Update! Wow it took me some time to do this chapter because I really got to think ahead on some things. So for about a chapter and a half this story will follow the remainders of Team 7 until we get back to Naruto. It's sort of like a bunch of mini time skips so far with important scenes in the characters lives. I am still figuring a lot of this out and only have one page done for next chapter. Gah! Update may be a bit later then usual once again-I got a lot of story line to figure out. Even when I finish the next chapter after this I would like to know if you guys find it believable. i don't want to go way out of character with anyone. Please do the same here as well. Thanks!

MoonShadow7117: *Enormuse GRIN* Heehee, I'm glad you liked the part with Minato and Kyuubi. I imagine the Yondaime's advice is actually a very important for him. I haven't really planed for Gaara to come up in this story but I am getting the subtle hints of an idea... either a brief mention or a small separate short fic-you'll just have to wait to find out. :3

PuppetMaster55: Heehee- yes reborn Naruto is very squeezible! Thank you for all the feed back on this chapter because it make's me feel like I'm doing a good job! Yes-Sasuke is probably going to regret what he did in the future. Some time's he can be as much of an idiot as Naruto himself. Just Naruto has a good heart and a loud mouth. Sasuke has a sharp tongue and a bad ego.

AmayaNight: Sweet that you can see the pictures in your head. I hope I do as well as I contiue to write! *Thumbs-Up*

To Kathie-Rin: I agree-poor Naruto. TT^TT You'll just have to stick around and find out if things work out between Sasuke and him! ^_^

To Grocamol: We shall see about the demon realm-bwahahahaha! Anyway it depends, does anyone want to see any short fics on Naruto settling into his demon life? I don't know how much if any of it will be in the story before we see him again.

To Echo Uchiha, callmeBaby'08', I'LL-BE-THERE-4-U, & kathy Sacuba: Thank you for your support and kind words (gosh I feel like I say that a lot-but it's true!) Thank you so much for commenting and reading this story! :D

This chapter mostly focuses on Sakura and her growth with the absence of Naruto and Sasuke. Also our favorite bad mouth pale ninja comes on the seen! Heeheehee! Tell me if I messed up his character or went to fast with things please.

Sayanara

-TheNineTailedKitsune

Chapter 10 – Sakura's Strength

A cold breeze passed over Sasuke and his face tightened. Had he left the window open? No, he remembered packing his bag and-

His eye's snapped wide and took in the starry night sky. "What happened…" he mumbled looking around at the small disaster area. His memories all came flooding back. 'So, he's gone.'

Sasuke picked up the backpack that had been discarded after Naruto attacked him. He put his arm through the straps and began to walk.

"W-wait-Sasuke…" a weak voice pleaded and he turned to see Sakura struggling to her feet.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving Konoha."

"What?"

"You heard me Sakura, there's nothing left for me here. You're all too weak so I'm going to Orochimaru." His back turned to her.

Sakura felt her heart break. He was serious! "No!" she cried stumbling forward and latching onto him from behind. "You can't-can't do this Sasuke-I can't loose both of you! Not like this!" she sobbed. "I don't know why you said those things to Naruto-but you can't have meant them! If you go I swear-I'll scream!" she threatened. They both new that if she did someone in the village would come running. Being seen with two outranking Shinobi, plus the Hokage unconscious, wasn't something the Uchiha wanted to deal with. He sighed and a second later he was behind her.

The girl gasped. She felt her heart pounding. "Sasuke-I care about you and Naruto. Please don't leave so we can get our team back together." There was a long moment of silence. Sasuke shoved his emotions in a tight corner and never looked back.

"Sakura," he whispered close to her ear. "Arigato." He knocked her out with on swift motion. She crumpled at his feet. Sasuke looked down at her tear stained face.

'There's nothing left in Konoha for you. You're weak and can't even protect the little friendships you have…' Orochimaru's voice echoed in the background and Sasuke cringed. "Revenge is all I need." He said out load. With that he undid his Konoha Hitai-Ate, turned his back on the village and fled.

###

Kakashi looked deadly serious at his pink haired student. "Are you sure that's exactly what he said?"

She nodded and he didn't like the look of blank deadness on her face. They were in the Hokage's office and it had only been a few hours since the adults had woken up. Tsunade had been tending to Sakura when she'd come conscious and told them Sasuke had gone.

"I'll form a squad to go after him." Tsunade said then order Shizune to bring her Shikamaru. This seemed to break Sakura out of her empty stare.

