After Sasuke came and helped both her and Chiyo get back to the rest of the group, the remainder of the mission played out almost exactly as it had in her old life. Chiyo sacrificed her life for Gaara's, the majority of Suna greeted their Kazekage as they woke up, and their alliance with Suna strengthened.

Naruto and Sakura were still the last ones to leave Chiyo's grave.

"Naruto-kun, Sakura-san, it's time to leave!" Rock Lee shouted and the two didn't even look away from the headstone.

Even though Sakura knew Chiyo didn't survive today, her death hit her even worse than it had in her old life. Maybe it's because she knew she technically could have stopped it. But she'd have to give up Gaara's life. And who was she to take away the old woman's newly reestablished faith in the shinobi world?

"C'mon, Sakura-chan," Naruto said in a low voice, turning around. When she didn't immediately turn with him, he reached over and gave her hand a single squeeze. She looked at her best friend and he nodded towards their group.

"We have to find out who's targeting the teme," He reminded her lightly. "Dunno who would want his brooding self, ya know? But that's what we gotta do now."

"Yeah," Sakura agreed softly, resting a hand on the stone before smiling at her best friend. "Protect the ones we cherish, right?"

"Exactly, Sakura-chan," Naruto smiled. "Plus, Team 7 is a family. We don't let people target our family and get away with it."

"You can't disband Team 7!" Naruto shouted at a volume that made everyone in the office wince. "We're a family!"

"I'm not disbanding Team 7, you idiot!" Tsunade shouted back with an equally loud voice. Then, she took a breath and continued in a relatively calm tone. "You are being assigned a substitute teammate for when one of you three are unavailable."

"Or in this case not allowed to attend a mission," Sasuke added bitterly.

Tsunade pointed a finger at him. "It was your clan that chose this. I'm inclined to agree with them for this mission. Even if it's to avoid any more political crap."

"You let me go on a mission even though I was also a target," Naruto grumbled, both of her boys frowning at Tsunade.

"It's out of my control," Tsunade told them, leaning back in her chair with held up hands. "For once, the village elders and your clan agree that you will be held back from this mission. You'll have a different assignment, Sasuke."

Sasuke rolled his eyes but nodded anyway. Naruto continued to fight Tsunade on it.

Fed up with the shouting, Sakura pulled her best friend into a headlock. "Naruto," She said through her teeth. "Shut up."

"But, Sakura-chan, we're supposed to be a unit! That's why we were promoted!"

"We have to pick our battles," She told him firmly, sparing Sasuke a glance. "No one likes this, dummy."

"But, Sakura-chan," Naruto started again and she tightened her grip and gave her master an innocent smile. "Ow, ow, ow! You're, like, so much stronger now, Sakura-chan! Why didn't anyone warn me?"

"What an idiot," Sasuke muttered and Tsunade sighed. Once Naruto agreed to not shout anymore, she released her hold.

"When do we leave?" Sakura asked her master.

Tsunade folded her hands together. "Tomorrow morning. You'll meet your replacement captain and new teammate outside of the tower."

"Wait, Kaka-sensei too?" Naruto exclaimed, though he lowered his voice dramatically when he caught her glare. "Why the replacement captain?"

"Have you forgotten Kaka-sensei is in the hospital?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow. Naruto tilted his head in confusion before his eyes lit up in realization.

"Oh, yeah," Naruto said, squinting at the ceiling as he thought of their last mission. "He had to use that thing after Sasuke left. You know-- the like super evolved Sharingan. I can never remember its name."

"Mangekyo Sharingan," Sakura clarified and Naruto nodded.

"Yeah! That!"

"Just get out of my office," Tsunade sighed deeply. "Sasuke, report here in the morning and I'll debrief you then."

He nodded and Sakura held up a meek hand. "Bye, shishō."

"Yeah, yeah," Tsunade waved her off and the trio made their way out of the tower.

Naruto was still grumbling and Sasuke was brooding-- her boys really weren't all that different from her old life, were they?

