A/N: Apologies for the delay. I had to brainstorm the second half of this story - decide what direction I wanted to take and my area of focus. Yes, we'll be saving the Uchiha clan, however, the reason I'm writing this and you're probably reading this — is to see Anbu Kakashi and Sakura. So…we're getting to that! Finally!


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Bonds Through Time

Chapter Twenty-One: Wolf and Bunny

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Maybe a half-hour passed since Sakura fell asleep on the couch, snuggled up against Kakashi. She wanted to savor these last few moments, because it was all about to change. The time was fast approaching to start hauling away the members of the Uchiha clan that wished to stay out of the coup d'état and were against standing against the village. She dreamed of her own time, walking down the street holding hands with the older version of the man beside her, making a home in this very house.

Sakura and Kakashi both awoke as the familiar displacement of air of Sasuke's Rinnegan startled them. Sakura straightened and rose to her feet immediately, her hand landing on Sasuke's shoulder as she looked up into his eyes — his dark visible eye swam with a mired of emotions. She waited for him to speak.

"It's not enough," Sasuke said. "Father is determined to see this through, but he knows it's doomed. Mother is reasonable and has decided that her love for her children is more important than familial hurt pride."

Sakura nodded. That was the impression she'd gathered earlier, though she was disappointed that Sasuke didn't have a deeper impact on Fugaku. "Okay. So you left the slug as a back up. What do you want to do?"

"I understand why Itachi was chosen to kill them — he was the only one capable of doing so that would be immune to the Sharingan and he wanted to traumatize me in such a way that I'd unlock greater powers," Sasuke explained. "But," his eyes shifted towards the younger Kakashi, silently listening in. "I think we need to discuss this with our team." He nodded at Kakashi. "Hatake, I'll bring her back in a few hours."

"Don't want me knowing all the juicy gossip about the future I suppose," Kakashi joked, but his visible eye was sharp and suspicious. "Have her back by six."

Sasuke nodded. "Let's go," he said to Sakura. The arm of his Susanoo popped out on the left side and held Sakura against him and the two vanished through the portal of his Rinnegan back to the cave of their teammates.

"Oye!" Naruto cried out when the two popped out in front of him, just outside of the cave. "Don't just materialize out of nowhere in front of me! I could have seriously hurt you guys!" The Rasengan he held swirling in his palm disintegrated into a wet puddle at his feet.

"Of our companions, you were the safest one to show up directly in front of," Sasuke argued. The skeletal arm of his Susanoo dissolved and Sakura stepped away from him.

"So, how did it go?" Naruto asked, his tone softening. He offered his arm to Sakura and she looped her elbow through his.

"My mother is amazing. My father is a stubborn fool who is determined to die for the sake of his pride — basically he's just like Itachi," Sasuke explained. "Tell me everything you know about the Akatsuki."

Naruto blinked at him in surprise and his arm muscles flexed under Sakura's hand. "Weren't you part of Akatsuki? Shouldn't you know more than me?"

Sasuke sighed, patience clearly losing out to his frustration. He seemed to be counting under his breath and then when he spoke again, his voice was calm once more. "By the time I joined, most of the members had been defeated — do you know the origin of the group?"

"Naruto, you somehow convinced Pain to let go of his vengeance against the Leaf," Sakura added. "He sacrificed himself to reverse things and bring back so many of the villagers that had died under his attack. Do you know his story? What was his motivation?"

"Yeah, he was an orphan in Amegakure along with Konan and Yahiko. They grew up in the Second War and Konoha did a lot of damage to their village. And they were trained under Jiraiya and were working to keep the peace. But then their village leader Hanzo had grown senile and paranoid and threatened to kill Konan if Nagato didn't kill Yahiko," Naruto explained.

"And Yahiko was the blond path?" Sasuke asked. "He was the body of their dead friend?"

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "I promised Pain I would help Amegakure, but I haven't kept that promise. He was so upset to lose his best friend." Naruto looked between Sasuke and Sakura. "I mean, I can understand the feeling of that loss— if something happened to either of you." His lower lip trembled faintly. "Anyways, that loss is what leads to the Akatsuki turning into a criminal organization. Yahiko was the heart of the group. Konan lost her true love and Nagato lost the use of his body in the attack."

