More details regarding what kind of AU this story takes place in.

What you won't find: zombies, alien gods, terraforming , hundreds iterations of the sharingan, reincarnations, cyborgs, advanced technologies.

I want you to picture: "Naruto: the first part of the manga" with more feudal Japan elements, more political conflicts between countries and clans, and "realistic" shinobis that rely both on their ninjutsu and strategy to vanquish their foes.

Prologue

Her naked body was pressed against his bare chest, her soft hands still draped around his neck, and her head was sitting on his shoulder. The intensity of their intercourse made her sometimes lose consciousness for a while, which gave him a bit of respite to reflect on this madness. Their warm and sweating bodies, which were still joined together, made him even more aware of what had just occurred. He found it strange how clarity would always follow their blissful apogee. It emphasized the feeling of depersonalization that he had been experiencing ever since he had met this woman, almost three months ago.

His fingers slid through her long brown hair, pulling her face gently to look at her peaceful expression. She had done something to him, something that he couldn't explain. Every night he came to her, compelled by a strong urge, more powerful than his rational will. It seemed like there were unearthly forces at work. He had witnessed such insanity before, weak-minded people losing their minds over another being, sacrificing everything they had, and forgetting all their principles just for one moment of rapture.

Someone like him wasn't supposed to fall for such tricks, and yet here he was, unable to deny that he had lost control. He lifted the woman off him, feeling her warmth leave him at once, and laid her next to him. The proof of their coitus was spread down her thighs—yet another reminder of his transgression. Her body shifted slightly, awakening from its slumber. He then handed her a clean white towel, which she took without saying a word. Despite the multiple nights spent together, they hardly exchange any words, being just strangers sharing their bodies in false intimacy. However, things would be different tomorrow. Indeed, having recovered from his injuries, he had been assigned to a new mission that was supposed to take place far away from the village. Away from her.

They both started to dress, sometimes glancing at each other with unabashed curiosity. There was no more reason to be a prude after everything they had done together. Then, like he always did, he left the room first, not giving the woman any chance to suspect anything unusual. He didn't look back when he left the hot springs Inn, knowing that he would never return to this place and that he would never see her again. Or at least not under such circumstances. Ever since the beginning, their meetings, out of time and reality, were never meant to last.

"What are you doin' in front of my establishment, young man?" an old woman asked him. "Could it be that you're blind? Can't you read the notice on the wall? It says: elders only."

"I've never visited your onsen."

"Tr—True! I've never seen you before! So… what is it that you want, young man? Are you looking for trouble?"

Having sneaked inside the place so many times without paying, the lunatic owner made him reach his pocket for money. "This bill was right in front of the porch."

The woman's eyes widened. "Kami-sama! Then it must belong to me," she snatched the bill from his hand. "I'm still not letting you in! You, young people, cannot behave properly! Which is why I can't allow you inside my onsen—"

He left her to her tantrum and dispelled the transformation jutsu once he was far enough. It occurred to him that he didn't lie to the owner. Itachi Uchiha had truly never entered the establishment, and no one could ever claim the contrary.

1

"Naruto, I can't believe you're back," Sakura whispered in his neck, feeling his warm body embrace her tightly, almost crushing her. After being away for more than a year, seeing his azure eyes again, his beaming smile, and hearing his voice, all felt absolutely surreal. Almost like a dream. But he was truly home, at last.

The cacophony from the first stairs of the Kage's tower, a hub for shinobis returning from a long journey or for those who were seeking a new assignment., was muffled by the intensity of their cheerful reunion. Though they were standing in the hallway, only a few noisy stares lingered on them, already rejoicing inwardly at the idea of spreading rumors about the return of the Great Hero of Konoha and his touching reunion with his pink-haired companion. She would miss her quietness just because of this, but not as much as she had missed having her friend by her side. Her family.

"I thought you'd still be angry at me for leaving you."

"Baka," she punched him in the shoulder, "you will never get rid of me, Naruto." She took a good look at him, "You look taller."

