Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
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"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. Alright, see you later."
Sakura put her phone down, confused. 'That was odd', she thought as she pocketed her phone. "Kaa-chan, I'll be out in a moment. Mikoto-san wanted to see me at their house."
"Did she tell you why?" her mother asked. Sakura looked confusedly at her, noting her slight change of tone. "No", Sakura replied, arching her eyebrow. "Do you know why?"
"I shouldn't tell you. I know, but I swore I won't tell you anything. It has to be Mikoto."
"Now I'm worried", Sakura said slowly. "Please tell me."
"You'll find out soon enough, I expect", her mother said, making her even more confused.
"Really, kaa-chan, you're scaring me", Sakura said, grabbing her coat out of the rack. "Alright, you don't want to tell me. I should be going now. I'll be back soon."
"Take your time, Sakura."
Giving her mother another confused look, she went out and closed the door behind her.
'You leave for a month and you miss everything', she thought, opening the door of her car.
She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her chest as she drove to Sasuke's house. She missed him terribly and couldn't wait to see him after being apart for so long. But something was strange about him whenever they would talk on the phone or when he sends her e-mails.
"Maybe I would find out the answers today", she mused as the car approached the familiar iron wrought gates leading to the Uchiha's vast estate. The guard nodded at her when she smiled at him in acknowledgement. She parked her car and descended the car, looking up at the grand mansion in front of her.
She was greeted at the door by Sasuke's mother, Mikoto, who wore an expression she couldn't quite read.
"Hello, Sakura-chan. How was your trip?"
"Fine,thanks. My cousin's kids are really cute, it makes me want my own. And London's climate is really cold this time of year, so it was quite a change for me", Sakura laughed. Then her laughter died down and she looked Mikoto in the eyes. "But I have a feeling there's more to this visit than a mere social call. Is there something I don't know?" Sakura asked, as Mikoto led her to the living room and gestured for her to sit down.
"Would you like something to drink, dear?" Mikoto asked as they sat down.
"No thank you. I'm rather intrigued by what you want to tell me", after a pause she continued, "is it about Sasuke?"
Mikoto looked at her, wide eyed. "What made you think it was about Sasuke?"
"Because he sounded different when I would talk to him on the phone. Is something wrong?" Sakura asked.
"Something happened while you were away, Sakura. About a week after you left for London, actually. I think it will be easier if I just show you, Sakura. I can't really express it in words. Follow me, dear", Mikoto said, standing up and moving towards the staircase.
"Wha-? Is he here?"
"He never left the house after the incident, Sakura."
"What happened?" Sakura looked at the older woman, a slight note of hysteria lacing her voice.
"He was driving home from Naruto's when a drunk driver collided with him. He tried to avoid the collision, but the wheel got out of control and the car crashed."
Sakura's hand flew to her mouth, horrified. "What happened?" she repeated, her voice shaking. "Please tell me- I can take it."
"Come see for yourself", Mikoto told her as she opened the door to Sasuke's room.
The room was dark, and completely devoid of sunlight. Sakura saw Sasuke sitting on his bed, staring blankly at the wall. Sakura looked at him for a while before looking back at Mikoto, who nodded at her. She hesitantly took a step towards the room, her shoes making small squeaking sounds. Sasuke turned sharply to the direction of the door.
"Kaa-san?"
Sakura bit her lip as she walked closer. She had never seen Sasuke so helpless before. Sakura felt hot tears trickling down her cheeks as she took bigger steps. She's never felt the urge to hold Sasuke so badly before.
"Kaa-san?" Sasuke called out again. Sakura broke into a full sprint and hugged him, crying shamelessly onto his shoulder.
"Sakura?" he said, hugging her back.
Sakura nodded vigorously. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I wasn't here earlier. Why didn't you tell me?" she asked him.
"I didn't want you to feel sorry for me."
"You and your stupid pride", Sakura scolded him, annoyed.
"I didn't want to bother you with this", he admitted softly.
