Chapter thirty seven

The good-bye

There was no time to change clothes. Still wearing the dress and the ruby, Sakura grabbed her bags, put on shoes and a black wool cardigan, and followed Sasuke down to the entrance hall. He took her suitcase, adding it to the rest of luggage he was carrying, and held her hand as they skipped down the stairs. The sensation of his skin against hers made her feel light-headed and giddy and almost forget everything that awaited them in the future. She had never felt this way while holding hands with someone, but she was already starting to get used to it.

She wondered if they were already a couple. She knew he liked her – but couldn't really believe it yet – and he knew she liked him – because she'd been pretty obvious with the hand-holding and all that, hadn't she? –, so they were definitely not just friends. However, they hadn't kissed yet, and Sasuke had not directly asked her to be his girlfriend or something of the sort. Maybe this was a mutual, silent understatement. Maybe they were just taking things slow. Or maybe none of that really mattered right now.

When they stepped into the hall, Sakura's heart suddenly gained a thousand pounds and she felt it sink to her toes. Everyone she cared about was there: Shizune, the Yamanakas, the Uchihas, Naruto, and even Kakashi. Only Tsunade and TenTen were missing. She wished she'd had a chance to say goodbye to the two of them, but maybe there'd be a chance in the future. She hoped so.

The heavy silence was broken by Shizune's sobs. The woman ran towards Sakura and threw her arms around her. The half-breed closed her eyes and hugged back as tight as she could, drowning in the love and sorrow of her cousin and on her own. This was what it felt like to be hugged by someone that knows she's probably never going to see you again, Sakura guessed.

Shizune wept on her shoulder for a couple of minutes, and then she had to sit down as sobs convulsed her body. Sakura was crying now too, mainly because it pained her to see her cousin so broken because of her.

The Yamanakas, minus Ino, came next. The three of them hugged her lovingly, reminded her she would always have a family here, and advised her fervently. Sakura listened, but as she watched them, she got lost in the memories of all the time she had spent thinking they were just her best friend's family, when in reality, they were her family, too. And now they were here with her, supporting her in spite of everything. Gratefulness warmed up her chest.

Itachi stepped in front of her when the Yamanakas were done saying goodbye. The vampire's dark eyes, so physically similar to his brother's, yet extremely different at the same time, were concerned and solemn. "Sakura," he said, "please be careful. I… I wish you the best of luck."

Awkwardly, Sakura hugged him. It felt weird at first, but then it got better. His arms were strong but gentle as they wrapped around her shoulders, and his chest was warm and comfortable. She realized then just how much she was going to miss him. He was the closest she had ever had to an older brother.

When it was enough, Itachi let go of her, smiled softly and mussed up the top of her head. "Be good to my brother."

"I'll try," she said, smiling through the tears.

Naruto was next. He lunged at her without a warning and wrapped her in a bear hug. "Sakura!" he wailed next to her ear. "I'll miss you!"

Sakura grimaced, but hugged him back. "Me too, Naruto," she laughed. "You're a great guy. I'll never, ever forget you."

The werewolf broke the hug, but kept his hands on her shoulders. His expression was dramatically stunned and his tearful eyes wide. "Forget me? It's not like you'll be gone forever! You will come back one day, and we'll hang out and stuff. I'm sure of it."

She knew he was just lying to himself, because everyone knew there was a possibility she might never make it back. Still, there was no need to argue in a moment like this. She smiled sweetly at Naruto, took his hands in hers and squeezed them. "Alright then."

"Okay, boy, my turn," Kakashi said from behind the blond. Naruto stepped aside, sniffing, and let the vampire hug Sakura. His touch was light and delicate, and he smelled of tea and cookies. "You're an excellent person," he murmured into her hair. "Don't let anyone take that away from you."

She closed her eyes, making a small, lonesome tear spill down her cheek. "Thank you for everything you have done for me, Kakashi. Without you, I would have never known what I'm actually capable of."

"You're taking the book with you, right?"

