Author's Note: Decided to give up on homework for more important things…like Naruto (more specifically, SasuSaku). After that whole stunt that SP pulled in the last episode of Boruto, I feel like I need to defend Sasuke's character. For those of you who've read Sasuke Shinden, and especially Gaiden, Im assuming you probably feel the same way that I do. I mean, come on. Sasuke is not the type of person (post-redemption journey) to say "You're too soft" about killing children! I mean he literally SAVED LIVES in Sasuke Shinden. He most certainly wouldn't have tried to kill clone-Shin at this point in his life. Come on SP, you're contradicting yourselves. Anyone else worried about what might be done with Sasuke's character in the future Boruto series? *cringe*
On a more positive note, can I just get a hoop and a holler for that awesome family photo this week?!
Also, I'm doing my best to stick to character in this story, so in regards to Sakura, I personally think at this point, she would definitely be showing signs of frustration. Especially since she has been waiting for a longgggg time and Sasuke is being… well-Sasuke-y, as always. I want to portray her bubbly "all-about Sasuke" attitude but can we give this girl some credit? She's more than that and her character has come a long way! She has had to deal with his crap for far too long (and that's not getting them anywhere). Just be patient with me as I get the feel for her character.
P.S. About the "kun" honorific: I'm not that familiar with it. So I'll be excluding it. If it makes Sakura more like herself for her to use "kun," then by all means, imagine it.
Pairing: SasuSaku
Summary: After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. One specific pink-haired individual has perhaps waited for him with far more dedication than anyone else. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.
Chapter 8: "Beginnings and Ends"
Sakura found herself staring at a scene she wasn't quite ready for. She had surpassed Fumio in their flight after he told her the details of the situation. One of Sakura's newly admitted mental health patients, a young child named Emiko, whose parents had been recent victims of Chino's chakra human bombs, had just jumped off the top floor of the hospital wing.
When Sakura finally made it to the south side of the hospital, she immediately spotted a group of medical ninja huddled in the street before her, surrounding the child's body. At Sakura's sudden appearance, a tear-streaked Ino called out to her from the crowd.
"Sakura!" she cried frantically as Sakura approached them.
In Sakura's panic, she rushed forward and the group parted for her, revealing the gruesome reality before her. The small child lay sprawled on her back, a pale figure in the dark. Emiko's arm was twisted horrendously at her side, having taken the brunt of the child's fall. Shizune was kneeling beside the girl, fingers covered in blood as she held the child's head in her lap.
Never had Sakura witnessed something so horrifying as this: a child, younger than most in her clinic, who had felt that life was not worth living and so flung herself from the top story of the medical wing.
Sakura knelt next to the child and Shizune backed away.
"She's gone," Shizune whispered, looking away from Sakura's eyes. "I'm so sorry."
Looking down into Emiko's face, Sakura saw that the child stared blankly up at the sky. There was nothing in them. Blood pooled beneath Emiko's head and Sakura placed her hands on either side of the child's sticky wet temples. Instantly, green chakra pulsed from her palms into Emiko's head. Ever since Fumio had relayed the details to Sakura, she had already been planning the steps she would take to heal the girl but Sakura gasped as she realized the true state of the child's brain and tears instantly sprung forward to her eyes.
"What was she doing in the medical wing?!" the Kunoichi finally burst, lashing out at her staff. "She was supposed to have been in her room!" No one could look her in the eyes as she searched desperately for answers.
"Sensei," Kirai, her medical pupil spoke up. "It's my fault. I called the majority of the staff away from the mental health section to help assist with the hospital patients. It was in the middle of the night and I didn't think- Without you, we've been-"
Sakura looked away from her, tears pouring freely down her cheeks. Memories of the child plagued her conscience. With no family and no other relatives, Sakura had admitted Emiko fully into the mental health clinic. Due to the child's extreme condition, Sakura recommended her for 24-hour care. She was only 6 and Sakura believed that she would have a promising recovery with the help from the clinic. Unfortunately, due to the increase of patients and lack of staff, Sakura had been unable to be with her.
Damn it. Kirai was right. If only she had been here. If only she had been able to manage her patients better. If only she would have gone with her gut and came in yesterday, despite Kakashi's wishes. If only she hadn't been so distracted with Sasuke and her feelings for him. None of this would have happened. It was all her fault.
She concentrated her chakra more fiercely into the child's skull, willing the damage to be undone. Sakura's former strength still hadn't quite fully returned and after a few minutes, her breath grew ragged and sweat began to bead on her forehead. To her expectations, the brain wasn't responding, and as Sakura tried to hope, she knew it was too late. The damage was irreversible, even for her medical ninjutsu. The child had just been too small, and the fall too great. Sakura was merely trying to revive what was already dead.
Sakura's thoughts jumped to the woman who had used the One's Own Life Reincarnation Jutsu to revive Gaara, whom had died by the hands of the Akatsuki. They had taken the tailed-beast that had resided inside of him; the cost was Gaara's life. Chiyo had been able to bring him back with this jutsu.
