"How bad was your talk with your father?" Sakura asked as they entered the training ground. Sasuke grimaced and shrugged. "Got it. Not great."

"He's holding me up to two standards now," Sasuke told her, staring up at the darkened sky.

"Itachi and clan heir?"

He nodded and she set herself atop one of the wooden logs situated in each of the training grounds. She leaned back on her hands and stared at the stars slowly becoming illuminated in the night sky.

She listed a few of the constellations that she could make out, not paying attention to the boy in front of her. He would talk when he wanted-- that much has never changed for Sasuke.

"Wanna spar?" She asked, even if she wasn't particularly in the mood for it. Sasuke didn't always need emotional support to fall back on-- sometimes he just needed to train. And since Naruto wasn't here, she would have to pick up the slack.

"No jutsus?" He inquired and she nodded.

"I won't even shatter the ground," She said with an innocent smile, hopping down from the log.

"Good," He scoffed, taking his hands out of his pocket and looked her over. "We usually train here. Can't do that with craters everywhere."

"Not all battlefields will be even," She pointed out with a shrug. "It'd be more beneficial if I did break the ground."

"Whatever."

It started when Sasuke disappeared from her sight and appeared to her side. And though his skill was much better than it was two years ago, he still left a slight trail of chakra in his wake. And years of memorizing his signature made it easy to follow.

They sparred for what felt like hours-- the moon was fully in the sky, the crescent lighting the training field as they fought one another. Sasuke was still ridiculously fast but her taijutsu skills probably surpassed her skills in her old life. All she was missing was the purple diamond on her forehead, though there wasn't much she could do about that. Her reverses had been a bit larger this time around, so she spared a bit more everyday. It would form sooner that it had in her old life, but she wasn't particularly sure when it would.

Sakura stopped after she accidentally broke his wrist.

"I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, her attitude already swapping to that of a medic. She stepped forward with her attention fixated on his left wrist. "It's just a reflex, honestly. Tsunade-sama and I break each other's bones way too often and I forget not everyone can self heal-- I actually don't forget. It's just weird sparring with you again and not her. I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun-- wait, no!"

Sasuke, apparently, hadn't stopped sparring. He hooked his leg around her and pushed her to the ground with his forearm. She landed with wide eyes, especially when she realized how close their faces were.

He didn't seem fazed at all, instead thoughtful as he looked down at her. "I'm calling it."

If Sasuke's broken wrist wasn't on the forefront of her mind, she might have much different thoughts on the particular situation she was currently in. But, his wrist was broken because he thought he could take the hit from her elbow as she brought it down.

He wouldn't make the same mistake again. Probably.

Sakura swatted his shoulder and pushed him upwards. "I called it when I apologized."

"You didn't say that," He retorted, getting off her and sitting on the ground. He held his left hand gingerly in his right, raising it to her when she sat up and scooted over.

"I get the feeling this is going to become a common practice," Sakura muttered as took ahold of his arm and rested it on her outstretched one. "You boys will abuse the fact that I am a med-nin. I just know it."

"The clan elders want to meet with you," He told her quietly, watching her carefully as she pointedly focused on his injury. She started healing the bone, thankful that it was a clean break and wouldn't take long to heal at all.

"Shisui-nii has been saying I should meet them for years," Sakura settled on, not daring to look up at the Uchiha who she knew she had the total attention of. "They finally listened to him?"

"No one listens to Shisui," Sasuke said dismissively.

"You're his student," She reminded him, her eyes flickering towards him for the slightest of moments. She couldn't pinpoint the look on his face, for once.

She went back to focusing on the broken bone. She knew broken bones.

"Which is how I know no one listens to him," Sasuke retorted, his tone shifting to irritation. "They. . . are interested in speaking with you."

"I assume I don't have much of a choice?" She inquired and continued before he could answer. "I don't have anything against meeting with them, Sasuke-kun. I'm surprised this hasn't come up earlier, actually."

"What do you think they want to see you about?" He asked slowly after a few moments.

Sakura shrugged, giving his wrist a gentle pat before letting him lift it from her arm. "I'm the Hokage's apprentice, the third best medical ninja in the village, and I'm your teammate. It could be a number of things. Plus, Tsunade made us into Chūnin because we had the skills, but it was also to ensure we weren't separated by your clan. Kakashi made a strong appeal to keep us as a unit."

"He knows that units don't stay together," Sasuke frowned, making a fist and flexing his wrist.

