I just finished the manga of Fruits Basket… I cried so much! It's really ridiculous. If you want an accurate description of me imagine an energetic, emotional, optimistic cry-baby. That pegs me perfectly (if you don't include all of the bad qualities – those are infinite, by the way). I cry in every movie I go to… No joke. Name one and I can tell you that either I haven't seen it, or I cried for at least ten minutes about it.

Playlist: Blue and Yellow (The Used), And It Rained All Night (Thom Yorke), Pretty Handsome Awkward (The Used), and Walking on Air (Kerli).

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake.

Edgar Wallace

…

Horripilation

…

Kakashi's brow was lined with beads of sweat as he and his squad sped after a fading trail. Pakkun had found them moments ago where the scent of Sakura and Naruto was faint but, with the markings he left behind, it was easy enough to follow. All that mattered now was speed.

Pakkun didn't have time to tell them specific details, but a strange feeling in Kakashi said that as soon as Naruto got momentum, stopping the world from falling apart would be impossible. The team behind him understood his urgency and kept up without a moment's hesitation. Resting could come later when Sakura and Naruto were safe with them.

The afternoon sun was covered by gathering clouds. The fog from that morning was lingering and the fear of rain hung in the air. Kakashi's fists clenched. We can't lose them now… He inspected the shinobi around him. Pakkun was far ahead, ready to follow whatever twists and turns the Sakura and Naruto had taken through the trees. Kiba ran in front with Akamaru. Pakkun's fellow beast waited for a any unexpected news and, if the nin dog missed something, would quickly alert them. Lee and TenTen stayed in the middle with Hinata and Neji on the left and right surveying with their unbeatable vision. Chouji and Ino covered the rear with Shino. Shino's bugs were almost useless as it was — the humidity slowed them down. But the steep advantage they could provide compensated for their lagging performance in the muggy atmosphere.

A short bark echoed to the group and their eyes turned to Kiba. A wall of dry, hot air hit them in a gust and Akamaru stiffened. He ran near Kiba, brushing against him, his ears tucked closely to his face, and whimpered.

Kiba's eyes widened. He broke away from the group and shot up to the tree tops. He cast his gaze across the endless trees and the color drained from his face as his eyes settled upon the giant column of black rising and mixing with the clouds. There was a long trail of gray across the sky that they couldn't have noticed under the foliage. The smell of ash saturated the air. He looked down at the trees and saw the damage. The forest was destroyed. Soon they would hit it, the desolate wasteland, a black mar spanning miles across the once luscious land.

"What is it, Kiba?" Hinata called from below. Her voice was terrified as Akamaru continued to wine under her hand.

The shinobi descended and they picked up speed. "The forest is on fire." Kiba looked ahead to Pakkun, anger drenched his voice, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"There wasn't time." His voice returned, barely audible.

"What happened here?"

Pakkun answered calmly, "It was one of the Akatsuki. He set off bombs in the surrounding area. The last explosion was massive, possibly C3 or C4, and created a flash fire. The flames were put out instantly but caused immeasurable damage."

"Deidara…" Kiba hissed. He had seen the maniac fight when they were at Rock Country's border.

The dog continued, "I heard from the villagers nearby that the crater has a radius of 5 miles. The Akatsuki's remains can't be found but no one could survive a blast like that. The aftershock shattered the windows of buildings miles away and the fires from smaller bombs have yet to be subdued in the north. A lot of the town was damaged but they managed to contain it. They've been trying to put it out for days."

Kakashi took a deep breath and looked at the dog patiently. "Is there any trace left?"

Pakkun shook his head. "Not here. But they stayed at the village nearby." Kakashi sighed. "Their trail will pick up after that."

The smoky smell coated the insides of their throats as they continued to run. Pakkun began to curve north and suddenly they could see the destruction. They team stared in awe.

The hills were covered in light gray. All that remained of the trees closest to the center were small black stubs. The trees ringing the area were all black and crumbled under their feet. They gladly turned away from the devastation and followed Pakkun to the little village Sakura and Naruto had been in only a week before.

"We're almost there."

In the distance they could see the little village. Far from the main explosion, there were burnt trees and the smell of smoke was fresh, more potent than what was lingering in the air. It looked like a chunk of the village had been bitten off. Half the buildings were only rubble now.

They could see the fires now.

A gasp rose from Pakkun and all eyes were on him. The small dog shot forward, closely followed by Kakashi. His student's smell reemerged and a smile broke out on his face. He could see where they had been in the village. He could see which way they had gone.

