AN: For the LJ KakaSaku Community's AU challenge. I picked WWII. Not sure if this is really what AU is suppose to be, but this is what it is. I had another idea, and I might finish that up to, but this came to me and wouldn't stop.
III
Sakura willed her heart to quite as the loud sounds of thumping came from above. Her eyes were shut as she ducked her head between her knees as she gripped Sasuke's hand tightly. His arms were around her, shielding her, rocking her back and forth, not daring to make a sound.
They were coming more and more these days.
"We're going to die, we're going to die, we're going to die." Her voice was high but the volume low, quick and full of the tears she was afraid to spill. Sasuke pulled her closer, shhing her as best he could.
There was yelling and the footsteps and then it all stopped. just. above.
Everyone held their breath.
There was a loud bang, but no one dared move, all eyes on the ceiling. Suddenly, the footsteps stomped away, the yells slipping away.
They was silence for what seemed like days before the rustling of carpet and a loud creaking. The low light of a lantern burned Sakura's retinas.
Bright blue eyes gave them a cheery smile. "Everything's okay!" Minato whispered. "But stay quiet for a while; I fear they will be back. I'll send Naruto down with food when it's safe." Minato looked up before looking back down at the five people in the hidden cellar. He was frowning now. "Please, be brave for a while longer."
The door creaked shut and they were in darkness again. A few seconds later light from a small candle flickered from the other end of the small room. The weary face of Shikamaru flickered solemnly. "When is this war going to end?" he mumbled, stretching his legs.
Sakura felt Sasuke's lips brush against her temple. "I don't know, but when it does, we'll finally be free." He squeezed her hand.
III
They spent most of their time whispering about their wedding. The others chipping in. They spoke mainly of the food and the bright colors. Those are what changed the most, becoming more extravagant and ridiculous as the days went past.
"It's not every day you see a Gypsy and a Catholic planning a wedding!" Hinata giggled as the boys had been taken out of their hiding place to use the bathroom. Sakura sighed, nodding. It wasn't what she had imagined either.
But neither was this war.
It was 1938 when Sakura's oldest friend, Naruto, took her into his house and hid her.
Already there was a young man with dark eyes and soft dark hair. Even in the low light from the back bedroom, Sakura could tell he was a Gypsy.
As the weeks ran together, they would sit getting to know each other in the one bedroom they shared. There wasn't much else they could do. Sakura wasn't allowed in school anymore and Sasuke's family had left him in Munich, thinking he would be safe there. He spoke of the small caravan that was his family, smiling fondly of the memories of the different towns he'd seen, the festivals he'd attended. How he and his brother would play instruments for his cousins to dance to so they could earn money for food.
Sakura's life wasn't as interesting. Her parents had been tailors but had been sent away on the trains shortly before she moved to Naruto's. She tried not to think of them.
He always spoke of hope for the future, and she admired that in him. He was positive in ways she felt she could never be. The only thing he ever was negative about was being locked up. He was meant to be free- all people were. But soon, their little room became even more crowded as more people who would otherwise go away on the trains. Sakura and Sasuke ended up sharing the floor of their small room together, not that they minded. Despite his hatred of small spaces, he thrived in the company of others.
He kissed her on Christmas of 1939. Proposed the next day.
Minato, Naruto's father, moved them into the hidden cellar under the house by New Years.
The raids started happening soon after that.
"They're going to find us." She whispered against his lips as his fingers ran over her body. Privacy wasn't an option, but after no doubt years in the cellar, none of them cared.
"It will be too late by then." He smiled. "We'll be so far away from this country by then, alone in the open fields with six children of our own!"
She snorted, brushing her nose against his jaw. "Six!?"
"Six." He confirmed fingers in her hair and on her hips. "Five boys, one girl."
She nudged him; he kissed her deeply. "So you can spoil her?"
He smiled against her, "Spoil her rotten."
III
She felt like cattle, lined up in the Namikaze's living room.
