Chapter Eight

The next morning I somberly got dress in my extra Akatsuki uniform that I had packed in my bag but without the cloak and mask. When I was fishing out my clothes from my bag out fell my Konoha head protector. I just stared at it not sure if I should wear it or not but at the last second I decided to wear it in my hair as a headband.

When I got to the kitchen I found Sasuke, dressed in loose black clothing, with only a mug sitting in front of him at the kitchen table. Not feeling much hunger I too made a mug of coffee and sat silently at the kitchen table. We didn't speak to each other but the air that surrounded us didn't feel awkward but more somber for the actions that would be going on later today. It was like we were both caught up in our own thoughts so all we could do was slowly sip our coffees.

It was not till my coffee was almost gone that there came a sudden knock at the front door that the silence between me and Sasuke was finally broken. He slowly got up to get the door so I brought our cups to the sink then I too went to go see who was at the door. From the front door I could hear Naruto's loud voice calling Sasuke a slow teme. But it was odd Sasuke didn't give Naruto any kind of retort which caused the blond to become silent. When I too got to the door I saw it was not only Naruto who had come to walk me and Sasuke to the funeral but also Sai. With short greetings we were on our way to the funeral that was being held at the Konoha cemetery.

As we walked to the funeral it was still too early for many of the villagers to be up so we were left to walk in silence with the chirpings of the early morning birds. But right before we entered the cemetery there was a little old man who was selling some pretty flowers so I decided to stop and buy some for Itachi's tombstone.

When we got the cemetery it was not hard to find Itachi's final resting place for there was already Tsunade, Yamato, and Kakashi there waiting for us. Walking up to Itachi's tombstone it looked like all the other tombstones except the ground right in front of it looked like it had just been freshly put there. All seven of us had a somber mood around us as we stood in a circle looking at the tombstone for no one knew what to say.

The silence was finally broken when Tsunade cleared her throat to have all eyes on her as she gave a quick speech about something or another but I am not sure because all I could do was look at Itachi's tombstone. It could be clearly read "Itachi Uchiha" in big bold print and then right below it was written "A True Shinobi of Konoha".

Those words reminded me when Itachi and I were walking back to the hideout after a day of practice that I asked him how I could be a good shinobi. His answer made me think because he told me that a true shinobi is a person who will give up everything, including their own life, for the sake of protects peace within its shadow and then going down in history as a nameless shinobi. I guess in the end Itachi was the truest example of his philosophy at work.

I was quickly brought out of my train of thought when Tsunade had finished her little speech and people started to gather in a little circle to talk away from the tombstone. At that time I stepped a little closer to the tombstone and knelt down to place the flowers in front of the stone. But, I hesitated when I was about to get up for a thought crossed my mind that Itachi was never rightfully buried with an uncrossed out head protector so I untied mine and placed it next to the flowers. Before getting up I let my fingers trace out the words carved into the stone. I could feel the urge to cry slowly coming closer as I started having little flashbacks of my time spent with Itachi. But, they were suddenly stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking from the hand to the hand's own I saw it was Sasuke. He was silent and was not looking at me but I could almost feel all the words of comfort he wished to portray to me.

The urge to cry went away for I once again remembered that I must be strong so that I can complete my promise to Itachi. With one last look at Itachi's gravestone I stood back up to be side by side with Sasuke in silence.

"Are you ready to leave?" I asked.

"hm", he said as he turned to walk away.

I followed Sasuke as we walked out to the entrance of the cemetery where everyone was gathered.

When we got to the group it seemed like Naruto was pestering the Hokage about something.

"But Baa-chan Sakura will need me. I need to be there for Sakura. Please let me go. I will never beg for anything else every again. Please", begged the pleading blond.

"First of all Naruto I doubt this will be the last time you beg me for something. Second I already told you my answer so go train or something. You can see Sakura afterwards", said the irritated Tsunade.

"But Baa-chan…"

"Naruto, don't you think you should be listening to the Hokage?" said Yamato as he held a flashlight that was pointed to his face to make him look scary. It most have worked for Naruto nodded in agreement.

"Well Naruto, Sai, and Yamato, I think it is time for us to leave", said Kakashi. Written on Naruto's face it seemed like he was going to give another argument but was quickly silenced when Yamato seem to have given him a look. So Naruto settled for giving me a hug and wishing me luck while yelling at Sasuke to not act like a teme as he ran to catch up with the others.

