A/N: Hello everyone! I'm so happy to be posting my second story (which is actually a sequel to my original story SKAR) and what I feel makes it more special is that I'm posting it on Christmas Day! XD And it's a pretty long chapter for me.
If you have not read SKAR (Sasuke Knows and Remebers) I would suggest doing so seeing this is the sequel to it as I said in the summery. And if you haven't read my profile journally-thing I am very pleased to recieve comments/reviews or critiques from other people as long as they aren't flames about stupid things such as the couple. (Seriously, I don't understand why SasukeXSakura haters would be reading a SasuSaku fan fiction it the hate the couple!?!?!)
Thanks for reading! Enjoy!
--weirdcrazyanimefreak
The sun had disappeared below the horizon and the stars peeked out through the dark blanket of sky. Few lights were on at the Uchiha mansion in the night after their wedding night.
Sasuke stood in the shower in a dazed state. We've really been married fort two days. The idea felt alien but it was true. He thought back on yesterday's events. Sakura had looked stunning in her traditional kimono. Her bright green eyes had been shining and her cheeks flushed pink. It was the picture of love. His heart had soared with emotions unlike any he'd felt before. He felt the gold band around his left ring finger. It was comfortable there.
The raven-haired Uchiha stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. Wrapping the towel around his waist and exiting the bathroom he walked a short distance down the hall to the bedroom. As he walked in he stopped dead in his tracks; his eyes widened. On their new king-sized bed sat Sakura clothed only in a black sheet resting halfway down her shoulders. Her skin was unusually pale against the contrasting black and her eyes searching his. Her face was a surface of despair.
Keeping his voice even and his face devoid of emotion he asked, "Sakura?"
"Sasuke-kun…" she whispered.
Sasuke walked over to her and pulled the edges of the sheet up further on her shoulders. "What are you doing?" he asked tenderly.
"I'm…" she paused. She fought past the lump in her throat. "I," Sakura spoke so softly that Sasuke didn't catch any part of the sentence but the last word and that word was: baby.
I want my own baby.
Sasuke stood wordlessly. Sakura's fingers clutched the sheet around her tightly while trying not to pull too hard on the sheet for fear of ripping it.
"I can't," he said at last.
"Why?" Sakura's tone edged to hysteria. She was both upset and disappointed in his answer. He wasn't giving her a chance!
"You know why." Sasuke replied. "What if I hurt you? I couldn't stand hurting you more."
It's not like he didn't want to do it, but with her condition he wasn't sure if that sort of thing could harm her internally. He would rather not take the chance.
"You won't hurt me, Sasuke-kun! I trust you."
"How do you know?" He snapped. His patience on this subject was wearing thin. He didn't want to fight her.
"I just do." She couldn't believe she actually used that lame line. "Remember, I'm still a medic." Sakura was certainly not going to tell him that she wasn't one-hundred percent sure if anything could or might go wrong. "Sasuke-kun, I've been praying hard for a baby."
Sasuke's jaw tightened and he narrowed him eyes deep in thought.
"Please, Sasuke-kun, please," said Sakura pleading softly. "Give me a chance."
After a long silence Sasuke closed his eyes questioning himself, Why? Why him? And why did she have to be so stubborn? He sighed wearily in defeat. Sakura smiled timidly as he came to her. She could feel the heat coming off his body through his shirt. He looked into her eyes; the corners of his mouth turned down a bit. His brows were slightly knit together as if having an inner battle with himself yet keeping up his emotionless façade. Her fingers found his and she squeezed them lightly. "We can do it." She whispered.
Sasuke removed the towel from his waist and the sheet from Sakura's body. He got into bed and laced his fingers in hers.
"Don't make me regret doing this." He said in a stony voice but his eyes said fear. Fear for her.
"Trust me." She whispered back.
Sakura woke up with a heavy weight on her chest. She opened her viridian eyes and smiled. She gently rolled Sasuke's head onto her upper arm and began combing through his hair with her fingers, picking out the knots when she came across them. She felt her husband's warm face against her arm and sighed. She was debating whether last night was real or if it was an unbelievable dream. Of course it had to be real! She told herself. Why else would we be naked?
As the petal-haired kunoichi caressed Sasuke's face he stirred. Opening his black orbs he saw Sakura's pale face across from his. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun." She said quietly.