Gestapo captain Nagato held his head high as he inspected each of them. Despite it all, Sakura was embarrassed at how dirty she was. She tugged at the rags she wore as her body trembled under the policeman's gaze.
His lip raised. "Were these five little rats really worth it, Namikaze?" Sakura trembled as Minato held his head high, despite his bleeding nose and swollen eye.
Sakura had always wanted to be a nurse…
Nagato struck Minato hard with his club, making Sakura jump. "Five measly little filths of the earth!"
"No!" Minato said, wobbling a little. "These are human beings! You can't keep-"
"You and your filthy ideals." When the club hit him the second time, Minato's eyes rolled back, slumping to the ground.
"Bring in the little traitor." Nagato clipped.
All eyes turned to Naruto, bound and gagged, blue eyes wide with fear.
"I thought I would let you know how you were caught." The Captain spoke, dragging the boy by his hair. "Your little friend here was caught stealing rations." Sakura's eyes filled with tears as Naruto became very still, looking straight at them.
"Not only was he caught stealing, but then caught giving food to a Catholic, a Gypsy and three, three jews." Nagato looked to his partner, "Can you believe it? I thought the Namikazes knew better."
Minato was stirring, Nagato smirked.
"So we will show you what we do to traitors." He sounded bored though his face was in a wide smirk as his partner pulled Naruto to his knees and pulled Minato by the hair so he could look into his son's eyes. Nagato pulled out his gun and held it to Naruto's temple.
Sakura was on the floor at the ear shattering bang.
Minato's howl were even more ear shattering.
We're all going to die.
III
Sakura and Sasuke clung to each other throughout the train ride. They were surrounded by two hundred other scared people. The train was deathly silent. They didn't speak of their wedding, the children or their future together. He just rocked her slowly.
They were shoveled off the train and split into two lines. They were somehow facing each other as all the possessions of the others were taken.
They only had each other.
Suddenly, Sakura was jerked out of line, and lead away.
"Sakura!"
Sakura's eyes, brimming with tears, widened. "Sasuke!" She tried to break free of the hold on her, but the man jerked her forward.
She saw Sasuke get beat with the butt of a gun. "Sakura! I will find you after this!"
"Sasuke!" She screamed as his body crumpled to the ground.
III
The women in the sewing shack said she was lucky.
Everyone else get's taken to the showers and all that is seen of them is a small trail of dark smoke rising from the chimneys.
She learned to keep her head down and not ask questions.
She tried to learn of Sasuke-if he was taken to the showers or not. But the men were kept separately. She dreamed about him every day and prayed for his safety.
III
Days in this hell ran together; days became months and months seemed like years.
Word started spreading that the Allies were coming-but Sakura didn't know what that meant.
Soon after that, soldiers came and told them they were leaving. Snow covered Sakura bare feet as she and a few others huddled together when the sounds of gun fire rang through the camp.
Sirens sounded.
Arms grabbed at Sakura and the next thing she knew she was in a bunk house, huddled with the other women of the sewing shack, all praying their different prayers.
Yet they were all the same.
Shouts and shots rang through the air, with each sound, everyone huddled closer. Sakura wondered what Naruto would have done in this situation.
She let out a small cry as she shakily stood, reaching for a pair of scissors and stood facing the door, her back to the women. They all begged her to come back but she took a few shaky steps to the door. She would protect this women best she could.
For Naruto.
For Minato.
Suddenly everything went quite. The door slowly slid open and footsteps rang is Sakura's ears. Naruto's bright smile clouded her vision as she gripped her scissors tighter.
The footfalls stopped and suddenly there was a yell Sakura didn't understand. The footfalls came closer. Everyone huddled together let out a low whine. This was it.
"I not hurt!" the voice was deep and slightly shaky. Sakura didn't let down her resolve as the figure got closer. It was a tall man wearing a long dark overcoat with fur around the collar. He held his hands up as he slowly moved towards Sakura, dark eyes on her scissors. "I no hurt you. I good guy.
