I feel so bad about not updating sooner, but school was killing me, and then I was having this massive (annoying) block, and been out of ideas pisses me off, 'cause i like writing, and i just LOVE my dear readers (and reviewers, very much the reviewers)...

anyway, i couldn't update sooner, and we can't go back in time, so... enjoy this chapter, i know it's short, but I don't know what to write next... --'

Enjoy the chapter, forgive the shortness, and review at the end please!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

There's a major revelation in this chapter, I hope it's goes well... please tell me what you guys think!!

Chapter 20 – Remembering the past

2 months later, Monday, 12th May

Tsunade wrote a few things in the clipboard she was carrying and then, with a sigh, she looked up to the bed, where a teen/man may.

2 months ago something had happened, and sometimes she though that life had a way to screw everyone with its irony, the 3 men had only survived thanks to the beast inside of Naruto.

Naruto and Kakashi had both told her what had happened, she knew, leaving many details behind, but the essentials were there, Sakura had attacked them unexpectedly, still amnesiac, and they had been hit, Naruto had prevented Kakashi from receiving the blow by protecting his sensei, and even if he had been hit directly, the Kyuubi had prevented the greater damage. So now, the blond was healed, a bit down, but in great physical shape, and Kakashi had a few scratches, a few burns and had to walk with the help of a pair of crutches, but other than that, the silver haired man was well.

The worst was the 3rd male, Uchiha Sasuke. It seemed he hadn't even tried to avoid the hit, taking it face first, which resulted in third degree burns in 75 of his body. She had no idea how he survived, but he had. She would have healed him when Naruto had brought him, but there was chakra in the wounds that prevented hers from healing the burns. The only things she could do was hope the kid healed on his own and woke up from his coma.

"Ne, Baa-chan, he's he gonna be ok?" she looked to the right to see Naruto there, looking at his best friend/rival, his eyes filled with grief.

"I don't know Naruto, I don't know." She said softly and walked away, Naruto had been staying at the hospital, keeping company to the unconscious Uchiha, since they had come back.

As she walked back to her office she thought of someone else, Sakura. She had came back 3 weeks ago, very vaguely explained what had happened to her during all the time she had been gone, the reason she had attacked them, but so many things were left out. Like what had really happened at that cliff in the river country, what had happened to Orochimaru, the identity of her rescuer and where she had learned such a jutsu.

Obviously she couldn't let her protégé go without a punishment, because even if she had been amnesiac, she had still attacked and injured, and so Sakura was on probation, no missions for 3 months, because the amnesia was one of the reasons she attacked.

With a sigh she cursed life, because everything was messed up.

She stared up at the moon, she had always liked the moon, except that night. But that night was something she didn't want to think of, even if she couldn't erase it from her mind. So she though of another night, one that she had buried deep into her mind, to never be thought of again, but that she remembered clearly now, and thinking about it, she liked the memory of that other night, because it had been magical.

With a low sigh she jumped into the roof top in front of her window and kept jumping, even if she was on probation she could still walk around freely, only the council, the Hokage and some of her colleague (friends) shinobi knew of what had truly happened (although they knew only the basics).

The warm breeze felt good, but she couldn't quite appreciate it, not until she had done what she felt obligated to do.

Her teeth pressed over her lower lip, nibbling the cold small metallic ring on the right corner of her lip softly, she had to do it, even when she knew so much about h—

Shaking her head softly she stopped thinking about it, she knew it, there was no backing out of it, but she still had that feeling in her heart, the obligation… the loyalty.

She stopped before reaching the hospital, looking into the open window she saw them, one sleeping soundly in the bed closest to the wall, one of his legs dangling from the bed, his arms spread over the mattress, and his always present sleeping hat on his head, some of his blond locks still showing, and the sheet only covering from his waist down, only one leg though. She smiled lightly, he had always been hyper, even in his sleep… her best friend, even if he didn't knew everything about her.

And there was the one that made this feeling of loyalty and obligation sink into her being and wash her with guilt, because she knew she had been the one to do that to him, to put him on a comatose state with almost all of his body burned.

She jumped into the window and landed easily without a noise, then going to the floor and walking to him, his usually spiky raven locks were almost none, his face was all burned and covered in bandages, only his eyes could be seen, and the rest of his body was also covered in bandages.

She wanted to say I'm sorry, but the words wouldn't come out, because deep down she wanted him to suffer, because she had suffered so much because of him. Shaking her head softly she concentrated her chakra in her hands, unlike some medic that had to make hand seals to be able to heal, she didn't need to.

Her hands glowed a faint green, lightning the room softly, and she moved them over his body, one settling on his forehead, and the other on his upper chest, once there letting her chakra enter his body and start healing everything.

She didn't close her eyes, watching as the skin that she could see around his eyes started to become skin again, and how, as she healed his body, the vitals on the monitors started becoming healthier. She felt good with herself, because healing was what she liked doing the most.

