Summary: As everything she had ever known is turned upside down, Sakura strikes out with her newly founded team in a perilous time when friend and foe alike can become complications. AU. MultiSaku. Sakura centric. SakuraHarem. Sequel to "no good gift (goes unpunished)." Multi-chaptered.

Pairing(s): SakuraxNaruto, SakuraxSasuke, SakuraxSai, SakuraxGaara, SakuraxDeidara, SakuraxSasori, SakuraxKisame, SakuraxItachi, SakuraxHidan, SakuraxKakuzu, SakuraxTobi, SakuraxMadara, SakuraxPein, KakashixSakura, KibaxSakura, ChojixSakura, ShikamaruxSakura, HakuxSakura, ZabuzaxSakura, LeexSakura, NejixSakura, ZetsuxSakura, KimimaroxSakura, KabutoxSakura, ShinoxSakura, SuigetsuxSakura, JugoxSakura, ShisuixSakura, IzunaxSakura, KotetsuxSakura, IzumoxSakura, GenmaxSakura, KonohamaruxSakura, YamatoxSakura, BxSakura, CxSakura, DaruixSakura, MenmaxSakura, JiraiyaxTsunade, OrochimaruxTsunade, (implied) AxTsunade

Genre: Adventure/Romance/Friendship/Humor/Angst

Warnings: some cursing (they are teenagers!), general OOC-ness, dark and sometimes suggestive themes

Notes: So Sakura and Menma come back! Let's see what they've been up to in their time off-screen. It's been a while, but this story has been on the back burner of my mind in the months I've been away. Guys, if you have any suggestions or characters you'd like to see more of, please let me know. I love getting feedback on this kind of thing and there are a lot of characters doing a lot of different things right now. I'm sure we can fit in those that are your favorites.

Chapter Summary: In which there is an encounter; family is found; fits are had; and a different path is walked.

Songs I Listened to While Writing: "GDFR" by Florida, "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver, "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa, "Still Around" by 3OH!3.

"the gifted & i"
-12/26-
Of Monsters & Men

Deidara rolled to the side, cursing his partner in his head relentlessly as he avoided the spikes that tore after him. Of course Sasori would have a meeting with one of his spies in this awful little city and of course he would encounter not one, not two, but five Konoha operatives.

Just his freaking day.

"Kai," he muttered, setting off a string of explosions that sent the poser artist and wood-user flying.

He smirked. Obviously his art was the best; no question about it. Now where was the copycat?

Movement flickered out of the corner of his eye and Deidara flattened himself against the ground, blessing the day that he had gotten his mechanical eye.

"Hatake," he panted, hands already moving to form a bird. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Kakashi's mismatched eyes narrowed. "I think you know already Deidara."

Deidara rolled his eyes, slapped a hand against the ground, and took off on the bird. "Still bitter about the defection, yeah?" He threw some bombs at the man. "Didn't know you cared so much."

"Deidara!" a voice rang out angrily.

Deidara turned. He'd forgotten about the two brats. He gave them a cheeky smirk.

"Bastard! What did you do to Sakura?" Kiba demanded as Akamaru growled.

"What are you talking about?" Deidara asked, completely confused. "Isn't she with you?"

"Stop joking around asshole!" Naruto yelled, teeth bared. "We know you have her!"

Deidara's eyes widened. It was time to make a strategic retreat.

"What do you want to do now?" Menma asked tentatively.

Sakura chewed her lip indecisively, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. They were currently in South Carolina, taking a break from the road at a small gas station.

When she didn't respond, Menma glanced at her anxiously. "D-do you want to contact your team?"

Sakura hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "No…not yet at least. They're out there somewhere, fighting Sound. I-I can't go back right now. They'll want me to be combat ready and I'm not."

Menma grabbed her, pulling her into a hug. "It's alright Sakura. Calm down. We'll do whatever you want to do."

Sakura's shoulders shook but no tears fell. She was exhausted. Her voice cracked as she said, "For so long now I've been the Academy's soldier. I've given up things, important things, for the sake of the mission; for the sake of the greater good. I'm so tired, Menma. I'm fucking exhausted. This once, just this once…" Her voice broke.

