[AN: Thanks for the feedback on the last chapter... it's been a bit of an emotional slog, so it's been wonderful to hear that people are reading and finding the storyline compelling. Thanks as well for your thoughts on what my next story should be! If anyone is interested, I've forged ahead with the first chapter of the sequel to "Good Vibrations" ("Great Expectations")... I was planning on waiting until finishing this to post it, but I got the first chapter completed and figured why the hell not? As usual, this content is rated M, and I do not own Naruto. Also, I'm going to be away for a couple of weeks, so I'm anticipating a bit of a longer than usual gap between this chapter and the next one. Thank you in advance for bearing with me!]
Chapter 36: The Return
As he stood to face his one-time sensei, Itachi's lifeless body at his feet, Sasuke felt the anger that had been the driving force behind so many of his actions over the past few months bubbling to the surface again. Sakura was dead. Itachi was dead. He didn't deny his culpability - had he only listened, had he realized how fully Tobi was manipulating him, had he recognized that wholescale destruction would truly only duplicate the wrong Danzo had committed against his clan a decade ago - but the fact that the fate of his brother's body would seemingly be determined by those very same men and women who had so brutally used him in life was maddening. Abused in life… abused in death. When would it end?
His skin prickled with the sudden awareness that his one-on-one with Kakashi was about to be interrupted. He wasn't enough of a sensor to gauge the identities, exact numbers, or specific abilities of whomever was approaching, but that was really immaterial. For Sasuke knew what he, she or (most likely) they were after. Himself. Itachi. Itachi's eyes.
Scrutinizing the Copy Ninja's largely hidden face, the Uchiha found himself darkly tempted to go against the man's well-intentioned bequest and take on the approaching Leaf nin. In a way, it would be fitting: A final protestation - for he would eventually be detained, Mangekyo Sharingan or not - against the treatment to which Itachi continued to be subjected by the village he had done nothing but loyally serve, even in death. But he couldn't. Now, Sasuke had no particular qualms against defying Kakashi's orders... it wouldn't exactly be the first time. But, in their final conversation, as his nii-san took his shuddering last breaths, he had promised Itachi that he would honor his memory, and taking out a squad of Konoha shinobi was definitely not the way to go about doing that. After all, having spent the last two months by Itachi's side, it was impossible to deny that, somehow, his aniki considered himself a loyal shinobi of the Leaf to the bitter end. While he himself was not quite ready to return to the fold - as long as Danzo remained free, that was simply not an option - he was finished with Tobi's plan for total devastation.
And so, Sasuke stood, silent and more-or-less composed, as a troop of eight masked ANBU arrived on the scene, joined by a brown-haired man chewing on a senbon whom he vaguely recognized from the chunin exams and a pale, dark-haired woman with wide, black eyes. Signaling for the platoon to stop slightly behind him, the senbon wielder approached Kakashi with a right-handed salute, his laconic tone a stark contrast with the sharpness of his gaze as his eyes raked over Sasuke's form. "All right there, Hatake?"
Kakashi shrugged in feigned nonchalance. "Mah, I've been better. Glad to see you still in one piece, though, Genma. And you, Shizune-san." He tilted his head slightly, clearly noticing the senbon user's focus. "You remember Uchiha Sasuke, I'm sure?"
What was this, some sort of tea party? Get to the point already. In his time away from the village, Sasuke had forgotten about this particular aspect of his former sensei's personality. It had always somewhat grated on his nerves, and now was no exception. Not that he intended to show it, of course.
For his part, Genma nodded shortly, eyes dropping swiftly to the earth. Despite his intentions to go quietly, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a certain rush of satisfaction at the knowledge that none of the new arrivals dared to even come close to meeting his eyes. "That is why we're here," the man commented simply, attention wandering over the rest of the scene: Kakashi's exhausted body, the massive corpse of Orochimaru's summons, and the whole-scale destruction caused by Pein. Then, his pupils widened slightly, having evidently caught sight of Itachi's lifeless body. "Well, one of the reasons…"
"Say, Kakashi, you haven't seen Sakura, have you?" The dark-haired woman cut in, her voice possessing a warm tenderness that was foreign to Sasuke's ears after his time in Oto. "When Tsunade-sama enacted the evacuation protocol, Sakura-chan never showed up at the hospital. Katsuyu reported that she'd been on her way towards your apartment…. I don't suppose you happened to intercept her?"