"They do with the Hokage's approval," She said. "Why do they actually want to see me?"

"It's just some sort of. . . check on individuals I'm close with," He said carefully, staring at the wrist she just healed. "Being clan heir means they don't want me involved with any unsatisfactory groups."

"Is this their way of deciding whether I'm good enough to be associated with the Uchiha?" Sakura asked bluntly, watching his frown grow.

"They don't think anyone outside the clan is good enough," Sasuke said with a shake of his head. "Unless they can manipulate them. Which is why they made me clan heir in the first place. And because Itachi refused to be placed back into that position, now they have to really begin preparing me for that future."

"He said something about that," Sakura admitted, tilting her head as she watched him pull out a shuriken and casually spin it on his finger. "How do you feel about being clan heir? Before, it was-"

"Supposed to be temporary," Sasuke muttered bitterly. "I know why Itachi doesn't want to be the heir anymore. So, I'm not mad at him. But, it's just. . . not what I ever envisioned for myself."

"I thought you used to dream about working at the police force?" She recalled, leaning back on her hands to stare up at the night sky once again.

She should have known they'd have to break a bone or two before Sasuke decided to open up. It was just like him.

"I was a kid," Sasuke responded with a look. She shrugged.

"I always thought that was a noble path."

Sasuke sighed, looking up at the night sky with her before he threw the shuriken into a nearby tree. "I don't mind being heir. There's a lot in the past that the clan clings to and I don't want that hatred to continue into the next generation. The police force massacre was tragic but it opened up a lot for us."

"I think I get it," Sakura nodded, furrowing her brows at the thought of the police force massacre. It was the first consequence of the changes she made to this time. It still left her with regret.

"You know, we could actually become the pillars of Konoha," Sakura mused aloud, casting her gaze towards Sasuke before looking back to the sky. "You'll be head of the police force. I'll be running the hospital. And Naruto will eventually become Hokage."

Sasuke snorted, leaning back to lay on the ground with a single hand supporting his head. "You really think that idiot will become Hokage?"

"I believe he'll never give up on his dream," Sakura said with a soft smile. She could imagine her old Naruto with his cheeky grins and proud proclamations that he was going to be the next Hokage. And she got to witness a world without him-- without both of her boys.

"Yeah, I really think he'll become Hokage," Sakura clarified, grinning at the sky. "I have faith in him."

"You spoil him even when he's not here," Sasuke grunted, and she knew he was rolling his eyes. She couldn't see him, but she knew that's what he was doing.

"When am I supposed to be meeting the elders?" She asked and she heard him exhale deeply.

"Tomorrow."

Sakura wasn't worried. She had dealt with the Konoha elders in her old life numerous times on Tsunade's behalf. She could handle grouchy old people.

What she couldn't handle? The way each Uchiha was sending worried glances her way. Sasuke forced both Shisui and Itachi to do intense training when she arrived. All she got was a muttered wish of luck from her beloved teammate. And from the two other two a tentative smile that didn't quite reach their eyes.

Mikoto looked stressed and was compensating with rather frantic last-minute hair styling. Sakura was just coming off a shift from the hospital, so she was in her white coat when she arrived at the compound. The Uchiha matriarch took it in stride and had her fitted into a traditional kimono.

And when Sakura saw the red hue, she had to hold back the tease that it was like Mikoto had the clothing specifically prepared for her.

"She did," Izumi answered her thoughts, setting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Mikoto-san has an entire wardrobe just waiting for you. She did the same with me when I was about your age. I don't think she expects us to grow much more."

"Izumi-chan, don't go telling all of my secrets," Mikoto chided, waving a hairbrush at the girl. "I'm retired and my babies are all grown up. I need my entertainment somehow."

"Like dressing me up to talk to your clan's elders?" Sakura inferred. "I feel like I should be more nervous with the way everyone's acting."

"I was petrified to speak to them," Izumi confessed with a shrug. "And I'm an Uchiha. The fact that you're so composed is more of a testament to who you are."

"Wait a moment," Sakura frowned. "You went through this too? Sasuke-kun said this was more like an assessment of the people he's close with."

"The elders are big on images," Mikoto told her smoothly, gaining her attention as she pinned her hair up. Parts of it still dangled down, framing her face. Unlike in her old life where she had let it grow almost fully back before cutting it all off again, Sakura kept it at a medium length this time around. Something different.

