Author's notes:

Another three months, another chapter for my Naru-fic. There isn't any flashbacks here. This is were I show the what's going on with other two essential characters.

Also, as you would find out, I gave Sakura access to jutsus other than what Tsunade would have thought her. I did this since…well…a lot of people seem to dislike Sakura because of her weakness. This is my way of remedying it.

On a side note:

I just want to say that Sakura was created as a balance to Naruto and Sasuke characters. Both have great power but not much control(Naruto lacks physical control while Sasuke lacks emotional control), Sakura balances this by being weaker but having perfect control. Both boys are geared to death and destruction, Sakura is a medic and a peacekeeper between them.

She's the fulcrum on which the two containers of power are balanced, without which both will fall and shatter.

And with that, I end my case study on Haruno Sakura.

Disclaimer:

The following is a work of fiction created using elements not belonging to the author. These aforementioned elements belong to their respective owners. Any similarities with people, places, events, and/or stories by other authors, either living or dead, is purely coincidental.

He was walking through absolute darkness. He could see, hear or feel nothing. He was not even sure if there was ground underneath his feet. He just kept on going.

'Where am I?'

As he continued, the darkness around him began to move. It swirled around him and began to change. Some of them it turned into walls. Others molded into lamp posts. Soon he walked through what seemed to be a normal looking neighborhood.

'Why? Why does all of this look so familiar?'

His walking suddenly stopped when his foot caught something, making him trip. Looking back at what it was, a chill went up and down his spine. Lying before his eyes was a man covered by several kunai. Shock covered the corpse's face as blood still flowed from the stab wound on its temple.

He pulled his foot loose of the dead man's hand and quickly crawled away. He sat by a wall as he tried to calm himself. A movement caught his eye and made him look to his right. Sitting right beside him was the body of a dead woman. She was pinned to the wall by a kunai through the mouth. Another was lodge in her forehead up to the ring.

He quickly stood up and started running from the scene. Before he got far, however, another gruesome sight presented itself. A little girl, no older than ten, hung by a hair ribbon from a lamp post. Her stomach was slit, blood pooling on the ground beneath her.

Again he tried to run away. As he did, he saw more bodies. Men, women, children, young and old. They were strewn all over the road. Some were on roof tops. Others were pinned to the wall. He ran aimlessly trough the streets trying to escape the gruesome spectacle.

After what seemed an eternity he stopped. She was out of breath and his head was spinning. He placed his right hand against a nearby wall to prop his body up as he tried to calm down.

The moment his fingers touched the wall, he realized there was something wrong with it. He turned and looked at his hand. It was covered in a thick, scarlet liquid.

'Blood!'

His eyes fell on the wall. On it was a blood spattered symbol. He immediately recognized it.

'No. It can't be.'

Stepping back from the wall, he began to run again. This time he wasn't running aimlessly. He knew exactly where he was going. He was straight for the large house looming at the horizon.

He burst trough the front door and raced through the many corridors until he got a room. Slowly he placed his hand on the door and pushed it open. Inside were three people. A man and a woman were kneeling beside each other. Behind them was a second man wearing dark clothes and armor. The second man was holding a sword ready to strike.

"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!"

The sword went down, slashing the couple's necks, killing them in an instant. He watched as the second man's victims fell, tears falling as the bodies did. The bodies hit the floor and he fell to his knees. His eyes lingered at the two dead then went to their killer. Anger and hatred flared in him. Deep inside, the desire to take life began to take over. He wanted to kill, to take revenge, and his prey was right in front of him.

With a feral cry he leapt at the killer, anger and hatred taking over his rational mind. The killer didn't budge. Once he was close enough to the killer, he threw out his right hand. The killer lurched forward as the avenger's hand pierced his torso. His armor clad body fell down with a loud clatter, the bloodied blade falling and coming to rest at the avenger's feet

As the murderer's body fell to the floor, the avenger stood with his body slightly crouched, trying to catch his breath. He had almost fully calmed down when he felt a presence behind him. He turned around and shock covered his face. Behind him were several men all cloaked in darkness, all looked exactly like the murderer. He was completely surrounded

The one closest to him ran forward and slammed his fist on the avenger's stomach. Another appeared to hit him on the face. The avenger staggered but was able to regain his bearings. He worked quickly to dispatch the first two that attacked and several others. Still, they kept on coming upon him. He was vastly outnumbered.