He smiled and reached for her again, "I've missed you so much. Actually… I wasn't sure you would ever forgive me."

No matter how childish it looked, there was a small part of her please to hear he had suffered just as much as she had. It would be a lie to pretend she wasn't still just a bitter over their dispute. Still, she didn't feel as strongly about his choice to join the Anbu as she used to, mainly because there was no point in going against the wind, and Naruto sure was a storm of his own.

"You're stupid if you think I have," she returned his embrace and murmured, "I'm not angry anymore, if that's what you want to hear."

"I reckon you were pretty pissed off."

She sighed as they parted from their embrace, pushing away the painful souvenir of their last interaction, heavy with insults and reproach. Taking a good look at him, she noticed something amiss. "Where's your Anbu outfit?"

"Er, actually," he chuckled nervously, while scratching the back of his head. "I'm not an Anbu yet. There are…several stages to complete, before I can officially be part of the organization. One last stage, actually."

Sakura paused, tilting her head to the side. Something felt off about this-She knew him well enough to recognize when he was hiding something, not to mention the fact his claim didn't make any sense.

"After a year of training, away from the village, you're telling me you're not of them yet?"

"Ah, ah, ah! It's just a formality Sakura, I promise," his hands reached for a forearm, as his comforting smile eased her worries. They started walking towards the entrance door of the tower,"Ah…I'm so excited about going back on a mission with you and Sasuke! It'll be just like the old times! Kami-sama, I can't even remember the last time it happened."

Sakura's heart missed a bit, making her stop in her tracks. "What the hell are you talking about, Naruto?"

"Hm…I guess the granny didn't inform you yet," Naruto mused. His excited and widened eyes turned to her, "Sakura-chan! We must go to Ichiraku, I've been waiting for this moment the whole day!"

With the bomb he had just dropped on her, there was no world where she'd just leave this place without getting answers, "I'm not leaving before speaking to Tsunade first. We shall meet later, Naruto."

A flicker of disappointment sparked in her friend's eyes, but he said nothing, even though she felt his judgment. Surely he couldn't believe she had changed her ways.

"Bah," he groaned, raising his arm in the air. "I need to stop by the Anbu headquarters, anyway. So, let's meet at Iciraku afterward, Sakura-chan."

She smiled, "Deal."

Without losing time, she turned around, and darted through the corridors and stairs of the Kage Tower with the gait of someone who had been wronged. She would thwart whatever's plan Tsunade had for her and remind her of their discussion from two years ago. Remind her of her promise.

When she reached Godaime's stairs, a bunch of people were already waiting outside her office. Mostly shinobis. She passed in front of them, not missing their judgmental stares and grimaces, betraying their inner thoughts. She pictured herself justifying her actions with the patience and wisdom of a teacher. But this vain effort would not be fruitful, for they only believed what they wished. Even though she had not set foot in this place for a very long time, the rumors would claim otherwise and paint her as a petulant individual, dismissing rules and order.

Thus, Sakura took the front door of Tsunade's office, and went inside surreptitiously, without caring the least about anyone's opinion. She immediately met the hard stare of her sensei, just a few seconds, before she turned back to the frail man in front of her desk, whose attire exuded wealthiness. There were also two other figures inside. Tall anbus standing still, slightly away from Tsunade's guest.

"…my clients shall not settle for less. They require the very best of your Men, and we insist that one Hyuuga must be part of the team protecting them."

"I heard you plead, Donoa-san, please remind Ginza's governor, Konoha's resources are not flowing as swiftly as the gold inside his strongbox. Your clients will have to wait if they don't lower their expectations. I even brought you two of the highest-ranked Anbu Captains, so you can hear from their own world that they don't have any Hyuuga available too," she glanced at the Anbus. "Please tell him."

A tall Hyuuga stepped forward, "Actually, we might have someone who could be relieved of their current duty to join your team, Godaime-sama. Her name is Chiho Hyuuga. She's working with young recruits at Suna's borders. I could send word for her to come."