"My name is Kakashi." The voice struggled. "I am Allie."
Sakura's eyes widened at the realization.
"I am an Allie."
III
Sakura woke in a very bright room. It smelled odd. Almost-clean.
Sakura struggled to sit up.
"Hold please!" a cheerful, worried voice spoke. Sakura jumped, almost falling out of the bed when a gentle hand grasped her shoulders. "Don't fall!" he spoke. "You are safe!" his sluggish words calmed her slightly. She took a few steady breathes before looking over to the strange man. His skin was pale and his eyes wide and dark. His cropped hair was silver, though he had a baby face.
His smile was beautiful. "You okay? I happy you okay." He spoke slowly. His eyes were shining as they roamed over her frame. He bit his bottom lip.
"God dammit." He let go of her and turned, returning with a bowl of soup. "Nurse say eat, yes?" he shoved it in her hands. "You…" he scrunched his face. "Not much eat. So you eat little bit please."
She smiled softly. "Thank you." She mumbled.
His face lit up.
III
"You had…uh…worms?" he wiggled his fingers near his stomach. She smiled. "But all gone! You more eat." He nodded his head.
She learned he was from Russia-a Soviet, named Kakashi. He was the solider that found her and she was the first person he found.
"My…uh…" he scratched his head, lips pursed. "My 'group' of men-" he made a wild gesture with his arms making her smile softly. "This is first time out. Out at war." He scrunched his face, before nodding again. "First time to war. To see the camps." The words were awkwardly slow and particular. "We were warned, but…" he threw his arms in the air, his face looking exasperated. "You cannot be warned."
She clutched her sheets with white knuckles. Her body still ached-ached even more so now that she could eat freely, drink freely, breathe without thinking she could die.
"Go outside you want?" the solider named Kakashi seemed hopeful, wide dark eyes. "It is safe there-I will protect you." She nodded, allowing him to guide her outside.
More for her sake than his.
He led her out of her small room. A nurse stopped him, poking him hard in the chest, speaking quickly in Russian before he waved her off, almost carrying Sakura out of the tent. They were in the middle of a forest. Birds could be heard and the sound of river nearby. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Remember good in world." He whispered as he held her gently. "There is good in world, never forget."
She nodded.
III
He came to visit her every day. He said that it was his job to take care of the refugees-to keep them safe. "I want to go there." He gestured. "To kill the monsters." He shook his head, bow creasing as his lips formed a snarl. "My country-they are not the nicest to its people. But they no…" he growled in frustration. "They no do this."
She reached tentatively-patting his hand.
"But you saved all of us. Freed us. You are a hero."
Of all his facial expressions, she loved his wide smile the best.
III
He spoke of Russia. Of his childhood home. After a few weeks, he was speaking German fluently. His eyes shown with pride as he talked about his homeland.
Despite his best attempts at making her think of happier places, it only made her hate her country- her home.
He would ask her about her past-long before the war. And her dreams after the war. She smiled at the question of her future.
"I don't want to be weak. I want to help others. Become a nurse and save many lives." He smiled at that. "When you are stronger-you can help out here. Save the many lives of your brothers and sisters."
She nodded, wiping tears out of her eyes.
III
When she got stronger, he took her for walks around the compound. They shared many hobbies, liked similar books. They both wanted to help people. To bring joy into this world. She helped him and his fellow soldiers and nurses (and a few people like her) carry fresh linen, feed those on the brink of death. She saw more death here, but they died with smiles on their faces, thank you's on their lips.
After one boy, fifteen years old at the most, she couldn't take the death anymore.
And the solider with the silver hair held her as she cried.
III
She didn't think of Sasuke much, which made her feel guilty. What made it worse is she never mentioned him.
Even when Kakashi asked.
