~March 14, 5:12 am~
Naruto: "Sakura?" He quietly whispered her name as he entered back into the room.
Sakura: Huh?
Naruto: We need to be going back if you want to get some rest for school.
Sakura: "School?! How can you think about going back to school when you best friend is in the hospital and might die?!" She said as another tear pushed itself way from the lining of her eye and trickled down her soft, pale complexion.
Naruto: Sasuke would want me to continue with the mission.
Sakura: I don't want to leave him…
Naruto: He's going to be fine. We'll come back after school.
Sakura: Alright. Can I just have a few more minutes alone with him?
Naruto: Yeah, I'll be back.
Sakura: "Thank you…" She said as Naruto exited the small white medical room.
Looking down at his silvery skin, Sakura began to reminisce of the day before. She could still feel his lip continuously on hers. Holding a strand of soft pink hair from her face she looked down to Sasuke's lips and slowly crept toward them. Demanding her lips alongside his she could feel that spark she neglected for so long. Drawing away from his perfect orifices she gave him one last smile and drug herself out of the room and back to the car with Naruto.
Naruto: Feeling better?
Sakura: Is that a rhetorical question?
Naruto: Guess so…
Sakura: But I have faith. You made me believe that he would be okay Naruto.
Naruto: I did?
Sakura: Yes. So, thank you.
Naruto: Anything for you Sakura-chan.
Sakura: "I can see why Hinata likes you so much." She said flashing a smile.
Naruto: She does?
Sakura: Of course. Why do you think she helps you so much? She really looks up to you.
Naruto: I had no idea…
Sakura: You should talk to her more. She's a really good girl you know, she may be quiet and shy but she certainly does have a good heart.
Naruto: "I will. Believe it!" He said with a large ear to ear grin.
Silence overcame the car as the long ride back to Naruto's house began. Passed out in the front seat, Sakura began to dream of those perfect lips again. The sleeping beauty awoke to the sound of the car door opening.
Sakura: Are we home?
Naruto: Sure are. Go one up stairs and take a shower. I'll get Sasuke's room all made up for you to sleep in.
Sakura: Thank you.
~March 14, 5:36 am~
Sakura walked slowly and sleepily over to the long staircase. She opened the large wooden door at the end of the hallway when she reached the top. Turning on the shower she made sure that the water was steaming hot before she entered. While waiting, she took one good look in the mirror that hung above the rounded, white sink. She looked no different than when she left the night before. But Sakura could see what others could not…
Sakura Thinking: Was it all my fault? Did I put Sasuke in danger? Of course I did! Who else could it have been?! That idiot! I didn't ask for him to come and save me! That was his own damn fault!…On the other hand…where would I been right now if he hadn't come and saved me? Still tied to that bed…?
*KNOCK*
*KNOCK*
Naruto: You almost done in there Sakura?
Sakura: Uh, no I'm sorry, not quite yet.
Naruto: Take your time.
Stepping into the hot shower, Sakura let the water roll of her chilled body and through her hair. The girl's pale skin loved the sensation on the water as it was running off of her. Letting out a sigh, she picked up the shampoo and scrubbed her head. She didn't want to get out. The water and steam felt too good. But she and her body wanted sleep the most.
She dried off and walked into Sasuke's room. Standing there for a moment she sat down on his bed and let out a long and sad sigh. Sakura crawled up to the top of the bed and snuggled under the black bedding. His pillows, his blankets, even his sheets, smelt of mint and coconuts, the exact smell of Sasuke himself. A pillow held within her arms as if she held the man she missed. Gently closing her eyes Sakura fell asleep again.
Within the next hour and a half, Naruto made his way into his partner's room to wake up his new pink haired friend. He twisted the doorknob slowly not wanting to wake her in that moment. Seeing the beautiful girl laying there with a smile on her face, Naruto took a breath and walked over to her side.
Naruto: "Sakura? Hey, time to wake up." He said as he rubbed her shoulder.
Sakura: "I don't wanna!" She cried as she put the spear pillow over her head.
Naruto: "You have to." He said with a laughing. "We leave for school soon."
