I'd like to clear up that Sakura left shortly after Naruto came back-- they had not yet had the Shippuden Sasuke encounter. Just so that our time frames are straight. Anyway, this was a bit of deja vu, writing it after seeing the Sasuke encouner.

Crash. Bang.

Sasuke awoke to find four very unwelcome figures standing in his room. And he really did not like waking up to such things.

"YOU!" Naruto seized Sasuke's shirt, bringing him up to face him (Sasuke was a little shorter than him) until they were close enough to feel each other's breath. "What have you done with Sakura?!" Sasuke merely tilted his head and exhaled, letting hot air out at Naruto. "Where is she?! TELL ME!" Naruto wildly shook him, as if that would get a better answer out of Sasuke—

"I'm right here, Naruto."

Naruto stopped, and suddenly all the breath was gone from him. He slowly turned around, unconsciously letting go of Sasuke's shirt. There, in the doorway, stood Sakura, in sound attire, her hair tied up in a bun behind her, and dark circles under her formerly bright green eyes. Her hand was gently placed on her waist. "S—Sakura chan…" He was prepared to yell 'We're going to save you!' but realized, with the look in her eye, that she was not a prisoner.

"Forehead!" Ino exclaimed, shocked. "Y—you're…"

Sakura surveyed the room coldly. Naruto in front of Sasuke, Kakashi right inside the doorway, Ino off to the side gnawing at her fists, and Rock Lee behind Sasuke ready to knock him out. She could see there was only one way out of this—get more space. There was not enough room in Sasuke's cramped habitat. She raised her fist.

The next thing anybody knew, they were all flying back, and there was no wall to catch them. Or rather, there was one, but it was a lot further back and made of rock. When the smoke cleared, there were two figures left standing in the center of the clearing: Sasuke and Sakura.

"Have you gotten a little taller, Naruto?" Sakura mused idly.

"S—snap out of it! Both of you!" Ino wailed, wincing as she peeled herself off the wall. "What's gotten into you? You're not Sakura!"

"Look, I just woke up after an intensely difficult healing. Don't piss me off. Why are you here?" Sakura asked.

"To save you!"

"Clearly, I'm not in need of saving."

"She couldn't have said it better," a silky voice chuckled from behind Sakura and Sasuke. Naruto's eyes widened in fury.

"Orochimaru! I hate you! You—you've taken my dearest friends away from me!"

"No. Rather, it seems that you drove them away, no? I merely asked Sasuke-kun to come here. Sakura-chan came entirely of her own accord."

"Sakura would never do that!" Rock Lee declared. "You will pay for such lies!" He launched into a sudden leaf hurricane, hurtling toward Orochimaru—only to be blocked by Sakura, who had moved in front of Orochimaru and grabbed Lee's leg. She used his momentum to swing him back toward the wall.

"Orochimaru-sama," she said dryly. "I told you to rest for a while. That healing took a toll on your body."

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan," Orochimary hissed gleefully, "But I couldn't miss this lovely reunion."

Kakashi stepped back in surprise. This was the weak, fangirl student he had failed to be able to train? He knew she had gotten stronger under Tsunade, but that timing, it was impeccable. There was already a huge gap between her abilities when they had last sparred and her abilities now. Also, by the gods, she was strangely beautiful—like she'd matured both physically and mentally. And "the healing"? What exactly did that mean? And Sasuke? Well, there was an aura radiating from him. He hadn't even said anything yet, but—

Sasuke turned toward him. "Kakashi, huh?" he uttered. "You can already see this battle should not be fought. You can only lose. Go away."

"Sasuke-kun," Ino murmured, in utter awe. Obviously, she too felt the aura.

Naruto didn't look very affected. In fact, he was rolling up his sleeve to perform hand signs. Sakura interrupted him: "Naruto, didn't you hear what he said? I don't want to hurt you. Don't bother."

"You're underestimating my abilities," Naruto snarled, and he too charged Orochimaru—

Only to receive a gloved Sakura fist in the gut and go flying back, blood spurting from his mouth. "Naruto!" Ino cried, and immediately ran over to him, healing chakra flooding her hands. Naruto coughed more blood.

"You're still charging wildly?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow. "By the way, are you really done training with Jiraiya? Because it doesn't seem like he's done much."

"But why would you do such a thing?!" Rock Lee exclaimed. "What excuse could you have for betraying our village?"

"You don't need to know that information," Sakura responded.

"Sakura!" Ino cried. "J—just stop!"

She got up from healing Naruto and ran towards Sakura, full on.

Kakashi's eyes widened, he moved to stop her but not quick enough—

And Ino threw her arms around Sakura in a tight embrace.

Sakura stood very still as Ino sobbed into her shoulder. "Please, please Sakura, don't leave me. I—I can't bear to lose another person. You're my friend, let the old Sakura come back, please! I—I'm sorry if it was my fault, I'll do anything, just don't do this! Come back! I promise, I'll never—I'll never—how could you leave without telling me?"

