So, yeah — I told you this chapter would be longer. :D

I was going to make the next chater the last one, but I think I'll make this story an even twenty chapters. My OCD demands it.

The beginning of this chapter was hard to write, so be grateful; I worked my ass off on it. The ending, however, was much easier. And much more fun. OwO

Well, I hope you all like it!

Please read and review!

"Are you certain," Dumbledore asked for confirmation, "that you all wish to leave now?"

"Yes," Sakura replied, still stuck with the spokesperson job of the group. "We wouldn't want to trouble you for a few more days, simply because we're too lazy to return home."

Dumbledore gave a deep nod. "Very well," he murmured, eyes twinkling as he smiled. "You all are welcome here, should you ever feel the desire to return. Send my regards to Mr. Madara."

Sakura bowed, while the rest of the lazy bastards merely stood there. They hadn't told Dumbledore about Madara being dead, because, well…it would unnecessarily complicate things. He handed her a portkey wrapped in newspaper.

"Unwrap that when you are all ready," he instructed. "Make sure to take hold of it quickly. Once you have arrived in your own world, immediately remove your hands from it. It has been charmed to return here exactly twenty seconds after you touch down."

"Thank you," the kunoichi said solemnly, accepting the package.

"And here," Dumbledore continued, pulling out a cloth bag, "is your payment." Sakura accepted it graciously as well. "I converted it into your currency using a charm." He smiled. "I still remember much from my visit to your world." He noted their lack of baggage. "Have you gathered your belongings together?"

Sakura gave a tight smile and drew her away her cloak, showing off three scroll secured to her hip. "We have our things sealed up within scrolls and ready to go." She met his blue gaze evenly. "We will take our leave now, if it does not trouble you."

He inclined his head respectfully. "As you wish."

Then, Kisame's stomach rumbled.

Deidara face-palmed.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Itachi eyed his partner in irritation.

Sakura sighed.

"After we eat."

.

.

.

Sasuke, Itachi, and Sakura sat at the Slytherin table as usual, while Kisame and Deidara sat with Gryffindor. They'd grown accustomed to the seating arrangement so they figured, why not? As they ate — mostly in silence — Sakura caught traces of Itachi and Sasuke's quiet conversation. Her interest piqued, she listened as they spoke, continuing to eat as if she heard nothing.

"Do you plan to return to Konoha?"

Sasuke's eyes flickered to his older brother.

"Do you?"

Itachi's lips twitched in the very beginnings of a wry smile. He glanced at Sakura, obviously aware that she was listening. She flashed him an unreadable look as she swallowed.

"Perhaps."

Sasuke switched his gaze briefly to Sakura, studying the kunoichi.

Honestly, what the hell did his brother see in her?

She was violent and unpredictable and fucking psycho.

Not to mention tiny. Kami, she was short.

And there was a whole lotta mean packed into each itty bitty piece of her; that was for damn sure.

Sakura averted her eyes from Itachi's. She refused to think about it now. There was plenty of time to figure out where they were all going to go later. Just…not now. She wouldn't.

She couldn't.

.

.

.

"Do you have to go?" Hermione asked, gazing sadly at the five shinobi.

Sakura glanced back at her.

And smiled.

"Yeah," she said. "We have to go." She turned her eyes to Harry and Ron, giving them each a firm handshake (because that was apparently what people did in this world instead of bowing; it was still weird to her, but what the heck?) "It's been a pleasure knowing you." She flashed another smile at Hermione. "All of you."

Hermione smiled back, almost timidly. A shocking change for the girl.

Sakura bowed to them, glaring at her companions until they did so as well. Sasuke, of course, decided that he didn't want to, so she smacked him upside the head.

He bowed.

They turned and set off, intending to activate the portkey outside, seeing as there was no telling what would happen to the school. They had already damaged the poor castle enough as it was. Ron and Harry shouted good-byes, waving and grinning. Hermione remained silent.

Until she couldn't take it anymore. She rushed forward and threw her entire arm up in a wave.

"Come back soon!" she called.

Sakura didn't look back, but she smiled to herself. Despite their rather rocky start, she and Hermione had gotten along well. She would miss the girl — though she'd never admit it aloud — and she knew Hermione would miss her, too.

Itachi read all of this on her face. His lips curved into his trademark smirk-smile.

Deidara held the portkey out as they all formed a small circle. He fingered the edge of the newspaper, preparing to rip it off.

"Touch it on the count of three," he said, looking at each of them.

Sakura and Sasuke gave a firm nod, while Itachi and Kisame just watched the portkey. Deidara swallowed to wet his rapidly-drying throat.

