Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Naruto. If I did I've wouldn't have trolled Sakura at all.
The fourth war was proclaimed by Tobi, who claimed to be Madara Uchiha, one of the founders of the village and then hell was unleashed. Lots of dead shinobi were brought back to life by the Edo Tensei. People had to fight their loved ones; Sakura was always in her Medic Tent treating ninjas from the shinobi alliance. Lots of casualties some saved. Eventually a creature, the white Zetsu appeared and Sakura and Shizune discovered that it had Hashirama Senju's cells because Madara had obtained them. That made him practically immortal. The white Zetsu became an army of almost 100 thousand.
The chakra of all the bijuu was collected and the Juubi, the ten tailed beast was awoken. The masked man Tobi, aka Madara, was actually Obito Uchiha, Kakashi's former teammate who was supposed to be dead. The real Madara was brought back to life by the edo tensei too. The Shinobi alliance tried to fight the Juubi, Neji died during one of the attacks. Suddenly the four former Hogake were brought back to life by the Edo Tensei too, and they all appeared while Sakura was restoring Naruto's chakra.
The blonde told her that the Yondaime was his dad and she almost fainted. She saw Hikari run to hug the Hokage, and she understood everything. Minato thought that Sakura was like Kushina.
"Sakura" that deep baritone voice sent shivers down her spine.
"Sasuke-kun" she whispered. He seemed calmer, he had showed up to help. Hikari watched him with a strange look. He returned the gesture looking at her with hatred. He never liked the Takishima because he thought that her clan were traitors to the Uchiha.
The battle vs. the Juubi started and Naruto and Sasuke left to fight the creature. Sakura's mind threaten to go into her 'I feel useless' mood, but she gathered all her courage and found her resolve. She felt it was the time. Three years of training and it was completed. Then suddenly a purple rhombus –just like Tsunade's- appeared in her wide forehead, and she run to her comrades. They called their summons, just like their teachers – toad, slug and snake- and that gave them later the "New Sannin" moniker. Sakura had made a contract with slugs one year ago.
Eventually Obito became the Juubi's jinchuriki and was almost invincible. Naruto could extract the Bijuus from him with everybody's help, but Uchiha Madara was revived and while fighting Naruto, Sai, Sasuke and Hashirama, he captured all the bijuu and reformed the Juubi becoming its Jinchuriki. Naruto died when the nine tails was extracted from him, Gaara brought Naruto to Sakura to help him. She had to stay professional, but she was extremely nervous while healing him. Hikari wanted to go with them but her uncle told her to stay, she was needed in the frontlines.
"COME ON NARUTO, SHANARO!" she screamed while flying on Gaara's sand, pumping Naruto's heart with her bare hand. She gave him CPR but it was useless. She was sent to another dimension with Naruto by Kakashi and Suddenly Obito appeared in front of her.
"Can I trust you?" she asked with her guard up.
"I'm going to save Naruto" he stated and then transferred the bijuu's chakra to him. Suddenly Naruto woke up, his chakra changed, and he had a seal in his hand.
They went back to the battle and fought Madara, he tried to get Obito's Rinnegan. The latter teleported Sakura and himself and asked her to take his eye to destroy it. She hesitated and Madara appeared and got it. He then managed to unleash the Mugen Tsukuyomi. Obito wasn't affected and a big tree started to grow roots that trapped everybody. Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi were saved form it by Sasuke's Susanoo.
Madara confronted the team 7 and explained the moon eye plan, in a twisted, horrific way he wanted to bring peace to the world Sakura thought. Suddenly Black Zetsu pierced the Uchiha through his heart and explained how he had changed the Uchiha tablet that explained the Mugen Tsukuyomi to help awake Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. That Zetsu bastard had used the elder Uchiha, Sakura was really angry.
The goddess appeared in front of them and another battle started. They were switched trough dimensions. Zetsu had merged with his 'Mother' and she was invincible. Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, Obito and Sasuke were teleported leaving the battlefield, were Madara's body, the Hokages and Hikari also stood unaffected by the jutsu.