Sasuke grunted.
Sasuke's mind reeled in recollection of the previous event. The whole experience had seemed so natural to him that he was vaguely surprised. And Sakura…she was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful. He propped himself up and stared at his wife thinking more on the subject. She looked back at him, smiled, and kissed him on the forehead.
She slid out of bed and stretched her limbs.
Sasuke was yanked out of his thoughts and asked, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to take and quick shower so I can get to my shift on time." She replied.
This irritated Sasuke. He voiced his opinion by letting out a short growl. And received a playfully stuck out tongue in reply. He frowned and Sakura ignored his temper flare.
During the last week of the month of June, Sasuke was walking to Training Ground Three where he was invited to spar with Naruto. When he arrived the Kyuubi vessel greeted him, "Hey, Sasuke-teme!" He said. "Glad you could make it. I thought you chickened out." He added with a smirk.
Sasuke ignored the remark and made a comment of his own, "Hn, I thought you'd be packing." Naruto and Hinata were planning to move out of the apartment and into a home closer to the Hyuuga's main house and were hoping to be moved within the week.
"Nah, Hinata gave me a break today since I worked all day yesterday packing up the things in the living room." He said. "And she knows how crucial it is for us to keep in shape for the missions."
"Hn." He was guessing the pearly-eyed woman just wanted him out of the way so she could finish up the rest of the packing.
"You ready to go?"
Sasuke smirked, "Always ready."
The two positioned each other on opposite sides of the grounds and crouched into a fighting stance. Naruto made the first move creating several shadow clones each wielding a kunai as they charged Sasuke.
How predictable.
The Uchiha activated his Sharingan and followed the movements of his opponents. He flicked some throwing stars at the clones destroying four of the unlucky 'Narutos'.
Six to go.
Arming himself with kunai in each hand he easily evaded the clones' rash blows and with another flick of his wrist he finished off two more. Stopping one of the shadow clone's fist in his palm Sasuke diverted the energy by rerouting the clone into its brother clone then Sasuke leapt into the air removing himself from an attack behind.
Quickly performing hand signs Sasuke put his hand to his lips forming a tunnel as flaming inferno escaped his mouth. One of the clones avoided the flame and the Uchiha unsheathed his katana and prepared to strike down the last clone. He had his katana in midstroke when he glanced behind him in search of the real Naruto. He then heard the clone ahead of him let out a startled shriek. Sasuke reverted his attention back to the clone with his katana frozen in the air. The shadow clone stood awkwardly with the blade of the katana inches from his throat. Staring wildly at Sasuke with widened eyes it gasped, "What're you trying to do? Kill me?"
Sasuke blinked. He examined how the sleeve of his orange jacket was singed from the flame jutsu and the sweat shining on his forehead. "Naruto?"
"Yes!" He said breathing heavily as he dropped to the ground landing on his rear.
That was an odd stunt for the blonde to pull. He usually kept himself hidden until the last moment then charged him. It was a rather predictable strategy.
"What do you think of that? I learned it from Sakura-chan last time we sparred."
Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.
"Okay, well her style was slightly different. She kept using a substitution jutsu until I started predicting her next moves in my head and then POW! She didn't use the jutsu and she pummeled me to the ground."
Sasuke snorted. That sounds like something she would do. He smirked.
"Oh hey, do you remember the Chunnin Exams back when we were genin?"
Wow, the dobe was really looking back now. "Yes," replied Sasuke.
"Well, when I asked her when she came up with the fighting technique she told me it was during the Chunnin Exams, and when I asked her to tell me about it she refused, but then I kept on asking her all day and she finally put her arms up in the air and yelled, 'For crying out loud, Naruto-baka! How can Hinata stand you? You never quick bothering people when they don't want to answer your question!' and then I gave her my most innocent look and she punched me in the arm and told me to meet her at Ichiruka." Naruto paused gasping for breath.
"Well?" Sasuke asked getting irritated at the prolonged gasping.
When Naruto caught his breath he continued, "So when we were at Ichiruka I ordered a heaping bowl of ramen and then Sakura ordered—
"Cut to the chase, dobe. I don't care what you ordered," he snapped. At this point he was very irritated. He couldn't help feeling curious.
