9 months later.
I stopped counting the days since I woke up here.
I sat on the couch right next to Dean who was dozing right next to me, his legs on my lap. I did not even dare to look at him. The thought alone of him being in the same house did not let me sleep peacefully.
Dean decided that everytime he went out to buy groceries he would tie me next to a heater and eventhough I always tried to untie myself I was never strong enough. Time passed and I didn't try anymore, I just accepted my fate. I didn't even know what it looked like on the outside when he opened the front door because of that. No one would come to my rescue now that they all thought I was dead. Hell, I didn't even knew if I was in the middle of a forest or on a normal traffic calmed street so how should someone else know about my whereabout.
Sitting there, I think it was evening, feeling his body on mine my mind drifted back to the time where I thought that I would finally be free after all.
But Dean being Dean, he faked it of course.
"Ohh, wake up, babe!", someone stroke my cheeks gently and I felt a smile creep up on my lips but as soon as I opened my eyes I realised I was not in heaven.
I was in fucking hell and lucifer was right in front of me.
"Get the fuck away!", I hissed and slapped his hands away only for him to grab mine tightly.
"Calm down before I shoot you for real.", he spat back at me angrily. My left hand flew up to my forehead to feel the hole but there was none. There was not even blood anymore and my mind went what the hell?
Dean's beautiful blue eyes twinkled in joy watching me being flabbergasted.
"You didn't really think that I would shoot you, Sakura?", he laughed and got something small out of his pocket which looked like a bullet. "It had to look real for the tapes. If I'd told you that these bullets were fake you would've never acted that good.". I shook my head in denial.
"Don't tell me I'm still alive!", I whispered and Dean laughed as if he had no care in the world. "Of course you are. These are movie bullets. As soon as they hit skin it opens and blood spreads out. Unfortunately I was a little too close with the gun, that's why it hit you so hard that you fell backwards. Usually we use it with way more distance as it hurts like hell. Sorry if I hurt you.", he grinned.
"Sorry? You don't even know how to spell that!", I cried. Of course my head still hurt but oh I wished it hit me much harder so that I wouldn't have to be with him anymore.
"Why didn't it hit you!"
"Oh Sakura, we learned how to spin the barrel just right in our acting school and of course I practiced a lot. We often practiced it because russian roulette is pure drama, tension and tragedy. That's what our teachers always wanted to see. I'm glad that this school teached me such good things!", he took my arms and made me stand. "Come on, you need a shower."
Not being able to get away from his grasp I asked "What do you mean with tapes?". He led me to the bathroom and instructed me to take my clothes off and sit in the bath tub and I did what I was told.
"I recorded your death and now I'll make sure that the police will get it. I will also take care of a body so that they'll think it's you."
Thousands of thoughts ran through my head while he massaged my hair with shampoo. Only one thing didn't leave my mind.
I would never get out of here.
Thinking back to that day made me feel sick. I felt nothing but hate anymore, I knew that I would never see Sasuke again and after my first night here I haven't cried a single tear anymore. There was just no sadness in me as hatred ate me up from the inside.
Every now and then I would get in a fight with Dean. He'd beat me up, I would cringe in pain on the floor and slowly I turned back to the old me. I did what I was told and was just glad that he did not touch me in any other way. I'd rather get hit by a car than to sleep with him.
Dean grumbled something in his sleep and I looked towards the kitchen. Secretly I always checked the kitchen to see if he maybe forgot a knife there or something. I made my mind up already, if I couldn't be able to kill him then I'd kill myself. It wouldn't matter now anyway anymore because they probably buried 'me' already.
But Dean was not stupid, in fact he was as cunning as a fox. The windows were tightly closed, painted from the outside or there were planks in front of them. There was nothing sharp in the whole household. The gas stove only was turned on when he told me to cook and he was always right behind me watching every move. The only time I had some privacy was when I had to use the toilet but he could always come in as there were no keys. My life was pure misery and I laid my head back on the couch and watched the old ceiling.
