Forever

SasuSaku

summary: After Sasuke came back from Orochimaru, he found a note in his apartment. From her. It was always her. But, it wasn't what he expected. After 3 years, it still wasn't what he expected her to be. Black with red clouds.

Dun, dun, dun, DUUN! 4 chapters left. w00t w00t. This chappie will be a bit short so sorry. But, I PROMISE that next chappie will be better. Oh and...REVIEW!!!!

chapter 16

Get It Straight

"Sorry, but I don't know anything about the eight tailed falcon..." A blonde woman replied, looking at the two in confusion.

"Okay, thanks anyway." Deidara smiled as he and Sakura walked on, farther into the main town of the Mist. "Do you know anyone who might have any information, yeah?" At this, Sakura smirked.

"I think so... We'll just have to go on a different path." Deidara shrugged.

"Whatever, yeah." They then walked in the direction needed, lead by Sakura.

---

"I give you all this power what this is what I get in return?" The Tsuchikage growled. "Your lackeys couldn't even kill two of them!" His voice started to strain. He hadn't talked so long before. Or yelled.

"Please forgive me, Tsuchikage-sama!" A feminine wail was heard. Infront of the Tsuchikage was the same girl. She was on her hands and knees, arms shaking, struggling to support her weight. Her beautiful face was scrunched up in fear and pain.

"What excuse might you have this time?" He snarled, throwing a single kunai at her. It wasn't meant to hit her, just miss her hand by a fraction, to scare her.

"I-I don't know what their excuse is..." She choked out, tears trailing down her cheeks. Oh did he scare her.

"You know what should be done to lackeys who don't get the job done correctly...?" A malicious glint was in his eyes.

"Punish them?" She whispered, not daring to look up.

"Exactly" He went back to not talking much.

"Alright, Tsuchikage-sama. I will make sure Kabuto and Orochimaru are punished for their failure..." She scurried to her feet and ran out of the chamber, knowing he was talking about her. 'How dare they fail and let me be blammed. Now, I won't be so nice.' Her face now held a strong confidence as she placed on a special robe and hat and walked towards the two's dwelling chambers, ready to make sure they had hell to pay.

---

"Who is it?" The voice responded to the knock on the door. It was a feminine voice and it was cheery. She walked to the door and slid it open, only to be met with the face of Haruno Sakura. "Sakura, right? Welcome back! How is everyone is Konoha?" She scanned Sakura, who wore a red tanktop and black shinobi pants, without a Konoha headband. Deidara was in a different town, along with her clothes, in their hotel room.

"Everyone is doing fine. I've just been sent to gather information on something in the Mist and was wondering if you would know anything about it." Sakura replied, trying to put on an act.

"Sure, of course. Ask me anything you'd like!" She replied, sitting on the couch and gesturing for Sakura to do the same.

"Im home" A muffled voice said as the door swung open, revealing an old man. "Who do we have here?" He asked, putting his hat down and exposing gray hair, well all that was all that was left of it.

"Tazuna, this is Haruno Sakura. Don't you remember how her and her team killed Zabuza?" The woman looked at him.

"Wow...that was a pretty long time ago..." He mumbled, scratching his head. She gave a laugh, somewhat hollow.

"Eight years isn't that long ago" She turned when she heard shuffling of feet from the hallway.

"Hey grandpa! Mom, I'm going outs-" He stopped when he saw the pink-haired kunoichi in his living room.

"Going outside with your friends, Inari? Alright. Oh, this is Haruno Sakura. Do you remember when her and her team from Konoha came and helped your grandpa stay safe while building the bridge?" She smiled a big smile, slightly unnerving Sakura. She never really liked her the first time they came here. Something was just a little...weird. However, she chose not to voice her opinions. It wouldn't be good, especially in the situation she was in.

"Oh, I remember. You're the weak one who also stood back and cried alot." He nodded, as if trying to remember correctly. His mother shot him an angry glance.

"Inari! Thats innapropriate! You don't talk to guests like that!" Inari just scoffed and glared at Sakura.

"Its okay, its quite alright. Besides, Inari does speak the truth. But, my weakness is fully in the past. Compared to me, Naruto is the weak one." Sakura glanced at Inari triumphantly.

"Well were is Naruto?!" He snapped as he mother shot him another scolding glare.

"He's either in Konoha or on a mission." Sakura replied. Well, she was telling the truth.

"Why are you here then and who with?!" Sakura could laugh at how Inari handled it, but she didn't laugh so openly any more.