Sakura slowly lifted her hand to Ino's back and whispered something in her ear—

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Was she really going to be turned so—

--and as Sakura sent a burst of chakra through her arms, Ino collapsed on the ground. Sakura picked her up and tossed her against the wall.

Kakashi reeled. Okay, this was definitely not the Sakura he remembered. Things were not going as planned. They were supposed to burst into Sakura's room, grab her, and run for it. He hadn't considered the possibility that Sakura left of her own accord. And now they were down one medical nin. When had good old Sakura-chan become such a ruthless person?

Well, not entirely ruthless. Kakashi could see that Ino was merely unconscious. He lifted up his forehead protector and revealed his sharingan.

"Don't do it, Kakashi," Sasuke warned.

Kakashi knew he couldn't just leap in, unlike the other three. Why had he agreed to take them, anyway? He should have known they would be the most eager and emotionally compromised. In fact, he had tried to leave on his own, just to gather information, but Naruto was right there at the gate waiting for him with an indignant look in his eye. "You weren't really going to go rescue Teme and Sakura without me, were you?" They were just stepping out when Ino and Rock Lee showed up simultaneously. "We're coming too," they'd asserted. Kakashi had tried several times to lose them, but these chuunin were his responsibilities now. What a bother. He admitted perhaps he should have spoken to them about how to handle Sasuke and Sakura, but he was too busy sulking. He supposed they would have gone on their own and possibly followed him anyway.

The situation: Naruto half-healed, Ino unconscious, Rock Lee bruised but able. "Lee," Kakashi called, noticing that he was about to charge again, "We need a plan."

--

Five minutes later, Lee was out cold, having been knocked against the wall by Sakura. Kakashi had been helpless to protect him, seeing as Sasuke's sword was currently at his throat. Kakashi focused his gaze on Sasuke's sandals. Don't look into his eyes.

"Well, that was quick," Sakura was saying. Orochimaru was cackling madly, laughing. Kakashi did not want that to be the last thing he ever heard. He raised his gaze very slightly, but not enough to look into Sasuke's eyes.

"Are you really going to kill me, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. "You've sunk so low. One man is not worth your whole life."

The pressure of the sword at his neck increased. "One man?! This is my whole clan! I think that the lives of every single Uchiha is worth mine!"

"Orochimaru won't help you kill Itachi or bring back the clan. He'll just use your body for his own purposes. Why do you trust him and not me?!"

"It almost seems like you're jealous, Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke smirked, and the blade cut deep…

…and the shadow clone which Sasuke had been fighting the whole time poofed into nothingness. The next second, Sasuke felt himself being pulled underground until only his head was sticking out, entirely immobilized. Kakashi whirled; Sakura was on him. He leaped aside, making hand seals, and spewed a blast of water at her, knocking her down. Sasuke was angrily squirming, trying to make his way out. Sakura rolled and leaped up again, pink hair sopping wet. She growled and made hand signs as well. Kakashi analyzed what her move would be and was astonished—Sakura didn't know nature manipulation or shape manipulation yet! When he'd last seen her, she was still advancing her academy jutsu! Furthermore, that move was… well, even he had some difficulty with it, and it had taken the only two other people who knew it ages to learn… but sure enough, Sakura gave a feral grin and hissed, "Rasengan!"

And then her hand was grabbed and the wind forming in her palm flickered away. She glared up to Orochimaru. Kakashi's eyes widened. Weren't Orochimaru's arms still supposed to be cursed?! How the hell could he move and block chakra?

"There's no need to go that far," Orochimaru said silkily. "You shouldn't waste your chakra like that, especially after a strenuous healing. You're trying too hard to impress your old sensei."

Of course. Sakura…she had some how figured out how to heal the snake. The work of a hokage—and Sakura had completely reversed it. This made Orochimaru more dangerous than ever. Why hadn't he launched another attack yet, anyway? He definitely could. And Sakura's growth in medical jutsu shown by this was more than impressive. My old students… what's become of them?

Sakura glanced at Kakashi and her grin came back. "Surprised, Kakashi-sensei? I had access to many scrolls in my time under Tsunade. I found the Reaper Death Seal's scroll, and studied how to reverse it. With a bit of extra chakra, it was only a matter of doing it, with control like mine."

"And the rasengan?" Kakashi asked, eyes narrowed.

"Orochimaru-sama has been teaching me nature and shape manipulation—since I was the only one who never learned it. It seems you didn't have much faith in me, Kakashi."

That Orochimaru had done this to the student in which he had seen no jutsu potential whatsoever… he was truly a master. Well, he was a Sannin, just like Tsunade and Jiraiya—so he should have expected it.

Next thing Kakashi knew, a sword had been shoved through his chest from the back. He looked behind him—sure enough, Sasuke had made it out. A sneer painted his lips, utter satisfaction. Then his face twisted as he realized that Kakashi was, in fact, a log. "Substitution," he snarled, before there was a kick to his back, and he went flying forward. Wait, Kakashi didn't have that kind of power… Bushy-brows! With the speed he was known for, Lee navigated around and kicked Sasuke again, then followed up with several punches. A few blows later, Sakura caught his fist, but before she could punch him, somebody grabbed her by the shoulder and twisted her around. She found herself face-to-face with blue eyes and sunny blond hair.

