Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto

Chapter Three

Sakura stayed silent like a mute person for about a good thirty seconds before she looked at them all with a WTF face. Her mind was still trying to process this bit of news and it took her another ten seconds to finally react audibly. And so, Sakura could do what any other self-respecting kunoichi who's supposedly gone back in time would do…laugh hysterically.

She placed a hand to her stomach as the giggles escaped past her lips. "Oh my gosh, that was really funny. Time-travel. You two are amazing!" Sakura's laughter subsided softly and she was left staring at a baffled blond haired nin and an unperturbed Third Hokage. "Wait…you were serious?"

"Entirely."

"But…," Sakura frowned, trying to keep the real hysteria at bay. "But there's no such thing. I mean, that's just not possible."

"Is it?" The Third Hokage countered.

Sakura looked at cot and thought back to all and any jutsu that she read about. Her mind searched frantically for anything and finally, she remembered something that she had failed to remember before. Time travel was possible but that was only for maybe going back an hour or two. Those were small time techniques that usually required quite a deathly amount of chakra. And never mind the chakra, just getting the right hand seals in the small window time frame allowed with would be nearly impossible.

That's when Sakura also remembered one more thing. In the book she read (the time travel chapter was only a few paragraphs), it said that there was only one clan in existence that specifically dealt with these kinds of jutsus…one clan. A bright white light in the clearing she fought Gorton in…Himiko of the Chigusa clan huddled close by…Tsunade said their clan technique top secret…

Ah shit!

Sakura gaped. "Tsunade could have told me dammit! I bet you she didn't see this coming!" The Third Hokage merely chuckled.

"Wait, let's back track a minute," the blond nin interrupted, holding his hands up. "You're telling me that this girl is from the future? But that's impossible!"

Sakura walked over to the bed and sat down gingerly, feeling suddenly exhausted with life (and she hadn't even turned twenty yet). She suddenly remembered Himiko's words when both of them had been at Sakura's apartment: Just because things seem impossible doesn't mean it's so. Suddenly the girl's words weren't so random now. It all makes sense, Sakura thought to herself.

"There are things in this world that may seem impossible, but are truly not," the Third murmured in reply. "Besides, your own flash technique is a fine example."

The man blinked in thought for a minute before he sighed. "You have a point. Still, I'm getting the feeling this is top secret."

"It is," replied the Hokage.

Sakura nodded. "The Gondaime said so herself."

The blond man stood from his seat and turned to leave. "Then I'll just make myself scarce. And you can trust me that I'll say not a word."

The Hokage chuckled. "Of course or I wouldn't have let you stay in the first place. Oh and stay by the door outside, I might call you in later."

He nodded and wordlessly exited the room. Sakura stared after him. Why did he look so eerily similar to Naruto? That aside Sakura turned her attention back to the Hokage.

"H-Hokage-sama, earlier you said that you were warned about…me travelling back in time. Who told you? And how did they know? Is there some sort of purpose to this or was it all just a freak accident?"

The Third Hokage leisurely made his way to the chair Minato had recently vacated and sat down comfortably. "You many questions, most of which I do not even know myself. But I do know that I was warned and I was told to keep everything confidential, even to you I'm afraid."

Sakura frowned. "Well then, is there a way for me to get back home to my own time? If Himiko-sama accidentally brought me here then its logical that another of the Chigusa clan should be able to send me back?"

"Of course. Only another of the Chigusa clan can send you back. But it'd have to be a powerful member, most likely the Head Chigusa. From what the small trickle of whispered rumors tell, time-travelling is no easy feat and to even go an hour back takes a terrible amount of chakra."

Sakura stroked her chin in thought. "I suppose it'll have to be the Head Chigusa then."

"I can set up a meeting for you," Hokage replied. "In three months of course."

Sakura suddenly came to her feet in stunned disbelief. "What? Three months? How come it's that long?"

"The Chigusa Clan goes on a mountain retreat for seven months every two years. It's an important tradition that's been done since the clan got started. No one really knows why but its apparent you won't be able to contact them at the moment. There's no one at the estate," Sarutobi patiently explained. "It's already been four months. As soon as they return, they usually send one of their subordinates to inform me."

Sakura sighed. "I guess I really have no choice now. What luck."

Luck…The Third Hokage, known as Sarutobi to those close to him, didn't think it was luck. In fact, when the Head Chigusa had appeared to him four months ago, just before the retreat, Sarutobi had been sure that Ginimo was playing him again. But the once boyish and troublesome young man had grown into his position, taking everything within the clan very seriously now. Therefore, with the face of a shinobi, the Head Chigusa had very cryptically (as per usual with the Chigusa clan) warned of this moment.

