Ephemeral Encounters Chapter 1, a naruto fanfic

Ephemeral Encounters

Pairing: SasoriSakuraItachi hints of MandaraSakura, SaiSakura and SasukeSakura
Rating: T+
Genre: Romance/hurt/comfort
Words: 17002
Standard Disclaimer applied
Summery: A so called accident left Sakura without sight or a strong voice. Now eighteen, she's living with her father's friend, her mind speraticlly flickering between maturity well beyond and below her age. Sometimes she's wise beyond the years of aged philosophers, at others, she hold the innocence of a child. Melancholy from the accident and it's effects Mandara takes her in. While living with her friend, she meets a young Mr. Uchiha and his friend Sasori who live downstairs. Both take an instantaneous liking to her. This becomes a problem for the young musician, as both are possessive and obsessive men who do not give up once their sights are set.

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"I was born amidst the purple waterfalls.
I was weak, yet not unblessed.
Dead to the world. Alive for the journey.
One night I dreamt a white rose withering,
A newborn drowning a lifetime loneliness.
I dreamt all my future. Relived my past.
And witnessed the beauty of the beast"

Dearest friend of mine,

I have never been a very brave person. Not even close. When my mom and dad died I ran away before I could see the killer's face. When I did bad on my midterms I spent the next full week at a friends house, avoiding my foster parents. When I found of my boyfriend, who I was hoping to marry, had been seeing another girl behind my back, I took the next bus out of town instead of confronting him. When I found out my co worker was taking money out of my paycheck for himself, I left once again.

These are the paw prints of a real coward and in my shame I can only admit it. I can't even begin to try and change my ways after these eighteen years of twisted living. My mockery of a sin has caught up with me and manifested its self into this form of a punishment. Cruel and taunting, the effects of my accident haunt my every move. Yes, I do believe this accident is some form of divine punishment on my behalf. Call it fate, Karma, or whatever you will, I know it can not be mere chance.

And so my friend, I am running away once again. You would think I'd learn my lesson by now, but that is not the case.

I am sorry I didn't see you off personally, but you should know by now that something like that is beyond my pitiful will power. I don't want you to blame yourself for what came to pass and I know that my presence will only serve as a painful reminder. Maybe one day I will come back to see you. I don't think it will take me too long to fix up the mess my life has spiraled into and get back to where I once stood.

Please don't worry about where I'll be staying, a friend of my dad has offered to let me room with him for a while. It's just until I can find a good, stable job, but he said he doesn't mine the extra mouth to feed. I've known him for a long time and have come into the habit of addressing him as an uncle. He's the only one I'm not shy enough to ask to burden with my housing situation.

I love you dearly, my friend, and wish you well. Goodbye.

-Sakura

Where have all the feelings gone?
Why has all the laughter ceased?
Why am I loved only when I'm gone?
Gone back in time to bless the child

How can I ever feel again?
Given the chance would I return?
Why am I loved only when I'm gone?
Gone back in time to bless the child
Think of me long enough to make a memory
Come bless the child one more time

Itachi sighed, rubbing his thumb over the large silver and red ring that was loosely dangling from his pointer finger, feeling the Japanese graving rub against his flesh. It was a sort of family heirloom that his father had intended to give him one day before he was killed off. The son saw no reason to leave the ring in a reeking casket and so took it for himself.

Itachi swiveled his blood like red eyes over to his friend who was filling out paperwork from his seat in the waiting room. The red haired male grumbled something about too many numbers and scratched something out on the side of the paper with a huff.

"What was the name of the other guy in your family that had this illness?" Sasori asked, coming to another question that he didn't know the answer to. "I have your father, Mandara, Tobi, and I need that other guy's name."

"Obito, but he's long dead. I doubt they want you going that far back into my family tree." Itachi didn't even need to think about the answer to that question. He paused before going on to ask a question of his companion. "Did you mention...my brother?"

Sasori looked up, the usual calmness returning to his eyes. "Yes, his was the first name I penned down. Did you want me to erase it?"

Itachi looked away, fixing his blood colored eyes on the far wall before replying. It was always a hard thing to talk about his younger brother who had gone missing a little over two years ago and had yet to turn up. "...Yeah, you can leave it. The doctors will want to know."

Sasori return to scratching answers out on the pink sheet he had been given by the heart eyed nurse who though it was necessary to slip her phone number in. He couldn't help but feel annoyed when women made small advanced upon him like that. It wasn't his fault he was so gorgeous with rusty red locks falling in layers around his well shaped face and cinnamon colored eyes that could make a woman's heart fluter with a single stare. It was true he was no Uchiha when it came to looks, but he was pretty high up there.

His friend, Itachi was, perhaps, one of the more handsome men to come out of his family. That in it's self is an amazing and challenging feat few could hope to attempt. The Uchiha was on the slender side for a man, with long lean legs and delicate hands meant for musical instruments and the hilt of a katana. He was, of course, in shape with just enough muscle to keep him masculien while retaining the sledder figure he was known for. He had long, jet black hair pulled back with a leather cord, leaving a few bangs to fall in front of his face before being swept to the side, clearing a path for his trademark red eyes to see through.

Without a doubt, Itachi's eyes were the most alluring feature he possessed. Only those few males in the Uchiha family with the eye sickness had blood red eyes like that. And even then, it was a pretty rare fine in a Uchiha. Sasori had heard it was caused from blood leaking behind the colored part of the eyes and polling there, or something like that. It wasn't life threatening or anything like that, but it did wear away at the eyes after a few years and that was why Itachi was where he was today.

"Have I ever voiced my deep loathing for eye doctors?"

"You have, but not in a while."

"I despise them all tremendously."

"Hmm."

Itachi waited a while, letting a comfortable silence set in before voicing his thoughts, once again. "How many more questions are left on that paper. Didn't you start that hours ago?"

Sasori didn't even bother looking up from to pink paper to answer, preferring to continue checking off boxes and filling in names. "It's only been a half hour since I started, and if you wanted to, you could help. It would go so much faster."

Itachi smirked, making one of the ladies swoon from across the room at his charm. "Sorry, but they already dilated my eyes and I can't go straining them on menial tasks like petty paper work. That's why I brought you along."

"I thought that was so I could drive you home."

"That too."

Sasori looked up from his sheet to glare at his friend. They weren't the best of buddies, like some men in the Organization were, but for Itachi, Sasori was the closest to a friend he had and so he had called the red haired male out on a favor for the day. Both got along swimmingly with their mostly silent attitudes and preference to avoid verbal arguments. That was more than what Sasori could boast of his blue eyed friend, Deidara. He swore that idiot went picking fights just so he could yell in public and make it look like a gay breakup.

Sasori stopped scribbling, handing the pad and pen over to Itachi, instructing him on where to sign his name and where to put his initials. It was harder than most would think with Itachi being unable to read anything without glasses, thanks to his nearsightedness. After a few minuets, and a few ink stains Sasori was done and roughly pulled the pad away from the clumsy writer with a huff.

Some people could be so childish when blind.

Finding it boring without the sound of the pen scratching the paper, Itachi sighed heavily. He looked up as Sasori, finished with the paperwork, returned it to the blushing secretary with a calm nod. It seemed like they had been waiting for hours for that stupid baka of a doctor to come out and call his name. Itachi was pretty sure whoever it was he was going to see was a guy, women doctors never hesitated in calling his name, always eager to have a handsome patient to work on. It could be a possibility that this was a reverse of that situation.

'Maybe he has a pretty female patient' Itachi thought.

No sooner had the words been thought than did he see them proven. The doctor with a scar crossing the bridge of his nose came out into the waiting room, smiling and blushing like a lovesick puppy. 'Old perverted sensei,' he though, rolling his eyes. Typical behavior of a guy who works with people with fading or no sight. Most were well advanced in their years and he doubted the young doctor went for people like that.

Itachi couldn't see whoever it was he walked out with, but he could see her large, white guide dog standing faithfully at her side, ready to be of service to his mistress. The dog yawned and looked up at his owner before looking down again and then around the room. The canine looked up and at the door right before it opened, letting in someone Itachi knew very well.

"Mandara?" he hissed, under his breath. 'What's uncle doing here?'

He didn't have time to think on that very long before his thoughts were pulled elsewhere. That girl he couldn't see, apparently knew Mandara, since she stepped away from the doctor and let her dog guide her over to where the Uchiha stood. It was then Itachi got a good look at the blind girl.

"Dear God..."

