The day of departure finally arrived and Sasuke found himself headed towards the hospital. Sakura had left extra early to take care of some last minute things but now it was time for them to head out. He entered the grounds and found Zen waiting for him, standing firm in front of the hospital doors his eyes puffy as though he'd been crying.
"Is something wrong?" he asked the child.
"You're taking her away!" the kid snarled. "Why are you talking Sakura Sensei away!?"
Sasuke sighed. "It wasn't my decision. Lord Hokage assigned both of us to the same mission. It can't be helped." Zen glared at him for several more moments before the Uchiha sighed and knelt down in front of the boy. "I'll protect her, don't worry. I'll return her safe and sound."
"Do you promise?" the boy demanded his eyes full of fire.
"I promise." He assured the child.
"How do I know you'll keep your promise?" The child asked.
Sasuke lowered his head slightly. "Because I can't lose her." He said softly.
The boy's eyes widened slightly before softening. "Humph!" he grumped flipping his nose towards the sky and crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine then! It's a promise between men!" he said extending his fist.
The Uchiha extended his own and tapped the boy's before rising to his full height just as Sakura appeared at the doors. "I'm ready to go Sasuke." She said adjusting the brown belt at her waist. "Sorry I took so long."
"It's fine." He assured her. "Let's go."
"Bye Zen!" Sakura said hugging the child. "I'll see you soon."
The ink haired boy nodded and then pressed his lips to her cheek. "Bye Sakura Sensei. I'll miss you." He said grinning at the Uchiha with a triumphant gleam in his eye.
Sasuke took a deep breath. The kid was just a brat. That kiss meant nothing. He repeated it like a mantra in his head as they walked towards the gates together. They arrived and found their close friends including the Hokage waiting for them.
"Well, we're off." Sakura said accepting the hugs both Ino and Hinata offered her.
"Good luck with everything." Ino said with a wink.
"Yeah, you too pig. Go snag yourself an artist." The medic replied with a knowing smile.
"You bet I will. I bet I'll be married with one on the way by the time you get back." The mind transfer ninja challenged.
"Jeeze, how long do you think I'm going to be gone?" the pink haired ninja muttered.
Hinata stepped forward and clasped Sakura's hand tightly. "You supported me so much with Naruto." She said softly. "I wish I could do more to help you too. Please do your best. I'll be rooting for you."
The pink haired medic's eyes watered as she hugged her best friend's wife again. "Thank you Hinata." She said softly. "If Naruto was able to wake up and respond to your feelings, then maybe Sasuke will too." The lavender eyed woman nodded and smiled as they broke apart. "Take care of the hospital for me."
"No need to worry." Ino assured her with a smile. "Make sure to send letters."
"Of course." Sakura replied. "I'll make sure to send you a wedding invitation." She said inciting a fit of giggles from all three of them.
Sasuke felt a little guilty for taking her from the village as he watched the exchange, but orders were orders.
"Take good care of Sakura." Naruto said as he stood in front of him.
"I will." He assured his friend.
"Good. We'll need at least monthly updates. Preferably weekly on your travels." Kakashi said.
"I understand." He said lowering his head slightly.
He glanced over as Sakura neared his side. "Are you ready?" he asked.
She nodded and slipped a tan traveling cloak over her shoulders. "Whenever you are." She replied.
Naruto suddenly launched forward and wrapped an arm around each of them nearly knocking all of their heads together.
"Ouch! What are you doing!?" Sasuke hissed.
"Take care out there." Naruto said holding them close.
Both he and Sakura relaxed a little in his embrace and returned it. "You don't have to worry about us." Sakura assured their friend.
"We'll take care of each other." Sasuke agreed.
"Good." Naruto said stepping back and extending his fist. "See you guys soon." He said with a smile.
Sasuke and Sakura both nodded and smiled extending their own fists to tap their blonde friend's.
They walked away from the village down the road they'd traveled so often yet both seemed to know that the journey they were setting off on this time would be different from the rest. Like there was something in the air that hinted at a new beginning for both of them.
#$#
"Do you have a specific destination in mind?" Sakura asked after about an hour of walking.
Sasuke glanced at her. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"You're the one in charge here." She reminded him. "I'm just the chaperone." She said with a smile that was nearly a smirk.
"Don't put it like that." He muttered.
Sakura giggled. "Sorry. I couldn't resist." She admitted. "Seriously though, do you know where you want to go?" she asked.
He thought for a moment. "Well, I've been making a point to stop at all of the places where the Akatsuki attacked and offering them help if I can." He said. "I wasn't a member for long but even so. I feel a bit responsible."
The pink haired medic nodded and touched her chin. "I suppose that makes sense." She admitted. "I take it you've visited the fire temple already then?"
"The Fire Temple?" he repeated. "I haven't been there yet."
She blinked in surprise. "Really? Well, it was destroyed by Kakazu and Hidan though from what I understand, it was just a place they stopped by on their way to try and capture Naruto."
"Do you know how to get there?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes. I know some of the surviving monks too."
"Well, that's as good a place as any to start." He admitted. "How far away is it?"
"It took us about a day to get there. We split the time between walking and moving at full speed so it'll probably take us about two days if we just walk there." She explained.
"Very well then." He said. "We'll stop at sundown then."
She nodded and glanced around. "It's so strange." She admitted. "To be going at such a leisurely pace with no specific destination or goal in mind."
Sasuke sighed. "I'm sorry you had to come with me."
Sakura shook her head. "Don't be. I've always wanted this." She said with a smile. "I'm very happy to be able to travel with you like this."
He glanced over at her remembering how she'd asked to come with him when he'd first left the village and how he'd turned her down. "Well if it makes you happy, I guess that's fine."
She nodded. "It really does."
They traveled quietly for many miles and Sasuke found his gaze being drawn to her more and more often. She truly did seem genuinely happy to be with him. She always had. He'd never really understood why either. Zen was right, he was a pretty gloomy guy most of the time. When they talked, he noticed she kept the conversation light and it occurred to him that a great deal of distance had built up between them during their five years spent mostly apart. When they were genin he could read her like a book even without his sharringan. It was as though she was always chasing after him yelling 'Look at me!' Though he found it annoying then, it also made it easier for him to keep an eye on her. He'd quickly come to see her as something precious that needed to be protected though he wasn't sure why. Thinking back on it, he realized that was part of the reason their team had been formed the way it had. He, the arrogant, broody, show off who only cared about himself, and Naruto the selfish, trouble making brat needed something to push them and ground them. They pushed each other to their limits time and again only to be brought back to center by the desire to protect their teammate. Those old geezers had read them pretty well. Had any of the other girls been put on their team, it probably would've have worked out so well. The bossy, bratty Ino had picked on Naruto mercilessly as children. He had no desire to prove himself to her. Hinata was hopelessly in love with him and wasn't interested in Sasuke at all. Though she brought about the instinct to protect, her presence would have only inflated Naruto's ego and hindered his growth. Sakura on the other hand was the right mix of helpless yet smart, back then anyway.
"What is it Sasuke?" Sakura asked seeming to notice the change in his demeanor.
"I was just thinking about how we ended up as Team Seven." He said.
"Oh?" she remarked. "What about it?"
The Uchiha chuckled. "I was just thinking about how The Third knew exactly what he was doing. It almost irritates me."
Sakura blinked and then smiled glancing at the ground. "You think so?"
He glanced over at her and nodded. "I do. From the beginning it made sense that they'd put Naruto and I on the same team. Even in the academy I was the one pushing him to become stronger and because he irritated me so much, I always did my best around him just to remind him how much better I was." He glanced up at the sky. "You were the only one that was able to complete our team."
The pink haired medic raised a brow. "I don't know about that."
He shook his head. "It had to be you. You liked me and always wanted my attention. Naruto liked you and wanted your attention. I was a brat who didn't care about anyone but myself." He glanced over at her. "Only you had the ability to encourage us to compete with each other but also bring us together to protect you later."
Sakura chuckled. "So it was because I was weak and liked you?" she mused.
He almost smirked. "It sounds bad when you put it that way, but basically yes. You encouraged Naruto to become stronger and me to protect someone."
"I see." She replied. A little giggle escaped her lips. "We're so much like the original Sannin it's almost creepy. Although, I'm glad you grew out of your manic, rebellious phase faster than Orochimaru did."
His brow furrowed slightly. "What do you mean manic?" he demanded.
Sakura blinked. "You mean, you haven't realized it yourself?" she asked.
"Realized what?" he asked.
She smiled. "I hate to break it too you, but you're just a tad obsessive."
"This coming from the girl who chased me around like a puppy dog?" he grumbled.
"I never said I didn't have a manic side of my personality." She said. "What I mean is that you in particular have a habit on getting fixated on something and then pursuing it relentlessly but unlike most people, when you reach your goal, you tend to quickly find something else to fixate on and pursue that as well even if it deviates from your original path. That is, unless someone steps in and forces you to take a step back and re-center yourself." Her gaze drifted to the sky. "Then again, that might have just been part of the curse you were inflicted with since you've seemed to gain the ability to take a step back and process things more calmly on your own."
"You might be right about that." He admitted. "That's probably why I was so easy to manipulate."
Sakura sighed. "Well, Orochimaru, Madara, and Obito all had a similar personality to each other and yourself. They knew exactly what you'd do because they were all the same way."
"You seemed to have put a lot of thought into this." He mused.
She blushed and then shrugged. "I guess I have." She admitted. "I can't tell you how many times I'd stay up wondering why you did what you did. All the conversations I had with Naruto, Kakashi Sensei, Lady Tsunade and others trying to figure out what happened and what if anything could be done." She sighed. "The more I learned about the ones manipulating you, the easier it became."
"I see." Sasuke said. "You never stopped thinking about me, did you?"
Sakura shook her head. "I thought about you every single day." She admitted. "I wasn't the only one either." She glanced over at him. "I was wondering, have you noticed a difference since the curse was broken?" she asked.
