Sakura Haruno was three when she found out she had a cousin, an older, lovely little girl with long red hair and amber-brown eyes, about the age of four. They were introduced to each other when the girl's mother announced that she was leaving Konoha with her husband to move to the countryside, away from the hassle and crowded spaces of Konoha. It was Sakura's mother's twin sister; Akina who had brought her daughter round for her first and last meetings with her cousin and Aunt. Both their fathers were no-where to be seen on that particular day, though it was probably best, as both mothers did not approve of each others spouses.

It was a nice autumn day, not cold enough for someone to wear their thickest jumper, but not warm enough for them to be walking around in just plan trousers and a shirt either. The leaves were golden and brown in their colours, swirling around in small gusts of wind, falling from the trees and flying far away in their slow sleep-like death. Konoha at this time of day was calming down from the hustle and bustle of its everyday activates, getting ready to eat a hearty meal, then settle back down in the comforts of home to spend quality time with family and friends while the sun began to fall slowly from the skies of pinks and greens with the pale water blue still clinging to the very edge.

It was down these quietening streets that two figures were steadily walking, wrapped up in very posh and expensive clothing. The taller one, obviously a woman in her mid twenty's wrapped in a thick red shawl, a large white ring on the back of it in the shape of an O. Her dark pink hair was bundled up into a messy side ponytail. She had dark green eyes which seemed to bore right through you if you stared long enough. She was clutching at the shawl with one green-gloved hand to keep it wrapped around her shoulders, keeping the wind from biting at her skin. Her other hand was holding onto the smaller one of a young child, a girl, possibly her daughter. Only the child seemed to be more high class then the woman beside her, she was wearing a dark indigo blue over-coat with a matching hat and white gloves, though none of her clothing held the Haruno symbol. Her white sandals slapped gently in time with her mother's deeper footsteps upon the concrete floor. The girl was quite young but seemed to hold wisdom above her years. She had large amber-brown eyes and flaming red hair that was being blown about her features in the wind, she looked about three to four years old, but a single look into her eyes could tell another story.

The girl shook the woman's hand to gain her attention but did not let go when she found she did not recognise the street they were walking down.

"Where are we going mommy?"

She asked in a small, delicate voice, eyes shimmering with curiosity. The Woman looked at her and smiled, squeezing her hand back.

"We're going to say goodbye, Anna. Goodbye to a few people that I know before we leave."

The woman turned right, and then stopped at the eighth door down the street. She took a few minutes to calm her rapidly beating heart, but her silence and lack of movement invoked more curiosity in her little daughter, who glanced up at her, waiting to see what she would do next.

After five knocks, it was a woman who answered the door; she was also in her mid twenties. The little girl had to blink twice and then glance between the two older women to see if her mind was playing tricks on her, but something told her she wasn't being deluded. The girl was staring at her mother's twin sister who hadn't paid her any heed as of yet, or was ignoring her, she couldn't quite tell.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, my dear sister?"

The woman had forced out when she saw who it was knocking at her door. The two were defiantly twins, place them together and the only thing that could be distinguishable between them was the colour of their hair; the other woman had perfect pink hair, with a shimmer of silver to it, Akina had darker pink, a duller shine to it.

They had not spoken since Akina had discovered she was carrying a child four years ago. Anna's father was an older gentleman in his mid thirties, with dark brown hair and eyes behind glasses, usually seen wandering around Konoha in a black trench coat and heavy iron-toed boots, his origins were unknown but he had arrived in Konoha five years prior to his marriage to the elder Haruno daughter. The elders of the family had not approved of this marriage, nor had her sister.

The man went by the name of Amneo Kenji, an infamous alchemist. That last name alone was enough to set everyone in the village talking; there had been rumours of a travelling alchemist going to all the different villages in fire country. Alchemy at the time was not of big importance, though stories of transmuting gold and mixing up perfect medicines and wealth were getting around, there was also a rumour that Tsunade-sama herself (Who had fled the village years ago with her dead lover's niece) had run into an Alchemist by the same name and he had helped her immensely with her work in the medical field, though one night, something had gone wrong with the research. There were whispers of 'Human alchemy', being done, which was not only banned from the whole state, but also nearly impossible by nature itself. Seemingly because of this illegal act, Tsunade was forced to abandon her research with the mysterious Alchemist, who also vanished that same night. Other then that Alchemy had traditionally been viewed as 'the history of an error', an example of mediaeval gullibility and greed. But alchemy had also been described as the 'mightiest secret that man could possess'. Though the Haruno family and most of Konoha were suspicious and unhappy with the idea of this mysterious man setting up home in their village with his works of science which also threatened religion among other things, they were none-the-less impressed by what he could do.

They weren't happy however, when the oldest of the twins, barley out of her teens herself was seen flirting with him around Konoha's stores. She announced her engagement to him six months later.

"You hardly know him!"

Akina's sister almost cried when she told the whole family at dinner that same night he proposed. Their parents were not approving either.

"Akina dear," their mother started gently "You have only started talking to him a few months ago, what could possibly make you think that you are ready for this type of commitment? And to a stranger even?"