Menma rubbed her back. "It's alright Sakura, I'm here with you."

She sighed, tension leaving her body completely as she leaned limply against Menma's shoulder. "Just once I want to do what I want."

"And what is it that you want?" he asked softly.

"I want to see my biological family. I want to talk to them. I-I want to explain to them," she murmured.

"Alright then," Menma said decisively as he continued making circles on her back. "We'll go see your family."

Sakura pulled back, staring into his bright red eyes. "Are you sure Menma? You've been under the Council's thumb your entire life. This is your first taste of freedom. Do you really want to travel with me? Possibly be hunted by the Council and other rogue organizations? Enter another cage willingly?"

Menma snorted, brushing a thumb back and forth over Sakura's cheekbone. "Idiot," he said cheerfully. "Following you is my bid for freedom. It's my choice; you aren't forcing me. I want to go with you. Besides, someone needs to watch out for your reckless ass."

Sakura stared at him for a long moment before a smile split her face. She threw her arms around him once more. "Thank you."

Menma leaned his chin against her head, closing his eyes to fully capture the moment. "For you, Sakura? Anything."

"Where are you going?" a soft voice inquired.

Hinata stiffened, turning to face her younger sister. "Hanabi," she greeted warily.

Hanabi's eyes flitted over her sister's travel-ready clothes, her weapons both viewable and concealed, and the full pack that she was sporting. "You're going after her."

It wasn't a question.

Hinata released a sigh, nodding reluctantly. Hanabi had been Sakura's most ardent supporter even before meeting the girl. Her admiration only grew as she had the chance to know her idol as a friend. Hanabi had been most displeased about the vacuum of information about Team Seven's botched trip to Kumo. Five had departed; three returned. The Uchiha were in an uproar over losing the clan heir; for the second time in a surprisingly short span of years. Hanabi was more concerned with the one who mattered: Sakura.

After all, she hadn't left of her own volition.

"Good," Hanabi stated firmly. "I'm going with you."

Hinata's eyes flashed. "Absolutely not." Her tone was a warning. "You are the clan heir after me; we need you here."

"Sakura needs me!" Hanabi bit back furiously. "Were you just planning on leaving without informing anyone?" she demanded. "The clans would be in an even greater state of chaos if you and, I'm assuming, Ino and Karin, suddenly went missing! Use your brain Hinata!"

Hinata frowned severely at her in return, brandishing the letter in her hand. "I was going to leave you with instructions to handle the inevitable fallout. I'm not an idiot." Hanabi looked chagrined. "Look, I understand that you love Sakura but we need people here on the home front. Almost every major Konoha clan is invested in the War that is brewing either with children out fighting for Konoha or children betraying our home. What Ino, Karin, and I are doing is reckless and probably selfish, but we have to help Sakura. That's why we need you here."

"Why me?" Hanabi asked, eyes glistening with tears. "Why not Hana or someone else?"

"Because you know what we risk losing if we fail," Hinata replied calmly. "Because you are clan heir apparent after me of the single most influential Konoha clan. The Uchiha have fallen into disgrace since the Akatsuki fiasco. The Uzumaki have not been established for nearly as long. The burden falls to you Hanabi and I am sorry for it."

Hanabi allowed a few tears to slide down her face even as she nodded. "What must I do?"

"Call a meeting of the clans the day after tomorrow. Inform them of our departure. Present them with this." Hinata handed her an official looking document. "I have…renounced my claim as heir. You are, officially, the clan heir and such you may be heard by the clan heads."

"But Hinata-!" Hanabi protested, horrified. By renouncing her right as heir, Hinata had essentially disgraced and dishonored herself. She was no longer a part of the Hyuuga clan. The only way to restore her honor would be by appearing before a council of all of the clan heads and receiving a unanimous vote. Such a restoration had never occurred in Konoha's history.

"It is already done," Hinata said quietly, a look of sorrow flitting across her face. "This is the only way for us to impress upon the clan heads the seriousness of the situation. I need you to utilize every political maneuver and manipulation that you know. You can pull this off, Hanabi. I know it. You can sway the clans into giving more attention to the Sakura dilemma."

