A/N: Okay, so I just want to thank you all for the reviews! You guys are awesome, and I loved reading all of them! :) I know this chapter isn't as long as the last one, but I think I wrote as much as I can for this one, and I'll try to have the next one up as soon as possible!
As you can probably tell by the end, there's a lot of development in this, with a twist. ;) So I hope you like it! Anyway, please tell me what you think! Thank you again! Also, I'm posting this kind of late, so if there are any major errors in spelling or grammar or something, please tell me! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
I'm walking down the hallway of the hospital. There's some memorial service going on for my dad, but I'm not exactly concentrating on that now. There's someone following me, but when I tried to tell Carrie she insisted that no one was there.
This scares me, am I going crazy? Do I have some weird stress disorder that's making me see things, or a brain imbalance? My father had a brain tumor that sometimes affected his memories. Getting something similar is now a huge fear of mine.
At twelve, I am smart. Really smart, even. I've been taking advanced classes for years now, and am at the top of my class. Many people have told me that it wouldn't surprise them if I end up taking after my father - doing just as well as him, even. But if I start going crazy now that will all go downhill.
Maybe it is vain, but I don't want people to see me any other way that cool, collected Sakura. Except Ino and Shikamaru, of course.
I peek behind my shoulder for a small second. The woman who's following me is an elderly woman who died a few days ago. She refuses to leave the hospital. She seemed nice when she was alive, but just the thought of seeing a dead person terrifies me. I want her to go away - desperately hope she's imaginary.
I hurry into a vacant elevator, praying that she can't follow me. Nothing happens, and I breath a sigh of relief. The elevator is descending now, producing that dropping sensation that I used to think was so much fun as a child-
"Excuse me, could you please help me?" the woman is now standing beside me.
I shriek loudly, and move to the other side of the elevator. The woman has bruises on the insides of her arms from the IVs that she had when she was still alive, and I can see a faint scar from her last surgery peeking out from the top of her nightgown. "Stay away from me." I plead, "Please. I can't be going crazy. I'm not crazy!"
"Sakura?" Shizune, one of my father's colleagues finds me. "Sakura, why are you shouting? What's wrong?"
"I'm not crazy." I gasp, "This can't be happening."
"She's having a panic attack." I hear someone saying - their voice sounds distant. Suddenly, everything fades to black.
I gasped, baffling memories suddenly flooding my mind. Memories that sounded eerily similar to what Sasuke had been telling me about his life a few years ago.
I hadn't gotten the chance yet to tell Sasuke about the woman I saw with my mother before the awards ceremony - the one who said I had "the Sight". Wasn't that what the medium called Sasuke's gift? Was I like Sasuke?
Why hadn't I remembered seeing things like that before the accident? What had happened? I would have to get my answers later. Itachi was still here.
"They want you to come home." He had said that the other day about Sasuke's parents - thankfully, no one had acted on anything yet.
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke replied, looking baffled, "Why? They told me that it would be better if I lived with you-"
"Things change, little brother." Itachi said, "You seem okay, as far as Mom can tell; better, even." he sighed, and sat down on one of the chairs in the living room. Suddenly he looked exhausted, "You know our family: if anyone's happy, change it."
"I'm not moving." Sasuke said. He looked irritated beyond belief, and I wondered all this tension was common in their family. It certainly wasn't in mine. At least, not until Dad died, I now realized.
"We'll figure this out, Sasuke." Itachi smiled, I think he meant it to be reassuring, but he just looked tired, "If they think just sending you away would fix anything... they don't know. I mean, you're definitely improving, don't get me wrong, but sending you back there? I think you'd just regress."
"Well actually," I said, "He hasn't been seeing anything at all lately, except for me. But we can't have him moving away because, well, we still need to figure out how to get me back to my body, and all of our resources are here. Also, I wouldn't get to see my friends. Sasuke's friends too now." I stopped when Sasuke looked at me.
"I'm not moving." Sasuke said again, "They can't make me. I'm almost an adult, and I'm happy here."
"I can tell." Itachi's expression was sympathetic - he really was a good brother, despite his absence all the time, "You seem a lot happier. Less stressed. I wish I could have been there for you when you... you know." Went crazy, I know.
"It couldn't be helped." Sasuke said, "Thank you, though. For offering to let me stay here. I'm glad I came."