"Okay, okay," crossing his arms Naruto moved on with the story. "So I asked Sakura when she used that technique because you know I got eaten by that HUGE snake during the beginning, so I thought it was then, but she said it was when we were out cold! She told me she'd hidden us under a tree root that was sticking up above ground and used it as shelter and took care of our wounds and tended to our fevers there. She told me Bushy-Brows showed up and fought against these Sound ninja and then he was defeated by them and she had to defend us herself!" He paused to catch his breath again. "Then she started telling me about fighting the Sound ninja leader—I forgot his name but that doesn't matter—and that's when she said she kept defending his blows by using a substitution jutsu when he attacked her and then she attacked him with a kunai and when he thought she was going to use the substitution she landed on top of him with the kunai."
Sasuke frowned in thought. He should really ask Sakura more about things that happened to her when he wasn't around.
"She wouldn't say anymore. But she told me Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were there. I went to Ino's house then later on and she told me that when Sakura landed on the Sound ninja she stabbed the kunai in his arm and bit his shoulder! Can you believe it? Ino said he kept on punching Sakura in the head but she wouldn't let go and that's when Ino and the others decided they needed to do something. Because they thought he was going to kill her! That's why she looked so beat up when we woke up."
Sasuke remembered his first experience with the curse mark when he woke up he had noticed the way his veins were pulsing with raw and terrifying power. He felt as though nothing in the world could stop him. "Is that so?" Though his voice was even and uninterested he confirmed that he needed to speak to start speaking to Sakura about past events.
"Yeah, honest truth," grinned Naruto.
There was a pause between the two comrades.
"I win." Sasuke commented noting Naruto's disadvantaged position. He slid his katana back into its sheath.
The fox-faced man frowned in realization of the pointed fact. He looked at Sasuke then grinned crookedly at him, "This time. But I'll beat you to a pulp next round, believe it!"
"Is that a threat?" smirked Sasuke.
"You bet it is!"
Sakura tapped the last stack of papers on her desk and filed them away. She picked up her coffee mug and downed the last of its cold contents. These long days were mentally wearing her down. But at least she kept busy. She had spent all afternoon healing an unexpected group of shinobi until they were in a more stable condition. She had taken a supper break around five 'o clock, with the permission of Tsunade, and was expected back at the hospital by six-thirty. She had then spent the last four hours filing dated hospital records and documents in the correct filing cabinets with the dates in numerical order. It had proved itself a tedious task, but she had managed through all but one of the boxes.
She rubbed her sore lower back and sighed. She was sore and stiff from slouching over her desk and her neck protested in harmony with her spine. Sakura looked at the clock. Quarter to eleven. She grabbed her bag and locked the door to her office.
Sakura wearily walked home; her feet dragging. Her shoulders sagged and when she stepped inside the Uchiha mansion she kicked off her shoes and slid her feet into her slippers.
"You're late."
Though Sasuke's voice was cool and emotionless she sensed the underlying tone of his accusation. "Yeah, I know, Sasuke-kun."
He got up from where he was sitting and walked to the bedroom. Sakura followed shutting off the few light that were on as she went.
"You need a break—
"No, Sasuke-kun, I'm perfectly fine." As long as she could stay awake she would work.
"You're over-working yourself—
"No, I'm not."
"Don't lie to—
Sasuke growled in aggravation as she kept interrupting him.
"Sasuke-kun, stop pressing it. I'm just a little tired" She told him impatiently. "I perfectly fi—
The raven-haired Uchiha grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her towards him; his eyes threatening to reveal Sharingan, "Listen to me."
Sakura silenced at once uncomfortable at his anger. This was the first 'fight' she could recall them having while being married.
"You are destroying yourself, Sakura." His voice was harsh and serious. "If you don't get adequate sleep you will become ill."
She was silent as he reprimanded her.
"You of all people should know this! You're always telling me and Naruto this sort of thing and it's rather hypocritical if you don't do it yourself, Uchiha Sakura."
The green-eyed kunoichi winced. Sasuke grabbed her shoulders and shoved her to the full length mirror.
"If you don't believe me, take a look at yourself in the mirror."
She stared at her reflection. She was rather shocked she hadn't noticed how purplish half-moons hung underneath her dull green eyes. Her already pale skin looked paler and her hair had lost it's healthy sheen. If she were someone else she would have diagnosed them sick and would have sent them to the hospital for observation.
