Chapter 7: Forgiveness

If you can see the village right now, you'll hear me be called a hero.

Can you believe it?

If you were still here with them...I can hear you agree. With hands on your hips and with a finger tap on my forehead, I can see you scold me for my modesty.

And I would- and still- ask: Is it modesty if it's true?

Is it modesty if it's true that I was the cause for the death of the innocent? Is it modesty if it's true that I was the monster who heartlessly watched my villagers cry, starve, then die?

Is it modesty if it's true that if I'd never met you..

you wouldn't be gone right now?

But now that you're an angel...maybe, you can tell me the truth.

Although, a person with a heart poisoned of so any sins like me doesn't deserve the guidance from an angel like you.

But why?

Why did they forgive me? How could they forgive me? Me, who abandoned them. Me, who let them live in years of pain. Me, who not only killed their loved ones and hope...

But killed their heroine as well.

Yet, that is not what keeps me awake at night. Their forgiveness means nothing compared to yours.

I was the one who came into your life, cursed it, twisted it more than it already was. Without me, all of the pain you went to would never had happened.

Without me, you'd still be here.

How can you possibly forgive me?

--

A shudder snaked up her spine. It was still cold, despite the blanket that was wrapped around her. The fire that lit a golden aura around it did nothing to warm her. It was a blur...it seemed all dark, yet vacant all at once.

Sakura's blank stare worried Naruto, but she did nothing to show that she was aware of it. Instead, her dull green eyes seemed to see through the fire...see nothing.

What did he think of her now? Could he look at her, know what she's done...and still call her a friend, a person to look up to? Would Naruto think of her as a fake?

She thought she could save the village...she really thought she could...

But it was all just a dream that would never happen. Because she was reckless, thoughtless.

How could she be so stupid?

She shut her eyes. She wanted so much to hurt herself so she could feel the pain that Kurenai-san and Asuma-san felt today...but she didn't at the same time, and she hated herself for it. She shuddered in her disgust.

"So...what happens now?" The second oldest orphan named Rin, a thin girl with cropped red-brown hair and concerned hazel eyes, asked. She cradled baby Kiba in her arms. He snuggled deeper into his blanket and continued to sleep.

"What do you mean?" Moegi, the youngest girl of five years with large orange ponytails, asked with huge, naive eyes. She smiled sweetly with an expression that said: you-guys are-all-so-silly. "We just wait for Kurenai-oka-chan and Asum-oto-chan to wake up again!"

Faraway in the back of her head, a splash of ice water stung Sakura: Moegi didn't know yet.

Moegi's immaturity irritated Tsunade. The oldest girl sprung up with clenched teeth and fists. She gritted, trying to keep her anger in control, "They're not coming back, okay Moegi?"

Moegi tilted her head. "Of course they are!"

Tsunade couldn't take it anymore, "Don't you get it Moegi? They're dead, gone, okay??!! We're all alone now!" She yelled, her breath heavy. Her body tensed as it rattled in silence from rage that hid her heartache.

Moegi's lip trembled. "No...no they're not...you're lying. Liar." She whimpered.

Tsunade didn't say anything. Instead, the oldest orphan, Konohamaru, spoke. "She's not Moegi. Asuma-san and Kurenai-san are dead. And you know why?" His voice low with accusation. He pointed at Sakura.

"It's because of her."

She didn't say anything. What could she say? No words could put the pain of guilt she felt. She deserved his sharp words and didn't defend herself.

But Konohamaru wasn't finished. "Are you done playing hero now? I hope you are, because of you, they're dead! You let us think you could save us, and instead, we're dying even more! It's all your fault!"

"What? Do you think you're too good for us?" Her silence and unwillingness to guard herself angered him even more. He grabbed her and pulled off her hood.

"Talk, you-

He stopped midway when he realized he was grabbing a pink haired girl by the collar. He backed away. "What the..."

Then, everything registered. He whispered. "A girl...all this time...you were lying. You're kidding, right?" He laughed with a tone of deliria to try to rid the fury, "All this time we were being lied to by a freakin' girl?!? You've managed to fool us the whole damn time!