Until all of the burns were healed it must have been 2 hours, and her body was starting to get tired, but she kept going, mending all of the injuries she could, and lastly, before pulling her hands away, she made his hair grown back, because she liked watching his hair move with the wind.

After that she took a step back, at first she just watched him, because… she had no arguments to explain, and then a small smile made its way to her lips and she walked closer to him again, her hands reaching for his face.

She carefully unwrapped the bandages that covered his face, even if he was healed, she knew, as a medic, that his muscles and skin would feel sore for at least 2 or 3 days before his body became fully healthy again. He would also need some help to move at first, but she doubted he'd said anything to anyone, he'd just go on and do everything by himself.

She laid the bandages on the table near the bed and then leaned down? Her right hand reached up and cupped his cheek, even knowing everything she did about him, she still couldn't stop that feeling inside of her.

"I wish you wouldn't do it." she murmured softly and then pressed her lips to his forehead in a chaste kiss.

He was still a child that needed someone to take care of him.

5 years ago, when Sakura was 13, months after Sasuke left with Orochimaru

Her hands trembled as she looked at the scene ahead, her whole body was paralysed, and she just couldn't move.

As she travelled she'd stumbled in a fight between rogue nins and sound nins, and now she couldn't move, and they were killing each other.

One of the sound nin lunged at a rogue nin, and without hesitation, without caring, cut the rogue nin's head off. The appendage fell to the ground and rolled on the dirt, the body standing a few seconds before falling to the floor as well.

She whimpered as tears started coming to her eyes, how was she supposed to kill someone when she was about to cry because a man had been killed?

The same sound nin that had beheaded the rogue-nin turned to her, a sadistic smile on his face, she could see the blood lust in his eyes. He was going to kill her, and she couldn't even fight it because she was paralysed in fear.

"What a cute little mouse." He drawled, and she whimpered again, the tears starting to leak, because he would kill her only after raping her, she wasn't dumb.

The man kept coming closer and closer, and she closed her eyes, not wanting to watch him anymore, because she just didn't want to be there, she wanted to be at the bridge hearing Naruto ramble and watch as Sasuke kept in his side of the bridge ignoring them, while they waited for Kakashi-sensei, who would then give a lame excuse as to why he was late.

A yelp escaped her lips as she felt herself be swept off her feet and being carried away from the scene.

"Are you crazy or something? You can't just stand there and prepare to die baka." She heard a male scold her, and she could felt the shift every time he jumped to another tree branch.

She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was gold. Golden blond hair, like Naruto's, but longer, until the person's shoulder's.

"I-I'm sorry." She whispered. The male looked down, irritation written all over his face.

"What'cha apologizing for hm?" she tilted her head when she saw his eyes, clear blue sky, like Naruto's, but not having the dense look in them.

"I think I lost him, hm." He announced and dropped to the floor, landing on his feet effortlessly and then letting her down to her feet. They were on an open clearing, the sun warming them.

She joined her hands in front of her, her fingers fidgeting and looked down.

"Thank you." She whispered, she was a good for nothing, always having to be saved.

"Are you stupid or somethin'?" she looked up, surprised at the boy's bluntness, he couldn't be much older than her, maybe 3 years or so. "What the hell were ya doing there anyway?" he crossed his arms in front of himself and was looking at her sternly.

"I was going to the village 2 miles ahead on a mission." She murmured, he leaned closer to her.

"Say it again, couldn't hear ya."

"I was going to the village ahead on a mission." She murmured again, to which he leaned forward a bit more.

"Sorry, can you repeat?" her eye twitched.

"I said I was going to the village ahead." She yelled, to which he took a step back.

"No need to be bitchy, geez." He muttered the last part.

"Sorry." She looked down again and he tilted his head, she was weird.

"You're weird, first you're all fear paralysed and shit and then you're all bitchy, yeah." She looked up him, incredulous, no one had even spoken like that to her.

"What's your mission anyway pinky?" her eye twitched again, her hair colour was a soft subject.

"Don't call me pinky." She hissed, like she usually did with Naruto, fire in her eyes. He raised his hands over his head.

"Cool off, yeah?" he then crossed his arms behind his head, his blond locks shining in the sun, the locks on the half ponytail on the side of his head moving with the wind.

"I like your hair, it's pretty." Her anger disappeared as she registered his words.

"Really?" one of her hands rose to fidget with a mesh of pink locks. He nodded, a grin appearing on his face.

"Yeah!" she looked down biting her lower lip, her cheeks tinted pink, her feet softly kicking at the ground and her fingers still twisting the mesh of hair.

"Thank you!" she whispered.

"Ya welcome!" he grinned. "We should get outta here." She looked up and noticed his outstretched hand. "C'mon, we don't got all day." She smiled and took his hand, letting him lead her away from the forest where a battle was being held.