"And do we know who put the idea of Akatsuki being a threat to Hanzo?" Sasuke asked.

"That would be Danzo and the Root," Kakashi said, stepping towards them.

"Wow, Kakashi-Sensei, I didn't even sense you!" Naruto chuckled nervously.

"I don't think Itachi should join Akatsuki," Sasuke argued. "He's just a child. It destroys him. He's the person within the clan most deserving of being saved."

Kakashi stuck his hands into his pockets and leaned back against the cave's outer facade. He stared out at the nearly full moon. "Yes, it does destroy him. Just as Root destroys the children brought into its ranks."

"We came to stop the Uchiha massacre as best we can," Sakura reminded gently as a heavy silence descended upon them.

"I came to save you," Naruto argued.

"I came to help you and save Itachi," Sasuke added. "Honestly, aside from Mother — the rest can burn for all I care."

"You don't really mean that," Sakura said quietly.

The look Sasuke sent her told her that he did mean it.

"We need to make sure the entire timeline isn't destroyed," Kakashi added. "I understand your intentions, truly I do. I would love if Obito hadn't attacked the village and gotten Minato-Sensei and Kushina killed. I would love if I hadn't killed my own teammate, Rin- -unintentionally or not. I would love if the Uchiha massacre can be prevented — and that's why we're here. We can at least do that."

Another thick silence descended upon them. Sakura tightened her hold on Naruto's arm and felt fatigue seeping in. She really needed to sleep soon. She yawned and shook her head to open her eyes.

"I'm sure this is a private party," Shisui said in a sing-song voice. "I"m not above crashing parties though." He stood, unaided beside them, having body flickered to their proximity, his forehead protector cocked over his missing eye. "I know Itachi better than all of you. He is unhappy in the village. He has no desire to be heir of the clan. He doesn't want to lead it. The only times he feels joy is when he's spending time with his little brother, training with me, or traveling outside of Konoha. The chance to serve as a spy would be the role of a lifetime for such a talented ninja." He gestured towards Sakura. "The shark guy? What's his name? You said that man is Itachi's best friend."

"Kisame," Sasuke answered for Sakura. "Their fighting style is complementary." He looked between Sakura and Naruto. "My fighting style was complimented in much the same way when I fight alongside Suigetsu. The Mist Swordsmen have drawn my interest ever since Zabuza."

"I think stick to the original plan — save those in my clan that want to be saved. Only a portion of the Uchiha ever activate the Sharingan. Most of them are just glorified civilians. But everyone on the police force has the Sharingan. There's no reason for Itachi to say he killed everyone for his own sake — it's reasonable he'd want to leave the village being so disgusted by the order that he's willing to become a missing nin," Shisui suggested. "He can persuade the orange-mask man."

"I still think Danzo should die in this time," Sasuke stated.

"I think Nagato and Konan should be allowed to kill Danzo," Naruto suggested. His comment drew everyone's curious gaze. "What? He's awful."

"It will create a power vacuum if Danzo died now," Kakashi pointed out.

"And now there will be Uchiha clans men survivors to fill that voice," Sakura argued. She met Kakashi's dark gaze and his eyes narrowed. "Maybe we just ruminate on the idea for a while. Let's focus on the mission I started — saving the Uchihas."

"Which includes Itachi," Sasuke pointed out.

Shisui sighed. "Itachi is capable of saving himself."

"Is he?" Sasuke asked.

"And besides, I'll be the one killing Danzo," Shisui said. "My father is more than capable of taking over Anbu in Danzo's absence." He smiled at Sakura. "Thank you for saving my father and me, Sakura." He turned his attention to Kakashi. "I have a theory on why you don't remember things — it' s not just that you had memories locked away. It's that they haven't happened yet in this time to affect your time yet."

"That tracks," Kakashi reasoned. "Naruto, take Sakura to bed. She's about to pass out. Sasuke you too — you need a good night's sleep before you go and try to make any major decisions."

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It had to be two in the morning when the loud, obnoxious knock fell upon Kakashi's front door. He was alone in his family home and his lover has absconded with her ex-boyfriend to plot and plan with his future self. He was in a foul mood and whomever this idiot at his door was — would soon regret deciding to visit the Copy Ninja at this ungodly hour.

