J A D E

Chapter Sixteen

"Don't you want to talk about it?" Inoichi-san asks me with a low voice. I have been back for a whole week, yet I have not visited him, until he came to my house himself, deciding to have therapy in here. As soon as we came back, Shisui, Itachi and Hound told Third, Danzo, Ibiki and Inoichi-san about the mission, how it went and how I managed to kill one of the ninjas.

"No." I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. I don't know what to tell him. That I don't feel any remorse, because it is not my first kill? How can I tell the man in front of me that I am ready to kill whoever becomes threat to my village and my friends?

"No?" Inoichi-san seems to be taken back. He did not expect me to be so straightforward. I nod and look away from him. "Why?" He asks me again, nervousness and worry raising inside of him.

" I don't know what to say." I admit and look down, away from him. "I want to be a strong shinobi, to defend my village and loved ones. It means that I will have to kill." I whisper in barely audible voice. "I... I attacked him out of panic, really." I add and sigh, when he looks at me more attentively. "He was about to attack Shisui-san, and I know that he is strong and he might have dealt with him, but I panicked, I didn't want him to be hurt, so I did, what I had to do. And I don't regret doing it." Inoichi-san nods, he does not say anything.

***

"She is coping...well." Inoichi says as soon as he enters Hokage's office. He looks around just to spot Morino, Uchihas and Hokage with Elders. "She has that she felt no remorse as she did it to protect Shisui-san." Inoichi continues talking, looking only at Hokage. "She also stated that she already understands that being shinobi means that she would have to kill."

"Have she told you anything about the Jutsu?" Danzo asks and looks around the office.

"That she has read about it, she knew the hand seals, but she had never tried it before." Inoichi sighs and looks at Hokage. "She is prodigy, but also, she is a mere child. I don't think that exposing her to such missions, where she has to kill at such young age is a good idea."

"She managed it, did not she?" Danzo butts in again.

"She crashed the enemy with stone dragon." Shisui snaps. "No child should be able to do it. It's a B-rank Jutsu." He looks worriedly at Inoichi and Ibiki.

"I don't think that it will be good for her mental health to be exposed to any more gruesome missions or tortures." Inoichi states firmly.

***

"I don't trust him." I state loudly for everyone to hear. Ino looks at me amused, shocked even. She holds Sai's hand even tighter. Naruto gaps his mouth, not knowing what to tell me, while Sasuke just looks at me.

"But... Sakura-chan..." Naruto pouts and looks at me with puppy eyes. "Sasuke is out teammate." I flinch as soon as I realize that Naruto didn't call Sasuke asshole. "We can trust him. We will be Team 7 again, believe it!" He smiles at me, as if trying to buy me with his smile. But I already have my own team & with Kakashi, him, Sai and Yamato. There is no place for traitor in it.

"Where has he been for five years?" I demand in low, dangerous tone. Naruto looks at me, loss. "Where has he been, when our village was blown away? Where was he when our soldiers were dying by every passing second? Where was he when we truly needed him?!" I demand with anger boiling inside of me.

"Who are you?" I crack my eyes open at the sound of the noise. I look up, only to see familiar duck-butt shaped hair. His onyx eyes stare directly in my emerald ones. And without wanting it, my heart skips a beat.

"Sasuke-teme!" I smile at Naruto's loud voice. "Leave Sakura-chan alone!" He shouts once again. I look at blonde and offer him a giggle.

"Hello, Naruto-kun." I wave at the blonde, who hugs me tightly in response. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine." Naruto grins and looks at Sasuke. "I tried to reach ya, but scary guy told me ya're gone." Naruto scratches his head and grins. "Oh, Sakura-chan, this is Sasuke-teme. He is Itachi-nee's younger brother, believe it!" I chuckle at Naruto's antics and smile at Sasuke.

"Nice to meet you, Sasuke-chan." I grin at him. "I know your brother, Itachi-san. He has helped me numerous times." My words seem to make Sasuke happy, as he blushes and nods with small smile adoring his lips.

I look at Sasuke sadly, trying to understand how he became the bloodthirsty avenger I knew. His smile, so pure, so real. I watch him mesmerized, older Sasuke appearing in his place. Same cold eyes, same irritating smirk and same skip in my heartbeat every time I look at him.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, are you okay?" Naruto looks at me confused. "You look pale, Sakura-chan." He says and shakes his head. "Should I call scary guy?" He asks me, meaning Ibiki-sensei. I shake my head and laugh at him.

***

"What's wrong with you, Sasuke-chan?" Itachi leans forward, smiling at his younger brother. Shisui is sitting next to Itachi, staring at Sasuke himself as well.

"Is my little cousin blushing?" Shisui starts teasing, chuckling when Sasuke becomes even redder. "Did Sasuke-chan like a girl today?" He wiggles his eyebrows, smiling at Sasuke, who reminded him of Sakura.

"Oh, does my Sasu-cakes found a girl?" Mikoto smirked and nudges her husband, who looked up at Sasuke and offered him tiny smile. Sasuke blushed even more at attention and looked down at his plate.

"I don't like her." He mumbles, only to gain even more chuckles and smirks at his direction.

"Tell us more about her, Sasu-chan." Shisui laughs kindly at his younger cousin and leans forward to show him that he is listening carefully to his every word.

"I met her today." Sasuke starts with mumbling voice. "She is Naruto-dobe's friend." He mumbles again, blushing at the memory. "Her name is Sakura-chan and she is really cool." He seems to become happier, missing out shocked and surprised looks on elders' faces. "She is really cool, she is really friendly and she is way stronger than Naruto." Sasuke nods and suddenly turns to Itachi. "She told me that she knew you!" He exclaims happily and stares at his older brother.

"Um..." Itachi looks at Shisui, not knowing how much he is allowed to say. Sakura's subject is not classified secret, but it is secret nonetheless.

"I am training her!" Shisui exclaims suddenly, startling everyone. "That's how she knows Itachi-chan!"