I Do Not Own Naruto
Chapter 1
Eight years, almost nine years, of being away from Sakura and Sarada, all he had were two tattered pictures which were fading. But he knew every line, every shade, every color and every angle of the faces in those photos.
Pink hair, green eyes, lips curved in a slight, mysterious smile, a mark on her brow he would often times find himself tracing with his only hand. A face he'd wake seeing, he could sometimes even swear to feeling her body against his when he'd wake. The memories he'd see with his Sharingan, they were so vivid and real that there were times he'd think he'd trap himself in some elaborate genjutsu; which he would not put not put past himself to do after all the hells he had endured.
Which brought him to today as he wrote a missive to Naruto to meet him at an out post, he was holding up his end of the bargain and he swore Naruto to secrecy about this meeting.
The last thing he wanted to do was interrupt the lives of his wife and daughter since they had more than likely moved on by now. He wouldn't blame them if they had left him behind by now, Kami knew he wasn't much of a husband and he was even less of a father than anyone he knew of. Hell, even his own father had been more a father than he had been. Summoning a hawk he slipped the letter on it's back then sent it off as he made himself comfortable in the abandoned outpost.
Eight years was probably not enough time still for people to be comfortable around him. If he were honest; and he had made it a point to always be honest with himself at the very least; then he could accept that people would probably never accept or be comfortable around him, and he'd never be comfortable around them either. Even Team Taka was uneasy with him. But he had earned that, he knew this as he sat on the wall and pulled out his favorite, and the only photo which was proof of his marriage. He hadn't let her have this one, he hadn't even told her he had kept it or that he had it.
The day he had married her.
It had been a really bad day in terms of weather and the village had been against it. Even her best friend had scolded her for her choice. In the end, their wedding had been performed by their former sensei and then current Hokage, and the dobe with his wife there. Though he was pretty sure Hinata was supposed to be Sakura's voice of 'Do Not Do This!' it hadn't really stopped the marriage.
The wedding was quiet, there was no celebration, no after party, no nothing, just a ceremony, a congratulations and good luck.
The rain had been merciless that day, he smirked at the memory. Sakura had dragged him through the rain as they returned to the Uchiha compound for one of the best nights of his life. And no, that was not biases as he sat against the wall staring at the only evidence of his marriage.
A faded photo of beautiful young woman who had been twenty years old, in a borrowed silk dress she had bought for the day, and a happy smile. Then there was him; dressed in black, and looking indifferent. It was probably for the best that she didn't have the photo… he thought with a smirk as he slipped it into the pocket near his heart and closed his eyes for a moment of rest.
He was a horrible husband, he knew it.
The first years of his hunting he had slowly stopped writing his letters, not because he didn't want to write them or because he didn't feel they weren't important; but because eventually it hurt to write her, to read letters from her when he couldn't have her. No doubt she probably wanted to punch a hole in his gut for that… perhaps Susanoo could hold up against one of his wife's temper out bursts… then again, maybe not.
By the end of year five he and she had practically stopped writing one another, he didn't really write anyone; not even the dobe or Kakashi about what he was up to or how things were going. She still received the most letters from him, but he didn't write his daughter and he didn't ask her to write him. He was not good with keeping in touch with others and he knew it so he didn't really try anymore.
She understood, he knew she did, but he also knew why they didn't write one another very often anymore. It hurt them both, and neither of them had ever liked hurting after all the hurt they had endured before their marriage, and all the pain the council forced on them. And in a way, by not writing one another he was certain they were also relieving their daughter of some of their own pain; they were both selfish that way. And about the last thing he wanted was for their daughter to be pained because of them.
Sighing he let his tired body against the wall, was he really only thirty-one? He felt ancient at times, not thirty-one; and as he sat there alone, he felt like an ancient old man. Days where he had a moment to catch his breath, and just breath for a moment, well those were the days he often times found himself yearning for his home, and remembering and yearning for his home.
Home had long since stopped being a village, but rather, it was a person. Home was annoying, she had pink hair, green eyes, and a smile he often times dreamt of. Home was loud, demanding and fun. Home was where he was loved, unconditionally, though he really did not deserve such a kindness from her. he really did not deserve her, for once he had tried to kill her, to end her.
Funny how that worked, he smirked, at twelve he despised her existence, at sixteen she intrigued him and she made herself something, at seventeen she had saved him from himself, at nineteen he was trying to be worthy of her, at twenty he married her, at twenty-one he had stolen her for his and kept her with him until he had to let her go. Another sighed left his lips as old memories played through his mind.
