Wow, my first Naruto fanfic… I'm a little nervous actually. Well I had this idea for a while now, so I decided to write it out. It going to be something completely different and I hope you guys enjoy it and don't forget to leave a comment/review with your thoughts!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter I: A Promise

It was a bright warm day, the rays of the sun that were resting on her cheeks, giving her a pinkish blush. Sighing, she took a step forward. Feeling the long grass blades tickling her toes. Walking outside, staring at a sea of green, the strong tall trees in the distance heaving from side to side, leaves dancing through the sky, greeting her, the wind tickling her hair, she simply stared.
Frowning at the sight, she sighed again. What a deceitful view.

The cold she felt inside her could not be warmed by the sun, the nice sight was nothing but a blatant lie to her. This peaceful sight wasn't a view of the daily life one lived, not in this world. She closed her eyes, memories flooded her mind, like a tidal wave. So far the sights she had seen had been of death, blood and gore. How people could be so cruel to one another was beyond her. She had never thought of it much when becoming a Shinobi. She never had thought about much now that she reckon on it. What had she been thinking? She had been such a silly girl back then.

The manslaughter that came with it, the hurt, the pain. The blood… So much blood. Her hands had tried so many times to stop the bleeding, but all to avail. She had watched them close their eyes forever far too many times; her hands that would briefly have to touch their eyes to only then close them for eternity. Empty and hollow, closed forever to never be opened again, it made her tremble. Having to hearing them take there last breath, echoed in her ears.

Opening her eyes again, determination shone like fire in her green eyes.
She would save them. All of them. She had vowed to never give up.
She nodded to herself, agreeing with her resoluteness to fulfil her self-made promise to her lost loved ones.

I will keep my promise!

3 years earlier

Feeling uneasy she fumbled with straps of her backpack, she didn't know why she was being so nervous. She had all the skills to be a Shinobi… She had studied and trained just as much as the other students. Yet the nauseating feeling would not leave.

'Is everything alright, Sakura?' Kakashi, her sensei, asked. His lazy manner of speaking always had a calming effect on her. He was always so confident which gave herself confidence too, even if it was only a little today.
'No… Everything is fine.' She mumbled, giving him a reassuring smile, that someone as wise as Kakashi, of course, did not buy.
'You know it's alright to be nervous and feel a little unconfident… Everyone has that the first time they go out on a real mission.' He smiled, or so she assumed since he was always covering up his face but his eye crinkle gave it away.
'The boys might look confident but inside they are just as nervous as you. Believe me, I was once just like them, their knees are shaking.'

This made Sakura smile, somewhat relieved to hear that, 'Really, Kakashi-sensei?'

'No, but I feel that is the right thing to say at the moment. …Did it work?' His aloof matter of speaking made it only worse.

'Ah…' Hanging her head in defeat, 'sure…'

'Hey! Kakashi-sensei!' Naruto's loud yelling brought an abrupt end to their conversation. 'Look!'
He had been pointing at the something in the distance and whatever it was, he was running straight towards it, without thinking. Typical Naruto.
'Sakura, Sasuke, you stay here with the bridge builder. I'm going to check on Naruto.' Kakashi instructed, both nodded and closed the gap between them and the man they were escorting.

There was an ongoing war between the land of Water and their missing-nins from Kirigakure, so walking in the land of Waves, which was close to Water was risqué to say the least. It appeared that Kirigakure had a hard time letting go of their old habits. Their tracking squads were ruthless and left a bloody mess everywhere they went. Making a problem in basically every country, claiming that those who withheld information were siding with the enemy. Marking many Shinobi Villages as such, since few wanted to cooperated with them and their gruesome ways.

It was problematic to say the least, and each country somewhat suffered of it. The problem had been going on for over a decade but the last few years it had worsened. Because of the increase of rouge Shinobi and other opportunists, it was not safe to travel without a Shinobi escort. Making a high increase of escort-missions in every Shinobi Village neighbouring Kirigakure. Now it could be considered a good thing except for the fact that because of the high increase of danger, no Shinobi below the level of Chunin could go out and without a Jounin-league team-leader accompanying them. This resulted in Genin not being allowed to go on a missions crossing the borders of the Land of Fire.

The fact of the matter was that they were no way near Chunin level, but the amount of request have been so high lately that the Hokage made the decision that, in spite of the danger, they would have to proceed and start carrying out missions. He could no longer deny the increasing need of manpower on the field and had to change his view on Genin not being experienced enough.