Excitement swelled in his team and they found energy in their feet again, Pakkun's dismay temporarily forgotten.

Until the small creature stopped.

Ahead of Pakkun a large fire flared wildly in the trees. Villagers scrambled with buckets of water and thick blankets to subdue it, but their efforts were almost useless. It had consumed much and was now a monster unleashed on their woods. That was where the trail led. That was where it ended.

Kakashi's mind went blank. His feet moved mechanically. Denial flooded him and he bolted ahead of the dog. It couldn't be true. They had come this far… Was this their reward? Was this punishment for leaving Konoha? He moved around the flames, seeking out the familiar smell.

It wasn't there. It wasn't anywhere.

The tree's blackened limbs crumbled under his feet and he dropped to the ground. His shoulder hit a tree trunk and it turned to dust. The ash and splinters of unharmed wood buried deep underneath flew into the air. The shinobi skidded to a stop. The dry air burned his eyes. He shut them. He couldn't look at it anymore. The trail had to have survived. Somehow. There had to be a way.

He heard footsteps coming behind him and Kakashi opened his eyes. Where was their hope now? What had they been sent after? The heat of the flames radiated on his face. He peeked around the corner of the trees. Stretching down as far as he could see were flames. He knew the trail was gone. The bombs had erased everything.

Kakashi let out an enraged cry and slammed his fist into the tree he had collided with. A rain of soot fell through the air like snowflakes. They settled on his motionless body.

His squad gathered behind him.

"Where will we go from here?" A monotone voice asked.

Kakashi was silent. He was lost. It didn't even matter how hard he looked, it would still be gone. His mission had fallen through again. This was the second time he had lost Sakura. And now Naruto was gone with her.

"Kakashi!" Neji's face tightened. He grasped his captain's forearm and pulled him around. "We can't stand here waiting! Where will we go!?"

Chouji's large hand landed on the shinobi's shoulder. "Let go, Neji." The man obeyed. "Kakashi…" His voice was gentle and easy. "We have to keep going. You know that Naruto wouldn't let Sakura get hurt. You know they aren't dead."

The shinobi kept shaking his head. "This is different. There isn't time."

Hinata's soft voice hardened, "B-but we know where they're going."

"Yeah," Kiba was inspired. "If we beat them to Rain Country, what's the difference?"

Lee gave rambunctious reprieve, "We should believe in Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan. They have their mission. It is our job to clear the road the best we can." He looked around for support. "Right?"

Their final teammate joined in. his face was completely hidden, but frustrated waves were rolling off him. He didn't like being left out of discussion. "Let's get moving." Shino's tone was final.

Kakashi looked around at their attempts to cheer him up. It was humiliating to have to be consoled by his former students. He let his head fall back. The internal clock kept ticking. Time was slowly slipping away. Is this what the world is coming to? He though, from the remains of the world, they will be the ones to drag us to our feet? They will lead us ahead? He gave a breathy laugh. Enough time had been wasted.

Neji could see the man slowly rise in spirits. Of course there was hope. Of course there was another way. It baffled the Jounin that Kakashi couldn't see it. There was always hope. There was always a reason to keep moving. Everyone there knew that. Everyone but not this one man, trapped in the horrors of his past mistakes and failures.

"Sure. Let's go." His voice was much older. They understood better than he. It was their time to lead.

Neji smirked, "To Ame."

They left behind the forest's destruction and headed west. Certain of their path, not another second could be wasted.

Behind them the fires kept burning. A small girl stood by as men tried to extinguish the trees. Her ebony hair was singed and her large brown eyes were filled with tears. Soot covered her from head to toe.

"Where is mama? Where is Misaki's mama?"

The shadow at the window loomed there like a ghost.

Sakura shot up, grabbing a kunai from her pocket, and readied herself, half dazed.

There was another rapping at the glass and an agitated voice addressed her, "Sakura, open the window."

She looked again at the shadow. Sasuke was glaring at her as he crouched there in the rain.

The kunoichi laughed, partially at her stupidity and partially at his awkward position. She quickly opened the window and he stepped in, dripping wet. Sakura, without wasting a moment, pushed him into the bathroom. She stood in the doorway as she tore off his cloak and bundled it up so water wouldn't drip on the wooden floors.

"Take a warm shower. I'll get you some dry clothes." As a doctor, she knew catching a cold from standing in the rain was impossible. All the same, being wet and tired was not healthy.

Sasuke looked at her for a moment as if waiting for her to say more. She stared back. Once he started to take off his shirt Sakura's face went florid. She turned away in a flurry and muttered an apology. Sasuke's mocking "Hn," was her response.

