Sorry I am late.

Chapter 3: The missing

~ X ~

Graduation Day. three years ago

It was a wonderful and joyous day in the life of Sakura Haruno. The sakura's were in fool bloom, the temperature was perfect everything was perfect on this day. It was the high school graduation ceremony. All of Sakura's friends and family was present on that day. Sakura's family consisted of Tsunade, Kakashi and Itachi who attended in place of her family. All of her friends passed, Naruto included. Although, it was touch and go there for a while. Thankfully, Naruto passed with the efforts of Hinata and Sakura. In times when Hinata was too soft on Naruto, Sakura stepped in. Her methods can only be described as Spartan. Truthfully, with Sakura constantly forcing him to study it was no miracle that Naruto passed. He worked hard to achieve the pass. Also, it was endearing to see Naruto and Hinata together.

On the other hand, Shikamaru was at the top of the class with Neji coming in second while Sakura was third. Even though, Shikamaru is a lazy person by nature he is a highly intellectual person. It must have been his girlfriend Temari's influence. There is no other explanation.

What excites Sakura the most is that in a few months, Sakura and Gaara will be attending Konoha university. Additionally, Shikamaru and Neji will also be attending Konoha university. Hinata and Naruto will be taking a gap year. Truthfully, Hinata was accepted but Naruto was not so they will be studying together so that Naruto can try again for the entrance exams. Naruto is determined to be in the same university as the woman he loves.

~ X ~

A week has passed after the graduation ceremony. Sakura has been spending her days arranging her accommodation on campus. Sakura and Gaara will be living together in a 2 bedroom house situated on campus. The house was walking distance from the medical department which Sakura will be in. Although, the rent is more expensive than the other houses on campus, Gaara insisted on this one. Gaara was not comfortable on Sakura walking a long distance to and from her department. Sakura tried to reassure him that the house was inside the campus and that he did not need to worry. It was safe on campus. However, Gaara did not budge. It was safer on campus than outside campus. There was lights and even security guards patrolling campus after dark and during the day there was a large amount of foot traffic. Gaara also wanted to walk Sakura to and from her department but she refused since Gaara's department is on the other side of campus. It is a half an hour's walk from Sakura's department to Gaara's department. In the end a compromise was made, they will live in the house close to Sakura's department if Gaara lets her walk on her own. However, she had to call him to come pick her up if it was late or after dark. He was still worried for her safety. What is he was unable to get her, what if his class ran late or he had to stay late.

Thankfully, Itachi jumped in to ease his mind. Itachi is doing his masters degree and he has a lot of free time also his department is right next to Sakura's. Itachi will walk Sakura home if Gaara was not able to. Itachi does not live on campus, he still lives in his parents' home where he and Sasuke grew up in. Itachi drives to campus everyday from his home. He even offered to park his car at Sakura's house and walk with her to her department. With what Sakura's been through it was understandable that Gaara is overprotective. He was not the only one who was overprotective but all of Sakura's friends, Tsunade and Kakashi.

Sakura hummed as she packed her boxes. All of the arrangements have been made for her to move into the house on campus. Gaara and Itachi will be coming over the day after tomorrow to take her boxes to the house. Sakura's humming and packing was interrupted by the tone of an incoming text message.

'Hey Sakura, how is your packing coming along? You should come over so that we can celebrate your moving day.' A smile spread across Sakura's face as she read the text message from Itachi.

'I am on my way' Sakura replied to him. She was tired from the days packing and hanging out with Itachi was a wonderful idea. Sakura grabbed her keys and her jacket and off she went to Itachi's house. It did not take long for Sakura to reach Itachi's house. She walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. Nothing. This was not strange in the least. Itachi was a person with an intense concentration, sometimes he would forget the world around him. Luckily, Sakura knew where he hid the spare key just for times like these. Sakura unlocked the door and went in, she heard music coming from the living room. She hang her keys and her jacket in the hallway then made her way to the living room.

"Itachi, I am here!" Sakura called. Still no reply. "What are you busy with this time?" She called again. She walked into the living room. There she saw Itachi sitting in the recliner with his head hanging down "Did you fall asleep, you must be working hard."

"Good to see you again, Sakura." Sakura froze. She felt a coldness creep up her spine. Closing her eyes and preying she turned around ever so slowly.

"Sasuke." He eyes met the young man. He was leaning next to the door entrance smiling at her. She did not notice him when she came in.