"Didn't you think I would like to be bothered with this?" Sakura snapped, "I spent days trying to come up with theories on what bothers you every time we talk on the phone. Why you sound so different and why you always seem to be in a hurry. What the heck were you thinking? Of course I wanted to know! I'm your girlfriend, I care about you and what happens to you is my business too! This is a big deal, Sasuke. If you won't share things like this with me, then you're not giving me a chance to help you!"
"I don't need your help!"
"Oh, sure you don't. Because you're so damn great you can see without your eyesight", Sakura remarked sarcastically.
"That's not what I meant!" Sasuke interjected.
"Then what? You don't want me around? Is that it? You don't want me to see you like that because it hurts your manly pride that you have a handicap now? Tell me!"
"Yes!" Sasuke burst out, surprising both Sakura and himself. He continued in a softer voice, "I don't want you to see me like this because I swore to you that I would protect you. I swore to you that I would always be your hero, like the ones you used to read about in books. And I don't want you to see how useless I am now. I'm afraid to lose you like I lost my eyesight, Sakura. I don't want to."
Sakura slapped him across the cheeks. "What have I ever done to make you think that I would think any less of you for being blind?" she demanded.
Sasuke said nothing and Sakura stood up. "Just for the record, I'll never think less of you for your handicap. But I'm really disappointed with the lack of faith you have in me."
Mikoto was already downstairs, but she heard the heated exchange between the two. She watched Sakura go down from the second floor. Sakura looked at her tearfully and nodded at the older woman before sprinting to her car.
She didn't drive straight home. Instead, she went to the Yamanaka family flower shop, where she was greeted by her best friend Ino.
"Sakura, what happened to you?" Ino asked as she saw her friend walk through the door, her face stained with tears.
"How long have you known?" Sakura whispered, but Ino heard anyway.
"Since it happened", Ino said, guessing what Sakura was talking about. "I was one of the people who were there at the hospital. I'm so sorry, Sakura, I asked him to tell you but he was too stubborn. He didn't want to ruin the only vacation you had in years and I couldn't tell you because it was not my secret to tell. I'm so sorry."
Sakura ran to Ino and promptly hugged her best friend, still crying.
"Tell me what to do!" Sakura sobbed.
"You should know. I usually take advice from you", Ino told her, "Listen, Sasuke didn't want to hurt you. He just did that so he can think about how to say it to you. What did you think, he'd just go, 'Hey how's life there? By the way a drunkard hit my car and now I'm blind. So how's your summer?' I just can't picture him saying that, can you?"
"Do you think I'm being unfair? I was scolding him and he was just standing there taking it", Sakura said, brushing tears away from her face.
"I think you're overthinking it. There's just one question, really. Do you or do you not love this jerk?"
"What does that have to do with-"
Ino cut her off, "Answer the question, dammit!"
"I do, but-"
"Then what's the problem? You love the jerk! Then go in there and forgive him, say all that romantic crap and stuff! Hello? Can we just guilt trip him about this later? The idiot needs you, Sak. More than you can ever imagine. So forgive the moron already", Ino said, shaking her best friend's shoulder.
"Ino, I don't know."
"Do you want to lose him?"
"No."
"You told him to swallow his pride. Do the same thing, Sakura. Swallow your pride and forgive him or you'll lose him. It's as simple as that. He didn't do it for selfish reasons, Sakura. And he loves you. I know he does. I see it in the way he looks at you. Just go there before he gets consumed by self-pity. Go already!" Ino pushed her out of the door before she could say another word. Sakura looked at Ino for a second before smiling and going back into her car.
In what seemed like no time at all, Sakura found herself parking in front of the Uchiha Estate. She was greeted by a happy Mikoto, who thanked her for coming back. She apologized for leaving earlier, but Mikoto shook her off.
"You came back, that's all that matters. Thank you so much, Sakura-chan. You have no idea what you're doing for him."
Sakura smiled at the older woman before making her way back to Sasuke's room. She knocked gently before she went in. "Sasuke?" she said hesitantly.
