Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 10
"Big news, big news!" yells a voice.
Sakura stirs in the bed. Ino is unmoving next to her. Girl sleeps like a dead cow. Strange, considering her name means pig. Sleeping pig works too, Sakura figures. Sakura gets up a little. It is too early for this. Which stupid bastard has a death wish? Ino had forced her to stay up with her and watch a western film called 10 Things I Hate About You last night. Good movie, by the way. But still, might have been better if she hadn't watched it half-asleep.
Sakura slowly gets out of bed. It has been two weeks. She has been sleeping in Ino's apartment lately, since most of her stuff is here anyways. Apparently, Karin had helped her pack all her stuff up from her parents' home. The pain of her empty room was just too much, so they asked Tsunade to send someone. Her parents then moved out.
Someone else's family now lives in the home she grew up in.
Things have changed so much.
Sakura looks outside the window. Ino actually lives in a really nice building. It gives a great view of the village since it is built on a hill. She sees the little messenger guy downstairs, meters away. Dang, his voice carries.
"Big news, big news!" he yells again.
He must be using a vocal jutsu or something, if there's such a thing. Man, she has to catch up on her reading. Two years must have done wonders on the jutsu creations. Konoha should have a compilation somewhere...
"-Engaged!" he yells. What did he just say? She looks down at him again, trying to focus on his screaming voice. Did he just say-
"Uchiha Itachi and Inuzuka Hana are engaged!"
Apparently he did. Sakura's eyes widen. Her legs give out beneath her. She lands on the floor less than gracefully. She then feels a very familiar feeling. Jealousy? Disgust? Confusion? Maybe all of them. She can't really tell. Springing up on her legs when she feels bile rising in her throat, she rushes to Ino's bathroom. She leans over the toilet, upchucking everything she ate yesterday.
Just when she thought she was recovering too.
"Forehead?" asks Ino, rubbing her eyes of her sleep.
Ino's up. She looks into the bathroom. Sakura's brilliant best friend suddenly gains complete awareness when she realizes what the rosette is doing. She rushes over and pats Sakura's back.
"What's wrong? Did you eat something bad?"
"He's-" Sakura pauses, recovering from the saltiness in her mouth. "He's-" Her throat feels like it's constricting, courtesy of the puke. "He's engaged, Ino." Sakura's eyes suddenly fill with tears.
"Who? Who's engaged?" asks Ino, confused.
"Itachi," says Sakura. Ino's eyes widen. Sure, she had known something was going on between the two, but she never got clarification. Sakura has refrained from talking about anything that happened in the past two years. The two tend to just talk about current events or past events prior to two years ago.
"Let's go," says Ino. "We're going to go find him."
This is why Sakura loves Ino. She's curious but she won't push you. She's blunt but to a degree that she knows Sakura is comfortable with. She's tough and she'll stick up for you no matter what.
"N-No."
"Why not?" Ino places her hands on her hips. "You're crying over him. You're puking over this! You deserve an explanation!"
"I don't…I d-don't want to see him."
"Saks, you're getting better. A lot better. You've been doing so well. This may push you back. I think you need an explanation. Hell, that man, sexy as he is, owes you an explanation. Look, I don't need to know the whole story behind you two, but if your tears and my toilet are any indication, I think that this is not just one-sided." Sakura looks up at Ino, surprised at the girl. "You never puked over Sasuke."
"I don't want to see him, Ino." Her voice is still tight.
Ino walks over to her sink and pulls out a cup. She fills it with water and hands it to Sakura. "Here," she says as she wraps Sakura's hands around the cup. "You'll have to see him eventually, you know? The sooner you see him, the easier and faster it'll be for you to move on."
"I…I don't want to move on…"
"Sakura, he's engaged now. He's not worth your time. Not anymore."
"I know." Fresh tears start falling.
Ino cups Sakura's face and wipes away the tears. "Drink." Sakura does as told. "He doesn't deserve your tears. He much less deserves your love."
"I survived on him, Ino."
"I know," says Ino, "Naruto told me. I just didn't believe him until now."
