I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 24: I Grieve for Thee, My Friend
Naruto was grateful for the numbness in his limbs. Even with accelerated healing, he hurt beyond anything he'd ever endured before. Three of his severe wounds had closed, but the skin around each area was angry and bruised a dark purple. He winced as he gingerly touched his tender abdomen.
Damnit. Sakura-chan would have me fixed up in a heartbeat. He sighed and glanced around the area that confined him. Sakura-chan. I'm sorry. He felt like he'd failed her, yet Naruto was almost certain the medic was still alive. He had always believed that he would just know if something happened to Sakura, no matter how far apart they were. He couldn't detect her presence. All he could go on was blind faith that she was still okay.
"I see you're still alive."
The Kyuubi youth's attention snapped to the person speaking to him. His blue eyes narrowed. If he'd been more recovered and able to act on the rage that filled his body, they both would have been in trouble. "Sasuke!"
The sharingan user inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. "Naruto."
"Where's Sakura-chan?!"
"She's no longer your concern."
"The hell she isn't! Where is she! What did you do to her?"
Sasuke frowned in annoyance. "She's fine, Naruto. Relax."
They regarded one another for a moment in silence. Eventually, Naruto spoke again, his voice strained. "I want to see her."
"I can't allow that."
"I want to know she's all right!"
"My word will have to be enough for you," Sasuke said. "You two will see each other soon enough."
"You bastard!" Naruto snarled, rushing to the front of the holding cell. "I won't let you hurt her! Do what you want with me, but you let Sakura-chan go!"
"How admirable. She must mean a lot to you."
"How can you even say that!" Naruto bellowed. "Of course I still care about her, even if you don't!"
"Does she love you, too?"
Clearly taken aback, Naruto stumbled across his next words. "N-n-I-I-well-
I don't know! And I don't, you know…"
"Don't what?" The Uchiha's eyebrow rose with the question.
Naruto's face was bright red. "I don't love her in that way anymore, you idiot!"
His expression unreadable, Sasuke turned away from his former teammate. "The next few days will be difficult for you. I suggest you prepare."
Naruto watched Sasuke leave. As much as his heart ached to see his best friend again, the reality of Sasuke's recent activities weighed heavily in the blonde's mind. While Tsunade no longer considered the Uchiha redeemable, Naruto couldn't let go of the small seed of hope he'd nurtured since Sasuke left Konoha. The fact that Sakura was supposedly okay only served the nurture that hope.
Though they'd never talked about it, Naruto knew how Sasuke felt about Sakura. It was for that reason—and that reason alone—that Naruto had never disclosed his own feelings to the medic. It wouldn't have been fair to her. And, after a few years, his childhood crush had melded with his admiration of her, providing them both with an unbreakable bond of friendship.
If Sasuke hadn't killed Sakura, perhaps he still harbored some of his feelings for her.
For all their sakes, Naruto hoped he was right.
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"You know," Suigetsu ginned at Sakura. "I'm glad Sasuke asked me to keep an eye on you. I was wondering when we would get to talk again."
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"You see this sword?" He brandished the weapon, twirling it above his head. "This sword has two foes to pick from. Kakashi or Kisame. While it hungers for revenge, it also wants to defeat its brother-sword." He pointed the weapon at her. "You've held it. You know."
Sakura feigned interest as she tried to edge away from the blade. "It is an impressive weapon."
"Impressive? It's much more than impressive."
She stood and approached him, ignoring the predator-like way he watched her move. "How did you know the swordsmen again?"
Suigetsu wasn't sure just what Sakura was up to. Sasuke had taken Karin and Juugo, leaving Sakura in the mist-nin's care. That in and of itself was odd. Of late, the Uchiha had been overly possessive of his former teammate. What was stranger was the fact that Sakura was being nice to him. No, nice wasn't the word. She was being…attentive. Whatever her motive, he wasn't about to let her gain any advantage over him. He was almost certain Sakura knew his jutsus hinged on his hydration. She'd almost bested him once. He wouldn't give her an opportunity again.
"It's quite the story." He put his arm around her shoulders. "It all started back when I was a baby."
Sakura continued to nod as he talked. She made sure to over emphasize her facial expressions to make her listening seem genuine. She steered Sasuke's team member toward the table located in the center of the room. Once they were sitting, she propped her chin on her elbows in her best attempt at being enraptured.
Just as she'd predicted, after an extended period of time, Suigetsu began to fidget. Sakura did her best not to smile. She'd noticed this quirk in the mist-nin earlier in her captivity. Although he appeared to be composed of water, Sakura knew better. From observing him, she deduced his watery form was just an adaptation. She wasn't sure if it was a jutsu as she'd previously thought, or an adjustment Orochimaru had made in the laboratory. Either way, Suigetsu had bones just like any other shinobi she'd encountered. Judging by the way he couldn't sit comfortably, she knew he also had a kink in his neck.
"Um, I don't mean to interrupt," she smiled winningly, "but do you mind if I take a look at that?"