A minute later, Sakura heard the wet clothes slap the ground. She peeked over her shoulder. The bathroom door was shut. While picking up the clothes, she cursed her stupidity. She was so strange, staring him in the face after she had just asked him to take his clothes off. She dwelled over his expression when he started to unfold his wet white shirt as she walked down the stairs. When another wave of heat rose on her cheeks she pushed those thoughts away. The smell of food grabbed her desperate attention and drew her to the kitchen where Shizuka was working.

"Shizuka-san?" The woman smiled and greeted her. "Do you have a washer and dryer I can use?"

"Did your friend come back? I didn't hear anyone."

Sakura laughed, "He has quiet feet."

Shizuka was taking the bundle of clothes from Sakura when the phrase inflicted sudden consternation, "Your friend is a boy?"

The kunoichi grumbled at her error. Luck just wasn't on her side. "Yes, but it's alright. He's a trustworthy person." That was the truth. Even if they slept in the same bed, Sasuke wouldn't even consider taking advantage of her.

"I'm so sorry."

"Really, it's fine."

The woman shook her head. "I'll do your laundry free of charge."

Sakura's head drew back, She would have charged me? This was oddly funny. "I can accept that." Anything free was fine by her.

Her wrinkled smile was content and she scampered through another door. "Dinner will be thirty minutes late. Could you tell those two upstairs?"

Sakura nodded and returned to the second floor. She approached the door adjacent to hers with a little hesitance. It seemed so rude, so personal to knock on a couple's door. Yet, she did anyway. The man answered. His hair was slightly disheveled as if someone had been playing with it. Sakura's eyes automatically sought out the woman. She was curled up on the arm of the loveseat beside the window. She stared at Sakura with big wondering eyes. Her hands were slightly lifted as if awaiting his return.

Sakura relayed the news and the pair shot sharp, playful words to one another. The man walked back to his seat and they curled into each other perfectly. His head halfway resting on her chest and her fingers immediately intertwined with his hair. He thanked Sakura and she started to move away when the woman gestured to the table beside them.

"That's the notebook. It's for every guest to write about their stay. We're done with it and when you finish you can give it to Baa-chan." She suddenly looked bashful. "I-if you want to. You don't have to…" Sakura stared at the roughly bound book for a moment. Her eyes flickered between the doorway and the table, then stepped across the threshold and took it.

She gave a gentle smile. "Thanks."

It was very strange. Every person in this town had their arms open to the other. They never once had treated her like a stranger. In Konoha, if you didn't send a message ahead or have a passport, you were either kicked out or sent to Ibiki for friendly questioning. "Hospitable" was never the word to describe her old home.

Sakura shut the door as she left and opened the notebook. She immediately went to the last entry and read the final lines:

This trip has really made things clear about our lives. I mean, if I can stand sitting around without anything to do and still be happy, then Mayu is really the one for me.

The handwriting changed.

Same here!~ Maybe we should do this more often!

The man's handwriting was elegant in the last phrases.

Thanks from the bottom of both our hearts,

Mayu and Ryou

Sakura smiled as she closed the book. It was a strange custom, but the notebook intrigued her. Maybe it would be worth it to write something too.

When she stepped into the room again she could hear the shower running. Sakura grabbed a pen from the desk and the blanket she had used. Before plopping down in the chair, she threw the unused blanket onto the bed. As soon as she was settled, she opened the book and began to read.

The witty perspectives, the varying word usage and handwriting… From the words themselves, Sakura could tell that none of them had ever heard of shinobi. There was a book full of names that had no clue what terrors lurked in the world. The mountains must have really sheltered them.

She gave a yawn. The sun was setting and the rain dispersed. There were no insects or animals scurrying — it was too early in the year for their activities — so Sakura could hear every sound in the surrounding area.

The young couple was discussing their trip home the next day; Sasuke had just turned off the water. Downstairs, Shizuka was greeting someone at the door. The words were murmurs but something in the visitor's voice made Sakura uneasy. She closed her eyes and her chakra expanded cautiously. Her senses were just about to touch his figure when he pulled away, giving a short "thank you" to the bewildered woman.

Her fingers burned in the air around him as he vanished through the door. His voice made her gag. It was the voice of a person beyond saving, a person hanging onto humanity with a thin thread.

It was a monster.

"Sakura."

Sakura leapt out of her skin and whirled around in the chair, her back against the wall. The squirming insanity that person had left infested her thoughts. The chakra inside of her was shrieking, torn between agony and joy.

Sasuke stared at her. She was panting and twitching all over.