What unearthly heaven had she walked out of? His sight might be deteriorating, but even he could see the beauty that was standing before him and be man enough to admit it. She was slender and taller than most women he met, but that was probably because of the fur lined eskimo boots she was wearing outside her gray skinny jeans. She was wearing a tight long sleeved shirt with white and gray stripes horizontally crossing her body, it's sleeves falling over her hands in a cute manner. But her body held minimal appear to him. It was her face that drew his complete attention.

Her skin looked as if it had never seen the rays of a day's sun, it was such a snowy pale color. Her hair, likewise, was a light pastel pink, almost white at the roots. It was short and wispy curling around her shoulders and down her back to her shoulder-blades in some areas. When she moved forward to greet Mandara, it floated around her face like a candle flame's smoky trail. It was only a few steeps, but it looked like the dancing steeps of a fairy.

She was standing sideways, so Itachi could only see half of her face and neither of her eyes. Her long, think bangs were swooping down to cover her left eye in a newer style that wasn't very popular anymore. But when she turned back to face the doctor Iruka, Itachi could see her entire face. And in that moment, he could feel his heart drop like lead in his chest, his face heating up with an unlikely blush.

Her eyes...if possible, were even more beautiful than his own. At one point in her life they must have been a dark emerald green, but now they were a milky sea foam green that reminded him of the stained glass windows of a church window.

In one word, they were bewitching.

Mandara said a few things to the doctor, Iruka was it, and pulled the pink haired girl closer to the door. It looked like he was eager to leave with her. Itachi couldn't blame him, if that had been him in his relative's shoes, he would be doing the same thing.

Acting in instinct, Itachi stood and strode forward with a powerful gait of determination, effectivally catching the eye of his older relative. "Mandara, fancy meeting you here," he greeted with a fake smile plastered over his lips.

Mandara turned and returned the fake smile with one of his own, if it was fake or real only the owner would know. "Itachi! I see you're having fun with those eyes of yours. Coming in for an appointment, finally? How have you been doing?"

By this time Sasori had trotted up to the trio, none too happy about being left behind. He didn't say anything, but chose to keep up the silent facade he was normally know for as Itachi asked what the older Uchiha was doing in a place like this. Madara nodded to the red head once in greeting before explaining to Itachi. "A daughter of one of my friends is staying with me for the time being and she needed eye treatment today. Sasori, Itachi, this is Sakura. Sakura these two people in front of you are Itachi and Sasori respectively. Itachi is a nephew of mine and Sasori lives downstairs next to Itachi." Turning to the two men he weakly smiled. "You'll have to forgive her, she doesn't talk."

Sakura paused prior to nodding to show she understood, sparing a small smile in the direction she believed the two to be. She didn't offer any form of verbal greeting and she didn't try to shake hands. Somehow her smile seemed like the only thing she could spare for them.

Sasori was the first one to react, extending his hand till it brushed her knuckle, on reflex her hand wrapped around his own. "It's a pleasure, Sakura. Mandara owns the penthouse above our apartments so you could say he's sort of our landlord. I didn't know he was keeping such an interesting guest upstairs without us knowing. You'll have to forgive us for not welcoming you sooner."

Mandara nodded and smiled lightly, straining a bit in the good humor, most likely not enjoying how Sakura was being treated. She couldn't see it, but Sasori was eyeing her like a brand new ball jointed doll he wished to paint. (If that sounded wierd, it was because Sasori was a bit...odd.)

Itachi was the next to shake Sakura hands, but all he managed to say was a simple greeting a nothing more, so dry was the inside of his throat all of a sudden. "A pleasure..."

Retracting her hand, Sakura brought it to her collar bone, her long fingers tracing over a faint scar like discoloration on her skin, out of habit no doubt. It was a timid pose that made the blind and mute girl even more delicate and fragile looking. She looked down at the large white dog at her feet and scratched him behind the ear.

"Well, as nice as this is, Sakura and I need to get going," Mandara said, taking the girl by the arm, most likely eager to get her out of the men's eyesight. He was acting like an overprotective father with a Aphrodite like daughter.

"Oh course. Later in the week when our rent is due, we'll bring over a welcoming dinner for you and Sakura. It would be rude not too," Sasori smoothly offered, obviously not suffering the lack of communication skills his friend was.

Mandara smiled and chuckled, a deep rumbling in his throat producing the musky bassi sound most older Uchiha were known for. "Of course, as you wish, Sasori. Sakura and I will be looking forward to seeing you two. Hopefully we'll be home. Excuse us."

Itachi and Sasori could only watch with wishful eyes as the pink haired fairy was led away by the older Uchiha and the big white dog they heard him address as Red. Both young men were masters at keeping their emotions in check, so to the naked, untrained eye, it would seem they were not effected at all by the girl's departure. The truth was, however, that they were deeply effected by her sudden absence. More so than either would let on.

Sakura struggled with the metal clasp of her necklace, having a bit of trouble undoing it, since it was too short to slip over her head. She made a mental note to herself not to use a chain like this one ever again. Only long leather cords from now on.

Sighing in frustration, she raked her bangs over to cover her right eye, leaving her left eye exposed. It was just as dull and foggy as the other, and appeared to be a perfect mirrored replace of the damaged orb. But, it was able to successfully digest imagines for the brain, unlike the right.

She winced in the light, looking down and shielding away from the bright lights coming through the open window. Her eye was no where near used to being exposed to such levels of light so suddenly after being closed for extended periods of time.

Naturally.

After the accident her doctor, Tsunade, was able to restore vision in one eye in a risky operation that was relatively new and experimental. The operation was a huge success...on a technical note. After her short time of blindness, the bright lively world came as too much of a shock to Sakura. It was too much for her all at once and she begged to be left with her one blind eye, preferring the darkness over the ugly world that held such gruesome sights.

Over small periods, she could sometimes pull back the bangs to expose small snippets of the world. But they were rare. With her restored vision, she was able to undo the clasp and remove the silver chain from her neck. Hastily, with clumsy hands, she pulled her bangs back over her good eye to black out the world and destroy her limited vision.

In her haste, her boney elbow had knocked over a cup of black berry Kool-aid on to the tile floor, filling the cervices with dark red blood like rivers. Looking down on reflex, Sakura couldn't hide or block out the sight that made her loose her breath. Her bangs didn't cover everything. Memories old a not so distant came rushing back to her like a dammed up flood, stealing the air right out of her lungs faster that a sudden death could have.

Tsunade's words were ringing somewhere in the back of her mind as she reeled and stumbled in her oversized tee shirt and Hello Kitty panties.

"Numerous studies have examined the emotional impact exerted by sight loss. Research has tended to focus on clinical–diagnostic rather than therapeutic–preventive aspects. Blindness and sight restoration have been reported to induce both temporary and longer term psychopathology, usually followed by psychosocial readjustment."

Scrambling with shivering hands, she dragged her nails over the knobs of the bathroom's medicine cabinet. Of course in Mandara's bathroom, he would have it. Whenever she was with him, he was always smoothly shaved, so of course there would be a old fashioned shaver knife hidden somewhere, him being the lover of older objects that he was. In her blindness the knife took too long to find her trembling, pale fingers.

"Together with an extensive review of available literature, some authors I want you to look up on present cases taken from their psychological autopsy study database. However rare it may be, in some cases, readjustment may not occur and suicide may result."

A bottle of shaving cream and a few dental tools spilled, falling to the tile floor with a loud crash that was audible from where Mandara was reading the morning paper. It took a third of a second at the most for it to register in his head what that sound meant. This wasn't the first time she tried to do something drastic in his house. With the speed of the devil he was in his bathroom, holding Sakura by the wrists, keeping his shaving blade from digging into her shivering wrists. She winced only slightly at his touch.

"When compared with a hearing-impaired control group, impaired sight alone can acutely affect other wise psychologically healthy individuals. Your ophthalmologist need to be aware of this problem and develop closer collaboration with mental health professionals for Sakura's sake."

"What do you think you're doing Sakura? Stop it. Get a hold of yourself!" Mandara shouted in her ear, trying to get his deep, husky voice to register with the suicidal woman. "Sakura, put the knife down, don't do this! Sakura, stop.

He squeezed her wrists with as much force as he dared, causing the metal blade to fall from her fingers, clattering to the tile floor with a hallow sound. She seemed to wake up from her mad daze at the sound of metal hitting metal tile and her savior relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief feeling the change in her body. Releasing her wrists he gathered her up into a thankful hug, keeping her boney body tightly pressed against his own, fearful of it disappearing somewhere he couldn't follow.

"God, don't ever do that again," he whispered in her ear, trembling a little.

"Serious consideration of this problem and definition of clear guidelines may prevent suicidal behavior in her case. But you'll need to keep an extremely close eye on her Uchiha. Am I making myself clear on this matter?"

