It was time.
A pair of jade coloured eyes surveyed the apartment. It was as good as empty, all there was left part from the furniture was a backpack and a couple of small pouches and straps scattered around it. Other than that, there was no sign of anyone living here. The woman brushed her hair out of her face, took the hitae-ate from the pack and sighed.
It had been over a year since she'd last worn it. She'd taken it off the night she had arrived in Sunagakure and never put it on since. How much had changed in the time she had spent in Kaze no Kuni?

She'd reached her goal. She had become one of the best medics known to the shinobi world. She'd developed techniques, perfected her chakra control – she had even managed to use her affinity for genjutsu to her advantage. It had been an amazing experience to help build a decent hospital for the shinobi of Suna. The Kazekage had expressed his gratitude and allowed her to use her medic abilities to their advantage. She had enjoyed teaching some of the newly trained medics the more complex methods she had developped to heal certain injuries in half the time and she had enjoyed learning about the Hidden Sand. However, it was time to take the knowledge she had gained home where she belonged.

She was excited to be returning to Ki no Kuni, to see her friends again, the village and it's wonders.
Though there would be no family to welcome her home, there was her shishou and the shinobi she'd grown up around. She smiled and tied the hitae ate around her neck, just like Hinata had always done. Strapping the pouches to her legs and belt, she picked up her pack and exited the apartment, not looking back.

She made her way to the Kazekage's office in the tower and respectfully bowed her head to Gaara who smiled a small smile at her as she entered.
„I can see you're ready to leave."
She nodded in response, dropping her backpack to the floor.
„I wanted to express my gratitude. Your work here has been extremely valuable. You have taught use much and quite significally raised our post-mission recovery rate. I've made some notes of your work for your shishou, the Hokage.", he handed her a sealed scroll. Then he pulled out a set of surgical blades and motioned for her to take them. She inspected the tools and what she saw pleased her tremendously.
„They are chakra-blades. Much like kunai which cater to your chakra affinity. However these only react when used in combination with medical ninjutsu."
She nodded and smiled. These blades were extremely hard to come by.
„Thank you, Kazekage-sama."
„You may now return home. I have a team waiting to escort you safely to the border of Hi no Kuni, from there on, you'll be travelling alone."
„Understood, Gaara-sama."
She picked up her gear and shouldered the pack, turning to leave the room.
„Oh and one more thing Sakura-san: say hi to Naruto for me."
She nodded and left the office to find two masked Anbu waiting for her.

Without a word, they left the building and soon exited Sunagakure, darting through the desert at inhuman speed.
Soon, she thought, she'd be home.

The summer sun slowly began to set above the still busy streets of Konoha. The lazy sun rays licked the rooftops, giving the Hidden Leaf a golden glow. Even though it was close to nightfall, the narrow streets were buzzing with life. Children playing and hiding from their parents, couples strolling past restaurants and street vendors praising their goods to anyone within earshot. Even a few shinobi were seen enjoying some time off. Among them was one of Konohas finest, seated on a stool at Ichiraku's, watching the number one surprising ninja of the Leaf devour his fourth bowl of ramen with obvious satisfaction. The elder of the two sighed, knowing this escapade would weigh heavy on his wallet. Treating Naruto to a meal was never a cheap affair. But it was his birthday after all, and as the silver haired jounin had forgotten to buy him a present, he had promised to make up for it by treating him to Ichiraku ramen.

He eyed the blond, his obsidian gaze amused. The boy had grown. He had even made chuunin earlier that year. After 6 years of hard training, countless missions and limitless chaos, he was finally closer to the goal he had voiced before even graduating the academy. At 20 years of age, he was no longer a child, nor was he as impulsive as he had once been. He had matured, yet still retained his boyish attitude and loud mouth. Jiraya had trained him well. He worked himself to the bone, never losing sight of the goal he so desperately yearned to reach. Convincing Sasuke to return to the village – or forcing him if necessary - was still ranking high on his list of priorities, right behind becoming Hokage. Not only his attitude had changed, he had become a man physically as well though still slightly shorter than his former sensei. His ramen-eating capacity however, hadn't lessened in the slightest.

The copy-nin smiled slightly and turned to his own bowl of half-eaten ramen. Team Kakashi had been disbanded by the Godaime the previous year, as the three members followed different paths.
Sai had become a strategic genius, using his anbu training to his advantage. He worked closely with Shikamaru to plan out missions before they were handed out to the shinobi. He had even acquired a set of half-decent social skills though he still misread situations.
As for the pink haired kunoichi, no one was certain of her whereabouts. No one but her shishou, the Godaime that is. She had without telling anyone why or where to. At first it was assumed that she was running errands for the Hokage or that she had been sent on a mission of some sorts. Then, gradually people just stopped caring.
That held true for most the shinobi in town, though there were still a select few that worried over her absence.

