"Sakura-chan, you're so lucky! You're parents are such strong shinobi!"
Young Sakura raised her head to see the person who had spoken. It was a girl with long brown hair that was tied into a braid and green eyes. Beside her were two others – a young boy and another young girl – but unlike the brunette, they didn't seem to be interested in talking to her.
"I heard they defeated members of that enemy shinobi group – wow, they're so cool!"
The pink-haired girl smiled and a blush found its way to her face. "Th-thank you," she said softly, gathering the colorful pebbles she had been playing with since before the three children arrived.
She had been sitting beneath a rain shelter by the gates when the three arrived, garbed in heavy rain-proof attires.
"It must be cool having shinobi as parents – I hope my parents are shinobi, too!"
Sakura tucked a lock of her short pink hair behind her ear. "I-I guess…"
The brunette gave her a toothy grin before waving. "We have to go, then. Goodbye, Sakura-chan!" the girl said as she began to run under Amegakure's never-ending rain. The two other children followed, and when they thought Sakura couldn't hear, they started whispering frantically at the brown-haired girl.
"Are you crazy, Momoko?! Why did you talk to that child! Her parents are dangerous!"
"Katsuyu's right! Her parents might come after you if you get on her wrong side!"
"You two are being silly! I think she's nice –"
Sakura didn't get to hear the rest of the conversation because they had already ran far enough that Sakura's sharp ears weren't able to hear them anymore.
Sakura sighed, standing up and dusting her clothes. Taking her rain gear from the concrete chair, she started walking back home.
Home… Sakura mused. She was always safe when she was home.
Chapter 4: Home
"Listen Itachi – if we ever find out that you betrayed this clan, I want you to know that you'll pay for your wrongs!"
Sakura abruptly stopped walking, almost tripping as she did so.
"Hmm? Sakura-chan? What's the matter?" the woman beside her asked, looking at her with genuine concern.
"Something's wrong," Sakura barely whispered before turning to the Uchiha matriarch whom she'd accompanied to the market that afternoon. "Please excuse me, Mikoto-sama. I shall be going on ahead."
Mikoto had barely nodded before Sakura was on her heels, running as fast as she could.
Something is wrong…
"The clan – the clan! You overestimate your own abilities that you have no idea of the depth of my own. And look at you now… groveling in the dirt."
Sakura's green eyes widened. That was Itachi-nii-sama!
What was going on?! Why had she heard a foreign voice just now?!
"Obsessed with the organization – obsessed with the clan! Obsessed with our lineage – your worthless compulsion enslaves us, limiting our abilities, leading us to fear what we don't understand."
Sakura ran faster, her short breaths following shortly after another. And when she had finally arrived at the corner where the voices came from, a loud, commanding voice crossed her hearing.
"Stop it, Itachi!"
Sakura suddenly stopped, as if she had been the one commanded at by the man she feared and respected at the same time. Hastily, she hid behind a large wooden post, catching her breath as she peeped quietly at the scene.
It seemed that Fugaku had just arrived at the scene where three men were sprawled on the ground and Itachi was standing in the middle as if he had been the one responsible for their beating.
Sakura's green eyes widened in realization. Looking slowly at the older of the Uchiha brothers, she quietly organized her thoughts.
Was he, though?
No.
Itachi-nii-sama would never hurt anyone from the village – let alone from the Uchiha Clan!
Sakura looked back at the three ninja.
But all the clues were right in front of her!
Had Itachi-nii-sama really –
"What's happening to you?!" she heard Fugaku ask his son. "You've been acting strange lately."
"I have my own duties to fulfill," Itachi answered evenly.
"Why didn't you come last night?"
"…To achieve the next state," Itachi said.
From afar, Sakura could see Fugaku's body grow rigid. "What are you talking about?!"
The next… state?
Sakura couldn't help but gasp at what happened next. Itachi had taken a kunai from his pouch and had thrown it full-force at one of the Uchiha crests embedded on the wall.
Itachi-nii-sama… what…?
"I've had enough," Itachi said menacingly, facing his father. "There's no hope left for this pathetic clan."
Sakura's knees shook. She had never seen Itachi like this! He looked… different… dangerous… and for the first time in a long time, Sakura was scared. She hadn't felt this scared since…
The young girl trembled.
…since –
"OKAA-SAN!"
