A/N: (Updated: March 10th, 2021)

Hello my lovely readers!

I took a small break from studying (and writing my Shakespeare essay) and had the chance to type up chapter 12 today.

First of all, thank you to all who have reviewed the last chapter, I am very happy that my work has brought you some joy in this trying climate.

That said, many of you are curious about the reunion/Sakura's return to the past.

All I can say is be patient and enjoy the story. :)

Alright, let's begin.

This story has been rated R for a reason — you have been warned.

Happy Reading! ^^

Chapter 12. A Prayer

The fusuma panels slid open, revealing the Uchiha heir dressed in his formal attire — the deep blue decorated with intricate swirls of gold along his sleeves, his long raven hair neatly pulled back into a tight top knot, his trusty blade neatly tied to his hip. He took a step forward, entering his parents' quarters. His charcoal eyes looked towards the patriarch, who was sitting in seiza on the futon. He was facing the wall, caressing what looked like an ornamental comb in his hands calmly, not even slightly bothered by the sudden intrusion.

"Father?" Itachi called out to the patriarch.

When there was no reply, Itachi took a step closer before speaking again while staring at his father's back.

"Father, I wish to speak with you."

The Uchiha patriarch did not bother turning around to face his son. He remained sitting in seiza, holding the comb firmly in his hands. Then he slightly lifted his head only to speak with a deep voice, tainted with pure malice.

"Unless you bring me the heads of the remaining Senju brothers, do not bother me!"

"The Uchiha elders are expecting you at the meeting," Itachi replied with a calm voice.

"Leave! I do not wish to be bothered!" Fugaku commanded, never turning to see his son.

Itachi bowed in respect and with quick steps he left the patriarch by himself.

"They will pay, my love. They will pay," Fugaku whispered as he brought the ornamental comb to his lips.

The first of the yellowed autumn leaves were already scattered on the ground as Itachi made his way towards the main hall in the company of his younger brother and cousin. The streets of the Uchiha compound were busy as usual — the compound residents moving from place to place, going about their daily lives, none too bothered with growing Senju conflict. Then again, many of the residents were not warriors nor fighters, but ordinary citizens. They were farmers, merchants, tailors, and more. They relied on the protection of the head family and the Uchiha clan warriors.

As they walked up the steps to the meeting hall, Itachi looked over to his younger brother.

"Have you managed to speak with your friend?" Itachi inquired.

"I did. Naruto will speak with his father about a possible formal alliance with us. He said to give him time," Sasuke replied.

"What about Shisui?" Itachi asked.

"He has not returned from the Yamanaka estate yet. He's been buttering up the clan head for weeks now, but my guess is he is preoccupied with the heiress once again," Aoi answered with a smirk.

"I see," Itachi said simply as they walked up the steps to the meeting hall side-by-side.

"Why is father not attending this meeting? This is the fifth one he is missing," Sasuke suddenly piped in.

"He's consumed by his grief. It's best he does not attend," Itachi replied calmly.

"The elders might take offense to his continued absence," Aoi commented.

"I will handle it. But if it comes to it, you're free to use your fist on Saizō again," Itachi offered.

"No need to tell me twice," Aoi said, and she cracked her knuckles playfully as they arrived at their destination.

Itachi slid the door open and ventured in, followed by Aoi and Sasuke. The three elders were seated on the zabuton pillows around the table, sipping tea as they waited for the arrival of the head family. The first to look up towards the entry way was Saizõ.

"Where is Fugaku? We won't tolerate his absence any longer," Saizõ began as his eyes traveled from Itachi to Sasuke and to Aoi.

"The patriarch is indisposed at the moment. Besides, this meeting has been called because I wish to inform you that I will no longer proceed with the omiai ceremony. I have offered my match Uchiha Izumi kotowari this afternoon and she accepted."

"WHAT?! YOU DARE DENY MY GRANDDAUGHTER?!" Madatachi yelled out, slapping his hand against the wooden table.

"It is my decision to not follow through with the omiai. It has nothing to do with your granddaughter Madatachi-san," Itachi replied, remaining calm and collected.