"Yeah, it is sort of hard to believe." Sakura's lips tilt slightly upwards as she stares into the water.
"See, you can do fine without him. You can do fine as long as you have me."
"Than-" Ino shoots her a look. "I mean, you're awesome, Ino-pig."
"I know." Ino flips her hair over her shoulder. "Now, brush your teeth. We don't need your teeth decaying on us because of the Uchiha." Sakura giggles lightly.
Seriously, she is so grateful that she has Ino. It is still strange for her to be with Naruto, Sasuke, Sai and Kakashi, but she's getting there. Ino said that she has made dramatic improvement over the past two weeks. She has been talking much more, smiling, laughing even. She hasn't even seen Itachi, much less talked to him. Thinking back, as she brushes her teeth, why did she think of him during her confinement? Simply because she was in love with him? But there was always Ino, Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Kakashi, Tsunade and her parents to think of…
So why?
She spits out the toothpaste in her mouth and continues brushing. She must have been staring at her reflection pretty intensely because Ino nudges her from besides her. She is brushing her teeth as well.
"What're you thinking of?" asks Ino.
"Nothing," says Sakura. Ino nods, knowing not to push her on this. After all, Ino knows that Sakura was raped. She would not try and make Sakura remember those events. Sakura is getting better, and since Ino is with her 24/7, she knows that Sakura is not just holding back and keeping her feelings bottled up.
"Alright," says Ino. It still hurts though, the fact that your best friend is hiding stuff. Sakura sees the expression on Ino's face and grabs her arm with her free hand, encouragingly.
"I'll tell you when I'm ready. You'll be the first one I tell, Pig," says Sakura through the brush and toothpaste in her mouth. Ino spits out the toothpaste in her mouth and rinses her mouth clean.
She stands up straight. "Don't talk with your mouth full of toothpaste," she scolds. "It's not ladylike." Sakura bends over and spits out the rest of the toothpaste in her mouth. She then rinses it out with water. She stands up straight and cleans her toothbrush. Ino is doing the same.
"Like we've ever cared about femininity," says Sakura. Ino laughs gently.
"True that," says Ino.
"So what're we doing today?" asks Sakura.
"It's a bit too early to do anything, don't you think?"
"A tad bit."
"We could just go for a stroll. A jog maybe? Work out, you know? It's been a while since you've done so, I bet." Sakura scowls a little.
"Is that a hidden insult?"
"Girl, you know you're too skinny right now. I feel threatened by standing next to you."
"True."
"We need to stuff 10 bowls of ramen down your throat. I'm sure Naruto would be more than eager to treat you. Kakashi-sensei too. Or even Iruka-sensei."
"…I don't know, Ino." Sakura looks down. The two of them step out of the bathroom and into Ino's kitchen. Ino opens the fridge and takes out a carton of orange juice as Sakura pulls out two wine glasses from a cabinet.
"Sakura, the longer you take to get used to them, the more hurt they're going to be and the more you have to suffer through their looks." She pours the contents in the carton into the glasses.
"I know… I just…" Ino closes the carton and puts it back in the fridge. Sakura takes her glass and as Ino walks back, Sakura hands Ino hers.
"You can't avoid men forever, Saks." The two of them walk to the dining room, sitting down in front of each other, comfortably.
"Why not?"
"You're not planning on letting Danzo's family line die with you, are you?"
Oh crap, she had almost forgotten all about her family history. Sakura hesitantly shakes her head. Ino continues. "Then I'm assuming you're going to get married one day. Most likely to a guy."
"Can't I just marry you, Ino?" asks Sakura, jokingly.
"You wish you could have me," says Ino, flipping her hair again, jokingly.
The two laughed simultaneously. "Seriously though, any homosexual tendencies? Nothing wrong with it if you do." Sakura shakes her head.
"If I did, I would have molested you in your sleep already, Pig."
"Is that your way of complimenting me?"
"Do you really need anyone to compliment you?"
"True." Sakura takes a sip from her orange juice. Ino follows and does the same.
"So what're we doing today?"
