Chapter 4

Team Taka

Her ninja shoes had a rock stuck in them. Damn, it was annoying. A bright red lip danced between top and bottom teeth as she gnawed at the tender flesh.

"What in the hell happened back there?" Sure, Karin was weak from healing Sasuke, but that didn't mean her mouth wouldn't work. She snarled.

Suigetsu didn't know what to say to her, or what she wanted to hear. After all, they had seen the same thing.

Naruto and Sasuke were barreling straight for Sakura. That girl was a pillar between two deadly, driving forces. In the time that it took Suigetsu to blink, Naruto exploded through a tree that had appeared from nowhere, and Sasuke was on the other side of the training grounds.

To be brutally honest, Suigetsu was scanning the woodlands for anything that looked vaguely like Sakura Haruno—a severed foot, remnants of clothing, puddles of blood and the like. It was impossible for her to survive such a blow without activating that diamond thing on her head, like that Hokage with the big breasts.

In fact, he was sure she was done for when Naruto stood up, caked in splinters, looking at his bare hands for any sign of flesh or bone. He had thought he'd killed her, too.

Imagine their surprise when her scream rang out.

It was such a brutal plea that, without meaning to, Suigetsu's feet moved towards it. Shoulder to shoulder, his teammates and Naruto ran to the noise, expecting to see carnage and gore. Instead, they were blessed with something less gruesome and extremely rare—raw emotion, from Sasuke Uchiha.

From their travels together, Suigetsu had learned a lot about this strange Uchiha man who wanted to murder his own kin. (Heh, he thought. It must run in the family.) The first being that this man was incredibly powerful at such a young age, which had also, ran in their family. He was cocky and condescending. He was no nonsense and dominant.

Nothing about his cursed soul seemed delicate in the least. Nothing about his mannerisms has ever been soft, careful, or cautious in respect to another human being. Nothing about the way that he was holding that girl made any sense to Suigetsu whatsoever—

If Karin wanted an explanation, she'd have to look elsewhere.

Suigetsu had felt like an outsider, watching an important segment of their life play out. If any of Sasuke's enemies had seen his cowardly display, they'd use Sakura as leverage and slay her on the spot. More importantly…if Suigetsu knew of this weakness, what could he sway Sasuke to do for him? Perhaps gathering the Swords Suigetsu so lusted after would be easier than once thought.

Jugo stops suddenly, looking up towards the deep blue sky above. A flock of birds flew off to their nests in groups, using their leader's updraft to guide them. Was that what Team Taka was doing? Were they following a hawk, sapping its energy just to benefit themselves? He squeezes his fist and looks at his teammates, who both curiously gaze towards him.

"Who is that woman?"

"That's..." Karin wanted to say it was Sasuke's ex-teammate, his old comrade. She wants to say that she's nothing more than a healer, who Sasuke lets tag along because she reminds him of a time not so good, but not so bad, either. Yet, after seeing the intimate display before, she simply didn't know what to say.

Who was that girl? Who was Sakura Haruno, with the pale skin, the pink hair, and the audacity to tell Sasuke what to do? Who was the girl that ran in between the most powerful ninja in the entire world just to stop them from hurting one another?

What was Sakura doing during their last battle? Did Sasuke know that she would intervene that time, and this time, too?

"Sakura is her name." She finally says, because in this moment, that's the only thing that Karin knows for sure.

Her name is Sakura. She is a medical kunoichi. She is friends with Naruto Uzumaki and…and she's something to Sasuke Uchiha. Something.

"She's in the hospital now?" He asks, looking beyond the street to the large white building that was presumably housing her. "Will she be able to participate in the Exams next week?"

"I doubt it." Suigetsu says, with an air of finality. He felt sure of the one thing, and that was the fact that a weak, prying little girl couldn't heal that quickly from such a debilitating blow. "The Exams are three days away. Whatever happened back there..." his voice trailed off as he thought. "Whatever happened back there will take her time to get over."

Nothing in this town reminded Sasuke of what it used to be.

He stands atop the Hokage summit, staring down at the bustling village below him. There is construction everywhere—new transportation is being built, homes are being forged, restaurants and business are rising from foundation, carved wood and metal.

Nothing in this town reminded Sasuke of what it used to be, and yet, being here still made his skin crawl.

The grass beneath him was nostalgic. It is the same texture as it has always been. Was grass…different in other places? It smells like soil. It feels like fur. It's almost as though he could drift away on the tips of the blades and fall right over the edge, passing Kakashi's engraved face as he plummeted towards the people below him.

Sasuke wonders if, from that height, he'd die.

The man stands, walking towards the cliff, listening to the sound of foliage turn into gritty stone on the soles of his feet. His eyes close and his head feels dizzy. The wind brushes against his back, blowing so strongly that his hands catch and it's almost as if gravity is willing him near the brink.