Sakura: "Yeah yeah…" She said thrusting the pillow for her hands at Naruto. "Gotcha!"
The first hour bell rang as Sakura and Naruto arrived in English class. She took her seat in the farthest side of the class room, across the aisle from Naruto and Hinata. To her amazement, Ino had not leapt from her chair in astonishment that she was back in school after all that time. But Hinata seemed to be glad. She got a huge smile from her; she flashed one to Naruto too.
Yamato: I'll call roll.
Alright class has started sit down. Let me take attendance, Karin?
Karin: Here.
Yamato: Ino?
Ino: Here.
Yamato: Naruto?
Naruto: Here, believe it!
Yamato: Hinata?
Hinata: H-Here..
Yamato: Sakura?
Sakura: Here.
Yamato: Good to have you back! Sasuke?
Sasuke: …
Yamato: No Sasuke today.
Sakura Thinking: Sasuke-kun…
~March 14, 12:22 pm~
Ino: "Where the hell were you?!" She yelled sitting her lunch down at the table.
Sakura: Huh?
Ino: Don't play dumb! We were all worried sick about you! We looked for you everywhere you know?!
Sakura: I'm sorry…
Ino: The least you could have done was call you know?! God…
Sakura: I'm sorry Ino…
Temari: Let's just all be grateful that she's back and alright.
TenTen: Temari's right.
Ino: "Fine." She said crossing her arms.
TenTen: By the way Sakura, where's Sasuke?
Sakura: Sasuke…?
TenTen: Yeah, you guys are neighbors right?
Sakura: Something like that…
TenTen: He hasn't been here today, is he alright?
Sakura: "I-It's a little hard to explain…" She said trying all she could to fight back the tear that swelled in her eyes.
Temari: Oh hun, it's okay.
Ino: Whatever that guy gets is too good for him. He's a prick.
Hinata: I-Ino-chan…
Ino: He was such a douche when we were with him, no one should care what happens to him.
TenTen: Ino…knock it off…
Ino: What? It's the truth, I'm just surprised him and Karin didn't get cozy while Sakura was gone.
Sakura: "Shut up!" She stood up and shouted as tears ran down her cheeks and crashed onto the table.
Ino: Wha-?
Sakura: You don't know anything about him! He's a kind person! Don't you ever talk about him that way again!
Ino: S-Sakura…?
Sakura: Do you hear me?!
Ino: "Sakura…I didn't…I just…" She said in a soft voice.
Gathering her footing, Sakura took off from the lunch table at full speed. The warm air stung her teary eyes as she made her way to the front of the school. She wanted to leave, to get out of that place, anything she could. She wanted it so bad. But there was nothing that she could do.
Tsunade: So you know the truth now?
Sakura: Lady Tsunade?
Tsunade: Sakura…
Sakura: "I don't know what to do anymore!" She yelled hugging the one woman who knew her the best.
Tsunade: "Shhh…It's alright." She said stroking her hair. "Your mother would be so proud you."
Sakura: Y-You think?
Tsunade: I know… there is nothing in this world that she hated more than to see you cry. So wipe the tears away.
Sakura: "Will you tell me all you know?" She asked wiping her face.
Tsunade: Well, over ten years ago I was also a member of ANBU.
Sakura: You were an assassin?!
Tsunade: Not exactly, I worked in the medical field. But I did go on routine missions when they needed an extra hand.
Sakura: Really?
Tsunade: Yeah, but in the end the job turned out to be too painful to handle. I later left ANBU after my lover and younger brother died in the first attempt to protect your mother from a rival. She and I became close after their assassination. I was her protector, and I failed her. She told me that she would be fine at home with you...so I let her go and was called to the room where another agent had been injured. I was a fool for a banding my post with her.
Sakura: So you were the lady who my mom and I would always go shopping with…
Tsunade: Yeah. After I left ANBU, I carried out my own personal mission in finding you. After you and your father went into hiding for months I did all I could. I even took on the role of a high school principle to watch over you. I mean, I don't even have a Bachelor's Degree.
