AijinMegami: - . -U er… well… this is finally the ending? Hahaha… ha… er… DON'T KILL ME! I thought this was a fitting ending, that is if you were trying to end it without making it any longer than it was, than yeah it was a fitting ending.

I don't own Naruto!

Dedicated: TO ALL THE READERS OUT THERE FOR LIKING THIS CRAPPY STORY!

---

"So it's true, you have forgotten everything…" Mao said with a sigh. She had heard what had happened but didn't think it was possible to actually seal a person's memory away like that, especially one who was the Kanshisha.

"Who are you?" Sakura repeated, glad that her voice was still. It would have been embarrassing if her voice had shook, revealing her fright.

"My name is Mao. You must be Sakura-san." She said with a curt nod. Sakura didn't move. This girl was hostile, she could feel the bloodlust all the way from her position even though Mao was at least twenty feet away from her.

"What's going on? What was with those memories?" she demanded. Mao tilted her head, watching the emotions that flitted through Sakura's face. Before the memories had erupted, Sakura's face had been filled with curiosity, but not the normal curiosity where you want to know what's going on. It was just curiosity placed there because it seemed appropriate at the time.

Now, after having been given a taste of her memories… of her past… some emotions that seemed genuine appeared in her eyes.

"You…" Mao said in a tightly controlled voice. "I wish you were dead!"

"What?" Mao lunged forward and grabbed Sakura's throat, pinning her on the invisible floor. They were surrounded by darkness; the only source of light had been the memories that were now all gone.

"If you weren't here, Tsuki wouldn't have been born and Kai-sama would be with me! I wish you never existed! Damn it," she tightened her grip around Sakura's throat, making her choke. Sakura grabbed onto Mao's wrist but the strength of a crazed woman prevented her from pushing her off. "But if you hadn't been born… I never would be who I am right now…"

The grip around her throat was starting to loosen and Sakura took this chance to throw Mao to the side. She rubbed her sore neck, watching Mao with careful eyes. Sakura no longer knew what to think. Sasuke-sama… Itachi-sama… who was she?

Two memories swirled inside of her head. One was filled with great love and devotion towards the one named Uchiha Itachi. However, the other was filled with sadness but faithful love towards the one named Uchiha Sasuke. Who was she, what was she? These memories made her unsure of who she was!

Her surroundings began to blur, if that was possible since they were just surrounded by darkness. Mao was beginning to fade away.

"Damn you," Mao cursed. "If – done – everything – going." Parts of her words were blocked out. Sakura felt as if she was covered in lead. What was going on now? Was her mind blacking out because of her confusion?

Sakura-chan! A loud voice screamed, vibrating around her. She looked around.

Naruto?

---

Her eyes snapped opened, suddenly aware of the glowing hand on her head. She grabbed the wrist, hard enough that would make a normal person wince. Before she could do any damage, another hand with an even stronger grip grabbed her hand and pulled it off. She found herself staring into stern amber eyes.

"Who… are you?" Sakura asked in an eerily calm voice. Despite her inner turmoil and confusion in identity, the side that was faithful to Itachi seemed to take over.

"Ah, Sakura-chan!" Naruto chirped from the side. "This is Tsunade-obaachan and she's the new Hokage! She the one who healed you!"

"Tsunade?" she whispered. "One of the legendary Sannin, Tsunade-hime-sama?"

"That would be me." The older woman said in a gruff voice. She didn't seem to like Sakura. There was nothing wrong with the pink haired kunoichi. She just didn't seem to rub Tsunade the right way.

"What… happened?"

"This bastard Uchiha Itachi placed you in the Mangekyou Sharingan and you just collapsed! Well… that's what Gai-sensei said. Kurenai-sensei brought you to the hospital and you've been stuck ever since! So has Kakashi-sensei and the teme!" Naruto then puffed out his chest in pride. "I, on the other hand, went out with Ero-Sannin to find Obaachan so that she could cure you guys!"

"I told you to stop calling me Obaachan!" Tsunade yelled, smacking Naruto on the head. She glared at him, placing her hands on her hips. "Does this look like a body that could belong to an Obaachan?"