"And unfortunately, they aren't thrilled with the idea of an Uchiha marrying someone not in the clan," Izumi continued, a frown marring her gentle features. "My father wasn't an Uchiha. They've gotten lenient since the tragedy a couple of years ago, but it's still not well received. I was viewed in a similar light."

"Politics and tradition," Sakura nodded as soon as Mikoto gave her the signal that she could move. She stood before the two and forced a smile onto her features. "Anything else?"

"Be yourself," Mikoto told her, cupping her cheeks and smiling. "You're an absolute darling."

"You didn't tell me to be myself," Izumi pouted, and the matriarch's attention went to the older girl.

"I told you to speak up," Mikoto stated before looking back towards her. "You'll be fine, Sakura-chan."

When Sakura arrived to the elder's office, she helped serve tea for the three of them. It was a habit she had instilled in her by Mikoto. And since she hadn't been thrown out and called a disgrace, she assumed it was the right call.

"You're the Hokage's apprentice," The man stated, sipping the tea she poured for him. "From what we know of your career as a genin, you tended to frequent the hospital as a patient. Isn't that correct?"

"Yes," Sakura answered immediately. "Unfortunate complications arose during those times that caused me to be hospitalized more than I would have preferred."

"Is that why you became a medical-ninja?" The woman asked, eyeing something above her line of sight.

"I became a medical ninja for two reasons," Sakura said, squaring her shoulders. "To be strong and to protect the ones that I love."

The woman hesitated before nodding. "And is that where you envision your future? In the hospital?"

Sakura thought for a moment. In her old life, she never got to envision a future. Not a real one, at least. She wasn't even an adult by the time the war started. Of course, she expected the hospital to be somewhere in her future, but being asked it point blank like this?

"I intend to do what is best for my village and those I love," Sakura answered slowly. "There have been numerous things I've wanted to implement into our health care program to ensure our village has the topmost medical care in all areas. It's getting there but it could still be improved. So, I think my future will always have the hospital in it. It's what I do best."

"And as a ninja?" The man questioned.

"I'm a medical ninja for a reason," Sakura pointed out. "My greatest skills are within the medical field but that does not mean I am useless in battle. I'm the Hokage's apprentice. The things I've learned are not limited to medical ninjutsu."

This continued for a bit. Them questioning her on her roles in the hospital, what she believed her duty was, how she felt about the current standings of the village and so on. It was a bit extensive and repetitive in her opinion, but she conversed with them all the same.

"And your relationship with Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sakura might have blushed had it been, quite literally, anyone else asking about Sasuke. But these were his clan's elders. She couldn't mutter complaints and let her cheeks heat up in embarrassment because it was still apparently obvious she-- she had complicated feelings towards him.

Sasuke was beginning to resemble someone she never got the chance to know. This was not a boy surrounded by the tempting darkness of revenge and hatred. He hadn't succumbed to it because he never felt that pain in this life. He was better with his emotions than her Sasuke ever was, though the bar wasn't set very high.

Yet, she still saw her old Sasuke in this life's one. Never truly unkind to others. He always made small exceptions for her and Naruto. Somehow, she felt herself falling for him all over again. She was never truly sure when she fell in love with Sasuke in her old life. Had it been the moment in the Forest of Death? When she didn't feel this incessant need to shower Sasuke with affection and attention-- but a compelling need to help him?

Sakura saw Sasuke change. She saw him before the curse mark intensified all of the negative emotions he harbored. She saw him when he woke up. She knew their life could have been different if Sasuke never received the curse mark in her old life. He would have stayed.

Even after her Sasuke had gotten the curse mark, he still put his revenge on the line for her and Naruto's life. He would give it up so they could get away from Gaara. Maybe she fell in love with the kind soul that she knew cared about them too. The one that let them in despite his own personal choice to keep them distant.

Maybe it was when she saw him for the first time after he left. So different but still the same. It's at least the moment Sakura knew her feelings weren't childish infatuation.

But, if she were being honest, it was most likely when she made the resolve to kill him. It was such a low point in her life and she knew it was his lowest. All she knew in the moments she held a kunai to his back was that she was utterly in love with Uchiha Sasuke. With the man she knew he was at his core. And that she could never take away the chance for him to regain that part of him.

"We're teammates," She finally answered. "And we are a family in our own right."

"Yes, your team was requested to become a unit," He noted with the slightest traces of disapproval in his tone. Your abnormally close relationship from the very beginning has troubled us."

Sakura resisted the urge to shrug and settled on a smile. "I love my teammates. As shinobi, we understand that the likelihood of one of us dying is incredibly high. But until death, we'll have each other's backs. We're stubborn when it comes to the ones we love."

