Men of the Sea

by Sailor Evelyn

He was a nobody. A guy with a great body that spent his days absentmindedly at the beach and in the water. He mostly surfed and rarely did much else, or so he proclaimed on their first encounter. While she, on the other hand, was engaged to the second son of the largest tech company in the world, Uchiha Enterprise. And yet, here she was. Back in Kisame's arms.

24. Chapter 24

Finale Part 1

Sakura's POV

Wednesday Late Afternoon (24 Hours in the Future)

This.

An approaching river bed and a treacherous coursing tide that tossed and turned her at its will. And a glistening sheen of sunlight reaching for her through the murky waters. The end is beautiful, she thinks to herself as she continues to drift downward.

Peaceful, even, she mentally accepts while her lungs now begin to burn for air.

The events of the last couple of hours drifts from her mind as she continues to sink further into the water. And while gruesome, in its own way, knowing that she won't be saved somewhat comforts her. No more problems. No more Itachi. No more Karin. No more pain and suffering in this wretched and awful world.

Just…

This.

She stops staring at the surface of the water and instead allows for her eyes to flutter close. It was pointless to look at the sun, at the surface, at anything since the time of her death was nearing.

Resisting no longer, in part because she couldn't manage to, she inhales the water that surrounds her and feels it rushing through her nose and filling her chest.

Kisame, goodbye.

Kakashi's POV

Late Monday Evening/Early Tuesday Morning

It was meant to be a naughty treat after a fulfilling evening of adult-like activities. Shizune was smiling under the glow of his dining room's soft-hued lights, and he was filled with elation over how well their relationship had progressed. He felt on top of the world… And in love. Though, that didn't mean the rest of the world stopped. It progressed. And it at times infiltrated their time together. Typically from a phone call. Shizune frowned once the sound of his phone filled the air.

The flash of UE's ID blinked upon his smartphone's screen mid-dessert. By default, Kakashi reached for his phone from across his dining room table to answer it. Shizune looked mildly irritated, since Kakashi often checked his emails and answered abrupt phone calls during their time together. Noticing her frown he smiled apologetically and put up a single finger to his lips, "one minute" he mouthed. She sighed but shrugged in acceptance while resuming eating her small bowl of vanilla ice cream.

"Hello?"

"Hatake-San, I'm calling in regard to Sakura." Kakashi's playful smile dropped."What's going on?"

"Hatake, I don't have time to hash everything out to you know but…" Itachi explained the general situation through his teeth of Sakura's kidnapping and Kisame's sudden appearance. Kakashi wiped a shaking hand over his face. "Has my father been called?" "Yes… Can you meet me at UE? The police will be here soon. We're pretty sure she was kidnapped on her way to here."

"Why was she at UE so late?"

Itachi was silent for a moment then sighed. "She's been staying at the office later, recently." Based on his tone, Kakashi sensed it was more than Sakura's work-a-holic tendencies to blame for her late hours. But he knew that this wasn't the time to drill his brother-in-law about it.

"Okay… I'm leaving now. See you soon." He hung up his phone.

Shizune cast a worried glance in Kakashi's direction while settling her eating utensils beside her bowl. "What's going on?"

Kakashi said nothing for a moment. He was too filled with dread and panic to answer right away. "Kakashi?" she nearly whispered.

He blinked.

"It was Itachi... Sakura's been kidnapped."

Sakura's POV

Wednesday Morning

The room was spinning when she was coming too. Groaning, Sakura forced her eyes to not close as she peered about her distorted surroundings, all the while she tried to keep her nausea at bay while figuring out what had happened to her. Unfortunately, Sakura couldn't piece together what happened right away. She only knew that one minute she was on her way to work and that right now she had absolutely no idea where she was. Which she quickly gathered meant that she was kidnapped.

Great.