As the four of them walked out of view, three ANBU appeared out of thin air to stand beside Tsunade.

"Hokage-sama, what are your orders?" asked one of the masked figures.

"You guys will be taking Sasuke as we discussed before and I will be taking Sakura".

"Yes ma'ma. Sasuke Uchiha follow us", it was not soon after they said this that they disappeared with Sasuke following them.

Tsunade then turned to me with a caring smile and asked, "is there a place you comfortable so we can talk?"

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A lot of the village had change since I had left so I decided to head to Sasuke's house where there could be enough privacy for us to talk. When I lead Tsunade into the kitchen and made some tea for the both of us. At first we just sat there in silence as we both sipped our tea until she stated, "I really like you Sakura. You seem like a good girl who only wishes for this to be put all behind you so I need you to help me make the best looking case to present to the council so that you will be allowed to stay. So it would be great if you bring all your belongings and tell me everything you know about the Akatsuki and about your father."

I nodded my head for I understood and was about to get up from the table to get my belongings when there came a sudden knock.

"I asked a friend of mine to come over to help me get the evidence I need without you becoming discomfortable so will you mind if I let him in?" asked Tsunade.

"No, that will be fine".

As Tsunade was letting in who ever was at the door I went to my room and gathered all my belongings into my backpack and brought it to the living room. There I found Tsunade setting on the couch with a man who had short blond hair but in one area was really long that was pulled back in a ponytail.

"Sakura, this is Inoichi Yamanaka", said Tsunade while said man gave me smile.

"I know. His daughter and I used to be friends when we were in the Academy".

"It sure has been awhile. You have grown so much", said Inoichi.

"Well that's great that you two already know each other that means you already know what he can do".

I nodded in agreement for she was talking about how the Yamanaka clan is know for being able to look into other people's mind.

"By having Inoichi here it will give me the ability to look at your memories without having to make you relive them. Are you ready?"

I nodded and placed my backpack on the table while I sat next to Tsunade. Inoichi then stood in front of me and Tsunade and made some quick hand signs and placed his hands on both of our heads.

Just like Tsunade said I did not see any of the memories that they saw but I felt like I was in a dreamless sleep for I couldn't open my eyes but yet there was nothing for me to look at except total darkness.

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I don't know how long I was like this but it finally ended when I heard someone calling my name and lightly shaking my shoulder. When I opened my eyes I was no longer in Sasuke's living room but rather I was in a small medical looking room. The only other person in the room was Tsunade, who must have been the one calling my name.

"Sakura, I am sorry I moved you without telling you but I had to bring you to secret ANBU medical lab so I can do your medical exam. I will be stepping out for a bit. While I am out could you please change into this medical dress and put your clothes these bags because we need to process those clothes as well".

With that being said she left and I quickly got off the medical table so that I could change quickly. Once I was dress it was not soon later that there was a knock at the door and then Tsunade walking in with what looked like a nurse following her.

"I am going to try to make this as comfortable as I can for you so are you ready?"

With a sigh I got back on the table and got mental ready.

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After the medical exam Tsunade invited me to have lunch with her down the hall but of course all I had on was the medical dress. So Tsunade was able to get me a plain white dress and plain undergarments to have while they kept my other clothes but I got lucky when I was able to keep my shoes.

When I dressed I went down the empty hall and followed Tsunade's directions till I got to a door. I hesitantly opened the door to find the Hokage sitting in what looked like common room which held a few chairs and tables to make a makeshift living room and there was a little kitchenette area. Tsunade was sitting at one of the tables with two bento boxes. I walked over to her and took the sit that was a cross from her and she handed me one of the bentos with a drink. We eat in silence until she broke it by saying, "it is brave of you to be doing what you're doing".

"I don't understand".

"Most people in your place would have gone crazy with emotions varying from rage to depression but you are taking all of this with a leveled head'.

"That would be all thanks to Itachi. He taught me not only how to fight but also how to carry myself as a person".

We were again enveloped into silence so my mind began to wonder and it lead me to the idea that maybe I could become Tsuande's apprentice. It made sense since I had learnt a lot from her medical books already and plus it would be nice to know what I would be doing after all of this blews over. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Lady Tsunade, would you take me on as your apprentice? I wish to become just like you because you're a strong kunoichi and a great healer."

