Shisui knew something was wrong the moment he saw Sasuke's weary body walking slowly down the street. He looked in the direction Sasuke had come from and he knew. His blood turned to ice. Shisui had seen that look before on his own face as he stared into the mirror. Guilt, that look screamed. He knew it was Her. It could only be Her.

It would only take a moment, just a heartbeat to get there.

He wasn't called Shisui of the Body Flicker for nothing.

Sasuke froze. It was like time had stopped as she met his gaze. His breathing became ragged as her crimson eyes met the floor, the air around her vibrating from the tension.

He took one step towards her, his shaky hand reaching out, before faltering. Naruto was next to her in a flash. "What the hell, Sakura! Why do you have that bastard's eyes!," Naruto screamed as he stood near the window in front of her.

She never looked up, her shoulders just began to shake. The only sound that filled the silence was the sound of heavy breathing and broken sobs.

The response was barely audible, so agonizingly soft they almost missed it, "Would you rather I have none?"

Naruto felt his heart wretch, "You know… You know that's not what I meant."

One simple word that spoke volumes escaped her mouth.

"Leave."

Crouched on the edge of her window sill, he could see her small form sitting on the hospital bed. She looked so fragile, her arms wrapped around her legs pulling them closer to her chest. He slid open the window and began moving inside. Her back stiffening was the only indication that she acknowledged his presence.

"Sakura-chan?" he spoke in a quiet tone as if at any moment she would flee from his sight. He watched her curl further into herself.

He stepped slowly, carefully, over to the bed. He crouched on the floor near her knee. "Sakura?" he tried once again.

"Shisui…," her voice cracked as she truly acknowledged him for the first time. The way she said his name so tired and weak broke his heart.

"I didn't want this," she whispered. Shisui reached out a hand to touch hers, she flinched but didn't move away.

"Shisui… How…," she paused before finally meeting his eyes, "How do I make it stop?"

To say he was shocked would be an understatement. Her red eyes were watery and before she could look back down, he cupped her chin in his hand. His sharingan activated on its own, a mirror of the ones he was staring into. It wasn't a genjustu, it was real.

"Why won't it go away?" she whispered. If Shisui's heart could break even further, it would have. He took a deep breath to steady himself, compartmentalizing the confusion and ache forming in his chest. He knew what she was referring to, it was the same question every young Uchiha asked the first time. The moment when they felt something so strong, so painful, that it woke the power inside of them.

"Because you're scared. Because you are feeling more than you can handle. I know it's hard, but I need you to breathe," Shisui said. His eyes faded back into their endlessly dark color.

"Close your eyes and take a deep breath. I'm here. I promise… You're going to be okay." he whispered. She hesitantly shut her eyes, fearing the darkness that it would bring. His hand slid from her wet cheek to her shaking hand.

He took a deep breath and felt her do the same. Once, twice, three times, before she opened her eyes. The swirling red color was gone, a deep familiar darkness met his eyes when he looked up at her. The glowing green he had grown to love was gone.

He knew the signs of a panic attack. Shinobi life was not kind. There was no way to truly escape what they had seen, what they had done. He knew he would never be okay.

But she would. He would make sure of it.

Itachi and Shisui were each covered in a sheen of sweat, burns littered the ground around them. Itachi flung another volley of shuriken in Shisui's direction that he barely managed to avoid.

"You're distracted," Itachi stated obviously. Shisui's brows furrowed before he shunshined behind Itachi, aiming a kunai to this throat. Itachi deflected it with practiced ease.

"You're angry," Shisui fired back, sidestepping a blast of fire from Itachi as the clone he was behind disappeared.

Itachi sighed, faltering mid hand-sign. He didn't sugarcoat things with Shisui. He didn't hide things from him.

"Father told me that he found a future matriarch," Itachi said behind gritted teeth.

Shisui paused, not expecting the straightforward answer to come so easily.

"Who?," Shisui asked, already putting the pieces together.

"My brother's teammate," Itachi's voice filled the space between them. "In exchange for Takeo's eyes."

Shisui's hands dropped from the fighting stance he still held. Before he could stop himself, the word slipped from his lips.

"No."

Itachi, who had turned to face the compound, spared Shisui a long look. He knew of his elder cousin's feelings, they took care to share everything between them. A sentiment he treasured before this moment.

Itachi was conflicted. Torn between the respect he held for his best friend and the duty he had to the clan. To his father.

Itachi spoke a phrase that was rarely used by him, "I'm sorry."

As expected, Shisui had already flickered away.

Sakura knew it was inevitable. Tsunade had shielded her as long as she could, but when the door opened she was still unprepared.

"Sakura-san," the monotone voice replaced the silence she had wrapped herself in after Shisui left.

She mustered all the strength she had left to force herself to meet the eyes of the one she knew would seal the agreement.

Fugaku's imposing presence filled the doorway before stepping into the room. Mikoto stood silently behind her husband, her expression softening as she saw how small Sakura had tried to make herself.

"I assume you have been informed," it wasn't a question but a statement.

Sakura just stared, hoping that if she stayed still enough, silent enough, she could escape his gaze.

Fugaku stepped into the middle of the room, never breaking eye contact.

"As you are to become an Uchiha, you will undergo the sealing. Once you have done so, you will be moved into the Uchiha compound. To the main house."

Sakura's skin bristled. She knew the Uchiha clan's rituals were nothing, if not painful… and permanent.

"Once you have arrived, Itachi will begin training you," he informed her, "as the future matriarch, there is a standard of…" He chose his next words carefully, aware of the knife he was twisting into her already open wounds, "strength… that is expected of you."

Sakura's eyes narrowed, the familiar words that used to describe her bubbling up.

Weak.

Useless.

Annoying.

"Be prepared. We will be expecting you soon," He said without a backward glance as he moved towards the door.

Sakura looked down at her lap, nails digging into her clenched palms.

Uchiha Mikoto spared her once last pitying look. The angry aura around Sakura was all too familiar, but there was nothing she could do for her now.