The Uchiha blinked and then turned to look out at the road ahead. "I have." He admitted. "It's like a fog has lifted. I'm able to see things clearly now. I can finally look at situations and people without the red haze of hatred focusing my vision on only the negative things." He lowered his head. "That's why I want to make things right. I can even understand why Donzo did why he did now."
The pink haired medic's eyes narrowed. "I understand why you might be feeling guilty about that, but to be honest I wasn't bothered at all to find out that he was dead. The only thing that worried me, was that you killed him by sacrificing your own teammate."
"Really?" Sasuke asked. "Why?"
"Everything that man did ticked me off." She admitted. "Treating Naruto like he was an animal that needed to be locked in a cage, acting like Lady Tsunade was a spoiled brat who didn't know anything, taking advantage of her weakened condition to seize control of the village, sending Sai to kill you by using classified information that put others at risk to do it. Those damn curse marks he put on his subordinates, approving the elimination order on you." Her hand balled into a fist and struck out slamming against a nearby tree, snapping it in two. "Desecrating the dead by using the First's cells, as well as the eyes of the murdered Uchiha clan members." She pulled her fist back and cracked her knuckles. "I don't give a damn that he did it to protect the village. What he did, is unforgivable."
Sasuke's eyes widened. "You know about all of that?"
She nodded. "It wasn't hard to put all of the pieces together and Naruto filled in all of the blanks. I was Lady Tsunade's disciple. She kept me close to her side. I knew more than most in the village about the inner workings up the higher ups."
"I see." He said his heart warming. The outrage she felt for the suffering of his clan moved him more than he imagined it would. He could tell it wasn't just for his sake either, it was her own personal love for those who had passed on and reverence of the human body. She truly was a remarkable woman. He wanted to reach out and hold her hand but he hesitated. "Thank you Sakura."
She smiled at him. "You don't need to thank me." She assured him. "You seemed to think you're the only one who struggles with hatred, that's not true at all. I've had people that I've hated besides Donzo you know." Sasuke studied her, unsure of where she was going with her words. "I've hated Orochimaru since I was a genin." She said. "I hated him even more after you left the village and I learned all about his exploits against the village and nature itself. I also hated Nagato for attacking the village, killing Kakashi sensei and putting Lady Tsunade in a coma."
"He killed Kakashi?" Sasuke asked his eyes widening.
She nodded. "He did. Sent a metal nail right through his forehead while he was protecting Naruto and Chouji. He used a jutsu to reverse it of course, but I still hated him for a long time." She sighed and raked a hand through her hair. "Obviously I hated Madara and Obito for using and manipulating you and the entire world the way they did." She looked over at him. "Anyway, my point is that you're not the only one with these problems. You should rely on us if you struggle. You don't have to do everything on your own."
Sasuke chuckled. "I guess you have a point." He admitted.
The sun began to dip just as they came to a small village.
"I hoped we'd make it here in time." Sakura said with a sigh as she stretched.
"Me too." Sasuke admitted as they made their way to one of the nearby Inn's. As one of a few villages about a day's walk from The Village Hidden in the leaves, they'd often stayed in the small community.
Sakura walked inside and beamed at older woman at the front desk. "Granny Hina, it's so good to see you." She said walking up to the counter. "How is your back doing? Anymore problems?"
The woman shook her head and smiled. "No. The medicine you prescribed has worked wonders. I feel like I'm in my sixties again."
Sakura's smile widened. "I'm so glad."
The woman nodded and began to rummage underneath the counter. "One room then? Another solo mission? They're really working you to the bone between these and running the hospital."
"Two rooms actually. I'm traveling with this man." She said motioning to Sasuke who stood behind her.
The woman blinked in surprise and studied him. "Wait, is that?"
Sakura nodded. "That's right. It's Sasuke."
The older woman shook her head. "He sure has grown since the last time I saw him. He turned out to be quiet a handsome man. I heard he got himself into a whole heap of trouble a few years ago."
The pink haired medic laughed. "You can say that again, but he's doing much better now. He's my escort for my mission."
"I see." The woman said reaching for a second key. "There you go dearies. Please make yourselves at home."
"Thank you Granny Hina." Sakura said with a little bow.
"Anytime child." The woman replied with a smile.
They walked up the stairs to their small rooms and laid their things on the beds. Once that was done. Sasuke walked into Sakura's room and sat in the small chair there.
"This brings back memories." He said glancing around the small space. "We stayed at this Inn quite a bit back in the old days, didn't we?"
She nodded. "We did. Your room was always so loud." She noted with a giggle.
Sasuke snorted. "That's easy for you to say. It was always Kakashi, Naruto and I stuck in one room while you got your own room all to yourself."
Sakura shook her head. "It wasn't like that. I was always jealous." She admitted.
"Jealous?" he repeated.
She nodded. "Yeah. You three always sounded like you were having fun underneath all the arguing while I was all alone." She sighed and hung her cloak up on a peg on the wall. "I think that was the hardest part for me as a genin." She said a little smile touching her lips.
Sasuke lowered his head. "I noticed."
She blinked and looked at him her eyes wide. "Noticed what?" she asked.
"That you didn't like sleeping away from the rest of us. In places like this anyway." He replied. "Especially on our first missions. Sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night and hear you crying."
Sakura blushed and looked down. "Oh, I see. Sorry about that." She murmured. "I was just a spoiled little girl back then."
He shook his head. "It's nothing to apologize for." He assured her with a little smile. "It's kind of nice to remember the old days, back before I hated everything I mean."
Sakura smiled. "I suppose so." she glanced over at him. "You can take that off you know."
He frowned. "What?"
"Your cloak." She clarified. "You can take it off. This place comes with dinner remember? We don't have anywhere else to go tonight."
"Oh. Right." He said standing up. He shifted a twinge of discomfort rippling through him. It wasn't like she didn't know he was missing an arm. Hell she'd treated it, but part of him was still anxious about it. He felt less confident without it. That was part of the reason he'd decided to turn down a replacement arm in the first place, to prevent him from becoming arrogant again, but even so.
"Do you want me to do it?" she asked walking forward.
"No. It's fine." He assured her quickly slipping the tan garment over his head. He hung it up next to hers and decided to remove the wrap around his head while he was at it. He nearly jumped when she came up behind him her fingers probing his shoulder and back over his shirt.
"Hmm…" she murmured her hands shrouded in a muted green glow. "As I feared. Muscle atrophy is beginning in the trapezius."
He blushed the sensation of her fingers pressing against his muscles, sparking heat inside of him. A bit bewildered by the sensation, he stepped away from her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." She said quickly. "I'm just a bit worried. Losing a limb throws off the entire balance of the body. If your back muscles become unbalanced, it can start to pull the spine out of proper alignment which makes your entire body more vulnerable to injury, especially back and neck injuries."
"I never really thought about it." He admitted. "I am wearing the vest like you told me to." He said motioning to the tan vest with the Uchiha crest he wore over his shirt. It was specially designed to help prevent muscle atrophy and keep his spine in line as his body adjusted to the loss of his limb.
She nodded. "Yes I can see that. It's good that you wear it, but this kind of injury needs long term rehabilitation. Can I examine your arm? We might be able to work on the second phase of treatment if it's healed well enough."
"Sure, I suppose." He said unsnapping the vest and sliding it off before pulling his shirt over his head grimacing when it got caught on the stump that used to be his arm.
"I'll help." Sakura offered tugging the sleeve loose.
His jaw clenched as she carefully unwrapped what was left of the limb. Hot anger, and burning shame simmering in his blood, tightening his throat. She'd seen everything, treated everything. She was doing her job, so why did it make him angry for her to see him like this? Why was moisture pricking at his eyes as she probed the old injury with gentle fingers? Was it the shame of what had led up to the injury? Was it showing her, the girl who had always praised his beauty, an imperfect form? He chanced a glance at her seeing tenderness, warmth, and even a prick of moisture in her eyes as she funneled her healing chakra into the tattered remains of his right arm. His remaining hand balled into a fist as she finished her work and rewrapped the wound with practiced speed and skill securing it with an expertly tied knot.
"It's healing very nicely. I think you'll be able to start physical therapy now. I'll work out a program that we can do while we travel." She said cheerfully. "I was thinking-"
"Enough!" he snapped jumping to his feet.
"Sasuke?"Sakura questioned her eyes wide with confusion. "What's the matter?"
"I'm not a child that needs your coddling." He snarled.
She blinked in surprise and lowered her head. "Right." She said softly. "You're absolutely right, I'm sorry. I'm so used to treating children, I guess it's just hard to switch out of that pediatric mode after being in it for so long." she raised her face and offered him the most heartbreaking, false smile he'd ever seen. One that instantly threw cold water on the anger he was feeling, turning the rage to regret as she moved towards the door. "I'll go check on the food." She said quickly before dashing out the door slamming it shut behind her.
His heart twisted painfully in his chest. He didn't mean to make her show that expression on her face. That haunting fake smile she always wore on her face when he hurt her but she didn't want him to know it. His fist shot out and slammed against the nearby wall denting it slightly. "Damn it!" he hissed. "Why is it always like this?" Even the day he'd met her on the bridge after killing Donzo it had been that way. Even through his hate induced haze he'd felt shame when he'd noticed her while standing over his fallen comrade ready to delivering the finishing blow. Somehow, she always seemed to see him at his worst. In the forest of death, it was always her watching over him begging him to tell her what she could do for him even though she was in just as much danger. He knew her feelings for him hadn't changed but when he saw the pity in her eyes, just like all the times he'd seen in it the past including the day she'd tried once again to jump between him and Naruto for a second time after defeating Kaguya, the feeling of shame and anger had overwhelmed him. As always, instead of acting on the shame and apologizing, he'd lashed out at her with his anger. "I'm such an idiot." He grumbled.
After several minutes, there was a quiet knock at the door. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door prepared to apologize to Sakura only to find the old woman from before standing on the other side holding a tray of food.