Kaguya sent Sasuke away to a distant dimension and they needed to find him, only he and Naruto could seal the Goddess with the seals in their hands. Obito and Sakura teamed together to look out for Sasuke with kamui. Sakura was the one with most chakra besides Naruto, and he needed to stay and fight the Goddess longer to save time.
Obito teleported them and she started to pump Chakra in his back. They travelled through 10 dimensions or so. The Uchiha's sharingan was starting to bleed and he was exhausted. Sakura channeled more Chakra through him.
"Aggghhhh!" Sakura cried when they left the acid dimension. Some of the acid had spilled trough kamui and melt her vest and her right sleeve. She tossed it away and cut the burnt sleeve. She released her Byakugō and sent more chakra to Obito, who opened the correct dimension: Sasuke was there. But with his chakra fading Sakura shared her Byakugō with him, filling his body with the black lines of the jutsu.
"SASUKE KUN!" she shouted, and the Uchiha saw them. He started to run, but it was almost too late. "SHANNAROOOO" and Sakura passed out. Sasuke caught her, and thanked them. He had switched places with Sakura's Vest.
They arrived to the dimension where the battle was going on and Obito sacrificed himself to save Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi. Then the team 7 attacked, Naruto and Sasuke cornered Kaguya from the sides, and the Goddess wanted to escape from above. Sakura realized that and she Jumped and hit her shouting hard. Her boys sealed her and the war was over.
They were brought back to their reality by Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Rikudo Sennin, who had showed up suddenly, but it looked like Naruto and Sasuke knew him. The Hokages were released from the Edo tensei, and it was Naruto's Birthday.
Sasuke surprised everybody by saying he wanted to kill the Kages and control the Bijuus. He wanted to kill Naruto first. Sakura tried to bring some sense back to him and she wore her heart on her sleeve.
"SASUKE –KUN" she shouted "I know there's nothing I could do for you, but I love you, I want to help you get away that darkness, If I could take all your pain to myself I would do it. But all I can do is say this to you and cry" She was confessing again, but this time it was also for Naruto's sake. She couldn't allow this fight, they'll kill themselves. Hikari, Kakashi and Naruto could only watch. "Sasuke-kun, if I still have a place in your heart, no matter how small it may be, then please, I'm begging you. Don't slip further away!" Sasuke froze in place and turned to look at her.
"You're still SO annoying" he said, and charged to her with a genjutsu that looked like he ripped her heart out. And everything went dark.
Darkness and voices.. 'BASTARD, she loves you' she heard. 'I can't be with her or anyone else' another voice. Naruto and Sasuke fighting in the distance. The genjutsu just numbed all her senses. She felt Naruto gathering chakra for a Rasengan, she extended her hand. She had promised to be his backup. Then a loud bang and a bright light in the darkness. She opened her eyes.
"Are you awake?" she heard her sensei ask. Hikari chan was in front of her, checking her with medic jutsu.
"The boys, they are..." she couldn't finish. She jumped on her feet and went to the Valley of the end, where she felt them. Hikari followed her with Kakashi on her shoulder.
The scene was disturbing. Both Naruto and Sasuke-kun lay in a pond of blood from the both of them. She jumped and landed in between the boys. They were missing an arm, Naruto the right one and Sasuke the left one. Those idiots had blasted their own arms while fighting.
She kneeled in the blood and started to heal them.
"Sak'ra –chan your face is dirty" Naruto stated grinning. She wanted to punch him, or hug him she wasn't sure.
"Sakura..." Sasuke started looking at her with deep regret.
"SHUT UP. I'm concentrating" she interrupted him. The kunoichi didn't want to speak, her voice will betray her.
"I'm Sorry" the Uchiha continued in spite of her interruption.
"About what?" she spat.
"Everything" she could almost see the pain in Sasuke's eyes. And she started to cry.
"You'd better damn well be... SHANNARO!" she sobbed "You idiot!"
Her boys smiled at her and when she was finished, Kakashi and Hikari whom had watched everything from the cliff, approached. The Takishima hugged her cousin tightly –"You're hurting me ´Kari-chan Dattebayo!" – "You reckless little bastard, Naruto Baka!"-. Kakashi helped Sasuke to get up.
