If you don't know by chapter 7 of this fic that I don't own Naruto, you have problems. Big problems. I know it took forever for me to update but I am dedicated to my fics and will finish this one day or another and hopefully sooner rather than later. But work and life does get in the way sometimes. But enough of this A/N, on with the fic!

Sakura walked through the park admire the blossoms that inspired her name. Her mother claimed that it was the first thing she saw after she was born that moved her to consider the name. When the doctor handed the baby Sakura to her, it was then she knew after seeing the pink tuft of hair what Sakura's name should be. It was a funny story that Sakura played in her mind as she headed through the park, enjoying the spring breeze. If she had not lost the baby, she would be about 4 months along now and the baby would be born in the beginning of September. Sakura placed her hand over her abdomen and sighed. Oh well, it was a medical issue and nothing could be helped about it now. As she was walking, she ran into Naruto as he was on his way to the Hokgae's office to report for his mission.

"Naruto!" She yelled waving to him as he passed.

"Sakura!" He stopped in front of her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Sakura said slightly alarmed at how Naruto was acting towards her. "Why?"

"Nothing, I have just been worried about you since how Sasuke has the nerve to hit you for doing your duty at the hospital." Naruto said. "Look, you deserve better than that. Much better. You should have known I would never have accepted that whole 'I walked into a door' thing. You are not clumsy at all."

Sakura felt a little defensive. This was none of Naruto's business, the relationship issues she was having with Sasuke. He was getting a little too worried about her, like she was weak. But you did let Sasuke live after he hit you. You promised yourself when you were younger that you would never let any man get away with hitting you. Sakura thought to herself. Naruto is your teammate from when you were kids. Can you blame him for being concerned? "What are you doing out again? Seems like not too long ago you were on your way to the store,"

"Nah, went home instead. But as soon as I did I got a summons to the Hokage's office." Naruto said. "No rest for ANBU huh?" Naruto laughed.

"That's why you're ANBU huh?" Sakura smiled.

"Don't tell Sasuke." Naruto said. "I can't tell you what the mission is but he wouldn't like finding out what it is."

Sakura looked at Naruto. There was only one thing that Naruto doing that Sasuke not would get him into a state that no one would want to be around and that was killing Itachi. "You don't mean...?" She asked.

"I do mean." Naruto nodded. "You're smart, you figured it out but that is all I am going to say. And with the way Sasuke is right now, I don't want him to find out his rival may take over his dream."

"I won't tell him." Sakura nodded. Naruto started to head off into the distance. "Be safe! I don't want to have to heal you all over again!"

"You know you always have to on missions like these." Naruto teased back. Sakura had to smile because it was true, from what she could surmise of the mission based off what he said, he was going to get himself hurt. Pretty badly too. But he was never going to let that stop him. Which could hurt him even more but Sakura knew how well he healed up. There was no fighting it in him and Sakura admired that. ANBU missions were kept secret for long periods of time, so if Naruto's squad did end up taking out Itachi, Sasuke wouldn't know. I promised Naruto I wouldn't tell Sasuke but that is Sasuke's dream, to kill Itachi and restore his clan. I already cannot help him restore his clan but if Naruto kills Itachi... Sakura gulped and headed on to the bench to watch the breeze blow the sakura blossom pedals along. Normally she would never withhold anything from Sasuke, but how he was acting, she knew she couldn't tell him this even if it wasn't a top secret ANBU mission.

Meanwhile Sasuke was sitting at the precinct twirling a pen in his hands. It was a very slow day in Konoha and was usually expected to as it was a village mostly filled with shinobi. If there wasn't a village emergency, then they were waiting for a call. Most minor issues were settled among the people of Konoha themselves but if things got out of hand between two shinobi or a civilian and a shinobi the police were called in. They had to be well trained and skilled to stop the most angry or violent of culprits and in honoring Uchiha traditions, Sasuke joined up for this very reason. Naruto had suggested that Sasuke join ANBU because of his skill. However, due to his brother being a former captain, Sasuke just simply decided to join the police force. It did get rather dull after awhile, he had to admit. He just looked at the symbol of the police force, remembering the story all to well.

"It takes the strongest of shinobi to police other shinobi." Sasuke said to himself as he stared into his mug of tea.

"That it does Uchiha. That is why I am so proud to have the last Uchiha on the force." The chief said as he smiled at Sasuke. "Relax, it may be boring now but tomorrow it may get more exciting. If you have been on the police force as long as I have you learn to cherish the boring days."

"Yes sir." Sasuke said simply as he looked down at old reports of times the police had been called out on a case. I am just working here to restore my clan's honor. But what clan? I can't just leave Sakura, I do have an image to maintain. People think bad enough of me for leaving. But nothing hardly happens here. And Itachi is still alive. You would have thought Akatsuki would have made a move by now! It's been over 5 years since they really started gathering the tailed beasts! Lord Jiraiya said they were trying to build a weapon to take over the world with. They had a few already. Sasuke thought as he twirled a sai in his hands. "That weird guy who replaced me on Team 7, his name is Sai right?" Sasuke mused.

"Yeah." The chief said looking up from his desk. "I think he is dating that Yamanaka girl, the one who works at the flower shop."