"Depends, do you really want to go stalk the Uchiha bastard?"
"I really don't want to see him yet."
"I understand. Tomorrow, then!"
"Ino, that's too soon."
"You told me that I have to push you. That's what I'm doing right now."
"I don't…I don't…" Sakura shakes her head.
"You're scared of the reason, right?"
"A little."
"The sooner you ask, the faster you get your response." Ino shrugs. "It could be an engagement out of convenience. I heard from Kiba that their family has been trying to get Hana married for a while now."
"I don't know. He isn't the type to do something like that for someone."
"Depends if those someones include Inuzuka Hana."
Sakura looks down at her drink. Ino is right. She is scared of the response. What if he really does love Hana? They are the same age, after all. They've probably known each other long before Sakura even met him. Maybe they have a past together. Maybe they have a future together. Who knows? No one knows much about the Uchiha. Hana also doesn't always tell Kiba everything. They are close, but usually Hana just gives Kiba advice on girls.
"By the look on your face, I can tell that you really want to know why."
"I changed my mind. I'll go talk to him today."
"I'll walk you there."
"Okay," says Sakura, placing a smile on her face.
"You're smiling more and more often now, Fivehead."
"I know." She pauses. "So when is Shikamaru going to ask you out?"
Ino freezes. "W-What?" She sputters? Yamanaka Ino…THE Yamanaka Ino…stutters?
"Come on, Ino, I've only been gone for two years, I'm not blind."
"T-That's not…"
"I'm not stupid," sings Sakura. "Ino and Shika sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G-"
"I almost miss the days that you were silent." Sakura giggles.
"Blame yourself."
"I won't blame myself for being there for you," says Ino, smiling.
See? Isn't her best friend just amazing?
"I know you said that I don't have to thank you or whatever, but seriously, thank you, Ino." Sakura reaches over the table and pulls her best friend into a brief hug.
"Anytime. I'll be there for you through thick and thin."
"You're more than I could ever ask for."
"Okay, now you're borderline creepy-cheesy."
"Fine."
"Well, are we going to go for a jog?"
"Of course."
"Alright." Ino stands up. Sakura does the same. Ino takes both of their glasses and puts them in the sink, to be washed later. Sakura smiles and walks towards the room where she knows her stuff is. Ino goes into her own room.
This should be fun, right? It's been a while since she has had to do any physical activity.
X
Sakura has her waist-length pink hair tied up into a high ponytail – Ino's signature, the blonde has bitterly pointed out. The blonde, on the other hand, has her hair in a tight French braid behind her head.
And across from them stands Uchiha Itachi and his new fiancée, having decided to go for an early morning stroll. Hana's eyes flicker worriedly between Sakura and Itachi. Sakura is staring at Itachi intensely, as is Ino, trying to sum him up the way only best friends can. Itachi, however, is trying his best not to stare at the ground. He doesn't look at Sakura.
"Hey, Ino, Sakura," says Hana. "Glad to see you're feeling better."
Feeling better my ass, Sakura says. As soon as the thought appears, she feels guilty. This is Kiba's sister. Ino's good friend. "Thank you." Sakura bows slightly and smiles a little. Ino gives Sakura an almost undetectable nudge. Sakura looks at her. She is looking at Itachi. Oh. "Can I talk to you alone, Uchiha-san?"
Itachi almost breaks his neck turning to look at Sakura. Just kidding. The man shows no feelings. Ino almost smiles triumphantly. She looks a bit silly trying to hide her smile. Calling him Uchiha-san was a good touch. Hana gives Itachi a worried look. Itachi ignores her and nods briefly. "Aa."
Sakura nods. She then turns and walks away from Ino and Hana. Itachi follows behind her. After putting a good distance between them and the other two women, Sakura turns and looks at Itachi.
"So?" Her hands aren't on her hips. A sign that she isn't as comfortable as he originally thought.
"Hm." He still can't look at her.
"That's all you have to say?"
"What do you want?" His voice sounds harsher than she remembers. She winces a little.
"Never mind. I just got my answer." She starts walking away from him. He grabs her arm.