Again, rage and hatred began to fill the avenger. Taking the bloodied sword on the floor he rose to his feet and slashed the first to come within striking distance. The others drew swords as well and attacked the avenger simultaneously. The sound of metal cutting through air and flesh echoed through as the avenger carved through wave after wave of enemies. He was wounded all over, but he pained no heed to these. All rational thought was thrown to the wind. Everything else did not matter to him, what was important was his revenge.

Soon the carnage ended. All the enemies have been felled and the avenger, out of breath and covered in blood, stood victorious. Even with his revenge achieved, he felt hollow. He felt something was amiss in all this. As he pondered this his environment changed. The room returned into darkness. The avenger looked with horror stricken eyes as the bodies around him changed as well.

One changed into a blue eyed blond boy with a large whole in his chest where his heart should be. Another that he slashed at the neck turned into a pink haired girl with the same gash on her neck. Another became a silver haired man with the right side of his face and the entirety of his torso ripped off. There were others, among them a fat boy, a blonde girl, another boy with a ponytail, one wearing shades, a boy and a girl with lavender eyes, a girl with hair buns, a boy in green tights, and another with a dog.

His eyes then fell on the puddle of blood at his feet. His reflection was clearly seen on it. He sees his image, but to him it was different. To his sight it was malformed, hideous. He saw the face of a monster, even though he looks upon his own reflection.

As he stared at it, his image began to change. His hair shortened as his face changed shape. It continued to alter until it was no longer his reflection the avenger was looking at, but the face of the murderer.

"You've done well." The reflection said.

"You've done all that I have expected you to do. You've let anger fill your heart. You've let rage flow through every vessel of you're being. You've sown hatred into every fiber of your soul. Now, gaze upon what fruit your hatred and fury had born for you…

…a friendship betrayed…

…a love shattered…

…a family lost…

…an existence of eternal loneliness.

You've done well, Sasuke."

At this last word, a hand shot out from the pool of blood and gripped the face of the boy peering into it. He struggled, trying to release himself from the grip, but it proved too strong.

"Or should I say…"

With a jerk, the hand went back to the pool, ripping of the face of the boy. His hand went limp while his head remained bent down.

"ITACHI"

Sure enough, instead of Sasuke the avenger, the one who now stood amongst the dead bodies was Itachi the murderer.

Sasuke shot up from where he lay. Sweat covered his body and his breathing was erratic. This had been the worst of the nightmares that had been tormenting him. It started the night of his return to Konoha and it has only gotten worse over time. Every night the same thing. The scene of his parent's murder, his attempt on revenge, and finally, his slaughter of all the people he had ever cared for.

He wiped the sweat from his brow with his hand. As he did so, he noticed something different. Taking his hand from his temple, he looked at his palm. His body went cold at what he saw.

'Blood.'

His entire hand was cover in the scarlet liquid. It ran across his palm, dripping over his blanket.

'N…Naruto's blood.'

Out of shear horror and revulsion, he swung his hand back in a wide ark. As it did so, it hit something on his dresser that fell over with the sound of shattering glass. Sasuke looked over his bed and saw it that it was a picture frame. On it was the image of Team Seven, with their Jounin instructor, Hatake Kakashi. The fall had caused the glass to crack. The cracks came from the sides and converged on the chest of his orange clad teammate.

The cracks eerily looked like a Chidori.

The last Uchiha picked the broken frame. As he stared at it, tears began to fall from his eyes. Drops fell upon Naruto's image, giving it the appearance that the boy was crying. Sadness and grief finally overcame the young man. Putting the picture to his chest, he let his emotions out and wept. For the first time since the massacre of his clan, Uchiha Sasuke wept.

'I have become him.'

It was a quiet day at the Hokage's office. There weren't many missions today, just a few D and C ranks. With fewer missions to hand out, Tsunade was finally able to finish up on some of her paperwork. After signing a document, the Godaime looked up to her clock.

'Any second now.'

