When Sasuke arrived at the gates, a red alert was almost raised throughout the village. Kotetsu and Izumo, who were the guards at the time, immediately jumped out from their posts and prepared to fight. They were confused when Sasuke did nothing and merely stared at them while he carried something in his arms.

Izumo was the first to notice the dried blood in mangled clumps of pink hair.

"You... What did you do?!" Izumo demanded, eyes glued to the corpse. He couldn't believe it. Sure, Haruno Sakura had done some pretty uncalled for things like leaving and being Asuma's assumed killer, but that didn't change the fact that they were friends before. He, along with nearly everyone else, had a small shred of hope that she'd return one day.

But this wasn't what he meant.

Kotetsu dragged his eyes away from the Uchiha and to the body in his arms. Shock slowly crawled into his veins and eventually gave him a sense of realization. He swallowed thickly before taking a step back. "I'll notify ANBU."

Day 1

"That should be all the Akatsuki members, right?"

"Yes. Pein-sama said that Konan would be unavailable to us and if we counted correctly, the ones we've met are all the available members," Kabuto replied. Sakura smiled and looked back down at the reports she was previously reading through.

Marisu was starting to make a name for herself in the medical community as the headstrong Chief of Medicine that had a bark as strong as her bite. She was quick-witted and strong, making her a capable kunoichi both inside and outside the hospital. As confident as she was, she still kept the burnt part of her face hidden beneath her bangs. The house staff was smart enough not to question it.

Tobi as doing immensely well at the Academy and was one of the favored sensei. He was cheerful in his lectures and always managed to keep his kids engaged in the lesson. Kisame was doing great with his ANBU status and accompanied her on all her errands out of the village (mostly for the liquor). He was one of the strongest in her ranks and helped her with her paperwork when she needed a break.

Deidara had gotten a little happier than when she first met him, which she was pleased to find out. His team was able to soften him up enough to start having some fun. Hidan seemed to be going about rather well as a pediatric surgeon. Though for now, he was a PA who was slowly working himself up to M.D. He spent much of his time studying, passed every exam with flying colors, and was starting to get Sakura to think that he was actually a secret genius. That, and he had the prettiest writing style she'd ever seen.

Zetsu came by every now and again, popping in to see how everything was going and asking if Sakura needed anything of him. Most of the time, she'd shake her head no and ask if there was anything worth reporting or was hanging precariously on the grapevine. Usually there was nothing to say. But recently, he informed her about her "death".

"Uchiha Sasuke and his team found the replica," he said. "Almost immediately, Sasuke took it and headed towards Konoha. In an interesting fashion, I must note. He almost seemed concerned."

Kabuto glanced at Sakura for a reaction, but she merely smiled. "Well, that just means it'll spread faster! That's wonderful!"

He knew it was anything but.

Kakuzu became the advisor Sakura turned to most often. Decades of experience backed him up, making him the most resourceful and the wisest out of everyone in Sakura's inner circle. Every shred of advice he'd given was helpful in some shape or form, be it a metaphorical or literal statement. Itachi actually became interested in the position of pediatric counselor, but he opted to take it as a part-time job. He didn't deem himself sociable enough to be around children full time, but he was pleased enough to help them whenever he could. The other times, he would be in the Intelligence Division, his brilliance contributing greatly to Otogakure.

Sakura couldn't be more satisfied in how everything played out. The village was growing, she gained allies that she never imagined she would get, and most importantly, she—

The door suddenly opened, a voice slithering into the office like warm oil before a person showed to accompany it. All was still.

"You know, when I first heard your name I couldn't believe my ears. How could the little girl who stood by Chiyo-baa's side betray the Will of Fire she almost sacrificed herself to protect?"

A short statured man sauntered into the room, blood red hair curling at the edges and a lazy grin plastered on a young human face.

"It must have been someone else, I thought. Someone who didn't have pink hair nor those eccentric green eyes. Yes, surely it wasn't that same girl—so young and so beautifully strong that became a Kage," he sighed. "But I was as wrong as the day I fought you. And here we are again."

He gestured to Sakura first. "My killer." Then to Kabuto. "And my traitor."