"Huh." Sasuke said to himself. Yeah like I am going to be able to re-ignite that flame. And Hinata... nah. Maybe Tenten but she is into Neji. Well I don't know, there has to be some fangirl of my old genin days who never gave up on me... Sasuke thought. "I never could have pictured them together. He is as about as boring as a blank piece of paper and I recall she really liked me when we were genin."

"Things change Uchiha. People grow. I know you don't like me talking to you like that with your clan being the one who founded the police force but keep that in mind. No one knows what the future holds. Trust me, if they asked me five years ago if you would be on my force, I would have laughed in their face. I thought you would never come back to Konoha, no matter if you did kill Itachi." The chief said. He noticed the grimace that was on Sasuke's face after the remark about Itachi. "Sorry. But who knows, keep up the good work and you'll be the chief in no time. Uchiha in charge again."

"Yeah. Sounds good." Sasuke said as he looked away. No way to continue the clan, no way to get my revenge unless Akatsuki does something to Konoha, I should have stayed rouge. Never was boring and Karin was obsessed over me. This place isn't... worth it at times.

The door to the prescient opened up and Sasuke perked up, hoping someone stole an old lady's purse or a drunken brawl had broken out so he would have something to do to keep his mind off Sakura. "Oh, it's you Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke said sitting down.

"Yes it's me and you have been one of my most interesting students yet." Kakashi said as he headed to Sasuke's desk. "And I never will stop being your sensei."

"Well you won't have much time. Rumor has it Lady Tsunade is going to make you Hokage soon." Sasuke said simply. He was not in much of a mood to talk to anyone. Trying to figure out what he was going to do with his life now that he couldn't have a family with Sakura. Itachi was still out there. And here he was stuck in a job that wasn't going to restore the Uchiha honor.

"You know what they say about rumors." Kakashi laughed having heard it himself many times around the village. "I just came here to see how you were feeling after Sakura got back from the hospital. I know you were really anxious to be a father." He knew very well what was going on and how Sakura had changed. Kakashi knew that there was something more devious than a sudden clumsiness that Sakura claimed. Sakura did not change like he was seeing after Sasuke first left. In fact it only motivated her more than anything he could ever hope to see while Sasuke was in the village.

"Hard. But I'll get over it." Sasuke said simply.

"You mind if Sasuke and I use the conference room for a little bit?" Kakashi asked narrowing his eyes at Sasuke. "Just a little former student and sensei talk chief."

"Sure thing." The chief said as Kakashi stood Sasuke up and walked into the conference room with him and shut the door. "Why is it that I always have to talk to you like this to get you to see sense?"

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.

"I know what you did to Sakura. She can try to hide it all she wants but I know." Kakashi said glaring at Sasuke. "I honestly did not think she should go back to you when you came back. I wanted her to move on to someone else. You broke her heart."

"So you come to my job to talk about my relationship? I am not a kid anymore." Sasuke said.

"And I expect you to act like you aren't. You are my student and you wouldn't have been assigned to me if you weren't better than you are acting. And I don't mean by just sitting here on a slow day at the police force. I completely understand this job and applaud you for it. I mean how you blame Sakura for the fact you two cannot have children and you are letting it ruin you. I thought we had this talk about the desire for revenge. Your revenge was never fulfilled and look at you. Your actions will restore your clan's honor more than killing the man who caused the loss of it." Kakashi said. He looked over to Sasuke. "And you didn't hear a word I said because you assumed that I am full of shit."

"You want the truth?" Sasuke said looking away from Kakashi.

"That would be nice." Kakashi said.

"You don't understand." Sasuke began Here we go again. "I think I do. You do know the legend of The White Fang right?"

"Yeah. He was your father." Sasuke said.

"And he was disgraced and took his own life leaving me alone." Kakashi said. "Left with a disgraced name. However it was on me to restore the Hatake name. Not on anyone else not on my reproductive ability, just me. Now let that sink in. You are a better man than you are acting and if you keep this up, it won't be Itachi who disgraces Uchiha. Nor would it be Sakura who disgraces the name either. It will be you. Sasuke Uchiha, the survivor of the massacre, the last remaining Uchiha will have. Just let that sink in. Sakura could do so much better than you. You let your clan's name and your kekkei genkai get to your head. Now, I had better not hear of anything happening like the rumors have been between you and Sakura ever again. As your sensei I have made it my job to make sure that you, Sakura and Naruto all turn out to be outstanding shinobi, even past the genin stage. I want you to know I came to your defense when the elders wanted to punish you as a rouge nin with execution for leaving the village like you did to serve Orochimaru in their eyes. Don't make me regret that."

"I won't." Sasuke said as he got up to leave. "You gave me a lot to think about." Hopefully he buys that. I can't stand being lectured and people not seeing things from my point of view. Sakura is not the only victim here. Saskue thought as he and Kakashi headed out the door.

"You had better." Kakashi said. "I don't ever want to have this talk again."

"Bye." Sasuke said abruptly

"Have a nice day at work!" Kakashi said as he headed out the door.

"What was that about Uchiha?" The chief asked.

"Just an old catch up with my former sensei." Sasuke said. "Nothing more."

How was that? Good? Bad? Long? Talky? Drama? Let me know in a review. Trust me things are building and a breaking point is coming where everyone on Team 7 is going to have to have an epiphany on what they need to do. I think a few readers out there can guess which direction this is headed. But you will have to keep reading. So remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,

otherrealmwriter

aka

Realm