AN:Thanks to all those who reviewed, this marks half way through the story woot! Sorry it too so long for me to upload chapter six. I was working out some of the plot and any gaps I had in it. Which reminds me I have to go and edited to make sure it's all clean and pretty.
I don't own Naruto - not sure if I said that already or not
Chapter 7
Tests Allies and the Enemy
Ten minutes passed like a lifetime for Sakura. This man had haunted her since he first appeared. He was the grim reaper, bringer of death. All around him were the souls of people he killed, those his men killed, and soon will encircle around him like hornets. Every time she had a meeting with the mass murderer Sakura felt sick, disgusted, and unbelievably dirty.
Like death Itachi left the small apartment and allowed Gaara to resume his self inflicted duties. Sakura stood still in the middle of the living room floor. Her back faced the front door She looked fine at first. Yet if one took a careful eye they could see her shaking hands, stiff back, and shallow breathing. Sakura Haruno was more then just a little shaken.
"Gaara…." Her voice was tense. Sakura waited a few more minutes until she spoke again, "we… we have to move on with the plan, Itachi is catching on… if we don't… he will…." Apart of herself hated for the waver in her voice, the total and utter weakness was showing right now. Hated that Itachi could still invoke so much fear with so little words.
"Go take a hot shower" Gaara issued out the order before Sakura could finish the statement. "I am staying" In well placed movements the assassin with the hair the color of blood took his seat on the couch. One arm draped over the back and remote in the other he turned on the TV. It flickered for a moment and from the dull shapeless blackness it turned to bright colors and shapes
Shaken and weary Sakura gave the back of his head a small smile. Softly she thanked him and ventured into the small bathroom. It would be a sleepless night but it would be good to have the company.
--
The next morning Sakura found herself resting on the human brick wall formally named Gaara. Unable to really sleep in her bed the Yakuza heir wandered out into the living room. There with the soft glow of the TV on his face she crept up and plunked herself down next to him.
Gaara remained still and focused on whatever the TV was showing now. Sakura moved a pillow to his lift leg and tugged the blanket so it would cover her. He shifted for a moment as if to make it more comfortable for the two of them. A smile pulled at her lips, another quick look at him she saw someone she knew and yet didn't.
He was strong, more so then normal humans. Gaara hated people but yet there were a select few he allowed to see him- the true him. One of them was of course herself and Naruto. These people, she assumed where the only real friends or family he has ever known. If it came down to it, Sakura would put her life on the table and bet he would do almost anything for them. Ironically her life has always been in his hands.
Bright green eyes darted from one of the seven great mysterious in her life to the TV. It was the late night news of some channel. Her eyes watched the reporters mouth open and close while explaining what was happening in the background. Sakura didn't understand any of it. All she could focus on was what appeared to be a murder scene, and with that image burned into her mind Sakura fell into an uncomfortable slumber.
Stiff neck and back Sakura sat up and glanced upward at the brick wall. Eyes closed he looked almost peaceful and asleep. Last time she checked people don't sleep sitting up, nor did Gaara know anything as horrible as dreaming. Green eyes watched him now in the morning dawn that filtered in from her blinds. His features were made as if someone craved them from marble. Cold, hard, and utterly prefect.
He was the prefect man in most aspects other then the cold and almost unfeeling part.
Sakura stayed like that for a bit longer. It was her favorite pass time to watch him and study the growing man. Each time she went to look at him, something changed. It was almost impossible to keep a true image of him printed in her mind. Yet she loved that about him.
Love
Did she love him?
Yes, but not in that way. It was odd to place her feelings towards the red head. Every time she tired they were bent or twisted in some way. So at some point Sakura gave up and just went with the flow of things.
"Get up."
"hmmmfff I don't want to, can't we just ditch?" oh what monstrosity did she just ask?
A short pause and Sakura wondered if he actually would say 'yes lets do it', in his own way of course. The glare he gave her ruined whatever hopeful thought she had. The plan, they had to move ahead. To do that, they needed to talk to some people, well find them, talk to them, and then hope they go for it. This is where Sakura quotes Shikamaru, this is way to troublesome.
A yawn and stretch later Sakura stood. Her eyes scanned the living area once then twice. "I am going to get ready, do you want me to get your spare uniform?"
A curt nod of the head was all she needed for a yes. The two of them took turns for the shower and changing. While Sakura was in the shower Gaara started their breakfast, while Gaara was in the shower Sakura finished it and had it ready when he got out. They sat in a comfortable silence.
In a world where Sakura company was limited to house servants, her teacher, and Gaara it was just like the old days. No matter who side the servants, 'co-workers', and family friends took be it her mothers or father's Sakura could always turn to Gaara. The house she grew up in was broken beyond repair all for greed and power. There was no love and defiantly not a feeling of protection and safety. You were a tool, a carefully placed pawn, or worse a betting chip.