"I'll see you two later," Sakura said, starting to peel off in the direction of her house.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked and Sasuke gave her the same quizzical look.

"Aren't you coming?" He questioned and she gave both her boys a smile.

"I have to check in with my parents," She explained and Naruto's confusion was soon replaced by realization. "I'll be over in an hour, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke merely nodded and her boys started towards the compound. She overheard Naruto asking what was up with his clan and questioning Sasuke on why he was being held back.

Sakura wasn't so surprised Sasuke was being held back. She's known the Uchiha clan long enough now to understand that they were fiercely protective of their own. This mission would place Sasuke directly in harms way if it doesn't go their way. Though that explained the clan elder's decision, Sakura was a bit nervous about the village elders actually agreeing with them.

Separating Sasuke from his team was the exact opposite of why they were promoted. They were promoted because of their skills as a team (and to keep Sasuke under the direct command of the Hokage). To just backtrack because Sasuke was being targeted, as all Uchiha have been at this point, was worrisome.

"Heard you took out an Akatsuki member," A voice said, before the person appeared at her side and threw an arm around her shoulder. She felt another presence appear on her other side.

"It was actually Chiyo-sama," Sakura corrected, giving her two companions a look. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Social call, imouto," Shisui grinned, pulling her tightly against his side. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"You want to talk about the Akatsuki, don't you?" She ventured a guess and Shisui gave her a sheepish grin.

Sakura sighed. "Let me check in with my parents and drop my stuff off. Then, we can talk."

"If it's any consolation, this is also a social call," Itachi told her in a gentle tone and she nodded.

"Yeah, that helps."

She spent maybe twenty minutes at home before she waved and headed out the door. Her mother had dutifully reminded her that she spent more time showering than speaking to her parents and she could only manage an apologetic smile before she greeted the two Uchiha at their usual dango stall.

"I think my parents are officially jealous of the Uchiha clan," Sakura told them, accepting the plate of dango Itachi handed her. "I spend more time with one of you than them."

"You are a rather busy person," Itachi reminded her. "When you aren't at the hospital, you're training with your team. Or on missions with them."

"Or discussing the most dangerous organization in the shinobi world over dango," Sakura added but shrugged. "It's okay. I'll take them being jealous of the Uchiha over what it was before."

"Not fans, I presume?" Shisui asked and when she reluctantly nodded, he laughed. "Typical if that squirt is the only one they knew. Or did they know Itachi?"

"Everyone knew of Itachi, even civilians" Sakura answered vaguely, casually avoiding said person's gaze. "So, what do you want to know?"

"We know the primary goal of the Akatsuki," Shisui started, bringing a knee up to the bench so he could rest his elbow on it. "But that was only confirmed by the Kazekage's abduction. They want the Tailed Beasts, right?"

Sakura nodded, frowning at the memory of the Akatsuki's goal coming to fruition. Of the war. Obito. Madara. Her friends. Her boys. Being alone.

"Jiraiya-san has been attempting to get any information he could on them, but even he's having a difficult time," Shisui continued, eating a piece of dango. "He's only identified a few members so far and it looks like you guys knocked down their forces by two."

"Maybe one," Sakura said honestly, vividly remembering Kakashi's grim expression in her old life when he informed them that the particular chakra remnants from the battle belonged to Sasuke and Deidara. How the manic artist survived, she wasn't sure. And because things happened as they had in her old life once Sasuke left Naruto and Kakashi this time, she was totally unsure of Deidara's fate.

"Great," Shisui replied sarcastically. "So do I have to watch out for a puppet or explosives?"

"Sasori is dead," Sakura confirmed. "Last time, he gave me information on Orochimaru to lead Naruto and I to something we had been chasing for years. This time, he gave me the same information but it wasn't exactly the same."

"The same information but not exactly the same?" Itachi repeated with a raised brow. "Can you elaborate?"

