UPDATE 14/04/12

To anyone just finding this and wanting to read: read this story at your own risk. I'm not being modest – it's really not very good. It was the first story I'd ever posted online and has plots that go nowhere, bad descriptions, Sakura becomes an OC about half-way though, everyone is OOC and the only reason I'm not taking it down is because of sentimental reasons, a warning to myself of what happens when the story takes control of you, and also because there are some fans of Control that I have decided to leave it up for.

Also, if anyone reads this and thinks it is like another story, Huntress, then please review by giving me a link to that story! I would seriously like to go and see how alike they really are! I wrote this from my own ideas – albeit slightly bad ones – and am kinda interested to see if my story and Huntress really are similar enough for people to be calling me a thief!

So, read if you wish, but don't blame me if you find it crap. I've given you fair warning...

Prologue

We stood on the Bridge Team 7 always meets. To my left, a certain orange clad 12 year old, mumbling to himself about ramen, stood swaying back and forth on his heals with his hands held behind his head. To my right, the dark haired, dark eyed, Uchiha Survivor stood, hands in pockets, staring into the waters below. I myself stood quietly with my hands held behind my back, my short pink hair getting slightly ruffled in the wind. 'Where is he?' I thought to myself, 'He should have been here three hours ago!' 'Hell Yeah! We stand here waiting for him everyday! You would think that he would be on time today. It's the last time we see each other for four years!' Yes that's right, today we split up, to train on our own, without Kakashi, without the Village and without each other. We were talking about it a month ago and decided that we needed it, to be able to train without distractions. I can't forget it; I haven't spoken to Sasuke since.

Flash Back

"We aren't improving at all" Said a man with silver hair and a mask that leaves only one eye in clear sight.

"It's the Teme's Fault, Kakashi-Sensei! Blame Him!" Naruto Yelled while pointing a finger accusingly at Sasuke.

"Shut up Dobe." Said boy replied in a bored tone. "If you didn't stop training every three seconds to complain, talk about Ramen or ogle at Sakura we could have trained harder and for longer."

"Shut up Teme!"

"Make me Dobe."

"Grrrr Teme!"

"Baka."

"Loser!"

"Baka."

"You…You…Grrrrr…"

"Hn." Sasuke smirked at Naruto thus ending the fight.

"Sakura you've been awfully quiet. What's wrong?"

"Hu? Oh, nothing Kakashi-sensei, it's just…"

"What?"

"Well…"

"What is it Sakura-chan?"

"I was thinking… Sasuke, Naruto and I only train to a lesser extent than we should because we get distracted by… well… each other. So I was thinking… um… that we should split up for… awhile… not too long though… just to train and stuff."

"That sounds like a good idea Sakura, but how would it help?" Inquired the Jounin.

"Hn. Of course it would help. I could train way better without an annoying dobe and a weak fangirl holding me back."

"Sasuke-teme, don't say that about Sakura-chan!"

"It's true. She is weak. Also, she is pathetic, annoying and a sorry excuse for a ninja. I'm embarrassed to be on the same team as her." He stated coldly.

"You Teme, say sorry to Sakura-chan. Now."

"Why should I say sorry for telling you the facts?"

"Take that back Teme! Sakura-chan is- eh? Sakura-chan? Where'd she go?"

End Flash Back

I ran home. He was so cold; his words hit me like a thousand shuriken. It stung so badly. How could he say those things?

"Why should I say sorry for telling you the facts?"

He was right though. I am weak. I should never have become a ninja. 'I'm so Pathetic.' 'Wha-? You believed that teme!' 'He was just stating the facts.' 'No! He was being a jerk! You should've kicked his butt right then and there!'

My thoughts were interrupted by a 'Poof' that signalled the arrival of my, always late, sensei.

"Yo!"

"YOU'RE LATE!" Yelled Naruto but I choose to just remain silent this time.

"Well you see, I was told that my mother's, cousin's, grandmother's, aunt was having a baby so I-"

"LIAR!"

"Well… um… anyway, this is the last time team 7 will be togther for a very long time and I… I just…"

'Sensei? Is he upset?' "Sensei what's wrong?" I asked curiously.

"Nothing, I just didn't think this would ever happen. That's all."

"Hn. Whatever."

"Waaaaaa I'm gonna miss you Sakura-Chan! Kakashi-sensei! Even you Sasuke-teme!"

"It's noon." I stated solemnly. "Time to go."

"I got Tsunade-sama's permission for you three to leave the village for four years to train. I'll See you all here. Noon. Friday 15th march. In four years. Goodbye."

"Bye Kakashi-sensei!" Cheered Naruto loudly.

"See ya Sensei." I said with a small sad smile.

"Hn. Later." Said Sasuke, without any emotion, and with those parting word our sensei disappeared, not to be seen by the three genins of team 7 for another four years.

As we made our way to the gates we told each other where we were planning to go.

"I'm going to Suna to see Garra-sama again! I should be fun training with him. I'll stay there for the full four years!" Proclaimed Naruto enthusiastically. "What about you Teme?"