My thoughts drifted and I couldn't help but think about Sasuke. I had some problems already remembering how he looked like. I wonder if he missed me? Did he think about me too sometimes? Would he take care of Artemis now? Did he already have a new girlfriend? The thought of him being happy with someone else mixed my feelings. I'd be glad that he could move on and be sad at the same time that he would be able to replace me so quickly. Poor Naruto, we were already a small family and now we'd be one more less.
I sighed. No tears were left to cry, there was simply nothing I could do about it except wait for the perfect moment and then kill myself.
"What time is it?", Dean grumbled with his eyes closed and I threw a fiery look at him.
"How am I supposed to know? I guess it's somewhat in the evening.", usually Dean would never take a nap at daytimes.
"What has gotten you so tired?", I asked and couldn't help but be curious where he was earlier. He was kind of stressed and I didn't dare to ask him earlier.
"Nevermind.", he sighed and rubbed his eyes. I looked up at the ceiling again.
"What are we going to eat?", he slowly got up and stretched his body.
"What do you want?", I was already on the edge and had to calm myself down to not explode. Dean threw a look at me and I knew exactly that I had to watch my tone now.
"I mean, what would you like to eat, Dean?", I smiled lightly and got up, too. As I turned my back and made my way into the kitchen he grabbed my hand gently which made me stop but not turn around. I waited for instructions and felt fear creeping up, what did I do now?
Slowly I heard him coming nearer and then he hugged me from behind. I never expected him to do that and my eyes widened in shock.
Dean buried his head between my neck, his nose trailing along my aorta, which made my blood pump even faster. His arms gently crawled around my body and held me tight but dearly. Being in complete shock I was not even able to say anything at all, so I just stood there.
I heard him inhaling my scent and felt his nose petting my skin.
"Dean?", I whispered. "I need to cook now.". Eventhough his actions have been the most gentle I've ever received from him I knew it was wrong and my inner threw up.
"Just one more minute, please.", he whispered. There was something going on, I knew it.
"Is everything okay, Dean?", I tried again.
"I just missed you.", he placed little kisses on my shoulders and I shivered at that. I don't exactly know for how long I've been here already but I for sure did not miss him at all, not now and surely not back when I was still living with Sasuke.
"I really need to-", he was quick to turn me around and I looked him directly into the bluest pair of eyes.
"I need to get away for a few days. Something happened and I need to take care of it.", he pecked me on my forehead and I hesitated for a second.
"Wh-What do you mean for a few days?", happiness rose in my belly and I was sure that I couldn't hide it in front of him. "So, I'll be here alone?", he nodded. "And you will not be here?", I made sure and he nodded again but sighed.
"But of course you'll understand that you can't be here, like here here. I gotta make sure that you'll be safe for as long as I'll be away. I promise it won't take that long."
This was my golden ticket to get away from here! My inner screamed and cried at this great opportunity.
"So you'll have to cook now a few more things so that you'll be able to eat them. You'll be warm and you'll have food, but you need to ration it. I'll even put there some baskets if you need to use the toilet."
Huh? I looked strangely at him, what was he taking about?
"The basement has no windows and I'll lock the door so you can't get away or something. Don't worry time flies when you miss someone."
"What the fuck?", I couldn't hold myself back. "What do you mean? What basement?".
He pointed with his finger at the only locked door, except the front door, of course. "There's a basement down there. I locked the door because it's easier for me to keep you save in a few rooms and not keep an eye on a huge basement, too.", he cupped my cheeks with his hands. "Now go and make yourself something delicious, you'll have to sleep there tonight already."
I was about to yell at him, I did not even know that a basement existed and now he wanted me to move there for a few days? Making me use freaking baskets as toilets?
"You can't be serious! No, I won't-", I started and his hands which still cupped my cheeks turned hard and grasped them tightly now.