Akina continued to finish her bowl of rice before placing it down and staring at her mother with blank eyes.

"I know him well enough mother; and you should be happy that I have finally found someone at last who loves me back. Plus it is about time I was wedded and found my own accommodations."

"We are happy for you dear, it is great that you think you are in love and want to stand on your own two feet, but why him?! Him of all people?! Why not someone—"

"Someone who what?"

She challenged her mother; whose mouth turned into an ugly frown. This was an old argument, and quite frankly, Akina did not have the strength, physically or mentally to let it last any longer then it already had done. She had had enough. It was time to end this fight, one way or another. It started when the whispers of her meetings with the Amneo man had reached the elder's ears, but it was to stop tonight.

"Someone who isn't afraid to experiment? Someone who isn't afraid to speak his mind?"

True, some of his theories and experiments she herself did not agree with, but it was his career, his job, his life even and she was willing to go through with it, just for him.

"Listen Akina," the twin's father finally decided to speak. "This alchemy thing that his now infamous for, it's just not natural, we don't like it, and neither does the village. We would rather not have you get mixed up in all that pish-tosh. And he is almost ten years your senior, plus he has no background, we do not know where he has been or who with! For all you or I know, he could have five kids by different wives in all other different countries or by different women altogether!"

"You don't know him like I do! If you were to just take the time to—"

"To what?! To allow this filthy old man take advantage of you?"

Her father's tenor snapped and he slammed his ailing hands down on the table, causing various dishes and china to rattle.

"He's not a filthy old man! And I know what I am doing! We're both adults for Kami's sake!"

"Give or take ten years!" Her sister snapped, choosing her parent's side.

"Oh yes?! And what about you're dallying's with that guy from the bookstore down the road my dear chibi nii-chan? Isn't he what, three years older then you?"

He sister's face tinged pink before her eyes turned into slits.

"Don't talk about him like that! He's a proper gentleman, mother and father like him a lot, and at least he isn't some alchemy-using witch freak!"

Slap.

The back of Akina's hand made a large red imprint on her little sister's soft check. The room was filled with tense air. All it took was for her sister to slap her back the same way and the whole room lit up like an inferno.

"STOP! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!"

Their father had roared while yanking the two of them away from each other by the arms. Akina had a fat lip and she had given her sister a black eye by the looks of how it was starting to swell. Her father seemed to be yelling more at her then at her sibling. Akina gave her family a look of pure disgust and loathing before wrenching her arm back and yelling at them;

"I hate you all so much! You just aren't happy with whatever I do or whatever choice I make! I intend to marry him with or without your blessings! You can't stop me! I am a young woman in my twenties! There is no law under the Hokage himself about disallowing marriages!"

"If you walk out of this house and go to him then don't even think about coming back! You are no longer welcome here!"

Her mother screeched, jumping up to join her husband and younger daughter. The three of them stood together on one side of the foot-level table, Akina stood on the other. They did nothing but watch as Akina's features screwed up with tears pouring from her eyes; she then turned and fled out of the side door.

"Nobody move."

Her father held both his arms out to stop the other two women from walking after her. Her mother sighed heavily. Unhappy with not being able to change her daughter's mind and not being allowed to peruse her till she did, she sat her self down at the table again and poured herself a generous amount of sake. Presumably to drown herself with. Her husband followed almost immediately afterwards, also pouring himself a heavy amount of the clear liquid. Their daughter however simply sat down at her place. She did not move from that spot all night, there was no conversation between any of them from that point onwards. The next day, when she failed to return back to her home, Akina was disowned by her parents when they found out she was living with the alchemist.

It is said that there is a link between twins. A kind of psychological passage between the two separate minds, where they can communicate by a small source of telepathy or pick up distress signals from the other when something was wrong. Akina felt that something was wrong for the next few days as she began to settle into her new home with Kenji. But it vanished completely as soon as Kenji slipped a golden band over her marriage finger a month later. All ties with her mother, her father and her little nii-chan were severed three months later when she found she was expecting.

That was four years ago. Since that time; both the twin's parents had died, but not before seeing their youngest wed to a respectable man from down the street who made the promise to care and provide for her; for better and for worse. It helped to heal the Haruno's pride and dignity slightly. The family did hear rumours of a grandchild being born two weeks later, but there were no celebrations, no congratulations cards, and no tiny clothes being bought and sent to the house where the new Amneo family was living. There was absolutely nothing, anyone would've thought that there was no link between the two families. They didn't even want to know of the child's gender or name. There were also allegations flying around that it had been a still-birth. This was a rumour that the Haruno elders were counting on. Perhaps it was too late for Akina, but she could've at least spared any child of hers from a life in this world, and to spare her own family more shame. So when they heard nothing more about the supposed 'Amneo heir', everyone breathed a sigh of relief and started looking towards the newly weds life together.

