Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters in any way, shape, or form.

Chapter 2: Recovery

Kisame sat there on his knees, once more under restraints, finding interest in the pebbles under his feet as Mei stood before him. As Tsunade had promised, Mei, and the other Kages had arrived at the Konoha encampment later on that day; and with their arrival came his doom.

So he had been once more shackled, and led towards his Kage by one Chojuro and forced onto his knees by said pipsqueak, who obviously didn't care about showing his blatant dislike for the missing nin -not that it mattered much anyway. He would get his just desserts soon enough.

And there he had stayed, as Mei had been greeted by Tsunade and they had conversed lowly about the events of the war -Sakura alongside them all the while, showing her support as Tsunade spoke about who knows what.

Not that he cared -he knew is fate.

It felt like an eternity, as if his judges were determining what punishment would suit his many crimes (even though there was truly only one), before Mei finally turned away from Tsunade and Sakura and approached him. And as she stood before him their eyes clashed -his beady orbs and her warm but steely emerald eyes.

"On your feet, Hoshigaki."

And so he did, and with a sigh he looked up to meet the deep emerald eyes of the Godaime Mizukage -his Kage, although he had never admitted it, eye level finally meeting hers. She approached him then, and with amusement he noticed that he towered over Mei; her as well, in any case, since he towered over everybody, but something about being at the merciful hands of someone so short seemed an odd thought.

"Part of me is surprised you lived past this war -and even further surprised you remained here after the fact." She began slowly, eyes glazing over his figure briefly. True to Sakura's words, Kisame had little to no injuries on his being; of course they had already been healed, but his clothes seemed relatively intact, all things considered.

He was incredibly strong and durable, an important distinction as Mei realized Kisame could have most definitely fled the battle and obtained freedom after the fact. Sakura could no longer walk, Kakashi had been all but out of chakra, and those still capable of walking had to help the others through their journey.

Kisame could have ran, and none could have stopped him, but he helped his teammates here without a word and accepted him fate -she oddly respected his conviction.

"I am true to my word if nothing else." Kisame stated in a grumpy manner, breaking Mei out of her thoughts -he care not for these formalities. If she was going to kill him, then have her do it already. "Now get on with it -I know what you have to do."

"Oh?" Mei questioned with an amused expression on her features. "And what is that?"

"Punish me for treason to the village; for my crimes against our village, and the whole world." Kisame was snarky with his response -was she reveling in his misery? Mocking him for having been degraded to a weak and puny shinobi at her feet? He would not grovel for mercy, he thought with an internal snort.

"Are you asking me to or forcing me to, Hoshigaki?" she hummed out, not that she truly meant for Kisame to answer this question as she took a step towards him -she didn't need him to egg her own to take action against him -she had been thinking about it heavily since she they allowed him to go fight Madara, because ever the optimist, she believed in his skill and that of Team Sakura. "I hereby punish you, Hoshigaki Kisame, for your crimes against our village, and for the crimes against humanity committed through the Shinobi Lands." she declared loudly, for all around them to hear, her eyes glancing first from her shinobi, to the Kages surrounding her. "Your punishment-" her hard gaze fell onto Kisame once more, "I sentence you to a lifetime of servitude -protecting and serving your village."

Kisame blinked; twice; thrice. "What?"

The silence had stretched as her statement sank into the crowd -Tsunade seemingly the only Kage surprised by Mei's verdict. But the silence had been broken by none other than her younger protective detail, almost as if unbelieving of his Kage's shenanigans. "M-Mei-sama... you can't be s-serious..."

And as Kisame looked up at her once more, he found her eyes no longer hard or serious -but rather amused and mischievous. "You said you were willing to serve your punishment -well, here it is." And with a smirk on her features, she turned around and began walking away.

"Chojuro -get rid of those cuffs and begin to assign some duties for him to follow -he'll have to catch on quick if he plans on being useful to me."

And although Chojuro wanted to argue against this profoundly, his Kage left no room to argue as she instead surrounded herself amongst the other Kage, none of them seemingly affected or surprised by her decision. "Tsunade, where's the stash of sake? I know you must have some around here~"

"B-But..." the young Kiri-nin grimaced as he stared between Mei and Kisame several times.

And although it took Kisame several seconds to understand what had just happened, once he finally did he let out a wide grin. "Well you heard the lady, pipsqueak. Let me out of these cuffs." he bellowed with a wide grin.

He knew there was a reason he liked Mei.

Sakura had returned to Itachi's bedside thirty minutes later. "I bring good news -sort of." Sakura began, as she walked into the hospital room and immediately took a seat next to Itachi, and began to check his vitals with ease.

"That being?" Sasuke asked curiously.

"We have found replacement eyes for Itachi."

"So quickly?" Mikoto raised an eyebrow. Sure she was sure there were plenty of casualties in the war.

