A/N: HI! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and thanks if you're reading this!
Disclaimer: Sigh. I don't own Naruto.
A little…white…dog?
The so-called-"wolf."
He cast the four an uncaring look, and zipped across the road to the fields on the other side. He sped away, into the distance, howling.
"Well," Sasuke said, "there goes my breakfast."
Everyone sighed and slumped slightly, in relief.
Sakura laughed nervously.
Moron.
And suddenly there was shouting.
They all froze.
There was something else, bigger running towards them.
"Here we go again…"
And the next thing to burst through the bushes was…
A boy.
He had red triangles on his face
"AKAMARU!" He shouted, "come back! You have to take your bath! It wasn't my idea, so—!"
And he stopped right when he saw Sasuke, Itachi, Sakura, and Kakashi, staring at him.
"Oh. Hi," He said quickly. "Right. Did you see a little dog? White fur?"
"That way," they said in unison, pointing to the right.
"Thanks!" he said through clenched teeth, and ran off in the direction of his dog.
After a few minutes:
"Okay…" Kakashi said, turning back around, "that was weird. Now back to what I was saying. Sit down, all of you."
They sat.
"So where was I?"
"The truck driver who killed my parents," Sakura said harshly.
He nodded.
"The driver who did it…he did it on purpose."
Sakura's mouth went dry.
"What?" she forced out of her lips.
Kakashi kept his eyes trained on her face.
"The car crash was set up."
Sakura shook her head.
No way, God, no, no, no…
"No." She said, her voice trembling, "That's not possible. Why would they do that? And how do you know?"
Kakashi looked around to make sure no one was around, then dropped his voice down:
"The people who hired that truck driver, to crash into your car that day… they wanted all of you gone. And now they're coming for you, too. I know all this because—I don't think you noticed me that night, but—I was on the side of the street, playing this violin. I overheard the truck driver talking on his phone with whoever it was who hired him. He said he 'didn't succeed in killing the kid'. Something must've gone wrong."
Sakura swallowed hard.
"But why'd they kill my mom and dad?"
"I…I don't know, Sakura. I'll explain it to you when I figure everything out."
She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes.
"You're in danger Sakura. They're coming for you. And thank Goodness I've found you now. It would have been too late. Tomorrow, the car crash will have been a month ago. The driver said 30 days later, he'd set out to search for you."
"But…I thought he was in jail," Sakura muttered, fighting not to cry.
"His son broke him out. The police are looking for him everywhere, haven't you turned on the news? He knows you're in Konoha, Sakura. And he's coming."
"How does he know that?" Sasuke asked, finally speaking.
Kakashi turned to look at him.
"The people who hired him, they have workers everywhere. And the woman at the reception desk at Sakura's orphanage, she was one, too."
"What?" The Rosette cried, bewildered, "Anko?"
"Yes," Kakashi answered, "Her. She let him know you were going to this city."
"No…" Sakura whispered, "I feel like I can't trust anyone."
At her side, Sasuke stiffened.
Sakura blinked then wished she bit that back.
She looked up at him, shaking her head, "No, I didn't mean—"
Kakashi cut in.
"How old are you?"
The question was directed at Sasuke.
"Sixteen."
"Him you can trust," The grey haired said, "You have to be eighteen for them to hire you. But you, on the other hand," he looked at Itachi.
He blinked.
"You look about twenty-five."
"Five years off, old man!"
"I'm not old."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah. Just a little senior to you."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"…Oh, yeah?"
"Yes. Do you enjoy picking fights and causing trouble?...Hooligan."
"He does, actually," Sasuke put in.
Itachi paused.
"No one's telling me what a hooligan is!"
"Actually," Kakashi shook his head, "you can trust him, too. He sounds a bit stupid to be—"
"Hey!"
"–- one of them. The point is, Sakura, you need to be careful this week. If he doesn't find you and gives up, I think he'll go back. He's knows your with the Uchiha family. I don't suggest you should stay home. Plus, you're Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha are at the hospital, right? Yes. The guy who shot Fugaku was probably in contact with the man who killed your parents. They're trying to separate you from everyone." He swore. "Except for tonight, Go somewhere with a lot of people so he can't find you. You might want to change your appearances as well. If he sees pink hair, he'll know it's you. Oh yeah, and he won't kill you on the spot, probably kidnap you first—"
"Kidnap me first, huh? Great."
