Sakura told her teammates to walk fast but she never thought that they wouldn't notice her disappearance. She managed to get a lot of poison in her body system and it did not take long for the poison to affect her. Half an hour after they reached Kawa no Kuni Sakura started feeling dizzy, her pupils dilated and her view got blurry; she was struggling to breathe and her feet could no longer carry her.

Sakura leaned over an old tree and tried to call Kakashi and Sai but her throat was dry and her lips wouldn't move. Since she couldn't even see the direction they went, Sakura relaxed her body and passed out accepting the situation. As her body limped, she fell in a bush growing right next to the tree. The bush was big enough to cover her body and keep his hidden from all the suna shinobi assigned to find the people who destroyed the wall.

Her only luck was that a man looking for firewood found her, felt sorry for her and carried her to his cottage. He took off her forehead protector and hid it in his pocket. As he was carrying her, Sakura woke up for a few minutes and started at the ground and at the feet carrying her God knows where. Sakura's lips trembled with the intent to speak but nothing seemed to come out. She passed out again before they could reach the cottage and only days later she was able to wake up again.

Sakura blinked a couple of times before confidently opening her eyelids. Her body feels heavy and the pain in her lower back tells her that she slept for at least one week but she fears that she was out for more than that. Sakura felt like she was in her room in the beginning as the bed was right under the window and she often felt a warm hand over her forehead while she was sleeping but now that she looks around the room she can clearly tell that she has never seen that room before and the hand wasn't her mother's. If her body wasn't that stiff, she would've jumped out of bed and out of that house in one second but she feels extremely drowsy and way too lazy to move a finger.

Sakura looked around the room, her neck is stiff and it is painful to move but curiosity is more powerful: there is a table with one chair next to it, across the room is another window covered by a plain white curtain, the fireplace is quite close to the door and the fire is mildly burning, next to her bed is another wooden chair with a small pillow on it and the last piece of furniture is the bed she sits on. Sakura noticed two more doors and assumed there must be a bathroom and another room for sleeping or a kitchen. 'I feel safe' she thought as she closed her eyes and relaxed in the bed. Someone actually took care of her wounds and although she stood no chance against the poison, Sakura feels like someone really capable found her and gave her the needed treatment.

The thought that everyone is worried or might even consider her dead is killing her but she doesn't have the strength to get up and crawl back home.

"Oh, you are up," a masculine voice echoed through the room. Sakura looked from the corner of her eyes to the door and to the noisy man who was just closing the door behind him with his foot and who was carrying a pile of fire wood. His friendly brown eyes are staring at her as he instinctively walks to the fire place. "I was getting worried, you know?" The man threw the wood on the ground and clapped his hands together to get rid of the dirt before walking to her. She noticed his arms are muscular and his hands are big and strong, similar to the hands of a shinobi. She also noticed that beneath his shirt he has a well worked body. Maybe she did not end in the best place ever. "How do you feel?"

Sakura wanted to clear her throat but her glands are producing no saliva. As if reading her mind, the man reached the glass only half full with water and helped her drink by gently raising her head. He smells like smock and wood but she can tell he is a shinobi from the dim scent of chakra leaving his body. His chakra smells bitter and feels cold. After a few gulps, Sakura nodded to inform him that she had enough water. The man rested her head down and sat back on the chair next to her bed. "Shinobi?" was the first word she pronounced, making the man tense a little.

The man forced a smile and grabbed his knees with his palms. His fingers have small but deep cuts made by slapping throwing of shuriken. "I live in this small village," he said as if Sakura knew where she was. "You are not from here," he stated remembering that she was wearing a hitai-ate over her forehead. This time Sakura tensed a little and forced a smile. "I suppose you are responsible for the fall of the wall around Sunagakure," he continued and that made Sakura jump on her rear, blanket falling on her lap. The man slightly blushed and cleared his throat, continuing: "I am no longer a shinobi," he informed her.

Sakura expired and looked down. If he doesn't care about that then she should be out of danger. That moment Sakura noticed that her bare breasts were slightly bouncing, nipples hard and gently touching the blanket. Sakura covered her chest with her hands and swallowed with a deafening sound. "You pervert," she accused the man who closed his eyes immediately. Sakura glared at him getting ready to throw him a punch.

"No, I was simply treating your wounds," he tried to explain without even daring to look at her. He was embarrassed while putting ointment over her wounds but since she was sleeping he could deal with that feeling but now, having her accusing him of raping her, he feels like a dirty old man. "You told me to do the ointment," he continued shaking his head.