"Why so serious, Sakura?" He asked still smiling. "Sit Sakura." Sasuke motioned to the chair across from Itachi. She could feel her heart racing, her palms becoming sweaty and a coldness numbing her feet. She slowly walked over to the chair across from Itachi and sat down. Sasuke's eye followed her every move. "It has been a year, haven't you missed me?" Sasuke asked walking toward the seat the Sakura sat in.

"Hi S-S-Sasuke how h-ha-have you been." Sakura stuttered. She was beside herself with fear as he moved closer.

"Well." Sasuke muttered as he walked towards Sakura. He looked at Sakura's hands on the arm rests, they were trembling in fear. "As you know I was suspended a year ago" Sasuke continued talking. He walked past Sakura and stood behind the chair that Itachi was in. "Itachi sent me to a boarding school in the sound village." a smile spread on Sasuke's face. "What a loving older brother." Sasuke grabbed Itachi's hair and pulled his head up. Sakura's blood ran cold as she saw the blood on Itachi's face. She did not notice the blood when his head was hanging down.

"Itachi!" Sakura gasped. She was gripping the arm rests until her knuckles turned white.

"I had to see a psychiatrist weekly for that year. It was mandatory for my...condition."Sasuke scoffed "It was going well until graduation. You see my sweet Sakura, Itachi was not even present at my graduation. Hell, I did not wish to see my brother since the day he sent me away."

"T..Then why are you doing th..thi..this?" Sakura stammered.

"Because of you." Sasuke looked straight into her eyes. His face was emotionless. This face scared Sakura more than when he was violent or when he had the creepy smile. His emotionless face made her feel like someone was gripping her heart with ice cold hands.

"What should I do?" Sakura asked. Her lip quivered under his emotionless gaze.

"Easy." Sasuke smiled. He stretched his hand out to her. "Come with me and never look back."

"I don't want to." How she wished she did not utter those four words. The second the last word left her lips, Sasuke's smile vanished and he glared at her.

"I see." Sasuke sighted heavily. "I have no choice then." He pushed over the chair that Itachi was sitting in. Itachi hit the ground with a dull thud. Sakura could hear him groan in pain as he laid on the wooden floor. Sakura wanted to scream but she could not utter a single word as fear gripped her. "Come with me." Sasuke asked again. He placed his foot on Itachi's chest. Sakura shook her head in a 'no' motion. It was then when Sasuke brought his foot down hard on Itachi's chest. He proceeded to kick his brother relentlessly. Itachi's face contorted in pain as he was kicked.

"Stop it!" Sakura screamed, tears streamed down her face. Sakura was scared of Sasuke when he was in high school but the Sasuke before her terrified her. The most terrifying part was how calm and collected Sasuke was as he did these kinds of things. She was gripping the arm rest, digging her nails into the wood surface.

"Make your choice, Sakura" Sasuke stopped kicking Itachi who only groaned in pain. "Will you stay here or will you go with me?" Sasuke smiled as he walked towards Sakura. He touched her cheek with his right hand. Oddly enough, his hands were warm. She expected them to be ice cold. Only a cold blooded monster could kick his only living relative with a smile on their face. "Who will it be Sakura, Itachi or Gaara." Sasuke wiped her tears away with his thumb. "If you choose Itachi then you will come with me. I promise I won't hurt Itachi anymore. However, If you choose Gaara." Sasuke softly shook his head to the side, not uttering a word. No explanation was necessary. "Tell me Sakura who do you love more." More tears started to streamed down Sakura's face.

"Please, Sasuke!" Sakura's lips quivered. Sasuke smiled did not go away. He continued to wipe her cheek with his thumb. His left hand rested on her knee.

"Choose." Sasuke said cocking his head to the side.

"I will go with you, Sasuke so please don't hurt Itachi anymore than you already have." A huge smile spread on Sasuke's face.

"Wonderful!" He exclaimed clapping his hands together. He stood up before Sakura. "Then let's leave immediately." To Sakura's horror Sasuke bend down and picked up Itachi, throwing him over his shoulder. "All three of us." He extended his free hand to Sakura.

"Yes." Sakura placed her hand in his outstretched hand.

On that day both Sakura and Itachi disappeared without a trace. No one could find the whereabouts of those two.

~ X ~

And now I have left you all alone, feelings twirling inside. Nowhere to go

oh, how these feelings twist and turn and decay into something else

into something sinister...