Blood. Blood everywhere.
"Sakura! Hide! You have to hide! You have to –"
Blood. Blood on her mother's face, blood on her mother's back, blood on the floor, blood everywhere –
"OKAA-SAN!"
No – no – no, please no! STOP!
Please!
STOP!
She hadn't realized it, but Sakura had run to the scene, arms spread wide, in the middle of the Uchihas.
"Please…" Sakura's lips quivered. "Stop this…"
Three beats passed.
Sakura barely registered Itachi as he fell on his knees unto the ground.
"I'm not the one who killed Shisui," he said, bowing low at the four Uchihas before him, "but I apologize for the words I have spoken. I am truly sorry."
Hesitantly, Sakura followed Itachi's bowed form.
Is it… over?
A hand found its way to her shoulder. "Sakura…"
Green met green. "Chichi-ue…"
"Sakura… stop crying," her father said, looking back at the crowd of people garbed in all black.
"But Nanami-oba-chan… she's…" Sakura sniffed and bowed her head. "She's dead…"
The hand on her shoulder squeezed gently. "You have to be used to deaths, Sakura."
Sakura slowly looked up again.
"Such is the life of a shinobi."
When Sakura finally came to her senses, she realized that the gentle weight she felt on her shoulder had not been her imagination.
Sakura looked up to the person standing beside her, eyes as unfocused as hers had been just a moment ago.
"Sasuke-kun…"
Sasuke looked at her at the sound of his name, meeting her green-eyed gaze. There was something in the young Uchiha's eyes that was off, but before she could open her mouth to ask if he was doing alright, Sasuke had already nodded, having understood her question before she had even asked it.
Sakura didn't believe him, of course.
But if he didn't want to talk about it, then she wouldn't force him to.
"Wow. You sure have a wide forehead."
A vein popped on the top of her head. "What was that?!" Sakura whirled around and flexed her fingers at the group pointing at her from a distance. "Why don't you come and say that to my face, you dimwits!"
The trio cringed in fear, but one – their leader, perhaps – collected her courage and talked back. "Don't think you've got anything to be proud of! You don't have Sasuke to defend you this time, so don't think –" The leader gulped, seeing that Sakura – who was radiating such an ominous aura – was now walking towards them.
"K-K-K-Kitsune –" one of the girl's companions began, tugging her sleeve. "I-I-I think we sh-shouldn't push her –"
"Like I need Sasuke-kun to defend me from you buffoons!" Sakura said, grinning menacingly while cracking her knuckles. "You're just insects for me to swat."
The girls cringed even lower.
"Ki-Kitsune… I think we should go…"
The girl called Kitsune glared as hard as she could, but her fear was written all over her face for Sakura to read. "D-Don't think we're scared of you, forehead freak!" Kitsune stammered, while the three began stumbling away from the pink-haired girl. "You're just not worth out time!"
"Che – cowards," Sakura muttered, rolling her green eyes, when someone patted (or rather, slammed her palm) unto her back.
"Atta go, forehead girl! I must admit I'm rather proud of you!"
Sakura grinned at the familiar voice. "Ino."
Yamanaka Ino grinned wider as she watched Sakura collect her things from her desk.
"What can I say?" Sakura winked. "I learned from the best!"
Ino laughed, her baby blue eyes shining with amusement. "What did I tell you? 'When someone teases you about your forehead again'…"
"…punch them in the gut and don't let them know what hit them!" Sakura finished, throwing her fist in the air.
Ino sighed. "Sakura, I remembered saying 'don't let it affect you'." The blonde looked at the direction the trio ran off to. "But I guess punching them in the gut works, too," Ino continued wickedly.
Sakura laughed as she walked out of the academy, with Ino following closely.
"Who are you looking for?" Ino asked, her hands behind her and watching the pink-haired girl's eyes scan the area.
"Hmm? I'm looking for Sasuke-kun. Have you seen him anywhere?" Sakura answered absently.
"Actually, I did." Ino paused. "I think he already went home. The Uchiha compound's that way, right?" The blond girl pointed to the direction of the compound.
"Yes," Sakura answered, knitting her brows together. She frowned. "Why did he go on without me?"
Ino shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe he got tired of you?" Ino teased.
Sakura stuck her tongue at her friend and started walking to the Uchiha compound. "Whatever, Ino," Sakura said, trudging back home.
