Welcome Home Prologue. Return

<sup>Welcome Home

Prologue: Return</sup>

Three years ago, I was separated from my team.

Ever since then, I've been trying to find my way back home. A fourteen year old girl, all alone, tried to get back home. And now, three years later at seventeen, I'm finally running back to the heavenly gates of Konoha that I've been dreaming of for so long. I've waited for what seems a lifetime to be here.

My short, bubblegum hair was now mid-back, and I have different clothing as well, but that didn't matter- I'm still, and always will, be Haruno Sakura of the Hidden Leaves village.

With each step I take, I get more nervous.

I had one person always on my mind while I was away, Naruto-kun.

I ran faster and faster, tears running down my cheeks. The bright and sunny aurora of Konohagakure was welcoming me before my comrades. Its humid weather gave me an odd sense of familiarity. The tall, ancient oak and pine trees surrounded me with its luscious scent. Just being here, made me at ease.

The tall gates of Konoha were thirty feet ahead of me.

My home village was as busy as ever it seems. But only the two gate guards were in their usual position.

"Ma'am, please identify yourself."

My black hoodie covered my recognizable hair, so I took it off.

"S-sakura-san?"

Izumo and Kotetsu were as usual at their given place, but now they were giving me a welcoming hug.

"Haruno Sakura, where have you been? Is that really you? We must inform Lady Tsunade at once," Kotetsu said as he backed away from me, following Izumo.

"What are you two babbling about? I could hear you a mile away," a familiar voice said.

I turned around to see the senbon chewing pervert, known as Genma.

Out of surprise, he actually dropped his senbon and stared at me like I was a ghost or something.

"S-sakura?" I nodded and gave him a cheery smile before hugging the pervert, I didn't care, nothing could make me happier then to be back home.

"Come on, let's go to the Hokage's tower," he smiled as he ruffled my already messed up hair.

I noticed he acknowledged the fact that I had different clothing on. A black hoodie over my plain violet shirt, dark-stained jeans, along with my favorite pair of black vans, not the traditional kunoichi or shinobi clothing, not even normal civilian clothing.

As he escorted me back, I waved goodbye to Kotetsu and Izumo, promising I would talk later. "What took ya so long kiddo," he laughed. "You'll never believe what I've gone through, Genma. By the way, where is Naruto-kun?"

I laughed at his reaction; he seemed to be annoyed that all I wanted to see was my idiotic teammate and not him. "He's talking with Lady Tsunade now. Let's hurry up."

"Hai!"

I raced behind Genma on the tops of buildings, on my way to my mentor's office. My tears have long gone dried up, but I knew that wouldn't last long. Thoughts like 'will he recognize me or will he hate me' went through my mind. Those thoughts ceased when we entered Konoha's biggest building. No one was there, not even Shizune, so we continued on. 'Finally, I get to see them.'

Genma knocked on the door, and I hid behind him. I knew Tsunade-shisou had a grudge on him since he picked up Shizune. The two were inseparable, but he still teased with the eligible women in the village. He wasn't serious about his 'pick-up' lines, but nonetheless it still pissed off Tsunade-shisou.

He slowly cracked opened the door, in fear that she was going to throw something at the door. Luckily, she didn't. "Genma, what do you want. Can't you see I'm busy here," she said as she (I assumed) downed some sake.

"I brought a present," he said with a smirk.

Before she could reply, I pushed open the door and ran to my mentor and enveloped her in a bear hug, one I've been waiting to give to someone for so long. "Shisou," I whispered as she pet my glossy hair. "S-sakura?" Her heart beat was a bit faster than normal. I nodded slowly as she pulled me away for a second.

"H-how?" Her bottle of sake dropped to the floor, but she didn't flinch. Her honey colored eyes directed towards my teary emerald ones.

"Is that really Sakura-chan?"

I gasped; only two people called me that.

"Naruto-kun," I managed to get out before he ripped me away from shisou's grasp and into his. "We looked everywhere for you, Sakura-chan. Where have you been," he said more quietly than usual. He wasn't his usual obnoxious self that I weirdly missed. Had he changed?

I noticed that the door was now closed, and we were the only three presently in the office, so I dropped my guard. Tears slipped past me, and rushed from my emerald eyes, staining Naruto-kun's new wardrobe that still had orange in it. His soft sapphire eyes and his odd blonde hair is something that was only in my dreams, now it was a reality. I hugged him a bit longer before pulling away, despite how badly I didn't want to.

His childish face was no more. He was a man, one that I longed to see. I've wanted to see since I've come to a realization myself. I loved him.

Right before I got here, I tried to think of a way to explain to them what had happened to me. It wasn't easy to explain, but I tried my best.

"I…was transported to…another universe." I stopped there for a second; I didn't want to say the last part. "One where people…can't use chakra. It's awful, Naruto-kun, Shisou. I'm so thankful and happy to be back," I said with a relieved sigh. The shock on their faces was expected. I think they thought I was delusional, I probably was, but what I had explained was the god-awful truth, every part.

