It's been a year since Sakura and her long-lost brother reunited. They had been going after town after town adventuring or just plainly getting away from Konoha shinobis but ofcourse, Sasori has obligations to fulfill so he would usually leave Sakura under one of the Akatsuki's care. Ofcourse, the Akatsuki and Sakura don't bond. Right?
For the past year, Sakura learned a lot. Especially about Sasuke, Naruto and Konoha.
One time, they almost had an encounter with Konoha nins, one of them was Naruto. He was with Neji and Ino on a mission. Since he's the only remaining member of Team 7 now, he's often teamed up with other nins.
They stopped by a town as they frantically looked around, it seems they're looking for something. Unbeknownst to them, their thought to be dead teammate was there as well.
A pink-haired girl walked alone on the market as she looked for her ingredients for their dinner tonight. "Thank goodness I managed to buy the remaining tempuras." she said aloud. Suddenly, she spotted a flash of blonde hair in the corner of her eyes. When she turned around, her long lost friends stood 50 feet away from her in the distance. Her jaws dropped along with her basket as she immediately ran away.
"Eh?" Naruto turned his head to the direction of where Sakura ran. He didn't see her, he felt a familiar chakra tugging at him. "What's wrong, Naruto? Did you find that damned rouge ninja?" Ino asked looking at Naruto. "Things could have been easier if Nobunaga could be found right now." she muttered. "Wait... I felt a familiar chakra. Did you feel it too?" Naruto asked still looking at the same direction. "Not at all." Ino answered, bewildered. "What are you talking about, Naruto?" Ino said.
"I felt it. But I'm not sure who it is." The genius spoke. Suddenly, one name and image flashed in both boy's mind. "Sakura!!!" Naruto's mind screamed. An image of Sakura smiling with her hand held out flashed in Naruto's mind. The blonde boy immediately ran to the direction he was just staring off into as Ino looked clueless and then she and Neji ran after him.
Sakura was in an alley panting as she had ran so fast. How she missed them all, but she had to stay. She also missed a lot about her brother, he was gone for half of her life and she doesn't plan on losing her precious brother again. "Naruto! Wait up!" Sakura heard Ino's voice from the distance. Sakura was alert and didn't know what to do. She didn't know where the voice came from, it felt like their voices were everywhere and if she went into the wrong direction, they might see her and when she runs away, they will definitely search for her and if she tells them the truth, who knows what'll happen!
The pink-haired kunoichi's mind was racing fast as the voices came nearer. She decided to go up the rooftops when she was yanked back and had her mouth covered by a hand. She panicked but when she turned her head to see who her captor was, a smiling Sasori with his finger signaling "sshh" greeted her.
She relaxed for a moment and then realized jumping up the rooftop was supposed to be a big mistake as Neji and Ino were there. To her left, from a distance, she could see Naruto struggling to look for her. Neji and Ino spotted him as they went to him.
"I swear, I felt her chakra somewhere here!" Naruto exclaimed desperately. "Her? Who?" Ino asked as Neji tried to sense any familiar chakra. When Naruto didn't answer 'cause he was so busy looking around, Ino sighed. "You know, it might be the heat getting on y-" Ino was cut when Naruto suddenly exploded in anger and frustration. "SAKURA! I sensed her chakra somewhere here. I swear I did." Ino just stared wide eyed at Naruto.
"Naruto, Sakura is... gone." She said softly as she tried to smile. "Neji, you felt that chakra didn't you?" Naruto asked looking at the genius. "Yes, but Sakura is dead. It must be because we are tired. We haven't been taking a rest for three days straight." Neji said. "No! Two of us sensed it, Sakura has got to be somewhere around here. I know her chakra signature, that's gotta be her!" Naruto bursted more. "Naruto, we haven't gotten enough sleep for days and besides, when you go back to Konoha, Jiraiya-san will be getting you." Ino explained. "You must be tired, let's get some rest now." She continued softly.
Naruto clenched his fists and gritted his teeth looking down. "Sakura... You have got to be alive." He whispered to himself but Ino and Neji heard him well. The wind swept through them as their hair danced with the wind. "You don't understand! I KNOW Sakura, I know that's her. I feel it!" Naruto said even more. Ino seemed to get what he's saying as she fought with him.
"I know Sakura too, you know! What, you're trying to imply that I don't know her enough? You're dead wrong Naruto! I feel your loss, it was my loss too! She's my best friend!" Ino screamed as tears built in her eyes. "I miss her too. There would be times at night where it feels like she's watching me... And you think she would be at peace when she finds out we're like this!" She sobbed. Naruto just looked down as he tried to relax.
"Stop it now, you two. We're all tired. Let's go." Neji walked ahead of them, no one noticing his clenched fists.
From a far distance, Sakura cries as she tried to lessen her sobs with her hand covering her mouth. Sasori looked at her. He masked their chakras well.
That afternoon, they were already moving in the forest to look for another place to stay. This time, Deidara is with them. It seems the Akatsuki made Sakura an exception but with a price Sakura doesn't know. That also didn't made any less scary and dangerous as they are.
Sasori noticed Sakura's quietness and decided to stop by the lake. "I'll scout 'round. See ya!" Deidara said as left, noticing the atmosphere between the siblings. "Sakura..." Sasori called at which the called kunoichi looked. "You want to... go back?" He asked unsure. "W-what?" Sakura looked at him bewildered. Sasori sighed. "Oh." Sakura seemed to get what her brother is saying. Her expression softened as she looked at her brother.
