Sakura opened her eyes just to see Itachi collapsing without life.

With her head still dizzy from the effect of her new powers she run to him, barely keeping herself on feet. Sasuke was standing there, his sword still in Itachi's body. He slowly took it out and then turned to see Sakura running closer him. She pushed him away with so much energy that Sasuke almost fell. Ignoring that Itachi had begged not to save him, Sakura started to heal him. She just can't let him die. Not now when she finally understood that she meant the world to him.

It was like deja vu. She was trying hard, but nothing happened. She even hit him with fully charged chakra fist, in hope that it would reanimate his heart. She hoped that he will open his eyes and smile at her. Just one more time. To say farewell.

But nothing happened.

He was dead.

Dead and gone.

And this time there was noone who could stop her from punching...no, killing Sasuke.

This was the chance to repay for all those times he had made her suffer. No. She stopped herself. Look what hate and thirst for revenge did to Sasuke. Do you want to become someone like him? Sakura shook her head; she didn't want to become something like this. She would despise herself, Itachi had fate in her, she can't just allow a morbid presumption take over her senses. No. No, this wont be a hateful revenge. It wont happen today. She will repay Sasuke for everything he did, but not like he did it. She'll do it her way when she's strong enough, when she learns how to use Itachi's powers agaisnt his little brother.

- Sakura. Why do you care about him?

Sasuke interupted her thoughts. He sounded calm and somewhat sad. Maybe he did regret killing his own brother.

Sakura stood up and looked into his empty, dark eyes. She somehow pitied him.

- Because I knew the real Itachi.

Sasuke flinched and paid her a confused sight, then looked one last time to his brothers dead body and turned to leave.

- You know, Sasuke, one day I will kill you.

He stopped and after a moment burst out in laughter.

- That's a good one, Sakura. Don't be ridiculous, you're not capable of something like that. You're nothing against me. I highly doubt that even Naruto with his demon can kill me. I suggest you to go back to your beloved village, crawl into your bed and stay there until you understand it yourself. You will never, hear me, never be strong enough to kill me.

Obviously he didn't suspected what Itachi gave her. Sakura smiled to herslef.

- Keep telling it to yourself, Sasuke.

He stopped again and this time only turned his head to her.

- I'm joining Akatsuki, Sakura. Keep that in your little mind. Until then, farewell.

Farewell... thought Sakura as she saw Sasuke disappearing out of her sight.


- Sakura!

- Sai? What are you doing here?

Sai jump off his drawn bird looking suspiciously at Itachi's dead body. Sakura was always amazed to see how his drawings came alive with a single jutsu. She liked this weird, silent and polite boy who was trying hard to understand people. Though, he was annoying sometimes.

- Well...you know, we had this party yesterday and we...missed you. So, Naruto went after you, sometime around midnight, and you weren't there. And you weren't there also at morning.

- And so you guys decided to look after me.

Sai nodded. Sakura sighed and her look again found Itachi. How come it's me who always ends up suffering? How come I have to act strong when it's most impossible? Why I even followed that crow? Why I even gone on that mission back then...why...

- Are you allright, Sakura?

- Yes...no...I don't know, Sai...

The former emptiness again took over her and she fell on her knees. Tears which she had oppressed while Sasuke was there, now were loose. She cried, she cussed, but she knew that no matter what she would do, it wont bring him back to life. Itachi is dead and she had to accept it. She knew him only a little while but it felt as a lifetime.

- Sakura?

Sai woke her up from her thoughts.

- Yes?

- I know this is none of my business, but who is this man?

He pointed at Itachi. Sakura swallowed another out burst of tears.

- He...he saved me...a while ago...

- You know he's from Akatsuki, right?

- It doesn't matter, Sai. He saved me, he...cared about me. He was a friend, a close one.

Sai looked at her with a confusion. He must be thinking I've lost my mind.

- It's okay, Sakura. We should...we should bury him.

Sakura wiped tears away and smiled to him.

- You're right. Come, help me.


- And you're absolutely sure about this?

- Yes, Tsunade-sensei.

- You do realise that this is insane?

- I do.

Tsunade sighed. She really didn't want to let go her best medic nin. And Sakura understood that, but the only thing that mattered to her was getting stronger and as fast as she could.

- Very well then. There's only one person I know who can teach you things I can't. I'll send a messenger with a note immediately.

- Thank you, Tsunade-sensei.

- But, this is a very long trip. At least a week by foot. And you might get attacked by other ninjas.

- I understand that.

Tsunade sighed again. She had a worried look on her face and she was walking back and forth for a while now and for a moment Sakura had second thoughts about her plan but then she remembered her goal.

Tsunade has been like a godmother to her and it was hard to leave her.

- Oh, Sakura! I will miss you!

She finally run to her student and embraced her.

- I'll miss you too, Tsunade-sensei.


Sakura tried not to look back at her village for the 100th time. She really did try. And it got harder with every step she took that left the village behind her.

She was already at the gates when someone cought her wrist and she heard that familiar, soft voice, that used to calm her in times when she felt lost and to point out things she hadn't noticed.

- Sakura.

It was Kakashi-sensei. Gosh, I'll miss him too. Though, she could see only one eye of his face, she knew he was sad. That one eye expressed all the emotions the mask had hidden.

- Kakashi-senei...

She answered him tiredly. She was tired of all the sadness she had gone through the past months. Tired of trying hard. Tired of proving herself to everybody. Proving that she was a good kunoichi despite that she didn't had any special powers or a special bloodline or that she was slow.

Kakashi pulled her in his arms and for a moment Sakura felt that everything will be fine, that Kakashi-sensei will save her as he always did, that maybe, just maybe she didn't have to leave everyone. She felt safe. But she was sick of being the burden to him and her teammates. She had to be able to take care of herself.

- Don't leave...

I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei... Sakura released herself from sensei's arms and smiled at him through tears that she quickly wiped away.

- I can't...I have to, Kakashi-sensei. I have to become stronger... than him.

Great, now I sound like Naruto. Kakashi sighed and she decided that she should leave now, before she's changed her mind.

- Good-bye, Kakashi-sensei. I'll be back sooner than you think.

She promised.


The End.


Note:

Hey!

Thank you guys for reading this! I'm really happy for all those reviews, advices and favourites.

This was my first fan fic so, yeah, I'm kinda happy of the outcome ^^

There will be a sequel to this as soon as I'll be able to pay attention to writting again. Although, the first chapter is almost finished... ^^

Also I tried to write some Oneshot on HidaSaku and I was surprised (not positively :D) how many bad words I know...I think that piece of work wont ever see the sunlight... *giggles darkly*

So...umm..yeah, thanks again for everything. Oh yeah, btw, don't be shy and leave a review for this one, so I can do my best on the sequel!

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