Chapter Six

P.O.V. Sakura Haruno

All the air inside my lungs quickly evaporated, leaving me breathlessly dry as I stared at his emotionless masked face. My body fell into coldness almost feeling as if someone had dumped a bucket of icy water over my skin, my eyes left his unmoving composer as I gazed at the woman who stood in my place.

I felt a need to tilt my head confused, she was...plain looking. Hanare was an attractive woman but something about her standing beside Kakashi felt wrong, maybe it was because she was on his arm and I wasn't, or maybe I was still trapped inside a daze and this felt like a slap across my face.

"What!?" Naruto and Raiden shouted inside the compact hallway, causing a stinging pain to travel from my left temple into my lower jaw.

"Yo-You have a girlfriend!?" Naruto stepped forward, "Since when?! How-!?"

"Why didn't you tell us!?" Raiden added sounding just as flabbergasted as I was, why did they seem so shocked? They had been alive the past two years; they should know the shit that goes on next door to them. "Where did you even meet her!?"

"It's nice to finally meet you." Hanare smiled closing her boring eyes as she did so, "Kakashi has told me so much about you all."

"Well he hasn't told us anything about you!" Raiden snapped in a high-pitched tone; how could they not know about Kakashi being with this woman?

"Sakura?" Hinata whispered, lightly touching my arm. "Are you-?" The moment her skin touched mine that dull throbbing sensation inside my head exploded like a ticking time bomb that's clock had run out of seconds to tick.

I felt my body physically flinch as the grinding pain playing racket ball inside my skull gravitated. My torso bent over on its own account in pain, my jaw locked itself as I felt my teeth impact under the pressure.

"Sakura!?" Naruto and Raiden sounded alarmed, "What's wrong?"

"Call Tsunade!" Carver ordered; I forced my eyes open the second his concerned voice hit my ears.

My emerald orbs found his grey eye and his familiar mask that concealed his handsome appearance. For a slight moment the hallway was empty, and I was brought back to laying in a field behind a burning building as Kakashi held me tight, proclaiming his love for me before my heart stopped beating and my lungs deflated.

"Kakashi-?" Hanare stepped forward touching his forearm. I felt every fiber inside my body strongly urge me to rip her pale arm right out of its socket, I wanted to set her a blaze for even looking in his direction, but I couldn't. So, I swallowed the lump that sat upon my voice box and stood upright.

"Let's go." I breathed pulling my eyes from his noticeable silver hair, turning my body forcing it to unnaturally move away from him.

"W-What!?" Naruto quickly caught up with me. "You shouldn't be moving right now!"

"I knew it was too soon for you to get out of the hospital." Carver sighed shaking his head, "That kind of headache isn't normal, you need time to rest and recover!"

"I'm fine." I stated ignoring the pain I felt beating at my brain I couldn't stop myself from looking over my shoulder, Kakashi's gaze grazed over me setting my bruised soul on fire.

"Sakura?" Naruto called out my name, pulling my focus onto him as I stepped onto the elevator.

"Hm?" I hummed turning to look at the worried blond.

"I said we should wait here for Tsunade." Naruto repeated as the elevator began to lower, I took in a long breath.

"No." I replied.

"B-But-" Naruto sounded almost distressed.

"You all can wait for Tsunade to drag her rum soaked ass over here, but I am starving and getting food so-" I cut myself off giving Naruto and the others the chance to catch up.

"Did you know Kakashi was in a-" Raiden breathed behind me as they followed.

"No!" Naruto shouted causing my ears to ring, "How-When-Why-?!"

"Sakura-!" Raiden pulled himself to my side, "-we did not know anything about-"

"Mhm." I hummed as the sight of him standing beside that woman burned itself inside my eyes.

"We really didn't!" Naruto swore, carrying out the painful conversation all the way to the open twenty-four-hour restaurant of Raiden's choosing.

I sat my sore body on the end of the large booth beside Hinata, who smiled seeing I had chosen to sit beside her and not the chatterboxes who were crawling into the large circle booth from the other side.

I sighed leaning against the booth trying to tune out Naruto and Raiden's pitched voices. They kept repeating they didn't know about Kakashi being in a relationship, but I just needed them to shut up.

"Sakura-"

"For five seconds-" I glared in their direction, "-please, stop talking." I lowered my head as little by little my head began to calm, I sighed feeling the tension deflate.

"Are you ok?" Hinata's soft voiced soothed my strung-out nerves.