"With copious amounts of discretion, I will disclose to you that Neji's infiltration team came up with hundreds of Sharingan eyes inside of Madara's lair. They brought back a pair of which back to Konoha, and Tsunade-shishou has given her permission to return these to Itachi. In this way, although he won't have his original eyes, he'll at least still have the Sharingan. I expect that this will also prove better, compared to his deteriorating eyesight of before." Sakura smiled. "Of course, given that you want them, Itachi?"

"Is it truly alright to receive these eyes?" he instead asked, diverting his wants and needs, as it seemed he always did -alas, it was in his nature.

"Tsunade-shishou gave her blessing; so long as you want them, they are yours. Inversely, if you refuse, it may take longer to find other eyes. Given that they are Uchiha eyes, the likelihood that they'll take is far greater."

That being said, Itachi guessed they didn't really have a choice on the matter. "When will the operation take place?"

"Now, if you are feeling up to it. The quicker we get these eyes into somebody, the better. I'm sure you can understand why." Sakura stated calmly. "It seems that your vitals are doing alright; I have to draw blood samples first, but afterwards you should be okay to operate on." Truth be told, more than anything Sakura had to run samples of his blood and test for any illnesses or diseases -of which Sasuke knew and understood (But Mikoto did not, and as such he would remain silent until Sakura gave him the confirmation).

"Who will be performing the surgery?" Mikoto decided to speak up.

"It will be the joint efforts of Shizune, Marika-nee, and I." Sakura responded smoothly, understanding Mikoto's concern.

But at this, Sasuke couldn't help but scowl, his nose flaring in near defiance. "Sakura, you have yet to rest since we've returned to Konoha. You cannot possibly be physically able to operate."

"Don't you worry about me, Sasuke-kun." Sakura dismissed his concern with a small smile. "I've taken a soldier pill already; I will have time to rest once we've stabilized Itachi, Nagato, and Kakashi-sensei's conditions."

Although he didn't like it, he knew the medics that could operate on Itachi were limited, given that nobody yet knew that he was even here, let alone alive, and not to mention that he was no longer an enemy. "Hn." he grunted out. "But afterwards you will rest."

Sakura merely raised an eyebrow in response. Are you barking orders at me, Uchiha? he could almost ready her thoughts -no, in fact, he was sure she was thinking just that.

"Sakura, you couldn't walk but three days ago." he stated with a look that said yes, yes I am barking orders at you. "Everyone saw how much chakra you wasted. I can see even now you're teetering on the verge of exhaustion. The soldier pill will only make these effects worse once it wears off." he glared -Sakura's weight shifted foots uncomfortably at the sight.

No, not just because it was her Sasuke-kun glaring at her, but because they were his eyes.

She looked away dejectedly. "I have responsibilities, Sasuke-kun."

"And you have responsibilities to your clan, and to your friends, to recuperate." Sasuke was not having any of it.

"Sasuke is right." -A voice they had not realized had been listening to the entire time, and Sakura turned to eye her elder sister. "Marika-nee." she greeted warily, feeling like she was getting teamed up on.

"I will take on these responsibilities -if you'd like to oversee, by all means you are welcome to it. But you heard Tsunade-sama. Anything else you do may cause irreparable damage to your body." As she spoke, she drew closer to Sakura and took her hands into her own. "The war may be over, but our fight is not, Sakura-chan. We need you well, not just alive."

Sakura chewed on her bottom lip. "I will help with Itachi's surgery, and I will check up on my patients." Sakura demanded. "Then I will go."

Sasuke and Marika seemed content with her answer -because only in one of these situations did she really need to use chakra -and between Shizune and Marika, they could carry on most of the menial work. "Hn" Sasuke relented.

"It's settled then." Sakura confirmed with a nod. "Marika-nee, please go make sure the OR is prepped and that the hallways are cleared for Itachi's transportation. I will be there shortly." Marika wordlessly complied, leaving Sakura once more alone with the family of Uchiha.

Now that he had dutifully protected Sakura from over-working herself (as Naruto had swore him to do, because as it was he was busy trying to calm the raving fans that bombarded him -a noble task which he had taken upon himself for the sake of leaving the limelight off of Sasuke and Sakura, he could move on to the next pertinent topic. "Perhaps afterwards we can talk to you about the massacre." Sasuke stated seriously, his eyes averting to Itachi, not that he could see as much, and at his words Sakura turned to him alertly.

"Sasuke-kun, that's not-!" she gasped out, hardly knowing what to say or do other than to punch her teammate. Why did he even think that was an appropriate thing to bring up?

"He asked about it." Sasuke cut her off, knowing what she would have said. "It seems he knew his mission long before he actually enacted it."