There was a loud burst as a cloud of smoke appeared on the middle of the floor. Once it cleared, a woman was standing in the center of the room. She was wearing a black body suit, and armor. A sword hung behind her back and a white cat mask covered her face. Long, unbound, purple hair flowed with the wind behind her.

'Right on time.' the Hokage thought to herself.

"Anbu captain Yuugao, reporting in, master Hokage." The masked woman said sternly

"At ease, captain." Replied the blonde behind the table. "What do you have to report?"

Yuugao stepped up to the Hokage's table. She took off her mask and began her report.

"Everything normal, ma'am. No disturbances for the entire night."

"And the prisoner?"

"He has remained in the residence the entire night. No suspicious actions. But…"

"But what, Yuugao?"

The Anbu hesitated for a moment.

"Master Hokage, I think Uchiha Sasuke is experiencing trauma because of the events preceding his retrieval."

Tsunade's brow went up at this. "What makes you say that?"

Again, hesitation. "Permission, to speak freely, ma'am."

The Godaime nodded. The Anbu captain continued.

"His nightmares have been getting worse. I believe these nightmares are all about the same thing, but last night seemed to be the worst of them all. He's been calling out to his parents, and then to his brother, as if he's relieving the night of the massacre. When he woke, he seemed to hallucinate. One of my teammates heard him mutter 'blood' while looking at his hand, even though his hands were clean.

Then last night, I saw him crying over a broken picture frame containing the photo of team 7. Ma'am, it think he's breaking down because he killed Uzumaki Naruto, and now sees himself as the murderer of his friend just as he sees Uchiha Itachi as the murderer od his family. I also believe that he thinks he has become his brother."

The Hokage listened intently at this. Her face held a passive expression.

"Master Hokage, I believe it would be wise to move Uchiha Sasuke into a mental ward."

The older woman then smirked.

"Yuugao, I can't believe you're actually falling for it."

"Begging your pardon, master Hokage, but falling for what?" the Anbu captain said, confused.

Tsunade began to explain in a firm voice.

"Nightmares? Hallucinations? Sasuke is obviously acting out these things in an effort to escape. He'll make us believe he's loosing it and we'll move him into a mental facility. Once that happens, he'll escape."

"With all due respect, Master Hokage," Yuugao said, "I don't think he's bluffing. I've seen many ninjas crack up and…"

"Captain, may I remind you that that boy is Orochimaru's apprentice." The Hokage's voice was cold and sharp. "Though I am ashamed to say it, I know that man very well. He has no doubt thought Sasuke how to strike at his enemy psychologically. Snakes are masters of surprise and subterfuge, so we must be very careful about these things. Do you understand, Yuugao?"

The lesser ninja knew she was outmatched. "Y…Yes, master Hokage."

Tsunade leaned back on her chair.

"That will be all, captain. Return to your duties."

Yuugao promptly put her mask back on, bowed, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The Godaime sat still in her chair, letting her mind linger at the report that was given to her.

'You killed my little brother and now you're breaking down?'

Her hand slowly went up and fingered the necklace around her neck. Tears began fall down Tsunade's cheeks.

'You bastard. You have no right to be traumatized.'

It was a quiet day at the Nara household. Nara Shikaku was lying back on the couch enjoying what time he had before his wife came back from the market and start berating him for not doing the mountainous pile of dishes in the sink. He had just begun to drift of to sleep when the front door flew past his nose and crashed on to a cabinet full of china.

"WHERE IS HE? WHERE IS THAT LAZY BUM?"

'Who? Me?'

The lazy jounin was abruptly pulled off the couch and was shook so hard we felt his brain hitting the insides of his skull. He opened his eyes to find the angry face of the Yamanaka Ino and the worried, apologetic one of her father, Yamanaka Inoichi.

"Ino, Inoichi, how are you? What brings you to my humble abode?" Shikaku's greeting earned him another shaking from the girl.

"You could dispense with the pleasantries, uncle Shikaku. Where's Shikamaru?"

The Nara jounin looked at the girl. Her face was twisting in anger, yet her eyes showed something else. There was pain in them, the pain of betrayal, mixed with loss, confusion, and fear. He glanced at his old friend. By the look on the he could tell that the father didn't what was wrong with the daughter. Shikaku concluded that the matter was somehow connected to his son, who had just recently resigned from being a ninja.