"Sakura is dead." Sasuke wasn't really sure what compelled him to speak just then. After all, the question was intended for Kakashi, the Copy Ninja was deeply aware of what had transpired as well, and he himself was a traitor whose words probably counted for nothing. He crossed his arms somewhat defensively over his chest, heart twisting uncomfortably as the memory of Sakura's fate played out in his head anew, willing his face to retain its expressionless mask.
The already pale woman turned even whiter, mouth falling open in shock as her gaze drifted from his jugular to Kakashi's masked face. "Kakashi… is this true?" she gasped, the horror in her tone suggesting a certain intimacy with the kunoichi.
Who was she? A friend? A mentor? In his years away from Konoha, aside from her occasional appearances in his dreams, Sasuke hadn't really given much thought as to what Sakura was up to, consumed as he was by his desire to become strong enough to kill Itachi. But now, he found himself strangely curious, wishing to know more of the life she had led... how she'd learned and grown; what her apprenticeship under Senju Tsunade had been like; whom she spent her time with; whether she had moved on from him, involved herself with someone else. He'd never been much of a conversationalist, and his time in Oto hadn't exactly changed that, but the knowledge that he would never get the chance to know Sakura as an adult was a surprisingly bitter realization.
Out of his periphery, he saw Kakashi nod slowly. "I'm afraid so. Sakura-chan..." He trailed off, scratching the back of his head somewhat awkwardly, as if the words were difficult to come by. "She, ah, gave her life to save me, as it were."
Shizune sighed sadly. "Ah. That dear girl. She did always have a self-sacrificial streak, particularly when it came to those she cared for." Sniffing slightly, she blinked several times in quick succession in what was presumably an attempt to refocus her attention on the present. "Kakashi, given your current chakra levels, I'd insist on your reporting to the hospital before you keel over, but there isn't actually one at the moment. Ami and a couple of the other more senior medics are setting up a first-aid clinic about a mile from here, in one of the emergency evacuation shelters. I'm going to see to Sakura, and then I'll accompany you for treatment for chakra exhaustion and a psych evaluation. No ifs, ands, or buts."
"That really won't be necessary, Shizune-san," the Copy Ninja commented as the woman made her way over towards where Sakura lay, his hatred for hospitals seemingly intact. "I'm sure there are others who need looking after far more than this old man." Then, his tone grew sharper, visible eye drifting back to Genma's face, "Besides, I have an ex-student to track down… Naruto has gone to confront the man behind this attack."
The brown-haired man frowned, a twinge of concern creeping into his tone. "I know Naruto has a way with words, Kakashi, but Tsunade-sama's not exactly going to be thrilled to hear that you let him go running off to confront a member of the Akatsuki alone. For your sake, I do hope you thought that one through."
"It wasn't exactly like I had much a choice." Kakashi nodded towards where Sasuke stood. "Someone had to keep an eye on... local matters. If it eases your mind, Pakkun is with him."
Genma shrugged noncommittally. "Well, I'll leave the chewing out to Tsunade-sama. Kami knows, she is far better with such tasks than I. You should take an ANBU platoon with you after Naruto. Oh, and try not to use any more chakra if you can manage it... Shizune'll kill me." Then, his eyes flicked over to Sasuke, tone hardening. "The remaining five of us should be able to deal with the Uchiha."
