Steadfast

"Kohana…"

"The crest on the back. I saw it when I was asked to take care of you. Back then, I did not say anything…I was frightened. If I told Tobirama-sama, surely something awful would have taken place. Then I thought, what if your husband finds out you were harmed by us Senju? The fighting would start again and I could not let that happen! I stayed quiet. But now…you are going to heal his eyes…I cannot help but think you are not as unbiased as you say you are, Sakura-san!"

God, the shiromuku. How could she have forgotten? About the crest? About not having it? It was one of the only things she had with her when she arrived. To not only lose track of its whereabouts but have it be in someone else's possession for this long, Sakura felt sick to her stomach. How was she supposed to explain this?

"You have every right to be upset and not trust me, but please. You don't know the whole story. It's…it's more complex than what you think…!"

"I…I want to trust you, Sakura-san. You have done so much for us here that it is hard to believe you have ill intentions but…you still have not told us anything about you. It is difficult to trust someone when you do not know them…"

Sakura found herself at a fork in the road. She imagined this scenario a dozen times and feared the outcome more and more each day. But perhaps Kohana being the one to question her was a blessing in disguise. They'd become something of friends over the past weeks and she'd called her more of a confidant than anyone she'd met so far. If she had to come clean, she'd rather have it be to Kohana.

"Listen, come by in the morning. We can talk then..." Keeping secrets had never been much of her forte. This way she could control the conversation a bit more, having given herself ample time to piece her thoughts together.

Then she rationalized, yet again. Telling the truth was about more than getting things off her chest. If she let Kohana in on everything, she would risk her secrets getting out. Her actual ties to the Uchiha, the existence of Konoha, the eventual demise of Madara and Hashirama's friendship.

And if Kohana kept things under wraps, she'd more than certain be burdened with the knowledge and suffer because of it. Knowledge is power and power isn't always positive. Sakura's fork in the road suddenly morphed into one narrow beaten path before her.

She knew what she had to do.

Later that evening, after Sakura had cleaned the dishes from dinner, she resigned to sitting at her lone table with a few items laid out before her. To any normal person, it appeared she was in the process of making tea. Upon closer inspection of the chosen ingredients, your run of the mill botanist would say differently. It was tea, alright, but not the kind you would drink. Unless you like passing out.

No, it wasn't Sakura's sole intention of drugging Kohana. She meant to both drug and put her under an intricate genjutsu. It seemed wrong. It was wrong. But this was all a part of surviving. Kohana's involvement could potentially jeopardize her livelihood here and as much as she would like to spare her friend, she couldn't afford to. It wasn't anything personal. Sometimes tough decisions must be made.

"I should know that better than anyone…" With a heavy sigh of exasperation, she cleaned up her ingredients in preparation for tomorrow's meeting then readied herself for a bath. Making good use of both the spring and fire pit, Sakura could heat up just enough water for a nice, warm, and much needed bath. The current week had been stressful on the pinkette and she was grateful for a little alone time.

The night was cool and quiet. After wrapping herself up in one of the more basic yukata Kohana had given her, Sakura seated herself out on the back porch of her small home. She gazed up at the twinkling stars, hoping to feed off the serenity of skyward scenery. But to avail. The shiromuku in her hands stopped her from feeling any semblance of calm. It felt heavy within her grasp and left a lingering feeling of betrayal in the back of her mind.

She forgot. Maybe it was for a day, a couple of hours, or even moment. However long the duration was, she forgot. She was too focused on other things. On the Uchiha, on the Senju, on how her being here could just mess up everything and prevent Konoha from ever existing. Were those good enough reasons to temporarily forget one's marriage?

"No, I didn't forget," she tried to convince herself. "It's just easier…not to think about it…"

Yes, she thought. It made sense. To push the union from her mind. To prioritize the here and now versus what she couldn't control. Because thinking about Sasuke, thinking about not knowing when she's going to see him next hurt. It hurt to a physical point. For the better part of the six-month period between their wedding, he was all she thought about. Being his wife, living in the same house together, creating a semblance of love and normalcy.

Now that she was stuck here, thinking of what she couldn't and didn't have was agonizing. So yes, she forgot about the shiromuku for quite a while. When it was presented back to her, oh the guilt she felt upon feeling the somewhat aged silk between her fingertips. It not only reminded her of Sasuke but of her family and friends. Of the village, of everything she no longer had access to. Other than the ring, this garment was the only item she had connecting her to home.

It wasn't like she was in a terrible situation. The circumstances could certainly be worse. Times like these, when she was reminded of the fact that she and Sasuke had already gotten off to a rough start, she almost wished they hadn't tied the knot yet.

"Maybe I wouldn't feel so lonely…"

Sakura spent a few more moments outside with nothing but the chirping of insects and calm night air keeping her company until she figured it was time to turn in for the night. However, a hair-raising sensation stopped the medic right as she moved toward the door.

