Chapter 36

Rebuilding

Haku and Sakura felt the pull of Itachi and Sasuke's Chakra. They followed the pulls each step becoming more painful than the last, but it would be worth it to see their friends again. Suddenly the mist was gone and everything was black. They opened their eyes to see it was still raining. Both boys were crying. Haku smiled to herself. She couldn't help it. The fact that someone cared for as her much as Itachi did made her feel good.

"Itachi you're not crying are you?" Itachi looked down and he smiled as he pulled Haku up to him and hugged tight.

"Of course I'm crying." Sasuke pulled Sakura up into a tight hug and continued to cry.

"Sasuke you're going to suffocate me." whispered Sakura, Sasuke hugged her even tighter, which made her start to cough.

"Be careful with her. She was just in death or near it and neither she nor I have any plans on going back for a long time." Itachi laughed

"How many times have you been in death?"

"More than anyone on else on the planet." She laughed weakly as Itachi lifted her up off the ground and held her close to him.

"Are you ready to go home?"

"Awe no epic battle?" Itachi snorted.

"You were a dog for most of the epic battle. Besides there's still work to be done." He looked down at the village. Smoke and cries echoed up from the streets below them. Haku staggered to her feet. Sakura used Sasuke to help her up. She looked down at the carnage. Sighing she drew a rubber band from her tattered pouch, swiftly tying her hair back out of her face.

"Guess we've got a lot of work ahead of us." Haku smiled with mischief.

"Admit it, you wouldn't have it any other way." Sakura looked down, there would be many dead. Both of them knew it. She wasn't looking forward to the cost of this.

"If no one died, yeah." Together the women jumped down, jarring their wounds. It was all the boys could just to keep up. Sakura and Haku spilt up. Sasuke followed Sakura while Itachi turned following Haku. Sakura found the medic tent and got down to work instantly. Sasuke hovered almost protectively as she worked tirelessly to save everyone. He was awed. But she began to tire. Then the stone that Haku gave him warmed against his skin. Looking through his Sharingan he watched as chakra was transferred from the stone to Sakura. He shook his head. That woman.

Haku stopped at the highest point of the tallest building. Itachi watched her back. She wove a massive jutsu that he didn't try to follow. when she released it energy condensed into her throat. She opened her mouth and a sound echoed over the battlefield. It went on and on and rolled over the walls and through the surrounding forest. Then abruptly the sound ended. A sound came as every bird in the surrounding area took to the skies. Everything from humming birds to giant harpy eagles. The birds made a cloud circling over the village.

"Time to clear out the trash."

"You're using them as eyes." Haku smiled and nodded. Itachi noticed sweat broke out over her forehead and her clasped hands were trembling. Sorting through that many minds would be a lot for someone who just came back from death. Warmth pressed up against his skin over. Reaching into his shirt he drew out the spirit stone. It pulsed blue and seemed to radiate chakra. Looking closer he realized it was passing chakra to Haku.

"I had insurance that you and Sasuke couldn't kill each other while you had those stones. However I didn't count on the fact that that would result in back fire onto the village." Haku took a deep breath and started mumbling enemy positions; Itachi assumed she had also connected herself to the village's communication network. "Watch my back, I can't move."

An enemy ninja snuck up and tried to execute Haku while she was defenseless. Itachi was merciless in his protection. He had lost her enough for one lifetime. It was hours before Haku released her birds and summoned new animals. This time she called mice, rats, squirrels, cats, dogs, and any other animal that could move freely through the ruined streets. Together they were able to clear all the enemy ninja.

Haku freed the last of her animals before turning to a panting Itachi. He stood in a pile of twelve bodies. Already they were being devoured by his black flames. When they were gone Haku grabbed Itachi as he staggered. She helped him sit so his back was leaning up against the pole she had been standing on.

"Rest love." he looked up at her. She kissed him then flopped down next to him. "I think I'll rest too." he chuckled as she curled up beside him laying her head in his lap. Her cat ears twitched listening for an enemy approach. She raised her head briefly and sighed, "About time."

"What?"

"Isora and his doctors are here. I can hear their horses racing through the streets." Itachi extracted himself from under Haku then scooped her up and cradling her against his chest.

"Let's go find him then."

"Hey what are you doing?" Itachi was starting to make his way down to the street.

"You need to see a proper doctor." Haku cringed.

"Isora is going to kill me for this."

"Don't worry I won't let him hurt you." whispered Itachi.

"Yeah whatever. But you still didn't answer my question."

"I'm carrying you down to the hospital." Itachi answered again.

"I am perfectly capable of walking." She growled threateningly at him

"And your point?" a smirk was pulling at his lips

"I would like to walk."

"No." he replied simply

"You know this is considered kidnapping?"

"Arrest me." she snarled, "Besides it gives me the chances to make up for everything."

"How?" Itachi pulled Haku up and kissed her. Haku normally would have slapped him but she decided to let this one go.

"You always taught me to take every opportunity I could get." Haku looked at him and said,

"No, I taught you to listen and wait."