"Sakura," he whispered as her image danced in his mind's eye. He was back in this realm for the first time in five years, and he hadn't even sent a notice to his wife.
Kami help him, he hoped he didn't run into her!
Sakura would either punch him to Suna and back, swearing up and down the entire time; which would hurt his body and his pride.
Or he'd end up dragging her off to lock her up in a room and never let her go again, which would be fun and wild and probably infuriate the council beyond belief. He smirked at the thought as he let a light sleep claim him and his hand rest on his blade, ready for a fight.
Sakura sighed, she just couldn't win with that child, not at all! And kami knew she tried, but it appeared Sarada was a little copy of her father and enjoyed being difficult. She closed her eyes and sunk to the floor then as she tried not to cry. He really wouldn't want her to cry, not for him at least, but it appeared that it didn't matter anymore; she cried for him regardless. Was she really thirty-one? She wondered as she sat there alone, her thirty-second birthday was due in March, it was December, and it would be nine years come June.
Her head fell back as she gently pulled in a breath and stared at the ceiling of the second home she had bought. The first… well, it hadn't survived… long story short some asshole bandits came for her and well… they broke her house. They didn't live long, she had seen to it for they had threatened her four year old daughter, and well that was that.
Never threaten an Uchiha's child; because if people thought she was bad she dreaded to know just what her husband would do for their daughter.
Sakura looked over to the only photo of a young face she knew so well. Her fingers traced the picture briefly and her heart shuddered as she remembered the feeling of his arm around her, his breath on her ear as he pulled her to him and made her feel like the most fragile, cherished woman ever born to this world. No one had ever made her feel that once he had started with it, and she would admit it to being the most spectacular feeling ever. With that memory, a smile played on her lips as she walked to her garden on her day off and got to work.
She wondered what he was doing right now.
Where was he? Was he warm enough? Was he safe? Was he content? What was he thinking about? Did she ever cross his mind? Did he miss her like she missed him? Did he even care that she was here waiting for him still?
Sakura didn't know as a cool breeze moved her hair lightly as she worked in her garden. The warm climate of the Hi no Kuni deceived everyone into thinking it was nice year round, until summer; it was a bitch's heat in the middle of summer.
For a long while Sakura stared at the skies above her and watched as a hawk circled over her head.
"Sasuke," she whispered as she closed her eyes. She could feel him, around her, in her, making her heart coming to life again. She smiled, he was here, in this realm, he was here again. It was not something she could prove, but it was something she could feel. He was here again, she hadn't felt his presence in so long, and yet, she knew she could not go near him or go to him and hold onto him.
"Mom?" she looked over her shoulder then, her daughter, eleven years old was standing there looking so unsure and nervous.
"Yes?" she asked as she sat back on her heels and smiled, her hair was dancing on the wind a bit, as if her husband was pulling her to him but she couldn't go to him because she had to stay.
"Umm… where's dad?" Sarada asked her.
"Well…" she thought about it, she didn't know but he was out there on an important mission and she was pretty sure he was home again. "He's on an important mission because we're important to him," she answered honestly.
"No, I mean do you know where he is? I want… I want to meet him," she informed her. Sakura's heart stuttered for a moment as she stared at her daughter's ebony eyes who was biting her lip with her nerves.
"You father will be home someday, and you know what, when that day comes, I'm certain he'll tell you everything he's been up to these past years. And Sarada, your father loves you more than I can even convey," she said softly and she walked to her daughter.
"How do you know?" Sarada asked her.
"Because, he told me so, the first day we were all together. He promised me he'd come home again," she said to her daughter as she then knelt before the nervous girl.
"And Sarada, your father, he'll never break a promises even when you don't remember them," she smiled as she poked her daughter's brow. A mark of affection from Itachi to Sasuke, Sasuke to her, and Sasuke to their daughter, she was keeping it alive for him.
"That's not an answer mom," Sarada grumbled as she stalked into the house. Sakura sighed, she looked up and saw the hawk circling her.
"But it's the honest answer Sarada," she whispered to the wind as she stared at the hawk.
Sasuke.
Come home, she pleaded silently then.
Hey, old piece; again, and instead of bouncing it around (again), I've decided to just post it as a separate piece.
Yes, this is a tie in with my Until the Day I Die Story, so there might be minor spoilers there. I'm making edits; minor edits for details, so there will be a few changed things, but other than that... it's the same story.
There is to be a posting of a chapter a day here, I'll edit one chapter of the original Scarlet Spring before posting. So for the next ten days be prepared for updates! =)
That's all for now folks!
Enjoy Until the Day I Die: Scarlet Spring! =)
