The village was in chaos. Ninjas of the Hokage were running about, and as Sakura looked out a window, she saw Kakashi.
"Sir Kakashi! What's going on?!"
Kakashi stopped in mid stride and instead of the usual smile, a grim line is visible behind the back.
"An infiltration last night. Some guards and patrol members slaughtered like lambs. Identified as Uchiha Itachi."
Sakura's eyes widened. He's not dead.
LOST Chapter 7: When All is Lost
"That bastard's back?!" Sasuke roared, surprising everyone in the room. They were currently gathered in the Fifth Hokage's room, trying to decide what to make of the incredible rumor circulating among the Konoha residents.
During last night's break in, the missing-nin who was most noticed was a certain raven-haired man who was supposedly dead.
"But how?!" Sasuke raved on, ignoring the stares directed to him as he continued to pace on the length of the room. "I saw it myself! The blood flowing all over his body! His last words, the truth! How?! This is unacceptable!"
"Sasuke Uchiha!" Tsunade finally called out in a commanding voice. "We WILL discuss these ACCORDINGLY using CIVILIZED tongues. If you cannot do so, you are free to leave the room."
He simply directed a smoldering stare to a wall as he took his seat.
"Report."
A ninja at the background stepped forward and said in a monotone voice. "Midnight exactly. Our two late-night guards split cleanly in half. Five assumed members of Akatsuki went past them and destroyed minor properties."
"Minor?"
"Yes."
"Leave."
"As you wish."
As the door clicked shut, Tsunade faced them again. The whole lot of them. "This is insane. Akatsuki is the best missing-nin organization there is! They don't attack for nothing! For Pete's sake, nothing was stolen and only minor properties damaged! This is highly unlikely!"
"A mission?" Sakura flatly asked.
"For what?" Tsunade retorted scornfully.
"Me."
"Pardon?"
"Me. Sakura Haruno."
At Sasuke's quick glance, she hastily added, "Uchiha. Sakura Haruno Uchiha."
Tsunade's incredulous expression was directed to her, just as everybody else was. "Why? What makes you think so?"
Without changing tones, she replied, "Last night I felt an unnatural shiver and my window was closed."
Tsunade regarded her skeptically. "That's it?"
"I have a strong genjutsu barrier to protect my children. It was my habit."
"Sakura, you understand that this is very low to be called evidence. And this is a very high-level case."
"I want my children here."
"What?!"
"Nagisa and Natsuke. It's important."
"Fine."
When the children entered the room, they regarded the people in the room with bewildered eyes and ran to their mother. "Momma?" Natsuke asked.
"Sakura smiled lightly for them and questioned, "Have you felt anything strange last night?"
The two children looked dubiously at each other before slowly raising their eyes to Sakura. "Promise you won't get angry?" Natsuke asked hesitantly.
The people in the room grinned a bit at this as Sakura answered. "Sure."
"We did feel strange. When I woke up, Nagisa was shivering and we both felt it from the window opposite the bed."
Nagisa added, "We saw red eyes. And they were staring at you, Momma."
Perplexed eyes stared disbelievingly at Sakura, most people gaping.
Tsunade's face was remarkable, mind you.
As Sakura faced the gates of the Hokage Tower, she contemplated the earlier proceedings. The moment her idea was proven, the shinobis panicked. Sasuke went off to a barrage of curses which made Sakura cover Natsuke and Nagisa's ears, Neji decided how the wall needed a hole which made Tenten fear for the whole tower, Naruto wailed so loud Lee had to knock him out, poor Shikamaru and Chouji became victims of Ino's 'sorrow', and the only ones who remained calm were the two Sannins and the Jounin senseis.
I wonder how-
"SAKURA!"
Said person whipped her head to the direction of the call and saw Sasuke hurrying towards her. She smiled and turned herself and the twins towards him as he reached them.
Sasuke panted, trying to catch his breath as he leaned towards his knees. "I pant I'll breath walk you gasp home puff Sakura."
Sakura giggled a bit at this and replied, "If you want to, but it's not necessary, you know."
Finally catching his breath, he said, "I want to."
She glanced quickly at the twins and answered, "Okay."
The walk home have been uneventful enough, thought Sasuke as he walked home late that night. He walked his 'family' home and went away to get some supper and to check upon the Hokage Tower. Unfortunately, there has been no development upon the case.
As he reached the landing of his room, he felt an odd shiver. Someone is in my room!
He took out his kunai and kicked his room door open.
"I will take now what is the last thing of value to you, little brother."
Sasuke launched his kunai, gave out a yell, and dashed to Sakura's home.
A few meters before he got there, he heard an agonized scream, followed by glass breaking.
Next day, the hospital was active. Last night, Uchiha Sasuke arrived with a bloodied Sakura, and he was almost bathed in her blood due to its large quantity. Shrieks were heard before the nurses scurried by to help accommodate her. The Hokage was informed an hour after Sakura arrived at the hospital and her condition was stabilized and she rushed to the hospital, and found Sasuke silently waiting outside the operating room. She entered, and stayed inside for who knows how long.
Their friends came next morning, having just found out the news. They found out that Sakura was in a dreadful condition, having lost a lot of blood, and was recovering slowly, but at least not in any life-or-death situation. They saw Sasuke beside her bed, his eyes focused on the pale face contorted in unmistakable grief, his face masked once more, yet his eyes speaking all.
Twenty minutes after being able to pull Sakura from death's door, Tsunade stood at the podium at the village square in front of a large group of confused villagers and announced,
"The twins of Uchiha has been kidnapped."
TBC...
Authoress' Notes:
1. Whew! Got this one out at last! Thanks for all those who continue supporting me! Please read on and enjoy!
2. I bet this story might go farther than planned, is that ok?
3. Please wish me luck in a poem-writing contest I was thrown into! I don't really think I'm good at it, so...
4. Please read and review! This is not yet the end by a long shot, k?