"Sakura." His voice came a little softer.

She responded this time, the insanity immediately evaporated and she stood straight.

Her voice cracked. "Sorry. You startled me."

"Hn."

It was at this time that Sakura realized what he was wearing. Around his waist was one, lonely towel. Another fiery blush covered her face and she faced the other way, suddenly very interested in her cloak folded neatly on the dresser.

"S-So, what did you find?"

She listened to his feet clap against the floor. He moved to the side of the bed, then back to the bathroom door. "Nothing has turned up. We'll have to investigate more before we look elsewhere."

She fumbled with one of her pockets, checking its contents absentmindedly. "Should we leave now?" Her stomach's intentions were focused on the enticing smell leaking from below.

Sasuke seemed to sympathize with that feeling. "The rain will slow things down. Leaving now won't save us any time."

Sakura yawned and thanked Sasuke for the chance to rest. Days of non-stop work were having an effect on her. She moved to grab the blanket from the chair when she spotted Sasuke's condition again. Her words fumbled out, "The owner is drying your clothes." She left the blanket where it was and returned to her partially damp cloak. "Dinner will be ready soon." Sasuke didn't answer. Sakura waited in silence for a moment. She wanted to know what time it was. However, the digital clock was sitting on the bedside table. With his lack of clothing, Sakura would seem more like a lecher than a diligent keeper of time if she were to check it now.

She then imagined the cute little woman peeking in their room to tell them dinner was ready and seeing the two of them as they were. It was easy to misinterpret Sasuke's immodesty. She warily crooked her head to check. The little black box under the tall, old-fashioned lamp held her complete attention. It was twenty after seven. Her eyes almost glanced at Sasuke to see what he was doing, but she refrained and instead stared out off the now darkened window. The blue glow of the moon cast shadows on the surrounding trees.

The soft moonbeams were almost visible in the lingering clouds. The trees swayed in the breeze. Even though Sakura couldn't see it, she knew that there were buds on those trees. Spring was almost there. She squinted into the branches to see if there were any visible. As she did, Sakura recognized a familiar figure.

It was the silhouette of a person.

Her body went ridged, eyes unfocused, and throat closing up on its last breath. She was unable to see anything but the person standing just beyond the first rows of trees. Her eyes widened when everything moved to obey the wind but that figure. It was really a person. A person. What was more, she felt dark eyes on her. That gut wrenching paranoia she had experienced this morning resurfaced.

"I have your friend's clothes." Shizuka's maternal voice was accompanied by a knock on the door.

Sakura inhaled sharply and stared into the reflection on the glass. Her face was twisted with fear. She walked to the door and mechanically thanked the woman. She shut the door and threw Sasuke his clothes.

She was losing her mind.

She had to be.

Her fingernails dug into the paint of the window sill as she searched for the figure once more. She scanned the forest fervently. She had to be sure. It had to be real.

But there was nothing there. Not an animal. Not a soul.

"Let's go." Sasuke was already at the door. He waited with his hand on the knob.

Sakura sped out the door and down the stairs. There was a high pitched meow that made her jump. An annoying pain arose on her ankle and a fat, furry creature darted down the stairs.

"I'm so sorry! Did he scratch you? Tanner has such a temper sometimes." The woman plucked up the animal before it could escape and it settled down. "Naughty Tan-Tan!

"It's my fault. I wasn't watching my step."

Sakura gripped the railing. She was going crazy.

A nudge from behind got her moving again. Sakura didn't want to look behind at Sasuke's expression. She knew his inescapable perception wasn't needed to know she was coming apart at the seams.

When they entered the dining room Mayu and Ryou were already seated. Mayu provided most of the conversation during the appetizers.

"Are you two together?" Of course a woman's curiosity would flourish over their current situation. Sakura opened her mouth to deny it, but Sasuke beat her to it.

"Yes. We are traveling across the country for research."

Sakura flushed. He clearly didn't understand the question.

The woman knew this as well and laughed. "Man on a mission. You sure know how to charm a lady." She winked at Sakura. The kunoichi's face was red. Sasuke ignored them and took a bite of his food. "Cold, isn't he?" Mayu looked at Sakura with a warm face. "Is he always like this?"

Sakura's shoulders relaxed. "It's worse."

"Hmm… But he's awfully cute. I guess that's a redeeming quality." Her comments were all play. At first Sakura was a little worried about her boyfriend's reaction, but he seemed very calm. He knew her personality well. "Nope. Not much of a talker…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura couldn't help but smile at this. Her mood was lightening more by the minute. Dinner soon arrived and they ate quietly. Occasionally Mayu would strike up conversation with Ryou or Sakura, but it was all very enjoyable.