Whatever answer they were expecting, it seemed hers was satisfactory enough to continue forward. Had it not been for the numerous days she's spent with Mikoto sitting exactly like this and getting scolded if she slouched, Sakura was sure her back would be cramping up from how long the 'assessment' was going.

"You're also oddly close to numerous members of our clan," The old woman commented and at this, Sakura's smile was genuine. "Your training with two of the most powerful Uchiha our clan has to offer has not gone unnoticed."

"I've had the privilege of being able to be taught by legendary ninja," Sakura nodded. "It's made me into who I am today, as has my closeness with the head family."

Sakura's pager beeped and her eyes grew wide. "My apologies. There's a medical emergency I must attend to. Was there anything else you wanted to discuss with me? I'm sure we could meet again, if you'd like."

They didn't look pleased with the interruption, but they nodded nonetheless. "You may go. We will reach out again if necessary."

She thanked them and hurried out of the house, barely sparing time to arrive at the head household to quickly change back into her clothes and white coat. She would absolutely die from shame if she got blood on a kimono Mikoto got for her. She didn't bother undoing her hair, either, swapping clothes and just calling out that there was a medical emergency.

And when she arrived at the hospital and was given a room number, she almost murdered all three occupants.

Her eye was twitching when she shut the door and activated a seal. It didn't do well for other patients to hear her threaten the lives of others.

"What did you three do?" She asked, her voice lowering to a dangerous level.

"Kid broke three of my ribs, imouto," Shisui groaned from his spot on the hospital bed. "So I broke four of his."

Sasuke winced as he scoffed. "You make it sound like you're the victim."

"I am! We said arms and legs-- not my damn ribs," Shisui shot back with a curse. "Just tell me to shut up next time."

"I did," Sasuke reminded him, which promptly caused Shisui to close his mouth for a moment.

"Still a dirty move," Shisui settled on, looking over at her with a pout that could give Izumi a run for her money. "Your teammate's a dick."

"He's your apprentice," Sakura retorted before finally greeting the only other standing person in the room. "Itachi-nii, was this truly a medical emergency that requested me? I think I lost points with your clan's elders for getting called away."

"They'll be mad for a bit but they'll eventually respect your dedication," Itachi told her with a small smile. "It's been a while. Were you really talking to them for that long?"

"Yes," She frowned, settling to work on Shisui first. From the slight narrowing of his eyes, Sasuke wasn't happy with her choice. But Sasuke would take the choice in silence. Shisui would not.

"They loved you, right?" Shisui inferred, his nose crinkling when she stopped healing his ribs. "I'm not teasing, imouto. I've been saying that you should meet them for years."

She resumed her healing with a raised eyebrow. "So they can take baby steps into accepting outsiders?"

"That's one reason," Itachi answered with a knowing smile. "How do you think it went?"

"I'm sure you three will hear about it before I do," Sakura answered with a clipped tone. "Sasuke-kun, did you really have to break three of his ribs?"

Sasuke grunted and elected not to answer her.

"Well, you two have been back for a single day and are already in the hospital," Sakura scolded.

Shisui managed a halfhearted shrug. "Well, you weren't at the house. And what can we say? We prefer pretty pink haired medics."

"Shisui," Sasuke warned, breaking from his brooding to glare at his cousin.

"Yeah, yeah," He replied, though he gave her a cheeky smile. "When can I be discharged, imouto? Can't have your attention for too long."

"If you be quiet, I might be able to get you out of here in ten minutes," Sakura answered, then glanced at her teammate. "Especially if I don't have to heal anymore injuries."

Fortunately, the boys stayed quiet and let her concentrate. She answered the few questions Itachi had about her conversation with the elders and finally sent the two older Uchiha away. She turned on her teammate, who has barely looked her way the entire time.

"You let him rile you up, didn't you?" Sakura all but teased. "I didn't think anyone besides Naruto could get under your skin."

"I didn't get riled up," Sasuke scoffed and his face contorted in pain when he tried to shift himself in the bed. "He was open."

"So you broke his ribs," She stated doubtfully.

"He was open," Sasuke repeated. "And he deserved it."

"What did Shisui-nii do now?"

When Sasuke didn't answer, she shook her head. "You let him rile you up."

She looked up at her teammate, a gentle smile forming on her features when she met his eyes. "But was he right?"

"Yeah," Sasuke nodded, his eyes softening slightly. "I think he was."