"Yeah." I breathed leaning back against the soft booth.

"Sakura-" Carver sat across from me seeming to be so serious, I rarely saw that expression on him. "-we really had no idea-"

"How?" I wondered,

"We-We hadn't really seen Kakashi the past few months..." Naruto muttered.

"Why?" I questioned.

"We thought he was just picking up a lot of missions..." Raiden trailed off looking like he was sweating under my gaze.

I heard her before I could see her, Tsunade whipped around the corner almost taking out our server. Her eyes desperately searched out the restaurant until she found me.

"Sakura!" Tsunade called quickly moving towards our corner booth.

"Hey." I commented, leaning on my arm.

"Don't hey me!" Tsunade snapped, "I knew it was too soon for you to be out and-"

"Sakura!" I gazed past Tsunade hearing Itachi, he moved past her quickly bending down to hug me. "Your awake!"

"I am." My voice was muffled by his shoulder, Itachi felt warm and he smelt good.

"What's the matter?" Itachi asked searching my face, "Are you in pain or-"

"I'm good."

"She is lying." Carver stepped in, "She was in so much pain it had her bent over!"

"Really?" Tsunade frowned, pulling her eyebrows together. Her face told me my symptoms did not match Hinata and the others when they made their return.

"Yes." Raiden answered from me, I sighed as Tsunade grabbed my wrist taking my pulse.

"Still having those migraines?" Tsunade spoke more to herself than me, "I gave you pain killers; did you take them?"

"No." I answered,

"Why not!?"

"Because they would make me tired and I wanted to eat before going to sleep." I willingly answered.

"Oh..." Tsunade said, "...well...Sakura you-you died, your body was done for. You were then ripped back into it and forced to fight. It's only natural that you're going to be in pain like this for at least a few weeks."

"I know." I nodded, "It just sucks."

"Indeed, it does."

"Granny since you are here, why don't you join us!?" Naruto asked,

"Yeah." I agreed, "Why not?"

"We-Well I guess-" Tsunade blushed taking a seat across from me, "-have you ordered?"

"Not yet." Hinata answered,

"And since you're here-" I added, "-you can answer more of my questions." I looked over at Carver and could see the pained expression all over the shinobi sitting around this round table, they were tired of hearing about the waterfall village. "Since you didn't contact the Waterfall Village about my return, have you at least stayed in contact with them?"

"Yes!" Raiden quickly answered, "We are there like every weekend!"

"We just got back home from there." Carver said matter-of-factly.

"How is everyone?" I wondered how Dawn faired being thrusted into the role as commander without me there to guide her, it couldn't have been easy.

"They are good." Carver grinned, "Dawn is handling her job very well, I think you would be proud to see how far she has come. Diem is still a dick, Annistyns still on the top of her class. Dawn had taken over care of her."

"Good." I nodded, feeling the worried pressure inside my chest deflate just a little hearing that everyone I left behind was ok without me here.

"The Nine are living in the Waterfall Village." Carver informed me, I laughed at that thought.

"No way." I almost forgot they had returned the same die I lost my life; they were freed from Malachite's control and able to live normal lives and knowing that made me feel calm.

"Yep." Carver nodded licking his lips, "Raiden and I tried for months to get them to come here but they refused."

"At least they didn't return to wondering town to town." I muttered seeing the server bringing our drinks.

"Yeah." Raiden commented, "That was something we were glad about too."

"And I see you have officially moved into the Leaf Village." I turned to Itachi after the server took our order. He wore a clean headband on his forehead, Itachi smiled and shook his head.

"Yes."

"I'm proud of you." I commented, Itachi smiled quickly looking away from me.

"So, are we going to talk about the elephant in the room or-!?" Raiden smacked his hands on the table looking impatient.

"What's wrong with you?" Tsunade wondered sipping on her sweet tea.

"Hey-!" Raiden turned his attention to the blonde beside him. "-did you know Kakashi had a girlfriend!?"

"Huh?" Tsunade blinked turning to me, I shook my head. "Not you?" Tsunade gasped, looking from Raiden then back to me. "What!?" Tsunade shouted turning to Raiden with an open mouth and agape eyes.

"He has a girlfriend!" Naruto joined in, I sighed leaning back against the booth wishing they would shut up about her. I couldn't even begin to start the process of my brain wrapping around the fact two years flew through in a blink of my eyes. So much had changed and Kakashi he...he moved on...why did this feel so stale and tasteless?

"Sakura?"

