Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Chapter 1: This Can't Be Happening

All the great shinobi nations have fallen.

Small groups of villagers around the world started to try to piece together their life once again. Decaying bodies laid in the streets; the stench was foul. Scattered fires burned across the countries, lightning them as small fireflies for those who'd look upon them from a mountain or hillside. Only the sparse rain sheltered the once great shinobi nations, but only seemed to increase the villagers anguish with frail tears falling from heaven. Was there any hope left? Maybe…. Maybe not.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto weakly grabbed onto her flak jacket.

"Don't try to talk." Sakura replied, biting her lip and trying to holding back tears.

Surprisingly, the rookie-nine had survived the turmoil of the fourth ninja war. They all stood around their fallen comrade, while his teammate tried to close his wounds. With a set face, Sakura intricately healed his damaged organs as Hinata cradled Naruto's head.

"Will he be alright?" Hinata asked, slightly shaking in fear of losing her loved one. Hinata had grown into a strong kunoichi thanks to the war itself. No longer did she stutter or hesitate.

"Not if I can help it." Sweat beaded down her brow, but she didn't stop to wipe it as it fell from her chin.

With most of the organs healed, Sakura felt herself slipping into the black abyss with only Ino's voice calling her name. She fell into waiting arms of her comrades; Darkness took her.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"It's almost done…" Madara spoke behind the mask, sitting atop a tall building; gazing into the horizon. His first plan was to use Sasuke to throw the ninja world into chaos; mission accomplished. His second was to seal all the tailed-beasts so that he could become whole again. Madara clenched his fists with excitement; he'd rebuild uchiha clan from the ground up.

"Bakamen!" He heard below him followed by a splash.

It was two of Sasuke's teammates; Karin and Suigetsu. He noticed the water ninja always seemed to irritate or goad the red head into fighting. Karin turned and stomped away, claiming something about going to find Sasuke. He watched as the water ninja shoulder a new sword that he acquired from fighting one of the seven swordsmen. Turning as well, Suigetsu stomped off in the opposite direction, intent on finding Jugo.

Madara focused his vision back onto the horizon.

"Now all that's left is to seal the Kyuubi. Then I shall be whole again." Madara fazed out and seemingly disappeared from the world altogether.

"Soon…" His voice wafted on the wind as a dark promising whisper.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"He's stable…"

"What should we do about the villagers…"

Voices swam into Sakura's subconscious, slowly making her wake up.

Sakura sat up quickly, then groaned in exertion. It felt like all the cells in her body ached and screamed at her to lie back down. She felt a comforting hand guiding her down to the bed; Sakura gazed up to the owner of that hand.

"You need your rest billboard brow." Ino said affectionately.

Sakura sighed and nodded.

The rookie-nine pitched a tent outside of Konoha's wrecked gates and crumbled village. Sakura looked at the fabric ceiling in a daze, vaguely aware of a sleeping occupant. She turned her head weakly to the side and looked at her long-time friend. Naruto.

He slept peacefully, though wrapped in bandages. Hinata came in and placed a rag over his head. Sakura deduced he must have a fever, the worst possible case was infection. Since the hospital was destroyed, there was no current medicines to help fight off the illness.

Shit….. Sakura thought in despair… what if I can't save him?

"H-how is he?" Sakura's throat burned from no fluids, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

"He's stable for now. Thank you Sakura." Hinata's opaque lavender orbs gazed at her with pure gratification.

"He's still not out of the wood's yet." Sakura whispered while turning her head back to stare at the ceiling of the tent.

"Sakura, you look like shit." Ino's blunt voice entered her ears. Rummaging in her pouch she withdrew a soldier pill.

"Here." Ino placed the pill at Sakura's lips and made her take it.

Sakura chewed the bitter pill and slowly started to feel better.

Sitting up with renewed strength, she assessed Naruto.

Lifting up the bandages, a necrotic smell filtered into her nostrils.

His skin, organs, and the rest of his system was decaying. He was dying.

Sakura's tears spilled down her cheeks and onto her clenched fists.

Why… why does it have to be this way?

"What's wrong?" Hinata's worried filled voice pulled Sakura back from wandering.

"Nothing." She re-wrapped the bandage and motioned Ino outside.

"He's dying." Sakura told Ino; trying to discuss what they could do, since they were both medics.

"I know… and I don't think there is anything we can do." Ino put a comforting arm around Sakura's shoulder.

They cried silently.

"We'll get them back… We'll get them back…" Ino's soft voice rang like a mantra in Sakura's head.

Sakura's tears dried and all that remained was anger.

All because of him.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke dressed in front of the full length mirror. He traced his scars with a masculine finger, remembering how he got those scars and the people he slain. Smirking, he pulled on his yukata, followed by his black pants. Strapping on his scandals and holstering his sword he made his way out of the room, where he promptly got tackled by something, er, someone.

"Sa-s-u-k-e…" Karin plastered herself to him like a second skin, speaking his name as if she was having an orgasm.

