Author's Note: Guys thank you SO much for the reviews you don't understand how helpful/ day making they are :) So happy that you like the story so far! Here's chapter three!

She was flying through the trees, her pink hair flowing in the breeze behind her head. Her bright green eyes scanned the vast forest ahead of her, searching for any signs of danger that may exist in front of her. She looked to the right and left of herself, observing her teammates accompanying her. The blonde on her left was eagerly looking from side to side, his eyes full of determination. He looked as if he was ready for any enemies that would spontaneously show up, which she was thankful for. The raven haired male on her right, however, remained calm but easily had tabs on whether they were the only shinobi in the area. It was because his eyes were not the normal black they always were, but alive with his sharingan activated, scanning around them for any unfamiliar chakra signatures. She felt safe knowing that her teammates were aware and focused. This mission would be a success. She could feel it. But that feeling was swiftly drained from her body when up ahead she saw a figure dashing their way. She could feel the negative, evil energy of the enemy's chakra.

"Watch it guys!" she yelled, pumping chakra to her feet.

Gathering her energy, she shot ahead and slammed her fist into the shinobi's chest, not getting a chance to see the face of their attacker before he or she flew backwards embedding into a tree. She landed on a thick branch and quickly scanned the forest for anymore signs of danger. When she was sure there weren't any others, she turned around to assure her teammates that they were safe.

But she was wrong, very wrong.

She saw a figure slowly walking towards her blonde teammate from the shadows of the tree, its body slowly being lighted by the sun as it moved closer to the blonde on the branch.

Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth and began to move her feet to aid her friend.

But she couldn't.

No sound came out of her mouth, not even the sound of her hurried breaths. Her feet seemed glued to the branch she was balanced on, her muscles not obeying her commands to move forward.

Panic rose in her body to an abnormal level.

The stranger walked more into the sun, showing her that it was no doubt a female, taking in her curves and small waist. She moved slowly, her balance perfect. Finally, the enemy's body was submerged in sunlight.

And she looked on in horror and in realization that the enemy was an exact mirror copy of herself, shoulder length pink hair and toned arms and legs. Her mirror self smiled a sinister smile as she whipped out a kunai. The blonde remained un moved, staring straight ahead like nothing was wrong.

MOVE she wanted to scream at him, only her voice remained absent, and her legs un moving.

"You don't need him." Her other self said smoothly.

The kunai came down and dug into the blonde's neck, blood splattering against the bark of the tree.

A soundless scream erupted from her throat as she watched her friend fall from the branch, blood spilling everywhere.

The doppleganger before her laughed as if she were enjoying the scene before her.

"NARUTO!" she heard her mind scream as she looked at his lifeless form on the ground.

Then her doppleganger jumped to the branch where her other teammate was standing.

Her blood ran cold.

He stood there, unmoving, like Naruto had before his throat was cut open. He looked directly into her wet eyes, his own still active with the sharingan that she loved.

"Sakura." he simply said.

No,God please no..

The kunai entered his body.

She found her voice

"SASUKE-KUN!"

Sakura shot up in her bed, sweat drenching her body, her heart pounding. Her head flew from left to right, frantically searching for her doppleganger, but slowly calmed down when she realized she was in her bedroom, and that she had only dreamt everything. She exhaled, her voice peeking through her breath shakily. She wrapped her arms around her legs, bringing them to her chest, and held them tightly. She didn't dare close her eyes, or she'd see her friends' throats be slit all over again. She just stared at the wall ahead of her, trying to eradicate the vision from her head. No matter how hard she tried, the image was still vivid, like she was still in the nightmare. She squeezed her eyes so tightly shut that a mixture of colors and patterns danced behind her eyelids in the darkness that she saw, but not even that could hide the vision of her two friends being killed right in front of her.

Not to mention, she saw herself as the one who killed them, enjoying the sight of their blood, the lust for the red liquid that she saw in her very own eyes that stared back at her…

There was no way she'd be able to fall back asleep now.