"Huh?" I looked over,

"I asked if you were doing alright?" Itachi repeated,

"I am so tired of people asking me that." I sighed, leaning on my arm.

"You did just wake up." Itachi chuckled,

"So, I have been told." I muttered my eyes feeling heavy,

"So-" Raiden caught my attention, "-you wanna unpack any of what just happened?"

"No." I answered,

"W-What?" Raiden frowned, "We are here for you and as your friends and family it is our responsibility to make sure your-"

"You have gone soft." I commented, what happened to us just cramming all our emotions into a box, shoving it into the back our minds and aggressivity ignore them until they went away?

"Yeah, give it some time you will too." Carver laughed at Raiden perturbed expression.

"Please." I scoffed as a smirk grew along my lips.

"You don't think you will?" Carver challenged.

"I'm not a bitch like you two, so no I won't." Naruto's mouth dropped hearing how we spoke towards each other.

"I have missed you." Carver laughed after a second. "Raiden's feeling get hurt when I talk to him like he's you."

"Your comparing me to Raiden now?" I acted offended,

"Fuck you Sakura!" Raiden muffled out with a mouthful of bread. "I am delightful!"

"Yeah-" I muttered, "-as delightful as a root canal."

"What was that!?" Raiden snapped, pointing his buttered knife at me.

"What was what?" I countered,

"I know you said something." Raiden pointed his nose upward in the air, "I just don't know what."

"You don't know what half the people around you are talking about." Carver responded. "This shouldn't be anything new-" The server came, handed out everyone's food and ran off to get drink refills.

I dug into my pasta dish leaving the conversation to the rest of the people at the table, I was halfway through my plate before I looked up seeing everyone had been watching me. I looked around the table swallowing my food.

"What?" I asked looking at each person,

"Nothing." Tsunade smiled.

"It's just-" Itachi sighed, "-It's just really good to see you here."

"Take a picture it will last longer." I replied returning to the food waiting before me.

"Everything ok Sakura?" Naruto's voice was filled to the brim with worry, I understood they had missed me. I understood the fact I had died and for over two years I was not around but for me...it hasn't been two years. I didn't like Tsunade and everyone hovering, looking at me as if they expected me to shatter. I have crawled out of worse scenarios, been through too much, I will be damned if I break over something trivial like my own death.

"Yeah?" I said slowly looking over at him, "I am eating?"

"Your quiet." Naruto commented,

"I don't talk with food in my mouth, it's rude."

"Are you sure nothing is wrong?"

"Yup." I popped the 'P' as I stabbed the last penne noodle with my fork, feeling a tightness inside my throat, it was hard being nice.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?"

"Yes." I sighed, seeing this was going to be a thing.

"Really?"

"Yup." I replied again feeling more agitated.

"Are you sure?"

"Are you gonna eat your food?" I changed the subject. "Or just waste it?" I knew Naruto hated wasting food; it was a pet peeve of his.

"I did!"

"No, you did not."

"Yes, I did!"

"Nope."

"Yes!"

"No, you did not Naruto."

"Yes, I did Sakura-!" He yelled picking up his plate and showing me the crumbs "-look!" I smiled; he was still so easy to get him worked up.

"Fine." I shrugged.

"Thank you!" He put the plate down and huffed causing Hinata to giggle next to me.

"Where are you going?" Carver turned from talking with Itachi seeing I had rose from the booth, I turned giving off an annoyed expression.

"The bathroom, do you want to hold my hand and help me wipe?"

"I have missed you." Carver grinned at my remark, I shrugged turning to walk towards the front where I had saw the restrooms.

"Commander?" A voice called from behind me, "Commander Haruno?" I tilted my head before turning around. My lips parted as I watched a smile spread across her face, she turned thanking the takeout worker before walking over towards me.

"Y-Your..."

"Hanare." She reached out her right hand towards me, I looked at it and then to her fighting every cell inside my body from tearing her to pieces, why did I dislike this woman so heavily? Was it due to her being with Kakashi? Was this how jealous people feel?

"Yes." I nodded but not accepting her hand. "You know of me?"

"How could I not?" She giggled, scrunching her little nose up as she did so. Hanare had flawless skin, a small nose and shin. Her brown eyes were large and clear as she opened them to look at me. "Everyone knows who you are Reaper."

"Hm." I hummed, why was she talking to me?

"I am a little confused though-" Her laugh was light, almost musical.

"Oh?" I questioned.