But the Amneo heir was standing here in front of the woman now. Strong, young, breathing and healthy. A girl only a year older then her own daughter. Sakura was born just after her grandmother had died. She was two when her grandfather deserted the world as well. On those three days, Akina did not show her face, nor leave her house. Here she was now though, holding the hand of a child who was supposed to be still-born at birth. Well, her heart was proving all of the rumours wrong with every beat it took.

Her mother clutched the shawl around her tighter. "I've come to talk with you. And to allow my musume-chan to see the rest of her family before we leave."

The woman at the door suddenly turned her hard gaze upon the small child holding Akina's hand. Anna flinched and stepped back slightly. She did not like the look this woman was giving her. The woman in return looked at her as if she was something vile.

"Don't be rude Anna, say hello to your Aunt."

The girl tentatively stepped forwards again.

"Konnichiwa Oba."

She bowed her head slightly out of respect, her father had taught her well in the field of manners. Her aunt however, continued to stare at her as if she was trying to look for a fault in her. Something to prove her identity was false, that she wasn't her blood niece.

"I thought she was still-born."

The woman looked back at Akina without as much as a smile to Anna, or a greeting back. Akina did not fail to notice this, nor the tone of her sister's voice.

"So did we, but she proved us all wrong when she started screaming her little lungs out."

Akina smiled down at Anna before looking back at her sister who did not smile back. Instead she glanced between the two and moved to the side to allow them access inside. The quicker that said what they wanted, the quicker they would be gone and hopefully no-one would notice who is was that had been visiting.

"Where's your husband?" Akina asked conversationally, trying to break the ice.

Her sister stiffened and rested against the door as Akina sat Anna down on the sofa and proceeded to remove their outer wear clothes.

"Working."

"Oh."

"…"

"So I hear you have a little girl of your own now?"

"Yes."

Akina smiled and sat next to her daughter who was looking around the room with mild interest.

"What's she called?"

"Sakura Haruno."

'Named after the cherry blossoms,' Akina thought, inwardly smiling 'how sweet.' If her hair was pink, which she had a vague guess that it was, the name would suit her perfectly.

"May we see her? I'm sure Anna would like to play with her and get to know her while you and I have a chat, my dear nii-chan."

Sakura's mother did not look at all pleased at the suggestion of the two children seeing each other, let alone getting to know each other. But she had no choice if she wanted things to go any faster and without coincidence.

"I'll go get her."

She made to step into the garden through the glass doors on the other side of the room but Akina stood up and picked Anna up with her, placing her on her hip.

"Oh, if she's outside then Anna can go to her, no problem."

Akina walked and stood beside her sister who already had a hand on the door frame. Anna noticed her Aunt staring at her again and rested her head on her mother's shoulder to avoid her gaze. Akina hoisted her up a little higher.

"Ok, but be nice to her, she's a little shy. She turned three last week."

Her voice held a slight warning to it; she led them both into the garden and to a small pond where they saw a small child with pink hair throwing stones into the water.

"Sakura, honey."

Her mother gained her attention. Anna studied the girl as she lifted her head to look at them all. Her eyes were a lovely light emerald green; her skin was a pale peach and her hair, a pretty pink hue with a deeper shine then her mother's. She was defiantly a daughter of Haruno's. She wore a red jumper with the white ring on the back to mark her place within the clan. Though when she saw the two other females staring at her from behind her mother she quickly stood up and ran to hide behind her mother.

"Sweetie, this is your aunt Akina, and this is her daughter Anna. They've come to say hello."

"H-Hi."

The little girl stuttered from behind her mother's skirt. Her mother was right, she was shy. Akina placed Anna down on the floor and ushered her forward towards her a little. Anna walked right up to her, not seeing how her aunt was watching her, like she was preparing to attack her if she even said something wrong to her daughter.

"Konnichiwa Sakura-nii-chan."

Anna proudly and boldly recited to her. Sakura blushed and hid more behind her mother whose eyes flashed dangerously. How dare that child call her by a family phrase?! She was not even of the clan! In the eyes of the clan law, Anna should've bowed towards Sakura and addressed her as her superior; 'Sakura-sama'. True, the clan was not a ninja clan, nor known or as respected as the Uchiha clan or the Hyuuga clan, but it was still a clan for goodness sake! She could've at least shown Sakura the respect she deserved!

"Why don't you two get to know each other out here and we will go into the kitchen."

Akina sensed the tense atmosphere her sister was creating against her seemingly oblivious daughter. Oh lord, how she hoped Anna was being spared from the knowledge of being prejudiced against by her own aunt. Sakura's mother did not seem to want to leave her precious daughter with the Amneo heir but Akina was persistent with the idea that they get to know each other on their own. The twins left their offspring outside while they walked back into the house. Anna smiled at her little cousin, she was so cute! She was almost jealous of her pretty little looks and pure innocence. Sakura also seemed to be eyeing her with a slight trace of envy in her eyes.

"Mommy never told me that she had a sister, or that they were twins. I didn't even know I had a cousin before today."

