Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto

-Chapter Seven-

Kunoichi

You really are…annoying.

Sakura shot up from her bed, breathing heavy. Her hand migrated towards her heart as it felt like she'd been stabbed multiple times over. Green eyes wandered the room, trying to calm herself. Usually when she woke she'd have no recollection of what she dreamt about. Right now though, she remembered sharingan eyes staring into her soul.

Frankly, it disquieted her. Except it wasn't the eyes that truly bothered her. It was the lingering feelings left over from the dream. A yearning for something had surfaced, similar to missing a chopped off limb. An emptiness inside of her. She forgot something very important.

Pondering what this missing entity could be, a ruckus in the house started to catch her notice. It sounded as if her brothers were bickering again. She almost went back to sleep, thinking she didn't really want to be bothered this early in the morning. Then her stomach rumbled. She'd gotten home late the night before and missed dinner.

With a grimace, she struggled out from under the covers. She kept that expression as she trudged towards the kitchen, wearing her sleeping yukata. The commotion seemed to be originating from this area but she was ravished with hunger.

And just as she thought, the scene that meet her when she arrived in the kitchen was her siblings arguing. The table was set though and she just ignored them, picking up her chopsticks. "Itadakimasu." She dug into the rice with their conversation as background noise. Tobirama seemed to be the one who was the most upset, as per usual.

"Damn it Hashirama, this is not the time to fool around! Father wants you to take the position of clan head."

"I've already told you, I don't wanna take it." Her oldest brother was obviously pouting again. That's how she knew this wasn't a serious matter, Hashirama knew when not to play the fool.

"Madara has already taken Tajima Uchiha's mantle. Father wants you to show your power. To show our head is just as strong." The mention of Madara's name caught her attention, but it didn't keep it for long. He had told her about this just the other night. Her friend taking the position didn't mean much to her at first, until he'd informed her that he would be busier now.

"Are you implying that father is weak?" It was only then that she'd realized what it would mean for them. Their time together was already pretty slim, this would only shorten it more. It would be at a nearly nonexistent level from now on.

"Don't try to twist my words, Brother." Her mood considerable dampened at the news and this morning hadn't helped matters. She was cranky. The food cooled her temper a bit and the scowl was nearly gone.

Finished with her food, she nodded to the servants who came to take her dishes away. "Gochisousama." She stood and began to walk away, feeling revived from the meal she consumed. It was right then that her mood plummeted again.

"Please Tobirama, you are being annoying." Her brain suddenly went into maximum retaliation mode even though the comment wasn't meant for her. All the stress hit her at once and her infuriating brother became the target of her unbridled fury.

She had Hashirama in a choke hold before he could blink. The element of surprise was strong. "Damn it, can't you ever be quiet?! And calling me annoying, how dare you! I'll get you for this, Naruto!" She punched his head a few times for good measure. Tobirama only looked on in shock at his demure little sister attacking their brother.

"Saku-ra." The brunet tried to speak through the surprisingly strong hold on his neck. She loosened her grip a little. "Narutomaki? Are you hungry for some Naruto?" His phrasing of that make her uncomfortable for some reason, so she hit him once more on the head before she released him.

She stomped away in a very unladylike fashion while Hashirama rubbed at his neck. He didn't turn his head away from Sakura's back but his eyes glanced at Tobirama from the side. "I think she gets this from you, Snitch." The raijin hit him before he could dodge.

A short time after overhearing that conversation Butsuma stepped down. Hashiram took on the role that he had wished to avoid for at least a little while longer. No one expected the previous clan leader to die a week after passing down the title.

He'd looked older than his actual age for years now. The stress had worn away at him. After feeling relief from finally handling the position to his heir, his heart gave out. They knew he would have preferred it happening on the battlefield but he couldn't escape a natural death. Neither Hashirama nor Tobirama cried, respecting their father's honor. He would have given them a verbal lashing at just the sight of a tear.

