"I feel like all of my children are finally home," Mikoto sighed happily.

"Well, it certainly sounds like it," Sakura replied with a laugh, as Sasuke and Naruto began to loudly argue over something.

"They're always like this, huh?" Izumi asked, setting cups onto a tray.

Sakura nodded, pouring in the tea Mikoto gave her. "I don't think they'll ever grow out of it."

"Well, I'd hope not," Mikoto said, placing her hands on her hips. "This place will be much too quiet. Unless, you know, there were others filling up my home."

Izumi and Sakura shared a look, the girls not missing what the matriarch was hinting at.

"Was that a hint for me to marry Itachi-kun and have children?" Izumi asked her and she nodded.

"I hope so, because I'm still way too young to be thinking about that," Sakura answered and the matriarch pouted. "Don't look at me. I'm not the one in a relationship with one of your sons."

Though it was rare for Mikoto to scowl, her displeased expression was hard to miss. "I thought you two would be on my side."

"We should bring the tea out," Sakura told her in a soothing tone, picking up the tray before they left the kitchen. "Naruto and Sasuke-kun need someone to ensure they don't kill each other."

The rest of the evening went by smoothly, Naruto and Sasuke devolved into frivolous fights, Izumi and Mikoto were discussing her new role as a teacher at the academy, and she spent her time talking to the two older Uchiha boys about new training techniques. When the time came to leave, Naruto refused Sasuke when he came to walk them home.

"I want to walk Sakura-chan home alone, teme," Naruto told him with crossed arms. "I haven't gotten to in ages!"

Sasuke's eye twitched and he looked beside him for some backup.

She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I'll be by the station tomorrow morning."

His features only softened slightly when she gave him a reassuring smile, and grudgingly accepted it.

"Be safe!" Mikoto called after they said their goodbyes.

"Missed me?" Sakura teased after they left the compound, holding her hands behind her back as she looked at her best friend.

"Well, duh!" Naruto said with a cheeky grin, locking his hands behind his head. "You know I missed you! But I dunno, things are a bit different, ya know? Like everything feels the same and all but. . . I can't explain it."

"We're growing up," Sakura supplied.

"I guess," Her best friends nose scrunched up. "I mean, I'm so much cooler now! I have to show you the cool tricks I learned on the road!"

"When we get our first mission tomorrow, I'm sure you can show a bit of your skills," Sakura assured him, frowning at the thought.

Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted anything to change in the mission they'd inevitably receive in the morning. But the thing was it somehow would-- Sasuke would be with them this time. And she didn't know if that change would be beneficial or not. In her old life, Itachi had been the Akatsuki member that confronted their team.

In this one, she wasn't particularly sure how the Akatsuki was fairing without Itachi. She was unsure if Obito joined early because of lack of people or not. Shisui's been scouting the Akatsuki and meeting with Jiraiya over the past few months, but she hasn't gotten the chance to discuss anything with him. Sasuke tended to stick around whenever she was interacting with any Uchiha.

Really, he's been by her side more often than not since he arrived back.

It was rather endearing, but there were things she just couldn't explain to Sasuke, not yet. She had no idea if she would ever tell anyone that she travelled back in time. If they figured it out, she wouldn't dare deny it. But she didn't think she'd be the one to say it first.

Tsunade, Shisui, and Itachi were the only ones to figure it out. And she intended to keep it like that for as long as she could. There were still events that needed to take place-- this mission fully solidified the alliance between Konoha and Suna. She couldn't risk it.

She's just have to hope the inevitable changes didn't mess with the outcome.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, are you listening?" Naruto asked, interrupting her thoughts. She smiled apologetically.

"What were you saying?"

"That I haven't had Ichiraku since we got back!" Naruto exclaimed, now waving his arms. "It's been two and a half years, Sakura-chan!"

"We just had dinner," She reminded him and he pouted.

"But there's always room for ramen," He said, giving her wide dopey eyes. "Come to Ichiraku with me!"

"Naruto," She told him in an unsure tone and he was quick to continue.