"You came back", he told her bluntly.
"Yeah", she replied, unsure of what to say, "Look, I didn't mean half the things I said before. I was just-" she paused, thinking of a word to express herself, "caught by surprise, that's all."
"I'm sorry too", Sasuke said softly as she sat down on the bed next to him.
"So are we good?" she asked.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you?" Sasuke said.
Sakura took his hand in hers. "I love you, you idiot. I'd forgive you eventually. I just wanted you to see what it was like. But I realized, that's kind of selfish of me right now."
"You don't want to leave me?"
"Why would I do that?" Sakura said, confused.
"Wouldn't you rather have someone who can protect you? One who can be your hero?"
"You already are my hero. I don't need you tackling bad guys for me every other week to prove that you can protect me. I don't have a black belt in Taekwondo for nothing you know", she added, jokingly.
"But-"
"Can we stop with this pity fest? Sightless or not, I won't leave you. I told you that from the start", Sakura said firmly. "You're gonna live a normal life, and I'll kick whoever says otherwise in the ass."
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Sakura tried to ignore the pitying looks she was getting as she walked with Sasuke in the mall. She tuned out the sound of murmuring and whispering as she ushered Sasuke along the aisles. They stopped at a coffee shop to rest for a while and Sakura left Sasuke to order some coffee and cake.
"Is that your boyfriend?" asked the middle aged woman who took her order.
"Huh?" Sakura turned to where the woman was looking. "Oh, yeah, he is."
"He's blind?" the woman prompted. She didn't say it like it was a bad thing, but with an air of genuine curiosity.
"Yes. Car accident", Sakura explained.
"He's very lucky to have you", the woman told her, "Half the girls today would leave in a heartbeat if something like that happened to them. Is it hard?"
"What is?" Sakura said, intrigued.
"Dealing with it", the woman clarified.
"Sometimes. There are times he gets frustrated and nothing I say calms him down. There are times he feels useless and no matter how much I say he's not a burden to me, he doesn't believe me. He used to be fiercely independent. I think it's such a blow to him that all of a sudden he has to depend on other people."
"As I said, he's lucky to have you. I hope you two would last. I think you make a cute couple", the woman said with a grin. Her eyes held no pity, but understanding. As Sakura took her wallet to pay, she added, "By the way, the cake's on the house. It's not every day I encounter something admirable. Take care, young lady. And enjoy your coffee."
Sakura smiled at her and thanked her before taking her tray back to where Sasuke was sitting.
"Here you go. An espresso and vanilla cake for you. I know how you don't like sweets so I ordered the one with less sugar", she said, placing it in front of him. "Do you want milk or sugar? I still don't get how you can take drinking that stuff. It's so bitter!"
"I like it", Sasuke shrugged. Sakura shifted her chair so instead of facing Sasuke, she was sitting next to him. "Well, suit yourself", she said as she took a sip of her latte.
They sat there in comfortable silence and every now and then Sakura tried tricking Sasuke into eating her chocolate fudge cake. Sakura's phone rang unexpectedly as they were finishing their drinks. She flipped in open and said, "Hello?"
"Sakura", said the voice of her mentor and godmother, Tsunade.
"Oh, hi, obaa-san", she said pleasantly. "What made you call?"
"Your university just informed me that you've already chosen your field of specialty. Are you sure about what you chose? It was quite far from what you prepared for! I think you should-"
"Obaa-san, I respect your opinions, you know that. I made my choice and I'm perfectly happy with it. I'm going to pursue that field and I would appreciate it if you supported me."
"Of course I'm going to support you! I just want to make sure you won't do something you would regret!"
"I won't regret it, I'm sure of that."
"If your choice is certain, then, good luck, Sakura."
"Thank, Tsunade obaa-chan", she said, using the moniker Tsunade hated so much.
"And one more thing, Sakura."
"What is it?"
"Call me that again and I'll coat you in ramen and lock you in a room with a starving Naruto."