"Tadaima!"
Mikoto turned around slightly to smile at the girl as she entered the kitchen. "Okaeri, Sakura-chan."
"Mikoto-sama, has Sasuke-kun arrived yet?" Sakura asked, walking towards the Uchiha matriarch to help her prepare dinner.
"Ah, yes," Mikoto answered. "He arrived, but he left again shortly after."
"Oh." Sakura frowned. So Sasuke really had left her. Maybe Ino was right. Maybe Sasuke was tired of her and had rather grown irritated that she made him wait all the time. "Did he say where he was going?"
"Hmm, I believe they went to the dock," Mikoto answered as she chopped the vegetables for dinner.
"They?" Sakura echoed. Sasuke was with someone else? Inwardly, Sakura frowned. She knew of no one else who could have accompanied Sasuke to the dock – the dock was used by the Uchihas for training fire jutsus. Sasuke and Sakura often watched Itachi train there. But as far as Sakura could remember, Itachi was away on an ANBU mission, so who was with Sasuke?
Mikoto, noticing Sakura's confused expression, smiled down at the girl. "Fugaku went to teach Sasuke a new jutsu," the Uchiha matriarch informed with a satisfied expression on her face.
Sakura's green eyes looked at Mikoto, astonished. "Really?"
Mikoto nodded. "Mm-hm. They should be back just in time for dinner. Why don't you help me with the preparations, Sakura-chan?"
A wide grin broke into Sakura's face as she vigorously nodded. "Alright!"
It was then Sakura decided she would forgive Sasuke just this once for going home without her.
But Sasuke went on without her for the days that followed, saying he had to go and train. Sakura doubted that he knew that she knew Fugaku had trained him. Nonetheless, Sasuke made no move to tell her, so she didn't push him into the matter, nor did she follow him as he went to train.
On the third day, however, young Sakura decided she could hold back her curiosity no longer.
Sasuke-kun's been at this for days!
Quietly, Sakura peered from the trees into the dock as she watched Sasuke make his hand seals.
Horse. Tiger. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.
Sasuke took a deep breath.
"Katon: Kokakyu no Jutsu!"
And as he exhaled, Sakura watched as an array of yellow, orange and red danced together just above the lake waters. She had seen Itachi do the same technique before, but seeing Sasuke do it felt different somehow.
When Sasuke finally released the technique, Sakura watched as he fell on his knees and panted hard of exhaustion.
"It's still not good enough," she heard him mutter.
Sakura pressed her lips together. She knew how Sasuke was – once he set his mind on something, he wasn't going to stop.
And so with a newfound determination, Sakura walked back to the Uchiha manor with a certain goal on her mind.
"Sasuke-kun!"
Sasuke stopped on his tracks and turned to the pink-haired girl who was walking – or rather, skipping – towards him with a medicine box on her hands.
Sasuke blinked. "What is it?"
Sakura didn't answer. Instead, she took a tube from the box and applied a cooling ointment on his face. Sasuke flinched at the initial contact, but as the gel seeped unto his burn marks, he thought it felt good.
When Sakura wither her finger, Sasuke began to move away, but Sakura had been quick to stop him.
"Just hold on a little bit," Sakura said, applying cooling gauzes unto Sasuke's face. "Mikoto-sama said this was very effective for burns."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes a bit, eyeing Sakura accusingly, ("You were spying on me?") but said nothing. This time, when Sakura withdrew, she let him go.
"Good luck, Sasuke-kun!" were her final words before skipping away.
The next day, while Sakura cracked open her textbook on the Shinobi Rules, she heard Sasuke's loud footsteps along the corridor.
"Otou-san!" she heard him call.
Hastily, but with a stealth of a ninja, Sakura placed her book back to her shelf and opened her door slightly to see what was happening.
Fugaku turned his head towards his younger son as he continued. "Just once more. Will you come watch me one more time?" Sasuke asked with full-fledged determination on his young features.
Sakura's green eyes widened in excitement. Has Sasuke done it?
"I told you it's too soon for you," Fugaku replied, his face and voice serious. "I could teach you everyday for a week and it wouldn't help."
Nonetheless, Sasuke's resolve did not falter. "No," the young Uchiha said. "Not teach me – watch me."
