A/N: I'm doing a little experiment with this chapter. At least the portion with Itachi and Sasuke. I feel the Uchiha are the most formal of all clans. I'm going to have Sasuke calling Itachi Aniki (big brother) and Itachi calling him Otōto (little brother). And for additional reference…because of reasons…Onesan is big sister. This chapter actually has elements of my original storyline idea which I will expand upon in the end chapter Author's Notes.

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Chapter Thirty-One: The Izanami Technique

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Itachi

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Itachi finished lacing up his ninja sandals. He wore his standard issue Anbu gear, sans the chest plate. He'd put that on soon enough as well as his sword and mask. His backpack rested over his shoulder and the rest of his uniform and weapons were tucked away inside sealing scrolls.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked, standing in the doorway of Itachi's new bedroom. His small hands clasped onto the frame.

Everyone had left twenty minutes ago. Had his brother been masking his chakra? Itachi would have been proud if he wasn't annoyed. "Why aren't you at the Academy?"

"I'm not feeling well today, so I was sent home early," Sasuke answered, his lower lip protruding in frustration. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"Mission. Top secret," Itachi answered. Had Sasuke overheard the discussion earlier? Surely not. Fugaku had placed privacy seals throughout the office that were still active. He pressed the back of his hand against against Sasuke's forehead— detected a low grade fever and clammy skin. "Let me get you some tea for that fever," he murmured. He started to brush past Sasuke, but was stopped when his younger brother grabbed his sleeve. "It will just be a moment, Otōto, then I must go."

"Aniki, I'm glad you didn't leave the village," Sasuke said quietly. "That attack a few days ago was scary, but I know it could have been worse. I don't mean to annoy you, but I would like to spend more time with you. I would have been so lost if I would have lost you." His voice choked off with emotion. "Please, Aniki, I need you We're not at war. You shouldn't be doing so much." He tugged on Itachi's sleeve. "You're thirteen."

Itachi gripped his hand across the back of Sasuke's neck— it was so thin and fragile. Sasuke was a little boy and Itachi would sacrifice anything to ensure that Sasuke was able to have the childhood he would never know. He and Sasuke were different. Sasuke had friends and people were drawn to him like a moth to flame. Itachi struggled to make friends and didn't understand people in the same way. His mind worked differently.

How much should he tell his brother and how much should he protect him? "We're shinobi, Sasuke. Our lives are to be utilized as weapons even at a young age. However, there are some adults that are cruel and hateful. Sometimes, they are in charge and we have to listen to them. Sometimes, we are able to get them out of power so someone with good intentions makes the decisions. We have abilities even as children that civilians do not have and our role is to protect them as warriors. However, we cannot forget that we are also human. I'm going with father and a few other teammates to bring back someone to the clan we thought was lost." He crouched in front of Sasuke and flicked his forehead. "We will spend more time together when I get back, okay? I need to let Izumi know I'll be gone a few days."

Sasuke rubbed at his forehead and scowled, but his lips twitched in a smile.

Itachi found his mother in the kitchen, already with a tray with herbal tea balanced in her hands. She smiled at him and then walked past. Itachi took a deep breath and redirected his energies. Mother would care for Sasuke. He had a mission.

Itachi hadn't made it too far and was still just outside of his family's plot of land when there was the strong smell of ozone and a crackle in the atmosphere. Stepping out of a rip in the fabric of reality, two figures — a woman with jet black hair cut into a bob to her chin, a crimson sharingan in her right eye and the lavender Rinnegan in her left eye- -and of all things glasses. Half a head taller, stood a man with wild silver hair, faint streaks of pink highlighting it and sharp green eyes. He smiled faintly, sharp canine teeth prominently displayed before he looked down at the woman. "Looks like we're late to the party, Onesan."

"I told you the math was wrong, Takashi," her lavender rinnegan faded into a matching crimson Sharingan. Her gaze landed on Itachi and she grinned. "Uncle."

"Uncle?" Itachi whispered, his own Mangekyou was activated, ready to trap the two into his genjutsu or to incinerate them if need be. He couldn't sense the chakra on either of these two. Their ability to mask was S-class level. The girl, or really the woman, looked older than him. The boy appeared maybe fourteen or fifteen, now that he had a better look at him, yet was significantly taller than Itachi himself. "Who are you?"

