Chapter 21: Like Cracked Ice

Gaara

I regarded this silently, eyes closing and my face tilting skyward, letting the sun warm my face as the news sunk in. Sakura had been captured by Danzo –tortured by him. She was such a great strategist and now she had finally met her match.

"We've also learned that you, Lord Kazakage, know that she was working for the Akatsuki. Yet you failed to inform us, your allies. . ."

"She wasn't working for them. She was working with them." I turned towards the two. "And if you had an ounce of brainpower to understand what they held over her you two find it more admiring rather than an act of treason."

"Treason is what we speak of Lord Kazakage!" The man shouted. "You betrayed Konoha!"

"Really? Seems there is a lot of betrayal going around here."

"Kazakage-sama," the other said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What we ask is simple: are you with us, or against us?"

I hesitated for a moment; Hinata's chakra signature brushed mine. This would only endanger her if she stayed anyway, it was for the best.

"I am against you. In every aspect of the word, in every fiber of my being, for every oath I had every taken. You injured a dear friend of mine. I take any, if not all, injury you inflicted upon her into myself. I hereby break Sunagakure's alliance with Konohagakure."

The Leaf shinobi officials stared at him me agape mouths.

"E-excuse me, my lord?"

"Get out of my village."

Sakura

I had officially reached an all new level of trouble.

From my mind they learned everything.

The Elders scheduled my execution in front of the entire village for all of Konohagakure to know who I was leaving my name tarnished and my grave to be stomped on by every friend I'd ever made here.

People had come to talk, but they couldn't get past the guards. Only Tsunade-shishou and Shizune. The shadows contrasted over their white faces with mixed looks of horror and anger. Tsunade spoke first.

"Sakura," her voice was calm and drawn, as usual, rooted to the ground like the roots of sakura wood. I always had tried so hard to imitate that voice. "You are one of my most trusted, brightest student. Tell me why Danzo is doing these things to you, tell me that he is lying and I swear that I'll get you out of here."

I scrunched back in my cage, unable to look in her eyes, yet still searching to meet them. To look her in the eye and say the truth that bubbled in the back of my throat and shook me guilty. "It's. . .true. . .all of it."

Tsunade said nothing for a long time, a blood vessel popping out in her forehead. "What! ?"

"I'm sorry, from the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry."

For the first time in a long time I didn't hold back that gnawing feeling that made me want to cry. . .but it never came, I couldn't cry. I screamed in fury and slammed my fist down hard on the bottom of the metal cage and seethed when the pain pleasantly shot through me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. . .I didn't want to hold anything; I deserved a few tears after holding everything back for the last sixteen years of my life.

But I couldn't.

I just couldn't.

I was breaking like ice in the spring.

Naruto

No, that one word echoed around my head. Bouncing off the walls and ricocheting back at me. No this can't be right! Shikamaru chased me through the village. Trailing behind as a tore up the ground under me and pushed my body forward, towards the Hokage Tower.

I charged up the stairs and into Tsunade's office.

Danzo was there. . .and Sai. . .

Rage filled me.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER! ?" The door handle bent in my hand, imagining it to be his neck. Sai's gaze followed it, but his face portrayed nothing of his emotions.

"Naruto-kun. . ." Sai turned halfway, but stopped. Dark eyes glancing towards Danzo and falling silent again. He didn't dare speak.

Coward! I took a step forward, but Shikamaru stopped me.

"Don't do anything reckless." he muttered. "Attacking Dnzo-sama, or Sai, won't help Sakura." Shikamaru's words iced my temper, peaking towards where the Kyuubi would usually step in and take over. I was shaking from the sudden rise and fall of adrenaline, realizing my thoughts and all the things I wanted to do to Danzo -to make him regret ever messing with someone as close to me a Sakura.

"Naruto. . ." Tsunade stood from her desk. "Get out of here Danzo, I'll deal with you later."

"As you wish, my lady." Danzo bowed slightly, seeming very smug abou it, and turned to leave. He walked slowly, the tap of his cane on the floor; the limp in his step; everything about him irked me –deeply. I wanted to rip him to shreds; I wanted to hit him. . .

. . .but I did nothing as he passed me in the doorway.