"I think you are out of your mind!" she spewed those words with despise.

"But you did…." he insisted opening his brown eyes, "before fainting…you told me what plants to use to make the ointment and to put it over the wounds…" his cheeks are pink but his voice is convincing enough to make Sakura swallow her next words. She covered her chest with the blanket and leaned back over her back.

"So you are not a medic," she concluded and the man wildly nodded. Sakura blushed and looked outside the window. She can see a few houses with relatively small yards. The houses are small and old enough for the wood to fall at any moment. Everything seems so peaceful that it is hard to believe her village is fighting every day. Remembering about the war, Sakura turned her head to face the embarrassed and humiliated man. "There is still war between Konoha and Suna?"

The man shook his head and she felt relieved to hear that her mission was a total success. "Last week they signed a treaty of peace in Konohagakure. They say that pretty soon even Kumogakure will give in as they are aware how many strong shinobi live in Konoha and how bad it would be if all attacked at once. Sakura nodded agreeing with every word he said. "You are from the village hidden between the tree leaves, right?"

Again, Sakura nodded with slow movements. "Why did you help me?" she asked too shy to look at him.

"My name is Dansui Furukawa," he said as if that was supposed to answer her question. Still, Sakura bowed her head in recognition and introduced herself as well. "I guess it was a gamble," he said bemused. Sakura raised a questioning brow. "Telling me what to do although you couldn't be sure I could handle it…" Dansui giggled embarrassed but proud as well. He managed to save a life although he knows nothing about herbs.

"I guess…" She cannot remember about that but she feels like she can trust the man.

Dansui got up and started preparing dinner: a simple vegetable soup and rice. Sakura kept on staring outside the window, mind blank in the beginning but the red color of the sky reminded her of a certain Uchiha who might be really worried. According to the customs, her parents most likely organized a funeral in her name. "For how long have I been here?" she asked without looking in his direction.

"Almost a month," he replied.

Sakura nodded, more to herself than to Dansui. Her parents must be really sad… Shisui as well… Hell, everyone must be really affected by her sudden disappearance. But she only feels sorry for her parents who must be crying and thinking that they lost their only child. Despite being difficult people, her parents are more than loving with her. "Could you send a letter for me?"

"Sure, after dinner I will get you a pen and some paper."

Sakura didn't have much of an appetite and no matter how much her host insisted she just looked outside the window, hands clasped together over her lap. Dansui gave her one of his shirts and handed her the ointment. Everything seems to go fine: Sakura opened her eyes, she is full of life and her wounds are nicely healing. But nothing is really alright; Sakura's heart is beating way too fast and she cannot breathe without her chest aching. She feads she might have a heart attack that night and she might pass out again. Dansui healed her wounds but he did a poor job in extracting the poison and her body is still fighting it.

With her eyes half shut and with a breathing difficultly, Sakura wrote down a few words for her parents, telling them that she is still alive but her health is not permitting her to travel back home. She promised to get back as soon as possible and begged them not to worry too much about her. As soon as Dansui left the house, Sakura fainted feeling exhausted and slept for two nights continuously. She had agonizing dreams about her family and about people dying because she was not there to offer them treatment.

Sakura opened her eyes for a few moments and looked at the ceiling; different shadows are reflected on it. Dansui is continuously moving his hands up and down on something big and thick. In one hand he is holding something like a knife and in the other hand he seems to have something like a piece of cloth. A few tears left her eyes as she blinked a couple of time in hope her view would be clearer. This reminds her of the time Shisui was making his own pair of chopsticks while traveling back from missions. That habit died when the war got serious and all his concentration had to be focused on the surroundings. A small smile appeared on her white lips. He kind of resembles Naruto with his friendly attitude, strong will and constant desire to save everyone. She worries: since that incident his eye seems dark like a black hole, lacking the passion and desire for living. Is he fine? she asked herself. A drop of sweat slipped down her forehead, between her eyebrows and over her nose, trembling on the tip of her nose as if scared to jump but pushed by a wave of warm air on the philtrum and going down over her lips, as if cutting her smile and leaving Sakura with a serious face. Her green eyes hid beneath her eyelids and Sakura feel asleep again.