"Is there someone…eh…special? To you? To go back to?" She had been in the camp for six months-Word was that the Americans were coming in strong from the west-the Soviets from the east. That the end of the war was coming near. She never thought she'd believe it.
Many people had moved on from their safe haven. Moved into Soviet occupied areas. Kakashi told her Munich was almost theirs.
"Do you want to go back-back to Munich?" She thought of Naruto and his family, of the all the people that she lived with in their cellar.
She thought of Sasuke. He promising words. She looked at the man in front of her. Her heart broke.
"No."
III
When word had reached their camp that the war was over, war seemed to break out in camp.
There were shouts and cheers as those left, soldiers and (not so) sick alike burned tents and cars and anything else they could get a hold of.
"The Führer killed himself." Kakashi whispered excitedly to her, his smile wide. She was very aware of how tightly, how intimately, he gripped her hand. They were sitting next to a burning convoy. "After that, everyone else surrendered quickly." His eyes were bright as he looked up at the stars. "We can go home."
She felt her heart lurch as he looked back down at her. "You can come-if you like." She squeezed his hand as an image of Sasuke flashed through her mind. It quickly disappeared as Kakashi's soft lips pressed against hers.
III
She never gave him an answer, but he followed her to Munich. Regardless of what her answer was, she couldn't leave without properly saying goodbye to the Namikaze's. Without the proper prayer.
She stood frozen in her spot as she looked on to what was left of her safe house. The foundation stood strong, but the rest had fallen to ash.
Air raids.
Kakashi stood behind her, his military cap in his hands as he bowed his head in his own prayer for those he never met. For those that sacrificed their life for others, knowing the risk. She clasped her hands and spoke the Lord's prayer, Our Fathers and Hail Mary's before moving on to personal prayers- praying that everyone's soul makes it safely to heaven.
It was dark when they left, the air had chilled making Sakura shiver slightly. Despite being in the Soviets care for months, she still hadn't gained all her weight back from before the war. Without a beat, Kakashi pulled his military jacket off, draping it over her shoulders. He grinned, placing his cap on her head. "There." He laughed. "Now you are the soldier." She smiled.
They walked in silence, Kakashi with his hands in his pockets. He kept eyeing Sakura. "You know…" he began, "I think that we will stay in Germany for a while. From what I hear…perhaps I can find a place here? With-with you?"
She froze, eyes widening. Her heart stopped as a ghost walked past.
Over a year had past and he looked so different from before but Sakura knew it was Sasuke. He was heading the way from which she came, a million miles away. He would have noticed her otherwise, wouldn't he?
She turned to follow him with her eyes, rooted to the spot. He really hadn't changed. His clothes hung loose on his frame-he seemed paler, but who didn't after what they'd been through. From the small glimpse of his eyes, they seemed duller, more sunken than before. Had he been looking for her?
"You can go if you want." Sakura's eyes snapped up to dark, sad eyes. "You know him? He stopped at the place we did."
She swallowed thickly, nodding slowly. She could recall the gently caresses, the whispered vows of love they both shared in the dark cellar. The passion and longing and dread and fear wrapped up into one as she watched him spot the lilies she's placed on the ground. He looked around.
He had been her shelter against the harsh realities of war. And she had been his. Like a thunder bolt, their eyes met. His eyes wide, fearful, as they had been the last time she'd seen him.
She could recall the need for him, the love for him. It was faint, but she could recall all he was to her.
"Ms. Sakura?" Kakashi's voice brought her back to today. She closed her eyes. She felt so tired.
So numb.
She opened her eyes and Sasuke was gone.
"No." she whispered. "Let us go back to Russia. Far away from here." She turned back to Kakashi's worried face and she suddenly felt warm again.
Oh how she loved his smile.
He took her hand carefully in hers.
III
AN: I think this is the first story I've written in years where Sasuke is not an evil jackass. I kind of feel sorry for him. Poor guy. But sometimes war makes you do things you normally wouldn't do. Like fall in love.
Or fall out of love.
Thanks for reading.