The woman stepped towards him, holding her hands palms out and deactivated her Sharingan. Eyes the exact shade of his own, his brother's, and his mother's stared back at him. "We're just taking after our mom and traveling through time," she answered. "I'm Sarada. Sasuke is my father."

Itachi swept his gaze back towards the silver-haired boy, he could now see a silver diamond-shaped seal on his forehead. "And you?"

He smiled. "I'm Takashi. We have a complicated family."

His little brother and mother were inside the house — not very far away. He did not want Sasuke or Mikoto to see these two. "Sakura is your mother," Itachi stated.

"Yes," Sarada and Takashi chorused.

Itachi could feel a headache. He looked between the two of them. Takashi's familiar silver hair and jade green eyes. And while Sarada favored his own mother quite a bit, the angles of her face were all Sakura. "I have a feeling a complicated family is putting it mildly."

"Have you caught Obito yet?" Sarada asked. "He's why we're here."

He had no doubt about the veracity of their explanation. "No. We were just about to start for Shikkotsu Forest," Itachi explained. He gestured in the direction of the western gate that would lead out of the village. He only had about twenty more minutes before he needed to head there himself.

"Sweet," Takashi said, lacing his fingers together and cracking his knuckles. "I learned Mokuton at that forest. I can't tell you how many summers I spent meditating there."

Mokuton? The technique of the First Hokage? Itachi stared at him in shock at the declaration. Tenzo could manipulate wood-style because of the genetic modifications he'd survived at the hands of Orochimaru. This boy came by the powers naturally?

"I can teleport us there — just like Papa can do," Sarada explained. "I'm extremely familiar with that forest. It would be smart for us to use a surprise attack."

"No one said you two could engage in battle. How do you have the Rinnegan?" Itachi asked. The fabled eye should have been nigh impossible to achieve. Yet, apparently, both his brother and his niece had gained it. Sasuke gained it from a gift from the Sage of the Six Paths, being the reincarnation of the Sage's eldest son.

"It turns out when the Senju founded Konoha, a lot of the clan dropped their last name and intermarried. Turns out Mom is one-eighth Senju on grandfather's side which is enough for Onesan to activate the Rinnegan," Takashi explained. "Well let's go!"

"I believe there has been enough interference with the past," Itachi protested. "How did you even get here?"

Sarada flashed him a quick smile. "I not only can travel between dimensions, but time as well. Though, I'm limited to twenty-four hours, so we need to pick up the pace, Uncle Itachi."

"Can your mother access Mokuton?" Itachi asked, looking up at Takashi. Why was everyone taller than him?

"Her chakra pool isn't big enough. Besides, she's too busy saving lives at the hospital to devote much time to training in wood-style," Takashi explained. He smirked. "And I'm here to make sure Uncle Obito doesn't kill anyone else or get himself killed for being an ass." He ran his fingers through his unruly hair. "Dad wallows in guilt often enough. And Sarada is here to make sure Uncle Shisui knows how to bury memories."

"Then we'll just pop right back to our time," Sarada said. "Easy-peasy, lemon-breezy."

Itachi stared at her a moment. What? "Do you always speak such non-sense?"

Sarada and Takashi exchanged glances. "I told you we needed to be more respectful," Takashi hissed quietly. He bowed at the waist. "Apologies, Uncle. We are excited about our adventure."

Sarada mirrored his stance. "Esteemed Uncle, I apologize for my disrespectful manor of speech."

Itachi felt his eye twitching. Were they being sarcastic? He couldn't tell. "I accept your apology." He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. This wasn't a genjutsu. It just seemed ridiculous. "If you're going to teleport us, there's not quite as much of a hurry," Itachi reasoned. "Let me just go find Izumi. I wanted to let her know I'll be leaving for a few days."

"Should we just wait here for you?" Sarada asked. "You told us to find you." She braced either hand on her hips and grinned. "So if you're going to be annoyed with anyone — be annoyed with yourself."

"I did?" Itachi asked. That didn't sound like something he would do. He didn't like the idea of tampering with space and time. But these two were obviously from the future — by their ages he suspected they came from at least forty years from now? "How far back did you travel?"

"Thirty-nine and a half years. You said you'd be the only one that would ask questions first and attack later. Everyone else likes to go Chidori blazing," Takashi explained.

