---Sorrows of Yesterday---

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.

Okay…some time ago, in a far away era… (O.O) somebody asked me to put some Neji and Kagome fluff in, but I'm not sure if they even read my story anymore…meh… And in my dim memory, somewhere along the line, somebody asked for Naruto and Kagome fluff, and just now Gaara and Kagome fluff… Kami…I'd love to, but it either might take a while, or infinitely hard for me, lol. If I can't get it in the story, then gomen nasai…

Alright, once in a while, I randomly take requests if it's possible. A person asked for this chapter to be longer than usual, and a faster update. Here you go.

I would like to thank Ozette forever for reporting an act of plagiarism on this story. Tons of cookies and milk to you. (Yay!) Though, the person hasn't responded yet. (Sigh)

Chapter 14: Don't Do It!

"It seems as though the Cloud-nin were targeting the Hyuuga clan again," Tsunade explained to the many ninja gathered in her office, "Fortunately for us, their target, Hyuuga Neji, and Hyuuga Hinata, were away on a mission to speak to Gaara, and the ninjas were disposed of before they reached the Hyuuga household."

The ANBU will be taking care of any current missions outside Konoha thus far, as we ask the Jounin and Chunin to help with the village repairs. Students will resume their classes at the academy as usual. Genin can take care of any missions inside the village, and any civilians injured during this invasion will be asked to remain inside the hospital ward until confirmed healed. Is there any questions or objections?"

"What is the cost of the damage?" Kakashi sighed.

Tsunade flicked a large stack of paperwork distastefully "Infinite."

"Where will be live during the repairs?"

"We ask for the villagers that have undamaged homes to show hospitality and take in as many people as possible, since we have no other options. Anything else?"

"What of us unemployed villagers? What would we do if we can't work?"

The Hokage paused for a moment, and then something clicked in her mind. "We're trying to manage as many funds as we can to keep this village together. The civilians will be provided with as many funds as we can contribute to you, while still paying for repairs. All shinobi on missions will have to have a small tax on their paycheck in the meantime too so we can keep up with everything."

There were a few murmurs amongst the crowd.

"Why did the Cloud-nin attack in the first place, other than the Hyuuga clan, setting the village on fire?"

There was a tense silence in the room, the question seemingly lingering in the air.

"…I'm sorry. I have no answer to that."

Some shouts of outrage were heard, with chatter and murmuring.

Over the noise, Tsunade shouted a firm, "Dismissed! No more questions!"

The crowd immediately started to depart through the doors and windows.

Yes, there no windows in the Hokage tower, due to the warm weather they always had.

Tsunade sighed, her forehead making a loud 'bang' on her desk. Why must there be so much paperwork?

Shizune bit her lip. She knew that there was a lot of work to do, but the stress was still getting to everyone and she wouldn't bother the Hokage until at least the end of the week.

At least, she hoped she didn't have to.

With the village in such a vulnerable state, it was no wonder that the Cloud-nin chose to attack at this time. And after they attacked, the village was now so prone to invasions. Anything could happen and all the villagers had to be on guard.

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"Neji and Hinata are fine," A medic-nin reassured Hiashi, of whom who had just burst through the hospital doors.

"Explain." Hiashi nodded.

"It is extremely unusual, and seemingly impossible to reach Sunagakure in the time span of 20 minutes. Our theory is that they just extremely overworked their body and chakra and just need rest. However, Hinata has appeared to pull a muscle too badly that it has created a notch of a rip in her knee."

"Is it repairable?"

"Yes, no worries. We'll undergo the treatment within a few days, after we tend to the many other patients."

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"Hahaha! In their faces!" Naruto snickered, slamming the door behind him and leaning against it.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ehh…?" The blonde whipped his head around, "Neji?"

Neji looked at him exasperatedly.

There was a silence where the two heard some shouts down the hallway as the workers in the hospital scrambled to find their 'missing' patient who now resided in the same room as Neji.

"Have you seen anyone lately?"

Naruto nodded, "Kiba and Akamaru's fine, they're just resting. Tenten, Lee, Chouji and a few others just have some minor burns that need that sticky stuff called ointment and I haven't seen anybody else. Have you seen anybody yet, Neji?"