"Here you are Sasuke." She said with a cheerful smile.
"Oh. Thank you." He said taking the tray from her and setting it on the small table.
"That looks like it was some injury." The woman said reminding him that he was naked from the waist up.
"Oh this?" he said touching the stump. "It was." He admitted.
The older woman shook her head. "So much suffering so young." She murmured.
He shrugged. "It's part of growing up I guess." He replied.
"Indeed, and I suppose experiences like that breed wisdom." She said with a nod.
He chuckled bitterly. "Supposedly." He muttered.
"Well, I'll leave you to eat then." She said cheerfully. "When you're finished just leave the dishes outside the door. Have a good evening."
"Wait." He said stopping the door as she went to close it. "Did you see Sakura?"
The woman nodded. "She was the one that told me to deliver your food to her room." She explained.
"Where is she?" he asked.
The older woman shrugged. "I don't know. She asked for me to put her food in portable containers and then left with it."
"Oh. I see." He said bowing his head. She wanted to be away from him. He didn't blame her considering how he'd lashed out at her like he had. "Thank you."
"No problem dearie." The woman replied. "Please enjoy your meal."
"Right." He said as she ducked out of the room and closed the door. He ate in silence glancing around the room as he did. Her things were strewn about on the table. Herbs, powders, liquids, and several medical instruments laid out carefully on the space. "She handles her scalpels with the reverence I do my katana." He said noting that the blades were spotless without a nicks or rust. Several hypodermic needles already filled and ready to go were laid out as well, tucked into a special pouch with labels that he didn't understand but she surly did etched into the side of each one. He'd never really appreciated how much medical ninja's carried with them. He'd always just absorbed Karin's chakra while he was traveling with team Taka counting on it to heal his body and replenish his energy. Seeing all the tools Sakura had laid out made him realize just how much energy he'd probably wasted by healing himself that way.
He stacked the dishes and laid them by the door. He then retrieved his things and walked into his own room leaving the door partially open so that he wouldn't miss Sakura's return to her room. He pulled on a black long sleeved shirt and slipped on the vest Sakura had designed for him and sighed as he laid back on the bed. He flung his arm over his eyes and sighed. This wasn't now things were supposed to be between them. He had vowed to himself the day she'd saved him after his battle with Naruto to make up for all the pain he'd caused her. To help her feel like the confidant, radiant, strong woman that she was instead of the second rate, weakling she seemed convinced that she was. "Damn!" he hissed again.
His eyes closed and he remembered when they launched their first assault against the ten tails after being reunited again. He remembered fighting through the fision beings and seeing Naruto's eyes flicker behind him in the midst of the chaos and wondering what had distracted his idiot teammate. He distinctly remembered the loud crash and the rush of wind as one of the monsters had rocketed past him through the air. A flash of navy, green and pink had quickly followed after and the unforgettable battle cry of his green eyed teammate had rung through the battlefield as she chased the beast down, slamming her fist into it with force that broke the earth beneath her sending hundreds of the monsters flying. He hadn't even tried to stop the smirk that had come to his lips as the shock wave blasted him and the dust cleared revealing the pinkette standing in all of her power and glory, her confidence as radiant as the sun while she challenged him and Naruto to keep up with her. She was beauty, grace, and power all in one and he'd briefly thought that if he managed to pull off his takeover of The Leaf that perhaps she would be the one to help him rebuild the Uchiha clan.
His eyes flew open and he immediately became aware of the darkness of the room. "Did I fall asleep?" he mused sitting up quickly. He got to his feet and immediately went next door and knocked. "Sakura? Are you in there?" he called out.
When there was no reply, he gripped the door knob, ready to barge in and then thought better of it. Instead, he closed his eyes, willing the onyx orb to shift to ruby and opened them again. A quick scan of the room told him that she wasn't there and a wave of anxiety came over him. Without a second thought he dashed downstairs, through the empty lobby, and out onto the street his amplified vision scanning the area for the familiar flash of green tinged chakra.
"Where are you?" he hissed widening his search radius as he sprinted down the quiet street. After a few minutes, he found the chakra signature he was searching for inside one of the few places still opened late at night and quickly stepped inside the bar. He took a moment to catch his breath as he scanned the room and finally found his companions standing near the middle of the establishment. His eyes narrowed and his rage sparked as he found her trapped between a table and two men, irritation clearly flashing in her chakra and her expression as she told the men to back off.
"You two are worse than that damn ninja cat I met when I was a genin." She snarled. "Go away. I need to get back."
"You expect us to believe you're a ninja?" one of the men crooned a thin man with long grey hair.
"Nah, she's way to pretty to be a ninja." The second one a stocky man with short brown hair purred his voice slurred with alcohol. "We'd be more than happy to walk you back to your room though. Continue this party there?"
"What do you say pretty lady?" the thin man said reaching out to touch her face.
Sasuke moved with lightning speed and grabbed the man's wrist with his hand, his ruby and amethyst eyes blazing. "Back off." He snarled. "She's with me."
Her eyes widened a little hazy with what he guessed was alcohol as she stared at him. "Sasuke? Why are you here?"
"We're leaving." He said giving the man's arm one more rough squeeze to emphasize his prior words before he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him towards the doors.
"Hey! We saw her first!" the stocky man whined stumbling forward, reaching for Sakura's free hand.
"Get lost loser." He growled tugging on his teammate's arm and moving to stand protectively in front of her.
"Who do you think you are? Another ninja wanna be?" the brunette slurred.
His buddy stumbled forward and pulled his friend back. "Are you an idiot?" he hissed. "Look at his eyes! See the colors?"
The thick man's eyes focused and then widened. "Wait, you think that's actually him?"
The grey haired man nodded. "I'm not willing to take a chance with a man like that. Only one man in the world has eyes like that. It's got to be the last Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha."
"Damn." The second man snarled. "Guess if the broad belongs to him, we've got no choice."
Sasuke's eyes blazed. "Disrespect Sakura in my presence again and you'll regret it."
"Sasuke." Sakura breathed quietly behind him.
"Sakura? So that's her name." the thin man murmured. "Pretty, but where have I heard that name before?" he mused touching his chin.
"Are you both idiots?" the bartender said. "Considering it was Uchiha who came for her, it's obvious that woman is Sakura Haruno. The only female member of the legendary Sannin from the Fourth Great Ninja War." He turned to the pair. "Please excuse these fools."
Sasuke nodded once his eyes flashing towards the two again just in time to catch their whispered exchange with his sharringan.
"Damn! Imagine the bragging rights we would have gotten if we'd managed to get her into bed." The first one whispered.
"Too bad, she's playing with Snake Sannin's serpent tonight I bet." The second one agreed.
White hot rage seethed in his blood as he flashed forward and slammed his fist into the first man's face knocking him back into the wall. Without missing a beat he jumped up and slammed his foot forward knocking the second man into a stack of chairs.
"I warned you!" he snarled stalking forward his chakra flaring in response to his anger, electricity crackling around his fist.
The men trembled in fear as he moved forward intent on beating into their thick skulls respect for his teammate when a pair of warm arms wrapped around his waist from behind throwing cool water on the flames of his rage.
"Sasuke, it's enough." Sakura said softly.
He froze and took a deep breath raising his hand to grip her wrist. "Fine. Let's go." He said pulling her with him past the stunned onlookers and onto the street. Once out of the bar, he didn't slow down nor let go of her as they moved towards their Inn.
"Sasuke." She called out. "Sasuke! Slow down." She pleaded. "What's wrong?" His grip on her tightened on her as his pace increased. "Sasuke! Talk to me! Please!"
He froze, and she bumped into his back. She pulled her arm from his grip and moved around to stand before him her eyes searching his face as he carefully avoided her gaze. "I'm sorry." He said quickly. "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier." He took a deep breath. "I don't know why but, you always seem to see the worst sides of me." His hand balled into a fist. "I'm not even sure why it bothers me, but it does."
"I don't mind." She replied.
"I know that!" he snapped. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know but I do mind." He took a deep breath he opened his eyes again and studied her, thankful when he didn't see fear or pain in her eyes. "I won't apologize for what I just did though." He said firmly. "Guys like that need to be put in their place."
"I could have done that myself." She assured him.
"Stop being stubborn and let me protect you for once!" he growled before taking another breath. "Damn, this is so annoying. Let's just go back to the inn and get some sleep. I'm not even thinking straight anymore." He said waiting for her to walk towards their inn.
"Were you worried about me?" Sakura asked after a few minutes.
"What a stupid question." He replied. "Of course I was worried about you. Is that a problem?" he asked.
She smiled and shook her head and smiled, the alcohol induced blush on her face deepening. "No. That actually makes me very happy." She confessed.
He blinked in surprise and then blushed himself quickly turning away before she could catch him. "Try to be more careful." He said quickly. "Just because this isn't a mission doesn't mean we can let our guard down. You're with me because there's been trouble brewing remember?"
She smiled and surprised him as she threaded her arm through his and leaned against him. "I know. It's always about Sasuke. Even now, you're nothing but trouble." She murmured.
His eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?" he asked his brow furrowing as she began to slump against him.
"But we love you anyway." She murmured as her eyes started to slide closed.
"Hey! Don't pass out!" he yelped cursing as he awkwardly caught her around the middle as she stumbled forward. "Who's the one that's nothing but trouble!?" he growled as he knelt on the ground and using a combination of teeth and hand managed to sling her over his shoulder. His brow knit together as he carried her inside the Inn ignoring the curious look the Inn keeper gave them. With a bit of trouble, he managed to get her door open and carried her inside, laying her gently on the bed. "Annoying." He muttered as he slipped her shoes from her feet and the headband from her hair putting them with her other things. "I'll never let you drink alone again." He vowed. "Naruto isn't the only one to pick up a nasty habit or two from his teacher it seems." He turned to leave when her voice caught his attention.