"A storms brewing," had greeted Ginimo as he suddenly entered the Hokage's office straight-faced. Sarutobi looked surprised at seeing him here before him since the younger man usually didn't venture far from the Chigusa compound anymore.

"Ginimo?"

"There's a danger looming over not just the Chigusa clan but the Konoha village as well. We must be prepared and alert."Ginimo had went on.

"Wait, slow down. What's coming?"

"Danger. Danger is coming! Konoha will be in peril!"

Dealing with Chigusa's was never easy. "What kind of danger?"

Ginimo frowned. "I don't know, but it'll be very destructive. Shinobi's will die, blood will be spilled, the village shrouded in smoke and fear."

Sarutobi's eyes widened. "Is it a possible attack?"

The young man shook his head. "Not from where you think. And an even greater disaster will befall us from an even sinister force." Sarutobi got up from his desk, but the Head Chigusa lifted his hand to stop him. "Wait! There's one more thing. It's very important. The Head Chigusa before me had seen visions about it. About the destruction…and about the girl."

"The girl?"

"The girl and boy. They are very important. They have to be together. It's the only way to stop what's to come."

Sarutobi shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ginimo, but I don't understand." This confusion was also a common occurrence with the Chigusa's but their premonitions and words were never taken lightly. They predicted the Great War and helped the Fire Country produce efficient strategies. And legends say that they've predicated of evil yet to come.

Ginimo sighed. "Neither do I but I've had the vision. This may sound far-fetched, but a pink-haired girl from the future will appear in our midst, Sarutobi. I'm not sure when but I know it's going to happen. I've seen it. All I know is that it's crucial she be here, especially with him."

"And who's him?"

Ginimo tapped his head as he tried to remember and connect the separate links. "Him. Blond hair, blue eyes. That's all I know."

Sarutobi stroked his chin. "That kind of sounds like Minato. But what do they have to do with—"

"Lord Chigusa!" cried an attendant as he burst through the door. "Here you are! Your mother is in hysterics because you left her alone with the elders again! And what are you doing here? We leave for the retreat in an hour!"

Ginimo sighed before two more attendants appeared and forcibly carried the Head Chigusa away from the Hokage's office. The first youthful attendant turned toward Sarutobi and bowed respectfully.

"Our apologies, Hokage-sama. Almost every Chigusa gets antsy with the thought of having to go into the mountains for the next seven months. Anyhow, we shall inform you when we come back." With that the lad left.

The Third Hokage sighed. Just thinking about it made his head hurt, but after some deep thinking and creative interpretation, Sarutobi managed to get the gist of what Ginimo had been trying to communicate…partially anyway. The rest will reveal itself in time. And as he looked at the young pink-haired kunoichi sitting on the bed, deep in her own thoughts, it still surprised him that she was even here. A pink-haired girl…from the future, destined to be with him…Minato? That part he still wasn't sure. And he also didn't get what those two had to with the supposed danger the village would be in.

Sakura sighed. "If I'm stuck here for the next three months then until the Head Chigusa returns, where am I supposed to stay? My apartment is back in my era and I doubt the complex even exists here."

"Mm, that is a problem. And we can't have people finding out that you're not from here, or worse from the future. If any foreign country here's of this, I'd hate to think what would happen. Best keep all this quiet."

Sakura nodded.

Sarutobi then stood up slowly. "I think I know just where you should stay and with whom."

Her green eyes glowed in curiosity. "Who?

It was at that moment that the blond haired man peeked through the door. "Uh, pardon the interruption but Femi said they'll be needing to check up on the girl." He paused when he saw the Third give him "that look". "Is something the matter?"

The Third Hokage smiled. "Yes, in fact, I have a new mission for you to do."

He looked surprised. "Eh? Already?"

"It'll be your only real mission for the next three months."

"Three months? But I have a genin squad to teach!"

"Wait," Sakura said as she quickly caught on. The Third couldn't possibly be thinking what Sakura thought he was thinking, could he? "You're not thinking I stay with him?"

Minato, suspicious and also seeming to find where all this was going, looked at the Third. "Hokage-sama are you—"

"Yes, it's exactly both of you are thinking," answered Sarutobi as he made his way toward the door. "Your new mission is to take care of our time-traveler, Minato. She'll this be staying with you for the next three months until the Head Chigusa comes back."