"What do you say, Sakura-chan?" He asked, clasping his hands together. "It can even be like a date! Or not, of course. I just want to hear how awesome your training was! Itachi-nii says you basically run the hospital! That's mega cool! Better than teme saying he learned how to fight with a sword."

"He'll skewer you if he hears you say that," She commented and laughed when Naruto began to protest. "I'll stay for a bit, okay? But if you get a second bowl, I'm leaving."

Naruto cheered. "Haha! I knew you missed me just as much! Let's go!"

She and Naruto did talk a lot. He didn't even down his first bowl within a few minutes-- which was a testament to his restraint in getting her to stay as long as he could possibly get her to. She told him all about her training with Tsunade and Itachi. He told her all about Jiraiya's odd teaching methods but how his jutsu's were all ten times as powerful as they once were.

Sakura ended up leaving Ichiraku's when Naruto finished his first bowl and Iruka sensei came in to greet them.

That relationship wasn't exactly the same as the one in her old life. And while Naruto did have her and the Uchiha's to lean back on, most of the stigmatism in the village remained. Iruka had been the first person to risk his life for Naruto-- and that meant while the relationship between them was a bit different, Naruto still looked towards Iruka as his own fatherly figure.

Sakura had to reassure Iruka that she was perfectly fine leaving and that she wasn't hungry at all. She left Ichiraku and wasn't even surprised to see Sasuke waiting on the other side of the street.

"You knew he'd want to get Ichiraku and would sucker me into it, didn't you?" She asked as she walked up to him.

"I know you both," He nodded. They fell into step with each other as they started to walk. "I knew the moron would want Ichiraku. And I knew you would spoil him and say yes. Figured he'd forget to actually walk you home."

"I left early," She pointed out and it didn't seem to make a difference in Sasuke's eyes.

"He's still an idiot," Sasuke said, then glanced over at her. "They've come to a. . . decision."

"Are they making you leave?" Sakura asked, keeping her stare on the dirt below them.

"They agreed to allow me to stay on Team 7, but they reserve the right to request I be put on missions without you two as well," Sasuke answered, his lips drawn to get her in a tight line. "My father isn't thrilled with whatever they have in mind, but he told me not to fight it. He doesn't want me embarrassing the clan because I'm not happy with the elders."

"So, it's more like you're partially on Team 7, isn't it?" She inferred and from his growing frown, she assumed she was correct. "It's okay, Sasuke-kun. They'll have to do much more if they want to actually separate us."

He grunted, shaking his head. "You two are stubborn."

"Your mother also loves us," Sakura pointed out with a smile, watching the sky above them as they walked through the near deserted streets of Konoha. "I'm not worried about it all. Everything will work out."

"How do you know?" He asked, watching her carefully.

She didn't meet his eyes, instead pointing up at the night sky where stars were beginning to illuminate. "We'll always be under the same sky, Sasuke-kun. So long as that's true, I don't think there's any force in this world that would separate us. Not if I can help it."

"You sound so confident," He commented and she shrugged.

"Even if we aren't all together for a bit, I'm sure we'll come back together and be stronger than anyone ever expected," She mused, thinking about her old life. "Nothing can sever the bonds we have with each other. Not your elders. Not Tsunade-sama. Not even each other. So, don't worry about it too much, okay? You'll get wrinkles from frowning so much."

They arrived outside her house and she stopped at the door.

"Wrinkles," He repeated, his gaze softening as he looked at her. This time, she met his stare.

"What?"

"Just-- nothing," He started then shook his head. She raised an eyebrow when it almost looked like a flush of pink crossed his cheeks. Probably just her imagination-- it was dark out.

"Thanks for walking me home, Sasuke-kun," She said in a light tone, placing a hand on the doorknob.

Sasuke scoffed. "Can't trust the dobe to do anything."

Sakura laughed, watching him shake his head as he muttered about their teammate. "Good night, Sasuke-kun."

"Good night, Sakura."