'Hah, how troublesome.'

"He's at the yard." He said as he weakly pointed at the direction of the yard with his thumb.

Nara Shikamaru was watching the Nara clan deer. Actually, he was watching the clouds while the deer was grazing around him. It was warm and quiet, just the way he liked it. The perfect place and time to have a nap.

"NARA SHIKAMARU!"

The ear piercing shriek drove away the deer and the sleep from Shikamaru's eyes. He didn't need his 200 point I.Q. to know what was going to happen next. Moments later the angry, stomping banshee came into view. Ino walked to him, grabbed him by the collar and jerked him into the air.

"Shikamaru, what's this I heard that you resigned from being a ninja? Is that true?"

"Yeah, it is." He said in a bored tone "What about it?"

His answer only seemed to fuel Ino's fury.

"How could you do this? How could you turn your back on your comrades like this?"

The young man just shrugged. It was very evident he had absolutely no interest on the subject at hand. This was the last straw for the young woman. With as much strength she could muster, she slammed her fist into the young man's face. He flew a short distance before hitting the ground with a loud thud.

"Why are you doing this? Do you have any idea how much you're needed? You're the best tactician Konoha has. Your strategies are always without flaw. You're an excellent leader. You're the only one the most of us can count on to get us back alive.

Don't you see? Your village needs you. Your friends need you." at this point, tears began to fall down Ino's face "I need you. Please Shikamaru, I'm begging you. Don't turn you're back on us. Please don't leave me alone."

From where he lay Shikamaru sat up and turned to Ino. Facing the girl he spoke in his usual bored tone.

"Go home, Ino. I have no time for your rants right now."

Shock appeared in Ino's face. She knew Shikamaru was a lazy bum. She knew he complained a lot about a lot of things. But she could never conceive him to turn his back on his friends on their time of need. At that moment she realized, the boy she had grew up with, the boy she shouted at the most, the boy she cared for the most, even more than Sasuke, was gone. The one in front of her was nothing more than a shadow of who he was.

"I don't know you anymore. The Shikamaru I knew would never do what you're doing now. You're just like Sasuke."

"Except you're obsessed with him."

At this comment, Shikamaru felt the sting of Ino's palm against his cheek. Tears fell from Ino's eyes as her faced conveyed pain and sadness

"I hate you, Nara Shikamaru, I hate you. And to think I've just realized that I've fallen in love with you."

As the last statement sank into Shikamaru's head, he realized he had made a grave mistake. He tried to apologize to the girl, but it was already too late. Ino was already gone.

Afternoon at the Hokage's office. Tsunade was once again buried in mountains of paperwork. She loved her village dearly, but the amount of papers she had to sign was too big, even for a ninja village. The size of the piles was getting ridiculous.

A knock on the door took her nose out of the paper she was reading. Calling out for the knocker to enter, the Godaime saw her young apprentice, Haruno Sakura, enter. In her arms were several scrolls.

"Hello, Sakura. How are your lessons coming?"

"They are going well, Master Tsunade." The pink haired girl said, "These mokuton jutsu scrolls your grandfather made are an exciting read. The techniques in them are amazing. Its hard to believe you never got to learn these jutsus."

Tsunade smiled at this "I guess I'm not made of the same stuff my grandfather was made of. He could always able those wood element techniques while the rest of the family couldn't. I guess there was some physiological quirk in him that allowed him to do it, just like how uncle Nidaime could do Suiton jutsus without a source.

Anyway, I'm glad you like them. I'm happy to know that there's a chance the techniques of the Shodai Hokage will be making a comeback in you generation. Tell me, how far have you gone through the scrolls?"

"I'm done with the basics already and I've started with the intermediate levels. I'm returning the basic scrolls and the really advance scrolls since their still too much for me."

Tsunade nodded and motioned for her to put the parchments on the wrack beside her table.

"I must be going now Master. I have to be somewhere."

The pink haired teen was half way to the door when her master called her.

"Sakura, please don't go yet. I have some things to ask you."

Turning around, she went back to her master's table.

"Sakura, I've been told by some ANBU that you've been seen going in and out of the Uchiha compound for several occasions. Is that true?"

A troubled look befell Sakura. She knew she would be found out eventually.

