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Forgetting Sasuke	By : CutieSakura Category: Naruto > General Views: 1230 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Disclaimer: Not mine.
"You look pensive," Gaara commented casually, standing on the ceiling, looking down at Sakura.
"No," Sakura replied, shaking her head and plastering a smile on her face. She closed the composition book in her hand. "Your progress is remarkable, Gaara-sama. In the last week alone, your stamina has increased ten-fold."
Gaara wordlessly disintegrated in the sand, reappearing directly in front of Sakura. "I feel much stronger." He studied her curiously for a moment before asking, "Would you say the damage has been completely repaired now?"
"As a matter of fact, I would," she said. "Your stamina is on par with where it was before the extraction, your strength good. You have better control in your manipulation of the sand, all of which lead me to believe that you're healed. Whatever else might be left to repair will heal itself on its own. There's nothing more I can do for you."
Gaara nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "I suppose then that your mission is complete and you'll want to return home."
"My mission is complete, Gaara-sama. I was sent here to aid you. However, I'll remain with my team until all parameters of our mission goals are complete."
Gaara sat down, motioning for Sakura to do the same. She took a seat across from his desk and waited for him to speak. "We do have need of Konoha's aid, however at this point in time, given the situation, I feel it best for you and Hyuuga to return to Konoha, confer with Tsunade there, and together we will figure out how best to handle things."
Sakura stared at Gaara in surprise. "Surely you aren't saying that-"
"Sakura-san, Suna has been on lockdown since the attack to Kankurou's unit last week. We can't even step outside our own gates, and we still aren't entirely convinced that our correspondence with Konoha isn't being monitored. Hyuuga-san is in the best position to inform the Hokage of our situation, without worry of encryptions being broken, and with the best of Sand and Leaf shinobi both working to solve this together, Suna stands a much better chance."
"I understand," Sakura replied, resigned. "When do you want us to leave?"
"Tomorrow, I think. Under cover of night. I will send an escort."
"That won't be necessary," Sakura shook her head. "Neji and I will be fine, and there's no reason to put another Sand-nin at risk."
"Very well," Gaara nodded. Sakura stood up to take her leave. "One more thing."
"Yes?"
"I ask that you meet me in my quarters at seven-thirty this evening."
"Alright," she nodded, puzzlement apparent on her face. "I'll see you this evening then."
* * * * *
Neji walked down the corridor to the Kazekage's office, curious as to the nature of the summons. He knocked.
"Enter." Neji strode into the room and waited for Gaara's gesture of invitation to sit. "There are a few things we need to discuss," Gaara said bluntly.
"Agreed," Neji said.
"Tell me what you know, and your take of it."
Neji looked Gaara in the eyes, and began divulging his theories.
* * * * *
Temari and Sakura took seats in a quiet tea shop, placing an order for green tea and rice cakes.
"So you leave tomorrow night then?" Temari asked, unlatching her fan and placing it on the table.
"It looks that way. I'm relieved to be going home. Honestly, Temari, I know she's doing better, but I'm still so worried about Ino. The last message that I received from Tsunade-shishou said that she was healing well, but that her recovery was coming along much more slowly then expected. I know Ino, she's a fighter, so if she's having a difficult time..."
"I know, Sakura. I've been worried too. I know Shikamaru�s been a wreck. He and Ino, I think they�ve gotten close.�
�You mean together?� Sakura asked. Temari nodded. �Are you okay with that? I mean I know you and Shikamaru are-�
�Friends,� Temari said. �We�ve only ever been good friends. I wanted more, but I don�t think he did, so� if he�s with Ino, and he�s happy, that�s all I care about.�
�He�s very lucky to have you as a friend.�
"Here you go, dears," a kindly woman replied, setting down a tea kettle, two cups and a plate of rice cakes.
"Thank you," they replied in unison.
�I�m lucky too. And I really hope Ino is okay. For both of your sakes.�
Sakura poured the tea into each cup, pushing one over to her friend. "I know. And I really thank you for it," she replied, smiling. She took a sip of her tea, leaving the rice cakes untouched. "Neji's not going to be happy about leaving."