"This is incorrect," the soft voice of his colleague pointed out. "Chiho Hyuuga is currently being assessed for her skills and abilities as a Captain. She doesn't have time to waste with," she paused, and looked at the emissary from Ginza, "Rank D missions."

"It'll only take a couple of days," Tsunade added," assuming the weather doesn't play them tricks," her eyes shifted to the other Anbu, "how long will it take to deploy her?"

"Three, or four days at most. I can arrange for her to meet your team near Nagitsu."

"Then, this is settled. The team will leave Konoha in three days," the Godaime finished, letting out a small sigh of relief. "Donoa-san, I fulfilled your requirements. Chiho Hyuuga will be leading the mission, assisted by the hero of Konoha, and one Uchiha, just like you asked. You wished for a healer too, so I'm sending my own student too. Does this seem acceptable to you?"

"My clients will be really pleased, Godaime. As promised, if they arrive at Ginza safely, Konoha shall be richly rewarded," he bowed swiftly, and left the room, followed by the tall Hyuuga.

The other Anbu, a mature man, with stylishly tied gray hair and black glasses, didn't move. "Godaime-sama, forgive my forwardness, but I must say this is absolutely unacceptable. A waste of our resources. To send our best assets to Rank D missions, when many young genins are available. Chiho Hyuuga will feel insulted by this assignment."

"I don't know her personally, sir. But if she's as skilled as you're implying, she'll understand we sometimes have to compromise. This isn't the first time we've had to cater to nobles' demands…"

He said no more, bowed slightly, and left the office swiftly. Tsunade's piercing blue eyes shifted to Sakura then. "Ah, I expected your coming, but not this soon. You have two minutes to speak."

"What's going on, sensei?" Sakura inquired, while approaching the busy Godaime. "Naruto just told me you were sending him and Sasuke on a mission. They just came back today, Kami-sama! He even mentioned I was coming with them, too. I don't recall ever agreeing to any of this."

"You've heard the conversation…" Tsunade held her hands together, thoughtful. "Ginza's governor, who just so happens to be one of the most trusted allies of the daimyo, has entrusted us the task of escorting some members of a wealthy family. This family is a trading partner; I believe they supply some of his gold… Regardless of their business, the governor had specific requirements, and I simply fulfilled them."

"Find someone else! I'm not doing it, Tsunade," Sakura said firmly. "I told you, two years ago, that I was done with missions, and you agreed to let me work full-time at the hospital. I've not changed my mind."

"You'll do as I say, Sakura. I believe you're doing better now, and it is therefore time for you to take new steps in your life."

Getting desperate, Sakura dropped her defensive stance, and begged, "Please, don't do this to me."

"I'm not sending you out to some dreadful place to slaughter children, Kami-sama! This is a Rank D mission. You just need to bring these people to Ginza and fend off bandits foolish enough to attack, and you'll be back in Konoha in no time. You won't be alone, Sakura."

Sakura dropped her mask, understanding there wasn't going to be any way out of this, and stared coldly at her sensei like she was the epitome of evil. "You'll regret this."

"Leave now!" she ordered. "And don't bother coming back to complain."

The mission turned out to be a regular escort mission, just like Tsunade had promised, with the objective of bringing a wealthy family to the great village of Ginza, a prosperous place for all kinds of trades. There was another specification within the contract involving a toddler, not older than two years old. He had to be brought to Ginza at all cost, which meant he was the priority of the mission-not his caretakers. The child was indeed accompanied by an old man named Wada Yashiro and his niece, Hiromi Yashiro. It appeared the mission would be easy, as tranquil and straightforward as the Nakano river. Yet, Sakura suspected there was more to it. It seemed quite excessive to require the very best of shinobis to shepherd them, even if Tsunade had claimed it was just a caprice from sheltered nobles, too afraid of the adversity outside their shining homes.