Sakura: You did all that for us?
Tsunade: You're mother was an amazing woman Sakura; she needs to know that her little girl is going to be okay.
Sakura: Thank you Tsunade…for everything that you did for her...and for me.
Tsunade: There is no need to apologize; I would do it all over again if I had too.
Sakura: So then I guess that means you know all about Sasuke and Naruto too, huh?
Tsunade: For a while now.
Sakura: I see.
Tsunade: Their good people Sakura, I could lie to you and tell you that they only care about the mission, but there's more to it than that.
Sakura: How so?
Tsunade: "Well let's start with Naruto" She said with a chuckle. "He's very strong willed. The boy is so much like Don and my little brother; he will never go back on his word. When he says it, it will be a promise of a lifetime, no matter how long it will take him to accomplish his goal. Plus, the kid has enough Will of Fire in him to light the whole city."
Sakura: Will of Fire?
Tsunade: The Will of Fire is an ideal rooting from the belief that love is the key to peace and happiness, which has been passed on to many agents from ANBU as a part of the spiritual heritage. It really means that every true agent must love, believe, cherish and fight for the sake of others, as many previous generations had done before them.
Sakura: Really?
Tsunade: Yes.
Sakura: And what about Sasuke?
Tsunade: Sasuke Uchiha…the poor soul is just as damaged as you, probably more.
Sakura Thinking: Sasuke…
Tsunade: I remember when his brother was in the training program with ANBU.
Sakura: Brother? What brother?
Tsunade: It was the same time that I was leaving. He was so skilled, with field work and in the lab. He seemed to be such a nice boy, one that wanted to impact the world with the Will of Fire.
Sakura: "And he didn't?" She asked confused.
Tsunade: He did, but not the way that you would think. Itachi Uchiha was everything that you wanted in an ANBU agent. I never knew Sasuke until he was given this mission, but of what I do know is that he loved his brother very much and he would have never became a part of all this fighting if it wasn't for Itachi.
Sakura: W-What did he do that was so bad?
Tsunade: He killed everyone but Sasuke…
Sakura: "Wha-what?! What do you mean killed?!" She said taking a step back.
Tsunade: From the files that I've read, Sasuke was late from school one night as Itachi slaughtered the entire family.
Sakura: Oh my god…
Tsunade: That poor boy watched as his parents lose their life's to their own flesh and blood.
Sakura: Sasuke…I had no idea…
Tsunade: I just hope that one day his mind will clear from all of the memories. He could make a fine member to the team if he gives up revenge.
Sakura: He wants revenge on his brother?
Tsunade: He wants it so bad that he joined ANBU for the cause on training in killing him. Kakashi Hatake was the only apprentice at that time that believed that the boy could be helped and turned into a true agent and enforces the Will of Fire the proper way. He was later granted his wish and took Sasuke under his wing and taught him the way of our agency.
Sakura: Do you believe in him?
Tsunade: Huh?
Sakura: Do you believe in Sasuke?
Tsunade: It's not whether I believe in him, it's whether do you?
Sakura: Ugh! I hate the fortune cookie crap, mom use to pull it all the time.
Tsunade: "Where do you think she got it from?" She said with a slight laugh and happiness to her voice.
Sakura: I really do believe in him…
Tsunade: Then there's your answer.
Sakura: "Thank you Tsunade." She said hugging her again. "If it wasn't for you, then I'm pretty sure I would have never made it this far in life. After knowing the truth behind everything, I could never picture my life without you all in it."
Tsunade: Don't think too much about it Sakura. You don't have to think twice about the ones that will protect you.
Sakura: I won't.
Tsunade: Now go and find Naruto, schools almost out and you two need to go and make sure Sasuke is okay. I already went back and healed him this morning.
Sakura: You did?!
Tsunade: "Naruto called me." She said with a smile.
Sakura: "Thank you so much Lady Tsunade!" She said running back into the school to find her spiky haired friend.
Tsunade Thinking: You're so much like your mother Sakura…She would be so proud of the woman that you have turned out to be.
*****To Be Continued*****