Assessing the room she was in, she didn't see anyone with her. So, she was alone. Rolling from her back and to her side she suddenly became aware of her pained wrists and ankles. She attempted to move them around to her front to no avail. Okay, that's not good. She bit her lip while trying to calm her suddenly rapid breathing.. Don't panic yet. Try to think and act rationally.

Easier said than done when you wake up disoriented and bound in a strange place.

Still, she complied by the thought in her head and took steadying breaths to calm herself. First thing first, she needed to grasp her surroundings better. Where was she?

Answer: She was on the ground beside a bed in a cramped bedroom. It looked girly and sweet. But it was unfamiliar. The scent, however, wasn't. But she couldn't place it. Her mind was still foggy. But this wasn't the time to feel discouraged.

Next question: What did she hear?

Answer: Almost nothing. A few cars and a dog in the distance was about it. So she wasn't in the city. The suburbs maybe? She doubted she was in the country. The cars sounded too frequent in passing the streets. However, this was more like a slight prayer. She had no idea what time it was. Or even if it was the next day or if multiple days had passed. One thing was certain, the sun was out. So that meant that somebody must have noticed she was missing. Itachi certainly would. If she wasn't in such a dire situation she would have joked that there were some perks to having an overbearing husband.

Focus, Sakura. You need to learn more about your surroundings while you're alone, she mentally chastised herself. Though of Itachi would have to wait.

Next question, could she free herself?

She yanked against the zip ties around her arms and legs. And the answer to her question seemed to be no. Now what? She thought to herself.

Awkwardly, she pulled herself into a sitting position. Her head swam in the process. Still, she looked around the room. For the most part, it was small and neat. A modest twin-sized bed with a purple comforter, a dresser with a small stack of books, and nightstand with an alarm clock. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary… So who took me? This place seemed more than ordinary.

"Well, looks like he timed the drugs' effects right. How was your nap?" Sakura slowly turned her head. "K-Karin?" "Good morning, bitch."

Sakura could see claw marks all over Karin's face. They looked fairly fresh and painful. For a moment Sakura thought they could belong to a cat. But seeing the width between each nail, Sakura easily associated the marks from a person. Sakura pondered if she had done it in her drugged state. But she doubted it. Her nails were short and stubby-like, so that she could partake in the dojo. It looks like Karin was attacked by someone else. But who?

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be- " "Locked up in the loony bin? Yea, I was. But I escaped." "And you kidnapped me? Why?" "Isn't it obvious? We have a score to settle. That's why."

"Karin, let me go and I swear to you I won't press any charges." The redhead laughed. "You think I care about the consequences of my actions?" She bent her knee and grabbed Sakura roughly by the chin. "I've killed for you, you know that? To have you here with me, I've done some bad things." Karin's lips spread into a wicked grin.

"Karin… You don't have to do this." "Aa, but I do. You see, you've gotten too comfortable. And you've become too bold." She laughed and released Sakura's chin roughly. "So, I have to do what's right and teach you a lesson. And to also get revenge for my dear sweet Sasuke."

Sakura felt her stomach drop. Was Sasuke involved with her kidnapping? The thought overwhelmed her and intensified her nausea.

"Sasuke is responsible for this?" Karin snorted. "I wish. It would certainly have made everything easier and more fun if he was involved. But alas, this will do." Karin brought herself to her feet and kicked Sakura back down onto her side. The pink haired girl groaned. Karin turned her back to her and reached for what sounded like a bag on the bed.

Sakura closed her eyes and focused on her breathing so that she didn't vomit as a result of the sudden movement of being forced to the ground. In doing so, she suddenly realized why the scent in the room was so familiar. "Kana?" Sakura whispered.

Karin froze. Cautiously, Sakura moved onto her back and looked at Karin. "Where's Kana? Is she here?" Sakura asked slowly. "No," Karin said while turning back to the bag on the bed. "Where is she?" Karin said nothing for a moment. But eventually she told Sakura that she was dead. "It was necessary… I had to escape."

