Enough

Old Habits Die Hard

She listened closely, writing important notes on a slip of paper and once I finally stopped she looked up at me with a shocked expression. I sensed pity in there but tried not to outwardly react to it.

"I- I don't even know what to say Sakura, this information is priceless, thank you so much."

I smiled and she thanked me twice more.

By now the sun was rising, and exhaustion was creeping up on me.

"So, when can we tell my team about the mission? I... wanna go home," I say softly.

She smiles, "I'll have someone call them over right now, get under the desk-- it would be better If I explained it first so that way no one... lashes out or anything."

I get under the desk and wipe my eyes taking a deep breath as I waited.

I waited seven months, I can wait ten more minutes.

It is to my surprise that Jiraiya comes with them- Sasuke and Naruto seemed to have been woken up, Kakashi and Jiraiya were more alert— maybe it's the missions they've been on and the wars they've fought, but if I didn't know any better, they were already awake.

"Is there an update on Sakura?" Kakashi asks- I basically hear Naruto nodding his head in agreement.

Tsunade clears her throat, "yes. There is something I need to share with you, though."

I hear Jiraiya sigh and some shuffling follows that.

"Kakashi and I think we figured it out," I hear him say. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion as warmth spreads to my cheeks.

They didn't... figure out that it was a mission, did they? Oh come on! That's three people who figured it out then!

Tsunade hums, "is that so?"

"Wait, figured what out?" Naruto asked.

"Sakura Haruno, is not the traitor she was made out to be," Kakashi said factually, before adding on, "Isn't that correct?"

I heard Sasuke scoff, "How the hell wouldn't she be? She left the village, and last time I checked that makes h-"

"Enough," Tsunade cuts him off.

My heart lurches at his words and guilt begins to gnaw at my chest.

I betrayed him, I ran to his biggest enemy.

She sighs, "Kakashi is correct. Seven months ago I got the news that the Akatsuki had their eyes on our lovely friend Sakura. The opportunity was just too rare to pass up. I sent her to be an informant, or a spy, her orders were to leave the moment danger arose."

Naruto gasped and Sasuke clicked his tongue, "yet she still murdered people, a lot of them."

Jiraiya barked out a singular, loud laugh, "We're ninja's, murder is in the job description, since when did you care?"

I heard a small huff and a smile comes to my face-- he was pouting, and it reminded me of Itachi.

"So why tell us this now though?" Naruto asked.

I heard footsteps and Tsunade was standing in front of her desk a few moments later. She motioned for me to come out, "because she had to leave her spot."

I pop out with a grin similar to the one I had given Itachi as a goodbye, "hey!"

Kakashi is the first one to react, running over to me and jumping over the desk, crashing into me with a hug.

I hug him back as a real smile paints itself onto my face. Warmth fills my heart.

Another pair of arms join us- Naruto, and then another- Jiraiya.