REVISED 7/7/16 Let me know what you think of it, it makes my day. J

Sakura sat with her legs crossed under a large, shady tree with Kisames' burnt arms in her hands. She clicked her tongue thoughtfully as she turned them over and over, examining the damage thoroughly. She grabbed a hair band that Yukiyo had come up with earlier and, ignoring the strong smell of the poultice re tied her hair. It felt strange to have long hair again. It was.. unexpectedly heavy, in more ways than one. When she'd thought about growing it out, she never intended for it to get this long. She just wasn't ready.

Her sharp green eyes studied the face of the man whose name she'd learned was kisame, and was a little surprised to see an equally curious look on his sharp features.

He wriggled eyebrows, she rolled her eyes.

Charming.

"Hold still." She said flatly, lying his arms across her lap and touching the curve of his arm with gentle hands. She deftly poured chakra from her fingertips into his burnt flesh letting it settle deep in his muscles, feeling its way to the bone and back up again. Gently healing everything it touched, she watched with satisfaction as the pale blue pigment returned to his freshly healed skin. Slowly sliding her hands down both arms she noticed goosebumps forming across the healed flesh. Finishing up fingertip to fingertip she sighed, content that it hadn't taken as long she expected. "What?"

Kisame had been staring at her in what was close to awe, head cocked slightly to one side.

"Thanks pinkie." He purred, slowly withdrawing his fingers. One meaningful look later, he stood up and stretched with a strange expression on his face.

Sakura crossed her arms and watched thoughtfully while he walked over to Yukiyo, who was standing at the foot of the stone steps. There were about 30 of them, starting down at the base of the ledge, working their way up to the door and they were huge.

Odd. The one that Yukiyo was currently standing on had a huge burn mark on it. Did she starts fire last night? Why wouldn't she start it in the fire pit? God knows she crazy about her grass.. A foreboding chill crept up her spine.

The old woman hadn't bothered telling her what the negative repercussions of bathing too long in the herbs was, but she had a feeling that it wouldn't be good. Setting her chin on her crossed arms, she listened to their distant murmurs of conversation. They were slowly being carried over and distorted by a gentle breeze.

Kisame turned and left.

A few wisps of pink hair came loose and tickled her face, she closed her eyes.

They promptly snapped back open when the shrill call of a hawk came from somewhere above. She squinted up into the sky searching for the bird, one she recognised too easily. One she could probably recognize blind. Sasuke had occasionally sent her messages, very brief ones from the few she chose to read. And she regularly chose to ignore them, something about them hurt and made her hopeful. The easiest way to deal with the feeling was to ignore it, although every now and then she'd slip and peek inside.

The hawk swooped in and landed on her outstretched finger, looking a little surprised if that were possible for a bird. Probably because she'd usually run and hide or shoo it away with a branch or a pillow. One time a shoe. She had nothing against the bird personally, except that it delivered.. mixed feelings to her. It cocked its head from side to side and stared evenly into her eyes, pupils dilating a little creepily. It stuck out its little birdie foot and hopped, one legged up her arm. It was a little funny.

She snatched the note a little hesitantly, her name was written neatly across the sealed note. The bird scooted up her shoulder and peeked at the note with.. unnatural interest. It occurred to her that this animal probably knew just as much about Sasuke's inner thinking as she did. Which wasn't a whole lot.

Yukiyos' face suddenly came into view.

"Sakura. After he comes back with... our patient I'll be moving the mountain, and hiding it in a strong genjutsu. If you have things you need to settle you need to do them now." She nodded at the note, and the hawk.

Sakura gulped, and looked from the old woman to the bird, and finally the note. Sighing a bit uneasily she opened it carefully.

Her heart dropped into her stomach and flip flopped.

'I'm coming home.'