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: This is for Teen Titan Girl who was kind enough to remind me that it was time for an update. I'm at my new job doing this so I didn't have as much time for editing as usual. Forgive me. I will probablly end up getting the whole thing BETA'd by one person when I'm done to check for continuity and all that. Oh yeah, sorry for all the ANGST in this chapter, but I just couldn't resist. You know you love it, otherwise why would you be reading this depressing-ass-story, right. More to come soon!

Chapter 16 – Phase Two

"What?" Naruto and Neji spoke at the same time.

"It would be more appropriate if Neji would watch me than Naruto." And she could tell that Neji understood what she meant. He was her warden. He was the one there to make sure that she didn't try to do anything unusual. No doubt he was chosen because he was now the successor of the Hyuuga clan, but also because he was the one capable of watching her chakra flow as well.

"Understood." Neji moved forward and stood behind her. She could feel Naruto begin to protest, but thankfully he stopped himself and sat in a chair to her right. She hoped he understood too. But more than that, she didn't want Naruto to be the one holding her lifeless body in the end. That was much better suited for someone like Neji, who had a legitimate reason for wanting her dead.

Neji's hands hovered just behind her back, and she nearly shivered being that close to someone who hated her so much. But she suppressed the urge and turned slightly so that she could see Neji out of the corner of her eye.

"Thank you." She whispered to her left and closed her eyes. She knew Neji would hear her, even if he didn't want to be thanked by her.

"Don't you dare leave Naruto alone. Send Kakashi back right away." His smooth voice was very low so that Sakura leaned back little to make out what he said clearly. She nodded; she had no intention of dying in vain. Even if that meant she had to use her seal. She didn't know how she knew, but she could just tell that Neji would let her use it to save Kakashi if she had to. But she also knew he'd kill her for it. It was worth the consequences if she could just bring Kakashi back for Naruto, and everyone.

"Ino, I'm counting on you." Sakura spoke with confidence that betrayed her trembling heart.

"You don't have to tell me that." She smirked like she used to when they were younger and it eased Sakura's heart more than she could explain. "Ninpou: Shintenshin no Jutsu!" But instead of pointing her hands at Sakura, Ino pointed them to herself, so that Sakura's mind would be transferred into herself.

It was a strange feeling, being pulled from your own mind. If she had her inner self, she was sure it would be screaming 'Shannaro' but as it was, she'd lost that a long time ago. Perhaps she didn't need an inner self anymore, because she'd gotten strong enough to do what she wanted instead of suppressing it like she used to. Maybe if she had an inner self, she wouldn't have killed Hinata.

But these were useless thoughts that flooded her mind as she could almost feel herself floating in midair between the space that separated them. Then, she was inside Ino, looking through her eyes at her own body falling back into Neji's arms.

It took a moment to acclimate to the surroundings. She could just barely make out the feel of a strong hand on her back and a deep voice in her ear.

"Are you okay? Ino, can you hear me?" It was Chouji, helping to support her. She could feel the presence of someone else with her. It was Ino, her strong, definite personality was fighting for dominance, and Sakura, knowing what had to be done, allowed it. And she felt like she was being shoved back, farther into her mind so that she could still see Naruto looking over Neji's shoulder and touching what was her face, but it was hazy like there was a filter that was separating her from seeing clearly.

"Success." Sakura felt as if she'd spoken it, but the voice was strange. It sounded like it was synthesized. Their two voiced melted together and Shizune gave Ino's body a strange glance. "Beginning phase two."

And her eyes shut, so that Sakura was left in darkness.

"Sakura." There was a voice echoing through the dark, and the slight blip of light in the distance.

"Ino?" Sakura held out her hands, searching for Ino. "Where are you. I can't see you."

"I'm here, Sakura. Follow the light." And Sakura could see it, the light blipped again. That was where Ino was, that was where she needed to be. She wondered what this must feel like to Ino, who had someone else crawling through her mind.

Sakura supposed Ino was positioning her on the part of her cortex that she transferred in the Shin Ran Shin no jutsu. And Sakura took a minute to appreciate just how powerful her former best friend was.

And suddenly, she was bathed in a soft blue light. She could see Ino standing under the light, in a white gown. Her long blonde hair flowing over her shoulders, and her pale blue eyes seemed to glow.

"Ino?" She blinked and took another step forward. "Is that how you really see yourself in your own mind?" Ino laughed and shook her head. She looked down at the dress and touched it.

"No, Sakura." She reached a hand and took one of Sakura's. "This is how you see me." Then she smiled, and let a tear roll down her face. "This is your mind trying to synthesize with mine." And she pushed her away so that Sakura stumbled. "You mustn't allow yourself to do that. You have to stay singular, Sakura. I can't go with you." And an image of Chouji flashed behind Ino in the blue light.

"I know. I'm just… just…"

"Scared, I know." Ino finished her thought. "I can feel it."

"I don't want to die." Sakura felt like a child, begging for something they didn't really need. It wasn't fair for her to ask that.

"The longer you stay, the harder it will be for you to stay singular, which means the harder it will be for me to separate myself from you. You have a mission, Sakura." And Kakashi flashed behind her now. And Sakura could feel her resolve begin to build again.

"Yes, I do." And she took a breath and focused on pulling all the pieces of her that floated away back to her. She could feel her body begin to assemble from the darkness just beyond the light. "Tell Naruto that I'm sorry I couldn't love him. I wish I had. And tell Kakashi that he didn't lose me, I'll always be inside him. And tell Tsunade that she was the greatest teacher I ever had." Ino had more tears on her face now.

"I will. I promise." She wiped the tears away with a long, white, flowing sleeve. "I'm sorry things had to turn out like this. I wish I could go with you." It wasn't until then that Sakura heard another sound. It was a double heart beat. But it wasn't her own, she could feel that. This was coming from Ino.

"Oh, Ino. I didn't know." She could feel another life inside Ino. But not like Sakura was inside her mind. This was a life that was growing inside Ino's body. "You're going to be a great mother. Tell Chouji not to give him too many potato chips." And Ino laughed through her tears.

"It's time." Sakura folded her hands and prayed silently for Ino's safety. She wondered if Chouji knew. But she knew, if he had, he wouldn't have let her do this. She was thankful to Ino for hiding it from him so that Sakura could save Kakashi.

"Prepare yourself, and remember to keep yourself whole. No matter what." Ino turned, and her long white gown was gone. And Sakura was left alone. She focused all her energy on keeping every piece of her mind intact.

---

Ino opened her eyes, and positioned her hands at Kakashi's body. "Ninpou: Shin Ran Shin no jutsu!" her body fell back against Chouji and she turned to look him in the eyes. She blinked a few times and shook her heard. "Phase two, successful." Her voice was stretched, like she was trying to make it sound even. But it still quivered at the edges. She looked at Chouji, and then over at Naruto who was watching them intently. Chouji nodded, and seemed to understand why a tear trickled down Ino's cheek.

Chouji belt and wiped it away. "It's okay, Ino. Everything's going be okay." Ino buried her head in his shoulder and nodded.

"I know." There was a pause and she looked back up into his eyes. "Chouji, I'm pregnant."