourth Shinobi War. The same as Naruto and Sasuke had been battling Madara, Obito, and Kaguya. He wasn't a child she could order around, but he was someone who needed someone to guide him. Trust was something he was lacking, in himself and those around him, stemming from his injuries. She needed to try and broach the gap between them if she was going to have any chance of getting him to allow her to help him find a place in Konoha.

"When I first came here, I was the same age you are now," Sakura said, trying to make some conversation. "I keep forgetting how old I am since I have to work with people older than me now."

"You don't act like your nineteen," Shouta replied.

Sakura laughed.

"I guess not. I had to grow up fast." She sighed. "It's not easy, being a shinobi."

Shouta looked away.

"I'm not a shinobi."

"Do you want to be?" She asked.

He didn't reply.

"Do you trust me, Shouta?"

He shrugged. Sakura smiled and leaned back on her hands.

"Well, it's not easy to trust someone you don't know well. Do you at least trust that I know what I'm doing?"

"All I keep hearing is that you're some god of medicine," Shouta mumbled.

Sakura blinked in surprise and then laughed.

"God of medicine? Well, that's probably a stretch. But I am damn good at what I do." She turned to face him. "As much as you try to hide it, you still have the burning Uchiha determination inside of you. I've known enough Uchiha in my life to be able to see through all the moodiness and masks your clan likes to wear."

"You think you can fix this?" He asked, almost sneering.

He pulled his shirt sleeve up to reveal the deep red scars and mottled skin. She looked at the burned tissue critically.

"It's not going to be easy, and the scarring will never completely fade. But I can give you back what you've lost."

He scoffed, but she saw the flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Shouta, when we get to the hospital, I'm going to give you a proper examination and get all the details of what we need to work on. I promise I'm going to help you."

His mouth twitched like he was going to smile, but he frowned instead, giving her a strange look.

"What do you mean you've known enough Uchiha in your lifetime?" He asked. "That doesn't make sense. You only came here two years ago right?"

Sakura froze for a second and then she smiled.

"Suddenly you're so interested?" She teased. "You could always ask Madara if you really wanted to know."

She knew there was no way that was going to happen. Shouta looked at her doubtfully.

"Whatever," he muttered. "Not like I care anyway."

She stood and helped him to his feet.

"Come on, let's go to the hospital and get started on your exam," she said. "Trust me, Shouta." She smiled, remembering Naruto's promises. "I never go back on my word."

Sakura lay on the floor of Matsuri's living room, staring up at the ceiling, her hands around Kagami who had decided to take a nap on her chest.

"You're too cute," Matsuri giggled from the couch.

Sakura gave a tired smile.

"You're talking about me, right? I'm definitely the cutest."

"If it makes you feel better, sure," Matsuri replied.

Sakura breathed out a little laugh and stroked Kagami's hair.

"I'm tired," Sakura said.

"You should be. You work too much," Matsuri said. "Everyone I talk to is amazed at how much you've been doing."

Sakura felt a little pleased.

"I want to leave something for Tsunade," she said after a moment. "Something she can make even better."

"Who's Tsunade?"

Sakura hummed thoughtfully.

"She was my master. She taught me everything I know," she replied. "She was Hashirama's granddaughter."

Matsuri stared at her.

"Are you serious?"

Sakura laughed.

"Yeah. She was the Fifth Hokage. She was really amazing."

"It's pretty incredible you came from the future," Matsuri said. "Do you think about what's going to happen, like if you'll be born again?"

"That's why I told everyone to drop the 'Haruno' from my name and pretended it wasn't real," Sakura said. "Just in case. I mean, things are different now. History has changed. So I don't know what's going to happen anymore. Maybe I won't be born." Sakura frowned. "This is weird to think about."

Matsuri laughed.

"Yes, it's very weird."

Sakura became lost in her thoughts of the life she lived before, as she stroked Kagami's hair. She wondered with a heavy heart exactly what would be different. She'd thought for a long while that just by sealing Zetsu, they'd fix the future and everything would be the same. She was beginning to realise that that wasn't entirely true. How had their actions changed things? Who would and wouldn't meet? Who might not be born, and what might not happen? There was so much she didn't know that Itachi did, she'd been relying on his memory when they'd come. He was far more knowledgable about the village and the past than she had been.

"Will you tell me a story?" Matsuri asked, laying on the couch on her side. Her hand rested on her stomach, and she laid her head under her arm.

"A story?" Sakura asked. "Of what?"