"Yes, I could have sworn I heard rumors that you had died?"

"I did." I said,

"Yo-You did?"

"Yes." I answered,

"Then how are you here...?" She trailed off.

"I guess even hell itself can't contain me." I shrugged.

"Huh." She said looking at me.

"There a reason you're asking?" I wondered.

"Well-" She laughed looking to the floor for a moment before gazing back at me, "-I have to admit I feel a little threatened is all."

"Excuse me?"

"You were Kakashi's fiancé-" My stomach rolled, sending butterflies flapping through my chest.

"You know about me and him?"

"Of course." Hanare grinned, "He talked a lot about you."

"He did?"

"Yes, he cared very deeply for you..." Hanare breathed, "...when you were killed for this village that nearly crippled and tore him apart."

"He-He talked to you about...me?"

"Yes." Hanare nodded, "I like to believe I helped him through some of his issues and got him to the healthy place he is at."

"Ah..." I said staring at Hanare, her long hair shined inside the store light causing me to realize her beauty.

"Well-" Hanare adjusted the takeout bag in her hand. "-I have to get going to...um...well it was so nice meeting you!" Hanare offered her hand out, in my stunned state I slowly reached out accepting her handshake.

Pain shot through my arm like fire on heated quest, I cringed quickly letting go of Hanare's hand as my head exploded with a blinding whiteness. It felt like needles dipped in acid had been jammed inside my temple.

"C-Commander!?"

"Sakura!" Tsunade and Carver's voice made it through the pain, I felt Itachi's hands catching me being my balance as I began feeling dizzy.

"Come on-" Tsunade ordered, "-you need to get some rest!"

My eyes stung; my eyelids felt like metal shutters on the break of slamming shut. I fought another urge to yawn as I mindlessly followed Carver through the hall to his apartment. Naruto and Raiden were both upset I had agreed to crash at Carver's, but I knew he would at least leave me alone and let me sleep.

Against my wishes my eyes brushed over Kakashi's apartment door, it was so strange...just yesterday I could walk into his home without knocking using my spare key, my last memory with him wasn't yesterday like I believed...?

"Sakura?" I turned to Carver, "You good?"

"Yeah." I breathed walking through his door as I waved goodnight to Naruto and Hinata. I licked my lips as Carver closed and locked his door.

"You can tell me you know-" Carver walked up behind me. "-this has to all be mind racking-"

"Carver-" I turned facing him, "-I am fine."

"But you-"

"So what?" I breathed with a shrug of my shoulders. "I lost a few years of my life; I'll get over it."

"That isn't what I am worried about..." Carver trailed off.

"I died." I looked to the floor, "I died..." I repeated, my mind reflected that information, refusing to absorb it. "...and he moved on like he was supposed to."

"He wasn't supposed to move on in the first place!" Carver snapped holding his arms out,

"What?" I laughed, "You expected him to live out the rest of his life alone?"

"Well-"

"I died in his arms-" I stepped closer to Carver, "-he watched me take my last breath and held me as my heart stopped pumping. I wouldn't want him to live the rest of his life alone."

"But your back now-!"

"So, he is expected to just drop that woman?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because your back!" Carver repeated, I blinked feeling befuddled by his logic.

"I wasn't supposed to come back." I shook my head, "I am happy he found someone to-"

"So, your happy he is with that whore right now!?"

"Of course not." I explained, "But I have no right to walk back into his life and uproot it again."

"He loved you-"

"Yeah." I agreed, "Loved."

"Sakura-"

"No." I shook my head, "I don't even know why this is a conversation right now-"

"Because your still stuck two years in the past! You woke up believing Kakashi loved only you and-"

"I am a big girl." I snapped; the sound of his name felt like I was being thrown inside an ice bath. "I can take care of myself and I will adjust, I always do."

"I don't want you to adjust..." Carver breathed, I understood then why this was a button for him.

"You can't make Kakashi into an anchor-" My voice was stale, "-to keep me inside this village."

"But-" Carver snapped his jaw shut. "-you may think your fine but-"

"I'm not." I shrugged putting my hands in my pockets, "I know I'm not."

"But you said-"

"To shut Naruto and Tsunade up, yeah, I know what I said."

"What's wrong then?" Carver studied me in his attempt to pick up answers,

"I'm tired." I lied, "I need to sleep-"

"Sakura."

"I am utterly exhausted." I breathed cutting him off, I didn't have the fight in me to argue with him. "My head is killing me." I added on the pressure for Carver to leave me be for the night.