Sakura felt her lip tremble in between her teeth. Kana was perhaps a little misguided when it came to Karin and Sasuke. But she wasn't a bad person. She didn't deserve to die. She should be alive right now. Instead, she was gone. And for what?

"You killed her to get your revenge on me?" Karin snorted. "I wouldn't have killed her otherwise." Sakura's lip trembled. The woman at the bedside laughed. Karin turned back to her with a syringe in her hand. "Don't worry. It's almost over. Just a little while longer."

Kisame's POV

Wednesday Afternoon

His mind was racing. And despite his best efforts from doing so, he kept thinking and assuming the worst as each minute and hour passed. "Want a drink?" Kakashi asked, breaking him from his thoughts, and with two small cups in each of his hands at the ready. Kisami shook his head. With a sigh, the grey-haired man sat in the black leathered chair beside him and placed one of the drinks on the glass table before him anyway.

The two were seated in the living room of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha's living room. The move from UE to the Uchiha manor was strategic. UE lacked privacy. Fugaku recommended that everyone come to his manor during the investigation. Everyone readily obliged. The living room, like the rest of the manor, was beautiful and lavish. It was also tense. Nobody had gotten sleep since the news of Sakura's disappearance became known. But at least their were servants and soft chairs at the ready.

Kisami was grateful for the small things.

But while there were accommodations, everything was far from fine. Everytime a police officer came for news in Fugaku's home, it was a gruesome punch to his stomach. "Karin escaped the hospital and in her bed they found a dead woman". "Eriko Hoshigaki has been confirmed as missing". "The longer Sakura Uchiha is missing, the window of us getting her back alive gets smaller".

"It's been a hell of a night, you should get some sleep. I'll wake you if I hear anything new."

Kisami shook his head. He was afraid of sleeping. Of waking up to hear that Sakura was murdered… Or mutilated. Or of dreaming about it…

Suddenly, Sasuke entered the living room slightly out of breath. With wide-eyes and a flush face he looked Kisami in the eye and said, "we got an anonymous tip. Someone saw Sakura."

Kisami jumped to his feet. "Where?"

"A local called. He saw Sakura 'asleep' in a wheelchair near the Edo River on Keiydo-Doro avenue." "That's nearby," Kakashi said, also standing up. "The cops are on their way there as we speak." "We should go too." "Absolutely not." Itachi slowly made way to the three men, eyes bloodshot and with deep circles under his eyes. "We'll only get in the way." "Sakura needs us. We should be there too." "And cause a scene? How unsightly." Kisami took a step forward to strike Itachi but was stopped by Kakashi grabbing his upper arm. Kisami turned to Kakashi filled with pent up rage, but stopped the moment their eyes met. "He's not worth it," Kakashi said slowly. "Save your energy for Sakura."

Not hearing what Kakashi said, Itachi laughed. "Yes, save the mongrel from making a mistake that would cost him. When I get my wife back I'm going to sue the daylights out of MR and your family, Hoshigaki. Strike me and I'll make sure to wipe the floor with whatever dignity you and your pathetic parents have left once we're through with court." Kisami saw red once more.

But before he could strike the bastard, Itachi was already on the floor. "Itachi, will you STOP being such a miserable prick? For Christ's sake, Kisami has been trying his damndest to help us. To be here for Sakura. He didn't have to give us the information on his relative. But he did. And the way you're acting…"

Itachi kicked Sasuke's legs from under him. Consequently, Sasuke landed awkwardly on the glass coffee table in the center of the room. The lavish piece cracked and shattered upon Sasuke's impact. "You keep your nose out of our business, you waste of space," Itachi spat. Sasuke launched forward onto Itachi. The Uchiha brothers punched, pulled each other's hair, and attempted to pin each other to the ground. The moment Sasuke elbowed Itachi in the nose Fugaku made his presence known.

"ENOUGH!" He boomed.