"Why is that?" Temari asked, covering her mouth as she chewed.
"He doesn't like leaving things unresolved. He's still not certain how the attacks are being carried out, and we're all still clueless as to who is responsible. We're leaving, but there's been no resolution to the problem, you see."
The blonde nodded her agreement. She waited a moment to swallow before replying, "But getting another perspective, from the outside, could be exactly what we need to crack this wide open and figure out how to counterattack."
"I agree," Sakura said, "I just don't know that Neji will."
* * * * *
"Very well," Neji said, standing up. He nodded to Gaara before leaving.
As the door closed behind him, Neji let loose a breath he was holding. It made sense to send them back to Konoha, however a lot of things needed to be taken into consideration. At the forefront of Neji's mind was impending attack, and that Suna could easily be attacked before Neji and Sakura make it to Konoha, ensuring Konoha's ignorance and inability to aid Suna. Gaara however remained firm in his decision, and as a guest in Suna, Neji was in no position to argue.
'This is utter stupidity,' he raged silently as he made his way back to his quarters. The likelihood of Sakura and him getting attacked also weighed heavily on his mind. From what he had witnessed of these attacks thus far, they would be at an extreme disadvantage. It was however, more likely that the enemy would attack within Wind Country, having better knowledge of the terrain there. Once into Fire Country, they should be able to get to Konoha without too much difficulty.
He looked up to see Sakura and Temari walking towards him, both deep in conversation. Neji noted the serious expression on Sakura's face. She nodded at something Temari said. "No, I agree with you," he heard her reply.
Neji cleared his throat softly, alerting the two surprised kunoichi to his presence. "Neji-san!" Temari exlaimed.
"Temari, Sakura," he nodded.
�Neji, you�ve spoken with Gaara-sama then?� Sakura asked, noting the perturbed look on his face.
Neji nodded. �We need to talk.�
Temari looked from Neji to Sakura and back again. �Come find me later then, and we�ll finish our conversation,� she said to Sakura.
�Okay,� she nodded. She went directly into her room knowing Neji was on her heels. �What is it?�
�I�m not comfortable with leaving now,� Neji stated bluntly. �We�re leaving Suna vulnerable to attack.�
�I understand Neji-kun, and I agree with you, but it�s Gaara-sama�s decision. We aren�t in any position to argue.�
�You have to talk to him. Explain the situation, and tell him he�s making a grave mistake. He�ll listen to you.�
�No,� Sakura shook her head, �I�m afraid he won�t. I�ve already tried. Neji-kun, I�m just as concerned as you, but there�s nothing we can do except follow orders.�
�I don�t like this,� Neji replied angrily. �I feel like there�s something we�re missing, and it�s vital. If we leave now��
�Neji-kun, I know,� Sakura sighed. She had her own concerns and reservations. She didn�t want to start arguing with Neji as well. �Look, we�ll be able to give Tsunade-sama a full report when we get back, and I�m sure she�ll send more shinobi to aid Suna once she has a better understanding of what�s going on.�
�Sakura, we don�t even know what�s going on!� Neji shouted.
�Don�t yell at me!� Sakura yelled angrily. �I�m not the enemy here.�
Neji sighed. �I�m sorry. You�re right. I just, I can�t help but feel that this situation is going to blow apart if we leave.�
�That�s like saying that the only reason Sunagakure hasn�t been completely attacked or invaded is because you and I are here, and frankly, Neji, that�s ridiculous. No one would abort or postpone attack plans on a hidden village just because there are two shinobi from a different hidden village there.�
�That�s not what I�m saying,� Neji said, sighing. He sat down on the edge of Sakura�s bed.
