Awake
*Inspired by Secondhand Serenade's song: Awake *
Will you stay awake for me?
Two months have passed by, Itachi thinks as he sits on a log. He's been on a long-term mission for two months now. And it kills him that he can't see her sleeping face everyday like he usually does. Is she still sleeping? Has she woken up from her coma? Or, worst case possible, has she given up on life?
His teammate drops onto the grass beside him.
"What is it, Shisui?" he asks, looking at his cousin/friend. His friend shakes his head with a smile, knowing exactly who Itachi is thinking about. That kunoichi has him wrapped around her pinky. Love is weird like that. People will do anything for each other once they're in love.
"Hokage-sama just sent a message. She wants us to go back to the village. There's no need to spy on Oto anymore," Shisui informs with a triumphant grin. Said shinobi jumps onto his feet in one smooth movement, lending a hand to the sitting Itachi.
"Why is that, Shisui?" He takes the hand and stands up.
Shisui smirks slyly and says, "Our little Sasuke-chan completed his mission successfully."
Itachi, who has already begun walking, stops and turns around. Sasuke killed Orochimaru? He's finally coming back to Konoha. It's been four years since he last saw his little brother and that was the night he left for Sound.
"Aren't you proud of him?"
"I am."
"Let's go back to Konoha so you can visit your sleeping beauty and Sasuke, Itachi."
"He's already back in Konoha?"
"Yep, the kid got there yesterday. I heard, he only had a few scrapes. Nothing much," Shisui adds.
Itachi lets out an inaudible sigh of relief. He silently thanks the deceased Sandiame for sealing the snake-sannin's arms. If Orochimaru had his hands available, Sasuke would definitely have more trouble killing him. The two-man team rushes back to Konoha.
-X-
By the time Itachi and Shisui arrive in Konoha, it's early morning. They report to the Hokage's office.
"Nice job, Uchihas. You can go now," says the smiling Hokage. She continues to read their report for a few more seconds before stamping a seal of approval onto the scroll. She rolls it up, grabs some papers and heads out of her office for a meeting. Shizune follows the busty blond and smiles at Itachi.
"Why are you getting a lot of smiles today?" Shisui murmurs, openly showing his envy. He wants some attention and love too, especially from the females! Itachi shrugs and bids him goodbye. Shisui stands, watching the ANBU captain disappear and grins. The time has finally come.
It took eight months for her to finally wake up.
-X-
Itachi walks into the hospital the same time Naruto is leaving. The blond shinobi beams with glee and gives him two thumbs up. Itachi looks at him with confusion and grows even more bewildered as random passerby smile at him and treat him with warm feelings.
He turns and walks into a hallway, heading towards the stairs. A nurse bounces cheerfully down the stairs. Her blonde hair swishes in the air and her blue eyes glitter. She hops off the last step and lands a few feet away from him.
"Good morning, Itachi-san!" Ino greets with a graceful wave. He watches her walk away, humming to herself and spinning with giggles bursting from her mouth. Weird, too weird. And right as he places his sandal-covered foot on the first step, he realizes it. Why everyone has been beaming at him since he first stepped into Konoha; why they are all acting so secretive and over joyful. She must have awakened! He rushes up the five flights of stairs, never stopping and never missing a step.
She's finally awake. She's up and about. He imagines her emerald eyes looking at him. He imagines her pink hair dancing with the small breeze that blows into the room she's been in for the past eight months. He can already feel her fingers grace his face like before. He wants to hear her melodious voice. He wants to ask her if she heard his numerous, repetitive love confessions.
He slows down, takes several deep breaths and enters her room. And, he stops breathing. Where is she? He walks to her empty bed; the white sheets are tossed aside and her fluffy pillows litter the lonely bed. His heart skips a beat at the sight of her missing. She's not dead, he chants to himself.
He turns around as a nurse comes in.
"Ah, Itachi-san, it's nice to see you again. I was told to give this to you."
The nurse hands him a folded note. He takes it and looks at her. She blinks nervously and adds, "Sakura-san asked me to give this to you. I made sure that no one saw it. I didn't read it either." She twists her fingers behind her back. This man can be so intimidating.
He nods and says sincerely, "Thank you."
Any nervous feelings that the nurse once had disappears; she beams and walks out of the room, leaving him in privacy. He stares at the small, folded paper in his large, calloused hands. He opens the paper and reads it under his breath, "Sorry, I took so long. Look to the sky?"