"Yes, it's true, master."

Tsunade's brow furrowed

"And may I ask why you were going there?"

"I…I wanted to see him."

Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples. She could see the amount of paperwork this was going to cost her.

"Sakura, you do understand that you've been breaking in and out a criminal's prison. What were you thinking?"

Truth be told, Sakura too didn't know what she was doing. Sasuke was deemed an official S-class criminal, much to the chagrin of the villagers and much of the ninja population. Under the Hokage's orders he was placed under arrest and was to be tried for treason and the murder of a fellow ninja. A great number of the populace protested at this, saying he had only slain a great demon and not a fellow ninja, and that should be enough to pardon him from his treason crimes.

Tsunade would not have any of it. She declared that if they were so loyal to 'their' Uchiha, then she would be more that happy to place them under arrest so they could be with him.

The Hokage sighed again. "Sakura, I understand what you feel for him, but you of all people must realize what he is and what he has become. He betrayed and murdered Naruto. How could you even look at him the same way?"

"I know that, Master." Sakura said, "But still, I can't take being away from him. I can't get him out of my mind. Everything I've done, all my training, all my preparation, all of this I've done so I may finally be with him. I now that he's finally back, I want more than ever to be by his side. I just can't bear being separated from him anymore.

I love him, Master Tsunade. That's something I know will never change."

"Sakura, do you understand what you are saying? Do you have the faintest idea of the fantasy you are deluding yourself in? Do you really think after all this time he'll suddenly warm up to you like a kitten? He's probably using you and the feelings you have for him as a means of escape. Uchiha Sasuke desires nothing power and revenge, and he'll do everything and he will stop at nothing to get it. He had already deserted Konoha to gain Orochimaru's power, and if that wasn't enough, he killed Naruto in order to get the Mangekyou Sharingan. "

"He doesn't have it."

Tsunade stopped at this. "What do you mean he doesn't have it?"

"He doesn't have the Mangekyou Sharingan. He said so to me himself. It just hasn't activated yet."

"What makes you so sure about this?"

"I've read some scrolls on the Sharingan. Based from what I've read and from the times I used my diagnostic jutsus on him, there are no changes on his eyes that points out that his level three Sharingan can now advance to the Mangekyou."

The Hokage leaned back on her chair. This was unexpected news. She was under the impression that they had in their custody the second S class missing nin with the powerful doujutsu.

"I guess we should be thankful he doesn't have it. It would be a great liability to us if he did."

She looked back at her student.

"Sakura, you undermined my authority and disobeyed direct order by seeing Uchiha Sasuke, but I'm willing to only suspend you because of the information you just provided. However, if you ever come to a stone's throw's distance from the Uchiha compound limits again, I will strip you of your ninja rank and throw you in prison."

Sakura tried to protest "But Master…"

"But nothing, Sakura!" Tsunade shouted "Don't make me give you a traitor's fate."

The anger emanating from the older woman made Sakura step back. She did not dare press on any further.

"I…I understand, Master Hokage."

With this, Sakura bowed and left.

Tsunade leaned back on her chair and laid her head in her hand. It was quickly turning into a very bad day.

"Aren't you supposed to be peeking on some unfortunate group of girls somewhere?"

"I was about to, but then I passed by and I heard you shouting at that Haruno girl." a voice answered.

From the window behind her, the toad sannin Jiraiya came in.

"You know, you shouldn't be too hard on her."

The old woman raised a brow.

"She disobeyed a directive from the Hokage." She said to the old man "How could I not be so hard on her?"

"I know that, but threatening her with jail and or death? Isn't that going overboard, Tsunade?"

She looked at her old teammate.

"I'm the Hokage, Jiraiya. It is my duty to protect Konoha from all threats, whether it's from inside or out. By continuing to attach herself to Sasuke, Sakura has put the village at risk. Until this whole thing blows over, I can't risk her being used in some nefarious plot.

She is the closest thing I have to a daughter. The last thing I want is for her to get hurt."

Jiraiya was silent for a moment and then smirked. "Spoken like a true Hokage."

The old man started to climb out of the window. Before jumping away, he poked his head back inside.

"I just hope your passion to protect the village will not be affected by your emotions."

