Here's a new chapter, nice and finished thanks to my great beta Reppad98 who sees everything :) I hope you'll all like this, and continue to be my great readers and supporters. Thanks for every review, favorite and followers, and everyone that takes from their time to read this story! It makes me really happy to that so many seem to like this - someone even called my story epic :D Thank you everyone!

To guest darkprime0: I'm sorry I didn't get to properly respond to your reviews, but thank you for your thoughts and interesting views. I do see your point, really, but I did (try) to think through my plot, and I'll explain my thoughts. It would be interesting to hear if you agree. I think it easily could have gone that way you said, with Sakura being interrogated, but for now, that's not happening. In chapter 1 inserted a conversation between the Hokage and Kakashi, and laid the premise for the next chapters that for now they will observe Sakura, and they do consider possible explanations. I could have inserted more of those, but it didn't occur to me, as I focused more on the feelings of every member of team 7. Sorry. Kakashi did see and react to her violent reaction on the 72 hour incident, but as she doesn't try to hurt them, he is content to watch. Also, Kakashi isn't present for several of her 'incriminating' conversations with Sasuke and Naruto. I believe, as long as she doesn't try to hide anything (and she actually lost that opportunity the moment she arrived, by being so obvious) they can afford to watch, and also, will ask her questions before resorting to Inoichi. I hope this made sense, and that the chapters can get a bit more realistic for you :) Thank you for your thorough reviews, they made me think through my chapters again, I appreciate it :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Chapter 5 - Wave

Sakura

Her fingers did not twitch. There was no reaction when Naruto pestered the Third to give them a 'real mission'. Her dream flew by, days merging like a never-ending live movie. She did not clench her hand when the Sandaime explained their mission.

"How do you feel about this mission, Sakura?"

The figments of her dream-memory-whatever continued to play their parts perfectly, initiating waves of déjà vu she quickly got accustomed to. She did absolutely not grit her teeth together.

"Nothing."

This was her first experience as a lucid dreamer (which must be a mistake of some sort in the jutsu, she was sure). She had heard from Shikamaru, as a very experienced dreamer, about the ability to control some or all aspects of a dream, once lucid, even if the process was 'troublesome'. One would think, seeing as this was her dream, that she would be able to manipulate events and change the world at will. She should be perfectly capable of sprouting wings and fly. The wings would not come. Additionally, it was really weird being trapped in her genin body, in days she was done with years ago, and she tried very hard to skip some years and arrive in her time. These people ignored all her attempts, and stayed baby-faced, innocent, unchanged.

"Sakura. Your opinion. Now." The crinkles around his eyes were gone, and Kakashi gave her an intense stare. This version of Kakashi didn't have much patience towards his least interesting student. Sakura looked at him and repressed a sigh.

"We survived."

Predictably, Sasuke looked at her like she was some lune, and Naruto became immediately concerned, hiding his worry behind a boisterous exclamation.

"Of course we do, we're awesome! Don't be afraid, Sakura-chan, I'll protect you, 'cause nothing can take me down!"

Her fingers did not twitch. She was shinobi. This wasn't even real, just some long gone days, forced into the light. All eyes were on her. Just illusions. Kakashi deemed her answer satisfactory, because he accepted the mission. Nothing could go wrong with a simple escort mission, after all, when the great Copy Cat Kakashi was on the team.

Tazuna the bridge builder walked in on them drunk and rude. He could probably see his life flashing before his eyes, just knowing that a fresh genin team would be the only barrier between him and that mafia boss.

Time blurred again, and then they were walking through the gate. A shouting match between Naruto and Tazuna commenced, and Sasuke apparently deemed her company the lesser of two evils. He actually walked with her, probably appreciating that she was even more silent than him.

Sakura watched as the demon brothers – how pretentious a name, they were just chūnin, for Kami's sake! – sliced through 'Kakashi' with their chains, and Naruto got acquainted with his own mortality for the first time .

When the broadsword got hurled above their heads, she didn't flinch. She didn't much care when the boy – Haku? – escaped with Zabuza, faking his death.

She almost slept through Naruto's motivational speeches to Inari. A skill sorely needed, and trained to perfection: Blocking out Naruto's voice, mostly used during ramen talk. She'd never needed it more. To do the tree climbing demonstration later on wasn't much different than taking any other stroll in the woods. The enthusiastic "You're amazing, Sakura-chan" was easily squelched with just a glance at the illusion of blue, blue eyes.

When Sasuke jumped in front of Naruto, taking on the resemblance of a pincushion in the process, Naruto naturally went Kyūbi-mode-light. Sasuke looked dead, but of course he'd just passed out from the strain of the pain and wounds. He could have died. He should have died there. If her Sasuke had passed away in that moment, much sorrow and pain would have been avoided. The rest of Team 7 would have grieved. For a long time. Naruto would have lost his brother, but wouldn't it have been better if the suffering had ended when Sasuke was still himself? No cursed seal, madness or rage, just their friend, teammate, family. It would have broken Kakashi. But even the death of a student would be better, she believed, than the ultimate betrayal of Sasuke. Not only did he turn his back on them as a team, or the village, but every value Kakashi had ever tried to teach him.

He should have died.

Before he turned his Chidori against them, he should have died.

He could die, just there.

Maybe in this dream things could be better.

Around her, Zabuza and Haku fought as if they had a tomorrow. Kakashi fought for the safety of his students. He would never let a comrade die, and especially not his cute pupils.

Naruto's protective side drew on the Kyūbi's chakra, overwhelming everyone who felt it for the first time.

They fought for a future, and she could ensure that it would be spared of so much sorrow.

Her feet had already taken the necessary steps. She knelt down, and cradled him in her lap. Sasuke twitched and groaned. Her hand was elevated over his chest, and green chakra began to glow. He was helplessly left to her mercy. There would be none. She couldn't afford it. Not this time. He would betray them, over and over again, and even if he came back, he could not be trusted. He would have to die, right here.

She could vaguely hear the telltale chirping of Chidori. Naruto would soon start to speak, desperately reaching with tears and conviction, and forever compassion. The events played out exactly as in her memories, and every heartbreak would follow like black pearls on a string.

Just a twitch of a finger, another coiling of her chakra, and it would all be over. She could stop it all from ever happening to this Kakashi. This Naruto.

Her hand hovered over his beating heart.

"Sasuke." He twitched, eyelids moving slightly. He was conscious. Exposed and vulnerable. "The cursed seal will grant you power, and promise you even more. You will take it all, and in turn it will strip away your humanity. It will fuel your madness, which will merge with your hate and anger until whatever was good is crushed. You will kill your brother, and in turn your madness will grow. You will betray everyone around you and everyone who ever cared about you."

Sasuke cracked an eye, squinting up at her. His wounds closed up beneath her hand, even as she pulled out the senbon. His breathing evened out. Cloudy onyx eyes blinked up at her, watching. Her own were dripping wet with accursed tears.

"I tried to help, take away his pain and do this one thing right. But of course I couldn't. I'm weak and pathetic and I couldn't even do this. I couldn't kill my one love and I can't kill you. If you died, this day, in this moment, life would be better for so many people. For Naruto. Kakashi. But you will live and your inferno will consume everything around you until there is only ash left at your feet."

Sakura steeled her resolve.