"Sasori gave me information on Orochimaru because that's what I asked him in my old life," Sakura explained, taking a bit of her dessert. "This time, I wanted to know who was targeting Sasuke-kun. He said the buyer was from Konoha and working with Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru is dead," Shisui said bluntly and when she merely looked at him, he cursed. "I should have expected that killing a Sannin wouldn't be as easy as it was. We got played, Tachi."

"It could be Kabuto," Itachi said. "He was a very loyal assistant. It's entirely possible he's taking up the persona of Orochimaru."

"Sakura-chan also warned us that Orochimaru has precautions preventing a permanent death," Shisui sighed, pouting when he looked towards her. "Why do you always have to be right?"

"Just playing the cards I was dealt," Sakura said calmly, earning an unamused frown.

"It's a shitty hand," He told her and she took another bite of her dango.

"Says a lot when I tell you it's the best hand I could have been dealt."

"Anyway, we heard from Kakashi-senpai that you encountered the masked man," Itachi told her, bringing the attention back to their original conversation. "What did he say?"

"He remembered me," Sakura frowned, holding back the urge to shiver as she thought of that dreaded orange mask. "Called me mysterious, actually. I hope I never know the reason he thinks that."

"It's probably your chakra signature," Itachi said, the slightest grimace forming on his features. "It's very odd if you're trained to spot the peculiarities. It's what made me suspect the truth all those years ago."

"Can we just say it's because I have pink hair?" Sakura asked, groaning when he raised an eyebrow. "Itachi-nii, the very last thing I need is his attention. I just want to protect the ones I love."

"Told you protecting those two would be a full time job," Shisui laughed, her anxiety dissolving at the familiar sound. "Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm more nervous about this whole Orochimaru thing. We killed him two and a half years ago, Tachi. Now, he's a dead man with ties to an Akatsuki member and the person targeting the squirt. And he's not the only one targeting Sasuke directly. Someone from Konoha, right?"

"I know it's. . . not a great thing to say," Sakura started carefully, distinctly aware of a new presence in the area. It wasn't prominent at all. No, it was rather well hidden but from the slight change in Itachi and Shisui's posture, she assumed they sensed the slight flicker as well.

She thought better of her next words. "But I'm really not looking forward to this next meeting with your clan's elders."

Shisui and Itachi blinked a few times before the former took it in stride. "A second meeting? Really?"

"You didn't know?" Sakura asked, thinking back to the conversation her and Sasuke had a few days before Naruto came back home. "He was apparently put on the spot about it by your father, Itachi-nii. I'm not really sure what it's all about. Sasuke-kun tends to just tell me when I'm expected to be at the compound."

"He's actually the worst," Shisui said with a shake of his head. "Are you sure he's the Uchiha you like? Because, I'm severely beginning to question your judgement if that's the case."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate? Not sure if you two remember, but I'm very new to this whole clan dynamic. Civilian family and all?"

"Politics and appearances," Itachi told her gently, before getting up. "We should head to the compound before my brother and Naruto-kun start searching for you. It's been over an hour since you three got back."

"I'm going to hear it from the boys," Sakura sighed and followed suit. Soon, the three arrived at the compound and sure enough, Naruto complained that she was late and Sasuke glared at his brother and cousin.

"Sakura-chan, even I got here before you and I had to clean my apartment!" Naruto exclaimed, pulling her away from the Uchiha's to whisper in her ear. "I had to talk to Fugaku-san for like twenty minutes. Alone, Sakura-chan. Alone. I was only saved because there was a police emergency."

Sakura giggled. "Sorry, Naruto. I tend to be apprehended by someone no matter where I go."

"By someone, you mean Itachi and Shisui," Sasuke said with a raised brow, walking by them and flicking Naruto's hand until he pulled away his arm. He took her bag from her out of habit. "My mother was very sad you weren't with us."

"That's because Sakura-chan is my favorite," Mikoto appeared, pulling her into a tight hug. "I heard from the boys about what happened. I'm proud of you and happy you made it out safely. Now come on, I have tea ready."

