Chapter 2: Lost hope

I'm really excited about this new chapter I'm so very happy that you guys are reading my story ^^.

Oh just in case so you all know Itachi is currently 9, Sakura Naruto and Sasuke are 6.

I really want to thank everyone since this is my first fanfic I hope that you all like this chapter as much as the last.

Reviews would be much appreciated so please review.

"This means someones speaking"

'This means thought'

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto...

Lost Hope

Itachi's P.O.V

"Find her...please" I could hear the worry in my brother's voice I looked back at my mother crying as Naruto tried to calm her, Sasuke looked at me an I left the house. I hurried back to Sakura's house hoping to find her in the crowd of people, once I got there I looked hard through the black smoke for any sign of pink in the crowd. Not seeing anyone who looked like Sakura I felt a strange ping of worry for this girl I barely knew, my brother an mother loved this girl so much in the 2 years they have gotten to know her but it was like she belonged there, soon I too realized that I had grown use to her being there. I walked up to one of the Jounin ninja that was leaving the house "How many people were in there?" the man looked at me I guess seeing that I had on chunin outfit he deemed it ok to tell me. "Two both adults, neither survived, we are trying to clear the area but have yet to see the child that lives here." I nodded as I knew if Sakura had herd or even seen this she would have left without thinking as any child her age would, "I'll look for her until others can" then Jounin nodded in response an I left down the street looking at every person I could, still there was no sign of pink hair anywhere. As I sighed to myself I tried to think of where this girl might have gone to, if she hadn't gone to our house maybe Naruto's looking for him, I took off to Naruto's house as I arrived again I saw no pink. I decided to scout the area by her neighborhood she could still be close by 'I hope' I stopped for a moment 'hope? I never hope for anything?' I decided now was not the time to be worried about these foreign thoughts or feelings in my chest as I focused on finding Sakura. I saw some people by the gate a few blocks from her house an decided to ask someone if they had seen her, I noticed an older women looking out the gate with a troubled look on her face something told me that she would know where Sakura was. "Excuse me..." the elder women grabbed my arm before I could even ask her my question "Young boy a girl ran through here crying an hasn't come back yet" I knew who it was the moment the women started talking 'Sakura' I nodded to the women an ran out of the village.

I had to activate my sharingan once I got farther out, since the sun was completely down an the trees covered most of the moons light, I looked around once an herd coughing I ran as fast as I could to where the sound was coming from as I got closer to the coughing it stopped suddenly. I felt something in my stomach drop, it was a strange feeling but it only pushed me faster until I saw it pink 'Sakura' I walked up to her a noticing how bad she looked, she was laying face down on the ground with sticks in her hair, blood on her right hand an smoke covered her clothing. As I got to her I noticed her eyes close an her breathing almost come to a stop as I got down to pick her up bridle style I noticed her heart beats were slowing as well an ran back to the village as fast as I could manage, I looked down at her face, Sakura had little red marks every where on her face I'm guessing from the rocks on the ground, an a little bit of blood coming from the side of her mouth. 'Your going to be ok Sakura' I knew if I got her to the hospital in time she would be ok but I couldn't tell what all was wrong with her so I ran faster, once I made it inside the village I headed straight for the hospital. I burst through the doors of the hospital seeing a near by nurse look from me to Sakura " This way quickly" the nurse started to run into a room at the end of the hall, once I got inside the room the nurse had already called in 2 doctors an I put Sakura on the bed. The doctor's an nurse seemed to forget that I was even in the room once they started to treat Sakura, I knew I should have left an gone to get Sasuke an Naruto but seeing Sakura laying on the bed so life less no bright smile on her face or shinning emerald eyes something inside me stopped an I no longer could move I just watched an waited to see her wake up. 'Wake up Sakura, wake up' I barely knew this girl but seeing her like this I realized I had never seen her unhappy or without a smile on her face it pained me to not see the happy pink haired girl I've grown use to, but a beaten child with such sadness on her face.

