Chapter: Twenty-Nine
Title: Crossing Bridges
Author: Juniper11
Beta: BlueArcticWolf
Previously on Reflection:
Saku was walking to Naruto's place when she suddenly felt Kakashi at her side. It would have startled her but for some reason she had been expecting him. She wanted to question him about his fight with Itachi but she didn't really think she wanted to know the outcome. He looked bad though and she wanted to offer to heal him, but she wasn't doing so great herself. Sakura had healed her but she still felt like she had been hit with a truck and she knew she'd probably feel that way for a few days and since misery loved company….
"Saku," Kakashi began and Saku raised her head and looked up at him hesitantly, "If I asked you to leave with me…for that other world…would you?" Saku's mouth gaped open as she stared at Kakashi stunned. Was he…no, he couldn't be. Could he?
:::
The night was silent as a grave. It was as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for her reply. In actuality the only person holding their breath was Saku herself. Did she dare simply answer the question? Blurt out an answer and hope for the best? Saku smirked inwardly, knowing there was no way she could do that. Her situation with Kakashi was too precarious to throw caution to the wind. Their feelings were too delicate at this point to risk throwing everything away on a feeling. She had to be cautious because perhaps her reckless behavior in the past is what destroyed them once before.
"I suppose, Kakashi, that would depend upon why you asked me in the first place."
His movements stilled for a moment and Saku was certain that for a brief moment he smiled before all traces of it disappeared. She had turned the tables, tossing the ball back in his court because he wasn't the only one that had a major stake in the outcome of them.
Saku's heart was hammering in her chest and she was certain he could hear it but she forced herself to meet his eye and await his reply like the woman that she was. Saku raised her hand up and ran it through her hair knowing the action would throw her hair askew but too nervous to care about it.
"And if it was because I wanted us to start over, give us a fresh start?"
"Then I'd say-even though it sounds rather corny 'I'll follow you anywhere'… but you're not asking are you?" Kakashi didn't reply but Sakura knew what his answer was anyway. He wasn't asking but that didn't matter to her because the fact that he had even considering a fresh start between them meant that they were healing and one day things would be alright between the two of them and she was happy with that. In life you had to treasure the small things and Saku would, no matter what, treasure this moment.
Another word was not passed between them for the rest of the trip to her temporary home.
:::
Itachi hadn't slept the previous night. He'd spent the entire night cleaning the room that he and Hatake had destroyed, not because he felt any guilt for doing it but rather because he didn't think he could go into the room he shared with Sakura and be content with the thought of her leaving soon.
He'd find some way to convince her to stay.
His eyes were blurry and bloodshot but he buried the temptation to rub them and kept working. His worried mind turned to his mother's outrageous request to bring the insane Sasuke of the otherworld to her. He was at a loss at how to achieve such a goal since both Sakuras were already in this dimension. However, Itachi knew that the Sasuke in that dimension was not going to rest until he found peace. His family had been ripped from him, and until he was able to return his heart to some semblance of order, he would continue to be a destructive and violent force. The Uchiha heir shook his head and sighed. Such anger in one person was devastating, but within his own brother…
No, that wasn't a conversation he could get out of. In fact, he didn't want to. He wanted to meet this man, this Sasuke that Sakura felt the strong urge to protect. The Sasuke that Sakura was willing to sacrifice so much for.
He wasn't sure how long he pondered the problem before he heard someone clear their throat. Itachi raised his head slowly to see Sakura standing in the doorway. Her hair was mussed from sleep and she wore-once again-one of his t-shirts. That almost eased some of the frustration that was welling up within him. However, everyone knew that almost didn't count.
"You didn't come to bed last night." A blush stained her cheeks as she said the words and Itachi reluctantly felt his lips quirk upward. He glanced around the room and saw what he had accomplished-which was surprisingly a lot. The room looked a million times better. All that was left to take care of was the actual hole in the wall and he was sure he could have that taken care of if he hired a few genin and thereafter reinforced the structure with a jutsu or two.