Sakura wished desperately to be in mastery of that jutsu. If she were, would she be able to save this child? Could she be so selfless? Sakura wanted the answer to be yes.
Ino came up beside her, kneeling. "Sakura. There's nothing you can do."
"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered as she lifted the child to her, holding and rocking the little girl in her arms, whispering her name. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. You'll get to see Mama and Papa soon."
After a while, all Sakura could feel was numbness. She couldn't feel Ino prying her fingers off Emiko's clothing or her arms being untangled from the little girl's body. Sakura watched as Emiko's lifeless body was carried into the hospital. The circle of people was a blur around her and the kunoichi didn't move when one of them reached out to grab her. Sakura could barely register the voices around her.
"We need to get her inside. She might be going into psychogenic shock."
"She's our top medical ninja. Something like this wouldn't affect her that much; she's seen far worse."
"Her chakra reserves are low, you idiot!"
Despite the voices, Sakura sat on the ground, willing herself to move. To get up and face the situation like the strong kunoichi she knew that she could be. She was responsible for this, after all. Her fault. Her fault. Her fault.
But before she could rise, her arms were wrapped over the necks of two ninja and she let them help her inside.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Let's get this over with, Sasuke Uchiha thought as he approached the village gates at sunrise. Kakashi wasn't there, of course. He had specifically told him to meet him at the entrance "bright and early" today.
"Liar," he muttered under his breath, leaning against the gate's "あ" symbol in annoyance.
He had blatantly ignored the gate-keepers who seemed very tired after their long shift. Their interest had spiked when they saw the Uchiha, but after passing them in silence, the ninja resumed their laidback positions. Sasuke could empathize with their exhaustion. With last night's events, Sasuke had found it difficult to find sleep again.
After Sakura had left, he had immediately placed the key she had given him on the table. Like hell he would stay in her apartment for the remainder of his visit. What did she expect? For him to accept and they awkwardly bump into each other for a few more nights, struggling to make conversation, and ignore the fact that he was leaving?
Tossing throughout the remainder of the night, he had kept sneaking glances at the silver object on the table. In the morning, just before he left, he had grabbed the key from the table, unsure of what to do with it. What if was her only key? He couldn't just leave it on the table. He had thought about leaving it under the mat on the porch-but there wasn't one.
Now, as he pulled it from his pocket, the Uchiha couldn't help but stare at it in frustration, as if it were an unwelcome burden. Why did Sakura want to do this to herself? She knew the truth, so why did she insist that he stay? He wouldn't—couldn't do that to her. Besides, what would that mean for them? If he crossed that boundary, how would she ever move on?
He rubbed the key's surface absently, then hurriedly stashed it in his cloak's interior pocket when he sensed a familiar presence land beside him.
"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi greeted. "I'm afraid that I got-"
"Save it," the Uchiha interrupted him, his lip almost tilting at the corner. Sasuke had almost forgotten what it was like to wait around on this man. Even though it annoyed him to no end, a warm nostalgia came with his former sensei's excuses.
Kakashi sighed, "Just as impatient as you've always been." Sasuke noticed the smile that this man was failing to conceal behind his black mask. Sasuke supposed Kakashi was remembering a better time, too.
After a minute of silence, Kakashi finally said, "Our guests should be here anytime. I'm afraid our friend Yamato won't be joining us. However, I believe you'll recognize their escort who agreed to meet up with him."
Sasuke looked over at the white-haired ninja beside him, unamused with this guessing game. The only ninja he had any desire to see pass through this gate was that annoying, spikey haired, idiot. Maybe if he would hurry, then Sasuke wouldn't have to face this awkward situation he was currently finding himself in. Naruto was sure taking his time.
With the sunrise, a light pink-yellow hue began to illuminate the trees, outlining a group of people as they made their way to the entrance.
Sasuke sighed. Well, here we go.
As they got closer, Sasuke heard a loud voice at the head of the crowd.
"Forward! We are almost there! The village gates are just yards away!"
This loud figure soon came into view and Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh again when he recognized the thick-eyebrowed, tights-wearing ninja who happened to be jogging in place. Not only was Rock Lee doing squats every few feet, but he had several children wrapped around his arms and legs who were giggling and grinning as they bounced around with his movements. One child had two fists full of Lee's hair as he rode atop Lee's shoulders, and Sasuke could faintly hear the child repeating Lee's orders.
"Forward people" the child yelled, "To the gates."
After him, came the rest of the group. In sharp contrast to Lee's energy, the crowd that followed him practically sagged in exhaustion. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk when he noticed the angry glares the ninja were giving Lee. Knowing Lee, he had probably turned the travel into a form of "Youth" building expedition.
Some of the angry countenances disappeared completely when the people noticed the gates. Lee seemed to spot the two of them waiting.
"Ah, Lord Hokage! As you can see, the mission has been successful, sir!" he shouted, forming a salute with his childbearing right arm. The dangling youngster giggled as the ninja snapped his hand to his forehead. The other child on his shoulders copied Lee's salute.
"Sasuke?!" Lee rose his thick eyebrows, lowering his hand again. "Is that really you? You were the last person I was expecting to see today."