"You cant be in here, are you family?...Hello?...Excuse me?..." I looked at the nurse in front of me who looked worried I hadn't really noticed she was talking to me "Hn?" the nurse walked towards the door an waited for me to follow, as I looked back at Sakura an tried to leave the room it felt like I was stuck in mud like my feet didn't want me to leave. Once we were out of the room the nurse shut the door behind us "Are you family?" the nurse looked troubled almost I shook my head "Sakura's parents were in the house explosion" the nurse looked close to tears hearing this she nodded an wrote it down on a piece of paper. "You cant see her until the doctors are done an could your parents come here I need to speak with someone." I didn't know why the nurse needed my parents but I decided I wasn't going to be able to see Sakura for a bit anyways so I could go get my mother, Sasuke, and Naruto I nodded to the nurse an headed back to my house. As I exited the hospital things seemed to calm down outside there was almost no smoke around an people were heading back to there homes, when I walked into the house Sasuke looked at me quickly I couldn't see where my mother or Naruto was but I was guessing the kitchen. "Sakura?..." Sasuke looked at me an I nodded an walked into the kitchen as my mother looked at me an stopped what ever it was she was planning on doing. "Itachi? Is Sakura? Her parents?..." I could hear the sadness an worry in my mothers voice "Sakura's in the hospital an the nurses asked for you to be there when I return" my mother nodded an left the room quickly as she went to grab her things Naruto an Sasuke must have wanted more then that by the looks on there faces. I sighed as I looked at Sasuke "Her parents didn't make it, when I found her she was well out of the village an badly hurt it looked like" Naruto had tears building up in his eyes as I looked at Sasuke who nodded an walked to the door.

As we all walked to the hospital it was eerily silent for Naruto an Sasuke, I didn't mind so much I had to many thoughts on my mind many of which I couldn't really understand. Why was I so worried about this girl, yes I would feel bad if something happened to anyone her age but it bothered me more then that thinking about the possibilities if she wasn't to be around anymore. Also I didn't want to leave her side I felt guilty about leaving the hospital while she was there, I wanted to be there when she woke up to see her emerald eyes again, 'Why do I feel like this towards this girl?' I tried to push back these thoughts I was having as I looked over to my mother. I could see the worry printed all over my mothers face, she was a strong women but she had a soft spot for this pick haired girl it was like if she was my mothers own daughter, my mother often treated her like a daughter since she wanted one an instead had two boys. I looked over to Naruto who looked like he could start crying again at any time, I guess since Sakura an Sasuke were his first friends he grew to think of them like a family it seemed logical. Sasuke on the other hand was trying to hard to not let this bother him or show for that matter he had his usual passive look on his face but if you knew him like I did you could tell inside he was as hurt an worried as my mother an Naruto. His pride would get the best of him some day, he took things to hard an stuck to not showing feelings as its a weakness but he was too young to not show any yet but you couldn't tell Sasuke that. Once we walked into the hospital I looked around an soon spotted the nurse from earlier as I walked up to her she recognized me an then looked to my mother. "I need to speak to your mother first" I nodded an leaned against the wall across from Sakura's room, Sasuke soon did the same, as my mother walked away with the nurse Naruto slowly walked over an passed in front of her door.

My mother came back 15 minutes later which wasn't that long to me or Sasuke but you could tell to Naruto it was hours he looked at my mother an stopped pacing instantly. Sasuke stood up straight looking at mom trying not to look as impatient as Naruto did, I just looked at her face a knew that something was wrong 'Again it feels like my hearts burning why?' I shook the thought away quickly as my mother sighed. "Sakura-chan had extreme smoke damage to her lungs an is having a hard time breathing alone but that's the worst of it she had some cuts an bruises on her face an body but nothing that cant heal with some time" I saw Naruto start tearing up again an Sasuke let out a breath I guess he had been holding the whole time. My mother looked at Sasuke an I "Her parents didn't make it so I asked if she could stay with us until she healed completely but once she is feeling better she will have the choice of living alone or with us" Sasuke nodded as my mother looked to me an I nodded as well knowing even if we didn't want Sakura at our house there would be nothing to change my mothers mind. "Sakura hasn't woken up yet so we have to wait until she does before we can go in an see her the doctor doesn't want us to surprise her since we don't know what's the last thing she remembers" my mother sat down in a chair an looked at the door to Sakura's room. Sasuke an Naruto went back to what they were doing before my mother came an I was just thinking about Sakura, why couldn't I keep this girl off my mind? I'm Itachi Uchiha child genius I should only be worried about my village an taking the Jounin exams in a few months but here I am thinking about Sakura. What was this little girl doing to me?