He unknowingly smiles, relieved to know that she's alive and well. He goes back to the stairs and heads up to the roof where she waits. As he makes his way to the roof, he remembers the first time he met her. The sun was setting and she was sitting on the roof of her apartment, staring out into the fading horizon. She hummed a little song and murmured repeatedly, "Look to the sky."
He shakes his head as he remembers how red her usually pale cheeks turned as she whirled around like a deer caught in the headlights. She stuttered and tried to make an excuse, saying that she was trying some throat exercises. She would never sing or so that's what she claimed several years ago as she stood on her roof.
He opens the door and steps onto the roof of the hospital. The door closes with a loud click. He scans the area, seeing lots of white sheets hanging on wires. The white sheets blow in the air, kissed by the sun rays. He searches for her chakra presence and finds no trace of her. Odd, he thinks and glances at the note again.
"Look to the sky?" he murmurs. He gradually spins in a circle, dark eyes watching for the slightest movements. Hearing a familiar hum, he ceases moving and shuts his eyes. Follow the voice, he thinks to himself. He holds his hands out in front of himself and soon feels the sheets blowing into his face.
"Look to the sky," a feminine voice says softly. He opens his eyes and finds an annoying white sheet blocking her face and most of her body. Nonetheless, he smiles. She's finally awake and this time he won't lose her, never ever again. He lifts up the sheet like a bride's veil and stares at her for some seconds. Her face shines with a healthy glow. Her lips are rosy and her cheeks contains a light pink color unlike the time she got severely injured; her emerald eyes, yes, her emerald eyes are staring back at him. He can see his reflection in her lovely eyes. She's dressed in a floral white dress, so pure and new.
With her hands wrung behind her back, she rubs her wrists nervously. He's staring at her so intently that it's intimidating. Nonetheless, she smiles back at him. She lifts her right hand and touches his face, caressing it smoothly. She misses the touch of his sharp facial features and his lips.
He mirrors her movements, trailing his thumb from her cheek to her chin before gingerly touching her bottom lip. She really is standing in front of him. This isn't no illusion, no petty trick of the Sharingan; it's not his mind creating images of her. Sakura really is here in the flesh. He takes three steps towards her, closing the tiny gap between them. The white sheet hides them both now as they stand pressed up against each other, surrounded by clouds of white cloths.
The minute he secures his arms around her waist, he buries his face into her strawberry-scented, pink hair. She wraps her arms around his neck, resting her head against his chest. This, being in each other's arms, feels like heaven; it's simply bliss, something that they haven't had for years.
"I thought you weren't going to make it," Itachi admits. He almost shudders at the thought of her lying in a coffin, dressed up only to be stuffed back into the earth. Her eyes never to open again and lips never to utter a single word nor sound.
She smiles against his chest, nods her head and agrees, "You know, I really thought that, too. The minute I told you that I loved you, I thought that I was going to die."
"What stopped you, Sakura?" he inquires, curious now. What was it that kept her fighting for eight months?
She chuckles and answers, "You, Itachi, it was always you. It was dark where ever I was, but for some reason, I could hear your voice in the background; even though your voice was small, it was clear enough for me to understand. You telling me that you loved me was all it took, Itachi."
"How long have you been awake? Why didn't anyone tell me?" he demands, frowning into her hair now.
She slides her hand down to his neck and looks up at him; he looks down at her. She sheepishly smiles and says, "I woke up a week ago, Itachi. Sorry for not telling you; this was all my doing. I wanted to surprise you so the others went along with it."
"With this?" he asks, gesturing to the sea of white cloths. She laughs and tells him that the sheets weren't her ideas. He places his hands around her again. He leans forward and kisses her forehead, her closed eyes, and then her lips. They continue to kiss, never caring about time anymore, and finally stop to stare at each other.
He cups her face with both hands and says, "Promise me that you'll stay awake for me, Sakura."
She nods, feeling like a child now. His hands feels warm and protective. She holds his hands in return and replies, "As long as you're with me, Itachi, I'll stay awake."
He hugs her and murmurs, "Of course, Sakura. So, we're back together?"
She laughs and says happily, "Yes, Itachi, we're officially back together."
A/N: Hi! Thanks for reviewing for the first chapter :D
What do you think? I had to end this short story happily...I couldn't sleep knowing what a horrible situation I left Itachi in. Review?