Her Recovery, His Salvation

Chapter. 2

Sakura paused in scrubbing the floors with her sponge to wipe her brow, looked around the half cleaned living room in critique and sighed in exhaustion when she realized that she was nowhere near done with her cleaning. Sasuke's house was two stories high with five bedrooms and three bathrooms. All were dusty and in need of some serious tender, love and care, because not only was the outside terrible, but it turns out all the houses were broken into, on top of being vandalized.

Sakura had no idea how she was going to be able to get everything done by the end of the week, but she hadn't stopped cleaning since she'd gotten her mission from Tsunade. However, she'd been feeling more and more depressed with each house she moved on to. The destruction and old decay that was left was just heartbreaking, and it made Sakura's resolve to keep going harden everyday. Though there was no doubt in her mind that she was going to continue no matter the cost, even if she had to stay up all night and day to get the work done. It was the least she could do for Sasuke... And for herself.

Sakura had spent hours each day cleaning with tears running down her cheeks and dirt and grime all over her clothes and body. She had felt so weak and useless during the process, but she was happy to be doing it alone than with someone watching her. It was a nightmare. She knew that she would never be able to let Sasuke clean the place by himself, not with how things were now. She could only imagine the look in his eyes if he were to come home to something like what it was. She wouldn't have the heart to do it. She couldn't bear the thought of letting him have to suffer with his family's memories and also with the vandalism from the villagers. She knew that he would probably hate the village even more than he does now if he had to come home with all the trash that had accumulated over the years. Sometimes she also resented her village, just for the simple fact some of the people didn't have enough appreciation for what they had, and she couldn't understand how they could judge someone the way they do. She swore if she ever caught who did it, she'd deal with them personally. No matter what Tsunade said; she was not going to let them get away with desecrating Sasuke's home. Even if he never knew that it was her who had cleaned and kept the place safe from anymore vandalism she would make sure that it would never happen again.

That was her promise of a lifetime.

With one last look around the floor she threw down her sponge, scrubbing away at the blood stained floor, getting back to the work at hand. "You're not allowed to be here, Kakashi." She said with a hint of a bite in her voice. The blood was taking forever to remove. Why wasn't this done years ago? Hadn't Sasuke lived in the complex before his defection?

She heard a deep chuckle and a few shuffling steps before she saw a pair a feet step into her line of vision. "Can't a man visit his dear ole' student once in a while?"

Sakura scoffed, leaning back on her knees to look up at the silver haired male, his ever present book in hand. "Cut the crap, old man. I haven't been your student for a while now, remember?"

Kakashi snapped his fingers. "How could I forget? I spent a long time getting you and Naruto to stop calling me Sensei."

Sakura smiled. "You will always be my Sensei, Kakashi. Nothing will ever change that, you should know that by now."

He bent down to her eye level and tapped her chin. "Trust me, Sakura, I won't ever forget my students. Especially if it's people like you and Naruto."

She sniffed and rubbed her cheek, hoping there wasn't any dirt on it. "Don't forget Sasuke." She stated. "He may not be my best friend, but he's still important."

Kakashi smiled under his mask. "I know he's important, Sakura. I won't ever forget that he's been a main part of Team 7's life for years. He's the whole reason for you and Naruto getting so strong."

Sakura cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes playfully. "He's only one of the reasons for me."

Kakashi barked a laugh. "I'm sure, but either way, I know what you're doing for him and I'm sure if he ever knew what you did, he'd appreciate it too... Eventually."

She gave a disbelieving look. "Yeah, I guess."

"Come on," he said, standing back on his feet, and pulling her up with him. "You've been working all day. I think it's about time you went home."

"You say that, yet I believe the only reason you're here is because you just wanted to get away from Shizune, and her wondering of why you'd rather pay more attention on that book than spend time with her." She said after a long, drawn out yawn.

Kakashi placed a hand over his heart with an offended gasp. "You wound me, why would I ever shirk my responsibility to my beloved Shizune-chan? Especially seeing as we've just now come to peace after such a heartbreaking war-"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Put a sock in it, Kakashi."


Sakura fell onto her couch with an exhausted sigh, not able to hold back a tired groan. She stayed in that position until she looked over at her coffee table, noticing some scrolls and files she promised Tsunade she'd work on. She really didn't feel like doing anymore work, she'd been doing that a lot lately and was just too mentally and physically drained to bring herself to do anything else. Just talking herself into it seemed like the end of the world.

She leaned over the arm of her couch trying to get a glimpse of her wall clock that was nearest to the kitchen and farthest from the place she was so comfortably place. She squinted her eyes in a feeble attempt to check the time. She knew it had to have been late, it had been dark by the time she left the Uchiha district, but it wasn't that late because the guards hadn't changed shifts yet. "I always knew I was going to need glasses one day..." She muttered to herself as she struggled to see the time.