"Wait, Sakura."
"Then explain."
"I can't."
"Goodbye, Uchiha-san." She shrugs his hand off of her and turns back around, bowing slightly at him. After all, he is five years her senior, one of the only living members of the Uchiha clan, a respected hero of Konoha and her own teammates older brother. She then turns back around and walks to Ino. Itachi watches, stuck in place, as Sakura bows slightly to Hana. She then says something.
"I wish you two the best in your marriage." Sakura isn't upset, rather, she's angry.
Itachi feels a pang hit his heart. It seems to be all that he feels lately. He stares as Sakura and her blonde friend jog away from them. He feels a slight panic as he watches Sakura's retreating back. Hana watches as well. After the two best friends are out of sight, she turns back to Itachi, shooting him a curious look.
"What happened?"
Itachi ignores her and walks past her. The way he is carrying himself tells her everything.
"Itachi, wait!" She chases after him. "Go get her and explain!"
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"She's happy right now. I won't ruin that for her."
"She could be happier with you!"
"The village thinks I'm engaged to you."
"So? We could always just fake breakup!"
"Then you'll be forced into a marriage you don't want and your family will no doubt start talking about Sakura." Hana shakes her head.
"Kiba and I won't let that happen."
"It will happen," says Itachi, thinking back to his own clan. Something prickles at his heart again.
"If you don't go find her, I will!"
"Hm." He continues walking.
"Don't you think it'd be better if she heard it from you though?"
"Then don't do it."
"You're suffering because of this favor that you're doing for me. I can't let this happen. Will you be okay if she moves on? If she starts dating someone else? If she forgets about you? She's very weak right now. If any male is there for her, she might fall for them!"
Did his shoulders just slump a little? Hana sighs when she realizes that Itachi isn't going to respond. "I'm taking you to go talk to her." She grabs his arm.
"Stop." His voice is cold. Not emotionless. Cold. Hana tenses. "I need to be alone right now."
Hana hesitantly lets go of his arm.
"Don't go looking for her," he says. With that, he disappears.
X
She is having a nightmare again.
Her brows are knitted together and raised in fear. Beads of sweat are forming on her forehead. She is biting her lower lip, whimpering softly, and clawing at her own arms. Thankfully, her nails are short.
He looks to the girl slumbering next to Sakura, completely unaware, completely asleep. Like always, no one will find out that he is here. He sits down on the ground next to the bed and takes one of her hands in his. With his other hand, he reaches out for her forehead. Stroking her forehead gently, he watches as she slowly calms down. Her jagged breathing gradually reduces to regular, soft breaths.
Also like always, he stays a bit longer than needed, simply stoking her hair. Watching her. Making sure she's okay. Making sure she's out of danger's way. He usually stays until morning, disappearing quickly when she tenses slightly, telling him she's awaking.
He will defend her when she can't do it herself. He will protect her until he can't – until she or her best friend wake up. He will protect her without her knowing because he knows he isn't right for her right now. He will make sure nothing happens to her, because she saved his life. Because she means a lot to him. Because he already lost her once and he'd rather not lose her again.
Because, even though they aren't together, he'd rather have her alive and in the same world as him.
His hand leaves her forehead and he brings it back to himself. His other hand, however, still rests on hers, his thumb rubbing in circles on the back of her hand.
Most of all, he'll protect her because she's the reason he lives.
Of course, he'd never tell anyone. Not even her.
He sees a familiar light rising through the window. The sun's coming up. He'll have to part with her again soon. He continues to stare at her peaceful features. He pulls the blankets upwards to tuck her in. He then leans forward and places a small, gentle kiss on her forehead.
Then, like the wind, there one second, absent the next, Itachi is gone.
X
"There is no way they are going to let her go."
Tsunade looks at the man in front of her. Uchiha Itachi.
"No one can find him, Uchiha."
"So basically we're all vulnerable until they show up and take her?!" Someone else.
Tsunade flicks her eyes to Naruto.
This has to be the hundredth time they've talked about this in the past month.
"You need to send a team," says Sasuke.