"Ah. Okay. Then yes, wait here. I'll be back in ten minutes." Itachi shunshined away until he was standing outside Izumi's front door. He knocked and then waited, shifting his weight on his feet anxiously. He hadn't seen his girlfriend in a few days and now he had a niece and nephew waiting for him in his back yard — from the future!

Izumi opened her door and stared up at him (finally someone a little shorter than him). Her cat twined around her ankle. "Itachi?" Her dark eyes fell upon the pack over his shoulders. "You're leaving?"

"Mission," Itachi answered. "Can I come inside?"

Wordlessly, Izumi stepped backwards and gestured for him to enter.

Itachi's eyes swept over the living room, taking note of the medical book opened on the coffee table. "Studying?"

"I raided the library," Izumi confessed. "I'll be applying for the medical ninja entrance exam."

"Ah, good luck. I'm confident you'll do well," Itachi assured her. He kept his hands at his sides, though the urge to cross them over his chest was strong. He kept hearing his mother's voice in the back of his head going over proper posture and etiquette. "I have a lung condition," he blurted out. Well, that wasn't his plan, but it was better than telling her about his mission or the fact that he just met his niece and nephew from the distant future. Meeting his grown-up brother had been mind-boggling enough.

"Even more reason for me to study medicine," Izumi said, her eyes sparkled in determination. She bit her lower lip and Itachi studied the action a little nervous. "Can I hug you?"

"Sure," Itachi answered. He was no longer going to be a spy / international terrorist, so he might as well get used to hugs. He stood rigid as Izumi wrapped her thin arms around him and then after a few moments, brought his hands up to return the embrace, letting his hands run over her long, dark hair. It felt nice and he felt himself relax marginally.

"Maybe we can go out for some tea when you get back? Or take your brothers and their friend to dinner after school?" Izumi suggested, stepping back, her cheeks dusted in a pink blush.

Itachi nodded. "Next time," he promised. Then he was back behind his house, within the densely populated section of forest. Still, he couldn't sense the chakra of either of the time-traveling shinobi.

"Ready?" Sarada asked. She gestured towards his backpack. "Are you going to seal your pack up in a scroll? It's rather bulky."

"Ah." Itachi had intended to do that earlier, but he'd been slightly distracted by the unexpected visitors. He slid the pack off his shoulders, put on his chest plate, slid his sword into the sheath across his back and did just that. He tucked the storage scroll into the pocket of his vest. His mask was secured to his thigh, no need to put it on until the mission actually started. It may have been officially an Anbu mission, but it was more of a family situation. His eyes flickered to his teenaged niece and nephew. He could definitely understand complicated. "Let's go."

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Sakura

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All pretense of sanity was thrown out the window as Obito continued to rant and rave outside the forest's perimeter. His Akatsuki members continued to gather outside. Pain and Konan were probably the most dangerous but they were merely lazing about, playing card games with Kisame of all things around a campfire.

It was the arrival of Kakuzu and Hidan that really worried Sakura. Obito was really going all out here! The only one missing was Orochimaru himself, but she had a feeling he'd be on his way. Zetsu was also missing. Was he going to get the Snake Sannin? And Deidara was probably still a genin in Iwagakure at this time.

"I have never felt so wanted," Sasori deadpanned, his bored amber eyes scanning the group gathered outside the forest's entrance.

"You are a coveted recruit," Sakura pointed out. "And I already ruined their recruitment of another friend."

"Friend?" Sasori echoed. "Is that what you think we are?" He turned towards her and then started back to the shelter that he'd set up shop.

"Where are you going?" Sakura caught up to him, blocking his path.

"I need to finish my work." Sasori explained, side-stepping her. "Unless you plan to help, get out of my way."

"Fine. I'll help," Sakura agreed. Her stomach twisted wondering exactly what he planned to do. She knew he used human corpses for his puppets — as had Lady Chiyo. She'd practiced surgery on cadavers. Was it really so different? She couldn't help but appreciate knowing that even in death someone could have a purpose. Though, wasn't it better to let one who spent their whole life in servitude finally rest when they died?

Sasori scoffed, but didn't protest.

He had transformed the shelter into a laboratory. "Where did all this come from?" Sakura asked, feeling awed by the worktable, the instruments, and noting the buckets. Surprisingly, there was no stench associated with the make-shift workshop.