Sasuke and Itachi both froze with their fists in the air. "What have I done in my past life to deserve such idotic sons? This is not the time to be fighting amongst each other!" Itachi wiped his bleeding nose with the back of his hand while stumbling to his feet. "You," Fugaku pointed at Sasuke, "go to my office. We need to have a little talk." Sasuke opened his mouth to explain the situation to just as suddenly shut it the moment his father gave him a stern glare. Sasuke sighed while rubbing the back of his head and went up the stairs to his father's study. "And YOU," he pointed to Itachi. "Yes father?" "I've had enough of your behavior. I may have taken this behavior from Sasuke. But from you? My heir?!"

"Father, I was merely provoked by Sasuke. He attacked me and-" "Enough! I heard the things you said. And if I didn't fear your mother's fury for handling you, I would have done more than just slapped you around! Is this how you treat people you perceive to be beneath you?" Itachi glared at his father. "I do not have to put up with this." "You do and you will! You've been the model heir, I will admit. But this incident has opened my eyes. You are not fit to look over your family, your company, or perhaps even yourself." "Father!" "Not a word! Do you think with you being close to taking my position you deserve to disrespect the Uchiha name with this behavior?" "Sasuke has been acting this way for years!" "Sasuke wasn't groomed to be my successor!" Itachi laughed, "So what? You're going to give him the CEO position? Is that it? After all these months of me taking on your duties? After all these months and years of work and no wrong-doings, you're going to snatch it all away from me?" "Press me, son, and I just might." Itachi glowered at Fugaku, but said nothing more. Silently, he left the room, his hand filling with blood from his nose.

Once both of his sons were gone, he stepped towards Kisami and Kakashi. "I apologize for my sons' behaviour. I'm ashamed to see them in such a state when the Uchiha should be offering our hospitality," he said with an apologetic bow. "It's fine," Kisami said, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "I know you must be eager to go see her." Kisami arched a brow. "My driver will take you where you two need to go." Kisami's eyes widened.

"Uchiha-Sama, we appreciate your assistance. But will you not be coming with us?" Fugaku sighed. "I have my hands full with my sons, unfortunately. And her father needs me here too. Go in my place." Kisami and Kakashi both bowed.

"Kakashi," Fugaku called. Kakashi stood upright. "Get our girl back."

Kakashi's POV

Wednesday Late Afternoon (Current time)

The drive from the Uchiha manor to where Sakura was sighted seemed to go impossibly long despite the short distance. Kakashi continuously went from imagining the worst, and watching Kisami in the corner of his eye. The young man was sweating and looked sick, no doubt from worry. Just like him. "She's going to be okay."

Kisami looked at Kakashi with a frown. "How can you be sure? Karin has had her for hours upon hours. Sakura could be in just about any state. She killed somebody already. Who's to say she won't do the same to Sakura?" "I can't think about the worse," Kakashi said while clasping his hands together tightly. "I can only hope for the best."

"The best," Kisame whispers under his breath with slight disbelief. Kakashi puts a reassuring hand onto Kisame's shoulder. "She'll be okay. She's a fighter." He reinsured.

"Sir."

Both men look in the direction of the driver, "We're here." Both Kisami and Kakashi peer out the car's window. Already, there were lines of police cars parked at the edge of the river and bridge.

With a rush, both men jumped out of the lavish vehicle and ran under the yellow tape that the police officers had put up. "Whoa, whoa! Hold up!" An unfamiliar voice demanded. Kakashi turned and quickly explained that it was okay to the officer. "That's my sister up there!" He pointed to the bridge. From their angle, he couldn't see anything. But he knew Sakrua was up there. With a sigh, the police officer relented. "Fine, you can step past the tape. But please stand by. Clearly, that woman is unhinged. We don't want to aggravate the situation any further. Leave this to the experts."

Just then, a male's voice reached their ears. "Ma'am, please!" "No! I will not let you take this from me!"