"Shisui," Matsuri said. "He was supposed to be my great-grandson. I'd like to know what he was like."

"He called me Saki," she replied after a moment. "He was the only one who did that. He liked to give people he loved nicknames that no one else had. He called Itachi 'Ita', but only when no one else was around. Itachi wasn't the kind of person you teased too openly like that and Shisui respected that."

"You sound like you were close."

"I think he was about ten years older than me. He and Itachi were best friends, Itachi was like his little brother," Sakura said softly. "They had a hard time for a lot of years."

"Why?"

Sakura was quiet.

"The Uchiha weren't… there was a lot of difficulties in the village, from the beginning really. It became really bad when I was young. They were planning a coup."

Matsuri was silent. Sakura sighed. She didn't like thinking about this, but it felt like it was time to get things off her chest and Matsuri wouldn't judge the way others would.

"Shisui and Itachi were double agents. Spying on the village for the Uchiha, spying on the Uchiha for the village. They just wanted peace, to stop any bloodshed and war. In the end, Shisui was the one that managed to do it. He used his Sharingan against Itachi's father, who was the clan leader."

"Itachi was the heir?"

Matsuri sounded surprised. Sakura nodded.

"I don't really know much about the Uchiha family tree. In my time, Izuna died from a wound from Tobirama before the alliance. Madara defected from the village sometime after Hashirama became the Hokage. Neither of them had kids, so I don't know much about the family history."

"It's so interesting and disturbing hearing you talk about this," Matsuri murmured. "So my babies-babies-baby was a bit of a hero, huh?"

Sakura smiled.

"He was. You know, he was a really good person. He loved his family, he loved his village. He was one of my best friends. He helped train me too."

Matsuri smiled.

"Don't you think it's amazing that we became friends then?"

Sakura shrugged.

"Well, knowing both Shisui and now you, it's definitely not surprising."

A sudden thought hit Sakura.

"Matsuri." She sat up, holding Kagami so he didn't fall. "I don't… I don't know what's going to happen in this timeline. I can't - if something happens - "

"Stop worrying," Matsuri said, waving her hand at Sakura to lay back down. "I won't blame you, and neither will anyone else."

Sakura clenched her teeth in worry. She carefully lay back on the floor, adjusting Kagami more comfortingly on top of her.

"Are you happy, Sakura?"

Sakura turned her head to look at Matsuri with surprise.

"What?"

"Are you happy?" She asked again.

Sakura paused before answering.

"I'm not unhappy."

"Hey, Sakura, can you tell if the babies going to be a boy or a girl?" Matsuri asked.

Sakura gave a sad little smile.

"Sorry."

Matsuri sighed.

"Well, never mind. Can I ask you a question and do you promise not to be mad?"

Sakura's hand stopped in Kagami's hair.

"Is it about Madara?"

"Mmmm. Yes."

"I'd prefer if you didn't."

"Are you denying me asking for the same reason he'd been in such a weird mood for the last two weeks?"

Two weeks ago was the dinner, the night he spent holding her while she slept… Sakura sighed.

"Probably."

"Sakura, won't you talk to me? You'll feel better."

"Please, Suri. I really don't want to talk about it."

She was harsher than she meant to be. They were quiet for a couple of minutes.

"Sorry," Sakura muttered. "I didn't mean to snap."

"I don't mean to push," Matsuri replied. "I just… you're no good keeping it all inside, Sakura, and you're my best friend. I want you to be able to trust me."

Sakura felt her eyes tear up.

"You're my best friend too," she whispered.

"Don't cry! You'll make me cry!"

Sakura and Matsuri laughed and cried a little together.

"I have to go back to the hospital," Sakura said reluctantly, a little while later.

She sat up and carried the still soundly sleeping Kagami to the little makeshift beside Matsuri and the couch. Matsuri was almost asleep on the couch. She blinked tiredly.

"Sakura, just remember something, okay?"

"What is it?"

"Moving on with your life doesn't mean your forgetting Itachi, or that you love him any less. You're allowed to be happy," she said, giving a small, tired smile.

Sakura swallowed.

"I'll see you soon," she said quietly.

She thought over what Matsuri said, and wondered if she was right.

Sakura arrived on the doorstep of the Hokage Residence and knocked nervously on the door. She was more dressed up than usual since she knew Mito wore quite expensive kimonos regularly. So she was wearing a nice, light green floor-length dress with three-quarter sleeves, and had braided her hair, trying to find the balance between the time she grew up in and the time she now lived in.

She was greeted by Tobirama.