"Sealing scrolls," Sasori murmured, standing at the head of the operating table. The Third Kazekage was stretched out over the wooden table, his abdominal cavity empty, his rib cage open, lungs missing. All that remained was the heart and it was sealed within a glass jar. "The heart is essential to lock the chakra into the puppet."

Sakura thought back to Sasori's puppet body from her original timeline. That had been the only part of him that was human. "Glass seems kind of fragile," she pointed out.

"Tempered glass with a thermoplastic interlayer," Sasori murmured. "It is a delicate balance of fire and earth chakra. It can still shatter, but it's easily repaired."

"And why doesn't it smell like death in here?" Sakura asked. She gestured towards the buckets full of entrails. "Did you create a seal to contain the smell."

This time, Sasori actually smiled. "I did. Though, I can release the seal to overwhelm enemies — like the Inuzuka of your village or others with strong olfactory senses."

Others like Kakashi? Sakura wondered. She didn't bring him up. Sakumo Hatake killed Sasori's parents. They were only in a tentative alliance. Their possible friendship too new to risk saying something stupid. "What can I do?"

Sasori shifted his gaze between the Third's puppet and Sakura. "Would you like to close him up? You're a medic."

"I can do that," Sakura murmured. And she'd be sure to use cellular regrowth on the skin cells to prevent scarring. She got to work, using techniques she'd learned studying medicine when she'd participated in autopsies. Sasori watched her closely, studying her technique. Part of her was feeling a bit let down by Lady Tsunade's lack of interest. This was not the same woman that had taken over as Hokage and revolutionized the field of Medicine. This Tsunade was lost in a drunken haze and Sakura wanted to reach out to her, but didn't know how.

She stepped back once she'd finished her work with the Third Kazekage.

"Impressive," Sasori murmured. He ran his finger down the center of the Third's flawless sternum. "It's almost as if he were just sleeping." He crouched near the buckets on the floors, held his hands over the edge and flames erupted over the organs. "Cremation," he explained, before she could ask.

Then they could feel the presence of Tsunade lingering in the doorway. Her honey-golden eyes surveyed the room. "I thought it would be gory," she commented, folding her arms under her ample bosom.

"It's an art," Sasori scoffed. "Not a butcher shop."

"Hm," Tsunade hummed. Her eyes settled on Sakura, the latter straightened under the scrutiny. "Girl. Let's talk."

"Go on," Sasori murmured, using chakra strings and sitting the Third Kazekage up. The puppet waved Sakura away. "I'd like some privacy to work."

Sakura followed Tsunade out of the workshop. "Interesting friend. Are you sure you can trust him?"

Naruto trusted everyone. And even those unworthy of trust, he worked hard to redeem. "I like to give the benefit of the doubt," Sakura answered.

"I'd like to leave this forest eventually," Tsunade pointed out. "What are you planning to do about our guests?"

"We have allies coming," Sakura pointed out. Though, she wasn't sure about a match up against these Akatsuki. However, this time, she would have Itachi and Sasori on their side — that would help even if they were teenagers at this time, they were both still S level. And Deidara was still a kid, so he wouldn't be showing up to throw his bombs. And Orochimaru wasn't here— yet. "Though, I wasn't expecting the whole terrorist group to show up. It seems over-kill."

"Or that you're the priority. You and the puppet boy." Tsunade rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes. "A few days ago my only concern was getting out of Iwa without debt collectors hounding me." She gestured vaguely towards Sakura. "Now there's you, traipsing through time, altering the fabric of reality, re-writing history to what you think it should be."

Sakura frowned. "If I could save others, I would."

"Don't even tempt me," Tsunade warned, her eyes flashing in anger.

A large section of Katsuyu slithered towards them, towering over them both. "Ladies," she slug greeted. "It's begun. I'm afraid you'll need to leave the safety of the forest. The ones with the scythe and all the hair are destroying the barrier. Our acid is ineffective against them. There are infantile slugs here. This is our sanctuary and I ask that you keep it the sanctuary it's meant to be. I'm so sorry."

"I'll take care of it," Sakura vowed. She didn't know how, but she would. She could only hope that Kakashi's ninja hounds got to him in time.

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Kakashi

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He waited at the western Ah-un gates of Konoha, ready for his team and ready to depart. They would be hard pressed to get to the forest and every second they lingered, he worried for Sakura and their unborn child.