Kakashi felt rather than saw Kisami's head dart towards the shouting voices. "Sir!" And he watched as Kisami ran past the police officers and up the stairs to the bridge. A part of him wanted to stop the younger man. The officer had just told them that the situation was delicate. But another part of him reminded himself that Kisami saved Sakura once.

Who was to say that he wouldn't again?

Kisami's POV

He thought he understood pain. He thought he knew what it meant to lose Sakura, when she married Itachi. But that was nothing compared to the pain of knowing that Sakura was in danger and he might not make it in time. It compared nothing to the thought process that she might die… He hated thinking that he wouldn't be fast enough. Or that he wouldn't be strong enough to stop Karin from hurting Sakura.

He would survive if Sakura stayed with Itachi... As long as she was alive, he'd deal with whatever choices she made. But she had to be alive. That's all he wanted. That's all he needed. He promised to whatever God that was out there that he would live right if she survived today. That he would do whatever was asked of him from his family, if that's what it took. So long as she was okay.

His body felt overwhelming hot as he prayed to God or the universe or whatever was out there, and his breath felt half stuck in his throat as he climbed the stairs. He could barely inhale any air into his lungs with each step that he took. His legs also felt like lead. It was worse than if he ran in sand on the beach. Why did he feel like he was going so slow? Tears were in his eyes as he climbed the stairs, "Please," he begged to God, "Let me make it in time. Help me run faster." He could hear the yelling behind him. He could feel the desperate bodies chasing him to stop him. But he couldn't stop. Not now. He was going to do it. He was going to save her.

Right?

Right!?

He's gritting his teeth as he's running, and as he's praying. And as he nears the top he sees the officers surrounding Karin on both sides of the bridge. And he sees Sakura. Her body is limp and half hanging over the other side of the railing. Her legs and arms are tied and her eyes are half open and unfocused.

She's drugged, he thinks to himself. "So, you're back, huh?" Karin was speaking to him. The officers in front of him looked back to see who she was talking to. The officers from behind him grabbed him roughly from the shoulders to try and drag him away. "You think you're going to save her again?"

"Ma'am, please do not harm Mrs. Uchiha," one out of the manner officers shouted. Karin's wide eyes looked wild with pleasure as she cooed inquistely at the small crowd of officers around her, "What do you want for me to do? Let her go?" "Yes, please put Mrs. Uchiha down safely on the pavement." Karin laughed. Looking at Kisami directly into the eye, she pushed Sakura backwards over the bridge.

Sakura's POV

In the muddledness of her mind, she heard a howl of anger and pain from someone the moment Karin pushed her over the railing. But her mind couldn't connect who it could be. All it could register was that she was falling. And she wasn't scared. For a moment, Sakura was freefalling in the air, careening to the river below, and completely weightless. She felt free somehow, during her fall. After all, there was no anticipation of what would happen. It was now certain.

She was about to die.

She tried not to think of stupid things as the water came closer to her body, of "whatif's" or of a chance of her salvation. For whatever reason, Sakura could only feel relieved. All this madness was about to end. Thank goodness.

But…

Kisami's eyes.

For a second, his eyes filled her mind. He looked at her before she was pushed. She remembered seeing him looking at her. He was seemingly on the verge of tears. She could nearly see the prayer in his eyes for her safety. She didn't think about how or why he was there. She only felt grateful to see him one last time.

Now, there was only this.

This.

Sakura felt the painful impact of the water on her back and exhaled sharply. In the added confusion of the pain wracking her drugged body, she didn't notice the second body that fell in the water a short distance from her.

She also didn't notice the determined gaze of dark eyes beneath the water.

She only accepted her fate, and allowed the water to fill her lungs.

Author's note:

Ahhhh! Sorry for the cliffhanger. We're almost at the end! The next chapter will be the last chapter for the series after years of writing! Eeeee! As always, I love reading your reviews. Till next time, my loves!

-SE