"You're late."

She rolled her eyes.

"Hello to you too. I haven't seen you for a few days. You could join in training instead of watching from a distance. I know you've missed me."

He smirked.

"Come on, they're waiting for you. Hashirama's been dying to introduce you to his crying and pooping machine."

Sakura burst out in unexpected laughter at hearing Tobirama describe his nephew as a 'pooping machine.' He rolled his eyes at her and Sakura followed him into the house. Hashirama popped his head out of the doorway.

"Mito! Mito! Sakura's here."

He came from the room and walked down the small hall to greet Sakura with a hug.

"Lord Hokage," she greeted politely. "Thank you for having me."

Hashirama pouted.

"You can just call me Hashirama, I'm not the Hokage in my house tonight."

Sakura just smiled. Mito followed her husband, carrying their baby in her arms.

"Good evening, Sakura," she greeted.

"Good evening, Lady Mito," she said, her heart racing a little.

Why was it that she really only started freaking out around Mito Uzumaki?

"Sakura, this is my son, Tsumo!" Hashirama beamed.

"He's beautiful," Sakura said softly, giving him a little wave.

Mito and Hashirama both had a faint blush on their cheeks. Tsumo, Sakura thought. Maybe he's Tsunade's father. She hoped so. After some minutes of idle conversation, Hashirama led her and Tobirama to the dining table while Mito put Tsumo down.

Mito and Hashirama served them a home-cooked dinner. Sakura founded herself having an enjoyable time. The conversation was light and jovial. Watching Mito and Hashirama interact made Sakura feel a pang of longing. There was so much love between them, it seemed to radiate around them all. Mito was somehow able to manage Hashirama's boisterous personality with a smile or quick fond admonishment or compliment. Their dynamic was something Sakura felt envious of. Tobirama was teased by both his brother and sister-in-law, and Sakura found herself dragged into it, with Hashirama and Tobirama each vying to get her on their side. She ended up choosing her own side and teasing them both.

When dinner was finished Mito and Hashirama cleared the table, and Tobirama surprised Sakura by questioning her decision to spend time training Shouta Uchiha.

"Excuse me?"

Tobirama had that look on his face that meant he was confused and disapproved at the same time.

"He's debilitated. How much time is it going to take for him to be ready to go on a mission? Will he ever be able to go on missions? Why not just put him under the care of someone in the hospital and keep him there permanently?"

Sakura looked at him in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, are you questioning my authority?" She asked, growing angry.

"Authority?" Tobirama asked. "I'm questioning your judgment. You're an important part of the village, you can't really afford to be putting so much time aside when there's no guarantee that anything will come of it."

Sakura took a deep breath.

"I don't know who you think you're talking to, but if you ever decide to question my decisions again, you'd better approach me with more respect," she said, standing.

Hashirama and Mito came back into the room.

"What's going on?" Hashirama asked, looking between the two of them.

"Shouta Uchiha's condition is between him and me," Sakura continued, glaring at Tobirama. "If you have any questions about his ability to stand beside his fellow shinobi, come to my office at the hospital and ask my professional opinion."

Tobirama narrowed his eyes at her and then scoffed.

"You're letting sentiment cloud your judgment."

Sakura clenched her fist.

"You're letting your giant pig head cloud your humanity," she snapped. "Shouta Uchiha suffered badly from bad medical treatment and neglect. These things can be rectified because I am here to see it done. What do you want? Mindless soldiers to fight for Konoha? Are you willing to throw away your humanity like that?"

"Hard decisions need to be made when you're taking care of a village. You can't afford to always do the good thing, sometimes the right thing isn't the good thing."

Sakura shook her head.

"This is kind of thinking is why the Uchiha almost revolted against the village! Your lack of faith is only going to hurt the village."

"Brother. Sakura."

Hashirama's voice was low and dangerous. She flinched back from it. Mito was looking at her curiously, and Sakura realised she'd let slip talk about the future. Tobirama looked like he was ready to explode. Only Hashirama's stern look kept his temper in check.

"I'm going home," Tobirama said eventually.

He disappeared and Hashirama sighed.

"I apologise, Sakura. My brother has been distracted by …delicate research. I'll go and see him."

He left Sakura and Mito in the house alone.

"Sorry," Sakura apologised. "That was rude of me."

Mito shook her head.

"Don't mind it. Tobirama can have that effect on people. He can be too pragmatic at times, looking at things too clinically." Mito gave a smile. "He's a passionate man, he just wants the best for everyone."