"Me too, little brother." Itachi grinned, and stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. I can never sleep on planes very well, and I'm exhausted."
Once he was gone, and we were in Sasuke's room, I said, "What are you going to do?"
Sasuke shrugged, "It's simple isn't it? I'm just not going to go."
"Do you think they'll give up that easily?" I said quietly, "Your parents, I mean?"
"I dunno." Sasuke replied, "I've never really denied them before."
"You can't go." I said simply, "I would have to go with you, and I don't think Connecticut's really my kind of place, you know?"
Sasuke shook his head and smiled, "It's not all about you, you know."
"Why not?" I grinned back, "I'm the one who's attached to you. It's only fitting that I get to help decide where you end up."
"And I suppose you'll be coming too, then?" Sasuke teased.
"Duh. What part of attached don't you understand?"
He rolled his eyes, and said, "It's a moot point, anyway. We're not going anywhere."
We didn't talk much after that, because Sasuke had to do Physics homework. I decided to go for a walk (outside, and I made sure that I could still see the house - like I said, not taking any chances. I believed that Sasuke didn't want to leave, and would fight it if he had to (at least, that's what it seemed like), but something in the back of my mind couldn't stop worrying. What would happen to me then, if Sasuke would have to move back? Would I disappear completely? Would we even be able to find out how to fix me?
I had always been a worrier, even before I got like this. I never liked to let it show, either. It was harder, in this state, to hide my emotions. Now that I knew that no one could see me I was open with almost everything. Sasuke had seen a side of me in the past several months than I had ever shown anyone - even Ino, at some times. With everyone else I had always been pretty collected.
The memory of that last night - the night that I had gotten hit by that stupid car - flashed through my mind and I groaned. I guess that appearance was already down the drain. I had made a fool of myself, and paid the price for that one. But who really cared anymore? One thing's for certain, I had changed. If I ever got back I would be more preoccupied in seeing my friends and family that caring about how I looked to them.
I couldn't go to Connecticut. We were so close to figuring everything out, I could feel it. I just needed more time.
The next day after school, Sasuke's mom called. I could hear a long argument going on between her and Sasuke (and I could only hear Sasuke's side).
After about an hour, Sasuke handed the phone to Itachi who said things like, "Mom, calm down. No, I don't think Sasuke should have to go back either... he's made a lot of friends! He's happy here!"
I followed Sasuke to his room while Itachi was on the phone. "What did she say?" I asked him.
"She says I'm too young to decide for myself, and that Itachi should know better." he shook his head, "She treats me like a five-year-old. This is so stupid! She was perfectly fine sending me away when I was 'defective', but now that I'm showing the first signs of 'being normal' she's ready to have her son back so she can brainwash me!" he was seething now. I don't think I've ever seen Sasuke that angry.
Itachi walked in, looking confused. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah." Sasuke lied easily, "I was just talking to Naruto on the phone."
"Oh." Itachi said, "I just got off the phone with Mom. She says you're not off the hook yet, but she'll consider letting you stay here." he rolled his eyes, "You know Mom. Anyway, I was thinking about ordering take-out for dinner tonight - you should invite Naruto over, I haven't seen that little punk in awhile."
"Sounds good." Sasuke replied. After Itachi left he called Naruto (for real this time) and invited him over. I could hear Naruto's loud voice on the other side of the phone, and smiled.
"I think it'll be okay." I told Sasuke, "You can't move away. Not after everything that's happened. Itachi'll take care of it."
"I hope so." Sasuke sighed.
"It will." I said, but it didn't make me feel any better like I thought.
I watched Sasuke and Naruto interact with Itachi that night. Naruto could have been Itachi's little brother too - Itachi treated him exactly the same as Sasuke (teasing, but protective). It made me realize that Naruto was really more like a brother to Sasuke than a friend. They did everything together. It was sweet, really.
"So Naruto," Itachi was asking, "do you have a girlfriend yet?"
"Do you really need to ask him that?" Sasuke teased, "That's all he's been talking about."
"Actually," Naruto butted in, "I'm currently talking to a girl named Hinata. She's really pretty and nice, but you know what the best thing about her is! SHE CAN MAKE RAMEN!" I was afraid he was going to bust a blood vein.
"That's the best thing, hmm?" Itachi looked dubious.
"Don't encourage him." Sasuke sighed, but it was really no use.
