Hey all! Sorry if I'm not able to update for a little bit, there's a chance I'm going to the hospital today, sick as a dog... Good thing I'm on the computer, huh?

Anywho, on with the show!

Oh, BTW, 65 reviews! None of my stories had this many before the story was over! Thank you all!

Disclaimer- Yo quiero Taco Bell!

Chapter 16

Sakura backed away slowly, her eyes showed the fear in her. "Tsunade-sensei, what's up?"

"I was hoping you'd be a little more happy to see me. Guess what?" Sakura shook her head. "I can't leave!" Tsunade sighed, looking at her with tired eyes.

"Why can't you leave?" Sakura felt tears in her eyes.

"They need me here! They need a med nin! The kids here are getting attacked by ninjas, the people keep having problems, they need me! I can't leave my room mates! They need me, Tsunade, I need them too!" She stepped back, grasping the wall in fear. Tsunade stepped forwards.

"You don't have a choice. It was my order to bring you back, no matter what." Sakura shook her head.

"I'll die first!" She turned, running back into her bedroom, throwing the door closed, waking Itachi. He turned slowly, seeing her rummage through her pouch, pulling out a senbon. He sat up quickly, his eyes flying open as the door was kicked in, Tsunade walking in.

"Sakura-"

"NO!!" Sakura held the senbon to her jugular, tears in her eyes. "I'd rather die than leave them! I can't live without them now!" She gasped, ready to stab the needle into herself when her hand stopped. She looked over, Itachi holding her hand steady.

"Sakura, what's happening!?"

"She's been summoned back to Konoha. The 'invitation' extends to you and Diedera-kun as well." Itachi turned to her, wide eyed. Tsunade held her head down, looking at his feet before realizing he was only wrapped in a sheet.

"Oh."

It was a few minutes later that they sat in the living room, Itachi now wearing pants, Diedera grumbling, but sitting in the chair, Sakura and Itachi on the couch. Tsunade wouldn't sit.

"Here's the situation. Sakura has been ordered back to Konoha, ALIVE, no matter what. If need be I'm supposed to drug you to get you back there. Sakura, you know I hate this kind of thing, but I will if need be."

"I won't go. Itachi won't go back to Konoha, he has every reason to stay away from there, and I'm not leaving him. Diedera either. I won't leave either of them, so go and change the order."

"I'm not the one making the orders anymore." Tsunade plopped down on the other chair and sighed, looking around. "That's why you've been summoned back."

"For my execution?" Sakura sighed and Tsunade shook her head.

"To replace my expertise in Konoha. Sakura, I'm old enough to be your grandmother. I can't be the one to take care of it forever. My hands aren't as steady as they used to be." Tsunade smiled sadly, sighing. "They need you back for that reason. Diedera-kun, Itachi-kun, please be reasonable. She's needed there more than here. I've been ordered to take care of this area as the local medic. The people here will be safe. None of you are to be arrested, as a matter of fact, you've all been asked to be ninja for Konoha, even you, Diedera-kun." She faked a smile as she looked around. "It's safer, and you'll all be considered elite, save you, Itachi-kun, who are to be on a pedestal. If you want, you can all be retired. You're allowed pretty much anything you want when you get back." Sakura's eyes widened.

"What's happened?" Sakura was worried. "If they needed a med nin out here, why demote you? Why not send Ino?"

Tsunade laughed and shook her head. "Ino left Sasuke while he was here. When he came back with a young girl Ino went mad. She's currently under watch, not allowed any missions. She's supposed to come out here after she calms to assist me until she can take over." Her eyes trailed to the table before her.

"What about you after that?" Sakura's voice was soft and scared. "Then I'm free. I'm being discharged. I'm older than you think, Sakura, and I'm dying."

"WHAT?!" Sakura jumped up, eyes wide. Tsunade held up her hand.

"I have a disease. My body is breaking down. There's nothing that can be done. I don't want to die there, Sakura. I don't want them to see me when I go. It's not... But you have to go. You have to take care of them when I'm gone. You need to train the next wave of medics. I can't anymore." Sakura shook her head.

"I can't leave them, Tsunade."

"I'll go." Diedera nodded and looked over at Itachi.

Itachi looked down, thinking. He looked over at Sakura and she could tell he wasn't happy with this whole thing. "I'll go." He sighed and Sakura looked at him, bewildered. "WHAT?!"

"I can't have you let the whole village down. As much as you love me, I love you." Sakura's eyes widened.

"What?" She knew her voice wavered, but she couldn't help it.