"It's not that easy," says Tsunade.
"Why not? You're Hokage!" says Naruto.
"There are lots of politics involved," explains Tsunade, "I can't just-"
"Baa-chan, the longer you wait, the more Sakura is in danger!"
"I know." Naruto is about to interrupt her. "Don't you dare interrupt me again, Uzumaki!" He shuts up. "I can't just send a team to their death like that!"
"Then send me," says Itachi.
"Uchiha, if I'm not mistaken, you are now involved with Inuzuka Hana. I cannot do that. Besides, I did not cure you so that you can go and get yourself killed."
"Then me," argues Sasuke.
"Sakura will realize if you are missing again."
"Then let her realize."
"You might die. She'll never forgive herself if you do." Sasuke looks away. The woman is right. "Now get out, you're all giving me a headache." The three hesitantly left the room.
"I'm going to go see Sakura-chan," says Naruto.
"I'm going with you," says Sasuke. He turns and looks at his brother. Itachi's not looking at him. Instead, he is looking a few feet in front of him, on the floor, as if contemplating something. "Are you coming, aniki?"
"No." Sasuke looks at his brother worriedly. He hasn't seen Sakura in the past two weeks. He knows how much Itachi cares for her. What is stopping him from seeing her? His engagement with the Inuzuka? That thing is just fake, obviously. He doesn't know how anyone could believe that it is real.
"Okay." The two eighteen year olds part with Itachi.
Itachi turns and walks towards the compound. He stops in his steps when he spots familiar hair. Pink. How is it that Sasuke and Naruto went the opposite direction to find her, yet he is the one that finds her? She is chatting rather animatedly with someone. A guy. Itachi recognizes him as Sai, an ANBU and the newest addition to Sasuke's and Naruto's team. He was one of the ones who came to fetch him when they found Sakura a month ago.
They are walking towards him.
He wants to turn and walk away. Hide, even, before she sees him.
But, instead, he stays in his spot, staring at the rosette in front of him. The fact that she hasn't noticed him yet strangely irks him. The fact that she is showing true happiness while walking with another man also annoys him to no end. The fact that Sakura and Sai are walking a few feet apart doesn't even register to him. Itachi's eyes unconsciously narrow as he stares at the two.
Then, Sakura looks forward and sees him.
Instead of the smile she always used to show when she saw him, she turns away, looking at Sai again. Sai doesn't seem to notice Itachi at all.
The two pass him with barely any acknowledgement.
Sakura had bowed slightly out of reverence. That was it. Itachi closes his eyes, trying to block out the emotions. He brought this on himself, after all. After composing himself, he continues walking to the Uchiha compound.
He doesn't turn around, afraid to see her walk away again; however, because of his fear, he doesn't see her turn around and almost call out his name.
She catches up with Sai. "Tell me more about him, please."
"Okay." She had been asking about her grandfather. Sai, after all, is one of the ones that knew Danzo on a more personal level. Danzo's presence in Sai's life was great. He had trained him, helped Sai shape into who he is today. Though, Sai was completely emotionally inept when she first met him, she knows that he has and always had a big heart, even if he wasn't always able to communicate it properly.
Sakura is really enjoying the stories Sai has about Danzo. He had said that he wasn't sure whether or not to be happy when he was told that Danzo had been killed. Danzo was almost like a dad to him, after all. And though Danzo contributed a lot to the reason why Sai wasn't always acceptably appropriate in his social skills, the man cared in his own way. Sai knew he was one of Danzo's most important people and Danzo cared about him more than he did some other people. Was it because he saw his grandchild in him? Maybe, maybe not.
After Ino had reminded her a few weeks ago that she had to continue the bloodline, she remembered her grandfather, and since has tried to figure out more and more about the man. Now, after talking to many ROOT members and old, old friends of his, she almost feels like she knew him personally.
She feels happier, knowing her grandfather better. Knowing him as more than a coldblooded borderline-psychopath. He was a trainer, a role model, an important figure, a brother to some, a father to some. He wasn't as terrible as everyone made him out to be – a twisted man in his belief that Konoha would be safer under him.