He then grinned like a cheshire cat, showing the whites of his teeth and sending an uneasy feeling through the other occupants of the office.

"Let's all get reacquainted, shall we? My name is Akasuna no Sasori. How do you do?"

::

Naruto burst into the room, head immediately swiveling to the right at the four people chained and flanked by ANBU. Sai and Kakashi arrived in the office in a similar fashion, wide-eyed and at a loss of what was happening. Sasuke avoided their gazes and chose to stare at the Hokage instead. She herself was not pleased, lips pressed in a firm line and eyes hardened to the point one would mistake them for stone. Tsunade rapped her fingers on her desk slowly before raising those chilling eyes to meet Naruto's.

"I want you to hear him out before you run off to see for yourself," she said quietly. Tearing away from their confused faces, she then faced the ANBU. "All of you." She proceeded with her line of questioning. "Uchiha Sasuke. Where were you two days ago?"

He spoke in that same, monotonous tone he used as a young genin. "Fire Country's border," he answered. Tsunade's hands began to tighten into fists.

"What did you find at the border?"

"A battlefield. And a corpse."

There was suddenly a foreboding air in the room. The rest of Team Hebi shifted their weights from foot to foot, clearly in dislike at the turn this conversation was taking. Naruto was clearly the most anxious out of everyone in the area. He was standing on the balls of his feet.

"Whose corpse was it?" Tsunade asked. Sasuke straightened up but lowered his gaze.

"... Sakura's. Haruno Sakura's."

Kakashi, surprisingly, was the first to react. He stepped forward with that signature crinkle in his eye, skepticism in each crease of his form.

"That can't be true. Perhaps you've gotten your facts wrong. It can't be... Sakura can't be dead."

Tsunade said nothing more and downed sake from the bottle on her desk. Shizune somberly raised her voice. "We checked ourselves. In the morgue at the hospital—"

They were out of the room in a flash. One of the ANBU's arms dropped motionless to his side. Tsunade saw this and waved him out of the room. He quickly bowed and ran the hell out of there, forcing his legs to run towards the hospital. His mask had come off sometime during that break down the streets, revealing a normally bored face contorted in anguish.

Shikamaru didn't need this right now. Asuma passed only a couple months ago and he didn't need someone else dropping like this. Yeah, she was the one that killed his sensei, but it was still Sakura.

As he entered the bowels of the hospital, he almost looked away at the heartbreaking scene before him. The door to the morgue was wide open but he chose to look in through the gaping window. Naruto was bent over one of the shelves, sobbing into the white sheets that covered the unmoving outline beneath him. Sai leaned on the wall opposite of the shelves with a hand pressed to his mouth and his eyes glued to the body. And off in the far corner was Kakashi turned around, not even facing everyone else.

It was still Sakura.

Shikamaru slid down onto the ground.

It was still Sakura.

Day 2

He loved the looks on their faces when he revealed who he was. Their utter disbelief pleased him to no end, though his sudden appearance was just scratching the surface. He was "brought back from the dead" just a little under a year ago and he still that had many questions that needed answers. What exactly happened since his demise? Who was dead? Who had yet to die?

Most of the time since his "resurrection", he spent his time confined and out of active duty to strengthen and get used to his human body. One would think that it would be an easy transition since he had previously been a human, but he cast away all that knowledge thinking that he'd never return to such a state again.

Deidara and Tobi helpfully, albeit a tad condescendingly, re-taught him how to become human again and informed him as much as they could about what played out in his absence. But they were part of the first few who left and decided to stay in Otogakure to operate under her. There was Kakuzu, of course, but he didn't spend much time at the base. That particular thought drew him back into the thinking that pervaded his mind since the Akatsuki meeting in March.

Haruno Sakura. What had prompted her to do such a thing?

Sasori meandered through the village with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his eyes drifting from building to building. The place didn't look half bad. Definitely nothing like Konoha but still had a homey feeling to it. He passed by the Shinobi Academy to see that the students had gathered outside on the training grounds. A tall man stood in the midst of them, happily explaining the lesson.

