It's been a while. But you know, the life of a college girl. (That's right. I'm well into college. Got a problem?)

This event takes place after The Last, so imagine the outfits from the movie. Please enjoy!

Just a warning: there will be a couple of perspective changes throughout the story.

I do NOT own Naruto.

"A mission?"

"Just an errand. Nothing serious."

Any source of excitement… vanished in a split second. "An errand? Come on, Kaka…err…. Lord Hokage. Why do I have to do it?"

The Hokage turned in his seat to face the medic before him. "It's simple. I need an expert on herbs. Seeing as you were trained under Lady Tsunade, this should be no problem for you."

Judging by the look in his former-student's eyes, Kakashi could tell she was far from convinced. "Sakura… you've been cooped up in this village for weeks, working at the hospital day in and day out. A change of scenery will do you some good. Besides, a little distraction never hurt anyone."

Sakura sighed. Sure, it was probably disrespectful, but she couldn't help it. She felt that this was beneath her. She's one of the top medical ninjas! Still… she knew he was right, and she hated that. Her shoulders slumped and she looked down. "Yes, Lord Hokage."

She turned to walk out the door, but she paused as her hand reached for the handle. She turned with a small smile on her face. "I appreciate your concern…Sensei."

Kakashi kept his own smile hidden behind his mask. "Anytime."

Sakura leapt from tree to tree, making her way towards her destination. I should be getting close now…

KYYAAAAAAAAA!

Sakura halted as a piercing scream echoed through the forest. Judging by the tone, it sounded like a young girl. Without delay, she changed her course and headed straight for the source.

She quickened her pace, praying in her mind to make it in time. She broke from her thoughts as she caught glimpse of the child, running for her life! Sakura didn't see any attackers, so she remained hidden as she followed.

The girl kept running as fast as she possibly could. She wouldn't stop; she couldn't. She kept running until she came to a cliff. There was nowhere else to go. She trembled where she stood, then whirled around when three men appeared, all chuckling at her fear.

The one in the center stepped forward. "Did you really think you could get away from us, kid?" He tapped his headband with a horizontal scratch along the symbol. Sakura inhaled sharply. Rogue ninja? She thought back to just before she had left the village that morning; Ino had caught her at the gate, obviously concerned about the solo mission.

"You better be careful out there."

"Don't you worry about me, Pig. There's nothing to be afraid of, especially since the alliance began."

Ino shook her head. "Not everyone was involved with the alliance, you know. There're still rogue ninja out there, probably dying for a chance to start another war or seize control."

Sakura hadn't taken her warning seriously, thinking it had been a joke to shake her. I should've approached it logically. Of course the rogues didn't take part in the war with us!

She brought her attention back to the scene. One of the other rogues began approaching the girl. "We're ninja. A peasant like you stands no chance."

The girl didn't move; she just stood there, frozen. From her location, Sakura had seen more than enough. She leapt from the tree, gracefully landing in front of the girl. "Then how about facing a shinobi?"

The three stepped back in surprise, but their eyes narrowed as they prepared to fight. The ninja in the back reached for his blade. "You're on, girly!"

Sakura tried to come up with a plan; sure, she could take these punks no problem, but there was no guarantee the girl behind her wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. She kept her eyes on the men in front of her as she spoke to the girl. "Listen. When I attack, I need you to run. I'll keep them here so you can get away. Clear?"

"Kukukuku… Crystal."

Sakura's eyes widened as she felt something puncture her neck. She yanked out what appeared to be a senbon. Almost immediately, numbness coursed through her veins; her limbs felt like lead, causing her to fall to her knees as she grasped her injury. These symptoms… it has to be… numbing poison…

She managed to glance behind her to see the child with a dark expression on her face. The girl looked up and smirked. "Haruno Sakura, the apprentice of the 5th Hokage and a hero from the Great Shinobi War. We could get a great ransom for you."

Before Sakura could even attempt to speak, the girl disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing a tall, dark man with a headband similar to the other goons. No… a set up.

She hadn't suspected the girl for a second! If she had only kept her guard up, she would have noticed the transformation jutsu. For once, she wanted to curse her soft spot for kids.

The rogue knelt down before her, holding her chin so she looked him in the eye. "Or… after having some fun, we can make it look like another village turned on you."

