Dangerous
by BelleDayNight
Chapter Seven:
Sasuke tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His thoughts kept drifting back to the past. Having seen Sakura on the television brought it all back to him. He'd done a decent job of trying to ignore all the terrible things in his life, but seeing Sakura on television and then receiving another postcard from Itachi brought it all back.
Seventeen months ago...
Sasuke parked his motorcycle near the entrance of the cemetery hiding it behind the large, overgrown bush to the side where the nearby trees grew thick and tall. The sun had set hours ago, nighttime came fast in January. He wasn't worried about getting caught—who was going to fault the teenager for wanting a late-night visit with his deceased parents? He was pretty sure the grave digger and his son that worked the boneyard shift knew he came often.
He slung his backpack over his shoulders and took a firm grip on the iron fence and scaled the eight-feet tall wall while narrowly avoiding the spiked tops. Those spikes were discourage grave robbers, but nothing could discourage a depressed teenager who's whole world had been crushed.
His parents' graves were on the western side of the cemetery. A large tree was behind their headstones giving the area shade that would be handy in the hot summers, but for now it helped keep it dark so onlookers might not notice him. He crouched near his mother's grave—her loss more heart-wrenching than that of his father's. The dirt was still fresh though the cold had started to make it hard. Someone had laid fresh flowers across the plot, but he didn't know who. It could have been a number of people, but so far he'd not seen anyone else come here since the funeral.
He traced his fingers across the engraving of her name. Mikoto Uchiha. "I wish you had told me how bad you were," he lamented, not for the first time. However, no matter how much he spoke to his mother's grave he would never be able to undo her suicide. He glanced at his father's grave, Fugaku Uchiha. "You were a police officer—I always suspected you wouldn't be around to meet your grandchildren, but I didn't expect you not to see me graduate high school, Dad."
Sasuke made himself comfortable and positioned himself with his back against the shared headstone of his parents, drew his knees up to his chin, and wrapped his arms them. The cold from the earth soaked into his pants and it hardly mattered. He'd never be warm again.
"I messed up," he whispered ducking his forehead against his knees—there was a rip in the right knee. "Minato and Kushina took me in. They don't treat me any different than they did before and I appreciate that. Naruto tries to stay cheerful — so much so that it's annoying, but I couldn't expect less from that energetic idiot."
He reached out and picked up the flowers from his mother's grave. "Who left these I wonder? If I hadn't screwed up I would think Sakura, but that's not going to happen now. She's gone. It's my fault. And it's for the best for her anyway to be gone. That detective thinks I'm somehow involved in your deaths. He thinks I did it for the insurance policy. What kind of kid wants a big check when he could have had the security of his parents at his side? They're saying Itachi killed you, Dad. Did he? What is the truth? They're going to lock me up, my lawyer Aye Raikage says the charges can't stick, but when they find me — which they will, I'll be in jail until it gets straightened up, because I'm a flight risk. I'm not eighteen yet, so there's that. At least I'll be in Juvie."
A bright light illuminated the dark shadows under the tree. Sasuke held his arm across his eyes to shade himself from the sudden, blinding glare.
"Sasuke Uchiha, you are under arrest! If you resist—which I highly recommend as I'll enjoy roughing you up—it will be another lovely charge under many." Sasuke blinked as his eyes adjusted to the glare. He had recognized the abrasive voice of Detective Hidan — the silver-haired tyrant of the Konoha police force. His father had very much disliked the man claiming him to be foul tempered and short-sighted. There were a couple of officers on either side of the detective - he recognized them as Officers Nagato and Konan. "Trying you visit your victims? It's a little late for that as they're worms food by now."
"Detective," Officer Nagato warned. "Ease off on the kid." Sasuke recognized Nagato very well — he was the one that had found him after he called 911 those weeks ago when he found his mother bled out in the bathroom. He remembered how there was just so much blood. It had soaked the tiles and oozed into the hallway staining the white carpet. "Sasuke, it's Officer Nagato, perhaps you remember me? We can give you a few more minutes with your parents, but you're going to have to come in with us again."