"Shut up you old hag!" Naruto yelled. "That's a genjutsu and we all know it! You're a wrinkly old hag and don't lie! Ero-Sannin told me so!"

"You ungrateful little brat," Tsunade looked ready to pummel him. Instead, she grabbed his cheeks and began to pull them apart. "After I healed all your little friends, instead of being thankful, you insult me again and again! Why I ought to teach you some manners!"

"Wahhh, Sakura-chan, help me!" he cried out.

Sakura ignored the two and looked at her surroundings. She was in one of the hospital rooms and other then the two fighting, there was another lady there. She had short black hair and nervous eyes that watched Naruto and Tsunade go at it. Her eyes turned to Sakura's when she felt her gaze. The lady smiled at her but it was unreturned, making the lady even more nervous.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked.

"Ah, my name is Shizune!" she chirped happily. "I'm Tsunade-sama's student. It's nice to meet you."

Sakura answered her with a nod. "May I leave now?"

"No," Tsunade suddenly yelled, keeping Naruto on the floor with her foot on his back. "You were just healed and should have plenty of rest before you start moving again."

"I'm fine," Sakura protested. "I'm not in pain, I'm not tired, and my chakra supply is full."

"Bed rest, it is a direct order from your Hokage." Tsunade said firmly. Sakura glared at her but the older lady didn't seem to be bothered by her death glare. "If not, I will strip you of your title as a kunoichi."

"Hey, hey, isn't that a bit much for wanting to just leave the hospital?" Naruto yelled from under her foot only to cry out in pain as she grinded her heel into his back.

"I am the Hokage," she yelled. "Listen to me or suffer the consequences!"

'…she's really getting into the role of Hokage,' Shizune thought with a sweat drop. 'Hard to believe that not so long ago, she was desperately trying in every way to avoid gaining that title.'

"…fine," Sakura looked away. Her fists clenched, she would have to find Uchiha Itachi later. She looked up when a small tingling in her lower stomach told her that she forgot to ask something. "How is Sasuke-kun doing?"

"Sasuke… -kun?" Naruto questioned. "What happened to Sasuke-sama?" he seemed a little green that Sasuke's name with that suffix came out of his mouth.

"Sasuke-sama?" Sakura looked ready to pummel him. "Why the hell would I call him Sasuke-sama? Are you insane?"

"But, but, but,"

"NARUTO!"

---

Sakura scrunched up her nose in disgust. She had called Uchiha Sasuke, Sasuke-sama? The only person she would have place in such high respect would be members of the Akatsuki… excluding Kisame. The nickname fish-head fit him better.

Another part of her yearned for her to stop calling him simply Sasuke and just call him Sasuke-kun. She didn't know where that feeling came from but ever since she had woken up from the effects of the Mangekyou Sharingan, two sides have been waging war against each other.

Sakura placed her hands behind her head, watching the night sky out the window with her dark emerald eyes. This was hard. One was the loyalty towards Itachi and other was the loyalty towards Sasuke. What was even worse was that she didn't know which side was real.

Her faithfulness to Itachi was there and seemed so real. His lingering caresses on her face, the way he looked at her with his red sharingan eyes, how he would pat her head affectionately. Sakura bit her lip, she could remember his robust scent that would envelope her even in her dreams.

Then there was Sasuke, the memories with him seemed so real. While Itachi's eyes were crimson, Sasuke's eyes were the usual onyx Uchiha eyes. He would appear embarrassed at any publish display of affection but fierce whenever someone would come between them. What was even funnier was that they were both at least twenty years old in that memory!

She rolled to the side, not wanting to see the moon anymore. The moonlight only made her remember two particular memories. One was of Itachi holding her close to share warmth in the forest when she had been young and the other of Sasuke, holding her hands as he promised her happiness if she was to wed him. The memories were driving her crazy, especially since they were not of the correct timeline.

"…what am I supposed to do?"

---

"How dare you interrupt my time with her?" Mao hissed, glaring at Haku. He had attacked her, shaking her out of her concentration that led her into Sakura's mind.

"Whatever was going on had made you mad. I will not allow you to place Sakura's life in danger." Haku looked at her threateningly despite his pacifistic expression. "You would have to go through me first."