There was no answer.

"Oi, Neji?" Naruto turned around to find a sleeping Hyuuga with a slight smile on his face, so small that you would've missed it if you didn't put him under your scrutiny, "Ah…I'll just leave him alone now…"

Carefully, Naruto opened the door with a creak, slipping out and gently shutting it, only to duck into the room across the hallway to avoid the medic-nins trying to find him.

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Kagome sighed. She rested her hand on top of Sasuke's knuckles as he slept and listened to the rhythmic pace of his breathing.

His large mansion hadn't been too badly damaged. The only repairs that were needed were his room, and the two beside his. That room that he didn't let her into was not harmed, nor anything else.

To think, it was her fault that Sasuke was in this building in the first place.

If…she had been more alert, then maybe they could've prevented anything from happening at all…

Kagome stood up and walked to the window, opening it to let some fresh air into the room. Peering outside, she discovered that his hospital room was on the top floor. Making a quick decision, Kagome stepped on the window frame and hoisted herself onto the room, hooking her arms around her knees and looking at the sky.

If…if she hadn't been here at all…

All those times; his hospitality, the training grounds, the hit. It felt as if she was asking for too much, and not giving enough back...

Something inside of her snapped, making her stand up without warning. Her feet slid a bit on the uneven part of the roof, making her shriek, and quickly regaining her balance,she hurriedly climbed back through the window and into Sasuke's hospital room.

Here, Kagome calmed down a bit and sighed, staring at Sasuke's sleeping form for a minute. He had been awake a couple hours ago, but…it looked as if he had been sleeping for a while. Closing her eyes, the miko gave the Uchiha an awkward half hug on the bed and then turned around, not looking back.

He would've been better off if they hadn't met at all.

Guess she would be using it after all. Kagome glanced down at her filled drawstring bag, shrugging it onto her shoulders.

Her decision was made. A quite foolish decision, but it was hers.

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"Sasukeeeee! Are you awake yet?" Naruto opened the door. He rolled his eyes when he saw that his rival was still asleep. "Figures," the blonde grumbled, walking right up to the side of Sasuke's bed. "Sasuke's too weak to be awake now—hey, ---oww!"

A hand rapidly slid out and grabbed Naruto's wrist, twisting it until it was dangerous to breaking.

"I get the point, I get it! Now let go, teme!" Naruto yelped, jerking his arm away when Sasuke let go.

The blonde hissed, rubbing his thumb back and forth over his wrist. "Damn it…!"

"You woke me up. What do you want?" Sasuke scowled.

Naruto straightened his back. "Tsunade-baachan wants to see everybody in her office."

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "How do you know this if you've been running away from the medic-nins all day, idiot?"

"What? How do you---?"

"It's kind of obvious," He replied bluntly.

"Well…to tell you the truth, I just wanted to go in there and tell Granny we wanted to train and get out of the hospital—"

"I don't want any business with your schemes."

"But…" Naruto tried to explain, "Don't you get the feeling that something bad is going to happen again?"

There was a pause. "Go away."

Frustrated, Naruto flung his arms up and stomped out the room. "Fine! Ignore me if you will! Sure!"

It was finally silent.

But Naruto was right, Sasuke knew. Whatever was going to happen, important or not, would affect him in some way. He sunk back into the covers, and then frowned. It smelled like rice tea with a touch of melancholy…somebody was here…

Sasuke bolted out of the hospital bed, clutching his stomach as a sharp pain burst through. Taking a deep breath, he sucked it up, running out of the room. "Naruto! Wait!"

Further down the hallway, Uzumaki Naruto turned around.

"Let's go see Tsunade."

Naruto broke into a silly smile, turning around. "Hurry up, Sasuke-teme! You're so slow!"

He rolled his eyes, following after the hyped up blonde.

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On this bright, cheerful day in Konoha, a lone figure stood at the front of the large wooden gates.