Sakura's P.O.V

Beep, Beep, Beep... 'what is that noise? why does my head hurt?' I tried to sit up an a sudden pain went through my chest so I stayed laying down. I tried to open my eyes but they felt so heavy an they hurt 'have I been crying? why wont my body move right? I'm so confused' I fought my eyes as they slowly opened, I blinked a few times as my eyes adjusted to the bright light in the room. 'Where am I? Isn't this a hospital? Why am I here?' I looked down at my body an I had tubes in my arm an my hand had bandages covering it as I pulled my arm up I noticed bruises an little cuts all over. "Your awake?" I looked over an noticed a nurse looking at my as she smiled "Let me go get your doctor" she ran out of the room quickly 'What is going on where's my mom an dad?' my eyes started to feel wet as I realized I was crying. My brain relived the explosion an how I had ran away an then seeing nothing I started to cry again 'Mom an dad I'm so sorry I should have been home with you both' the door to the room opened as someone walked in an smiled "Good to see you up Sakura, how are you feeling?" I looked at him an wiped my tears as I tried to talk my throat suddenly hurt like I drank liquid fire, "Can't talk I expected as much, Sakura you inhaled to much smoke an it will take a day or two before your voice returns ok". I felt like my world was ending I couldn't talk an my parents were gone I wanted to die, I nodded to the doctor to let him know I understood. "Your friends are here to see you is it okay if they come in now?" I completely forgot about my friends Naruto an Sasuke I nodded quickly I needed them right now more then anything even if I couldn't talk I didn't want to be alone anymore and I knew they would stay by my side as long as they could. "Ok Sakura hold on" the doctor left the room as I tried my hardest to sit up the nurse ran over seeing me struggle an helped me, I tried to smile towards her "Your welcome dear" I guess she knew I was trying to say thank you. The nurse looked at the door as Naruto ran in with Sasuke behind, it shocked me to see Sasuke's mother with them an Itachi? 'why is Itachi here?' I couldn't understand why that was the first question that came to my mind but I let the thought go as I saw Naruto burst into tears. "Sakura can't talk so go easy on her alright" as the nurse looked to Naruto an Sasuke she left the room leaving me with my friends. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto hugged me to fast an so tight I thought my eyes were going to burst Sasuke quickly pulled Naruto off of me "Be careful Dobe" I smiled lightly 'they never change even in times like this' Naruto an Sasuke looked at me an I pulled them both into a hug an started crying.