Hanabi nodded, hardening herself. "I love you Hinata. Be strong and swift."

Hinata softened enough to pull Hanabi into a hug. Hanabi's heart broke as she felt her sister's fine trembling. "I love you too Hanabi. Be alert and safe."

And with that, Hinata left, knowingly walking away from the only life she had ever known for the love of her best friend in all the world.

I'm coming Sakura.

Sakura bounced in her seat, excited for the first time in who knew how long. She'd pored over the documents from Tenten multiple times to find every little detail. Her parents had moved out of Georgia. They were now residing in Mississippi of all places!

Menma was driving and he glanced over to her with amusement. "Excited or do you need me to stop?" he teased.

"Excited of course!" she replied, energy unwavering. "We're almost there."

Menma's grin softened and he gripped her hand in his own. Sakura glanced down in bemusement. Menma was obviously starved for affection and sought out physical contact with her in any way possible. Sakura didn't mind, she'd been deprived of human contact too. The Council had hurt them both.

Sakura turned her darkening thoughts once more to her family. It had been years since she'd been left at the Academy. She'd thought that they would get to interact on weekends at least, but the Council and the Konoha clans had prevented that, fearing for the Gifted girl. Even her letters had been intercepted, though she had, at times, received care packages from her parents. Her iPod, her favorite foods, and her plush sting ray were all gifts received over the years. They'd petered off after a few years though.

Sakura felt a wave of homesickness wash over her; homesick for both the comfort of her room at the Academy and the safety she felt encircled in her parents' embrace. In less than an hour, she'd be with her family again.

She hummed along with the radio, leaning her head against the window and watching the fields as they flew past them. Her fingers stayed entwined with Menma's hand the rest of the ride.

When he pulled the car over in the parking lot of a convenience store, Sakura started.

"We're here," Menma said softly. "Do you have the address?"

Sakura nodded. "I want to scout the location first. It's an unknown area and I don't feel comfortable here."

Menma laughed. "I'd have been worried if you didn't!" He looked around for a moment. "We're going to draw a lot of attention in a small town like this."

Sakura snorted. "Between my pink hair and your whisker marks and red eyes, I'm not surprised. Still…you're right. We need something that makes us a bit more inconspicuous."

Sakura pulled out the supplies that Tenten had given them, grabbing a baseball cap for herself and concealer for Menma. She motioned him to sit down.

"What's that?" he asked warily.

"Makeup," Sakura replied, guiding him to sit down. Menma wrinkled his nose as she opened the bottle, smelling the chemicals inside. Sakura laughed. "It'll hide your whisker markings."

She brushed a thumb across his face thoughtfully and affectionately before starting. Aside from his grimace at the beginning, Menma was placid.

"You're much better about this than Naruto," she informed him, checking her work. "He always fidgeted and whined the whole time. Sasuke and I had to hold him down while Sai applied it."

Sakura trailed off, looking into the distance. Menma squeezed her hand, jolting her out of her morose thoughts.

"Sorry about that," she said. "Let's get going."

Sakura grabbed her map of the area and the address before linking arms with Menma. They made their way down a sidewalk, glancing around at the little Podunk town.

"Not much going on around here, is there?" Menma asked under his breath to Sakura.

"You're right. It's a lot different from Atlanta," she replied. "It's where we lived…before."

He looked at the rundown buildings, most of which were already closed even with light still out. "Not really my scene." He glanced sideways at Sakura. "Doesn't seem to be yours either."

Sakura frowned lightly. "It's not. Honestly, it doesn't seem to be my parents either; we lived in Atlanta before now."

Menma shrugged. "People change."

"Yeah," she murmured softly. "Yeah, they do."

"Sasori!" Deidara hissed, glancing around the packed warehouse. This was just the kind of shady, unartistic place where Sasori would meet his spies. "Sasori! Get your ass out here, yeah!"

There was no response. Deidara looked around warily, afraid that those Konoha brats would ambush him again.

"Dammit, Sasori!" he exclaimed, looking around.