"Alright." He nodded, "You want some of my clothes to sleep in?"

"That'd be great." I nodded, as Carver moved past me, I glanced at the wall to my left, the wall that separated Kakashi's apartment from the one I stood in. I chewed on the side of my cheek as I questioned my ability to stay away from the masked shinobi who I made into my home. I knew the only probable thing to do was something I wasn't sure I wanted to do again, to become devoid of all emotion once more.

Carver lent me baggy shorts with a matching shirt for me to sleep in, with a yawn and a full stomach I crawled into his bed, the moment my head sit the soft pillow it was lights out.

Blood.

Colored with sweet red and warm, it spilled down the edges of my blurred vision. Haze seemed to coat my sight like a fog rolling off a blackened river. I could feel my body, it ached like I had been thrown down a rocky hill. My arms felt weighted down and my fingers and feet felt raw.

Gurgled screams pulled my focus off my body and towards the surrounds taking place outside my head. I felt the presence of other people around me; my hands were warm and wet with the familiar iron scent. A pair of wide brown eyes painted with red flashed through my mind, pictures of a misty faces attached with the feel of breaking bones...

I snapped my emerald eyes open.

I quickly sat up, taking in deep breathes as I felt a fresh layer of sweat sitting on my skin. I looked around; the room was dark. Carver laid beside me in the large bed with the fan in the corner blowing cool air around the room. I breathed out, running my hands through my hair feeling my heart pounding inside my chest. I reached into my memory, trying to pull back the images from my dream but I came up empty handed. I ran my fingers over my face as I felt the bleary nightmare sitting just far enough from reach but close enough, I could still feel the dreary impression.

Pulling the thick blanket off my legs I got up from bed, I racked my brain filling it with questions of what the hell I just witness knowing damn well I had no way of getting answers.

I yawned flicking the kitchen light on, I raided Carver's fridge pulling out a cold can of soda. After cracking it open, I felt an intense thirst crawl up my spine, I chugged half the can ignoring the stinging from the carbonation as I did so.

I gasped for air as I pulled the can away from my lips feeling slightly better. I thought about making a small snack but before I could move towards the cabinets, I heard a familiar voice freezing me in my place.

"Kakashi-!" Hanare moaned out, "-Oh!" I blinked, looking around the kitchen questioning myself if this was real life or was, I unknowingly still trapped inside whatever fresh hell lingered inside my dream. "Harder-!" Hanare cried out, "-right there-!"

Shock plastered my face as I heard Carver rushing from the bedroom, his eyes were wide searching the apartment until he spotted me. I watched helplessly trapped inside this spot, stuck listening to the sounds of that woman.

"Sakura-!?" Carver breathed; he took my hand pulling me towards the front door. "-put those on."

"What?" I was dumbfounded, my brain wasn't working as Hanare's voice felt like it was becoming louder and louder, wrapping itself around me.

"Put these on!" Carver snapped shoving the shoes Hinata had lent me, my fingers were numb as I did as told. I had no idea why and I didn't care, my eyes automatically went to stare at the wall. "Nope." Carver said opening the front door, pulling me out of the apartment with him.

"Wh-Where are we going?" I questioned having found my voice once we were outside.

"You may claim to be fine with Kakashi's random relationship none of us knew about, but I will be damned if you sit beside some fucking drywall listening to him fuck that whore."

"Why are you calling her a whore?" My voice called out; did I just ask that? "We don't know anything about her-?" Carver stopped walking on the dark street, he stood in front of me and snapped his fingers, I slowly looked at him confused.

"Yeah." He said, "You're in shock."

"I am..." I trailed off forgetting what I was going to say.

"Come on."

"Where-"

"Someplace safe."

"We have one of those?" I tilted my head.

"Yes." Carver answered, grabbing my hand and continued to pull me forward, my legs were numb but followed willingly. After ten minutes of walking, Carver stopped at a large two-story house with white paint and a picket fence.

"Where are we?" I wondered.

"Tsunade's house." Carver answered as he knocks on the door, "Let's just hope she is awake-" I walked forward ignoring Carver's voice. "What-What are you doing!?"

"Uh...going in?"

"Y-You can't just break into the Hokage's house!" Carver lectured me. I looked to the front door and then back to him.

"Why not?"

"Wha-What do you mean why not!?" Carver gasped, "For once it's illegal and two-" I opened the front door, turning back to him only to be met with a scowl.

