Hi, just writing to let you all know I'm not dead yet, I've just been distracted for far too long. I'm thinking I should either start a new story before the summer, or a series of oneshots. More likely than not, I'll have to finish up the Milan story quickly. I think this is either going to be a short two or three-shot SaiSaku story. On with the show!!
"Teach me to feel, Haruno."
"Help me to not."
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It was raining when they found him, and it was still raining when he left them forever. Sakura could still feel the fevered sweat from his face, his blood on her hands, and the rain beating mercilessly on her back as she sat hunched over him, her last vestiges of strength being poured into his battered body. His hand caught her wrist, and she looked into his hazy eyes, the red melting back into black one last time. "Sakura… arigato." He finally smiled and looked at her with all the respect in the world. She had helped him accomplish his task. He could die in peace now. He pressed a ring into her hand and closed her fingers around it, squeezing them until his hand fell limply to his side.
X
Time passed. Hours, maybe minutes, weeks, or possibly days. That time held no meaning. Cool tears streaked down her face, mingling with the rain and blood. Her hands became numb with the cold, and the stench of blood began to fill the air around her. Someone knelt beside her, pulling her into their arms. He held her for a long time, before scooping her up and carrying her back to the camp their team had pitched not a day before. The fire was out, but he ignored it, instead concentrating on the now sleeping girl in his arms. He took her into one of the small tents, and lay down, curling around her in an attempt to stay warm.
Sakura woke briefly once, until the storm outside and the heartbeat behind her lulled her back to sleep.
X
Days passed, an eternity for Sai, as the wind howled around their little tent, rain lashed the walls, and still, she did not wake up. It was only when the sun broke through the clouds, a week later that she stirred.
Sakura walked stiffly out into the sunlight, and found Sai sitting on a log watching the clearing begin to dry. She sat next to him. "You're finally up, Ugly." Sai said, trying to hide the relief in his voice. "Where are Kakashi and Naruto?" she asked, ignoring the nickname. His false smile dropped immediately, a cold wave of dread swept through her at that. Even he knew the seriousness of this situation. He turned, and pulled her into a tight embrace, his forehead resting on her shoulder, before whispering very quietly, as if to soften the blow, "They're dead, Sakura. They died killing Kisame. Kakashi served as a distraction while Naruto put a rasengan through his heart. They won, but were both killed. Kakashi told me- he told me to tell you that he loved you as a teammate, and Naruto loved you as a sister. He said he said that they didn't want you to mourn them, but to remember their lives. I think that Kakashi was happy to be going back to his teammates. He missed Rin and Obito." Sakura nodded numbly, waiting for the tears to empty her out and fill her back up again, but they didn't. Instead of drowning in grief like she once would have, she felt empty, drained, frozen, as if nothing mattered anymore. Her tears froze before they could form. "Come on, let's go home." Sai said helping her up. They packed up camp and began to head back to Kohona.
Review!!