Messing with the Middle

The Peace

"Shut up," Inner growled. What did she know? The innocent Sakura, the sweet Sakura, the Weak Sakura. What the hell would she know about Her future.

Even if the war come true. Even if everyone who was meant to die, dies... Sasuke doesn't love us. Even if he doesn't get with Hinata, he won't come to us.

Inner grit her teeth and clenched her fist. "I said shut up,"

Naruto doesn't love Hinata here, he loves Ino. Asuma is alive and gets to see his daughter, Jiraiya lives though in critical condition.... tell me...

Inner glared at the crater that was once Konoha.

Do you really believe your future is a better result than the future being built here?

No, of course not. Of course Inner knew this situation was better. It was far better. But she wanted her daughter back. She wanted her husband back. She wanted her life back.

Inner sighed in response. Maybe... maybe she should give up.... maybe she... should move on. She could have a good life here. Find herself a new husband. Perhaps someone who actually would treat her right. Sasuke wasn't perfect, neither was her life... maybe she could build a new one?

NO!

*SMACK!*

Inner slapped her cheek and hard. She pulled out a small cracked mirror and glared. One eye was Dark and bland, the other Bright and full of life.

"I knew it... that's certainly a new tactic for you Sakura," Inner Spat.

It almost worked. Though I'm not surprised. Face it... you hate this life as much as I do. On the run, hated. Unwanted.

"I will do what I must,"

No, you will do what you want. Sasuke is doing what he must. Face it..

"You're the true Monster," Sakura finished.

She stood up tall. Konoha was right there, she could run to them, tell them the truth. Beg for help... but Inner would fight like hell. She had to bide her time. There would be the perfect moment for her to take her life back.

And when she does... she'll grasp it tightly with both hands. A determined smile grew on her face as she clenched and un-clenched her fist.

Inner took over again as her bright grin shrunk down to nothing.

"Are you finished?" The deep, distorted voice of Tobi pretending to be Madara spoke from behined her. "We have work to do,"

"I'm aware," She started. She looked down to her hand, before staring at Konoha one more time, as if to absorb the view. "Let's go,"

*****

Kakashi had been elected to temporarily hold the Holage position while Tsunade was busy with Patiens from the Pein assault.

Now it's not that he wasn't happy about this... because he wasn't. No really, he tried to hand the spot of to Shikaku, Inoichi, Anko. Anyone.

.

.

OK, so maybe not Anko but you get his point. Kakashi didn't want to be the Hokage. He was going to give it to Gai, but then learned that the man was willing to make a cardio day. Where everyone in the village worked on their 'Youth' so for everyone's sake, he decided not to do that.

Though it wasn't all bad he supposed. Watching Sasuke fight himself everytime he had to call him Lord 6th brought a smile to his face. Watching Sasuke also shrink under Hinata's glare whenever he didn't call him Lord 6th was twice as amusing.