"We'll be throwing shuriken today!" he chirped. "Our targets are on those trees over there. Don't worry if it doesn't hit. This is only your guys' first try!"

Sasori narrowed his eyes.

Tobi. And he looked like a fucking Uchiha.

As the students scattered to take their weapons and lined up at the targets, Tobi caught his senpai's stare through the fence and waved amiably. Sasori nodded reluctantly in return before continuing on his way. An Uchiha look-alike. And an Academy sensei, to boot. That was one thing he never hoped to expect. He traveled deeper towards the heart of the village and saw something else he would have never expected—Deidara in the company of three others.

"You're so mean, sensei! The exams are still in March!"

"So, hm? You have to be prepared. I'll be so pissed if I have to get stuck with you all again because you were too stupid to pass the first time, un," Deidara said. He flipped his bangs out of his face before looking to the side. "Oh! Sasori no Danna!"

The other blonde of the group slid next to Deidara with a cheeky smile.

"Danna?" Menma inquired slyly. Deidara didn't even spare a second in reaching over to whack the back of his head. He then grinned up at Sasori.

"You just get here? How do you like the place so far, un? Does it feel weird being here?"

He wasn't concerned so much about the place. It was the people—the other Akatsuki members that were intriguing him.

"... No. The village is fine."

Day 3

They dressed her in white and had an open casket funeral. Cherry blossoms lined the silk interior as the moonlight lit up fading pink hair. A small crowd had come together in the far reaches of the Nara Forest. The council, those goddamn bastards, wouldn't allow a treasonist to be buried in Konoha's cemeteries. Naruto and Ino especially were more than outraged at this development and were this close to committing assault. Shikamaru stepped up and offered to have her buried on Nara land. It wasn't under Konoha's control and they wouldn't have to worry about the scrutiny of those who believed her to be a true traitor.

All of the remaining Konoha 12, their sensei, Sai, Tsunade, Shizune, Jiraiya, Sasuke, and a few other shinobi were in attendance. Even Kurenai and her daughter came to pay respects. The ceremony drew out through the night, silently and drearily.

Naruto teared up throughout the funeral. It seemed like only yesterday that they were twelve years old and fresh from the Academy. It seemed like only yesterday that they were naive little brats with wide smiles and no clue what the future had in store for them. It seemed like only yesterday that they were invincible and nothing in the world could stand in their way.

But that was years ago when dying never crossed their minds.

Ino was one of the first ones to leave, unable to stand the sight of her best friend any longer. In the early morning, the people trickled out until all who remained were the remnants of Team Seven, Sasuke still chained with chakra enforced shackles and standing ramrod straight beside Kakashi. Unbeknownst to them, two figures sat in the not too far off distance, hidden in the falling leaves and the slowly receding darkness. The taller one leaned to the side.

"We should get going. Don't want to get caught, y'know?"

Sakura sighed. "Yeah. Let's go, Kisame-san."

Day 4

Sasori poked and prodded at Sakura's biceps,amazed at how well built they were. Sakura eventually stopped reading her papers and looked over at him.

"Um, Sasori-san? Why...?"

"Your muscle definition is simply astounding. Even more so than when we first met. Are you really that opposed to becoming one of my puppets?" he purred. She pulled a face.

"Yes. I'm sure."

Day 5

There was something about her eyes that made her different from when he first met her. When she was fifteen, her eyes were bright and angry. There was a fire in them that he didn't see in many people. That was one reason he wanted Sakura in his collection—eyes like hers needed to be preserved for all eternity for the pure beauty encased in them.

But when he saw her again, those eyes had changed.

Green irises darkened and matured a considerable amount over the past three years. Their anger had settled and swam more behind her gaze than upfront and personal like they used to be. They were warmer and more tired, somehow making them much more beautiful than before.

"Those aren't the eyes of a traitor," Sasori said. "Not by a long shot." He set his forearms on the desk and leaned forward. "So why would you do such a thing?"

Sakura stared him down with those stunning eyes and offered him a light, forced smile. "Sometimes ignorance is the best kind of knowing."

Day 6

"I wouldn't trust you with my life."

"Shove it up your ass, Pinocchio."

