Chapter 10: Admitting
It's been a few days since Naruto's funeral and Sakura was beginning to get board and anxious. Her hours at the hospital were severely reduced and Tsunade had yet to give her a new mission. She had had enough; she was going to tell Tsunade to either give her a mission or more hours at the hospital.
Sakura got up and left her house, only to bump into Shikamaru outside her door.
"Oh, hey, what's up?" Sakura asked slightly dazed by the collision.
Shikamaru sighed, "Tsunade wants to see you," he said irritated at his task.
"Oh, well, I was on my way to see her, so, I guess it works out," Sakura said putting her finger to her chin and looking up like she was thinking about it.
Shikamaru shrugged and walked away so Sakura headed to Hokage tower. She knocked and entered walking up to Tsunade's desk before stopping.
"Sakura, what I have to tell you is somewhat top secret," Tsunade said.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, a confused look on her face.
"I don't want the villagers to know, it has to do with the Alliance, which I have yet to tell them about. Other ninja know, but not many, so keep it quiet," Tsunade said, Sakura nodded, "all this information is the result of Fraya's interrogation, we don't know if the finer details are true, but the general information seems to be trustworthy. First, she said she is a member of the Alliance, although at its lowest level. She said she was one of the Sound ninjas that went with Roken, and that the other three are dead.
"The top level of the Alliance is made up of five men, called the Heads, Roken among them. Below them are the Colors, another set of five, we can assume Red is one of them. Below them is a group of six called the Kids. Word is that they're all in their mid to late teens, but they seem to be as powerful as the Colors. Further information isn't necessarily reliable or for you to know," Tsunade said.
Sakura nodded, "is that all you wanted me for" she asked.
"No, unfortunately it isn't. I'm taking you off hospital duty," Tsunade said.
"WHAT? You can't do that! Some days, working there is all that keeps me going!" Sakura yelled.
"I know, but you're control is slipping. A few weeks ago you were at Shizune's level, now you're barely on par with the doctors. Right now that's not a problem, but for you it's a great slip, and I don't want any mishaps because it slipped further," Tsunade said.
Sakura looked like she was going to yell again, but sighed and looked down, 'she's right, my control is slipping, I just can think straight…' "Are you taking me off missions too?" she asked still looking down.
"No, but I don't have one for you now, I'll call for you if I get one," Tsunade said.
"Is Sasuke still in jail?" Sakura asked looking up.
"Yes, you can visit him, but don't mention anything I said about the Alliance, he isn't to know until after he receives his punishment," Tsunade said.
"Have the elders determined what it will be yet?" Sakura asked.
"Some were gunning for death, but were stifled when they were reminded he's the last of the clan. Some what a year in prison, others a public beating, and others probation," Tsunade said.
"I hope it's probation," Sakura said.
"Yes, it's the least damaging to his record, though, he might want the beating, its over faster," Tsunade said with a slight grin.
Sakura bowed and left, she headed to the remote part of the village where the jail was, and asked to visit Sasuke once she got there. She was led to a small room with a table and two chairs, she sat down and a few minutes later Sasuke walked it. He paused a moment at seeing her and sat down in the other chair.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Just wondering how you're doing," she said.
"No, you're wondering why I left in the first place, your wondering why I didn't take you with me," Sasuke said.
Sakura sighed, "you're not going to say are you?" she asked.
"I left to get stronger so I could beat Itachi. I succeeded. I always planed to return here after he was dead, I wasn't going to stay a missing ninja my whole life," Sasuke said.
"Well, then what about not taking me?" Sakura asked looking like she only half wanted the answer.
Sasuke shifted uncomfortable in his chair, "I didn't want to do that to you. Make you a missing ninja because of me. Put you in leagues with Orochimaru. I didn't want you to see what I was willing to do to get the power, I cared for you," Sasuke said.
Sakura's eyes widened and she stared at Sasuke, "you cared for me? Why didn't you tell me then? You knew that I loved you," Sakura said anger rising slightly.
Sasuke sighed, 'I can't tell her the truth, not before I ask. I promised to make her happy,' Sasuke thought before speaking, "do you remember the day we first met Kakashi? When we had to introduce ourselves?" Sasuke asked.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sakura demanded.
"You'll find out in a bit, just answer the question," Sasuke said slightly irritated.
"Yes, I remember the day we met him," Sakura said.
"Do you remember what I said?" Sasuke said.
Sakura thought back, '"…I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan…and to kill a certain man." Well the man was Itachi, and the resurrection of his clan…Oh!' "The resurrection of your clan? Are you, are you asking me to…"
"I know you loved me, so… yeah, I guess I am," Sasuke said looking at the ground.
"I, I… can't, Sasuke, I'm sorry," Sakura said.
Sasuke gave a sigh of relief, "I was kinda hoping for that answer," he said.
"What? Then, why did you ask?" Sakura asked.
"Naruto, he said to make you happy, and I was willing to be with you if it made you happy, but I never thought of you as more than a close friend. I was afraid that if we got together you might find out, I didn't want to ever put you though that, that's why I'm relived," Sasuke said.
"Why wouldn't you ask someone who you want to be with?" Sakura asked.
"I haven't met someone like that. I don't know if I will, I'm willing to be with someone I know, a friend, even without love, as long as I can stand to be with them," Sasuke said.
Sakura smiled, "you consider me a good enough friend to stand being with me the rest of your life."
"Yeah, I do," Sasuke said.
"Here's a tip Sasuke, whoever you find, don't tell her the truth, tell her you love her, never say you don't, it's a pain worse that than death to learn something like that," Sakura said.
Sasuke smiled, "yeah I know, I just wanted you to know, because you're a close friend," he said.
Sakura smile, "three years ago I would've considered that a good start, now, I glad to stay there," she said as she stood up.
Sakura walked towards the door and was about to open it when Sasuke spoke, "you love him, don't you? He's why you said no, isn't he?"
Sakura paused for a long time, she knew exactly who Sasuke was talking about, "yeah, I do love him, I just…"
"Yeah, I know," Sasuke said standing up too.
x-X-x
Chaos leaned back and sighed. The mirror in front of him was an overhead view of the room Sakura and Sasuke just left. Chaos looked over at Naruto sleeping on the ground.
"The dead don't get tired, and yet you manage to fall asleep," Chaos said to the sleeping boy. He turned back to the mirror and waved his hand, and it vanished. "He is going to make this difficult for me. They both are."
x-X-x
Sakura walked home, she was feeling different, better somehow, and couldn't really explain why. 'maybe because Sasuke said I'm a close friend. Or because he considered me to help restore his clan…' she stopped at her door, 'or could it be because I finally admitted I live him, to myself, and to Sasuke…'
She entered her house and fell asleep, she decided to start getting her control back tomorrow, the sooner she started, the sooner she'd be able to work at the hospital again. But today was to confusing, she had to think today through before starting her control again.
x-X-x
AN: sorry this chapter's shorter than the other ones, but if I waited until the next stopping point it be really long, or have a huge cliffhanger… I might still do the cliffhanger (evil grin). Anyway, they finally got some info on the Alliance, if you were wondering what happened to Fraya, this is why she seemed to vanish, I had to wait for a good point to put it in. Well, I'll try to update soon.