Growing up, life for Sakura Haruno had never been particularly exciting.

Really though. She grew up in a good home, with two great parents who doted on her. She went to an average school, and did really well. Actually, better than well. More like extraordinary, and excelled in almost everything she did. That probably was the highlight of her life, if she had to shamefully admit that to herself. She had friends, great friends in fact. Ino Yamanaka was her best friend to the end, no doubt about that. And then there was Hinata, and TenTen, and Lee, and Kiba, and Shikamaru, and all the other people in her class. Sakura was a very friendly child indeed, and made friends very easily.

However, there was her two most absolute best friends in the whole wide world: Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha.

Their parents were best friends with her parents and so even as a baby, toddling around in nothing but a diaper, Sakura grew to know the two boys. It was over playdates and soggy cookies that an unbreakable friendship was formed, and Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke were attached at the hip ever since. They did everything together, the three musketeers, from walking to riding bikes to cheating on tests (well, more like Naruto cheating off of her and Sasuke) to getting their driving licences to graduating high school. They even planned on graduating college together, and all three sets of parents were hellbent on Sakura marrying either Naruto or Sasuke.

But, alas, how some things work out in life, you don't get what you exactly planned on. Like, let's say during your sophomore year of college, confessing your feelings to your best friend who then disses you in the most embarrassing way possible leaving you emotionally crushed, so much so that when you get offered a chance to study under the Tsunade Senji, you decide to take a five year scholarship across the country to become a badass female doctor who doesn't need no man?

Yeah. Sometimes things work out in ways you don't expect them to. And sometimes, it's for the better. That's what Sakura Haruno tells herself at least.

So she decided to take those five years in stride. No longer would she be the shy, emotion-driven girl she once was. No, she left that behind her when she stepped on that plane to Wave. And while she was gone, not only did she become the youngest doctor ever to earn their white coat, but she also grew in a few different areas besides her intelligence. Her once short, choppy pink locks grew out into silky loose waves, just a few inches above her buttocks. Her plank-like chest grew into sizeable mounds, still not as impressive as her best friend, but enough for a handful and some change (which she silently thanked Kami for everyday.) Her lips grew into a pouty smirk, and the five years she did of self-defense kickboxing showed in her lean muscles and firm behind. The light tan she had acquired from frequenting Wave's beaches glowed on her skin. Her green eyes now sparkled with a certain mischief and wisdom, and as she emerged from her gate at the airport, pushing her sunglasses up to her hair, those green eyes scanned the masses for a certain pair of heads.

Sakura Haruno was a new person, refreshed with a heart mended; a person she loved being.

She just couldn't wait to share that with everyone.

"Sakura!" a shrill woman's voice screamed over the heads of the other people, and Sakura's grin stretched from cheek to cheek. She spotted her mother and father wading through the crowd, and when they spotted her bright pink hair, her mother let out a cry and began sprinting towards her.

"Mom!" Sakura laughed, a joyful tinkling sound as she tossed her carry-on bag down to run up and embrace her mother. She didn't even cringe as the older woman squeezed the life out of her.

"Oh! My baby!" her mother crooned, still in the embrace as she stroked her daughter's now long hair lovingly. "My baby is home!"

"Mebuki, leave that damn kid alone." Her father gruffed in good-nature, bending over to pick up her bag. He groaned on his way up, holding his lower back.

Sakura let go of her mother despite the blonde's protests and ran up and hugged her father tightly. He hooked one arm around her neck, pulling her in, and she breathed in the fresh scent of his after shave.

"Welcome home, kid." he said, kissing the crown of her head before letting her go. "You look good."

"Thanks, daddy." Sakura smiled softly. "And you look good too. For an old man at least."

"An old man that can still kick any boy's ass who dares to look at you the wrong way." he said loudly, and was pointedly looking over her shoulder.

Confused, Sakura tilted her head and looked behind her, seeing a group of panicking teenage boys scrambling to get away from whatever her father was doing behind her. The pink haired woman threw her head back and laughed good-naturedly, shaking her head as she turned back to her parents.

"Dad, you really are too much."

"Why did you have to go and get more beautiful while you were gone?" he joked, rustling her hair.

"Really though, honey! What is in the water in Waves? You leave looking like a waif, and come back like this!" her mother whined, tugging at her hair.

