Hey everybody! I hope you like this update.
Chapter 14:
Sakura awoke and stared into darkness. She felt like a hot poker had pierced her eyes. Reaching her hand up, she felt someone grab her wrist.
"Do not touch the pads I have placed over your eyes," the old woman said.
"Where am I?" Sakura asked.
"You are in the Akatsuki hideout. I am Hakushi. I am a medic ninja, and a prisoner, just like you. You are very ill."
"What's wrong with me?" Sakura asked in a strained voice.
"You are suffering from the snow-blindness, and you have burns on your face."
Sakura's hand trembled as she reached up to her face, but as before the old woman grabbed her wrist. "No, do not touch your eyes or your face."
"I am thirsty," Sakura told her.
She heard the woman move away, and when she returned, she lifted Sakura's head for her to drink. The water felt cool and soothing as it went down Sakura's parched throat. She wondered who the old woman was and what she was doing to her.
It was not yet daylight when Itachi made his way into Hakushi's room. Itachi had not been able to sleep. Several times during the night he had gone into the medic's room to see Sakura. Each time he found her to be sleeping fretfully.
When he entered the room, he found Neji sitting beside Sakura. His face was careworn and he lifted troubled eyes to Itachi.
"How did this happen?" Neji wanted to know.
Itachi peered down at the young man. "It was my fault. I was angry with her, and I did not take proper care of her."
"You were angry because she ran away, weren't you?"
"Yes. I think you should know that I have taken her as my wife."
Neji gave a rueful smile. "Yes, your friend told me."
"I could not understand why she wanted to leave me. It was a bad thing I did. If it were possible, I would wish myself in her place."
"She is going to be fine," Neji said with confidence. "I know she did not survive the raid on her mission to die now." His brow furrowed. "I am worried about her eyesight, though. I would hate for Sakura to be blind. She always saw such beauty in everything, and I believe she taught Naruto to look for that beauty as well."
"I would give up my sight to bring hers back," Itachi looked him in the eyes. "I am to blame for this."
"You do not know her very well, if you think she will hold you responsible. I think I should make sure Tenten is alright, and then come back." The younger man stood up and swiftly moved from the room. Itachi walked out a second later.
Itachi was still shadowed with guilt and didn't want to face forgiveness. He decided to go and search for Konan. She was sitting in front of the entranceway sharpening a kunai when Itachi approached her.
"How is Sakura this morning, Itachi?"
"I do not think she is much better," Itachi replied, sitting down and absent-mindedly testing another of the kunais for sharpness.
"I am saddened for her, my friend." Konan looked at Itachi closely. "Was she in this condition when you found her?"
Itachi avoided her eyes. "No."
"I see."
Itachi took a deep breath. "I have decided that when Sakura is healed, I will take her back to her own people."
Konan nodded, knowing how much it would cost Itachi to send the woman he loved away. "Have you tough this trough?"
Itachi stood up. "Yes. I have thought of little else. It was a mistake for me to think Sakura would ever be happy with me."
Konan watched as her comrade walked away. She was sad that Itachi and Sakura would be parted. She knew they both loved each other, but sometimes love just wasn't enough.
Neji and Itachi entered Hakushi's room. They could tell that Sakura was awake, because her head turned in their direction.
Neji stood silently for a moment. Sakura's face was smeared with some kind of white salve, and there was a white cloth tied around her head to protect her eyes. He glanced back in time to see Itachi slip silently back out the door.
"Is that you, Hakushi?" she inquired.
Neji moved to her slowly and dropped to his knees. "Sakura, it's me, Neji," he said, taking her hand in his.
"Neji? What are you doing here?"
"Tenten and I were captured by some Akatsuki scouts. We were taken to the hideout, and the leader was going to kill us, but he gave us to Itachi for good favor. We went through hell and over again in that damned place. I'm surprised to say it is a relief to be here."
"Itachi brought you here? But why? He had no use for captives."
"I believe he thought it would be a comfort to you to have friends from your village."
Sakura lapsed into silence. Itachi had gone to save her friends, and she had run off with Jiraiya. No wander he hated her now. How ungrateful he must think her.
"May I see, err, talk to Tenten?"
"I believe that woman…uh Konan went to get her for you."