"What?" Sakura and Minto both exclaimed in horror.

"But I don't even know him!"

"Hokage-sama, are you forgetting about—"

"My decision is final. I trust that you will complete it successfully."

Minato looked down. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

With that done, the Third Hokage finally left the room. There was an awkward silence in the room seemed to grow in volumes. Still, Sakura was sure that this man looked eerily familiar. She was sure she'd seen him from somewhere, but where? Besides the fact that he looked like a mature version of Naruto, Sakura had to admit that he was good-looking. Why oh why must this have happened to her? Seriously, what was going on? What was the Third so secretive about her purpose for coming here, as accidental as it may be?

And what the hell kind of tradition is it for a clan to go on a mountain retreat for seven months? Before, Sakura's thoughts went any further she heard the blond man clear his throat and give her a small smile.

"Uh, well, since you're going to be my new housemate, how about I introduce myself?" That would be a given seeing as Sakura didn't want to keep calling him blond man forever. "My name is Minato Namikaze. And you are…?"

"Sakura Haruno,"

Minato blinked. "Haruno? Like Haruhi Haruno?"

Sakura's face became alert. Oh my gosh, please don't tell me my mother is actually…of course she is, Sakura scolded herself. How could she have missed that Haruhi particularly dominated the social scene during this time? The time before the nine-tailed attacked the village and her mother was still living a single's life. Speaking of attack, if this was the time when the Third Hokage ruled, then how long was it before the Fourth Hokage came and the nine-tail came in?

"…Sakura?"

Sakura snapped back to the present. "Huh?"

Minato smiled. "Nothing. Just testing your name. Well then, I should go and uh, tidy up my place. You won't be discharged until tomorrow morning so I'll pick you up then."

"Okay," Sakura replied as she watched him leave. Minato huh…Minato Namikaze…where had she heard that name before?

Green eyes widened suddenly as she slapped a hand to her mouth.

Oh shit! That's Naruto's dad! And the Fourth Hokage!

Outside the door, Minato leaned against it and sighed. So much in just four hours and he hadn't even properly relaxed yet from his mission. And on top of that he had to play host to their time-traveler for the next three months. Not that he minded (have you seen her?), but a heads up would have been nice especially since his place was a mess. Minato straightened and was about to turn down the hall when Femi, his old classmate and friend rounded that corner. She had a worried look on her face but Minato maintained his usually friendly smile.

"Hey there, Femi. I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he walked past her.

After he left the hall, Femi's concerned look didn't waver. In fact, she felt more anxious. It was no secret that Minato was quite an oblivious guy when it came to what really mattered, like the feelings of the heart from other people. No, she wasn't crushing on him (he was handsome but he wasn't her type) but someone else was. And she boldly admitted to Femi that she was determined in wooing Minato when she returned from her mission.

Femi was an observant and quiet girl by nature, therefore always felt intimidated by the fiery headed kunoichi. Still, she reminded herself as she walked toward the strange pink-haired girl's room, this girl would only be staying with Minato for three months (yes, she had incidentally overheard when she was about to walk in and hastily beat it the minute the Third Hokage came out) and it was Minato's mission.

So as Kushina's unwilling spy on the lookout for potential rivals, there was nothing to report. As Femi opened the door and met curious sea-green eyes, she relaxed a little as she went about her work.

Present Day:

Lady Chigusa led the entire party back inside the temple she was supposed to have been meditating in originally. As she sat down, she couldn't help but coo over her precious granddaughter like a besotted grandmother. Himiko usually didn't mind but did she have to do it in front of the guests?

"Oh do forgive me boys. I haven't seen Himiko dear in such a long while and she reminds me so much of my late son," Lady Chigusa sighed, dramatically putting the back of her hand on her forehead. "But anywho! I'm still so shock that the time has come."

"The time has come?" Sai repeated.

The elder woman held up a hand as she quickly performed a few hand seals that immediately had the room shifting into strange colors and just completely melting away reality. Naruto freaked the floor beneath him gave way into grass as the ceiling became a sky and the walls a large expense of wide open scenery.

"There this'll do," Lady Chigusa murmured as her pillow shifted and became a large rock. "Now I can properly feel at ease."

"What the hell is place!" Naruto asked as he saw birds soar overhead.

"It's an illusion," Sai muttered.

"Wrong. It's a space in dimension that's completely untouched by time. I can only perform this jutsu here in the temple or in the hidden temple in the mountains," answered Lady Chigusa. "Not only is it supposed to give me visions, but it's a great way to have a conversation without getting eaveasdropped. And one never knows who might be listening."

