Please visit my website: www. freeewebs .com /animemangafanatic (Don't forget to take out the spaces) I don't own Naruto, only original character and themes. Thanks for reading.


Itachi stopped immediately in his tracks. His hand tightened onto Sakura's. She could feel sweat in his palm. Or maybe it was from her own? She wasn't too sure at the moment. She was concentrating on her rapid heartbeat. Sakura wondered if his was beating as fast. Itachi slowly turned to her. His eyes had widened in surprise. His jaw had slackened and she watched him slowly close it.

"Your... Your name is..."

"Sakura."

She nodded her head. Itachi couldn't believe what he was hearing. His heart had stopped when she first said it, and it stopped again when she said it a second time.

"Sakura..."

"Hikari."

"Hn?"

"My surname is Hikari."

She saw his face immediately drop. Sakura felt horrible to make that expression on his face. She knew she was running away, but could you really blame her? Sure, if she told him now who she really was, they would have some time to be together. But then what? She would have to leave him again with heartbreak. This time she wouldn't be coming back. Sakura had already come to terms with her impending death. Sakura just couldn't let go of Itachi or his memory. It was selfisth she knew that. She knew that asking him not to be with anyone until she died was also selfish. She couldn't help it.

"Hikari, huh? That's a nice name."

Sakura saw him force a smile. She knew how hard it was for him. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. Her voice choked before it came out.

"Did you know someone with the same name before?"

"Yes."

"Did she mean a lot to you?"

Itachi stopped for a minute. She could see him working his jaw. Then it seemed like he was concentrating or just choosing his words carefully.

"She... She meant the world to me."

"That's past tense, Uchiha-sama. Is it perhaps because you now have a fiancé?"

Itachi turned and looked straight at her.

"No."

She could see the faint blush.

"Sakura still means more to me than anything. However, her very memory means more to me than the world or my life. I would give anything for another day with her."

They started walking again.

"Only for one day? Then when the day is over wouldn't you regret it because you would have to deal with even more painful memories."

"No. If I had one more day with Sakura, and knew it would be our last, I make the last moments really good memories. It might be selfish, but I know we both be at peace with it. For me, I just want to know she's okay. Sakura disappeared from my sight like the wind. It haunts me."

Silence ensued as they turned a corner away from the Uchiha manor. Sakura wondered why they were going in the opposite direction. Itachi noticed her confusion, and he just smirked. She did always hate how he knew everything, but that wouldn't be Itachi, and she wouldn't want that. To change just one thing about him, would be changing everything about him. They continued walking down the semi-empty street towards a destination only he knew about.

Sakura squeezed Itachi's a little harder. She took notice of his hair once again. He had cut it. She felt her eyebrows twitch. It wasn't that she disliked his short hair, because he was still handsome and very sexy. Sakura just preferred his longer hair. It was more him. She remembered him telling her that his brother kept his hair short, and from the pictures they could have passed as twins. Short hair fit Sasuke, and long hair belonged to Itachi.

"I liked your hair longer."

"Hn?"

Itachi looked at her confused. Sakura blushed under his stare.

"I saw it once, in a medical journal."

"Oh."

Itachi looked thoughtful.

"That must have been a long time ago. After Sakura left, I kept it short."

"Because of that heartbreak thing?"

Itachi chuckled.

"No, I wanted to change myself."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"Why?"

"I wasn't strong enough to protect her."

"I'm sure it wasn't your fault."

Itachi's hand tightened around hers. There was venom in his voice. Sakura only heard it when he had to deal with someone that somehow threatened her.

"It doesn't matter. I promised."

Sakura felt bad.

"I'm sure she would still like your hair long."

Itachi chuckled.

"Probably."

They then entered a cafe. Walking more towards the back at a private table sat Mikoto, Tsuki, and Sasuke. Tsuki ran to Sakura with tears in her eyes. She hugged the girl tightly. Sakura felt the air leaving herself and not coming back in, but she let Tsuki have her moment. When Itachi went to pull his hand away, Sakura held tightly to it. Itachi didn't try to take it back after that.


"Honestly,"

Tsuki slammed down Sakura's cup of black coffee on the table. Sakura sweat dropped, trying not to anger the girl anymore.

