Shades of Grey

Chapter 1

Green eyes carefully looked over her work as she crouched and wiped the dust from the special chalk off her hands. It was perfect, her eyes noted not a single flaw in her design, at least that is what she hoped. Her whole plan was untested and would remain so for one more day. She sighed as she stood. Years' worth of training from so many different masters were going to be tested here soon. If she failed all would be lost. Tonight, she could not worry about it, she sighed it was all just too troublesome. The thought brought a small smile to her face reminding her of where the very faint beginnings of this plan had begun to take hold in her heart.

As she walked up the stairs of her home, she could not help but to think of all that had brought her here. She could almost smell a faint wisp of smoke, as she recalled the sorrow of being left behind that clung to her always, as she had set playing a game of shogi with the master of the game. She would never forget the look in her friend's eye as he explained to her that the goal always, the root of all plans, was to protect the king. That day her eyes had widened a fraction as she contemplated what her king was. A man with an impossibly bright smile and a dream that was bigger than them all flashed through her mind.

A decision had been made that day. She had already decided that she was going to get strong enough to never be left standing in their shadows again. The girl had made a fine start of it gaining tutelage under one of the legendary Sannin. She had vowed that she would do more though. When her team was again whole, she would protect them, protect her king, with everything that she had.

The years under her mentor had done her well. She was powerful even her mentor, who had become so much more, declared it so. The girl had grown into a woman under her guidance and was as close as daughter to the Hokage. That position as one of the woman's most close advisors had led her to the place she was now.

Many a night she had set and transcribed for her mentor during council meetings that would drone on into the night. It was at one of these that the old war hawk had made a statement that caused her hand to pause. He spoke of his desire to protect Konoha from what he deemed its biggest threat. He proclaimed that their beloved village was safe at the moment because the jinchuriki was not within their walls. He had petitioned Tsunade to order him to remain outside those walls forever. She had waited on bated breath until a dark chuckle escaped her mentor and she simply stated denied. The girl's hand had shaken as she wrote the denial on the scroll.

"Sakura they won't stop," the blonde had grumbled as she dug through her drawer looking for a bottle of her strongest sake. She poured herself a glass and slid one across the table to her protégé.

"We will protect him," Sakura declared as she downed her glass. "No matter the cost."

"That old bastard doesn't give a damn about the nine tails," Tsunade sighed. "He just doesn't want me to declare Naruto my successor."

"Kurama is just a convenient excuse to turn the village on him," Sakura sighed again.

Late that night a very rudimentary version of Sakura's plan began to fall into place. She was a lucky kunoichi, given her master and her teammates, she had access to much that many did not. She trained hard and studied even harder. She would pour through forbidden scrolls deep within the Hokage tower until the brink of dawn.

She sought out many a master and admittedly deceived them all as she asked their assistance and let an easy lie roll off her lips as an explanation. Her team would come home she would declare, and she wanted to be prepared to help them. It was not a complete lie, but it was far from the whole truth.

Sakura's professional life was going better than she ever could have hoped. She was the first of her broken team to reach the level of Jonin. The first to join the ranks of ANBU. Kakashi had been there for her a proud sparkle in his eye. He had even joined her on missions, working together in shadow to protect their beloved home. She had used the chance to soak up all the knowledge that she could from him. They had grown close, as close as he allowed anyone, and he happily shared with her anything that she asked.

Sakura had been given a long mission away from Konoha and she feared that her team would return without the benefit of her protection. Kakashi had promised her that no harm would befall their little family. Tsunade had seen her off at the gates and told her to make her proud. Their ally needed her expertise, Suna was far behind Konoha in their medical jutsus. Reluctantly Sakura agreed. Gaara was their friend. Naruto would not like if she refused him help.

She learned much in the 18 months that she had spent under the hot desert sun. Suna had many elders, many who personally remembered the beginnings of their own jinchuriki. As the kunoichi felt her cheeks warm as she fondly remembered other things that she had learned in Suna. Under the brilliant starry canvas of the desert nights, while staring into jade eyes that were rather reminiscent of her own, she learned that she could let go.

When her mission at last ended she knew she would always cherish the time that she had spent learning more about her goal and more about herself. By the time she had left its gates she knew that the feelings she had held for her dark teammate were gone. She was not even sure anymore if they had ever been more than a cherished childhood dream.

Two months after Sakura's return that realization was put to the test when at last both of her boys returned to her. They were both battered and bruised but it was nothing that she could not handle. Her heart had never felt so happy as when she had both of them again within her arms. She wished that they had more time, but that just was not to be.

Sasuke had amazed her by declaring that his search for vengeance was on hold. She knew as she looked at her blonde teammate that he was somehow the reason why. Naruto had always been the sun, the light, to Sasuke's darkness. Without a doubt she knew that he was king to more than just her. If she lost Naruto Sasuke would be lost as well.

Fear had gripped her heart the day that the council voted. Tsunade had fought valiantly, but to no avail. The jinchuriki was to be banished out of Konoha, out of Fire. Sakura had seen the tears that Naruto would not let fall and the muscle that twitched on Sasuke's jaw as he seemed to try to push away dark desires. She had held Naruto so tight that she was sure he could not breathe. She had whispered gentle words of assurance as some of the light seemed to leave those brilliant blue eyes. The smile that he offered her in reassurance was the last thing that drifted through Sakura's mind as she allowed herself finally to drift asleep.