◊ (9: Happy Birthday, Sasuke-kun :: Her Gift) ◊
∆ (Konohagakure, Uchiha Complex) ∆ - ¤ (Sora leaves his room) ¤ - VP: Uchiha Sasuke
I sat down all my gifts on my bed. Mom had always told me to write thank you(s) to everyone who gave me a gift. I hadn't received gifts from most of my friends, but they were slowly arriving hearing that my clan is back and so am I.
- Dear Ino: Thank you for the new clothing. It looks very nice. I know you probably hate me anyway but it's nice that you still got me something on my birthday anyway. Thanks. Uchiha Sasuke
- Dear Itachi: You know what you got me, thank you. You know I'll use it. Your bro, Sasuke
- Dear Mom: Thanks so much for all the great things you got me. I really appreciate them. I'll be sure to use them one day or another, or eventually. Either that, or you'll force me. Love your son, Sasuke
- Dad: Thank you for all the scrolls and ninja tools you purchased for me. You're Son, Sasuke
- Hey Choji: Thank you for that reference books on stuff to eat on missions. I'll memorize it and use it on my next mission. It'll be quite useful. Sorry for abandoning you guys. Uchiha Sasuke
- Hey Shikamaru: I know you'll probably say this is troublesome, and I agree. Thanks for the gift even though it was probably troublesome, I'm sure. I appreciate the troublesome work you did. Uchiha Sasuke.
- Hey Naruto-Hokage-sama: Glad to see you forgive me. I figured you'd be the one who didn't. Though your usually one who forgives anyone anyway. Thank you for your gracious help and forgiveness. Congratulations on becoming Hokage, in training at least. You're really close. Thanks for the gift. Sasuke.
- Sora: I'm sorry for the mistake earlier. It's just that Sakura's been on a mission for a while and then you show up and seem so like her, it just went through my head. I'm sorry. I liked your gifts though. You always did know what to get me. Brother-in-law, Uchiha Sasuke.
I continued on writing them for all my family and then I was done. Except for one person. Haruno Sakura. She's yet to return from her mission and I'm beginning to get worried. With the way she is so close to me I figured nothing would stop her from being back in time. I can only hope she's okay.
She promised she'd be back by now. I need to figure out if she's alright. Naruto would know. I ran to the Hokage's office. I pushed in the door. "Naruto, where is she?"
"Where is who Sasuke?"
"You know who, Haruno Sakura. Our teammate."
"I thought you didn't care about her?"
"Don't mess with me Naruto. Where is she?" I demanded to know.
"I'm sorry Sasuke but I don't know where she is." He said. He knew, I could sense it. I walked over to him and held him by his neck above his desk. "Where… is… she!" I yelled at him. I dropped him to the floor.
He started breathing regularly. "I'm not sure now. She's gone. She's on this crazy goose hunt for something. I promised that I wouldn't tell anyone. She didn't explain it to me. I just let her go." I ran out of the room, slamming the door behind me. If she was going to tell someone, she'd tell Ino Yamanaka.
I ran to Ino's place. I burst in her door. "Sasuke! What's up?" She said taking a step back. I appeared behind her and pulled a kunai to her throat. "Sasuke?" She was terrified, good. She'd tell me what I need to know.
"Where is she?" I stated. "Don't even say who because you know very well that I'd only ask where a girl was if it was my teammate Haruno Sakura. I need to know where she is."
"Sasuke… I don't know." I held the kunai to her throat.
"Don't play with me. Where is she? I need to know." She sighed.
She gulped. "What's the time?" I glared at her.
I sighed. "It's 8:12." I answered her.
"She's with your brother. She's going to kill him."
"Like she could, he's with his wife."
"Sakura's undercover. That's what she's been doing the last 2 weeks."
"You mean the girl who came back isn't Sora. It's Sakura." I smacked myself. No wonder, there was no way that Sora was anything that close to Sakura. I was the only one to notice. I have to save her, there's no way that Itachi wouldn't notice the difference and kill her. She needs help!
I let Ino fall to the floor and I ran off. I went back into the office. "Sasuke, calm down. What do you need?" Naruto asked.
"A permit to leave Konoha." He tossed one at me. I jumped out the window and performed the seals to appear at the destination of their honeymoon. Itachi had told me the location before. It was the same as last time.
I appeared at the door. I knocked on it, for good measure. Itachi walked to the door. I could sense it. "Sasuke?" He asked confused what I was doing out here.
"I need to talk to Sora. Please." I said. He shrugged.
"Oi Sora, Sasuke's here and he needs to talk to you!" Itachi yelled.