�Then what exactly are you saying?�
�I guess I can�t explain it. It�s a feeling that I have.�
Sakura crossed the room and stood in front of Neji, putting her hand on his shoulder. �Look, I understand how you feel. I really do. I have the same reservations and concerns that you do, but we don�t have a choice.�
�I know you�re right,� Neji sighed, defeated. He looked up at her, meeting her eyes, clear and calm. �We�ll both be in danger, leaving tomorrow. Given the attacks already, there�s a good chance that-�
�I know. It�s a risk we�ll have to take,� Sakura replied. �Gaara-sama offered to send an escort with us, but I turned him down. I�d rather not have anyone other than just the two of us to worry about.�
Neji nodded. �Look,� Sakura continued, �I have to meet Gaara-sama in a few minutes for a meeting. I�ll be back in just a little while, okay?�
�Yeah,� Neji replied. He swung his legs up onto the bed, resting his head on Sakura�s pillow. Sakura leaned down, giving Neji a light kiss.
* * * * *
Sakura found a note taped on the Kazekage�s door with her name on it. Upon reading it, she went up the stairs to his private quarters. �Come in,� she heard after knocking.
Sakura pushed open the door and walked in. �Sakura-san,� he said pleasantly, �please have a seat.� He motioned to a plush chair. She sat down and watched him finish gathering scrolls before sitting down across from her.
�I�m aware that you have been trying to find some information regarding the forbidden jutsu my grandmother used to save my life. There isn�t much, but I wanted to share with you what I do know.�
Sakura�s eyes widened, her jaw dropping. �Really?�
Gaara simply nodded. He handed her a handful of scrolls. �There�s not much. What I have been able to find out is that the jutsu is forbidden because it requires the ninja using the technique to drain his chakra at an extreme rate in order to reanimate the dead. The amount of chakra needed and the force at which it is transferred from ninja to corpse is tremendous. This is why it is a forbidden jutsu. The user will die.�
Sakura stared hard at Gaara, taking in his words, mulling them over in her mind. After long moments of silence, she said, �Chiyo-baa-sama used that jutsu on me, but it didn�t kill her. I never understood it, but your explanation makes a great deal of sense. I wasn�t technically dead, so she didn�t need to fully reanimate, only resuscitate.�
�Precisely,� Gaara nodded. �What I found in those scrolls isn�t much, and for that I truly am sorry. She wanted to keep the jutsu a secret so that it would not be used senselessly. She believed in the natural order of things, and if a ninja died in the line of duty then so be it. I�m still unsure of why she made the exception for me.�
�You�re the Kazekage, Gaara-sama,� Sakura said simply. �You�re important to this village, and there was nothing natural about the way you died. Of course she would save you.�
�You wish to acquire the knowledge of the jutsu to save Naruto if needed,� he stated.
Sakura�s eyes met Gaara�s. She replied, �Yes.�
�I�m sorry I can�t be of more help. What little I found was left encrypted in her personal diaries, and I won�t part with those. The blue scroll contains what I�ve just told you. Perhaps you can fill in the blanks of those scrolls. Keep this in mind though, Sakura,� he warned, �Naruto cherishes you above all others. Should you use this jutsu to save his life, he will never forgive you.�
�I�m aware,� Sakura said. She stood slowly, signaling the end of the meeting. �Thank you for bringing all of this to my attention. I can�t tell you how grateful I am.�
�And I thank you once again for your aid in the matter. You are an excellent medic-nin.�
Gaara walked her to the door where she turned, shifting the scrolls into one arm to shake his hand.
* * * * *
Neji was sleeping when Sakura entered her room. She carefully placed the scrolls into her satchel, changed into her orange shirt and climbed into bed. Neji�s arms automatically went around her, still sound asleep.
Sakura closed her eyes, thinking of Naruto and the skills she would need to research and discover in order to save his life if Akatsuki ever got him. The thought of going home was also exciting. It had been a month since they�d left, and she had so much to tell him, so much to share with him. She opened her eyes, staring at Neji�s handsome features. Soon everyone would know, and she couldn�t wait.
* * * * *
Neji and Sakura dashed through the dark expanse of desert. Inside his satchel, Neji carried the scroll for Tsunade that Gaara had given him, no doubt the update information about the situation, details and questions of how to proceed and what Konoha would be willing to do in case of trouble.