Sasuke shifted his shoulders slightly, his distaste for what was about to transpire growing. Where would they take Itachi? Himself? The idea of letting his brother's corpse out of his sight was loathsome. Could this man and the four anonymous ANBU standing with him be trusted not to do something nefarious? They might be Leaf shinobi, but, thanks to Orochimaru, he was well aware of the lure of the Mangekyo's power and the manner in which individual ambitions could supercede even the most deeply sworn loyalties and ties. And even if they did do as they were told, what of the Elders? Of Danzo? Could he truly let Itachi's body be turned over to the likes of them?
To his credit, Kakashi seemed to recognize his wariness. His charcoal eye drifted lazily over Sasuke's visage, confidently meeting his gaze square on in a message that was impossible to miss. Much as he ignored the Copy Ninja's advice in the past and chafed under his authority, he had always seemed to have had his best interests at heart. "Genma is an old friend, Sasuke," he murmured softly. "He knew Itachi back in the day and is now part of Tsunade-sama's inner guard. I, for one, would trust him with my life, and I cannot say that about many other shinobi. When it comes to his motives, you have nothing to fear."
"Tch." Sasuke somewhat doubted that. After all, even if Genma wasn't after Itachi's eyes for himself, there was no telling what the Hokage and High Council would do once they got their hands on his body (or what his own punishment would be, for that matter). Still, Kakashi's faith in the senbon user was somewhat reassuring, and he didn't have much in the way of bargaining power at the moment. What was more, while he didn't have a deep knowledge of Konoha politics, he was vaguely aware (once again, courtesy of Orochimaru) that the current Hokage was not necessarily fast friends with the High Council. The idea that he and Itachi were to be entrusted to one of her men as opposed to a shinobi under Danzo's direct influence was undeniably preferable to any other alternative.
And so, willing himself to remember his brother and resist the lure of hatred clawing at his spirit, Sasuke permitted his hands to be bound with chakra restraints and his eyes blindfolded, praying all the while that his trust in Kakashi was not unfounded.
It was warm. Too warm. Had she fallen asleep by the fire? Sakura wiggled her body, seeking to move away from the invisible heat source, to no avail. If anything, the heat felt even more suffocating with her every motion, wrapping itself around her frame despite her every effort to escape. Kami, it was like she was cocooned in flames. Hm.. was this what hell was like? She didn't really think she'd done anything worthy of eternal damnation: a few white lies here or there; a bit of an unruly temper; Sasori's death under her belt, most deserved. Really, nothing too bad, particularly considering her profession.
Pink lashes slowly flitted open, seeking to make sense of it all. It appeared that Jiraiya, the campfire, and the marsh in which she'd previously found herself were long gone. Instead, she was lying flat on her back in what appeared to be a dim room, a few rays of late-afternoon light flitting in through a crack in the door. Tent flap, actually. The smothering warmth was coming from a fuzzy, cream-colored blanket in which she'd more-or-less been swaddled, one that she immediately recognized from Konoha's hospital. Weird. Moreover, in contrast to her previous state, she now felt positively terrible, body aching as if she'd been conscripted into one of Guy's particularly sadistic training regimens. But the strangest thing of all wasn't the setting or the lighting or the sudden discomfort. For slouched on the ground next to her, reading a little orange-covered book she immediately recognized as Icha Icha Paradise and close enough that she'd be able to reach out and touch the right sleeve of his jounin duds if she could only muster the energy, sat Hatake Kakashi.
Oh, Kami, that Akatsuki bastard had slain Kakashi too! A gasp of dismay escaping her lips, Sakura attempted to sit up, but her former sensei's arm shot out to grip onto her left shoulder, firmly keeping her body prone. "Now, now, no sudden moves there, Sakura-chan. Shizune will have my hide if she finds out you overtaxed yourself immediately after waking on my watch."
Shizune? Waking? It appeared that Kakashi was even more unaware of his fate that she'd been before her little chat with the Toad Sannin. Which was fair… his hand felt deliciously warm against her bare, clammy skin, and the sparkle of affection in his dark eye was so vibrant and lifelike. Even though Jiraiya had set her straight, it was pretty hard to believe that Kakashi could be dead.