Hidan in a white doctor's overcoat would always be an image one would have to see to believe. It fit him in some odd way, though, he actually belonged in a medical setting. He looked so natural in those pastel purple scrubs.

'He looks like someone's dream guy.'

Sasori glanced around the floor as Hidan scribbled something down onto a clipboard. "Say... what drove you to this particular field? I can't imagine you walking up to the hospital and openly demanding that you wanted to be a surgeon of all things. Not to mention in pediatrics."

He didn't even look up from his writing. "Sakura's fault. Basically."

Sasori tilted his head to the side. "How so?"

He clicked his pen and set the clipboard down on the counter he leaned on. "When I got here, I spent most of my time on the ledge outside her office. I heard the things she talked about and wanted to decide if she was worthy of the position myself. But she misconstrued my intentions, I guess, and thought I was bored. She gave me a medical textbook to see if I'd 'get interested in it'. BAM! An ulterior motive, don't you think? You don't just give someone a damn textbook to tell someone they might get interested."

Sasori's jaw slackened as Hidan continued on his spiel.

"I got interested like an idiot and played right into her stupid little hands. Later on at the music festival, she told me about this little boy. Another sneaky ass attempt to get me to do something. Not too long after that, she left an errand for me while her and four-eyes got pulled into this surgery or some shit like that. Long story short, I was there when they needed a surgeon, I performed a heart transplant, and now I'm a licensed physician in the pediatrics department. Fucking crazy, right?"

He received a blank stare.

"What?"

"Are you some secret genius? I don't recall you ever having the ability to be insightful or to exude such a level of intelligence. I thought you were just born to be a vulgar moron who would never know the word misconstrue, much less use it correctly in a sentence."

"Hah?! What's that supposed to mean y—"

"Hidan. The file."

They both turned to the side. Itachi had graced them with his arrival, donning a plain black t-shirt and pants with fishnet visible underneath his loose clothing. He too was wearing a doctor's overcoat with his ID hanging from the breast pocket.

UCHIHA ITACHI

PEDIATRICS DEPARTMENT

COUNSELOR

Sasori blinked. Hidan handed him the clipboard and pointed towards a room behind them.

"Oshiro Kazue. Seven years old, lost her father in the crossfire of a shinobi battle, and has a severe fear of fire. Good luck with her; she doesn't talk too much," he informed. Itachi scanned the information before nodding and starting down the hall.

"Call me senpai!"

"Hn."

Before Sasori could ask, Hidan shook his head. "I don't know either. Uchiha's lost his fucking marbles."

Day 7

"Sakura-san, there are suspected spies within the village."

"I see. Could you give me their names and descriptions, please? I'll have ANBU see to it right away."

Bunko chittered on about the two possible spies within Otogakure. Sakura then gave the information to Sasame and Kotohime before the owl took off. Sasori watched the exchange curiously.

"Oh? Slugs don't make the cut?"

Sakura shrugged. "You know how it is."

No. He didn't.

Day 8

"I fail to see how taking this position would have helped you find your beloved Sasuke-kun."

Sakura's hand twitched, sending a small, victorious grin to Sasori's lips. Oh, how he loved it when he knew he struck a nerve. From the side, Kabuto pushed up his glasses and tucked his notebook away in his pocket. He too wondered of her answer.

"He was a lost cause back when I was in Konoha, Sasori-san," she replied. "If Naruto couldn't persuade him to come back, there was nothing I could've done."

"But he's back now, isn't he? He surrendered and was sentenced to two years house arrest with the restraint of chakra."

"And all I had to do was die. Right? With my 'death', he's part of Konoha again and no longer my concern," she said. Kabuto smirked before hefting himself up to sit on the window sill, content with the look on Sasori's face.

Day 9

"My mother died of cancer when I was fourteen. I remember it so vividly—her in that hospital bed as pale as the sheets she was bundled with. For so long, she was sick and I never knew. They never wanted to tell me. By the time they explained everything, she had two weeks left to live and spent most of her time unconscious," Sakura murmured. She stood atop the Otokage Tower, staring out over the village with Kabuto at her side. He sat on the ground with his back against the railing and his eyes turned upwards towards the sky. They needed a break like this every now and again.

