Sakura landed smoothly in a destroyed village. She shook her head. It was peacetime but bandits took full advantage of people's comfort, destroying villages and looting them for all they were worth. She had been dispatched to both heal those who were left behind, and to figure out if there was link between the several villages which had been attacked recently. Ino and Sai were dispatched with her.

As they walked around the village, there was little to found. The people they did find were well-past dead. The place wreaked of death. Even Sai seemed bothered by the lack of life. They split up and entered households, searching for any survivors.

As Sakura exited her last household, she reconvened with Ino. "Why are you double checking my work, forehead?"

Sakura stared back to her bewildered, Ino had taken the houses on the south side, Sakura had taken the ones to the north.

"I didn't."

Ino glared. "Who the heck else is leaving pink hair everywhere?"

Sakura dashed into a southern house. There wasn't a lot but Sakura noted the two or three pink strands near the body. They were long, nearly Ino's length. "They're too long…" she mumbled and Ino nodded.

"You're right, but pink isn't exactly a common color." Ino knelt down and using a glove, placed the strand in a baggie to bring back for sampling.

As they moved onto the next village, they didn't have to go far. It was clear these bandits were on a spree. They entered the village and while more recent than the last, they were unsure if they'd find any survivors. They once again split up.

Sakura paced the east end, praying at least someone would be alive. She couldn't help but note at least one more strand of pink hair. It was once again too long to be hers. Her thoughts were interrupted by a groaning. She dashed toward the noise. She spotted a young black-haired boy. He was next to a woman, presumably his mother who had been ripped to shreds.

Sakura swallowed the bile filling her throat. Whoever did this was a monster. The boy had been injured, though only superficially. However, he was covered in blood from head to toe.

She approached with caution. "Hello, my name is Sak-" the boys eyes met hers and the scream he let out was blood curdling. Sakura backed up as Sai and Ino came running.

Sakura left the room, bumping into Ino. "I don't think my appearance will soothe this boy in any way. I think the pink hair culprit did this."

Ino nodded, understanding and entered the room. She knelt down and greeted the boy, explaining who she was and what her intentions were. She treated his wounds before sedating him. Sakura finally entered, followed by Sai.

"He is the only one left," Sai noted.

Ino nodded. "I'm going to briefly look at his memories, the recent ones at least." Sakura caught her friend as she went limp. A few minutes passed before Ino's both regained consciousness.

Tears welled up in Ino's eyes. Seeing horror was par for the course for shinobi, but some things were unbearable.

"That woman is a monster," Ino glanced up at Sakura. "And she looks almost just like you."

Sai scooped up the boy and they headed back to the village. They had the information they needed.

The three stood in the intel office, the sedated boys memories played in the middle of the room. Kakashi stood alongside them. They finally caught up to the recent massacre which had taken place. Their suspicions were completely off. It was not a group of bandits. It was one lone woman, one which eerily resembled Sakura. Her hair was longer, and her eyes were a light violet, but the facial structure and hair color was identical.

"Sixth, do you think it's similar to the pills which turned someone into Sasuke?"

Kakashi shook his head. He knew exactly what was going on. "No, but thank you. You're all dismissed. Sakura please bring the boy to the clinic."

Kakashi groaned after they exited. He hated being right. Shikamaru stepped out of the shadows he had been watching from. "Should I get Sasuke?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Not yet."

Sakura sat down with Sasuke in his living room. She held a cup of tea and was curled up on the couch. She had realized over the past several the weeks, the more casual the situation, the easier it was for Sasuke to speak. "So, we left off with you arriving at Orochimaru's, correct?"

"Ah," Sasuke nodded. Up until now, all the pain he had been caused hadn't be his fault necessarily. From here on, however, it would be intentional. He could have left Orochimaru's whenever he wanted.

"So, tell me more about your first few months at Orochimaru's." Sakura tried to be as professional as possible. She wasn't asking for this information as a friend, she was asking for it as a doctor. She could tell the pieces in his chakra network had already begun to breakdown significantly. His tales were so painful and he had never bothered to regulate his emotions.

"I wasn't a prisoner."

"I know."

Sakura was doing her best to be professional. Ino truly was better at the talk therapy, but Sasuke was having none of that. The look on Sasuke's face as he stared into the distance was enough to make her want to kill the snake bastard herself. It wasn't her place to feel anything right now, though. Gnawing her cheek would have to suffice.

"He devised a plan. I had to be resistant to pain, poison, weather and of course, emotions." His nose crinkled slightly at the word 'emotions'.

"Several of his tactics were taken from the Foundation. I was frozen, shocked, burned and drowned. Many nights I simply slept in the laboratory unable to move. It was to make me stronger. After a while, I was gifted a comrade of sorts."

Sakura raised her eyebrows, a comrade. So, there were people outside of Taka and Team 7.

"She mended my wounds after. She often had her own, but much less severe."

"Did this woman mean a lot to you?" Sakura wasn't sure if she was asking for personal or clinical reasons. Her cheek was going to raw by the end of this session.

"Yes. She was my only source of true human interaction. The happiness I felt with her was considered weakness, however. Kabuto devised a way to deal with that." Sakura nodded, encouraging him to explain. Sasuke remembered the brown-haired woman he kidnapped.

"I was expected to kidnap someone. I was personally responsible for breaking her will. She became one of his many experiments. I decided not to be close to anyone after that."