And now at fifteen, she was feeling a lot less confidence then she had been a few years ago when she had just graduated from the academy and when she had been dying to go out for her first mission. But because of the wait due the situation, she felt overwhelmed by it all. Sure she had been training a lot, and even did some basic-medic training to aid her team-mates during combat. But it did not supress the unsettling feeling in her stomach. There were whispers of war across the bend.

Kakashi and Naruto both stood completely still, taken back by the sight they had startled upon. When Sakura came near she halted in shock, not being able to take another step in their direction.

There was a man, barely alive, covered in blood, holding a little boy in his hands. She couldn't tell were his blood ended and the little boys began. Gathering her wits she ran towards the pair but only to be stopped by a hand, looking at Kakashi in surprise, who quietly told her, 'Don't.'

'But they need help! I can heal—'

'Sakura, we are at the verge of a war. We could be helping enemies for all we know. This is none of our business.'

'But I…' I can't just leave them, she retorted in her head, yet she didn't find the bravery to say it out loud to him, to argue with him and go against his command.

The man looked up at them, breathing his last few breaths, fighting once more before he left this earth, stretching time thin, 'Take care of Anji…' He mumbled a few more words before his eyes fell shut and his body collapsed.

'He's a boy from our village… he…' The bridge builder suddenly spoke up, he seemed to be at lost for words. But it was obvious this wasn't the first time he had seen this. This man had not been the first to suffer, and would definitely not be the last. Yet it pained him that a young man would have to leave this world so soon for such a trivial matter such as territory.
'Anji is his little brother.' Pointing at the boy the man was holding, covered in blood. He had not moved an inch, oblivious to his surroundings, desperately still clenching on to his brother's chest and arms, like he had probably done so for the last few hours.

'I see.' Kakashi simply said. Sakura couldn't tell if he was sympathizing or considering to abandon the pair, his face was blank and concentrated in a typical Kakashi-way. 'I don't want to wait too long.' He spoke, crouching next to the now dead corpse of the man, 'But I'll give you some time.'

He's talking to that little boy.

Sakura couldn't help herself and walked towards the little boy, although he had not let go nor acknowledged their presence, he did let Sakura inspect him. She concluded that he hardly any threatening wounds, it seemed that his brother had taken most of it and had died protecting him. Sakura didn't point that out, and no one asked.

Sasuke hadn't said a word since the beginning of their trip, and it seemed that even on moments like this he refused to speak. The whole situation had silenced Naruto in an unusual eerie manner.

'I want to bury him.'

Those were the only words Anji would say for the rest of the day.

She cried. Hard. For everything. For Kakashi. For Sasuke. Naruto… Anji… The fight between those two missing-nins had startled her, but the fight with… That demon… thinking of the man made her shiver. She held kakashi's hand, she had tried to heal him with all her knowledge, he would pull through, he was tough.

He has to…

Sasuke and Naruto were already at better hand, they were sleeping. Anji had fainted from exhaustion as soon as they entered the village and he had not woken since. They were currently resting at the bridge builder's personal home. Sakura felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.

I was so completely useless... I could hardly move during the fight. At least I made myself useful by taking care of their injuries, although I would do a better job by preventing that they get hurt. Kakashi-sensei…

She stared at the man she called her mentor, he had saved her life not once but twice held his hand, patiently waiting for him to wake. He had told her she had done a good job during their first encounter but the second encounter with that man… Zabuza? The demon of the hidden mist… Master of the silent killing technique… Sakura swallowed the lump that had created itself in her throat, Stop it! He's gone now, isn't he? That boy took him with him—

Hearing light footsteps on the wooden floor and the sound of doors opening and closing. What was that? Sakura jumped up to her feet opening the door of the bedroom just in time to see the front-door close. Was it him?
Trembling, she walked forward, opening the door to go outside. On the bay stood the silhouette of a boy. Younger than her. 'Anji.' She muttered in surprise, it wasn't as if she hadn't thought about the boy, she could not shake off the image she had found him in. Actually she would have trouble trying to forget this whole day.
'Where are you going?'

'Thank you… Sakura, was it?' He gave her no smile when he spoke those words, just the hollow empty dark eyes that bored into hers. 'I'm going avenge their death… My father's, my mother's…. My brother's death will not be in vain. I will make them pay! I'll kill them.'
Right that moment his hollow eyes filled themselves with, a power, so great and frightening Sakura had to suppress a shiver running down her spine… Hate. It was burning in his eyes, his entire body, the aura he send was menacing and frightening.

Before Sakura could even say anything back, she heard his footsteps taking off in the other direction at a quick pace, not even giving her a second glance.
'Anji…' She muttered. The thought that he was a few year younger than her and he had already been through so much heartache made her realize that she could not be feeling the weight of the world, only people like him could.