He was not well-suited to espionage; his skillset was much more…flashy. Deidara felt completely out of his comfort zone as he glanced around large boxes and crates. Deidara cursed, pulling out some clay. Screw this searching thing; he was doing this his way.

He formed multiple clay mice and a few small birds, sending them out to search for his erstwhile partner. Deidara was disappointed that he wasn't getting to use bombs but he needed to keep from drawing attention.

One of the mice disintegrated, letting Deidara know that it had found someone. He made his way to the location, stopping in complete surprise. "Zabuza?" he gawked. "You're Sasori's spy."

Zabuza crossed his arms across his chest with an unimpressed scowl before leveling Sasori with a dry look. "How do you put up with this idiot?"

Sasori shrugged lithely, giving Deidara a glare. "Usually, he stays out of my way. What is it you want Deidara? Zabuza hasn't finished debriefing me."

Deidara cast Zabuza a wary look, eyeing the sword balanced on his shoulder. He had no idea how the man traveled with such a huge sword. He shuffled from foot to foot. "There's some freaky shit going down, yeah," he said; anxiety high in his voice. "There are Konoha teams crawling Missouri right now. I was just ambushed by that Uzumaki brat and Hatake."

Sasori's eyes flared slightly in surprise. "Konoha you say." His eyes darkened as he turned to Zabuza. "You said nothing about this in your report."

Zabuza fidgeted slightly, knowing just how lethal and dangerous Sasori could be. "I didn't get the chance to talk about it yet. There's a lot happening in Konoha right now, not the least of which is the deployment of Konoha seeker teams."

Sasori frowned. "Why are they being deployed? Konoha should be collecting its resources at home, not sending out its most valuable assets."

"Sakura Haruno has been declared missing. She was abducted by an unknown organization in Kumo," Zabuza hesitated, taking in the shock on Sasori's face. "Judging by your look, you had no idea did you? Konoha thinks it's Akatsuki but that isn't your MO. I think it's Sound."

Deidara nodded. "Yeah, that's why I came here, yeah! Konoha seeker teams are up in arms about it and attacking the hell out of us. There's no evidence of Akatsuki doing this. In fact, Sound is much more likely to abduct Sakura. Why us?"

Zabuza sighed. "They're looking for Sasuke. He defected in Kumo. It's a huge fiasco and political mess. All of the sectors are gearing up."

"They're looking for Sakura," Sasori muttered. "A Debt of Gratitude." Sasori straightened. "Thank you for the intel, Zabuza. Deidara, we need to go."

"That's what I've been trying to say, yeah!" Deidara groaned, striding to keep up with Sasori.

"Hurry up, Deidara. Time is of the utmost imperative right now. We need to contact him."

Zabuza watched as the Akatsuki duo left the warehouse, sagging in relief. He rubbed a hand over his face. "Shit. Haku isn't going to like this."

Sakura felt anticipation build in the pit of her stomach as she stared at the quaint house.

Her parents' house.

She was finally home.

She touched Menma's hand for support and comfort before moving forward quietly.

The two-story house was a cheery yellow with ivy climbing up the sides. Each window had shelves filled to the brim with plants, both medicinal and edible. There was a small, fenced garden outside. All in all, it was her parents' dream house.

Sakura went up to the side of the house, looking around. She couldn't be too careful, especially with the chaos of the Gifted world at the moment. Sakura started to peek into windows, freezing when she heard the sounds of laughter.

She would recognize that light, airy laughter anywhere.

It was her mother.

Her heart suddenly in overdrive, she moved toward the sound. She stopped beside the large window, heart pounding in her ears. It had been over ten years since she had last seen them. Her giddiness and anxiety were at an all-time high. Steeling herself, Sakura peeked into the window.

Her parents had not changed much in the past decade, aside from some additional wrinkles and gray hair. Sitting with them at the table were two children, very young in age. The elder was a seven-year-old girl with dark hair and eyes. The younger was a boy around the age of four. There was no mistaking the fact that they were her parents' children. They looked more like them than she ever did.

The family looked…happy.

And complete.