"What?!" Sora who's really Sakura yelled!
"Come here!" Itachi yelled back. She came over and Itachi pushed her out the door. "Talk to her, fine, bye." That was weird, you'd think after someone tried to take her once before last time that he'd be aware. I guess he knew it was I. Why, I have no clue.
"Follow me." She nodded and followed me.
"What are you doing here, Sasuke?" She asked. I rolled my eyes. I grabbed her and ran beyond hearing distance of the house.
"Cut the act Sakura. I know it's you." Her eyes went wide.
"Huh. I told you."
"Don't… you lied. I was right… I knew it. Ino told me." She sighed and canceled the jutsus she had on her. I could tell it was numerous ones; the chakra she was using constantly was too high. She had adjusted to it over this time pretty well still it seemed.
"I told them not to."
"Does it look like I care!" I answered her. "I chocked Naruto and almost killed Ino to figure out where you were and you think I'm care that I wasn't supposed to know."
"Calm down Sasuke." She said looking the opposite way and sitting on a rock.
"You're posing as my brother's wife during their honeymoon. Don't you think you're going a little far with this mission, eh? Sakura. Or is that how you are now! I thought I knew you…" I was slapped. Her super human strength hurt, a lot. That was no lie. I think she may have broken my jaw.
"Waw?" She stared at me. She had her hands clenched and stood there.
"You deserved it." She said calmly unclenching her fists. She walked over to me. I closed my eyes. "Stop being a jerk and let me heal your jaw." She knelt beside me and wiped her hand gently over my jaw and it was healed.
"Now answer me. Please." I stated.
"Don't talk once I start or I'll keep your jaw broken this time." She threatened. I nodded.
"I'm Sora. Honest. I was her from day one that she entered Itachi's life up until this very second. I am Sora. I married him the first time, and everything else." I was about to say something and she just stared at me with the dirtiest look she could on her face. "I'd suggest you don't talk. Not yet." I nodded. "I am Uchiha Midora Sora. I always have and always will be. I'm not sure what you've been told but you haven't been told everything. You were probably being just as stupid and interrupted or ran off when they were talking. I am Sora. Got that. Now you can ask a few, a few… questions." She said.
"So how did you become Sakura."
"I've always been Sakura too! Always! No lie! I've been Sakura for all 16 years of her life and the other months too."
"How could you be both? A clone would have died with any of the missions either would go on. No clone is that strong."
"I was Sakura first. Like I said, I've been from the first day she was in Itachi's life. I have been Sora since he was 7. You were only 2 then."
"I know Sora's story, remember she has always been in my life too." I said glaring at her.
"Yeah I know too. I protected you, helped you, cared for you since the very beginning in your first years of being a Genin along with Naruto and me until the day I was 'kidnapped'."
"You didn't answer my question. How could you be both?"
"A family jutsu. I can spend countless amounts of time in any time period I want, all consecutively though in exchange for 2 weeks of my life back here."
"You mean over the last two weeks you lived those entire years with Itachi."
"For me that time moved like normal time, it's been forever. I've lived two lives. That's why Sakura isn't coming back, not ever."
"What!" I yelled.
"Shut it Sasuke." She answered. I did. "I've lived two lives and now they've crossed and I'm doing my job now. I'm finally doing what's right and what's best for everyone."
"Huh?"
"You say you have goals in life, right?" I nodded. "Well so do I. My goals in life have been few but it's a full time job. I've never stayed from it. Even when I left for 2 weeks in another time I took care of you in a whole different character, didn't I? My goal is simple… I will do anything to make you happy."
"Sakura…" She held up her hand.
"My name is Sora. Sakura is dead. Got it." I nodded. "Are you happy? You have your clan back and your brother is out of you way. He's not going to bother you anymore. He's good. Just like he used to be. Are you happy?" She held my hands in hers.
"Yes I am Sakura. I really am now."
"Good." She took a step closer to me. She leaned toward me placing her mouth close to my ear. "Happy Birthday Sasuke-kun." She kissed his cheek. "Now that you're happy. I'm free to be happy also, right?"
"I guess you are." I answered. She hugged him resting her head on my chest. "I'm happy too now."
"I'm sorry but I need to talk to you." I said. I pulled her away from me.
"Huh? Sasuke?" She said with a pleading voice.
"How could you? You think it would make me happy if you go off and marry my brother just to get him out of my life and protect my clan! You thought that would make me happy."
"I thought you said that you were happy?" She said crying back.