"Does this look a little tired to you?" His voice was softer, but still accusing.
Her eyes lowered in defeat and she murmured, "No, Sasuke-kun."
"Hn."
"I'll make sure I get to sleep earlier because I gotta admit, I look like a zombie!" She gave a half-hearted laugh.
Sasuke frowned. There she goes trying to put up a front again. He would be watching her from now on. Closely.
Sakura seemed to notice her sad attempt at lightening the situation and turned to face him.
She looked up into his dark obsidian orbs, "I'm sorry," whispered Sakura, tears surfacing in her eyes.
His dark eyes scanned her light ones and accepted her apology with an, "Aa."
She wrapped her arms around his torso and shuddered.
He could feel her silent tears soak into his dark colored shirt. She cries so easily. And it seemed that he was the one who usually initiated it. Her crying made him feel uneasy and he never knew what to do for her. How would he handle her for the rest of his life if she had constant break-downs?
That night Sakura lay next to Sasuke hoping to fight off sleep just a little bit linger. The reason she'd been sleeping fitfully at night was due to the nightmare lands; her mind slipping in and out of reality. She was hoping if she could exhaust herself she would be able to finally get some rest.
But as she thought, she couldn't help falling into the dark abyss of the nightmares she had wished to avoid.
In her dream, she walked unsteadily across the vast expanse of darkness unsure whether she would remain on this invisible ground or fall deeper in to the depths. She began hearing hollow footsteps echo around her. She breathed out through her lips. Keep calm. It's just a dream.
Though she assured herself she distantly wondered why she couldn't wake up.
"Sakura-san," stated a voice.
Sakura's heart skipped a beat as her name reverberated around her. The footsteps sounded closer, but the kunoichi saw no one.
"Sakura-san." The voice repeated.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on clearing her head. If she listened hard enough it sounded like two pairs of footsteps instead one pair. She turned to the direction she thought the footsteps and voice were coming from. When she opened her eyes she wasn't taken off guard as she saw two figures appear from the darkness. She was surprised that the two appeared to be twin brothers. They couldn't have been more than seventeen years old both with bronze colored hair that had an almost metallic sheen. One had his long hair in a braid running down his back just above his knee and the other just kept his hair in a ponytail matching in length of his brother's. Their features reminded Sakura of a gazelle; alert yet calm.
"Sakura-san, we must speak to you." They spoke in unison.
She looked into their startling blue eyes and worked past the lump in her throat, "Speak."
"We've sent warnings. Why don't you heed them? Do you think this is a game?" Their faces were solemn. "He sets things in motion. He's planning to use you to get to him."
"Who? Who wants to use to use me? Who is the person they're after?" Her voice was surprisingly even yet fear gripped her throat with cold fingers. Who could they be talking about? Why should she believe these two when she didn't know them? She mentally hit herself when she realized something; THIS WAS JUST A DREAM! None of it was real! She laughed hysterically.
"You must be careful. Time is running out." They warned.
She calmed herself down to ask, "How much time?"
"You have only—
Sakura woke with a gasp as something cool brushed the skin on her cheek.
"Sakura?" Sasuke asked. It was odd that she had not sensed him even while she was asleep. A ninja was always to be alert. Though for him he found it almost impossible not to be after his years with Orochimaru.
"Sasuke-kun," whispered Sakura. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's nothing," dismissed Sakura.
Sasuke's dark brows knitted together as he frowned. He knew something was bothering her by the way she was so ridged in his arms.
Later during that week Sakura was walking through Konoha when she heard someone say, "It has been a while since I've seen you around, Hag."
Sakura twitched her eye and turned around with a hand on her hip and her teeth clenched together. "You should know better than to call me that, Sai. I could easily break your face for insulting me so."
"I find it rather difficult when you get uglier by the day." He gave her a false smile knowing full well she was more bark than bite.
She clenched her fists and ground her teeth. She realized she still looked fatigued and let it slide. For now.
"May I ask what you are doing downtown today, Ugly?"
Sakura ignored the nickname and answered, "I'm just out for a walk. Tsunade-shishou is giving me a break." Even though it was Sasuke who requested it. She had to admit she hadn't had any dreams since the one with the twins in it.