"Don't worry Sasuke." She murmured. "I won't let this guy get to you. I won't let him do what he wants with your eyes. I'll save myself and then I'll tell you again how I feel… even though you already know… that I…" her voice faded but with his sharringan still active, he read the words that slipped silently from her lips.
Unable to control himself, he moved back to her bedside and studied her face as she slept before he laid his forehead against hers his ink colored locks brushing her blush colored strands. "I know." He said softly. "Thank you. Truly." He murmured softly. He adjusted the blankets around her once last time before he silently locked the door behind him and went to his own room. He kicked off his own shoes and flopped down on the bed as the words she'd spoke repeated themselves in his head. 'I love you'.
"Thank you Sakura." He murmured he reached his hand up as memories of falling cherry blossoms and strands of pink hair fluttering in the wind floated across his mind his fist closing around the phantom petals before his hand fell back against the mattress and his eyes closed for the night.
#%#
The next day, they continued their journey towards the fire temple, moving at a slightly quicker pace to reach the place before night fall.
"I'm amazed you don't have a worse hang over." Sasuke admitted as they stopped to rest at the side of the road to eat their lunch.
Sakura blushed and chuckled nervously. "Ah, about that…" she ran a hand through her hair. "Lady Tsunade taught me how to nullify most hangover symptoms using chakra." She explained.
"I see." Sasuke said appreciating the pink of blush on her cheeks. "That makes sense considering how much she drinks."
"Yeah…" Sakura said chewing on her bottom lip. "You had to carry me back didn't you? I'm sorry about that. I swear I don't usually drink like that."
He chuckled and looked down. "I believe you." He said. "Even so, why didn't you take care of those guys last night?"
She sighed and glanced down at her hands which were currently occupied with a riceball. "Well, when I get drunk, I have a little trouble controlling my chakra." She admitted. "It seems I'm a natural at the 'Drunken Fist' technique as well, though not nearly as much as Lee."
Sasuke blinked in surprise. "Are his Drunken Fists really that terrifying?" he asked.
"Long story short, don't fight Lee when he's drunk… Ever. He'll end you with a smile on his face and not remember it the next day." She said with a shudder.
"I'm curious now." Sasuke admitted.
Sakura nodded and quickly finished her food. She stood up with fluid grace and stretched her arms above her head and glanced up at the sky. The wind suddenly picked up and tossed her hair and she closed her eyes and smiled as it caressed her. Sasuke felt his mouth go dry at the sight. She didn't look like a woman who had experienced more heartache than any other woman should. She looked beautiful and serene.
"That breeze feels so nice." She murmured softly. He simply nodded, not trusting his voice as he too stood. "Well then, shall we get going Sasuke?" she asked beaming at him.
"Yes." He replied. "We're making good time. We should arrive at the temple before nightfall at this rate right?"
She nodded. "Yes, but let me approach first. They know me, but they've never met you. We wouldn't want to cause any unnecessary confusion."
He nodded and together they took off into the trees. After a few moments, he spoke. "I heard you went on a diplomatic mission to Suna shortly before I returned."
Sakura nodded. "Yes. They want to adopt many of the programs I've developed for the new hospital in their treatment facilities." She explained.
"I see. Are you on good terms with Gaara then?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes. Back when The Akatsuki stole the one tails from Gaara, Naruto, Kakashi and I were dispatched to help."
Sasuke's eyes widened as his memory sharpened. "That's right. I heard you battled Sasori."
She nodded. "Yes I did. I had help but it was still probably one of the most intense battles of my life." She touched a spot on her abdomen, her eyes darkening a little. "He nearly killed me."
"I'm not surprised." He remarked. "Few people have ever battled any of the Akatsuki and lived to tell about it, let alone defeated them."
Sakura chuckled. "I guess so. Thank goodness we won though. I'd hate to think what he would've done after defeating me." She said with a shudder.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
She smirked. "He told Lady Chiyo and I that he intended to turn us into puppets for his collection after defeating us."
His eyes widened. "No way." He murmured. "That's so… Wrong." He muttered wrinkling his nose.
"It's almost as messed up as that reanimation jutsu of Kabuto's." she snarled.
"You really don't like him do you?" Sasuke mused.
"Who could like a guy that pulls such dirty, underhanded tricks, and desecrates the dead like that?" she growled. "He caused so much suffering. I saw so much of it. Sai had to fight his precious brother and watch Deidera treat him like nothing more than a human bomb. One of the girl's on my medical team had to fight her murdered lover. Shikimaru, Ino, and Chouji had to fight Azuma sensei. Hinata's father had to fight his brother. Gaara had to fight his father." She lowered her head. "Itachi and Nagato were forced to fight Naruto even though they were both at peace and had entrusted their will's to him." She ground her teeth together. "It was messed up on so many levels. Even now, years later it still pisses me off." She hissed.
"Kabuto was a lost soul." Sasuke said softly. "Those that are lost are easily drawn into the darkness."
She sighed. "I know that. Even so…" she sighed. "To force the souls of the dead to return and fight those whom they cared about that were still living. It's unforgivable. Toying with people like that." She turned and looked at him. "I mean, what if Sasori had managed to kill me back then and Kabuto had decided to revive me with that jutsu? Think about what that would have done to Naruto? Do you honestly think he would've been able to kill me?"
Sasuke blinked and then lowered his head. "I suppose not." He admitted. To be honest, he probably would have hesitated as well even in the state he had been in during the war.
She sighed. "I can't tell you how many people we had to treat for emotional and mental trauma after that ordeal. I understand why Kakashi let him back in the village. It's better for him to be there where we can keep an eye on him and treat him as well but still…" she balled her hand into a fist.
"You're not expected to forgive him for what he's done." Sasuke reminded his teammate. Sakura glanced over at him, her eyes wide. "Just treat him like your duty dictates. Let time take care of the rest." He said.
Sakura blushed and then beamed at him. "You're right. Thanks Sasuke."
His own heart warmed at the sight. It seemed his words could do more than just hurt her after all.
After a few more hours of traveling. Unnatural movement in the tree tops caught both seasoned ninja's attention and they leapt out of the way as a series of wind blades flew at them. They landed on the forest floor and quickly stood back to back. Sakura drew a kunai while Sasuke's hand went to his katana.
"You are trespassing on sacred land that belongs to the Fire Temple." A voice called out. "Are you prepared to repent for your sins?"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, his sharringan already activated as he began to pull the blade from its sheath.
"Wait!" Sakura whispered. "I know that voice." She lifted her eyes to the trees and took a deep breath. "You haven't changed a bit Sora." She called out. "Always slash first ask questions later."
There was movement in the treetops before a man flipped forward and landed in front of the pair of shinobi. He was a man of slightly above average height with dark brown eyes and soot colored hair and eyebrows. He was dressed in white and black with grass sandals on his feet. His eyes narrowed as he stalked forward, a bladed glove that looked like claws surrounded by chakra in hand. His gaze focused on Sakura who put her kunai away and his serious expression softened.
"Sakura Haruno of the Village Hidden in the leaves. If your hair didn't give you away, that freakishly wide forehead of yours does. You've even got a decoration on it now." He said with a smirk.
Sakura rolled her eyes and balled her hand into a fist. "You are definitely Sora. Do you have a death wish?" she snarled.
He chuckled and put the blade on his hand away. His gaze shifted to Sasuke. "You came with the painter? I thought you and Naruto had a thing? Why isn't he with you anyway?" he focused more on the Uchiha and his brow furrowed. "Wait, this isn't him. Sai was always smiling. This guy looks like he hasn't smiled in years, and what's with those freaky looking eyes?" his eyes suddenly widened. "No way! It's him! That guy you and Naruto were always going on about. Sasuke right?" his hand balled into a fist. "Those bastards he used to run with are the ones that attacked the Fire Temple." He snarled.
Sakura moved to stand protectively in front of Sasuke. "That's one of the reason's he's here." She assured him. "To be honest, the ones that attacked the temple were Hidan and Kakazu and they both were killed before Sasuke joined. He has nothing to do with what happened then. Even so, he's here because he's trying to make up for everything he did while he was a rouge ninja. That includes trying to make amends for what happened here. Is there a way that you could lead us to the temple so that he can speak with those in charge?"
Sora glared at the former avenger. "I don't trust him." He spat.
Sakura reached out and touched the monk gently on the arm. "I'm not asking you to, but you do trust me right? We're friends. I would never bring anyone who would bring harm to your home. You know that, don't you?"
The monk shifted a little, blush tinging his cheeks. "I suppose." He admitted.
She smiled. "Besides, we have lots to talk about. I could also examine your hand for you. I always thought that you'd left too soon after that incident. You really should've stayed in the hospital for another week or so like Naruto did."
"Fine!" the monk grumbled. "I'll take you there." He said leaping into the trees. "Make sure to keep up!"
Sakura and Sasuke followed and the Uchiha couldn't help but marvel at how easily Sakura had diffused the situation. Kakashi was right, she was the best person to travel with him. She put people at ease so quickly and had gained the trust and respect of so many over the years. How he'd ever thought she was useless boggled his mind. They arrived at the bottom of the large stair case and dropped to the ground before beginning the long assent to where the temple sat.
"It seems like only yesterday you shoved Naruto down these stairs." Sakura said as they walked.
Sora snorted. "It does doesn't it? What a trusting guy. He totally deserved it though."
Sakura chuckled. "You two really couldn't stand each other then."
"Are you kidding? I still can't stand him." The monk said though the smile on his face betrayed his true feelings. "I heard he saved the world. Leave it to that idiot to pull off the impossible."
"Hey! It's not like he did it alone you know." Sakura retorted. "Sasuke, Kakashi and I were with him the entire time. Though admittedly, he and Sasuke did most of the fighting."
Sora glanced back at the Uchiha his dark eyes still distrusting but not as cold before they focused on the medic again. "Let me guess, you were the one to put everyone back together again?"