"I am beginning to realize where Raiden learned his stubbornness from." Carver whispered as I walked into the dark house.

"You?" I asked earning a second dirty look.

"You!" Carver harshly whispered; I shrugged my shoulders finding Tsunade's living room, I plopped down on the couch. "We are so gonna get assaulted in the morning when Tsunade wakes up."

"I trained you to dodge." I said, pulling a blue blanket from off the back of the couch.

"Yeah thanks!" Carver growled out, "You're so helpful."

"Your welcome." I yawned as I leaned on his shoulder, my eyes closed as I felt sleep crawling over my body.

----

"I-I am so very confused." Tsunade's voice pulled me to my consciousness surface, Carver shuckled, slightly shaking me as I still leaned against him asleep.

"We had a rough night." Carver whispered over me,

"What!?" Tsunade gasped, "Is she in pain or-or having-?!"

"No-" Carver calmed Tsunade, "-nothing like that."

"Then what was the issue?"

"Well..." Carver sighed, "...we got a show last night."

"A show?"

"Yup, between Kakashi and Hanare."

"Han-a-who?" Tsunade asked,

"Kakashi's girlfriend."

"Y-You-Sakura heard-!?"

"Yup." Carver said, "The bitch sounded like she was at a rodeo, and Sakura got a front row seat."

"No!" Tsunade gasped,

"Yeah." Carver confirmed, "She was in shock or something, I think hearing Hanare with Kakashi made this all real for Sakura."

"I can't believe this." Tsunade sighed, "Thank you, for getting her out of there like you did."

"Thank you for not murdering me when you caught me in your bathroom." Carver joked.

"You know you guys can come here whenever you need to." I heard a male voice speak up, "Your always welcome, but how did you get in?"

"Sakura." Carver answered,

"Oh." The male voice sounded amused, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised; she is the Reaper after all. Breaking into a house should be like child's play for her."

I felt Carver move from underneath me, he lowered me onto the couch placing a small pillow under my head as he covered me with a blanket. Feeling the warmth from the blanket inside this cool house made sleep run to greet me and I happily jumped with her into the deep pool where a thick spell waited.

"No way!" Naruto stirred me away, my eyes snapping open from the eminent voice. I blinked the sleep from my eyes as I slowly sat my sore body up. As I began to come to, I smelt bacon coated with a light cinnamon fragrance.

"Sakura!" I sleepily blinked looking over my shoulder, from the living room I could see the kitchen. Naruto, Hinata, Carver and Raiden along with Itachi all stood around an island making plates of food. "Good morning." Hinata greeted.

"Morning." I replied slowly standing and making my way over to where everyone stood.

"You look rested." Itachi flashed a smile, I nodded not feeling like I had slept at all. I combed my fingers through my hair, looking to my side I locked eyes with a man I did not know. He had long pale blue hair, with deep green eyes he smiled at me.

"Good morning."

"Er...morning?" I said, who the fuck was he?

"It's nice to finally meet you in person." He said, moving towards me. My mouth almost dropped open as he pulled me into an awkward embrace.

"Uh..." I trailed off, feeling an urge to throw him through a wall.

"This is Dan." Tsunade explained, "My husband."

"Oh." I realized I probably shouldn't throw him through a wall, that may piss off Tsunade.

"Tsunade as told me so much about you." Dan grinned, "I am so thrilled to finally meet the famous Commander Sakura Haruno!"

"Uh...yeah..." I had no clue who this man was. "...nice to meet you too?" I could hear Raiden and Carver chuckling at my confused expression, I could put them through a wall and not get into trouble...

"Please, help yourself!" Dan pointed to the island where I saw platters of different breakfast foods all waited.

"Thank you?" I moved to take the plate Hinata held out to me.

"How are you feeling?" Tsunade questioned me,

"Uh...tired." I said grabbing pancakes and bacon.

"Tired?" Itachi spoke up, "Why is she so exhausted? She has slept plenty!"

"I am standing right here." I muttered,

"Sakura just came back from the dead." Tsunade explained what everyone already knew, "What's more she broke free from the Reaper's control, she is going to be a little drained for a while."

"How is your chakra?" Raiden wondered out loud.

"My what?" I looked up from my plate.

"Chakra." Tsunade repeated, "All the shinobi who came back had trouble getting a grip over their abilities, it took some time for them to adjust."

"Uh..." I trailed off wondering how I could deliver words how to express how terrible I felt. "...you know how when your arm falls asleep?"