Soon enough Sasuke finished and left the table. He gave Sakura a look saying 'I'm going to bed' and left. Ryou soon did the same and gave Mayu a heart-fluttering kiss on the cheek. Mayu had finished but stayed with Sakura to keep her company.

"Where did you pick up that guy?" She thumbed her finger in Sasuke's direction.

Sakura shrugged. "Old childhood friend."

"Not much of a friend." Her criticism stung a bit.

"He has his own way of doing things." Silently she wondered where he would be sleeping when she returned. "What about Ryou?"

Mayu blushed. "We've been married for 2 years." Sakura glanced at the ring on her finger. It was simple, but definitely treasured. "We're just here for the weekend. Baa-chan gives me that room for free during the summer. But since the weather has been so nice lately, I thought we could pay a visit."

Sakura mentioned the rain and Mayu laughed. "It's still very pretty. I love this kind of weather."

The door into the kitchen creaked and they were joined by Shizuka.

"Did you like dinner?"

Mayu stood and hugged her grandmother. "It was wonderful. I really think Ryou likes it here! We might move in town after all!" Shizuka patted the woman's head gingerly.

"That's wonderful news. He looked so sullen when I first saw him. Very stubborn. But I knew you'd win him over."

Mayu smiled and began clearing the table with the elderly lady.

A memory flashed in Sakura's head and she blurted, "Who was that visitor you had earlier?"

Shizuka's head didn't rise, but her hands stopped. Sakura could barely see, but the woman's face was dazed, as if rebooting. Then she looked at Sakura in the face with languor. "No one else came, dear. The other guests will be arriving in the morning. Did you hear something?" Mayu looked just as perplexed.

The kunoichi's mouth hung open. She was sure someone came in. No, she was positive someone came to the door. She heard their voice, she felt that sickening energy. She knew someone had been here.

"Must have imagined it." She corrected. Invisible tension in Shizuka's face released and she changed conversations. Sakura handed the woman her plate, thanked her, and trudged to the stairs. Imagining a figure in the forest was one thing, but she had heard a person talk to Shizuka. And there was no way that woman knew any sort of terror strong enough to make her lie or hide something so simple. Furthermore, it was too soon for a woman of Shizuka's age to have a failing memory.

Something was wrong.

Sakura entered the bedroom silently. She shut the door closely behind her so none of the light from the hall would disturb Sasuke. Sure enough, Sasuke was lying in the double bed. He took up less than half the bed, but Sakura was definitely not going to take the other half. The chance of kicking in her sleep was too high and cuddling was one of her bad habits with anyone she shared beds with. Genma once took advantage of this in their travels and was awakened by her fist the next day even though it was entirely her fault.

She grimaced. Once again, she was being forced to sleep on the couch.

…

The next afternoon — Sakura had slept through the rising hours without a hitch — Sakura's body was incredibly sore. But she was happy to sleep in for once. It was a good use of their day off. Her traveling partner, however, was always at work. Sasuke had already departed to look for clues in the surrounding area and left a note for her to do the same. Their rendezvous point and time was written just below and Sakura sighed. Sasuke couldn't help being a ninja all the time.

Sakura did as she was told. She wandered the village and, when out of the villagers' oblivious gaze, ran to the next populated area to ask about Itachi's whereabouts. Because of their sheltered lives, Sakura only used his physical description to search. Thankfully, the town was small enough that they would spot a stranger from a mile away. None that she had talked to had seen him, but Sasuke was certain that he passed through. Then again, Itachi had a way of coming in and out of existence. If a person was able to erase himself from Shizuka's memory, wasn't it just as possible for Itachi to do the same to a few dozen more? The Sharingan was a powerful tool.

Then again, if she remembered correctly, the Sharingan's abilities were costly to the user. Itachi was already legally blind and risking any more damage would be stupid. No, no. Itachi had been very careful when moving past this town but someone had to have seen him.

Hours of searching passed and the sun was starting to set. Sakura's stomach growled obnoxiously and she slowed to a civilian pace. She hadn't eaten since Shizuka's gourmet brunch. She could smell the fire of a shop not far off and followed the path. There had been multiple stops along her search. The owners seemed to use their beautiful landscaping around them to their advantage. Tired walkers were fated to stop for a drink and get a little something to munch on.

As predicted, there was a dango shop around the next grouping of trees and Sakura sat on a small bench just outside. A young boy approached her and asked what she wanted. Sakura ordered and bided mildly.

