Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, I can only claim the plot line of this fanfiction.

This is a diffrent fic from Shattered Steel, which I will hopefully come back to in the future for some criticing. This story is alittle diffrent...and possibly crazy? Blame the overworkings of my mind, lol. Anyway, without further adeu, I give you...Crimson Dance.

The woman crouched silently in the thick cover that the tree branches provided, her emerald colored eyes peering out at what was once her home. She hadn't stepped foot within those gates in five years to the day.

She had watched both her friends leave, and she had strived to grow stronger, hoping that if she trained her body, her heart would handle the news of their death, should it come. How she missed them, her boys, and all her friends of the village, but she couldn't go back. She remembered the day all those years ago, as if it had happened just yesterday,

Tsunade called Sakura into her office, suprisingly sobber, despite the late hour. Sakura had walked into the office, smiling fading at the angry frown that marred her teacher's face. The woman rarely smiled, but she rarely looked so angry either. Sakura knew something was up, so she had calmly sat in the chair across from the blonde. She knew Tsunade would speak when she was ready, and she didn't have to wait long,

"Your father was just in to see me."

Sakura couldn't stop the flinch at the mention of her father, he had changed after her mother's death. Had gone from the kind ruler of the Haruno clan, to a cold man who was nothing but bitter rage, and he aimed it at his ownly child.

The Haruno clan was nothing more than a small civilian clan, Sakura was the only shinobi who came from the clan in the last thirty years. Her mother, had died from a cancer that ate away at her bones and blood, Sakura had found it too late to save her, and her father blamed her. As if she didn't blame herself already,

"And...what did my father want?"

Sakura asked the question, even though she already knew what her father wanted, same thing he had been after for the last six months. He wanted Sakura to marry Kumo-Sama's oldest son Aka, and she always refused. Kumo Aka was a pig, he flirted with every woman he laid eyes on, and slept with over half of them. Sakura thought of him as nothing more than a greasy slim ball and she would die before she married him,

"Your father and Kumo-Sama have come to a formal agreement. Your father brought the signed form to me today. Sakura...I'm so sorry, but there is nothing I can do. I can't stop this."

Sakura stared down at her hands, she knew that if her teacher was telling her she couldn't do anything, then there was nothing that could be done. Sakura would have to marry Kumo Aka, and there was nothing either woman could do about it. An idea hit Sakura suddenly, it was dangerous and crazy, and would hurt many people, but she wouldn't marry Aka, she just couldn't do it,

"Tsunade-shishou, I'm sorry, but I wont marry him."

The Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves stared at her apprentice, plans forming behind her hazel eyes. She wished she could simply tell Haruno-san and Kumo-san to go to hell, but she knew she couldn't. She was entrusted with keeping her village safe and peaceful, but she didn't have the power to stop civilian matters, such as arranged marriges. She was just afraid of what her student would do,

"What are you planning Sakura?"

Sakura met her master's eyes, the normal humor and cheer gone from those bottomless greens eyes. Replaced by determination, bitterness and anger that she was being backed into a corner. Those who knew the pinkette, knew not to back her in a corner, take her choice away, and she would die before she would give in,

"Its better you don't know Shishou. Just know that my loyalty is to my village first and foremost. I will die before it I ever let harm come to it."

Sakura stood with a forced smile, she knew what she was about to do was reckless and crazy, that it would break her teacher and her friends hearts. She just prayed that someday, they would all understand, that she did this to protect herself, and them. If she married Aka, he would force her to retire, to be a house wife and a baby machine.

"Sakura...be safe."

Sakura threw one last smile over her shoulder, this one edged with something dark and dangerous. Tsunade could see the Sakura who had made bingo books, peeking out from those green eyes, than she was gone. A cool breeze coming through the now open window of her office, ruffling the papers on her desk.

She knew Sakura would be gone by morning, that she would be marked as a deserter and a traitor. Just as she knew, that as long as Sakura was alive, she would fight to protect the village from harm. Perhaps she would even do more for them outside than she ever could have inside.

A twig snapping from the road below, drew the green eyes of the figure downward, to search the darkness for what had caused the disturbance. The woman in the tree froze, eyes widening, she couldn't believe it, after all these years, there they were,

Three figures strode out of the darkness, the younger two were leading, the blond man, tall and muscular was talking happily with the other man, waving his arms about as he spoke. The other man, standing just alittle shorter than the other man, his dark hair just brushing his shoulders, his look of indiffrence almost perfect, but she could see he was paying attention to his companion. An older man, strolled calmly behind the younger men, eyes amused as he listened to the blond talk.

Sakura shifted slightly, thinking quickly, she had to speak to them, but did she dare allow them to know who she was? No, that would be dangerous, but so would talking to them. Before she could change her mind, she blurred into movement. Dropping directly from her hidden branch to the road infront of them.

Naruto couldn't help but bounce along happily beside his best friend, for the first time in years, things where right again. He had his best friend back, and had even gotten him to come home. Yeah, Itachi wasn't dead yet, he had somehow managed to slip out during their fight, leaving a clone behind, but that didn't matter. Sasuke was coming back to the village with him and Ero-sannin, he couldn't wait to tell Sakura that he had finally managed to keep his promise to her,

"I bet Sakura is super strong now! After all these years training with Baa-chan she must be really tough."