�Sakura, are you tired?� he asked, noticing Sakura lagging behind a little. He waited for her to reach him.
�No,� she shook her head, �I�m fine. We should rest in a little while though.�
�Hold out if you can. I don�t want to rest until we�re outside of Wind Country if at all possible.�
�I understand,� she replied. Neji studied her features in the darkness with his byakugan. She was obviously fatigued. They�d been traveling for six hours straight. It would be another four at least before they reached the border of Fire Country.
The two continued for another hour without event. Finally Sakura stopped. �Neji-kun, I have to rest,� she sighed. She took off her backpack and satchel and sat down under a tree, evidence that the border was near.
�Just for a little while,� Neji consented.
�If we were going to be attacked, they would have done already.�
�Not necessarily,� Neji sighed, removing his own heavy load and sitting down beside her. �The moment we let our guard down is the moment we get ambushed.�
�Why would they follow us this far out of Sunagakure?� Sakura asked. �It�s impractical.�
Neji said nothing, continuing to scan the area with his bloodline limit. Sakura stretched her legs out in front of her, raising her arms over her head to do the same. �We should be to Konoha by daybreak.�
Neji nodded. �If we keep the pace we�re at and don�t run into any trouble.�
Sakura pulled out a bottle of water, drinking generously before handing it to Neji. He took a few sips before giving it back to her. �We should get going,� he said.
�Alright.� They gathered their bags and set off once more.
* * * * *
Another two hours had passed. Sakura looked to Neji. The forest was getting much denser, rending the moonlight sparse. They would be entering Fire Country shortly. Sakura�s entire body ached, and she just wanted to be home and sleeping in her own bed.
She was pulled from her thoughts by a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. Her head whipped to the left. �Did you hear that?�
Neji put his hand up to silence her. His finger pointed to his eyes and she got the meaning clearly, �I can see them.� Another moment and he held his fingers up. �Three.�
The leaves rustled around them so quietly only ninja would notice the disturbance. Sakura readied her kunai and shuriken. Neji vanished from her side, into the darkness. She heard blows exchanged and a grunt.
The second jumped out of the shadows, engaging Sakura. She had difficulty seeing and had to rely on instinct. A blow landed to her leg. She turned and hit him with a chakra infused punch before bringing her leg down to the ground, creating a huge fissure in the hard earth, sending the nin hurtling through the air.
She stared as the nin turned into a log. She felt the movement behind her and ducked, sensing the blow to the back of her head. She spun on her heel to face her attacker but was suddenly rendered unable to move her upper body, her arms pinned to her sides. �What?�
Neji appeared from out of the shadows in a flurry. He landed a few hard blows to the first attacker, but could not get enough of an advantage to use the sixty-four strikes. Sakura turned to find who bound her. She jumped, bringing her leg down to create another fissure. The shinobi jumped back, bringing Sakura with him. The rope coming out of his hand was suddenly a separate piece; he wrapped it around the nearest branch.
�Now!� the first shouted. Neji and Sakura both turned to see a rain of shuriken aimed straight for them. The two attackers leapt out of the way. Neji�s white eyes found Sakura, rendered immobile and helpless. He ran to her, slicing the chakra bonds with his juken, grabbing her and pulling her to him tightly as he began to spin into his kaiten.
The swirling chakra slowed and then finally stopped completely. Sakura stared up into Neji�s eyes, feeling disoriented. His eyes scanned the area. �They�re gone�� he realized. �Why would they��
Sakura sank to the ground. �Are you okay?� Neji asked, dropping to his knees next to her.
She nodded her head slowly. �I� I�m dizzy.�
�I apologize.�
�No, it�s okay. Where are they?�
�I don�t see them anywhere,� he stated. Clearly he was uneasy and suspicious. He walked the perimeter for a moment, looking out into the trees.
