Author's Note: This chapter has a song weaved into it, as you will see. It's "Strangers" by Keane. Listening to this track wrote the whole chapter for me! Great song, but very sad. With that said, there is definite angst and are mentions of rape and violence in this chapter…and probably from here on out.

"Honey, it'll be okay." The soft-spoken man looked down at his daughter. She was so beautiful and had been the pride of his and his wife's since the day she was born. Who would have ever known she would grow up to be such a fine woman?

"Daddy…?" Sakura opened her eyes to her father's voice. She was in the cherry blossom grove and the sky was as blue as the perfect summer day…but this wasn't summer. It was winter, it had just finished snowing…there should have been clouds…how odd.

"Don't worry about me, my little Blossom. Your mom and I…we'll be fine. We're happy."

"What are you talking about, dad?" Sakura moved her head to glance in every direction but she could not see her father anywhere.

A soft laugh was heard, "You can't see me. But don't panic, I'm here."

"What's going on?" She wasn't going to panic…this place was too comfortable to panic. It's as if the air she was breathing in had the power to relax her entire body.

"We aren't mad at you."

"I'm getting scared, dad…" As quickly as the feeling of comfort found her, it left. What was left was a feeling of pain and despair. Her chest hurt…panic began to set in as the blue sky above was covered by threatening black clouds. The air around her was suddenly still and warm as if were warning her of something.

"It won't be easy. Don't lose yourself… We'll watch you, Sakura. We love you."

"DADDY!" She was starting to remember. That blood…it was…

"DADDY! Come back! DADDY WHERE ARE YOU!" Panic set in and very soon the world around her faded to black.


"TSUNADE!" This was no time to be proper. Naruto stormed through the medical hallways with Sakura's limp body in his arms. He had not even bothered to grab a wrap for her nude skin. There just wasn't enough time. Blood dripped with each step he took as if it were needed to leave their trail.

Finally he found her. Looking up at them she panicked but there was a reason she had been appointed Hokage…and that is even in those 'bad dream' type situations she could still function to perfection.

This wasn't good. She was broken, bleeding, and bruised. Tsunade quickly but carefully took Sakura from the shock-stricken ninja and turned briskly to run to the surgery rooms. "What the hell happened!"

"I don't know!" Naruto was getting winded , but he didn't even care. Sakura…oh my god, Sakura! There were too many thoughts and panics floating through his mind. "I found her like this, outside her home. She had crawled into the street… Oh god there was so much blood, Tsunade. Not just hers."

They were there. Tsunade placed Sakura on the examination bed and began to quickly scout over her naked form for the place where the injury was worst. It was everywhere, though, and quickly she discerned that her best bet was to concentrate on the body as a whole. The only laceration was a smooth straight line dug deep into her flesh from her bottom lip to the area between her legs. From first glance it appeared to run a half an inch deep at the worst parts. It would leave a scar, there was nothing she could do about that…but scars were the least of her concern.

Sakura's arm was broken. It fell on the table twisted in an odd manor with the elbow bent in the wrong direction. Bruises covered all her body and her lips were busted in more than one place. An eye swollen shut, hair ripped out, fingers bent in odd directions…this wasn't good at all. Tsunade could sense internal bleeding.

Tsunade concentrated as she began her flow of chakra into the ripped body lying before her. "Oh god, please make it…"

"Where is she!" Kakashi slammed his hands on Tsunade's desk, demanding a quick answer. Rainwater dripped from his wild silver hair to the papers on her desk but he didn't seem to care.

"Sit down." Tsunade didn't make eye contact…she couldn't. It felt too hard to admit what happened to Sakura. She made it through, but it was still bad. Her body would heal with scarring…but mentally Tsunade didn't even have an estimate.

Kakashi did as told and took his seat. His hands were getting sweaty and the whole room felt as if it were closing in on him. All he had gotten from Naruto was a claim that Sakura was hurt and in the medic building on floor two. He had rushed straight here at a speed that even would have had made his father proud. Where was she! He had to see her! His eyes bore into Tsunade as she took her time.

"We almost lost her." It finally came through. She didn't want to tell him! Seeing Hatake Kakashi cry, which he most likely would, was enough to make anyone feel unsure about themselves.

"…It's that bad?" Reality always has a habit of hitting you right in the stomach. A broken leg perhaps, or a kunai wound…that is what he had been expecting. Something she had gotten during sparring with Naruto, maybe. Kakashi's voice fell soft, "What happened, Hokage-sama?"

"She…Kakashi first I must know what is going on between you two, just so I can feel more comfortable dealing this news." It wasn't that she wouldn't tell him had he said there was nothing between them, but she wanted to deliver it softer if he possibly had feelings for her.