"Oh..." she spoke as her saddened eyes landed on the elder Uchiha male. Not that Sakura was entirely surprised by it, but part of her was hoping he didn't remember any of it, to perhaps save him some heartache for the time being. "In any case, it's probably best we move in now; Marika should be done clearing the hallways."

"Thank you for everything, Sakura." Mikoto stated once more -pensive but showing her gratitude. Truth be told she was conflicted, between protecting Sakura from herself and helping Itachi recuperate. But Sakura was a tough girl, and she already had friends making sure she didn't push herself past her limits.

"There is nothing for you to thank me for." Sakura dismissed. "I should be the one apologizing -it is because of me that Itachi is here now." Sakura bowed apologetically.

"You are right." Mikoto accepted with a pointed look -a statement that had shocked Sasuke -how could she possibly say that to her? "It is because of you that Itachi is here -alive, today." Suddenly the double meaning of her statement made sense. "We will be waiting here until the operation is complete. Go now, Sakura, before your soldier pill wears off." Mikoto smiled slightly.

With a nod her face, Sakura moved to Itachi's bedside. "Are you ready for the operation, Itachi?"

He was silent for several seconds -it wasn't until Sasuke placed a hand on his shoulder that he felt the courage to grunt.

It had taken two hours to complete the surgery and make sure that the procedure had ran smoothly; but in between the two Harunos' with prominent Senju blood running through their veins, it was no wonder that Itachi had been fully healed and ready to get his eyes checked on within a matter of hours.

Shizune and Marika had excused themselves after the operation, and it had left Itachi in Sakura's care once more, although Mikoto and Sasuke had never left Itachi's bedside.

Sakura had undid the bandages on his eyes carefully, and Itachi had slowly opened them to reveal his new eyes; dark in color, nearly identical to his own, but Sakura knew better. With sadness, Sakura realized that these eyes would no longer show the same vulnerability she saw glimpses of in the past. But she tucked those thoughts away. "How are things, Itachi? Can you see okay?"

He took a while to answer, as Sakura swiveled in her chair and slid back a foot, so he could see his surroundings slightly; his eyes met that of his mother, then of Sasuke. "Ahh."

Sakura seemed to accept the one-syllabled answer and once more swiveled in front of him. "Follow the movement of my finger, onegai." she instructed, and Itachi wordlessly did as he was told, as she turned her small flashlight on and pointed them towards one of his retina, as her finger moved horizontally across his field of vision.

"It seems like his body is taking to them just fine." Sakura spoke formally. "Seeing it was Marika and I who performed the operation, I know he'll be in peak condition tomorrow. For now, we should leave these eyes to rest and not strain them. I will be back in tomorrow morning to run another check up."

"That's good to hear." Mikoto seemed relieved, even as Itachi's eyes were once more bandaged up and he was eased down into the bed.

At the very least, he seemed more relaxed; Sakura knew that being able to see Mikoto and Sasuke, even if just for the briefest of moments, would help to set him at ease in a way just hearing voices and feeling soft touches wouldn't. As such, Sakura put her flashlight away, and scribbled something upon his medical chart. "I'm going to go visit Kakashi-sensei now, lest he leave the hospital before he's supposed to.

"Remember, no healing." Sasuke instructed. "Or I will have Marika intern you as a patient yourself."

Sakura's nose flared in defiance at the threat, but she said no more on the matter. "If you'd excuse me, then."

He could have almost sworn his eyes were dysfunctional -perhaps the previous wielder of these eyes had been color blind. Of course, he couldn't have known better, seeing as the first thing he had laid his newly operated eyes on was the kunoichi he had never met -with pink hair and dazzling, vibrant jaded eyes. The combination was just obtuse. But then he saw his Okaa-san -his otouto. And suddenly the realization of his amnesia became a little more concrete. But the pink of his doctor's hair had definitely startled him for just the briefest of moments.

His mother was aged -worn from stress and from the years, but still, it was his mother. She was still as beautiful as the day he last remembered seeing her, apparently well over twelve years in the past.

Sasuke was another story.

In his own mind, he would have described Sasuke as cute. Adorable, in fact, with rounded cheeks and innocent eyes.

But this was not his adorable otouto. His otouto now, if he could even keep using the endearment, was chiseled; muscular from his line of work, with the aristocratic features of the Uchiha and a rigid face. His brother was probably taller than him now, too.

It would take adjusting, he realized, although this was not to mean he couldn't accomplish it. Sasuke would always be Sasuke -he just had to remember that Sasuke was no longer seven, and he was no longer thirteen.

The bandages had been put on shortly afterwards -probably for the better, for it would give him time to compartmentalize his thoughts and come to accept them -he needed to accept his demons and gather his thoughts before he could face them again.

So lost in his own thoughts, he had completely forgotten to thank the kunoichi. What was her name again? Haruno Sakura. And the other Haruno, who he distinctly remembered from his past.