"So how did you and this Hinata meet?" Itachi asked the already overexcited Naruto.
This, of course, resulted in a very long-winded story about how Naruto insisted that he saved Hinata from a fruit vendor outside...
"This is ridiculous!" Sasuke said, "I was there when you met her! And since when can you use a sword!"
"Don't interrupt!" Naruto shouted, "I wasn't done!"
"It seems to me that you may be over exaggerating," Itachi snorted, "but that does remind me of a time when I had a summer job as a lifeguard. I met my girlfriend at the time because she pretended to have trouble swimming... of course I had to make sure she didn't drown... and well, the rest was history."
I laughed, "If this is what you have to deal with when these two get together, I pity you." I told Sasuke (a bit hypocritically, since I was pretty sure I could be grating at times).
The night was pleasant. I had never seen Itachi really spend time with Sasuke, and I have to say that I was impressed. Out of all the Uchiha's I had met so far, Itachi was my favorite.
When I expressed this to Sasuke later on (I think it was on the way to school, Sasuke had decided to walk this time to let Itachi use his car to run errands), his reply surprised me. "He wasn't always like this." Sasuke said, "We used to never talk. He was always off doing things - he was always Father's favorite, too. I didn't think he liked me."
"Of course he did." I said, "He's your brother, Sasuke!"
"When I first started seeing things, I got made fun of a lot." Sasuke said, without emotion, "Itachi was always really popular in school. When he found out that his little brother was making outbursts to nothing well... he made it clear that he thought I was a freak."
"That's terrible," I muttered, "but you're okay now, right? That's what it seemed like last night, at least."
Sasuke nodded, "Yeah, something changed not that long ago. Itachi apologized about not being there for me. He surprised me even more when he offered to let me stay with him. I think he had a bit of a fall-out with Father... he really has changed." Sasuke's eyes met mine for a brief second - I tried to ignore the feelings that it gave me.
"I'm glad," I replied, "because then you wouldn't be here."
He looked at me, smiling a bit, "As far as we know, you wouldn't be here either."
"Exactly." I smiled.
I am seeing things. They started appearing a little after my father's death - people, I think they're dead. Most leave me alone. I think they have places to go, because I only see them passing by, in windows or on the street. Sometimes I see them in my room, but briefly.
The worst don't leave me alone. Usually if I ignore them they go away, but I never know how long it will take. The very worst was a lady who was covered in blood. She wouldn't stop screaming. I couldn't sleep for weeks because of her.
Mom didn't believe me when I told her about them. She says that I'm only trying to get attention. My father's death was hard for everyone, she says. So will I please stop stressing her out?
I wish I could.
I am laying in my bed tonight, trying to calm down enough to sleep. The man at the foot of my bed has finally disappeared; I hope he's not coming back. He wasn't as bad as the others but still... having something watch you all the time... it's hard to do anything, really.
A figure appears in the doorway. I tense, trying not to let it know that I know it's there. Ignore it, I think, You're going crazy. Nothing's there.
The figure - a man - moves closer and closer to my bed. I try not to cry out, knowing that it would do no good. I should be used to this by now, but it only seems to be getting worse. I've started seeing a psychiatrist - I'm taking medication now that's supposed to help. What's wrong with me?
"Sakura." the figure whispers. His voice sounds familiar - comforting, even.
"D-dad?" I reply softly. As he walks closer to me, I see the familiar shape of my father. He doesn't look sick anymore. He looks healthy, and whole. "What are you doing here?"
"It's true then." he says. He sounds sad. "You can see us."
"What's happening to me?" I say, and feel my throat constricting. The backs of my eyes begin to tingle, and I feel tears collecting in my eyes. I miss Dad so much.
"What happened to me when I was your age." he sighs, and takes a seat on the foot of my bed. "You have the Sight."
I am suddenly reminded of what the lady we saw on the street was saying. The sight... "You had it too?" I say quietly, "Did mom-?"
"Your mother never knew." he replies, "I was able to block it from my mind after a few years. Your grandmother had it, too. She helped me. I'm afraid it's going to be difficult for you, because of that damn cancer." My father didn't curse much, so I could tell that he was upset.
"What's going to happen to me?" I choked back my tears, willing myself not to break down. "Am I going crazy?"
He smiled sadly, "No. Everything will be okay."