I walked over to her and slapped her, not hard enough to hurt her; no where near close to as hard as she hit me but I slapped her. "I was happy. With you… I was. You made me happy. Somehow along the way… I loved you back. When you were that close to me, it made me happy. I was happy but I can't be happy with you sacrificing yourself to love my brother. That guilt would never allow me to happy."
"Sasuke…" She said quietly.
"I love you idiot. I guess we were both too blind to see how obvious we've been to each other. Nevertheless, if this is the way you want it then I have to allow you to live your life like this because simply said. It's how it has to be." I said.
"Sasuke…" She said again.
"Sakura, If you think that you marrying my brother is going to make me happy, then you're totally wrong. Whatever gave you the idea that marrying him would make me happy was totally off. I can see bringing back my clan as something to make me have but where you get your other idea from, I don't understand!"
"Sasuke…" I turned around.
"I love you. That's all I can say. Thank you very much Onee-chan. I'll be you around a lot I guess. Bye." I said walking off.
"Sasuke… no." She said. I turned around. She ran over to me and I just held. "You don't understand." She said.
"What do you mean I don't understand? I'm not trying to be mean. I'm trying to get you to use that brilliant mind of yours." I said.
"You can't spend 10 years by someone's side and not love them! It's impossible. Not someone who has helped you grow in strength, admired you, loved you, cared for you, trained you, and has been the only one there for you fro 10 years. You can't do that to me! You don't understand."
"Don't I? Sakura. You've done all those things for me and I love you for them. I understand very much."
"Than why do you hate me for loving someone for doing the same thing I did for you!"
"It's because I love you! I'm jealous of my brother, get it now! I'm mad because the girl I love just decided to go and disappear as if she was never there. Sora isn't Sakura. Who is the real you? Answer me that." I yelled at her.
"It doesn't matter Sasuke. I made a promise 3 years ago to marry Itachi."
"No, you can't do this to me Sakura. Not after all these years. I love both of them." She turned to me.
"I know. I was aware. I tried to prevent that. It didn't work alright, I have a husband to get back to Sasuke."
"You can't…" I said calmly.
"Sasuke, I'm married to him." She was crying now. I walked over to her and held her.
"Sora married him Sakura, not you."
"It's the same thing. I'm bound to him until he dies." She covered her mouth and shook her head. "No Sasuke… don't, you can't… I love him." She loves him.
"You… love him?" I asked. She nodded. "I already explained this. You can't spend 10 years of your live with someone and not love them."
"I'm sorry Sakura. I love you so I have to kill him. He made me suffer without a clan. I don't think we could go back to normal, even if he let me have you. You can't live two lives any longer. I can see your pain."
"I do hurt but you can't kill him." I placed my fingers on her lips.
"Yes… I can. I noticed a few things about him. He's a ton weaker no special techniques, no Mangekyo Sharingan he's not stronger than me. You weakened him. I…"
"No, please don't." She begged me.
"Sorry. I've said sorry too many times before to you. I want my revenge too. Everything will start over after this."
"Then let me help. It was my mission in the first place to kill him so let me help finish it."
"Huh?" She nodded.
"Become her… go in there and kill him. It's the least we can do to him. I'll become those ninjas again, they'll kill him, take 'me' and then he'll die with her being killed also. That's how it ends. Just promise to respect his body for me… alright?"
"Huh?" I asked.
"You heard the plan but I still love him so just treat his body with respect. I want to bring it back to Konoha, to your parents, to burry it. I love him so can we respect him."
"You're right. He's family. I guess we should." I answered. "That way we can use a clone of her too to use during the funeral, your clan does cremation, correct?" I nodded. "That will work. It's the end of it all."
"Sasuke… can we wait a while. I'd like to calm down before we go into this, alright. If you please, can I please be her in the final stage of the plan, so that I can say good-bye."
"I have to respect your wishes anyway. I'm beginning to feel bad about killing my brother."
She giggled. "After all this time, you feel guilty now?" She asked.
"Yeah, because someone went back in time and made all my time with my brother really happy, so now half of me wants to kill him, the other half doesn't." I said.
"Are you glad that you got good time with your brother?"
"I really am going to regret killing him."
"And you don't think I'm not!" She screamed at me. She started crying on the ground. I sat next to her and pulled her close to me.
"You've made it quite clear that you do, but it has to be done."
"No it doesn't. Sora is just going to die. That's how it has to be. Her finally chapter."
I sighed. "I guess that works too. How do you want this to go down?" I asked.
"Simple. I return saying that you just needed to talk to me about there going to be an ambush on us and we should return. I'll leave shadow clones with you and you make some too. Then all of them come in and kidnap me running off." She said.