"And…" He nodded at Itachi and Sasuke, "I hope you two will be watching her."
They nodded.
"Everyone knows who the Uchiha are. So, for you two and Sakura, either dye your hair, cut it—"
"No way," All three of them said.
"I'll just wear a hood or something," Sasuke scoffed.
"I wanna wear a sombrero!" Itachi cried, deeply thrilled. "And maybe I'll get a fake beard!"
Sasuke resisted the urge to punch him and looked over at Sakura.
"Could I just…get some extensions in my hair? Or wear a wig?" she asked.
"The wig would work. And colored contact lenses will help, too. For all of you."
They nodded.
"Wait," Sakura said after a second, "but how do we know you're not one of them? The people who hired the guy? And what's his name—the man who killed my parents?"
"It's Jiraiya. He has long grey hair. I think that should be enough to spot him."
"Jiraiya," she whispered to herself. Jiraiya. She was going to stay calm about this. Be strong. Get it together.
"And how do you know I'm not on their side? Fantastic question." Kakashi said. "Well, I have no proof….Except. For. This!"
He thrust out his book.
Sakura read the title out loud, and the kids made faces.
"Indeed, they don't hire big readers. Or people who come late. To. Everything."
He scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Hahaha! Enough about me!"
"But how do we know that book isn't just like…a prop or something?"
"You don't know," Kakashi said, sliding the book into his pocket. He pushed the broken cup into a sac on his belt, and pulled his hood back over his head. He picked up his instrument.
"After all," he said, standing, "I'm just a guy with a violin."
And he went, playing his music.
"I'll see you around!" He called over his shoulder.
Kakashi became a small figure in the distance, the last notes of his song flying on the wind.
A few minutes later:
"Well."
"That was…"
"Weird."
"Yeah…"
Sakura yawned. "Sasuke," she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
He raised his eyebrows. "Yeah?"
"Nothing. I'm just glad I spilled my guts to you. It's easier...to… Live."
Random, Sasuke thought, but he smirked and helped her up.
Itachi pouted. "I feel excluded."
"Really?" Sasuke asked sarcastically.
A little bit later, they walked.
Under the stars, with the fields at their sides and the horizon ahead.
When they finally, finally, reached home, Sasuke was half dragging, half leading Sakura to the door.
She was too sleepy to do anything.
Right when Sasuke was about to start muttering stereotypical comments about girls, he sighed and thought about everything she'd been through in just one day.
Itachi closed the door behind them.
Naruto was laying on the ground, bored.
When they came in, he meowed and went to rub himself against Itachi's leg.
Itachi picked him up and petted his head.
"Sakura…" Sasuke whispered gently, trying to wake her up.
She mumbled something about cupcakes and ice cream.
Sasuke sighed.
Itachi flicked on some lights so they could see. Sasuke pulled his phone out of his pocket and read…It was 1:00 a.m. He put the phone back.
He rubbed his eyes with his free hand.
Uchiha Sasuke has his weaknesses, too, you know.
He had one of her arms around his neck and was holding her left side for the entire journey after meeting Kakashi.
And he was beat.
What was he supposed to do with Sakura?
Her shoes were still on, not to mention her dirty socks.
And she was drooling on his shirt.
Poor Sakura.
Sasuke used all the energy inside of him to groan, really, really, loud.
Sakura shifted slightly.
Itachi dropped Naruto to the ground and started walked away, across the polished wood.
"You moron!" Sasuke hissed. "You're just going to leave me here? Help out a little!"
Itachi threw his cocky grin over his shoulder.
"Just wake her up, brother."
"No way!"
Itachi walked back towards them.
"Fine, then I will."
"No, Itachi, you idiot! Don't—"
He shook her shoulder a couple times.
"Sakura! Sakura!"
Sakura heard something on the edges of her consciousness. A rather irritating… persistent buzz…
"Sakura! SAKURA!"
"uh?"
Her eyes fluttered open.
And she woke up, her face extremely close to that of Sasuke and Itachi was in her face, too, screaming "Sakura!" at the top of his lungs. Along with Naruto meowing probably the same thing in his shrillest voice.
"Augh!"
And she fell out of Sasuke's arms, to land flat on the ground.
THUD!