"Let me go too Hokage-sama! I want to-"

"Out of the question." Tsunade didn't even raise her voice. Sakura's face turned red.

"He's my teammate-I have to bring him back! I have to bring them both home!" she shouted in a very unSakura like manner. She slammed her palms on the Hokage's desk. "I won't loose both of them in the same day-I won't!"

Tsunade's narrow gaze never left her. "You are to emotionally attach to the objective, which could cause a hindrance to the mission."

"Then let me go after Naruto-some one has to bring him back-"

"NO!"

"If it was Sasuke or Naruto you would let them go! It's because everyone thinks I'm too weak!" she thundered grabbing a small porcelain figure on the desk and shattering it against the wall. She was breathing heavily.

"I-I really care for Sasuke, and Naruto-he's my best friend! They both are!" Tsunade her face unreadable walked around the table and stood directly in front of the girl. Sakura glared at her through her tears. The older woman sighed, and in one swift motion punched her in the gut sending her across the room.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune tried to run to Sakura's aid, but was stopped by the look in her masters eyes.

"Hokage-sama…" even Kakashi thought she was taking it too far. Tsunade didn't answer either of them as she stood, a thunderous storm over Sakura. The girl now in tremendous pain tried to look up at her with defiance.

"Stop having a tantrum like a baby-if this is the way you are willing to act for your teammate's then I suggest you take your Hitai-Ate off now. That being the case then you're right; you are weak." The Hokage said harshly bring tears to the younger girl's eyes. "But there is a way to change that-if your strong enough that is." She got down close to Sakura's face, both their eyes burning into the others. "From this day forward you will be my apprentice."

Sakura broke her stare in shock. "W-what?"

The others in the room were just as surprised. Tsunade continued, standing back to her full height her voice not as loud but just as serious. "If you truly care about your friends then you will have the patience to get stronger. Rushing in now with your inexperience will only result in getting you killed." she had her head turned as she said this then looked back down with the power of her title 'Hokage'. She knew what it was to loose precious people. That was why she would not go easy on the young Genin. "If you are so dead set to save them get stronger-then you can bring them home."

For a moment Sakura just sat speechless, then with one hand pressed against the wall she struggled to her feet.

"Uuuhh..." Kakashi hesitated to help her before his student dismissed him with a sharp wave. Soon she was standing on shaking legs.

"I'll do it." She said softly her head still bent before she looked up with sheer determination. She had Sasuke's scarred Konoha forehead protector squeezed in her hand and looked down at it hardly. "I'll bring them home because they would do the same for me. Because we're a team."

Tsunade nodded her head. "Shizune, help Sakura to the hospital. I suspect she has a few cracked ribs."

"Hai-Lady Tsunade!" The dark haired woman lifted one of Sakura's arms over her shoulder and led her out of the room.

There was a long pause of silence. "You did that so she couldn't go after either of them didn't you?" Kakashi was referring to the punch and Tsunade nodded.

"That girl… she's a lot like me. Sasuke may have left of his own free will but Naruto is still out there. I will not see another suffer loss like I have. Not if I can help it."

Kakashi nodded. "There's little hope for either of them. The Naruto we knew may not even exist anymore, and Sasuke went to Orochimaru willingly."

The Hokage touched the front of her shirt, just where the necklace of the first Hokage once hung. She was thinking of a certain sun-kissed blond who had won it from her. "…There is always hope."

###

The ninja team comprised of four Genin and one Jounin failed in their attempt to get Sasuke back, almost paying for it with their lives. The group had been comprised of Kakashi, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Neji. Rock Lee showed up unexpectedly at the end to take Kakashi's place with Kimimaro. Each had fought their own battle's and lost horrifically.

Not even Kakashi had been able to convince Sasuke of coming back. He ended up in critical condition when the boy put a Chidori through his gut. Shikamaru reckoned they were lucky that the Sand Siblings had shown up. If they hadn't the entire team would've probably been dead.

Sakura was hospitalized for over a month before she convinced Lady Tsunade to start training her. It was a long hard battle for the girl, but she pulled through. She learned faster than even Shizune. Along with her elite Chakra control, she had the potential to take Tsunade's Strength Jutsu to the next level.

In all that time no one heard even a whisper about Naruto other than gossip. Some said he had gone off with the Uchiha brat. Others thought he'd finely been assassinated by the ANBU. Most theories were completely far from the truth. No one other than the few who'd been there that night knew what had happened to Uzumaki Naruto. Not even Jiraiya who hadn't been seen in the in Konoha for years. Tsunade expected he must have caught wind of Naruto's disappearance and was avoiding the village all together.

