Shades of Grey

Chapter 2

"This is the day." Naruto grumbled a kicked a rock.

"Hn" The Uchiha agreed as he walked along with his friend.

"You'll take care of her right?" Naruto asked as they walked towards the home of their female teammate.

"Not because you asked." Sasuke replied lowly.

"Don't be a bastard." The blonde punched at his companion who easily dodged.

They did not have time to argue any further as Sakura's home came into view and she stepped out onto her porch as she sensed their chakras. She was wearing her ANBU uniform minus the mask and armor. Naruto did not miss the way that Sasuke's eyes widened slightly at the sight. He remembered both of their surprise when they realized how much their female companion had grown in all ways when they returned.

"Keep staring like that and you will get a nosebleed." Naruto quietly chuckled.

"Can it dobe." The Uchiha warned before they got within her earshot.

Still Sasuke knew he had been staring, which was unbefitting for one such as he. He could not help it though. The girl, the woman, had changed. While he and his surrogate brother had wandered the land, she had managed what they had not. Sakura had obviously found herself. Gone was the girl who had cried for him the night that he had walked away. In her place was a woman who amazed him; a woman whose hands could mend and heal or destroy and kill.

"My boys." Sakura smiled brightly even as a deep sorrow was evident in her eyes.

"Don't look so sad Sakura-chan." Naruto swept her into a warm embrace.

Sasuke watched feeling perhaps a bit of envy at the easy way the two interacted.

"Come on in, I made dinner." Sakura opened the door and tried, for their, sake to keep the smile upon her face.

This was it though, this would be their last meal together. They were all aware that in the morning Naruto would have to walk to the gates with orders never to come back.

"Wow Sakura-chan." Naruto's eyes lit up as he saw the large bowl of ramen that she had prepared for him. "This looks amazing."

"Thank you for the meal." The Uchiha set before a plate that he knew was for him. She had made him rice balls and sliced tomatoes. He let a small smile grace his face as he looked at his family not of blood, but of bonds that had proved impossible to break.

"Dig in guys." Sakura declared in a voice that was bright but could not completely hide the nervousness underneath.

They ate in silence for a few minutes each perhaps a bit lost in their thoughts.

"I won't be gone forever, believe it." Naruto declared trying to banish the gloomy atmosphere that threatened to overtake them.

"I know." Sakura let herself give them a small smile.

Sasuke looked up and felt the room spin if only a little. He turned towards the pink haired kunoichi and saw a knowing look on her face.

"What have you done?" He hissed as he grabbed his head.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto slurred with pleading eyes.

Sakura's own eyes threatened to swell with tears, but she pushed them back. She stood from the table even as they both attempted to make it from their chairs. Neither would make it to their feet; she was after all a master in the medical arts. As soon as their breathing leveled out, she started her work, taking the Uchiha first down the stairs to her basement lit by enough candles to lend an eerie glow. Next it was Naruto's turn.

She laid him in the middle of her circle and glanced once again at her notes. There were lessons from Jiraiya, Lady Chiyo, a Suna elder, and her own mentor. She took a steadying breath. Here in a village filled with ninja she would not be afforded privacy for long. This was it, all her training boiled down to this moment; protect her king. She would either succeed or they would all perish her in the gloom.

Kakashi Hatake turned another page in his book as he lounged lazily in a tree. His heart was heavier than ever it had been. He had failed, again. No matter how strong of an argument he gave they were not changing their minds. Konoha's number one knuckle head ninja would be gone in the morning. He again flipped an unread page trying to come up with a plan of any sort that could avoid the inevitable outcome. Before he could let out a sigh, he felt something that made his blood run cold. A malicious chakra that he knew well caused the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. As he raced through the street the direction that it led him his panic began to rise. A younger brunette ninja joined him in his race, for a lazy bastard he certainly could move.

"Careful." Kakashi cautioned the younger nin as they made their way into his student's home.

They both looked at the table with a lukewarm meal upon it and two chairs knocked carelessly to the ground.

"This way." Shikamaru walked past the stunned silver haired man. Something unbelievably bad had happened here.

Kakashi took the lead as they walked down the stairs into a room that, while bathed in darkness was beyond a doubt, where his team's chakra was located. He removed his headband to prepare for whatever may face them, but nothing could help him when the Nara flicked on the light. There was a seal which he had never before seen and laying within it was Naruto with Sakura clasping his hand passed out laying across him.

"What has she done?" Kakashi whispered out loud.

"Found a way to protect her king." Was the Nara's cryptic reply when he saw the blood that flowed from between their clasped hands.

"Shit!" A newcomer declared from behind them. "Well don't just stand there like idiots! Get them to my house now!"

"Yes Hokage," Shikamaru was the first to move gathering the kunoichi into his arms and making a sign before shadows swirled around the two and they vanished.

"Get the Uchiha." Tsunade ordered as she took Naruto into her own arms.

Kakashi did not speak as he picked up his prodigal student. He spared one last glance at the room of horrors. A sinking feeling was threatening to swallow him whole as he moved to follow his Hokage.

"Sakura." He sighed and felt the weight of all his failures over the years.