If she could feel her body, she knew it would've shuddered. This guy's sick! I am NOT going to let him have his way!

With all of her strength, she managed to shove him away and get to her feet. Still, it was hard to ignore the numbness in her limbs. The four rogues had her cornered, and she was losing control fast. Her breathing was getting heavier by the second, and she could feel the beads of sweat on her face. She looked behind her; she could only see trees below her. If she was lucky, a branch would catch her. If not…

She didn't have time to think about that. She'd rather die than risk another war!

One of the ninjas noticed her gaze. "Don't even think about it! There's no way you'll survive!"

She turned to them, eyes unwavering. She smirked. "I'll never know unless I try."

The others moved to restrain her, but they were too late. Sakura had summoned enough strength to jump off the side.

Naruto…Kakashi-sensei…Ino…Everyone… I'm so sorry.

Before the toxin stole her consciousness, she could hear their cries in the distance… along with the sound of chirping birds.

Sasuke Uchiha had been continuing with his travels. He stopped when he sensed a group of chakra… about 5 shinobi, it seemed. Hn. It's none of my concern. Still, he felt a bit irritated; one of those chakra signatures felt…familiar. He tried to keep going, but he couldn't stop himself from being curious. I'll just take a look. I won't get involved in this nonsense.

When he had arrived, his suspicions had been confirmed. There stood Sakura Haruno, an old comrade. She was surrounded by rogue ninja. But Sasuke had seen her demonstration of strength during the war, so why hadn't she buried them already? He'd admit she'd have no problem facing an ordinary opponent, so what had happened? On closer inspection, he noticed she was panting heavily and grasping her neck. Poison.

Sasuke had to suppress that sickening feeling in his gut when he watched one of those pests lay a hand on her. But why did he feel this way? All he did was hold her chin. It wasn't an injury, so why did he care? No. I don't care. He kept telling himself that, but he still remained where he was.

Suddenly she stood up and shoved the enemy to the side. Sasuke couldn't help but reveal a small smirk. Even poison won't stop her from being annoying. That smirk quickly vanished when he observed her situation; she was cornered and in no condition to fight. He noticed when her eyes glanced behind her. He knew that look; the wheels in her mind were turning as she considered her options. Sasuke didn't have to guess what her decision was. She's going to jump.

The old Sakura would never try such a stunt, but she was long gone. That much he knew. When he saw her determined look, he knew then that if he didn't do something that very second, she was a goner. He charged his Chidori and leapt into action.

He landed behind the group; all of them were watching the free-falling kunoichi. Before they knew what hit them, Sasuke streamed the Chidori, using enough energy to stun. One of them managed to mutter, "U…Uchiha," before he collapsed. But Sasuke's task wasn't complete. He wouldn't make it in time if he jumped after her. Instead, he activated the Rinnegan and transported himself to the bottom of the cliff. He bounded to the top of the trees, leapt up, and caught Sakura, though it was a little awkward with one arm. Still, he's an Uchiha, so even if he's short an arm, his skills are unmatched. His arm wrapped around her waist and held her close.

When he landed, guided her body as she slumped to the ground. He positioned her to assess her condition. She was still breathing. Her chakra was still flowing, but it was weakened. Assuming that those insects had been attempting a kidnapping, Sasuke figured the poison wasn't a life-threatening one. She'd recover on her own; he just had to find a shelter.

Sasuke didn't exactly have the necessary supplies to set camp. Instead, he shifted Sakura over his shoulder and located a cavern in the cliff. After gently laying the unconscious medic on the ground, he removed his poncho to serve as a blanket. Finally, using a small fireball, he lit a fire.

Once the shelter was set, he sat down and leaned against the cavern wall. He made sure to stay on the opposite side of the cavern, facing Sakura. He contemplated his next move. He could leave, but that would make her completely vulnerable if those fake ninja return. Their motive had been to kidnap her for political reasons; his logic told him they wouldn't give up so easily. On the other hand, Sasuke really wasn't in the mood to deal with Sakura once she woke up. She'd most likely bombard him with questions and beg him to return to the village; he felt he could return someday, but not quite yet.