"Why did you just run off?"

Sakura couldn't bring herself to tell her. Tsuki sat down across from her in a huff.

"Fine be that way."

Just then the door opened, and Sasuke walked in loosing his tie. Tsuki quickly got up and ran to his side.

"Sasu-kun!"

Sakura choked on her coffee. Dang, that girl had more mood swings than her. Even more than she ever had as a child, and Sakura had a lot. The cute couple sat down at the table with Sakura. Sasuke focused on his pink haired friend.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah."

Sakura nodded her head. She then stood grabbing her bag and disguise. Both gave her a questioning look.

"I have to go in early. Student body president crap."

With that said, Sakura left the house. Tsuki turned to Sasuke.

"Do you know what's up with her?"

Sasuke turned to her.

"I was going to ask you."

They both sighed unanimously. The door slammed open and they both looked up. Sakura came back in.

"I forgot my glasses."

Then she left again, and they other two just ate breakfast in silence.


Mikoto sighed at the dining room table. Both eyes turned to her. Itachi stopped with a piece of toast to his mouth. Fugaku put the paper down. Both looked at the lady of the house with worry.

"What's wrong, Mikoto?"

"Sasu-kun hasn't been eating breakfast. Could this just adolescent rebelling?"

"I'm sure he just has alot on his mind."

"No."

Both parents looked to their older son.

"He's being having breakfast at Hikari-san's."

"Why would he do that?"

Fugaku was confused, but a lightbulb went off in Mikoto's.

"Because Tanaka-san also lives there."

Fugaku finally got it.

"Oh, his little girlfriend."

Both men snickered. Mikoto looked like she was in heaven.

"I'm going to have another daughter soon."

Both men sweat dropped.

"What do you mean another Mikoto?"

She didn't answer, just had a knowing smiled. She then turned her attention onto Itachi. She gave a wide smile that spelled doom. Itachi knew then it was best to get out as soon as possible.

"So what do you think of Hikari-san?"

Itachi spit out his coffee. Fugaku raised an eyebrow.

"Whose this Hikari-san you all keep talking about?"

Mikoto laughed.

"Her name is Hikari, Sakura."

Fugaku looked at Itachi with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you have a Sakura fetish?"

Itachi lightly blushed before he excused himself. He left the dining room and grabbed his coat, ready to set off for work. He couldn't explain why or how, but the new Sakura felt just like the old one.


Tsuki was looking everywhere for Sakura. The engagement of Uchiha, Itachi's was everywhere. For some reason, it seemed hard on Sakura. She ran into Sasuke, who shook his head. Naruto and Hinata came from the other direction, and they also shook their heads. Tsuki became worried. Sakura had left her bag, but no one had seen her. Just then one of Tsuki's classmates came up to her.

"Tanaka-san, I heard someone saw Hikari-san leave just before the last period."

Tsuki thanked her classmate and left the school in a hurry. They went by car since it was faster. Both cars skidded to a stop in front of the house. Tsuki was out first and fumbled with her keys. The front door was open though. Tsuki quickly ran in despite Sasuke's pleas not to. She ran into Sakura's room with the other three close behind. Pictures, several hundred of pictures were scattered everywhere. Albums were thrown empty, but they now lay empty. Box were overturned. Tsuki picked up one and turned it over. All eyes went wide.

"Teme, isn't that your brother?"

The running of water caught Tsuki's attention. She knocked on the bathroom door before entering. The other three stayed behind and picked up all the photos. Each one was either of Itachi or both of them together. Sasuke entered the bathroom after Tsuki screamed. Sakura was under the shower head. The water now ice cold. Tsuki quickly shut it off and checked Sakura's pulse. Sakura looked up at her.

"Idiot, what are you doing?"

"It's too hard."

Tsuki then understood. The water was being used to wash away the tears. A sob choked Sakura's throat. Sakura gripped her shirt tightly.

"Make it go away. Make it go away!"

"Sakura!"

Tsuki tried to get her to listen, but she wasn't. Just then Sakura coughed up blood. They're eyes widened. Sasuke quickly picked her up.