Marika

The name lingered on his mind, far longer than the image of Sasuke and Mikoto. She had been annihilated during the Haruno Clan Massacre, if he recalled correctly. Then again, obviously not, if she was standing there today.

The daunting task of catching up to this timeline would take time.

"If it is not too much to ask for, I would like to know the events following the massacre."

Sasuke and Mikoto exchanged glances. "If that is what you wish, fine. But we should wait; for Shisui and Saki to arrive. I have already sent word for them to come."

Itachi nodded. "Saki... should I be concerned?" Thinking of it now -did his sister know of him? Know of the atrocities he had committed? Know that he was even still alive?

"You exchanged interactions with Saki, before the war. She knows of your identity; know what you did." Mikoto stated. "Even so, she has taken it upon herself to judge you not by those actions, but by what she's seen. She's intuitive; she knows there's more than meets the eye. She is, however, under the impression that you are death." Mikoto explained -it wasn't that they didn't want to tell Saki -it was simply that they could have have Saki immediately rushing to the hospital with them. It would have seemed suspicious. As it was now, she was being baby sat by Naruto and Ino at the Haruno Compound.

"She doesn't even know about Shisui, for that matter... this is going to hit her hard." Sasuke frowned. He knew if it had been him in her shoes, he would be furious; furious that the family whom he supposedly trusted had kept so much from him. In that sense, Saki was a far better Uchiha -a far better person, than he ever would be. She would be calm and understanding, and although confused and hurt, she would be accepting of the news, and simply be glad that things were now settled and everything would now be revealed to her.

She had to know; because the threat of Danzo was not gone yet, and she would have to know for any future instances that may involve the man.

Nagato was next on her list of rounds. After receiving astonishing news that he could walk, after he had been left irreversibly crippled by his fight with Hanzo, Sakura had run extensive tests and scans on the man -and she had just gotten them back. As such, she trudged over to Nagato's room, on the same floor as Itachi and Kakashi, but in opposite hallways.

Konan was awaiting her arrival anxiously, one hand gripping on to Nagato's. As she entered, Konan stood in anxiety and impatience as Sakura greeted her and Nagato formally.

"You will have to forgive me, I have yet to have time to review the results, but it should not take too long." Sakura apologized, as she pulled out first the x-ray and clipped it on to the light, then turned the light of the room off.

Although Sakura had no previous medical records to compare the current ones to, she knew what state Nagato had been in, not only from observation, but from what Konan had told her. But at the sight of these, she could not help but be left wide-eyed, her lips parted in confusion and bewilderment. And almost as quickly, her hand dashed towards the folder with the remaining tests -among them blood-cell count, bone-marrow count, and sonograms of the spine.

"I can't believe it..." she could only conclude after several minutes of rapt amazement, and with this she finally turned to the expecting eyes of Konan and Nagato. "His scans had shown amazing regeneration to the cells in his bones, nervous tissue, and muscles." Konan waited in baited breath for the confirmation she needed. "Nagato is right -with therapy he can make a full recovery." Sakura stated with smile -hopeful for what was to come for Konan and Nagato.

Konan seemed elated. "This is because of you, Sakura-sama." she stated with pride. "It was your cherry blossoms -I'm sure of it."

Her Hanami? She hadn't given it much thought. She knew she instantly healed injuries and replenished chakra, but did that hold true for age-old injuries? For life-changing, bodily-impaired, wheelchair-bound injuries? "Whatever it was, it's given you a second chance, Nagato." Sakura spoke seriously, dismissing the possibility that it could have been her, although all indications seemed to point to it, unless Kikyou had also dabbled in fixing up Nagato when saving Itachi. "The journey to recovery will not be an easy one." Because simply by how long he had practically been bed-ridden, it would take surgery and over a year of physical therapy to build his muscle mass and strengthen his bones to what they should be for his gender and age.

"I'm willing to work -whatever it takes." he spoke adamantly. If nothing else, he wanted to become the man he once was -a man fit to stand alongside the likes of Konan and protect and watch over Amegakure -of course, given that he was allowed to return home.

"If that's the case, you will have to remain in Konoha for at least a couple months just for the surgery -although the permanent damage to your nerves has been healed, there is still much work that needs to be done to repair them fully." Sakura stated, hovering over his body. She had never seen anyone in such a deteriorated state before -absent-mindedly, she couldn't help but wonder how Konan had been able to watch him go through with this. Kami knew she would be entirely too distraught if Itachi was in this state.

"But Ame-" he cut himself off. How was he to run the nation he loved so dearly? What could he do?

"You cannot do both at once," Sakura stated calmly. "I understand your cause is important, but you need to hold your health as a priority; there will be no one to lead it if you cannot get better. Given that we don't even know the punishment that the Kage's will be giving you, returning to Ame should be the last thing on your mind. Gomen." Sakura stated bluntly, if only because he needed to hear it. Optimism would get him nowhere right now.