The older man inside was talking to, who she assumed was, a friend of his. He sounded very excited. Sakura pulled her legs over the side of the bench and watched them interact. To seem aloof, she put her head in her hand and placed Sasuke's note in her lap, staring at it while keeping them in her sights.

"It hap'nd th'other day. I wuz endin' m'shift when th'man jus' bent over and started t'cough. He choaked a bit and den blood came pourin' right out! I got no idea what wuz wrong with 'im. But'ee scared th'hell outta me!"

The other man gasped. "What'd you do?"

"I helped 'im, 'course! Had another fella with 'im. Boy wuz passed out under 'is arm, limp like a doll! Had bright yelluh hair like you ain't ever seen!" The man put his hands up to his head and illustrated spiky hair. Sakura's eyes bulged. "The other man wuz blind as a bat. Nearly walked intuh th'wall when I told 'im t'take a seat." The kunoichi stood, no longer trying to conceal her eavesdropping. "I took 'im t'the hospital down the road. Had t'carry the youngun on m'back. He wuz built like a monster, like a ton uh lead on m'shoulders."

"Which hospital." Sakura's voice came out in tremors. The two men looked up at her like she was a wild animal. "Which hospital did you take them to?"

The storyteller was stunned, "T-t-took 'im t'the Oshiro place."

"Where." Her heart was beating in her throat. "When."

"O-o-over a week ago. On t'other end of Wakaitani."

The little boy held out Sakura's dango with his other hand awaiting his pay. The woman brushed past him and, not caring if they saw her or not, ran as fast as she could to the village. She quickly found Sasuke's chakra signature — it was the only developed pool of chakra on the mountain — and sought him out.

Sasuke looked agitated when she found him. She pulled him away from the poor soul he was interrogating.

"Sasuke, Itachi was here." His glare said 'I knew that', but Sakura continued anyway. "The man described him as blind and throwing up blood. He had someone with him."

His interest flared, "Was it Kisame?"

"No…" She delayed. It was terrifying to admit what danger her closest friend was in. The Akatsuki had him now. "It was Naruto."

Sasuke's neck tensed. "Where are they."

"The man took him to a hospital west of town."

Sasuke's head fell back. He stared at the sky for a moment in thought. "We have to move fast. The hospital won't be open much longer."

The shinobi started running. If they broke into the hospital, Itachi would escape. That wasn't an option. If Itachi was there and the hospital closed, he could easily slip out as soon as Sasuke and Sakura were forced to leave. It Itachi wasn't there and the hospital closed, they would be left without confirmation and would waste time waiting until tomorrow, too afraid of the other possibilities to force their way inside.

The sun had almost set when they reached the hospital. It was the tallest building among small businesses pushed together. This was clearly the center of town. The streets were heavy with people, so running wasn't an option. But it didn't stop Sasuke from gliding through the crowds with the inhuman grace only an assassin would carry. Sakura kept up with him and watched the light coming through those large glass doors.

"He was here." Sasuke's voice was saturated with certainty. And knowing that he had spent years telling false leads from the real ones, Sakura believed him.

She searched for the shadows of Naruto's massive chakra. It was impossible for something that flamboyant to not leave a mark. Sure enough, in the air, she could tell he had been here. Her body twinged as the Kyuubi's chakra reacted to its maker. It wasn't enough to directly follow, but it was certain. Fatally certain. Sasuke saw her expression and took it as confirmation.

As soon as they hit the door, Sasuke was speaking.

"I'm looking for my brother. He came here with a friend of his, a blond my age." His booming voice commanded total attention. The body and face behind it held kept it that way. He radiated determination and exhilaration. Finally there was a clear path. Sakura couldn't help but smile even as fear controlled her because she was partially responsible for this success.

A nurse approached him nervously. "W-we're about to close."

Sasuke stared her down. She timidly retreated behind the desk as he approached it. The man sitting before him glared back. It wasn't half as menacing or as perfect.

"Check."

"Name?"

"I don't know which one he gave you." Probably An alias, Sakura noted. "He's a poor fugitive. He either won't pay the bill—" No paper trail. Itachi was definitely good enough to pull it off. "—or will give you bad money." The man at the desk scowled. "He has black hair."

The man roared, "I know what he looks like." Sasuke's mouth snapped shut. "He left seven days ago after self-transferring to a clinic half a country away."

Sasuke smiled. "He left bad money."

"You better be willing to pay up!"

Sakura was ready for that line. She put a stack of money on the table wrapped in a big white band. It was all that she and Naruto had taken with them. "This should cover the expenses." He stared at the large stack in awe. "What's left is yours when you give us information on the clinic they went to."