"Looking like what?" Sakura mumbled, insulted, as she tugged at her shirt in self-consciousness.

"Oh, stop it for the love of Kami, Mebuki! She's home two minutes and you're already smothering her." her father rolled his eyes, and rested a hand on her mother's back. "Come on. Let's help Sakura get her things from baggage claim, and let's get her home."

Thankful for her father's intervention, she mouthed a "Thank You" in which he returned with a wink. Turning back to her mother, she sighed dramatically. "Man, home sounds good. I need a hot shower and to shave my man legs, and then food and my own bed sounds like heaven. I can almost hear it calling me now!"

"Well, then let's get you settled, honey." her mother agreed, patting her hand lovingly.

After getting her things into the car and the hour long trip back home in which her mother chatted her ear off mercilessly, Sakura got her shower and shave, and was walking downstairs to dinner. Her phone had been dead half the plane ride, and she was just able to plug it into the wall to charge, figuring it would juice up while she ate dinner. She just threw on her PJs for the night, a light blue shirt that was three sizes too big for her and a pair of spandex shorts, and had her long hair wrapped up in a fluffy white towel. Walking into the kitchen, she found her father at the table, looking annoyed as her mother flitted about with a phone glued to her ear. Taking a seat next to her father, Sakura folded her legs under her and raised a pink brow.

"Who's mom talking to?" she asked curiously, eyeing the fish in the center of the table with thinly veiled interest.

"Who knows at this point. She's about called every damn person in the damn phone book, talking about how you're back, as if the whole damn country needed to know." he grouched, folding his arms and almost pouting.

Her father always got grouchy when he was hungry, and even to this day he hated waiting to eat his food. If he was this annoyed, then her mother had been on the phone for a minute, and he had been ready to eat about twenty minutes ago. Sakura laughed, shaking her head and snagging a dumpling, depositing it on her father's plate before grabbing one for herself. He grinned, stuffing it in his mouth whole, and had just swallowed when his wife busted through the paper sliding door.

"Sorry! Sorry." her mother apologized, crossing her legs and sitting down in her usual spot. "Everybody eat up!" She leaned over and gave her husband a quick apology kiss, before spooning different foods onto his plate. When she got to the dumplings, she gave him a sour look. "Now I know damn well I have 15 dumplings on this plate, and now there are 13. Kizashi, you impatient pig!"

Her father opened his mouth to rebuttal, but not wanting to hear any of it, Sakura rolled her eyes and stabbed a dumpling with her chopsticks while the plate was still in her mother's hand, stuffing it in her mouth whole and making sure to talk with her mouth full when she said, "I'm the impatient pig, mom! Are you trying to starve me?!"

"Sakura Haruno, you ungracious child. How dare you-"

"Be happy she's home, Mebuki. We both know you've missed this." Her father interrupted, kissing her on the cheek before stealing a dumpling. Giving up, her mother sighed and set the plate down. Once all the food had been dished out, her father looked over to her and swallowed. "So, how did Tsunade-Sama take the news of you leaving?"

Sakura swallowed a bite of rice, taking a sip of tea before answering. "She was okay. Actually, more than okay, because she's moving here to work with me."

"What?!" her mother choked. "Tsunade-Sama here? In Konoha? But why?"

"Well," Sakura began, spearing a piece of fish. "There's a new hospital and research center opening up in downtown Konoha. Lady Tsunade was invited to come to be the director. Since she still wanted to train me throughout my residency, she said it was the perfect opportunity." Stuffing the fish in her mouth, the pink haired woman shrugged. "Besides, there wasn't anything left in Wave for her anyways, I suppose."
"Well, that's nice, dear." her mother said warmly. "Will you be working at this hospital when it opens?"

"Yes, I'll be there." she said. "It's set to open in a week or two. Until then I was planning on getting settled and visiting a few friends. I saved up enough money from working in a few clinics back in Wave. It should be enough to last me until the hospital opens. But I was hoping to stay here until it does. If that's okay with-"

"Sakura Haruno, don't you dare finish that sentence. You know not to ask." her father said tersely, shaking his head. "You could stay here the rest of your life."

"Thanks, guys." Sakura bowed her head, taking in her parents unspoken affection. "Although I was going to move out and get my own place once I get a few steady paychecks from the hospital."