Sakura gladly drank tea with Mikoto while all of the boys discussed their battles. She was a bit relieved to be simply sipping tea and talking for the majority of the afternoon. A three day run following Guy from Suna was so not worth the bragging rights. That, of course, relied on the fact that there were bragging rights to begin with. And, really, there weren't.

Mikoto excused herself to do errands and refused any of their offers to join her. She told them not to burn down the house and to be hungry for when she came back.

Ultimately, the conversation drifted towards what it had been this morning.

"You're really not participating in the mission?" Shisui asked, whistling when Sasuke frowned. "That's rotten luck."

"It wasn't bad luck," Sasuke told him. "It was a direct order from the higher ups."

"We're being assigned a temporary captain and substitute teammate," Naruto frowned, looking at Sakura. She only managed a tight smile.

Little did Naruto know how much these new members would mean to the two of them. That is, of course, if it was still Yamato and Sai being added to their roster. She desperately hoped so-- she missed them both. Sai especially.

With the omission of the massacre in this time and the fact that Sasuke never left the village, Sakura had been afraid they wouldn't meet Sai. They wouldn't get to know him and he would remain loyal to Root. He wouldn't grow as a person and call her 'Ugly' and Naruto 'Dickless'. Or request that they include him in conversations and view their interactions as teaching examples.

She missed Sai. Really. And Yamato-- even if she hadn't seen him since the very beginning of the war.

"That isn't necessarily a bad thing," Shisui said and earned a supportive nod from Itachi. "You three have phenomenal teamwork; it's true. But learning how to play nice with others is necessary for all shinobi, if peace is the thing you're fighting for. Think of it as a learning experience."

"I hate learning," Naruto grumbled stubbornly and locked his hands behind his head. "I guess it won't be so bad. So long as they aren't a total ass. Teme already fills that role."

"You won't live long enough to meet them," Sasuke threatened and Naruto waved him off.

"Yeah, yeah," Her best friend said. "You're just mad you're being replaced."

"I'm not-"

Sakura held back a laugh and the sound made Sasuke pause and look at her, almost looking betrayed.

"Don't worry, Sasuke-kun," She said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll never be replaced in our hearts."

Naruto started laughing first and it was a sound all too contagious for her to not join in. Sasuke's scowl only lasted for a few moments before he shook his head and deemed them idiots.

The sound of beeping filled the room and Sakura's laughter subsided into a sigh.

"Duty calls," She frowned, getting up from her spot.

"I thought you were off the call list," Sasuke said, his brows furrowing together as she tried to find her bag. With a roll of his eyes, he disappeared from the living room and came back a minute later with it. "I put it away for you."

"Oh, right," She remembered, taking it from him with a soft smile. "Thanks, Sasuke-kun. And I am off the call list right now, so it's serious enough that I'm needed."

With a wave goodbye, she hurried out of the compound and headed for the hospital. As she arrived, she found that it was serious enough that she was needed. She actually forgot about this day but it had happened in her old life. The difference was the patient she was treating.

He wasn't near death or anything, thankfully. But his injuries were rather serious. And he specifically requested she be the one to heal him.

"Fugaku-san," Sakura said after she finished the treatment. "You should have let someone at least stop the bleeding instead of waiting for me to arrive. You know better than to wait."

"You arrived quickly," He replied, frowning as he sat up. "Am I discharged?"

Sakura sighed. Sasuke has uttered that phrase with the same level of impatience as his father. Typical Uchiha.

At least Itachi was patient and Shisui made the visits entertaining. Those two were always the odd Uchiha's so they didn't count.

"Take it easy for another day or two," She told him, holding her clipboard to her chest. "I thought today was your day off."

"Isn't today your day off as well?" He replied immediately, his hands going up to his eyes. "I wouldn't trust anyone else to heal my injuries, Sakura. You're the least likely to mess up."

Sakura took his words with a light laugh. "Thank you. Mikoto-san probably has dinner prepared. I'll have you discharged while you're getting ready."

"Will you be joining us tonight?" He asked, taking the bag of clothes she handed to him.

"So long as I'm not needed I will be," She told him with a smile. "Though I was called in because you requested, I want to make sure everyone else is in good shape before I leave."