"You are mistaken." Mao grunted. "I would never put her life in danger. Hurt her, but never to death."

"I do not understand your motive in all this." Haku whispered, gently this time but not lowering his guard.

"Why should I tell you?" she snapped.

"You don't." he said simply. "I am merely curious. Whether you say anything or not is your decision."

Mao turned away from him. This guy, this Haku, his eyes could see right through her. She gritted her teeth angrily. She had to get away from him. This guy was making her feel helpless! The feeling of vulnerability wasn't something Mao enjoyed.

No… she needed Kai. He was the only one who could soothe her outraged emotions to peace. He always made her emotions run away in fear that they would reveal her incompetence. Mao started towards the door, wanting very much to leave, to get away from this strange boy.

"How long am I to stay here?" Haku asked.

She paused in front of the door and spoke, not being daring enough to look at him in the eyes. "Until we have reached a decision on what to do."

"Decision for what?" he questioned.

"When we reached a decision on what to do with Sakura-san." She whispered.

---

Sakura exited the hospital, happy to finally be out of the place. It wasn't that she hated the hospital. It was more like the smell that irked it. The smell of antiseptic was making her nauseas. Since Itachi had trained her senses to be stronger than most, her sense of smell was better than most.

Naruto was still inside, doing who knows what. He was either bugging Kakashi or Sasuke. Hopefully, he wasn't driving them too insane. When Naruto had done such a thing at her room, he had been kicked out by Tsunade. She had started yelling at Naruto, stating that Sakura needed peace.

That was a downright lie.

Sakura knew what Tsunade was up to. The newly appointed Hokage had done a 'check up' on Sakura, but it was really an examination/interrogation. Sakura knew Tsunade didn't trust her and wasn't surprised. Kakashi didn't really trust her either. A stab of pain went through her chest at the thought.

The memories of the Sakura that was close with Tsunade an Kakashi made it painful that the two didn't accept her as they did in that particular timeline. She rubbed her head to soothe the confusion. Of course, she did this when she was far away from the hospital. If she was caught rubbing her head or show any sign that she was in pain, they were going to drag her back in there.

"Sa-Sakura-chan!" there was a light nervous voice calling out to her from the right. There standing beside a tree was Hinata, covered in sweat with her cheeks flushed. Her hands were tucked behind her back; obviously hiding something behind her "I heard you got out of the hospital!"

"Uh, yeah…" Sakura said awkwardly. She wasn't sure who to act like anymore. The Sakura-chan that was faithful to Konoha or the Sakura that was faithful to Itachi? "Um… what are you holding behind you?"

"Oh, this?" Hinata shyly presented Sakura with a bouquet of brightly bloomed acacia flowers. She hurriedly presented Sakura with the flowers, blushing at the obvious nervous air around her. "I-I'm not very good with flowers and had to ask Ino-san on what would be the best flowers and sh-she said acacias."

"Hinata-chan," Sakura asked with her eyes glued to the flowers. "Do you know what acacias mean?"

"Um… no, I forgot to ask." Her face turned even redder.

Sakura smiled. "They mean friendship…" a distant glaze covered Sakura's eyes, "Thank you Hinata-chan"

"Why are you thanking me?" Hinata looked at the floor. "Sakura-chan, you helped me overcome my fear of letting myself bloom. I'm… I'm still not that good around others, but at least I'm trying now. So, thank you. Thank you for all the things you have taught me!"

Sakura walked along side Hinata through the pathway. She accepted Hinata's thanks, but she knew that she was the one that was most grateful. Her mind was jumbled with an identity crisis, but despite the difference in memories, she still had her friends.

That was all that mattered right now.

---

"Sasuke-kun, wait for me!" Sakura called out, running after the tall stature man that walked through the dark pathway. Night had befallen them, surrounding them in a moonless night sky. It didn't matter. The two could still see perfectly through the pitch black surrounding.

He didn't stop walking, but he did slow down enough so that she could follow her. Sasuke didn't even look at her, continuing whatever destination he had been aiming for. It was probably towards the Anbu office since he worked twenty four seven, every single day, every single year, etcetc.