This is unacceptable! You have to marry at once! You are to take over as clan head of the Uchiha! Your father is no longer fit to lead us!" Hirosuke demanded as he rose from his seat.

"You dare question my father's abilities?" Sasuke snarled, as he took a step forward towards the elder.

"Easy Sasuke," Itachi eased as he glanced to his younger brother before his eyes set back onto the Uchiha elders.

"He is turning into a madman! The attack on the Senju lands has only brought us more trouble with the Adachi council! They will demand retribution!" Madatachi declared.

"That attack was justified or are you saying that the Senju should not have been punished for murdering my mother? Your matriarch?!" Itachi questioned, his eyes traveling from one elder to another.

"There was no proof that the Senju were behind the attack. Your father disposed of the corpse far too quickly. How do we know he did not strike her down herself in a fit of rage? He is just like Madara, too quick to act," Saizō spoke up.

"You talk too much old man," Aoi warned.

"Stand down Aoi," Itachi ordered firmly, trying to stop the situation from escalating.

"As you wish cousin," Aoi muttered.

"I will not discuss with you my father's ability to lead the clan. He is a man in grief, and he is allowed to mourn his loss in whichever way works for him. As for the future of the Uchiha clan, I do not doubt my father's abilities to lead us. Our priority right now is the safety of the compound. The men have been assigned to guard the Uchiha compound around the clock to prevent any other potential assassinations. Now that we know what the Senju are capable of, we will not let them strike again," Itachi stated.

"With all due respect Itachi, this-" Hirosuke started only for him to be interrupted by Itachi.

"You may address as Uchiha-sama. As you have pointed out I am the clan heir and therefore you will address me with the respect my position and status demands. I will not accept any less from any of you,' Itachi declared coldly.

"Very well then Uchiha-sama. What will you do when the Senju demand retribution for their destroyed wares? Surely, they will come around demanding justice once again. This isn't the first time the Senju provoked us. This will only end in bloodshed," Hirosuke said.

"If such a thing occurs, it will be dealt with most delicately. That is all I wished to inform you of. This meeting is dismissed," Itachi said with a calm voice and he turned to leave.

"You will regret breaking this omiai Uchiha-sama."

Itachi paused for a moment and glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow — as if to question the elder's motives. Aoi and Sasuke also remained still, observing the growing tension.

"Is that a threat Madatachi-san?" he asked calmly.

"No, it's a warning," the elder replied.

Then he brought the cup of tea to his lips, taking a small sip and savouring its bitter taste. Without further delay, Itachi resumed his walk and exited the meeting hall, followed closely by Aoi and Sasuke. As they made their way down the steps, Itachi's pace quickened. He was deep in thought — as if reflecting onto the elder's words. The old greybeards were still yearning for power, even after all these years — still hoping to control the clan themselves instead of letting Madara's rightful blood-heir take the lead. Was that the reason they pushed for him to be subjected to an omiai? Marriage to a granddaughter of an elder? Was it all a plan? In that moment, Itachi felt relief wash over him for listening to his intuition and opting out of the arrangement. He already knew that he would never be able to give Izumi what she would expect from him. As cruel as it seemed, Itachi knew that he would not come to love her. It was best for her to find a match with another. Because for Itachi, the truth was simple. His once carefully-guarded heart was already elsewhere — in the hands of a time-traveling physician currently somewhere far beyond his reach.

"That was clearly a threat Itachi. What are you going to do about it?" Sasuke asked.

"You know, one arrow… that's all it takes. I'm just saying," Aoi piped in.

"Itachi… are you listening?" Sasuke asked again, looking over at his older brother.

The older brother walked down quickly, making his way through the busy compound streets, making his way towards the stables. He needed a moment alone. He needed to get away — just a quick ride with Nobu or just hiding away by the Inari shrine for little while just so he could process everything. Just for a moment.

"I am not bothered by Madatachi. If it comes to that, I will deal with the elders myself," Itachi finally replied.

He came to a stop when the guard from the compound's entrance blew the horn.

"A RIDER FROM THE CITY!" a guard bellowed.