It's been three days… Kakashi-sensei, please wake up soon. I'm scared and… I need you. You promised us you'd protect us with your life… You still have to protect us. We're not home, yet.

It was already night again, meaning the start of the fourth night had begun. If he didn't wake up soon, she didn't know what to do. She had some training but not to this extend, not for comatose situations.

'Kakashi-sensei… I hope you wake soon. I… I'm still scared.' She confessed to the sleeping man. 'I don't know what to do without you… And Naruto and Sasuke are fighting all the time…' She let out a half sob, half smile at the last part.

'Should I even be a Shinobi? I don't think I have what it takes… I…' She stopped mid-sentence, not sure how to word her feelings. She stared through the large window in his room, the moon was full and the there was a cold breeze flying over the village, giving unpleasant goose bumps all over her body. She lay her head down, holding his hand. She had never really been so fond of their sensei, but ever since the mission she had felt alone and frighten, and it seemed their tutor was the only one who picked up on it. He had tried to make her feel save and when he said he would protect them, she believed him.

'Hm, I normally don't have pretty girls lying at my bed waiting for me to wake.'

'Kakashi-sensei!' She chirped happily, pulling him in for a hug, he hardly had the strength to move, so the embrace was rather awkward. 'You're awake! How are you feeling? I was so worried about you! You've been out for three full days—'

'It's alright, Sakura. I'm fine, it's not the first time that I'm out because of the Sharingan.' He flashed her a false smile, obviously still in pain. 'Now what was that about not being sure if you are fit for being a Shinobi?'

'I… It's just… I don't know. With everything that happened…' Struggling to get the words out, not really certain what to say now that he was actually awake. She hadn't thought he would be listening either.
'This is the life of a Shinobi, Sakura.' He spoke softly but straight to the point. 'This is it.'
Sakura remained silent, letting the words sink in. I know… I just thought... I don't know what I thought. She sighed in response, letting her shoulder slump.
'You have all the right traits to become a Shinobi, Sakura. I saw you on the field, good job.'
'Thank y—' She stopped in mid-sentence, hearing footsteps… on the roof. 'Sakura.' Kakashi said on a warning tone, trying to get up but found no strength to do so, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Is it him?

'Get out.' He hissed, making brief eye contact with her, he was trying to get up again but the gash on his left side made him wince in pain, he was going to rip his stiches.

It's him, isn't it? But… he's supposed to be dead!

'Sakura, I said get out!'

'W-what?' She asked confused, she couldn't just leave him! 'Kakashi-sensei—'

'That's an order, Sakura.' At the exact moment those words left his mouth, there was a loud thud, his boots meeting the wooden floor.

That's not possible! He's alive? Please… No! I can't… Sasuke or Naruto will come won't they? They had certainly heard that, right?

His large frame was intimidating, Sakura stared at him with wide eyes, he returned the stare, an obvious smirk on his face, clearly amused by the girl. 'Kakashi, what type of teacher are you?'

He gritted, amused by the pair, 'You make her run so she can become a coward? That is not the Shinobi way.'

'I'm not going anywhere!' Sakura snarled, pulling out a kunai from her pouch. She would not run!

'She's got spark…' He muttered sparing her one glance before turning his head towards Kakashi, 'I want to settle this, you are a worthy opponent, Kakashi, and I never let a man walk out alive. This is a first.'

Kakashi's face was serious and concentrated, taking in every word he was saying and what he could be meaning. He was trying to think of a plan, but he was completely at a disadvantage, he could hardly move and Sakura was not experienced enough to even hold herself against him until Sasuke or Naruto came to their aid, hell, all three of them wouldn't be able to hold against him. And what for? In the end he would still be completely useless! The small room felt claustrophobic, on his left stood Zabuza, in front of the window and on his right Sakura, who was close enough to the door to leave, but for some strange reason refused to do so.

'I guess that hunter-nin works for you?' He then ask, pointing out the obvious. He knew something was off.

'Yes, he's my own student, Haku. He appears nice but can be,' clicking his tongue, and rubbing his neck at the memory, 'rather ruthless.'

'What do you want!?' Sakura yelled, trying to stay strong, her kunai was shaking, aiming at everything at once, unsettled where she would have to strike first if he decided to make a move.

'To fight your sensei.' He looked at her, head to toe and back up, concentrated on her.
'He obviously can't fight now!' She yelled again, her voice shaking. Where are they?! Naruto, for once you can be as loud as you can!