"Alright. One…"

His finger slipped under the end of the newspaper.

"Two…"

Kisame flexed his fingers.

"Three!"

Quick as lightning, Deidara tore the newspaper from the portkey in one move. Four hands shot out and gripped the portkey, overlapping each other for lack of room. They all felt a familiar tug at their navels, and then they were sucked in.

Blurs of color, shapes, and light twisted and warped in all directions, filling their vision as far as they could see. Being the least experienced with portkeys, Sasuke grimaced. Itachi, however, was perfectly fine; this was his fourth trip through a portkey, after all.

Without even having to glance at one another, they all let go.

The five shinobi crashed into the ground rather ungracefully. The portkey — a goblet, of all things — nailed Kisame in the back of the head. He swore loudly, glaring at the thing and threw it at the ground. It disappeared right before their eyes, presumably returning to Dumbledore.

The first thing Sakura noticed after landing was that it was raining. The second was that she had fallen rather awkwardly on Itachi. The third was that he was smirking up at her.

And the fourth was that a group of five Konoha-nin were staring at them with idiotic expressions.

Wonderful.

.

.

.

Naruto was horrified. He was absolutely, positively petrified.

Because, um, hello: THE AIR JUST, LIKE, THREW UP AND FIVE PEOPLE POPPED OUT. SERIOUSLY, MAN — WHAT THE FUCK?

So, of course, he acted upon his instincts.

He screamed.

"AHHHH! GHOSTS! GET THEM AWAY! OH GOD, GET THEM AWAY!"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

"Dobe, stop screaming!" he snapped, climbing to his feet.

The blond's shrieking immediately halted, but that was when the shouting began. "TEME? !"

The four Akatsuki members began to stand, eyes locked on the Konoha-nin. Sakura — though it somewhat pissed her off — accepted Itachi's outstretched hand to help her get up more quickly.

Kakashi noticed this action, eyes slightly narrowed. He had seen Itachi and Kisame before, of course, but he'd never encountered Sakura or Deidara. They were new to him. Judging by the expressions on his companions' faces, they didn't recognize them either. Kakashi switched his gaze to Sasuke, watching the boy for a long time.

He had gotten taller — a lot taller. His hair was the same, his eyes were the same; heck, everything about him was the same, except for his wardrobe.

Even the expression he had worn around Naruto while in Konoha was the same, he noted, his heart squeezing.

"You," Sakura hissed, glowering black flames at Naruto. "If you don't stop screeching like a banshee, I'll strangle you!"

Naruto was instantly silent. The Konoha shinobi perceived this as a threat, tensing and sliding into offensive stances. Then, the most dumbfounding thing they'd ever seen occurred.

Sasuke turned and started arguing with the girl.

"Can you not go one hour without threatening someone?" he demanded.

"Says the stupid bastard with a pole up his ass that glares at everything in sight," she retorted.

"What — does that make you some kind of saint, now?"

"Compared to you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, and here I thought all Uchiha's were smart; guess that's just your brother."

"Fuck you."

"Sasuke," Kakashi spoke up, eyeing the Akatsuki warily. "What are you doing with them?"

"Tell me you're not an Akatsuki!" Naruto pleaded, eyes wide.

Sasuke grunted. "No," he said flatly. "I just killed their leader."

That took the Konoha shinobi aback.

"Then why are you with them?" Shikamaru demanded.

"They were my ticket home," he stated simply.

Naruto paused at his words, a flame of hope flickering in his bright blue gaze. "Then," he murmured, voice nearly a whisper. "…are you coming back?"

Sasuke was silent for a long moment. He glanced at his brother. Itachi inclined his head just slightly. Fists clenching, the youngest Uchiha turned his dark gaze back upon his former teammate. He said nothing.

Slowly, painfully slowly, a wide grin stretched across Naruto's face. He knew; he just knew. Giving a victorious shout, he leapt forward and nearly tackled Sasuke in a hug, which he venomously struggled to get out of.

Kakashi felt exhausting relief flood his body. It was only then that he realized exactly how tired he was and how much he'd been worrying over Sasuke. Despite his noticeably better mood, he still watched Itachi like a hawk.

"Why is your brother here?"

Naruto pulled back somewhat from the hug, limbs still entangled with Sasuke's — still pissing the boy off. His jaw was tense when he replied.

"He didn't do it."

He gave no further explanation. The Konoha shinobi — correction: the four intelligent Konoha shinobi — shared a meaningful look. In the end, Shikamaru gave the verdict: Sasuke spent twelve years of his life hating Itachi; if he said Itachi was fine, then they'd accept it.