Sakura glanced out her window and saw the sun just barely beginning to rise, giving her an excuse to get an early start. She sighed and flung her sheets away. Her bare feet met the hard, smooth surface of her floor, but were quickly withdrawn in a hurry when an image of blood splattered on wood flashed before her eyes. She gasped, her stomach dropping. She stared at her floor for a few minutes before finally believing that she was being crazy, and there was no blood on the polished wood. She slowly placed one foot on the floor, then more steadily placed the other. She rose form her bed and walked over to her closet to grab a clean pair of clothes.

It was just a dream, she kept telling herself over and over again. Just a dream..

She took her shirt in her hands and buried her face into the cool fabric.

But it felt so real…

Sasuke had left his home right when the sun had risen, keeping to his habit of always being early on days he was assigned missions. He was always first, always waiting for the rest of his team to show up so they could embark from the village. Currently, he was leaning against a tree close to the gates leading out of the village. His arms were crossed comfortably against his chest, his head arched back against the bark of the tree. He stared up at the sunrise, thoughts dancing in his head. He didn't want to, but he finally admitted to himself that he kind of missed missions with his old squad, or reformed squad as they were now. He closed his eyes and thought back to all the missions they partook in, from chasing down a lost cat to protecting clients from dangerous shinobi, each of them watching each others' backs. He remembered Naruto's endless energy and determination, Kakashi's skilled battle tactics, Sakura's intelligence and alertness…

Sasuke felt a familiar chakra signature heading his way, clearing his thoughts away. His eyes opened and he saw Naruto walking towards him, rubbing his eyes. He loudly yawned.

"Morning Teme." Naruto said, tiredness slurring his words a little.

"Hn." was all he said, acknowledging Naruto, closing his eyes once more.

Naruto looked around him and Sasuke. "Where's Sakura-chan? She's normally here before I am."

Sasuke's eyes instantly opened. Naruto was right, where was she? Sakura wasn't one to be late, that characteristic was reserved for Kakashi, and he wasn't even on this mission. She was always the second to arrive after Sasuke, and the two would wait until Naruto showed up about ten minutes later.

But Naruto was here, as he had pointed out, and their other teammate wasn't.

That's not like her, Sasuke thought.

Naruto leaned against a tree next to Sasuke, taking up his usual position of crossing his arms behind his head. "Man, I'm so pumped to get out of the village on a real mission." Naruto began.

"I mean once in a while Sakura-chan and I would be sent out on some missions, but they were always so boring. I think we've escorted so many old guys that I'm starting to think that I'm turning into one."

Sasuke smirked, the corners of his mouth rising only slightly.

"And now I really get to try out some new techniques I've been working on, and all that training that Ero-Senin gave me won't be thrown away." Naruto said excitedly. "And I know that Sakura-chan wasn't wasting her time with Bāchan, man you should see what she can turn into dust."

Sasuke smirked again. "From what I've seen you two have been getting along fine." he said.

Naruto's smile slowly faded. "Not all of us.." he said looking into Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke frowned, Not all of us?

Sasuke didn't have time to think about what Naruto had said, because he felt another familiar chakra signature heading towards them, and Naruto's smile re-appeared.

"Hey Sakura-chan!" Naruto said excitedly as Sakura walked towards him and Sasuke.

Sakura was occupied with putting on her infamous black fighting gloves, making sure they hugged every finger and inch of her hand. As she walked the grass swished against her feet, strangely calming her nerves, which she was utterly grateful for. Regardless of her early rise, her movements were slow and she ended up taking more time to get ready than she normally would have. She ended up leaving her home very late, but she figured it would be ok, she needed time to gather her thoughts. She needed a distraction after last night, and this mission with Naruto and Sasuke-kun would be just the thing. After all, it was just a dream. She'd get over it, she hoped.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." She looked up at her teammates. "Good mor-"

She choked on her words.

Naruto and Sasuke were both leaning against trees, their necks exposed in the air. Her eyes widened as her nightmare came alive in her mind once more as she saw a flash of blood erupt from their necks and splash onto the bark of the tree. A jolt of fear spread down her spine, but left as quickly as it came. The blood vanished from her sight as she inhaled deeply. "..ning." she finished shakily.

Stop imagining things. It was just a dream. Don't let this distract you.

Sakura banished the vision from her head, blocking it out completely this time. She would not be slowed down by something like this. She was stronger, more capable now.

But her shaking shoulders said otherwise.