The man looked between Sakura and the stack of money. When it was clear she wouldn't take it back, he snatched it up to the nurse's dismay. He began shuffling through papers. When he gave up, he wrenched a thick binder from under the desk. He flipped through pages until stopping on one. Sasuke handed him a piece of paper and the man wrote messily on it.

"Thank you very much." Sakura smiled pleasantly as Sasuke snatched the paper from under the man's hand.

The two were out the door before the hospital employees could utter another word.

Sakura and Sasuke broke through the crowd again. It was beginning to thin out as more and more shops closed and when they reached an unpopulated area, they were running again. Sasuke handed her the paper to decipher.

The man had written:

Check in for companion. Personal physician for clan 'Uchiha'? Unregistered clinic North West of Otafuku Gai.

After that there were skeptical directions to the location. Landmarks, directions. Nothing concrete. Strangely enough, she could easily identify most of them. She knew what it was talking about… But the dots didn't connect.

Sakura paraphrased and looked at Sasuke for clarification.

"He's talking about Konoha. Konoha doesn't exist in towns like this. You can't find it on a map."

Sakura shook her head with a laugh. "Itachi is going to Konoha?"

"No, he's going to the Uchiha's personal physician. The perfect place to hide. That place is unknown by towns like this and has managed to stay out of the shinobi records. The Uchiha used it for years."

"Why hasn't someone discovered it?"

"Why hasn't someone discovered Konoha? It isn't that hard to hide a city."

Sakura didn't understand. Why was Sasuke aware of these things? Why hadn't Tsunade told her about places like Wakaitani?

She gave up for the moment. But Sasuke was destined to be questioned as soon as her head settled. "How far is it?"

"They haven't reached it yet."

Sakura shut her eyes. Time was always a factor. But this time it was a positive thing. "Itachi isn't taking him to Rain… Why not?" He didn't have an answer for her. From that point on, he focused only on the path ahead and the route they would have to follow to this nonexistent clinic.

It was early in the morning when the kunoichi ran out of energy. Sakura wandered slowly, her eyes half shut. Her chakra was depleted from trying to keep up with him for so long. He had never moved so quickly when she was trapped by Hebi. It was most likely for the same reason. Staying close to Sasuke was a task a person could wear themselves out on. Sasuke had little patience and she knew he had left her behind. At least that trail would be fresh. She could catch up to him after some sleep.

Her body was weightless as she floated toward a bright light. She recognized a kind voice and her eyes fluttered open. She was back at Shizuka's house. She looked at the stairs onto the porch and lifted her foot. Instead, she glided up effortlessly. She was a little startled and tried to move. A tightening around her stomach was her response as if she had been adjusted in someone's grip. Her eyes glanced up. Sakura's arm was draped over Sasuke's shoulders and his hand wrapped around her waist. She almost laughed at this reversal of roles. It was not long ago that she had pulled him from his death in the same manner.

"We'll be staying another night."

Shizuka yawned. It was early. "S'fine." The woman held open the door. "You left your things here. I knew you'd be back."

Sasuke entered the house and practically carried Sakura up the stairs. She heard the door shut and lock, then she slept.

…

But not for as long as she wished. Sakura was awake not two hours later. It was still too early for a person to be walking around but her parched throat and full bladder said otherwise. When she stirred, Sakura discovered that she was lying in the warm comfortable bed. It was too early to blush, but she was very flattered that Sasuke had not put her in the chair again.

Sakura looked at Sasuke's sleeping face with extreme satisfaction. His mouth was set a little open and his eyebrows were lax. There were small rings under his eyes, but still he looked very young. All of the childishness he had lacked while growing up had stored itself deep inside and now relieved a little tension while dreaming. Sakura waited for a minute or two taking in every characteristic. In the future, she would search for these in his usual expressions. She declared it her goal to make that his normal appearance. It would take a lifetime, but she wasn't sure how long that would be anyway. She'd at least try.

She licked her dry lips, once again aware of her original reasons for waking. She rolled out of the bed without a sound, passed the bathroom by, and left. Why ruin such a wonderful face if she knew where the bathroom was downstairs?

The stairs were very courteous to her and didn't creak under her careful footing. Sakura passed what she assumed was Shizuka's room and went into the bathroom. It didn't take her long to come out again. She was very thankful that the piping wasn't as old as the house. Shizuka must have taken the time to get new plumbing. There was no way Sasuke would be disturbed.