"Of course. I'll continue keeping track of my dreams. They might be very useful from now on."

"Indeed." He let go and smiled under his scarf. His only visibly eye gleamed with fondness. "It was a great pleasure to meet you, Sakura. Take care."

She nodded, unable to say another word through the huge lump in her throat. Kakashi stepped aside, uncovering the person waiting behind him: Ino.

Gingerly, Sakura looked away as her cousin stepped towards her. She watched Sasuke struggle to get out of Naruto's brusque bear-hug. In that moment, she realized she was the reason those two best friends were being separated, which caused her a great remorse. Biting her lip firmly, she looked back at Ino.

"Hey," the blonde vampire said. The corners of her mouth twitched in a smile, but her eyes were opaque and pensive.

"Hey," Sakura murmured.

"I like your dress."

She looked down at it and flattened the skirt. "Thank you. Mrs. Uchiha made it. It's supposed to be a replica of the dress my mother wore in her wedding."

"Oh. It's beautiful. And it looks great on you."

"Thanks. I, um, I like your blouse."

Ino smiled at her outfit: a pretty, purple blouse with long sleeves, white pants and black boots. In spite of her casted wrist, she still looked as stylish as always. "Thanks." She looked back up and her forced smile melted off. "I regret telling you all that mean stuff earlier, Sakura. You didn't deserve my harshness. I was just really angry and stressed out because I've spent most of my life looking out for you, putting you above everything, and now you're going away… I guess I just snapped, you know? But it was wrong to take it out on you. I'm terribly sorry."

The half-breed took a deep breath. "I understand, Ino. I would have snapped if I were you, too. I'm sorry I'm putting you through all of this, but none of it has been my choice. I never chose to be half vampire or to be a burden. If I could, I would switch my life for anyone else's. But that's impossible. The only thing left to do is to just deal with it and… to keep on living."

"So you don't hate me for being such a jerk?"

Instead of answering, Sakura stepped toward her and hugged her, careful not to hurt her wrist. Ino was startled at first, but then she hugged her back as tightly. "I could never hate you," the green-eyed girl murmured. "You're my best friend, my cousin."

"And no matter what," the blonde said, "I'll always be."

As Shizune and Sakura hugged, Sasuke approached Kakashi, who was the one standing the closest, and thanked him for being such a great teacher and for helping Sakura so much. It made him feel strange to say all those things because they made this sound like it was a goodbye. Maybe it was a goodbye, but he didn't want it to. He wanted it to be a "see you later".

"You're going to be okay," Kakashi told him, putting a hand on his shoulder and smiling under his scarf. "I know you, kid. I know you can do this."

Sasuke offered a small, grateful smile and then turned to his older brother, who stood behind Kakashi, watching quietly. "Hey," he said uncomfortably.

Itachi smirked, hands in his pockets. "Hey, little brother."

"Seems like you won't have me around for some time, huh?"

"It's not going to be as good as it sounds, though. I'll have to be the one to deal with our parents' worry and the clan's drama and all that. Thanks, you bastard," he added jokingly.

Sasuke smiled. "Any time. Thank you, too, for… you know, not being a jerk most of the time. You're actually a good brother."

"Wow. Stop, please. You're making my eyes water," the other vampire said sarcastically.

"Oh, shut up. I'm actually trying to be nice to you, so why don't-"

Unexpectedly, Itachi pulled him into a hug, cutting him off. "I'm proud of you, little bro," he murmured, grasping his shirt tightly. "Only real men are strong enough to launch into a dangerous life just to protect someone they care about. You're sort of like a knight in shining armor. I knew I shouldn't have read so many fairytales to you when you were little. But well, whatever."

"Thanks. But I'm not a knight; I'm just an idiot."

"Maybe. But that's okay. We're all idiots. You're just a very brave one."

Sasuke let go and grimaced up to his brother. "I'm sorry for causing all of this."

"It's fine, bro. We can deal with it."