Sasuke takes one, then two steps, never opening his eyes to see how much space is left for footholds. As his leg rises for the last pace, a voice calls to him from behind.

"Are you going to kill yourself, o' mighty Sasuke?"

…and just like that, his eyes open and the wind seems to still.

Kakashi is not adorned with a triangular hat, or a flowing white coat. He looks nothing like the celestial being Konoha had etched into the mountainside. When he steps out of the darkness and tucks away his erotica, Sasuke meets him halfway.

During his travels, when he'd been summoned back to Konoha for these examinations, Sasuke had no idea what they'd entail or what the dynamic between Cell 7 would be. He knew that Naruto would be as obnoxious and excited as ever, and Sasuke had inklings that Sakura would be just as hospitable. This talk with Kakashi was something he wanted to avoid at all costs—

It was so like Kakashi to catch him with his guard down.

"No." Sasuke responds.

Walking passed Sasuke to the view of his village and all of the people who inhabited it, the Hokage plops down. Dangling one foot over the ledge, Kakashi speaks into the slow-moving breeze. "I heard about what happened today during training."

Of course, he would have. The man needed to know all of the ins and outs of this place…Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki had gotten into another scuffle…a tiff.

"What else have you heard?" The Uchiha asks.

Though it's been many years, Sasuke was very much the same. The circumstances of his aloofness were different, sure, but the man standing behind Kakashi would always be reserved, unemotional, and enigmatic.

"I hear a lot of things."

Kakashi was like Sasuke in many, many ways.

To be honest, he had not come this way to stop a suicide attempt. He hadn't even come here to chew out Sasuke. Something compelled the man to traverse up this rock formation, simply to explain what was to come.

Before he can get to the point, he hears Sasuke's boots grind into the pebble as he steps nearer. "What things have you heard about Sakura?"

Leaning back onto his palms, the Hokage sees an upside-down view of the last Uchiha. His hair, which was neither disheveled nor kempt, framed his flinty face.

Days long ago, when Team 7 consisted of a knuckle-headed brat, a gifted sociopath, and a brainy cupcake of a girl, they all relied on one-another. Missions, though they were incredibly difficult from the get-go, became easier. Each child learned compassion and acceptance. When they danced over the trees in the outskirts of this town, it didn't matter that Naruto had a murderous demon within his body, or that Sasuke was tormented and homicidal. It didn't matter that Sakura was hopelessly in love, and Naruto was the jealous type, and Sasuke never paid either any mind.

They were a unit, working to become the ninja they are today.

It was always Naruto who inquired about Sakura's wellbeing first, and Sasuke who eavesdropped to settle his spirit. Right now, Naruto is by her side, and the man above him has no choice but to ask the questions himself.

"She's stable. More than that, knowing her—she's just sitting around killing time." He says, and then looks back at the bustling streets beyond. "You could have killed her—both you and Naruto. It's not fair your teammate is the one getting scolded and you get away scot free."

Sasuke clenches his hands and narrows his eyes, not knowing what Kakashi meant by this exchange. It seemed futile. Sasuke knew what he'd done wrong.

"I'm tired of almost killing her." Why didn't she move from danger, instead of run towards it? Was there something wrong inside of that smart head of hers? "She's always in the way."

Kakashi, with his infinite wisdom, only chuckles at this. "She is a ninja, sworn to protect. You cannot fault her for that." Kakashi waits a moment, expecting a reaction that he would not get. He sighs. "Sakura is also compassionate. She will do anything to save the people she loves—especially you, Sasuke."

Sasuke scowls, flickering away from the scene before anything else could be said. There's training to be done.

She smelled…a hospital. Sakura's nose had always been more inept to scents. There was no doubting the antiseptic stench of Konohagakure's clinic—lime and citrus with a dash of vinegar.

There was a dull throb at the base of her skull, as if Tsunade had snuck sake into her tea again and she'd woken up with a massive hangover. Her right eye wouldn't open—sleep had sealed it shut. She opened her mouth to speak, but it was so incredibly sore. Her bottom lip stretched uncomfortably from dryness and newly healed skin.

Naruto watches through his blue eyes and his friend comes to. Sakura didn't look bad at all—Ino had healed her lip and the skin on her belly from Sasuke's chidori.

"A few more seconds, one more inch, and I'd be mending guts. You and Sasuke are both total morons."

As a ninja, you see a lot of death. Naruto doesn't like to kill if there's no need…and there's rarely any need. He'd much rather lock up a villain for all of time, than plow his blade through their heart.

Naruto had never seen Sakura like that though, or anyone else for that matter.

Even though her voice was raspy and stiff, Sakura tested the chords and lifted her hand towards the blonde. He captured it quickly and pressed her palm to the birthmark whiskers on his cheek.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?"