She was leaving. Leaving this village full of wretched memories, hoping to start anew somewhere else, somewhere where nobody would know her, where nobody would question her past, her wrongs, rights, and most of all, her broken feelings. Her foot stepped forward, about to leave before the guards came back.

"Wait!"

Kagome whipped her head around to the direction of the voice.

"What were you planning to do? Please…please tell me that you weren't just going to…" In a lower voice, Sakura finished, "Going to…leave…"

Not responding, Kagome closed her eyes and took another step forward.

Sakura's deadpan voice interrupted her indifferent demeanor, "What you did and didn't do wasn't your fault…we all have our good and bad memories…but…we shouldn't always solve it differently…"

The miko turned her head away, eyes still closed and took yet another step forward, inches from leaving the village. She whispered nearly inaudibly, "It's for the best…"

And before Sakura could make any move to stop her friend, Kagome broke off into a run off the path and into somewhere unknown.

Being left there, alone in front of the village gates…Sakura sensed a terrible feeling of de'ja vu…

Her shoulders were shaking, but she didn't have it in her heart to cry.

Not this time.

Sakura took a step forward, contemplating something, but then she seemed to change her mind, turning around and breaking into a brisk walk to the Hokage tower.

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"Absolutely not." Tsunade shook her head firmly. "You two need to heal, and I will not let you out of the hospital, especially not you, Sasuke, while you're still sustaining a wound like that."

The Uchiha sighed, exasperated. "I feel fine."

"But you're not." The Hokage stood her ground. "And you, brat," she turned to Naruto, "You're staying here even if I have to bolt you to the walls." Tsunade rubbed her temples. "And you'll stay there, unlike last time."

The door to the office was knocked on, and opened before Tsunade responded.

"Tsunade-sama…" Sakura bowed her head low in distress.

Tsunade, along with Naruto and Sasuke turned around.

"Tsunade-sama…Kagome's left the village…I think she feels responsible for what happened to Sasuke, but…she left…"

"What?" Naruto shouted, "You've got to be kidding me! Did you try to stop her?"

Sakura nodded solemnly. "I did…but I can't force her…"

With Sakura murmuring quiet responses, Naruto yelling his confused outrage, and Tsunade trying to shut him up, the three eventually forgot that the silent Uchiha was ever in the room at all.

"Tsunade, may I have permission to pursue her?" Even with his smooth and quiet voice, the question somehow managed to travel over the racket.

Naruto and Sakura turned around when they heard this possibility.

The Hokage's lips lay in a firm line. "You have permission, but you have only a week. You must return in the span of a week. We cannot spare any more time, I'm sorry, due to the state the village is currently in. I don't even know why I'm letting you chase after a girl in this condition."

"Uhmm…" Sakura spoke out in a whisper, "May…may I go too?"

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed wholeheartedly.

Sighing, Tsunade nodded, picking up a pencil. "Hurry up and go, you're wasting time, starting now."

"Yes!" Naruto grinned. "Sasuke-teme, Sakura-chan! Pack your stuff, we're going now!"

Shaking his head, Sasuke performed a series of hand seals, disappearing with a slight 'poof' into his home.

"If you're finished first, wait at the gate, kay'?" Sakura nodded, also departing for a short span of time.

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As soon as the three all gathered, Sakura idly commented, "It just seemed like minutes ago that Kagome came and left. Hopefully, we can convince her to come back."

"We will bring her back," Naruto replied confidently.

"…Nothing was her fault…"

"What do you mean, Sasuke?" Sakura frowned.

"Nothing was her fault. It was my decision to take the hit," Sasuke explained. There was something that just drew him to her. It was a strange and foreign feeling to him, one that he never experienced before. It was probably just him caring for her like teammates, nothing more.

It seemed Sasuke had nothing else to say after that, and finally, they got going.

It was silent.

Uhmm…please forgive me for giving Kagome such a unique smell… (Wahh…) I just thought rice tea smelt good, and yeah…so I granted her with that smell. And yes, I do know where the story is going.

I didn't put the proper suffix for Tsunade at the end of Sasuke's sentence because I didn't feel that he would be a type of person to do that…I don't know…

Tenshi-Battosai