Summary: It's been eight months since the 4th Great Shinobi War ended. Things are supposed to be good now…but things didn't go as they had hoped. It's time to pick up the pieces.

Rating: T (PG-13)

Pairings: Mainly focused on SasuKarin and NaruSaku. Some hints of other pairings may occur…most likely an Ino/ pairing which I'll have you readers vote on.


Chapter 2: Under the Surface

Karin felt like she was being left behind. The world continued to turn and people began to forget what had happened eight months prior. No longer were people giving her the looks of skepticism or looking down their nose at her. She was now part of Konoha….and it scared her. While some people were able to forget it…she simply buried the pain.

Tsunade had been putting her through medical treatment for the scarring on her torso. The marks were beginning to fade. She could remember every single one of those bites like it was yesterday. Each one of them held a memory…some of pain or distress…few of pleasure and love. As the scars faded, Karin felt as though her past was being taken from her.

Tonight…Karin had another treatment. She walked through the white corridors of the hospital. Her hands hang lifelessly at her sides. She saw her pink-haired comrade and offered her a strained smile. Sakura briefly smiled back and then went on with her duties.

The hospital was a little chilly; enough to give Karin goose bumps on her exposed thighs. A couple minutes of walking passed and Karin reached the door to her treatment room. Her hand paused briefly at the door handle but then brushed away her un-certainties and stepped through the heavy door unceremoniously. Tsunade and her assistant Shizune were there waiting for her.

"You're late." Tsunade was in business mode. Her heeled foot was tapping the tiled floor while her expression was set to a stern scowl. At her side…Shizune seemed to refuse to look Karin in the face. Something was wrong with this picture. Tsunade and Shizune usually greeted her with smiles…but now it was like the first time she received treatment. Instantly…Karin felt very uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" Tsunade bit her tong and Shizune began to lightly sweat. The air in the room was thick with tension. A thousand possibilities crossed Karin's mind of what could possibly be eating them. On thought stuck out from the rest.

"This is about Sasuke….isn't it?" Her question was answered by their quietness. Her clenched fist rose to her clothed chest where there was one scar that refused to fade. The painful memory attached to the scar bleeding through the depths...cracking her already un-sturdy wall.

"I-I don't care about him…he's d-dead." Her voicing was shaking with un-released rage.

"Stop trying to fool yourself Karin!" Tsunade stepped forward… "Sakura has told me about your late night visits to the war memorial. She told me...every time to hear of him…you shut down! You can't expect me to believe the bullshit you're telling me now!"

Karin was at a loss of words.

"Look…I know what he did to you was beyond forgivable…but if by finding Sasuke…means that we find Naruto…then I will-"

"I refuse!" Rage seeped through Karin's veins like an uncontrollable wild-fire. Tremors shook her frail body…cause her to breathe sharply in an out as if there wasn't enough oxygen in the world.

Clearly…Tsunade had been expecting this as she was not backing down…she is the Hokage after all.

"Karin…you will take on this mission…you know his chakra best. You know what my consequences are for refusing orders…be in my office at sunrise for briefing. Treatment is cancelled for tonight…go get some sleep." Tsunade's words insinuated that she was done. Her hard honey eyes were fixed on the teenager before her. Karin went completely silent…she knew she could do nothing.

Before Karin could let out the breath…Tsunade had walked briskly out of the room with Shizune hot on her heels. Neither woman spared a glance at the quivering form of the red-haired spit-fire. The heavy door closed behind them with an audible thunk.


"T-Tsunade-Sama…don't you think you were a little harsh" Shizune showed immense worry on for the emotionally un-stable girl they had just left alone in a room full of sharp medical equipment.

"It's for her own good. She needs this. Plus…her skills are absolutely necessary." Tsunade spoke with a soft yet strong tone this time around.

Suddenly…the female Hokage turned on a dime to face her loyal assistant. Her expression was set hard as stone. "Bring me sake…now!"

"Y-Yes T-Tsunade-Sama!" Shizune scurried off quickly with the speed of light. With the mood the female Hokage was in…arguing with her was suicidal.