He gazed at her sleeping form. How long did he have before the poison wore off? She was still unconscious, but at least her breathing was steady. Before he realized what he was doing, he got up and kneeled beside her, watching her. The girl before him had watched over him when he was unconscious for days, waiting for Jiraiya and Naruto to return with Tsunade. Now the tables had turned, and he was watching over her. I'm not worried about her. She's just so annoying that she can't stay out of trouble.

Sasuke noticed some of her hair had fallen in her face; his hand slowly reached out and brushed it to the side. There was no reason for his action; it's merely a whim, nothing more.

Sakura woke as the sun began to rise. Surprised she was on the ground and still alive, she tried to sit up, but with little success. I guess that toxin took more of a toll than I thought…

She moved her eyes around, taking in her surroundings. Obviously, she was in a cave of some sort. She could see the remains of a campfire, so someone had to be here to light it.

Deciding to try again, she forced herself into a seated position. Some sort of fabric fell as she rose. She lifted the fabric; it looked like an article of clothing. That confirmed her theory that someone had helped her! But who? Could it have been one of the rogues? That didn't seem as likely, since she wasn't bound. Though, they could be dumb enough to rely solely on the poison. Then again, that means someone would be guarding me.

Sakura chose to go with her gut and assume an onlooker had helped her. If one of the rogues had nabbed her, he'd be in her face by now. She knew how crazy villains worked; she had faced many in the past. They always had to boast if they managed the slightest triumph.

Okay, so it wasn't a rogue. And I'm not in a village. At least, I don't think I am. She knew there was no way an ordinary civilian had saved her. Her injuries should've been more severe if she fell through the trees. But I'm practically unscathed, meaning that… someone had to catch me. I only know a handful of ninja who can move so fast… A certain ninja who shall remain nameless came to mind, but she quickly dismissed that possibility. He had walked out on the village…and on her. If she wanted the truth, Sakura knew she best investigate, but so far, she had barely managed to sit up. "This toxin certainly lasts long. If I could've just gotten one punch in, I'd feel better," she grumbled.

But, now was not the time to worry about her missed opportunity; she had to get rid of the poison. Luckily, her hands were functioning, so she managed to move into position. Hopefully, this won't take too long, and I can get out of here. Of course, she'd love to thank her rescuer, but that didn't seem possible since there was no human being in sight. Probably wants to remain anonymous.

Eventually, she regained enough strength to stand. She walked to the entrance of the cave, though she had a hand on the wall for support. She looked around; she still didn't see anyone. Though, now she could tell she was still in the forest where she fell.

That's when she sensed it; a chakra nearby was trying to mask itself. The shyness made her smile. It's kind of adorable…and suspicious. But, she decided to show her gratitude by not prying any further. Instead, she called out, "Whoever you are, I know you saved me, so… thank you!" With that, she made her way out of the cavern and continued her mission.

During the night, Sasuke chose to position himself in the trees. Sakura may be skilled when it comes to chakra control, but that doesn't mean she could detect specific chakra signatures. Plus he was hidden from any unknown enemies, giving him the element of surprise. This way, he could watch over her and avoid uncomfortable confrontation with her.

When she had finally stirred, it was daybreak. Sasuke wouldn't admit that he was a bit relieved. He realized she still had difficulty moving, but that comes with the effects of the poison. He kept his eyes on her as she shifted; he knew she was fine when he saw the green glow emanate from her fingers. Still, she was quiet, and that concerned him. He half-expected her to make a fuss and try to find her "hero."

After some time had passed, she managed to walk outside. He didn't miss that she was using the wall for support. He could tell she had sensed a presence, but she didn't move to a defensive position. Instead, she smiled and thanked him. It was… strange… to receive gratitude. It had been a while.

That's when she started to leave. Sasuke noted that she was walking: not running, not tree-jumping, but walking. Barely.

What's she doing? She should know that she can't travel like that. She's completely vulnerable! Idiot! He knew he couldn't leave her alone for a second without her getting into trouble. So, he followed her, though he masked his chakra and stayed hidden in the trees above.

Sakura was well aware that she was being followed. Still, she didn't feel scared; she knew it was the same signature that had saved her before. She called out, "You don't have to follow me! I'm fine!" No one responded, but she expected that. She kept walking, and the chakra remained with her. The kunoichi couldn't help but smile to herself.

