****IM BACK!!!! Sorry for the LOOONGGG wait. I hope you guys forgive me and will like this chapter. Imma dust off the cobwebs and fluff up the feathers for you guys. ;p Anyways, I don't have an excuse for the absence, just typical life things yadayda blah blah blah. Anyways here you go!*******
Sakura stretched her limbs as she turned and looked out her window, a smile graced her lips as she lightly rubbed her eyes. She turned her head and saw Madara curled up right by her, his arms still wrapped her waist, she slowly inched out of his arms and stood up stretching her legs. she changed into her black shorts and slipped on a cropped version of her typical shirt. She smiled as she heard Madara move in her bed, "Morning sleeping beauty." she said as she spun around and walked to the bed sitting by him as she watched him stretch like a cat. Grinning to herself knowing that there is no one alive today that has seen this fearful killing machine in such a state.
"Why are you awake?" he said groggily looking at her through hooded eyes.
"I've nothing else to do in bed"
"We could find something to do if you're bored though." Madara said grinning mischievously to her as he grabbed her hips and pulled her on top of him. A subtle pinkness lit up her cheeks as she looked down at him, as she didn't fight him off just yet he took her speechless moment and ran his hands down her sides and held her in his lap.
Sakura could hear the men in her living room start to get up and move around, as her senses got back to her she pushed herself up from Madara and lightly patted her cheeks. "Alright enough play times, I can hear the guys moving around out there."
Sakura let Madara pull himself together as she went out to check on everyone and make breakfast. When she was in the living room Kakuzu and Itachi were wide awake sitting in the two recliners while Kisame, Hidan and Deidara were moving around to wake up groaning.
"Good morning everyone!" Sakura said with a great big smile as Kisame, Hidan and Deidara muttered for the night before they had drank themselves to black out. "Oh come now, its so nice and sunny, you can't be grumpy." she said as she opened her curtains and went to the kitchen to start cooking.
*Time skip brought to you by a grumpy Hidan*
Sakura walked to the tower watching as the people around her were coming to life, children running around giggling, grown ups smiling and waved to Sakura. When she reached the tower and was walking to Gaara's office, Temari quickly got in her path, a hesitant smile on her, "Hey Sakura, what are you doing?"
Sakura stopped momentarily looking at Temari closely, "Headed to Gaara's office to say hi, what about you?"
Temari quickly fell into step with Sakura, her mind racing, her face not doing anything to cover that up, "Uh, how about we go for a walk and catch up, talk or something?"
"After I say hi, that's all I want to do." Sakura said determined now that Temari is acting so strangely. As Sakura reached the office door, and was reaching for it Temari threw herself back in front of Sakura's path. An eye brow raise and a huff Sakura says, "Temari, now, stop" Sakura slide by her as she opened the door and walked in as Temari grabbed Sakura's arms with a slight squeak leaving her slightly open mouth.
There in Gaara's office stood; Naruto, Shikimaru, Kiba, Ino, Neji, Hinata, Kikashi, Might Guy, Lee, and Sai. Sakura could feel her chest tightening as she looked at everyone star at her, now regretting not taking Temari up on the walk as she tried to breath. Gaara stood up quickly, "Sakura"
The room was quiet as all the eyes were on the pinkette, most happy to see her, others surprised.
Naruto was the first to start walking to her and speaking, "Sakura, you're okay, I'm so happy to see you" Sakura stepped back from his hand, his eyes reflected the pain that shot through him at her actions, "Sakura please" he said looking up into her eyes.
Sakura felt a pinch at her heart from the tears that built up in her childhood friend's eyes, she hated that she resented them for what they said about her behind her back, she wanted to hug Naruto but wanted to be strong. From the corner of her eyes she saw his hand go for her arm, she didn't move from him, or anything.
"I'm sorry, for everything, please" the desperation in his voice vibrated through Sakura, she knew how Naruto felt, its been sitting in her since she left the village to stay with the Akatsuki. "I never should have doubted you, I shouldn't have let them talk to me about you like that. You never let anyone talk about me like that when we were younger, you were always there for me and when you needed me to have your back in the same way I wasn't, I'm so sorry." near the end of his apology his tears were falling. Even Sakura felt it, because it was true, she too wanted to cry but he wasn't the only one that she wanted an apology from. She raised her hand and grabbed onto his sleeve, slightly tightening her grip onto his forearm before stepping to his side starring at the rest of the group.
"As much as I appreciate your apology Naruto, you aren't the only one that hurt me." She glared at Ino, seeing that Ino wasn't even in the slightest feeling something at the sight of Sakura.
"I'm sorry Sakura" Shikimaru said coming up to her, "I said something that although I know you took one way I meant differently, but I was there with everyone and I know you were listening to our words and took everything to heart. You have to know though from our long friendship that no matter what I never stopped looking for you."
Sakura sighed, she knew what he was saying before, Shikimaru and her were always close, knew what his words always meant in the background, she wasn't dumb. "I know, still... for a genius it was stupid of you to feed into what was said that night" she said looking into his eyes.
"I know, and for that again, I'm sorry" Shikimaru said looking close at her into her eyes, hoping she would forgive him and let him join Naruto by her side. With a few more moments of silence before stepping forward slightly again to have Shikimaru slightly behind her and near Naruto she continued to look at the last two what she wanted to hear from.
"Well?" Sakura said as she starred at an unapologetic Ino and annoyed Hinata. "Anything to say? Considering for so long I thought we were best friends, " she said as Ino shifted her weight, "and have to say never thought a quiet girl like you would give up so easily" while Hinata's eyes squinted ever so slightly at her.
"Easy for the confidence after you've slept your way through the enemy to live" Ino said crossing her arms, her voice giving off annoyance.
The amount of energy in the room was bouncing off the bodies, the men tense as the looked between the two.
"Trash" a quiet voice dropped like a pin in the room.
****THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!!!!! I really hope you guys liked this. I'll put up another chapter tomorrow, thank you to everyone that has reached out and waited for me to come back. I love seeing you all excited for a new chapter, for a while I do have to say I wasn't sure if I should even continue. But a lot of you were so happy with the story I had to continue. I hope you continue to read and stay with me along Sakura's growth with her friends. :)******