Sakura saw Fugaku's eyes widen slightly as her heart fluttered in delight. Yes, Sasuke had done it – she knew he would be able to!
I'm so proud of you, Sasuke-kun!
"I think I've got the hang of it, Otou-san," Sasuke prodded at Fugaku who was staring at him blankly.
As the two went to the dock with Sasuke leading ahead, Sakura silently followed, eager to watch the achievement of the young Uchiha.
Horse. Tiger. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger –
"Katon: Kokakyu no Jutsu!"
And as Sasuke exhaled a gigantic ball of fire, Sakura knew she felt proud of him – proud of his efforts, proud of his strength. Sakura's green eyes looked back at the Uchiha clan's leader whose expression was as unreadable was always.
But Sakura knew that just like her, Fugaku was proud of Sasuke.
When the jutsu ended, Sakura found that both she and Sasuke was looking at Fugaku expectantly and that the pang of disappointment they both felt were evident when Fugaku turned around and started to walk away.
Sakura almost wanted to come out of the bushes to ask Fugaku what he thought – why Sasuke's efforts weren't enough. And she almost did it, if not for the words Fugaku uttered as he went.
"That's my boy."
Sakura saw Sasuke's head shoot up towards his father in surprise.
"You've done well. Work hard and you're bound to soar high and to bring honor to that crest you wear on your back."
Slowly, Sasuke began to smile as he looked at his father with pride. "I will!"
"From now on, work your own path," Fugaku continued. "Not in the footsteps of your brother."
When Fugaku went out of sight, Sakura couldn't contain herself anymore. And so she jumped away from the bush she was hiding at and ran arms-wide towards the startled Sasuke.
"I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT, SASUKE-KUN!"
"Wait – what are you –"
Splash!
"Great! Now look what you've done!"
"I'm so proud of you, Sasuke-kun!"
Sakura could just make out the small smile on Sasuke's drenched face.
"You both fell unto the lake?" Mikoto asked, with an amused gleam on her eyes,
Sasuke pointed an accusing finger at the pink-haired girl. "It was her fault for tackling me all of a sudden!"
Sakura, who chose to ignore Sasuke's accusation, bobbed up and down from her seat. "Mikoto-sama, you should have seen Sasuke-kun! He was so cool!"
A blush quickly formed on the young Uchiha's face. "What are you –"
"I bet he was," Mikoto said, smiling at Sakura. Sasuke, who was beside her was now scowling for being ignored. "I wish I was there to see it, Sakura-chan."
Sakura grinned and went back to eating her lunch.
After a few moments, Sasuke spoke, but his tone was not as lively or as playful anymore. "Okaa-san…"
Mikoto paused from washing the dishes to look at her youngest son. "Hm?"
"I was wondering… about Onii-san and I…" Sasuke trailed off. Beside him, Sakura looked at Sasuke's fallen expression curiously. "What does Otou-san really think of us?"
The slight widening of Mikoto's eyes was enough indication that she had been caught off-guard by the sudden question. "Why do you suddenly ask that?" the Uchiha matriarch inquired.
Sasuke thought about it for a moment before answering. "It was something Otou-san said when we were at the dock…" Sasuke started. "He said to me, 'That's my boy' – that's something he only ever said to Onii-san. So it made me really happy to hear it."
Mikoto smiled. "Of course. I'm glad it did," she assured.
"But then I started to wonder," Sasuke continued. "Now that Otou-san and Onii-san aren't getting along…"
The smile on Mikoto's face faded.
"Am I… just… someone to replace my older brother?"
Sakura looked from Sasuke to Mikoto, and for once, she found that she had nothing to say. What could she say to make Sasuke better? He just looked so… sad…
Mikoto sighed before replying. "Your older brother is your older brother, and you are you. But your father has always cared very deeply about both of you."
"But he's only thought of Itachi before now!" Sasuke pressed on, determined to get some answers for himself.
"Well, if it sometimes seemed that way, it's only because your father is the leader of the Uchiha Clan," Mikoto answered without a second thought. "He has to make sure it's kept safe."
"What's that got to do with it?" Sasuke asked.
"Your brother is the first born; he's older than you are," Mikoto replied, smiling. "And as the first born, he's going to have to assume his responsibilities earlier than you will. So since it's your father's job to look after the clan, it's only natural that he wants to be sure that Itachi's ready to take on his role."
