A/N: Thanks guys for being so patient! I finally got over my writer's block this weekend and now I'm back! Well, I could go on and on forever, but I'll get to the story. Here's chapter 3 of Surviving the Past and the Present.
"…" talking
'…' thoughts
Italics- flashbacks
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Previously:
She then felt her eyes begin to water. She griped Sasuke shirt. She tried to hide them but it was too late. Sasuke had caught on to what was happening. He picked up her chin and began to tuck strains of her hair he behind her ear. He then wiped away her tears and leaned in slowly to kiss her. Atchika was first shocked at first ,but then returned the kiss by wrapping her arms around his neck. When they broke the kiss Atchika put her head underneath his chin once again. While she did this, Sasuke began running his fingers through her hair. As he did that, he heard her say, " Sasuke, your not alone anymore."
Nothing could break up than moment that Atchika and Sasuke had. Soon Sasuke took Atchika back to where she would be staying. Though neither of them knew that there was a certain pink- haired kunoichi watching them in the shadows……..
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Chapter 3- Sakura's Answers, Atchika's Story
Sasuke and Atchika broke their kiss and stood in each other's embrace for a while. Atchika was savoring every moment of it until she felt as if someone was watching them from the trees. She still had her eyes closed, but she could still sense the person's chakra. With the person's chakra she made a description of that person. 'Okay…' Atchika thought to herself, 'it's a female. That's for sure. Let's see what else….. Pink hair, green eyes. Uh, oh. I think I know who it is.' She then released Sasuke from her embrace. "Uh.. Sasuke, would you mind waiting for me at the entrance of the forest?"
"Sure , why?" he asked in a curious tone of voice.
" I have to do something kind of important." She replied .
"Like what?" he asked in a playful/curious tone of voice.
She then reached to his ear and whispered something to him. At first he was clueless, but as she whispered, a smirk appeared on his face, though it turned into a frown after the last sentence. He then looked at her holding her hand as she looked down in despair. He lifted her chin and said, " I'll be here for you if you need me."
Atchika embraced him one last time. She whispered words of thank you to him and they kissed each other one final time before Sasuke disappeared into the forest.
Sakura watched from the tree she was hiding in. She followed Sasuke just to see. She had seen the thing that she never wanted to see: Sasuke kissing another girl! She was supposed to be his first girl he kissed. She began to wonder who this Atchika character really was. As she saw Sasuke leave, she had a feeling that she should stay to watch her. Atchika had her back against the tree that Sakura was hiding in. Sakura was about to leave until she heard Atchika. " I know you were watching us Sakura . Why don't you come down and I think you might have some questions to ask me."
'What! How did she know that I was watching her ? And how did she know I was going to have questions for her?' Sakura thought. For some strange reason, she jumped down from her hiding place. She looked at Atchika who still had her back towards her. Atchika then turned around to face Sakura . Atchika could tell that there was a look of determination in her eyes. Probably to find out answers to her questions.
"Okay if you have any questions, now would be the time to ask." said Atchika in an almost playful voice.
Sakura was kind of shocked at her personality. She then asked very seriously, " How do you know Sasuke?"
"He hasn't told you yet, has he." She said Sakura as she sat down near the river.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked curiously. Her seriousness faded away.
Atchika smiled at her kind of shyly. "I'm Sasuke's …fiancé"
"WHAT!" Sakura yell. She was terribly shocked. She felt as if her whole world was crumbling down from beneath her feet. "How can that be? He hasn't even mention you name before. So how can you be his fiancé?
Atchika's smile turned into a frown as she singled Sakura to sit down next to her near the river. She began to speak as Sakura took a seat next to her. "I've know Sasuke for as long as I can remember. We had met through our fathers. We've been the best of friends ever since. Then one day, the elders of our clans decided to arrange a marriage between the two clans. And they choose Sasuke and me. When we come to age , we will be married."
"So, you're being forced to marry him. Is that what you are saying?" asked Sakura.
"I guess you can say that. Though, I'm glad that we're going to get married" she replied.
Sakura was kind of upset about what she discovered. "Just because you're engaged to him doesn't mean that you have to marry him!" she yelled at her.
"You don't understand, do you" Atchika said to her calmly, " We're doing this because we want to rebuild each other clan."
"What?" Sakura asked softly.
"Both of our clan has been massacred. The Uchiha clan was killed by Itachi and mine was massacred by Orochimaru" she said as she brought her knees to her chin.
"Orochimaru…?", Sakura said softly. She was now worried.
"Yes. He killed my family"
(Flash back)
A little 7 year old Atchika was playing outside with her older brother Toya Imaru, who was 12 at the time. A scream was heard from there house.
