Alo, once again ppls! Thnxs for the little reviews -' neways THIS IS THA CHAPPY WHERE SAKU-CHAN IS 24…FINALLY! –wootness- AND! SO SORRY I COULDN'T UPDATE! MY INTERNET WAS BUSTED! Btw I won't be updating till weekends cuz schoolie and stuffy ..

GOMEN!

12 Years Later, A New and Improved Sakura!

A now 24 year old Sakura stood at the Hokage's office. Sakura had grown into a beautiful woman. Just like her father said she would be. Obviously all the boys seem to notice as well. Sakura had been training with all her friends during the past years to finally become an ANBU captain, along with her friends Neji and Shikamaru.

She had been training with Gai-sensei for Taijutsu, and how to fight a Sharingan user. She also has been training with Tenten for weapons. Kakashi for endurance. The Hyuuga cousins for even better charka control and many more people! It can be easily said that she is one of the most powerful kunoichi in the leaf village. Not to mention her incredible medical skills which have surpassed Tsunade's in the past years.

Sakura was the only one of her friends who was still single. Tenten had finally gotten together with Neji, Hinata got enough courage to ask Naruto out a few years back and they were a now happy couple. Ino and Shikamaru have been getting along quite well. Though they still fight like they were 12 year olds. Now Sakura hangs out more with Kakashi because out of most of her friends he was also the only single one. It's more comfortable than being surrounded by couples and being the only single one.

"Hai, Tsudande! Sakura reporting." Sakura said in a confident tone.

"Ah, Sakura! My prized student!" Tsunade said cheerfully. A 'ahem' was heard in the back round.

"Uh, next to my other prized student Shizune! Ehehe..." Tsunade sweat dropped and scratches the back of her head. Sakura sighed.

"Anyways Sakura, I've called you here because you have been on a lot of S ranked missions lately I think it would be best if you took a break for a while. Even ANBU need a break sometimes." Tsunade said getting straight to the point, while taking out a bottle of sake.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune yelled. Tsunade continued drinking the warm sake ignoring what Shizune was complaining about while continuing.

"NAH!" She said when she saw Sakura was about to protest.

"Nah? Did you just make that word up…?" Sakura sweat dropped.

"Yes, and I'm damn proud! Anyways no Sakura I will not let you go on any missions for a week! You must relax! Or else you'll become old and wrinkle and ewww…" Tsunade continued on babbling about old people and wrinkles.

-COUGH- Sakura coughed loudly on purpose to stop Tsunade from saying anything further. Tsunade stopped and looked straight into Sakura's eyes.

"Understand?" Tsunade said firmly.

"Hai…" Sakura said defeated and walked out of the Hokage's office. Sakura sulked as she walked through the streets of Konoha.

'At least I can still train' Sakura thought brightly.

'In fact, I'll go and ask Kakashi if he'll train with me right now!'

"Yo." Kakashi poofed out of no where, and scared the shit out of Sakura.

"HOLY SHYT KAKASHI!" Kakashi sweat dropped.

"Sakura you're an ANBU captain, shouldn't you be prepared for these kinds of things?"

"Ahaha...I guess, THAT WHY I NEED YOU TO HELP ME TRAIN!" Sakura said with stars in her eyes. Kakashi backed away slowly, when Sakura was like this she was like Rock Lee and Gai-sensei when they talked about youthfulness.

"I'm sorry Sakura, but I can't! Hokage's orders. She said I couldn't help you with training for a week. Something bout you needing rest" Kakashi said deep in thought recalling the time when Tsunade called him into her office. Sakura slumped and put on her puppy dog eyes.

"S-S-Sakura?..." Kakashi stuttered. Sakura could get anyone to do what she wanted with that look.

'Must not look into her eyes!' Kakashi thought as he looked away.

"No Sakura. Hokage's orders!" Kakashi said with his eyes shut tightly. Sakura sighed and returned to her normal self.

"Damn it. It usually works. Worked on Neji when I needed him to train… Maybe I still have to perfect it…." Sakura fazed out. Kakashi laughed.

"That's because Neji's still a growing boy…Okay not growing, but you know, vulnerable to…Girls…." Kakashi said uncomfortably. He was NOT good at talking about stuff with this, especially with his former student. I mean his very pretty former student. Sakura blinked innocently and bounced back immediately.

