Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. It belongs to Kishimoto-sensei and associates.

Note: Don't forget to alert if you like; unlike the rest of my stories on this account, this isn't a oneshot.

Made Alive

20FacesChizu

There had been darkness, and pain. Screams permeated the air, and worms crawled over him, and fire scorched his feet. It was painful and terrifying, and he wanted away. Anywhere, as long as it was away.

It lasted an eternity. He'd lost track of any sort of time; in fact, he was sure that here, there wasn't any such thing as time. There wasn't any morning, or any night. There was simply darkness, pain and terror.

And then, he was suddenly shown a path. A path of dingy, gray light that was barely distinguishable from the infinite pitch around him, but he could definitely see a path. A doorway, really.

He pulled his feet from the floor, and they felt as if they'd been bound there. The sluggish, aching walk brought him there after so long he was sure he would've forgotten his purpose for moving if he hadn't kept his eyes on that door. The moment his fingers touched it, they burned and ached. But it was a different burning than that of the lightless flames that were incessantly licking over his body. He pressed forward; an arm, a shoulder, a nose at a time. He felt a peaceful calm around him, despite a familiar, lancing pain wracking his body.

He became aware that his eyes were closed. Moments ago, they'd definitely been open. So he opened his eyes, but almost immediately closed them again against a sudden, sharp light that was glaring down upon him. Someone was looking down at him, though he wasn't sure whom.

"Itachi-san, can you hear me? Please open your eyes."

The gentle but firm feminine voice was the first peaceful sound he'd heard in so long, it felt like he'd never heard anything else like it. His dark eyes opened, a very little bit at a time; even though the progress was slow, he could feel the girl at his side growing infinitely excited.

After a minute, everything came in to focus; the glaring sun, the sparkling river and the fragrant forest that surrounded them; sights so frightfully clear he marveled at the world, and wondered at how beautiful it was- moreso than anything he could even remember seeing before death. Above him though, was a sight he'd long forgotten.

It was the delicate pink hair and glittering green eyes of Haruno Sakura.

She smiled at him, and held up her fingers in the classical show of victory, a huge grin painted across her face.

"Welcome back to life, Itachi-san. Do you remember me?"

AN: This is the Aiaigasa portion of the Shadowlark series. The prompts were received from my pastor's sermons and various songs; obviously, this one was taken from a sermon. When the Bible says that someone was "quickened," quickened in this sense means "made alive." It's such an interesting word, isn't it? I didn't originally connect this series of oneshots to my previous oneshot Aiaigasa, but now it makes more sense when I do. *grins* Enjoy!

Next Time: The Secret Room