Sakura's body stiffened before relaxing in his hold. Her pale fingers came up to rest over his arm and she made sure to convince him she was just fine and in her right mind. His face was still buried in the crook of her neck and he was still shivering. With her other hand, she reached up and patted down a stray lock of his long black Uchiha hair, stoking the top of his head like a mother would with a child.

He relaxed only slightly.

She knew it would hurt, but it would be worth it. Parting her lips, she let her throat crack as she spoke with her damaged voice box. "I apoligize, Mandara. I must have frightened you. That was not my intention."

"...Sakura?"

She paused, wincing as her throat began to burn. "I am fine, now."

Unwrapping one arm from around her thin shoulders, he reached up and pressed his thumb against her lips and let his fingers stroke her throat, where the discoloration of an old scar still remained. "Don't speak," he whispered, his voice going back to the monotone in control tone he was known for.

She nodded, not wanting him to become any more agitated that he already was.

He frowned, moving his hand up to cover her eyes, noticing the spilled drink that was still filling the crevices. He knew she wasn't looking, but he didn't want to take any chances. She must have accidently seen the drink and mistaken it for blood, bring back memories better left forgotten. Sometimes she was able to keep them hidden, but it didn't take much to bring them back.

Folding her in his arms, he lifted the small girl up off the floor and carried her to the large queen sized bed in the guest room he had designated as hers. He pulled back the covers and set her down, making sure to cover her up completely. It was late January, after all. She stared up at him, or were she though he would be, and mentally asked him what he was doing.

"You're tired, get some rest. Two of my renters from downstairs are coming over later tonight with some dinner," he replied tucking the sides of the covers in. That being done he pulled some wireless headphones out from the nightstand and fitted them over her ears.

She slipped her hand out and made the sighn language word for 'who'.

He smiled, slipping her hand back under the covers. "They were those two young men we met when you went to see Dr. Iruka for your eyes. Do you remember them?"

She nodded.

His smile wasn't as big as it should have been. "Good. Now, get some rest."

Sakura closed her eyes and nodded slowly, letting the world slip away as the music pulsed through her mind, soothing and relaxing her in a whole new world of its own. It was a therapeutic measure her doctor, Tsunade had introduced her to after the accident. She used to listen to music every now and then before, but now, lacking her voice and sight, sounds had taken on a whole new meaning. It was like, she was so much more sensitive to the rhythms and patterns that pulsed out of her speakers. Before, it was just entertainment, now it was a lifesaver. With the lyrics filling up her head, Sakura couldn't even hear her benefactor leave the room.

"I've never felt so alone in my life. As I drank from a cup which was counting my time, there's a poison drop in this cup of Man. To drink it is to follow the left hand am I loved only when I'm gone? Gone back in time to bless the child. Think of me long enough to make a memory. Come bless the child one more time."

Before she was lulled into sleep, Sakura wondered what that night's dinner guests would be like.

Sasori stood, agitatedly next to Itachi with the stemming hot crock-pot of his grandmother's special lasagna between his gloved hands. Of course the crock-pot was sealed shut with rubber bands over the handles and gripper on the lid. It was, after all, his grandmother's. Hanging from his wrists were two shopping bags filled with various objects. "You could have carried something more than that and saved me a whole lot of trouble," he grumbled, eyeing the basket full of garlic bread Itachi was carrying.

The Uchiha smirked pulling the bread basket closer to his body, not bothering to offer any more help. "This is light and I'm comfortable. Any more weight and I might damage my wrists. And then I wouldn't be able to pay my rent."

"You can still write with one broken wrist. You don't have that much paperwork to sort through," Sasori coldly replied, trying not to let the vintage, La Forrared red wine in the first bag fall out, it being as heavy as it was.

"You'd be surprised how easily it is to break s wrist as delicate as my own. Your own are strong from working with your puppets and dolls all day long," Itachi calmly replied with a lazy eye cast upward at the pocketed ceiling.

Sasori was about to snap back with another bitter retort when the sorrowful notes of John Sebastian Bac's famed Ave Mario stilled his tongue and seized his thoughts. Someone was playing one of his favorite songs, quite skillfully, on the cello with a bewitching talent to bring the piece to life, like the cds in his collection never could.

Itachi had stilled as well, pausing to better hear the melancholy, saint like melody that ghosted through the halls like a silent angel. The tune seemed to carry its own sort of holy life force that demanded it's numinous be respected with a soundless hush.

One of the doors to their right opened up and the volume of the music increased a notch as Mandara leaned out and beckoned them inward with a silent gesture of his hand. The two obediently followed him in without a word.

Entering the owner's dwelling, it was like walking into an ancestrally historic opera house of old Italy, complete with its choice of entertainment. Of course Mandara, being the rich antique lover that he was, had the entrance of his home set up beautifully with roman busts and oil paintings before it opened up to the rather large living room that had been set up to accommodate the acoustics of Sakura's cello playing. She sat in the middle of the room bent over her instrument with a grand harp off to her left and a violin case to her right. Behind her was a crisp white, grand piano. The walls were painted a rich red with gold borders causing the many picture frames of the same color to stand out.

But the room and its decorating were naught compared to the otherworldly beauty that sat delicately in the professionally stool, her long, thin fingers plucking cords and notes from the large interment in the most entrancing manner either man had ever witnessed.

Almost too soon was the melody over and the room silent.

Sakura picked her head up and leaned her neck back, popping it back into place before rolling it around her shoulders. Resting her instrument against her shoulder she held up her free hand and began to sign off, asking Mandara if he had any requests.

"Carnival of the Animals - The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns, please," Mandara said, making himself comfortable in the brocade fainting couch while keeping an eye on Sasori and Itachi who had continued to stand awkwardly in the entry way with their goods in hand.

Sasori was first to snap out of the daze that seemed to possess both males with a vengeance, depositing his goods at the wet bar and freeing his tired arms of their burden. Itachi soon followed suite, setting the bread basket next to the main course, aiming to keep it warm in his absence.

Leaning over her instrument with her long, pale finger poised on the neck, Sakura began to play.

The large white dog they had seen guiding Sakura before, lifted his elegant head to evaluate both of them before deeming them worth enough to be in the presence of his beloved mistress. Seeing them as no threat, he let his head fall back to his paws, sighing from underneath the bare mahogany end-table that looked like it came from an antique rode show outlet. Still, the canine refused to let either male out of his sight. If Sasori didn't know better, he would have guessed that dog had been disappointed they weren't threats that he could eat up and chase up.

Itachi, on the other hand, couldn't pull his eyes away from her form. There seemed to be this tightly locked atmosphere that radiated protection around the defenseless girl who was both blind and mute. Even himself, who preferred to keep his hands out of other people affairs, for fear of having to support them in case of a breakdown, could help but feel a wanting to protect this young woman that seemed as delicate and defenseless as a new born babe.

How must it be, to live in a world of darkness without a voice to fall back on in case of emergencies? How hard is it to live each day like that? What must it do to her, to be forced to have to rely on the kindness of others, unable to support herself single handedly?

Settling into the chaises lounge, both he and Sasori couldn't find the will to refuse to feeling that had settled over them in her presence and music. Sasori especially, being the lover of music that he was, readily accepted the feeling and the music she seemed to bring alive. Truly, bending her long neck down and over her cello, she, in form, resembled a nimble winged swan. There was something different about her music and the way she played. Even compared to the live orchestras he had been fortunate enough to attend, it was something entirely different. It was as if it -the song- was alive in its own way, being a whole other entity Sakura was translating in her music.

Was this because she was blind?

All too soon the room grew silent as her hands fell still to her side, the song ended.

"Entrancing as always, Sakura. You have, once again, succeeded to fill up this old man with delight at the sound of your playing," Mandara said, clapping softly. He was soon by her side, helping her stand and put away her instrument.

Sakura held up her hands and began to sign once again. Itachi turned to Sasori, who knew more sign language than him.

"She said, she smells food and wants to know if there are other people here in the house," the red haired puppeteer whispered to his friend, watching the woman blush as her fears were confirmed. Yes, someone had been listening to her play without her knowledge.

"Come on you two, let's take that food to the dining room and eat. I bet the dinner is getting cold," Mandara said, taking Sakura by the arm and leading her into the dinning room, the bag of wine hanging on his wrist.

The large white dog that Sasori identified as a Kuvasz pure blood, stood up and followed closely behind his mistress, not really paying the two men any mind as they followed closely behind with their food. Shouldn't the dog be more concerned with the food they were carrying that his mistress's well being?