"I agree with Hokage-sama. I wouldn't want a healer who looked like she rose from the dead." He dodged one of Sakura's fists as it came flying towards him.
"Peace, peace," said Sai with palms facing her in surrender, his smile unwavering.
"You're lucky I spared you a broken nose." She said as Sasuke approached her from behind.
"Ah, Sasuke-san," greeted Sai.
"Hn."
"Where are you going, Sasuke-kun?" asked the female Uchiha putting her anger aside.
"To the Hokage Tower," said Sasuke. "I have some information to pick up for a mission tomorrow."
Sakura's face fell. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that."
"What kind of mission it is?" Sai asked casually.
The Sharingan wielder glared at him. "Just an escort mission." Sasuke didn't feel obligated to inform the artistic ninja any further. Not because the mission was classified but because he didn't care to share it with his old replacement.
Sai smiled at Sasuke's glare then said, "It was good to see you both, but I will now be taking my leave. Goodbye Sasuke-san, Sakura-san."
"Good riddance," muttered Sakura. When she turned Sasuke was already leaving her.
"Sasuke-kun!" He stopped without facing her. She grabbed his arm pulling Sasuke down to her, and she pecked him on the cheek. Sasuke's ears flamed in reaction. "Love you."
"Hn." Then he left.
Sakura giggled after him. "Now then, what should I do now?" She asked herself.
The early summer sun beat down on Sakura's head and her new dark blue shirt stuck to her skin as she walked. The trees were vibrant green and the sky brilliant aquamarine. Sakura passed by a local park when she heard her name being called, "Sakura-neesan! Sakura-neesan!" Hiyo came bounding over to here.
"Hi, there! I haven't seen you in a while," said Sakura pleasantly surprised as she hugged the young girl.
"Yeah, Mama has been teaching me all about our shop and how to run it so I can take over someday." She sighed. "I like it, but sometimes it gets sorta boring. So what are you doing, neesan?"
"Oh, just out for a walk. Sasuke-kun requested that I have at break from work. Tsunade-shishou agreed with him, of course." She rolled her eyes in a joking way.
"Why's that?" Hiyo asked now walking along side the medic nin.
"Nothing special," shrugged Sakura. "Just over-working myself a bit."
"I knew you looked tired!" Hiyo smiled at her correct observation. "And I can't see why you would want to work more. I don't think that would be fun."
Sakura didn't reply.
As they talked the kunoichi and shop's daughter aimlessly meandered over to a training ground where they chanced upon a young male ninja training. Sakura had spotted him first—having the height advantage—and curious to watch she stopped Hiyo and observed him from the shelter of the trees.
He was at around Hiyo's age, twelve maybe thirteen, and his frost-colored hair hung loosely on his shoulders, and a small braid rested on top of the hair on the left side of his head. His icy-blue eyes were narrowed in concentration as he hurled kunai and shuriken at the target posted on a tree. All seven stuck it's mark.
He's good for a rookie. Sakura watched his form and wasn't surprised to find it perfect. She looked over at Hiyo whose cheeks had a shadow of pink on them. The green-eyed Uchiha raised and eyebrow; her expression mischievous.
"C'mon, Hiyo," whispered Sakura as she tugged the younger girl's arm.
"No way!" Hiyo fiercely whispered back as she was dragged out from hiding. It was no use trying to pull away with Sakura's strength.
The boy ceased what he was doing and stood facing them. He had felt their charka signatures earlier and knew of their presence. He faced them.
"Hi there," greeted Sakura lightly. "Sorry to interrupt you, but we happened to be passing by and I noticed you practicing with exceptional skill. Your form is practically flawless." She complimented him.
He looked to Sakura then to Hiyo then back to Sakura again and he replied, "Thank you. And you are…?"
"Oh! I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Uchiha Sakura."
The boy's eyes widened a fraction. "You are one of the Uchiha clan?"
"Not by blood. I was previously from the Haruno clan. My husband is Uchiha Sasuke." She said. She wasn't sure how much the boy knew about Sasuke's past.
So this is the woman who married the last Uchiha. He was rather impressed. He heard all about Uchiha Sasuke, sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre and apprentice to Orochimaru the Snake Sannin, traitor of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. "Mm." He replied.
"What is your name? I don't believe I've seen you around."