Sakura felt her heart stutter as her mindscape went numb. She stumbled back at a rapid pace, heaving as she did so. She barely noticed as Menma wrapped his arms around her, pulling her away from the house.

Distantly, Sakura realized that she was having some sort of panic attack.

"Sakura! Sakura! What the hell has gotten into you?" Menma asked, concern growing as she continued to shake uncontrollably.

He led her to the community park, suddenly thankful that everyone in town seemed to retire very early in the evening. He sat her down on a bench, holding her all the while.

"T-they don't want me," Sakura finally said, once she'd calmed down enough to be coherent.

"What?" Menma asked, heart sinking as dread overcame him.

"My parents," Sakura said, rubbing at her eyes. "They-they've moved on. They have children now. UnGifted children."

Menma's eyes went wide. "How do you know that they don't want you? Just because they have other children doesn't mean that you are less important to them," he reasoned, desperate to comfort Sakura.

Sakura shook her head, defeat lined in every curve of her body. "They used to send me care packages every month. Their letters were always screened, but they usually came through. After a few years at the Academy, I think when I was around ten or eleven, the packages stopped coming. At the time, I thought the Council had just increased their standards for packages and wasn't letting them through. Now though…the…the girl, their daughter, looked to be around seven years old. Mom was probably pregnant when they stopped…" she trailed off, resting her forehead against Menma's neck.

They sat in silence, listening to the cicadas around them.

"No wonder they didn't want me," Sakura murmured against Menma's shirt. "I'm a freak. Their other children are healthy and normal."

Menma bit his lip, holding back from the verbal lashing he wanted to give Sakura's parents. Now was not the time.

Sakura sighed heavily. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know," he replied, looking up at the starry sky as they clung to each other.

Where would they go from here?

Sakura sighed, standing to her feet. Menma glanced at her in surprise, watching as she strode around in agitation.

"What are you doing?" he asked cautiously.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe them! They told me they'd wait for me; that we'd be together when we graduated! Why the hell would they do this to me?" she released a scream of frustration. "It was all a lie. All of it was a damn lie!" Sakura felt rage burn the numbness and sadness from her veins. It was good. It made her feel strong, powerful; like a damn hurricane. She glanced down at her necklace, ripping it away from her skin. "A damn lie," she said again, staring down at the diamonds in the circle necklace.

"Sakura-!"

"No, Menma!" Sakura yelled, hands balled into fists. "I don't need comfort right now. My friends are gone, I've been betrayed too many times to count, and now my family…well, they aren't my family, not anymore."

She glanced down at the necklace again before screwing up her face and throwing the necklace, careful to not use her Gift. It was much more satisfying with her normal, non-augmented strength. Sakura turned back to Menma, a tentative smile on her face.

"Thanks for dealing with my crazy. I…I feel better now. At least a little bit," she said quietly.

Menma smiled back, a little unsure. "As long as you're alright."

Sakura's smile became more genuine. "Seriously, thanks for sticking with me through this. I'm glad there's someone I can count on." She sighed, stretching her arms above her head. "Let's get the hell out of this hellhole." They stared at each other for a long moment, simply enjoying the other's presence.

"Not so fast," a familiar voice said. "We need to catch up."

Sakura whirled around, falling into a fighting stance. Menma did the same out of the corner of her eye.

She froze, catching sight of a lithe, dark haired man. "Izuna?"

-12/26-
Complete
-12/26-

The ladies have left Konoha. They're on Sakura's trail and they'll undoubtedly become embroiled in everything that's going on.

Akatsuki is on the move. They know about Sakura and the shit is about to hit the fan.

Thoughts on Zabuza as Sasori's Konoha spy? I always thought that Zabuza was a loose cannon, doing things according to his own agenda. He sees the darkness in Konoha and agrees, at least slightly, with Akatsuki's message.

Sakura and Menma continue to grow closer to one another as her team chases down dead-end leads.

Also, Izuna's back! Oddly enough, he's in Mississippi of all places. Pretty suspicious…

Thank you guys for reading the update. Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts. I love talking so feel free to ask any questions you may have.

-jay