Once in the dining room Mandara helped Sakura into her seat (that was conveniently right beside his own and away from the men's), before preparing the wine. Itachi sat across from Sakura, Sasori being on Itachi's left, sat across from Mandara.

As the food was being prepared, Sakura lifted her hand and began to sign for Mandara, complamenting the smell of the dish.

The red head smirked, glad he had taken two years of sign language classes. "Why, Thank you Sakura, I'm glad you like the recipe. Though, I must say, I hardly do it justice compared to howmy grandmother prepares it."

A surprised look crossed the woman before a smile, followed by more signing. This time, it was directed at Sasori in place of her guardian Mandara. It smells delicious. Italian is one of my favorite dishes. Did you make it yourself?

"Yes, I did. My mother was dead set on having me learn the basics in the kitchen, convinced I wouldn't survive once I left for art collage. But as for italian, it's one of my favorites as well. I'm glad I decided to make it then."

Mandara glared, running his tongue over his teeth while failing to hide his annoyance. His secret language with Sakura had been interrupted and translated by an outsider. I didn't help any that this hated outsider was an attractive single male who seemed to be was good thing Sakura couldn't see what this man looked like, he mused, helping Sakura guide her fork to her plate. Far too many have fallen head over heels in love with this man for his beauty alone.

Sakura gave Mandara an annoyed pout, not liking how he treated her like a baby. She could find her food just fine without his help. Mandara caught the look, chuckled, and backed off. Sakura was more independent that many would believe, and hated being coddled.

Feeling left out, Itachi spoke up, deciding to pursue a conversation with the lovely musician. "When we walked in, Sasori and I had the pleasure of hearing you play. I hope you didn't mind the extended audience. You played beautifully. Ho long have you been playing the cello, Sakura?"

The green eyed woman smiled, beginning to sign again. I started playing the piano when I was four, the violin when I was seven, and the cello when I was eleven. Just recently I started playing the harp. Music has always seemed to be the only thing I'm good at."

Sasori whispered brief a translation to his friend, who nodded , understanding. "That is amazing, I have, sadly, never picked up an instrument in all my life, though I know Sasori used to play the piano when he was younger."

"You play, Sasori?"

"Hardly, I've grown so rusty over the years, I'm afraid it's all gone to waste, unlike you. So many instrument as such a young age is truly a feat in its self. It's nice to see that the instrument Mandara has been keeping around his house are finally being put to good use, especially the harp. I am glad to see someone able to play such a fine instrument. A harpist is a rare find, now a days."

"Thank you. I enjoy playing a great deal now a days. I'm grateful to have the freedom and the time to do so."

"Ah, to have the time and talent to play so well, Mandara must be spoiled by you by now. I envy you Mandara," Itachi said eying his relative.

The older Uchiha smiled over the rim of his glass with a knowing glint in his eyes. "Yes, indeed I am quite spoiled by her presence here. I'll be despondent once she leaves me. I wouldn't mind the company in the least, I hope you know."

Sakura sighed, knowing he was addressing her with that last comment. Mandara was good to her and always helpful, the scars on her hands were proof enough of that. But, she felt suffocated by his overprotective nature towards her. She knew she wasn't, but somehow she felt like a burden to him and other people. A weight should only be carried until it fails to serve a purpose, so why was she being carried now. Maybe it was because of her music....

Masking her thoughts with another smile, she continued to at, commenting on the taste and flavor of the wine. It was a good act, but hardly anyone seemed fooled.

After their first visit, Itachi and Sasori came back to visit time and time again, much to the annoyance of Mandara. The older Uchiha had considered taking Sakura away for a month long vacation somewhere far away where those two couldn't follow her, but quickly dismissed the idea when he though about what Sakura would want. As much as he hated to admit it, those two were making Sakura happy and Sakura's happiness was what mattered most, in his eyes.

The big white dog named Red growled up at the door, the hair on his back rising up in agitation. At this, Sakura put down her braille version of The hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo and smiled, standing up and making her way over to the door. Whenever Red growled like that she knew it ment Sasori and Itachi were close by and coming for a visit. She stumbled a bit, forgetting her position in the room before she regained her balance and continued for the door, knowing they would knock a moment later. At the sound of hardened knuckles wrapping against the wood, Red stood up and barked.

Sakura snapped her fingers, scolding Red for his behavior before opening the door to greet and welcome in the two young men. Mandara looked up with a frown, seeing them hug her and smile before tossing a dog treat to Red, murmuring a 'good boy' rewarding him for barking at the intruders. Soon he would have to teach the dog how to attack unwanted intruders.

"Hello Mandara!" Itachi greeted with a raised hand as Sasori led Sakura back into the room with a box of cannoli under his arm. They were Sakura's favorite when he got them for her from the bakery Haku and his father, Zabuza, ran.

Itachi had a bad with biscotti in it from the same shop. It was no mystery that Sakura loved sweets, especially Italian sweets. She once told the two she used to be fairly good at baking her mother's famous three layer venetian Christmas cake and wished she could bake it again, even though it would never be as good as her mother's. Mandara had forbidden her from using the stove after her accident and was extremely sensitive about her being in the kitchen with all those knives and fires.

"Itachi, Sasori. I'm glad to see you two are well. How is work fair for you two?"

"Very well thank you, and yourself? I doubt you've gone into the office very much these days, though."

Mandara grinned, delighting in the opportunity Itachi found himself deprived of. Even if Itachi did visit regularly, Mandara lived with Sakura. He got to see Sakura everyday, and so naturally, this resulted in several close encounters with the thin pink haired woman he would secretly treasure for the rest of his life.

On one such occasion when Sakura was suffering from a highly realistic nightmare she had stumbled into his bedroom, sobbing and shaking in fear. Mandara had been startled away at the sight of her and was instantly at her side, comforting her. In her present state she had blindly latched onto the sleeve of his pajamas and refused to let go, (not that he minded). Seeing her so worked up over her nightmare, Mandara scoped her up and carried her off to his bed where he allowed her to sleep without having to let go of his arm. It was one of the best nights of his life, he would willingly admit to himself. It was like holding a precious doll, holding Sakura.

Sasori took the treats from Itachi and began to set them out on the serving plates that were in Mander's china cabinet. Sakura got up to get the chocolate coffee she had been making earlier (with Madara's help) but was stopped by Itachi.

"I'll get the coffee, Sakura. You should sit and rest," Sasori offered with a soft tone before disappearing into the kitchen to retrieve the expensive drink.

"Thank you, Sasori."

Madera inwardly pouted at the attention his cute little Sakura was giving to someone else, but refused to open his mouth and complain about it, less he distress her. After her last incident in the bathroom with the shaver, Sakura had been doing well, never making another attempt to take her life. As much as he hated to admit it but, those two were helping Sakura more than they would ever know.

Later on, Madera had explained a little bit about Sakura's tendencies and suicidal behavior, knowing they should be at least faintly aware of what they were getting into if they were to further the relationship with the blind girl. He hadn't explained much, so he didn't know if they believed she was suicidal or not, but believed that keeping his words vague was for the best. A part of him hoped to scare them off, though he knew it would be bad for Sakura.

Much to his displeasure, they became even more attached to her, increasing the frequency of their visits to see her and even made the obvious effort to bring her more and more gifts, (most of them sweets, like the ones the brought today).

Sasori came out with the coffee and prepared it for Sakura, blowing on it just like a mother would with a child. "Be careful, Sakura. It's still hot."

The red head expected her to put and contradict him but was always pleasantly surprised when she smiled back and thanked him for his concern. Even if it was in sign language, she radiated sincerity and warmth. Of course he knew she didn't particularly like being babied, but she was too nice of a person to scold him for spoiling him so soon. Later on in the day when he started wiping breadcrumbs off her face she would pout and tell him she could do that much for herself.

"This is delicious coffee, Sakura? Where did you find it?"

"A friend gave it to me as a late birthday present a few weeks ago. She had been out of town and unable to give it to me personally until she got back. She works at the hospital where I had-" She paused with her hands. "-Where I used to go."

"You finished eating our treats from your birthday a long time ago. I'm glad we brought these over when we did," Sasori replied.

Sakura nodded. "Yes, I especially enjoy the sweets Haku and his father make. Unfortunately, Mandara doesn't like me going out to buy from them very much, even if I do bring Red with me."

"It's dangerous to walk all the way over there, Sakura. I feel unwell about you crossing the streets by yourself. The next time you want their sweets I'll get you some myself or take you there personally in a car. Even if the streets are safe, I don't trust anyone else on the streets. Though you may not like it, there are a lot of people that would take advantage of a blind person carrying money. The crime rate is horrendous these days."

