Title: Sakura's Home
Author: Winter Ashby (rosweldrmr)
Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto-sama. I don't own anything about Naruto, this is just for fun and if I did own Naruto I wouldn't have to right this, because I would have a team of very talented people turning this into a saga right now...
Rating: K+
Warning: this not only has spoilers until Manga 270ish, but it's kind of required for you to know what's going on. I use a lot of the Gaara mission, just made it AUish.
Summary: Sakura was kicked out of Konoha five years ago but now has been asked to return… She will meet old friends and be faced with the consequences of her actions. Future AU Sakura centric. No pairings, and you need to be up to date in the manga and series.
Authors Notes: Yeah, chapter 3. :does a little dance: Okay, I'm better. I think is coming along pretty well. Let me all know what you think... please? Also, I have the distinct impression that my description and title suck, please let me know if you have any suggestions. Arigatou! And check the end of the chapter for a quick little dictonary to my Naruto terms. Let me know if I've misspelled any japanese words... I'm trying my best. Thank you!

Chapter 3 – Goodbyes

Neji was much the same, with his strange and unnerving byakugan was unchanged. The last time she'd seen him, he had swore vengeance and she was sure that he was restraining himself to the best abilities now. Although, he was taller and obviously stronger now – he seemed to be less hostile. Perhaps five years had dwindled some of the contempt he had for her. Even though she knew she deserved his hate and so much more for what she'd done.

However, the biggest change was Chouji, she noted as her eyes traced the huge scar that traced the length of the left side of his face. It was deep and thick, and from the looks of it, it was about three and a half years old. It cut his trademark swirls diagonally, but he was quite handsome now, in spite of the scar. In fact, it seemed to give him more depth than she remembered.

She could feel Ino behind her coming closer. She felt unease because of the anger that was practically dripping from her old friend. "None of this would have happened if you would have just given up on that evil jutsu." Her words were hushed but heavy as she passed by to stand in between Chouji and Neji. At first Sakura was sure she was referring to the death of Sasuke, after all she had also been in love with him for years. But it had been eight years since he first left, could she still be in love with him?

It was then that Sakura noticed how closely she stood to Chouji, and the way their charka seemed to mold and swirl with each other's. She noted the matching butterfly that was carefully embroidered onto the thumb sleeve of their gloves. It wasn't until then that Sakura understood Ino's words. She followed Ino's gaze and looked back to Chouji and the scar that marred his face. And it was true, if Sakura had stayed in the village, she would have been able to heal him with no problem, even without the seal.

"Ino-chan…" Sakura's voice was low and apologetic, but she was stopped by a swift wave of the hand from Chouji.

"Stop." He insisted with authority and a new kind of confidence. "Please, enter." He gestured to the looming door to her right. His formal request sounded more like an order, and she knew it was.

"Yes." she knew that whatever was on the other side of the door wasn't her teacher anymore, just a body. His soul was lost in oblivion, drifting in pain in a dimension of everlasting torment. She shuddered at the memory of her encounter with Itachi. It was something you can't ever forget.

She moved to the door and was met by Shino. Apparently, they didn't trust her alone with him. ANBU wasn't there to help Kakashi; they were there to protect him from her. She was a wandering ninja now, and that made her a threat to Konoha. "I will accompany you, the rest will remain outside." He opened the door and gave her a hard sideways stare. "Know this, criminal…" he let the ominous, foreboding title hang in the air around them for a moment. "…if you try anything, we will not hesitate to kill you." He was cold and just as formal as she remembered him. He was also the most straightforward, calling her by what she was instead of her name. He wasn't going to let her forget that she was an outlaw in her own home village.

"Understood." She said as the crossed the threshold into the darkness of the small apartment. There were wires and IV's hanging around the room. She was also thrown back by the almost overwhelming nostalgic smell of his apartment. It had been five long years since she'd seen him, and she thought she'd forgotten what his chakra felt like. But as soon as she was in his home again, it all came rushing back.

Pictures of better times, and the golden days of team seven came at her with an almost devastating speed. She was thirteen again, waiting for Kakashi outside his door, because he was late again. She was posing for the picture that still sat above his bed next to the one of his genin comrades under the leadership of the Yondaime. She was standing on the roof of the hospital while Kakashi told her that everything would go back to the way it was before. Then she was alone, standing on a hill, the sun on her face and the wind blowing through her short hair the day before she was kicked out of Konoha when he had come to her, begging that she stop her research and come back with him.

She staggered a bit, and it was only Shino's hand on her back that jolted her back into the reality of where she was. She glanced back up at him, giving him a similar sideways expression that he seemed to understand. He didn't say anything but quickly withdrew his hand and leaned against one of the far walls.

"You may examine him if you wish." He instructed her, serious and a distinct air of justified authority. "However, you are not to perform any medical jutsu, whatsoever." The second part of his order is what got her the angriest. Here she was: the most powerful medical ninja in any of the hidden villages, her deeds were legendary. And she was being told not to help the dying man, of whom she knew well.

But she didn't say anything; she just slowly approached the bed and sat in the chair that waited for her. She wondered how many people had sat in this chair in the two weeks he'd been like this, certainly there were many visitors.

Even in the dark, she could make out the dark blue of his face mask and the shimmer silver of his hair. It was even longer now, lying on the pillow around him. He looked pale and fragile. Gently, she laid a hand on his, with a momentary glance back a Shino who was watching intently, and nodded in approval. Knowing that Shino wouldn't been the one watching her unless he was qualified, she didn't bother to justify the charka that leaked from her hands as she began to use her own energy to determine the extent of his injuries. And considering she wasn't being tackled, he'd learned to recognize her chakra from that which she used from other living things.

That didn't surprise her either, considering he was also part of her interrogating team, he was quite aware of her history, jutsu's and chakra control. She concentrated her own chakra as she scanned his internal organ, brains, the synaptic functions, and everything else. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw the slight remnant of a blue light fading. She turned back to Shino, and to her surprise, past his long hair she could clearly read shock in his eyes.

"What was that?" he questioned her fiercely

"I released the stored chakra from my seal…" she touched the tattoo that covered her face. "…it's not just for looks you know." She commented lightly, trying desperately to ebb some of the aggression that was building in the room. Even though she'd had many battles and killed countless people, she didn't relish the thought of fighting. It was always better to avoid a confrontation, if possible.

"What did you find?" His change in topic obviously meant that he wasn't going to kill her. The last time he'd seen her, she only had a small diamond on her right temple, so it wasn't unusual to see that he was oblivious as the meaning of the symbols that covered her face now.

"He's dying, slowly, and painfully. His internal organs are beginning to shut down, and if nothing is done, he will die in another two days." She was sure, instant, and professional. Even though there was a little thirteen year old inside her screaming that this was HER Kakashi-sensei and that she should be more upset.

"R… Rin." A slow a tortured breath left Kakashi's mouth and Sakura's head whipped around suddenly as his hand also closed around hers. "O…Obi…Obito!" his scream was louder now and she turned to find an apathetic Shino still leaning against the wall.

Sensing her rising anger, he spoke. "He's been like that the whole time. Crying out for Uzumaki-kun first, then it was Obito and Rin. He even called for Sasuke and you a few times."

"He's trapped in a torture dimension of his own mind. He can't escape and it's killing him. That eye is killing him." She looked down at his exposed, scared eye. "It must be removed."

"You misunderstand, Sakura." He says calmly, as if she were a child. He leans forward and walks to stand above her next to the bed. "You weren't brought here to save him. You were called here so you could say your goodbyes."