"Don't I always?" she replied nudging the monk with her shoulder. "I recall using so much chakra trying to put your sorry self back together that I nearly passed out you ungrateful jerk."
The monk laughed and raised his hand in mock surrender. "Just think of all the good karma you earned yourself for helping a servant of God?"
Sakura snorted. "Well he better start paying up soon."
"All in good time." Sora said with a cheeky grin.
Sasuke watched the exchange and felt a pang of jealousy. Though he knew they hadn't been around one another in years there was an aura of peace and trust around the pair in front of him. He noticed how the monk would reach out to playfully shove and hit the medic and how she would return the gestures. It was a physical intimacy that she had never had with him. She and Naruto had been that way from the moment Team Seven was formed. They had always been so comfortable around one another. Underneath all of her belittling remarks and his groveling there was a strong undercurrent of absolute trust and confidence in each other. He on the other hand, had always felt like someone on the fringes. Sure she hung on his arm and showered him with praise, but there was always anxiety behind it, like she was trying to force herself to be what she thought he thought was his ideal. All he really wanted, was for her to feel like she could be herself around him like she was with Naruto.
"Sora. Who are these people?" the monk waiting at the massive doors asked.
"This is Sakura Haruno from the Leaf Village, this is her companion Sasuke Uchiha." He said motioning to the two.
The older man's eyes widened. "Miss Sakura! You've grown."
The pink haired woman smiled and nodded. "I suppose I have." She agreed.
"What brings you here?" he asked.
"My companion is on a journey of redemption. Part of his mission is doing what he can for those who were harmed by members of the Akatsuki, a group he was briefly affiliated with." She explained "Is there anything he can do here?" she asked.
The man's eyes narrowed slightly before he took a deep breath. "Buddah's way is one of compassion." He murmured. "If this man is truly seeking salvation, we would be wrong to turn him away. Go ahead and show them in Sora."
"Roger that." The young man said with a small bow.
The massive doors swung open and the Leaf shinobi followed their guide inside. The temple itself had clearly been modeled after the old one but the lack of weather on the roof and support beams gave away its true age. Young trees were also evidence of the recent destruction.
Sora led them inside and within a few minutes, they knelt before the head monk.
"Thank you so much for allowing us to be here." Sakura said bowing to the old man.
"Sora has informed me of the situation." The man said in a somber tone before he smiled. "Miss Sakura, you've grown. I've heard many tales of your service since helping us here years ago. You've become a fine young woman and medic. This might sound a little presumptuous, but those of us here, are proud of your accomplishments and affiliation with our temple."
Sakura lowered her head. "The honor is mine." She said softly.
The older man nodded and then turned his attention to Sasuke. "You are Sasuke Uchiha. The first time I heard of you was when Sakura and her team stayed in this temple years ago. They were adamant about saving you and had great faith that you would return to them. However, it seems that you were completely submerged in darkness in spite of that faith." His eyes narrowed slightly.
Sasuke's head lowered until his hair was brushing the tatami mat. "It's true. I lost my way and gave my heart over to the curse of hatred that had plagued my clan for generations." His hand clenched into a fist. "I will never be able to atone for all that I did while in that darkness. Even so, my friends reached out and risked being dragged down with me to save me. I know it's impossible, but I want to do what I can to become worthy of the faith they have always had in me."
The monk studied him for a moment and then spoke again. "Raise your head young man. I can see that your heart and intentions are genuine." When Sasuke met his gaze, he smiled. "This place is known for its cleansing and healing effects on the soul. You are welcome to stay here and do what you feel is necessary to atone for as long as you need."
The Uchiha's eyes widened and he bowed again. "Thank you very much." He said softly.
The monk nodded and motioned for them to leave. As they stood he spoke once more. "Miss Sakura, it seems your patience finally paid off. I'm genuinely happy that your friend finally returned to you."
Sakura smiled and nodded. "Thank you. We're very happy to have him back." She said before moving towards the doors.
"Just be patient a little longer." The old man said so quietly Sasuke was sure the words were only meant for his teammate.
She turned back and smiled. "I've waited this long." She replied simply before leaving the room with Sora right behind her.
"Alright then. This is the way to the dining hall. The rest of us have already eaten but the cook was nice enough to prepare something for you two." He explained leading them through the temple.
"Thanks Sora." She said with a smile. "We owe you."
"I know." He replied. "That's why you're going to take care of my arm while you're here right?"
The medic smiled and nodded. "Of course. Has it been giving you any trouble lately?" she asked as they gathered around a small low table where a simple meal had been laid out for them.
Sora shrugged and shifted his elongated sleeve exposing a bandaged hand. It reminded Sasuke a little of Naruto's new arm and wondered if the man's limb was false as well.
"During the time the war was going on, it ached and burned like Hell." He admitted as he flexed the appendage.
"I'm not surprised." Sakura said as she quickly ate her food. "The tailed beasts were a big part of the war. The Nine Tails in particular played a large role during the fighting. I'm sure it bothered you."
Sasuke raised a brow clearly confused by the conversation. Sakura seemed to notice and turned towards him. "You know all about the Nine Tails attack on the village years ago right?" he nodded and she quickly continued not wanting to get into the messy details including Obito's involvement with Sora around. "Well around that same time a group of people gathered up all of the nine tails chakra that lingered after it was sealed away and nurtured it. When Sora was five years old, they implanted it inside him." She pushed her empty tray aside and quickly unwrapped the bandages covering the monk's hand. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he saw the slightly deformed limb with dark red colored skin, and clawed finger tips. "Less than a year before the war, the one who had implanted the chakra tried to use Sora to destroy The Leaf Village." She probed the limb with green tinged fingers gently coaxing the skin to lighten and the claws to shorten. "Naruto managed to help bring him back to his senses and most of the Nine Tails chakra was forced from his body and dissipated into the atmosphere, but as you can see, there are still some lingering effects."
"Why are you telling all of this to him?" Sora demanded wincing a little at Sakura's touch. "He wasn't even there."
"Sasuke is Naruto's best friend." She explained. "Also, because of powers passed down through his clan, he is one of the few people in this world that can control the tailed beasts. He's tightly bound to them."
The monk's eyes narrowed slightly but he sighed in defeat. "So what's the verdict?" he asked when she pulled out fresh bandages and began to rewrap the limb.
"It's doing well." She said. "I'll continue to work on it while we're here."
"That's good to hear." He said with a smile before he turned to Sasuke. "So, how did Naruto get you to come back to the village?" he asked. "I heard about what a disaster the first two attempts to bring you back were."
Sasuke looked away his hand instinctively going to the place where his arm had once been as he searched for the words. Sakura however, spoke first seeming to sense his discomfort.
"The same way he saved you." She replied. "He beat some sense into him."
Sora blinked and then laughed heartily. "That sounds just like him."
"He does have a knack for pulling off impossible feats." Sakura agreed.
"Well, if it makes you guys happy to have this gloomy bastard back, then I'm happy for you too." He said standing up as Sasuke pushed his tray away.
Sakura smirked. "You weren't exactly a ray of sunshine yourself." She reminded the monk.
"I had good reason to be ornery." He protested.
"So does Sasuke." She said with a little smile.
Sora glanced back at the Uchiha almost as though he was sizing him up and sighed. "Maybe." He finally agreed leading them through the temple. "These two rooms are for you to use as you need while you're here." He said motioning to two small bedrooms. "Do you remember where everything is?" he asked Sakura.
She nodded. "Yeah, it really is exactly like the original."
"Alright then. Good night to you two. Morning prayers start at sun rise." He said waving goodbye.
"Right. Thanks again Sora." Sakura called out before sliding one of the doors open. She laid her things down as Sasuke did the same to the room next to hers.
"He's an interesting one." He commented as he sat down just inside Sakura's room.
Sakura smiled and nodded. "He is. He was such a little punk. Always looking for a fight." She sighed. "He was treated the same way Naruto was here in this temple. I guess that was his way of dealing with it." She turned and studied the Uchiha. "He didn't have a friend like you to relate to or compete against like Naruto did."
"I suppose it makes a big difference." Sasuke admitted. "Having someone who understands your pain nearby."
The pink haired medic nodded. "Sora's story makes me very sad." She admitted. "It turns out, the one that implanted that stuff inside him was his own father."
"That's not much different than what happened to Naruto." Sasuke pointed out.
Sakura shook her head. "Yes, but we know that the Fourth Hokage didn't have a choice at the time and wanted to give Naruto power that he could use to protect himself and those he cared about." Her hand clenched into a fist. "Sora's father purposely gathered that tainted chakra and implanted it in his son so that he could use him as a weapon. He didn't care about what happened to Sora as long as his goals were accomplished."
The Uchiha blinked and then nodded. "I suppose that is a big difference." He admitted. "So how far did that guy get with destroying The Leaf?"
"He certainly made a mess of the place with himself and his cronies." She admitted. "Luckily we didn't suffer many casualties but there were plenty of injuries." She sat down beside him and pulled her knees to her chest. "Naruto saved me then too." She admitted. "I was trying to heal him while he was trying to get Sora to come to his senses." She glanced up at the ceiling. "Sora attacked us both with a beast bomb. Naruto saved me from the blast by shielding me with his own body." She chuckled. "That reckless idiot. When the dust cleared, he still refused treatment and demanded I save my power to heal Sora as soon as he got him calmed down."
"It sounded like you were pretty reckless yourself, jumping in the middle of a battle like that." Sasuke remarked.
Sakura's eyes narrowed as she glared at the Uchiha. "I learned from the best you know. Both you and Naruto are the poster children for biting off more than you can chew. It's just you two seemed to be far better at pulling it off than I am."
Sasuke sighed. Here it was again. Belittling herself by comparing herself to himself and Naruto. It was frustrating but he didn't know what he could say to help her change her mind. "Even so, aren't medics taught not to enter the front lines?" he asked.