"Takahiro. I've just recently moved to this village."
Sakura gave him a curious look but he would say no more.
"Takahiro-kun's mother just started working at our shop." Hiyo said quietly; her dark blue eyes lowered slightly. Takahiro nodded to confirm it.
"Ah," replied Sakura. She noticed the icy-blue eyes wonder to the target where his weapons protruded from it. Reading into it she said, "Well, I suppose I'll get going. Are you coming or staying, Hiyo?"
The walnut-haired girl flushed red and hurried to Sakura's side, "I'll come, neesan."
As they left Takahiro behind Sakura laughed inwardly at how much he reminded her of Sasuke. She commented to Hiyo, "A man of few words, is he not?"
Hiyo nodded, "He isn't a seriously quiet person. It's more like he speaks when spoken too. But he trains hard and does well in his studies."
A couple other characteristics that reminded the kunoichi of her husband. "Where is he from?"
"The Land of Snow."
Sakura had guessed that much just by his coloring; pale skin, light hair and eyes. "How did you find that out?"
"I heard his mother, Hoshi-san, speak to kaasan while I was helping in the shop. I heard his father was killed by a Sound ninja when he was a very young boy. He is still upset about it. Takahiro even knows the name of his father's killer!" exclaimed Hiyo. "I've only talked to him in a conversation a couple times when he told me about Ryuu, the man who murdered his otousan." Her tone had shifted to a sober one as she spoke. Her deep blue eyes were lost in thought.
Sakura blinked and realized that Hiyo knew how it felt to lose a father; a part of her family that could never be truly filled in. She bit her lip then smiled, "He seems to be a fine boy."
Hiyo looked up at her role model and returned the smile, "I think so too."
A few days after Sasuke's twenty-second birthday, Sakura was packing up a bag with a set of spare clothes and various supplies; books, scroll, etcetera. Sasuke glanced up at her from the medical book he was casually reading. Sakura looked much better now after the rest she had gotten. All signs of fatigue vanished. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. A scroll had arrived from Suna two days earlier from Subaku Temari requesting Sakura's presence for a large medic nin gathering. He could tell she was excited for the adventure and looking forward to the change of scenery since she hadn't been on a mission for some time now.
"Now remember, Sasuke-kun," said Sakura. "I need you to deliver those reports to Tsunade-shishou tomorrow morning by nine o' clock, 'kay?" She zipped shut her bag and dropped it near the door to make sure she didn't leave without it the next morning.
"Hn." His attention went back to the book on his lap as he lounged on their bed.
"You will do that for me won't you?" She persisted.
He ignored her as he tried concentrating harder on the genes and genetics before him. Sakura crawled onto the bed on her hands and knees and softly asked, "Sas-ke-kun?"
Silence.
She knew he was doing this to get on her nerves. He was grumpy about her decision to go away for so long. Her brows furrowed then with a seductive grin she repeated his name softly while giving him butterfly kisses down his jaw line to his chin. Sasuke fought back a smile then swiftly grabbed her shoulders and held her down below him; his face and body hovering very close to hers. She blushed profusely and groaned when he began kissing her neck and nipping the soft flesh gently between his front teeth.
"Sasuke…kun," she uttered helplessly. "No…stop…it!"
Reluctantly, he did. He smirked at Sakura's flushed face and bright eyes. She breathed heavily trying to regulate her heartbeat.
"You should know better then to provoke me, Sakura." He said in a gruff yet smooth voice.
She laughed an almost nervous laugh as she smiled up at him. "Sorry, couldn't help myself." She grinned.
In the morning Sakura stepped outside just as dawn's pale fingers touched the sky. It was comfortably cool out and Konoha was quiet except for the birds singing sweetly in the still trees.
"Ready?" Sakura asked Sasuke.
Sasuke was walking her to the Konoha Gate where she would meet with an escort. They walked in a peaceful silence until they reached the gate where Sakura gave Sasuke a short, sweet kiss and said, "I'll be back in two weeks, Sasuke-kun. Wait for me." She put a hand to his cheek and he closed his eyes slightly leaning into her palm. "I love you, Sasuke-kun."
She removed her hand and he softly replied, "Love you too." Then the raven-haired Uchiha then said in what almost sounded like a threat, "Stay safe." Or else.