Naruto cried along with me as he hugged me back not quite as tight this time, Sasuke I could tell felt really uncomfortable as he stood frozen not really wanting to be hugged but I could tell he only dealt with it for me. After a long hug I let the boys go as I wiped my tears an looked at Sasuke who just looked away an walked over to the table in the corner of the room an sat down "Annoying girls" I herd him mumble I couldn't help but smile so brightly at him as I saw him smirk I knew he was trying to cheer me up. Naruto sat at the edge of my bed with his legs crossed "Sakura-chan we thought you were hurt I was so worried me an Sasuke went to look for you but Itachi wouldn't let us" I blinked a few times an looked up at Itachi as he just looked me in the eyes his black orbs seemed to be hiding something I couldn't look away for a while I noticed I was staring an looked down with a hint of pink on my cheeks. "Ni-san found you tho" I looked over at Sasuke who finally decided to talk he still kept his usual look on his face he wasn't good with feelings but I knew this. Sasuke's mother walked over to me an hugged me softly as she smiled "We're all so glad that you ok dear, we were all worried for you" as she let me go an looked at me I could tell she had been crying by the pink around her eyes an smiled an hugged her again. "Oh Sakura dear I'm so sorry to hear about you parents" I felt more tears coming as I let her go she looked at me with such a hurt look on her face "Sakura I want you to stay with us until your feeling better an once you do you can decided were you would like to live" I hadn't even thought about were I was going to live now that I didn't have a home to go back to. 'I couldn't possibly live on my own I'm too young, but Naruto does' I didn't know what to think if I stayed at the Uchiha house it would be weird but I don't like being alone I guess I could think about it more after I'm healed. I nodded to her an smiled hoping she would understand my silent thank you, sure enough she did "Your welcome Sakura, an don't even hesitate to ask me anything I will do what ever I can for you like I do my other boys including Naruto" she laughed as she looked at Sasuke, Itachi and Naruto. I nodded an smiled I looked around the room an saw a paper an pen on the table an pointed to it she looked to were I was pointing an then to Itachi.

Itachi finally moved he walked over to the table an grabbed me the paper an pen and handed it to me, I looked up at him an smiled brightly as I took the items from him. I noticed his mouth smirked a bit then went back to just nothing I felt my heart beat skip thinking about how he almost smiled at me. Beep...beep his mother looked at me worried "Sakura are you ok dear?" I blushed an turned to look at her an smiled an nodded 'stupid monitor's' I grabbed the pen an wrote "Thank you for your kindness so much" she looked at the paper then to me an smiled "No problem dear don't even worry about it I am more then happy to help an so is my family" I nodded an looked at the paper. "Do you know who found me?" I wrote quickly as showed her she smiled an looked up at Itachi I turned an looked at him an showed him my paper, he read it an looked me in the eyes an at that moment I felt like he wasn't just looking at me like there was something unsaid in his look, I couldn't take my emerald eyes off his black orbs as he nodded. "I'm hungry Sasuke come with me to the cafeteria please" I blink an looked at Naruto his words seemed to pull me away from Itachi for the moment as I herd Sasuke sigh "Dobe" Sasuke's mom smiled an grabbed both boys an pulled them towards the door "Come on I can't let my boys starve". As the door shut behind them it seem to get a little tense in the room, I looked at my paper an remember my question I wrote under it "Can you tell me please?" an showed him. As he read it he sighed "I did" I blinked a few times an looked at my paper an woke "How?" he read the question an closed his eyes I felt almost upset that I couldn't look at his eyes anymore but he started talking an that interrupted my thoughts "A lady saw you run out an I went after you and found you, and brought you here" I nodded as he told me what happened as I looked at my paper an played with my pen I was really sure what else to ask. So I just decided to write down "Thank you Itachi-kun I owe you" an showed him the paper he looked at it for a few seconds more then the other times 'Did I say something wrong?' he looked at me an shook his head "You need sleep your leaving tomorrow" I looked at him a bit confused that had nothing to do with what I said but I shrugged it off an looked at the paper an wrote "I don't want to be left alone what if I wake up an no ones here?". I showed him the paper after he read it he looked at me an I guess I had a sad look because once he looked at me I thought he looked sad for a second but then it was gone 'maybe I'm seeing things' "I'll stay here until you leave tomorrow so sleep" he took my pen an paper an set in down an looked at me. I smiled an nodded an laid back down on the bed as I looked at him I raised my pinky since he took my paper I couldn't write the word promise so I hoped he knew what I was asking, he looked at my pinky an a tiny hit of pink went across his face as he used his pinky to hold mine, I smiled so brightly I'm sure my eyes had stars in them 'I hope you never leave me Itachi-kun' I let his pinky go an closed my eyes an slowly started to fall asleep. I knew to him that pinky promise meant he wouldn't leave until tomorrow but to me it meant forever...