The pink haired medic chuckled. "Of course. It's one of the first three laws of medical ninjutsu. Lady Tsunade beat those rules into me during my training. 'Law one: A medical ninja does not stop administering treatment until their patient draws their last breath. Law two: Medical ninja are never to set foot on the front lines. Law three: A medical ninja should always be the last member of their squad to die.'" She turned to him and smirked. "However, the fourth law states that any medical ninja who has mastered the art of Strength of a Hundred technique of the ninja art Creation Rebirth can break the first three rules."
Sasuke's eyes widened. "Those are pretty intense rules to follow." He admitted. "Not that you have to follow them yourself."
Sakura grinned before her smile faded a little. "I suppose that's true. Though in reality, the fourth rule only really applies to the second rule. Our priority is always to prolong the lives of our comrades."
Sasuke studied her. He didn't know much about the seal and how it worked, but there was something about it that bothered him. When she'd released the seal in the past, he'd noticed something different about the flow of her chakra but it wasn't something he'd seen before. Not even in Naruto when he was in his six paths, or tailed beast mode. "Sakura, my brother told me once that every jutsu has a weakness. For example, there's an ultimate Uchiha genjutsu that if I were to use it, would cost me the vision in one of my eyes." She nodded and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Sakura, what's the true cost of releasing that seal of yours?"
Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she asked. "While I was accumulating Chakra for it, I passed out a few times. Unfortunately one of those times was during my second attempt of the chunin exams…"
"That's not what I meant and you know it." He said his voice a little sharp. "Tell me what the risks are. I'm sure you know."
"Is it really that important?" she asked looking away.
"If we're going to be traveling together, we need to know everything about one another's abilities." He persisted. "As your teammate and travel companion, I have a right to know."
The pink haired medic sighed and lowered her head. "Generally speaking there's little risk from releasing the seal. It is chakra that I've already stored after all. Even now I'm storing chakra." She raked her fingers through her hair. "However there is a technique that take a heavy toll on those that bear the seal. You saw when Madara ran me through and I used my chakra to instantly heal it with my seal released correct?" He nodded and her hands tightened slightly on her arms. "In reality, all we're doing is forcing our cells to multiply and regenerate at an unnaturally fast rate. As a rule, cells will only divide a set number of times over a person's lifetime. The reality of the situation is that using the seal in that capacity shortens your life span."
Sasuke's eyes widened and his blood turned to ice in his veins. A cold sweat beaded on his brow and his heart thundered in his chest. Her jutsu had the potential to shorten her lifespan? His jaw clenched. Now it made sense, the strange waver in her chakra flow when she'd helped Obito pull him from that desert dimension and was run through by Madara. Her body was converting her own life force into chakra to heal her body and sustain the massive amounts of chakra she was giving away. Losing the light in his eyes was nothing compared to losing years of life. He was suddenly angry. Why would she learn a technique consumed her very existence like that? What was she trying to prove?
He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. "Why would you use such a dangerous jutsu!?" he demanded.
She studied him with fierce jade eyes. "It is a forbidden jutsu for a reason. I knew the risks when I first started accumulating chakra years ago." She replied. "Lady Tsunade made sure I understood everything about what I was attempting before she taught me the techniques. I made this decision on my own."
"Because you were trying to catch up to me and Naruto?" he questioned.
Her body tensed and her eyes narrowed. "Is there something wrong with that?" she demanded. "I wasn't even allowed to go on the first mission to try and retrieve you because everyone decided I was too weak to go. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?" she snarled. "Then Naruto came back in such terrible shape and promised to get strong enough to bring you back for me and I just couldn't take it! You had already left me behind and Naruto was hot on your heels." Her hands balled into fists. "There was no way I was just going to sit around and wait for the two of you to come back to me. I had to become stronger!" her jaw clenched. "Unlike you two I didn't come from long lines of powerful shinobi. My chakra isn't anywhere close to the same level as yours. All I had going for me was my brain and my chakra control. I was able to find a technique that would get me at least close to you two using the only assets I had. Is that wrong?" she asked her eyes watering a little.
Sasuke took a deep breath and shook his head. "No it's not, but even so…" he lowered his head. "You don't have to prove anything to us."
She shook her head. "Even if you think that's true, I still have to prove to myself that I'm not just a weak, useless, little girl." She said softly. "Ever since our first attempt at the Chunin exam, I vowed that never again would I expect to be protected by you two. I vowed that I would become someone that could protect you guys as well. I feel like I've finally reached that point though I'm not at the level I'd really like to be." She admitted.
The ink haired man sighed. There was no use talking her out of it. She was so stubborn and always had been. Once she had an idea in her head, there was almost no way to stop her. He'd learned that long before he left the village. It was the reason he'd knocked her out before he left. Even if he'd gone at full speed she still would have followed him and he knew it. He gently moved his hand to hers covering it for a moment.
"I understand." He said. "Just be careful. Don't go wasting your life over someone like me. I'm sure Naruto feels the same way."
"Whom I decide to 'waste my life on' is up to me." She retorted. "Even so I don't plan on being overly reckless. I've seen the effects of using the seal too much first hand." Her hand clenched into fists. "I don't want to put others through that kind of sorrow."
Sasuke nodded, reassured by the determined gleam in her eye. Seeing her comrades in pain hurt her more deeply than anything and being the source of such pain would be unbearable.
Sakura yawned and stretched. "We should get to sleep soon. Even if you don't attend the morning prayers here, they're so loud and long you can't sleep through them. Not even Naruto managed to." She said with an easy smile.
"I see." Sasuke said rising to his feet. "Alright then. Good night Sakura. I'll see you in the morning."
She smiled an expression filled with such warmth and compassion his own heart warmed in response. "Alright. Good night Sasuke. Sleep well."
He nodded and then left sliding the door shut behind him. He lightly touched his temple as he worked to moderate his heartrate. Something about his feelings for her were changing and changing quickly. He knew he felt deep affection for her and cared about her more than probably anyone alive at the moment. Those feelings had manifested themselves in the strong desire to protect her and concern for her wellbeing. Now, though, it was turning into an almost uncontrollable urge to touch her.
He walked into his room and stripped down to his pants before laying out the futon. He then finished changing and laid down in the middle of the room and began the process of slowly willing his body to relax. As a ninja, particularly a ninja with a tainted past with a list of enemies longer than his missing arm, sleep was difficult. It was hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, and the nightmares that often plagued him sometimes just weren't worth it. To be perfectly frank, the best nights of sleep he'd had in years were during his stay in the hospital after his battle with Naruto and the nights he'd spent in Sakura's apartment before their departure. His close proximity to the two people whom he cherished and had never given up on him, even after seeing him at his worst was likely a contributing factor.
He closed his eyes and focused on the sound of steady breathing coming from the room next door. His body naturally began to mimic her rhythm and sooner than he imagined possible he was asleep.
Sasuke blinked as he found himself in a familiar yet unfamiliar place. He recognized the geography as rock formations in The Land of Iron but parts of it were missing. Like he was trapped inside an incomplete painting. A commotion coming from down the bridge caught his attention and he walked towards the sounds and peered over the side. His eyes widened as he watched a hooded and cloaked figure dash forward with electricity in their hands towards a pink haired woman he recognized right away as Sakura.
"Sakura! No!" He called out leaping from the bridge a purple aura flickering around him as he reached with a bony hand to protect the woman.
The figure slammed into the barrier and quickly leapt back as Sasuke landed in front of his teammate.
He glared at the figure. "Who are you and why are you trying to kill Sakura?"
The hooded man began to chuckle, a low and menacing sound before he threw his head back and maniacal laughter tumbled from his lips. "Are you an idiot?" the figure asked raising a hand to his hood. "You know that better than anyone." He said before he flipped his hood back.
Sasuke stared in shock as a man who looked just like him smirked back at him. "What the hell is this?" he murmured.
"Since you're here, you can help me out." The man said with a grin. "Hurry up and kill the girl. She's such an annoyance, right?" He said raising a hand with lightning chakra crackling in his palm.
The Uchiha's eyes widened with horror as his mind recalled the brutal genjutsu he'd placed on Sakura just moments before his showdown with Naruto. "Stop messing around!" he snarled. "I'd never do that to her!" he declared unsheathing his katana and funneling electric chakra into the blade. If this was some sick jutsu belonging to Orochimaru, Kabuto, Kaguya or Madara, he was going to make them pay dearly for it.
"Are you sure?" the man. "Look again."
Sasuke's eyes widened as he found himself face to face with Sakura, her green eyes wide with shock. The sensation of something warm and wet on his hand and the familiar, coppery scent of blood assaulted his senses turning his blood to ice.
She coughed and blood flew from her mouth the warm drops splattering on his face before a stream of the crimson liquid dribbled from the corner of her lips and slid down her face to where it dripped from her chin. "Sa-Sasuke." She gasped.
He reached for her only to find himself pulling his lone limb from her chest, the remnants of her heart in his hands as she slumped forward against his chest, blood pouring from her gaping wound.
"No." he whimpered. "No!" he gasped falling to his knees his bloodied hand reaching for Sakura's lifeless form. "This can't be happening! Sakura! Get up!" he demanded pushing her body so that she was facing upwards. Her normally vibrant emerald eyes were dull and glassy, like a dolls eyes. The eyes of the dead. "Sakura!" he shrieked shaking her. "Release the seal! You can heal yourself right!? Come on Sakura!" his hands trembled as he touched her face recoiling when his fingers smeared blood over her cheek.
"No matter how much you shout she can't hear you." The cloaked man said. "At least I don't think so. I haven't died so I wouldn't know if the dead can hear or not."
The Uchiha's eyes now blazing red and amethyst glared at the man. "You son of a bitch! What trick did you pull!?" He leapt up a full size Susanoo materializing around him as his anger flared.
"You shouldn't insult our mother like that. It's an insult to her memory and our powerful Uchiha blood you know." The man said clucking his tongue disapprovingly.
"Shut up!" Sasuke roared. "I don't know who you are and I don't care anymore! I'll kill you!"