"Kakashi-sensei."
His eyebrow twitched as he was pulled from his train of thought by the blond bundle of joy next to him.
"Thanks! I'm so full I can hardly move! Best birthday ever!", Naruto exclaimed happily patting his belly.
"Yeah, yeah.", Kakashi grinned at the chuunin and gestured to a smiling Teuchi for him to give him the bill.
"Check please."

As the pair of them exited the ramen booth, Naruto spotted Kiba and Hinata and quickly hurried off to join his comrades. Smirking underneath his mask, Kakashi pulled out his worn out copy of Icha-Icha Paradise and flipped it open. It didn't matter much that he had read and re-read the series countless times, he never tired of them. However he didn't focus on the controversial piece of literature for long as his mind slipped to his previous train of thought. Sakura's departure had left Naruto desolate. That, among other reasons, was why it wasn't easy not to break the promise he had made that night.

It had been a cold night, just after midnight. He had just been discharged from the Hospital after returning from a mission dead on his feet yet again. It was only a matter of time until the medics weren't able to fix the wounds he brought home from his S-class missions. It didn't help that he refused to bring a team most of the time. Walking through the deserted, nocturnal streets he came by the main gate where a sudden flicker of a familiar chakra presence suddenly drew his attention. He looked in the direction of the presence and noticed a slender female figure making her way to the gate. He instantly recognised the woman as his former student and quickly moved towards her, letting it look as though he appeared out of thin air next to her.
"Yo."
She winced at the sudden noise and turned to face him. He caught a glimmer of anger in her eyes before her look softened.
"Sensei! What are you doing here?", she asked in a barely audible whisper.
"You're in some position to ask – where do you think you're going this late?"
She hesitated for a second then sighed.
"I'm leaving."

He'd waited for her to continue and noticed her attire differed strongly from her normal one.
Her pink hair had been caught in a bun with only few wisps surrounding her face and held by her hitae ate in it's usual place. She'd exchanged her usual t-shirt and skirt for the typical Konoha shinobi uniform, hardly different from his own. He hadn't ever seen her wear it before, which only made him even more curious as to her destination and purpose.
After what seemed like an eternity she'd continued to speak
"I'll be gone for a while. A year at least."
He had eyed her suspiciously before answering.
"Right. Have you told anyone?"
She had shaken her head, dropping her gaze, almost as though she was ashamed.
"I thought it best not to. Tsunade-shishou knows, after all she agreed to let me leave. But I don't think I could handle telling Naruto."
"You do realise that he'll be standing in Godaime-sama's office first thing tomorrow after she notices that you're gone?"
She had smiled slightly at the thought, obviously picturing the blond bursting into Tsunade's office in the early morning, demanding an explanation – or a search team, depending on his level of panic.
"Hai. She'll tell him that I've gone on a long-term mission."
"Are you going on a mission?"

She had hesitated just a second before shaking her head.
"Not as such. I just need some time to actually get to know myself. To train and to learn. I won't be able to use my full potential if I stay here to clean up Naruto's messes all the time. I'm more than just the little girl chasing Naruto around the world and making sure he doesn't get himself killed."
He'd nodded in understanding. After all, she was right. All she was known for was her friendship with the jinchuuriki and her apprenticeship with the Hokage. Hell, he had even neglected her as a genin.
Sasuke's genius and Naruto's hopelessness had always come first. She had always just sort of tagged along, secretly keeping everyone together. She had always been a good kunoichi, her talents just never valued the way they should have. And after years of neglect, now as a young woman, she finally stood up for herself.

"Sensei-", she'd begun
"Kakashi.", he'd interrupted her, "You haven't been my student for a couple of months now."
"But, I couldn't-", she'd shaken her head.
"Kakashi. It's my first name, use it."
She'd nodded in defeat and smiled a shy smile before looking him right in the eye.
"I have to leave. I have a long journey ahead of me."
He too had nodded in agreement.
"Stay safe Sakura. And do return.", he'd warned with a serious tone to his voice that you rarely heard outside of battle.
"Hai. Promise you won't tell Naruto. He wouldn't understand."
"I promise. He might try to recover you anyway though."
"That would be Naruto.",she had laughed before turned to leave and made a few steps before turning halfway towards him again.
"Farewell, Kakashi."
"I wish you the best of luck, Sakura."

Then, without a sound, the kunoichi had disappeared beyond the gates of the Hidden Leaf, into the night leaving her former teacher wondering where her journey might take her.
Then he'd shrugged and began to walk home. He'd smirked at the uproar Naruto would most certainly cause the moment he learned of her departure. He'd try to recover her no doubt.
He shook her head in disbelief. His students were no doubt the most chaotic bunch of shinobi Konoha had ever seen.