"Well, do you want to hang out then? Naruto and everyone else is out on 'missions'" Sakura said with an envious tone when she said the word 'missions'

"Sure, why not, either that or to face another 'challenge' from Gai." Kakashi shrugged. The odd couple walked down the streets towards Team 7's old training grounds. Not only was it a place to train but also a great place to relax. As they walked down Kakashi felt many perverted stares towards Sakura. Sakura being, well Sakura continued walking, PROBABLY ignoring all the men's pervy stares.

Suddenly a drunken man came onto the path Sakura and Kakashi were walking on and out of no where groped Sakura's breast. Before Sakura could break the mans neck, she saw a blur of silver and the next thing she knew was the man was on the floor twitching while Kakashi cracked his knuckles. Sakura looked away and whistled. Knowing Kakashi, this guy was going to be bloody pulp when Kakashi's through with him.

Sakura sighed as she and Kakashi continued walking, leaving behind a very scared group of men staring at them.

"You know Kakashi, I could have handled it myself." Sakura said as they finally reached the training grounds of Team 7. Sakura sat and leaned against her favorite oak tree. Kakashi followed suit and lean on the oak tree.

"Well I didn't see you trying to break his scrawny little neck." Kakashi said obviously pissed off someone had touched HIS former student. ACK! I mean a very pretty former student.

"I'm surprised a former ANBU snapped that easily. Don't you trust that I can protect myself? I'm not that stupid weak kunoichi I was when I was 12." Sakura grumbled. She did NOT want Kakashi of all people to still think of her as weak. Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed.

"I do Sakura, it's just hard to believe how time flies…" Kakashi whispered. The two stared at the passing clouds as a warm breeze blew by.

"Kakashi? Have you ever had a girlfriend before…" Sakura trailed off blushing. Kakashi gave a sideways glance at Sakura as a breeze blew her pink hair.

"One. Rin, but she died…" Kakashi said. Sakura's eyes widened and immediately and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry…" Sakura said. She sighed once more and hugged her knees to her chest. 'I'm the only one who NEVER had a boyfriend. How pitiful…' Sakura thought as she glared at a blade of grass as if she had laser eyes.

"INO-PIG! HINATA!" Sakura jumped Ino and Hinata as they both walked in through the village gate. Ino's group consisting of Hinata and Shino, had just finished their mission and was returning back.

"GAH!" Ino screamed. Shino sweat dropped as he stared at pile of girls in the middle of the village gate. 'Girls never change…Except sometimes' Shino thought as he smiled at the three girls. All had grown into their own person. Strong, intelligent and brave.

Actually Shino had changed too. Because of Sakura and Ino he had gotten out of his quiet little jacket. Okay well not really. But a little D. Sakura looked up and smiled at Shino. For a second, Shino could have sworn he saw a flash of evil in the ANBU captain's eyes. Next thing he knew he was tackled by Sakura.

"OHIO, SHINO!" Sakura said with a bright smile. Shino looked away and sweat dropped as he said "Ohio..."

"OI! Big forehead! You coming or not?!" Ino screamed and then mumbled something about big foreheads and idiot Shino Oo. Sakura looked up and screamed back. Right in Shino's ear. (POOR SHINO!)

"Ah, Sakura, can you get off me now." Shino asked.

"ACK! Yeah! My badddd." Sakura said flustered.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, Ino-chan lets go to the bath house. I want to wash off all the yucky-ness off me." Hinata said in her now brave voice. Sakura and Ino bobbed their heads in agreement and set of, leaving Shino and his now pervy thoughts. (SHAME SHINO!)

"SO, SAKURA! WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEK? I HEARD YOU CAN'T GO ON ANY MISSIONS" Ino screamed into Sakura's ears.

"NOTHING MUCH INO-PIG. JUST HANG OUT WITH KAKASHI" Sakura screamed back. Hinata just sighed as she dipped her body into the soothing hot water. The girls have been together since, well ever! So you can guess how Hinata can block out their screaming. Ino stopped screaming when she heard 'Kakashi'.

"Ne, Sakura, do you like Kakashi?" Ino said suddenly. Even Hinata opened her eyes and looked at Sakura.

"EHHHHHHH?! What are you talking about?! I DO NOT! I DO NOT! I DO NOT! I DO NOT!" Sakura said while splashing water every where causing girls near by to start whispering. She stopped when Hinata and Ino gave her the 'yeah, RIGHT.' Look. Sakura sighed and dropped her head until the water came up to her nose. 'I don't, right?' Sakura thought.