Stolen Youth

The long, silk nightgown she wore did nothing to protect her from the inclement weather. The pitch-black attire was drenched from icy rain and it clung to her form. Bare porcelain shoulders were assaulted by goose bumps. Pastel pink hair blew around the woman in an anarchic halo. Her body shivered violently yet her eyes held a steady, vacant stare on the horizon. Nails dug into her flesh. Slowly, droplets of crimson blood oozed out from under the pressure. She physically restrained herself from foolishly reacting. The chakra signature was unmistakable, despite the years of separation. He was almost here.

Lingering on the edge of a cliff in the middle of a storm, she contemplated jumping before his arrival. The seas were murky and monstrous waves crashed violently against the lands. But she was not that much of a coward. The years made her weary and dulled her senses. No longer did her heart hold joy or the fiery passion she was renowned for. Left in its wake was a woman who accepted life's hardships and agony. Though she often let her mind wander, her physical prowess remained disciplined and formidable. Weakness could not be afforded.

She did not know how he found her. It was uncommon for rogue ninja to venture to this part of the world. An impassable mountain range and unpredictable terrain made it difficult to navigate. Those who managed to overcome these obstacles found themselves meeting their end. She could not risk anyone report sighting her. Her unique appearance and participation in the war made her too recognizable. The irony on the lengths she took to preserve her isolation was not lost to her. Years ago she clamored and prayed to who ever would hear her pleas to be rescued and reunited with her supposed loved ones. But that salvation never came.

The gentle thud of his arrival alerted the woman. The overwhelming chakra simmered darkly behind her with a sinister hum. She did not dare turn around to greet the man. There was no purpose in exchanging false pleasantries for he would not even attempt to participate. A percussion of deafening thunder quickly followed a blinding flash of lightning. This did not frighten her. It was her element after all. Yet another irony that was not lost to her. She shared the very element as the individual behind her and it did not suit her in the slightest.

"Sakura."

His steady voice was baritone and like a gentle caress. It was unsettling how calm he was. Adrenaline rapidly rushed through her veins and her heart pumped loudly. She did not know what to expect with his arrival. The last time they had seen one another she was being over powered and knocked unconscious. The shouts of protest from her former blonde teammate were deafened by the look of pure shock on the face of the man behind her. The memory was seared into her mind. Never would she have imagined that her kidnapping would elicit such a response. As she turned around, she made sure to avoid his eyes.

"Sasuke-kun," a grim line formed, "how are you?"

She could feel his gaze burn right through her and she did not understand why he seemed infuriated with her. Another crack of lightning and thunder erupted. Her hands dropped to her sides and she felt the droplets of rain intermix with her blood. The tiny incisions on her arms unconsciously mended. He was taller, bulkier, and devastatingly more handsome than what she remembered. His long hair sagged from the precipitation. She scanned and assessed every inch of him except for his eyes. She knew the damage that gaze could deliver and therefore was more preoccupied with his unknown abilities. He was an overwhelming powerhouse in his youth and age could only refine his lethality.

He did not expect to find her alive. Sasuke was certain that she met a tragic end and that the words of a small child would only lead him to failure. However, there she was with a healthy glow to her cheeks but lifeless eyes. Her hair was darkened from the rain and the long lengths hung down her arms. She was wearing next to nothing and he assumed his presence roused her from her slumber. Confusion set in after his initial irritation. He could not comprehend why she would not return home. Of course he would find her, it seemed infuriatingly poetic for him to do so. This woman never failed to annoy him and this proved she was still up to her old ways.

Suddenly Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction as he felt the static in the air concentrate around her. If she did not move within the next second she would be struck right before him. Before he could move she slowly lifted an arm into the air to meet the bolt of lightening. As fast as it came it was quickly redirected to the earth beside her. Her eyes were cast down to where the scorched earth sizzled. This was new. He was not aware she was partial to a particular element and it was odd that her element would be lightening. It did not suit her at all.

A howl of wind muffled her words. Narrowing his eyes, he deliberately closed the distance between the two. With every step he remained alert to her every movement. Every deep breath and small shudder was noted. She may have been his teammate, however that was years ago. He did not know what to expect from her and he was not one to be careless. Sakura monitored his actions as well, half hoping he would draw his sword and put her out of her misery. It would be fitting and welcomed. She was too tired to care anymore.

When he stopped in front of her, they were only inches apart. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheeks. They were perfectly still, standing in the middle of a vicious storm. The air around the two was comparatively calm, yet tense with anticipation. Suddenly there was a series of movement within a few milliseconds. Sakura was unexpectedly warm and sheltered. The heavy weight of a cloak enveloped her body and she smelled a deep, rich scent. It seemed silly now with how her hand held a kunai pressed to his jugular and a senbon hovering over his lower spinal cord.

He did not react how she expected. It was almost as if he was certain she could do no harm to him. Her eyes narrowed as she lowered her weapons. Another crack of lightening flashed and the wind became more aggressive. The storm was about to worsen as it always did. For over a year she has been here and the weather was always unfortunate and always worsened. She finally looked up and met his gaze. Sakura expected to be greeted with the Sharingan and was surprised to see an endless pool of dark onyx.