Sakura stared at him expectantly and he realized that she wanted him to say something, anything to her. Words came to mind but they would do him no good. So he decided to state the obvious and hope the peace between them held. He was in no mood for an argument or any justifications. The only thing they would do is anger him and right that second he was too tired to be angry.
"No, I did not."
She was silent a while before she crossed the room to stand before him. She looked up at him with her emerald eyes shining brilliantly and said,
"You should have."
Before he could reply she interlaced her fingers with his and dragged him out the damaged room and insisted he shower and then rest. He didn't fight her since an argument was what he had been avoiding in the first place.
So he stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over his body, removing all the grime and sweat that he had accumulated through the night. The sound of the water beating down on him soothed him in a way that it never had before. The water hit his face and Itachi closed his eyes, accepting the onslaught briefly before tilting his head back stretching a bit. Thereafter he grabbed his towel and a bar a soap. He lathered up and began running the towel over his body in a habitual manner. He froze when he heard the door to the bathroom open, his mind going immediately into fight mode-even though he was exhausted-until he heard Sakura's voice call out,
"It's just me." His brow furrowed in puzzlement until he felt her slip into the shower behind him.
"Don't turn around." Her voice sounded mildly panicked and Itachi closed his eyes wondering if she knew that words like that only heightened the temptation to do exactly that. Especially when he felt her fingers sink into his hair.
"Sakura-"
"Hush, let me do this." Itachi said nothing, knowing that he was too tall for her to wash his hair thoroughly but amazingly somehow she was able to do it. He nearly groaned when he felt her fingers massaging his scalp. He had learned that there were many things in life that were pleasurable but this was one that took the cake. His eyes fluttered soaking in the delicious sensations that her touch was evoking within him. He had never had anyone wash his hair before.
"Itachi," Sakura began. Her voice trembled slightly but her hands continued their wicked pleasure upon his head. "I know…that you know…I'm worried about my boys." Itachi felt his shoulders begin to tense but Sakura's hands immediately slipped down to his shoulders and began to ease the tension out of them before her hands drifted once more to his mane. Her firm but gentle touch was undoing him and he wondered briefly if she knew that she was turning him into putty in her hands.
"Yes, I admit my first impulse was to go back to them as soon as possible. Because whether or you realize it or not, my Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto are rather reckless. Someone has to keep them in line-and for many years now that has been my job. So much so that it's second nature to do what I must to protect them. Itachi, I'm not making excuses," Sakura said when she thought Itachi was going to pull away. "I'm just telling it like it is. Yes, I'd like to talk some sense into them but last night, when you didn't come to bed I realized something." Sakura sighed deeply. "My place is with you. I'm having difficulty letting them go and so I went about things the wrong way. I should have spoken to you immediately so that we could come up with a solution together. Look, I've been so confused lately but there's one thing that I can say without a shadow of a doubt right now and that is I want to be with you. That wherever you go I'll follow. I may seem silly and wishy-washy but I don't know how else I'm supposed to feel. I really don't know what I'm supposed to do in a situation like this but I'm trying. I'm trying really hard but I need-"
In that moment Itachi turned around ignoring her squeak of protest only to find that she had henged herself into a much taller woman. His eyes drank her in as she desperately tried to cover herself. Her henge dispersed and before she could say another word Itachi pulled her into his arms ensuring that she wouldn't be able to say anything.
:::
Morning came and Saku found herself in Naruto's kitchen scrounging for food. She was honestly tired of fussing at the man about never having anything edible-and ramen was not considered edible but she knew better than anyone that it was a hopeless cause.
"Morning." Naruto said groggily as he went to the cabinets and pulled out some ramen. She wasn't even sure he was a hundred percent awake yet but somehow he knew everything he needed to get his ramen fix. Naruto had always possessed the ability to accomplish things while still on sleep mode. Whether it was simple mission work or cooking ramen, Naruto was able to function while still sleeping. Saku supposed it was because he was a jinchuuriki.
