The second chapter, I hope everyone enjoys!!
Please review and let me know your opinions!!
Normal POV
"I'm gonna get dressed, can you dress them??" Sakura asked looking at Sai who was taking Kyuuki and Ryuuki out of the bathtub. He looked at her and nodded.
"Let's get you 2 dressed, and if you behave we'll go see Akamaru." Sai said.
"We want to go see Akamaru!! We want to go see Akamaru!!" the twins exclaimed happily jumping up and down and clapping their hands.
"Then behave." Sakura said.
"Hai kaa-chan!" Sakura smiled and left the bathroom.
Chapter 2
Sakura's POV
I walk up the stairs to my room, I'm soaked from our splashing fight, doesn't matters, as long as everyone's happy! And it was fun!!
I enter my room and go to the closet. I take my regular training attire from the closet and some underwear. (Naruto Shippuden attire.)
I then proceed to take my wet clothes and put them in the dirty laundry basket in my room.
I dress my green underwear and then my clothes. When I'm fully dressed I decide to make the bed, so I walk to the bed.
I stop when I see the bed, there's something in it that wasn't there when I left my room to make the breakfast, a small black box, the size of a CD box.
I take the box in my hands cautiously, it's not very heavy.
I sit down on the bed and analyse the box with my chakra, it may be a trap, Sai likes playing tricks on me sometimes, it's never anything dangerous of course.
It's clean.
I slowly open the lid. Inside there is a black envelope and a burned paper? No… it's a burned picture, and it's upside down, so I can't see the image.
I take the envelope and then the picture.
My heart is beating like crazy. I drop the picture and take the envelope. I then open it and take a white sheet, there's a note, written in red. I'm… afraid of what may be written inside.
I read the note and my eyes widen in shock… what's happening… it… I… I can't breathe properly… my heart is pounding like crazy… ready to blow…
I take the picture in my hands and turn it around.
I scream and let the picture fall in the floor while I get up and run to the nearest wall and let myself fall to the floor in fear. I make my knees come up to my chest and I wrap my arms around them, some tears run down my face.
In the living room – Sai's POV
The gaki are dressed and now they're watching some TV, they're good kids, and they're so much like Sakura.
And they also have a lot in common with-
A piercing scream comes from upstairs, I stop my thoughts and get up abruptly, the gaki both look to the stairs with a worried and slightly scared face, then they look at me.
"I'll go see… don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing." I reassure, they seem to calm down. "Stay here and be good."
"Hai." Good kids indeed. I walk upstairs not in a rush that would scare them.
That scream, I'm sure it was Sakura. I run to her room and open the door, I scan the door for intruders but find none, I only see Sakura sitting in the floor against the wall opposite to her bed, her arms wrapped around her knees, shaking and slightly sobbing. I walk to her and kneel down next to her, her eyes are looking blankly ahead.
"Ugly??" No response.
"Hag??" I try again, nothing. Now I'm getting worried, seriously worried, if she doesn't punches me or at least glares at me when I call her that, then something is seriously wrong.
"Sakura-chan??" this time she looks at me, but no words come out.
"What's wrong??" she still doesn't answer, but I can tell she isn't okay.
"C'mere." I wrap my arms around her slim form and she just leans her head against my shoulder, without a word.
After some minutes she stops sobbing, but she's still shaking. I lean back a bit to look at her. Her eyes show fear, confusion and shock.
"What's wrong?? What happened??" I ask quietly. She looks into my eyes.
"I…I… somet-…" at the lack of words she points a shaking finger at her bed, I look and see a burned picture on the floor, a small black box, a black envelope and a white sheet on the bed.
I get up taking her with me, she gladly stays within my arms. We walk calmly to the bed.
"Sit down." She obeys and sits in the edge of the bed, away from the note, picture, box, all of that.
I get the picture from the floor and turn it around.
It's a photo from Kyuuki-chan, Ryuuki-kun and from what I can tell Sakura, but her face and most of her body in the picture are burned. Who would do such a thing? I know I call her Ugly and Hag, but c'mon, she isn't any of those things, not that I would admit that to her.
I put the photo down next to the black box and take the note, it's written in red, I'd say blood or something similar. The note says:
Now, now Blossom, someone has broken a promise made a long time ago.
Nice kids you have there Blossom, twins I presume, around 3 or 4 years old
And I thought you would keep your word, such a shame… now I'll have to ruin your little family, such a shame indeed.
See the photo, that's what's going to happen, or maybe the other way around. I'll have to think about it.
I've watched you Blossom, you seem to be having fun with that replacement of yours, enjoy while you can, or should I say while your life isn't a living hell? Perhaps both.
I'll be keeping an eye on you Blossom, don't think I'll just let you run around free betraying your promise without punishment. I was never someone who accepts betrayal or loosing something I want lightly.
I'll see you around Blossom, of course you won't see me, nor my subordinates.
Maybe I'll pay you a visit someday, maybe if I have the time.
Take care Blossom, wouldn't want a good medic like you being sick
And by the way, I wouldn't tell anyone if I were you, or they might just disappear without leaving a trace for you to follow, nor would you want your precious tenshi to be gone without a trace, now would you?