The eye she was admiring crinkled into an otherwise hidden smile as Kakashi neatly shut his novel. "Mah, you're awfully quiet. But I suppose coming back from the dead is liable to be somewhat off-putting. You gave us quite the scare you know." Then, his smile faded, a rather strange, somewhat foreboding look creeping over his visage as his voice dropped to a low murmur. "Next time, I hope you think twice before jumping in front of a blade intended for an old man like me."
Sakura blinked up at him, attempting to process what exactly he'd just said. The explanation of her own actions she'd leave for slightly later, once she had more of a clue of what had happened. For the fact that Kakashi seemed to know that she'd died demanded her immediate attention, throwing her whole theory that he was the ignorant one rather dizzyingly into question. Unless...
Managing to summon a bit of moisture to her parched mouth, Sakura wet her lips, gaze never leaving Kakashi's, a part of her afraid that he'd vanish if it did. "Is this... some sort of reanimation jutsu?" she rasped, a prickle of fear creeping up her spine at the thought. While she hadn't exactly wanted to die, the idea that someone had summoned her spirit from beyond the grave to do his or her bidding was a far more disconcerting prospect. It was just so… unnatural. But no, Orochimaru was dead, and no other shinobi was known to be pursuing such highly illegal work. Although she wouldn't entirely put it past Kabuto. Still, even if Orochimaru's former henchman was pursuing the Snake Sannin's research, the idea that he'd chosen to resurrect her of all people, and would do so by Kakashi's side no less, was pretty dang farfetched.
Kakashi hummed a soft no, the pleasant sound sending a tingling warmth through her stomach at the realization of what that meant. She was alive again. Somehow. Remarkably. "A reasonable guess, but no, very fortunately not. I've yet to hear the full account firsthand, but it seems that Naruto managed to convince Nagato, the man who was behind Pein's actions, to resurrect all of the shinobi who perished in today's attack. There are a lot of Konoha residents who resent him - although I suspect that the number will decline significantly after his most recent heroics - but you can't say that Naruto doesn't possess a certain magnetism."
Once again, Naruto-kun had pulled off the seemingly impossible. Sakura was obviously exceedingly grateful for whatever he had done - she owed him her life, after all - not to mention more than a little curious about how exactly he had accomplished such a feat (as usual, Kakashi's vague explanation left a lot to be desired). But her mind was overflowing with other questions, as well. Given how quickly Pein's attack had unfolded, she expected that she'd missed quite a bit for however long she'd been out, and she also had yet to fully consider the implications of everything that Jiraiya had told her.
If Naruto had achieved such a feat, then he was safe... Itachi and Sasuke hadn't turned him in to the Akatsuki. Why? Had Itachi intervened? Or... could Sasuke himself had changed his mind? There had always been a certain, deep bond between he and Naruto. Could that have swayed him? If so, what did that say about the Uchiha brothers' current loyalties? Had they fully defected from the Akatsuki? And where were they now? And less importantly but more… personally: After all that had transpired and what she'd learned from Jiraiya, how exactly did she feel about Itachi? About Sasuke? About Kakashi himself, for that matter?
She pursed her lips, wondering where to even start her line of questioning. Right hand running slowly over the fuzzy edge of her blanket in thought, her green eyes bore into Kakashi's own, finding strength in the affection there. Might as well begin at the beginning. "Sensei, before I died… the last thing I remember… there was this voice. I could have sworn that it was Sasuke."
"Mmm… you weren't wrong," Kakashi confirmed slowly, as if weighing each word carefully. "Uchiha Sasuke has returned to Konoha."