Sasuke closed his eyes, set the flowers back against his mother's gravestone and stood up slowly with the cold dirt clinging to his jeans and with his hands held out in front of him in supplication. "It hardly matters now. They're dead. They can't hear me. Nor can my father Police Chief Fugaku Uchiha see what a terrible injustice is being paid to his innocent son. If he could he'd be rolling over in his grave right now."
Detective Hidan made his way over with a pair of handcuffs and a mean gleam to his eyes. Officer Konan stepped in his way and closed the distance to Sasuke and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "The handcuffs aren't necessary, Hidan," she said. The kind looking woman with the dark blue hair, wearing a knee-length skirt was telling the big scary detective what to do. The woman was brave, Sasuke would give her that. I remembered hearing about Konan from Itachi. His older brother had been sweet on her for a while about a year ago.
"It's protocol," Detective Hidan argued his dark eyes glittered in menace in the meager light of the cemetery.
"Not for someone needed for questioning. He's not done anything wrong," Officer Nagato said. He was glancing down at his phone reading through his list of active warrants, his long red hair falling over into his eyes before looking back up at Hidan. "Questioning is all my report says. There's no warrant for arrest."
Hidan gestured around the cemetery. "Breaking and entering?"
"Nothing is broken. He just entered the cemetery after dark. Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same if you lost your parents at his age." Konan stood firmly by Sasuke's side. "I'll take responsibility."
"And don't think I won't have your badge, Konan, if that hoodlum tries anything," Hidan warned.
Sasuke knew it was all a crock of bull, but he allowed the police to arrest him on the trumped up charges. Detective Hidan had made it very clear that it was his personal goal to see that Sasuke ended up behind bars — so he knew it was only a matter of time. His lawyer assured him they had no case, but he'd still miss school and it would also put his name in the papers to drag the Uchiha name further into the mud.
And it wasn't the first nor the last time that he wondered just where in the world Itachi Uchiha was? The man had all the answers and had vanished and yet Sasuke was the one being interrogated. The more time the police wasted on him them colder the trail for the true culprits became.
OoO
Sakura's neck was stiff and her fingers were numb. She'd been in the anatomy lab with her partners Neji, Ino, and Kiba for hours studying for their final exam for the summer session that was scheduled to take place in two days.
Neji snapped off his non-latex surgical gloves and tossed them into the trash. "Okay, I know we could probably go over all these points that will be on the exam at least twice more, but it's time we all go home."
"I think I need to review the nervous system once more," Kiba argued. His forehead was beaded in a nervous sweat. "I've got to make an A on this exam. Otherwise, I'll never make the cut for Vet school!"
"If we don't sleep then we can't function and then we'll bomb the exam even if we know it all," Neji said. "We'll all meet for lunch and start our final review tomorrow." He looked at the clock on the wall. "Actually, later today. It's almost five."
Sakura wasn't quite ready for sleep, though one look at Ino and her roommate looked dead on her feet. "I'll see you all at lunch then." She gathered her belongings and took her backpack to the girl's restroom.
Ino followed after her. "What are you doing?" she asked while unsuccessfully suppressing a yawn.
"Changing," Sakura said. She stripped out of her lab scrubs. She had worn a sportsbra and running shorts underneath. She slipped on a tank top. She changed into her running socks and stuck her tennis shoes into her bag and put on her New Balance running shoes. "You go on back with Neji and Kiba. Take my bag and I'll be home soon. I'm going to run back."
"You can run later. Take the bus back with us," Ino suggested.
"My mind is racing. I'll be able to fall right to sleep after a good run. I've got too much energy and I need to burn it off," Sakura said.
There was a brisk knock on the door of the bathroom. "You ladies about done? The bus should be here in the next five minutes," Neji called through the door. "It's on the off-hours schedule so if we miss it the next won't come for another hour."
Sakura opened the door.
"What do you think you're doing?" Neji asked with his dark eyebrows knitted in displeasure. "You can't possibly be thinking of running back."
"The sun is already starting to rise, it's the best time to run. I'll text you when I get home if it will make you feel better," Sakura offered. "I am a world champion martial artist. I can take care of myself."
"I could run with you," Neji suggested. He glanced down at his hiking boots. They wouldn't be the best shoes for running. "It's not safe to be by yourself at night even if you're tough."