"You fooled us into thinking that you were a man, you fooled us into thinking that you could save us, you fooled us into thinking that you were a hero...

"When all you are is a goddamned fake!"

She felt her body collapse to the ground. His last words were knives that hurt more than any sword. It felt like it pierced closer to her heart, if not, then right through it. The throbbing from his voice turned her numb like poison. But she accepted it all.

She heard a slam, and through hazy eyes, she saw Naruto with a grip on Konohamaru's collar, pinning him with a strong arm to a tree.

"Don't you dare!" She heard her friend growl.

Konohamaru didn't struggle; he met Naruto's lightning blue eyes with a bark. "She's fooled you too? Open your eyes! It's been years since she's promised us freedom! And look at us now, nothing's changed. She's saved no one."

"Shut up!" Naruto slammed him into the trunk again. His voice fell to a threatening whisper, "Don't you dare talk like that about Sakura!

"Do you know how I used to live? I was a servant in the damned palace. My parent's were killed by the king, and I'd be beaten every single day, doing everything they told me too. It was like having no life. God, you have no clue what it was like, living day and night for someone else!

"And you know what? If Sakura didn't come, I'd be freakin' dead! I would've died because that stupid man grew bored of me!

"Sakura is my best friend, she saved my life!"

Naruto looked away, squeezing his eyes shut to hide the tears. "She risked her life to save me. She could've died trying to get me out. She could've just let me go, but she didn't!

"She gave up her own damned freedom for yours, you idiot! So don't you dare say that she hasn't been saving this village!

"Because she's the one who's kept this village hopeful all this time! Aren't you even grateful one bit for that?

"She's not a fake, she's not a liar. She promised to save this village,"

He blinked away the tears and met Konohamaru's eyes with confidence,

"And she will."

He let go of the younger boy, leaving him in silence.

--

"Finally got those brats to sleep." Naruto grumbled as he sat across Sakura by the fire.

Sakura still stayed silent, with her hood off, she covered herself in the blanket. The fire danced in her green eyes.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Do what?" Naruto asked.

"Lie. For me." Her voice unsuitingly flat.

"It's not a lie, Sakura." He looked down. His face was blushed and he smiled slightly from the memories. "You saved my life. I'm alive right not because of you. I...I really believe you can save this place, just like you saved me." He looked her in the eye.

Surprise flickered across her face. But it was comforting, his words. She looked down and tried to express her thoughts, "I couldn't save them...after all they did for me..."

"But you have to stay alive," Naruto gently comforted her, "you're the hope of this village. Besides," His eyes shone with certainty, "Asuma and Kurenai died with pride."

"But all this...how many more have to die before this is all done? To much..." she whispered.

She couldn't give up, this village was her home. She was raised here; she loved this place, even with her muddled- unknown- past. Every villager, everything in the village was a part of her that she couldn't let die.

Maybe, she could end this another way. A way without blood...

Maybe.

She got up and pulled out a dusty trunk- the only momento of her mysterious past. She blew off the dust from her past belongings and pushed away the dolls and brushes to reveal an old, but unused gown. She changed, becoming not Robin Hood, but Sakura- a stranger she did not know even herself.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked, watching the young woman walk away.

"I'm going to try to end this another way.

"Without hurt."

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm ba-ack! Miss me? Maybe not, but oh well. I think I'm finally getting back on track again! I hope all of you fans are still reading! If not, then...poo.

I guess I should just tell you all the orphans in order from oldest to youngest. They're not rate in ratio from the real show, but oh well, I just wanted characters from Naruto that fit the personalities I wanted:

Konohamaru: 11 years

Tsunade: 10 years

Rin: 9 years

Udon: 8 years

Chouji: 7 years

Moegi: 5 years

Kiba: 11 months

Some of them weren't introduced, but they will be. They don't play a huge roll (well, some of them at least). But I figured you guys might as well know them anyway!!!

Note: Whoops, I wrote "Rin" as "Kin" in the text, sorry. I changed it. That's Rin everyone, from the Kakashi Gaiden. I also made the mistake of calling her blonde (I thought she was...) but I believe it's redish-brown. Sorry.

Comment please! I love them all! Write your hate, love, anything!!!!