Chapter-51

After leaving the graveyard, they walked back to their home in Uchiha compound. They chatted a little and then there was silence for a while. Then finally Sasuke asked,

"Nii-san. Tell me the truth. About Sakura."

"You really want to know? It's pretty disturbing."

"I don't care. I want to know why she left and why she didn't tell me anything. Does she not care about me or Naruto?"

Itachi started laughing

"Why are you laughing? I was serious."

"I'm sorry I just… I never thought you were so dumb. You want to know the truth? She accepted this fate to save you and Naruto. She loves you both more than you could ever imagine. She sacrificed her life to save yours.?

Sasuke looked at him in disbelief. " but we weren't in any danger. What was she protecting us from?"

"The future, Sasuke. She came from the future to save the shinobi world from a devastating war in which everyone died except Kakashi-san and her."

"Are you actually making up all this?" Sasuke replied annoyingly

Itachi laughed again and shook his head

"Okay I can show it to you. I'll let you see what Sakura had suffered from and why she came."

He activated his sharingan and got Sasuke in his mind. Then Sasuke saw everything, him leaving Sakura on the bench when she confessed to him, joining Orocimaru to gain power to kill Itachi, fighting with Itachi which he won due to Itachi being almost blind and sick, talking about destroying Konoha, killing Danzo and almost killing Sakura before Naruto came and saved her, Naruto never giving up on him no matter how deep he drowned darkness and then going to the war the Akatsuki had planned, and then he saw Sakura walking around the battle field, seeing everyone dead, finding Kakashi barely alive, healing him and then find him and Naruto both having lost their dominant hand at final attack on Madara, Sakura standing in front of them to become their shield accepting her death but we both came forward and died. She cried and then Kakashi decided to change this reality.

Itachi blinked back into his dark eyes. Sasuke sat there dead still. He wasn't even breathing he blinked a few times before he faced Itachi,

"Sasuke, she sacrificed her life to give you a life far from darkness. She wanted to save everyone and especially you. That's why she seeked me for help to destroy Akatsuki so that no war happens in the future. And she is still sacrificing everything for you both. All she has ever done is give."

Sasuke remembered Kakashi screaming at him about how selfless Sakura was. And it was definitely the truth.

"Oh my god… she was in so much pain but all I ever did was think about myself. I never would have imagined she would do so much just so we could stay alive…" he gritted his teeth in anger

"I left her alone. She thinks I hate her. How will I face her?" Sasuke looked worriedly at Itachi.

"You just have be with her Sasuke. That's what she wants. Your team back together like before."

Sasuke clenched his fists and ran out. Itachi smiled as he knew where he was going.

On the way to the hospital, he abruptly stopped at the road which led to Naruto's home. He deserves to know too. And he ran to Naruto. He explained everything to Naruto and both now in desperation ran to the hospital. The panted heavily in front of Sakura's room. Both of them were a nervous wreck but then they clenched their fists and decided to do it. Naruto opened her room's door and entered while Sasuke stayed in the corridor leaning against the door. Sakura opened her eyes to see who came in but when she saw Naruto, her eyes went wide open and her mouth was partly open.

"Hey Sakura-chan." Said Naruto normally

"I've been better. How are you?"

"I'm not okay, you know."

"Why? What happened?"

"I didn't put trust in a close friend and now that I know why they behaved I like the way they did, I feel terrible guilt. I cant forgive myself." He said while looking down.

"Who is it, Naruto?"

He looked up with tears in his eyes and replied, "It's you, Sakura-chan."

Her eyes went wide and then they softened as she looked down.

"So you found out huh? It's okay, Naruto. I did hurt you. You have the right to get angry."

"No Sakura-chan! How is this okay? You have been protecting us since we became genin. You were always there for both of us. But you suffered so much. You had nightmares about that damn war and dead friends. You couldn't even eat somedays. And we just broke our faith in you without even knowing why you were doing these things. I am a terrible friend. I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan. I'm sorry." Said Naruto while crying Sakura couldn't control her tears and even then she smiled and said, "I'll forgive you if you forgive me." Naruto nodded while wiping his tears and grinned at her. I missed his grin so much. Thought Sakura with a smile. They chatted about the past happenings of the last 3 years she wasn't around. Naruto also told her that Hinata was going out with him. He looked like a cheerful kid while talking about her. Sakura laughed.

"Well, I guess I should leave now. take care, I'll come back soon. Bye" he said while hugging her and then he left.

Sakura smiled genuinely but then one thought struck her. Sasuke hadn't come. I guess he never will talk to me again.

When he closed the door, Naruto said to himself," You better see her. I don't want to see her like this, got it you bastard?" as he glared at the wall Sasuke was leaning against, now empty.

Sasuke had decided to go the hospital's roof top and think about what he should say to Sakura. he didn't notice that it was 11 pm and he hadn't thought of a single line he could say to her. But he decided 'it was now or never' like he did with the pair of gloves. He jumped from the roof and entered Sakura's room through the window. She was awake and reading a book. When she saw him jump in from the window she lowered her gaze.

"Hey Sasuke."

He didn't say anything and just stood there.

"Well, I guess since Naruto knows everything, you do too."

He just nodded.

"I'm sorry for everything. And I know you can't forgive me so I will not bother you anymore." She said with a sad smile

"No."

"huh? No to what?"

"You not bothering me. You can bother me, hit me pretty much do anything to me since I'm the self centered jerk as always. Yeah I got mad but when I saw your memories and linked it to the time we shared 3 years ago, it all made sense. You said you'd even accept it if we never forgave you. But it's the other way. We don't deserve you. You did all this just so that we all could live alone and I cant imagine what you went through. But I acted like a brat. So please let me apologize."

Sakura's eyes shook as she heard him. She looked down on her hands and said, "I forgive you."

Sasuke smiled a little and then released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He walked towards her, sat on her bed side chair and held her hand.

"I missed you."

"I missed you to."

There was a comfortable silence until Sasuke spoke

"Sakura…"

"yes?"

"Don't ever leave me again. I cant bear the thought of you not being by my side. I saw how I acted towards you in the past life of yours and I couldn't believe I behaved like that with you. So now I want to take a step forward with you in this new life. I do not want to lose you since you are the most precious person to me. Will you be with me?" Asked Sasuke while looking in her emerald eyes that were brimming with tears but then she gave a beautiful smile and said, "Yes. I'll always be with you."