"I promised her that I'd become a great kunoichi one day. That I'd make her proud with what I made of myself. She smile and said that I didn't need to go that far. She said she was already proud of me, but I don't think she really was."

"Mothers always say things like that. Normally. Their children are their legacies. You have to say you're proud."

Sakura looked down, Inner's laughter echoing in her ears. "Yeah. I guess so."

Day 10

There were a handful of people that Sasori could carry on a decent, lengthy conversation with. He was lucky enough to have one of those people in the Akatsuki. Kakuzu was wise and measured the words that came out of his mouth. Sasori could always rely on him for resourceful ideas and the inside story of nearly all the topics he could think of. So when he asked about Haruno Sakura and how he agreed to be her advisor, he was surprised to have receive an answer out of the ordinary.

"She listens, she's never overconfident in her abilities, and she knows when she's in the wrong. Sakura-sama may not be the best leader the world had ever seen, but she's damn better than a lot of them," Kakuzu said. Sasori frowned.

"Her? I know she's strong, but she looks like your average, unmentionable leader."

He was surprised once more when the other man smiled. Kakuzu no longer wore his mask, showing the stitches on the sides of his mouth. "Bring the topic up again by the end of the month, and we'll see if your opinion's changed at all."

Day 11

"Ah. Now I remember."

Sakura looked at him. "Remember what?"

"Forehead girl."

Kabuto had to hold her back from pummeling the asshole into the ground.

Day 12

Sakura paused when Sasori walked up behind her and ran both hands through her hair. He watched as the tresses fell just past her shoulders.

"I liked your hair short," he commented. "Will you cut it?"

Her eyes narrowed at such a random question. "... Maybe... if I have the time?" she answered. "Why do you always ask such out of the blue questions like that? Wouldn't you be more content doing something other than lounging around in my office all day?"

He tipped over her shoulder and gave a wide, unsettling grin. "I'm only observing," he said. "Don't worry too much, Sakura-chan. You'll only have to deal with me for a little while longer before I go on my merry way."

Day 13

Sasori was like a cat. He'd be in and out of the office whenever he pleased and hung about her chairs or tinker with his puppets by the bookshelf. For the most part, he was silent and asked the occasional arbitrary question or tried to persuade her into becoming one of his puppets. Sakura never expected him to be so at ease around her and Kabuto. They were, after all, the two people who held the greatest reasons for Sasori to hold a boiling hate towards.

But he didn't look like he cared in the least. He just acted like a devious creature whose only intent was to cause discomfort.

Like a cat.

Day 14

'You had a good life. People that loved you. Cherished you. And this is how you repay them. Disgusting.'

Sakura laced her fingers and set her chin on them.

'That isn't even the best part! Why don't we go ahead and talk about Sasuke-kun? Konoha spent years trying to get him back. Tears, blood, and broken bones... but do you know what it took for him to go back? Your death! YOURS! Ha! Maybe you dropping off the face of the death was the best thing that could've happened!'

She clenched her teeth.

'I guess you never really were needed.'

Sasori stared at her with confusion. He called her name about three times already, but she made no inclination that she was listening. Her eyes angled towards her desk, half-lidded, empty, and not quite there. Kabuto walked in moments later and took one look at Sakura before walking to the file cabinet.

"Give her time. She'll be back to normal in fifteen minutes or so."

"Why?" Sasori questioned. "What's the matter with her?"

The younger man closed the cabinet and set his palms on the metal surface. "... Let's just say that there are things on her mind that she needs to sort out sometimes. It never interferes with her work, I assure you. Sakura needs this, how do you say, constructive thinking time? It's... not serious."

Sasori glanced back down to that eerily blank face. He doubted that.

Day 15

His members were settling in quite nicely, as he came to understand. They were reaching out to their underlying talents and exploring them to their full potential. Some he personally never would have figured.

But that didn't bother him in the slightest. It was all going according to plan.

Because it was something that he was flowing along with. There was one reason and one reason only that he sent the Akatsuki Otogakure.

Insurance.

::

EDITED 2.19.18