It hurts…I cannot breathe… Sakura suddenly opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in the water beneath her. Her body is slowly floating above an endless lake. Although there is no sky she can see the reflection of fluffy clouds carried gently by wind. Sakura tried to get on her tips but no matter how much she tried, her body kept on floating a few centimeters above the water. She closed her hands over her chest which was throbbing in pain, and peered at her reflection. She wears a white dress, hem floating around her knees, and her long hair is nicely caught in a braid. "It hurts," she said closing her eyes. Her whole body is burning and she feels like she needs to peel it off and free her soul from that agony.

"Don't even think of that," a hoarse voice threatened her. Sakura turned around to meet with a pair of green eyes, just like hers. For a while, Sakura stared at what seemed to be her reflection, the only difference being that the latter's dress is black. "If you do that we will die."

Sakura blinked puzzled by the affirmation. "Do what?"

"Do not think about peeling you skin!" she shouted annoyed. Sakura wanted to ask if that was even possible but the severity from her reflection's voice is keeping her silent. "We cannot die now."

Sakura looked at her feet, curious to see if her reflection was still there. Just as she expected, she could no longer find her image in the water. She also noticed how her reflection is capable of standing on the water while she cannot even touch it with her tips. "I lost the contact with reality?" she asked on a quiet voice. Her reflection nodded. "Who are you?"

"We met before," she answered and floated right in front of her, cupping her red cheeks. "Although, you might not remember me." The reflection rested her forehead over Sakura's. "You are dying," she continued. Sakura does not feel anything as she hears those words. She feels like she doesn't have a heart to guide her. "I am scared." The pink haired girl could not come up with anything so she remained silent, eyes looking down. Her body is burning, her heart is aching, she cannot feel her feet and she lost all her emotions. She always thought that death will bring despair and tears but all she really wants is to break free from the body which is decaying.

"What happened to me?" Sakura remained emotionless as she thought that she might really die. The thought itself is not painful and she cannot think of a single reason not to die.

"You are in cardiac arrest. Dansui has been trying to resuscitate you for 5 minutes now." Sakura nodded understanding very well. 15 more minutes and she will be declared dead, or at least, that's how long medics way in a hospital. Dansui is not a doctor so he probably cannot give her a good CPR. The reflection looked at Sakura with despair in her eyes. She never thought that the girl will get emotionless and hoped she will fight for her life. "Don't you get it?!" she shouted shaking her lifeless other half. "If you die your parents will suffer. You just told them you are fine and you will go back home!" The reflection grabbed Sakura's shoulders and tried to push her down, back into the water. As that didn't work she fell on her knees trying to splash water over her but the water kept on vanishing. "What about that person?" the reflection asked looking down, tears falling from her eyes and mixing with the water.

"That person?" Sakura asked with little interest.

"He will suffer as well…" Sakura tilted her head as she watched her reflection despairing. No person is coming up in her mind. "You promised you will go back…"

Sakura cannot understand a thing but she felt a powerful heartbeat which made her tremble. It somehow felt amazing to feel her heart beating again. Her reflection also felt that and looked at Sakura with surprise in her eyes. "He told you: 'You are my precious girl.' Can you remember?" Sakura nodded. She cannot remember the moment but she knows she heard those words before. "Please…" The girl got up climbing over Sakura's body. She fixed her nails inside her shoulders and gently shook her. "If you die…you will regret losing him…" Sakura looked down and nodded once. She cannot remember who she will regret losing but she cannot bear that idea.

Another heart beat shook Sakura and she took a step back from the reflection. Sakura travelled a hand through her bangs and looked all over the place with desperate eyes. "Will he really miss me?" Sakura asked thinking about Sasuke. She feels no hope when she thinks about a man who turned his back at her when she needed him most.

Being one and the same, the reflection understood whom she was speaking about. She cannot agree with her foolish half but if that will give her strength to live she will lie to her, to herself as well. "Of course he will… He is just acting…though…" The reflection wiped her tears with her cold fingers and looked at Sakura. She was more than shocked to see her with pink cheeks and sparkling eyes. It hurts her to see how happy she gets when everything is nothing but a lie. This is how Sakura has been lying to herself all these years; he will never see her the way she wants and the most painful part is that only half of Sakura knows that. The part which will never be able to take control and do what is right. She heard Sakura crying and despairing every night over an illusion that she cannot take it anymore. The reflection opened her hands and wrapped them around Sakura's body. "I will give you warmth," she promised before their lips locked in a warm kiss which instantly returned Sakura's body to a normal temperature.