Himiko looked at her grandmother. "Wasn't this place the ocean before?"

"Bleh. I tired of that. A change of scenery is always healthy for one's skin!"

"I just bet," Naruto muttered. A vein popped on Lady Chigusa's cheek and suddenly a group of crows appeared and began pecking at Naruto's head. Sai resisted the urge to roll his eyes and decided to ignore his teammate.

"Lady Chigusa, you mentioned that you were surprised that it had been time already when we said our friend had been accidentally sent back in time. What did you mean exactly?"

"Oh nothing, simply that there was once a prophecy about her."

"Prophecy?" Himiko repeated. "Why wasn't I told of this?"

Lady Chigusa waved her hand. "Oh there's so many that's it hard to keep track dear. Especially if they're as obscure and cryptic as this one."

Naruto dived to the grass floor in hopes of some cover but the birds were persistent. "Alright! I get it! No teasing about the age thing!" he shouted to Lady Chigusa. The birds seemed satisfied that they were causing the boy misery. They soon got bored and flew away. "Ow…."

"So you're saying there's a prophecy about Sakura-san?" Sai questioned.

"That's right. Of course we weren't sure it was Haruno-san to begin with. All the prophecy said was that a girl with pink hair would get sent back to the time before the Fourth Hokage where she will either bring salvation to the Fire Country or cause its destruction. A girl with pink hair could have been anybody," Lady Chigusa answered.

Naruto and Sai shook their head in a firm negative. Unfortunately, Sakura was the only female in the entire world probably with that shocking shade of pink hair; which was strange since both her parents had normal hair color.

Lady Chigusa shrugged. "Well we did all the formal inquires and eventually Haruno-san's name came up. And now that Himiko here sent her back in time, I have no doubt that she is definitely the one in the prophecy."

"Well, prophecy or not, we want Sakura-chan back," Naruto demanded. "Can't you do something to fix it?"

"As powerful as the Chigusas' are, we are not without faults. Time travelling works three ways: consider the time of the year. Dimensions are weakest at certain points in the season and thus the jutsu is most strongest then. Second, the amount of energy needed and to even go back an hour is almost physically exhausting. Thirdly, fate."

"Fate?" echoed Sai.

Himiko nodded, remembering all her past lessons. "Fate. I've been told that what decides the turning of the wheel of time has to deal with fate. Whether the victim will mess up history or drown in it. Time-travelling is a heavy thing and sometimes causes more harm than good."

"Oh so you have been listening to me!" Lady Chigusa cooed. "That pretty much sums it up. And so, a time-traveling jutsu can only be undone by a powerful user from the other side of time."

"Other side of time? What the hell does that mean?" repeated Naruto.

"I means, that a Chigusa of the past will have to send Sakura-san to the future," Sai concluded. "Who knows when that will be. I'm afraid the Gondaime isn't going to be too happy about this."

"Neither is Haruhi," Naruto added with a shudder of fear. "The woman goes ballistic if Sakura doesn't come to see her during Sunday dinners. But anyways, there's gotta be something we can do to bring her back!"

Lady Chigusa shook her head. "I'm afraid there isn't a thing to be done. Time-travelling jutsus cannot be undone unless a user from the past sends the victim back. It's a sure way defense mechanism developed over time. Besides, call it an accident, but Sakura Haruno getting sent back is fate."

Naruto pulled at his head. "Urg! I don't understand and this rule of yours is total bullshit!"

"Oh hush!" The Head Chigusa chided. "Many a threat have come to the Chigusa clan before and even now is no exception. We are being targeted by someone even as we speak. My sister traveled time and unfortunately never came back to her time which was around when my son was six," her eyes clouded. "We recently found her body a few years back, near the outskirts of Konoha village, practically all bones in a shallow pit. She had been murdered, but of course the Head Chigusa at the time had predicted a death in the family. I just didn't know it had been hers." Her eyes met the two young shinobi. "So even if we wanted too, we can't bring your friend back. I hear she's smart so she'll figure out a way to come home, hopefully not the long way."

There was silence in the area as a sudden solemn atmosphere settled around them. Finally, mostly out of curiosity, Naruto asked one last question. "When you say that you're being threatened, do you know who it is?"

This time it was Himiko who spoke. "It's someone who wants to be the Master of Time. They want to harness all the time chi which can only be done by absorbing the chi of the most powerful Chigusa. After all, they say he who controls time, controls the world," she paused. "It's why my mother and father had been murdered when I was only three."