Sasuke glared down at her with black orbs and started down the hallway, not caring if Karin was still on his arm.

"Mou… Sasuke…" She tugged on his shirt, hoping to get a reaction.

"What?"

"I thought we could go to a hot spring or a dumping tea shop." Karin giggled and batted her eyelashes.

"…." Sasuke regarded her with an empty stare.

She leaned up and kissed his lips. He didn't respond.

Slightly frustrated, she pressed her breasts into his arm and side.

"Sorry to break up this little session, but Sasuke and I need to talk." Madara appeared in front of the couple.

Silently thanking Madara, Sasuke disentangled himself from the nuisance.

"Follow me." Madara turned and headed into a conference room.

Karin, being a nosey-body tried to follow, only succeeding in getting her face smashed in by the closing door. She could hear her glasses breaking and groaned, clutching her nose. Then mocking laughter came from behind.

"Boy, they really must not like animals." Suigetsu grinned toothily.

Jugo stood behind him with small birds perched on his shoulder.

"You take that back you kappa!" Karin screeched as Suigetsu sidestepped her punch and opened the conference room door.

"Jugo, you coming?"

"Yes." He moved past Karin as well.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Karin rushed at the closing door.

Not a smart idea.

Suigetsu grinned and chuckled with satisfaction when he heard a thump on the other side of the now close door, followed by groaning and cursing. Madara sat at the head of the table, while Sasuke sat at the other end. They were joined by Zetsu, Kisame, Suigetsu, and Jugo. Sasuke clasped his hands together and rested it on his toned abs.

"So, what are we here to discuss?" Sasuke reclined back a bit more.

"We need to capture the Kyuubi, Uzumaki Naruto."

No longer reclining, Sasuke leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table.

"The teams that will be sent out are: Jugo, Suigetsu, Kisame; followed by Sasuke, Karin, and myself. Zetsu will assist both teams. We start the search now." Madara looked over the shinobi sitting around the table.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Where do we go from here?" TenTen asked as eight of the nine comrades gathered around; excluding Naruto who was still a sleep.

"First we need to get in touch with the neighboring village and take the leaf villagers there. Safety in numbers. They will be able to go deep into the mountains, hard to be found." Shikamaru took a long drag of his cigarette; a new thing he did after Asuma died.

Everyone nodded in accordance.

"Neji, Shino, and Kiba will escort the villagers." Shikamaru puffed out a ball of smoke.

"The rest of us will stay here and form a safety barrier until we can get in touch with fellow shinobi." Sakura spoke up after a moment of silence.

As the meeting ended, Sakura trudged back to the tent to check on Naruto. Opening the flap, she gazed upon a sad sight. The once great Naruto Uzumaki lied on a small stiff matt, his skin color pale and with a fever still plaguing him. Sakura ringed out a new rag and placed it on his head. He moaned slightly and stirred, but did not awake from his slumber.

Naruto…. Sakura traced his stripes on his face that marked him as the Kyuubi holder.

"Sakura."

She turned to see Ino and Hinata standing there.

"We are going to set up a perimeter." Hinata looked at Naruto with all the love in the world reflecting in her eyes.

"Yes." Sakura got to her feet and dusted off her skirt.

Making a fist, she made a promise to herself to protect everyone here until Kiba, Shino, and Neji returned.

"No, Sakura. You stay here and take care of Naruto."

The fisted hand fell to her side as her shoulders sagged. There it was again, they saw her as a valuable tool only, not as a combat fighter. She understood as she was the last best medic-nin there was and they needed her incase they got hurt. Sakura was being forced to sit on the sidelines and it left a small sting to her heart.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Something was wrong. The girls should have been back by now.

Walking out of the tent she spotted Shikamaru, Lee, and Choji staring intently at the forest.

"What's going-" Shikarmau's hand stopped her questioning.

"We are being watched." His eyes never strayed from the tree line.

Sakura turned her speculative green eyes to the forest; her body suddenly tense, her gaze drifted to the tent. She should be in there, protecting him.

Shadows blurred suddenly in front of them.

"Sakura, go!" Shikamaru pushed her towards the tent and she knew she had to protect Naruto at all costs.

Once inside the tent, she drew a kunai with an explosive tag and leaned over Naruto, shielding him incase of an attack. Then she heard all sorts of sounds coming from outside. Screams, booms, the ground shaking, and thuds of bodies as they fell to the ground. Shivering, Sakura steeled herself. She was going to attack anything that came from the tent opening.

Naruto chose to wake up.

"Sakura… I'm so cold and tired." Naruto's weak voice filled the tent.

"I know, just stay with me." Sakura placed a comforting hand on his bandaged chest.

The tent flap opened.

"Ahh, Uzumaki Naruto. I told you we'd meet again." A masked man looked solemnly at the pair.

Sakura stood slightly, making the kunai quiver.

The aura this man was giving off stole her breath and made her body shake with pure fear.

"Step away little girl." Madara came closer.

"Don't come any closer or I will activate it." Sakura was surprised at the tone of her voice and how she managed to sound so steely.