Sakura looked down with a small blush of embarrassment. "But there sweets are so good. I could just eat them forever."

Itachi smiled, understanding why Mandara wouldn't like Sakura to go see that Haku boy by herself. The feminine male was a lovesick puppy whenever she came into his shop. He suspected that both he and Sasori were bad enough for his uncle to handle being around Sakura. Another male pining after her wasn't welcomed in the least...even if he did sell Sakura's favorite sweets.

"Then it is a good think you have Sasori and I. It's become a tradition of ours to always bring you something to eat whenever we come over, hasn't it?

"Don't worry, next time we'll bring over something healthy for you to eat, Sakura. I've found a new recipe for Panettone I want to try out. I'll make that for you the next time I come over," Sasori said smoothly, lifting his cup of coffee to his lips with practiced grace. Sadly, it didn't earn him any points with Sakura, who was unable to view his beauty or his grace. She wouldn't be won over so easily.

"How is Panettone Healthy?" Itachi asked.

"It's a bread, isn't it?"

"But it's not a healthy bread. It's still considered a sweet."

"That's okay, I like sweets," Sakura piped up with a wide smile that made more than one heart flutter.

They were all surprised to be interrupted by a hasty knocking at the front door.

"Who's that? More visitors, Mandara?" Itachi asked.

Mandara though it over for a moment before answering. "Kiba did say he would drop by for Red and the new halter he wanted Sakura to use, but I though he would call first. It's not his first time not calling, though. Sasori, could you please let the young man in?"

Sasori frowned inwardly but nodded, getting up to answer the door. Pulling back the door, he wasn't too suprised to see a young man around the age Mandara had discribed. He was around Sakura age, maybe older with neatly combed thick brown hair that almost looked black against his pale skin. "Are you here for Mandara?" Sasori asked.

"Yes," the man answered slowly, hesitant at first.

Sasori stepped away, allowing him to enter. "Come in, please."

"Thank you," the young man nodded in respect and thanks, stepping in. He looking around, a bit surprised to see such elegance. He turned towards Sasori and nodded once more. "My name is Sai. And you are?"

Surprise, skillfully veiled, flashed behind Sasori's cinnamon colored eyes before he nodded. He had been expecting that Kiba kid. "My name is Sasori. I am a...friend of Mandara, you could say. I'll show you to where he is."

"Thank you, Sasori."

Sasori led the young man named Sai into the room where Mandara was sitting with Sakura and Itachi. Sakura looked up hearing them enter, causing the new- comer to freeze where he stood, most likely in shock. "Mandara this man here said he was here for you, his name is Sai."

Crash

The cup that Sakura had nearly drained fell to the silver tray, braking into two large pieces that leaked a dark brown liquid onto the napkins underneath it. Her face and skin had taken on a ghostly shade of white and her body was shivering ever so slightly. Her one visible eye had widened considerably and her mouth hung open, moving slowly as if to pronounce a name she once used to call out with affection.

Itachi and Mandara were both quick come to her side, holding onto her arm, stroking the back of her hand, and checking her forehead for her temperature. Itachi was disturbed to find body at such a level of cold. It was almost deathly.

"Sakura!" Sai exclaimed, stepping forward, arm outstretch towards the scared girl who he seemed to know. He was, however, held back by a tight grip that belonged to the infuriated doll maker. The red head was glaring at him as if he had been someone who wiped out two billion people. "Let me go, I know her!"

"I can see that, but it depends on weather or not she wants to talk to you, and I don't think she looks too eager to engage you in conversation," Sasori hissed as if every word spoken, was boiling acid on his lips.

Sai looked away from the red head and turned towards Sakura. Even if she was frightened, she looked just as beautiful as he remembered her to be. Her long rosy pink hair was pulled up in an elegant bun, leaving a few loose strands to fall in curls around her face with the rest of her bangs. Her ivory dress was trimmed with beige lace under her chest with three buttons above it. The first one was undone, leaving Sai to ogle her creamy, swan like neck that was graced by a strand of fresh water pearls. one of her many gifts from Mandara for her nineteenth birthday.

"Who are you and how do you know Sakura?" Mandara asked with a dark tone under lacing his voice as he continued to stroke her small, pale hand, trying to calm her down as best as possible.

"That's because she- I used to- we...Sakura, please don't be like this," Sai pleaded with desperation evident in his voice. "I'm sorry. I came her to make it right. Please don't be like this. Please don't hate me."

Still trembling, Sakura lifted her hand up to speak. "Please...leave us alone."

"But Sakura!" Itachi cried, fearful of leaving her alone with someone that could make her frightened so easily.

"I'll be fine...please."

Sasori snarled, letting go of the man's should as Itachi and Mandara were forced to leave the two alone. No one would deny her when she asked like that. Itachi looked over his shoulder once more, longingly. He didn't want to leave such a fragile flower alone with such a strong storm.

Once they were alone Sakura looked up at where Sai's voice had come from. Digging her nails ionto her palm she split her lips and spoke softly, letting the fire burn in her throat and in the back of her mind. "What do you want here Sai?"

"Sakura, please come back. Oh, God you don't know how long and hard I've been looking for you. There hasn't been a day without you haunting my thoughts. I looked for you everywhere." He collapsed at her knees, grabbing her hand as tears started to pool at the corners of his eyes. "And then I hear about what...what happened to you. Sakura I'm so sorry."

"You were never this emotional, Sai." Sakura's tone was one that belonged to someone who knew more than anyone else. Someone who knew what was going to happen and what she was going to say before it was said.

Sai burried his head in her limp hands, kissing them as tears started to fall down his face. "Sakura, of Sakura, I'm so very sorry. I never wanted to loose you like that. God, I felt like everything was taken from me. I couldn't sleep for the longest time, not knowing if you were ever going to come back to me. I've never forgiven myself for those times. If I had know you would leave me like that, I would have been so much stronger."

"You should have though of that before you betrayed me and slept with Karin. I am also sorry things did not work out. I though they would have."

Sai looked up suddenly, something close to hope in his eyes. "It still can. Please Sakura, I'm willing to try again. This time I'll do better. This time I'll do so much better and I'll never make you sad again, I promise."

Sakura stiffened, recognizing the feel of her old engagement rings under her fingertips. She had known Sai would have tried this, but it wasn't going to work. "No, Sai. No, I can't. It won't work out, it can't. You and I don't... " She sighed, sadly."The love is not there. Only desperation."

"No, Sakura, no! I love you! I've always loved you. I knew you wouldn't...that you and I wouldn't until marriage like you wanted, so I didn't bug you about it. But Sakura, I'm sorry but my body...it just. I couldn't go that long. Even when I was with Karin, those nights, my thoughts and my heart was always with you. Even with her I never stopped thinking about you. I've always loved you and I always will!" Sai sounded so scared as he tried to convince the woman that had brutally stolen his heart. "Please Sakura I want you as my wife, for now and forever."

"Love is body and soul. I'm sorry I wasn't the right one for you."

"No, Sakur you were. You are. You'll always be the one for me." he kissed her hands again crying into them, letting his sobs lose their violence before speaking again. "My heart will always be with you. I can never get it back. Please, give me another chance."

Sakura didn't answer, choosing to pull her hands away from his and look away, calmly. She knew Sai would understand what her answer was from that. His sobs were answer enough. "I think you should go now, Sai."

"No Sakura, please!" he almost screamed, grabbing her hands and trying to force the ring onto her fingers. Sakura kept her hands tightly fisted as e struggled with her fingers. "I'll die without you. I need you! Don't reject me so suddenly. At least-please think it over a little. Even if I have to start over again, I'll wait a hundred years for you. Just, please don't reject me so suddenly."

He wouldn't let go of her so easily as long as she was kind to him. It would hurt her, but she needed to sever her ties with him if he were ever to have any hope of a life apart from her. She couldn't coddle him anymore. "...No, Sai. You may beg for a hundred years and I will only reject you. I refuse to be in any sort of relationship with someone that goes behind my back and has sex with one of my worst friends. I don't want to hear your voice ever again. Your presence disgusts me. You ruined the only chance you will ever have with me. Go Sai, go and never come back again."

Sakura stood and turned away from him, fingering the tan eye patch that was stuck over her good eye, tempted to remove it and make sure he left without any spark of hope left in him. She knew she was being cruel, but she needed to be.