"I would love to go back with them to Konoha and then get reunited with everyone. Then go on missions with them, search for Sasuke, retrieve him and live normally with all of them." Sakura said daydreaming. Sasori remained stoic but it hurt him. Sakura had an empty space in her heart, one that is for Konoha and her friends back there.
"But I wouldn't be complete without you, Onii-san." She continued smiling. "You were gone for half of my life. You missed a lot about me and I missed a lot about you. I don't want to be separated from you ever again, Onii-san." She continued. Sasori looked at her, surprised and relieved she said that and then smiled.
"Well, it seems that your sibling drama is over." Deidara said as he came down from a tree. "You were watching?" Sakura asked slightly blushing. "Course not!" Deidara replied.
"You know, you need a new hairstyle Sakuraaa." Deidara said examining her hair. "Huh?" Sakura looked at him confused. "It seems so." Sasori agreed smiling slightly.
And that is how Sakura no longer have those side bangs like Sasuke's anymore. Deidara changed her hairstyle so that she wouldn't easily be recognized. Her hair is silky now with loose forehead bangs. Her hair is now five inches above her waist and she now wears a one piece dress reaching just above her knees. It was sleeveless and she has pink arm warmers with the same color and design as her previous attire (A/N like in the anime when she was 12)
Her days spent with her long lost brother were her most peaceful and happiest. They caught up with their lives and what's been happening but every now and then, Sakura would ask him questions about their past over and over again. Sasori doesn't mind answering though.
Sasori never lets her in the Akatsuki hide out saying it's dangerous, so when Sasori goes there, Sakura would stay at some nearby town inn or just feet away from the hide out.
Sakura and Sasori were like your everyday siblings you see out in the streets. Sasori was sweet and protective always and when on a mission, Sasori would sometimes let Sakura come when it's not too dangerous. Actually just when he's going out on other contries, learning about new jutsus, other than that, she would be forced to stay in some town and Sasori would always pick her up after disabling a barrier he made just for her security if no one was around.
One word would explain their times together. Happiness. Deidara would often joke about random things and Sakura would always laugh while Sasori would always give off his small genuine smile.
Sakura found out about the truth of the Uchiha Massacre. Since Itachi found her needed for his plan (A/N Itachi's plan like in the anime and manga), he told her. That shocked Sakura to no end. She has also bonded with Konan but they don't always meet and talk that much, but when they do, it's some kind of girl bonding where it would just be the two of them. Konan would always smile a small one at Sakura. She could see herself slowly turning back to human whenever she's with Sakura.
At morning, Sakura and Sasori would lay in an open field together and just watch the clouds. Then when in the country sides, would go to the beach. Sometimes, they would watch over a city from a high place. Sakura would lean on Sasori's chest as he would wrap his arms around Sakura. Yes, like lovers.
At night, they would stargaze together and Sakura would always make a wish which she doesn't tell.
For a moment in their lives, there was peace and happiness. Sakura also found out that the 4th Hokage wrote about what Sasori did and Konoha's Hokages have this room in the Hokage tower that only the Hokage can enter. There, there are hundred of scrolls about the secrets of Konoha and the Hokage are sworn to secrecy.
So the current Hokage, Tsunade, knows about Sakura's past. "So that's why she was so sweet to me. She pitied me." Sakura would often say to herself. Sakura learned a little about Healing Jutsus from Tsunade before but her knowledge has improved through her and her brother's travel. Apparently, Tsunade knew their parents and their Mom, had saved her life in the Third Shinobi World War and they had been close friends before. Tsunade would sometimes plan to meet them somewhere, like checking them if they're okay as she had taken it to herself to take care of them as her own children and she would teach Sakura about a lot of things.
Sakura isn't working with the Akatsukis, she's just a "person who doesn't exist" when Akatsuki is mentioned. Sasori made sure no one would know Sakura is with them so she wouldn't be accused as a criminal.
One night, the siblings were stargazing again. Sakura and Sasori lay on the never ending green fields. Sakura and Sasori lay beside each other as they stargazed. "Onii-san." Sakura called still staring at the stars. "What were mother and father like?" She asked softly. Sasori looked at her stunned before staring at the stars again. "I... don't really remember. They're a blur in my memory." Sakura now turned to Sasori. He's brother looked so peaceful and at ease. She couldn't imagine him being part of the Akatsuki and be a criminal. Right now, he looks so angelic.
Sakura snickered at which Sasori looked at her slightly confused. "It's nothing." Sakura said as she returned stargazing. Sasori looked at her for awhile smiling slightly and asked, "Sakura, would you want to go back to Konoha someday?"
"Yes, definitely and you're coming with me 'cause I don't plan on being separated from you ever again." Sakura replied confidently. Sasori never let Sakura down, but right now he's thinking it's impossible considering he's an Akatsuki, but he didn't say that out loud. He just smiled at her and continued their stargazing.
"Onii-san, look! A shooting star. Make a wish, hurry!" Sakura shouted as she pointed to the said star. Sasori looked at where she pointed and looked back at his little sister. She looked so peaceful with her hands clamped in her chest, she was sitting down now, since they were on a hill side, it felt like the stars were laid out in front of you. Sasori smiled genuinely as he made his wish.
"Did you make a wish, Onii-san?" Sakura asked hyped up. "Yes." Sasori answered. "What was your wish?" Sasori asked his little sister. "It's a secret. You'll know in time." She answered grinning.
This is how they were, happy and peaceful. If only moments like these lasted.
Even the sun sets in paradise.