Kakashi disappeared shortly after his dramatic proclamation leaving a stunned Sakura in his wake. She decided she couldn't focus on his disappearance. Maybe she was forestalling the inevitable, but she didn't feel as if she had any choice in the matter. She had to speak to the Uchiha and she wasn't sure she had the words to do so. Just the night before she had been filled with such passion for the Uchiha and while it hadn't disappeared everything she wanted to say had. Sakura tugged at her hair slightly in frustration before going to see whether or not the two Uchiha in her life were awake.

Sasuke and Itachi were still where she had left them and she knew the previous night's activities had exhausted them both. She wished she could let them sleep, but they didn't have that luxury. Sakura reached for Sasuke first, then hesitated, not knowing what his reaction to her would be. It seemed like she was learning everything about him all over again and while she had some clues as to how he would react to certain things a part of her still worried over a negative reaction.

Sakura shook her head at her silliness and reached out and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder shaking him gently. An unhappy eye cracked open and Sakura only shrugged at him. It was all she could do.

"We have to get ready." Sasuke's eye closed once more and he took a deep breath before rising to his feet.

"I'll check on Mother and Father. You'll come?" She knew he meant to the funeral. Did he honestly think that after she spent a good portion of the night burying the Uchiha that she wouldn't be there for the funeral? They stared into each other's eyes for a moment or two before Sakura offered a word of reassurance.

"As soon as Itachi is ready." Sasuke slightly inclined his head.

"Mother will want to attend the funeral. Will that be alright for her?"

"If that's what she wants we'll make it so."

Sasuke nodded and left her alone with Itachi. When she turned and looked at him, intending to wake him as well it was only to find his eyes already on her. "It's time." She said simply and Itachi nodded and rose to his feet. He moved to their bedroom without another word and she followed him silently wanting him to speak.

She was uneasy, and she knew a lot of that had to do with Kakashi, but if she were honest she knew it was more than that. She pushed it aside, though, as they had a funeral to make it through. Sakura moved to the closet to find something appropriate to wear after Itachi had gathered his clothes and suddenly found herself stunned that all her belongings were, indeed, in Itachi's closet.

She didn't understand. Why had the merging of the worlds put her belongings here? How had she known that this was where they would be? Maybe instinctively…

"Sakura, we must hurry."

"Yes." Sakura said and nodded, doing as Itachi bid and she found herself not at all embarrassed to change in front of him. It was as if it was something that she had done before in both worlds and felt natural. Sakura shook her head in a futile effort to clear her head.

Before she knew it, she was walking at Itachi's side to the Main House. The Uchiha District was quiet, solemn as death hung heavy in the area. She glanced around looking for ANBU operatives, wondering if Tsunade had sent any for protection. She wondered whether or not it would be appreciated.

When Itachi and Sakura finally reached the Main House Fugaku stood outside with Sasuke as well as Mikoto. Sakura's eyes bulged and she squeezed Itachi's arm. This wasn't what she meant by making it possible for Mikoto to attend the funeral. She should be in bed resting or at the very least being carried by someone to the funeral site. Sakura squeezed Itachi's arm harder in order to get his attention. He glanced down at her and then looked in the direction of her gaze.

"She wanted to be there for the funeral." Sakura rolled her eyes. She was well aware of that fact and she didn't begrudge the woman that. What she wondered, though, was how he knew of Mikoto's desire. She couldn't recall Itachi telling her he knew. She could of have sworn it was Sasuke…

"She's not strong enough to do it on her own!" Sakura quietly hissed.

"She'd beg to differ." The woman was going to kill herself all because she was too bullheaded and stubborn to take it easy. Sakura's whole body stiffened and tensed for the fight she was about to instigate, but Itachi gripped her elbow firmly.

"She is the Uchiha Matriarch. We need her now. Let her lead the Clan with my Father."

"I hear your words Itachi, but they make no sense to me. We can carry her to the burial site. We can—"

"We are Uchiha. We show no weakness. It is something you must remember or it will not go well for you."

Sakura bit her lip. She didn't agree, but she was only one person.

Sakura joined the Uchiha family on the porch silently waiting for them to tell her what was going to happen, but no one spoke and she found that she could not. After what seemed like an eternity Mikoto and Fugaku left the porch and slowly began to walk away and down the streets of the Uchiha District. Itachi guided her so that they followed behind them. She knew without a doubt that Sasuke was behind them, only he walked alone. That bothered her more than she cared to admit.

They walked slowly, quietly, and steadily throughout the streets of the Uchiha District. She couldn't hear, but she could sense people joining them on their walk. She didn't dare turn around. Somehow she knew that was the taboo thing to do. Instead, she kept her eyes forward and on Mikoto.

Sakura had no choice but to admire the woman. She didn't want to, but to see her take her place at her husband's side when she could die at any given second was remarkable. Sakura felt tears prick her eyes but blinked them back and stood straighter. She felt Itachi's steady warmth at her side and was comforted by it.

Itachi's grip on her arm suddenly tightened to a point where it was almost painful. She glanced up at his face to see his visage was stern.

"Sakura," he began his voice barely audible. "You must listen as this will probably be the only time you hear it from someone's lips other than your own."

"Hear what?" Sakura whispered back just as softly and then it began. A terribly haunting song emerged from the beginning of the procession. It took mere seconds for her to realize that the song was coming from Mikoto. The woman was singing some form of Uchiha dirge. She had never heard of this before and worse than that she knew what the end result would be.

"Itachi."

"Listen and learn. This is the burden the Uchiha family Matriarch must bear."

Sakura did as she was bid and learned the melody and tempo for the song even as she knew she would never be able to do it justice.

When they finally made it to where the Uchiha were buried Mikoto turned and looked back at her. Her eyes blazed at her, but Sakura met her gaze unflinchingly. Her eyes were telling Sakura many things. How she despised her, how she didn't want to die, how she didn't trust her with her family, and how she was resigned to the fact that she had no choice in the matter. Mikoto turned away from her after what seemed like forever and more then looked at her husband. Sakura saw Fugaku's lips move but turned her head so she wouldn't read his lips and interrupt what was undoubtedly a private moment.

When Sakura turned back Mikoto was in Fugaku's arms. Sakura stepped forward to make sure what she suspected was true. That the Uchiha Clan Matriarch was dead. Sakura raised her eyes and looked at Fugaku and nodded. He moved away from her then and that is when she noticed that not every grave was filled. One remained empty until Mikoto claimed it.

Sakura despaired because she knew that there had been nothing she could do to save the woman who hated her. It made her feel helpless but when she glanced up at Itachi who looked at her with eyes full of naked pain and yet laced in encouragement Sakura knew there was something she could do at that moment.

She resumed the Uchiha Song of the Dead.