"But if I don't run Ame..." he couldn't even finish his sentence. Sure, they had gone about it wrong, but they had worked her to get Amegakure to where it was today. If left unattended, who knows to what state it could possibly deteriorate to.

"Then let me run it in your stead -until you are well enough to return. I will make the proper preparations for your arrival." Konan stated firmly. Because as it was, she was already in charge of his sentencing. And she would be damned if she did not make sure Nagato received the best possible outcome. And she was hopeful, too, because as it stood Tsunade was willing to give nothing more than a slap on the wrist. She simply hoped that the other Kage would be as forthcoming.

"These are matters best left between you two." Sakura decided with a small smile. "Konan, if I could have a word with you outside, onegai." she spoke warmly.

Konan nodded, and promising Nagato that she would be right outside, she stepped out with Sakura. "Is something wrong?" she expressed her concern -was there something perhaps that she did not want Nagato to know?

"Konan... I won't beat around the bush. The possibility of recovery is possible... And even if my Hanami, or whatever it may have been, healed the crippling injury, his spine is still in shambles. "We're looking at multiple surgeries -none too risky, especially with Tsunade and myself at the helm, but we are talking about a really long recovery... I just want to make you aware."

"That is not an issue; Nagato is capable and willing." Konan knew with certainty.

Sakura nodded. "As I suspected; another issue that comes to mind though, perhaps most pertinently." Sakura stated with a sigh. "Nagato will need a capable medic-nin by his side -long term. I know he has dreams of returning to Ame, but at this rate... he won't be able to leave Konoha. I doubt anyone in Ame has enough medical background to do the procedures and keep up with the healing sessions."

Konan understood the implication, but could blatantly see a solution, too. "You can teach me, can't you?" she dead-panned.

Sakura blinked; twice, thrice. "Learning will take time, Konan."

"I have time." Konan dismissed her concern. "I have to wait a few months just for his surgeries, correct?"

"Probably." Sakura agreed.

"Then I will learn. You can teach me, right?" Konan pleaded.

"O-Of course." Sakura stated with a nod. Absent-mindedly, she couldn't help but be amazed at how desperate Konan was acting -how willing she was to do anything to get Nagato back on her feet. Although she guess she couldn't blame her elder cousin -she had been willing to throw her life away if it meant saving Itachi. "Healing is in our blood; it should not be too difficult for you to pick up in advanced forms, once you get the basics down. But the level of precision and complexity which Nagato will require will take precise chakra control." Sakura explained. "I'm afraid I may be too busy for the time being, but this isn't something I alone can help you with. Marika and Himawari are also trained in medical nin-jutsu."

"Please, anything you can do." Konan bowed humbly.

"I'll see to it to arrange something." Sakura nodded in confirmation. "For now, go to Nagato. Enjoy this moment together." as she spoke, she put her hand on Konan's shoulder. "And don't leave things unsaid between you two, neh?" Kami knew the women in her family apparently had a knack for having affection towards emotionally constipated men and allowing themselves to sit on their feelings for an eternity.

Although a slight blush framed her features, Konan nodded seriously. "Hai."

"Kakashi-sensei, what are you doing?"

"..."

"..."

"...Just umm... there was a bird that had fallen from its nest, so I was attempting to retrieve it and...-

"... close the window and get back in bed."

"Mo, Sakura, don't be like that, I was just trying to get some air." he tried to reason out.

"Well, you're about to get said air knocked out of you if you don't get back in bed. Kakashi-sensei your Sharingan over-use has never been this bad before, you can't afford to leave."

"Well, your chakra exhaustion has never been this bad either, but here we are."

The crinkle in his eye did not betray the back-handed statement, or the knowing backwards smile he was giving her.

"I'll show you chakra-exhaustion." she threatened with a raised fist, but not one to want to land himself an even longer time at the hospital, Kakashi raised his hands apologetically.

"Alright, alright, you win." he appeased with a sigh.

With a pleased smile, Sakura closed the door behind her and approached her sensei, taking the seat next to his as she checked his vitals. "So how are you feeling, Kakashi-sensei?"

"You know, the usual." Kakashi shrugged.

In pain, the words were left unsaid. As such, she lifted her hand to send some healing chakra to his eyes (even just a little bit would be a greaa relief to him, she knew), but he instead grabbed her wrist and stopped her from doing so. She merely stared at him with a questioning gaze.

"Sakura, you're teetering on the verge of unconsciousness." Kakashi stated bluntly.

"Am not." she smoothly denied -why was this the third time today she was getting reprimanded about the same thing?

"But you should be. You're not Naruto; you don't have an insurmountable amount of chakra to keep this act up."