'Obviously.' He smirked at her, or her words rather, he glanced back at Kakashi. 'Just to make sure I become your top-priority…' He lifted his sword. Kakashi glared at the man, and whatever he just meant by that, Kakashi knew the meaning.

'My employer unfortunately has a few problems at the moment… Hunter-nin are known for being cruel.' He explained, thinking how he had found it rather joyous to see him torn limb from limb. 'So I won't be staying here for very long, as a matter a fact, I'm on my way out.'

'Don't you dare…' Kakashi hissed, tensing up.

'Sakura! Kakashi-sensei!' Naruto screamed muffled by the door, which opened forcefully, hitting Sakura, getting the breath knocked out of her, she flew forward on Kakashi's bed. Barely able to register what just happened, she felt a hand in her hair, forcefully pulling her more forward, until she was dangling next to him, his fist never softening his grip on her hair. 'Thank you, kid.' He barked a laugh, 'Kakashi, till next time. I'm sure you knowhow to find me.'

'Sakura!' Naruto gasped, Sasuke stood behind him, eyes wide. They both stood frozen together with Kakashi, who could not believe he was letting this all happen.

Sakura, who struggling to just breath, remained quiet. I can't let him do this! I can't let this happen! Think! The pain made it hard to do so, but with all her might she extended her arm, somehow she had managed to hold on to the kunai, making a slashing move, creating a deep cut to his side, making blood pour out.
It had surprised him but not for even a second he had loosened his grip, being desperate she tried, to cut him again, but to no avail, he wasn't allowing her to make the move again. She tried again to cut him but this time on the hand that was holding her by her scalp, making deep cuts all over, letting blood splutter all over her hair and face.

She was trying to cut off his hand.

Letting her go, he smacked her, no, he hit her so hard she was somewhere between conscious and unconscious. He muttered, 'bitch.' And stared at the damage she had been able to cause.

'Sakuraaa!' Naruto shouted, 'I'm going to kill you! You bastard!' 'Naruto!' Sasuke quickly held onto him, stopping him. If they rushed in now, they wouldn't be able to save Sakura. Apparently he got the clue because he did quiet down, even though it did take him all his willpower not to move again.

'So you did teach her something.' He smirked at Kakashi. 'What else did you teach her?' The underlying insinuating tone was hard to miss let alone ignore. The discomfort he saw on Kakashi's face he clearly enjoyed.

The tall nin took the girl, who was now a mess of pink and blood, and swooped her over his shoulder. 'I'll be seeing you soon, Kakashi.'

But before he turned around, Naruto's yelling stopped him, 'We are not letting you leave with Sakura, you bastard!'

'The idiot is right.' Sasuke simply said, staying calm and stoic, as usual. Three kunai's in each hand, preparing himself to attack.
'Sasuke!' Naruto yelled unbelieving how cool his own team-mate was, it gave him strength, they would beat this guy and take Sakura back! A few days ago they had proven what a good team they were and they would prove it again!
'Prepare yourself, Naruto!'

The missing-nin simply grinned at the pair, and jumped outside, running over the water with ease. 'W-we can't do that!' Naruto pointed at his feet.
'We'll follow on the mainland! He's going to eventually need to go on it too, that's when we strike!' Sasuke explained, Naruto simply nodded, 'it gives us time to think of a plan.'

Following Sasuke, Naruto ran outside, before Kakashi could stop them or even give them some type of advice. Watching his two student disappear out of sight. Perhaps they could save her, they were smart boys. He stared at his own hand in defeat, how could he have let this happen? He had broken the promise. He had failed. Again.

'Persistent but foolish, aren't they?' He took a look over his shoulder, meeting the view of pink hair tangled with his own blood. It was somewhat of a delightful view. She however did not respond, but he know she'd heard him, she was just choosing to ignore him.

'Stop, you bastard!' Naruto loud voice erupted over the silent veil that lay over the forest.

It made the force that was pulling her along instantly stop.
Sakura held her breath, afraid what he would do next.
He slowly turned around, 'Now what, kid?' he smirked, 'You think you have what it takes to stop me?'

'Yeah…' He grit his teeth, Sakura knew him well enough that he was not at all certain of himself, but so far she had not seen Sasuke anywhere, so perhaps it was all part of a plan.

'Haku.'

A boy appeared next to them, out of the high trees above them. Had he been following this entire time? Sakura noticed that it was the same boy from before, the one who ruthlessly struck Zabuza with his senbons. He was wearing the same mask as before as well.

'Master Zabuza?' He asked politely.

'Kill them.'

So there you have it, the first chapter! Please, please, please leave a review with your thoughts I am dying to know what you think of it! I hope you liked it and I'll try to update as soon as possible!