He sniffed and recognized Genma's scent. He pulled open the door and his dark-haired friend stumbled inside, obviously drunk. "Genma? What are you doing here?"

"She transferred," Genma answered. He brushed past Kakashi and collapsed onto the recently vacated sofa. "She's still in Anbu though."

"Okay — you mean Foxy?" Kakashi asked, securing the door and following after the other man.

"She has a boyfriend, Kakashi! I mean — I know when I volunteered to help her with the tutorials it was just as a friend helping out a friend — but I thought I meant something to her." Genma wiped the back of his hand across his nose. "She's been with Hayate Gekko the whole time!"

"Oh." Kakashi blew out a breath. That had been unexpected. Though, it did explain the sense of animosity he felt from Hayate whenever Genma was around— not that they crossed paths too often.

"I'm never volunteering again," Genma vowed. "Shouldn't be happening anyway. Fucking Danzo."

"Fucking Danzo," Kakashi agreed. "Why don't you call it a night? Sleep on the couch." He picked up a blanket and tossed it at the other man. He wasn't sure when Sakura was due to arrive, but surely she and Sasuke would sense Genma. He wasn't too worried about it. "I've got a meeting with the Hokage in the morning."

"Yeah, well, rumor has it that you and Shisui's girl from the bar are a thing. You were seen strolling through the streets of the village together. Way to go, Hatake," Genma smiled. He picked out he senbon and stuck it in the middle of Kakashi's coffee table. He spotted something on the couch and plucked up a strand of golden blond hair. "Well, fuck me. I guess it's not a rumor." His dark eyes narrowed as he stared back at Kakashi with the evidence dangling between his index finger and thumb.

Kakashi tried not to be annoyed by the damage done to the previously smooth wooden surface of his coffee table. "It's a temporary situation," Kakashi explained. "We've got openings on our team after all."

"I'm going to miss the little Uchiha brat," Genma muttered, pulling the blanket up to this chin and stretching out across the couch. "Though, I guess Tenzo is alright. His eyes creep me out though."

"I'll miss working with Itachi too," Kakashi agreed, heading back to his own bedroom. He didn't know everything that was going to take place, but knowing that Itachi's fate led him outside of Konoha was depressing as hell. He'd lost friends to death before, but losing one like this felt particularly cruel. He understood why Sakura had sought him out — Kakashi didn't like losing his precious people.

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It was much too soon when Kakashi shook Sakura's shoulder gently. "Hey, sleepy-head. It's time to rise and shine," his deep timbered voice whispered close to her ear.

Sakura tried to duck her head inside her bedroll and muttered something unsavory.

Kakashi chuckled and reached inside to forcefully yank Sakura into a sitting position. She glared at him as he crouched in front of her, his stormy gray eyes way too alert for before sunrise. "It's your first day working with Anbu. Sasuke and Sai are ready to head out in the next five minutes."

"Fine," Sakura snarled. She felt her lip twitch at the amused smile on Kakashi's face. He'd pulled his mask down for her. His wild silver hair was simply adorable. Curious, she wondered if it was still as soft as his younger self. Without thinking, she ran her fingers through his silky, soft hair and sighed happily.

Kakashi huffed. "This isn't really the time to play with my hair." He slipped his mask back into its familiar position.

"Now's always the best time," Sakura argued. She rubbed at her eyes and yawned. "Alright, I'm up. I'll be ready in two minutes."

He helped her stand, rising in one fluid, graceful movement. Then Kakashi stepped back, aware of the others in the cave. "We've got nine days here, then we'll be back home. I don't know how different things will be, but they will be different."

Sakura handed Kakashi her bedroll to serve as a curtain and changed her under clothes, rebound her breasts, and put on fresh black undershirt and tactical pants. "As long as I can still play with your hair — I'll be happy."

Kakashi laughed as he rolled up the bedroll. "I know I won't let anything happen to you — even as a cocky twenty-year old."

"Technically, you're twenty and a half," Sakura pointed out, grinning up at him. It was easier to feel confident around Kakashi since she'd gotten to know his younger self so well. She knew he was different, didn't have all the same memories. "I"m really looking forward to when you remember everything."