"No backtalk! You do as I say!", he kind of shoved me when he let go of my face. "Dear lord in heaven, what did I do to deserve that?", he groaned. "Now go to the fucking kitchen or you won't have anything to eat for the next days."
"Sasuke! Tell us! Do you have any information of where Sakura could be!"
"Sasuke! Look here!"
"Sasuke! Are you still looking for her!"
"Sasuke! What about Karin? We heard that you guys are getting back together!"
"Sasuke! Was it that easy for you to forget about Sakura!"
The paparazzis shot photos, the flashes nearly blinded Sasuke who just got out of a grocery store. Sasuke knew he couldn't bark at them because that was simply their job but on the other hand he would've rather have it another way. It was just not possible to go out again. Usually the paparazzis would only yell at him to smile more but since the media found out that Sakura was missing it all went viral. Not a single interview without those questions and it was getting on his nerves.
Itachi and his father found out that the young dead girl that looked like Sakura was actually a prostitute. No one seemed to know her except her female working colleagues. No family, nothing. Sasuke felt bad for her, she must've suffered so bad because Dean just wanted to make them believe that it was Sakura. When he was finally parking in the garage he went to the hallway.
"Hello?"
"Hey.", Kiba called. Sasuke followed the voice into the kitchen.
"Have you seen Naruto?"
"Nah, guess he's upstairs again.". Slowly Sasuke walked upstairs and before he reached the last steps he saw that the storage room door being open. As he was finally able to see inside he had to gulp hard. Naruto sat again against the hole in the wall and was asleep. Sasuke leaned against the hallway wall and watched the blonde finally getting some sleep. Naruto had a hard time to accept the fact that the police wasn't able to give him his cousin back. The management made them take some time off as they were getting bad reputations for not talking or getting angry or sad at times.
Ever since they found out that Sakura was shot in the head Naruto hadn't been able to sleep through the night. He would scream and yell and cry.
The only thing keeping Sasuke sane was Artemis. It was the only thing that was giving him the feeling of Sakura's presence. His black eyes watered as he remembered again that he didn't even have a picture of her and him together. Everytime she wanted to take a selfie with him he turned grumpy and made her delete it or walked away. He regrettet now his actions.
He slowly slid down the wall and faced now Naruto who was still looking exhausted while being asleep. Thick hot tears flooded his cheeks as his eyes turned red. Why did he have to be so mean to her sometimes? She deserved so much better especially since he knew she already had a bad relationship. Sakura's lovely personality could light up a whole room and since she dissappeard like that everywhere he went it was always dark. Sasuke wiped the tears off with his big hands but they just kept falling. He felt his chest vibrating and tried to stop it with breathing excercises but it didn't help.
Sakura was probably rotting now in a basement, a fridge or he might've just buried her somewhere in the woods. Her long, soft pink hair would be dirty and greasy and her green eyes lifeless, her skin even paler than usual. Those small lips purple and her mouth wide open in shock from being shot. The blood would be brown around the wound that caused her death. He put down his head in his hands and banged them against his eyes and forehead but all the pain wouldn't stop him from thinking what she would look like right now.
A sob escaped his mouth and he tried hard to keep them in, he had to be strong for his best friend. After all, Sakura was like a sister to him and he blamed himself for not being there to help her.
Images of her standing in front of him the first time when he wore nothing but pants flashed his mind. She was so pure. Images of her being intimidated by him as he wanted nothing more but to touch her but he was still with Karin. His feeling were so strong that he wasn't sure what they meant. Now he knew that it was passion.
Images of her getting back from her second job as a bartender. Images of her kissing that Kenji guy. Maybe she would've been better off with him? Sasuke's heart pinched at that thought.
Sakura was always a strong woman, if she really wanted to be with that guy she wouldn't look at Sasuke for a second. She was always chirpy even when she came home after 16 hours of working. He remembered how bad he wanted her to stop working so much, how bad he wanted to spent time with her that he even drove her to those appartement appointments. The way he extra drove to her and Kakashi to see what they were doing.