(Imagine like, how in an anime when someone falls it's really simple and just…THUD!)
Sasuke opened his mouth slightly, locking eyes with Naruto.
If cats could laugh, Sasuke was pretty sure he was doing just that right then.
Now, Sasuke and Naruto weren't exactly on good terms here, Sasuke sill weary of the cat because of his oh-so-subtle destroying of his bed almost a week ago.
Itachi scrambled forward to help Sakura.
"Sorry!" he laughed, grabbing her arm and pulling her up.
"Itachi…"Sasuke said through his teeth, "I will never…ever…get tired of calling you an idiot. Remember that."
"I won't forget," he grinned evilly.
Sakura, dazed, rubbed her eyes.
Her mind throbbed.
"Ow." She murmured.
There was a sleepy yawn.
She wiped her mouth, looked at her hand, then at Sasuke's shirt.
And her face burned.
"Ack! I'm sorry!" She hurried to his side and used her sleeve to wipe it off.
"I'm such an idiot," she whispered. "I drooled on your shirt….Ugh."
He stood there calmly, glaring at Itachi and Naruto past Sakura.
Naruto had that kitty-cat grin on his face.
And Itachi was laughing, you see.
He was laughing his sly, foxy, cocky little laugh.
Cat and Uchiha.
They were quite a pair.
Sasuke was quite used to it, as you can imagine.
Sakura stepped back when she was done.
After a moment of awkward silence, she started taking off her shoes and socks. Itachi went over to make sure the door was locked. Sasuke slipped off his sneakers and socks, and they stood there.
The three of them.
"All right, Kiddies, go to sleep. Remember, Sasuke, we have to protect Sakura extremely well this week!"
"I haven't forgotten."
"Right then! Get to sleep!"
And Sasuke and Sakura went up the stairs.
Itachi went to the kitchen to finish his dinner.
Predictable.
"You know what?" Sakura asked Sasuke sleepily. "We never got the telescope or the plates or anything from the roof."
Sasuke nodded slowly. "I'll get them tomorrow."
Sakura turned to him, "No, I didn't mean for you to do it. Sorry, I was just saying—"
They reached the top, and Sasuke turned to face her.
He put his hand on the inside of her elbow, sending heat up her arm.
"Don't be sorry, okay? It's fine."
She looked unbelieving, so he shot her a half-smile.
"Right. Thanks, Sasuke." She said, flashing a grin.
He took a few steps back, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"I promised I'd be here for you forever, didn't I?"
"You did."
"Yeah. Night, Sakura."
"Well…" She said, "more like Good morning."
He laughed.
"Sakura, Good way too early morning."
She grinned. "Morning, Sasuke."
And Sakura stepped into her room, flicking on the lights and closing the door.
Sasuke looked at her door, a sigh escaping his lips.
She was being really brave about this whole, 'There's a guy out to kill you' thing.
He went to his room and shut the door.
Sakura went to the bathroom and changed into her favorite pair of pajamas from the closet.
They were dark purple shorts and t-shirt with watermelons all over.
The watermelons had smiley faces on them.
Right when she was getting into bed, there was scratching at the door.
Sakura ran up to the door and opened it, letting her cat it.
"Nya!" Naruto meowed, prancing across her room and hopping into the bed.
Sakura laughed and shut the door, turning off the lights.
She got into bed, pulling the blanket over her and the orange kitty.
"So I guess you sleep here, huh?" Sakura asked.
"Meow."
"Nice answer, Naruto. But what should I expect? You're a cat. I'm a human."
"Meow?"
Sakura tried not to think about tomorrow, so she distracted herself.
"But you know what? Some people communicate with their pets without even talking. It's like they know what each other are saying just by looking in each other eyes. We should try that, Naruto."
Sleepy "Meow."
"Sorry. Maybe tomorrow—"
And Sasuke's words came back to her.
Don't be sorry, okay?
"…Okay." She whispered into the darkness.
She looked at her dresser, on the top, the octagonal prism flashing with starlight, amazingly; the cherry blossoms and diamonds twinkling together at the bottom.
Tomorrow…
Sakura gripped the emerald star at her throat and closed her eyes, not bothering to take it off.
To think that this morning, she was sitting in the orphanage office, twiddling her thumbs.
And now…well…
Enough adventure for a day.
~End of Day 1~
A/N: YAY! Please review!