"No...chakra?" Naruto-kun grabbed my hand, which I squeezed.

The door opened, and I almost jumped. Sai-teme, Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-sama, and Sasuke-kun entered the office.

Instantly, someone hugged me. It wasn't the fact that I was hugged from behind, no; it was the fact that it was Sasuke-kun. He must have come back, like Naruto-kun promised. My feelings for him disappeared, and I gave up on him a long time ago…but Naruto-kun made him come back. He whispered, "It's good to have you back, Sakura."

"Sakura," Kakashi dropped his book, which made a small noise when it hit the ground. Sasuke-kun picked it up for him and slapped him on the back.

"Where have you been hag," Sai-teme teased.

I laughed, "I don't think you would believe me if I told you." "Tell us anyways, Sakura," Kakashi-sensei said with a smile. I looked back at Shisou who nodded. With a sigh, I looked back at my sensei.

"A different…universe, where chakra doesn't exist," I mumbled. I looked back at shisou, hoping she could do something about this; maybe hold a meeting or something. But one thing couldn't escape my mind, he came back. That persistent nutcase told everyone he wasn't, yet here he was, smirking and he gave me a hug claiming that 'it was good to have me back'. Did Naruto-kun really mess him up that hard?

"What the hell happened while I was gone," I said while directing my gaze to shisou.

She cleared her throat and looked back at Naruto-kun, then to me.

"The Fourth Shinobi War, it changed everyone and everything. But we are finally at peace in the shinobi world," she claimed.

"Fourth…war?"

They all nodded. "That was a year ago though," Sai-teme added.

"This universe you speak of, how did you get back," shisou asked. I knew everyone was wondering that too. I wondered myself. It was only 24 hours ago I was sitting on…his couch, munching on Doritos watching Inception.

"I just remember who sent me there," I admitted. I honestly remember just waking up on the Suna-Konoha border. "Who," Sauske-kun asked. I turned around and looked at him.

"The Sage of the Six Paths."

Everyone remained silent. The only present noise was the breathing in the room. "S-sakura-chan," Naruto-kun stuttered.

Shisou held a hand in the air. "No more. We will discuss this later. First, we need to celebrate your long awaited return, Sakura," she said with a smile.

"But shisou- I need to say something really, really important."

She gave me a questioning look, "What?"

"The Sage wishes to take away chakra in this world."

I looked back at Naruto-kun. "H-how Sakura-chan?" "I'm not sure yet, but I fear he will not hold back, unless we change some things around here. I've met him three times in person, each time he discussed how he hated our world and wished for it to be like the universe I travel to," I paused and looked back at shisou, "every single dream I had was one of my life in this world without chakra. He only sent me back here for me to tell you of the other universe I suppose, which was present day, unlike our universe, which is stuck in time."

At that point, all I wanted to do was sigh and ignore the Sage's wishes and warnings he gave me. But I couldn't ignore the task at hand. I had to explain everything, unfortunately. I didn't have time for a 'welcoming party'. But nonetheless, I followed shisou's wishes and let my old team, the original Team 7, show me back to my apartment, even though I knew the way.

It was the same, nothing was put out of place, but it was extremely dusty. I remember the day I had to bring all my belongings in here, since my parent's death, which happened a year before I disappeared. My apartment was meant for one person, because of its size. It wasn't small, but it didn't have a guest room.

When I transported back here, the only thing I had to remind myself of that universe was the picture in my pocket on my current clothing. No one could know about this picture though. It was of him and I sitting on his bed laughing while reading some new manga that came out. It was horribly tacky, so we laughed while reading it. I mean, who writes a story about a dragon that poops rainbows and has to save the world from the evil ' '?

The plot was laughable, and the picture brought back memories. Ones I didn't particularly want to talk about except to Naruto-kun, maybe.

"So we'll see you tonight, Sakura," Sasuke-kun said. I cheerily smiled, "Of course."

Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun left, leaving Naruto-kun and I in my apartment.

I sat on my couch along with him, loving the fact that he was playing with my hair. I didn't want him to stop, because it's the same thing he would always do.

I had to tell him sooner or later, right? I pulled the picture out from my pocket, and admired it.

"Who is that Sakura-chan?"

I handed it to him. "In the other universe, a guy our age took me in. His name was Cameron."

I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder. "Did you love him?"

Without moving I said," Yes, I do. But- Naruto-kun, I need to tell you something."

I sat back up and we both looked at each other.

"Anything, Sakura-chan," he said.

"I love you."

[A/N: Thank you so much for reading, please review if you can. I really want feedback on this one C: This story was created while listening to the song 'Welcome Home' by Radical Face. Thank you Pandora! Seriously, I have no idea how a sleep deprived mind like mine can come up with stories just by listening to music…oh well. I hope you enjoyed this! No worries, I'm still writing my other stories, but once I start writing on one story, I don't stop- plus I hate typing! Arigatou! ^^ ]