Kakashi was right, although she didn't want to admit it -about the whole not being Naruto thing, in any case. "What are you waiting for? Get some rest." he ordered her.

"I just wanted to make sure everyone was alright first. There's too much to do-"

"Everything will sort itself out, Sakura." Kakashi rebuked, and moments later, tentatively added, "You're not the only one watching over Itachi." He knew the real reason why she hadn't allowed herself any rest, and the very reason was down the hall from him.

"I know." Sakura admitted calmly. "I just-"

"Go check on him if it makes you feel better. But he has Sasuke's company. He'll be fine for the time being." Kakashi assured -and she knew he was right, but still...

"Iie. I can't do that. I'm just a stranger to him as things are right now. I can't just make myself welcome. Not as things are..." she admitted hesitantly -sadly.

"All the more reason for you to go home, Sakura." he stressed. "I've already sent word to Naruto. He'll be coming by to drop Saki off and take you home, whether you want to or not."

Sakura sighed, knowing that Kakashi was simply doing this because he was the only one, other than Tsunade, who could force her to rest. "I will check your vitals while I'm here, at the very least. And Naruto will have to drag me out by force if that's what he's coming for." she spoke indignantly. Kakashi rolled his eyes -it was fine, she could have it her way. The silence stretched between them, though it was neither stiff nor awkward between them. Satisfied with his vitals, she stood to leave. "I'd say four more days of bed-rest and you should be able to leave." She smiled wickedly.

Four more days?

Kakashi would rather just die.

Before he had time to complain though, they sensed a presence, nay, three chakra signatures, approaching their floor -a floor that had been left entirely empty, which meant that if they were coming here it was with purpose.

Tsunade's chakra approached -followed closely behind by that of Saki, who was being escorted by Naruto. Saki's path stopped in front of Itachi's doorway; although Tsunade's had paused momentarily, she and Naruto kept going towards their final destination.

"Yo, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan! You ready to go home?" Of course, he had come in with a mission, and he would see to it that it got done.

So that's why the brat was here, Tsunade chuckled. "Although I am in favor of having Sakura rest, I do have to have a word in private with them before you drag her out, Naruto."

"Secrets don't make friends, Tsunade-baa-san." Naruto scowled.

"Good thing I'm not your friend; I am your Hokage. And until you become Hokage, you can't choose which conversations are pertinent to you. Now wait outside like a good little shinobi." she taunted Naruto with a smirk.

Although he grumbled incoherently, he left, stating that he would be waiting in the hallway for them to finish, seeing as he couldn't even enter Itachi's room. It was a private occasion, and they were trying to break the ice between Saki and Itachi before Shisui could step in, apparently.

"How are you fairing, Kakashi?" Tsunade asked with a casual tone once Naruto had left -knowing the worst thing that currently plagued Kakashi was his lack of reading material.

"As best I can." his eyes crinkled with his half-assed smile once more. "Was there something you needed?"

"Not so much needed as it is I wanted to discuss with you guys." She stated casually, entering the room and no longer hovering by the door.

"Me as well?" Sakura questioned.

"Hai." Tsunade responded curtly, and she took up post against the wall closest to the window. She surveyed their surroundings casually enough -truth be told, she was double checking that there indeed wasn't anybody outside. "I have been sensing movement from the Root Operatives." She got straight to the point and the silence stretched on. "We won't be able to keep him hidden for much longer."

"Has Danzo been inquiring about Itachi?"

"Hai." Tsunade confirmed. "Not personally, of course; Kami knows he hardly leaves his lair nowadays. she scoffed. "He wants Itachi's body as confirmation. I've been avoiding any meetings with the elders -being busy has been a justifiable excuse for the time being, but I know it won't be for long. The longer I ignore his request, the more restless he will become, and Danzo will find out we're harboring a fugitive."

"How come you're not involving Sasuke-kun and Mikoto in these talks?"

"Because they are Uchiha." Tsunade dead-panned. Sakura didn't quite understand.

"Through the perspective of a civilian, or any outside party for that matter, if the facts are laid bare, they would be this: Itachi, an Uchiha, was in an organization vying to destroy the village. Obito, an Uchiha, was the leader of this organization who resurrected a man who almost achieved world domination. Madara, an Uchiha, was this resurrected man who almost achieved world domination." Kakashi broke it down. "The Uchiha name is in shambles right now. We cannot allow them to have any influence in clearing their name."

"It will mean that we have to fight for the Uchiha; we have to reconcile the reputation that has been tainted."

And it made sense -entirely. The Uchiha had fought enough; they had been through too many hardships, faced too many challenges. They had backed this family into a wall one too many times. They needed to be shown support from an outside source.