He missed her. Badly. And it was getting harder each day without being able to say a final goodbye to his lover and soulmate.
Sasuke didn't realise that his sobs woke Naruto.
Slowly the blonde got up and walked over to him, sitting down next to him and put his arm around his shoulders.
"Come here,", he whispered and Sasuke leaned against him. "It's okay to grieve, Sasuke. It's okay.". Sasuke's hot tears stained Naruto's shirt but they both didn't care. Naruto was just glad that Sasuke would now finally show his feelings. It's been several months since they came home and she wasn't there. They all missed her but Sasuke was the only one that couldn't show it.
"I.. I can't anymore, Naruto.", his sobs came out loud and he turned around to fully hug his blonde friend. "I can't... I just... I don't know how to...", he stuttered between sobs.
"You have to let go, Sasuke.", Naruto placed his head on top of Sasuke's. It was finally time to be there for him, he already wondered when he would explode.
"We have to let go of her. It hurts and will hurt for a while.", Sasuke only hugged him tighter.
"She is dead, Naruto. The woman I love more than my own life is dead.", he whispered and tried to bang his head against Naruto's chest who only hugged him tighter.
"Do it. You'll feel better afterwards, I promise.", the blonde whispered and closed his eyes. And eventhough it was something Sasuke never has done, he knew that Naruto was probably right, he let all of his emotions run through him.
Sasuke screamed. He screamed as loud as he could and it was full of pain and he felt pure sadness and relief at once.
Alarmed from the screams Kiba ran up the stairs and saw the two boys sitting on the floor hugging each other. He looked at Naruto who had a small smile on his lips.
"It will get better.", he whispered loud enough for both boys to hear. Kiba didn't want to leave, he wanted to show that he was there, too and so he sat down on the stairs and a few tears escaped his eyes. He was glad that his two friends were finally able to move on. He was glad that Sasuke could finally show his concerns and stopped being the usual ice block.
It was late at night, when Sasuke sat down the exact spot where Sakura once put her arms on the glass shards. His eyes were red and swollen from crying and his throat felt hoarse. It was quite cold outside but he didn't mind, he just wanted to be sure to be as close to Sakura as possible. The bed didn't smell like her anymore, lots of clothes were at the police station as evidence. Artemis kept distance to the pool so he was all by himself. Eventhough he looked like a mess from the outside, mentally he felt already much better. He felt his phone vibrating as he was just thinking about how much he felt better.
"Itachi.", he greeted.
"Brother."
Pause. Immediately Sasuke's thoughts were all about someone finding Sakuras body.
"What is it!", Sasuke hissed at his brother. He just couldn't act in this moment, why was he not speaking? He was the one that called!
"I thought about how to say it without raising hopes or anything. We are pretty sure that we located the place where Dean is...", he coughed lightly. "And the chances are about 80% that we could find Sakura's body there as we still didn't found it."
Sasuke's hands started to shake and he was close to faint. This was finally news he wanted to hear! He wanted that bastard to be in prison, better yet, he wanted to hurt him just as much as he hurt Sakura.
"We are observing someone that acts very suspicious. Our undercover colleagues are keeping track on him. I think in a few days we'll have him."
"Finally.", Sasuke felt a tears run down his face. "It's been such a long time. I want justice to what happened to Sakura.".
"Do you want to tell Naruto the news? Or should I?"
"I'll do it.", and with that they hung up. His right hand wiped away the tears on his face as his right clutched the smartphone hard.
With his body shaking of happiness and stress he walked inside to tell Naruto what Itachi just told him.
Oh hell yes, she is still alive! Thank god for that haha!
Sasuke was now finally able to show his feeling, whole 9 months later. Well, he is Sasuke Uchiha :) We wouldn't want him any other way.
Do you think that he person they are observing is Dean? Or is this again some trick he did to deceive them?
Love, xoxo