"What better time than when I get you back from the dead?" She grumbled all the way to hospital, but he knew he's won this one.

Back in the field medic camp Sasuke was pulling Sakura to another room with a cot.

"Oh no, you're not." Sakura was insisting on working even though she didn't have the strength to move. Sasuke ignored her protests and picked her up and dumping her into the cot. Isora came in before she could even sit up.

"Hey doc, can you check her over?" Sakura opened her mouth to protest. "As a doctor you know better than anyone that it won't help anyone if you work yourself to death."

"He's right Sakura." This time a woman entered the room. Lady Tsunade. Sakura ducked her head in a bow.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade sama." the older woman looked at Sasuke. He swallowed and she grunted.

"Watch her. She tries to get out of that bed you have permission to sedate her." Isora nodded and Sasuke was a little taken aback. Tsunade left without another word.

"Still the best student we ever had." Isora said as the older woman left to begin work saving lives. "I'll be right back, just need a few things." he scurried out of the tent.

"I wonder what Naruto is going to say when he sees me alone in your tent with you."

"He'll probably want to kill you." Sakura replied Sasuke snorted.

"I don't think you would let that happen." Sakura raised her eyebrows

"Do you want to bet? You're the reason I'm stuck here."

"My life." Sakura was in a stunned silence. Sasuke leaned down and kissed her.

"I take it you could care less what Naruto says?"

"Nearly losing you made me realize how much I didn't want to let go of you." Sakura looked up at Sasuke then she let her gaze drift.

"You know Orochimaru really did kill both me and Haku." Sasuke looked down at her,

"That is impossible. You wouldn't be here now if that was true." Sasuke seemed to be searching for trickery in Sakura's eyes, but could find none.

"Nope it is possible. Think I was stabbed through the heart. My heart was completely shredded. I was dead. And a moment ago I was dead, or at least in limbo." Sasuke nodded reluctantly he knew she was right he just didn't want to believe it.

"I know your right, but I guess I don't want you to be right." Sakura waited for him to finish but after a moment she realized that he was.

"Why don't you want me to be right?" Sasuke looked at her then smiled weakly.

"Because that means I failed you twice and in less than a hour apart. That has to be some kind of a record."

"Well if you think about it Haku has died more than I have so that means you're not the worst."

"Are you trying to make my brother look worse than me?"

"It isn't hard." He laughed, actually laughed.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Never mind." A few minutes later Itachi came in carrying a sleeping Haku. He put her down on the spare cot. Sakura was sleeping peacefully on her own cot. The brothers locked eyes. For a long moment there was only silence between them. It was Itachi who reached out first.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry. I was a fool."

"You weren't the only one tricked." Itachi nodded and they lapsed into silence again, only this one was much more comfortable.

"So are you going to propose?" asked Itachi

"Yeah."

"And you?"

"Not yet. Maybe another year or so."

"Wait too long and she'll give up on waiting."

"No, she won't. But do you have the band yet?" Itachi shifted Haku to his right arm and reached into his pocket pulling out a small gold ring. Engraved were the words 'I love you' and a ruby sat on each side of in inscription.

"Where did you get it?"

"Made it."

"When?"

"When Haku was in that sleep. I came there almost every week hoping she would be awake so I could give it to her, but up tell now I never got the chance." Sasuke smiled.

"I'm glad she going to be your wife."

"Why?"

"Because she could give you more hell than anyone else could." Itachi nodded.

"Yeah she sure has a knack for that, same with yours."

"Yep. Do you think she knows about the ring?"

"Nope, made sure it was never on my mind."

"Well I bet they both know now."

"Why do you say that?"

"Think about it. I swear Sakura always knows when I come to visit her at night it is like she never really asleep just waiting with her eyes closed. And then when I'm right next to her with no way of getting away she wakes up." Itachi laughed

"Come to think of it when I visited Haku at night she was always asleep but when I came close enough to be seen she'd wake up and catch me." Sakura and Haku had to bite their tongues to keep from smiling.

It took weeks for the village to truly begin rebuilding. Haku called in favors from her family. Supplies were brought in and even some friendly nations sent their support. Every day the sounds of hammers and saws echoed through the streets. Everyone pitched in to help, from the youngest to the oldest. Food was prepared for the workers and water brought to everyone.

Once everything was starting to come together is when the funerals were held. Haku walked the line of photographs. So many all for what was in her. Maybe mankind didn't deserve to any chance at what she held. Her friends Kasai, Kuki, Megami, Anubis, Saru, and Thomas walked with her. People tried to move as far away from her and her animals as they could get. It was only Itachi, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sai who dared approach her.

"How you feeling?" Naruto asked both Sakura and Haku. Both smiled and assured him they were fine. He didn't seem to believe her. Haku took Itachi's hand and pulled him aside.

"After this I need to head back to the mansion. Lots of things still need to be taken care of. You will come with me, won't you?" Itachi smiled and produced the ring his pocket.

"That depends on your answer to question that's been on my mind for a while." Haku looked at the ring and didn't even think.

"Yes."

"Then I'll follow you anywhere, even death." And so it was.