"Yeah?"

"You can feel your arm, it's still there and all, but you can't really move your fingers?"

"Yeah?"

"It's like that." I answered.

"Hm." Tsunade hummed, "Today is only the second day of you being awake, we have to keep that into account."

"That is true." Carver agreed, "She may need more time-"

"Why am I being talked about like I am not here?" I wondered to myself.

"Let's go sit down." Hinata suggested, I gave a quick nod as I followed her to another room, it was a large dining room with an oak table. Everyone followed Hinata and I, Itachi sat beside me asking the same question repeatedly. I was tired of being asked if I was alright or not.

"So!" Tsunade stood from her chair, "I have been putting this off for a while but now I think it's a good time to announce that-" Tsunade giggled, my eyebrows rose hearing her actually giggle. "-Dan and I expecting!"

"Wow!" Hinata breathed,

"Expecting what?" Naruto asked,

"Fucking twat." I sighed shaking my head.

"What?" Naruto asked from beside Hinata, "Are they waiting for a package because I have been waiting for this chair, I bought so good luck-"

"No!" Carver laughed, "Tsunade is pregnant!"

"Eh?" Naruto blinked; I watched the gears in his head grind the thought around. "Eh?!" Naruto jumped, I smiled seeing it had clicked.

"How is that even possible?" Raiden wondered with a mouthful of bacon, "Aren't you like a hundred years old-?" I smiled leaning back in my chair waiting for the show to kick start.

"I am what!?" Tsunade glared moving towards Raiden who cowered in his chair.

"I-I mean your beautiful for your age-I mean...don-don't kill me!" Raiden blabbered out as Tsunade huffed out steam as Dan calmed her.

"Your right-" Tsunade sighed to something Dan had said, "-I won't let their stupidity ruin this moment."

"Stupidity!?" Raiden looked, only to get a plate full of half-eaten food thrown into his face. "Ha-!" Raiden sounded victorious, "-jokes on you, I'll eat this!"

"Ugh!" Tsunade groaned rubbing her face. "Anyway-!" She called over Raiden's laughing battle cry. "-I have another announcement."

"Oh?" Itachi and Carver looked over to the blonde,

"Are you having twins or...?" Carver trailed off.

"No." Tsunade sighed, "I have decided to take on an apprentice."

"Really!?" Naruto jumped excited at the idea,

"Yes." Tsunade nodded, "I will train that person for a handful of months until I see them fit to take over my place as Hokage."

"Wh-What!?" Naruto and Hinata gasped,

"You're going to step down!?" Itachi was wide eyed.

"Yes." Tsunade nodded, "I have been Hokage for far too long now, and with a child on the way I believe this to be the best time."

"But-But you don't need to step down simply because you're having a kid!" Raiden whined, seeming to be more upset than I thought he would be.

"I am not stepping down due to having a child!" Tsunade's voice was hard like stone, "I can still run the village and be a mother at the same time but I am stepping down because I have been Hokage for over ten years now, I would like to move onto the next chapter in my life and that is raising my child."

"Wow." Carver nodded, "Congrats."

"Thank you." Tsunade smiled.

"Any idea on who you would like to take your place?" Itachi questioned sounding almost hopeful?

"Yeah!" Naruto joined in, oh boy...here we go... "Any ideas!?"

"Yes." Tsunade nodded, "Which brings me to my third and final announcement, I would like to officially invite you Sakura-" I looked over at the sound of my name, "-back to the leaf village, as my apprentice-"

"What!?" Naruto as well as everyone else sitting around the dining room table gasped out, their eyes wide and their mouth hanging open. I would have laughed at their expressions if I wasn't sitting in their same boat.

"What?" I dumbfoundedly questioned, what the hell did I just hear?

"I am inviting you to live inside the Leaf Village Sakura-" Tsunade chuckled, "-also, I would like you to accept becoming my apprentice for the next Hokage of this village."

"I..." I was at a loss for words, I felt everyone in the room watching me with hawk like eyes, reading my body language and facial expressions. "...I..." I was truly at a loss for words.

"Sakura?" Naruto turned his rare laser focus onto me.

"What do you say?" Itachi breathed, reaching over taking my hand in his.

"We-Well..." I lightly laughed, "...I-I..." I blinked and for a moment I really thought about what Tsunade was offering me. Could I leave everything I had built inside the waterfall village, can I simply walk away from everyone there for the leaf village...should I...? "...no." I answered.