Shisui stood next to him, also looking impatient. Fugaku and Taki spoke quietly to themselves. They were waiting for Itachi.

And then suddenly, Itachi was there, materializing within the golden armor of a Susanoo with a dark haired woman standing next to him and a silver-haired teen behind them.

"What the hell?" Shisui whispered.

Kakashi's eyes widened. That was clearly another Uchiha woman that had used the Rinnegan just like the future Sasuke had. And the teen standing behind her was clearly a relative of his — a Hatake. He had the nose, the jaw, the hair, the hooded eyelids. But the eyes— they were jade just like Sakura's.

"Change of plans," Itachi announced, as the Susanoo around him dissolved. He gestured towards the two people standing on either side behind him. "We have a few more helpers. We won't need to run for two or three days straight. Sarada will teleport us."

Kakashi hardly comprehended Itachi's words. His attention was riveted to the boy. As if sensing his gaze, the silver-haired teen grinned back at him, prominent canines slipped into view. "Fuck me," Kakashi whispered. The silver diamond seal on his forehead like a neon light advertisement of the stranger's identity.

"And who is Sarada?" Fugaku demanded, his eyes had switched to Sharingan mode as he observed the two strangers warily.

"Your grand-daughter," Itachi explained. His gaze drifted towards Kakashi sympathetically, before back to his father. "Apparently, my future self suggested they come to aid us. They'll only be with us for a few hours, so I suggest we make haste."

"How long before you can get us to the forest?" Shisui asked. "Obviously, you can make a Susanoo."

"I can get us there instantaneously," Sarada answered with a smirk that was identical to Sasuke's. Her eyes shifted to double lavender Rinnegan and her golden Susanoo reappeared. "Do we need to pick up Uncle Naruto? I can just pop over to the mountain and fetch him real quick."

"Just pop over?" Taki repeated. "Mount Myoboku is on the other side of the country near Mist."

"You want to come, Takashi?" Sarada asked, turning towards the silver haired teen next to her. "Or do you want to stay here?"

Kakashi was grateful for his mask, because his jaw just dropped at the name in shock. Without a doubt, he was staring at the teenaged version of his unborn child.

"Let's go, Onesan," Takashi said, he lifted his hand at everyone. "Yo. We'll be back. Pardon us for a minute or two." And then the two disappeared.

"What just happened?" Fugaku demanded.

"We have instant transportation," Itachi explained. "When we arrive, I imagine we'll be stepping into battle immediately. We'll only have a moment of surprise before whatever forces Obito has gathered strike."

Kakashi was glad he wasn't the one in charge of this particular mission. His head and his heart were being pulled in a hundred different directions. So, from what he could gather — his wife from the future and his son from the future had both traveled back to fix the mess that the timeline had become. How bad was it in the future that they needed to interfere?

And then, moments later, Sarada returned along with Naruto and Jiraiya. Takashi grinned at the Toad Sages before he looked across and met Kakashi's gaze again. The boy's green eyes practically sparkled. How could someone that happy be Kakashi's son?

"All aboard," Sarada announced. The golden Susanoo's ribcage opened wide for their team to step inside.

Kakashi found himself next to his future son, looking down into the eyes only a couple of inches below his own. "It's an honor to be fighting with you, Tou-san," Takashi whispered. "I always dreamed about seeing how you fought with the Sharingan."

"Uh, it's nice to meet you," Kakashi answered uncomfortably. The boy looked like he wanted to hug him. Kakashi wasn't a hugger.

"I can't wait to see Kaasan," Takashi added. The boy was brimming with energy. He had a sword strapped to his back — it reminded Kakashi of his father's white light chakra saber. But it had been broken the same day Kakashi lost his eye during the Third War, when he saved Obito.

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Sakura

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She and Sasori stood next to each other near the entrance to the forest, a trio of Sasori's puppets stood on guard in front of them. Sakura tightened her gloves over her fists. They were ready to confront the Akatsuki lurking outside. The barrier was weakening and they wouldn't allow the terrorists to step foot inside the forest. The slugs could probably take care of most intruders, but the sheer power behind this force was too much.

Sakura wasn't ready and she didn't know how they'd take on so many enemies, but they had to try. She just hoped Kakashi would show up soon with his reinforcements.

"When you die, shall I turn you into a puppet?" Sasori offered, glancing over at her a slight smirk on his lips.