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"Congratulations, Dr Haruno Sakura!" her mother said proudly as Sakura ran to them , diploma in hand.
"I'm so proud of you, Sakura!" Tsunade said, hugging her. "You did well."
"Sakura!" Ino screamed, running to her best friend's side. "Dr Haruno Sakura… Sounds nice, doesn't it?"
"Sure does, Mrs Nara", Sakura teased, earning a glare from the blond. Her smile widened when she saw Sasuke walking towards her, Naruto aiding him.
"Congratulations,Sakura-chan!" the blond called loudly, waving maniacally at them. Sakura waved back, grinning widely.
"Thanks, Naruto", she said as they came closer to where they were standing. Sakura wrapped her arms around Sasuke almost immediately.
"Congratulations", he said in her ear, making her giggle.
"Thanks", she answered.
"What are you planning to do now?"
"I might continue with my internship at the hospital for the summer and see if I can make it as a specialist", she replied, still hugging him.
"You never did tell me what your specialization was", he said, eyebrow raised.
"I will… eventually."
Sasuke just smirked in response.
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"What do you see in the future?"
Sakura looked at him, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"The future? Let me see… I see you and me. I see myself walking down the aisle in a white dress and you in your tux, looking as heart breaking as usual. I see us having a family and kids and a house on a beach…"
"I don't think I would be the best choice for you, Sakura."
"You're right. You're not", Sakura said, "because you're the only choice."
Sasuke still looked doubtful and Sakura sighed. "I never imagined I would ever do this for a guy before. But", she sighed, "I guess it can't be helped."
"What do you mean?"
"Sasuke, will you marry me?"
"What?" Sasuke asked, obviously confused.
"I said, Uchiha Sasuke, will you marry me?"
"Are you serious?"
"Do I sound like I'm kidding?"
"I guess not."
"Then?"
"Are you sure?"
"I am! Yes or no?"
"Yes."
Sakura almost hugged the life out of him.
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"Do you, Haruno Sakura, take Uchiha Sasuke to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to care for and to be faithful until you both shall live?"
"I do."
"And do you, Uchiha Sasuke, take Haruno Sakura to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to care for and to be faithful until you both shall live?"
"I do."
"Then I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Sakura grinned as she leaned in and kissed Sasuke for the first time as a married couple.
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"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you're going blind."
"What do you mean I'm going to be blind?" demanded the man angrily, leaping out of his seat.
"Your eyesight is deteriorating. It will continue to deteriorate until you become totally blind. I'm sorry. Don't worry, you'll be able to live a normal-"
"I'm going to be blind? I'm not going to be able to live a normal life!"
"I assure you, you will be able to live normally!" Sakura insisted fiercely.
"What would you know? You can see! You're not getting blind!"
"You're right, I'm not", Sakura said quietly. "But I know you'll be able to live normally. I assure you."
"How can you assure something like that?"
"Because", she said in almost a whisper, "my husband has been blind for five years."
The man looked up, startled by her revelation.
"W-what?" he said.
"It's true. Here he is", she pointed out the picture on her desk. "He works in an office, and we have two kids. Too bad he never saw what they look like, but he's got a pretty good gist."
"Is it hard?"
"What's hard?" Sakura said curiously.
"Taking care of your husband."
"No."
"Do you ever get tired of it?"
"Never."
"Why not?"
"Because I knew what I was getting myself into when I married him."
"You married him after he was blinded?"
"Yes. You're lucky you knew beforehand. He didn't have the luxury of time to prepare for it, you know. And he's coping real well."
The man slowly nodded.
"Thank you, Dr Haruno."
"You're welcome."
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Sakura plopped on the couch, next to Sasuke. "How was your day?" she asked him.
"Same old", Sasuke replied, placing an arm around his wife. "You?"
"Ugh, same old."
They sat there in silence for several minutes until they heard a loud cry from upstairs and a shout of, "Mom! Dad!"
The two of them stared at the staircase.
"Your turn", they said at the same time.
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How was it? A review would be real nice.