Never Too Late
Part 2: Pain

A/N: Since a reader got really confused on some issues. Like whether or not Sasuke killed Sakura. I'm writing more to explain everything.
Sasuke came back to the village after a long and tiring journey. Orochimaru was six feet under by Sasuke's own hands. Itachi was still out there. His side hurt like hell. Without letting anyone know what he was doing he had kept tabs on Naruto and Sakura. He had heard that Sakura had achieved medic nin status. Maybe he'd run into her. Somewhere deep inside of himself he hoped so. With painful movements he headed towards her house not knowing why. Her place was eerily silent. There was caution tape on her door. Yanking down the tape he went in. The memories of the death of his family came back ten fold as he stared at the carnage that was all over the walls. Moving deeper into the home he found blood splattered all over the wall and kunai and shiriken marks to accompany those. Some of the blood splatters were in the shape of hand prints. They were too big to be Sakura's hand prints. Growling softly he knew the only person that would be able to tell him what had happened to Sakura.
Sasuke made his way towards another set of apartment buildings where he knew an old teammate lived. Before he even made it anywhere near this place a fist connected with his jaw in a soccer punch in greeting.
"Teme," a familiar voice hissed.
He could see Kyuubi was in control due to the red aura surrounding Naruto. "What are you doing here traitor?"
"What happened to Sakura?"
"What would you care, Teme?"
"Tell me dobe."
Kyuubi receded back into his vessel. The blonde was being stubborn. Sasuke noticed a familiar look in the blonde's eyes. It was a look that Sasuke saw in his face everyday when he looked into a mirror. It was a ruthless hatred not completely directed at him. This wasn't the Naruto he knew before. That blonde couldn't hold a grudge worth a shit. "Dobe," she growled.
"Itachi raped and killed her."
Shock washed over Sasuke like a tidal wave.
"Exactly what happened?"
"Why do you care?" he snapped. "We were a team Sasuke you should have been here. Since you weren't here she paid the price."
Naruto stressed the 'she' part. "He made me watch too. I'm sure you saw her apartment."
Sasuke was floored though he tried not to admit it to himself.
"When did…"
"If you had been days earlier you might have been able to save her."
Naruto moved past Sasuke and the onyx eyed man grabbed the blonde's arm causing the blonde to wince. Sasuke saw it and let him go. The two entered Naruto's apartment. They sat on the floor in his living room.
"Tell me what I want to know."
"Answer me this first, you knew he'd destroy the things you care about most and yet you still left. Why?"
"Orochimaru had to go."
"Always seeking power Sasuke, you'll never learn. Those you care about suffer because of your lust for power."
"What would you know about it dobe! My brother murdered my parents and now Sakura."
"You're a fool Sasuke. He does what he does for a reason."
"Yeah to piss me off."
"It's working isn't it?" Naruto stated calmly. "You're angry enough to be stupid."
"He killed her."
"Don't you think those of us that lost her don't feel the same? I love her too Sasuke, but she's gone now."
"Just shut up and tell me what happened."
"If you insist."FlashbackIt had been raining a lot that day. Naruto and Sakura were spending time together as friends. Currently they were playing 'Go Fish' and of course Naruto was loosing.
"Do you have a 9?" he asked hopefully.
"No. go fish."
As he was reaching for another card a kunai cut his hand. Blood was dripping onto the cards. Both teens looked up looking around trying to find the source of the attack.
"SO you're the one that captured my weak brother's heart?"
Both rushed to their feet to come face to face with Sasuke's older copy, Itachi. Naruto stood protectively in front of Sakura. "And you must be the idiot best friend," Itachi scoffed.
A fight ensued before Naruto could even blink properly. Before he even realized it he was pinned to the wall with Kunai. Each bearing a tag that drained chakara from the body. The blonde couldn't move at all. Realization dawned on him why it was Sakura wasn't pinned at all. She was trapped in a familiar red gaze.
"Sakura fight it!" Naruto yelled.
The girl didn't even move a muscle. It had worked when Ino had Sakura's body, but it failed now. What scared Naruto the most was the unbridled lust in Itachi's eyes. "Leave her alone, you bastard," Naruto snarled.
"Watch and see little kitsune vessel."
The older Uchiha advanced on the paralyzed Sakura and raped her mercilessly. He stood her up once he had his fill of her. Naruto heard Sakura weakly mutter Sasuke's name. With horror the blonde had to watch as a familiar shiriken was driven into Sakura's back. Blood seeped from the wound staining her clothes a darker color.
"Sakura!"
He watched as Itachi dropped her. Itachi's cold gaze came to rest on him as he remained pinned on the wall. An evil smirk was placed on the older Uchiha's face.
"I think I'll leave you alive to tell Sasuke the tale, and he'll wonder why you failed to save her."
Itachi vanished in a cloud of smoke. Naruto watched helplessly as her blood made an excessive pool on the floor. Tsunade appeared beside the downed girl and checked her over.
"Do something!" Naruto demanded.
"It's too late , she's already gone."
Tears slid down his cheeks as Tsunade picked the dead girl up.

End Flashback

"We scattered her ashes."
Sasuke didn't know what exactly to say anymore. His friend had witnessed the girl he loved being raped by his brother. The youngest Uchiha sank to his knees. There was pity in the blonde boys eyes.
"Sasuke?"
"What dobe?" he growled.
"Do you remember our old lake training ground?"
"What about it?" Sasuke snapped.
"You need to think and cool down. I suggest you find your answers there."
Sasuke for once didn't argue and nodded. He took off into the woods at a steady pace. He reached the old training ground with ease. The place still looked the same since the last time he saw it. With fierce determination he trained for awhile. Once he was sweating really bad he waded into the lake without his shirt and shoes on. The water was cool and clean and felt amazing on his heated skin. The wind swayed creating ripples on the surface of the water and the tree leaves to swish back and forth. A ripple not from himself caught his attention. Something familiar cast it's reflection. He whipped around, and saw a familiar face.
"Sasuke."