A/N: I'm sorry to say that I'll be leaving this story for a bit. The first part has been written and now I need to figure out how I want this to continue. So I'm going to ask you how you want me to continue on.

1. Were we left off from this point.

2. Where Sakura's a year older

3. Don't continue at all, leave it has it is.

Feel free to pm/ review/ email me about it. I'm always up for discussions.
Further I thank you all for following me until now, I thank you all for the reviews, favs, alerts you guys have given me and hope to continue on writing.

Chapter 10:

It was a day Sakura would never forget. She remembered how her father burst into the hospital room where she and her mother resided. His eyes rolled around frantically, taking everything in in seconds. Sakura could almost hear the wheels spinning in her father's mind as he tried to pin everything together. How this had happened, if it could have been prevented.

As Sakura stared at her father, panting from his long run, she felt miserable. Like she somehow failed him without him given her an assignment. She had been sitting upon the bed next to her mothers, her legs crossed underneath her. The book about Economics and trading lay open upon her lap. It was a stab to her heart to see her father cry. The second time she seen him do that in her presence.

He leaned over his wife, his hand gently grabbing the fragile one of her mothers. While he cradled her pale hand against his chest over his steadily beating heart, his other reached out to caress her cheek.

There was no response. No flutter of her eyelashes, no small peep that she might have recognized her beloved returning to her side.

"I'm here my love." Sakura turned her head away, blinking rapidly to force the upcoming tears back. Her father's voice was breaking, shattering. Sakura knew her dad's voice like any other; strong, deep and always confident. Now it was but a shell how it had been.

"I'm sorry," Hikaru croaked. He shook his head, not even bothering to wipe away the tears that began to fall. He leaned further, kissing her on the forehead. "I should have realized it sooner."

The moment Sakura tasted blood in her mouth, she released her lower lip. As silent as she could she hopped off the bed. It hurt her to see her father broken like this. She slipped out of the room, her hand sliding over the hospital walls and doors as she walked. She didn't tilt her head up in acknowledgement when doctors or nurses that recognized her greeted her.

Her footsteps were silent, bringing her through the familiar sets of corridors before she reached the door she'd headed to. Her hand lifted up, knocking three times before she stepped back. Her eyes were still cast towards her feet when the door opened for her.

"Hello Sakura," Shizune greeted her kindly. Her voice was off, Sakura noted.

Sakura lifted her head up to meet sad charcoal eyes. From that moment on, Sakura knew. She sighed, her fists curling at her sides as she squeezed her eyes shut. Her heart was beating frantically, painfully bounding against her chest.

"Sakura... I"

"How long?" Sakura whispered heavy with grief.

Shizune blinked, her eyes scanning over Sakura. It was indeed a little spirited young girl, filled with potential if she could just see it on her own. Unlike before her form wasn't shaking, showing the loss of control. She merely stood there, her head now titled up to look her in the eye while she waited for the answer she hoped to never hear.

"Less than 24 hours."

She noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks, but no sobs accompanied them. Again Shizune was awestruck just how strong the girl before her was. So many hardmanships had crossed her path and yet through it all she emerged. Scarred, yes; but determined and stronger than before.

Shizune sighed, her heart heavy with guilt. She had hoped that she and Tsunade could have prevented Kaede's death. But her disease was already in the last stage. The only thing they could do know was lessen the pain the woman had.

She kneeled down, her hand moving to pet Sakura over the head. She smiled sadly, wiping away the tears she spilled before pulling the girl close. "I'm sorry we couldn't do more."

Sakura nodded, leaning into Shizune's embrace. She rested her head against her shoulder, her hands grabbing the fabric there to hold on to her. "I don't blame you. I should have raised the alarm sooner."

"Hey," Shizune called out sternly but soft. She grabbed Sakura by the arms and forced her to look her in the eyes. "It's not your fault young lady. Remember that."

"But-,"

"No buts. Your mother would have refused treatment if you called upon us sooner. She would have lied through her teeth. We know the history of your mother and her family towards medicine."

Sakura bit her lip, coughing slightly as the coopery taste hit her tongue. "Blegh."

Shizune chuckled lightly, walking into her office to grab a clean cloth and dampened it with water. Sakura was already sitting upon her desk when Shizune neared, pressing the cloth against the small wound Sakura inflicted upon herself.

"Thank you Shizune," Sakura muttered when the black haired woman was done.

She hopped off her desk, wishing her goodbye and promised to seek her up if anything bothered her. With slightly renewed strength she went back to her mother's room. Sakura didn't protest when Hikaru pulled Sakura into his lap when she entered. Automatically she placed her hands around her father's waist, her head underneath his chin as she hugged him close.

The familiar weight of her father's arms caging her in and warmth made her feel even better. She smiled bitterly as she felt his thump running up and down her spine as far as he could reach it.

"Sakura… Sakura"

Sakura blinked, her eyes open groggily as she tried to decipher what was calling her in the god forsaken hour. She noticed that she was still in her father's lap, his arms still tightly secure around her.

"Sakura..."

Her green eyes moved from her father's sweater to the direction of the sound she'd been hearing. It sounded oddly familiar. Green met green and it took Sakura awhile to remember why she should be surprised.

Kaede waited patiently, a warm and gentle smile playing on her lips. Her kind eyes watched as her daughter realized she was awake, and chuckled at the little gasp she made.

"Mom," Sakura breathed out weakly. She climbed out of her father's embrace, her arms wrapping themselves around her mother's neck as she pulled herself close.

"You're awake!"

"For now," Kaede smiled sadly but was gone the next. "I'm sorry making you go through this."

"It's okay mom," Sakura smiled, her voice a bit muffled as she spoke against her mother's neck. Maybe Shizune had it all wrong! She was awake now and she seemed fine.

"Now that you're awake, everything will be fine."

"Sweetheart, will you promise me something?" Her mother suddenly asked. She let her daughter go, her hand leaving the spot where she'd been stroking her hair.

"Anything for you mom."

"Promise me that no matter what, you won't change the way you are. Be that spirited, kind-hearted woman I raised you up to be. Promise me that you never regret anything you do as long as you do it because you wanted to, not by stupid sense of obligation or fear."

"What do you mean mom?" Sakura asked confused.

Kaede hurried on quickly, as if she had a time limit that was coming to an end. "Promise me Sakura-chan. Promise me that you do what you love."

Sakura nodded, feeling the threat hanging over her like a cold thunder storm. "I promise momma."

She leaned in closer hugging her mother with all her strength.

"I love you baby."

A loud constant beep rose Sakura from her sleep. Her eyes blinking rapidly as she sat up startled. She was lying on the bed she had been sitting on earlier. She turned her head to the right, and noticed that the sound that caused her to wake had been her mother's heart monitor.

Everything turned numb. The shouting of the people racing into the room, the outraged yell of her father faded into nothing. Her eyes kept staring at her mother's face. Her eyes were closed like it had been like the past couple of days, but something was different. And then Sakura noticed it. There was a peaceful look on her face, her mouth corners curled up in a smile.

Kaede Haruno died that night, passed away in the presence of her husband and daughter. Sakura would never forget that day. Not only because she had lost her mother.

That day she vowed to herself that she would make herself stronger, better. That she would never feel so useless and weak like she had been before. She had made a promise to her mom, a promise she intended to keep. The old Sakura Haruno had died together with her mother and in place; a stronger and determined young woman was reborn.

In memory of

my Sister Elizabeth

and

Brother Daniel

R.I.P.