"I'm on a solo mission to gather some information." By this time, Tazuna was in the kitchen, not bothered by the chaos. Sakura turned to Inari's mother, just wanting to get this over with. "Do you happen to know anything about the Koritaka?" Sakura noticed how she flinched, grinning nervously.

"Koritaka? I'm sorry, I don't understand." She tried her hardest to lie and not have it sensed, but Sakura was an expert. She could tell she was lying, even without looking her in the eyes.

"I'm afraid you do. What I don't understand is why you'd hide it." Sakura attempted to act like her old, naive self. But, by the look on her face, she was buying it. 'Ha! If only she knew me!' Inner Sakura was having a field day. Sakura inwardly twitched. 'And here I am thinking I got rid of you.' She thought bitterly. Inner Sakura refrained from replying, only sitting in the back of her mind. Watching. Waiting.

"I can't say much, but all I know is the Jinchuuriki is a male. Thats all I know!" She was shaking now and Inari ran to her side, holding her.

"Hey! Why are you hurting my mom like this? Leave! Just leave!" Inari yelled, glaring at the kunoichi.

"I was going to anyway. Your starting to get on my nerves." Sakura scowled, standing up. "It's been nice to see you again, Tazuna-san." Sakura slightly bowed his way, he in return just nodded, and turned to the doorstep, put her shoes back on, and walked out, neatly closing the door behind her.

---

"Wonderful news, Tsunade-sama!" Kankuro sang out, going straight into the Hokage's office. He had noticed the thick tension in the air and the feelings of sadness for the deceased.

"Not now, Kankuro. I'm too depressed." Tsunade muttered, head on desk in her arms.

"Fine. It would've made you feel alot better. It's evevn more special than sake." He sighed, noticing how her head poked up at the sound of the drink.

"Sake? Where?" She wiped her eyes vigorously.

"Naruto is aliv-" Before he could even finish, the Hokage jumped out of her seat in happiness and ran to the cemetary.

---

"N-N-Naruto-kun..." Hinata weeped, looking at the freshly-placed gravestone for her boyfriend.

"WAIT!!" Tsunade yelled, suddenly appearing infront of them. She looked at the stone and tore it out the ground and flung it backwards, having it land in the park on some making-out couple. No biggie. Hinata's eyes went wide.

"Tsunade-sama?! What was that for?" Tenten asked in shock.

"There's no need for a gravestone if the person isn't dead!" Tsunade's smile was wide.

"That was SO cool how you just pulled the gravestone out!" An overly-annoying voice rang out. Everybody groaned.

"Ugh. Not now Naruto..." Tenten shook, realizing what she just said. Her and Hinata turned around and there stood Gaara, Temari, and ...Naruto.

"NARUTO-KUN!" I think that was the first time Hinata ever screamed like that. She ran into the loving arms of her boyfriend, crying. Tenten sniffed at the heartwarming scene before her.

"Perfect" A voice whispered, observing the scene. Nobody, not even Tsunade, could sense his presence like that. With that, he burrowed back into the ground.

---

"Thats not much information, yeah!" Deidara snorted. Sakura shrugged.

"I'm not sure if thats all she knows but she sure didn't want me hanging about." Sakura retorted.

"Not that its much of a surprise. Nowadays, nobody wants an Akatsuki member around the house, yeah!" Deidara chuckled, laying down on the only bed in their grimy hotel room. Sakura told him he could have the bed for the night, she'd use the couch.

"We'll leave for the other side of the country tomorrow. There has to be some information about the Koritaka there." Sakura said, laying down.

---

"OUTRAGEOUS!" A fist slammed down on the desk, leaving it in ruin.

"It's true, Leader-sama. Uzumaki Naruto lives." The messanger merely smirked. His golden eyes glinted in satisfaction, a complete contrast to how one side of his body was white and the other black.

"Thats it. Bring Sakura and Deidara to me, imidiately!" Pein growled. Zetsu nodded, going back underground.

"They better hope they live when I'm through with them!" Pein's teeth clenched in utter anger, his shaking fist still where it was when it connected to the desk.

tbc

Finished in a day! YAY! Well, I won't be updating untill the weekend at least since I have tests this week.

Results:

-Pein (1)

-Itachi (3)

Hm, no more guesses, eh? Well, thanks to everyone who votes so far!

your MY HEAD HURTS, TOO MANY WORDS TO STUDY authoress...

kunoichixakura