May 8th, 2013: EDIT: Hi! This story reached 100 favourites - wow! Thank you for that! Ideas are speculating and now I'm wondering...how do you feel about on a Spin-Off? An in between sort of story that expands on their relationship? If you're possibly interested, do leave a review (I deleted a chapter, so you may have to sign off as guest...) or a PM would be great :) If there's some feedback, I'll get started as quick as possible and it could be posted up by tomorrow!

Thank you :)

A/N: This is an alternate-universe bit to The Story of Rei Yukimora. Sort of a, "What would happen if Rei was still alive?" sort of thing. This does not follow the main series, because it would just be waaaay too complicated to incorporate everything with Itachi's death (sobs) and Akatsuki and Tobi/Obito's affiliation and what not.

Enjoy! :)

The Impossible

"Rei! Did you finish the checkups?" Lady Tsunade asked, sitting behind the crowded desk with her cheeks against her knuckles wearily. The seventeen year old tokubetsu jonin with still large, childishly bright brown eyes laughed embarrassed, scratching her head. She fidgeted.

"Well, Sakura said she would continue…"

"Why are you taking advantage of my apprentice?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow and Rei reacted by approaching the desk and leaning in towards the blonde lady.

"Because that's what you did to me," Rei stated confidently and Tsunade only smirked. It was hard to get angry at Rei, who was basically an over-eager puppy.

"You brat," she spat but it was affectionate. At the age of twelve, the Godaime had taken the girl under her tutelage and it was rough for the first year. Kakashi hadn't been keen on giving up his student quite yet, but Sasuke Uchiha had kept him busy for a while. After a year with the girl, Tsunade promoted her to a chunin and only recently, Rei had become a specialized jonin in the medical arts.

Sakura was under the Godaime's wing as well, but if there were ranks it would begin with Shizune, Rei and then the pink haired kunoichi, who was quite skilled herself. Rei beamed up at her teacher.

"Well," Tsunade sighed and stretched, "go back to the hospital and finish it up quick, then I have an assignment for you."

Rei smiled and bowed respectfully, her hand at her heart before leaving. Despite Rei's comfortable behaviour with the Hokage, she was strangely polite for someone who was on a squad with Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto had been off with Jiraiya as well, returning back stronger and ever – and more determined to become the future Hokage. But if it was up to Tsunade to rank in skill, he would be pretty matched up with the rest of his squad if not for his chakra reserves that the Nine-Tails provided. The four of them - Naruto, Sasuke, Rei and Sakura were an incredibly skilled bunch, and it only made sense that they were a part of the linage.

From the first Hokage ever, to his brother, to Tobirama's student Hiruzen Sarutobi, to his students the Three Sennins, and Jiraiya's student Minato and his own prodigy Kakashi Hatake…and now with this squad. That was a linage of truly strong shinobi. And most logically if anything were to happen to Tsunade, she would pass down her role to the copy-nin, and he would pass it to his students…

Yes, all of them were bound for greatness. But looking at Rei's retreating back, Tsunade seriously had a hard time deciding which would be the best suitable. Sasuke would improve the village's military force. Naruto had the heart and soul. Sakura was the brains, she would figure out a way to make Konoha truly prosper...

And Rei?

Tsunade smiled.

Rei Yukimora would probably be the one leading them closest to peace.

0-0

"Rei-sama," a genin said and she looked up surprised. Rei wasn't used to honorifics even after a year of being a tokubetsu jonin. Rei smiled and asked how she could help.

"Sakura asked to see you, she said a new group just came back and that they were really injured," the twelve year old girl said. Rei thanked her pleasantly before heading to the room. When she arrived there, Sakura was grinning at her teammate knowingly. At an angle, Rei couldn't see who was in the room – and then he came from around the corner and Rei's face lit up.

"Sasuke!" she called out his name out happily, throwing her arms around the tall, dark-haired boy. Sakura laughed.

She had years to get over the Uchiha, who never once indicated anything romantic towards her. Sakura had genuinely grown up and became a strong kunoichi, leaving her fangirl days behind and buried. Behind him was Sai, an ANBU member that replaced Rei's role on the team during Rei's leave to learn under Tsunade.

And for a while now, Sai and Sasuke had been off doing assignments together. Sasuke was an ANBU, of course. Everyone secretly knew that the shinobi that carried their duty behind the shadows was the field that the Uchiha belonged in. He had the skill and attitude for it. Everyone had advanced and found their place in the system. Even though Naruto had returned for a year now back from his training with Jiraiya, their blond headed teammate was still a genin. It was Sasuke, with Kakashi's help that made him reach ANBU level several months ago. Now he stood in front of Rei in a sleeveless, dark suit, his arm guards and chest armour still on and his mask being held at his fingertips. The years had done him good - he was much taller, and a fine, wiry layer of muscle fit his frame. Any slight, feminine touches associated with youth had been refined to an attractive, young man.

And he was smiling at her.

And his shoulder was also dislocated. She immediately flew back apologetically. "Sorry! Eh, I should have seen that before…" she was too overwhelmed by seeing Sasuke again after a month that she didn't notice the way his shoulder was popping out. She told him to sit down, as Sakura moved Sai out of the room. Then, it was just the two of them.