The woman, who was holding the baby tightly, did not seem really inclined to talk much. She had a slender body, enveloped in a plain kimono and a large-veiled straw hat covering her head, protecting her fair skin from the sun. The old man, dressed in a haori as gray as his beard, complained every time something bothered him. Further ahead, she could see Naruto's blond head, who was being uncharacteristically quiet, followed by his brooding teammate, who hadn't said a word throughout the beginning of their trip. She had enough clues to suspect something serious was up between them. She tried asking Naruto about it, but it proved to be completely useless. The blond just kept acting like everything was perfectly fine—a penchant for denying reality, really typical of him.

When it came to Sasuke, she didn't bother asking him anything, seeing as he had failed to behave like a decent being ever since his return. Not any words exchanged, nor a single stare, he'd been acting like she was a mere stranger, undeserving of his attention. She knew that he was brooding. Usually, when he was in such a state, it didn't matter who you were, he would give the silent treatment to everyone—regardless of how childish it looked. She was already so tired of them and sick of pretending this whole charade made any sense.

To top it all, after her heavy discussion with Tsunade, the old woman had ordered her guards not to let her enter inside the kage's tower, making her feel like a disturbance, a mere pawn that needed to be gotten rid of. It just all felt like a punishment to Sakura. She wasn't an active kunoichi on duty anymore, and however straightforward and uneventful that mission was going to be, Sakura felt like she was wasting her time here. She could certainly do more fruitful things in her office at the hospital—surely Naruto and Sasuke didn't need her for such a simple task. But seeing as she was now stuck here, she would try her best to act as professionally as she could, even if it meant pretending to be someone she wasn't anymore.

Five hours passed without incident until Sakura caught sight of a bridge toward the end of the path they were going through. She was also sensing chakra signatures belonging to shinobis who weren't trying to hide themselves at all. As they neared the bridge, she started distinguishing silhouettes that were standing against the cedar wood of the bridge. Since he had been walking ahead of the group, Naruto was the first one to reach them, which still didn't reassure her one bit. She was like the ignorant nobles, skittish about everything unusual. She supposed that was what happened after spending years inside the safety of Konoha's walls.

However, when they all arrived at the bridge, she instantly felt stupid upon recognizing the two strangers as shinobis of the Leaf. Their own people. She identified one of them right away as Itachi Uchiha, her teammate's brother. Having never been introduced properly to him—nor any other member of his family for that matter—she was feeling a bit uneasy about his presence. What was someone like him doing here.

The other one was a tall kunoichi, dressed in a dark gray Anbu outfit. She had midnight hair tied in a ponytail above her head and snowy purple eyes, which were quite a common feature among members of the Hyuuga Clan.

She stepped forward, carrying herself with confidence, "I'm Captain Chiho Hyuuga. I was asked to assist you during the rest of the mission, but I'm sure you've already been informed. I'll be taking charge from now on."

"Hai, Captain!" Naruto shouted, bowing slightly in front of her. It was odd to see him so complacent, so eager to show good manners. She suspected that his Anbu training had made him more obedient.

Their new captain then glanced at Sakura, looking at her from head to toes with an unreadable expression. Just like her teammate, Sakura bowed respectfully and remained quiet. She found it odd that their Captain didn't acknowledge her Anbu colleague. She recalled there were supposed to be four shinobis for this task, not five. But she dared not to ask. Her brooding teammate, on the other hand, had definitely acknowledged his brother. They were speaking to each other, always from ear's reach. It was strange to see Sasuke exchanging with own blood, though she knew his Brother had not turned his back on him, like the rest of his Clan.

They set off again, walking through the endless bridge above the paddy fields. Once the newcomers were far enough, the lady walking behind Sakura inquired with her, "Are they Anbus?"

Sakura nodded, "Hai."

"Shouldn't they wear masks?"

"They only need them when they plan to kill someone."

The lady looked at her with a horrified expression, which made Sakura chuckle, "Don't worry, if anything, you should be reassured to have them on our side."