"How are you doing Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

"Oh my gosh, did that really happen to you?" she asked with a gasp.

"…"

"Really? Man, if that happened to me, I would have died!" Sakura said dramatically. "I can't imagine you going through that though. How did you do it? Wait, wait, you're the great Uchiha Sasuke-kun! Nothing's too hard for you!"

"…"

"What?" she tilted her head., "It really wasn't that bad? Hm… maybe I should try it sometime-."

"Sakura." He finally spoke.

"Do you know where Kakashi-sensei hangs out-?"

"Sakura." He repeated.

"-maybe Naruto can help me with this-."

"Sakura!"

"-if Naruto can't, the only one who can help me is Jiraiya-sama… of course, he might do something stupid resulting in Tsunade-shishou trying to mutilate him in the most harmful way ever-." Sakura continued to babble.

"Sakura." he said in a deadly calm voice that succeeded in silencing her. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Didn't you just tell me so descriptively of the time Kakashi-sensei tied you up on a chair and made you watch Icha Icha Violence, the Movie? I think Naruto has a copy of it, but knowing him it's probably buried under a bunch of junk. So, if he doesn't have it, I'll have to resort to Jiraiya-sama. Since he's the creator of it all, he'd probably have everything related to that perverted book of his." She explained.

"…I did not say all that."

"No, but you did say Kakashi-sensei tied you up and made you watch the movie. I can't believe you actually didn't mind about the porn. You're turning into another Kakashi-sensei, aren't you?" she asked with a suspicious stare, as if he was suddenly going to release a henge and show that he was actually Kakashi the whole time.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That never happened."

"Yes it did." She could see he was in total denial.

"Do you have any proof?"

"Yup, not only did Kakashi-sensei tell me about this little escapade, you told Naruto when you guys went out to drink which lead to Naruto telling me when he came over for ramen."

Note to self, Sasuke thought grimly, never tell Naruto anything again or it'll result in Sakura knowing what he said. Sakura had enough ammunition up her sleeve to make all of Konoha bow down to her. Thankfully, Sakura wasn't the type to use it to her advantage… most of the time.

"What do you want Sakura?" he asked apathetically.

Sakura shrugged.

"That's not an answer."

"But I don't have an answer."

"What do you mean?" only Naruto or Sakura could make him talk like this. No, scratch that, only Sakura could make him blabber on like this about nothing. With Naruto, they talked about… something… but with Sakura, it was about anything from missions to about the mystery of the food Tsunade makes.

Tsunade was a great kunoichi and all, but a cook she was not.

"I don't want anything Sasuke-kun." Sakura said.

"Then why did you call out to me?" he asked almost wearily. It was hard to understand how Sakura's mind worked sometimes.

"Because," she turned to look at him and Sasuke felt his breath caught on his throat. There was no moon but her smile seemed to make her face glow. "I wanted to be with you."

---

A tender smile arose on Sakura's lips at that particular memory. She remembered that so clearly. Sasuke seemed so lost by her words and she wasn't surprised. It must have been so long since someone last made Sasuke feel needed.

Needed, not wanted. Sasuke got plenty of the lateral from everyone. He was a great shinobi and had great looks as well. Everyone always wanted a piece of him and soon, being wanted was something he wanted to be far, far away from. Sakura wanted nothing from him, but she needed him. He was her happiness. She didn't want anything from him. She just wanted to be near him.

Her smile faded a little when a realization dawned on her. In a way, Sasuke and Itachi were very much a like. Itachi was also wanted by everyone. He had power, money, charisma, charm, looks, you name it and Itachi probably had it. He was born with everything a person could want.

To be wanted by everyone for even the silliest reason was something people like Naruto and Gaara never experienced. It was something they wanted so desperately, but while it seemed like a blessing to them, it was a curse to people like Sasuke and Itachi.

Being wanted and being needed is different.

They sound the same to some, but are very different.

A person can be wanted for many things. They could be wanted by how much money they have. They could be wanted by how great their skill is. They could be wanted for how beautiful or handsome they look. They could be wanted for all kinds of things, but if there was one thing a person would desire for more than to be wanted is to be needed.