"Hn. I'm going to spend my four years Kumogakure, in the Land of Lightning."

"Cool! What about you Sakura-chan?"

"I don't know. I'll probably just wander around for awile. You know, till I find something."

"Really Sakura-chan? Are you sure? I mean, you could get hurt, or killed if you just wander around."

"I'll be fine Naruto." 'Yeah! We'll be fine. With our Secret training and bloodline limit, we'll be just fine!' 'I feel so guilty for not telling them about this, I mean, holding back my power from day one is one thing, but lying and sneaking around behind their back's is another thing all togther. Maybe I should tell them…' 'Hell no! You're leaving for awhile anyway! Just let them find out on their own or tell them when you come back!' 'Yeah, okay then.'

"Hey Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan!"

"Huh? Wha?"

"You spaced out. I was asking you if you wanted to get ramen when we get back."

"Naruto, were leaving for years, not days. You're saying it like we'll see each other again tomorrow or something."

"Oh, well, what's you're answer?"

"Dobe. Of course she'll say no. Just like the time before, and the time before that, and the time before that." Said Sasuke nonchalantly. 'Humph. How dare he. I don't always reject Naruto. There was that time when- okay no that was with Ino. Okay how about the time- no that was with Tenten.' 'Oh I know. There was the time you went round Ino's house together with him and Tenten. You did each others nails, hair and make up! Remember?' 'You baka! That was Hinata! Wow I really do always reject him. Ouch. Well not this time.' 'Yeah! You go girl!'

"Actually Naruto, when we get back, I would love to get ramen with you."

"Really? Oh so cool Sakura-chan! We can get chicken, beef, miso-"

"Whoa there Naruto. How 'bout we choose when we go get ramen, in four years okay?"

"Yeah! Cool Sakura-chan."

"Well, here we are." I looked away from Naruto and stared at the gate separating Konoha from to outside world. As it opened my smile turned into a frown and I was about to take my first step into the world beyond the Village when a voice stopped me.

"So, this is goodbye, huh?" Naruto said quietly. He sounded so sad. All of a sudden, and without any warning, I hugged Naruto like he was going to disappear if I let go and, in a way, he was.

"I'll miss you so much Naruto." I whispered to him. Tears were stinging my eyes, threatening to fall at any given moment, and for once in my life they were real. Not the fake tears I cry to keep up the 'sweet, innocent, konoichi who wouldn't harm a fly' routine, real tears of real sorrow because, though I would never admit it to anyone, I loved Naruto dearly. Not a love like a girlfriend would have for a boyfriend, the love a sister would have for her brother, because Naruto was just that, my little brother. I would always love him like that.

In fact, now that I think about it, Konoha is my family. Tsunade, the grandmother, loving and caring, with one heck of a temper. Shinzune, an aunt, always worrying about this and that. Kakashi, my father, someone to look up to and fun to be with. Naruto and Lee, my brothers, overprotective, funny and lovable. Ino, Tenten, Hinata and Temari, my sisters, always there when I need them, whether it's to talk, shop or gossip; they are always there for me. Heck even Neji, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Shino are like cousins, not close cousins, but cousins none the less. Ever since the girls introduced me formally to their team mates, as I had heard about and seen them once or twice at the Academy, we have all gotten along great, but Neji still won't say more than one word at a time and Choji still won't share his potato chips with me. Unfair! I don't know how I will live without them.

I released Naruto and held him at arms length for a few second, memorising his features, least I forget, before letting him go and letting my arms fall to my sides. Tears were streaming down my face at this point and, as I ferociously wiped them from my checks, more flowed from my eyes, as if trying to escape, so I gave up and let them fall.

I, once again, looked to Naruto to see him crying as well. The next thing I saw really took me by surprise though. I looked around to Sasuke, only to see his eyes filled with water, but of course he would never let them fall. That sight, however, was enough to make me realise something. Sasuke is also apart of my 'family'. I just don't know what he is yet. He is too close to me to be a cousin like most of the other boys I know, yet, as I have lately found out, not close enough to be like a brother, or anything else like that, to me either. He most certainly wasn't a sister, for obvious reason. What was he?

My thoughts were interrupted as a hand was placed in front of me, suspended in mid air. As I looked up the arm to the shoulder, the neck and then the face, I was confronted by the most familiar sight I could ever imagine. Naruto's eyes where closed and his mouth was spread as far as humanly possible in a huge grin, which no one on earth could do as well as Naruto. As I was about to say something, Naruto cut my off.

"To Friendship." He declared. Another hand was placed atop of his. Sasuke's hand.

"To gaining power." He said confidently. Then the final hand was added to the pile. Mine. The picture almost complete. All it needed were the final words to make it perfect.

"To our memories that we will never forget." I said with pride as I looked first as Sasuke, then to Naruto.

"To Team 7." We chorused.

With those as our parting words we all made our way though the gates, Sasuke taking the path though the forest to the left to get to Kumogakure, Naruto heading straight down the main path to Suna and me taking the path to the right to go where ever the wind takes me.

I don't know why but sometimes I get this feeling. It's telling me that this isn't the end. No, this is only the beginning.