"Blow yourself up along with him? You'd be willing to do that?" Madara asked in fascination.

"He's already dying. I rather sacrifice myself and him if that means you don't get your hands on the nine-tailed fox." Sakura glared, her fingers grazing over the tag as if promising to fulfill what she had just said.

He stopped in his tracks.

"Sakura-" Naruto gasped for air.

"Naruto…" Sakura tried not to cry at his feeble words.

"Let them take me." Sakura's eyes widened.

"Wh-what? No! I can't do that."

"I'm dying… once I die the Kyuubi will be released into the world, causing even more destruction than the ninja war. I just want the fighting to stop. I want peace." Naruto grasped her wrist that was holding the weapon.

"I-I can't…" Sakura choked out; paralyzed with the fear of giving him over to those who caused so much strife in the first place.

"Sealing the Kyuubi is the only safe way." Naruto's hand fell from her wrist, he was slowly losing consciousness again.

"You should listen to him." Madara said.

"Don't talk to me. Don't say a word." Sakura's voice dripped with hatred.

"…." Sakura glanced down at her fallen comrade, weighing her options.

If she gave him up, what would they do to her? Death was the likely outcome. If she was foolhardy enough to set off the bomb; it would kill her, Naruto, and the masked man all in one blow. The downside was the Kyuubi would be released.

"Go ahead and activate it. I will not die." Madara propped one of his hands on his hip.

Sakura bit her lip. Slowly she lowered the weapon.

"Good girl."

"Where are Hinata and Ino?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, the two girls? They are… safe." Madara grinned behind the mask.

Sakura swallowed hard.

"Why don't you follow me and see them?"

Making her way out of the tent, she gasped at the sight in horror.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Lee were slain; their body parts scattered over the ground, small pools of blood shined in the sunlight. Hinata and Ino were held by two men; one very large and the other shorter, and he had shark-like teeth.

"Good work everyone." Madara looked at his two teams. They had converged on this spot and overtook the three shinobi with relative ease.

"Sakura, RUN!" Ino screamed, only to be silenced by a hand over her mouth. She struggled and her muffled screams was all she could muster.

"If you don't stop now, I'll find something that your pretty little mouth can do…" Suigetsu whispered in her ear, making her still.

Hinata's eyes looked to the tent, as if hoping Naruto would walk out and save them all. How deluded was she? He was dying, Hinata knew it but couldn't accept it. The overwhelming grief that consumed her made her believe he was alive and well. She was slowly going insane.

Sakura gazed at her captors, her eyes laying on him.

Sasuke had always been apathetic to her in the past and the present hadn't changed. He still only saw her as the fan girl that constantly tried to get his attention and ask him on dates.

Che. He didn't need anyone like her.

Suddenly a painful throb ripped across his eyes. Dammit, the overuse of the Sharingan was taking it's toll. He was still trying to perfect Susanoo and stay within a constant state with the Mangekyo Sharingan. So far it wasn't working too well and he had some vision loss accompanied by piercing pupil pain. He touched his eye tentatively as his eyes hazily stayed on the outline of Sakura. Sasuke's vision had deteriorated so much, he couldn't see her clearly.

"Looks like you need some medical attention Sasuke." Madara said noticing the younger Uchiha flinch in pain then touch his eye.

"You." He turned on the pink haired female.

"I've heard of you, Sakura Haruno. You studied medicine and healing under Tsunade; did you not?" Madara asked.

"Yes, I did." Sakura lifted her chin, her pride showing.

"Then heal him when we return to base." Madara turned back and walked to his team.

"What?! I'm not going anywhere with you!" Sakura yelled at the masked man.

"Oh, you will. If you want to see your friends live and support the Kyuubi holder until we can extract the nine-tailed fox." He didn't even bother turning his head.

"…"

Sasuke moved past his former teammate and into the tent to get Naruto. He emerged a few moments later with Naruto riding piggy back style. Sakura's heart hurt at the scene, unwilling to process what was happening. She gasped again when both men knocked out Ino and Hinata; carrying them bridal style. She had no choice but to follow.

"I hate you." She whispered to Sasuke as he passed her with Naruto.

He didn't even acknowledge her presence. Sakura seethed.

I have to bide my time for now…

Sakura leapt into the forest, following the group.

Forgive me… I couldn't save you.. Shikamaru, Lee, Choji.

She could only hope that Kiba, Shino, and Neji would come back and begin tracking them down.

Sakura turned her head to the side to see who was running alongside her… who was this red-head? She didn't acknowledge her presence either, the girl's eerie eyes were trained to the back of Sasuke. Sakura felt another wave of emotion.

Were these the companions he was traveling with the time they were trying to hunt down his brother and Sasuke himself? She knew Kisame and the masked man were part of Akatsuki originally. Meaning the large man, the water ninja, and this red-head made up his three man cell.

He had replaced team seven. Replaced her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Author's Note: Yes, a new story I am working on. The other stories are currently on Hiatus…. Until I find inspiration to finish them.

Hope you enjoyed this chappie.