"It's late. I didn't expect you to still be awake." Sakura felt herself visibly relax once Tobirama's form appeared from behind the brush of foliage.

"Doing a perimeter sweep?" Why else would he be out this late? He donned himself in lighter gear, she noticed, as if he didn't plan to run into trouble. Sakura didn't pay him much mind after that. Rather, she remembered having her wedding gown in her arms. She'd be damned if Tobirama noticed the Uchiha crest as well.

"Aa. I assume you're heading to bed soon." And he assumed correct. While she wasn't exactly tired physically, her mental state could use the rest.

"Something like that…" Her gaze averted downward as she cradled the garment to her chest subconsciously. This didn't go unnoticed by Tobirama. In fact, he'd seen her behavior as of late to be strange and out of sorts. Like something was amiss. This caused the younger Senju to sigh as if frustrated by something or someone.

Despite having what he'd never call a heart to heart, Sakura still seemed to be keeping things to herself. He assumed this in their meeting earlier. He noted her desire to speak further on the matter regarding the Senju and how they should deal with the Uchiha in the remaining days of the ceasefire. There was something else she wanted to say but, for whatever reason, she held her tongue. Which was surprising when he considered the tongue lashings he'd been on the receiving end.

"You're troubled by something." It wasn't a hard conclusion to come to and judging by the look of surprise on her face, he surmised she didn't expect him to comment on it. Never one to beat around the bush or spare feelings, he felt it was necessary to attack certain issues whenever they present themselves.

"I guess it's pretty obvious. Today's meeting didn't exactly go how I hoped it would. It left me feeling…anxious."

"In what way?" He prodded, choosing to take a step forward as if to display his investment in the conversation. Sakura gulped, subconsciously holding the garment a bit tighter like it was some sort of security blanket.

"I'm firm in my commitment to Uchiha Izuna. That said the circumstances surrounding my actions could escalate into something progressive or have an opposite effect. I'm sure you already know this." She could see it in his eyes. They were a pair of sharp, calculating eyes that, at the moment, held her attention while searching and discerning everything about her outward appearance.

"It's a difficult situation no matter which way we look at it. While I can't say I agree with your decision, I can understand to a degree where you are coming from. For as long as I've known you, you don't strike me as an impulsive, irrational woman. I'm sure this took some critical thinking on your part. However, as you well know, members of my clan are not as willing to understand or even seek a higher level of comprehending the Uchiha let alone come to a compromise."

Sakura turned as he finished speaking, biting her lower lip as she fought internally with what to do, what to say next. It's true, she'd been itching to get a lot of things off her chest in the meeting but it just wasn't her place. But perhaps she could use Tobirama as a messenger of sorts. He often played the objective role when it came to negotiations so she at least knew he wasn't completely blind to his clan's flaws.

He didn't happen by her place be coincidence while she was standing outside. This was a conversation that needed to happen, her intended rest be damned.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to continue talking. Do you mind coming inside?" While it wouldn't be the first time, Sakura was still nervous having him inside her home. Especially with incriminating evidence right in her arms. And when he agreed with visible hesitancy, muttering something along the lines of this being a far too frequent act of indecency, she released an uneasy breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Would you like some tea?" She asked, motioning to the kitchen as he stood at her table, looking ready to seat himself at his usual cushion. Then he stopped himself, choosing to enter the aforementioned kitchen without giving much heed to her question. Not verbally, at least.

"Sit. I'll make it." Taken aback by his offer, Sakura bit back a protest and elected to doing just that. After she properly stored away her wedding piece, of course.

Upon making a beeline for her bedroom, she secured the shiromuku in the back of her dresser, much like she used to hide things in her room as an adolescent from her mother. It felt so juvenile. Who would have the gall to rummage through her clothing like this? She almost laughed at herself.

The scent of tea wafting through the air soon entered her senses only it didn't smell like anything she recognized from her cabinet. Maybe he'd procured his own blend and brought it along with him? He didn't really strike her as that avid of a tea drinker, though he seemed pretty adamant about having a cup each time he came to visit.

Called by the aroma, Sakura reentered her small front room, catching the sight of him placing the cups down. One for her and one for him, though his looked a little empty is what she noticed. Maybe he got thirsty?

"That's an interesting tea you have. I'm not sure I've ever tasted anything quite like it before."

Oh, dear god. He made the tea. From the leaves, she prepared earlier. The knock out tea. And he was drinking it.

"Ah…it's…I'm glad you like it! I-It's a recipe I learned from my mentor!" Gods, she just drugged the second hokage in her home.

"Hmm. And you acquired the leaves from our garden? Which ones did you use, if you don't mind sharing the ingredient list. Anija would probably enjoy this as—."

"Ah! Why don't we continue our earlier conversation?!" Why did this have to happen? This is exactly what she gets for trying to skirt around the truth. Karma's cruel way to showing her this was wrong wrong wrong on so many levels. How could she have honestly wanted to drug someone?!