At that deceptively simple statement, Sakura's breath caught in her throat, a strange warmth welling up into her chest along with an emotion she wasn't sure she could even attempt to put a label on. For more than five years, she'd been waiting to hear those words… she'd fantasized about the moment almost daily, dreamed it hundreds of times at night. But now that it had actually come to pass, with everything she now knew, she was feeling distinctly conflicted. She still cared deeply for Sasuke - she always would - and the knowledge that he'd returned brought her a certain amount of joy and relief, to be sure. But there were other emotions as well. Frustration... sorrow... sympathy... anxiety… anger... even, strangely, a modicum of guilt. Combined with love it was a heady mixture.
More practically speaking - and given her current state, focusing on practicalities was really for the best - Sasuke's return invited in another host of questions. How Konoha would treat him? Who exactly had he become in the intervening years? Why had he returned? Willingly? Under duress? And, of course, it was impossible to ignore one more... complicating factor. "Kakashi, Shishou had said that Sasuke had been traveling with his brother. Do you know where Ita-"
The name died on her lips. For the tent flap was rustling as the body of another pushed his or her way into the space. With a sharp intake of air, Sakura immediately fell silent, eyes darting to the entrance. Kakashi also sensed the intrusion. Fast as lightning, the open affection with which he'd been eyeing her disappeared from his gaze, his hand retracting from where it had settled on her bare shoulder, as if burnt. After all, he too had certain secrets to maintain.
They were just in time. A slender woman's figure stood in the entranceway, momentarily silhouetted by the light of the late afternoon sun. As the fabric fell to the ground, bathing them in twilight once more, the new arrival's identity instantly became clear. Shizune! A medic-nin bag was slung across her right shoulder, and the rings underneath her eyes made her appear just as exhausted as Sakura felt. Nonetheless, as the woman's dark eyes met her own, a bright smile spread over her face. "Sakura, you're awake! How are you feeling?"
"Tired, but not too bad, all things considered," she replied, voice wavering slightly as the reality that she was alive and speaking with Shizune with Kakashi by her side further sank in. The stress and emotions of the day beginning to overwhelm her, she found her eyes welling with un-kunoichi-like tears.
Shizune dropped to her knees by Sakura's right side, dark eyes sparkling with affection. "It's so good to have you back, Sakura-chan. We were all so worried." Then, her tone grew somewhat more restrained, as well as a touch hesitant. "I know you're perfectly capable of assessing your own condition, but I'd like to have a look, if you don't mind? Just a few basic diagnostics to confirm everything is functioning as it should after… everything you went through."
"Of course."
To her left, she heard Kakashi shuffle slightly. "I can wait outside… or come back later?" he asked somewhat awkwardly.
"No… stay, sensei. I don't mind."
Seemingly ignoring their interaction, Shizune let out a sigh and positioned her pale hands over Sakura's torso. "I trust that Kakashi filled you in?" she asked gently, the green glow of chakra turning her face ghostly pale in the semi-darkness as she began to run through some initial vital checks.
Sakura nodded shortly, shutting her eyes as she savored the sound of Shizune's voice and the comforting sensation of Shizune's energy permeating her body. While releasing the Byakugou had failed to preserve her life, it appeared that it had done quite the job of depleting her own chakra reserves. Which was probably why she'd felt so vile when first waking, come to think of it. "More or less. I understand that I have Naruto-kun to thank."
Shizune let out a confirmatory hum. "As it happens, you're one of the last to wake. From what I can tell, there was a correlation between severity of injury and amount of time necessary to return to consciousness. Your injuries.…" Given the size of the sword and the pain she'd experienced, Sakura could only imagine the state she'd been left in. Shizune grimaced before switching gears slightly. "It's truly a remarkable jutsu. Not even Tsunade-sama has encountered anything even remotely like it before. But, then again, we are dealing with the Rinnegan."
With that, the dark-haired woman fell silent, eventually shifting over to the chakra examination portion of her evaluation. While Shizune's presence was certainly welcome, Sakura savored the time to collect her own thoughts, replaying the somewhat foggy recollections of her short-lived battle with the dojutsu wielder and the far more concrete memory of her conversation with Jiraiya. She was just beginning to mull over their discussion of Uchiha Itachi's motives when a shift in the balance of her chakra informed her that Shizune had seemingly finished her exam.