"We have to get her to the hospital."

Naruto was already rushing forward to start the car. Sasuke worried about her body temperature. It was too cold, especially since her body was still trying to fight the cancer. They all quickly piled in.

"Naruto, take us to see Itachi!"

The car quickly went down the hill.

"But Itachi specializes in cancer."

By the look on Sasuke's and Tsuki's faces, Naruto said no more. He knew what was going on. Hinata caught on quickly too. Sakura then began to panic.

"My disguise!"

"Sakura, now's not the time..."

Sakura cut Tsuki off.

"Don't tell him! He can't know!"

They're eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't just because she didn't want him to know, but because this was the first time that they had seen a real emotion come from Sakura. It was panic and desperation. Tsuki quickly put the wig on Sakura head as Naruto skidded to a stop in the emergency room's parking lot. Sasuke quickly brought Sakura in, with Tsuki at his heels. Naruto was left to park the car.

The burst through the cancer wards doors. By luck, Itachi was at the nurse's station trading in a board. Seeing their panic, Itachi instantly took Sakura from Sasuke and went into an empty room. Itachi quickly called for blankets and dry clothes. He turned to Tsuki as he gave Sakura the regular check.

"I need to know her medical history."

Tsuki nodded and quickly taking a blank board from the nurse, she hurriedly wrote it all down. Tsuki left out the previous doctor and hospital, since she didn't know it. She handed it to Itachi. He read it as the nurses helped Sakura change and wrap the blankets around her. Seeing what type of cancer she had, Itachi looked at it in disbelief. What were the chances that a girl with the same eyes, same name, had the same cancer? Was Kami trying to kick him when he was already still on the ground? He ignored it and quickly went back to attending to the girl before she died.


Itachi rubbed his eyes. He grabbed the x-ray off the light box and sighed. The cancer had progressed far. There was no way that this girl couldn't know that she was going to die. The whole last day thing made sense to him now. His Sakura probably thought like that too. Itachi felt like hitting something. It was just too cruel for this to happen to good people. Sure, he hadn't known Hikari-san long, but Itachi had always been a good judge of character.

Walking down the corridor, he stopped before entering Hikari-san's room. He heard sobbing. He could hear her trying to calm the crying female. He looked in, trying not to be noticed. His eyes widened in shock. His mother sat beside the bed crying. Sakura was gripping her hand, making soft shushing sounds. She looked pitiful and weak.

"What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry."

"How is that supposed to make it better?"

"Yelling doesn't either."

Mikoto looked at Sakura with an apology.

"It's fine. If you didn't yell, you wouldn't be you."

Mikoto patted her head.

"You're tired. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Ah, see you then."

Mikoto stood up. Sakura closed her eyes for rest. Mikoto stopped short before bumping into Itachi. She smiled knowingly and lead Itachi to the cafeteria. They sat across from each other. Itachi obviously waiting for an answer from his mother.

"You want to know how I know Hikari-san."

"Yes, I'm aware you met during and after the engagement party, but you don't become attached to someone quickly."

Mikoto had scoffed hearing the word of engagement. He knew very well that Mikoto hated that word now. He also felt bad for not telling her why he had agreed. He just wanted to buy time, so he could continue to search for Sakura in peace.

"Okaa-sama, back to the topic at hand."

"Oh right! Hikari, Sakura. Do you remember when I went overseas for a consultation? Well, while I was there, I was also asked to look over Hikari-chan's case."

Itachi nodded his head in understanding.

"You were always close to your patients."

Mikoto stuck her tongue out like a child. Itachi sweat dropped. Mikoto then smiled, looking down at her reflection with sadness.

"It's hard not to become attached in this profession."

Itachi understood full well what she was saying. People who thought that being a doctor was trying was very wrong. Being a doctor gave him an amazing feeling of accomplishment, but when you loose a patient that you have been working with side by side for several months... It was hard. You get to know a person. You know they're likes and dislikes; how to convince them to do something they don't want to do. Being a doctor was a trying but rewarding job.