I reread the note, no wonder she's like that. I put the note down and kneel in front of her.
"Sakura… we should-" she shook her head lightly. I haven't seen her like this in years, she looks so fragile, like fine porcelain, breaking slowly from the inside.
I do the only thing I can, I pulled her into a comforting embrace. She just leaned in.
"We should at least tell-" she cut me off, her voice week and shaky.
"Just Gaara-kun, just him…" she leaned back, anyone could see she was broken.
I nodded and held her tighter, whoever is doing this to her…
When I entered Team 7, she hated me for bad talking Uchiha and always getting nicknames for everyone. Actually everyone hated me, no… they didn't hate me, they just despised me.
But… she always scolded me for having no emotions… I then started to study about emotions, but everyone still despised me, everyone but her. When everyone left me behind, she kept there, helping me, supporting me.
Flashback
17 years old Sai sat on a tree branch on one of the trees situated over the mountain of the Hokages, looking at the animated city of Konoha, the sunset present, for once he wasn't painting, what was there to paint?
Since the last mission to bring Uchiha Sasuke back, he had studied hard, tried his best to know emotions, to show emotions, but no one had faith in him, no one believed him, they just despised him. He was the soulless, cold-hearted, emotionless bastard. He had tried his best not to be like that anymore, but for how hard he tried, no one cared.
"What are you doing up here??" a soft voice came from under him, he looked and saw the pink haired kunoichi standing there looking at the sunset. He didn't answer.
She stayed silent. He stayed silent.
"You know… I haven't been up here in a while…" he looked at her, she had her hands intertwined behind her back. "…I came here when I was really upset." She looked up with a small smile and caught his gaze on her.
"Go away Ugly." He said and looked away, his face always emotionless. She frowned.
"What's wrong Sai??" he kept silent. She looked down with a sad smile.
"Please talk to me…" she pleaded silently.
"Everyone despises me." He stated, she looked up to see his poker face. "Everyone… I… I've been trying my best to… to learn about emotions… but even Naruto despises me." She went up and sat next to him on the branch.
"Don't say that… I'm here am I not??" he looked at her, she had that peaceful smile he only saw when she was truly happy. He stayed silent.
"You should never stop trying, even if it's just for yourself."
"Why try if no one cares?" she looked at him and frowned.
"I care…" she whispered.
End of Flashback
On that day… I promised myself, I would protect her no matter what… I'd never leave her behind… I promised myself that, like she is always there for me, I'd always be there for her, no matter what. And I intend to keep my promise.
Normal POV
Kyuuki and Ryuuki turned the TV off and walked upstairs, they opened the door of Sakura's room lightly and saw Sai hugging her.
"Kaa-chan…" Ryuuki started.
"…what's wrong?? Kyuuki finished.
Sakura looked up and instantly calmed down and smiled.
"Nothing…" she said quietly, she cleaned her face and got up, Sai followed.
"Sakura…" Sai called.
"Let's go see Kiba-san and Akamaru shall we??"
"YYYAAAYYY!!!!!!" the kids exclaimed happily.
"I'll send a note while they're with Kiba." Sakura told Sai as they left the house. He observed her as they walked.
"If I didn't knew what happened I'd say nothing happened…"
They finally reached the Inuzuka compound and were greeted by a few people. After walking 5 minutes they saw Akamaru running around in his 'big dog' form in a field, Kiba was laying in the grass looking at the clouds, Shikamaru was next to him doing the same, and sitting next to them were Hinata and Tenten chatting happily.
"Ohayo!!" Sakura greeted.
"Ohayo Sakura-san, Sai-san!!" Hinata greeted.
"Hey Sakura, Sai!" Tenten.
"Hn… hey…" Shikamaru.
"Hey Sakura-chan, Sai!!" Kiba.
"Akamaru!!" Kyuuki and Ryuuki yelled happily and ran to Akamaru, who barked happily and ran to them.
Sai and Sakura walked to the group and sat down next to them.
They chatted for a while.
"Hinata-chan… Tenten-san… could you keep Kyuuki-chan and Ryuuki-kun for a while?? I have some things to send to Suna…" she partly lied. The 2 other girls smiled.
"Sure!!" they exclaimed happily.
"It's always a pleasure taking care of them Sakura-san… they're such good kids!!" Hinata said looking at the said kids who were on top of Akamaru, who was running around, the kids laughing happily.
"Yeah… they always behave and they're soooooo cute!!" Tenten exclaimed, the 3 girls giggled.
Sakura got up and Sai did too.
"Then I'll be going… I'll come and pick them up after lunch ok??" Hinata and Tenten nodded in agreement.
"Going for some alone time huh??" Kiba said with a playful wink. Sakura blushed a light shade of pink.
"N-no… I have some messages to send to Suna…" she said quickly. Sai just glared at Kiba. Hinata, Tenten, Shikamaru and Kiba laughed.
"It's not a shame to admit it Sakura!!" Tenten exclaimed.
"S-shut up!!" she said, her blush deepening.