"No, you're going to make sure that Ino and Kiba don't sleep past their stops," Sakura said firmly. She was going to ignore Neji, Ino, and Itachi's warnings. She walked with her lab partners to the bus stop and then waved goodbye to them as she started at a brisk pace back towards her dorm.
The sun was rising and just starting to add reds and oranges to the dawning horizon. The crickets were chirping and the owls still hooted, but there wasn't any traffic yet. She passed another jogger about a half-mile into her run.
Sakura's thoughts had started to drift to her encounter with Itachi. Why did he think that she'd be able to help Sasuke? They'd been on the same campus for an entire year together and never once crossed paths. She ran through a wooded area with her feet falling softly on the dirt path.
A deer leapt out in front of her and she veered and crashed headlong into a runner coming from the other direction that was rounding a sharp corner.
A pair of warm hands gripped Sakura's shoulders and steadied her balance. "Was that a deer?" the deep voice asked. Sakura reached up and brushed her sweaty hair out of her eyes and locked gazes with onyx irises. "Sakura?" He released his hold on her as if he were burned by touching her.
"Sasuke? I can't believe I lost my balance. It must be the jet-lag or maybe the long hours in the lab," Sakura reasoned aloud talking to herself more so than to him. She crouched down and retied her shoe laces making sure they were snug and secure and tried to avoid him. The last time she'd seen him he'd tried to kill her. Her throat ached in memory of his bruises and her heart raced in fear. She glanced up from her lower position. Now would be a good time to pass on Itachi's message and ignore that fear. She was an Olympic gold medalist in Taekwondo. She could defend herself against one measly temperamental twenty-year old boy. "Do you usually run this early?"
"Hn," Sasuke replied non-committed.
"Right, always the conversationalist," Sakura said standing back up and stretching her arms high above her head and arching her back. She would not be afraid. "Assuming no more deer try to attack me I'll be on my way. Sorry for the collision," she said lifting her hand in a farewell salute and darting past him.
"Congratulations on your gold medal," Sasuke called.
Sakura was surprised by the comment and faltered in her run. She turned back to face him. "Congratulations on having a starting position on the football team."
His dark eyes narrowed in a suspicious glare. "You don't have to pretend that we're friends."
"You're the one that decided he didn't want anything to do with me."
"And that hasn't changed."
Sakura stalked back toward him and jabbed her finger against his chest. "You don't want anything to do with me? Whatever, I don't care anymore, but your antisocial and inhospitable attitude is not going to prevent me from being friends with Naruto anymore. I'll do my best to steer clear of you, but I'm not going out of my way. And if a deer happens to steer me into crossing paths with you, so be it." She started to turn away then turned back. "And I saw Itachi while I was in New York. He was framed, by the way. And he gave me a way to contact him that he wanted me to give to you. I'll have Naruto give it to you."
And with a flip of her ponytail she turned her back on him and ran away, leaving Sasuke behind to stare after her retreating figure and to ponder her words.
OoO
Sasuke felt his jaw slacken at Sakura's words. Luckily, she didn't see him staring after her with his mouth open. First he saw Sakura for the first time since that unfortunate incident in the forest and then she doubles the shock by revealing that she was in contact with Itachi? The two most important people in his life that had not been claimed by death and had been taken from him by circumstance were both alive and well and talking with one another? The nightmarish memories that had plagued him all night that led to his early morning run must have been the universe's way of preparing him.
He watched as she ran further away from him. And he kept staring until he couldn't see her. It took all his willpower to not run after her, but it was for the best. He couldn't afford to get involved with her again. Not for her sake.
"Stupid girl," he grumbled returning to his run. He picked up the pace and hoped that the challenge of the run would keep his mind off the fact that the woman he loved hated him. And that he wanted her to hate him. It was what he wanted, wasn't it? So why did she have to show up? They'd been at the same school for an entire year without once crossing paths before now. And why did she have to mention Itachi?
There were always more questions for him than answers. Sometimes he wished he could be more simple-minded, like Naruto. Who happened to be the only other person that he considered important to him. Naruto may have been an idiot, but he was Sasuke's rock and now he'd have to serve as some sort of go-between for him and Sakura so that he could finally have some answers from his brother.