"I hope you're kidding," Sakura muttered.

He shrugged one shoulder. "It would be a waste to let you die for nothing. And I suppose they would still prefer to recruit me than kill me." He blinked at her lazily. "I will remain on your side so long as you're alive."

"That is a motivating speech if ever I heard one," Sakura snorted.

It turned out that more reinforcements arrived than she could have ever imagined. Her eyes widened at the sight of a large shimmering golden Susanoo materializing right in front of the forest's entrance, sword and shield in each hand and within it's protective ribcage was a group of nine shinobi — all powerful and a good match for the Akatsuki members gathered outside.

Then suddenly, there were two more Susanoo — Itachi's orange one and Shisui's green one. She could see Naruto and Jiraiya, both in Sage mode, the former flooding the field with shadow clones.

And then she saw Kakashi, but there was another man next to him — achingly familiar to her for some reason. And that unknown man had wood release! It was like Captain Yamato, but much more intense! Kakashi used his repertoire of a thousand jutsus and unleashed the very familiar Shadow technique of the Nara clan as the other man used the fabled Mokuton of the First Hokage and together they caged Hidan and Kakuzu.

"Let's secure Obito in place," Sasori murmured. He rushed out of the forest and Sakura trailed behind him. Chakra strings fixed Obito in one spot momentarily, but were cut asunder by Kisame and his massive sword.

The landscape had turned into a field of battle with three Susanoos, hundreds of Shadow clones, paper bombs everywhere, Pain and his six paths. Shisui moved faster than the eye could see. Itachi's giant Susanoo snatched up Kisame and the shark-man started laughing as he was hauled up into the sky.

Then Fugaku formed a partial Susanoo, holding Obito in place. The latter popped out of existence and then appeared right behind Kakashi with his kunai raised.

Kakashi blocked the kunai with the metal brace of his glove, sparks flying at the contact.

"You brought quite a few friends, Bakashi," Obito hissed. "Guess you didn't like me having your girl, eh? She's just as annoying as you!"

Kakashi brought up a lightning blade and shattered the orange mask over Obito's face revealing a Sharingan in his right eye with a pattern that exactly matched the one in Kakashi's left eye. "I figured you were looking forward to a reunion party," Kakashi growled. "I brought your cousins."

"I had plans for Itachi. How dare you interfere," Obito grunted, dancing out of Kakashi's range. "And as for the rest of my family— they should be rotting in the ground right now. Useless — all of them!"

"Ah, that's not nice, Obito-kun! I thought you liked me," Shisui chided, body-flickering next to them and snatching away Obito's kunai before he disappeared.

Obito's eye twitched. "Shisui…."

Chakra strings attached to Obito's wrists and then roots burst out of the ground holding him in place. Sakura and the Sasori held Obito with chakra threads while Takashi used wood-style to secure him. Kakashi used moves he picked up from the Hyuga and hit a few of Obito's tenketsu points to temporarily paralyze him.

Then Fugaku was there, trapping Obito in his gaze and using the forbidden Izanami Technique. Moments later, Fugaku's left eye was opaque and blind. And Obito stood unmoving, eyes closed and darting behind his eyelids in an endless dream.

The other members of the Akatsuki soon lost heart in the battle once their leader was defeated. Pain and Konan retreated first. Followed shortly by Hidan and Kakuzu.

Kisame was still being restrained in the fist of Itachi's Susanoo. "Alright, alright," Kisame said, struggling in the unrelenting grip. "I don't fight losing battles. You can let me down. I ain't going to kill anybody." He gestured his chin towards Sakura. "You tell them, Pinky. I didn't let Leader hurt you, did I?"

"He's honorable," Sakura said. "More or less."

"I can release you, but should I?" Itachi countered, settling Kisame on the ground, still secured in the massive orange skeletal hand of his chakra samurai.

"You would have made a great partner," Kisame growled, letting out a disappointed sigh. "In another life, maybe."

"Maybe," Itachi agreed, releasing Kisame. "Try anything and I will melt you."

"I don't doubt that you'd try," Kisame agreed with a chuckle. He grinned over at Sakura. "Looks like your calvary did arrive." He scanned over the group, including Obito in his trance-like state. "Well, what the fuck and I supposed to do now?"

"Fix the corruption within your nation rather than join a terrorist group?" Shisui suggested.