To be needed is when a person is desired by another for no reason other than that the need for them to be around that particular person. Sakura walked through the forest like park, making no sound with her footsteps. Hinata had returned to the Hyuuga compound a while ago, leaving Sakura alone once again.

"I know you're there… you've been watching me for quite some time…" she whispered. Slowly, her eyes lifted up to meet the eyes of her follower.

---

Haku looked around the corridors, making sure that there were no chakras or hidden chakras nearby. When he was sure that there was no one nearby, he came out of his hiding place and into the clearing.d the corridors, making sure that there were no chakras or hidden chakrs to be around that particular Haku had long since escaped from the room after finally understanding its functions. There weren't any guards posted near his door. He supposed it was because they were confident with their ability to hold him captive.

It didn't matter. This just suited him fine. Now if only he could find out where he was and how he could get back, because truth be told, Haku didn't really understand what was going on that much. The only thing he could get was that these people were after Sakura and it was up to him to save her.

There was strong gust of wind from behind him. He didn't have time to react as a hand grabbed his shoulder, whirled his whole body, and then slammed him into the wall. Brown eyes glared into him, gazing with angered and almost insane eyes.

"Why…" she whispered. "Why do you try so hard for her? She's nothing! She just some random kunoichi… why her… WHY HER?"

"Mao-san…"

"You… you're too much like me, too much… just… too much." She whispered. "Why is that?"

"You don't have a name?" a motherly voice asked gently. "Well then how about Mao from now on?"

Mao pulled back, one hand covering her face. She couldn't tell if she was crying or not anymore. The pain was too much. A lead claw clenched her heart and squeezed it mercilessly. Her back found the wall and she slid down against it, collapsing into a heap of trembles.

"His name is Shojikina Kai and he is the heir to his family. You are to guard him with your life, understood Mao-chan?"

"Sa-Sakura-sama, I listened to everything you told me. I tried to protect Kai-sama with my life, I did!" she yelled, protesting to some unknown force. "Everything… everything was for him. But why, tell me Sakura-sama… why didn't he…"

"When you love someone and want them to love you back, the best thing to do is make them happy." A gentle hand was on Mao's hair, slowly combing away the tangles on her auburn hair.

"Why didn't he ever love me?" she whispered.

"Mao-san, are you alright?" Haku knelt before her, immediately examining her condition. There were no injuries on her body, but the way her eyes would flicker around in anxiety showed everything he needed to know.

"He never loved me," she whispered. "He only loved her… you love Sakura-sama… but why… she could never bring you happiness, you could never be with her… so why, why do you do all these things for her?"

Her brown eyes looked into his desperately, pleading for an answer. Haku felt a stab of painful remembrance as the expression on her face reminded him so glaringly like his own, before Zabuza-sama found him.

"Because I love her," he answered in a soft voice. "And when you love someone, their happiness counts more than your own."

"When you love someone, their happiness counts more than your own."

Mao was silent, digesting his words along with the words spewed from the woman she adored. She didn't know whether to cry or to smile. Those were the exact same words she had heard from Sakura-sama, the one married to Uchiha Sasuke. She never thought she would hear them again, especially from the lips of another. She pushed herself off the floor with the help of Haku.

"No wonder Sakura-sama thinks fondly of you." Mao said dryly, composing herself. The stories that had been told about the man that had helped shape the Jinchuuriki Naruto into what he is today. "She didn't know you that well, but from what Naruto-sama had told her… I can see why she respects you."

"Doesn't… know me that well?" Haku asked confused. She sighed tiredly, leaning against the wall for support.

"I'm sorry… for blowing up on you like this." She looked at the floor. "But I had to ask, for this might be the last time I see you. After all, the verdict has been decided… but not by the elders."

"What are you talking about?"

"Sakura-sama has decided what to do."

"You're not making sense Mao-san, what has Sakura-chan decided?" Haku remained in his calm composed façade. A part of him desperately wanted to shake all the answers out of Mao, but his bigger rational side refused.

"No, not Sakura-chan… not your Sakura-chan." She answered with a shake of her head. "Sakura-sama, she is the one who has decided."