�Neji,� Sakura said, getting his attention. She pointed to their bags. Neji�s rucksack was there, but his satchel was missing. �The scroll. Neji, they have the scroll!�
Neji�s expression turned to stone. �Don�t worry,� he said simply. �Are you hurt?�
�Neji!�
�Sakura,� he said sternly, �don�t worry about it. Now are you hurt?�
�No� I mean my arms and chest sting from that chakra rope, but otherwise I�m fine.�
�Can you continue?�
�Yes,� she nodded. Neji gathered up his rucksack and her satchel, leaving only her backpack for her to carry.
�Let�s go.�
* * * * *
�Haruno, Hyuuga, you�re to report to Hokage-sama immediately,� said the chuunin guard at the gate.
�Understood,� Sakura replied. The sun had risen a good way in the east. If she had to guess, Sakura would say it was around eight-thirty. She turned to Neji, �I hope she doesn�t keep us too long. I�m exhausted.�
He nodded, taking in everything going on in the busying streets. The two reached Hokage tower and made their way up to her office.
�Izumo, Kotetsu,� Sakura smiled pleasantly at the two jounin assistants, �is she in?�
�She was drooling over some scroll when we peeked in on her an hour ago,� Izumo said, containing a smirk.
Sakura returned the smirk, �Well of course. Would you expect anything less?�
She rapped loudly on the door. She could hear things being shuffled around and then a muffled voice saying, �Come in.�
Sakura and Neji walked in through the heavy wooden doors. �Sakura!� Tsunade exclaimed, �I didn�t expect you back until tomorrow.�
�We went straight through the whole night.�
�That was careless. You both look terrible,� she said sternly.
�We were ambushed,� Sakura said. �They attacked, but they were after-�
�Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but I felt it best given the circumstances. Everything that has been going on in Sunagakure has been detailed in this scroll by the Kazekage for your eyes only.� He produced the scroll from the folds of his yukata and handed it to her. Sakura�s eyes grew wide.
�I assume you�ll want to read the scroll before I give you my own assessment of the situation.�
�Of course. Sakura,� she turned her attention to her apprentice, �how is the Kazekage?�
�Healed. I did as much as I could. The rest he�ll have to do on his own. I�ve detailed my own work in this scroll,� she said, removing it from her satchel and handing it to her. �I also have further information that I�ll share with you after you look over my initial notes.�
�Very well,� Tsunade said, standing up. Neji and Sakura followed suit. �Why don�t you both go get some rest. I�ll meet with you each individually this afternoon.�
�Sounds good,� Sakura replied. Tsunade stepped around her desk and gave Sakura a hug, then shooed them both out of her office.
Once outside the tower, Sakura and Neji looked at one another. �Going home?� she asked.
He nodded. �Come with me.�
She smiled but shook her head. �I think I�d like to sleep for a while in my own bed. But I will meet you this afternoon after our meetings with Shishou.�
�Alright,� he replied. He stared at her a moment, as though trying to decide something.
Sakura stepped forward, slipping her hand behind his neck and pulling him to her in a sweet kiss. �So I�ll see you later.�
Neji smiled and nodded.
He performed a few seals and vanished.
Her chakra reserves low, she felt it best if she conserved her energy and just walked the short distance to her apartment.
She was still concerned about Ino, and would make a point of stopping to see her before going to meet Tsunade. She guessed Hyuuga Hiashi was probably already home which would relieve Neji. So much had happened and yet she was still glad to just be home.
�I�ll get to see Naruto later,� she thought, feeling a ray of sunshine in all the gloom surrounding her. She couldn�t wait to tell him about her relationship with Neji and how happy she was. Just imagining the look on his face made her laugh out loud. �What!?� he would yell in shock and she�d have to smack him to keep him from making a scene. She knew he would be thrilled for her though, and she wanted more than anything to tell him.
She pulled her keys out of her satchel, turning the lock in the door. She had one foot across the threshold when she heard, �Sakura?�
�Yes?� she turned to greet the one who called her. She was met with black eyes, black hair and a porcelain complexion. She blinked slowly, and then again. �Sasu-ke?�
A small smile played at the corner of his lips. �Hn.�
The world began spinning and then darkness claimed her.
~~~~~
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Forgetting Sasuke