Sakura swallowed, tasting the blood from her cheek. She didn't need the details, but her mind actively imagined and searched for them. She knew Sasuke had gone down an evil path, but hearing it directly from him was heart-wrenching.

"Tell me more about this comrade."

"I killed her."

The words stung for Sakura. He killed this person, a person he called a comrade.

"Why?"

"I told you, his training methods resembled the foundation. I killed her."

"What was she like?" Sakura knew she had to make him relive this experience, as much as she didn't want to.

"She had long hair, lavender eyes- "

"What color hair?" Sakura interrupted. Lavender eyes were not common. She didn't mean to interrupt, but sometimes the mission was more important than therapy.

"Pink." He muttered, as he stared at Sakura's own pink locks.

Sakura stood and began to walk out. "We need to see Kakashi, now. Our session is over."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Your comrade isn't dead. At least I don't think." Sasuke felt like something was caught in his throat. He had his suspicions, but of course no hard proof. Sakura led him to the intel unit. Luckily, it was Ino's day there.

"Pig, I need the boy's memories from our last mission. Particularly a visual on the woman." Ino immediately went to work.

Sasuke couldn't help but acknowledge how well Sakura commanded the room. She had grown from a know-it-all child to someone who truly had the respect of others based on her knowledge and skill.

His train of thought however was cut off when as he saw the visual occurring the middle of the room. He saw a caped woman enter a household. However, as her hood fell there was no mistaking it. This was Naomi and she was everything Sasuke was supposed to be.

Sakura looked at him. His face said it all, but she needed to know for sure. "Is this the woman?"

Sasuke nodded, scowling. What had happened in the years since he had killed her?

Kakashi spoke up, no one knowing when he had entered. "Your hunch was right, Sasuke. He is experimenting again, or at least was. It seems as though she is the product."

Sasuke's knuckles were white and his frown was obscene. He was going to kill that snake. "Ah, ah ah. Take someone with you," Kakashi heeded. "Sakura, I know you just returned, but do you mind?"

Sakura glanced at Kakashi, shocked. Her and Sasuke? "Wha- what about Naruto?"

Kakashi raised a brow, surprised she wouldn't jump at the chance to be along with Sasuke. "He'll be with me for several days, hokage training." Sakura nodded in acceptance.

"You two are to speak with Orochimaru regarding the testing. Sakura, several months ago Hidan's head was taken from the Nara compound. His body remained, so we suspected it was for research. I fear Orochimaru has been using his findings on his subjects. If we are right, find this woman and stop her. We will prepare reinforcements who will be dispatched upon your request."

"Yes, sir." And "Hn." Were all Kakashi was met with as Sakura and Sasuke zipped out of the zoom.

"I'll grab my ready bag," Sakura noted.

"I'll meet you at the gate in fifteen," Sasuke agreed as they broke paths.

Night had fallen on the first night of their mission. They had to travel to the north hide-out. Sasuke having allies within Orochimaru's troupe was a blessing in scenarios like this since they were able to figure out exactly where the snake-creature was.

"We should set up camp," Sasuke announced as they landed in a clearing. Sakura nodded in agreement and wasted no time tossing her bags down. She headed over to the nearest tree, slicing branches with her kunai. Lumping them near their belongings she looked at Sasuke expectantly.

He raised his brows at her, smirking. "Yes?"

Sakura huffed. "Can you just? Please?" Traveling always made her irritable. It was the same terrain over and over. She couldn't stand it.

With a few hand signs, Sasuke blew out a flame and lit the fire. Sakura sighed and sat near it. Today had been long and draining. She placed a kettle into the flames with water from her sack.

"Do you want tea," She offered, gauging how much water to add.

Sasuke nodded graciously. Sakura had always been a motherly sort on missions. She over-packed. Even with less than ten minutes to pack, she had nearly three times the amount as him and he was grateful for it. He often traveled dreadfully light causing him to improvise meals along the way. Sasuke would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy small comforts such as tea on a cool night.

The kettle whistled and Sakura pulled out two collapsible cups, pouring the warm water in with a tea bag. "Thank you," he responded as he received his cup.

Those words always gave Sakura goosebumps when he said them. Generally, they were said when they parted so hearing it in casual conversation startled her.

"I hate when you say that," She sighed before she could filter herself.

"You're supposed to say you're welcome."

Sakura's ears perked up. Had Sasuke made a joke? She grinned. "I suppose I should. You're welcome, Sasuke."

Several moments passed as Sakura stared up at the sky. "Do you remember everywhere you've been?"

"For the most part," Sasuke noted, rubbing his eye. His sharingan allowed him to mentally record almost everything, his memory was second to none. He glanced her way and saw her emeralds gazing at the sky. The sparkle of the stars was almost as strong as spark in her eyes.

She sighed and looked toward him. "I'll take first watch. I have several reports to finish due to my sudden absence."

"You work so hard, it's amazing."

Sakura was awestruck. He had complimented her. And not just her, her work ethic. It wasn't just good or fine either…it was amazing. She tried her best to not show her awe, however. She wasn't a fangirl anymore.

She sufficed with a smile and nod.

A/N: Four is done! I hope you guys enjoy how I'm writing Sakura. I'm trying to show exactly how independent she has grown over the past few years. Of course, she's still caring Sakura, but she doesn't need Sasuke's approval anymore (though, it's always welcome). Despite all her hate, I adore Sakura.

Reviews are always appreciated! Thank you for reading!