Anna tried to warm the girl up a little by starting conversation between them. Sakura blushed and had a small smile on her face as she sank down onto the ground and tried to preoccupy herself with the pebbles on the pathway. Anna looked around the yard. It wasn't a large garden, but it wasn't small either, there were a few trees, about three in total, lots of dead bushes and a broken swing hanging from the tree's branch near the small, grey, fish-less pond.

Alright, if her little Sakura-nii-chan was only interested in the simple things, maybe she could mesmerize her with a bit of science, which would surely give them to talk about. Anna had been taught Alchemy by her father from a very early age. In the Amneo house, it held an other room that most others did not: A cellar that was turned in to a laboratory. Anna had spent most of her days down in this dark place with her father, watching him cook up compounds, write in books and draw weird looking circles all over the floor, walls and ceiling. They were transmutation circles according to her daddy, and he made pretty lights and colours appear when he touched them! At first that had been enough to satisfy the toddler's almost empty mind, but when she saw what was produced afterwards, she was extremely happy! Kenji almost always made her something through alchemy, mostly a doll of some kind, using dust and bits of cloth, maybe the odd dollop of clay or something, but it was always a Porcelain Doll with lovely long hair and a pretty little dress. Anna now had a doll for every colour of the rainbow. Her favourite however looked like her newly-found cousin. Dressed in a pure white silk kimono, the doll had lovely, emerald glass eyes with perfect creamy skin and tiny hands. Though it had purple hair, not pink.

Anna's first books were those of science and philosophy, she was mixing chemical reactions before she could even talk. By the time Anna was two, Kenji already had her performing her first transmutation! Unheard of! Her father had talked of nothing else ever since, it drove her mother mad, but made Anna's pride and feeling of glory swell endlessly at her father's attentions. She was walking within the next few weeks; her father's boundless love just seemed to grow with every progress she made. But her daddy also had strictures: she was not allowed to perform her alchemy outside of the lab and never, never without her father.

But what harm was there with her little Sakura-nii-chan? Plus Anna was only going to make some flowers for her, to pretty her up a little. Maybe a crown of Daisies or Cherry blossoms? Yes! Cherry Blossoms would go nicely with her hair. Anna smiled and offered her hand to the little thing.

"Come with me, I want to make you something."

Sakura looked at Anna-nii-chan's hand timidly before slowly reaching out her own to grasp it, and have hers grasped firmly within the warm digits. Anna was family; she could trust her, couldn't she? There was nothing bad going to happen, she was at home and her mother was in the kitchen. She was safe. Plus Anna said she was going to make her something, Sakura liked presents. She got a lot of them the other week, maybe because she had only just met her cousin she was going to give her a present for missing her birthday.

Anna led Sakura towards the deadest part of the garden. Their tiny shoes slapped upon the stone slabs of the path and the grass crunched beneath their feet as they walked over to the dead tree. Sakura looked up at it timidly. The tree in its dead state scared her a little, when it was dark and the moon shone, it made scary shadows on her walls, like claws trying to reach for her. She often ended up in her parents' bed and hid under the covers. But her cousin walked straight up to it and placed her palm flat upon it.

"Was this a Sakura tree?"

Anna looked at her and Sakura nodded slightly, trying not to look up at the gnarled branches. Anna smiled.

"Did you like it better when it was in bloom with all the flowers?"

"H-hai. But not now."

"Why not?"

"It's dead and it's scary."

Anna smiled and pulled her closer, Sakura resisted, but she was easily pulled along.

"Would you like a present from me?"

Emerald eyes looked up hopefully into shiny Amber-brown. She was going to giver her a present! Sakura liked Anna more every minute. Anna smiled and removed from her pocket a white piece of chalk. She noticed the look on Sakura's face when she saw what it was that she had pulled out. Her smile turned into a smirk as she read what was going through her mind.

"Oh, don't worry Sakura. I have something very special in mind for you."

Akina sat at the table with her sister. It had been four years ago she had sat in this very place, with her mother, father and her little sister. But it was just the twins sat at the table now, their daughters were outside. Akina blew on her green tea and looked across at her sister, who was looking anywhere but at her. She sipped on her drink before setting it down on the table, hands in her lap and head bowed. Surprisingly, it was her sister who broke the silence.

"Why did you leave?"

Ok, that wasn't expected and Akina's head snapped up at the question in shock, her sister however was mimicking the position she had just been in, and still refused to look at her. She may as well answer, after all, this may very well be the last time she saw the last of her blood relation. How very right she was.

"I couldn't live with them any more. Them and their stupid rules."

She caught a glance her way and a twitch of the mouth.

"Oh. You mean Okaa-san and Oto-san."

There it was. The 'you-mean-my-parents-not-ours-because-you-left' sentence she had been expecting all along. Akina bit her tongue.

"Yes."

Her nii-chan took her cup up to her lips again. Silence poisoned the room again. There was so much to say, and yet neither twin was willing to say anything. But time was not on Akina's side, Kenji seemed as eager to leave as he was on science, which was a lot.

"Why didn't you come to see me when I was pregnant? I could've done with some support."

Take it slow, one bite at time, nothing too big or heavy, yet.