"I know that," Sakura said. "I think we're pretty similar, that's why we fight a lot."

Mito laughed lightly.

"Well, he has admitted he thinks of you as a little sister. So does Hashirama."

Sakura was surprised, she smiled and blushed, happy at the thought. She looked at the door.

"I'm sorry, Mito. Do you mind if I go and find them?"

Mito shook her head.

"No, of course not. I'll stop by the hospital one afternoon this week."

"Thank you so much for dinner, it really was great."

Sakura left the house, reaching out with her chakra to find them. Tobirama's house was close. She heard raised voices and snuck in around the side to see an opened back room.

"Tobirama, I told you that this research needed to stop."

It was Hashirama.

"This could save our people, Hashirama," Tobirama argued. "Imagine an army of just ten or twenty of them."

Sakura frowned, a dark feeling sinking in her stomach.

"Konoha will never enter a battle with this kind of underhand and unnatural jutsu at its side. You need to stop, this research is clouding your judgment and morality."

Tobirama scoffed.

"I'm trying to find a way to save lives. The reanimation will give us that."

Sakura froze. Ice flooded her veins. Reanimation. He was talking about the reanimation jutsu. She and Itachi had specifically not mentioned it, trying to explain things around it, to avoid it ever having existed. They couldn't help but let some things come out when they told them about Madara and the war. It seemed that Tobirama had figured it out and was trying to recreate it.

Sakura felt rage melt the ice in her veins and set her body on fire. She turned and punched the wall. Where her fist connected, the wood splintered and then shattered. Tobirama and Hashirama looked at the hole she created with shock. Sakura walked right to Tobirama and took him by the collar, pulling him roughly down so that his face was at the same level as hers. She felt fury and fire in her body.

"That jutsu is vile," she hissed. "You're right. An army of reanimated shinobi can be an asset. But almost all the corpses I fought were disgusted at being brought back from the dead to fight under the control of someone else."

She let him go, pushing him back.

"You have no idea how many thousands of people died because of you."

Tobirama flinched. Sakura wasn't finished.

"Even you," she spat. "Even you, Tobirama Senju, were brought back to life by this jutsu, with Hashirama and Madara. Madara made himself immortal by breaking the jutsu and almost ended the world! You're such a fool if you think you can make anything good come from this!"

She was shouting but she didn't care. Tobirama and Hashirama were staring at her. Surprise, shock, and shame washed over their faces.

"If you don't destroy all of this, I will," she threatened both of them. "Nothing you can say will ever justify this thing existing."

"And Itachi?" Tobirama asked quietly. Hashirama looked at his brother in shock. "What if you could see him again?"

Sakura felt a shudder of pain and rage flood her. She glared hard at Tobirama.

"If you ever mention his name to me again… If you ever think that I'd dishonour him with this…" She shook her head. "No." She straightened. "You wouldn't even have to worry about me. Understand this, neither of you ever really knew Itachi Uchiha. If this jutsu was ever cast on him, he would have broken it and then killed the person who was casting it."

She turned away.

"I've never felt more disgusted in you, Tobirama."

Then she left and disappeared into the night.

Hikari and Shouta arrived at the training ground before Lady Sakura.

"Maybe she's late?" Hikari suggested.

Shouta frowned.

"That's not like her."

Hikari bit her lip.

"We should train and wait for her," she said.

Shouta nodded. Neither of them moved. They waited for an hour. Sakura didn't show up.

Hashirama looked up when his door suddenly burst open and Sakura's two students came into the room.

"I'm so sorry, Lord Hokage," Hikari Shimura squeaked.

"Lady Sakura is missing," Shouta Uchiha said.

Hashirama froze.

"Excuse me?"

"We can't find her anywhere," Hikari exclaimed. "She didn't come to morning training so we waited. But she never showed up. Shouta looked for her at the Uchiha compound, but she wasn't there either and she wasn't at home or the hospital. We don't know where she is."

Hashirama clenched his jaw, a sinking feeling coming over him. He nodded and swiftly walked to the door.

"Tobirama! Madara!" He yelled down the hall to them.

He went back behind his desk.

"Thank you for telling me," he told Hikari and Shouta.

"Is Lady Sakura okay?" Hikari asked, her lips trembling.

Hashirama was glad the girl cared for Sakura, but he didn't have a good feeling that Sakura was missing. He didn't respond to her. Shouta put a hand on her shoulder. Tobirama and Madara came into the room.

"What's happened?" Tobirama asked.

"Lord Madara," Shouta greeted his clan leader with deference.

