Chapter Fourteen: The Long Goodbye
Sasuke continued running as fast as his legs could carry him. Sakura's life had been in danger once before because of him and he was bound to make sure that it would never happen again. That's when all of a sudden he took out his cellphone and called Naruto and then Kakashi to let them know what was going on.
They met him just before the gates to the hidden leaf village. "You know, I never thought that our team would be trying to stop another member from leaving the village." Naruto began.
"I know, but this time it isn't because they're about to turn rogue,.. Sakura is only doing this because she loves me." Sasuke pointed out.
"Yeah well obviously she isn't thinking too clearly." Kakashi began. "She's got her niece and foster child that she still isn't thinking about." He finished.
"The girls are fine, they're back at the house. And Keiko's back at home with her mother. Right now my main concern is finding my wife. She is definitely not a weak person, but she still doesn't have the same training that we have." Sasuke told him.
"Come on then, let's go find her." Naruto began before all three of them started racing out of the exit gates. "So what is your mission exactly supposed to be about anyway?" he wondered as Sasuke sighed.
"I wasn't going to say anything until I knew for sure, but I think that Orochimaru is planning another attack on the hidden leaf village." He said.
"Really?" Naruto questioned while widening his eyes in complete and utter shock and bewilderment. "Well why do you say that?" he wondered.
"Because a few of the Akatsuki members showed up here a few days ago and they've been writing threatening letters if we didn't hand over you, Keiko, and Sachi to him." Sasuke explained.
"Damn it! That cold and heartless evil bastard just doesn't give up! If he wants me so badly why doesn't he just come after me and leave the girls alone?" Naruto questioned. "I mean they're only children." He added.
"Because Orochimaru doesn't give a shit that they're only children and that's why we have to go after him." Sasuke began. "But don't you dare say anything about it to Sakura or the girls. They're already upset and worried enough as it is." He told him.
"Don't worry Sasuke I won't." Naruto began. "I just hope that we find Sakura before Orochimaru or one of the Akatsuki members does." He finished.
"I know,.. me too." Sasuke responded.
Meanwhile Sachi had been sitting on top of her bed and heaving a light sigh she looked down at a picture of her mother holding her at the hospital right after she was born and had nothing but a bit of red fuzz on top of her head. As she looked at her mother she realized not only was she a splitting image of her, but after looking at the pictures of her, she looked an awful lot like Kushina Uzumaki. She sighed again and then sat the picture down on top of her nightstand before she laid back down on top of her bed and turned on some old home movies.
She smiled as she saw herself at six months old (which was the exact age of Ami now) sitting in the bathtub and splashing in the water while squealing excitedly and then sucking on the tail of her yellow rubber ducky. As her mother started singing to her the rubber ducky song she suddenly became aware of how much she had missed her mother's voice. The video on the television set had skipped to when her mother was trying to spoon feed her some squash for the first time and she kept pushing the spoon away from her mouth, and afterwards she saw herself learning to crawl and to walk and before she knew it she saw herself at a year old.
Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she saw her mother pushing her in the swing and teaching her how to ride a tricycle when she was two years old. At that moment she started to think about that song she had once heard back when she was really little about wanting a mother to read her stories and to sing her lullabies. She loved her aunt and uncle, but it just wasn't the same thing as having her mother with her.
….
"We should be running into Sakura at any moment now. She couldn't have gotten that far already." Kakashi said and as usual he was correct. For that's when suddenly Sasuke saw a faint vision of pink hair from up ahead and he started running faster before eventually catching up to her and running in front of her to stop her.
"Just what exactly do you think you're doing!?" he hollered while quickly grabbing ahold of her shoulders. "Are you trying to get yourself killed Sakura!?"he cried before all of a sudden she burst into tears and he tightly embraced her. "Shh,.." he began while gently rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head. "I'm not mad at you, I was just worried about you that's all." He told her but she quickly shook her head and broke out of his arms while turning her back towards him.
"It isn't that, I just don't understand why you're leaving us again!" she sobbed.
"Because I love you and the rest of my family and I'm trying to protect them." He told her. "Listen Sakura, it's Orochimaru. He still hasn't given up on trying to get his revenge on us." He explained. "And I have the proper training to take care of him once and for all. But you have to stay here." He told her. "You've got to remember,.. it isn't just Sachi and Ami that you've got to be concerned about now." He said as she heaved a light sigh.
"I know Sasuke." She began with a sniff while brushing away her tears. "And I'm sorry." She apologized. "I just didn't want to see you leaving the village again." She told him as he placed a tender hand to her cheek and gazed deeply into her eyes.
"I promise you with everything that I am that I'll come back." He told her before he started kissing her passionately and a few moments later they broke apart.
"I love you Sasuke." She told him.
"I love you too." He told her before he kissed her again and then started making out with her.