Suddenly, Sasuke felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked behind him and saw his mother standing there, smiling sadly. "Hi, baby."

"Mom…" The young vampire hugged her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck and breathing in her familiar smell. He closed his eyes and for an instant he was a child again, hiding in the safe arms of his mother at the end of a rough day. He was taller and stronger than her now, but Mikoto would always mean the world to him. He'd never love someone as much as he loved her.

Sasuke managed not to cry, but his mother didn't. She sobbed silently against his shoulder and held him tightly, as if she were afraid he would escape. When she finally calmed down, her sobs died and her grasp loosened, and she stepped back and looked at him with red, watery eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "I really meant to keep it together but… oh, darling. I am going to miss you so much."

"Me too, mom," he managed. "Thank you for everything."

Mikoto smiled softly and caressed the side of his face as tenderly as only a mother could. "Be safe, honey. Remember that we're going to be waiting for you right here."

Sasuke nodded. Before he could utter some final words through the knot in his throat, someone unexpectedly lunged at him, wrapped him in a suffocating bear-hug and started wailing non-sense into his ear. He recognized the voice and the brusqueness immediately as Naruto's. But instead of pushing the werewolf away, Sasuke let him hug him for a bit longer than he'd allow him to. After all, this could be the last hug he would ever give him.

When he couldn't stand it any longer, Sasuke struggled out of the hug and forced Naruto to be quiet and listen. "You're an idiot," he told him, hands on his shoulders, "but you're my best friend. Never forget that."

Naruto continued crying like a three-year-old. Thankfully, Itachi stepped in and took him off Sasuke so that the younger vampire could talk to the Yamanakas, who stood aside, waiting for him to be done. From the corner of his eye, he caught glimpse of Sakura and Ino hugging: another couple of best friends that would have to be separated.

"Sasuke," Inoichi Yamanaka said rather timidly. His wife stood beside him, wiping her eyes. "Thank you so much for doing this. Sakura needs someone to go with her, and I would have gone if I could, but I have a clan to lead. I'm so glad you're here, though. I trust you entirely, and I know you'll keep her safe."

"I'll try my best, sir," Sasuke said politely.

"If you need anything while you're away, don't hesitate to e-mail or call us," Mrs. Yamanaka added; her voice was clear but weary. "Money, information, aid, instructions, advice… anything you need, even if it's not an emergency, we'll always be available."

"Okay. Thank you."

Inoichi patted his shoulder. "No. Thank you, so much more."

Sakura stepped through the door that connected the mansion with its garage. Mikoto was right behind her. They walked towards the car they were taking: a blood-red Toyota Matrix. The woman unlocked it and Sakura put the luggage inside the boot. Once done, she turned to Mikoto and tried to smile, but as soon as their eyes met, her smile wavered and her eyes pooled with tears, and suddenly, she wanted to scream.

Instead of screaming, Sakura threw her arms around the woman, bit her lower lip so tightly she broke the skin and bled a bit, and cried quietly. Mikoto held her, whispered sweet non-sense and caressed her hair. "Everything's going to be okay, dear," she said, but both of them knew they could not be sure of that. The thought only made the girl cry harder.

A couple of minutes later, Sakura managed to get it together. She broke the hug, turned away and warily wiped her tears and snot with the back of her hands. She didn't want to be seen like this, puffy-eyed and vulnerable, and especially not by Sasuke, who would come at any moment. It wasn't because she felt ugly, really; it was because she felt weak. The sooner she regained composure, the better.

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Mikoto. The woman was crying as well, but she didn't look as terrible as Sakura, maybe because she was so beautiful and perfect that even the redness of her nose and eyes were admirably gracious. Sakura wanted to be like that someday, but since it wasn't in her nature, she thought it would cost her a lot.

Mikoto smiled lightly at her. "Oh, the dress looks so good on you. It makes you look so much more like your mother, which is saying a lot, because you're almost a replica of her teenage self."

The question took the girl off guard, but in a good way. "Really?"