For now. Tsunade would have the final say, of course.

Going by Sasuke's expression, though, it was clear the younger Uchiha would refuse to return to Konoha if his brother wasn't allowed.

And knowing Tsunade, she'd pull invisible strings in every direction to get them both reinstated.

So they were probably safe.

Deidara turned to Sakura, surprising her. "Are you going back to the Akatsuki?" he asked.

Sakura stared at him as if he'd sprouted rabbit ears. "Wha— we just got rid of our evil dictator boss, and you're talking about going back?" she said in disbelief. "Are you crazy?"

He held up his hands in the typical "don't attack me" position. "No," he disagreed with a frown. "I'm just asking where you're going. There's no way in hell I'm going back, yeah."

Sakura snorted, flicking strands of rain-darkened pink hair out of her eyes. "I'd rather disembowel myself than go back," she muttered. "In case you forgot, I was forced in."

"In case you forgot, so was I, yeah."

She grunted. "Touché."

Deidara looked off into the trees that had crept over the Rain-Fire boarder, his eyes distant. "I dunno where I'll go, yeah," he murmured. "Just…somewhere. Anywhere." He glanced down at Sakura with his usual sly grin. "Except a village, yeah. Too much trouble."

Sakura nodded absently, staring off into space for a moment before blinking and gazing up at Kisame. "And you?"

He shrugged indifferently. "I'll probably go buy a bar or something near the ocean," he said. "Not really sure. I'm too old for this mission shit."

That earned a laugh from both Sakura and Deidara.

"You really should retire, old man," the kunoichi teased. "You might throw your back out picking up a kunai."

"I think I see some wrinkles, Ojii-san," Deidara added, shit-eating grin in place.

Kisame shot them withering looks. "Yeah? You shouldn't even be out of your cribs, you little squirts."

The blue-skinned man was only thirty-two years old, but that was a feat for a shinobi. If you didn't die within your first twenty-five years of age, then that meant you were a damn good ninja and you'd most likely live a long life.

Suddenly, a spot in the air seemed to come alive and spat out seven items. The portkey that appeared then went back from whence it came. Deidara and Sakura exchanged a surprised look.

On the ground lay a few things the four Akatsuki members recognized very well:

A small, pretty blue-silver-furred cat in a cage.

A solid black cat in another cage.

A gray owl with a dark ring around one eye in yet another cage.

And four wand boxes.

Sakura was the first to start laughing. Deidara quickly followed, and then Kisame. Itachi wore an amused expression.

"What the hell?" Yamato mumbled.

They weren't paying any attention. Sakura picked up her cat's cage and her wand. The feline blinked at her, then meowed, rubbing her cheek against the wall of the cage. Sakura smiled.

Deidara grinned as he picked up his owl, his wands, and Kisame's. The blue-skinned man took his wand with an incredulous shake of the head. The blond examined his owl for a moment before opening the cage. Taki poked his head out, stared blankly at Deidara for a moment, then took off, gray wings flapping smoothly as he disappeared over the trees.

Sakura grabbed Kurohyou and Itachi's wand, offering them to him. He accepted his wand but shook his head at the cat.

"Keep him."

Sakura gazed at him for a moment, then nodded. She brought the black cat's cage up to eye level and smiled. It looked back at her flatly, then proceeded to meow in irritation, glaring up at the rain.

Well, like owner, like pet.

Kisame sighed, shifting his weight. He sent Sakura and Deidara a half-grin.

"Well," he murmured, "I think I'm gonna go."

Sakura appeared a little sad, but she nodded. Deidara inclined his head respectfully.

"If you ever need me…" He gave a rough laugh. "Well, I know you'll find me."

"I'll look for the bar by the ocean with a fish-man acting as bartender," Deidara promised cheekily. Kisame swatted at him.

"See ya, kid," he said, ruffling Sakura's hair. She shrunk back and scowled at him. He grinned, then nodded to Itachi. "Until then."

Sakura didn't know what to feel as she watched the tall former Kiri-nin walk away — a man she'd known for a long time and had come to adore as one of her closest friends. It was…strange. Knowing that she'd never see him again unless she deliberately went looking for him. Knowing that she'd never train beside him, or eat with him, or joke with him again.

It was almost heartbreaking.

Not that she'd ever admit it, of course.

She heard Deidara sigh next to her, and then she got a horrible feeling:

He was next.

Quickly, she turned to him, alarm in her eyes. He just smiled sadly at her.