Sakura took a deep breath and moved to Kakashi's side. He was panting, his eyes wild as he slipped his hitai-ate back over his Sharingan. His single charcoal eye locked on her, watching. And then he gripped her hips, pulled her close, and crushed her against him. She slipped her arms around his waist and felt the cold of his armor against her cheek. He was vibrating against her. "So, apparently your kids decided to travel back in time and save you."

"My kids?" Sakura echoed angling her face up towards Kakashi. His forehead was drenched in sweat and his heart was beating a mile a minute. There was a dark circle under his visible eye. Her poor lover hadn't been sleeping. She was grateful that Shisui hadn't sealed away his memories yet. If he hadn't come when he did — she'd surely be dead.

"Our son Takashi and your daughter Sarada," Kakashi explained. He kissed her temple, this silk of his mask soft against her skin. "Don't think about it too much."

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto rushed towards them and wrapped them both in his warm hug. "That was amazing! We just defeated the Akatsuki! There's no way Kaguya can be resurrected now! Did we just prevent the Fourth War?" He pulled back, his blue eyes flashing, his golden-blond hair stained with blood.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked. "Why didn't you go back?"

"As if I would go home without you!" Naruto scoffed. He kissed her cheek and then leaned over and kissed Kakashi's cheek. "And I didn't keep my promise to Nagato. Now I have. Pervy-Sage is going to track him and Konan. He's going to see to it that the Leaf makes things up to Rain for what happened to them during the Second War. Heck, they'll get to help track down Danzo to enact their own revenge! It's perfect!" He then waved over the other silver-haired man and the beautiful raven-haired woman. "Takashi, come here! Sarada!"

The two unknown shinobi ambled towards them. Sakura's eye widened at the woman — she looked like a perfect combination of Sasuke and herself. Was this the daughter that her mother had terminated before she could be born? And the boy? He looked like Kakashi, but with her eyes and her Yin seal.

"We can't stay long. But we're here to take you back home, Mom. You and Uncle Naruto," Sarada explained. "I'll have to work with Uncle Shisui so he can fix everyone's memories." She scanned the crowd just outside of the forest. "We have a lot of damage control to do."

"Can we have some time together before you leave?" Kakashi asked, his voice quiet, raspy with emotion.

Takashi threw his arms around the shoulders of Sakura and Kakashi, hugging them opposite of Naruto. "I just want to say that I love you both so much! And it was an honor to see you in action!"

Sakura turned towards the handsome young man. He looked so much like Kakashi, but with her eyes and the familiar seal on his forehead. Her eyes brimmed with tears at the sight. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you, Takashi," she whispered.

Kakashi's warm hand fell upon Sakura's belly. "Yes. We are," he said.

"Let's head back to the village," Itachi ordered. "Sarada, you can take Sakura and Naruto home in a few hours."

Sarada smiled at Sakura. "No problem. Mama, you were truly brave and I am so proud of you."

Shisui picked up Obito's still form and held him in a fireman's pose over his shoulder. He gestured towards Sasori. "You want to head back with us? We can escort you to Suna in day or two."

"Would it be okay if I tagged along?" Kisame asked. He hadn't moved from Itachi's side.

"I wouldn't have been able to drunk dream such non-sense," Tsunade murmured, standing next to Jiraiya. "I'm a little disappointed Orochimaru didn't show up. I thought he was part of that black cloak, red cloud gang."

"We'll still have to deal with him," Jiraiya promised. He met Sakura's gaze briefly and rubbed the back of his neck. "And once more, I just wanted to apologize about before, Sakura."

"Apologize for what?" Tsunade asked suspiciously.

"It's all good, doesn't matter," Sakura assured her. "All water under the bridge."

"We should start with their memories of Sakura and Naruto," Shisui said, glancing back at Sarada. He handed Obito's body over to his father to carry. He stood in front of the two Sannin. "Now, if you'll look into my eyes, I'll just make a few modifications to your memories."

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A/N: I hope this chapter was worth the wait. When I originally wrote my first draft to this story, it was a time travel fic with Sakura and Kakashi's son traveling back, needing their help. I just saw on a video game clip that Sarada uses the turtle to meet Uncle Itachi. That five minute scene had me bawling my eyes out! She also uses the fix-it genjutsu to erase his memories of the encounter.

Apologies for the typos...I tried to fix them all...