"You can't kill me Sasuke." The man said softly. The Uchiha jumped as the man suddenly appeared before him, his blood red orbs boring into his. "I am you."
"Liar!" Sauske snarled lashing out at the man.
He leapt back and chuckled. "Still in denial? You shouldn't be. I know everything about you. I was born the night your clan was slaughtered by Itachi. I pushed you to the brink of despair and watched how you let yourself become the lab rat, and errand boy for that Snake Orichimaru before killing him in cold blood. I pushed you to kill the brother you hated so much and thought that was the end of me. It was Itachi's aim for me to die when he did after all. Then you learned the truth about Itachi and I was born again even stronger than before. That man… Obito… He helped me grow stronger and stronger and on the day we came to this bridge." He grinned. "I had total control! Everything and everyone was mine to take. The blood, the screams, the tears, the despair!" he shuddered manic light gleaming in his eyes. "It felt so good! Your old teammates and sensei didn't even recognize you anymore. I wish I'd been able to finish them off then." He sighed. "But then you calmed down and I was shut away again. Until you battled Naruto." He smirked. "I almost beat that bastard too. If I had we would've ruled the world, but you went soft and forced me back again."
"What are you saying? None of this makes sense." Sasuke said his eyes narrowing. "What are you?"
"I'm the real you." The figure said softly. "The one that destroys everything good in this world." He smirked. "I am the Hatred of the Uchiha!" he bellowed his face warping, changing to Obito's, then Madara's faces in turn.
Sasuke bolted upright in bed, his heart and head pounding as he glanced around the room. The vision of Sakura lying lifeless on the ground flashed across his mind and without thinking, he stumbled from his room and pushed her door open. His eyes widened as he found her futon empty, his stomach dropping to the floor.
"Sakura!" he called out quickly entering the hallway and running to the doors that led to the outdoor chamber pots. He ran into a short but sturdy body and jumped back his hand instinctively drawing a kunai.
"Sasuke? What's wrong?" a soft, familiar, comforting voice asked.
His vision focused on the woman in front of him, his eye turning red as he quickly confirmed her identity and safety. The kunai slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor as he found her unharmed relief crashing over him.
She rushed forward and pressed her palm to his forehead, her green eyes reflecting concern in the dim moonlight. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you alright? Are you not feeling well?" she asked.
The urge to touch her throbbed inside his heart and this time he gave in. His heart and mind both too raw and uneasy to resist. He wrapped his lone arm around her shoulders and laid his head on her shoulder. "I feel a little off." He admitted when her breath caught in surprise. "Just be quiet and don't move for a minute." He demanded though there was no bite in his voice.
"Alright Sasuke." She said softly.
He took several deep breaths as he worked to ground himself and break free of the lingering tendrils of darkness left by the dream. He focused on the subtle floral scent of her hair, the warmth seeping into his body from hers, the quick but steady beating of her heart, the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Yes, she was alive. Alive, well, and by his side. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and stepped away from her his hand lingering on her shoulder for moment. "Thank you Sakura." He said softly.
"You're welcome." She replied. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
He shook his head and offered her a warm smile, one he hadn't shown anyone in years. One he didn't know he possessed at all. "What you just did was more than enough." He assured her.
Sakura's eyes widened and blush tinged her cheeks. "Sasuke." She breathed.
"Is something wrong?" he asked a little confused by her reaction.
"No. Not at all." She replied quickly tucking her hair behind her ear. "Anyway, it was a nightmare right? Do you want to talk about it?"
"No." he replied quickly.
"Fair enough." She said with an understanding nod of her head. "I have several sleep aids if you want one." She offered. "I've had a lot of practice making them post war." She explained.
Sasuke shook his head. "Thank you but no. I'll be fine."
"Alright then." Sakura said with a smile. "I'll be heading back to bed then." She said approaching her room pausing for a moment to study the open door before walking inside. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
He nodded. "I'll remember that. Good night Sakura."
"Good night Sasuke." She replied. "Have sweet dreams this time around alright?"
He smirked. "If only it were that simple." He murmured before he picked up the knife he'd dropped and returned to his own room.
#$#
He was awoken hours later by the sound of a bell ringing, followed by the sound of voices chanting in a sonorous tone that made his brow wrinkle. It was like listening to an army of Shino's recite the bug encyclopedia. Annoying. He sat up and touched his head that throbbed slightly, a headache most likely born from lack of sleep building behind his forehead.
"Sasuke? Are you up?" Sakura asked tapping on the door.
"Yes." He replied simply. "I'll be out in a minute."
"Ok. I'll be waiting." She assured him.
Waiting huh? It seemed like she was always waiting for him. Waiting for him to look her way, waiting for him to acknowledge her, waiting for him to return to the village, waiting for him to recover from his injuries, waiting for him to return to the village again, waiting for him to return her feelings. Why she hadn't gotten sick of waiting and moved on to Naruto, Lee, Sai or even one of the several men who had confessed to her over the years especially since the war still mystified him even if he was grateful. As he picked up his clothes, he contemplated just for a few minutes what he'd actually feel if she had chosen one of them and was surprised by the sharp prick of pain he felt. Irritated by his own reaction, he quickly dressed and left the room to find her waiting at the entrance to the hallway.
"Good morning Sasuke." She said flashing him a warm smile.
"Good morning." He replied simply.
"Come this way." She said motioning down the hall. "We can slip in the back."
He nodded and followed her down to the main hall where several dozen monks knelt before grand statues depicting the Gods they worshipped and had dedicated their lives to. Sakura knelt next to the man he recognized as Sora who smirked at her and whispered something too quietly for him to hear that made her blush and punch him in the arm. Again a pang of jealousy struck him. As he knelt beside her she leaned over and whispered instructions to him about when and how to bow before she turned and joined the others pressing her forehead to the ground. He followed suite and for some reason he couldn't fathom, he imagined her bowing like that to him dressed in a white yukata in a room with two futons that were pushed together. The traditional gesture of total submission and devotion performed the first night a wedded couple spent together.
Baffled by both the sudden thought and remembrance of something he was sure he'd only been told once in his life, likely by his mother, a long time ago, he shook his head and mirrored the gesture as he tried to focus on the words the monks were chanting. After several more minutes, the prayers were done and the men rose and filed neatly out the doors towards the mess hall. He didn't miss several scowls and glares that were sent his way as the ninja passed by him but chose to ignore them and focus on Sakura where she stood next to Sora their faces serious. Intrigued by the lack of playfulness in both of them, he moved closer to listen to their conversation.
"So Azuma really is dead?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes. He was killed by the same men who attacked the temple." She touched him lightly on the shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know he was important to you."
He nodded. "I'd heard the rumors and hoped that they were just that, rumors. When I heard he'd reappeared during the war and was fighting for the other side, I was happy but confused." He sighed. "I take it he's gone for good then?"
Sakura nodded. "Yes but he left a legacy behind. His students Ino, Chouji, and Shikamaru as well as his son."
Sora's eyes widened. "Azuma has a son? No way!"
The pink haired medic smiled. "Yeah. I was there when he was born shortly before the war started."
The monk's eyes softened, a genuine smile nowhere near his usual cocky smirk touching his lips. "So that's why he cared so much." He chuckled. "Maybe I should take a little trip to The Leaf. See how Naruto and the rest are doing. Maybe see Azuma's kid."
She smiled. "You should. I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to see you again."
Sora smiled. "I'm almost convinced. Give me a few days." He said as they walked to the dining hall. "Speaking of which, how long do you plan to stay?" he asked looking at the Uchiha.
"I haven't decided yet." Sasuke replied.
"Well, I guess that's fine." He muttered. "Oh Sakura, since you're here the head medic here wants you to help him do checkups on all of the monks."
The pink haired medic blinked as she knelt at a table that had been set aside for them. "All of them?!" she gaped.
"Yeah." He replied with a sheepish smile. "He begged on his knees for me to ask you for him. He's a big fan of your work."
Sakura sighed. "I'll help for as long as Sasuke wants to stay here." She said.
"Excellent." Sora replied. "I'll take you to meet him after we eat."
After the meal was over, Sakura and Sora bid Sasuke farewell. The Uchiha waited for a few minutes before heading to the main hall. He walked inside, finding it empty and made his way to the statues there. He stood there for several moments studying the figures. He'd never been a very religious person. As a ninja killing and being killed was part of the job, sin or not. He himself had powers that some might consider godlike. He'd even helped seal one away. Things like that just didn't make sense to him especially after being reunited with his reanimated brother who was supposed to be in the care of some sort of God. However, he understood that these beings the monks revered gave their lives purpose, direction and meaning in the same way that true ninja's, Ninja Way or Ninja Code did the same for them.
As a child, all he'd ever wanted was to follow in Itachi's footsteps. To be like the kind, gentle, talented man he loved. After the night his parents and clan were killed by Itachi, and Obito his focus had shifted from wanting to be like the brother he loved to hating him and wanting to end his life with his own hands. He'd also hoped to revive his clan but knew that would have to wait until after he'd had his revenge.
Revenge. That had been the focus of his life all through his years at the academy and after becoming a genin. He'd left the village to join Orochimaru and gain new power to complete his revenge. To avenge his parents and his clan. When he'd finally completed his vendetta, his focus should have gone somewhere else. To reviving his clan perhaps or just returning home, his task done and resumed his life as a ninja of The Hidden Leaf. Instead he'd learned the truth about Itachi. Learned that he was the man he'd always known he was deep inside of his heart and realized the gravity of the mistake he'd made. Filled with guilt, remorse, agony, and crippling sadness, he'd fallen into the hands of Obito, a man so dangerous Itachi had implanted a time release jutsu in his eyes to try to kill him. With the older Uchiha's coaxing he had turned those emotions into hatred once more. Hatred for those in the village that had caused his brother so much suffering, which had morphed over time into a hatred for the village itself for putting his brother, and his clan in such a desperate situation. For years, he'd lived for revenge, thrived on vengeance, and desperately searched for power. It was only after Naruto had beaten him to within an inch of his life that he finally realized what a fool he'd been and broken the cycle of hatred, finally freed himself of that awful Uchiha curse. He'd left on a journey of redemption, trying desperately to fix his wrongdoings and find a new purpose in life. To find the place and person he wanted to be in this new ninja world that was leaving the old ideas of revenge, secrecy and power grabbing behind and moving into an era of peace, understanding, and power sharing. Even now, over two years later, he didn't know what his path was. Without the dark flame of revenge licking at his heart and spurring him forward he was at a loss and that knowledge was both frightening and sobering.