"What has she decided?" he asked once more.

Mao looked at him with softer brown eyes. "The outcome of the battle will decide it all."

---

Sakura could only stare in wonder at the person before her. It was like looking into a mirror… er… a mirror that revealed the future, that is. But that was impossible, no, no, wait a minute, after all happened the last few weeks, Sakura believed anything was possible now.

Emerald eyes looked at her in amusement, but not the mocking amusement that pissed the hell out of her. No, this was more like a gentle understanding amusement. The one looking at her with those emerald eyes seemed to understand her confusion and decided that instead of crying over the frustrating, to smile instead at the situation.

The short rosette hair so similar to hers blew against the wind, covering parts of her counter-parts face. Rose cheeks peeked from behind the pink hair and small plump lips were curved into a knowing smile.

"Who… are you?"

"I am Sakura," she answered. "My name is Uchiha Sakura, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you… Haruno Sakura."

"Is this some kind of joke?" Sakura immediately demanded. The older counter-part was freaking her out. No, she… wait, she said before that she would believe anything now. Still, this thing was a little too far fetched to be able to be believed so easily.

"Do you wish for it to be some kind of joke?"

"What?" she asked flabbergasted.

"Yes?"

"Okay, now you're just being annoying." Sakura said with a growl. Her older self sighed at that word.

"I guess after being with Itachi-san for so long, it should have been obvious that you would pick up some of his… unique tastes." She sighed in contempt. "I guess one of the annoying quirks that the Uchiha's seem to have is the ability to deem anything annoying."

"What are you talking about?" Sakura demanded. Internally, there were two sides in war. One was the side that adored Itachi and the other was the side that adored Sasuke. The one that was with Itachi didn't seem to understand, but the Sasuke-fan seemed to nod in agreement at her older counter-parts words.

"Does it hurt?"

Sakura took a step back at the feel of her counter-parts soft fingers underneath her chin. Her own emerald eyes widened in shock. She hadn't been able to sense the women's movements!

Reaching for her kunai, she swiped at the woman who simply skidded away to the side gracefully. She looked at Sakura, tilting her head to the side. Sakura's eyes narrowed, willing herself to avoid drowning into the pool of green that was so similar to her own.

"Stop talking in riddles."

Her older self seemed confused. "Riddles? The question was very direct in my opinion."

"What the fuck is supposed to hurt?" Sakura demanded. Her older self nodded in understanding.

"Ah, I see… but why should I ask, when you already know what I am talking about." She said wisely.

"What do you want?" Sakura held the kunai defensively. She deeply wished that she had brought Kuragari with her, but she hadn't. Her older self looking at the kunai blankly before sighing at the problem at hand.

"You don't trust me?"

"Not as much as I can throw you." Sakura answered mockingly.

"Hm… then you must trust me a lot!" the older Sakura said with a smile. "After all, you were trained by Uchiha Itachi himself. It would be a shame if you couldn't throw someone like me."

"What do you want?" Sakura was getting tired of the games, tired of seeing doubles, and tired of the two sides waging war inside of her. It was giving her an undeserved migraine.

WE LOVE ITACHI!

WE LOVE SASUKE!

"…gimme a break." Sakura grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

The older Sakura giggled. "It would seem that instead of harboring two minds, you seem to be harboring multiple. I suppose this is what someone would say is a multiple personality disorder."

"Shut up!" Sakura snarled.

"Hm… I suppose, I should get down to business already."

"Damn straight," Sakura said.

"But, it was kind of… nice… to see what I was like before all the things that happened occurred." The older Sakura said solicitously, smiling a smile that showed of all the wars she had gone through to reach the equilibrium she was currently standing on, preventing her from wandering into the pathway of insanity.

Sakura didn't know what to say. There was no way this was a genjutsu. She would have seen through it by now. She clenched her fists. So what was this… this… this situation called?

"So how many guys kissed you?"

"WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?" Sakura screamed, throwing the kunai at her counter-part. Her older self caught the kunai easily, laughing while performing the task.