"Where's Sakura?" Madara asked, immediately grasping the situation.

"Missing," Hashirama said, glaring at Tobirama.

Tobirama had the decency to look as though he knew he might be the reason why. Madara immediately turned to walk out.

"Wait, Madara."

"Don't stop me." Madara turned his head. "I'm going to find her."

Shouta moved himself and Hikari to the side of the room, out of the way of Madara and Tobirama. Hashirama let out a sigh.

"Wait. Please. Tobirama has something to explain first."

He turned to look at Hikari and Shouta.

"The two of you, please return to the hospital and act in the manner Sakura would've had you do. Speak to no one about this. If anyone asks, tell them she's busy with a task from the Hokage."

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Shouta said.

He took Hikari out of the room. Before they left, the girl turned back.

"Please find her."

Hashirama gave her a tight smile and nodded. Once they were gone, Madara slammed the door closed.

"What did you do?" He glared at Tobirama.

"Sakura discovered that Tobirama researching a jutsu that could bring people back from the dead," Hashirama said. Madara stiffened. "She was furious. She described the jutsu as vile and disgusting. It was how we all met and fought in her time."

There was a tense silence.

"She left after saying she was disgusted in Tobirama. That was the night before last."

"You're saying she's been missing for almost two days?" Madara asked, his voice trembling with anger.

"Presumably."

Madara took a deep breath then gripped Tobirama by the collar like Sakura had.

"She was right." He growled.

Tobirama said nothing, he just stared blankly. Madara let him go and turned to Hashirama.

"I'm going to find her," he said.

Hashirama gave a long hard look at him and then nodded. Madara turned and left without another word. Hashirama looked at his brother and sighed.

"I understand your motives, Tobirama," he said. "But when theory becomes reality it can backfire. In this case, it's better to let it go."

Tobirama folded his arms over his chest.

"She's out of my range. She's gone far."

"Madara will find her," Hashirama said. "If there's anything I count on, it's that. He won't rest until he does." He stood. "In the meantime, you will be taking over the training of her students."

"What?"

"Hokage's orders," Hashirama said seriously. "Every morning."

Tobirama left and Hashirama leaned back on his desk. Ever since two nights before when Sakura had broken the wall down and screamed at them, he'd had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. Now Sakura was gone, and the feeling deepened.

For the last two and a half weeks, since the night they went for dinner, Madara had avoided everything to do with Sakura. He just couldn't bring himself to face her, he had been afraid of how he might react to seeing her. Now he wanted nothing more than to see her. His mind and body stopped as soon as he heard the words that she was missing. Sakura wasn't the kind of person who would disappear without a trace unless something had happened to her. She would have left a clue or message somewhere about where she had gone.

Madara felt revulsion when he recalled what Tobirama had been researching. Bring the dead back to life was unnatural and cruel. He could understand Sakura's reaction to it. But what had caused her to suddenly disappear without a word? He grit his teeth and tried to calm down. He searched her house first. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but she had definitely quickly packed up some of her clothes and weapons.

He went to Matsuri's next.

"She was upset yesterday morning," Matsuri said, biting her lip. "She wouldn't tell me what was wrong."

"She didn't say anything about where she might go?"

Matsuri thought.

"She said something about… Indra and Asura Otsutsuki? I think, and the Sage of Six Paths."

Madara nodded.

"Make sure you go to the hospital if you have any problems. Yuri should be back in two days. I'll try and bring her back as quick as I can."

"Just bring her home, Madara," Matsuri said, giving him a quick hug.

He nodded to her and left.

It was the first time he'd been to the little house in the woods since they'd found the scrolls. He opened the door to Sakura and Itachi's house and saw the note on the dust-covered table.

Madara -

Don't look for me. I'll come back.

Make sure my students are keeping up with their training.

Look out for Matsuri.

I'm sorry.

I will come back. There's something I need to do first.

Sakura.

If the situation were different, he might have smiled at seeing that she had written this note for him, knowing that he was the only one that would think to come here. Now he was only frowning at the contents. He looked around, nothing else was out of place. It had to be the first time she'd come back to this house. He went outside. Fresh flowers were laid on the grave of that old man from a year ago. Tenji, he remembered. He grimaced and rushed home. He dressed and packed quickly before taking the note to Hashirama's office and departing.

He had an idea of where she had gone. She had a days head start, but Madara was fast and he was determined. He started off, heading towards the two mountains in the distance he'd told her and Itachi about, in the first days they'd arrived, two years before.