The woman gave her a weak smile. Sakura glanced behind her back, catching her teammate and his brother walking together, still whispering words to each other. She couldn't understand why he had always refused to make her and Naruto meet his family—although she was pretty sure that, unlike her, the blond must have interacted with his brother in some way. Still, being a complete stranger to her bestfriend's family seemed absurd. Sakura used to invite both of her teammates to her family house to enjoy meals with her parents. While Naruto, being an orphan, had obviously good reasons for not being able to reciprocate, Sasuke, on the other hand, had absolutely no valid arguments. It was best not to ponder on it, but sometimes she just wished her friend would be more honest with them.

The cries of the toddler interrupted her thought. She looked to her side, seeing the now wide-awake kid staring at her with his shiny blue eyes. Lady Yashiro noticed her staring. "Is it true your kind cannot bear children?"

Sakura laughed from embarrassment, a bit taken aback by her question, "Where do you think we all came from, lady?"

The woman turned a bit red and frowned like she had just been insulted. Lord Yashiro, quick to defend his niece, joined their exchange. "She's lying, Hiromi. Their women aren't fit for this, and the ones who are, you don't encounter them outside their walls. I bet this one will never bear any child."

Rudeness aside, it was quite a simplification of the reality, but she didn't feel like explaining what a great energy such as chakra could do to one's body, how it could interfere with the growth of a child. Instead, she stopped walking and turned to the man, but before she could insult him, a firm voice shouted at her, "Haruno!" out of nowhere, her new captain appeared at her side, "Keep your distance from them. No chatting."

She disappeared swiftly, leaving white smoke behind her, without even letting Sakura formulate any arguments—to her disappointment. So the captain was acknowledging her existence after all. Since distractions, however disagreeable they could be, were apparently not allowed anymore, Sakura decided to travel by Naruto's side.

"What a controlling bakemono," she whispered to him.

"You know she can hear you, right?"

This trip was going to feel like an eternity.

The attack came unexpectedly in the middle of the second night. They felt about ten chakra signatures coming their way, giving them little time to elaborate a solid plan. Both of her teammates went east, while their Captain took off in another direction. Sakura was told to stay with the civilians, and so she obeyed, feeling more unsure than ever.

She was positive none of this was planned.

"Move this way!" Sakura instructed them, grabbing the lady by the shoulder to lead her into the bushes with the old man. The baby started crying loudly, feeling the distress of adults around him. It wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. "Please, do something to calm him down."

She knelt down next to them. All of her senses were on high alert, trying to anticipate any threat that might come their way. If the baby kept crying, one of the ten assailants was bound to find them. The sound of an explosion resonated through the forest. She heard many heavy branches falling to the ground, and soon an unpleasant smell of burning started spreading in the air. Sakura looked around her, still sheltering the woman with her body. A feeling in her gut made her take a rash decision. However, before she could get out of their hiding place, she felt fingers grab her wrist tightly.

"Where are you going, kunoichi?" the scarred woman whispered with urgency, "are you abandoning us!?"

"Please, stay here," Sakura said, without looking at her. "I need to be out there to see them arrive. Just—just make sure to keep quiet, and everything will be alright, I promise."

Ignoring the lady's protests, Sakura left the bushes. She looked everywhere for any movements, and just stood at guard, expecting the worst to happen. While she trusted her friends, they had all been caught off guard by the unknown group. Whoever they were, she feared that she would be forced to face them alone. She couldn't remember the last time she had a proper fight. But it didn't matter. She was simply not ready for anything involving violence. Right now, the only things that made her take her fighting stance were her principles and her honor. Of course, she wouldn't chicken out and let the civilians die. But was she really up to the task?