"It looks like you're doing some serious soul searching there." A voice said from beside him.
Sasuke turned and found the head monk of the temple standing beside him. He bowed respectfully to the man and then turned back to the statues. "I suppose so." He admitted.
"I've heard bits and pieces of your story over the years. A boy who was the lone survivor of a terrible massacre, and was then targeted by Orochimaru. A young man who killed the old snake Sannin, as well as Deidera, and Itachi of the Akatsuki before joining the organization himself and wreaking havoc in The Land of Lightning and The Land of Iron before suddenly showing up in the middle of The Fourth Great Ninja War and helping to save the world." The old man chuckled and shook his head. "That's quite a long and dramatic track record for one so young." The Uchiha nodded. After a few more moments the monk spoke again. "So where are you going from here?" he asked.
Sasuke blinked. "I haven't decided. I was thinking perhaps The Land of Iron to-"
"I didn't mean that." The monk replied with a knowing gleam in his eye. "I mean where does your story go from here? How will it end?"
The Uchiha glanced over at the monk. "I don't know." He replied. When the monk didn't answer he sighed and continued to speak. "From the time my brother slaughtered our clan I lived for revenge." He shook his head as the memory of his first meeting with team seven floated through his mind. "I called myself an avenger and had only two goals in mind, to kill him and revive our clan. I accomplished the first but it only snowballed into a giant mess of revenge, and fighting."
"It sounds like you were caught in that black pool that is hatred. It's like drinking ocean water while adrift at sea. It seems to quench your thirst but in reality it sucks away your life and slowly kills you while you dilute yourself into drinking more and more of it. Hate only breeds more hate." The monk said.
Sasuke chuckled. "Yes. Orochimaru used to tell me the same thing."
The monk's eyes widened. "It would appear he's wiser than I thought."
The Uchiha nodded and touched his head. "My friend reached into that black pool and dragged me out kicking and screaming. He was ready to die with me if it meant saving me." He shook his head. "What a loser, doing something like that for me."
"It sounds to me that you have a great friend who loves you a lot." He replied. "It was that blonde fellow that helped our Sora wasn't it?"
Sasuke nodded. "Yeah."
"So now that you've been saved, what do you intend to do with the new life you've been given?" The monk asked.
"I don't know." The Uchiha replied. "I've been trying to figure that out for the last couple of years but I just don't know."
"Hmm… It seems to me that you didn't actually fulfil your wish from when you were a child." The monk said in a matter of fact tone.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"You said that you wanted to kill your brother and revive your clan. Only one of those things has come to pass." The monk replied.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. "What are you getting at?"
"Sometimes the most obvious answer is the correct one, even in the shinobi world." The monk replied with a smile. He reached out and touched his shoulder. "I meant what I said when you first arrived. Your heart and intentions are genuine and pure. There's no need to punish yourself forever, I doubt your friend risked his life to pull you out of that pit for that. I'm sure what he wants and has always wanted has been the same from the beginning. For you to be happy."
The Uchiha's eyes widened and then lowered. "Someone like me, doesn't deserve something like that." He muttered.
The monk chuckled. "If you haven't noticed, this world doesn't often care about what we personally feel we deserve or don't deserve." He glanced back as the sound of feet approached the door. "And finally, happiness is a fickle thing. Sometimes our happiness or lack thereof effects the happiness of those around us. Isn't that why a smile from a person closest to us is precious and their tears make us ache? When our feelings are truly connected, we see that the world is far more beautiful than we ever imagined."
Sasuke's brow furrowed at that. His happiness or lack thereof could affect the happiness of others? He'd never really thought about it before.
He turned as a familiar voice called out. "Oh, there you are Sasuke! I was looking for you. It's almost lunch time." Sakura said smiling at him. He blinked in shock. Had he really been there for that long already? "Are you coming?"
"Yes." He replied walking towards her.
The old monk chuckled. "Yes, sometimes life hands us a treasure we don't deserve. A wise man would remember his place and walk away from such a thing, but a wiser man acknowledges he doesn't deserve it and treats it with the utmost respect and care in hopes that someday he will deserve such a gem." He said with a wink.
Sasuke's brow twitched at that and then looked at Sakura who beamed at him. He froze for a moment as his heart pounded in his chest. He hadn't seen that expression on her face since their genin days. That look of total adoration and admiration. Like he was a man who could do no wrong. A hero worthy of all the praise and acknowledgement in the world. It had his heart stumbling in his chest and moisture pricking in his eyes. He had no idea how she could look at him like that but as he studied her form. The vibrant locks the same color as her namesake, her warm smile, the diamond on her forehead, her signature red and white wardrobe, even her figure that hid such massive strength, he wondered if maybe he was worth something after all.
"Sasuke?" she mused studying him. "Is something wrong?"
"No." he replied quickly and striding towards her again. "You said it was lunch time right? Let's go." He said walking past her towards the dining hall.
"Oh ok!" she responded walking behind him.
A little smile touched his lips as he heard her smaller strides speeding up to keep pace with him behind him memories of their genin days floating through his memory. Many things had changed over the years, Naruto was even married now. However other things remained the same and at the moment, that wasn't a bad thing at all.
#$#
Sasuke prayed, bowed, sparred and sweated through the next seven days as he worked and trained alongside the monks at The Fire Temple. As he worked, he'd also watched Sakura. She had a way of making people feel at ease with her, which in turn allowed her to heal them better as they opened up to her. The more he watched her, the more he began to notice things he'd either forgotten or never known.
He noticed how she poked her own cheek when she was nervous. He noticed how she always double checked her work before, during and after any procedure even if it was a simple examination. He noticed how she covered her mouth with her hand when she tried to cover her reactions. He noticed how touchy she was about her appearance, knocking Sora through a wall during a sparring session when the monk mentioned Sai's nickname for her.
"I think it's time we moved on." He said as he knelt before the head monk of the temple on the morning of the eighth day. "Thank you so much for all you have done for us here." He said bowing low.
The head monk smiled. "Very well then. We also appreciate what you have done for us during your stay." The old man touched his chin. "If you're looking for another place to do soul searching, might I suggest The Land of Lightning?"
"The Land of Lightning? I've been there recently." Sasuke replied.
"Yes but you haven't visited The Waterfall of Truth have you?" the monk remarked.
"I've heard about that place." Sakura said softly. "It's located on The Land of Lightning's sacred, moving island. When Naruto was learning to control The Nine Tails he had to pass the test at The Waterfall of Truth first."
"What exactly is it?" Sasuke asked.
"No one's quite sure how it works. Some speculate that the water casts a powerful genjutsu, others claim it's a sacred spot blessed by the Gods. Regardless, if you're truly ready to cast your old self aside it might be worth your while to gain access to it." The head monk said.
Sasuke glanced over at his pink haired partner who smiled at him. "We can go if you want to. Don't worry, even if you're not well liked there, I am. It's the reason I was selected to come with you after all." She said.
He nodded. "Very well then. We'll head to The Land of Lightning."
"Good luck to you." The monk said. "Will you allow me to say a prayer for the both of you before you leave?"
"Of course." Sakura replied.
They bowed their heads and closed their eyes as the Monk chanted words in a language they didn't understand. Sasuke's thoughts were drifting between the woman next to him and the man he used to be. Why was she still by his side? Why did she love him the way she did? If he was somehow able to make peace with the man he'd been once, would he be worthy of such feelings?
The prayer finished, and the pair of shinobi stood and walked to the gates of the temple where Sora and the other monks waited to wish them luck on their journey.
"Good luck with everything and thank you for all that you've done here." Sora said extending his hand to Sakura.
"Thanks." She responded taking his hand. "It was my pleasure."
Sora turned to Sasuke. "You know, you're actually not a bad guy once you get past all of that gloom and doom you have hanging over you." He said extending his hand to the Uchiha. "I can kind of see why they wanted you back so bad."
The raven haired man blinked in surprise before accepting the monk's hand shake. "Thanks." He replied simply.
"Also, before you two go I have a warning." He said moving closer and lowering his voice. "There have been rumors floating around about a pair of rogue shinobi from The Hidden Grass village that are looking for you, Sasuke. I don't know much except for that they're exceptionally skilled. Please be careful."
"Thank you for the warning." Sakura said as Sasuke nodded.
They bowed once more to the sacred site before descending the staircase.
"So to the Land of Lightning?" Sakura said when they hit the bottom.
He nodded. "I'm interested in this Waterfall of Truth the monk spoke of. Did Naruto tell you anything about it?" he asked.
Sakura sighed as they took to the trees and headed for the main road again. "He didn't say much about it other than it was harder than he thought. Guy sensei said something interesting about it though."
"Guy sensei?" Sasuke repeated glancing over at her.
"Yeah. He said that he wanted to see what it was all about and entered the falls. He said that when he closed his eyes another him walked out to confront him spouting nonsense about how he wasn't in his prime anymore. Then Kisame showed up and interrupted everything."
"Another him?" Sasuke replied. "Strange."
Sakura nodded. "I'm not sure how it works but it seems to me that it might be a place where your negative thoughts and feelings are able to manifest and take on a personified form."
Sasuke nodded. "It would seem that way."
"What do you think? Do you really want to go?" she asked. "I heard it takes a very long time to reach there by boat or otherwise." He nodded and she smiled. "Alright then."