Sakura felt something tug her awake. She looked around the hospital room and saw no one. The heart monitor sounded out her heartbeats. However, she was used to the sound, so that isn't what woke her. It had faintly sounded like Itachi had been calling her. Sakura pulled off the monitor pads and tossed her feet over the side of the bed. Pulling her hospital gown more close, Sakura left her room.

"Itachi..."


Itachi was just taking a walk down the path. The same path that he had found Sakura on. He stopped and looked out onto the park. The memory of her was still so clear in his mind. She was everywhere he went in the hospital. She was here on this path. She was etched onto every bit of his memories. It was heart warming to remember her, but also very heart breaking.

A crunch of leaves caught his attention. Itachi turned around to find Setsuna standing there. She slowly continued to walk towards him. He felt himself stiffen and his expression became stony. Setsuna stopped when she stood right in front of him. She wore a green dress that had no sleeves but she carried a shawl to prevent the cold.

"What are you doing here?"

"Can't I come see my fianceé?"

Setsuna put her hand on his chest. He remembered what his grandmother said, and he tolerated it. Not that he didn't want to pry her hand off of him.

"It's midnight, Higurashi-san."

Setsuna giggled.

"I'll eventually be your wife."

"The only reason you want to marry me is because you'll be an Uchiha."

"Aw, Itachi-kun that is no way to talk to your future wife."

Setsuna raised herself up onto her tiptoes.

"I'll make you see it my way soon."

Itachi placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Not likely."

Setsuna was about to kiss him, and he was about to push her off. However, a voice startled the both of them.

"Stop!"

Both turned to the owner of the voice. Itachi pushed Setsuna off and ran to Sakura's side.

"Hikari-san, I thought I told you to stay in bed."

However, he was very thankful for the disobedience. Itachi wasn't going to come anywhere near unfaithful to Sakura. She gripped tightly onto his white lab coat.

"Please, I beg of you."

She placed her head onto his chest, trying desperately not to break down. Itachi placed his hands on her shoulders. His grip strong for support.

"Please don't marry her while I'm still alive! I know it's truly selfish, but please do this for me!"

"What?"

Itachi was confused. Setsuna was angry. She quickly came over.

"How the hell do you think you are?"

Sakura straightened herself and pushed slightly away from Itachi. He stared at her with deep confusion. Sakura sighed. A look of hurt and pleading wore on her expression.

"Please forgive me, Ita-kun."

As soon as she said that, something began to click together. Somewhere, deep inside, Itachi figured it out before she did her next move. Sakura pulled the wig off and her pink hair came tumbling down. Everything that had happened between them was making more sense. Fate had kept throwing them together, while he didn't know it was her. Fate was saying give it one more go before it ends. However, Sakura didn't want to cause him more pain. He remembered her death sentence. After all, he saw her records. Also, not knowing the previous doctor and hospital helped to cover her tracks. Perhaps the person keeping them apart wasn't her father, but Sakura herself. She was certainly smart enough, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the slightly shivering beautiful girl standing before him.

"Sakura..."

He took a step towards her. Setsuna held him back.

"What are you doing? I'm your fiancé!"

Itachi's cold look made her immediately let go. Sakura coughed catching both of their attentions.

"Higurashi-san, where is your ring?"

Setsuna stuttered with her answer.

"I haven't received it yet."

"You won't."

Both looked at her questioningly. After all, Itachi's grandmother had already chosen a ring. Sakura let a chain dangle from her fingers. On the end was her ring, from whom she recieved from Itachi.

"That ring..."

Setsuna turned angry on him.

"You gave her one?"

"But of course. After all, Itachi proposed to me first. I'm his true fiancé."

Itachi enveloped her in a hug. Setsuna went off screaming about retribution. Sakura hugged him back lightly.

"Sorry I lied."

Itachi shushed her.

"Stop, I understand. Just please, stay by me this time."

Sakura tried her best to smile.

"The rest of my time is yours."

Itachi took off his coat and draped it around her.

"You still need to be in bed."

Sakura laughed at his stern voice. She gave him a mock salute.

"Aye, Aye, Sensei."

With that, Sakura and Itachi walked hand in hand, back to the hospital. They would address the rest of the issues tomorrow. Right now, they just focused on the warmth of the other's hand.