Sakura continued with her mission, paying no mind to her new "stalker." Slowly but surely, she made her way to her destination. By the time she got there, most of her strength had returned to some degree. She gathered all of the required herbs, then she stopped at the river to fill her canteen. "Alright, I got what I came for."

"I was just about to say the same thing."

Sakura quickly rose to her feet to face the voice. She immediately recognized it as one of the attackers. That idiot is smirking. As if he has the upper hand!

"You may have gotten away last time, but now there really is no where to go. That stream isn't deep enough, so you can't hide there!"

Sakura folded her arms and raised one eyebrow. "Nice assessment. I see you learned from last time."

"Quit mocking me! Before I take you away, I'll be sure to pay—" He didn't get to finish since Sakura already landed a perfect punch on his face. After enjoying the view of the flying enemy, she really felt pumped. She finally got him!

"SHANAROO! That felt great!"

With their leader knocked to next week, the other three suddenly appeared and lunged for her. Sakura rolled her eyes. They're angry; now their judgment is clouded. She leapt out of the way, half-expecting the others to crash into each other. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Soon they were all positioned for another attack.

"We're not as pathetic as you seem to think."

Sakura quickly turned her head to see the leader on his feet again. He's got stamina, I'll give him that much.

Smirking, he pulled out his sword. "It's over. We've got you outnumbered, and the poison is still taking effect. You can't win."

Sakura grit her teeth. She knew what he said about the poison was true; she certainly wasn't at her best. But that didn't mean she was finished. I hate arrogant bastards like this guy!

Sakura prepared herself for their next attack as the leader began to chuckle. "No one's going to help you this time. Not even that Uchiha you sent after us!"

Sakura's eyes widened. "U-Uchiha?" she whispered. She was so shocked to hear that name, she didn't notice the ninja behind her approaching rapidly. She turned to see a sword about to lunge into her…which was quickly blocked by another swordsman! Sakura could not believe her eyes. "S-Sasuke? Where—"

"Hn. You shouldn't let your guard down so easily."

"Sasuke… what are you doing here?"

Sasuke noticed the tone she used wasn't exactly what he had expected. She actually sounded… irritated.

He pushed the rogue back and turned to Sakura. "What do you think? Someone has to get you out of this mess."

Sakura wasn't sure why she felt so angry. She should be happy to see him again, but she still felt a bit hurt from his departure. He'd been gone for two years without a word! And now he's back to play the hero? Hell no! She wasn't going to fall for that again!

"Who said I needed help? I'm fine on my own! Besides, you left. You said you didn't need anybody."

"That has nothing to do with this."

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was treating her like a child! Next thing she knew, she was yelling again. "It has everything to do with this! If you don't care about anyone, then why on earth would you help me?!"

Sasuke was quickly losing his patience. "I happened to come across you on my travels. That's all."

Sakura folded her arms and turned away. "Oh, so I just happened to catch you in a good mood? Thanks but no thanks!"

Nearing his breaking point, Sasuke tried to calmly reason with her. "I'm just trying to help. Stop being so annoying and let me handle this."

In her head, Sakura had chosen to avoid looking at the traitor. But at the mention of that word, she lost it. She faced him once more, looking the Uchiha in the eye. "Again with the 'annoying'?! Is that all you think I am?! If I'm so annoying, then why help me?"

And so, a glaring contest began between the two, but it was cut short as Sakura's eyes widened. "Look out!"

Sasuke whirled around and blocked the blade aimed for his back. Damn! Why didn't I sense him approaching?

The rogue pressed down on his blade until his face was inches from the Uchiha. "A warrior never lets a mere woman distract him."

Sasuke smirked back at him. "And a true warrior doesn't willingly head straight into a trap."

Just as he realized his mistake, it was too late. The Sharingan activated, and he was caught in a horrible genjutsu; he was trapped in the hands of a horrible demon, which was squeezing the life out of him.

"Hn. One down." Sasuke turned to face the others, but found an interesting sight to behold. There stood Sakura, fuming as she stood over three unconscious bodies. "A MERE WOMAN, HUH? WELL, THIS WOMAN JUST KICKED YOUR SORRY HIDES!"