Sasuke was lying on his bed, looking at the ceiling. He was like this for most of the day. He really didn't feel like moving much. There wasn't much to do around in the old compound. He couldn't go out and train, seeing the ANBU wouldn't let him go out to the surrounding forest. What was the point of training, anyway? He would probably be dead before it could be of much use.

He heard footsteps coming towards his room and the door opening. He thought it was one of the ANBU.

"Isn't it a bit too early for dinner?"

"I didn't come here to bring you food." A female voice responded.

Sasuke sat up and saw a pink haired girl at his door.

"Sakura?"

"Hi Sasuke. How are you today?" she said with a smile.

The look of surprise in Sasuke's face change from surprise to a scowl. He jumped up to Sakura and grabbed her wrist.

"What are you doing here?"

"I…I wanted to see you." Sakura said as she tried to get free of his grip. She was surprised at this. During her previous visits, Sasuke would either have a broken, hollow expression, or a somewhat innocent smile, like when a sick child would look like when their mother tenderly looked after them. This was sign of aggression he hasn't shown her since…

…since the night he left.

"Didn't we discuss this already? Didn't I tell you to never come back here again?" Sasuke looked at her in the eye. Personally, he didn't want to talk to her this way. However at this point, that was irrelevant. If she stayed any longer with him, Sakura would probably end up with the same fate as his.

"You're putting yourself in danger by insisting in staying with me. Hasn't your suspension taught you anything?"

Sakura was surprised. "How did you know I was suspended?"

"I heard two ANBU talking a while ago. I heard you were seen leaving the compound some time ago, and that it was reported to the Hokage."

He looked at her straight in the eye. "I don't want you back here, you hear me. I don't ever want to see your face here ever again."

Shock was evident on Sakura's face "But Sasuke I…"

"No buts." he said with Sharingan flaring. "Forget about me. Find someone else. Someone who could love and care for you far more than I could. Go to Lee. He'd give his soul for you. You'll be much happier with him. You'll have a future with him."

"No I won't!" she said as she finally shook of his hand. "Yes, I know Lee loves me. Yes I know he'll go to hell and back for me. Yes I know I'll probably have a better life with him. But no, I wouldn't be happy with him. Do you know why?

Because he's not you. I love you, Sasuke, not Lee. I'd rather have the sad, uncertain life of a traitor and a criminal with you, that a happy, secure existence with someone else."

Sasuke looked at her for a moment then deactivated his bloodline. At this Sakura thought he was finally going to accept her. She was shattered when he merely went past her and stood by the door.

"Get out of my house, Haruno Sakura. You're not welcome here anymore."

Sakura could feel a blade lunge into her heart. Tears fell from her eyes as she slowly walked. She looked up to him as she past him, trying one last time to plead her case.

He did not even meet her eyes.

Using what little strength she had left, Sakura pulled herself out of the room, out of the life of the boy she loved, leaving only the pieces of her broken heart behind.

Sasuke closed the door behind the girl. He stood there for a moment, listening to make sure she had truly left. Convinced he was now alone, he walked to his night stand. Picking up the picture of his broken team, he gazed sadly upon the image of the pink haired girl.

"I'm sorry I did that to you, Sakura. I know how much you love me and I love you the same way. But I am not worthy of you. I've lost my right to a happy life with you the moment I decided to meet with the Sound Four.

I love you Sakura, and I'm sorry."

Tears fell down the last Uchiha's cheeks falling on the image of the girl, making her 'cry' as well.

Upon a cliff not far from Konoha, a pair of eyes looked upon the quiet village with malice. The opportunity he had been waiting for has finally presented itself. For three years he has waited and now his quest has come to an end. The body he so wanted would soon be his and his dream would soon be realized.

"Kabuto, prepare the men." Orochimaru said with almost a hint of glee in his voice. "I need to go to town to get my eyes checked."

Coming up next:

The enemy is at the gate. The fallen prince has been sentenced, his princess fated to die with him. In an act born of desperation, he races headlong into the darkness in a near impossible attempt to acquire some light of hope. The darkness has clouded the light of the spirit of fire and is beginning to surround and engulf the leaf…

…and in the midst of all this, a small voice cries out, revealing the innocence of the guilty.