"Very well then…" He was yawning! It was only a matter of time before he ended up snoring at her table. And there was nothing more indecent than having a man fall asleep at her house at this hour.

"Right ah…so about what we were talking about before…I didn't mention this earlier but you could see the restoration of Izuna's eyes as a test, in a way. If there's ever going to be an end to the conflict between the two clans, this is only the beginning of compromises. Everyone just needs to learn to let go…"

"Well, that's certainly easier said than done. While I don't exactly live by the eye for an eye philosophy, I can certainly understand the revenge mentality that both sides seem to be so heavily attached to. It's difficult to watch someone close to you get cut down and not wish to avenge their death in some way."

He was starting to slip, she could see it in his eyes and for god's sake, he just kept drinking the tea!

"Mm. I understand that but the cycle will be ongoing. The ceasefire is really the only thing keeping everyone from going at each other's throats. I don't know, there's just something really important about help Izuna. I can't exactly explain it but it just feels like something I'm supposed to do. My instincts are hardly ever wrong."

"The elders are determined stop you but I don't believe it's something anjia will allow them to do. It's not something I will allow either, in all honesty. This has been expressed quite a bit but…you've become important to a lot people. Even if they disagree with this decision of yours, you've curried favor with the bulk of the clan. You're very well liked and respected, quite possibly among the Uchiha as well."

He spoke with a sigh, resting his head in his palm with an obviously tired façade taking over as he began listlessly fiddling with the now empty cup, flicking it lethargically with the tips of his fingers. It was odd seeing him act so aloof. She kind of wondered if he often got like this before retiring for the night. Was a drowsy Tobirama a regular thing?

"In short, this could be something of a turning point as far as negotiations go."

"So what you mean to say is…"

"It could be a complete disaster or…" He stood slowly, making Sakura extremely wary. Wary enough to stand as well because he looked like a tree about to come down.

"A total…success…" He was at the door and Sakura's hands were out, ready to catch him should he fall. Maybe he hadn't realized it yet, that he was seconds away from entering a sleep like state akin to somnambulism but his sluggish movements and slurred speech was all the indication she needed.

"A success, huh? That's probably one of the nicest things I've heard you say."

"Don't overthink it, though. This could go terribly wrong. I said that…" Still coherent even while half asleep. She had to hand to him for being so sharp.

"Right. Ah, it's late. You should…"

"I'm going, don't worry. Good night, Sakura-saa…" And down he went. Luckily she was there to catch him. He wasn't exactly light but she was no pushover, even while pregnant. He'd fallen almost parallel to her standing. His taller fit body leaned over her to where the side of his cheek was nestled up closely to the top of her head. With some effort, she managed to drape his arms across her shoulders and began dragging him into an empty room that she wasn't using.

"…I'm really sorry this happened, Tobirama. You can yell at me in the morning…" And she was more than certain she'd get quite the earful once he realized he wasn't at home but taking up space in hers. She hated to imagine what he'd do or say but well…there's no turning back now.

Entering the room through the shogi door, she sighed in exasperation. He was starting to get heavy and slacking in her training certainly hadn't done her any favors in the lifting department. A sudden loss of footing sent the two tumbling down to the floor in a mess of limbs. Sakura cursed, feeling the full brunt of his dead weight on top of her body.

Several grunts later, she rotated her body to lie on her back which meant facing him directly. They were so close, his unruly silver hair was certainly mixing with her splayed pink strands as their foreheads touched. She could feel him breathe and not just the steady rhythmic movement of his chest. The inhale and exhale of his breath fanned against her suddenly flushed cheeks and Sakura felt a warmth she hadn't in months.

Hastily she scrambled out from beneath him, lacking any sort of grace in her movements as she jumped up and all but slammed the door behind her. Feet hurriedly padded into her bedroom where she laid down on her own cot and just stared at the ceiling and tried to erase the image of Tobirama's sleeping face from her mind.

This was bad. Ten times worse than waking up and seeing Madara in her room. Way worse than that and her hammering heart wasn't going to ease up anytime and let her forget. With rather robotic movements, she retrieved the stored shiromuku and just held it. She held it and tightly against her chest, inhaling its rather bland scent, before falling to her knees and eventually her side where she remained, curled up beside her cot plagued by thoughts that ran so wildly, she couldn't hope to keep up.

There Sakura slept, praying for dreams of Sasuke and of home.

A/N: Okay so this last part was originally meant to be funny but it turned into more of a learning experience for Sakura. The 'don't dig a hole for someone else because you'll fall in it' kind of lesson. That said, don't read into too much. Or maybe you should! It's up to you, really. Still standing by my previous position as far as romance goes.

So Sakura and Tobirama have a sleepover. Kind of. Hint, in the next chapter, someone's not going to be too happy about this. Can you guess who?

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It took me a while to sculpt it into something I like. Next time we'll see the Uchiha's again as Sakura will start her first healing session for Izuna. Stay tuned and as always, thank you for reading!