"Good morn-" Saku's voice was cut off when she felt a violent tremor. Saku's brow furrowed before she said to Naruto, "I'll be at the Hokage Tower if you need me."
When Saku arrived at the Tower she was not surprised to see that she wasn't the only one waiting to see the Hokage. She glanced at Sakura, Itachi, and Kakashi and then nodded her head slightly in acknowledgment. Saku opened her mouth to speak but Itachi shook his head slightly so she clamped her mouth shut and glanced instead at Kakashi's slumped form. His novel was in his hand but his eyes were resting upon her face rather than the book. He looked at her somewhat expectantly, and a blush formed on her cheeks. She slipped into a seat beside him, trying to ignore the look he was still giving her.
She wasn't sure how to react around him; their verbal attacks were over, but the pain of their memories were still fresh. Saku supposed that things simply were starting to get that 'too good to be true' feeling and she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Saku peeked at Kakashi out of the corner of her eye only to find that his attention had since returned to his book, and she heaved a sigh of relief. She thought she heard him chuckle, and while she wasn't sure if it was aimed at the book or her, she was happy to hear the laugh. It had been a very long time.
The occupant left the Hokage's office and she heard the woman in charge bellow Itachi's name. Itachi rose to his feet quickly, signaling for Sakura to join him. Kakashi stood to follow him as well and Saku rose to her feet but was a bit hesitant about whether or not to join them. She didn't know why it was just for a moment or two the whole situation felt surreal. Before her mind could delve into that more Kakashi's voice broke her thoughts.
"You coming?" Saku blinked and didn't reply, choosing instead to follow him into the office. Saku entered the office only to catch the tail end of Itachi's statement.
"-Solution now. We've wasted far too much time as it is."
Saku closed the door behind her noticing the Hokage gesture to her causing her hands to immediately fly into a jutsu to ensure no one overheard their conversation.
"I have given you a solution Itachi, and you refuse to implement it. So now you must present me with options. I've given that genius brain of yours plenty of time to come up with a solution and yet I've seen no results."
"It wouldn't have been an issue if Hatake hadn't retrieved Saku."
Saku's heart stopped for a minute and she glanced over at Sakura who slowly began to maneuver herself between Kakashi and Itachi. Saku suddenly felt it prudent that she do the same. The fight between the two was still fresh in her mind and it just wouldn't do for another to happen-especially in the Hokage's office. She'd kill them both.
"I wouldn't have retrieved her if she wasn't sent into a deathtrap in the first place."
"It was none of your concern." Itachi countered. "Saku can handle herself."
Kakashi opened his mouth to reply with a caustic remark but Tsunade slammed her fist down on her desk causing it to groan in complaint. "Shut the hell up, both of you. What's done is done. I won't be sending either woman back. In fact, I'm tired of being nice to you, Uchiha. This time I'm not asking for your opinion, or consent. What must be done must be done and if you're going to be Hokage you're going to have to learn that."
"Lady Tsunade-" Sakura began. Her tone was pleading and Saku wondered what Sakura knew that she didn't. She sent a puzzled glance Kakashi's way who only met her gaze and shrugged signifying his lack on intel as well. Saku sighed and decided to wait since the look on her mentor's face told her that she would find out sooner rather than later.
"Don't start with me girl. You know as well as I that this is the best solution." Sakura's head drooped and Saku felt her heart speed of at the thought of a solution that would settle things once and for all.
A knock on the door startled them. But what startled them more was that the person who knocked didn't wait for a response before entering. He closed the door behind and moved to stand in front of the Hokage's desk.
Saku frowned and opened her mouth but before she could speak the Hokage's voice drowned out her thoughts.
"Uchiha Sasuke, you are hereby issued with an S-Class Mission. Your objective is go to the alter world and neutralize or eliminate the threat known as Danzo. Once this has been completed, you will no longer be a ninja of this dimension."
-AN—This was supposed to be the last chapter and the next was to be the epilogue but it kept going on and on and on so I'm splitting it up so you won't continue to wait. Sorry for the delay.