Once the boys undid the Tsukuyomi, the war was officially ended. They went to find Tsunade Shishou. Sakura run to her Master and started to cry again. The Blonde hugged her and told her that she was so proud of her.
"Sakura-Chan is amazing Tsunade Baa-chan!" Naruto grinned again
"Don't you call me Baa-Chan you knuckle head brat!" boy, the Hokage was in good spirits! "And you, snotty faced Uchiha, are under arrest and are going to be judged. Don't put those faces " she said looking at Sakura and Naruto "he is still a traitor to Konoha no matter what he has done in the war" She sentenced.
"I understand Hokage-sama. I surrender myself to Konoha" The Uchiha said raising his hands and closing his eyes. That was a gesture of trust of him. Kakashi had to seal his chakra away and his eyes.
"Oi Baa chan you can't do this to the Teme, he's a good person now" the blond protested
"Shut up dobe" Sasuke surprised everybody "I need to be punished for my sins."
Sakura watched as Sasuke was taken to Konoha by some Anbu that had emerged from the tree. It wasn't how she thought Sasuke would return, but he was returning home.
Back in Konoha the Hospital was full of people, Sakura had to do double shifts. Hikari and Ino helped too. Naruto and Sasuke were released in a week, those lucky bastards! But the Uchiha was in the dungeons of the Hokage tower by order of the council.
A new memorial stone was added and the funerals were made a month later. They all have somebody to mourn. Neji was loved by everybody, Shikamaru's dad, Ino's dad. Itachi. Sakura told Sasuke that his brother was going to have a memorial with honors. He didn't want to ask permission to go, he felt he didn't deserve it. He asked Sakura if he could tell Hikari to come and see him. The latter wasn't really pleased, but went to speak to him. He apologized for mistreating her because of her Clan. He said he was also jealous of his aniki and her when he was a kid, and that he knew she was really special to him, so he told her where he had Itachi's body sealed and asked if she could arrange the burial. Sakura saw Hikari fought back tears as she put a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder.
"It's ok Sasuke" she said "it's ok to mourn. You fought side by side with him during the war. You have mended the bond. We all have." Sasuke didn't want to cry in front of her and she noticed. "I'm leaving to retrieve the body, but you'll arrange the burial as head of your Clan, imprisoned or not. I Leave you to Sakura's care." And she was gone.
There was an awkward silence between the two ex-teammates. Sakura knew he may want some time alone so she started to leave the cell.
"You can stay if you want, it's just I don't feel like talking" the teen said trying to keep his voice even.
"Ok then, I'll stay. I have some scrolls to read if you don't mind." Sasuke nodded and she seated on the floor and started reading. Actually, she was thinking. How did she feel about Sasuke? Did she still love him? What made her to confess again in the battlefield? She did love him, but maybe it was the idea of him that she had romanticized. She barely knew him, surely she knew his suffering but was that a reason to love somebody? She heard his breathing even and realized he was asleep. Sakura left the cell still thinking about her feelings about Sasuke.
The fourth ninja war seemed too much to Tsunade, who gave up her position as Hokage. Kakashi Sensei was named the Rokudaime Hokage by unanimity. One of his first managements was to give Sasuke a probatory pardon, so he could leave Konoha to see the world without being controlled by anybody and mending all the bad circumstances his past behavior had created.
Kakashi and Sakura were saying goodbye to Sasuke at the village's gates, Hikari was waiting for them in the bench next to the entrance, she had said goodbye to Sasuke the day before. Kakashi said to him that he as the Rokudaime Hokage was responsible for his actions, and he had to behave. He went through a lot of trouble to help him. Sasuke thanked him and said he was sorry to bother.
"What if I told you... that I'd like to go come too?" Sakura asked timidly, Kakashi eyed her and Hikari sent chakra to her ears to listen better. The Pink haired didn't know what possessed her, it was like she needed to say that one more time, to check her feelings and his.
"It's my road to redemption, you had nothing to do with my sins" He answered in his Uchiha way.
Sakura felt a bit depressed "Nothing to do you say..."she breathed. Then she felt footsteps and Sasuke poked her forehead saying "Mata kondo da" and then "Arigato, Sakura".