Sakura walked to the police station to get Sasuke the next morning and then the two headed to Naruto's so they could receive their mission. She saw the hawk fly overhead just as they left Naruto's apartment.

She stayed quiet most of the trip to the tower, letting Naruto ramble about his training and how Tsunade would be crazy not to give them at least a B rank mission. Sasuke tended to listen with one ear, only contributing something if Naruto's theories about their first mission back were a bit too far fetched.

She heard the heels of someone running by, so she pushed Naruto to the side. Sasuke followed her movements and a woman rushed past them.

"Oi!" Naruto yelled while she and Sasuke looked at one another. He raised his eyebrow as if to ask what had just happened but she only shook her head.

"You're quiet today," Sasuke said quietly as Naruto continued to rant about manners.

"I have a bad feeling," She whispered back, fixating her attention onto the hallway ahead of them rather than his questioning gaze.

"Hey, whatcha whispering about?" Naruto suddenly asked, popping up between them and throwing his arms around them both. "We all know Team 7 is a family. And family doesn't keep secrets. And if you do, I reserve the right to complain about whatever mission Tsunade gives us."

"Get your hand off me," Sasuke sneered, attempting to duck under their mutual best friends arms. Naruto allowed it, bringing his hands in front of her face suddenly and she heard the echo of Naruto's voice resonate within the hallway.

She could barely see past Naruto's upheld arm, but she guessed that he summoned a clone to pester Sasuke. It certainly sounded like it until there was an audible curse and a cloud of smoke.

"C'mon, please!" Naruto begged, lowering his hands, but kept his arm around her shoulder. "I feel left out, ya know!"

"You're the one too oblivious not to notice things."

"I just have a bad feeling," Sakura told Naruto, his grip instinctively tightening. "It's been nagging me since I woke up."

"You're not like hurt again, right?" He asked and while she wanted to smack him for that, she saw the utter concern in his eyes and her irritation was subdued.

"No, I don't have a bad feeling about myself or us," She clarified instead. "Just. . . a bad feeling."

"Whenever you get a bad feeling, something bad actually happens, Sakura-chan," Naruto told her, his voice still gentle. "But don't worry! Whatever it is, Team 7 will handle it! Together!"

"We always have each other's backs," Sakura practically recited, Naruto's smile too contagious for even her dreary mood.

"You say it so often, you'd think you'd remember yourself," Sasuke responded with an eye roll. He plucked Naruto's hand off her shoulder and nodded his head forward. "Come on, before Kakashi actually beats us there."

Kakashi showed up the same time they did. And just like her old life, they were at first given a C rank mission. Though, Naruto's outbursts were actually justified in this life-- they were all Chūnin. Plus, Tsunade has sent her and Sasuke on a couple of missions since he got back. And those were B rank ones.

But that's when the encoder rushed in, handing Tsunade the scroll. It was announced that the Akatsuki had taken Gaara-- she gasped, Sasuke inhaled sharply, and Naruto shouted a very loud "What!"

And they were off not even ten minutes later.

They met Temari on the road and as they discussed exactly why Gaara was taken, Naruto glanced guiltily towards her and Sasuke.

"You've probably figured it out by now, Sakura-chan,"Her best friend started, clutching his stomach. "And your parents probably told you, Sasuke. I have the Kyuubi sealed in me."

"It's a part of the reason you want to save him so badly, right?" Sakura inferred, matching her speed with Naruto's. Sasuke landed on the other side of him.

"I understand the pain and loneliness he endured," Naruto said in a low voice, his gaze never wandering to either of them. "But I got lucky. I had you, Sakura-chan. And the teme. I got to grow up with people who wanted to be around me. I want to show Gaara that he's got people like that too."

All three shared a determined look and this time worked as a unit to fasten their pace-- she didn't need to yell at Naruto for going too far. She was right beside him. Sasuke too.

Though, even with a faster pace, it seemed that sand storm still delayed their progress. They made it to the village around the same time they had in her old life. They were told of Kankuro and his critical state. Temari looked at Sakura and she gave her a resolute nod.