In an instant, Itachi was up on his feet and made his way down the path quickly towards the main gate. The rider approached the assembling Uchiha men and women, easing his horse into a trot, before he came to a full stop in front of them. Itachi took a step forward, glancing at the rider with curiosity. He was clad in the colours of the Adachi clan — shades of burnt orange, crimson red and black.

"I have a message for the Uchiha clan head from Adachi-sama," the rider said.

He remained seated on his horse, looking down towards the Uchiha that surrounded him.

"The clan head is indisposed at the moment. However, as his heir I will take the message in his stead," Itachi spoke up and lifted his hand up for the scroll.

The rider took the sealed scroll from his saddle and leaned down, placing it into Itachi's waiting hand. Then with a subtle nudge of his heel, he made his way towards the Uchiha gate, leaving the compound as quickly as he arrived. Itachi's focus fell onto the seal scroll in his hand. With a quick tug, he broke the seal and unraveled the message hidden within. His eyebrows furrowed as he read through the message quickly.

"What is it? What does it say?" Sasuke asked impatiently.

Itachi then began to read aloud.

"The head family of the Uchiha clan is hereby summoned to present itself in front of the Adachi council in three days to answer for the following crimes against the Senju clan: the destruction of Senju estate and farmlands, an unprovoked assault on Senju warriors, an attempted murder of Senju Tobirama, and the thievery of Senju Hanae."

"What?!" Aoi exclaimed.

"The Senju play dirty. What did you expect?" Itachi growled as he rolled the scroll quickly.

"An unprovoked assault my ass… and what attempted murder? The asshole skedaddled out of the battlefield the moment Sasuke went crazy with lightning. He nearly shat himself in fear when Sasuke was cutting down the Senju in his path to get to him," Aoi commented.

"And what about the thievery of Senju Hanae? Is this still because of Sakura? I thought that matter had been resolved," Sasuke jumped in.

"It doesn't seem like that cousin. It doesn't help the fact that Sakura is gone," Aoi replied.

"What do you think niisan?" Sasuke asked as he looked at his older brother.

Itachi glanced over to the main house. How was he going to break this news to his father? How would he even take it? Would he lash out and ready his armor to bring down the Senju once and for all? Would he succumb to his anger and hatred just like Madara?

"Start preparing. In three days, we ride for Niwamachi," Itachi ordered firmly.

He couldn't sleep that night. It has been two days since he ran out of the sleeping tea blend Sakura made for him. His mind wouldn't rest. There was his father. Itachi understood his grief, hell he was grieving, he wanted to avenge the death of his mother, but he also knew that he was not willing to risk the lives of those around him. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, his father was slowly unraveling, and he knew that someday soon he'd have to step in. There were the elders. The power-hungry old men prying their way into his life because he was heir apparent. There was Sakura. The woman who felt so close and yet was so far away. It had been weeks since he last saw her — since she was taken from this time. And yet, she never strayed far from his mind. He wondered how she was doing. Was she back in that clinic of hers learning new medical procedures as she called them or was she in the countryside visiting her mother as she hoped to do? Did she think of them? of Satsuki? of him? or was she slowly forgetting them? moving on with her life?

He rose from his futon and discarded the warm covers. Then as he stood, he removed his sleeping attire — a warm simple yukata and reached for his regular hakama and haori. As he quickly redressed himself, he left his hair loose, forgoing the leather tie he usually used to tie it into a low ponytail. Then he made his way out of his room and down the hall towards the main exit of the house. Once he descended down the three steps and set his foot onto the path, he took a deep breath of the fresh air. The nights were getting colder as winter approached. He made his way towards the stables, heading towards his trusty friend. Once he fixed Nobu's reins and saddle, he led him out of the stable.

"Let's go Nobu," he said gently as he mounted his steed and made his way out of the compound.

He made his way towards the Inari shrine with his usual route, making his way through the trees and up grassy terrain. Once he reached his destination, he slid off the equine and walked towards his favourite spot. And then he came to a sudden stop as the sound of someone crying faded in from a distance. He looked around, trying to locate the source of the sound. And then he began walking towards it, leaving Nobu to graze, even forgoing his blade on his saddle. The cold autumn wind picked up, pushing him forward. It was as if the wind was coaxing him to move away from the shrine, leading him towards a familiar voice.