Meanwhile a new bounty hunter had shown up not six months after Konoha's Most-Hyperactive-Unexpected-Ninja left. He was called the Fox Prince and was known for his merciless kills. The strange thing was this hunter always seemed to eradicate those who were wreaking havoc or cruelty down on others. Ninja teams who had been hired to dispose of a certain traitor diplomat or dictator would show up only to find their target dead and bloody.

There was a lot of mystery involving the Fox Prince and over the years it only grew; some called him a shape-shifter who would come in the form of a beast or the guisedof a human boy. There were a few who said he turned himself into a young man and try to kidnap pretty girls for his dark desirers. Others thought that he was perhaps a good spirit sent to protect the people of the land. In the end only the Fox Prince himself new of his true nature.

Back in Konoha, Sakura was tirelessly working day and night to find any sign of Naruto or Sasuke. It wasn't until a year later that she found anything about the Uchiha's whereabouts. She'd hunt down the areas Orochimaru was said to have been last; sending summons and letters in every way possible to get to Sasuke. Finely at some point her efforts were either being unjustly provoked or luck was on her side, because one day while in the Hokge Tower she received an answer.

###

Sakura was leaning back against the wall, her head was still throbbing from the match she'd had with the Hokage. Tsunade had practically made Sakura her own grave when throwing her to the earth this time.

"Ugh, I'll never insult her taste in men again." Sakura mumbled; when something flew through the window. "Huh, one of Sai's messenger hawks?" she let the creature land on her arm then opened a scroll, letting it hop onto the paper and disperse into a message.

It was from Sasuke.

Sakura,

If you truly wish to see me then meet me in three days at the monument of the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha in the Valley of the End. Come alone and bring nothing but the information you say you have.

At the end of the message was the Uchiha crest. Even with out it Sakura knew who it was from.

At that momoment Tsunade had entered the office and Sakura had crushed the paper in her hand. She had fire in her eyes when she looked back at her teacher. Not a word passed between them but the Godaime knew. A moment later the older woman turned to her assistant and ordered.

"Shizune, summon Hatake Kakashi and Sai!"

Shizune just about dropped Ton Ton the Hokages pet pig when she said this. "Right away Tsunade-sama!" and raced out the door.

"So, it's finely time." Tsunade walked to the window Sakura was staring out of. "He'll be much stronger now that he's trained under Orochimaru. But remember you're my apprentice, and you're strength rivals that of a hundred men."

"Hai-Hokage-sama!" Sakura nodded turning to her with determination. "I will not fail." 'I will not fail either of them-Naruto or Sasuke!

After packing her things and being the first to wait at the gate to leave, Sakura mussed what had gotten her to this point. She remember about two months ago when Sai had joined there team.

###

"What are you saying Hokage-sama?" Sakura shook her head in refusal. "No-no way-what if he found out about Naruto's-ah-condition?"

"It is out of my hands Sakura. The council has aside him to your team in the soul purpose of the retrieval of Uchiha Sasuke. He may be from ROOT but I have to agree with them on one point. Team Kakashi is missing two members-you need at lest one more person to make an efficient cell."

"I don't care-Danzo and the council-they-"

"I am well aware Sakura!" Tsunade thundered but this only sent the girl back for a minute. Tsunade had perhaps influenced her to well. "I don't trust Danzo or his subordinates any more then you-maybe more-but this is an order from the council and your Hokage, so out of respect your going to comply." Tsunade was grounding her teeth inwardly as she cursed the old fools who'd out ruled her. Most of the time the Godaime had the last word but then she had to keep both the Shinobi and Civilian Councils happy. If not they could impeach her from office. Sakura scoffed at her last comment.

"An order huh? Just like the council ordered Itachi Uchiha to-"

Tsunade slammed her palms on her desk, eyes flashing with new fire. "You are going to be assigned an extra team member Haruno-san, and you are going to do it in an honorable and dignified fashion!" between teacher and student it seemed almost laughable that the older woman could educate the younger on any dignified behavior. Sakura just bowed stiffly and grumbled.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Later in the evening Team Kakashi met up in training field B. Kakashi as always was late and Sakura was forced to wait for this new member alone until he showed up.

'Alright Sakura-stop being so stubborn. He may be from ROOT but he's still a Leaf Ninja, he might not be so bad… Maybe we could even be friends.' She stopped when someone from behind tapped her should. With a jump she spun around and tried to land a right hook. The intruder merely dodged. "Huh?" Sakura's brow furled. It was a boy with the most pale white skin she'd ever seen. His black hair and eyes contradicted the features terribly but in a way that was very attractive. His wardrobe consisted of all black with a half shirt exposing his lean navel. Sakura blushed deeply when she found she was staring and looked up at his face.