Sasuke through a glance over to his blonde friend, his mask of indiffrence never dropping from his face. He couldn't believe how much had changed about the blonde, the once petite annoying kid with the squeaky voice, had matured. He was now just touching six foot, his sunshine blond hair just brushed his collarbone, and he had filled out, muscles playing tightly under tanned skin. Even his voice had changed, deepening to rumble out, a deep base that suprised him,

"Perhaps, she could probably beat your ass, Dobe."

Naruto felt his grin widden at the familiar insult, as he cast a glance at his friend. Sasuke had changed in the years he'd been gone, grown to almost five ten or so, only an inch shorter then himself. Still almost deathly pale, he was slender, not as broad as Naruto, he had more of a swimmer's build if the blonde had to label it. Even his voice had changed, deeped to a tenor that drove all the woman they had passed nuts,

"Well, Tsunade-baa-chan was always beating on Ero-sannin, so it's only natural. She could probably beat you too, Teme."

Jiraiya smiled to himself in amusement as he listened to the two young men banter back in forth infront of him. It really suprised him how much the two of them had changed, going from angry bickering rivals, to teasing bantering friends. He couldn't help but wonder, how would their female teammate, Tsunade, and even Kakashi, would take their changes, it would be interesting to watch.

"I can't help but wonder...what else did the cute little blossom learn from her sensei? Bet she's finally grown up, eh heh heh."

Both young men stopped to glare at the white haired man, neither would hesitate to gut him, if he even tried to use Sakura for his 'research'. Before Jiraiya could say anything to get himself out of the trouble he just found himself in, something flashed behind his charges, causing him to freeze. Naruto and Sasuke, seeing the older man freeze and stare over their heads turned to find a person now standing on the path, twenty or so feet from them,

"Welcome home."

The voice was soft and lilting, the figure was definintely female, though they couldn't tell who she was. She was dressed head to toe in black, and it all looked old and worn. Her pants and shirt tattered and torn, heeled boots scuffed and creased from long wear. A patched cloak surrounded the woman's thin shoulders, the hood was pulled up over her head, hiding her hair and casting her eyes into shadow. The rest of her face was hidden by a black mask, like the one Kakashi always wore,

"Who are you?"

It was Jiraiya who asked the question, his dark eyes narrowed as he studied the woman opposite them. He would see the weapons that were strapped to her body, but she made no move for any of them, just stood there, staring at the three of them from beneath her hood. Both Naruto and Sasuke seemed in shock at her sudden appearence, none of them had sensed her till she was infront of them,

"I am the watcher."

Sakura watched as all three men stared at her, tense and waiting, expecting her to attack, but she wouldn't attack them. Even after all these years, she still loved them, they were her family, her teammates, her brothers. She felt tears gathering in her eyes, but she would not allow them to fall, she hasn't cried in over five years, she wouldn't do so now. It was just so good to see them, after all these years, alive and whole, and finally home,

"What do you want, and why are you here?"

Sasuke watched as the woman cocked her head to the side to study him, after he voiced his question. He vaguelly wondered if the other's could see the small smile that creased the fabric of her mask, he wished he could see her eyes, to see the intent that he knew lay there,

"Nothing I want can be achieved. I am only here to greet you home after your journey."

Naruto frowned as he glanced at the male beside him, normally the blonde would say something stupid to lighten the tension, but he didn't really know what was going on. Something in his gut was telling him he could trust this female, but he needed answers before he so blindly allowed her to do anything,

"Do you have a name?"

Sakura blinked in shock, her smile widening beneath her mask, it seemed more than their looks had changed. Naruto hadn't yelled or jumped around yet, he had simply asked her for her name, something he wouldn't have thought to do five, six years ago,

"I do."

Sakura would need to leave soon, she wouldn't be able to give them her name, they would try to drag her into the village with them. If she entered the village it would be death for her, she wouldn't be spared like Sasuke would. She wasn't the last of her line, so she wouldn't be kept around to rebuild it, no she would be handed over to her family. Sakura had no doubt her father would have her flogged, and most likely killed for the embaressment she was to the Haruno clan,

"What is your name than?"

Jiraiya asked, fighting with himself, something about this woman was raising flags in his mind. He wasn't sure if it was because he knew her, perhaps he had met her at some point, or was it that the way she held herself. Like a wild animal, approaching humans to steal scraps, but always ready to attack or flee at the slightest shift in movement,

"Jiraiya-sama, my name is of no importance. I gave it up years ago. I would recommend you head into the village now, Hokage-sama is waiting for you. Please inform her that the threat of Kusagakure has been eliminated."

All three males blinked in shock and confusion, as the woman simply turned and strode into the trees, quickly disappearing from sight. All three where wondering if they should go after her, or if they should go report in. Though all of them doubted they would be able to catch up to her, she moved silently and with a steath that spoke of long practice and a knowledge of the surrounding of the terrain,

"Well...perhaps Tsunade knows about this...Watcher. I doubt we can catch up with her now anyway."

Both Jiraiya and Sasuke had to agree with the blonde, it would be best to ask the Hokage about the woman, instead of running around in the dark unable to see. With a sigh Sasuke turned to face the gates that were fifty or so paces away, time to face the music. At least he had Naruto at his side, and the Toad Sage at his back, and he was sure, once she knew he was there. Sakura would also be there at his side, they would face the judgement of the village together.

Well...there ya go. Please read and review. The next chapter will be fun, Sasuke and Naruto will talk to Tsunade and find out about their dear Saku-chan. And Sakura will have a run in with the devil.

Much love to all of you. Please review my darlings, I love hearing from you.

Thanks a million.