Sakura tried to follow their example but in the end it was impossible. Tears dripped down her face as they buried him. It wasn't nearly as bad as when their mother passed on. Back then she'd gone on for hours. Still, she felt sad. Though Butsuma was a bit of a jerk, he had loved them all in his own way. He was the only father she'd ever known, it was normal to miss him.

Tobirama hand came down onto her shoulder in comfort while their brother addressed the Senju clan as they laid their father to rest. Taking her eyes away from her oldest sibling performing the eulogy, she acknowledged Tobirama's presence.

"You have to be strong now, little sister. Hashirama will need us both to keep him sane. A clan head has to make the tough decisions." He was talking about this war they were a part of. The brunet would want to end it as soon as possible. While it was a nice sentiment the man wouldn't be able to decide this on his own.

If the Uchiha were determined to keep fighting there was very little Hashirama could do. It was as that thought passed through her mind that Sakura thought maybe she could do something. Madara was her friend and at times he even listened to her. Though how she would bring up the topic of the fighting without raising suspicion eluded her.

The next time she visited their hideout Madara wasn't there, a normal occurrence after he became clan head. The genjutsu he put up where the vines used to be was a poor substitute for his company. On the other hand it did feel like his chakra and it warmed her. Sometimes she would even stand in it instead of going all the way inside.

She was doing exactly that when a heavy weight suddenly fell against her. The genjutsu rippled as she was knocked out of it, a sign someone had walked into it. She fell just inside the entrance and so did the intruder. Right onto her.

"Oomph!" She could barely breathe with the added weight on her. She struggled to free herself from underneath the trespasser, feeling much like a crab with a too large shell on its back. Her arms were flailing when a voice spoke into her ear.

"What were you doing?" It was Madara! And he sounded terrible. He lifted himself off of her, hitting the ground hard. Turning her head, she realized he was hurt. There was a large gash across his abdominal. The sight of the blood had her feeling faint.

When her eyes decided to get back in their original position from nearly rolling back into her head, she crawled over to him. "What happened to you?" She hovered over him, worrying. It appeared he didn't like that at all. He grabbed hold of her, dragging her down until she was lying at his side.

"It does not matter. I'm fine." He didn't look fine to her. "I just…need some rest." With that he closed his eyes, trying not to remember that he didn't have the energy to make it home. He ended up coming here when he remembered it was closer.

The Hyuuga had ambushed him again, this time in vengeance for their fallen comrades. They must have been feeling empowered after hearing they'd managed to take out Tajima Uchiha. The arrogant fools were getting cocky, strolling onto Senju and Uchiha land to get to him. He'd taken most of them out swiftly but a final lucky strike had wounded him.

All Madara could think about was sleep at that point. He'd lost a lot of blood and knew he should treat the wound, but he just felt so tired. The kunai must have been poisoned. How unusual for a Hyuuga.

If the poison had already affected him this much after only a short time since infection then it was quite strong. The kind that killed. He knew he would die without treatment but Sakura didn't know the way to the Uchiha complex to fetch help. There was no energy left in him to go there on his own either. He was as good as dead. At least she was here with him.

"Just sleep, Sakura. It will be over when we wake." He lost consciousness before she could reply. She thought he'd fallen asleep just like he said. Placing her hand over his abdominal, she too fell asleep after fretting over his injuries. She'd trust him to still be there when she woke.

As she slept cuddled up to his side, she dreamt of another world where she was a medic. Someone who could help him. Over and over again she healed her patients with glowing green chakra. It almost felt like she could actually sense the tingle of it on her hands.

Madara woke feeling disorientated. The residue pain in his stomach was a sign he was still alive. He'd thought for sure this had been the end of him. Done in by a simple kunai strike from a falling Hyuuga. For a second he even wondered if this was karma for murdering his father. It made him think of when he brought Tajima's body back home.

The guards had seen him from a distance, carrying their leader. Having figured he was injured they'd called all the healers on hand to meet him at the entrance. Izuna was there also, worried about their father.