"More than friends, less than a couple." It was easier that he thought, admitting their relationship. The definition fit, more or less.

Tsunade still hesitated, he didn't sound sure. "Are you sure you weren't just more than a couple?"

"Fuck, Tsunade. Just tell me what the hell happened and where in this fucking morgue is she!" This was no time to play therapist. He wanted to know, and he wanted to know now.

Almost whispering Tsunade began, "Haruno Sakura has suffered from multiple injuries including a dislocated elbow, three fingers with clean breaks and one finger that was shattered. Her left ankle seemed to have been twisted but I was able to mend this with merely my chakra." Tsunade swallowed…it was so hard to watch Kakashi's face fall as she spoke, "Her right hip was found to be dislocated but we were able to repair it with ease. She has suffered from various blows to her chest and face but all internal damage was stabilized this morning at 8am. There is a laceration that runs from her lower lip, across her chest, to her pelvic area which lead us to notice the intent of the damage inflicted upon her."

Kakashi choked. He was beginning to feel faint…this was a lot. Where would she have been fighting to receive injuries like this? "Which was?"

"She was raped, Kakashi. Her parents…her parents are dead. Murdered in a sense that was most disturbing." Tsunade didn't want to say it…there was no way to tone down this news.

"WHO DID THIS TO HER!" No one would get away with this, no one. Who would do this to her? She was so strong! The attacker must have been stronger…but how would another country's ninja make it this far into the city?

"…Swas mumbling. We could barely hear her, but we make it out to be Uchiha Sasuke."

"Fuck." Kakashi jumped up from his chair and ran into the hallway. With the description of her injuries he was pretty sure he would know where to find her. He would fucking kill that Sasuke bastard.

"KAKASHI!" Tsunade yelled at his shrinking figure running down the hall, "PREPARE YOURSELF! IT WON'T BE EASY!"

I don't know your face, no more…

Or feel the touch…

that I adore…

Sakura stood by the window next to her cold hospital bed. She had regained consciousness an hour prior and it didn't take long for all the memories to come rushing back. Immediately she had thrown up from the mental realization that her parents were dead and she was ruined. It hurt… The outside world was dark with rain and thunder. It was fitting to the mood. She was just staring blankly…not a single thought was held in her mind as she stood there.

Her skin was cold to the touch and no expression crossed her face. It was like she was devoid of existence, just an empty shell of the Sakura that had been there before.

Deep inside she was dying. No…she figured deep inside she was already dead. She had given up when she had crawled only to pass out in the road…there didn't seem to be a reason to fight it. She found such relaxation in the solitude of her own mind.

Her parents were gone, her innocence was stolen…and she had learned that living for merely a purpose was not enough. Purposes, and people, failed. She had none.

I don't know your face, no more…

It's just a place…I'm looking for…

"Sakura…" Kakashi stood in the doorway of her room, making no attempt to move forward.

She didn't even bother to acknowledge him. Whatever communications could have taken place between them didn't seem worth the effort to her. Why he was there was of none of her concern and she found a thought that wished him to just leave. She didn't even think she could speak if she tried. Speaking was useless. Living was useless. She had nothing to live for. No purpose, no dream…no nothing.

A look of sadness cut across Kakashi's face as he saw how bad she really was. Tsunade was not lying. Before, Sakura had brightened up the entire room with just her warmth. Before, she made his palms sweat and his heart skip beats.

It wasn't there. The room seemed to be as cold as ice…his heart did not flutter…his hands were not sweaty, they merely felt cold and clammy.

She wasn't there anymore.

Kakashi realized any of his attempts would go unwanted and he backed out of her room, shutting the door behind him with no further attempt at communication. The second the door was shut he fell backwards into it, unable to hold himself up…all his strength had vanished. Sliding down to his feet he held his head in his hands, pulling at his thick, silver, hair. He suddenly felt confined and ripped his headband away from his sharingan eye, letting it shine.

"Sakura…" he managed to choke out, trying not to cry. He couldn't help it. No matter how hard he tried to stop the knot rising in his chest , he couldn't do it. No amount of training could stop the tears once they decided to flow. Ninja were supposed to keep their emotions in check, it was a rule. He was breaking the rule…wouldn't be the first time now. It had been so many times now that he didn't even care anymore.

Tears…would she ever feel those again?

He choked in memory of her smiles and her touch. He bit his lip from the urge to scream. His body suddenly tensed up signifying a need for release and he quickly jumped to his feet to punch the wall across from the door with the sound of wood splintering. The wood tore into his hand as it came into contact and the feeling of flesh ripping felt so…real. And good. It felt good.

She was gone. Even though she was only a few feet away from him…she was gone.