How typical of her. How typical of Sakura to be concerned with his wellbeing, when she was nothing but a shell, draped over itchy hospital bedding. Bringing her fingertips to his lips, he spoke against them.

"I almost killed you."

Naruto was never good with words. He messed them up a lot, actually. There was a lot you had to learn, when interacting with others. It was always so easy to be honest with Sakura. Right now, he wishes there wasn't so much to be honest about…

At the age of twenty, Naruto should be better. The relationship he had built with Kurama was solid. Naruto's emotions affected the fox demon, however, and what Naruto wanted to do was a lot different from what Naruto should do.

Sasuke shouldn't have such a sway over him.

"Almost doesn't count," He hears her say. "Better luck next time, though!"

"This isn't funny."

Sakura looks beyond him. She looks beyond the gaudy orange jacket and the messy yellow hair—beyond those impossibly blue eyes and into the soul that lurks beneath. There was a pureness in him, one that was rare and undesirable in the profession of killing and fighting. For others, it was coal.

For Sakura, it was diamond.

"You're right. It isn't funny, because it's not possible. There's no way that you would let yourself kill me. If I felt like I was in danger, I would have activated my byakugou seal."

Naruto grows stiff. "Well, what about Sasuke? You know that—I mean…Sasuke could have…"

Smiling deeply at her friend, Sakura sits up in her hospital bed and swings her legs over the side. "Sasuke isn't like you. He could kill me—he's tried, just as I have."

As she looks beyond the blinds of that fresh-smelling, white room, a hawk perches along the windowsill and cocks its head to the side. Sakura stands, opening the shutters and tugging the glass so she can brush her knuckle against the large, brown bird.

"Sasuke isn't like you…but Sasuke's not evil, either. I know you'll both protect me, no matter what. Even if that means you'll have to stop fighting, simply because you know I'm foolhardy enough to run between you. Right?"

After cleaning its feathers, the hawk takes flight. Naruto's left watching the breeze spread Sakura's long hair out like angel wings.

Hinata met him at the doorstep, bowing down in greeting. "Welcome home, darling."

Her voice reminded him of better days. The leaves changing as autumn reared its head…The smell of fireworks as they burst through the sky during the end-of-year festival… She was happy and genuine and his, all his.

There's something about the way her ninja uniform fits, that sets Naruto's skin on fire. Her long, black hair is held back by a white ribbon at the base of her neck. Those pearlescent eyes bore into his, reading his movements as he enters the foyer of their first home.

Their home—the Uzumaki abode.

He was always the first to kiss her, and that was okay. She was timid and shy, even as a wife. Naruto smothered her lips with his, drinking in her femininity and her admiration with each open-mouthed part.

Before long, the darkness of the foyer drifts to the brightness of a bedroom. For some reason, though they each sleep with only one, their bed is overwhelmed with pillows too fancy and uncomfortable to lie on. Like always, twelve fluffy objects fall to the floor after one quick sweep, making room for the couple as they seep into the warmth.

"How was training with Kiba and Shino?" He asks against her cheek as he dips to her neck. Her shoulders tremble against her will.

This closeness with her is never about sex. It is never about being inside of her, rolling in passion, quick releases. It's about being one. It's about the completeness of burrowing into your other half—fitting together like two puzzle pieces destined to conjoin.

For now, though, it's about her arms wrapped around his torso and the gentle brush of her fingers as they curl into his hair.

"I-it's fine...they both are in excellent condition. Sparing with them is always fun."

After a few moments, those fingers move lower. Her hands work the zipper of his jacket—the one she patiently tells him to leave at the door when he enters the home. When Hinata exposes his chest and untucks his arms from their sleeves, Naruto leans into their mattress and lifts his hips so she'll take off his pants, too.

Hinata laughs, curling beside her bare husband and wrapping her arms around his head.

"Sakura almost hurt today...real bad."

"…will you tell me what has happened?"

His cheek nuzzles into her cleavage and he centers himself between her thighs. "I messed up, again…like I always do."

Naruto liked something about Hinata that hardly anyone knew about. He liked it more than he liked training—more than he liked drinking with his friends—almost as much as he liked ramen. It was her honesty.

"Your mistakes do not define you. You should worry less about what you did wrong, and worry more about how you should correct it."

Lifting his bandaged hand into the sky, Naruto takes in her words. They sink through his skin, past the muscle and bone, all the way to the middle of his chest where his heart beats softly.

Regretting their final battle was not an option. Without fighting Sasuke, seriously, he might still be the tortured soul he'd turned into long ago. With that being said…nothing about the bickering this morning was worth losing Sakura over.

Turning towards his wife, Naruto embraces the sophisticated, demure woman he'd been blessed with. He silently thanks God for being patient with him.

After all, Naruto was a knucklehead.