When he arrived and didn't sent the older Uchiha down immediately for him to receive help, Izuna was the first to figure out what was wrong. He'd come forward with a shaking hand outstretched. It never touched him. He fell to his knees after he came close enough to see the paleness in the other man's face.

Black eyes stared up at Madara, begging him to tell him that their father was hurt, not dead. Only then did he set the body down so that he could hug his brother. The other clan members gathered around them in mourning as Izuna wailed in his sorrow.

They stayed like that even as rain started to fall. Soon everyone was soaked but no one moved. Until Izuna finally tore himself away from his older brother to crawl, sobbing, towards the man who'd given him life. Collecting him in his arms he rocked the body as if to sooth the already dead man. He'd always been more outwardly emotionally then most Uchiha.

It took a while but the now heir to the clan raised his head, finished with his cries. Red eyes settled on his older brother and their clansman gasped in wonder at the unusual sight. "Who has done this?" Madara matched his stare, mirroring the Mangekyō Sharingan in his sibling's eyes.

"The Hyuuga."

No one doubted him for a second. The Uchiha's feud with the Hyuuga was almost as notorious as their one with the Senju. The rivalry of their dojutsu was never ending. This was a fight for their pride. The byakugan was a simple mutation of the sharingan, one that should never have existed. Everyone was willing to believe Tajima's death was the Hyuuga's doing.

Izuna became so focused on revenge that he'd forgotten about meeting Sakura completely. Conveniently forgetting all the tension between father and son after her appearance. Thinking of the pinkette now, he looked down at her clinging to his side. He'd thought he saw the last of her when he succumbed to unconsciousness.

Knowing how that felt now, he knew he'd done the right thing with his father. He didn't know how it happened or why, but her existence was essential to his own. If it was his father's life or hers then it was a trade he'd never regret.

His hand came out to cup her cheek, and he started to lean in. Suddenly he groaned, a pain in his stomach becoming evident. Looking down he moved Sakura's hand away and lifted his shirt to examine the wound. The only thing he found was a scar in the shape of a slash mark. It wasn't a scab but a fully healed injury. While it was a bit red it wasn't infected.

Shocked, he rubbed at the area thinking it an illusion. Then he recalled the girl's hand on him. Picking it up, he immediately noticed a chakra burn on her palm. Somehow this chakra-less child had healed him.

At being jostled from him grabbing her arm, she started awake. He was a bit disappointed, she looked quite cute sleeping next to him. His disappointment only rose when she didn't wake with a flutter of her eyelashes or a cute little yawn. Her eyes flipped open fast and wide with crumpled brows. It was similar to a very ugly deer.

Surprised to see him, her fist automatically shot out and clocked him in the jaw. No matter how weak the hit, at certain angles, anything can hurt. He moaned out in pain, remembering all the incidents where she'd accidentally injured him. And those damn stones, he'd never let her around them again.

Once again she was all apologetic, but damn if he wasn't starting to think it a bit insincere. Rubbing his jaw, he glared at her. "You have to be more aware of where you are. This can't happen every time I sleep with you." Her eyes widened again and a deep blush set in. He saw her reaction and smirked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "What a dirty mind you have, Sakura." Hearing him say her name brightened the red hue on her cheeks. She didn't want to look at him anymore so she turned her face away, hiding it from his view.

It struck him then that she was attracted to him. The realization had his smirk settling down to a more boyish grin. He was pleased that she found him desirable. It would make it much easier to get her to agree to marry him.

Their age difference wasn't that significant considering women married men much older than them all the time. That was for women whose families were trying to move up in life or needed protection. Sakura was much too stubborn to ever give into that type of marriage. If she wasn't at least attracted to someone a relationship would be impossible for her.

His grin turned back into his usual smirk. "Oh, don't do that. Your blush is quite beautiful." Grabbing her chin, he turned her face towards him. Unlike any woman he had known before, she didn't look down when their eyes met.