OoO
Sakura hurried to her room, tried to open her door as quietly as possible and only dropped her keys twice before she managed to unlock the door. She needed to calm down. A quick look inside her room and she found Ino sound asleep with a green gel sleep mask over her eyes. She sent Neji a quick text to inform him that she was still alive, then tiptoed to her desk and turned on her laptop before she took a quick shower. After five minutes of scrubbing and using half a bottle of body wash to try and rid herself of the smell of the anatomy lab she slipped on her comfortable fleece pajamas and while towel drying her hair she sat on her bed with the computer in her lap.
She opened her firefox browser and logged onto the email Itachi had given her. SweetSharingan was a bit of a sappy email address, but who was she to judge.
She created a new message. I feel kind of silly doing this, but here goes. I literally ran into your brother earlier, but wasn't able to give him the email. I'll make sure his roommate gives him your note.
It wasn't two minutes later before the draft doubled in size. Itachi must have been on the email at the same time. Let me guess, you were out running at night alone. I told you not to do that. You have to take care of yourself. I didn't get a chance to talk with you much at the gym. What are you studying?'
Sakura felt her eyes welling up with tears. It wasn't just her easy relationship with Sasuke that she missed, or her friendship with Naruto. She missed Sasuke's family. His brother treated her like a little sister. He was the one that helped her train in cross-country. His mother had taught her how to cook a few of her famous Uchiha Family recipes. And his father was one competitive board game player. I'm pre-med.
Going to be a doctor? You've certainly got the bedside manner. Itachi wrote.
Actually, I was thinking of going into Forensics. She bet that would surprise him.
If you want an in to the CIA I'm your man.
Sakura's fingers paused over her keyboard. What was Sasuke going to think if he read this message? It didn't matter. She noticed a second draft appeared in the inbox. It was addressed to Little Brother. She then noticed that the untitled draft that she had started was now named Cherry Blossom.
Good night, SweetSharingan. Sakura typed. She was about to log out when she noticed Itachi's response.
No more running alone.
Okay. She made the promise and she'd even try to keep it. If Itachi's warning was legitimate and she had little reason to doubt him after all the tragedy that took place in their hometown involving the Uchihas it wouldn't hurt to exercise caution.
Her phone vibrated on her bedside table. It was a text message from Naruto reminding her about the open football practice. It would be the day after her finals. Hinata was going to be there and he really wanted her there too. She'd be sure to give him the information to give to Sasuke at that time.
OoO
Sasuke shoved open the door to their dorm room apartment. Naruto looked up at him with a sleepy-eyed expression from the dining room table— which was really just a card table that they threw a cheap vinyl table cloth over. There were notecards plastered to the side of his face with drool from his sleep and his hair was a blond cyclone of disorder.
"Wuz you doin' jus' now gettin' in?" Naruto slurred. He knuckled his eyes tiredly. There was a box of Wheaties cereal siting beside him on the table mocking Sasuke with its presence.
"I was taking a run," Sasuke growled locking the deadbolt. "I literally just ran into Sakura."
"What?" Naruto asked standing up abruptly and knocking the table over in his movement. He reached down to right the table and started to pick up his fallen note cards and the cereal box. "It's not even sunrise."
"She said you know a way to contact Itachi," Sasuke said moving to the table and slamming his hands upon its surface. It shook under the impact of his hands. It wasn't exactly a very durable table.
"I don't know how to contact Itachi, jeez," Naruto said running his hands through his hair and messing it up even more. "I haven't talked to him since he made the Most Wanted List. Has Sakura talked to him?"
"You tell me!"
"I don't know! Stop yelling!"
Sasuke took a deep breath and counted to ten as Minato had advised him countless times whenever he lost his temper while living under the Namikaze-Uzumaki roof. "Forget about it, I'm going to sleep," Sasuke murmured. His head was hurting and all he wanted was some Advil and bottle of water. He ventured into the kitchen and plucked the bottle of headache medicine out of the cabinet and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
Next time he had a nightmare that affected his ability to sleep he'd just down some tequila and hope that would work. Or maybe play a zombie fighting melee game on his Xbox since alcohol would probably affect his ability to play football well with the brutal practice Coach Jiriaya inflicted upon them. He'd hate to lose his starting position. Either option would certainly beat the alternative of running into his ex-girlfriend on the running trails again.