"Huh?" Tsunade leaned forward as if that would make her hear my answer differently.

"What!?" Naruto stood, "No? What do you mean no!?"

"Sakura?" Hinata's voice was light but full of fractured hurt.

"No." I repeated shaking my head,

"Wh-Why!?" Tsunade gasped, her eyes round with confusion.

"I-" I didn't have words that wouldn't hurt them that would explain the emotions I felt run through me at the idea of taking over Hokage of this village. "I can't-"

"Yes, you can!" Raiden stood, tossing his bacon onto his plate. "You are not the Commander of the Waterfall Village, Dawn is now. You can't just ride back into that village and take that title back from her!"

"I know." I said, "I wasn't planning too."

"Huh?" Raiden blinked.

"You are correct-" I said to Raiden as I pulled myself to my aching feet. "-I am no longer the Commander of the Waterfall Village."

"Then why can't you stay here!?" Naruto yelled disenchanted.

"Sakura-" Carver agreed getting up as well. "-being here is what's best for you. I know there has been so many changes inside the village, but this is still-"

"For the first time-" I cut his ranting off, "-in a very long time I don't have a place where I need to be." I felt an overwhelming feeling of pure freedom wash over me lightening my chest from its solid burdens as I realized I wasn't the commander anymore. "I was Commander for a long time, I led an army that couldn't be stopped, and I ran an entire village while hunting the Reapers down. As selfish as it may sound, I can remain dead to the Waterfall Village and know they will be alright without me."

"Sakura-"

"I-" I breathed not wanting to listen to the voices around me. "I can't." I shook my head, I didn't want to pick up more responsibility over another village, over more people and more shinobi. I did my time, I turned perfectly good shinobi into soldiers...I don't want that kind of control again; I want to let go and do what I should have done when Kaguya's reincarnated sons approached me; walk away from a position of power.

"Sakura, maybe I brought this on too soon-" Tsunade rambled.

"No." I shook my throbbing head, "I-"

"Let's just finish breakfast and-" Tsunade ignored me.

"I have to go." I realized.

"What?" Naruto appeared sickened by my statement.

"I need to go." I repeated turning as I took my exit from the room. I tried to summon my eyes to shift but they wouldn't, Tsunade was right about one thing, I did need more time to recover.

"Sakura!" Naruto and the others followed me, but I didn't feel friends chasing after me concerned for my well being. I felt a dark pressure on my back, breathing down my neck as they wanted to shove a title, I didn't want down my throat. I now had a small taste of read freedom, I could go anywhere or do anything I wanted! Was I also willing to give that up for the leaf village?

I turned hearing Tsunade, Carver, Itachi, Naruto and Raiden all arguing, shoving facts and good points towards me, giving me all great reasons to remain inside the leaf village and accept the title of next hokage, but this isn't what I wanted.

Two years had passed for them but not for me. They all got new chapters inside their lives but was I going to have to skip mine and get thrusted into the same role but with a different village?

Where was the fairness inside that?

I licked my lips as their mixed voices bean to pound against my skull, I bit down on my jaw quickly turning to lock eyes with Itachi.

"The Haze Village." Were the only words to come out of my mouth, I watched his eyes widened as he remembered me pulling his ass out of the fire, now it was his turn to repay me.

"Where?" He breathed, hurt swirling in his eyes as he desperately tried to polish them at me, trying to get me to change my mind.

"Where do you think?" I replied, after a second, he sighed and gave a quick nod before his eyes shifted and a portal opened underneath my legs.

"Sakura!" Tsunade gasped and Carver yelled, I looked forward locking eyes with Hinata momentarily as I fell through the portal. I saw the hurt openly displayed inside her eyes but as I felt a breath of relief freedom, I could only pull my lips into a full blossomed smile.

----

I walked through the familiar empty hall of her apartment building; all I could hear were the echoes of my footsteps, I licked my dry lips. I wasn't sure if she would be home or even live in the same apartment after all this time, but this is where I knew to start. The closer I got to her front door, the less my head throbbed and the pain that had racked me since I had woken faded into the forgotten distance.

My heart was pounding inside my chest making me smile, why was I so nervous? I swallowed a small lump that had formed inside my throat as I knocked on the old wooden door, I wiped my palms on my sweatpants as I waited for an answer. For a second, I questioned if this was the right choice.

"Sakura?" I looked up at the sound of my name, the corner of my lips pulled upward as I took in her long red hair and wide forest green eyes.

"Annistyn." I breathed.