Tenten walked beside Konan, who was taking her to see Sakura. She was anxious to see Sakura and know that she was alright. She thought how differently she was being treated now, compared to the way Yukeitaka had abused her. Everyone here had been very courteous. Today she was almost happy because she would see Sakura again.
As they neared Hakushi's room, Tenten could see Neji just inside.
"So," Konan's voice startled her for a moment. "The boy, Neji, he is special to you, no?"
Tenten nodded slowly, still finding it awkward to speak to and Akatsuki. "He was my teammate when we were Genin."
Konan laughed with an easy smile. "I think he likes you, but is afraid to say so."
Tenten remembered the abuse and degradation she had suffered at Yukeitaka's hand, and she wanted nothing to do with another man.
They entered the room, and Tenten couldn't help but gasp when she saw Sakura. Once Sakura had been blessed with extraordinary beauty, but no one would recognize he now as the beautiful, gentle girl she had once been.
Tenten walked slowly, hesitatingly toward her. Tears blinded her eyes as she dropped to her knees beside Sakura.
"Oh, Sakura, what have they done to you?" she cried, touching her arm.
"Tenten, how glad I am to see you," Sakura told her, clasping her hand. "Although to say I see you is a badly chosen word."
"Sakura, I'm just glad you are alive. We all thought you were dead."
"Are you really well, Tenten?"
"I am growing stronger everyday. Now that you are here, we can all be happy."
Sakura's head was aching and she was frightened of the darkness that enclosed her. Can I be happy now? Her face had been hideously damaged, and she was blind. She loved Itachi so desperately and he despised her. He had not even come to see her. No, I see no happiness in my future.
As the days passed, Sakura had found that without her sight, her hearing had become more acute. She was now able to tell who had entered the room just by the sound of their footsteps. Neji's footsteps were calm and sure. Deidara's were springy and lively. Konan's were slow and careful, and she could even tell Tenten's as well. Sometimes she would here a silence and would know that someone whose footsteps she did not detect had entered. She didn't hear him but felt his presence, and she knew it was Itachi. On these occasions he never spoke to her. He would stand silently for a moment, and then leave. Sakura would want to cover her face, knowing how horrible she must look, but she never did.
Hakushi had told Sakura that she was now well enough to sit up, but the old medic would not allow her to get up yet. Sakura was beginning to love the old woman who tended her so faithfully. The love she had once given Granny Chiyo, was now transferred to Hakushi.
The old woman had never married and lived a solitary life until being captured. She had told Sakura that Itachi had promised her freedom if she helped his wife while she was ill.
One night when the camp was quiet, Hakushi came to Sakura and sat down beside her. She gave Sakura some foul-tasting medicine to take, and then handed her the water to wash it down with.
"What do you look like?" Sakura inquired.
The old woman laughed. "I look like I am old and tired, and have lived too long upon this land."
"I am very grateful to you for tending me."
"I was bribed to give you the cure," Hakushi said in a gruff voice.
Sakura smiled. "That may be, but I thank you all the same."
Hakushi gazed at Sakura, whose eyes were bound with a soft doeskin blindfold to keep the sunlight from penetrating them. The skin on her face looked red and angry beneath the pasty white powder the old woman had put on it.
Hakushi had not once heard the young girl complain, although she knew her to b in pain most of the time. The medic had grown to admire the pink-haired girl, and to look on her as the daughter she never had.
"Hakushi… do you think I will ever regain my… eyesight?" Sakura asked hesitantly.
"I cannot tell yet. You must keep the blindfold in place for many days."
"Is my face going to be scarred?"
"This I do not know either. Your fate rests with Kami."
Sakura felt panic rise from deep inside her. She couldn't bear to think that she would never see the bright blue skies or a field of spring flowers again. She would not be able to see Naruto become Hokage, and she would never look upon Itachi's face again.
Perhaps it was best, for she wouldn't be able to stand the look of horror in his eyes when he looked at her scarred face.
Hakushi could tell that Sakura was troubled so she tried to distract her. "Tomorrow I will allow you to get up and walk outside for a little while. The Tall wind has caused the weather to turn warm."
"What is the Tall wind?" Sakura asked with interest.
"It is a warm wind that sometimes blows down from the mountains to melt the snow."
"I am afraid to go outside and have everyone stare at me. It is unsettling to know that people can see me and I cannot see them."