As Sasuke raised his hand in a half-interested attempt at acknowledgement, he picked up the low murmuring in the crowd. He couldn't help but pick out his name among the talk. Some of the children detached themselves from Lee and ran up to the Uchiha, yanking on his cloak and saying, "Sasuke! Sasuke!"
Suddenly, he realized that the faces in the crowd wore smiles. Almost everyone either waved or yelled out his name.
Kakashi suddenly elbowed him, grumbling, "You're outshining the Hokage."
"Get used to it," the Uchiha retorted, detaching a child from his leg and holding her away from him at a safe distance as she giggled manically.
"Sorry about that," a young woman said as she came up to him, removing the child from his hands. "The children have all heard the stories about how you saved us from the arena."
A burly ninja, a man Sasuke barely recognized from his fight with him in the arena, suddenly clapped him on the back, saying "Yes, The Great Sasuke Uchiha and his Sharingan! They've been dying to meet you."
"We are very grateful," another ninja said to him as they all began to circle him, offering their thanks and bows. Sasuke found this sudden attention both shocking and undeserved. Feeling a little suffocated, the Uchiha looked over at Kakashi, who was smiling like a dumb idiot at him, crossing his arms as he laughed. Lee was also grinning at him. Neither of them were trying to help him out.
One by one, the crowd broke away as their sights landed on the Hokage. Parents began to chastise their rambunctious children, telling them to act presentable in the presence of the Hokage. Sasuke couldn't help but smile as one father grabbed his child by the shirt as he swung fists back at him, whispering "Straighten up! We don't want the Hokage to know you're a little demon."
Kakashi laughed at this and offered the crowd a welcoming smile.
"Welcome to Konohagakure, everyone. I'm sure Lee has told you all about us and the village. And by the sudden frowns I see, I assume he has also run some of you into the grown." Lee looked proud despite everyone's glares of judgement towards him.
Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck again, awkwardly. "Sorry about that."
Looking closely at the ninja, Sasuke could see fatigue etched in the lines of their faces. It seemed that they hadn't quite caught a break since their release from their previous owners. Some of them still carried injuries in the form of sprained arms, bruises, and burns from their fight with Sasuke, to which he felt guilt knot up in his stomach. He wished now that there had been a better way to secure their freedom.
It seemed Kakashi realized this himself, for he spoke up, "Well, I suppose a village tour will have to wait. Let's get you guys some rest. For those of you who have injuries, I want you to come with me to Konoha's hospital. Lee, I want you to escort the rest to their lodgings, and please go easy on them."
"Yes sir!" Lee saluted once again, turning to march in the direction of their quarters. Sasuke watched the little boy from earlier clamber back onto Lee's shoulders and begin to yell, "Forward!"
After the group split, mostly men remained. Sasuke found it difficult to look them in the face even though they all looked on the Uchiha with admiration.
"Right then," Kakashi said, turning and walking through the gates. Swinging his cloak, Sasuke walked hurriedly to catch up to his former sensei in order to avoid conversation with these ninja.
Sasuke was trying to come up with an excuse to split. He didn't quite care to go to the Hospital and face Sakura after their conversation last night. Also, he didn't particularly want to see the look on her face when she found out that Sasuke had caused all of these injuries. For some reason, he didn't want her to know it was him.
"Look, Kakashi. I better-" Sasuke began, but was cut short when a ninja landed in front of them. Sasuke recognized the spikey pony-tailed ninja and frowned when Shikamaru rushed up to Kakashi's other side, speaking to the Hokage in a low voice.
Sasuke was about to take advantage of the situation and just leave altogether, but found himself rooted to the spot when he heard Sakura's name in Shikamaru's hushed speech. Without realizing what he was doing, Sasuke strained to hear the conversation.
"Why haven't I been told about this sooner?" Kakashi asked him in annoyance.
"I couldn't find you. This was the last place I looked. I only just learned about it myself," Shikamaru exclaimed.
"Where is she? Is she okay?" Kakashi asked, slowing his pace.
"Ino says she's keeping an eye on her," Shikamaru replied.
Kakashi reached up and grabbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Damn it."
Sasuke's frown deepened when Kakashi suddenly turned to the group that followed him, presenting them with a sudden excuse. "My apologies. It seems we won't be going to the Hospital, after all. If you guys don't mind, Sasuke will escort you to the lodgings along with the rest of your group. I'll personally accompany a medical ninja to see to your injuries in your rooms."
In sharp contrast to Sasuke's current feelings, the group seemed relieved to be going straight to their shelter.
"What the hell, Kakashi," Sasuke hissed at the Hokage. "What is going on?"
"Sorry Sasuke," his sensei replied. "I need to see someone right now."
Sasuke wanted nothing more than to grab him by the cloak and demand answers. What the hell were he and Shikamaru talking about? Did it have to do with Sakura's sudden leave last night? Did something bad happen to her? Before he could get these answers, Kakashi and Shikamaru were gone and Sasuke was left with a group who stared at him expectantly.