She nodded. She couldn't guarantee it, but she would try. Who would attack her, anyways? She was just going on a visit!
Sasuke was sad to see her go. It would be the longest time she'd been away from him in a while and he didn't look forward to the cold and empty bed or lonesome days ahead. Two or three days without her were pretty bad. He couldn't imagine two weeks! As Sakura walked to the open gate she turned and waved back to him who raised his own hand in farewell. He looked to the escort in a way that meant 'keep her safe.' The escort nodded in understanding.
Sakura looked up at her escort who was a man in his early-thirties. He had shaggy butterscotch-colored hair and warm brown eyes that reminded her of a trustworthy Labrador. He stood taller than Sakura and walked confidently beside her. She felt at ease around him.
He felt her gaze and looked down at her with a friendly smile on his lips. "It is an honor to escort you, Uchiha-san."
"Oh, thank you, Naname." Sakura smiled back. "Sakura is fine. No need for stiff formalities."
"Alright then, Sakura-san." He said. "How is your father, Katsurou? I haven't seen much of him of late."
"He is doing well." She laughed. "He has taken up woodworking and has been keeping himself busy with my mother's demands of furniture."
Naname laughed good naturedly, "Yes, that sounds like him. Always ready to serve no matter the cause."
Naname's father had been Katsurou's older partner in the ANBU force before Naname's father had been killed by a stroke and Sakura's father had retired from the force.
"How is you're wife doing nowadays?"
"She's doing very well." He smiled in a day-dreamy way. "Gave birth to my first child last month. The little boy has been keeping fairly busy."
"Congratulations."
"Thanks," he smiled kindly at her.
They small-talked or remained silent the rest of the day's walking until the stopped to break for camp. Spoiled, Sakura thought, I could really use on of Sasuke-kun's fireballs right now. She quoted herself from the Chuunin Exams back when she was a genin as she was striking the flint and steel.
The sky became a dark velvety blue with faceted stars in it as Sakura and Naname ate their light supper. As the pink-haired kunoichi bit into her onigiri Naname said, "I'll take first watch. You go ahead and get some rest. I'll wake you for you're turn or if there's trouble."
She nodded in agreement. When she cleaned up after supper she set up her bed roll and tucked a kunai—or two—under her make-shift pillow and settled down for the night. Her eyelids felt heavy as she rested her head on the pillow and she was grateful to close the. It felt to Sakura that she had just closed her eyes when she was roughly shaken awake by Naname. "Sakura-san!" he hissed. "Wake up! I sense a presence among us."
Sakura opened her eyes immediately and sat up; her senses alert. He was right. There seemed be unrest in the forest. The moon was high in the sky and its pale light made the leaves on the trees appear silvery. Sakura wielded four kunai in each hand, the weapons held in between her fingers. She and Naname crouched into fighting stances. Their muscles were stung tightly beneath their skin in tension and their jaws clenched in anticipation.
Sakura scowled inwardly with impatience. This was the part she hated most on missions. Waiting.
Finally the attack came. Kunai rained down on them from the trees and both Leaf ninja deflected the ones headed to their most vital areas on their body and received many minor cuts on their arms and legs. Sakura breathed deeply and focused on clearing her mind of the clashing of metal.
There! She spun on her heel and deflected a few shuriken aimed at her back and flung one of her own kunai at into the dark woods. She barely caught the hiss of pain and smirked at her aim triumphantly.
"Reveal yourselves, you sneaking weasels!" commanded Sakura.
Everything was silent and she heard no one make a move to present themselves to her. Sakura made a noise close to a growl in the back of her throat and muttered under her breath, "Cowards!"
A masked ninja leapt out of cover and sprinted towards Naname from behind. Sakura's hands gripped her kunai tightly then quickly stashed them back in her pouch. "Naname, move!" yelled Sakura.
Trusting her he obeyed her orders he leapt away and she brought her fist down to the ground. With a loud rumbling the earth gave way and exploded into a crater and the ninja was lost. Now several other ninja removed themselves from hiding to avoid the blow or get in the action. They joined up against Sakura and Naname in two separate groups. Sakura landed many bone-shattering blows but then the ninja began to use their strengths against the Leaf ninja. They would get close to Sakura and when she swung her fist they would evade the attack and leap out of range and she would take out a tree instead. She notice angrily that these were ninja from the Sound Village. Will these people ever leave us in peace? It seemed to Sakura that the Sound Village was a cauldron of enemies.