When Gaara came into her life, that all changed. No one dared to poison her food, hire a hit man, kidnappers, or even tried to talk down to her. The wild beast that was taken in as an experiment in a sense saved her life. It was she who offered kindness in place of the evils her father pumped into him, and it was in thanks he protected her. Who still protects her to this day.
Sakura didn't see him as a wild beast to be broken, tamed, and trained to kill. She saw a human, a child much like herself, who needed love, much like herself. Now here they are in Tokyo where dangers lurks from both sides as war starts to rear its ugly head. A war that first must end in her life to even start.
Breakfast was done and the two left. It was a slow pace walk to the school. Spring was here and the Cherry blossom trees lined the sidewalks. The petals of the flowers broke apart and filled the air with pink rain drops. They tossed and turned in the wind that promised to bring a spring shower.
"They attacked that man last night didn't they?"
"hn"
"was it an warning to us?" Sakura turned her head upwards to look at him. He was taller now she noticed.
"Possibly."
"Do you think he knows?" Again worry found its way into her voice.
Gaara shrugged and locked eyes with his charge. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she broke eye contact.
"I need to tell him."
"So be it."
"Yeah… but not now… I will wait." Sakura chewed on her lower lip then went on to explain. "we need him to find my teacher. Knowing her, she must of ranked up a good debt from the Locals here in Tokyo."
Gaara pale green eyes stared upwards for a moment. He then nodded in agreement.
"Here goes nothing…. Wish me luck."
Their eyes met again and Sakura was frozen on the spot. They were so dark, something dangerous lurked behind them. It was that same look he had when they first met. That dangerous killing edge look. Fear pumped through her blood but just as quickly as it came, it was gone. For a moment Sakura thought it was just a trick of the morning light. If only she didn't spend so much time memorizing his features that is.
The day passed by uneventful as ever. The play was coming along well and in one more week they will be up there on stage. When clubs were finally out, Sakura took her leave for the roof. Sometime at lunch Sakura slipped a note into the younger Uchiha's locker. As she reached the top she saw in the setting sun's light the silhouette of one of the youngest and most feared men this generation had to offer.
Yet he was so beautiful.
The waning light danced across his features and the shadows framed the most prefect ones. There Sasuke stood in all his glory behind the blood red sky, maybe he painted it himself or will in the future. Paint the sky red with the blood of villains and heroes alike.
"Well what do you want."
She froze for a moment. Sakura was so caught up on the moment her brain stalled for the reason she was here. She needs his help. "I need your help."
"Oh?" A sneer on his beautiful face ruined whatever image Sakura had painted in her mind. "You, scum, lowly little farm girl need my help?"
Breath, just Breath Sakura. "yes… Look there is stuff you don't know about… Stuff I need to tell yo-"
"Shut up you little bitch." The dark eye killer walked forwards to meet her, his hands dug deeply into his pockets. "You are my enemy. You… your people harbor the man that killed my family. Do you really think I will lift one finger to help you?"
"Look! You don't understand! I… I can't stand that man!" Sakura whipped her head up to glare at the other occupant on the rooftop. "My family…Listen can't we please just talk…. Please."
Dead eyes stared into her hopeful ones. A long pause later the boy just 'hn'ed and allowed her to speak.
"My family…. Is torn in two. One half follows my mother, blood heir to the first man to start our group. They are loyal to the blood that runs through our veins. The second half of the house, and more powerful half is my Father's. Slowly he has been killing off the ones who support my mother with the help of that -man- and his group.
"As you know Gaara and I were both raised together, we had a teacher who sided with my mother. Who still sides with my mother and is a blood heir. It was her great grandfather to start the organization itself. Yet, she wants nothing to do with it. My father plans to kill her. Not only that but my name appears on his list known as the Bingo book. I found out and I escaped to Tokyo.
"this is why I need your help. I need to stop him, I need to find my teacher and gather as many…allies as I can. There is something in it for you of course… you can kill Itachi. That is if you help me, it would give you an opening and a reason to face that man." She left it at that. Revenge, Gaara told her fuels this boy-man. If she could pull him with just that simple thing, it wouldn't be hard.
Sasuke stood stiff and still. His mind broke down the parts of the story from what he knew. Most of it was true, reports came in that the family was spilt in two with the daughter in the middle. Yet he never figured that her old man would try and kill her. What about her mother? What type of woman was she to control half of the house from her husband. His mother was nothing like that, a pretty doll, a pretty broken doll.
"How do you know you can trust me." His voice dropped an octave lower. Slowly he leaned in until their noses were just centimeters apart.
"Where is the fun in that? You keep me on my toes if you were loyal it would be a boring take over. The enemy of my Enemy is thy friend, yet is still an enemy. There is one more thing, I don't understand it but, Naruto appears in his bingo book. Do you know why?" Sakura titled her head to the side in a questioning like manner.
"no."
"Oh."
They stood outside on the roof top well past sundown. Sakura shared more of her secrets and received none in return. As the meeting came to a close Sasuke looked at the girl he barely knew. "This weekend, we'll look for your teacher, You, Naruto and I."
A smile appeared on her face and nodded. "alright."