Sakura paced around her room.

The darkness of the night did not reflect anything in the obsidian bedroom. The temperature of the house was cool—cold enough to warrant an oversized shirt and baggy sweatpants. As the television prattled on about the happenings in Konoha, Sakura turned her last circle, plopping onto her bed with a defeated groan.

How would she tell her teammates that she was finished with their petty rivalry? How could she talk to Sasuke earnestly, without coming off as a total bitch in the process? It was easy with Naruto. He knew he was wrong. A trip to Ichiraku Ramen and a few free bowls of soup should be enough to keep him under key.

Still, what would she do about Sasuke?

Sasuke was not privy to blackmail. He didn't care for anything in particular. He listened to no one, and did what he thought was right, even if he'd been led astray or compelled by emotions. Sakura bites her lip, wondering how his mother handled him when he was a boy.

Closing her eyes, Sakura sighs. Sasuke is not a boy. Sasuke is an intelligent being with the power to demolish planets if he pleased. There was no point in fighting against him. If another battle came up, Sakura doesn't know of any other option than to throw herself between the two and hope to God that there won't be a next time.

Sitting up suddenly, the woman pulls out Kakashi's scroll and slides the twine out of the way. Her manicured nail drifts over the scrawl, reading each word, memorizing each phrase.

More than anything, Sakura wanted to become a Jōnin. She'd had an idea in her head for a while now—a Children's Hospital. Orphans littered these lands, starving for both food and love, turning their sadness and rejection into unbridled anger.

Sakura didn't want there to be any more angry children, desperate for attention and appreciation. She couldn't save Sasuke. As a young girl, there was nothing for her to do but watch as he fell deeper into his curse.

She is no longer a young girl, though. Just as Sasuke is a man, she too is a woman. Even if her Children's Hospital saves just one child—one child in the grand scheme of things, it meant that Sakura was one-step closer to saving the world from another bout of impending disaster brought on by cold hearts and narrow eyes.

Clenching her fist, she sighed. Sakura knew that she would have to protect Naruto against Sasuke's constant belittlement. She would also have to wiggle her way past Sasuke's defenses, and help him understand Naruto. Perhaps, while she was there, the kunoichi could leave her own impression on Sasuke's heart, too.

…if not as a lover, than as a friend…

The mirror in the corner of her room caught her eye. It reflected her seated position atop her bed. Pale skin was illuminated from the moonshine; her peach hair was almost translucent against the light. Slender fingers danced up her arm, the place where Sasuke's hand had caught her after he teleported from Kaguya's desert dimension.

If she closes her eyes tightly, the brush of his fingertips against her forehead is almost tangible.

Night had always brought her memories of him. Not all were pure and pleasant. Sometimes, screams would draw her awake, when the lightning of Sasuke's hand drew nearer to her throat. Then, other times, she'd wake feeling sticky and sweaty, panting as shockwaves tingled from her head to her toes.

Suddenly, it's too hot in this stuffy room.

Without meaning to, Sakura finds herself running across the rooftop of her neighbor's home. Dodging broken shingles from heavy rains, each step sends her deeper and deeper into her hometown. Small, agile feet carry her far away, beyond closed shops and restaurants and between scattered pedestrians.

She is going to a side of town that has been demolished and rebuilt in only a few years' time.

Up ahead, beyond this street and around a corner, a remodeled apartment sits. To anyone else, it was just another new studio, with brand new appliances and brand new people to fill it. But to Sakura, it was the ghost of Sasuke Uchiha's old home. It was where she went when everything felt wrong and time needed to stand still.

She remembers sneaking in through the bathroom window, right after Naruto and Shikamaru and the others went on their retrieval mission to save Sasuke from Orochimaru's clutches. She remembers the smell of the bed he hadn't slept in that night—white rain and lavender, because he had trouble sleeping.

There wasn't any dust; everything was immaculate, lonely, and formal. That day had been bright and the sunlight carried rays throughout his home. On a shelf sat their team photo, laid flat on its face as if Sasuke couldn't be bothered to look at them any longer.

His room was as far from homey as homey could get, as if he never thought of it as his home in the first place.

Bracing her hips on the undented railing, Sakura closes her eyes and looks up at the stars. Beyond them, the unreachable moon flickered in the darkness. From its high pillar, 384,499 kilometers away, something within that kunoichi's head lights up.

Sakura has been to the moon. If she had compared that "unreachable" planet to Sasuke Uchiha her whole life, then the fact that she's walked across its surface meant…perhaps…her friends wasn't as far away as she originally thought.

If Sakura wanted to open up a Children's Clinic, she would need to be serious about her approach. How could Sakura heal strangers if she could not even heal one of her dearest friends? With a bout of pure determination, Sakura realized that Sasuke needed to find his home.

Sakura wanted to save him. So, she would.