"Let me take a look at him."

Sakura knew the antidote for Sasori's poison already. She's always remembered the exact measurements of every ingredient needed. But she also knew she couldn't just magically show up with the exact antidote that they needed when Suna had yet to even tell the Leaf of Kankuro's state. It was a poison that stumped Chiyo in the limited time frame they had.

So she didn't prepare an antidote in advance. She ordered her teammates out of the room and controlled the situation much like her old life. She had to preform that crude process on Kankuro again until he was finally out of Death's hands. Temari slumped against the wall once she stated that Kankuro was going to be fine.

She ordered the doctors to prepare her a list of herbs and to fill vials with the poison so she could test it out. When she was done ensuring the doctors could keep Kankuro stable, she looked back at her team, who had come back into the room with Chiyo.

"Sakura-chan's like," Naruto paused, staring at her with unfixed adoration and amazement. "Super cool."

She smiled at him and before she could even turn to Sasuke, Chiyo approached her.

"You remind me of the Slug Princess," The old woman said, a mixture of suspicion and reluctant respect in her gaze.

Sakura paused for a moment as she looked at Chiyo. This was a woman who had no idea how impactful their short time fighting together was. It molded her into the ninja she was in the war and the one she re-grew up to be in this life. Tsunade trained her battle. Taught her the all the tricks up her gambler's sleeves. Tsunade taught her to be a killer and a healer at the same time.

But Chiyo-- Chiyo taught her that the battle is never over. That time may pass by but it is always there, warping the minds of children and pitting shinobi against each other. And that, in the end, all that violence doesn't matter. Hope for the future is what endures and that's what Chiyo finally believed in when she died.

"Well, of course. Tsunade-sama is my master, Chiyo-san," Sakura finally managed to say, giving the old woman a small smile. "It's an honor to meet you."

"An honor?" The woman repeated incredulously. "I'm from Suna. What honor does it bring someone born and raised in Konoha?"

"She's read all about your work regarding poisons," Sasuke told the woman, barely looking towards her.

Sakura nodded, casting her boys a rather apologetic stare. "I used to keep them up during missions talking about the poisons you concocted during the second war."

Chiyo only seemed more suspicious of her character as Sakura was handed a clipboard by one of the doctors. She examined the lists compiled and happily stated that she could make the antidote and have it ready within the hour. She watched as Sasuke picked up her bag and gestured for her to leave and make the antidote.

She smiled and waved at her team before she followed a doctor to the greenhouse.

The antidote was created, tested, and used on Kankuro once again. And just like last time, she only had two more dosages of it. Once they finally departed from Suna, the next day, to head towards the Akatsuki hideout, she felt her anxiety creeping back in. She knew she could defeat Sasori. In fact, the battle might be a bit shorter this time around. But she had Sasuke to account for now. What would his addition to this mission cause?

Surely it would be beneficial, no?

There was a warning shout from Kakashi and all of them grounded themselves, landing directly across from the Akatsuki member she feared the most. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the orange mask, and both of her boys not so conspicuously shifted to move in front of her.

"It's you," Sasuke said through gritted teeth and Obito tilted his head at the words.

"Me? You know me?" Obito asked in a teasing tone, so unlike the deep voice she knew he actually had.

"You're the bastard that put Sakura-chan in the hospital!" Naruto yelled out, pointing an accusing finger at the Akatsuki member.

"And decimated almost the entirety of Konoha's police force," Sasuke continued, Chiyo drawing in a breath as she recognized the event.

"This man murdered an entire force made up of Uchiha's?" Chiyo questioned and Kakashi gave her a grave nod.

"In a single night, almost all active Sharingan users were killed," Kakashi explained, glancing at the three of them. "There's now maybe a dozen left compared to an entire clan's worth, including those who are not active shinobi. To accomplish a feat like that, he'd have to a visual prowess himself or something like it. Whatever you do, do not look into his eye. Even you, Sasuke."