Sasuke sweat-dropped. Some things just never change.

Sakura turned to Sasuke. "Didn't I tell you? I can take care of…" Unfortunately, Sakura's legs failed her. Sasuke, having already called her bluff, was immediately at her side as she fell to her knees.

"You were poisoned, idiot. No matter how strong you are, fatigue was bound to catch up to you."

"I… know that. I… am a… medic… you know. Just…give me a minute." Sakura knew that all she had to do was catch her breath. She did NOT need a babysitter!

Sasuke just stared at her; he couldn't figure out why she was being so stubborn. What's she trying to prove? He watched as Sakura pushed herself to her feet and made her way to her basket of herbs. She didn't look at him when she spoke.

"Thanks… for looking after me, I mean. You didn't have to do that."

Sasuke didn't blink. He just kept watching her; her body was still shaking from fatigue, and sweat glistened on her brow. She could collapse at this rate. He knew right then and there that Sakura, being the way she was, would end up in trouble again, and she'd continue to put herself in danger because she's too stubborn to back down. He wanted her to be safe; he wanted to stay by her side. Some of his feelings from his genin days were returning to him, especially the need to protect Sakura at all costs.

Sakura had been picking up her baskets of herbs; she didn't dare look back at Sasuke. For all I know, he probably took off already. It's best not to watch. The next thing she knew, he appeared in front of her and bent down. His arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her onto his shoulder.

"S-Sasuke! What are you doing?"

His eyes moved to her direction. "I'm taking you back."

"What for? Put me down! Put me down, dammit!"

Sasuke's eyes looked ahead. "You're in no condition to travel, so I'll take you." With that, he bounded into the next tree and made his way toward Konoha. Of course, Sakura wasn't about to give in without a fight. She kept trying to free herself from his grasp.

"Idiot! I said I can take care of myself! Why can't you just listen to me? Do you honestly think I'm that weak?"

Her kidnapper remained quiet. She could feel her eyes beginning to sting. All of her emotions were building up: her fatigue from the poison, the pain from the reminder of his betrayal, her frustration from how he was treating her…everything. She just couldn't stand it! "WHY CAN'T YOU ACKNOWLEDGE ME, DAMMIT?!"

That made the Uchiha stop in his tracks. He recalled what Naruto once told him when they first started out as genin.

"All Sakura wants… is for you to acknowledge her!"

He didn't understand what that idiot was talking about then. But now…

Sasuke looked back to Sakura; she stopped struggling. She had gone limp after that outburst. He sighed. "I never said you weren't skilled."

Sakura's eyes widened; what was he saying? Was he-

No. There's no way. Sakura's eyes lowered. "Don't give me that. You and Naruto always had to look after me then, and you're still doing it now."

"It's not because I think you're weak." Sasuke lowered her down so she was facing him. "Sakura… I protect you because I want to. You're… important… to me. As much as I hate to admit."

"But, Sasuke, you-"

"I tried to deny it in the past. I convinced myself that I didn't need anyone… that I could survive on my own. But…"

Sakura just stared at him for a moment. For Sasuke, this was quite a feat; he'd never been one to reveal emotion besides disinterest or anger. Somehow, she could tell what he was thinking.

"It was lonely, wasn't it?"

Sasuke just looked at her, but his silence said it all. Sakura looked down; his words filled her with so much…relief. She could feel herself becoming calmer.

For once, Sasuke couldn't tell what she was thinking. He waited for some kind of response, but he hadn't expected what came next. She looked at him with those emerald orbs of hers. "Alright then. Let's head back. But if you insist on carrying me, I'd like to try a different approach."

The next thing he knew, Sakura had positioned herself on his back. She leaned on him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, trying not to choke him. As a reflex, Sasuke positioned his arm to give some support. Lucky for him, he was strong enough to do so. She smiled. "Yep. This is much more comfortable."

"Hn." Sasuke just kept his eyes forward as he desperately tried to hide the warmth in his cheeks.

Yeah, I know Sakura was a bit on the sarcastic side, but that's how it naturally came out. I was really hoping for something like this to happen.

I've been keeping up with Naruto Gaiden, and the Karin thing threw me for a loop. I don't want to give spoilers, but if you message me, I'll give you my opinion.

Review :)