Danzo stopped once out the door, my muscles coiled as if to pounce, and he turning his head slightly towards Shikamaru. His expression calm. "I'd like to thank you once again for your observation, Nara-san. It was. . .most helpful."

He walked off and Shikamaru pushed me inside, locking the door behind him.

Tsunade glared, but it was her usual one. No, this one was more cat-like. Like when Sakura had glared at the Akatsuki members; sadistic. A glare that said 'you've done something bad, now I must punish you' sort of glare.

And it was directed at Shikamaru.

"So it was you. You were Danzo's little roach." She hissed, easing herself back into her seat. "I thought I'd be able to squash you before it came to this. . .Well, you helping Danzo. Not Sakura turning out to be an Akatsuki."

My eyes widened.

"Lady Tsunade you spoke with Sakura?" asked Sai.

Tsunade's expression changed dramatically, falling into a look of worry that made her seem years older. "Hai, I did. . .she admitted to everything. . ."

My heart dropped.

"No. . ." I whispered.

Everyone stared at me as I said it.

"No, there has to be a mistake."

Sakura

It was all about how you held yourself in near-death situations, I realized. Emotions are not allowed to cross your face, that's what made strong shinobi, a mask that told nothing while you silently sloth around your opponent.

My mask had been a cheerful, care-free kunoichi with great ambitions and a trouble past that she very rarely spoke of. The kind girl. The sister. The daughter. The student. The healer.

I couldn't find that girl anymore.

She was ripped away from me and I felt empty without her to grasp onto.

Who was I?

Why am I here?

How do I act?

What am I?

Naruto

Shikamaru and Sai had offered to walk be back to my house, but I brushed them off.

I didn't want anyone who believed this near me.

But everyone did, they had denied it at first then had 'faced the facts'.

I had no one.

I was alone again.

"Where do you learn all this?" I asked.

The memory hit me hard.

"Nowhere…" Sakura's attention stayed to my ankle, mending what needed to be fixed.

"Sakura. . ." I whined. She was reluctant to look me in the eye, she was hiding something. Whenever Sakura hid something, she hid it well. Buried it and forgot about it. But this matter, the one of what laid asleep inside me, wouldn't stay buried. I had to know what she knew, I wanted to know why she stayed my friend reguardless. "Please?"

She gave me a look of muse, like an adult staring at a young child. "Huh, you'd be kicking and screaming if you knew the real reason. You'd never talk to me again…" She hadn't smiled when she said it. Nothing to cushion the blow. "Not everyone can go to heaven Naruto. Some of us go to hell and are tortured for our sins."

I stared at the hand that had taken hers, closing it the same way I had then.

What was her sin? I pondered this one a minute. Living?

Pein

The book had dropped with a sudden thud, clashing to the ground, the sound echoed around the room. It had slipped from Konan's fingers as she moved to return it to it's place on the bookshelf. Konan, who was a still as a frightened animal, eye staying straight ahead.

Someone had contacted her through the mindlink.

"No. . ." she whispered.

For a brief moment, I was terrified.

What had happened? What was Itachi telling her?

Konan's gold eyes met mine.

"She's been found out. . ."

~Important~ Yeah, I know when I started this story I read the manga and thought Konan's eyes were blue, but then I found out their gold. And then I thought (well, this may make me a sucky writer) that Sakura's eyes should be gold at birth, but when Saku entered her body they changed to blue. I did imagine Saku with blue eyes. Also that fact would help in the last story :3 (don't snap at me I don't use this often, I usually get my priorities straight first before I mess everything up).

On another note, I totally zombiefied this kid at a benafit for my best friend's dad. I don't know him, but I got to paint his face, though, really I used make-up to give him fake stitches, discolored skin, bloody lips and sores. I love that kid he sat at the booth a long time and watched 'Lost Tapes' with me and my friends. Then he told us about his parents divorce and asked if either of us would be his new mom. (He was so cute)

LALALALa -Yeah, I heard about that him. He was trying to immitate Gaara, so he buried his head in a sandbox with his friends and sufficated. Poor boy.

Song(s) that Inspired: I'm Just a Kid by Simple Plan (It's sad. It helped me through so many hateful days too :'l )

Comments? Questions? Concerns?

Reveiw me!

~QueenVamp