Dare she say it, from a Haruno. And this is why Tsunade had come specifically to Sakura and Kakashi. Sakura had been the representative for the Uchiha ever since she had gone to the past -she had delegated this responsibility to Hiroto until time had caught up to her, but after the events of the war it was clear to everyone that Sakura was the rightful leader of the Clan -the child of prophecy. In addition, Kakashi had also been taking care of the Uchiha and Haruno bunch for well over a decade -and his words had standing. Kakashi was renown, well-liked, feared, and respected.

"What do we do if an when Danzo finds out that Itachi is alive? He in the single most important person that stands between him and his innocence. All evidence of his crimes die with Sarutobi and Itachi."

Sakura and Kakashi thought long and hard.

"We let him. We both know enough to clear Itachi's name. Accounts from Kakashi-sensei and Itachi, and even Shisui, once he's discovered to be alive." Sakura stated.

Tsunade sighed -if only it were the easy. "It's our word against his; it'd be remiss of us to take the influence he has over the Daimyo lightly. The only person who could possibly attest to what Danzo had done with much credibility is Sarutobi. Without him, Itachi's word and Kakashi's own have no standing, and not to mention yours. No one will believe you traveled to the past, despite the proof. Even if they were to believe it that's not something that we can use easily reveal." Tsunade stated seriously. "My proclamations fall as simple banter due to me having not even been in the village."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed in scorn. There had to be something they could do for Itachi. The war was over, Akatsuki disbanded; for Kami's sake she had worked too hard to give up now. "I have an idea." Sakura stated slowly.

"Which is?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Logically speaking, there's no way Danzo will allow Itachi to realign with Konoha and clear his name if it means throwing himself under the bus. So in order to clear both their names, we need to find a common enemy." at the thought, the idea came to both Kakashi and Tsunade simultaneously. "Using Madara's name as a scapegoat wouldn't be a bad idea. Technically speaking, it wouldn't be a complete lie either."

Tsunade thought sincerely about this. "This would perhaps be the best plan. But who is to say that Danzo will even allow such a thing? Surely the Uchiha Clan holds contempt over Danzo, Itachi above all else. In Danzo's eyes, Itachi might be seen as a threat, an uncontrolled variable he can no longer manipulate. Whose to say he'll take the bait?"

Sakura's eyes darkened. "After I'm done with him, he'll have no choice."

"Do you think it wise to reveal your identity to Danzo?" Tsunade stated with warning.

"Even if I don't, he'll find out eventually. Kami knows he hasn't been fond of the Haruno ever since I threatened him in the past." Sakura shrugged.

"Realistically speaking, Danzo can't touch Sakura." It was a fact, whether both his counterparts realized it yet or not -and it seemed that they didn't, and as such he sighed and prepared to speak once more. "Team 7 will no doubt be titled the new Sannin of their generation some time soon. She has succeeded you in strength and medical prowess but at the ripe age of eighteen. Whenever it is that Sakura wishes to do it, she will ascend to her rightful role as leader to the Haruno. She has political ties with important clans here in Konoha, and all over the world -down to Kiri and Suna. She has defeated several Akatsuki members, saved two Jinchuuriki, and defeated the tyrannical threat of Madara, and saved thousands while doing so." and if that didn't sum up his point, then his next statement sure did. "Sakura has become the single most important kunoichi of her time."

Never in her life had anyone -especially not Kakashi, spoken such praise of her. She wanted to deny all this -and in part it wasn't like she could take all the credit. She knew she would have never been able to defeat Madara and save thousands without the help of Sasuke and Naruto, who stood alongside her. Without the help of Tsunade, who had transplanted the Mangekyou into Sasuke. Without Itachi, who had saved her life and given her to opportunity to awaken the Rinnegan. She was nothing without all of the contributions from her friends and family, but she understood what Kakashi's point was. And even if she didn't, he would state it anyway.

"Not only would losing her be of great detriment to Konoha and the stability of the future, but it would also have huge repercussions -perhaps killing off the disgraced Uchiha had been alright, because they would eventually be forgotten. But the Saviour of Konoha -of the world, will not."

Tsunade stared on with trepidation -Kakashi was right. Sometimes she was so caught up in her own thoughts. Sakura was her apprentice; her young, cute little apprentice. But within the blink of an eye, seemingly, Sakura had matured into a threat of her own. She was truly unraveling to be a fearsome heir, and Kakashi was absolutely right; Sakura had succeeded her long ago. "I'll put my trust in you, Sakura. Granted, I don't have much of a choice."

And it had been settled; they would confront Danzo, not with skittish fright or hesitance. They would face him dead on and bare their fangs; this was no longer Danzo's village. "I will hold off on our meeting for as long as I can; any time we can take to heal Itachi, and you two, will be valuable in securing our position. But when it's time to speak, I expect both of you alongside me."

"Of course."

"Hai."