"Sakura-chan, I don't know what they've done to you, but I have to bring you back so that Granny can heal you. I'll do whatever it takes to save you!"

"You idiot, Naruto," Sakura growled, shaking herself use and shoving Naruto away, then continuing her move on Lee, only to be stopped when Lee too punched her.

"Sakura, my blossom! I am so sorry!" Lee cried, but continued. He was practically crying as he continued his flurry of punches. Sakura tried to roll away, but Naruto was behind her, holding her tight. Then—

"Fireball jutsu!" Lee's touch disappeared, and Sakura herself was almost singed by a wall of flames. She whirled and used the distraction from Sasuke to elbow Naruto into the wall, landing a round kick to back it up. Naruto hit hard, and rocks started falling down on his head. Kakashi, out of nowhere, reappeared and pulled him out. There was, however, definitely a more serious matter to attend to. Lee lay on the ground, a huge burn covering the greater part of his body, only a bit of his left side left untouched. Knowing there was no time to waste, Kakashi grabbed Lee and sped him to the place where Ino still lay, and promptly smacked her twice on the cheek. Ino lazily woke, then looked around. She glanced to her side and let out a scream of horror, immediately beginning to heal Lee.

Naruto was bruised and bleeding, but he was still fighting, and so the tired but untouched Kakashi also joined in, trying to take out his two students, all while being watched by the one who corrupted them.

--

Ino's hands shook as she furtively pumped what chakra she had into Lee's body. This was bad. She'd lost her med kit in the explosion; it was probably buried beneath tons of rock. The burns laced around Lee's body were a mix of second and third degree, blisters and destroyed nerves. At least the pain wasn't as great. Furthermore, Lee was used to destroying his body with his gates of opening, so he would be more tolerant of pain…still, it was good that he was unconscious. Heart rate was rapid. Ino know she couldn't possibly heal every one of the burns; she had to focus on avoiding infection as much as possible and healing up places where the bone stuck through. Sasuke had done this…no. She had to keep her mind off the battle and the two people she cared most about. Lee's chakra was barely pushing back… he needed serious medical surgery with ointments and real surgeon ninja. He needed Tsunade. Already infections were brewing and Lee was spiking a fever. Tears ran down Ino's cheeks and her hands shook as she pumped useless chakra into the dying body, her hands covered in gore and blood. She was failing to protect her friends, again. Ino continued to expel chakra, desperately, but part of her knew there was nothing more she could do. Lee started shivering.

Ino stopped. The main source of infection was his arm, which had gotten the worst hit, almost all third-degree. The only option to stop it was…amputating it. The only way to save Lee. It wasn't her decision, damnit! She couldn't! What if she was wrong, what if there was some other way? Besides, Lee without his arm would be… devastated. He couldn't be a ninja that way. But this wasn't Ino's decision to make… and yet, she had to act quickly before the infections spread too much!

"K—Kakashi-sensei!" she cried desperately. He would know what to do. But the moment Kakashi even glanced her way, he suffered another blow. There was no time. Ino couldn't rely on him. She needed Asuma, she needed… Shikamaru. Yes, even Shikamaru…he always knew the right decision. At least he had guts! How did he do it? He analyzed… but Ino had never been good at analyzing!

She took a breath. Without a doubt, Lee—the patient—would die without the amputation. There was no way for her to possibly get to Konoha in time to get a real consult. Additionally, if she did perform the amputation, Lee's life as a ninja would be over. There was also a chance that even if she performed the amputation, the shock or other causes would kill the patient.

If only Ino could ask him! It was his right to choose!

Then Ino realized, she could ask him. She had been walking in minds before she could physically walk. Though it had been a while since she practiced her jutsu, she could do this. Ino looked around. Naruto and Kakashi were holding out—it would be long enough. Ino focused herself, framed Lee's head with her hands, and began the mind transfer jutsu.

She entered the mind and screamed in pain, doubling over. She had forgotten that she felt what Lee felt—and dear god it hurt! Even if she couldn't feel her arm, the rest of her was screaming—

Ino gritted her teeth. Her purpose. She had to remember her purpose. She smacked Lee awake. Lee seemed startled for a moment that he was a prisoner in his own mind, but Ino cut in before he could say anything.

"Lee, you're in mortal danger. I have to amputate your arm. It is the only way you will live. Do you understand, Lee?" she tried not to bite her own tongue off; at the moment she was taking all of Lee's pain and it REALLY hurt. "Lee!" he was fading, falling unconscious again—"LEE! No! Lee!"

It was no use. Lee's mind couldn't function.

The decision was hers.

Ino left Lee's consciousness, flooding back into her own body, and took a deep breath.

She flooded her hand with medical chakra, creating a scalpel, and swiped downward.

Then something hit her in the head and everything went black.