Sai was quite harshly heart broken, as he watched her stand up and turn away from him. The only woman that could provoke these feeling in him, the one that used to be so close to being his, had now turned her back to him, refusing to ever give him another chance. His love, his angel, his darling, his muse, his life, his other half.... how was he suppose to live without her? Would he have to go back to living that painfully blank void his life used to be before she came into it? A life without joy and sorrow, without happiness and anger and guilt. A life without emotions? That wasn't possible.

"No," he breath, standing up with tears still falling down his face. "I...I won't go on living without you." A heat suddenly flared up in his chest as anger took a hold of him. He lunged for her and pushed her to the ground, cutting off her protests with a harsh kiss that was so unlike his former self.

Sakura struggled to break free from the kiss as he held her hands down with his own, her legs trapped by his own, as well. Fear welled up in Sakura and she nearly lost her sanity in that instant before she remembered who it was holding her down. She bit down on his lip hard, drawing blood. He reflectively pulled back a little bit. Sakura shifted the weight of her lower body upward against him, turning him over and pinning him down. She smacked him across his face, disorienting him before she got up and ran backwards, crashing into a table.

That was all she needed to do to have three worried males rush in to protect her.

Mandara was at her side, holding her trembling body tight against his own as Itachi stepped in to shield her from view with his own body. A hand of his reached out behind him to hold her own. Sasori, being the most aggressive of the three, was upon Sai like a shark on blood, his eyes gleaming with ill intent. He held the pale artist up by the collar of his button front shirt, making sure to keep his shorter body a half inch off the ground.

"What the hell do you think you were going to do to her?" he hissed, blood lust raging in his voice.

Sai refused to answer, a dead look in his eyes.

Behind him, Sakura coughed violently, blood pooling behind her lips from having talked too much. It was only a little, but it was enough to freak the four men out more than any would like to admit. Mentally cursing herself for letting the conversation get out of hand Sakura looked up and locked eyes with knew Sasori would know what she wanted and she knew he wouldn't defy her, no matter how much he wanted to.

Put him down and let him go. He's not worth it and I don't want you fighting, Sasori.

Sasori growled a little bit like a wounded dog being forced into a corner, but complied without a word, dragging Sai to the door before throwing him out with a deadly look before he slammed the door shut. He didn't even care to look back when he saw Sai's head crash up against the wall with a spray of small blood. That done, he wasted no time in getting to Sakura's side to see how she was doing.

"Why is she coughing up blood, Mandara?" Itachi hissed, angry and afraid of the red dripping from her lips.

"She must have talk to him too much," he replied, holding up Sakura who was slipping down in his arms as she drifted closer and closer to sleep.

"I thought that she was a mute? How could she talk?" Sasori asked.

"Do, her voice box was just damaged. She can still talk, but it's extremely painful. That's why she took up sign language. I remember telling you two she lost her voice along with her sight in an accident, right?" They both nodded, as Mandara folded Sakura in his arms and carried her to his room. "That's still true, but this always happens if she gets too angry or emotional when she talks, or when she just talks too much. I should have listened for her."

Sakura was out like a light by the time he pulled the covers back and tucked them under her chin. Sleeping peacefully like a doll, the three couldn't help but feel protective of her.

"Who was he?" Mandara asked.

Itachi opened his hand and let the others see the beautiful diamond engagement ring that rolled to a stop in his palm. "My guess, and old boyfriend. Possibly someone she was going to marry before wising up and getting out of the relationship. Sasori, I know you heard a bit of what he said. You have the best hearing out of anyone I know and he was pretty loud. What did he say?"

Sasori sighed, not wanting to remember anything that cold hearted man had said to his precious little doll. "I couldn't catch much, but from the sounds of it, he and Sakura were going out and he cheated on her with this other girl. Sakura left and he came chasing after her." Anger boiled in his chest. How dare he come back to her after betraying her for someone else. She was far too great a treasure for him to be even worthy of her thoughts, let alone her affections. Aside from that, she was his beloved...and, begrudgingly, Itachi's. "Will she be alright?"

Mandara nodded, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face that had come from her collapsed bun. "She will be fine, as long as she gets a lot of rest. We should probably leave her to sleep."

"When will she wake up?" Itachi asked.

Mandara stilled a few feet from the door, looking down at his shoes with old tired eyes. "I don't know. She might sleep all day, she might wake up in a few hours, she might not wake up for two or three days, I can't tell."

"We should leave her to sleep in peace, come on," Sasori said, ushering his friend out as Mandara closed the door behind them.

I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person... she though to herself, letting her thoughts loop endlessly around in her head as she continued with her actions of self hate. I am such a bad person. I am such a bad person...

I had only been a day since she last saw Sai, but she couldn't get the look of lifelessnesses that glowed in his eyes to leave her mind. She had put that back into him. She had put his life back into the blank void it now was. And of course the wound somewhere on his body he had suffered thanks to Sasori's roughness with him. That had been her fault too. Even if she could only smell and feel the blood, she knew it was there and that nearly sent her reeling back into madness.

I am such a terrible person. I don't deserve to live, even if it's a life as twisted and crippled as this, her mind screamed as she cried more and more into Mandara's pillow. She hated herself even more now. A person like her was better off gone. She should have never survived that first accident so many years ago that took both her mother and her father from her. She should have stayed in her house with the killer and let him slay her along with her dead parents.

Many hours later, still feeling somewhat bad about being alive, Sakura struggled out of the large four post, king size bed, fumbling around in the dark for something to wear other than the lacy black and dull gray underwear she slept in after discarding her dress. A light bronze robe Mandara had left out for her soon found it's self slipped over her thin body and tied together at the waist.

She yawned, feeling her stomach growl in it's need for food as she stepped out into the hallway and into the first living room. She was surprised to hear someone who was lighter than Mandara shift and stand up from the couch.

"Sakura! Are you feeling any better? Itachi asked.

Sakura smiled and nodded as another growl from her stomach voiced it's self. She blushed lightly in embarrassment, hearing Itachi chuckled warmly in amusement. his laugh was one she would always be able to pick out in a crowd, no matter what the size.

"How about some breakfast?I'm not Sasori when it comes to food, but I can at least make french toast. Would you like some?"

"Yes, please?"

Itachi chuckled again, leading her into the kitchen. Seated at the bar on a stool Sakura was surprised to hear another set of lungs breathing behind her. She turned slightly, trying to increase her range of hearing when a pair of well sculpted arms draped themselves over her shoulders. "Good morning Sakura. Did you sleep well?"Sasori asked.

Sakura smiled brightly and nodded, not noticing how Itachi had stopped in his preparation to glare at his red haired friend. Ever since the incident with Sai, Itachi had started to view everyone else as competition for her heart and affection. He didn't like Sasori getting so close to what he considered his. But seeing Sakura smiling like that, after what happened with that Sai guy, he could let it slide. Her joy was worth more than a little rivalry.

"Hey, now that you are up, sleeping beauty, why don't you make us some breakfast. You don't want me burning down the house now, do you? I might just end up poisoning the batch and send you all to the hospital."

Sasori glared lazily at his friend with heavy bags under his eyes. He had gotten hardly any sleep since Sakura had fallen unconscious. He was in no mood to be making breakfast. And of course there was his position with Sakura he didn't want to give up. "I'm tired, you make it..."

"I want to taste Itachi's cooking, please!" Sakura signed with a cherry smile that made Itachi's heart do a flip flop in his chest before tightening.

'She wants to eat my cooking!'

Sasori walked with Sakura over to the table where he sat limply, his head resting in his hand. He smiled slightly when she sat next to him. He reached out with his free hand and twirled a spare curl around his finger. She seemed so small and fragile, keeping up that fake facade of a a smile. When would she break...if ever? He wanted t be there to catch her the next time she tripped over something like this.

His thoughts were interrupted when the first batch of French toast was served, drenched in syrup and powered sugar. It turned out Itachi's cooking wasn't as bad as the dark Uchiha made it out to be.

"It's very good, Itachi. thank you."

"I'm glad you like it. I may not be as good as Sasori when it comes to cooking, but it's nice to know I can at least hold my own in the kitchen."

"Everyone has their strong points, Itachi."

Sasori smiled, happy to know he was still the best in the kitchen. But more than that, he was happy to see Sakura so awake and healthy.

Hopefully, sadness like that wouldn't attack her ever again.

Later that day, Sasori and Itachi were both called out on business. Neither of them wanted to leave Sakura alone. Apparently there was trouble at Uchiha co. that only Itachi could fix and Sasori had a rather demanding client who wanted to make a large scale order in person. Itachi agreed he would be the one to leave first and try to sort out the problem at work as quickly as possible, while Sasori held out with Sakura for as long as possible.