Looking up, Sakura realized that the healer had turned her attention rather penetratingly onto Kakashi, who remained quietly to her left as requested, his nose presumably buried in Icha Icha. What was that look about? Shizune didn't leave her guessing for long. "Kakashi, I thought Tsunade-sama had told you to let us know the minute Sakura came to? We've been worried sick. And don't even get me started on Naruto-kun. Between Sakura and… other matters, not to mention whatever transpired between he and that Akatsuki member, he's got everyone in the Hokage's tent at their wits end."
There was an unusual bite in Shizune's voice that caught Sakura somewhat by surprise. After all, the dark-haired woman was usually quite mild mannered - except when it came to Tsunade's drinking and gambling habits, that was - and she'd historically gotten on with Kakashi well enough. But Shizune had been in Tsunade's office when she and Kakashi had arrived together for their emergency briefing. It appeared that not even her death and the destruction of Konoha were enough to make the perceptive woman forget about her newfound intimacy with her former sensei.
While Sakura wasn't looking forward to the fallout of that development, Kakashi seemed less than concerned. Or perhaps his mind was fixated on other priorities: A lot had happened since their audience in Tsunade's office, after all, most of it far more serious than the implications of their liaison. He gave the medic-nin a casual shrug, voice taking on the lazy, airy tone he deployed when trying to shirk his way out of something. "Ah, must have slipped my mind. What with Sakura-chan dying and all, there was a lot of catching up to do."
At that, Shizune let out a heavy sight, her frustration clear. To Sakura's immense relief, however, she seemed to decide that now was not the time for lectures about failing to follow instructions and/or overstepping boundaries. Instead, she rose to her feet, her features softening once more as her voice returned to its steady, clinical tone (although it was a good deal more clipped than before) and her gaze to Sakura herself. "Well, your vitals are completely normal… just like with all the others brought back. Your chakra is quite low, and I suspect that Tsunade-sama is going to want to have a word with you about the current state of your seal. But there's nothing critical, and your reserves will obviously replenish with rest and time. A full night of sleep should do you a lot of good, I think."
None of this was really news to Sakura. As a medic herself, she was quite in tune with her own body, and the idea that her Shishou would have some choice words to say about her first attempt to employ the Creation Rebirth technique was really only to be expected given the total failure of the outcome and the fact that she'd been warned against using it. Still, given how fortunate she felt to be alive, she found herself thanking Shizune fervently as the medic nin made her way to the exit with a gentle wave in Sakura's direction and another stern look at Kakashi.
As the tent flap closed behind the medic-nin's retreating figure, the Copy Ninja let out a long, low sigh that had Sakura wishing not for the first time that she possessed Yamanaka blood. "Something on your mind, sensei?" she asked, tired eyes searching the visible portion of his face for a clue to his thoughts that simply wasn't there.
Kakashi shrugged, tucking the novel he'd been holding into one of his many pockets. "Hmm? Oh, not much. Just estimating the number of bowls of ramen that Naruto will consume on his maiden visit once Ichiraku's is rebuilt. Nine seems on the high side, wouldn't you say?" He paused, right eye narrowing thoughtfully. "Then again, this is Naruto-kun we're talking about…"
At that, despite everything - the uncertainty of the future, the stress and seriousness of the day, the fact that she still knew almost nothing of what had transpired, the awareness that Sasuke and, presumably, Itachi were somewhere in Konoha - Sakura found herself giggling. It definitely wasn't Kakashi's best work, but it warmed her heart all the same. It was truly amazing what exhaustion could do to the fraying mind.
Then, her grin transitioned to a positively monstrous yawn, body beginning to fall sway to the lure of sleep despite the questions cluttering her mind. Kakashi rose to his feet, right hand trailing a final, feather-light touch along her arm before he too took his leave. "Rest easy now, Sakura-chan. Given what's to come, you should take advantage of all the recovery time you can get."