Sasuke leaned up from the tree and activated his sharingan, his eyes dancing around them, no doubt searching for something.

Sakura sighed. He probably thinks there' s danger around because of my behavior just now, she thought.

After looking all around him, Sasuke's eyes calmed down and remained stationary once more.

Sasuke looked at her, frowning, his sharingan still active. Sakura felt her heart beat against her chest as they stared at each other. There was something about Sasuke that she picked up on right away.

Was that concern that she saw in Sasuke?

Slowly, his red eyes melted back into their normal onyx color, his eyes never leaving Sakura's.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, concern flooding his face, walking over to her. "What's wrong?"

Sakura shook her head. "It's nothing. I thought I saw something, but I was imagining it." She smiled

"Are we ready?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, not in annoyance, but in confusion. Why was she acting so strange?

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.

"I'm fine." Sakura said, laughing a little. "Just a little tired."

Sasuke noticed some faint dark circles under her eyes, believing her statement that she was tired.

But she was fine?

Bullshit, Sasuke thought. There was something that made her scared, something that triggered her fright when she looked at him and Naruto.

And he was going to find out what it was.

Naruto's face was still uncertain, but he dismissed the feeling and smiled. He grabbed Sasuke's shirt and Sakura's arm and pulled them towards him. "Let's do this!"

Sasuke and Sakura both twisted away from Naruto, Sakura punching Naruto's shoulder.

"Touch me again and I'll-" Sakura and Sasuke began to say at the same time, but they both stopped, and looked at each other.

Sasuke noticed that Sakura had a slight blush on her cheeks. Sasuke just looked away, that same strange feeling spreading through his stomach that had invaded him the other day when he and Sakura were sparring. He would find out what this feeling was too, happening whenever he and Sakura had some sort of connection. He had already come to the conclusion that he cared for her, there was no doubt in his mind.

But he felt something else for her, and it was unknown to him.

"Oh wait! I almost forgot!" Naruto exclaimed, swinging his backpack off of his shoulders and brought it in front of him. He began to rummage through it, and a few seconds later drew something out of the tan backpack. Naruto turned to Sasuke and held out something wrapped in blue cloth for him to take. Sasuke looked at Naruto warily, but took the item into his hands and began to un-wrap it.

Sasuke's eyes widened, taken by complete surprise. He was not expecting this.

Sakura looked down at Sasuke's hands and inhaled quickly, happiness flooding her features.

Naruto's eyes were closed, grinning widely. "It may have been damaged from before, but I kept it just incase you came back." he said gleefully.

Sasuke continued to look down at his hands, the cloth ribboning down the sides of his hands, the metal shining, the leaf symbol of Konoha prominently displayed. Sasuke's hands were frozen under his old headband, not believing that it was real. His eyes traced the giant scratch that stretched across the leaf, a remembrance of when he and Naruto fought each other, Naruto determined to bring Sasuke back home. His rasengan had grazed the metal, making the scratch that Sasuke now appreciated. It was a sign of their friendship, between him and his best friend.

He looked at Naruto and Sakura, the only two people who had thought of a future with him.

The only people who had hope that their team would be complete once more.

"We can get you a new one once we get back from the mission." Naruto babbled "A nice, new-"

"No." Sasuke said, cutting off Naruto.

Sasuke's hands moved, flipping the headband so the metal was touching his hands. He brought his arms up, and secured the headband to his forehead, tying the fabric into a knot.

"I want this one." he simply said. He tightened the knot.

Naruto beamed happily. Sakura's eyes were back to their usual brightness, not even indicating that they had been widened in terror like they had been moments ago.

Sasuke tilted his head up towards the sun, the Konoha leaf catching the light and shining in all its glory.

The three shinobi turned their heads to the gate, nothing ahead but the vast forest.

"Alright, let's go!" Naruto's determinated voice exclaimed, thrusting his fist in the air.

Sakura looked out into the forest, a smile of bliss and determination on her face.

Sasuke looked at his teammates, and warmth spread throughout his body.

Arigatō.

Naruto.

Sakura..

The mission begins next chapter! Thank you guys so much for reading this, it seriously makes my day :) P.S. Sakura's dream is important, so stay tuned ;)