She did not answer me right away instead she looked me over. For several minutes she seemed to be deep in thought until she finally answered me with "I will take you on as an apprentice once you have settled in but just because I said yes do not think I will go easy on you".

"I would expect nothing else Lady Tsunade". I said with a smile.

After this little excitement we had both finished our lunch so I got up to throw away the trash. Once I had my back to Tsunade she says without emotion, "I have a team going to your father's house in a couple minutes that will be getting evidence. Would you like to go?"

My whole body tensed as I heard her speak those words. It had been four years since the last time I had stepped into that house. It was the place all my happiest and saddest memories took place. I was about to say no but then I remembered what I had hidden there that I wanted back so with a nod I was carried away in Tsunade's transportation jutsu.

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When everything stopped moving and I found myself on the pathway that led up to my childhood home. There already at the door was a team of ANBU who must be the ones taking the evidence.

"Lady Tsunade, we were able to pick the lock of the front door so we are just waiting for your orders", said one of the masked shinobi.

"Give us ten minutes".

I followed Lady Tsunade as we past the ANBU and into the house. Everything inside looked the same as how I left it all those years ago except now there is a fine layer of dust on everything. There was only one thing I came for so instead of looking around I went straight to the stairs. The stairs squeaked and popped as I slowly went up them. Once I got to the top level I stood in the hallway with all the doors shut. Walking quickly by all of them I went into the last one which held my old bedroom. Hesitantly opening the door I stepped into my room. Everything was a mess. I guess after I left he went on a drunken rampage in the room.

With a quick look around I went back to my original mission of finding what I came to get. I went over to the bed and moved it a little to the side and from under the mattress I pulled out an old rusty kitchen knife. Looking at it I remembered the reason why I put it there was to stab him when he came into my room but I guess I was always too scared to do it. With a sigh I took the knife and started trying to wiggle the floor board lose. It didn't take much efferent till the board popped up and what was underneath was revealed.

There lying under the board was a teddy bear that had seen better days. The poor thing now only had only one button eye and when I picked him up dust came flew up. I looked over the bear in my hands and then flipped it over to its' back to find a string dangling off in the middle of the bear's back. With a small tug the seams came apart straight up his back to reveal the bear's inside. Just putting my fingers inside I quickly found a thick piece of paper and pulled it out. On that paper there was a picture of me and my mom from the last summer she was alive. It had been years since the last time I saw my mom's smiling face. She looked so happy in the picture.

"Is that your mother?"

Looking up there stood Tsunade in the door way looking at me. I gave her a small nod.

"Why didn't you take the picture with you when you left?"

"I didn't expect to actually get away. I thought I would be brought back and my dad would have then gone through my stuff and found the picture and would have torn it up. This was the last picture I had of my mom because the day of my mother's funeral my dad got drunk and went on a rage where he destroyed all the pictures that had my mother in them".

I stared at the picture for a bit more and then with a sigh I got up with the picture and bear in hand.

"Are you ready to leave?"

I nodded and once again Tsunade made the hand signs for a transportation justiu.

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This time we appeared in her office. She walked around her desk and took a sit in her chair. Lady Tsunade seemed to be deep in thought as she sat there in her chair looking off in the distance. Not wanting to walk out on the Hokage because I was not formally dismissed I stood there in front of her desk waiting for her to speak.

It was not soon later that Lady Tsunade starting looking through her desk drawers looking for something. She must have found what ever she was looking for because she soon sat straight in her chair and in one hand was a bottle of sake and in the other hand was a sake cup.

"Your father has been ordered back to the village with the orders of coming as quickly as possible. Once he reaches the village gates he will be arrested and put on trail. I am not sure what day he will arrive so up until he does you are not allowed to be seen by anyone who doesn't already know you're here, this is also the same for Sasuke. The both of you will go on trial when your father gets here for if you are found innocent then your story will help Sasuke's case look better in front of the council", Tsunade says while pouring herself a cup of Sake, "But when you are on trail Inoichi will once again go through you mind but because of how many people he will need to show also he can't put you to sleep because we will need to speak to you afterwards you will be able to see your memories being played out. Also your father will be there watching it too. Are you ready for this?" With that she swallowed her first cup of sake in one gulp.