"I love you, Sakura. I know, even if you say you don't, I know you want to go back. I don't want to be the reason for you missing them anymore." Sakura nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She looked over at Diedera, scared out of her mind. "Are you sure?" Diedera nodded, a smile on his face. "It'll be nice to be a ninja again, yeah."

Sakura gasped, tears instantly streaming down her cheeks. "Thank you!" She jumped at Itachi, throwing her arms around him, reaching over and grabbed Diedera, dragging him into the hug.

She sat there, her arms around them, crying and thanking them continuously for the next five minutes.

She turned to Tsunade, her eyes scared. "Tsunade, promise me you'll stay here. I want Ino to take care of you. When you do die, I want her to let me know so I can come visit you." Tsunade nodded.

"You have to be back in four days. Spend tomorrow packing, leave the morning after."

"Screw that!" Sakura laughed, running back to her room. "I'll be ready to go in two hours!" She laughed, Itachi smiling after her.

He turned to Tsunade after Sakura's door closed. "Are you really dying?"

"Yes." Tsunade smiled sadly.

"Have any preparations been made for our arrival?" Itachi was wondering what he was about to go through.

"You'll be staying in the Uchiha district. There's a second house, next to the main manor, that has been rushed. Sasuke has it waiting. When you arrive you'll have to go and see the Hokage to be. He'll give you money for basic needs, but knowing him he'll probably give you a fortune for furniture. He'll probably give you a bassinet and paint for a baby's room as well." She rolled her eyes and Itachi's eyes widened. "What?"

"The new Hokage is hopeful for you. He's hoping that the Uchiha clan will have like ten new members in the next five years. He's not very... realistic sometimes. It's cute though." She smiled and Itachi knew the look she had. Talking about someone you care about who you'll never see again.

"If she didn't care about you so much you would have died when I woke up. You better not disappear from here after we leave. If nothing else, you owe her that." Itachi stood and walked out of the room. He knew Sakura would be ready to leave in two hours, as stated.

Diedera stood, knowing what was happening. "There's a basement at the end of the hall. The first four rooms are safe, after that, be careful." Tsunade stood and nodded. "Thank you."

Sakura went to leave a note to the village before they left. She thanked them for taking her in so generously, and she nearly started to cry as she left.

It was two days later that Sakura stopped in the trees, her eyes frozen on the door before her. She held Itachi's hand and looked over at him, seeing the mix of emotions so strongly across him. Fear, love, resignation. "Don't worry, I know it'll all be alright." She smiled and Itachi stepped ahead. Diedera looked over at her with a sigh.

"He always seems so stiff. How in the hell can you get worry off of that?" Sakura smiled at him with a shrug.

"I grew up with Sasuke, they show emotion the same way, with their eyes." Diedera nodded and shrugged, stepping ahead.

Itachi was the first to step into the village, Genma looked at him with a smile. "Oi, Sasuke! How-" His eyes widened as he realized it wasn't the younger of the brothers. "Uchiha Itachi!" His voice shook as Diedera stepped into light. "Oi, you used to live here? It's so... cushy, yeah."

"Diedera!?" Genma was reaching for his alarm when Sakura stepped in.

"It's nice! It's pleasant and I love it here! Genma!" She smiled at him and he dropped the alarm, startled out of his mind. "Step over here, I'll protect you!" Genma jumped forwards and Sakura reached up, grabbing his arm and stilled him.

"They're safe! Calm down!" Genma looked between the two men and looked on the verge of tears. "What's happened with you since I left?"

"Sasuke!" Itachi gritted his teeth, hearing the voice from behind him. He turned, seeing some guy he wasn't familiar with run at him. The man ran close, but stopped about fifteen feet away. He stared for a while, looking over at Sakura.

"Sakura?"

"Neji!" Sakura smiled at him and waved.

"Ah, the Hyuuga prodigy." Itachi spoke softly, Neji's eyes never leaving him.

"Sakura, That's not Sasuke, is it?" Sakura giggled.

"No, he's not."

"He's an Uchiha, isn't he?" Sakura laughed.

"Yep!" She threw her arm over Itachi's shoulder and Itachi looked over at her with a smile.

"Are you showing me off?" He chuckled and Sakura nodded, barely able to keep from covering her mouth.

"It's not bad to show you off! Or you!" She turned and grabbed Diedera by the neck, dragging him over.

"Sakura, Sweety, this is embarrassing!" Sakura giggled as she walked in, hugging Neji to his shock.

"How have you been?" She smiled, and he sighed, fighting off the blush.

"Good. Lots of missions. I'm a special ops in Anbu now." Sakura's eyes shone as she nodded.