"Follow me," she said with conviction before walking past his form.

Wordlessly he turned around and set a steady pace behind her. She clung to the cloak and attempted to further insulate her body. It was idiotic of her to stand outside in the wet cold. Her back felt this consistent heat and pressure that exuded from the individual behind her. There was a fleeting thought of unfiltered love that echoed from years past. It promptly left her mind. She continued to walk from the open area deep into the tall, thick woods that surrounded her abode. It was small and quaint. The cottage was found abandoned and close to collapse upon her arrival. After careful nurturing it became her small stake in the world.

Gently she pushed the door open and immediately shrugged off his cloak and hung it on a coat rack. Sakura bent before a cast iron fireplace and stacked dried pieces of wood before igniting it with a match. As an after thought she realized he could have easily lit a flame. The door was closed shut and immediately the room became warmer. She heard him shuffle around before coming to a stand still as she coaxed the flames to prosper. The distinct crackle and pop emanating from the wood signaled her accomplishment. Slowly she stood and turned around. Various shadows were cast on his impeccable face by the flickering light of the fire.

Motioning toward a small table in the middle of her room, "Please, sit."

She descended into one of the weathered wooden chairs and patiently waited for his response. Sasuke made small, deliberate movements and mimicked her actions. As he sat across from her he noticed how the seal on her forehead glimmered. Her hands were neatly clasped together and rested on the table. He immediately noticed the numerous scars on her wrists and those that trailed the length of her forearm. Although her pink hair covered the majority of her neck and chest, he saw a deep, ugly scar originating from her prominent collarbone down past the beginnings of her cleavage.

He looked away.

She could not help but fidget. It had been a while since she was in the presence of someone other than herself and even more so than since she was in the presence of someone who would not hurt her. Sakura did not know how to function. She never knew how to function in front of him. Her breath quickened as her mind wandered to moments trapped in dark isolation and fountains of her own blood. He immediately noticed a change in her disposition and saw her deep in recollection. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. A tremble coursed through her body and it was not from an adjustment in temperature. There was a slight quiver of her hands and a faintly noticeable tightening in her wrists.

"Sakura."

He said her name again. Pulled out of her reverie she locked eyes with him. She waited for him to speak once more.

Understanding her silence, "It's been four years."

She nodded, not trusting her strength to speak. Sometimes she wondered if she was still trapped in an illusion.

"Why," was all he said.

It was a simple word that held such meaning and inquisition. Why was she alive? Why had she not returned? Why did he travel thousands of miles to find her in complete isolation? These questions rang in her mind and Sakura tried to find a place to start. There was a brief moment where she thought of fleeing. She had become an exceptional escape artist. But something stopped her. His arrival had to mean something, whether it be fate or unfortunate luck.

Avoiding his loaded question, "How is Naruto?"

His brow quivered and he wanted to retort that she did not answer his question. Yet he decided to play along, "He's fine. It's Hokage-sama now," with a tone of displeasure.

A haunting smile flashed on her face before it was replaced with stoicism, "That's nice. And you? You never answered my question."

Sasuke gave her an intense look, "Fine. I'm fine."

"How is—"

"No," she looked startled at his interruption, "Now you answer my question."

Suddenly she looked battered and weary. She briefly looked away at the steady fire and let out a small sigh.

"I was tortured for 187 days however it felt like 187 years," she began.

Sasuke exhaled a breath he did not realize he was holding. His body immediately tensed and he attempted to fill in the voids of her story with that single sliver of information.

"I broke after thirty days. The ordeal wasn't… pleasant. He was very good at what he did to me."

A brief pause passed.

"How…"

"How I escaped?" a hollow laugh followed, "I didn't. After day 187 everything just stopped. A door opened and I crawled out of it. I never saw him again."

He could no longer look at her. His gaze fell to the wooden table before him and he was fighting to keep his temper in check. The desire to burn their surroundings and immediately return her to Konoha passed through his mind. But that would be counter productive and naïve at best. This was not a world of happy, just endings.

"I thought about the two of you often."

He didn't respond and she took that as her cue to continue.

"I knew you two would find and save me. I even taunted him the first weeks. There was no way after everything we had been through I would be abandoned."

There was a foreign feeling in the depths of his stomach. It was an overwhelming weight.

"A year into my newly found freedom I was so angry and hurt. I just picked a direction and walked. I never interacted with anyone, except for a small child in a tiny village not far from here."

"Sayuri," he offered.

"That's how you found me, right Sasuke-kun?"

He gave her a curt nod.

Sakura took another quick, private moment to mentally record his features. She did not realize how much she yearned for him until he was so close. On the slightest chance this wasn't real she wanted to be able to recollect these false moments.

"What did he do to you?"

Giving him a watery smile, "Not now. I can't."

Sasuke nodded. He realized the stupidity of his question, so he tried again.

"I'm sorry."

And that is when she broke down.