She really needed to work on those scrolls for Tsunade but decided that if it was past nine then she refused. She had her limits. As she was just about to slump into her very comfy couch, giving up on finding the time altogether, and too lazy to even think about getting up, she heard a knock on her door. She groaned in misery. "You've got to be kidding me~" She whined, begrudgingly raising herself up from her laying position with a sigh of annoyance, dragging her feet along as she walked to the front door.

As the knocking continued, her patience grew thin. "Alright, I'm coming, hold your horses!" She shouted, grabbing the knob and yanking it open, ready to give whoever the offender was a piece of her mind. "What do you wa-" She stopped short at the sight before her. "Sa- mmph!" Before she could even blink a hand was over her mouth and her back was slammed against her door.

She groaned, blinking her blurred eyes, realizing that she was back in her house and there was a criminal glaring at her with deep red eyes. Her mind went blank for a moment as the hand slowly dropped from her face and then it all came back. "You idiot! What the hell are you doing? Are you-" she paused to smack the offender over the head. "out of-" another hit. "your mind?!"

"Would you please," the voice hissed, his red eyes spinning in annoyance. "hold off your assault and let me explain myself before you kill me?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, finding the whole situation quite horrific yet amusing. "Oh sure, yeah, go ahead. I'll keep calm and dandy while you're explaining why one, you're not dead, and two... Oh yeah, you're not dead... Why aren't you dead?!" Sakura screamed, her hands grabbing at the strands of her hair and her eyes looking wild. "It's official," she started mumbling to herself. "I've finally lost it... I'm not really seeing Uchiha Itachi right now, I've just lost my mind." She started to walk off, back towards the sitting room.

Itachi was right behind her, following her with caution, not knowing if Sakura was going to start attacking him again. "Honestly..." He said to himself with exasperation. "Sakura, really, I'm here, snap out of it. I'm here for a reason by the way."

"Oh my god, what is Sasuke going to think? What's he going to do?" She continued to ramble to herself as she fell backwards into the cushions.

Itachi's face turned cold. "Absolutely nothing, because he's not going to find out."

Sakura finally stopped her incoherent speech to look at the supposedly deceased Uchiha. "What's going on, why are you here? How are you even alive?"

Itachi sighed and stepped closer towards where Sakura was sitting. "It's a long story, that I don't have time to tell right now. I'm mainly here for Sasuke."

Sakura nodded, wringing her hands together. "Of course, it's always about Sasuke these days." She smiled wryly.

Itachi nodded. "Yes, by the way, thank you for what you're doing to the Uchiha District. I know the Uchiha aren't held in high regards these days, but what you did was very generous. I can't thank you enough."

Sakura shook her head. "I did it for Sasuke."

The Uchiha smirked and nodded his head. "Of course... It's always about Sasuke." There was a long moment of understood silence. There was no need for talk because they had thoughts for one person, and one person only. "This is going to be the last time anyone is ever going to see me again, so I needed to come to someone that I knew would really understand where I'm coming from."

Sakura blinked in confusion.

Itachi chuckled at Sakura's questioning face. "I'm being quite vague aren't I? Why don't I just start from the beginning- As I said earlier, I'm here for Sasuke. I know his feelings for the village are practically nothing but hatred... Which is understandable, but he's directing his anger towards the wrong source. His anger should have laid with Danzou and the Elders, and should have ended with their deaths... However, as it seems, I was wrong once again in my assumptions. I give my little brother too much credit..."

Sakura looked away at that.

"In many ways I'm here to thank you and to ask for one more favor before I'm to completely remove myself from Sasuke's life." Itachi said softly, leaning near the window and looking out to the full moon. "He sees me as dead, and for the remainder of his life and mine, I shall stay that way."

Sakura finally stood looking grave. "Why do you have to go? Why can't you live your life with your brother? You've been his drive to fight, and to live. You're what keeps him going! You can't leave."

"I have to," he said, snapping his head towards Sakura. "Sasuke needs to learn to live for himself. He needs to grow up, and learn how to depend on himself. He doesn't need hatred in his life anymore and I'm the main source of that. He needs independence, he needs to make a better life for himself! He needs to be free of myself and the drama that comes with me."

Sakura ran a hand through her hair. "Yes, he does, but he loves you. He's practically dead now. He has no drive anymore... He's giving up, Itachi." She bit her lip as she stepped closer to the Uchiha. "Please, if there's anything you think that can help him, please, tell me."

Itachi looked away for a few moments before he turned his head back to face Sakura, though he still said nothing, he just cocked his head to the side and studied her for what felt like centuries, to her at least.