"I'll wait for you in the lobby, then," Fugaku decided and she knew better than to insist it wasn't necessary.

Much like his wife, whatever Fugaku said is what reigned.

"I'll be down shortly, thank you," She said and left to check up on the rest of the patients.

This attack in her old life didn't worry her when it happened. She got their first clue to where Sasuke could be in two and a half years-- that's all she thought about. But now Fugaku, of all people, came out of it injured.

She didn't even know exactly what happened. Asking Fugaku about it just felt weird. Perhaps she could ask Tsunade. Or when Shisui found out, she'd get him to tell her.

Sakura ultimately met Fugaku in the lobby around ten minutes later. It seemed everyone was at least on their way to recovery and completely stable. Dinner awaited at the compound.

"Thank you for waiting," She greeted and he simply nodded before they left the hospital. They walked a good portion of the distance in a comfortable silence. It was so unlike her nervous demeaner she used to adopt when in the presence of the Uchiha clan head.

The past couple years of having dinner with Fugaku and Mikoto, without any of the boys, made it easier to interact with him. She found that if she just talked the way she did with her old Sasuke, the one she fought with in the war, she would be perfectly fine having a conversation with Fugaku. He was very blunt and to the point and his words always held a deeper meaning.

Just like her old Sasuke. Finally making that connection made things much less awkward in the Uchiha household when Mikoto was out of the room to get the tea.

"I heard from Sasuke and Naruto that you took on an Akatsuki member," Fugaku said, continuing when she confirmed it. "It's good to see you can overcome obstacles like that and come out stronger. It's a testament to the training Itachi and Shisui have put you through over the years. And the Hokage, of course."

"I'd be scared for my own fate if all that training didn't do me any good," Sakura replied with a small smile. "I've learned a lot in my life and there's still so much more to do."

"Yes, it always seems as though there's never enough time to accomplish everything you want to do," Fugaku said, his gaze flickering towards her for a moment before setting themselves back onto the road. "But you're rather young. You still have time before you settle down."

"Maybe when that happens, I'll have an actual day off," She joked. "But I enjoy it. The work. Healing people, having the boys' backs. Learning new things everyday. There isn't much else I'd ask for."

"It seems as though nothing will drag you from your work," Fugaku commented in a knowing tone. "Or your team."

"For as long as I can, I'd like to contribute my best," Sakura said. "And I tend to be at my best in the medical field or by the sides of Sasuke-kun and Naruto."

Fugaku nodded, his expression thoughtful as they entered the compound. He looked at the buildings, some newly remodeled while others still needed some work.

"The hospital isn't very far from the district, is it?" Fugaku noticed and she looked at him in surprise before slowly nodding.

"It isn't that far at all," She agreed and he looked rather victorious. Before she could even think about it, they arrived at the house.

Sasuke appeared first, even before Mikoto. He greeted his father and when Mikoto pulled her husband away after seeing blood on his shirt, Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You're always showing up with one of my family members," He noted and she let out a deep breath.

"Sasuke-kun, I don't even know how it happens anymore," She said to him tiredly, letting him take her bag from her once again. "I think Tsunade-sama was right when she said it's like I'm a beacon specifically for Uchiha."

"She said that?" He asked in a voice full of doubt.

"Ino did while the three of us were training," Sakura told him, thinking back to the split lip Sakura gave Ino during their sparring match the day after she said it. "Tsunade-sama wouldn't let it drop when your mother dropped off a bento for me at the hospital a week after that."

"I wonder what she'll say in a few years," Sasuke mused and when she raised a brow, he shook his head. "I'll tell you next time."

"Tell me what?" She asked again, the creases on her forehead deepening as her confusion increased. Sasuke merely blinked and she closed her eyes as she accepted her defeat. "Fine, you'll tell me next time."

Because just like his parents, who's words rule above all, Sasuke's silence could rarely be beaten if he didn't want to say anything in that moment. Uchiha stubbornness-- that was a trait they all unfortunately shared.