"Huh?"
She pointed to him. "I can help that, you know."
"It's no big deal. It's been like that since I was confined in the tank back in Sound."
She didn't give him the opportunity to argue. Abruptly she stood, positioning herself behind him in the chair. She placed a hand on either side of his neck. He tensed beneath her fingers.
"If you try anything," he cautioned, "Sasuke won't be able to find all the pieces I'll chop you into."
She patted him reassuringly. "Take it easy," Sakura mumbled. "I'm just trying to be nice. I'm a medic. This is what I do." She methodically worked her fingers as she talked, easing him in to trusting her. As she'd suspected, he was solid to the touch. His watery state was voluntary. "Some day you'll have to explain your ability to me," she said. "I'd be really interested, from a medical standpoint."
The mist-nin mumbled something incoherent, and Sakura smirked. With one hand she continued to massage the sore area of the neck. With the other hand, she smoothly slipped a rapidly dissolving pill into one of Suigetsu's water bottles.
Satisfied that he was unaware, she finished the deep tissue treatment and sat back down. "If I had access to my chakra, that would have been quicker." She smiled. "Never hurts to get back to basics, though."
Moving his head side to side, Suigetsu grinned. "Hey! That's pretty good!"
She looked at him innocently as his head bobbed.
"Wha.." He rubbed his eyes. "What's going…on…."
"Oh, sorry, Suigetsu! I forgot to tell you." She stood up as her chakra line slipped out of his hand. His head fell to the table. "I'm gonna be leaving."
Barely awake enough to acknowledge that he'd been duped, the member of Hawk closed his eyes to the image of Sakura jogging out of the room.
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"Sakura!"
The medic clasped Naruto's hands through the bars in the prison. "Naruto!"
"How did you—?"
"There's no time." She gestured to the chakra string around her ankle. "How about I free you if you free me?"
The Kyuubi youth grinned. "It's a deal!" He grabbed hold of the string and ripped it apart.
Sakura instantly felt her control over her chakra return. Her reserves were low, but if she focused miniscule amounts into the individual muscles she needed, she might have enough to do the job. Grasping the bars to Naruto's cell, she used the last reservoirs of her strength to bend the metal apart.
Her teammate was instantly in her arms, crushing her with the ferocity of his embrace. "Sakura-chan, I thought I'd never see you again," he said quietly.
Swallowing back tears, she returned the hug. "I know. I know."
"Where's Sasuke?"
She looked away. "I'm sure he'll be coming shortly. We need to get out of here. How do you feel about sewers?"
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Sasuke's attention was momentarily distracted from Karin and Juugo's training as Madara appeared beside him.
"Haruno Sakura has freed the Kyuubi."
Jaw clenched, Sasuke kept his gaze trained on his teammates. "Suigetsu?"
"Incapacitated."
He nodded. "We'll meet you in Konoha."
Madara stared at him for a long while before he nodded. "I let your mistake with the 8-tails slide. Do not disappoint me again."
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Supporting Naruto as they made their way out of the sewers, out of the city, and eventually into the forest surrounding Amegakure, Sakura used any extra chakra she had to discreetly heal her friend's injuries.
After the feeling of urgency lessened, Naruto asked her, "Sakura, did they," he looked away from her intense gaze, "hurt you?"
"They weren't kind, but I've suffered more during training sessions, I think."
He looked visibly relieved. "That's good. I don't think I could forgive Sasuke if he hurt you."
Her smile faded. "I don't know, Naruto. My faith in Sasuke is fading."
He chuckled, which surprised her. "He'll come through in the end, Sakura-chan. You'll see."
"He let Konoha burn. He stood by while our friends died."
"He's a shinobi." He cast her a sympathetic look. "Not a hero. You can't hold him to those standards."
For the first time in years, Sakura genuinely was angry with Naruto. "I hold him to the same standards that I hold myself."
"He's not us, Sakura-chan. He never has been. That's why he needs us. Sometimes people can't find their own way through the world. The path isn't as clear. Its people like that who need people like us."
Thoughtful, she was about to comment when a form descended on them from above.
Sakura scowled. "See, I told you he wouldn't be long behind us."
Sasuke watched them coolly. "The rest of the team will be along soon."
Sakura nodded, and much to Naruto's surprise, she started to walk towards the Uchiha. When the blonde didn't follow, she looked over her shoulder at him. "It's all right, Naruto. We're going back to Konoha."
Blue eyes looked from Sasuke to Sakura and then back again. "What?"
"Let's go." Sasuke leapt into the trees. "We need to get to the rendezvous point."
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Coming soon: Chapter 25 : Time Changes All Things
Author's Note: While I was hoping the end of this story would signify a vacation from fanfiction for me, I find myself inclined to start a new story. Many of you may not like it as I have decided if I do write another, that it will be an Itasaku.
That's right. You heard me. And in it Sasuke shall get the comeuppance I feel he deserves.
IF I decide to write another.