Sasuke had no idea what she had been through. Sakura had no idea why he never came back for her until now. Left abused and hurt, she trusted no man, aside from his brother, only now he was dead, and she had no one. But was she really alone? Could it be that through all the misunderstandings, confusions, and years passed, that Sasuke has finally come back for her? Or will he leave once he fulfilled his dead brother's last wishes? But how could Sasuke leave, when one of his brother's last request was for him to marry her? All that mattered was that one way or another, she will be loved by him.
She Will Be Loved
by TiKanis and DreamDevourer
His ship had just made port when a messenger came running, waving a dark colored envelope in his hand. "Uchiha! Uchiha Sasuke! I mean-Lord Uchiha! Sir, please come down immediately! I have urgent news! Please, hurry!"
At first, Sasuke was going to ignore the man, he never cared much for any news his brother sent his way. He wanted nothing to do with his Uchiha title. He was a captain, a general, a war hero. He had his own life. But then the man had called him "Lord Uchiha." His heart nearly skipped a beat. Could it be? Could his brother have died in the two years he hadn't seen him? But how? He was fine the last time he visited. Did someone kill him? No was the answer to the last question, no one is foolish enough to mess with the Uchiha brothers.
But then what had happened?
Sasuke pretended to patiently wait for the crew to finish getting the ship in order, yet his body was itching to just jump off the ship and talk to the messenger. His mind was rattling with unanswered questions. Maybe his brother had been ill, but he didn't know because he never asked. Two years ago, when he had visited, he didn't necessarily go see him-he wanted to, but something, or rather someone had stopped him. From afar, he had seen his brother walking down the street, hand in hand, with a beautiful pink haired girl. Sakura. All his intentions to come back and work with his brother had quickly disappeared. He had left the same day he had come, with no plans of returning.
"Lord Uchiha, please, this is of great urgency!" the man yelled, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts. His brows furrowed, if his brother was dead, then what of the girl? He sighed lightly.
The man ran up to him the moment he stepped down. "Sir, this is a letter containing a message from the higher ups of Konoha. They demand you return back to attend your brother's funeral and to accept the title that comes of his death," he heaved, out of breath from all the running. He handed the letter to Sasuke. Not giving him a chance to speak, he goes on, "The funeral will be held a week from today, sir. We've been trying to reach you for two weeks now."
The envelope was as light as a feather. So this is how light the news of a dead man is? Sasuke thought. His heart felt so heavy. Despite their differences, he was his brother after all. And now he was gone. His last and only family. Gone. Just like that.
"H-how did he die?" Sasuke managed to ask, hating himself for sounding so weak. He didn't like showing any emotion. Emotions made a man weak and undefended.
"Coughing of the blood, my Lord. No one was aware of it until we heard the news. He did a good job hiding it from everyone. Even his woman did not know. Poor girl, I believe she was hit the hardest from the news. Has not come out of the house since he passed away." With that said, the man walked away, leaving Sasuke to dwell on all of this.
Coughing of the blood? His brother had cancer and he was not aware of it? And his woman? So what he had seen on that street, two years ago, was not a figment of his imagination. His brother and Sakura were together. And now she lived in the house where he will soon be living as well. Or maybe not. Maybe he could just attend the funeral, accept the title and go back to the sea. It was perfectly normal for a Lord to go on voyages.
Putting aside his plans, he opened the letter. It was written by Hatake Kakashi. His handwriting never changed.
Dear Sasuke,
It is difficult for me to have to write this, but it is the only way to tell you. Itachi has passed away this morning. He didn't want anyone to know, so I tried my best to help him through his pain. It got more difficult towards the end,we didn't expect it to happen for another year or so, but just know that he died peacefully in his sleep. He-we both-have made many attempts to try and reach you over the past two years so that you may be here with him, but we didn't succeed. He wanted to tell you. He had hoped you would've received his letters over the course of these last few years, or maybe you had, but did not return for your own reasons. He has left a list of last requests for me to take care of, one of them was to get you back home. You are now the last heir to the Uchiha legacy. I know you don't care, nor that you will not return to claim the title. But the Konoha officials have heard my plea for your urgency return, and they will make sure you return, at all cost. You weren't there for the time your brother needed you, but I hope you will make that up by being here now, to help fulfill his last wishes.
-Kakashi
The letter was crushed in his fist as he made his way back to the ship.
Sakura stared at herself in the mirror. She was wearing the black gown Kakashi had purchased for her. She had told him she only wanted something plain and simple, but he hadn't listened, muttering something about necessary to look her best. The color made her look paler then she already was, and made her red face even more noticeable. The whole country will know that she had been crying her eyes out for the past three weeks. Let them know. She thought. I'm mourning the greatest friend in the world. The greatest man ever.
She finished combing her hair, letting it fall down her shoulders. It was un-lady like to not put your hair up in a stylish way, but she could careless. She had never been a lady to begin with. She was just a girl, whom was rescued by a kind hearted man. They may know her as Ayashi Raine, a pretend heiress to an old family lineage, but to Kakashi and Itachi, she was just Haruno Sakura. A young defenseless girl who needed help and protection. Itachi took her in, gave her a new name so that she may be safe, and over the years, he made her feel loved and secured. But now he was gone. Just like that.
How did she not know? How could she not see the signs of his illness? Or maybe she saw them but didn't really want to see them. She didn't want to know that her best friend was leaving her alone again. But it happened, he was gone now.
The last thing he had said to her was that everything will be okay, and she must promise to listen to Kakashi, that Kakashi would take care of her. She didn't understand why he would say such a random thing, until she found out that he had died in his sleep.