"I'm sorry, you seemed to be dozing so I couldn't help it." the older Sakura lifted her hand, laughing behind her hand. She was wearing a pure white kimono, decorated with blue birds that seemed to come alive with each movement she made. Her obi and her shawl matched with the birds, but had a lighter tone.

"What do you want with me?"

"To kill you."

Okay, that definitely made Sakura tense up. She crouched down, getting in a defensive position immediately. The older Sakura nodded in approval but said nothing. She raised the hand holding the kunai and effortlessly threw the kunai into the air with a flick of her wrist.

"Who are you?"

The kunai sailed into the air, upward, spinning like a pinwheel against a slow gentle breeze.

"I am you."

The kunai fell and landed with a light plop between them, standing erect on the floor.

Sakura charged and punched the older Sakura at the gut. Her counterpart simple grabbed her fist, twisted it behind Sakura's back, and slammed her onto the floor. With a poof, Sakura turned into smoke. It had been a Bunshin.

From behind, the real Sakura came behind and threw a kick towards her older self's head who ducked. The woman, despite the lack of movement the kimono allowed, twirled on the floor and threw a kick upward at Sakura's face. It collided and once again, smoke covered their surroundings.

A kunai was thrown from the side. The older Sakura grabbed it and blocked the kunai, held by Sakura, that was about to collide with her side. It was now in a stand still between the two.

"Why do you want to kill me?"

"Because the future isn't something you would enjoy."

They broke apart with the older female thrusting upward, ridding Sakura of her kunai. Her eyes widened at the strength behind the woman's weapon and gasped when the shawl around the woman's body suddenly whipped out and wrapped itself around her wrist. The older Sakura spun in a 360 degree angle and threw the younger Sakura into a tree.

"Who gives a shit?" Sakura cursed with no inhibition. "Whatever the future throws at me, I'll give it back ten times the force!"

"You've been hanging around Naruto and Kisame-san too much." The older Sakura said with a fond smile.

"You are me and I am you." Sakura sneered. "You should know that cursing is something you're definitely familiar with."

The older Sakura smiled before fading away with the leaves. Sakura ducked and was about to block the older woman's kick when she felt the hairs on the back of her hair lift upward. She instead dodged the kick by jumping and rolling to the sides.

Sakura's jaw dropped.

Before her was a crater that could fill a lake!

"There's no way in hell that you are me."

"Tell me why you believe you shouldn't die."

"What?"

Her older self seemed to be serious, appearing before Sakura and slamming her knee into Sakura's abdomen mercilessly. There was no chakra behind it but it still sure hurt as hell!

"Tell me why you married that bastard Sasuke? With your strength, I'm sure you could easily… cough… beat the tar out of him." Sakura said, doing her best to pretend that the attack had done only minimal damage.

"You're not in the position to question me." There was no hatred in the older woman's voice. She only seemed to speaking a statement. "Tell me… little Sakura… why do you believe you shouldn't die?"

"Because I like living?" the younger Sakura said sarcastically.

"That's not a very good answer." The older one smacked Sakura and while the younger one was stunned, the older woman punched Sakura on the stomach. Sakura crashed into a tree with a loud 'thud' and with blood spurting out of her mouth. "Tell me… why do you believe you shouldn't die?"

"Don't have one." She muttered. It was the truth. She didn't really have a feasible answer that would satisfy her older self.

"Then you think you should die?"

"Hell no." Sakura pulled herself off the floor and charged at her older self, fist raised. The older Sakura caught the fist and did the same thing she had previously done with Sakura's bunshin. The older woman twisted Sakura's arm behind her, and slammed her onto the floor but not hard enough to knock her out.

"Why do you believe you shouldn't die?"

"I told you," Sakura said in a muffled voice due to her face giving a warm intimate greeting to the floor, "I don't have one."

"Then you think you should die?" the older Sakura seemed to just repeat herself.

"No!"

"Why is that?"

"Gahh, will you stop with the stupid interrogation already?" Sakura demanded angrily.

"Answer the question." She was pushed harder onto the floor. Sakura could feel the rocks digging into her chest… that really… really… HURTS!

"Because I don't want to!" she yelled out angrily.

There was silence and Sakura was sure that her older self was going to kill her now that her older self was done with her deranged game. To her sudden surprise, she felt the weight hold her down lift upward. Her older self looked at her with a soft smile on her face.