"Yes. If it weren't for your hair and eyes, you'd be identical. You have her same body complexion, the same milky skin, the same shape of the lips and eyes… although your nose is definitely your father's, and so is the color of your eyes. The pink hair is originally yours, of course."

Sakura smiled. "I think I'll dye it blond soon. Pink is getting boring, and besides, maybe changing my hair will make it harder to recognize me in a crowd, and therefore, it'll be harder to… you know, get caught."

"It's not a bad idea," Mikoto said. In that moment, they heard voices from inside the mansion approaching the door. It was time.

Trying to keep her throat from tying into a knot again, the half-breed took Mikoto's hands and looked her in the eye. "Mrs. Uchiha, thank you so much for everything," she said. "You were incredibly kind and patient and like a mother to me during this short time we spent together. Really, I – I have no words to explain how grateful I am. I feel like I owe you so much."

"You owe me nothing, dear," the vampire replied, squeezing her hands. "I loved your mother very much and you're her daughter, so I love you too. Nothing in the world is ever going to change that."

Unable to speak, the girl simply nodded. Just then, the door opened and Sasuke and his father stepped into the garage. Mikoto let go of Sakura's hands and turned to face her son and her husband. "Ready to go?" she asked in a cheerful tone, as if they were just going to have a nice picnic in the park instead of fleeing the city for an indefinite time.

Sasuke's expression was blank, but Sakura already knew him enough to notice the grimness in his eyes. Something wasn't right – but how could anything be right at this moment, really? He was leaving his family, his home and his whole life behind today, just for her. She was thankful, but she also hated herself. She would never stop wishing things were other way.

Wordlessly, Fugaku moved around the vehicle and started checking the tires, the motor and the level of gasoline. Meanwhile, Mikoto said goodbye to her son. Sakura was already on verge of punching herself, so she walked away from them to not listen to their hushed exchanges of promises and wishes. Staying close to hear how much they were going to miss each other, how badly their hearts were breaking because of her, would be rather masochist.

"All set," Mr. Uchiha said at last, slamming the car's hood shut. He was expressionless, but his eyes spoke his real feelings, too. He and Sasuke were certainly father and son. "The car is in perfect conditions and you have enough gas to travel to the neighbor's city airport."

"The neighbor city?" Sakura asked perplexedly. "Why not this city's?"

"Because we have to do the unexpected, to be safer," Sasuke said, walking towards the car and opening the driver's door. He paused before climbing in, hesitated a few seconds, and then turned and looked at his parents. The couple now stood side by side, watching their son with clear apprehension in their gazes. "Thank you," he said, and his voice was so drenched in emotion that Sakura was taken aback. "I'll see you guys soon."

As Sasuke got into the car and started it, Sakura hurried over to the Uchihas and hugged them both one last time. Fugaku smiled sadly at her and said, "We'll be waiting for your return."

"Write and call as regularly as you can," Mikoto said, attempting to keep on a smile despite the fact that she was crying again. "Keep in touch to let us know you're okay. Don't worry us too much."

Sakura nodded and took a good look of their faces so that she'd never forget. Then, before she could have another break-down, she hurried to the car just as the garage's door automatically opened for them to finally leave.

They stopped at the nearest supermarket to buy snacks, water and maps for the trip. Sakura stayed in the car, trying to choose a nice radio station to listen to, but all the songs were annoying and meaningless, and she couldn't believe why anyone would listen to them. In the end, she decided to turn the radio off and listen to the muffled sounds of the outside instead.

Five minutes later, Sasuke came back. He threw the bags in the backseat and then sat on his seat, but he didn't start the engine right away. He put his hands on the steering wheel, the keys already in the ignition, and quietly stared through the windshield. Sakura also didn't speak for a long moment. Maybe they needed this silence, to let everything sink in and to ready themselves. They were barely out of their teenage years; they were not prepared for this kind of gigantic step in their lives. Yet here they were, two hours away from getting into a plane headed to the other side of the country. It was both sad and infuriated.