Sasori had seriously considered throwing the whole deal out the window, but was convinced by the blind girl to leave her alone and go through with the deal. After all, she was only planning on sleeping until Mandara came back. After watching her drift off on one of the fainting couches, Sasori had taken her up on her offer and silently fled the extraordinary apartment.

A half an hour after leaving, Sakura was awoken by the harsh ringing of the dinging room phone. Groggily coming to, she stumbled out of the sitting room and felt her way into the dining room. the ringing stopped a loud beep soon followed.

"You have reached Mandara Uchiha. I'm not here at the moment to take your call but please leave a message."

Beep

"Itachi? Are you and Sasori still there? You need to keep Sakura away from the television. Esspecially the news. Apparently that Sai boy she had once been seeing tried to kill himself by hanging. He's in the hospital now, but he's really a mess. Itachi? Sasori? Are you guys still there?"

Sakura felt her heart fall into the mess her stomach had become as Mandara's words rang in her ears.

"Apparently that Sai boy she had once been seeing tried to kill himself by hanging. He's in the hospital now, but he's really a mess."

Sai? Sai tried to kill himself? Because of me?

I am such a bad person.

I am such a bad person...

I don't deserve to live anymore.

Still on the line, a thought stuck Mandara, causing him to curse loudly. What if Sakura had been the only one home and what if she had heard him? He quickly disconnected the call and dialed Itachi's number. The younger of the two Uchiha answered without hesitation.

"Hello?"

"Are you with Sakura?"

Guilt washed over Itachi. "Well, no. Sasori and I both had buisness we needed to handel so she told us to leave and she would sleep. Sasori was with her last since I left first. Why? Is there something wrong with Sakura? You don't sound too good."

"I think Sakura is going to try an kill herself."

Silance.

"What?" He sounded like a starved demon.

"You know that Sai guy she told off yesterday? Well, he tried killing himself. If she knows about it I'm positive she'll try something. She can't stand hurting people like that, her soul is just too fragile. "

Itachi was still a bit shocked. "Sakura....she wouldn't do something like that. She wouldn't take her own life, would she?"

"It wouldn't be the first time she tried to. She's been pretty good about ever since you two came along, but still, I don't know. This is something serious. I don't like taking chanses like this. Can you get away for work for a while?"

"I'm already outside. It'll take me a few minuets to drive over there, but I'll be there soon enough."

"Good. I just texted Sasori. He should be closer right?"

"I'll get there."

"I just want Sakura safe."

"Hn." And with that, the line was disconnected.

'Sakura wouldn't try to kill herself, would she? Suicide wasn't for her. She wouldn't possibly try to take her life and leave him behind. She wouldn't try to rob his of that precious smile and all those moments he planned to share with her in the future. Not over some stupid old boyfriend who tried to do God knows what with her. No, she wouldn't kill herself over something concerning that low life. He wouldn't let her!'

Itachi squealed to a stop outside the apartment building, killing the engine without much thought before sprinting through the front door and up the stairs. Sasori was just a half step in front of him, just as frantic.

"Itachi, you heard?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think-?"

"Don't talk, just run!"

And that's what they did.

The entered the apartment and still for half a second, not being able to see or her her anywhere.

"Sakura? Sasori called out. There was no reply.

The sound of running water tipped both off and before a normal human would have reacted, both males were running towards one of Mandara's bathrooms. The sound of cascading water grew louder as the door to the bathroom was slammed open and nearly off it's hinges, allowing the two panic stricken males to enter. The thought that Sakura could just be innocently taking a shower was not even remotely present at all in either of their minds as they ran in.

Sasori choked on his breath at the sight and Itachi stumbled to his knees, shaken to the core at what he saw. Sakura was curled up on the bottom of the shower, her wrists red with dripping blood that snaked down her arm and into the water that fall all around her. Her soaked robe and stuck to her body and her hair hung damply around her pale face, void of the skin colored eye patch she normally wore. She looked like a drowned puppy.

Itachi threw open the door and Sasori reached inside the pull Sakura out, careful not to jostle her wounds. Sasori examined her carefull in half a second and sighed slightly when he noticed a heartbeat and felt a pulse. They weren't too late, after all.

"She's still breathing, Itachi. Call 911."

"No, I'll drive her, it'll be faster that way. Get her in my car."

Sasori nodded, following Itachi out, the bleeding girl in his arms. "This is bad, she's loosing a lot of blood and she's cold. That water was freezing. Hang on a little longer, Sakura. No one wants to see you go. Hang on, Sakura."

Itachi cursed fate as he climbed into his car and started the engine. Sasori was already behind him in the passenger seat with Sakura folded up in his lap. She was still wet and bleeding, smearing red across the chest of the man with cinnamon eyes. He pulled out of the parking lot with chirping tires, going well above the speed limit. He honestly didn't care if he broke a dozen laws in the process of getting his Sakura to a place of healing.

With one hand, Sasori texted Mandara about Sakura condition, telling him to meet him at the hospital. The older Uchiha was there and waiting when they arrived with a bloodied and dripping Sakura. A man in a nurse's uniform was there to meet them at the entrance with a stretcher.

"If I ever meet that Sai guy again I'll personally rip out his voicebox and push back both his eyes till they fall out of his ears. It's all his fault that this happened to Sakura. Mandara was right about her. She's too kind and gentle for this kind of world," Sasori hissed glaring angrily at his bloodied fist that was still damp with his beloved's spilt blood. He doubted he had ever felt this much anger in his entire life.

"That's only part of the reason she's here today," Mandara said, entering the near empty waiting room that held both Sasori and Itachi.

Itachi looked up from his folded hands, eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"

Mandara sighed deeply, getting ready to go into detail for these two. "You know Sakura was in an accident, right? And in that accident she lost her voice and her sight. The truth is, she didn't loose either of the two. Only part of her voice-box was damaged so she choose to be a mute. As for the sight.... At one point she really was blind. But an operation opened up sight in her one eye."

Sasori and Itachi both narrowed their eyes. "But, Sakura chan is blind, now."

"Yes, Itachi. That's because she wears a patch over her good eye. Before they could continue with the surgery, Sakura began going into fits. It turns out she has a rare mental case that prove suicidal in those who were blind before sight was restored."

"So, she chose to go blind?" Sasori asked, not really understanding what he was hearing.

"Yes. The world...was to scary of a place to Sakura. Murderers, dead people, hate, blood, ugliness- she couldn't take it. Her soul was just a bit too clean for what she had to go through."

Itachi growled, throwing his head into his hands. Damn it, he should have never left her side. She was too important to him to be lost now. She was the only thing that was important to him. The only person that could touch his heart. He wouldn't let her die. Not Sakura. Not his Sakura.

"So, this isn't the first time she tried killing herself?" Sasori asked, still trembling with pent up rage.

"...No, there was one time when she accidently caught sight of a red drink and mistook it for blood when she wasn't wearing her eyepatch. I caught her in time, but even then, there had always been times she had...I doubt she'll ever want to live enough not to be tempted by death. There's to much self hate there. She can't hate anyone but herself."

Together with an extensive review of available literature, some authors I want you to look up on present cases taken from their psychological autopsy study database. However rare it may be, in some cases, readjustment may not occur and suicide may result."

Sasori growled, knowing Mandara's words to be true. "Why can't she see that she's important to other people. Hate herself? That's bullshit." It sounded more like a demons curse than a grown man's words when coming from she a distraught Sasori.

Sasori; a man known for being an emotionless puppet in the hands of those who were stronger than him. A blank bastard, more or less. But not now. Not when sweet, dear, perfect Sakura chan was so close to dying. Only his Sakura would be able to hurt him this way. Only his Sakura.

"Didn't you say, Mandara, that Sakura had a weak body to begin with. I've seen her myself plenty of times, and I hate to admit it, but she's pale and thin and....she doesn't look like someone who can get by on her own. 'She doesn't look like someone that can survive without me.'

Mandar ran a hand through his long, jet black Uchiha hair and sighed. "You're right, Itachi. But I'm not going to let that bother me. What Sakura lacks with her body she makes up with her will and determination. If she want's to pull through this, she will."

"Dose she?" Itachi sounded so desperate.

Mandara closed his eyes and refused to meet those of his relative's. "I don't know."

Minuets tricked into hours, hours rolled by like lead stones shaved flat by a relentless tide. It was in those hours, that those three men fought so desperately with themselves to fight off the madness that threatened to consume them alive.

"What's taking so long?"

"They won't call us until she wakes up, Sasori."

Mandara looked up at the celling, not liking the choking presence of the room. For him, it had been far too long to go without a certain pink haired drug neatly folded in his arms. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee downstairs or something warm to drink. Don't mind me."