"You and me both," Kakashi said blowing out a breath. "Just, try to stick to the plan. Don't do anything too much." He laid his strong hand over her shoulder and squeezed gently.

Sakura reached up and covered that familiar hand with hers. Then she followed Sasuke and Sai outside to meet up with the other members of their crew.

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"I'll send an ink creation bird to you once we map out exactly where Shisui's eye is," Sai explained. "And I'll let you know if we require your services on the extraction of the refugees. If they want to tattoo you with the Anbu symbol I can use my ink and do it for you — it will allow me to track you and you won't be permanently branded."

Sakura nodded. "I'm hoping since I'm just a temporary member I won't need to be tattooed." She then turned and gave Sasuke a brief hug. "Good luck. I'll be around if you need me. I'll know when Lady Katsuya's portion starts to heal your father. I'll get there as soon as I can."

"I'll start transporting the provisions today. Clan members in three days. Remember not to trust anyone. You and Naruto are the worse about trying to believe in the good of people. Not everyone is worth saving," Sasuke warned. He stepped back and opened his portal and he and Sai disappeared.

After rolling back her shoulders, Sakura continued on towards the Hatake estates and knocked on the front door. She wondered if she was still dreaming with none other than Genma Shiranui answered. His light brown hair was loose around his shoulders and he grinned down at her from his superior height, senbon absent from his mouth.

"Hey ya, Sunshine," Genma greeted. He flashed a perfect smile. "Come on inside, we've been expecting you." He stepped back for her to enter.

"Uh, nice to see you again, Genma," Sakura said, trying to hide her surprise. She walked past him and was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen.

"Kakashi's almost done with cooking breakfast. The tea is on the coffee table," Genma explained. He gestured towards the dark, lacquered tray and the senbon impaled on the table.

"I can't imagine he was too happy about where you stashed your senbon." Sakura picked up the teapot and poured the hot, green liquid into an empty crimson tea cup with silver stars.

"I'm sure he'll take out his irritation on some hapless new recruit." Genma gave her a pointed stare as he picked up his cup and sipped at it. "Say, aren't you a new recruit?"

The door to the kitchen opened and Kakashi entered with a second tray stacked high with breakfast foods, fresh fruit, and a trio of plates. "The first rule of Anbu — you don't talk about Anbu."

"Oh? What's the second rule?" Genma challenged.

"There's no need for a second rule if you obey the first." Kakashi set the tray on the table next to the tea. He plucked the senbon out and set it flat. He glanced up and met Sakura's eyes, his visible stormy eye twinkled in mischief. "And don't worry, Sakura. I'll bottle up whatever angry accumulates today and release it in some hot, angry sex with you later."

Sakura choked on her tea and Genma almost dropped his empty cup at the statement.

"Eat up, we leave in forty-minutes," Kakashi ordered.

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Kakashi and Genma flanked either side of Sakura as they approached the Anbu armory. After she was given her armor and mask, they'd report to the Hokage's office. As the senior officer, Kakashi informed the secretary manning the desk what he required for the probationary member Sakura Namikaze. The secretary at the desk would be the only person, aside from the Hokage and occasional friends within the ranks that would know her name.

The secretary wore a mask that looked akin to a dove and entered the lobby where the trio waited and took measurements of Sakura and then disappeared behind their steel door, slamming it shut with a decided bang.

"Is this normal?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Oh yeah, they like you to feel intimidated," Genma explained. He reached up and adjusted his Lion mask ever so slightly. "Normally, you're all alone waiting for hours, but Lord Third wanted me and Wolf here to stick close."

"Wolf?" Sakura questioned, turning towards Kakashi.

He nodded. "Some people call me Fang. But I prefer Wolf. It's usually how I can tell friend from foe."

"Oh," Sakura said. She chewed her lip nervously. What sort of animal would she be? "Do I get to pick my animal?"

"Usually," Kakashi said.

The secretary returned to the desk and raised the bars that separated them from the trio in the lobby. "Here are her spare uniforms, armor, and mask." He shoved them towards them.

Kakashi picked up the mask. "Um, doesn't she get to pick her animal?"

The secretary shook their head. "Special request by Lord Jiraiya."

"What about a sword?" Genma asked.

The dove-masked secretary shook their head. "I was told her fighting skill didn't require swordsmanship."