Getting a glass of water was simple enough. Shizuka's organization was ironically similar to Shizune's kitchen. She stared at the faucet as it dripped while sipping from her glass. She watched beads of water gather and fall. Gather and fall… Gather and….

There was a flicker in the metal of the faucet. Sakura was immobilized. There in the reflection she could see a distinct black form. It obscured the angular frame of the front door. Sakura's breath caught in her throat and her neck stuck on her shoulders as she attempted to turn her head. Every bone scraped the one beside it. She cursed herself; did it have to be so loud? She looked into the furthest corner of her eyelid in an attempt to see what the shadow was sooner. It was Shizuka. It was Sasuke. It was Mayu or Ryou. It was someone. She didn't hear them come in, but she was half asleep… Right? She hadn't been paying attention.

Finally she could see.

Sakura stared at the shadow that stood beside the front door. She could barely see it. It was cut off by the doorway into the kitchen, but it was there, the silhouette of a person. Sakura's bare feet gripped the tile floor and her leg muscled tensed. The shadow lifted a hand as if to stop her and she bolted up the stairs. When she reached the top and prepared to run the other way, she saw the shadow towering at the bottom of the steps. How could it be that fast?

Sakura was inside of the room with the door closed behind her in a second. Sasuke was already up. He stared at her with bewildered eyes. "What happened."

"There's something here. Something followed us here." She gripped her nails into the door, afraid to let go, but also afraid to stand so near it. She abruptly launched herself away from the door into Sasuke. She huddled against him. Fear overruled all sense of shyness or formality. She was petrified.

Sasuke moved her behind him effortlessly and stepped toward the door. Sakura clung to his back and followed him. He pulled open the door. Light was filtering through the window. The moon was glowing again. But there was no shadow silhouette. Sasuke took a bigger step, intending to check downstairs.

"Don't leave me." Sakura bleated. She was trembling.

Sasuke paused and then slowly shut the door, locking it. He walked Sakura to the bed. The woman's hands rested limply on the sheets. Her legs quivered. She wasn't going to move. Sasuke sighed and lifted her up by her waist so she would sit on the edge. From there she laid down on her own. She curled into a ball, imagining the figure in the trees, the voice asking Shizuka something in that eerie tone, the suspicion she had looking at the living room windows when she first arrived. It all ran together in the shape of a human.

"Sakura." Sasuke's voice brought her back. "Get some sleep." He walked to the other side of the bed and locked the window as well. Sakura numbly uncurled and laid her head on the pillow so she could watch him. Sasuke swiveled the chair so the window and the door were in sight. But for the moment, his gaze rested on Sakura. Fear loosened its grip on her for a moment. He was showing one of the sleeping face characteristics. His eyebrows were not scrunched and rested at a normal height on his forehead. It was the kindest look she had ever seen.

Sakura didn't take her eyes from that face until they closed and she slept once more.

…

Morning was much more tolerable. Besides the fact that Sakura had nearly taken Sasuke's head off when he woke her, she was much happier. They had only just started walking; Sakura still chewed some of the breakfast Shizuka prepared for them on the road. Sakura savored it, knowing that for the next week or two, they would go back to inhaling bad food.

At least she knew Sasuke would keep the paranoia away. That was the only bonus she could see out of all the trouble this trip was already causing her.

They passed the dango shop Sakura had stopped at. There was only one customer there, on his last dango. A hood covered his face, protecting it from the random drops of water falling from the dew covered leaves. The customer thanked the old man and put the money on the counter as he stretched his tired bones behind his stand. The hooded man walked away, in the same direction Sakura and Sakura were going in. He followed casually behind and strolled round a corner seconds behind them. He sighed at some private disappointment as he searched for their forms. Yet, he wasn't surprised when they had vanished out of thin air.

The leaves hung in the air, disturbed, just ahead as if something had stirred them in a jump. These were the leaves that had spent an entire season under thick snow; they had become soggy and meshed together. Yet something had moved them so effortlessly.

Under his hood, the man smiled. They couldn't outrun him. He crouched slowly and, with that inhuman ability that these people were so ignorant of, he also vanished in a swirl of decaying leaves.

"Sasuke… Sakura…"

He would follow them to the ends of the earth.

I just so happened to write all of the scary parts when I was alone at night so it took me a long time. I had to call my dog into the room so she could protect me… (How old am I?)

Anyway, got some SasuSaku on the way. You have absolutely no idea. This fic has a more defined romantic progression in store for them, Bwahahaha…

I'll see you soon.

Next Chapter – The Fool and The Reprobate

…

Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark of the man afraid of the light?

Maurice Freehill