Chapter 10
Sakura found herself staring up at a familiar ceiling in the Uchiha house, Itachi lay beside her, running his long fingers through her hair soothingly. Weakly she cupped his cheek and smiled her chakra was wavering, her state of balance was getting more and more erratic all the time, she felt it fluxuate swirling more wildly then Naruto's chakra did. Her headache was gone but it only made the vision she had the more brutal and clear.
She knew the pain shadowed her eyes, and he could see it as clear as day, but she refused to tell him. Her inner was suffering and for that Sakura suffered as well feeling twice the pain, 'Become one with him!' her inner said through strangled words. Sakura shook her head wincing in pain as the chakra swirled more wildly with every motion she made. No, she would not subject Itachi to this pain, another memory resurfaced something that she had asked her inner when she no longer felt the love she had for Sasuke.
*flashback*
Sakura looked at the picture in her room, the one where she, Sasuke, and Kakashi were still in happier days. The love that she held for Sasuke was no more, 'Why don't I love him anymore?' she wondered her heart no longer beat for her former stoic teammate. Her inner stirred remaining silent, 'You know something don't you?' Sakura asked silently as she gazed at the worn photo in the frame.
'It means he is not the one for us.' Her inner was still unused to Sakura asking it questions. 'Then who is the one for us?' Sakura pressed a bit disappointed but curious at the same time. 'That we will know when we see him.' Sakura nodded it made sense, a wave of pain hit her head another vision was coming on, she clutched her head her visions were steadily getting worse, pain wise, "Before you said that when we mated the pain would go away right?" she asked out loud, it pained her to communicate through thoughts. 'I didn't say that.' Her inner replied also wincing at the pain that was coming on. "What did you say?" Sakura replied through gritted teeth. 'I…said, that the pain would only be…bearable! But that's only…because…our partner…takes on… the excess.' They both winced and sank to the bed, 'pain' her inner finished.
*end of flashback*
She looked to her beloved Itachi, she could never hurt him regardless of his consent or not. However, that was the least of her worries, she had to get him out of Konoha to avoid the disastrous fate that would meet him if her vision were to come true. Again her chakra fluxuated. An idea lit up in her head but she would need chakra lots of it, she looked to Itachi his eyes now closed his breathing steadier, could she do it? Sakura wondered, "Sakura." The words escaped his lips as he sighed her name, her resolve hardened yes she would do it.
(VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV)
Itachi felt the air stirring, it slid over him and concentrated solely on his love Sakura, her eyes were slightly opened glowing a strange blue color, her hair waved gently as if she stood in the breeze. He watched amazed as the worlds chakra wrapped around her like a cocoon, he activated his sharingan, and was alarmed at what he saw, the chakra was filling every pore she had. It swirled violently like a ready to erupt volcano the density of it all would have killed even one of the strongest shinobi.
Alarmed he picked her up, the chakra merely shifted to her in his arms, she was now glowing with a brighter intensity then before where in her body was she storing her chakra? He held her close wrapping the warm blanket around her limp and glowing form, he had to see the Hokage they only had two days left, and he would be sure that Sakura would be cared for.
Seconds later, he arrived to tense to calm down he entered through the window regardless of the many ANBU that awaited in the Hokage office, "Tsunade help her!" his voice edged with concern and fright. He looked to Sakura's almost peaceful and glowing form the Chakra was still gathering around her getting denser and denser, "What's happening to her?!" he demanded. "Calm yourself Itachi!" Tsunade said in a steely voice, she didn't have time for one of her best captains to be out of his mind. Itachi stiffened unused to disappointment when it came to words that were spoken to him.
Tsunade looked her student over, her eyes widening slightly, "Shizune!" she called to her assistant who appeared fully clothed and ready, "Yes! Tsunade-sama!" " Bring Itachi and Sakura to the Iron room try to block out as much chakra flow as you can I will be down there soon." " Yes Tsunade-sama!"
Within moments, Sakura was placed on a hospital bed stuck in the Iron room. From above Itachi watched, worried a hand clapped onto his shoulder, "She'll be fine, go rest I guarantee that the Iron room would keep her from soaking up anymore chakra."
Reluctantly Itachi went and went only when Tsunade ordered him to sleep. Feeling like a child, he curled up on a nearby hospital bed close to Sakura's room, no matter what he would be there for her, even if she didn't want it.
(VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV)
Sakura woke from her pre-meditated chakra soak up. There was no more chakra to soak. She opened her eyes she was in a glass case inside the Iron room. They had cut her off huh? She knew that what was inside her wasn't enough she needed more. "What are you trying to do Sakura?" Tsunade asked quietly from beside her.
Sakura merely stared at her refusing to reply, she knew that Tsunade would try to stop her, an opposition that would not be welcome at the moment. "Sakura." Tsunade said warningly. Sakura pursed her lips, she would not tell, "Sakura I order you to tell me why!" Sakura flinched she had to tell least she be locked up for insubordination a difficulty that was pointless and troublesome, "But in return you must not tell shishou, and you cant lie to me, you know very well that a promise made to me will never go broken unless you want your blood to boil in your very skin."
Sakura's voice was acid poison she couldn't afford to lose this battle. Tsunade stared at her trying to find weakness in those, green eyes but she found only steel solid resolve. Displeased Tsunade had agreed, "Now tell me Sakura for what purpose are you gathering chakra? Not even Naruto's kyuubi can swallow so much, why are you doing this to yourself?"
Sakura looked away, being a medical nin, Tsunade caught on quickly, "You cant mean!? Sakura you can't, even if the village were to be attacked it doesn't mean you should self explode to get rid of the resistance. Sakura's eyes locked onto Tsunade's mild red, "In my vision Itachi dies." Sakura began to tremble in anger she would never allow it to happen, "We will change it!" Sakura looked to her, "I will change it!"
"Leave it to us Sakura we will make sure that he is safe. Tsunade saw the raw liquids fire in her eyes burn hotter. Sakura knew it was a low blow but it would keep Itachi safe. "Would you leave Dan to the village for protection? Knowing that he would fight on the front lines just so they couldn't get to you?!"
She saw Tsunade wince the mention of her past love haunted her still. In the back of Sakura, her heart did a little twist but that was nothing compared to the primal need to protect Itachi from potential death. Sakura saw Tsunade buckle under the persuasion, Tsunade took one glance at her student then walked away. Sakura was doing what she couldn't, protecting the one she loved to the extreme with no regard for anyone else.
There was only one more day until the attack would Konoha buckle under the strain?
(VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV) (VV)
Itachi watched Sakura pull on her nin gear, "Are you really ready?" He looked her over with searching sharingan eyes. Her chakra was swirling more violently then ever only one hour until count down. Sakura looked to him her eyes filled with a sort of sadness, "I'm fine." She hugged him around the shoulders she buried her face into his neck. There was a moment of silence, "Hey Itachi?" he hugged her in return, "Yes, Sakura?" He felt something wet against his neck, he began to pull her away to find the source of her tears but she spoke, "I love you." Itachi smirked, just like a woman to get emotional.
"I love you too." He crooned softly holding her tighter, "And…I'm sorry." The hackled on the back of his neck rose, "Huh?" was all he could say when he was knocked to the floor, dizzy and disoriented he watched Sakura bend over and put a chloroform cloth over his face. He tried to struggle but she pinned him with her superior strength, "I love you." She said the agony now coloring her tone, a tear dropped onto his neck. Slowly the world faded into the darkness.
'Why do you cry?' he thought as he floated into the dark.