The familiar glow of the chakra was visibly at her fingertips – and specifically that. It was Rei who first started pinpointing her chakra for a more precise healing target. She sent the most chakra out to through her fingertips to where his muscle was mostly damaged, and then spread it around her hand to heal his entire shoulder.

Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes. He had medic-nins before, being a favourite of Sakura's test subject. Although she was skilled herself, he had a few medic-nins whose chakra felt like it was burning him or pricking him. Nothing compared to the Rei treated him: it was gentle and soothing, her chakra like a soft embrace against his injury.

"How did your trip go?" she asked, sounding a bit distracted as she focused on his injury. She was standing behind him so she had to lean past his back, her hair tickling his face. He shrugged – and then winced.

"There's a lot more I still have to learn," he simply said and she rolled her eyes. In a few more seconds, she was done and proudly beamed at her work as Sasuke rolled back his shoulder. "Thank you."

"All in a day's work," she said, hands and her hip. They simply stare at each for a moment…until a grin broke across Rei's face and her eyes soften. "I really missed you." Her arms twine around his neck and he relaxed into her touch, wrapping his own arms around her waist as he stood up. He came to love the way Rei fit perfectly in his arms, the way she squeezed him so tight it almost choked him - but that was Rei. Just too much.

"Me too," he murmured, closing his eyes, holding her closer.

He remembered when they were still twelve and Rei had walked out of the surgery successfully. Well, not quite…she was in bed for the next two weeks as she learned to adapt. Nonetheless, she was okay again. And Sasuke had grabbed her in an embrace that declared her his. From then on, it was clear how things were going to play off. Despite their busy lives over the next five years – they were always together, somehow.

Sasuke pulled back and tipped up her chin. He had grown taller, of course, but Rei was still pretty small. He liked it. Before he could lean down towards her, she went up on her toes and her fingers curl against his chest as she pecked a kiss on his lips.

He blinked and the rare emotion of surprise flashed across his face, his openly startled dark eyes. She giggled. "Come on, let's go find Kakashi."

0-0

The dark ANBU walked around the village alongside a girl, who wore still wore the black shorts, plated black gloves and a breathable light grey shirt. She didn't look like an jonin, but the day she was declared a specialized jonin, it was heard all over the village. She was relatively young and the only other jonin - however, a full fledged one - was unsurprisingly, Neji Hyuga.

The silver-haired jonin was talking to somebody that looked familiar to Sasuke, but he couldn't quite pinpoint who. He seemed deep in conversation with a copper-haired kunoichi, her blue eyes were slit in a glare yet his eyes were curved in a smile. Sasuke narrowed his eyes but once the distance between the former sensei and his students grew smaller, the woman Kakashi was talking to turned to look at Rei and him, and then she disappeared.

Kakashi seemed undisturbed, turning around to face Rei and Sasuke. "Well look who's back," Kakashi said, eyes smiling as he regarded his two former students. He felt like a father, proud of his two children as he compared them now – with all their skills and experience – to the way they were at genin level. Sasuke was still curious as to who Kakashi was talking too. After all, even at thirty one years old, Kakashi wasn't married...a topic that Rei teased him with constantly. Nonetheless, Sasuke smirked.

The two were oddly alike, and only developed a closer relationship during Kakashi's training period with him. Although Sasuke's ice didn't melt completely, he was undeniably a team member now. And he cared for Konoha too, he was grounded here which was a feat that Kakashi admitted that he had not suspect Sasuke to accomplish. "Hn."

Rei giggled and habitually slipped her hands around his. "Where's Naruto?"

And then a loud crashing sound came not too far away. "Speak of the devil."

Naruto came in a mess, his blue eyes sparkling and excited as he saw his squad. "Hey guys!" He waved enthusiastically in a way so childishly happy that it made Rei laugh. Sakura, who was preparing for a mission, spotted the assembling group and blinked. A smile grew on her face as she disappeared from the window and jumped down next to her squad.

"I didn't realize we were having a reunion," she said happily, her green eyes bright.

The squad was a group of all levels now. Kakashi, the sensei, the jonin and the former ANBU, followed by Sasuke the ANBU member, Rei the specialized jonin, Sakura chunin…and Naruto, still a genin.

And he realized this too. The longer he stared at Sasuke's tattoo that proudly contrasted on his arm, the more the rankings became obvious. His eye twitched and Sasuke's head moved to smirk at the jinchuriki. "What are you looking at?" The black in his eyes spun until the crimson of the Sharigan were evident but it with was without his usual fighting intent. Instead, they were teasing - gloating. "Dobe."

Naruto didn't respond, a realization obviously dawning onto Naruto's face. His eyes moved to Kakashi. And then to Rei – who still looked the same but was obviously stronger – who was looking at him curiously. Even Sakura had on a chunin flak jacket. He blinked, and then started shouting and thrashing with complaint.

"I can't believe I'm still a genin!"

And despite everything, it still felt as if nothing had changed at all.

_X_

It was so fun writing this! It was so nice and happy and I would definitely write another one, if you guys like this sort of stuff. I am getting way too carried away but, oh well!

Hope you enjoyed, and tell me what you think! :)