"I knew you'd be one of the greatest someday! I didn't think you'd be so young, though."

"I was head of Anbu at fourteen." Itachi frowned and Sakura turned to him with shock.

"Fourteen?! That's just irresponsible! What idiot decided to do something so grave to a fourteen year old?!"

"Sandaime." Itachi's eyebrow lifted and Sakura stilled.

"Oh."

"So you must be Uchiha Itachi." Neji nearly whispered and Itachi turned down to him, nodding.

"Hyuuga Neji. I worked with your father frequently. You look a lot like him." Neji nodded, startled at the admission of his identity.

"Sakura, why is he alive? I thought he was dead."

"So did I, but I'm glad he's not." Sakura turned to Itachi and smiled softly, leaning back against his chest. Itachi reached out, wrapping his arm around her and smiled, shaking his head.

"I'm glad I'm not too." Diedera laughed at the statement, knowing it was Itachi's humor.

"I wouldn't be hanging around with you if you were. No good conversation whatsoever, yeah." Sakura laughed, shaking her head.

"We gotta head out, see the new Hokage. You know who it is?"

Neji stared at her, wide eyed, completely in awe of her ignorance in the situation. "He's at the tower. Probably breaking in his hat." Neji stared.

"We'll see you around!" Sakura grinned as they took to the air.

In Konoha the ninjas needed to travel by rooftop if they could, as there was so little traffic. They reached the bottom of the tower and found Shizune finishing the paperwork. "Shizune!" Sakura ran over and hugged her, catching her off guard.

"Sakura?" She looked at her with wide eyes. "Sakura!" She leaned in hugging Sakura back. "Oh, She found you!" Sakura nodded.

"How are you holding up?" Shizune's eyes shimmered with tears as she shook her head.

"I'm still in shock. She didn't tell anyone till she stepped down. She only told a few of us what was happening and insisted I stay here. I can't believe, in the end I won't be there for her..." Sakura shook her head and hugged the woman again.

"I guess you're here to see the new Hokage, huh?" Sakura nodded and Shizune pointed.

"By now you better remember where the office is." Sakura nodded and patted the older woman on the back once more before they headed off.

She knocked at the door and waited for a second, hearing rustling from the other side. "Come in." Sakura smiled. She knew that voice.

She opened the door to see Kakashi and Naruto sitting on the end of the desk, chatting about something. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto jumped up with a grin. "It's so nice to have you back!" He grinned and Itachi looked over at Kakashi with a frown.

Kakashi visibly shook when he saw the younger man, standing instantly.

"What are you doing here?!" Itachi looked at him with wide eyes. They both stilled for a second and Kakashi fell back against the desk, shaking his head.

"Don't ever do that to me again."

"It's the fastest way." Itachi smiled viciously.

"You could have just said you were invited. Why are you alive?"

"I'm a master of genjutsu. Why does no one seem to realize this?" He looked over at Diedera who shrugged. Kakashi stared at him for a second and stepped back.

"God, Sakura, what the hell were you doing?! Are there any other Akatsuki members following you?!" Sakura shook her head.

"They're not with the Akatsuki. They're with me. Where I go, they go and vice versa. I only agreed to come back after they said they'd come."

Kakashi turned to her with more horror than shock in his eyes. "Seriously?"

"They're great people. Itachi's very kind and caring. Diedera's a sweetheart. There's no reason they shouldn't be here." Kakashi looked at her with a sudden look of shock.

He ran over at Itachi, grabbing him by the throat and pinned him to the wall. "You used your sharingan on her, didn't you?!"

"I love her. I could never do that to her. When she came out of it, she'd hate me, and that would kill me." Kakashi stumbled back, shock, horror, if it's ever been displayed in a horror fic, you could see it in his one visible eye.

He turned to Sakura who looked across at Itachi with a soft smile. "Kakashi-sensei, you're like a father to me. Please, get to know him. You'll realize soon enough that he's not a bad guy."

"I can make sure they spend time together." Naruto laughed and Sakura looked at him with a frown. "If he's the Hokage, I'm pretty sure it's his choice and not yours."

"I don't want that job! Too much work, not enough time to read." Kakashi sighed, resigned to the fact that the little girl he though of as a daughter was seeing an ex-S ranked criminal.

"Then who's..." Sakura's eyes widened as Naruto took out the hat and slid it over his wild hair.

Diedera looked over at Itachi and frowned. "You know what this means, right?"

"Konoha's fucked." Sakura muttered and Diedera laughed.

"I was going to go for big Christmas bonuses, yeah, but that works too!"