"I thought you were happy with him."

Sakura's mother brought it back to her. She was going to be stubborn, damn it.

"I was. I mean, I am, but I would've liked some family support from you at least."

The cup was brought back to plump lips.

"Oto-san forbid it. When he heard that the infant was born dead, he said give at a few days and you'd be back. When you didn't, he said that was the last straw and no-one was even allowed to pass your house."

"But she wasn't born dead!"

"Apparently not, no."

She sounded disappointed. Akina's jaw dropped. So her parents AND her sister were only willing to accept her if her baby daughter was dead?! That was terrible! Did they really hate her husband that much that she had to pay with the blood of her child to be acknowledged by her parents again?! That was sick! There was no way these three people were grandparents and Aunty to her little Anna! Good lord, what if Anna WAS still born? Would they have made her bring the corpse to the house just to prove her death so she could be welcomed back?! Akina couldn't believe her ears! And these words were coming right out of her sister's mouth! Did…..did her sister want Anna dead as well?

Before she could express any or all the feelings that were searing through her at that moment a bright blue light, like lightning shone through the window, a sound like electricity being generated accompanied this, Akina's sister dropped her cup as she jumped to her feet, anger and terror flashing across her face.

"WHAT HAS SHE DONE?!"

She screamed and ran across the room in record time. She yanked on the door so hard she almost ripped it off. Akina was quick to follow; she knew what that noise and light meant; Anna must have performed an alchemic transmutation.

Sakura looked up at the tree, it was beautiful! Her Anna-onee-san had brought the pretty tree back to life! She didn't have time to thank Anna though, she was suddenly yanked up by a rough pair of hands and taken a few feet backwards, and Anna followed as Sakura still had hold of her hand, but it was slapped away by her mother.

"What's wrong Oba?"

"Don't you talk to me like nothing's wrong!"

She spat at her, Anna's lip trembled and she took a few steps backward from her seething Aunt. Her nimble fingers tangled themselves in the red ribbon on her dress; Akina hurried to her side and held her shoulders.

"Okaa-san?"

Anna asked looking up into her mother's face, but Akina was staring at her sister who was holding onto Sakura like she was going to be snatched away by death it's self.

"What have you done?! You little witch?! What have you done to my Sakura?!"

Anna looked back at her in fear; what did she mean what had she done to her? She transmuted the tree back into its original glorious form as a present for Sakura because that was how she liked it best; she only had hold of Sakura's hand to keep her from running away and being scared. Sakura shifted in her mother's arms.

"Nii-chan, just calm down, I'm sure Anna didn't do anything to har—"

"Yes she did! I knew leaving these two alone together was a bad idea! Just look! Look at that tree! Look at what she has done to it!"

Her face was red with anger. Akina looked at the tree, there was nothing wrong with it, it was a beautiful Sakura tree in blossom, nothing more.

"Nii-chan, you're over reacting. Anna didn't do anything, there's-"

"SHE PUT THAT MARK ON THE TREE!"

Her sister screamed, making Anna cower back into her mother and Sakura started to cry. Akina looked, sure enough; there was a mark on the tree, just a small transmutation circle drawn in white chalk near the base: a crcile with several lines going through and two curving off the base line at the center of the bottom.

Akina could have laughed, but the situation was hardly amusing. She knew that her sister still viewed Alchemy as a sign of witch craft, picking Anna up and hoisting her on her hip Akina tried to lighten the mood a little by smiling. It didn't work however; her sister was having none of it.

"Calm down! It's only a small transmutation circle for plants! Anna must have done it for Sakura, didn't you honey?"

"I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS FOR THE HOKAGE HIMSELF! THAT IS BLOODY WITCH CRAFT AND I REFUSE TO ALLOW MY DAUHTER TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THAT - - - THAT - - LITTLE SHE-DEMON!"

"I BEG YOUR PARDON?"

Ok, she could curse Alchemy all she wanted but she could not blame Anna for her natural talents and heritage. Akina's face turned nasty. How dare she call her daughter a demon?! Her sister sent the look back.

"I'm warning you! You keep her away from me and my family! You are never allowed to come here with or without her again!"

Sakura found her voice, but it was quiet; "Okaa-san, Anna was just giving me - -"

"I don't care! You are never to see her again!"

Shooting one last death glare at Anna, Sakura's mother turned and carried her inside, Sakura caught Anna's eyes through her tears; her mother was also walking away with Anna in her arms.

"Bye." Anna waved sadly before hugging her mother as much as her young body would do and resting her head on her shoulder.

"Bye." Sakura whispered back before the door slammed behind her, cutting her last vision of her cousin off forever. A month later the Amneo family left Konoha without saying good-bye to anyone. The tree that Anna had transmuted was still in bloom; Sakura's parents set it alight several times and burned it all down as well as Akina's shawl with the Haruno clan's symbol two days after.

But they never found Anna's coat. Sakura hid it under a loose floorboard in her bedroom.

Twelve years later

"Naruto?"

Sakura had just finished her shift at the hospital to find her blond team-mate standing outside, waiting for her. The sun shone down on him, highlighting his blond hair and blue eyes.