"I wish to see Itachi again. Please, let me see him. I need to know if he lived."

His heart began to race, and his pace quickened. He was running, and with each step he took, her voice became louder and clearer.

"Sakura," Itachi said out loud into the darkness before him.

She couldn't sleep. There she was lying in her bed, tossing from one side to the other, unable to fall asleep once again as her mind occupied her thoughts. Her eyes were red and swollen while her cheeks were stained with dried tears. The past was all she could think of. The Uchiha. She remembered tracing the Uchiha family tree earlier in the day in the textbook — how Itachi's name was listed among the primary casualties on the Senju estate attack, that he apparently died protecting his younger brother from Senju Tobirama. Did that mean he did not recover from his injuries? Was this one of the things she changed with her time-traveling? Had she not been present at the compound, Itachi would have surely died, but she managed to resuscitate him. He was already recovering when she disappeared. Did something happen? A complication? Did she fail him? She needed to know the truth.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, visualizing the Uchiha heir before her. His long raven hair and onyx-coloured eyes, the prominent tear throughs that rested upon his tired face, his soft lips that pressed against hers, the feel of his strong and muscular body pressed against hers, the way his calloused hands felt on her skin as he caressed her face. Suddenly she sat up in her bed, glancing over to her nightstand, her eyes falling onto the glaring red numbers on her alarm clock. 1:31AM.

Determined, she rose from her bed and she walked over to her closet. She had slipped on a pair of grey sweatpants over her short white silk nightie, tucking it in before she slipped on a dark green sweater on top of it. Then she grabbed her house keys, put on her old sneakers, and she made her way out of her apartment. As she walked down the steps, she thought back to her sudden departure. She was forced back home (did it even feel like home anymore?) after completing the trying surgery on Itachi. This couldn't be the end of the story. The Uchiha didn't deserve to die. She had to help them. She had to do something.

As soon as she stepped out onto the quiet street, she made her way towards the old shrine. As she looked at the entry way to the shrine, she thought back to its heyday during Niwamachi era. Now it looked worse for wear, its walls partly destroyed due to its age and overgrown with bushes. She took in the details more clearly this time around. The old sign that signified who the shrine was dedicated to was faded — no wonder she did not know that the shrine belonged to the goddess of mercy. Once she entered the grounds, the place looked better as she walked up the old steps and into the main shrine. This was possibly the primary place that was still regularly cleaned and maintained — no doubt the city's way to not offend the gods. The place was empty when she entered. Then again, who in their right mind would visit an old shrine in the middle of the night? She collected an incense stick from the table on the side, and she stepped forward towards the altar. There were small candles still burning around the golden statue of Kanon — most likely the result of an evening prayer vigil of sorts. She took the incense and hovered it above one of the candles, letting it come alight.

As she placed the burning incense into the sand, she knelt onto the wooden floor, bowing in respect to the goddess statue before her. After a moment, she raised her head and exhaled deeply. Her eyes were closed, trying their hardest to suppress her tears from falling. She felt like a part of her was missing. As if she left behind a half of her in the Niwamachi era.

"Last time I visited your temple, I was so angry and scared for being thrust into a world I knew nothing about. I felt trapped, and I sought to return to the comfort of my time. How ironic that now I am here on my knees praying to you, begging you to see them again. I … disappeared without knowing if he lived. He was still recovering from the surgery, and I don't know if it worked or it got worse. I … I wish to see him again," she spoke out loud towards the statue of Kanon as tears slipped down her cheeks.

She brought her hands to her face, crying softly into the palm of her hands as she felt her faith slipping.

"I wish to see Itachi again. Please, let me see him. I need to know if he lived."

She wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her sweater, calming herself down as she rose to her feet.

"Sakura!"

Her forest green eyes widened in shock when the familiar call of her name reached her ears. Was fate toying with her? Cruelly teasing her with the sound of his voice? And then the call of her voice became clearer and louder, forcing her to move out of the shrine and glance over to the familiar torii-laid path.

"Sakura!"