Sasuke looked away, seemingly still unconvinced.
Was it true, then? Sakura asked herself. Was that really the reason?
"I'll tell you a secret, though," Mikoto whispered, leaning over to Sasuke. "When we're alone and no one is around, the only one he talks about is you, Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes widened. ("Really?")
Mikoto let out a light laugh. "He has a hard time showing it," she said, "but it's how he is."
Sakura looked at Mikoto, frowning. She didn't want to doubt what Mikoto had said, but Sakura knew what they frequently talked about when they were alone – it was Itachi. Her room was close to their quarters and she often caught them conversing late at night.
The young girl looked at Sasuke who was still looking a little bit happier. Not wanting to make him feel bad again, she chose not to say anything.
But one look at the regret and melancholy in Mikoto's eyes and she knew she was right.
"-so I'll probably leave before you because Ino and I need to finish our flower-arranging project - hey, Sasuke-kun are you even listening?"
Sakura frowned deeply when Sasuke absently nodded. It was obvious that he hadn't been listening to her, because if he had, he would've thrown some sarcastic comment at her about the kunoichi curriculum being "ridiculous".
The pink-haired girl was about to confront the young Uchiha when he suddenly skidded into a stop. There was a conflicted emotion on his face as he looked on and when Sakura couldn't figure out why, she looked to the direction he was staring at.
By the door was Itachi, preparing to leave.
A bucket of cold dread washed over her.
Is Sasuke-kun going to ask him about what Mikoto-sama said?
"Aniki," Sasuke started, completely ignoring the girl beside him. (Had it been any other time, she would have thrown a fit, but she was more concerned with what the young Uchiha was thinking right now.)
Itachi turned to face his brother, silently asking him what was it Sasuke wanted to tell him.
"Can you help me with my shuriken jutsu later?" Sasuke asked, letting out a small, careful smile.
"I'm busy, Sasuke." Itachi looked away. "Why don't you ask Chichi-ue to teach you?"
Sasuke frowned. "Even I know that you're better than Otou-san when it comes to shuriken jutsu," he said, indirectly prodding him to reconsider his decision.
Itachi stared at Sasuke for a while before beckoning him closer.
Sasuke, thinking that Itachi had heeded his request, excitedly walked towards his brother... only to be poked on the forehead.
"Ow!" Sasuke said, rubing his forehead with the back of his hand. Behind him, Sakura giggled.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Itachi began. Somehow, both the children knew what he was going to say next. "Maybe next time."
When Sakura quieted down and Itachi was just about to leave the house, Sasuke spoke up. "You always do that!" he said, frustrated. "You always knock me on the forehead and say 'I'm sorry, Sasuke. Maybe next time.'"
Sakura saw Itachi's eyes soften a little bit, but he said nothing as he left.
A few beats passed until Sakura decided to break the silence between Sasuke, who was still standing on the same spot and frowning at the door, and her.
"Well, I'd better be going, too, then," Sakura chirped, turning towards the kitchen.
"Going?" Sasuke echoed. "Going where?"
The pink-haired girl sighed. It seemed that she was right about Sasuke not listening earlier.
"I already told you," Sakura replied, "Ino and I are going to finish our project for the flower arranging class."
Young Sasuke scoffed and crossed his arms. "The kunoichi curriculum is so ridiculous."
Inwardly, Sakura laughed. It seemed that she was right about that too.
Choosing not to start an argument that had already been argued before with Sasuke, ("Culinary arts and flower arranging are essential ninja skills!" "No. They're ridiculous. The time you spend in those ridiculous things should be spent on training.") Sakura popped her head into the dining area and announced to the Uchiha matriarch that she was leaving. (Fugaku was nowhere to be found at the moment.)
"Wait, don't forget your lunch!" Mikoto called, handing over a neatly-packed bento box to the girl.
Sakura smiled widely. "Thank you, Mikoto-sama!"
Mikoto laughed. "Just call me Okaa-san, okay, Sakura? I don't feel like I deserve being called that all the time," she said, smiling at the surprised Sakura.
Sakura blinked at the woman, completely caught off-guard. Mikoto-sama was Mikoto-sama. Calling her otherwise would be downright rude!