"I prefer projectile chakra scalpels," Sakura whispered to Kakashi as he passed her the mask. Sakura stared down at her assigned white rabbit Anbu mask. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, given her history with the rabbit goddess at the end of the war.

"It's just a mask," Kakashi whispered, laying his hand over her shoulder reassuringly. "You're such a cute little bunny," he snickered.

"Shut up," Sakura hissed. She placed the mask over her face. She'd already changed into the black and gray uniform. "What about the tattoo?"

"You're a probationary member," the dove-masked Anbu explained. "If you're still working with us after two weeks, then it will become necessary."

"Thanks, Dove." Kakashi raised his hand in a farewell. "We'll see you around."

The three teammates— Wolf, Bunny, and Lion— made their way to the Hokage office a half-mile away. It was not quite seven in the morning when Sarutobi's errand boys Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki greeted them. They were the Lord Third's first meeting of the day.

Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't alone in his office. The Sannin Jiraiya was also in the room. The former was stuffing tobacco into his pipe while the latter leaned against the far wall with his arms folded over his chest.

Sakura paused in shock at seeing Jiraiya. She felt Kakashi grab her elbow and force her beside him on the floor. And she mimicked his and Genma's position, kneeling one knee on the floor with hands flat and eyes facing the floor, watching the Hokage from their periphery.

"Good of you to come — and on time, Wolf. That's a nice change," Sarutobi smiled warmly at the three.

"I'm glad the Bunny mask turned out so well," Jiraiya added.

Sakura could feel her shoulders tense at the creepy lecher's voice. She could also sense Kakashi's muscles coil like those of a panther.

"For today, I just want you to give Rabbit a tour of the facilities," Hiruzen said. He blew a small flame onto the tip of his pipe and started puffing on the tobacco. "She'll follow you around, learn the ropes. She'll be on Team Ro for the next week given the recent personnel changes." He held out his hand and Jiraiya tossed him a dark blue scroll. Hiruzen tossed the scroll to Kakashi. "Your assignment starts tomorrow — commissioned by Lord Jiraiya. For your eyes only Wolf."

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Kakashi read through the mission and then incinerated the scroll, letting the ashes fall to the floor of the Hokage's office. "Understood, Sirs."

"Dismissed," Hiruzen ordered.

Kakashi, Genma, and Sakura rose together and walked out of the office and down the stairs. "We'll go to headquarters. Lion, you and — can I call you Bunny? I actually do like it more than Rabbit."

Sakura blew out an angry breath. "Fine," she huffed.

Kakashi smiled under his masks. She was so cute when she was pissed. His mind raced over the unexpected mission. Jiraiya wanted his team to look into a fledgling terrorist group — the Akatsuki. He suspected a man wearing an orange mask — part of the group — may have been the one actually responsible for the Nine-tails attack from nearly seven years ago.

"Can you tell us about the mission?" Sakura asked. Her jade green eyes peered at him through the cute bunny mask. Though, the mask wouldn't be so cute with a chakra blade attacking whoever her enemy could be.

"Reconnaissance and investigation. I'll explain more when we're on the road tomorrow," Kakashi explained. "Okay, Lion, I want you give Bunny a training session," Kakashi suggested. He almost missed a step when two sets of eyes stared back at him in shock. "Taijutsu! Get your heads out of the gutter!"

"Right, Taijutsu. I can do that," Genma answered. "So are we wanting to attract attention or not?"

"It's going to be inevitable," Kakashi said. "We might as well let the old man start his scheming early." With Foxy out, and Kakashi being a favorite of Hiruzen— one whom Danzo had tried to woo before — the conniving Danzo would most certainly notice Sakura. It wasn't unheard of for a probationary member to be in Anbu, but it was extremely unusual. And since male shinobi outnumbered kunoichi twenty to one in the Black Ops, it was a small difference of her having blond hair rather than pink.

"It's going to be a long day, isn't it?" Sakura asked.

"Nah, I'll see that we head home for lunch, get plenty of sleep before we start out for tomorrow," Kakashi argued. "No one should really bother you today. But, when we get back from our mission — I expect a great deal of harassment." He resisted the urge to take her hand. "It's nothing we can't handle."

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