Sakura crossed her arms defensively and eyed him warily. "What are you looking at?"

Itachi smirked that same familiar smirk that Sasuke used to give when they were younger. "You're in love with him."

Sakura gaped, spluttering over her words to make herself deny it, but the words just wouldn't come out. It had been so long since someone ever confronted her about her feelings for Sasuke. It was like taboo, no one ever said anything to her about her past infatuation with Sasuke. The only person she ever told about how she loved Sasuke, was Ino... And that was only because she had been taking sake shots like no ones business. "You have no idea what you're talking about!" She finally managed to get out.

Itachi snorted in amusement. "I can see it in your eyes. You have a strong desire to help Sasuke. You know, they say the eyes are the mirror to ones' soul. I believe in your case this is true."

"Stop talking nonsense, we're not talking about me!" She snapped, gasping in shock when Itachi was right in front of her face. 'Holy crap! This guy is super fast!'

`Oh, yeah thanks for pointing out the obvious.' Sakura sarcastically replied back to her inner.

"Oh, but you see, this conversation has everything to do with you, why else would I be here?" Itachi asked rhetorically.

Sakura answered anyway. "Because you're a bad judge of character?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes at the rosette. "No, listen, you're a woman and you've known Sasuke just as long as Naruto has. You're not as brash as Naruto, nor are you as insensitive as Kakashi-san. You're a strong, capable woman, and you know how my foolish little brother works. You can handle his personality and you can stand up to him if he does anything stupid."

Sakura shook her head in denial and held out her arms in an 'X' like shape. "Oh no, you've got everything all wrong, Sasuke hates me! I'm annoying and worthless in his eyes. You know what his reply was to me becoming ANBU? He scoffed, and said that Konoha must be really desperate to allow me to be in the black ops corp. I mean, he said that after he got over the initial shock, but he still said it!"

Itachi sighed, wondering how he was supposed to get through to this woman. "What did you do after he said that?"

There was a long definite pause as Sakura ran over the words to his question. "Uh... Well," she scratched the back of her head, much like how Naruto does when he's made a mistake. "I think I smacked him, or threw his glass of water at him... I'm not really sure, all I see is red when I think of that day." She shrugged sheepishly.

Itachi nodded. "See, you can handle him just fine. That's why I made sure you'll be Sasuke's caretaker and probation officer until he straightens out.

"You don't have the authority to do that!" Sakura exclaimed indignantly.

Itachi chuckled. "I've already been to your Hokage, and went over all this with her already, she thinks it's a good idea. It's not like you have to live with him. You can be his friend can't you? Obviously he's going to have a hard time making acquaintances here, all the villagers hate him, but if you're with him and befriending him, it might open up the eyes of the people."

Sakura sighed and turned her head away.


'I can't believe you're actually doing this.' Inner- Sakura said in disappointment. `You're just opening yourself up for more heartbreak. He wants nothing to do with you.'

Sakura tried her best to ignore the voice in her head as she walked down the prison walls with a purpose, nodding authoritatively to all the guards that she passed, knowing they wouldn't do anything to stop her, being as she was the one that took care of Sasuke all throughout his imprisonment.

'Why aren't you thinking all of this through? You mean nothing to him. You have no obligation for doing any of this... This is a bad idea.'

`Please,' Sakura begged inwardly. `stop pointing out the things I already know. I'm not doing this for myself or for anyone but Sasuke.'

'See, that's where you're going to get hurt. You still have feelings for the young boy who used to protect you on missions. Wake up, this isn't your Sasuke-kun anymore. This is a cold-blooded murderer. Remember what he did to the village, how he tried to kill Naruto? Are you going to ignore all that?!'

Sakura froze, her heart stopping for a moment as she had a flashback of all those times Sasuke had tried to hurt them, how he tried to kill her without a bat of an eye. All those words her inner said were eating at her and she could feel the severe anxiety all coming back to her.

She grabbed her hair and bent down on the ground and buried her face into her knees, remembering the breathing exercises Tsunade had taught her. After the war Sakura had to go through some intense therapy, from all the mental scarring she had gone through and all the things she had seen. And she once grown anxiety every time she saw or even thought about Sasuke, it had gotten so bad that she would throw up and have mental breakdowns.

But Tsunade had forced her into being around Sasuke so she would get over her fears. Because Sasuke was defenseless, and Sakura could beat him into a bloody pulp if he lifted one finger as a threat towards her.

'Just shut up!' Sakura ordered her inner. `Why don't you go back into the black hole you came out of and leave me alone?!'

"Haruno-san?"