"Faces tend to blend together when they're insignificant to me," Obito told them with an exaggerated shrug and while they couldn't necessarily tell where he was looking, Sakura knew his attention shifted to her. "But you. . . I remember. For someone who's not an Uchiha, it seems there's always one near you."

Sakura stilled under his stare and Sasuke moved to block her from Obito's sight.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Obito cried out. "I only have one eye to see from! That's playing dirty!"

"Sasuke-kun, it's okay," Sakura finally managed to say, placing a hand on his harm. She came up to his side, staring at the bottom of Obito's mask.

"An interesting crop," He sang. "Mysterious pinky, protective Uchiha, the Kyuubi kid, a pathetic excuse for a shinobi, and a Suna elder. I wonder if Kisame is having as much fun as I am. Shall we play a game?"

"How is this a game?" Naruto shouted, his stare growing hard. "You took Gaara because you just want power. Hunting him down like he's some sort of prize. He isn't! He's a person! And for that, I'll never forgive you!"

"Oooh, you'll never forgive me," Obito mocked, dramatically raising a hand to his chest and feigning heartbreak. "What ever shall I do?"

"Bastard!" Naruto yelled, charging forward despite the cries from her and Kakashi to stop. He had a rasengan ready, and suddenly Sasuke disappeared from her side and appeared behind Obito.

Oh, no.

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto!" Sakura yelled, coming out of her shock. She knew Obito's powers. The bastard would let it go right through him and into Sasuke.

She did the only thing to knock them all of course-- she destroyed the ground they were all on. Sasuke jumped up as soon as he saw her fist go down, but Naruto summoned clones above him to just catapult him down towards Obito, who took the sudden change in landscape in stride.

"What strength!" He yelled, laughing when Naruto passed right through him. "Oops! You missed me!"

"How did you know?" Sasuke asked, appearing by her once again. "That he can let things go through him?"

"I overheard Shisui-nii and Itachi-nii talking that night but I wasn't sure," Sakura told him hurriedly. "And I wasn't about to take the chance that I heard correctly."

"Sakura, that-"

"I was sort of dealing with things that night," Sakura hissed, giving him a hard look. "I wasn't going to say something a confused concussed kid thought she might have heard. Acting on wrong information could have gotten us killed, okay?"

"Sakura's right, Sasuke," Kakashi told them, though she saw the disapproving glint in his eyes, the one normally reserved for Naruto and Sasuke when they got caught up in a competitions. "At least we know for sure, now."

Obito, much like the first time they found him while he was still masquerading as Tobi, evaded everything they threw at him. He didn't dare do anything on the offensive side, instead letting them tire themselves out. Naruto and Kakashi were throwing themselves back in once Sasuke got kicked out of the way.

"Sasuke-kun," She said, holding out her hand to him. He clasped it and let her help him up. "I want to try something."

He raised his brow quizzically and then nodded. His Sharingan was blazing and directed his line of sight with Obito. Sakura throw a kunai wrapped in a explosive tab, hoping it would go off just after it sailed through Obito's head.

By whatever miracle, it did and he had materialized so the blow knocked him forward-- but didn't do anything else. He looked towards the two of them and Sakura placed him into a sharingan aided genjutsu.

She didn't have the visual prowess backing her up. Sasuke didn't have the skills she did. But together, it could help create a genjutsu as powerful as Itachi's normal ones-- those not created with his mangekyo sharingan. It would take even Obito a moment to get out of it.

"Naruto, now!" They both yelled, gasping for air at the strength it took to not the genjutsu falter so soon. Obito surely would have merely blinked away any genjutsu she created on her own, though the aid from a sharingan caught him off guard just long enough.

Her best friend didn't hesitate, he ran forward and slammed a rasengan into Obito's materialized body. It sent him flying, carving a path with the sheer force.

"Got you, bastard!" Naruto yelled, huffing as the clones disappeared.

Just like last time, it wasn't actually an Akatsuki member. Just a poor fool who got brainwashed by Sasori.

"Let's go," Naruto said once they all got their bearings back. "Gaara needs us."