"Moving out on your own?!" her mother gasped. "A young woman of your age? Unmarried? Is there no girl dorms for you?"

"No, mom. I'm graduated now. Technically I'm a student still, but technically I'm not just the same. I have to get my own place soon." Sakura said slowly, trying not to cringe at the shrillness of her mother's sharp inhale.

"Sakura, no! That's just so, so-"

"It's a new time, Mebuki. Sakura is going to be fine. Just let it go."

There was a silence at the table for a few beats, before the older woman sighed. "Okay." Her mother patted her hand. "We're very proud of the woman you've become."

"Very proud." her dad echoed.

The rest of dinner was ate in small pleasantries, and after having a shower and a nice meal, Sakura flopped onto her bed with her belly full and her eyes heavy. Jet lag hit her all at once, and she found that her limbs felt like they were made of lead. Before she lifted her down comforter to slide under the cover, her once dead phone beeped to life, the screen illuminating the space around her. Scooting to her edge, Sakura picked her phone up, having completely forgotten all about it, and saw she had an inbox full of unread messages. Giggling, she sat up and began to filter through them.

(~)

4 Messages from Pig

Forehead! I know you're still on the plan, but give me a text when you land! xoxo 4:38pm

Uhm, hello? 6:23pm

Sakura Haruno stop ignoring me! 7:37pm

At least let me know you're alive. :( 8:45pm

1 Message to Pig

Yes, I'm home. And yes, I'm alive. Now let me sleep, Pig. 9:02pm

1 Message from Kiba

Sakura! Heard you're coming back today! Hope to see you soon. 5:34pm

1 Message from Hinata

I hope you made it safely home! Ino told me you were coming back today. I'll see you soon! 3:17pm

1 Message to Hinata

I'm home! I'll call you tomorrow about it! 9:05pm

1 Message from Bushy Brows

YOSH! SAKURA, I SEE YOU HAVE DECIDED TO COME BACK TO KONOHA. I BET YOUR BEAUTY IS EVER MORE WONDROUS SINCE I LAST SEEN YOU! 6:57pm

1 Message to Bushy Brows

Lee, for the love of god take your caps lock off. Please. 9:06pm

2 Messages from TenTen

Hey gurl! Heard from your mom you're back. 4:28pm

She said something about you doing kickboxing now? We should totally meet up and spare sometime! 4:29pm

1 Message from Naruto

Hey Sakura-Chan! Your mom told my mom, who told me that you're back! I can't wait to see you. It's been too long! I bet you're busy right now, but give me a call when you can. :) 3:51pm

1 Message to Naruto

Naruto! Oh my Kami, yes! I'll call you tomorrow first thing! 9:09pm

1 Message from Unknown

Welcome Home. 7:46pm

1 Message to Unknown

I'm sorry, who is this? 9:11pm

1 Message from Pig

You're a bitch. 9:14pm

1 Message to Pig

At least that hasn't changed about me. 9:14pm

1 Message from Naruto

Can't wait to hear your voice again! 9:15pm

1 Message to Naruto

That sounded kind of romantic. Longing for me are you, Naruto? 9:15pm

1 Message from Pig

Kami, I've missed you, Ugly. :( 9:20pm

1 Message to Pig

I've missed you too, Fatty. :( 9:21pm

1 Message from Naruto

Yes. 9:21pm

(~)

Sakura's face lit up bright red as blood rushed up her neck to her cheeks. What the hell?! Naruto said...what? Re-Reading the text and not really knowing what to say, Sakura decided to sit her phone down and try to re-read through them tomorrow when she had less jet lag fog clouding her mind. Maybe she's just reading too much into Naruto's message. She'll get back to everyone else tomorrow, but for now, all she really wanted to do was sleep.

Plugging her phone back in, she snuggled under her comforter and was almost out when her phone chimed again. Debating whether or not to check it, she decided she better go ahead and do it to make sure it wasn't important (or Naruto mad at her for not replying). Picking up her phone, she blinked her bleary eyes several times to refocus. 1 Message from Unknown. Curious, Sakura entered her passcode and entered her messages.

(~)

1 Message from Unknown

Sasuke Uchiha. 9:43pm

(~)

So much for sleep.