"Atchika, stay her. I'll go check things out," said Toya who was a genin.
Atchika stayed as her brother told her until she heard a scream that came from her brother. She quickly ran to her house. She entered the house through the back door since she sensed something wrong. When she went inside she saw her mother on the floor covered in blood.
"MOM!" she yelled as she ran to the woman who was holding a infant close to her.
"Atchika, get out of here. It's dangerous here. Take Hatoko get out of here." She pleaded to her daughter, giving her the baby.
"What do you mean Mom? I'm not going anywhere!" she protested as she held her baby sister.
"Sweetie, please, get out of here while you can!." Just then Atchika saw a tall man with long black hair while golden snake eyes. She froze with terror.
"So.. this is the second youngest child of the mighty Imaru clan. I'll defiantly have fun with her," he said then grabbing her and her mother by their hair and bringing them to the living room where Atchika's father and brother laid…motionless. They laid in a pool of blood Atchika was released and yet she couldn't move. She then realized that he had cleverly placed a paralysis jutsu on her when she wasn't playing attention, while she was trying to break free from Orochimaru's grasp. She couldn't move. Orochimaru threw her mother to the wall, and then headed towards the frighten child with the infant still in her arms. He took out a kunai, and was ready to kill both children.
Tears formed in Atchika's eyes. She knew she was about to die. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. As Orochimaru was a foot in front of her, he felt a great force of charka hit his back. She fell to his knees and Atchika was released from his paralysis jutsu. He turned around to see Atchika's mother with a hand sigh, indicating that she had used a ninjutsu. "Don't you dare touch my daughters"
"Strong words from someone who is about to die" he mocked at her.
"Atchika.. take this and run. Go! Don't worry about me. Just take care of your sister." She warned her daughter as she tossed her a beautiful gem on a silver thin chain. The gem was light purple, much like her eyes.
She caught the necklace with one had and still held the baby tightly. She still couldn't move due to fear. She watched as Orochimaru held her mother by her hair as he lifted her up of the ground. "Atchika, would you like to see your mother's own death? Well you're about to if you like it or not" said Orochimaru. He got out his kunai and placed it to her mother's throat. He then slid it across her throat. Blood appeared in a small line that gently dripped from the wound.
Atchika yelled, "MOM!"
"At…Atchika", her mother said silently, "please…live and…be …strong, for me." With that Orochimaru then used the same kunai and forced it into her stomach. He then let her go, and she was lying in a pool of her own blood.
Atchika fell to her knees, crying. Orochimaru then turned to her. He saw the damage he had done and was pleased with himself, he then left leaving the two girls, Atchika and baby Hatoko, alone to suffer for the next 5 years of their life………
(End of Flashback)
"And ever since then I've been alone, raising Hatoko on my own", finished Atchika with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
Sakura was shocked over what she had heard. 'Who knew that that could happen to a person? No wonder Sasuke had a gloomier than usual look on his face when he saw her. "Atchika, I'm sorry. I never knew."
"Don't apologize. It's like my mom used to say: ' It takes a strong heart to cry, but a stronger heart to say why.'" Atchika said back.
"Hey, if you need anything, I'll be there for you," comforted Sakura. She finally realized what Atchika had been through. Though it was hard to admit to herself, but Atchika did deserve Sasuke. She had excepted Atchika as a friend.
"Thanks Sakura." Atchika said as they gave each other a hug. "Uh…Sakura ..."
"Yeah, Atchika?"
"Are you okay about me and Sasuke?"
"Yeah, besides I have another crush on someone."
"Will I get to know who it is?"
"Maybe", both girls giggled as they reached the entrance of the forest, where Sasuke was waiting for the girls.
"Sakura. Atchika." he said quietly.
Atchika walked towards him and gave him a small cheek on the cheek, meaning everything went fine. "Who's hungry," Atchika in a playful voice.
Sasuke and Sakura both nodded and they all headed to the ramen shop. They began to talk and Sakura and Atchika made a promise that they wouldn't tell Naruto about Atchika and Sasuke until the time was right.
"But what about Kakashi?" asked Sakura
"Don't worry, he already knows. Kind of weird." Atchika replied
After they ate, they headed back to the apartments they were staying at that night. Sasuke kissed Atchika good night, and Atchika and Sakura shared a room. The next day, they would start their training as a for man squad with their new team mate.
(To be continued …..)
Next: Chapter 4-Training with Atchika
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A/N:( sob, sob) that was so sad! It was also a long chapter. Well, thanks for being so patient. I'll try to update sooner for the next chapter. So please review! Love ya guys!
-CursedAngelofHeaven