Sakura looked up to see two guards standing over her, looking worried. She smiled sheepishly and stood, hoping they hadn't been there the whole time. "Oops, sorry, I lost my hairpin and was trying to look for it. Do you mind if I go in to visit Sasuke?"

They shook their heads and stepped aside, allowing her through.

As she stood in front of Sasuke's confined cell, she took deep calming breaths and raised her hand and poured chakra into the stone wall, watching as the seems started to appear and a loud click resounded through the dingy hall.


Sasuke was sitting down in the middle of his cot, his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest, he looked as if to be sleeping, but she knew he was awake. He had an unbelievable sense of chakra reading, and could practically smell her a mile away.

"Coming for another mental exam?" He said smoothly, one eye opening to meet hers.

She shook her head and went to sit on her knees in front of him. He gave her a confused look before he closed his eye with a sigh and went back to meditating. She bit her lip, feeling nervous, and not sure exactly what she was supposed to say. She shook her head, snapping herself out of her funk and cleared her throat.

Sasuke opened his eye again once more, this time with an eyebrow raised, as if saying 'What the hell do you want now?'

"I would like for us to start over..." She said, rather awkwardly.

Sasuke rose both eyebrows, cocking his head to the side.

She looked away, not really feeling comfortable with doing this, but knew she needed to set the boundaries so he would know right away what her intentions were. "By that, I mean, I want us to try to be... friends." The words sounded odd on her tongue, especially with it being Sasuke she was saying it to... She didn't even know if he could have friends other than Naruto. And that was only because Naruto could make friends with a tree and it wouldn't be weird. But with her and Sasuke, being friends was probably the last thing on his mind and she wouldn't be surprised if he laughed in her face and told her to get lost.

Sasuke was now staring at her with both eyes, not giving her any idea of what he was thinking, but she knew for sure that he was making her shuffle around in her seat with his intense gaze. After what felt like hours, he finally spoke. "Why would you want to be friends with me?" His voice sounding hoarse from misuse.

Sakura blinked in surprise. "Why wouldn't I? Come on, Sasuke despite what you might think we were part of a team and I think it'd be nice for you to have more than just Naruto as a friend."

Sasuke scoffed and smirked at Sakura, as if he knew something she didn't. "I don't need you or the dobe to be my friends. I don't need any, nor do I want any. What you and the dobe decide is purely your choice, but I won't have any part in it."

Sakura glared. "Why do you insist on making things difficult? I'm just trying to be nice and help. Half the village hates you, and you need all the people in your life that you can get. What's the point in fulfilling your life's dream if you don't experience the aftermath?"

Sasuke glared at Sakura's audacity. Who did she think she was, talking as if she knew him? "Who do you think you are? Talking as if you know me. As if you know what I've been through, you have no idea, and you never will. So get lost, Sakura. Find some other pity case to take care of, I'm sure there's a lot them around, considering I'm the cause of it all." He hissed with malice.

Sakura screamed in anger, standing on her feet and leaning over Sasuke, lashing her hand as if to smack the bloody hell out of him, however, instead she reached for the collar of his shirt and pulled until their noses were almost touching. "Listen you spoiled jerk, not everyone in this world is out to get you, or wishing bad things on you. If I want to be your friend, then I'm being serious. You think I pity you?" She laughed and shook her head. "No Sasuke, I don't pity you..."

Sasuke grabbed the hand that was holding his collar and squeezed her wrist, tightly. "What," he said coldly, looking smug all of a sudden. "You love me?" He barked out a laugh and looked her dead in the eyes. "Get over your little childhood Sakura, grow up. It's not going to happen."

Sakura narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "God," she screeched, letting go of his shirt and pushing him harshly into the wall. "Get over yourself, you bastard! Who could ever love a monster like you anyway? You know what, forget it, I don't want to be your friend. In fact, you could die tomorrow and I wouldn't even lift a finger to help you!"

With that she stormed away, not noticing Sasuke's wide eyes, or how she had left a crater the size of his body in the wall. Sasuke coughed into his hand, pulling back and seeing it covered in blood. He looked at what was once a door into his cell and closed his eyes, with a shake of his head. She had broken one of his ribs. Great. Another problem that he was going to have to deal with.

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling, going over his conversation with Sakura. If he was honest with himself, he'd admit that he'd probably just made a big mistake, and let his pride do the talking once again, letting it backfire, once again. He sighed and looked at the indent in the wall behind him, touching it with the tips of his fingers. He didn't know why, but suddenly felt very sick to his stomach, and he got the feeling it wasn't because Sakura had broken his rib.

If he was anyone else, and explored his feeling he would have discovered that it was regret, and that he could have possibly lost one of the few people who actually cared for him.

Sasuke laid down in his cot carefully, closing his eyes as he laid one arm over his face. "Nice going, Uchiha."