Heavy silence. It didn't take long to realize why Himiko had needed the escort to return home. And if this threat was as serious as they claimed, and if this person succeeded, how would Sakura ever get home?

"But there is a bright side," Lady Chigusa quickly interjected. "The most likely of times when a Chigusa is powerful enough to perform a time-travel jutsu is in three months! I'm sure Sakura-san will be home by that time."

Sai's eyes widened and Naruto gaped. Three months? Just imagine telling Tsunade and Haruhi Haruno that!

The Next Day, Past:

Sakura fluttered her lashes as the sunshine greeted her face. She stayed in that zombie-like state for a minute before she noticed how hot the sun was. Could it be afternoon time already? That was when she quickly sat up and flew off the bed. Gah! Her hospital shift! It started at ten am sharp! She was late! She was late! She'd never been late before!

When Sakura noticed her surroundings weren't that of her apartment, but the hospital, she paused. What was she doing? Did she finally collapse from exhaustion? Sakura absently peered out the window of the hospital room and froze, memories flooding her mind and filling her with a set of overwhelming emotions. She placed a hand to her forehead as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Oh lord…she was still in the past. She's been hoping it was only a bizarre dream due to lack of sustenance and an over active imagination. But…the glaringly obvious mountain outside just refused to let her deny the truth any longer.

Sakura was stuck in the past and she had to wait the next three months for the Chigusa clan to come back from their mountain retreat so she could go home. Of all the luck! Sakura stared at the wall as her mind thought out how best to cope with the situation. Until the next three months, it'd be better to think of this place as a vacation.

Her eyes widened slowly as she played with the word. Vacation…she smiled. She hadn't taken a day off, let alone vacation in…in…well, in…how long ago was it? Ah whatever, she couldn't remember since when and it didn't matter now. Shizune's always been chiding Sakura that she's working too hard and should just kick back for a while, at least before the ANBU Elite Trials started. Cause once that came, Sakura would have to kill the last smidgeon of a social life she once held in order to pass (the average passing ratio was 7 out of 50).

And since that won't be in another six months (during the present time), Sakura didn't have to worry…much. She exhaled as she laid back in bed. Still, what exactly did people do during vacations? Sakura's usual schedule was always filled with work, study, missions, and work. If it wasn't for Ino and Naruto's daily interruptions, Sakura wondered if she'd have become a hermit unfamiliar with civilian society (and she was only nineteen, which stood to reason that she should definitely rest more).

A knock on the door sounded and a different nurse came in, smiling as she brought in a tray of food. Sakura quickly sat up and pushed all other thoughts to the wind.

Food first, everything else can go screw itself till later.

"Are you ready?" Minato asked Sakura an hour later as he stood by the entrance of the hospital. Sakura tried not to stare at him for too long lest she look like an idiot. Once she had had her fill of breakfast and changed into normal clothes that the hospital provided (tasteless shapeless ones that never seemed to change with time apparently), the nurse had kindly reminded her that Minato would be picking her up in less than thirty minutes. Which set her in a frenzy as she remembered that Minato Namikaze happened to be Naruto's dad. And the Fourth Legendary Hokage! Just the thought had been enough to freak her out since, as a little girl, had always wondered about the Fourth since he was hardly mentioned in her history class. When she had later read up on him and seen his picture, she had been shocked by how little information there was on him and how HAWT the man had looked (but as a Sasuke-lover at the time, she'd never admit that aloud in public).

And now there he stood in front of her. An innocently bemused expression on his handsome face as he waited for her response. Oh shit! Her response.

"Oh, oh yeah, I'm totally ready," she said quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed her moment (she did that quite frequently unfortunately).

He smiled. She blushed and her heart double flipped at the sheer beautifulness of it. Oh my gosh, this man was more than just HAWT. He was GORGEOUS! How could she possibly face him normally when his good-looks were just glaring her in the face? Even Sasuke hadn't been this blessed. Since she hadn't known who he was at first and had been a little preoccupied by her situation (STUCK IN THE PAST, hello?), her hot guy radar (yes she had one of those, developed at an early age along with her gay guy radar) had been ignored…until this moment.

Minato continued to smile. "That's good. You feeling alright from the poison as well?"

She nodded. "They managed to remove the last bit of the toxins still in my system."

"Great. I guess I can take you to my house then and you can get settled in."

The thought of a real bed, with real pillows and real sheets had her body aching to fall asleep again. The magic of a good bed. Sakura smiled and followed after Minato as he walked down the busy streets of Konoha.