The present, Tuesday, 13th May

The clipboard fell to the floor, the sound resonating through the white hallway.

She entered the room, her steps shaky and her breaths short as she stared at the bed near the window.

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune called from behind and then entered the room behind the Hokage, only to understand the shock, being shocked herself.

"Oh." She murmured.

"Yesterday… he was…" the blond woman trailed off, to which she nodded.

"He was still injured and in a coma Tsunade-sama." Shizune spoke quietly and recovered the clipboard from the floor. Tsunade stood at his bedside, looking at the teen there.

"It was her." Shizune stared at the blond woman. Her? "It was Sakura." The Hokage spoke again, this time louder, in her regular 'bossing-others-around' tone.

A groan was heard from the other bed and the 2 women looked to see Naruto moving and almost falling from the bed.

"…you promised you'd buy me ramen Iruka-sensei…" the blond boy whined in his sleep and moved again, this time falling off of the bed with a loud thud. Tsunade and Shizune burst out laughing, Naruto had a thing to being clumsy, even in his sleep.

"Itai." The blond moaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "The hell happened?" he mumbled and looked around. When he spotted Tsunade he stared.

"Ugly hag." He mumbled, to which Tsunade's eye twitched.

"Naruto." She said sweetly, and the still dazed and sleepy boy tilted his head.

"Yeah?" the next thing he knew he was being punched over the head by the Hokage.

"ITAI." He yelled and backed away, finding shelter under the bed. "What was that for baa-chan??" he asked loudly, now fully awake. Tsunade huffed and turned away from him, and before Naruto could speak again, someone else did.

"Shut up already." 3 heads turned towards the other bed, where the boy laying there was turning his back to them. Naruto rose to his feet right away.

"Don't you tell me to shut up Teme." He yelled, his finger pointed at the raven haired boy. Sasuke looked over his shoulder, a cold glare directed at the blond.

"Usuratonkashi." And then he turned around. "Now go away you loudmouths,
I was trying to sleep." 3 sets of eyes twitched.

"The arrogant bastard." The 3 other people in the room thought at the same time.


5 years ago

They sat on the small café, on the table near the window. She held her tea cup between her hands, her eyes on the green tea inside, and blew softly on it, making the steam flow away gently.

"You seem in deep thought, hm." She looked at the blond in front of her, his head tilted and supported by his hand while his eyes looked at her.

"I can't do my mission." She looked down again. "I'm worthless." She sighed softly and kept looking at her tea.

"Why not? I'm sure it's not that hard." She wished it was, for him maybe, but for her it was the most difficult thing of the world.

"I can't kill a man." She whispered softly, and then silence settled for a while.

She looked up when she felt his fingers brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What did they tell you about it?" she stared at him as his fingers twisted gently around another mesh of hair, his eyes looking into hers softly.

"They said it'd get easier, that the first time's the hardest." He shook his head.

"You don't believe them hm?" she shook her head softly.

"Taking someone's lives isn't something we should see at the same level as changing clothes or cooking." He nodded in agreement.

"You're right, hm." He tilted his head, and she noticed, his fingers were still in her hair. "And it's never easy to kill someone, weaker or stronger than you, it doesn't matter, because you're still taking someone's life." He sounded so… philosophical. "And unlike they say, it never gets easier, it only gets harder, because the weight of the lives you took loom over you forever." That's why she didn't want to kill anyone, she wanted to help, but it was her mission.

"I'm training to be a medic." She suddenly said, it just escaped her lips, she didn't know why, it was like they knew each other from before. He smiled at her.

"I hope you succeed, hm." She tilted her head, unintentionally, towards his hand.

"Thank you." She whispered and he cupped her cheek, and it felt so comforting… so soothing, because she felt so alone before, and this stranger felt like a light in the darkness.

"You're welcome!" she would have though his hands would be rough for been calloused, but they were actually soft.

"Thanks for saving me earlier too." His thumb made soft circular patterns in her cheek.

"Anytime pinky!" he grinned and she giggled, usually people called her that as an insult, but not him.

"What's your name?" she asked after a comfortable silence, to which he raised a brow.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours!" he smirked and she frowned lightly, to then smile again. She hadn't smiled so much in months.

"I'm Sakura!" he nodded.

"Suits you!" He commented, to which pink tinted her cheeks.

"Thanks."

"I'm Deidara!"

So?? How was it?? Please let me know, your opinions help a lot!!

And isn't that little purple button at the end of the page after 'review' tempting you to click it?? I know it is, so stop hesitating and click, even if your revioew's just rambles, i don't mind!!

I don't feel like rambling today, my throat is sore, and I'm bored, and I don't know what to write, so I'm just posting this short chapter (i loved writting the flashbacks), and then I'm going to bed 'cause it already past midnight...

anyway,

love you all my dear fans,

Kimi-chan!