"Sakura-chaaaan!" He grinned, rubbing the back of his head.

Sakura smiled.

"Why are you here, Naruto? I thought you had training to do."

Sakura walked and Naruto fell into step beside her.

"Nah, Sai's being an ass again and I got told that Tsunade-baa-chan wants to see us."

Sakura raised a brow.

"Really? Do you know why?"

Naruto grinned and spread his arms wide; "Nope! But I hope it's a new mission! We haven't had one for like FOREVER!"

Sakura couldn't help but smile again, and yes, she was hoping it was a mission too. The hospital work was brisk and intense but lacked any sort of adrenaline rush that a ninja got from being on the battlefield.

Ever since Naruto had come back from his training, both Sakura and Naruto had gotten closer in the time they spent together. Since finding out about Naruto being the container for the Kyuubi, Sakura had become very protective of him, and Naruto revelled in the new attention he was getting from her.

She had been on more play dates with him then he could ever have hoped, and he loved it. It was not something he had had the pleasure of experiencing before (people who actually cared for him) and he was more then eager to keep the fact that there was at least one person in the world who actually cared alive and thriving.

Knowing Naruto he was feeling the same lack of adrenaline, but at least fifty times more. Good lord, the boy lived and breathed adrenaline! How he could go this long without nagging the Hokage for anything above a B-ranked mission was beyond her. They walked towards the Hokage tower each hoping, wishing, guessing, what sort of mission they had in store for them. The wishing part revolved around the unspoken and forbidden word between the blond and the pink-haired shinobi: Sasuke.

Several attempts at missions based upon rumours had been issued to them but that was all they turned out to be in the end; rumours. Both Naruto and Sakura had been on every mission which had his name attached to it and each time had returned disappointed. Naruto covered it up with the whole "I feel like the two of us are getting closer to Sasuke!" line, but every time they walked back through Konoha's gates empty handed, Sakura couldn't help but wonder how much further he was getting away from them. There had been no more reports on him for a few weeks now.

Tsunade was sat at her desk as usual when they both entered; she stopped reading a report and looked up at them both with beautiful, glossy brown eyes. She'd probably had a couple of sake bottles while Shizune wasn't in the room.

"Sakura, how much do you know of your family ties?"

She asked right as they bowed to her. Sakura looked puzzled, as did Naruto. That was a bit abrupt.

"Um…..just my mother and father as far as I know. My grandparents died when I was young."

"Right." Godaime Hokage picked up another document. "Has your mother ever mentioned having a sister at all?"

"Huh?" Now Sakura was really confused, Tsunade took in her look.

"I guess not. Well Sakura, it is my duty to inform you that your mother had a sister, a twin."

"Oh….Ok….." What else could she say? Her mother never mentioned it.

"And I have spoken to your mother about this but she has made it perfectly clear that she wants nothing to do with it."

The Hokage looked to the side, clenching her fists, eyes narrowing. Naruto and Sakura glanced at each other and waited for her to clarify, what could have the Hokage wound up and angry over this much?

….Well there were a few things, mainly Naruto or Jiraiya but nothing that seemed to come from Sakura's side, least of all her family matters. Godaime sighed, closed her eyes and maintained a softer, calmer composure. Opening her eyes she placed her hands in front of her face again.

"I have summoned you here today to inform you that you did have an Aunt until about eight years ago. As your mother did not want to know about it, all information was withheld until you came of age to hear about it. Your Aunt I am afraid to say; died in child birth."

"…that's terrible." Sakura cast her eyes down in sorrow about the Aunt she never knew, who was now apparently dead and felt sudden anger about how her mother never spoke of her twin.

Naruto became impatient, as usual. "So what's a dead lady gotta do with our mission?"

"NARUTO!" Tsunade yelled at him and pointed to Sakura with her eyes. He cowered back from the desk and looked sheepishly at Sakura after realising what slipped out of his mouth.

"Hehehe, sorry Sakura-chan, but I don't understand."

"Actually Naruto," Sakura looked up at them both again, "I don't either. If my aunt died eight years ago why is a mission coming up now? And why would my mother not say she had a sister?"

Tsunade leaned back into her chair, hands now folded under her large chest.

"As I said before, your mother did not want to know and you were not of age but as you are now, I feel that as your master I must tell you, that you Sakura Haruno have a cousin, two of them infact. You have also been requested by a certain Amneo to escort them to Konoha safely. The only thing I can assume is that these are your Aunt's children who survived birth when their mother did not. What is even more surprising is that they have asked to set up home in Konoha."

"Really?"

"Really. They have requested that you and a team of yours go to Tea Country and bring them back here safely."

"EHHHH?! All the way in Tea Country?!" Naruto yelled.

"Got a problem with that?!" Godaime rounded on him, her eyes in slits. "I thought you wanted a mission Naruto?!"

"Nope, no problem!" Naruto gave her a false salute but failed to keep the visibility of his trembling to a minimum.