"That," she said sincerely, "was a beautiful answer…"

Sakura knew she was going to hate herself for her stupid reaction later, but still she smartly asked. "Huh?"

"What makes us humans, little Sakura?"

The nickname irked her, but she didn't argue. "There's a bunch of reasons for that question."

"One of the main things, little Sakura, are our ability to choose." Her older self said softly. "We get to choose our own future, depending on how much we want that certain kind of future."

"…what are you talking about?"

"So far, how has your life been?"

Sakura didn't want to answer, but the look in her older self's eyes made her somehow compelled to answer. "Fine…"

"Why is that?"

"I have Itachi-sama and his little buddies," she said the 'buddies' part sarcastically. "I have Naruto, Sasuke-kun, and Kakashi-sensei as… well…"

"Do you see what is so confusing there?" Sakura remained silent and her older persona took that as a sign to continue. "You are unbalanced with memories… you are stuck between two worlds…"

"And what has that got to do with choices?" Sakura demanded.

"You never chose this future… you never chose this pathway." Her older self said patiently. "My children have done all the choosing for you, I'm afraid. Tell me, is this what you truly want?"

"…I… er… well… what about you?" Sakura demanded. "You didn't get married to Sasuke-kun by choice!"

"Hm?" her older self seemed confused. "What are you… is that what Tsuki-chan and the others made you believe? I'm disappointed, little Sakura. You are me, you should be able to deduce by the memories that I married Sasuke-kun because I wanted to."

"But," Sakura whispered, "He's so cruel to you."

"You have only seen the side that people despised," her older self said good naturedly. "Sasuke-kun is a sweet complicating person… I love him, all of him… he is Sasuke-kun, and whatever ghosts haunts him, I will bear with him, for I am his wife and the one he will lean on when he need someone."

"What am I supposed to do now?"

"Just sleep… little Sakura… and choose the path that you wished to take." Her older self said. Sakura looked up at the older woman in confusion as she seemed to be fading away slowly. Was the world becoming blurry, or was it just her eyes deteriorating?

---

Eight year old Sakura stared out at the night sky through the window of her room. Her parents were fast asleep in their room and she was all alone. The room seemed so big and empty by herself. She huddled underneath the covers for comfort but was given none.

"No one will choose for you this time… no one has changed anything from the original timeline," a sweet voice murmured. "Choose for yourself, little Sakura… and decide on the path that you wish to take."

She stared out the window, feeling a soft brush against her cheek. Someone seemed to have said something, but that was impossible. She was alone in the big dark room. The moon seemed red tonight…

A fondness arose at the thought of the red moon. It was something special to her. Slowly she crept out of her big dark room and slowly exited her house. The cool wind blew into her face, but she didn't falter.

Something was calling her…

Someone needed her…

She panted at the sight of a figure slowly approaching her.

"What are you doing here girl?" a low voice asked. "Go home."

"I don't want to," she said softly, looking at him with her big emerald eyes. "I don't want to go home."

"Why is that?"

"…there's nothing there for me." Her answer was short and simple. The figure hesitated, glaring into her innocent eyes.

"What is your name?"

"Sakura," she said happily, "Haruno Sakura!"

He smirked at her response. "Well Sakura, my name is Uchiha Itachi."

---

AijinMegami: Okay, here we go with the explanations again!

Er…

Older Sakura made is so that Sakura is able to choose a future of her own without the manipulation of Tsuki. Younger Sakura felt that Itachi needed her more than Sasuke did and went after her.

As for Mao and Haku, the reason why I didn't go on more about them is because there was nothing more to discuss. They would never meet again because they're in different timelines.

I wasn't able to fit this in, but the reason why Mao suddenly exploded like that is because of the older Sakura's decision. She didn't understand why she was going to let the younger Sakura choose, because what if she choosed wrong? Mao got confused with all these emotions and had simply exploded...

This is a crappy ending because it doesn't answer anything yet… it does answer one thing…

This became an ItachiSakura story after all! n . n

Er… I love you? (runs away)

REVIEW PLEASE!