How could I ever be ready for this? It is almost like reliving the whole thing again. Plus I will have to see my father again. But I don't want to show Tsunade that I am scared so I just nod. She most have known I was trying to hide my fear for when she finished off her third cup of sake she was once again looking for something in her draws. When she straightened again in her sit she was holding an identical sake cup to hers and was pouring some sake into it and then held it out to me.

"I knew I shouldn't be doing this but you look like you have had a bad day and you could use this more then me. And maybe you will sleep tonight with this in your system".

It would be wrong to take it but how wrong could it be since it was my new Shishou that was offering it to me. So I took the cup into my hands and swallowed it like I had seen Tsunade done before. The clear liquid felt like it burnt as it went down. But, as it went down the burning feeling was soon replaced by a slow growing warmth that I could feel moving throughout my body, it was a nice feeling. Wanting more of this feeling I held out my cup to Tsunade so she could fill it up again.

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"Baa-chan, you have kept Sakura for long enough", came a yell and then followed by a loud pounding.

"Don't be rude, dobe", said by an irritated voice

"She will not mind", said the first voice but instead of pounding he opened the door to find Tsunade passed out in her chair while Sakura had fallen asleep on the ground leaning against the Hokage's desk.

"They most have worked so hard that they had fallen asleep when they got back", said the sympathetic blond.

"No dobe, they are both drunk. You go get Shizune for the Hokage and I will take Sakura home", said the raven.

The blond nodded and soon ran out the door in search of Shizune. Then Sasuke carefully pulled Sakura up into his arms in the bridal style and began the walk home.

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As the drunken clouds in my mind began to lazily drift away I began to feel this rocking feeling and something warm pressed up to one side of my body. So once the clouds had faded enough I opened my eyes to find myself being carried by Sasuke. He most have known I woke up because he asked, "why would you do something so stupid?"

Thinking through all the answers I could have given him but none of them seem to justify my actions so I gave him a bit of his own medicine, for I felt a little of the liquid courage still in my system, by saying "hm".

"That's not an answer".

"Well you use it", I said with a pout.

He sighed and said, "Just don't do anything stupid like that again".

I was not expecting that for I was ready to give a smarty pants answer again but when he said that all I could do was blush. Trying to distract him from noticing my blush I asked, "how was your day?"

He most have been moiling over what kind of answer to give me for it was a couple seconds later that he answered with an "hm".

This irritated me for he just a couple minutes before said that 'hm' was not an answer but here he was using it as an answer. I was about to tell him this but he interrupted by asking, "how was your?"

That was a hard question. There was so many ways that I could answer it so I settled with a neutral answer of "hm".

Sasuke didn't have time to say something back because we had just made it back to his house. Once inside he placed me back on my own two feet and turned toward his room but before he could leave I called out to him to get his attention.

"Uhm I am sorry to bother you again but could I please borrow another shirt. They took all my belongings'.

"hm"

I took that as a yes so I followed him to his room to wait in his room while he looked throw his drawers. He found an extra black shirt and gave it to me. As I was about to walk out the door I was once again filled with the liquid courage for I blurted out, "can I sleep with you?"

Sasuke didn't answer right away so I started to get nervous that he was going to think that I was weird so I said, "sorry to have said that it most have been the sake. You don't ha…"

"Its fine but before you do go take a shower you smell like sake".

I was over joy that he was going to let me sleep with him. It has been so long since the last time I have curled up next to someone. So with new news I turned to leave his room to take a quick shower.

It was not soon later that I once again appeared in Sasuke's room. It looked like he was already asleep so I tried to quietly slip under the covers with him. Once under the covers all I could smell was Sasuke's unique smell of burnt embers and spice. To be lying next to Sasuke it caused me to be filled with the feeling of peace and security so it was not seconds later that my eye lids became too heavy to keep open and I was soon at the gates of dreamland.

I am terribly sorry that it has taken me so long to update. I did start on the Christmas special but then I got writer block. But, then it went away but of course my aunt was like this is time to spend with family so by the time I could write it I had forgotten what I wanted to write. Also school as has been crazy and also I had to rethink of a new plot but don't worry I have a new plot that will be great. Also just as a side note when I picture Sasuke's house I think of an old Japanese style house while Sakura's is a western looking Japanese house. Well anyway I thank you for all the loyal readers and I can't wait to read your reviews. I love them

P.S. I updated all my old chapters