She smiles a little, listening on Sai's story on how Danzo had once given the boy candy when he was 10. Sai says that he always thought that Danzo would have thought of candy as a weakness simply for being sweet. He, however, thought no such thing, thinking of it as a reward in life. He gave Sai the candy as a reward for passing the Chunin exams.
"He really wasn't that bad, Ugly."
"I know." She smiles a little more. Sai sees the look on her face and joins her. The two walk in comfortable silence with reminiscent and grateful smiles on their faces. He walks her back to Ino's apartment, where the other two teammates are waiting.
"Sai! If you were going to hog Sakura for the day you should have told us!" yells Naruto, pointing at the boy accusingly.
"She wanted to talk in private," says Sai, shrugging.
"Well you still should have said something! We would have sabotaged it!" Naruto argues.
"She wanted to talk in private," Sai repeats.
"We could have come along!" Naruto yells.
"Please learn the meaning of private," Sai says.
"Why you-!" Before he could say anymore, something – or more like someone – tackles him in a tight embrace. He looks down and only sees pink. He looks back at the other two teammates. They are as surprised as he is. This is the first time Sakura has hugged any male since she got back. The girl didn't even hug her own father. "Eh, Sakura-chan…" He scratches the back of his neck, his well-known habit.
"Thank you," she whispers. She then half-releases him, one arm still around Naruto. She turns and looks at her other two teammates. "Come here, you idiots." Sai slowly walks closer and Sakura wraps her free arm around him. He hesitantly does it back to her. They all look expectantly at Sasuke. He sighs and gets up from his seat, walking over to them as well. Naruto wraps one arm around Sakura and one arm around Sasuke. Sasuke wraps one arm around Naruto's shoulders and lets his other arm just lay on Sai's. Sai does the same with him. The two ice cubes are not quite used to each other yet. Sakura lets a huge smile fall on her face.
"Team 7. United at last," Naruto says, a smile mirroring Sakura's on his face. Sai smiles as well. A genuine smile. Even Sasuke has a smile on his face, though small, it is real. No one knows how much he missed his loud-mouth and annoying teammates when he was gone. They were his family when he thought he had none, yet he left them. But, like family, they always forgive him.
"Thank you guys," says Sakura, "For being here for me."
"That is what teammates are for, right?" asks Sai. His face is emotionless, as almost always. Sakura and Naruto smile. Sasuke simply smirks.
"Yes, yes it is," says Naruto. He lets go of Sasuke and Sakura and tackles Sai with a noogie. As the two of them fool around, Sakura stands next to Sasuke.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun," she says. He looks at her, an eyebrow raised. "For trying to kill you."
"It's fine," he says. "You couldn't do it."
She looks at the ground, a rueful smile appearing on her face. "Thank you."
"I owe you an apology too." Sakura looks at him, confused. "For everything."
Images from all the times Sasuke almost killed her appear in her mind. All the times she cried over him. All the times that she and Naruto hurt over him. But, most of all, the memory that lasted the longest, was the memory of the day Sakura caught him leaving Konoha.
"No," she says, smiling, "You came back. It makes up for everything."
"I sometimes wish that I never left. So many things have changed." He looks guilty, but unemotional regardless. Sakura wraps one arm around Sasuke. He looks at her, surprised.
"You've done well," she says. "You came back, that's all that matters." She flashes her smile at him. Sasuke feels his lips tugging upwards again.
"You too. I'm glad you didn't die on us." She nods.
"I'm glad too." Totally out of character, Sasuke pats the top of her head gently.
"Hey, hey, break it up!" Naruto yells. Sai chuckles softly and Sasuke lets a smirk grace his features.
And, like music to their ears, Sakura lets out a laugh similar to the ones she used to let others listen to hundreds of times a day. It is the first time she has laughed around them since forever.
She is better now.
X
"Everything is going according to plan," says a dark figure with serpentine eyes.
"Good." Another dark figure with sharingan eyes instead of serpentine. "Lay low until it is done."
"Understood," says another voice. The figure has bright green eyes.