"One cannot hide from life, Sakura. It is time that you faced the world again," Hakushi said, knowing what Sakura was feeling.
"I am not sure I am quite ready to face the world, Hakushi."
"Yes, it is time. You will face what you must."
Sakura shivered, thinking how everyone would stare at her. Tomorrow would be an ordeal for her to overcome.
Itachi and Neji walked across the river, returning from the forest. Itachi had taken Neji away from the village to explain the fact that he was planning to return them to a nearby village. He had been surprised at the reluctance he saw flash through the man's eyes, but he chose to ignore it. He would let the young man deal with his own inner demons. If he had a reason to stay in the Akatsuki, well, he supposed he could use another helper. He didn't even think it would be so bad.
When they made it across the river, Neji headed straight for the entrance. He wanted to tell Sakura that Itachi was taking them to the nearest village as soon as she was healed enough to travel.
As he neared to opening, he saw Sakura holding on to the arm of the old medic nin. He watched as she took a hesitant step. She is going to be all right, Neji thought happily.
He walked over and stood beside her, watching her smile at the old woman.
"I feel like walking farther, Hakushi. I am not as weak as I thought I would be."
"No, you must not do to much the first day. Each day you will walk more. Soon you will be able to walk as far as the river."
Itachi watched from a distance. His heart was lighter than it had been in many days. He was happy that Sakura was regaining her strength, but sad that she still wore the blindfold about her eyes. It's not a fair trade, he thought: she stole my heart, but I robbed her of her eyesight. Moving in a ninja speed, he passed them and entered his room, thinking how empty it seemed without Sakura.
Sakura wished she could talk to Itachi. Why doesn't he ever talk to me? She wished she could tell him that she was sorry for running away from him. She wanted and needed her comforting arms more than ever. He didn't love her anymore; she would have to live with his coldness from now an. She knew she must appear ugly, and when her skin began to heal, it would leave horrible scars. Itachi would never look upon her with favor again.
Neji led her back in the room and helped her lie down. He sat down beside her and told her that Itachi had spoken with him. "You will miss him, won't you?"
"What are you talking about, Neji?" she asked, feeling pain in her heart.
"Itachi told me today that when you were well, he would take her to the neatest village."
Sakura felt tears soak into the leather blindfold. He was going to send her away: he no longer wanted to be near her. She turned over on her side and felt the misery of heartbreak. She had tried to run away from him and he had brought her back. Now she wanted to stay with him and he was sending him away. Why is life so unfair? Why am I always forced to do what I don't want to?
"You're tired now, Sakura, I'll leave you alone to rest." Neji said, standing up.
Sakura nodded her head, to miserable to answer him.
Tenten stumbled and dropped the pile of wood she had been carrying. When she bent down to pick it up, a strong hand went about her waist and moved her aside. She looked fearfully at Deidara as he knelt down and picked up the wood. She wanted to flee, remembering to cruel way Yukeitaka had treated her. Does this man have the same thing in mind for me? Tenten wondered.
"This is too heavy for you since you have been ill," Deidara told her. "I will carry it for you."
Tenten felt her knees tremble as his intense eyes swept her face. No, he was not like Yukeitaka, he was kind, she could see it in his eyes.
As he walked along beside her, she began to relax.
"My name is Deidara," he told her.
"I know, Konan told me."
When they reached the hideout, he sat the wood on the ground and smiled at her.
"Perhaps we could talk again, if you wouldn't mind the company."
"Yes, I think I would like that," She answered him shyly.
She watched him walk away with a funny feeling. Sakura had told her that Itachi would be taking them to a village as soon as she was able to travel. Tenten had dreaded facing anyone after what Yukeitaka had done to her. She was happier now than she had been since they were captured. She wasn't so sure she wanted to go with Sakura and Neji when they departed.
READ THIS PLEASE!!!
I cant decide if I want to use a Neji and Tenten pairing or not. I want to put Tenten and Deidara together, and make them a minor pairing. Then I want to put Neji with Konan, mainly in the sequel. This would fit my story better, but I don't want to loose my reviewers. I might just do it anyway, but I don't want to hurt anyone's expectations about the story. I, myself, hate it when that happens. I need your feedback!!! R&R, PLZ