"Not going to work."
"You're plan."
"I like the first part, except some of those clones are of you, as Sakura. She found out that they plan on killing Sora and Itachi. You are a shadow clone, the one that returns. Before you get to the house. You scream as a bunch of other shadow clones attack you, the take you away and they escape. Make sure of that. When he comes out, the knock him around a bit but then Sakura and I run in and then they all disappear, I have a way to manage that. You, as Sakura tell him that now that they have her weakened like she is… she's gone. Sakura and I run off and I come back with your 'dead' body and a Sakura shadow clone. Then…"
"Too complex. Once they take Sakura, they knock him out too. Then he wakes up and we tell him the news that she was killed right in front of us and they took the body with them, so there's no evidence."
"That works too." I answered.
"Itachi's going to be miserable." Sakura said sadly.
"There is no way to make you happy is there?"
"Yes. My plan would have worked and you ruined it." She said crying. I held her again.
"Alright fine, you win." I let her go. "You can have your honeymoon and I'll return to Konoha saying that you died during your mission when I went to save you. Better?" I asked. I stood up and began walking away. She ran up to me and hugged me from behind.
She was crying further. "No… I don't want to die. I just don't want to." I slapped her again. She crumbled to the ground.
"Make. UP. Your. Mind!" I yelled. "Who do you want to be?"
"I don't know." She said crying. I turned around and held her.
"Why don't we just tell him the truth?" I said annoyed with her.
She punched me to the ground and she cried. "I don't know."
"How about Sakura and Sora die! Better?" I asked. "You can be a whole different person, again!" I said.
"Shut up Sasuke." She said crying.
"I'm leaving. Do something on your own. It seems that's the only way that you can decide anything. It would have been better if you would have just let my life be and not interfered." I said. I ran off.
"Sasuke-kun, Happy Birthday." I turned around and I smiled at her.
"I guess I have much more to thank you for then." I said.
"Yeah, I guess you do." She waved as I left.
¤ (A While Later:: Minutes to Midnight) ¤
I arrived back in Konoha. I walked to the bridge where team 7 always met. I sat down beside the river and looked into the water. "Oi, little bro, what's wrong with you?" He said sitting next to me in front of the water.
"Nothing." I answered. Itachi was here. What happened? I've never heard of a honeymoon that lasted only a few hours. "Weren't you…"
"Don't ask."
"Where is…"
"Don't ask." He answered. "Where's your little girlfriend? I heard that you went to find her after you warned… well I'm going to shut up now."
"I'll talk to you… if you talk to me." I answered him.
"I'm not sure what happened."
"Neither am I."
"Let's each ask the other one question." My brother suggested.
"What happened to Sora?" I asked him.
"Of course, that will tell you everything. You're not stupid little bro." He said ruffling my hair with his arm.
"I never was either." I answered.
"She's gone, for good. She told me that the people who took her last time said they'd kill the entire Uchiha Clan again if she didn't go with them, again. They're going to kill her." My eyes went wide. What did that mean though? "You seem surprised too."
"Yeah. I am. I knew something was going on with her. She seemed really sad when she talked to me. She couldn't decide what to do. I couldn't help her so I sent her back to you but it seems she made a decision."
"She was a true heir, sacrificing herself for a clan not her own."
"Maybe it was just easier like that. Are you sure that they are going to kill her?"
"Not really but what else would they do?" He asked me.
"Maybe they're not so bad after all and she can come back again. I mean… they let her do it this time. Maybe she can… again… for a longer period of time… maybe."
Itachi had a smile on his face. He laid back resting against the grass staring into the sky. "You know… I'm sorry for torturing you all those years. I want to know how that was all changed. I know you remember, don't you?"
"Yeah, I forgive you though. Sora told me to. It's the least I can do. We can get along right."
"No, not really." I stared at him. "Well… as good as two clan brothers clan." He said with a smile. He put out his hand. I smacked it and he got up.
"Oi, you have a question for me, don't you?" I said with a smirk on my face.
"Yes I do, but I feel too bad to really go too in-depth into thinking about it. So I'll ask this question. You plan on marrying that Sakura girl?" I blushed and looked into the water.
"How do you know this?"
"Answer my question, with a sentence."
"Yes I like her, I'm not sure where she is though. I do want to marry her though." I answered.
"Good because that would make me happy. She reminds me of Sora, she's just as strong and she'll make a good heir. I don't plan on marrying again so you're going to be the head. You ready?" I shrugged. "You better me. She better me too."