"It never would have worked out between us, yeah," he murmured, much too low for anyone to hear but her. She stared at him in shock. He gazed at her with that pained expression for a moment longer before giving a closed-eyed Naruto-worthy grin. "See ya around, I guess," he said lightly. "Hopefully." He usual lopsided smile was in place. "You'll know it's me if you see a big shadow on the ground and hear explosions all around."

Sakura managed to swallow her anxiety. "And hear insane, cackling laughter."

That earned a laugh. "Yep; you know me well."

He stood there for a moment, then slapped her on the back. That earned a glare.

He saluted her with two fingers, then leapt up into the air. In the blink of an eye, he had formed a giant clay bird and landed on it smoothly. Sakura watched him with an unreadable expression. He glanced back at her quietly.

He couldn't help it. He called out:

"You're still short, yeah!"

Sakura twitched in irritation and scowled up at him. "Asshole!" she yelled, snatching a rock off the ground and chucking it after him.

He was a good fifty feet away, but the rock still nailed him in the back of the head. He was knocked off his feet and landed face-first on his bird. Sakura fumed as she glared after him. Deidara grinned to himself, wincing as he rubbed his poor, injured head.

Sure, it had hurt like hell, but it'd been worth it to see her blow up one last time.

Just like his art.

Kami, it was beautiful.

Deidara smiled as he picked himself back up.

He'd keep that image of her in his mind as long as he lived.

.

Sensing that she was being watched, Sakura shot a glare over at Itachi.

"What? !" she demanded. He was smirking at her, damn him.

He said nothing. It was quiet for a long while.

The Konoha shinobi watched on in silence. Kakashi was fascinated with the way the Akatsuki members had interacted like a family. Perhaps they did have hearts after all. (Two of them had said they were forced to join, so that may have been a contributing factor.)

Sakura looked away. "You going back to Konoha?"

Itachi studied her for a moment. "If they'll have me," he agreed.

She frowned. "You're a martyr," she retorted. "Of course they'll take you back."

"Perhaps." If Sakura had been looking at him, she would've recognized the look in his eyes. "Konoha will most likely accept you as well."

Her head snapped up, and she stared at him incredulously. "Are you kidding?" she muttered bluntly. "Sure, my father's clan is native to Konoha, but I've never even been there." Her eyes flashed. "Besides, my father was psychotic. I don't think I want to go to the village where he was born. I don't think they'd even let me in because of him."

His gaze was even. "Have you ever killed a Konoha shinobi?"

Sakura paused, thinking deeply for a long moment. "Mm…no. I don't think so."

"Then I see no reason why they should ban you."

Sakura looked at him as if he was stupid. To his surprise — though he didn't show it — she snatched the hitai-ate off his forehead and removed her own.

"Look," she said, pointing at the slashed-out Konoha mark on his headband. "Konoha. You were born there. Raised there. Trained there. Became a shinobi there." She met his eyes sharply. "I wasn't." She held up her own headband and pointed at the marred symbol. "Yuki. I was born there. Raised there. Trained there." She nearly shook the headband to get her point across. "I was made a shinobi there." Her eyes were jade fire. "I may have family in Konoha — I don't even know. But I've never been there. I've never set eyes on the village." Her fist clenched. "Do you honestly believe I have any right whatsoever to stain it with my presence? To fuck it up like I do everything else?" She shoved his headband back into his hands with more force than necessary. "No."

Sakura turned her back on him, glaring at nothing in particular. She was angry at herself. She lifted her hitai-ate to retie it on her forehead.

Then, suddenly, it was stolen out of her hands and something else replaced it.

A black Konoha headband with a marked-out symbol.

Itachi's headband.

"Yes," he murmured. "You have every right. You have a Konoha headband."

Sakura stared up at him in shock, unable to speak.

Kakashi's patrol and Sasuke watched on in disbelief.

Sakura couldn't tear her eyes away from Itachi's as he gazed at her unblinkingly. Her lips trembled. Then twisted up into a smile.

And she laughed.

Tears pricked in the corners of her eyes, to her utter mortification, but only Itachi noticed. (That was bad enough, as it was.) She gripped his hitai-ate tightly, gratefully. He took her hands gently, softly, in one hand and brushed the hair from her face with the other. He reached back behind her head, inadvertently placing her face close to his, and tied his headband on her forehead. Sakura sighed quietly, closing her eyes as he rested his chin on her head.

They stood there for a long while. Sasuke turned his head and Shikamaru grimaced, glancing at Kakashi. It was quite obviously an awkward situation for them all — except for the two before them, who were completely oblivious to their discomfort.

After a moment, Itachi pulled back and looked down at her. Sakura's eyes were sharp, determined.

"I'm still not going to Konoha," she warned him.

He smirked.

She went to Konoha.