The kunoichi turned a lovely shade of pink because she didn't expect that. It was like he was acknowledging her as an equal and as a person dear to him. She had waited so long for a gesture like that. And it was then when she realized while looking him leave the Village, that it really was too late. Her heart wasn't skipping a beat or beating faster like it used to. She loved Sasuke like she loved Naruto, he was one of her boys to protect, the bond had changed and so did the feelings.
"You know that poking thing is very important to him, do you?" Hikari said to Sakura from her bench. "It's the biggest show of affection you can get from an Uchiha, Itachi used to do that."
"I know it's important, but it's just that I don't feel the same anymore." The pink haired concluded. "I feel a bit bad about it, it's like I'm betraying my younger self. I used to love him so much"
"It's ok, feelings can change and crushes don't last too much. We all know it started like that" the Takishima said. "And I know you truly loved him, but it makes sense that your feelings have changed. A lot happened this years, he changed, you too. Don't worry kid, this too shall pass"
"Don't call me kid" Sakura protested with a dry look.
"Hahaha Let's go to wait for Naruto at Ichiraku!" Hikari grabbed the pink haired and run to the ramen shop
"YOU WHAT!?" Naruto shouted
"I am going to move to Sunna for six months, Naruto don't shout!" Sakura reprimanded the blonde "Gaara-kun wants me to establish the Mind Health Clinic and the Pediatric unit. We need to heal the minds of the people whom have suffered war trauma. It's our duty as medics, and our way to contribute to the peace. This is part of my backup for you, so you can be Hokage of a healthy village."
"She's right Cousin, this is a great opportunity to mend the wounds of the war." Hikari intervened.
"Yeah, I Know, but you're leaving and Sakura-Chan is leaving too. And I have to study a lot! I will need you girls!"
"You're leaving too?" Sakura asked the brunette.
"Yes, I'm leaving to Kumo. I have the mission to check on the tailed beasts, and I also need to train with Killer Bee Chakra Control to use the Otsutsuki´s one like Naruto does with Kurama and Bee with the Hachibi. It would be nice to don't need this seal and have my whole chakra merged together as one " the Takishima said pointing her chest "I think I was a toddler last time I had it complete."
"BUAAAA you're both leaving me!" the Uzumaki exaggerated
Sakura sweat dropped "Come on Naruto, I'll be back shortly, and it's not like you'll have too much free time. You're still a Genin" she mocked.
Naruto sighed "It's true. So let's toast to Sakura's Jonin promotion, we almost forget that we're celebrating" he added with that bright sunshine smile.
"Kampai!" the trio shouted as the clashed their sake cups.
The six months in Sunna went fast. When she got there she was showed the place she would be living, and started to work the next minute. It was hard. People in the Sand were more private and untrusty than Konoha's people, although they were opening themselves to other villages. Luckily they now fully trusted the Kazekage, and she could see that it gave Gaara a lot of confidence. He had grown so much from that little boy full of hatred and lack of love, he had blossomed like Ino would say. They spent a lot of time together planning stuff related to the Clinic. Sakura was developing a little crush on him, but she kept it at bay because it wasn't professional and she was not sure if it was real or simply because she had found someone to fully forget Sasuke -like they say, a nail takes another nail-.
One day she was working with Gaara and some guards reported that Uchiha Sasuke was plotting against Sunna and had attacked them. Sakura was sure that it wasn't true, so she went to investigate without telling the Red haired. She was abducted and drugged. She learnt that people use Sasuke DNA to make clones of him, they had taken blood samples from the Valley of the End. Konoha and Sunna sent help, but she could get out by herself leaving twenty men unconscious. When the help came she went back to the Sand to make her inform and continue working because she had one last week to complete the mission. She didn't know that the real Sasuke came to help her, only to find that she had fought by herself and didn't need him or Naruto. She didn't know that Sasuke was proud of her, and felt some guilt because he couldn't make it in time. She didn't know that the Uchiha was developing the feelings he had buried when he was a child. She didn't know she will eventually break his heart too.