But at least they were together. They had each other. Sakura thought that perhaps Sasuke was already achieving what he'd promised he would do: make things easier for her. Because, with no doubt, there was no other person she would rather be sitting beside right now.

Unexpectedly, he spoke. "Things are about to get really complicated, Sakura. My father said the Hyugas are going to be furious because no one simply escapes from a marriage with their future leader. They're probably going to be looking for me. That adds another enemy to escape from for us. Still," he looked at her, "I do not feel regret. I am not scared, either… even though I should be."

Sakura wet her lips and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey," she said softly. "Everything's going to be okay."

Sasuke stared into her eyes for a long moment. Then, he leaned in and his hand reached for the back of her head to pull her close. Their foreheads and the tips of their noses touched, and Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. He smelled of soap and faint cologne and of something else – something warm and welcoming that she could not name, but that she was learning to love.

After a torturous pause, he finally kissed her. His lips were soft and they fitted perfectly against hers, and his breath was hot and it filled the emptiness in her chest. Throbbing with desire, she put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, coveting not for the wild feeling of a kiss, but for his skin, his heat, his taste, his smell – for all of him. A simple kiss could not fulfill this longing. She wanted him in ways beyond her understanding. They were fascinating, terrifying ways.

But they would have to wait for now, because they had things to do.

Grudgingly, she broke the kiss, but kept their faces inches away. Her hands moved to his face and stroked his strong jaw line, his soft cheeks and his delicious lips. "We have to go," she murmured, hardly remembering the meaning of those words because the hunger in his eyes was unbelievably distracting, but knowing she had to utter them.

"We do," he sighed deeply, letting go of her with the same amount reluctance. Slowly, he straightened up and looked back at the windshield. "But first, I have something else to tell you," he said lowly. "Shikamaru called earlier and told me what he'd found out about your aunt. I meant to tell you before but, well, we had to say goodbye and all that."

"What did he say?" Sakura asked eagerly.

Sasuke explained everything his wizard friend had told him through the phone. "He said he isn't a hundred percent sure," he concluded, "and that we should find a wizard that has actually known Sasori before and take him or her to see Tsunade so we can know if it really is Sasori's essence. I have been thinking about it ever since, and I think I know who might be able to help us."

Her hopeful heart was fluttering with excitement. "Who?"

"His name is Gaara. He is Temari's younger brother and he's… well, sort of like you. He's the product of an affair between a vampire and a wizard, which means he is a half-breed, but since most vampires think humans' blood is filthier than wizards', he isn't seen the same way you are. Anyways, the point is that he can see people's auras like wizards can, has a vampire gift that might be really useful, and I'm almost sure he's met Sasori before."

"A gift?" she repeated. "Which?"

Sasuke turned to her. "Teleportation. That'd make it easier for us to take him to see Tsunade. We wouldn't have to take a plane or anything, and we would leave just as quicker as we would arrive."

The pink-haired girl frowned down at her lap and thought. The idea was so good it was tempting, but what if this guy, Gaara, wouldn't want to help them? Or what if he ended up betraying them? Trusting the wrong person right now would ruin everything. They couldn't afford such risk.

However, there wasn't a better choice. And besides, Sakura refused to do nothing but hide around the world, awaiting her death; she wanted to be productive, and what better way to spend this time than looking for a way to wake Tsunade up?

"Okay," she said. "Let's try it."

Sasuke leaned in and kissed her lips once again. This time, though, the kiss was short and sweet, naked of the previous ravenousness, but complete with all the emotions that connected their souls. It intoxicated her equally.

Finally, they drove out of the supermarket's parking lot and through their hometown's streets. Sakura kept her eyes fixed on the window and her hand in Sasuke's. The sadness came back as she watched the buildings and trees pass by and be left behind. She closed her eyes and focused on Sasuke's hand and on the memory of their previous kisses. Then, she allowed herself to forget all the fears and worries haunting her, if only for now.