"Hello I'm Sai." The boy had a smile that looked so force it hurt Sakura's eyes. She raised an eyebrow at him; the guy wore a Konoha forehead protector. Was this the ANBU that would be joining their team?

"Haruno Sakura apprentice of the Hokage and member of Team Kakashi." She bowed her head only slightly, though she didn't in particularly want to be polite-especially after he'd snuck up on her like that. "Could you have been more subtle?" she added in distain.

"You did not seem to notice me. Why would I waste anymore of my skills?"

"That's not what I meant!" she growled at his blank expression seeing he wasn't even mocking her back. The guy didn't seem to understand the language of sarcasm. "Humph, any way it's rude to sneak up on a lady." She folded her arms.

"A lady?" he cocked his head slightly that blank look still on his face. "I thought I had stumbled on an angry bull."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!"

"Matte-Matte-Sakura!" a hand grabbed her wrist before she could pull another punch. Kakashi new not to take one the pink Kunoichi's punches strait on in any way. Not unless you wanted to end up in the hospital. Unfortunately since she had diverted her attention from Sai, Kakashi was now getting the full impact of her wrath.

"YOUR LATE KAKASHI-SENSEI!"

He rubbed the back of his head with his opposite hand. She'd yelled at him in the past but shee-what had happened to his most polite student? "Sorry about that, I got lost on the way here and a kid asked for my help finding his lost dog-"

"Sakura's eyes narrowed and this time she didn't miss. Kakashi landed dead smack against a tree bending it. A moment later his clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Now is that any way to treat you Sensei?" the Jonin's voice came from behind Sai. He had his eye smile on and a hand up not a foot away from the pale ANBU. "Yo."

The boy didn't even blink. He just bowed as far as he could go with out butting his head into the older mans stomach. He still had that sickeningly face smile. "Nice make your acquaintance, Kakashi-sempia. I'm known as Sai."

"Well don't you have good manners?" The Jonin continued to eye smile while Sakura was still seething.

'That pale little leech just called me a cow-manners my-'

"Well now that we're all acquainted, let's see what kind of potential you two have as a team." Kakashi clapped his hands together. "Come at me with everything you got for the next ten hours. If I'm not yawning by morning, I may just have to tell Hokage-sama neither of you are up for the task of finding Sasuke."

Needless to say Kakashi wasn't exactly unaffected by the two of them. Of course he didn't' show it in the slightest though. The only thing that let Sakura know they had an edge now was that he wasn't pulling out his Icha Icha Paradise. She noted Sai's unique abilities with his ink creatures and he recognized her brut strengths, something that would be dictated upon for the next two months of missions together. It wasn't until a month after their first meeting that Sakura and Sai were able to be in the same room and talk like decent people. Well, at least Sakura could. Sai was as about as dirty mouthed as his porcelain looks. They'd just finished a simple C Rank mission when the Ink User questioned Sakura.

"So, why are you so dead set on finding this Uchiha Sasuke? He seems to have brought you nothing but pain."

"Why do you want to know?" Sakura grumbled as she pulled some cloths from her pack. They were staying at an inn with a small hot spring and she wanted to get cleaned up.

"You're always cranky aren't you Ugly?"

"Sai, on more word and I swear I'll paint you a new face."

He raised his hands, though once again it was a fake action to appear more human. Sakura didn't think the guy had a human bone in his body. In fact he was probably an alien. She gave herself permission to smile a bit. It sound like something Naruto would say. This thought made her face fall once again.

"He turned his back on the village of his own free will. Why try so desperately to bring him back." Sai continued to prod.

This had been question before, but usually with Sasuke being called scum or garbage. Since Sai wasn't using such terms this time she thought she might respond to him with out trying to kill him. Sakura stood and was in the door frame with her back to him. "You wouldn't understand."

"Perhaps but I would still like to know." She could sense his fake smile.

"Sasuke and Na-Sasuke and I have a bond, one that I'm not willing to let break. We are friends and teammates. If it had been me in his place I'm sure he would do the same."

"Bond?"

"Yes, something a heartless jerk like you could never understand." she left swiftly down the hall and Sai could faintly smell the hint of salt water on the air. He pulled a small book from his back pack and looked intently at it.

'I wonder… if we still have our bond Nii-san.'