"Good," Tsunade smiled slightly and sank further into her chair. "You and your team will leave in one hour. And Sakura,"

Sakura snapped out of the daze she suddenly realised she was in. "I feel I need to remind you that this is part of your Shinobi career so you are not liable to discuss it with either your mother or your father, even if it does involve their sister and her children."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

"Dismissed."

Naruto and Sakura both turned and left. Once outside, Naruto jumped for joy, punching the air with his fist, barley missing Shizune who walked in.

"Whoooohooooo! A new mission! FINALLY! First chance I get, am knocking someone's lights out!"

He looked ready to run all the way to Tea, but his composure dropped when he noticed Sakura was lagging behind him, her head bowed and face covered by her soft, pink bangs. He sobered up a little and dropped the smile.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan?"

Sakura looked up, her eyes glassy with unfallen tears.

"I….I'm not sure Naruto. I don't know whether I'm upset over a part of my family I didn't even know about, or angry at my mother and father for not telling me that I had an aunt. I'm just a little confused at the minute, I mean, why? Why would they not want anything to do with her?"

Naruto couldn't answer that, he didn't have any family to compare it with. So, instead, he braved himself closer and hesitantly took gentle hold of her hand. He was surprised when she returned the gesture and squeezed it slightly, he had after all, been expecting her move away as soon as his fingers touched her palm, which she had done before today, but now it seemed she wanted him to touch her, and who was he to deny her?

"Arigato, Naruto."

"Your welcome. I can't say I understand, Sakura-chan. But I can try to help, you know. If you want me to."

She gave him a small smile, and (not letting go of his hand he noticed) set off towards their homes. She held his hand quietly through the rest of the journey and he received a small hug when they had to part. He walked towards his apartment with the most sincere smile he had ever had on his face the rest of the way, the trip to Tea looking brighter then usual.

In the opposite direction, Sakura held the hand Naruto had held with her other one and also had a smile on her face, remembering the warmth of Naruto's hand on hers but it vanished quickly when she found herself in her kitchen, her mother at the sink with her back towards her.

Anger bubbled beneath her skin. How innocent her mother looked now and yet at the same time vile, full of nasty little secrets she had never batted an eyelash thinking about, or sharing with her daughter.

She hadn't noticed her yet, but Sakura wanted to kick and scream and shout right there and then, demand the answers from her mother about not saying she had more family she didn't know about and why she had kept the other members of her family as a mere afterthought in her own head. The Godaime's words however, rang in her ears. And, accepting mental defeat, plump, pink lips opened slowly.

"Okaa-san."

Was that really her voice? It sounded so dull, un-life like. The woman with darker pink hair turned round, shaking her hands free of soapy water.

"Ah, Sakura, honey."

She smiled, her dark green eyes twinkling and wiped her hands dry on her floral-yellow apron. There were red rings around her eyes, had she been crying? Sakura would be dammed at this moment if she consoled her. But she was dying to know if it had a connection to her Aunt, the sister her mother never said she had. There was a strong link about them; Godaime had said she had had words with Sakura's mother.

"I've been assigned a mission."

Her mother's head snapped up almost alarmingly.

"It's not in Tea country is it?"

Her eyes widened in fear almost as Sakura's eyes flashed. This was so connected to her Aunt. She wanted desperately to say yes, her hands were now clenching and unclenching at her sides, her mouth was opening and closing of its own accord. But Tsunade's angry face flashed in her mind and sent an almost painful surge through her, causing the pent up emotions to start draining down a hole she couldn't seal up.

"Sakura? Please tell me it's not."

Her mother reached out towards her with her pale soft hand, but Sakura recoiled as if her touch would sear through her now sensitive skin.

"N-no…no, it's not. A-and that's all I am allowed to say."

She managed to choke out. Her mother, with her hair in a messy side ponytail and wide green eyes, looked at her suspiciously.

"Honey, I'm your mother, you can tell me."

What, so she could tell her not to go? Or speak with the Hokage on the matter like she threatened to do when she found out who exactly it was who made up Sakura's team in her genin days? Ha! Well that would certainly start off the fight Sakura was now desperate to kick off, but she was not liable, plus she would only feel guilty about it later.

And she preferred to go off on long missions with her mother's good will still in place for when she got home so she could be smothered with the motherly love she was still so privileged to have. Unlike her teammates.

Lying to her parents about her missions and telling them she was not allowed to discuss anything with them was what she was expected to do as a ninja, what all ninja's were supposed to do, even if vital information could be gained from their families.

However, this was really rubbing her up the wrong way and ruffling her feathers big time. Lying to her mother right now to avoid the scrap she wanted was seemingly more painful then some of the genjutsu's she'd been put in a few times, not just by enemy-nin either.

"No….mother, it's not. But it will be a long one."

She ground out the words so hard she heard her jaw click. Her mother rubbed both her hands up and down her shoulders while nodding, not ignoring the way her daughter was shuddering unpleasantly beneath her fingertips.

She was no longer looking at her face and her eyes were now glistening, she was going to cry again. But Sakura felt no remorse, she felt ill at the mere sight of the woman in front of her. The lying, deceitful…...