Sakura opened her eyes and nearly jumped on her rear but Dansui's hands kept her down. Sweat is falling down her face and her breathe is hot. For a few second they look at each other, not believing they are in that situation. "I did it," he said not believing he was able to bring her back to life. "Don't scare me like that!" he told her as he fell on the ground, next to her bed. Sakura mumbled an apology but Dansui did not quite get what she tried to say. "Tell me what medicine you need." Her mind is blank and she cannot come up with anything. She isn't even sure she understands what he is asking from her. A tear left her right eye and glided down her cheek and to her ear. The sound made by the tear smashing over the pillow resonated through her head. The sound is painfully echoing in her ears making her dizzy. Sakura reached the bowl with food which Dansui intended to feed her when he noticed she was not breathing and threw up in it. She felt sorry for doing something so disgusting in front of him and over his food but she didn't want to throw up on herself or on the bed. Dansui took the bowl without looking inside and put it on the ground. "I was scared…" She was also scared. Although she might not remember much from what just happened, her fighting spirit is burning inside her heart.

Dansui wiped the sweat from her face and neck, took the bowl in the kitchen and opened the window next to her bed. Sakura watched the busy man walking up and down the room with envy. She cannot remember the last time she actually stood on her feet much less when she last walked. Her feet are turning into jelly. Dansui put next to Sakura a bucket in case she gets sick again and some tissues to wipe her sweat.

"Why did you save me?" she asked knowing that she would never bring a stranger in her home.

Dansui sat in front of the fire, staring at it. "You seemed inoffensive," he joked.

Sakura tried to smile to his joke but she didn't have the strength to move a muscle so she just closed her eyes and fell asleep.

"I sent your letter," he informed her as she slowly fell asleep. Sakura heard him and felt relieved and foolish at the same time. She shouldn't have written anything. If she dies, and this might really happen, her parents will have to go again through the pain of losing their child. She cannot even begin to imagine what is like to lose a child twice.

"You shouldn't sleep so much," the reflection said. She was sitting on a red pillow, looking at the mirrors and playing with Sakura's hair. Sakura is lying on the ground, her head resting on her reflection's lap. Her eyes are staring at the mirror on the ceiling. There is a nostalgic feeling about that room but Sakura knows she has never been there.

"I always feel so tired and powerless…"

The reflection giggled. "You've always felt weaker than everyone else. You should be proud of what you became in a few years." The image took Sakura's hair into her hands and started traveling her fingers through it, trying to unknot it.

"Even you think I am naïve and weak…"

"My dear, you are definitely naïve but far from weak," she giggled again. "You shouldn't think you are fragile."

"I nearly died today."

"Even strong people die."

Sakura couldn't argue that so she looked away from the ceiling and to the mirrors. All of them have very beautiful frames and although some of them are cracked, their beauty didn't diminish. Different scenes from her life are being played before her eyes. "Could I see Sasuke in one of those?"

The other half remained silent. If only she could erase her memories about that man. "No," she lied. But it is only half a lie: Sakura never spent beautiful moments next to that man and they were never alone so she has nothing special to show. The girl bought the lie and nodded. "But I have better ones," she said and a mirror landed in front of them.

The mirror started to shine before showing Sakura the last night she spent in Konoha. This is one of the most beautiful memories Sakura made recently. The reflection cherishes that moment more than any other memory and she fears Sakura will forget it one day.

"I shouldn't have fallen for Sasuke," she said, tears leaving her eyes. It was her biggest mistake.

"You haven't. You just think you did."

"Do I really?" she asked with trembling lips. She wishes she never loved Sasuke just as much she wishes to be next to Shisui right now.

"How could you love that foolish man when you have these wonderful moments next to a good man?" Sakura started thinking seriously about what she just heard. The moment Shisui kissed her is being played before her eyes making her heart throb in pain.

"I hurt him…" she whispered regretting all the times she said before Shisui that she loves his cousin. "I gave him hope and I…I hurt him…" Sakura bit her lips. She cries as a child as she regrets a past she cannot change. If she dies she will never have the chance to apologize to him. "It was always there…" Sakura covered her face with her palms.

"Yes…it was…"

"I was so blind and…foolish…"

"My dear…" the reflection grabbed Sakura's hands to see her face, "You definitely were a fool."

Her wet eyes opened only to meet a black one. Sakura blinked surprised to see the man she wanted to apologize to. Shisui is right there, sitting on her bed, bent a little above her body to see her face properlu, his hands resting on each side of her head. He got worried when he saw she was so pale, so thin and crying in her sleep. His heart broke the moment he walked inside the house.

"Forgive me," she cried reaching him with her hands and wrapping them behind his shoulders. "I should've known so long ago that I…"