Life in Konoha was still busy as always. It was six months since she came back from Suna and she continued working, training, studying and helping Naruto to study too. Hell, she was a workaholic. Ino wanted her to date somebody, but she didn't have the time or the desire to do it. She used to hang up with the blonde, Ten Ten and Hinata, but Ino was busy dating Sai and Ten Ten was starting her weapon business, so the last month it was only Hinata and her. The Hyuuga heiress had improved a lot with her social skills, she only stammered a bit when Naruto was too close to her, but she could have a nice conversation with him. Sakura used to hide her smile when Naruto started to show up when she spar with Hinata. He said he was curious, but he always complimented the brunette on her growing. One day he even invited her to eat Ramen with them. Hinata was almost fainting. Naruto was really thick, and also blind, Sakura thought. He was really interested in her friend, but he didn't have a clue.
Eventually Hikari came back, it was almost two years that she had been away. She met her at the clinic where the Takishima was first appointed to do a checkup when she left the Hokage Office.
"Come in" Sakura said as she heard a knock on the door
"Do you have time for an old friend?" Hikari's head appeared in the doorway
"Hikari Chan!" the pink haired exclaimed as she went to hug her friend.
"Calm down kid, you'll crush me, and I was only looking for a checkup hahaha" she said and Sakura left her go looking her plain. "DON'T CALL ME KID! I'M 19!" her forehead brain was about to pop.
"How I've missed your temper young lady" Hikari mocked "Ok, time for chakra checkup. Kakashi wants an inform of my progress with my chakra. And also we have to catch up!"
Sakura laughed and proceeded to check her chakra. It felt different, more stable and strong. The seal was still there but it was different. "Have you achieved it? Did you merge your chakra together?" she asked.
"Yes, I did!" the brunette answered brightly "It took me a year, but I managed to do it. The seal you see is only for me to store it and hide it, so any middle-ranged sensor will think I don't have a lot of chakra" She smiled devilishly.
"Hahaha it works like my Yin seal right? When you need it you can access to it freely" the Medic said.
"True, I thought about Shishou and talked to Bee about the possibility and it worked" Hikari confirmed "but enough of the boring stuff, tell me how it was in Suna? You told me in your letter you were abducted and managed to escape, but you didn't tell me anymore"
"How about you talk to me about your boyfriend and parents? You put very little about it on your letters" Sakura reprimanded.
Both went silent and looked serious, and then burst in laughter. They went to the Clinic's cafeteria and spent two whole hours and four coffees catching up.
When the other Ōtsutsuki attacked kidnapping Hanabi Hyuuga, Sakura was appointed to a team with Naruto, Sai, Shikamaru, Hinata and Hikari to retrieve her. Then this guy, Toneri, forced Hinata to follow him leaving Naruto heartbroken. They followed them to the moon and in the journey they were submerged genjutsu casted water and she had the strangest dream.
When she finally awoke she couldn't remember a thing. Nor did Shikamaru, Sai, and Hikari. Naruto did remember, and he had finally realized his feelings about the Hyuuga. Hikari and Sakura were so happy for him. It was about time that baka opened his eyes!
They arrived in the moon and suddenly another Ōtsutsuki-like person appeared. It was Hamura, Rikudo Sennin's brother.
He looked at the pinkette and Hikari and then said: "Dear Imouto, I'm so pleased to see you! I may have not been able to save you, but I am going to make a gift to you, and also your pink hared friend here. You both deserve to be happy"
And everything became white.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Finally I can update (don't try to go 'Marie Kondo' if you're not prepared to lose at least two weeks of your life cleaning and throwing stuff). Luckily I had this chapter almost finished, and the next one started, so maybe I can update shortly.
We're moving to the real story now! Hope you like my version of Sakura. I've added a hint of GaaSaku only for fun, and Sasusaku one-sided (poor Sasuke, but that things can happen). I moved the order of the Sakura Hiden and wrote it before 'The Last' because it will be useful to the plot. I used the last sentence in contraposition of the time Sakura got caught on Sasuke Genjutsu. White gives hope.
And our heroines will remember their genjutsu moon dreams, but not now ;)
Thanks for the favs! See you!