...But if it was what Mikoto-sama wanted, then Sakura guessed she would try. "O-okay, Mikoto-sa - I mean, Mikoto-okaa-san," Sakura said, pink tinging her round cheeks.
Mikoto nodded once and smiled at Sasuke who was surprisingly silent. "How about some breakfast, Sasuke?"
"Alright," Sasuke mumbled, entering the kitchen.
When Sasuke was out of sight, Sakura bowed at Mikoto and turned to left, hurrying to the direction of the academy.
Somehow, she couldn't take her mind off of what Mikoto had suggested she called her. But she guessed that Mikoto was now who she considered as her 'mother' and she felt so happy that Mikoto regarded her as her daughter as well.
But was it really okay? Was it really okay to let her guard down around all these people? Was it really okay to regard them as her family? To regard this place as her home?
In the middle of her thoughts, Sakura bumped into something - or, rather, someone.
Sakura looked up, her apology already on the tip of her tongue, when she recognized who the person was.
"Itachi-nii-sama!"
Itachi half-smiled at the girl. "Already heading to the academy, Sakura?"
"Yeah!" Sakura replied, nodding. "I have a project to finish."
"Let's walk together, then," the older of the Uchiha brothers said. "It's on the way, anyway."
Sakura's green eyes lit up as she nodded again, delighted at the idea that Itachi was going to walk her to school - well, sort of. But her excitement was replaced with confusion when Itachi started walking to another direction.
"Itachi-nii-sama?"
Itachi turned towards the young girl with evident amusement on his face. "I know a shortcut," he said.
"Itachi-nii-sama?" Sakura called to the Uchiha walking just in front of her, breaking the silence.
Itachi just looked at her in reply, just as he had replied to Sasuke earlier that morning.
"Why do you..." she began, mentally formulating her words. "Why do you almost always reject Sasuke-kun's requests to train with you?"
A brief expression of shock crossed Itachi's face, but it was gone as quickly as it arrived. After a pause, Itachi answered, "I am not fit to teach him anything. He must find his strength on his own."
The pink-haired girl frowned. "But you are an Uchiha and an ANBU - you're a really great shinobi, Nii-sama."
"Greatness is not measured by appearances, Sakura," Itachi replied. "Or by how you see other people."
Sakura furrowed her brows in confusion. Anyone in ANBU had to be great! Similarly, everyone under the Uchiha name was destined for greatness... right?
"For instance, you, Sakura, can be described as merely an innocent child," Itachi further explained, looking at the girl. "One does not simply see how observant you are about a lot of things or how intelligent you can be."
The young girl blushed from the complement and for once found that she couldn't think of a reply.
The prodigy of the Uchiha clan just called her intelligent!
"Sakura." Itachi skidded to a stop, eyeing the girl seriously. "Promise me you'll watch over Sasuke when I'm gone, okay?"
Sakura blinked up at the Uchiha. "Are you leaving, Itachi-nii-sama?"
"I won't always be there for him," Itachi replied.
"Alright," Sakura answered, smiling, without so much as a second thought. (Of course she'll watch over Sasuke-kun!) "I promise."
The girl didn't even notice that Itachi hadn't really answered her last question.
It was after dusk when Sakura finished all her work and went back home. Happily, she thought of the events that happened recently - Sasuke mastering the great fireball jutsu, Mikoto telling her to call her "Okaa-san", her little conversation with Itachi earlier. It seemed unreal, really, that she had found her little place in a group of people who wasn't even related to her and in a village she wasn't even born in.
And when Sakura thought about it in a deeper sense, she really was heading back home.
Humming softly, young Sakura started to skip towards the Uchiha District and wondered absently what they were going to have for dinner that night. But as she neared the site, she instantly noticed something was amiss.
"Huh?" Sakura muttered to herself, squinting her eyes at the dim image before her. That was strange... it was already dark outside, but not a single light was on.
Maybe something bad happened!
Abruptly, Sakura stopped her train of thoughts knowing very well where they were going. No, she said to herself. She was not going to think like that. Maybe they just wanted to conserve energy or something...
With cautious steps, Sakura began walking forward again, her body slightly trembling.
"Okaa-san!"
Suddenly, Sakura found it hard to breathe.
Fire. Fire everywhere -
One look and Sakura knew.
"Okaa-san, what's happening?!"
One look at their sorrowful, pained faces and she knew.