Tears were already threatening to spill out. "Why didn't he tell me!" Sakura demanded the moment Kakashi walked into her bedroom.
Kakashi, also dressed in black, sighed. "He wanted to die seeing a smile on your face, Sakura. You know he loved you, as if you were his sister. He just wanted to make you happy."
"Look at me now Kakashi! How am I happy? If I had been more prepared, if I had known beforehand, I would be taking it better, but I wasn't! The news hit me like a knife in the heart." The tears came down her cheeks, one by one. "It's not fair, he didn't deserve this ending."
Kakashi, normally never hugged anyone nor was an emotional type, walked to the young girl and wrapped his arms around her. "Everything will be okay, Sakura, trust me. Itachi has left you in good hands."
Everyone who was important in society, or whom had known of Itachi, had appeared at the funeral to pay their respects.
Including his brother, Uchiha Sasuke.
She was in complete shock. The last person she had expected to see in her lifetime was him. When had he returned?
Her eyes were glued to him from across where he sat. All that separated them was the coffin.
Kakashi came to sit next to her, she placed her hand in his. The ceremony began.
Sasuke had been the first to arrive, surprisingly. He took a seat right up front, wanting to have a fast escape as soon as the priest said the last words. On his way back, he still couldn't believe it. His brother was indeed dead. Some nights he woke up, hoping it was all a dream, but with each and passing hour as the ship neared Konoha, he knew it was real. His brother was gone. And he never had the chance to say goodbye.
You weren't there for the time your brother needed you, but I hope you will make that up by being here now, to help fulfill his last wishes.
That last sentence from Kakashi's letter was what made him return. Putting aside all hatred, Sasuke knew that his brother would've done the same thing for him-to fulfill any last unfinished business. After he has done that, he would leave.
The seats started getting filled fast, and soon only two seats were left empty across from him. Could it be for her? He thought, and quickly hated himself for being the slightest bit eager. He didn't want to see her, he didn't want anything to do with her. He came back for his brother, not for her.
And then he saw her, walking alongside Kakashi. It nearly took his breath away; she was as beautiful as ever, even with her red cheeks and tearful eyes. Tearful eyes. Suddenly his hands turned into tight fists. She was mourning his brother. He hated her for such a betrayal.
Why didn't she wait for him? That was the question that had haunted him for the past two years. Why didn't she wait? He had promised to return. And now she was his brother's woman.
She sat down with her head bowed downwards. Sasuke didn't fail to notice the looks she was getting from the nearby women.
"Poor girl, what is she going to do now? In all this time, Lord Uchiha didn't even marry her, maybe he thought he had more time… hmmm." A woman beside him whispered to her husband. Her husband made a shhh sound and she sat back quietly.
So they weren't married? After so long? Things were getting more confusing by the second for him.
And then she raised her head, her eyes scanned the area and landed on him. Shock was not the best word to describe her expression, but that's all he could do to sum it up. She tried to cover it by giving him a nod in recognition and then looking away. Kakashi sat next to her and it looked as if she was relieved. She took hold of his hand and whispered something to him. Kakashi nodded in response.
The ceremony began, and Sasuke couldn't stop looking at her, but she never looked back at him. A new thought appeared; maybe she didn't recognize him. The last time she had seen him was when they were 15. He was taller now, his hair longer and unruly. His face older, and more rugged. He laughed inside, putting aside that lame excuse, he was pretty sure she did recognize him.
This was the reality that came to be. His brother in a coffin and the girl he loved for so long sitting across from him, crying her eyes out for the lover she had lost, forgetting all about the promises she had made to him years ago.
How pathetic.
Sasuke brought his attention back to the priest. It was time to place the flowers on the coffin, and if he remembered correctly from his parents funeral, those whom were family stood up first. They were to place a flower on the coffin and say something of meaning. He took the white rose and stood up. With his head bowed, he walked towards the coffin. Whispers were heard from all directions. At first he thought it was because they weren't aware that he was even here, but when he raised his head, he saw her standing on the other side of the coffin, a cherry blossom in her hand. Kakashi standing a few feet behind her.
She was biting her lower lip as she looked back at him. With trembling hands, she placed the flower on the coffin, and he placed his near hers, not once taking his eyes off her. She must really have loved his brother to be so emotional. Out of all the people in attendance, he was sure she was the only one whose tears were real and with great emotion.
It was time for them to say something-a few words of importance. What will the last words he will speak to his brother be? What will her words be? He wondered. He kept his eyes on her. What can he say that will sum up all these past years? What can sum up his behavior? His hatred? His hurt? He said the only words he knew.
"I'm sorry."
And then it was her turn. Her head was bowed again, her lips trembled. Sasuke waited. Mere seconds seemed like hours. Would she tell everyone how much she missed his brother? How much she loved him? He held his breath.
"Thank you," she said, "for loving me." She walked away.
Sasuke's heart shattered. The last part she had whispered, though he had still heard.
It started to rain, but he still stood there, staring at the direction she had walked off to. People stood one by one, leaving their flowers and paying their respects, but he did not move. Some knocked into him, but still, he couldn't move. He felt so lost. So confused. What had happened? What had he missed?
He was left standing alone, drenched from the short-lasting rain.
"Why did you take her away from me?" Sasuke whispered. "You knew she was mine."
From a distance, you would think that the water on his face was from the rain, but infact, those were the tears of a broken man.
So this is a collaboration of myself and this other awesome writer i met, DeeDee .
You can tell her writing style with this story matches her own. Please check out her stories, they are really great!
And, Thank You for reading, thoughts and questions are welcomed.
-TiKanis :)