Girls were taught from a young age that they were never to look a man in the eye unless he told her to by verbal command. The same thing was said to them about wild animals. That eye contact would only make them more aggressive. Though he liked the way she wouldn't glance away, it was probably a true statement about the aggression thing.

It was almost like he felt a spike in his testosterone. This fearlessness of hers always got him going. He wondered if it could be considered in a good way. Probably not. It made him want to make her fear him. To force her into a submission she was willing, and yet not so willing, to give.

He didn't just want the parts she was already voluntarily handing over, he wanted it all. Yet if she ever did give him her complete submission he wouldn't desire her anymore. The challenge would be gone. So he wished for the day she'd look away from his eyes and never look back without an order, except he really didn't.

Staring into green eyes, he closed his own burning red ones and started to lower his lips to hers. They nearly connected when she gave a tiny shriek. She was so close to him that it hurt his eardrums, making him wince. Moving away from her he brushed at his ears as if he could wipe away the pain. Squinting down at her, he nearly chuckled when he noticed what had happened.

She wasn't so fearless after all. Shaking a bit with a disgusted expression on her face she pointed down at the creature resting against her leg. "Get it off." He deliberated leaving it there out of spite from being ordered around. Then he thought about how oddly fragile she could be. Also coming to him for any amount of help was always nice. Made him feel needed.

With a grin, he lifted the tiny thing off her and raised it to eye level. It seemed to panic slightly at this, kicking its back paws as if it could get away. What a silly thing to be afraid of. Putting it back down, he gave the rabbit's rump a push towards the genjutsu. "Now be gone you hideous beast. I thought you conquered your fear because of your plush toy?"

Sakura's little mouth turned into a stern line at being made fun of, not happy with her supposed knight in shining armor at all. "Mama only wanted me not to be afraid. I never said it worked for more than a toy."

Mood gone, he laid back down and muttered to himself, "Why rabbits of all things?" She smacked him in the chest for even questioning it.

As the weeks went on Sakura started to train privately in her taijutsu skills. After Madara ended up hurt she devoted herself to it entirely. Girls usually didn't fight as shinobi, only getting trained in the basics so they could adequately defend themselves when needed. Unlike other girls her age she hadn't even gotten that much training.

When Butsuma found out she was without any usable chakra, he'd decided against it. Clan females were taught genjutsu so that they could distract an enemy and run away. Such knowledge of how to perform one wouldn't help her when she was incapable of it. Taijutsu was never for girls. That's why she was so surprised when she first saw Toka.

The twelve year old went to observe the troops training in secret to learn new taijutsu moves she could teach herself. This was the second or third time she'd done it and she hadn't been caught yet, even when Tobirama was out in the field with them. This time she ended up being seen.

It was right as she realized the armor clad shinobi dominating the spars was a woman that she lost her grip on the tree she was hiding in. "Eeep!" The tree was tall and she probably would have broken a bone if she hit the ground. Luckily, the woman noticed her sudden fall and dashed forward to catch her.

As strong arms encircled her in their embrace, her weight was caught without the woman even stumbling. The little girl could only look up at the dark haired Senju in wonder. "You're a Kunoichi." The woman's expression morphed into one of offense. Without warning she was dropped onto the hard ground.

"Don't call me that, Senju princess." The words were said with such disdain that it shocked her.

"But…why not? It's amazing to be a female shinobi."

The older Senju didn't seem as offended anymore, realizing the girl did not understand. "That is not what that term means, little miss. Kunoichi is a word used for a ninja that uses sex as a weapon. They can be either male or female." She crouched so they were at eye level. "Not every ninja that happens to be female is a Kunoichi. So don't call me that."

"Okay!" Smiling, Sakura wondered what else this woman could teach her.

Kunoichi is widely misused but I still tend to use the word the way everyone else does. Its just a modern interpretation and that's fine. I just think back in this time people would use it with its original meaning.

I find it amusing how the tone of the reviews about Madara finding out about Sakura being a Senju have changed now that he has killed his father for her. At first, sadistically, you guys couldn't wait. Now everyone is a bit scared of the consequences.