The blood looked like red paint upon Kana Uchiha's pale skin. Her hair was tangled and scattered across the floor, covering her body like a black curtain. Her eyes were wide and staring into nothing.
Sarasuki rushed to her side, her knees falling onto the ground, becoming stained in red. Tears streamed down her face. No breath escaped the woman's body.
She was dead.
Sarasuki woke up to Kana wiping away the tears from her face. The woman brushed the damp hair our of her face. "You were screaming in your sleep," she whispered. Her dark eyes were filled with motherly concern.
"I had a bad dream," choked Sara. "You were laying in a puddle of blood. You were— you were dead."
"Shh," hushed Kana. She pressed a finger to her daughter's lips. "It's only a dream."
"But it seemed so real…"
"It's only a dream," repeated Kana. Sara did not look convinced, and the woman smiled gently. "Stop worrying. I'm going to be around for a long time. You can't get rid of me that easily."
"Is that what you thought about Papa, too?" Sarasuki asked.
Kana tensed.
"Yes," she finally said with a sad smile. "Yes, I did."
"I miss him," the child suddenly said. "I miss Papa."
"So do I." Kana's eyes were distant for a moment. She then forced a smile, "But you know what? You still have a part of him with you. Always." She pointed delicate finger at Sara's eyes. "You have his eyes."
"His sharingan," beamed Sara.
"Yes, his sharingan."
"Is that why my eyes are different?" She asked her mother.
"Different?" Kana was confused.
"Sasuke said my eyes are different," she told her. "I have green eyes, but everyone else has black eyes. You have black eyes, Mama." Her face searched for an answer upon Kana's face. She, however, did not have one. "Is that why the adults don't like me?"
"Now why would you think of something like that?"
"Sasuke said—"
"Forget about what Sasuke said," Kana said in an unnaturally strict voice. Sara looked at her with wide eyes, and she softened her tone. "I'm sure he didn't mean it."
"If he didn't mean it, then why did he say it?"
"I don't know," Kana sighed. "He was just playing, Sarasuki. I'll talk to Mikoto about it tomorrow." Sarasuki closed her mouth, saying nothing more. Kana decided it was time she put her daughter back to bed.
She pulled the bedsheets over Sara, and tucked her in tight. "Now go back to sleep," she said softly. "I'll see you in the morning."
"What if I have another bad dream?"
"Then I'll be right at your side to make it go away," answered Kana.
"Goodnight," the child hesitated.
Kana frowned. "Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?" Sara nodded with enthusiasm. "Alright, scoot over."
Kana Uchiha had intended to only lay with her daughter until she fell unconscious, but then sleep overtook her own self, and she ended up sleeping there the entire night.
She woke up to the light tap of wind against the window. It was another sunny day.
But that sun would not last long.