"Relax Sakura-chan!! We're kidding…" Kiba said holding his laughter in. Sakura huffed.
"You're mean…" she whinned.
"Let's go Ugly." Sai said calmly, she punched his arm playfully.
"It's Sakura idiot." She corrected and started to walk away.
"Glad the Hag's back." He said.
"Shut it." She muttered, he just shoved his hands in his pockets and they left to the communication tower.
Once there.
"Sakura-san, do you need anything??" a shinobi asked.
"Actually yes, I need the fastest messenger bird please." She told the shinobi.
"Right away, what country is it to??"
"Sunagakure." She said while taking a small scroll and opening it.
"Sakura, we should…" Sai whispered something in her hear and she agreed.
"Good idea, I'll write it down."
She wrote a small text in the scroll and sealed it.
"Here you go, Takamaru is the fastest, the scroll will be in Suna by the end of the day."
"Okay… thank you." Sakura put the scroll on the bird and let it fly to its destination.
They left the tower and went to get some lunch at Ichiraku, for once Naruto wasn't there. It was understandable, since Hinata had settled a diet for him.
Lunch time – with Hinata, Tenten, Kiba, Shikamaru and Naruto
Everyone was at Kiba's house sitting at the kitchen table to have lunch.
"Are you hungry Kyuuki-chan??" Naruto asked.
"Hai Naruto-nii-chan!!" Kyuuki answered animatedly.
"What about you Ryuuki-kun??" the boy blushed lightly and nodded. Naruto grinned.
"Then let's eat!!" Naruto exclaimed and took the twins in his arms and carried them to the table.
"What do you two want to eat??" Hinata asked softly, they looked at each other and then at Naruto, the 3 grinned.
"We want ramen!!" the twins exclaimed, Naruto giggled.
"Okay then… you're lucky today!!" Hinata said with a smile, she left the table with Tenten and they went to get the food. Naruto sat the twins at the table and sat next to Shikamaru.
"Hey… did you guys notice something strange with Sakura-chan today??" Kiba asked quietly.
"Actually… yes. She seemed… disturbed or something, thought she didn't showed it." Shikamaru said quietly.
"That's strange, Sakura-chan is always so cheerful." Naruto comented.
"And did you notice Sai? He was deep in thought and always glancing at her and then around with a suspicious look…" Kiba continued.
"Like if there was danger around her of some kind." Shikamaru continued.
"That's very strange…" Naruto said making a deep thinking face.
"We all know Sai is very protective of her since we were 17… but still…" Kiba said crossing his arms around his chest.
"Yeah… but c'mon… we were alone there… and he wasn't being suspicious of us… it was about our surroundings…" Shikamaru leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling.
"Maybe we should ask them??" Naruto suggested, for once he wasn't being dense.
"I don't think it's a good idea." Shikamaru said quietly.
"Why not??" Kiba asked eyeing the lazy-ass genius, said genius sighed.
"We noticed their different behaviour because we've known 'hem for years, Sakura since the academy days and Sai since he entered Team Kakashi, if we didn't, it would be as if they were acting normally." He explained.
"So??" the 2 other asked, being somewhat dense.
"So... if they hide the fact that something is bothering them so much, it's because they have a good reason." "they couldn't be more dense sometimes… -sigh- troublesome."
"Oh… still… if something's wrong and if it's not personal… I should know." Naruto said leaning against his chair.
"But we can't force them to tell us… I'm sure they'll tell us… eventually." Kiba said after pondering on the genius's words.
At that moment Hinata and Tenten entered the room with food. Shrimp ramen for Kyuuki (in proportions for a child, which is half a regular bowl), chicken ramen for Ryuuki, Tempura for Shikamaru and Tenten and okazu for the others, of course there was a bowl of pork ramen for Naruto. The girls put the food on the table and sat down.
"Itadakimasu!!" they all exclaimed and started eating.
"How's the meal Kyuuki-chan?? Ryuuki-kun??" Tenten asked loking at the twins.
"Really good!!" they exclaimed. "Arigato Tenten-nee-chan, Hinata-nee-chan!!" they concluded and resumed eating, the girls giggled.
A while before – as Hinata and Tenten went to get the food
"Hinata??"
"What is it??"
"Did you notice Sakura?? She was acting…"
"Disturbed… it's like something really bad happened…"
"Exactly… and Sai kept glancing at her and around us like if there was danger…" Tenten said helping Hinata with the plates.
"well… they'll talk to us if they think they should… but if it's not something personal they should talk to Naruto-kun about it…"
"You're right about that, he's the Hokage after all, ne?" they both walked to the kitchen where the guys and the twins were and put the fool on the table.
"Itadakimasu!!" they all exclaimed and started eating.
"How's the meal Kyuuki-chan?? Ryuuki-kun??" Tenten asked loking at the twins.
"Really good!!" they exclaimed. "Arigato Tenten-nee-chan, Hinata-nee-chan!!" they concluded and resumed eating, the girls giggled.
Please review my dear fans!! I love your reviews, they make me really happy!!
Luv you all, Kaori-chan!!