"She was born ready. She has wanted it her entire life. She'd love to marry me. She dreams of it. My number one fan girl but I like her so it's alright. When my clan was gone she would have gladly revived our clan while I went and killed you."
"She's dedicated then. I'm glad. Well… I wish you luck little bro because she's here."
"What?" I yelled. I turned around to see a pink haired girl with a pink kimono on.
"Bye little bro." Itachi said disappearing. She just stood there and smiled. I couldn't move.
She sat down next to me. She rested her head on my lap. "Don't move. I'm tired." She said. I rolled my eyes. I picked her up.
"If you're tired why'd you come here? Let's take you home." I said carrying her bridal style. She kissed my cheek.
"So did what you were telling Itachi true? Do you want to marry me?" I set something on her lap. She picked it up wearily as she was afraid I'd drop her if she let go of my neck. She opened the small box I had set on her lap. She screamed. "No way! Really?" She screamed. We fell into the river. It was a non-moving river so it was all right but I didn't appreciate being wet.
"Would you marry me Haruno Sakura?" I asked. She sighed. I looked at her. "Please say yes."
"No… it's just that…" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "… It's been a while since I've been called that 10 years too long." I smiled.
"So?" I asked.
"No." She answered. I just stared at her. "I'm sorry Sasuke-kun but I love you and everything but it's too sudden." I sighed. "Maybe tomorrow." I sighed.
"I didn't mean marry me today, Sakura!" I yelled at her.
"Also. I can't marry a minor."
"What?"
"You're going to have to wait until tomorrow because you're still 15 and you can't get married until you're 16. I'm sorry Sasuke-kun."
"Would you like to marry me tomorrow?"
"Really?" She asked.
"Yes. Would you?" She hugged me tight.
"That would be the most amazing gift that I've ever received."
"Mine too."
The Konoha Clock said one minute to 12. She kissed me. "Happy Birthday, Sasuke-kun." I nodded.
The Konoha Clock struck midnight. "Ready to get married?" She asked happily.
"We have to tell everyone first, and prepare, neither of us have anything to wear."
"Speak for yourself. I have my wedding dress from my first time."
"It fits?" I asked.
"Ahem. I was only 17 when I married him." She said quietly. "Plus I did have the save perfect figure I have now."
"Whatever." I said grabbing her around the waist and swimming over to the edge of the late.
"Oi Sasuke, Sakura! There is a rule about no swimming in the Konoha River between the hours of 9 PM and 4 AM." An annoying voice said. It was Naruto.
He ran up to us. "Oi Dobe. You mind finding us some dry clothes before yelling at us. We weren't swimming, Sakura was moving too much from chakra exhaustion as I carried her and I fell into the river. "Oh, then you're good. Also, here!" He tossed us clothes.
"How did you know?"
"I keep a spare set of your clothes for old times sakes because of missions in a book bag in my room just in case we ever needed them and when I noticed you guys fell into the river through the crystal ball. I figured they'd be useful to give to you."
"Thank you Naruto. Bye." He nodded and disappeared. "A shadow clone?" I shrugged. "Sasuke turn around so I can change." I sighed and turned around.
"Done yet?"
"Yes." I slipped off my shirt and slipped on the dry one. I changed into my other pants as well. I turned around to see Sakura covering her eyes facing the other way.
"Sorry." I mumbled. She nodded turning around still blushing. I picked her up and carried her to her house. By the time we got there, she was asleep. I used a kunai to unlock the door and carried her up to her room laying her in the bed.
"Night Sasuke." She said cuddling in the covers.
"Yeah Sakura." I said. I kissed her forehead, jumping out the window and returning home. I walked into the house.
"What are you doing coming in this late?" My dad asked. Man, I forgot that I had parents now and there were rules to apply.
"I just came back from a mission. My teammate passed out due to chakra exhaustion. I'm sorry I'm late."
"It's alright. I'm pleased to inform you that you are the new heir of that clan since your bro told us everything." I nodded.
"Thank you for telling me."
"You have one year to pick someone suitable."
"I found her already?"
"Within minutes of the time to marry?"
"Yeah. I've always know. I guess. I decided to get it out of the way. She's ready whenever we are. Okay. I'm going to sleep. Night Dad." I said. For the first night in many nights, years really, that I could go to sleep with my family there for me and without a nightmare. I could finally go to sleep because of one girl and the most amazing birthday gift anyone could ever give me. No one can top her gift. Knowing her, she'll find a way to top herself next year though. I'm honestly waiting to see what she's going to do next year.
A/N: I planned on something totally different but this is much better. I'll have a more detailed cover for what happened in this chapter later.
