It was hard to actually sit and finish this out. But I did.

Gone

Moonlight streamed in the window, framed by white curtains. Blinking her eyes open, Aster winced. The hospital bed was cold around her with coarse, bleached sheets. Rubbing her aching neck, she sat up slowly. At first a trickle, then a flood, the night came back to her.

Black-red blood in the shadows and Itachi's glare returned to her. She clenched her fists in her lap. He hadn't responded to her confession, only continued to threaten her. Climbing out of the bed, she mulled over the disturbing images as she rummaged in the cabinet at the foot of her bed. Her plain clothes and ninja gear were still there.

Opening the window, she set her mouth in a grim line. The path she had followed in Konoha had given her pain, comfort, and hope, only to end in fresh wounds. Her road here was at an end. She could stay and become an apprentice for something she hated. Or she could leave and find her footing in this world. Her academy grades said there was no hope, but the kekkai genkai in her blood disagreed.

Picking up the clipboard at the foot of the bed, she held the pen tied to it. Her condition had been unclear when she was admitted and among her information was a spot for her time of death. Glancing at the clock, she jotted down the time.

Setting the board neatly at the foot of the mattress, she stepped into the hallway. Fingers dragging over the walls and wooden doors, she found a placard on the same floor with the name she was seeking. Slipping inside silently, she was relieved to see Sasuke sleeping on his back.

The window to his right was open and a brisk breeze raised goosebumps on her arms and legs. Her heart ached as she suddenly understood what Itachi had wanted. Everything had been carefully planned, including her. There was tenderness in the tragedy as she realized he had hoped she would care for his brother. Part of her wanted to stay for his sake, but selfish desires for answers and revenge for family boiled in her stomach. She wasn't meant to be a tailor in Konoha and care for Sasuke.

Instead of returning to her hospital room, she brushed back Sasuke's bangs and pressed her lips to his forehead. He didn't stir and his breathing was even. Moving noiselessly, she climbed to the window sill.

She hadn't mastered her chakra control, and a jump from a second story was extremely risky. But it would be the quickest and most stealthy way out. Gathering her calm and courage, she closed her eyes and stepped out backwards, arms outstretched. Twirling through the air, she landed on one knee in a small cloud of dust.

The village was not as sleepy as it once had been at this hour. People on guard wandered the streets, conducting business at the few shops still open. Aster moved past most of them without any heed. No one was looking for an orphaned girl in her shoes. However, bits of one conversation stopped her and she slipped into an alley to listen more.

"So sad for the poor Uchiha boy left behind," the taller woman commented, adjusting her bun. "It's unbelievable what happened. I heard the boy that did it was quite the star too. What a terrible thing."

"Such a tragedy," her friend responded. She paused to shift her shopping bag. "Only that one little boy was left behind. I can't even imagine. What a disgusting thing for his brother to do. No place in hell is enough for what he's done."

"Yes," she sighed and replied, "I can't imagine what kind of sick soul would do such a thing-"

Tearing herself away, Aster fought the bile in her throat. So quickly public opinion of Itachi had turned. No one seemed to question why such a gruesome act had been committed. No one seemed to be giving more than a passing prayer. Once more, she decided Konoha was a selfish, uncaring place.

The rest of her journey was quiet. It wasn't long until her home loomed over her, back lit by a slivered moon. Turning the handle on the front door, it opened silently. A ghostly waif in the dark, she drifted up the stairs to visit her childhood room one last time.

On the nightstand, the photo in its warm wooden frame greeted her. Slipping out the picture of better days that had only been yesterday, she tucked it gently into her hip pouch. The clasp on the bag made a gentle click as she secured it, the only sound in the night. Their smiles in the photo were hidden in heart as she left and did not bother to shut the front door. Without glancing back, she hoped animals would find warmth inside and the shrubs would consume the walls.

Sasuke opened his eyes slowly. A nightmare. That's all it was- Just a horrible dream. He breathed a sigh of relief, beginning to sit up.

"Ah!" Abruptly, a stabbing sensation came from his shoulder.

Grabbing the spot that was now throbbing, he looked over to see it bandaged. It… It wasn't a dream. A violent shudder tore through him. It was real. Breathing slowly, he tried to calm himself, forcing the invading recollections from his mind; but one drove itself to the front of his consciousness.

Aster.

Throwing off the sheets, Sasuke slipped out the hospital room's door. Moving down the hall quickly, he glanced at the information sheets on the doors. Only three doors down, he found one that read 'Aster Yuki.' He slid his hand over the wood, pushing it open softly. A cold breeze twisted around his knees as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him. As he looked around the room, his eyes landed on an obscenely white bed with a heap of rumpled sheets. It was empty. The curtains blew in a gentle draft as Sasuke took in the deserted room. At the foot of the bed, lay a clipboard with her medical chart. Picking it up, one penned in hour and date stood out. Glancing at the clock on the wall, only a few hours had passed.

Tears filled his eyes as he realized her time of death had just missed him. Fresh tears rolled down his round cheeks.

She's gone.

PlEaSe R&R

"Can You Feel My Heart" By Bring Me the Horizon [Sammy Irish Cover Version]

So that's it. Want more? Get ready for a complete rewrite of Sight and Sound. ~3