She looked up, her focused eyes scanning the trees for any sign of disturbance. It only took one second to make her realize that she had missed the most critical detail. Before she could do anything, she felt her breath leave her lungs as her body hit the trunk of a tree. Right after the impact, she opened her eyes, meeting the furious gazes of two individuals, who were dressed in green attires she had never seen before. She couldn't tell to which nation they belonged, only that they were likely part of some rogue group, possibly renegades or bandits.

"Where's the child?" the tallest one yelled.

The child chose this perfect moment to start screaming again. All of a sudden, Sakura felt like she couldn't breathe anymore. As she touched her neck, she realized a thin rope was wrapped around it tightly. It was made of raw energy, which burned her skin and cut more and more into her flesh. She started coughing while watching helplessly as one of the men approached the bushes where the civilians were hiding. She tried to remove the rope, ignoring the pain in her palms, but despite her efforts, she couldn't pull it off her neck. Not a single leap of strength inhabited her anymore, she felt completely limp.

She suddenly heard a strident scream. Lady Yashiro. They had found the baby. The smaller assailant was now holding the crying baby, whereas his companion was squeezing the noble woman by the neck, insulting her with the most foolish words. He then pushed her into the ground, making her lose consciousness instantly. Sakura tried to move in a desperate attempt to reach the child. However, the man was already gone, leaving her alone with his bloodthirsty companion.

"You're going to regret helping these vile thieves, kunoichi" his fingers clenched into a fist, which made the rope tighten even more around her skin. He then reached for a short dagger.

The air was leaving her lungs. Sakura couldn't breathe or think anymore. She watched in horror as the weapon got closer to her chest. But as suddenly as this whole mess had started, a silver blade came out of the body of the man, making blood crash on her face. As air came back to her, Sakura started coughing violently. The rope, the burning, the turmoil, and the rogue-nins were all gone. It was over at last. But the man…He was dead.

A firm hand reached for her arm, making Sakura gasped both in surprise and relief. "Sasuke-kun!"

He saved her, and now the cycle was starting again because of it. Because of her. She had sworn to never take a life ever again. But it was happening again, just as expected.

"Sakura, the woman needs care."

She nodded and walked to the lady, trying her best not to look at the dead man on the ground. When she touched the woman's neck, she found that she could still feel her pulse, which reassured her instantly.

"You weren't supposed to guard them, Otouto," Itachi Uchiha said, walking to his brother, like he had been observing them from the shadows. He glanced at the unconscious lady, "It's no wonder you failed to pass the Anbu examination."

"Naruto was–"

"You. You deceived us," a newcomer interrupted, slightly out of breath. She took in the scene in front of her.

"Are you saying that we're liars!?" the old man roared, coming forward like an enraged bull. "You're the people who weren't able to protect a child! You're the incompetent ones responsible for this mess. So, I demand you to fix it, or else, Konoha won't get any compensation! The governor claimed you were the best shinobis around here, but…clearly, he had been lied too!"

She expected the Captain to snap, but she didn't. Instead, he completely ignored the civilian's tantrum, like the man wasn't even there. She had seen that kind of typical response before, which was mostly a pride thing from her clan. Even Uchihas did the same thing. In such a context, though, it looked more like a way to establish who had more power or authority.

Sakura suddenly felt the need to intervene. "We're going to get him back, sir."

"How dare you speak! You, it is because of you that—"

"Quiet!" Chiho Hyuuga shouted, while crushing a pen in her hand, "I need you to be quiet for a while. All of you."

The Captain walked a bit away from the group then, followed by Sasuke's brother. She seemed to be writing something. A missive. She could not hear well what they were saying, but she heard one word at some point – liability – just as Chiho Hyuuga glanced at her. Then shortly after, the Captain handed the missive to Sasuke, "You'll bring this to the Godaime, and we shall meet at Nagatsu. Take her with you."

Sakura jumped on her feet, ready to protest and explain why the lady was in no state for traveling. However, the hard gaze of Uchiha Itachi that met her made her forget everything, stopping her in her tracks. It was truly the first time that he was looking at her, and it felt as uncomfortable as she had thought it would, especially because she couldn't read anything in his unexpressive black eyes. Yet she felt something stirring inside of her, a familiar feeling, distracting her being from everything around them. As she kept looking into his eyes, she started having an odd sense of déjà vu.