We might as well be strangers in another town

We might as well be living in a different world

We might as well…

Tsunade came running at the sound of the crash and turned the corner to see Kakashi there, bent over, with his fist jammed into the wall. She rushed to him and grabbed his shoulders but he didn't even notice she was there. He was panting as he had just fought to the death. Tears were streaming out of both of his eyes. The sharingan looked as if it were on fire and had burned up the soul living behind it.

"Kakashi! Snap out of it!" Tsunade shook him in panic, "Not here! Don't hurt anyone here!" This wasn't good.

He was in his own world of pain, of self-loathing. The pain he inflicted upon himself psychologically made him feel whole…complete. The pain replaced the feeling he had once had from Sakura. Unable to contain himself he let out a scream, once again falling to his knees from weakness.

"Kakashi!" He could hear his name…someone needed him. "Stop! Please…"

Stop? To him, he wasn't doing anything. This feeling he had wasn't even enough to call existing. It was his fault…she was like this. He should have been with her! And it was also his fault that he would go right back into the routine of never speaking. He could do it… he had done it before.

He had done it the time his dreams were ripped from his hands. He had done it when Obito died.

Then, at least he still had purpose. He could recover with his purpose. Now, he didn't even have that. His purpose had died when he had failed to live up to it. All he wanted to do was protect her, with his entire life. He couldn't protect her. He hadn't protected her. Twice this has happened now. Sakura was not dead like Obito but she may as well have been.

He felt so weak.

The hands were still there, shaking him. He put the voice together in his mind, recognizing it as Tsunade.

"I said I would protect her from him…" he whispered so softly that Tsunade could barely hear.

"FUCK that GOD DAMN PIECE OF SHIT!" He lost it again, unable to think or even comprehend what he was doing or saying. He had stood straight and ripped his arms away from Tsunade almost violently.

"You Uchiha bastard! How do you like it! You've ripped apart the only hopes we had left. You've taken our purpose for living…" Kakashi's knees gave out beneath him once more and he fell against Tsunade. She held him there, sliding them both to the floor as sobs wretched out of the fragile man.

"My Blossom…" More crying.

"My Blossom…"

Oh how much it hurt to listen to him break…

I don't know your thoughts these days…

We're strangers in an empty space.

It was a week later and still it didn't look good, for either of them. Tsunade had watched two of her closest comrades break down to the possible point of no return.

How would they make it, without Kakashi's smiling face there to be so cocky? How would anyone ever be able to take his place? He hadn't left his apartment for days. She sent no one to check on him for she understood that he just needed his time.

She hadn't known that he and Sakura had so much between them. The fact that there was something was obvious, even Kakashi had admitted it…but there may have been so much there that even they didn't realize the power of it.

/I would have given her anything…/

Neither of them had died, yet, they both continued their lives as empty shells. They lacked the need for existence and they lacked the motivation to even end their own lives.

There was no talking to someone who couldn't even hear.

I don't understand your heart

It's easier to be apart.

Sakura lay in her hospital bed, staring up at the ceiling, not even blinking. She thought she heard the click of the door opening but she paid it no mind. It wasn't anyone important…she didn't have anyone important. Many people had attempted to visit her but she responded to no one. She didn't feel the need and the energy was lacking.

Her love had been ripped away from her that night. Her innocence and her family had been stolen.

Her wound stung as she breathed in and out on her chest…but she welcomed it. Physical pain was the only proof she had left of her existence.

She turned her head at the glimpse of a figure standing at her bedside. Naruto.

Consolation was not what she felt like right now. He tried saying hello. It didn't work. She didn't care enough to respond.

"Go away." She whispered. He was starting to infringe upon her solitude.

"We can help you get through this, Sakura! Please! Don't do this!" Naruto was pleading to her with tears running down the sides of his face. His friend…wasn't his friend anymore. He didn't even recognize her.

"Naruto, if you had no dreams and no purpose…would you have hope?" Her voice was raspy and she barely felt like exerting the energy to speak. All of a sudden this interaction…fast, so fast. The walls waved around her, they made her so dizzy.

"No…" Naruto placed the flower he had brought in on her chest and turned to walk out of the room, admitting to himself that she was right in a way. You could never force a dream on another.

Naruto would regret giving in so quickly. But at that moment it seemed the right thing to do. He was not even sure that he would ever have the right to go back and see her, or if she wanted him there.

We might as well be strangers in another town

We might as well be living in another town

We might as well…

Be strangers…

Be strangers…

For all I know of you now.

Author's Note: Wonderful thank you to Ninjashen (spelled correctly this time) for betaing! If it weren't for her I would have called Sakura "Bossom" instead of "Blossom" for the entire fic. For some reason I believe that would have taken away the angsty feel ;)

Chapters 11-15 on the works. I'm writing them in a time line that is quite sporadic.