Back in the hospital, Sakura was washing her hands of the bodily filth that coated her skin from her medical duties. There were two shinobi this evening that were in-need of a limb re-attachment…a child with a rash, and a junky looking for a fix. It had been a relatively slow night which Sakura was thankful for.


Once her hands were clean to her approval, Sakura began making her way to where she'd heard the distressed voice that belonged to none-other than Karin. Tsunade had told her what she was planning…she was also part of the mission. Sakura knew that Karin would rather eat fire than take part in this…but Sakura also knew how stone-like Tsunade could be.

The beige door came into Sakura's view. She could see the lights in the room peak underneath the door…illuminating the dim hallway. Her right hand reached for the handle and began to turn slowly. The tell-tale click of the door opening awoke Sakura from her light daze. Inside…Karin was facing the window…her quivering back facing Sakura.

"…Karin…"

The cherry-blossom medic was surprised to see Karin jump as if she was startled. She turned to face Sakura…her brow furrowed and her eyes unfocused.

"S-Sakura?"

She had not sensed her come near the room at all. This is the first time she hadn't sensed someone coming…well…except the late Madara.

"What are you doing here?" she asked abruptly as she pushed her inner thoughts aside.

"Uh…I work here." Sakura said light-heatedly as if to lift the blanket of tension from the room.

"Oh yeah…r-right." Karin found it hard to even attempt to acknowledge Sakura's well intended humor. The pink-haired kunochi stepped fully into the bright room and closed the door behind her.

"Are you okay?" Her voice poorly hid her own anxiety.

"Obviously I'm sunshine and warm cookies…" Karin stated sarcastically. Sakura flinched at the harshness of her tone. Karin can no longer hide her distress.

"S-sorry…" Karin quickly apologized. She knew Sakura didn't deserve any disrespect from her. The wall Karin had built to fortify her emotions was breaking away and fast. Sakura seemed to sense this as she was at Karin's side in an instant.

Karin broke down.

This was another surprise to Sakura for she had never seen Karin brake down…even with everything that had happened. It was a feature about Karin that Sakura truly admired…but there was a first for everything…and Karin's first was now.

Sakura could do nothing but support Karin as she poured everything onto Sakura's dampening shoulder. She held back her own tears that threatened to fall as Karin's anguish filled cries turned into muffled sniffles. It didn't take long for Karin to turn completely still. Taking that as a hint, Sakura pulled away from the slightly taller girl but kept a firm grip on each of her shoulders. Karin's eyes were puffy from her tears. The dark shadows beneath her eyes showed her obvious neglect to sleep.

Sakura's heart felt for this once highly sought after criminal…in Karin…Sakura saw herself mirrored back.

Finally…Karin spoke.

"What just happened here….never leaves this room…Got it!" Her shaky voice ended on a strong note. Karin had regained her stoic composure as quick as lightning.

"What the hell is this girl?" Sakura's inner thoughts were absolutely she could recollect herself…Karin was passed her with her hand at the door handle.

"Karin, wait!"

She paused quickly to look back at her comrade, her eyes successfully hiding the emotions trying to escape their eternal cage.

"S-see you tomorrow!" Sakura offered a smiled filled with hope. Karin simply rolled her eyes and walked through the door. Before the door fully closed…Karin whispered something beneath her breath.

"…Thank You…Sakura…"

Karin's near silent "thank you" went unheard.

The door clicked shut just as Sakura collapsed into a chair close by. Her hands rose up to wipe her eyes free of sleep and cover eyes to shield them from the bright ceiling lights above. She looked over at the clock on the wall adjacent to her.

3:45 a.m.

Agony…pure agony is what Sakura felt.

Tomorrow was going to be one hell of a day by the looks of things.


A/N: Theme of this chapter….every girl needs a goddamn cry once in a while. It doesn't matter who you are.

I finished this chapter at 3:45 am.

I stole a line from TwinEnigma's fic…

Aetas Volat which can be read on ff. - .net/s/6279566/1/Aetas_Volat

Sunshine and warm cookies! 8D