"I need to pack."

She jerked herself free and stormed upstairs without once looking back. Only a quick "Hi daddy," was all she said to her father as he walked in the front door from work. The rest of the hour she had was spent packing the necessities she needed and small amounts of food. She considered jumping out of her window and leaving that way out of spite, but she might as well let them know she was off.

Out on the landing she stopped when she heard a sniffle, coming from her mother's room? Oh great! So now she was crying again. Sakura stomped over to the door and was ready to barge in when she caught sight of her mother, again from behind, but what she saw made her annoyance ebb away quickly.

Her mother was on her bedroom floor next to her double bed and dresser, rocking herself slowly, and holding onto something whilst trying not to explode with tears. Quietly, or rather, using her mother's attempts not to brawl, Sakura managed to get the door open about another inch or so, so she could see the full picture. He mother had one arm wrapped round her torso as if in pain, her face was blotchy and puffy in the mirror and she was holding onto something small, glass looking.

It was a picture frame, but Sakura couldn't make out the picture from the distance she was at. Her mother kept shooting glances at it then turning her face away as if the picture was something she'd rather not look at.

"D…de…..ded…..How….can….be …..dead?!"

Her mother doubled over and clutched the picture frame to her heart. Releasing one last, loud sob, her head rose and looked into the mirror. Sakura had retreated before he mother could spot her. What she saw had just confused her even more, Tsunade said that her mother wanted nothing to do with the family she was about to meet on this mission but the way she had just acted now….did she actually care about them? Sakura kept herself hidden behind the bathroom door and watched her mother come out of her room whilst wiping her newly tear-soaked eyes and smudged make-up off her face, she left her door open as she almost hobbled down the hall and down the stairs. Sakura made her move. Opening the door to her parent's bedroom made a sudden rush of powerful emotions hit her in the stomach and made butterflies breed like mad inside of her. The picture frame her mother was holding was not on her dresser. Quietly, Sakura checked all the draws and underneath her mother's pillow for that glass object but found nothing.

"Crap, now I'm late." She said irritably, in her haste, she spun round and walked straight into something small and hard. Then ended up falling flat on her face.

"Whaaaa—Oof!"

Good thing her mother had a soft carpet in her room, but what the hell had she tripped over?! Looking behind her and getting ready to turn the offensive item into a pile of rubbish she pushed herself up and sat up. Her right foot was in her mother's waste bin. God, she could be such a klutz sometimes. She attempted to kick it off as her temper flared but stopped when she felt something smooth and cold on the bottom of her foot. Reaching over, she took her foot out of the bin and peered inside. There, peeping cheekily back at her underneath a load of scrunched tissues, was the picture frame.

Gently and quietly Sakura picked the small picture frame out, brushing the debris from it in the process. The photo frame was new, polished and silver; the picture in it was old and brown, probably taken from before she was born. The photograph held two women, sitting on a swing in an open garden, one looking at the camera, the other at the woman sat next to her. It took Sakura a few seconds to realise she was looking at her mother and her Aunt. Her mother was looking at her sister and they both had smiles on their faces. They couldn't have been older then eighteen. The swing they were on was the broken one out in the back garden. Her mother had refused to let her husband fix it, but neither would she let him take it down either. Sakura had always wondered why her mother never wanted it doing, now she knew, it was a reminder. An old artefact from the past, when her mother had been a happy sibling, when she and her older twin could smile with the love and approval of each other and their parents. What had gone wrong then? Looking at the picture in her hands then at situation Sakura herself was in now…..something terrible must have happened, not only for her mother to not tell her she had an Aunty, who had been her twin and was now dead, but also because she wanted nothing to do with her sisters children?

What was so bad? What had she done? To have her mother try to erase her older sister so much out of her life that she was willing to try to sabotage the mission Sakura was going on as soon as she heard a message on the wind about it? What sins had her Aunt committed that were so terrible? This only filled Sakura with more determination to bring her cousins to Konoha. If they wanted to set up home here, then that meant that Sakura and her parents were possibly the last family these children had. Tsunade had made no mention of the father so he was presumably out of the picture for a while now, that left the children to fend for themselves. She could also guess that they were not any type of Ninja, if they were Ninja then this need would not have orison, but since they were coming here, then they obviously needed help. Sakura was now even more motivated to found out exactly what had happened in the Haruno clan to have it split into two groups; Sakura with her parents and grand parents, her aunt with her two children and her husband.

The photo-frame was placed back in the bin.

Sakura left her parents room the way she had found it, with one small exception. The silver frame held no picture. Her parents were in the middle of dinner when she made her excuses not to join and left with only a small bye to them. Sakura was sure that her mother had either bent her father round her little finger about this whole issue or she hadn't told him. Either way he was where her mother wanted him; obedient and unquestioning. Sakura refused to be either. She had a new family who needed her and she would not leave them stranded, no matter what had occurred between the older women in the days before she or even they were born. She would do her duty as both a ninja and a family member, no matter what.