They both spoke in unison, and with a nod and a confident smile, Tsunade kicked herself off the wall. "I just wanted to share this information with you all, for the time being. If you'll excuse me, there are other matters I must see to; Sakura, I know I don't have to tell you this, but make sure you keep an eye on Itachi. You are to be the only nurse allowed in and out of that building with the exception of Shizune and Marika until everything with Danzo is settled". Not that this needed restatement, then again. "Naruto, you can drag her home now." she could hear Tsunade speak from outside the door.

"Alright, Dattebayo! Let's go Sakura-chan."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I'll be out in a minute, Naruto." she spoke loudly enough for him to hear from the hallway, before she turned back to face Kakashi. "Will you be fine on your own, Kakashi-sensei?" she inquired.

"Hai, hai, don't worry about me. I've got everything I need right here." and as he said this, suddenly a book appeared in his hand, the same, perverted crinkle of his eye twinkling in anticipation.

"You're incorrigible." she rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless -he was simply trying to make her feel better, and she appreciated it. "Bye, Kakashi-sensei." And so she walked out -glancing briefly at the image of Sasuke and Mikoto sitting on two respective chairs, and Saki atop Itachi's bedside with a small hand atop of his.

That's right -they were simply waiting on Shisui now, and then his entire family would be there to talk about that...

The massacre.

She paused momentarily as her eyes landed on the figure of Itachi; rigid and tense but seemingly interacting with Saki the only way he could imagine how to. But she looked away shortly after; this was private moment for the family, and she had no business being there. As such, she walked back to where Naruto was already waiting for her. She smiled slightly. "Let's go home, Naruto."

He smiled reassuringly -reached out his hand to grab her own, and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Itachi is strong. And he has a family to back him up -you gave him that gift, Sakura-chan. I know he'll be okay."

Naruto's words warmed her heart. "Hai, arigatou."

And so they made their way to the elevator, waiting for it to reach their floor and open up.

Apparently someone was on their way up, too. As the door opened it revealed a man -highly conspicuous, boring, and extravagantly average. But Sakura knew it to be a henge, and knew exactly who the man was.

Shisui. "Hi Sakura." he greeted her with a small smile, knowing fully well that she knew who he was -Naruto had been at first confused, but his deductive reasoning helped him figure it out.

Sakura chewed on her bottom lip. "Hi Shisui... going to see Itachi?" she asked, even though she knew.

"Hai. Sasuke informed me that he wanted to know about the massacre and the event following." he reiterated information she already knew.

"How do you think he'll take it?" Sakura frowned.

"As well as one would take it when told you annihilated your entire family." Shisui shrugged. "He'll be find, though. Itachi's strong."

"Hai, I know." Sakura smiled reluctantly.

"Was there something you needed? Did you perhaps want to be in the room when we told him?" Shisui suggested -it didn't seem far-fetched to him; in fact in didn't even seem inappropriate to him. Sakura had been there. She had witnessed everything, and she had been the very reason why he hadn't enacted his plans the way that they had been; why Mikoto and Saki were currently alive today.

"Iie." Sakura shook her head. "He does not remember me. I do not wish to make him uncomfortable over my presence. He will be much more alleviated knowing it is just family in there, supporting him." Sakura denied. She mewled over her next words. "There is, however, a favor I would like to ask of you, since you are catching him up on his past."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Don't tell him about me, alright?"

Shisui's eyes furrowed in confusion. "What? But Sakura-"

"There's no reason to bring that up when he can't remember, Shisui. Onegai, do me this favor, at least for the time being. Things will be better this way." Why had she felt the need to even ask? He was amnesic and blind as it was -adding in topics such as time-travelling, some-what, sort-of, practically lovers would not help. This didn't need to be about her and what she had accomplished in the past. This needed to be about him, and his actions.

Sakura supposed that Shisui could, at least in part, understand where she was coming from, because he eventually succumbed. "...Alright..." he would accept her request, albeit reluctantly -and most definitely not permanently. "I will speak to Sasuke about it."

"Arigatou, I appreciate it." she shot him a small smile. "In any case, I've kept Naruto waiting long enough. I'll see you later, Shisui." Finally, she allowed Shisui to walk past her, and she hopped in the elevator, where Naruto was already waiting, patiently holding the elevator door open for her.

Although his thoughts and opinion he would not share, because he knew Sakura could not handle any more turmoil, he could not help but think that Sakura had made the wrong choice.

End of Chapter

So I know it's been like... an eternity. At least I didn't go past the year mark in updating -I'm prone to such hiatus's after all.

I'm sorry that it's taken forever to get this out, and I wish I could say I'll be better about updating but I guess I can only say that I'll try for now.

Tell me what you all thought; I'm eager to know how you guys like the development so far.

Any and all feedback would be much appreciated

the next things I will be focusing on will be:

SNP revision Ch. 25

Somewhere We Belong Ch. 25