Holding Hands

A brief assessment of the situation confirmed Sakura of her impending doom.

She hung precariously over an abyss of rock, sand and cold winds, and no matter how hard she squinted her eyes couldn't see how far down it was. Her sleeve tore from tension and Sakura is reminded of her hold of her teammate above her. He had her by the elbow, Sakura gripping his, while his other hand fought for purchase on an old oak root protruding from the side of the crevasse.

"Sakura," her teammate called. "Look."

Sakura turned her head slightly, following where her teammate indicated. A small groove of stone was just to their right, deep and wide enough for two hands.

"I'll hoist you up."

Before Sakura could protest, she felt herself being lifted cautiously towards the groove. Sakura saw the old root quiver and she stiffened.

"Sasuke-kun, wait—!"

The root shivered and their movements tore part of it from the rock above it, slamming the two shinobi roughly against the side. Their grip on each other faltered and slipped.

"Shit!"

Sakura barely heard Sasuke's curse as adrenaline shot right up her arm. She managed to take hold of Sasuke's hand tightly as debris and dust fell on both of them. Something hit Sakura's shoulder, and she saw Sasuke's short-range radio tumble into the darkness below her.

"Well," Sakura sighed, "there goes our last wireless."

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke told her. "Naruto should be back soon."

'Soon' seemed comforting enough, until both shinobi heard another creak. Sakura saw the root bend hard against the earth as it strained to support their weight.

No immediate help and not enough chakra. To die of unfortunate circumstance and not by the hands of an enemy seemed unfitting, Sakura thought, especially for Sasuke. She looked up at him and watched as he scowled in deep contemplation, thinking through possible options. How unfair that a shinobi such as Uchiha Sasuke would be killed by having his body crushed deep in the uncharted bowels of Earth Country.

He hasn't even finished his probation yet, Sakura thought bitterly. The probation she, Naruto and Kakashi worked hard to bargain for from councils, Kages, and courtrooms, all to keep their prodigal teammate from death…yet here he was on the brink of it again, as if the gods deemed the last Uchiha unworthy of team seven's efforts.

We saved him, Sakura told herself, wincing from the pain of maintaining her hold on Sasuke. We saved him, and maybe that's enough.

The root gave way a little more, and Sasuke glared at it as though daring the earth to crumble. Sakura looked at the groove to her right. There was no way Sasuke could lift her up again without agitating the oak root. Another move and they would plunge to their death. If they did nothing, however, the root would tear anyway.

Sakura stared at the groove. It was too far from her reach, but not from Sasuke's. Sakura glanced up at him, then at their joined hands.

I can save him, she decided. I can save him again.

"Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke looked down at his teammate, his brow wrinkled in frustration. Sakura swallowed hard and met his gaze.

"We're too heavy," she said quietly.

"What?"

Sakura nodded to the groove then looked at Sasuke again. His eyes narrowed and his mouth pressed hard into a thin line.

"Don't be stupid," he said.

Why wasn't this so difficult? Sakura realized she must be afraid, that she should be…and yet, her mind never felt so clear.

"Sasuke-kun—"

"Shut up," Sasuke hissed. "Naruto is coming."

The root creaked again and gave partly. The two shinobi swayed violently as more earth threatened to loosen.

"You can reach it, can't you?" Sakura said hastily, eyeing the groove. "You can reach it, if you just—"

Sasuke's hold on her hand tightened. "No."

Sakura found it endearing to be at the receiving end of Sasuke's protective stubbornness. She feared if she didn't let go now, she might grow frightened and change her mind.

She opened her hand.

"Sakura!"

Sasuke hadn't let go, but his grip was slipping. His breath was audible and coming in short gasps. His sharingan flickered in panic.

Sakura looked up, past her teammate and into the full moon. Her hearing had gone awry from the blood pounding in her ears. Her eyes stung from the sweat on her temple. She didn't understand why she wasn't crying.

"You want to be Hokage," she told him. "I still think that's funny but I know you don't."

"Sakura…" was his voice shaking? Sakura couldn't tell. She couldn't see him properly anymore. She began wriggling her hand.

"Sakura, stop—!"

"I can save you," Sakura said to him firmly. "I can save you."

"That's not for you to decide!" Sasuke snapped. "Just shut up and—!"

Sakura reached for her remaining kunai with her free hand. She brought the blade to Sasuke's hand holding hers. Sasuke's eyes widened, his sharingan disappearing with the last dregs of his strength. Even in the scant evening light, the true color of horror reflected in the black of his eyes.

"S-Sakura—!"

Sakura cut the skin of his fingers and he let go.

"SAKURA!"

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

A new voice resonant and bright as its owner echoed down the crevasse as Sakura fell fast. Sakura's eyes watered and she shut them tight. Her hair whipped around her face, the wind screaming in her ears, the pull of gravity overwhelming her senses. She felt her body tip upside down, and her head throbbed from vertigo that shook her very being.

"SAKURA!"

Something took hold of her around her back. Sakura forced her eyes open and saw Sasuke's head of dark hair tucked into her neck. He gritted his teeth as the two of them fell faster, the darkness gaping and growing colder…

"Sasuke! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura peered over Sasuke's shoulder and saw a white blur against the black of the abyss. Her breath caught as Naruto's face came into view, with Sai in front of him maneuvering an enormous ink osprey. The creature veered closer and Sakura felt her and Sasuke's weight collide against its cold form. The osprey soared upwards against the face of rock and into the open sky, then bowed into a steady glide above the mountains.

"You guys!" Naruto called out, his whiskered cheeks pinching from a grin. "You're okay!"

"And you're late," Sasuke rumbled.

Sakura remembered she was no longer falling, that she was safe and still locked in Sasuke's embrace. He eased his hold and grasped her shoulders with his hands.

"You're an idiot," he muttered. "You will not do that again."

Sakura nodded stiffly. Sasuke embraced her again, burying his face into the crook of her neck. Naruto whooped and threw his arms over all his teammates, ignoring Sasuke's venomous protests and Sai's request to let go, please, can't you see he's steering. Sakura held all of her boys, told them to shut up, and cried.