It had been 18 months, 2 weeks and 3 days since Sakura had left. And still Naruto never ceased to hope that she'd be back the next day. Kakashi remembered too well how Naruto had stormed the Hokage's office the second he'd discovered that his best friend was gone. He had been there, coincidentally of course. Tsunade hadn't gone easy on the boy, leaving his backside sore for months.
She'd even threatened to take away his newly earned chuunin rank if he chased after the pink haired girl. It was very clear that Sakura was to return on her own terms whenever she saw fit.

He burried his nose in his book, wandering around town before heading home to his appartment. When he finally made it through his front door he removed his vest and shoes and let himself fall onto the couch in the living room, his eyes never leaving the pages of the book.
He had hardly been seated for five minutes when he was pulled from his reading by a loud knocking – or rather bashing – on his front door.
He seriously considered not responding but decided against it. As the silver haired jounin opened the door, a flustered looking Naruto practically fell into the corridor revealing Shikamaru behind him.
"What in the name of Kami is going on?", he asked.
Naruto quickly started rambling incomprehensively so Kakashi gestured to the jounin behind him to fill him in.
"Godaime-sama requests your presence at her office. Along with this one. Sai is already there. There's someone there who would like to see you."
He raised an eyebrow. Being summoned to see Tsunade past ten o'clock wasn't rare. However the reason he was given was exceptional. He nodded, grabbed his vest and pulled on his shoes before joining Shikamaru and the still overly excited Naruto. They walked in relative silence, Naruto mumbling something he couldn't quite understand. The only word he could make out was his signature "dattebayo" at the end of every other incomprehensible sentence.
They reached the Hokage tower where Shikamaru left them. Naruto stormed ahead and entered the office of the Godaime without knocking. Shizune gave them an odd look before smiling as he himself entered. Except from the secretary and Tsunade herself he didn't spot anyone but Sai already standing in front of the desk.

"Tsunade-obaa-chan!"
Trust Naruto to greet the Hokage inappropriately. The Godaime however only shook her head in exasperation before gesturing to a person standing next to the door.
Both Kakashi and Naruto turned on their heels just to see a familiar face.
Sakura smiled warmly at them. Naruto looked dumbfounded at first, then jumped to hug her tight.
The copy-nin watched the scene unfold before him, amazed at how much she had changed and yet managed to stay herself.
She was clad in a shortsleeved turtleneck, over a mesh-undershirt and the standart issue Konoha flak jacket. Her legs were covered in black leggins and her usual black shinobi-footwear. She'd taken to wear long black gloves as well and her hitae-ate was bound around her neck. The clothes were about the same as she had left in though it fit her differently. He let his unmasked eye take her entire appearance in.
She was more toned than she had been when she left, and yet she had gained a certain feminine air and a set of slight curves to match. Her hair had grown longer and she wore it down, with straight bangs to frame her face and hide her forehead. That specific bodypart had always been one she'd hated. Seemed as though that hadn't changed. There was something else though, something he hadn't yet seen. He couldn't quite put his finger on what, but there was something in her air which shouted change.

"Hi boys!", she said still smiling, after Naruto had let go.
Her former sensei smiled at her from behind his mask and she smiled back.
"It's been a while Sakura.", he said.
"True. I've missed you guys. Happy birthday Naruto-kun!", she smiled and pulled a small package from the backpack behind her and threw it to the blond before stepping forward and turning to face the Hokage.
"Welcome home Sakura.", the Godaime said with a small smile. "Now we have some talking to do so if you boys wouldn't mind..."
"She's only just come back, Tsunade-baa-chan!"
"NARUTO! I will not have you talk to me like that!", Tsunade roared and looked like she was ready to pounce. Naruto fled the room hiding behind the wall.
Then the Godaime turned to Kakashi.
"It will only take a minute. She'll be right with you. Wait outside and keep that troublemakerquiet.", she sighed.
The silver haired jounin nodded and silently left the room, closing the door behind him.
He was more than interested in hearing the story the pink haired woman would have to tell. She had been gone for ages and something seemed off though he couldn't quite pinpoint what. Yet.

Long first chapter – in fact this is the first story I've ever written that didn't start off with some sort of sketchy prologue. I didn't think it would fit the story, just make it all the more melodramatic.
I hope to make this fic a long one and I want it to go places. There will be fluff, there will lemons, there will be drama and there will be action of all kinds (though the fluff and lemons will have to wait until a little further down the road – I do want this to be believable).
I would appreciate feedback of all sorts – especially constructive criticism.