Itachi watched Mandara leave, waiting until there wasn't a trace of his older relative left before be decided to speak aloud. He didn't want Mandara to hear what he had to say to Sasori concerning Sakura. "Sasori, I have something I want to propose."

"What is it, Uchiha?"

"I know you like Sakura." Sasori stiffened. It felt like an attack.

"You're wrong."

"Am I?"

Sasori's eyes seemed to gleam with a red tinted hate. "I love that woman, Uchiha. Don't downplay it."

Itachi nodded, slowly. "I understand that. I love Sakura was well. I love her truly and deeply and have viewed you as a sort of enemy for the longest time. I though I would fight you and win Sakura over in the end, but now I see it's all useless."

"Oh?"

"If I fight with you about her, she'll break. She's such a fragile thing that I don't think she can stand the thought of violence. And if she ever knew about her quarrels over her sake, she might just try something like this again to end out fights. It would line up with her nature perfectly."

"Are you telling me to give her up to you, Uchiha?" Sasori asked, bristling. The thought made his insides churn and twist in a most unpleasant fashion. Giving up Sakura to the Uchiha? Over his dead body, maybe. "That's not going to happen in this lifetime."

"I know that, that's why I have a proposal for you?"

"What is it?"

Itachi looked up at Sasori. "Share her with me?"

"What? Are you insane, Uchiha?" he hissed, flinching like a viper at the though of it. "You can't possibly be serious."

"Any other way would just break Sakura, unless you want her snatched up from someone else like Mandara or that Haku boy at the bakery? You know a life time supply of her favorite sweets might be all it takes to get the upper hand," Itachi pointed out, not really liking the though of Sakura falling into the hands of such a feminine looking boy.

"You have a point." Sasori frowned, turning his face away. "That doesn't mean I like what you're saying though. The though is kind of...wrong."

"I just want to see her smile. Is that so bad, or too much to ask for?"

Unable to rebuke his good intention, the red haired artist let a choked silence eat up their conversation for a while as the clock's hands slowly crawled across its face. Sakura's smile and her happiness was all that really mattered when it came down to it. Sure he didn't like it as much when it was caused by someone other than him, but that sort of thought was always so distant in his mind when it came to her well being. He wanted her for himself, true. But he also wanted her alive. Was his selfishness for such a rare and precious beauty really al that horrible? He didn't think so, but if it meant something like this happening again because of their warring affections than such selfishness was indeed a bad thing.

"What do you think Mandara will say?"

Itachi shrugged. "I think you've seen it just as much as I have. He cares dearly and truly for her. But not that way a lover would. More so like an older brother or long lost father with his only child. Maybe there is a spark of something more in him, but I know you and I both have made are intentions clear in our desire to, shall we say, court her. Would you stop loving her if he told you too?"

Sasori grinned slightly to himself at the though. "Hell no. I'd like to see him try."

"Than you agree?"

"I'll think about it."

A slender nurse with short, jet black hair and deep eyes entered the waiting room with a clipboard at her side. She looked over the two males and seemed to measure them up in her mind before speaking. "Are you two here for Miss. Sakura?" Itachi and Sasori both rose to their feet in an instant, both answering yes at the same time. "She's away if you want to see her. Please follow me to her room."

An Iv cord was sticking out of her arm and a lot of clean white bandages were wrapped around her arms. Her eyes looked like they were closed by upon further inspections, you could see that they were just barely open. Her hair had been pulled back by a nurse and was tucked under her skull to expose her entire face. The nurse took one look at the two men and than one at the girl and wisely left the three alone.

Itachi took a seat at her right and Sasori took one at her left, each male reaching for one of her hands.

"Sakura...can you see us?"

Sakura lifted the lids of her eyes and turned to her side to see Itachi. "Yes, I can."

Her voice was so sweet and soft, no louder than a spring breeze's whisper. It made each male grow hot and flustered.

"We're not letting go of you until we know you'll be alright. And even then..." Sasori let his sentence hang in the air as she studied his appearance for the first time.

She took in his warm cinnamon colored eyes and messy red hair that, for some weird reason, didn't bother her. She rolled her eyes over to look over Itachi and take in his appearance as well. His long black hair that looked like liquid silk reminded her of the times she kept here eyes shut. Nice and familiar. And like the color of Sasori's hair didn't bother her, his blood red eyes could only seem kind and endearing when they looked at her.

No blood, no hate, no ugly. There was nothing about them that she found repulsive or scary. She couldn't see either one of them being anything more than the kind and loving men she remembered them to be. After all this time of guessing at voices and staring into darkness she could finally see.

She could see again.

Sakura smiled, weakly but brightly at the two men.

"Yes, I can finally see."

Dearest friend of mine,

And so my friend, I am running away once again. You would think I'd learn my lesson by now, but that is not the case.

I love you dearly, my friend, and wish you well. Goodbye

-Sakura

Sasuke tenderilly traced the black pint of his treasured letter with a shivering, pale finger. His sight was blurry with the tears he refused to shed. He had too much pride to break down an weap like a spoiled child.

A tear excaped his lids.

But maybe, just for her and only for her, he could make an exception and cry silently...like a man.

"I'm sorry Sakura. My God Sakura, I'm so very, very, sorry! It really is all my fault for what happened to you. I don't know if you are even alive anymore because you're not here. But I guess you couldn't bear to see the pain I put myself in because of you. I was never your fault, but it was so much easier to except that blaming it all on me. For someone as smart as you, you can really be an idiot sometimes. I didn't mind the pain as long as you were there," he whispered to no one, staring blindly at the treasure in his hands.

His little piece of Sakura.

"I can't see how you can think it's not my fault for what happened. I knew that man and I was purposely late in meeting you that day. I never ment for his gun to go off or for your eyes and your throat and the knife and...Oh God, Sakura!" Sasuke choked, feeling his throat clog up. More tears fell down like a small river had been carved into his face. "It...It's- It's really all my f-fault, you stupid idiot. I'm s-so so so so damn s-sorry for being such a-a cold bastard to you. I really did love you...even if you never new it."

That knowing look in light green her eyes flashed through his mind, bring out a grim smile. "But you were always the smartest one. A real plato in the living flesh. That was so annoying, sometimes. You knew. You knew I loved you and you knew you wouldn't love me back. You always knew didn't you? That's the real reason you ran away, isn't it? Because you knew."

Sasuke wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and smiled, forcing his lips to bend that way even if his heart was breaking apart. It was the beginning of his end with her. It was the beginning of the healing process of the mess she left behind.

"Alright Sakura, you knew it all along. You knew it wouldn't work out between us and I trust you. Wherever you are you had better be happy. I won't forgive you for this hole in my chest if you're not happier with whoever the damn luck guy is. Goodbye Sakura. I'll always love you, but not anymore."

Dearest friend of mine,

Dearest friend

Dear friend

Dear Sasuke

Goodbye

"Where have all the feelings gone?
Why is the deadliest sin - to love as I loved you?
Now unblessed, homesick in time,
Soon to be freed from care, from human pain.
My tale is the most bitter truth:
Time pays us but with earth and dust, and a dark, silent grave.
Remember, my child: Without innocence the cross is only iron,
Hope is only an illusion and Ocean Soul's nothing but a name...
The Child bless thee and keep thee forever"

AU:/This is purely a result of the poll I set up to see what readers liked in a fanfic. (Thank you everybody who voted!) The two choices that were the most popular were Pairing and Length(long). Itachi and Sasori seem to be the two most popular pairings concerning the bulk of my reviewers (as so proven in My Enemy and Das Puppengesicht). So if I put them in the story with Sakura chan, that should knock out one requirement. Mandara is there simply because I wanted him there. I have to write for myself too, you know.

The next was length. It was so painfully obvious that everyone liked long stories more than short ones, that I had to kick myself for even suggesting it. Almost nobody seemed to like the short stories. As you can see here in this tremendously long and painful one-shot with a whooping 17002 words, that requirement was passively met. I've seen much longer one-shots, but I lacked the time and patience to do anything more than this. Still, it's a lot longer that most of my other oneshots, ne? =P

I hope this pleases the bulk of you. Most of it was written to older Nightwish songs, in case any of you didn't know about my need to have music going while I write. Nightwish is a really good muse driver for me. Another really neat band I've become interested in is Blue Foundation. Their songs all have a sort of sultry haunting melody to them. If I didn't think it's weird I'd give you a play list.

PLEASE REVIEW MY LONGEST ONESHOT EVER!

Vesper chan-

P.S. And a tiny, little shout out to my dad who is celebrating his Bday today.