Sweat trickled down her forehead and its saltiness slid down over her eyelid and into the corners of her eyes. Foolishly, she wiped an arm across her eyes to wipe it away when she got a hit to the chest. The air in her lungs was knocked out as her back hit a tree and her head snapped back then forward; her chin resting on her sore breastbone. Blood slipped between her teeth from where she had bitten her tongue and dribbled over her bottom lip. She moved to get up when five Sound nin encircled her and one of them blew her back against the tree again. She could feel the blood surfacing on her back where the bark had bitten into her skin.
"Sakura-san!" Naname exclaimed. He turned his head to her. He himself fought against three ninja and slammed a kunai into the throat of one. He slumped to the ground lifelessly. Another two Sound nin came over to replace him.
Both Leaf ninjas charka supply was decreasing quickly and Sakura knew the wisest idea was to flee. They were far too outnumbered. Sakura cried out in pain as she was hit on the breastbone again and received a punch to the jaw bone. She began feeling frantic. It would NOT be a good thing if they broke her breastbone, and she would need to avoid another blow. She also felt frustrated that they gave her no opening to heal herself.
"Sakura-san!" Naname exclaimed again; his tone was concerned and he desperate to help her.
Here she was, the Hokage's apprentice, sitting down and letting these Sound ninja get the best of her. Where was her will to fight? She felt tired and weak, both physically and mentally. Just like her genin days was in need of protection. She knew she was strong but she didn't understand why she couldn't land any of her attacks. Why was she acting like this. In the midst of feeling sorry for herself she heard a wounded scream and her head jerked up. Naname clutched his bleeding stomach; his fingers grasped the kunai the was thrust into his abdomen. His eyes were wide in shock and with another cry he pulled the weapon out. He looked to her once more, and even in his pain he managed one smile before crumpling to the ground.
"NO! Naname! No!" Tears slipped down her cheeks from her wide, stricken green eyes. Her lip trembled and she stared at his still lifeless body. "No…" whispered Sakura. It wasn't fair! He would never see his wife again or see his little boy grow to manhood or have any opportunity to have any other children. Why did God have to take him?
Her sorrow for her friend and escort began heating to a boiling anger. Seething she no longer felt the pain in her body from her multiple wounds as she vaulted up into the tree at her back; climbing up to the highest branches. Letting out a furious cry she dove from the branch with her charka encased fist aimed at the ground. When she connected with the earth it heaved a great shudder and opened like a great carnivorous beast. Some of the few fortunate Sound ninja were able to leap away to only receive minor wounds where the many unfortunate nins were swallowed by the earth without mercy.
The ones still alive re-gathered to attack the anger-blinded kunoichi. She stood amongst the devastation breathing heavily. Her shoulders were bent forward and her arms hung limply at her sides as her sudden outrage abated. Now she rethought her actions seeing how foolish she was to waste her remaining charka and not even be able to take all of her enemies out. She should have thought her attack out instead of letting her anger rule her actions. Foolish, foolish, foolish! Now with her charka levels dangerously low and her pain had fiercely returned, she just wanted to close her dull tired eyes. She swayed where she stood.
"Yuu, let's go." He heard the gruff voice of one the Sound nin order.
"Hai, Akio-san," replied the younger sounding Sound ninja.
Sakura felt a slight breeze near her as she stared at the ground with sorrowful eyes. Large hands grabbed her upper arms. She pulled away and stumbled forward, and she used human strength to connect a blow to the groin of one of the ninja. The older ninja grunted as he doubled over. "Akio-san! Are you alright?" Sakura saw the young man go to his superior.
Her sight blurred and separate shapes and colors mixed into a whirl of confusion. She stumbled and fought for her consciousness, to be safe for Sasuke, but it was getting harder and harder every minute. That was until she felt a hand hit the nerve on the back of her neck and she felt into darkness.
"Yuu, take her." Akio picked up Sakura's limp form and heaved her onto Yuu's shoulder. The younger ninja grunted as her weight landed on his shoulder. Akio looked over to the ten remaining ninja and nodded the signal to leave. And they did.