"Haruno!"

Captain Hyuuga's authoritarian tone made her jump from her reveries, "Captain, Lady Yashiro shouldn't travel in her state."

"Aye, she isn't going anywhere. You're the one leaving."

"But she needs—" Sakura protested.

"Don't argue. I want you gone."

Something clicked in Sakura's mind then. She had finally an opportunity to return where she belonged, so why was she even protesting? Though the woman was unconscious, Lady Yashiro wasn't in a life-threatening condition. Only a painful headache awaited her. Before joining her teammate, Sakura took a small sac of pills out of her pocket and handed it to the old grumpy man, "This should help with the pain."

Liability or not, she was still an Iryō-nin with principles and an oath to respect. She just hoped Tsunade would acknowledge the truth, would recognize that she had been wrong. Sakura had no purpose being on this mission. She wasn't ready and everyone here knew it.

They were half-way through Konoha, when Sakura started to feel an awful pain creeping through her legs, which was really just a direct consequence of the fast pace they had been traveling at for the last hours. Once again, she was the faulty one here, unable to keep up with her teammate's rhythm. Despite her past training, her sedentary lifestyle had made her unprepared for missions involving endurance. Her past self wouldn't have given up this easily, but things were different now. There wasn't any reason for her to pretend to be anything else but a failure. Admit this made her feel no shame. Sakura just felt numb and simply didn't care.

"Sasuke-kun!" she called out.

The man remained quiet, though she was certain that he had heard her alright. She could almost see waves of pure anger emanating from him. If he had been brooding before, now she didn't have words to describe his irritated state. How she wished Naruto was by her side to help her deal with their friend's turmoil.

Another spike of pain hit her, forcing her to slow down, "Sasuke-kun!"

Seeing as the Uchiha kept ignoring her, instead of jumping on the next branch, she headed for the ground and walked toward the first tree on her path. Sakura put her backpack down against the trunk of a cedar tree and started stretching her legs. It took a long couple of minutes for him to suddenly appear right in front of her.

"What are you playing at?" he spitted out, eyes narrowed into thin slits.

To think those were the first words he had said to her since his return from his one-year Anbu training. It annoyed her more than she'd have thought. But because she didn't want to fight him, especially with him being this aggressive, she decided not to let her frustrations get the better of her.

Keep to the facts.

She grasped her knee, feeling a stiff muscle pulsing, "I just need a few minutes."

He breathed loudly from his nose, making her believe she had won. But then, she felt herself being roughly yanked upward by the arm, and pushed against the roughened surface of the tree, which, in turn, made her lose balance as more pain flared in her muscles.

"What's wrong with you!?" she screamed, forgetting everything about not letting her temper take the lead.

"What's wrong?" the grip on her arm tightened, "You humiliated me in front of my brother, Sakura. Both you and the stupid dumbass! All you had to do was to shut your mouth and not mess things up!"

She didn't know whether she should laugh or cry, but they weren't children anymore. Long gone were the days when she would always agree with any words coming out of his mouth. She had worshiped him long enough to know he was the last person anyone should worship.

"Of course, out of all the things you should worry about," she responded, looking straight in his angry eyes," such as how a baby just got kidnapped, all you care about is yourself."

The air suddenly left her lungs as she felt her body being slammed against the tree. She gasped, more out of surprise than pain, and looked at her teammate like he had gone made. She heard him curse, as he released his grip on her, like being near her was suddenly akin to touching fire. Still completely frozen, Sakura watched him walk away, and sit far enough from her. He was holding his head between his hands, appearing utterly conflicted. It seemed she had underestimated the magnitude of his turmoil.

She sighed deeply, wondering why she couldn't just be inside her office at the hospital.

Team seven, she thought bitterly