"Sakura, stay back! Hide! Whatever you do, don't come out! I will come back for you!"
One look at their bloodied, mangled bodies and she knew.
A step back. Green eyes widening -
All the people she had seen just this morning - all the people who had greeted her, given her gifts, smiled at her, accepted her -
...home was where it was always safe.
- they were all dead.
Okaa-san...? Otou-san...?
It happened again - why? WHY?!
Where... are you...?
Sakura's trembling hands reached forward, touching something that wasn't there -
"My name is Fugaku... what's your name?"
And just like that, Sakura felt like a bucket of cold water was poured down on her.
Where was Fugaku and Mikoto? Itachi? Sasuke?!
With renewed strength, she willed her feet to move as she took the shortcut she had discovered that morning and ran towards the Uchiha main house.
No - It can't be! Sasuke-kun and the others can't be dead!
Sakura slid the door open. "SASUKE-KUN!"
In the darkness, she could barely see anything, but when her observant eyes caught sight of the blood-smeared footsteps on the wooden floor, she felt like her heart had stopped beating.
Pure fear ran through her veins as her mind played different scenarios about what could have happened over and over. With stiff feet and trembling fingers, she began to open the doors of the manor one by one. And on the fourth room - Fugaku and Mikotos quarters - she found them: the gruesome bodies of the Uchiha patriarch and matriarch, the bodies of the people she considered as her second parents.
"Okaa-san! Otou-san! Where are you?!"
But where were Sasuke and Itachi? Could it be that they've escaped? Could they still be alive?
A sob. "Okaa-san... you said you would come back for me..."
Fighting the tears that were fighting to fall, Sakura ran out of the manor. She had to find Sasuke and Itachi - they had to be alive!
"Itachi-nii-sama!" Sakura shouted at the sky. Her voice had sounded so hoarse, so pained and so, so small that she almost didn't think she had been the one who'd spoken. "Sasuke-kun!"
Sakura ran through the bloody streets, calling frantically, desperately at the only two people who could still be alive.
"...why did you all leave me?"
"Sasuke-kun! Itachi-nii-sama!" Sakura's voice cracked as her whole body trembled. "Where are you...? Please... answer me!"
It was then she saw him, curled up into a ball on the ground, eyes bloodshot but very much alive.
"Sasuke-kun!" she called out, stumbling her way at the youngest Uchiha. "Sasuke-kun, what happened? Are you okay?"
She propped him up, cradling his head in her arms. "Sasuke-kun, what happened?" she asked again, her voice softer and her tears flowing freely from her eyes.
"...Itachi...he..." Sasuke began, tears also leaking out his eyes. He was trembling as well, but it wasn't from fear.
"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura pressed her palms on each side of Sasuke's face and beckoned him to look at her, but his onyx eyes remained averted. "Tell me what happened..."
And the first time Sakura forced Sasuke to tell her something, she instantly regretted it.
"Itachi killed them all." Tears fell from Sasuke's eyes and Sakura saw as their onyx color faded to red. "I'll kill him."
Then, Sakura knew. Sasuke trembled because of fear - he trembled because of pain, anguish and hatred.
"I'll kill him, Sakura," he repeated, his voice muffled by his uneven breathing.
"Shh..." Sakura hushed, cradling him again and pulling him close.
Sakura cried even harder.
She cried because she knew she couldn't replace Fugaku, who had been the man Sasuke respected the most.
She cried because she knew she couldn't replace Mikoto, who had loved so much and who expected nothing in return.
She cried because she knew she couldn't replace who Sasuke thought Itachi was - the brother who he'd always look up to, the brother whom he had always been proud of.
She cried because she knew she couldn't replace the whole Uchiha Clan, all of whom that kept the peace and order in all of Konoha.
And mostly, she cried because she knew. She knew how it felt to be left alone in this world. She had been lucky that Fugaku had been there to give her a new place in this world and she was more grateful than anything.
Wiping her tears from her eyes and willing herself to be strong, Sakura embraced the youngest Uchiha - the only Uchiha left - with everything she had.
And then she swore - she swore that even though she couldn't replace anyone who had died on that tragic night, she would always be Sakura.
And Sakura would never, ever leave Sasuke.
It was a promise.
A/N: Your reviews about the last chapters are lovely. Thank you so much. Please tell me what you think of this one, too. ;)
