As it stands, Hanaru definitely is going to have to leave her old life behind, and while I've been thinking of how to take that leap for her, the emotional struggle is something else entirely. :( That would beg what to do with her boys and their studio...

Composition by Adrian von Ziegler.

Chapter Nineteen

The Dream Weaver

White was the first thing she saw when she roused from painless darkness.

Sore was the first thing she felt, but it wasn't terrible.

And the first face she saw was framed by pixie pink hair and bright green eyes muddied but relieved that she came through. Jokingly, the person asked if she knew who she was.

"S-S...Sakura," Tsunade managed, smiling through the oxygen mask that was currently strapped over her mouth. The rose-haired vampire smiled, pulling her mouth mask down to show it, assuring her she was going to make it now, and that the transfusion was also a success. I must have lost that much blood.

"Want to know the donor?" Sakura asked as she began to remove the mask; it was then that the Senju head noticed she had been moved into her bedroom for rest, for a good while, it seemed. Maybe a week or two? It agitated her that she couldn't be on active duty.

"Yes," she answered, having an idea, but that was two people involved who shared her blood type - and it was Jiraiya who offered himself up. She smiled and laid back against her pillow. However, she frowned as she wondered how he heard about her crisis and managed to get here. Her eyes widened when Sakura told her everything.

I see...Hanaru.

~o~

"Oh, Hanaru, Temari, what a surprise," Shizune told her when she found the raven-haired woman in the kitchen, and this was her first time being here. Then that smile was gone. "I want to apologize for what happened. It wasn't me, but it was inexcusable."

Temari huffed and waved her hand. "Believe me, I can get mad for no reason, but I knew you weren't to blame," she told her, going up to the cabinets to look for something herself since they were welcomed here.

Hanaru glanced down at the tea service being prepared, along with the green dango sticks. "My grandmother going to be able to eat that when she wakes up?" she asked.

"Well, she has to in order to regain her strength, so yes," Shizune answered. "She never resists sweets anytime. She's just like those samurai generals who braved the worst of blizzards in these mountains. Their armies to follow sometimes had unnatural stamina - and no, not all of them were vampires," she added with a nervous laugh.

A commander with an indomitable spirit will make a soldier's heart burn like fire.

"You guys really don't live much like a military base," Temari noted as she saw all the food that was there. "You guys are stashed! Hell, Hanaru and I could live like this!" She laughed to lighten everything up, and it worked.

"Yeah, the training grounds and everything are reserved for down below. Up here, everything is for family and guests, but because it's so dangerous, there aren't visitors for personal reasons much anymore," Shizune answered. "And now that you are both here, that's gonna change." Then she looked at Hanaru, concerned and with the unspoken question she had the answer to, but she wasn't going to say it aloud here and now.

Hanaru accepted an unopened bottle of tea that wasn't home-brewed, though the label said it was, and that could be misleading. "Think she might still be out of it now that the worst is over?" she asked, but before Shizune could answer, another voice entered the air and provided.

"Not at all. She's awake and can let visitors in, though I don't recommend staying in her presence for that long. She does need her beauty rest, after all."

Sakura Uchiha was exactly as she remembered from New Year's Eve, and this time she was out of surgeon's gear, having chosen a green sweater embroidered with pink roses and faded blue jeans. It was still hard to believe this epitome of spring was a vampire and a doctor at the same time, but either way, Hanaru solidly admired her and saw them becoming friends if that was possible. Except she had no idea about her husband whom she hadn't seen since he and her grandfather took down a spellbound Shizune.

"Hanaru, it's so good to see you," the pinkette told her, going over and taking her into an embrace, a warm and friendly one in a figurative manner, and the blonde noticed how the hold was powerful but gentle enough to not break her in half. "Ah, you cut and highlighted your hair! I like that." She blushed at the compliment and thanked her.

"Thank you for saving her," she mumbled.

She received a pat on the back. "Didn't anyone tell you that Tsunade-sama is made of strong stuff? And that's what you are?"

"More than once or twice."

"I suppose that would be hereditary, which still works in mysterious ways," Sakura said as she led her back over to where Shizune by this time had her mistress' tray ready to be taken to its owner. She sniffed as it passed her by, and then her face fell as if disappointed she couldn't eat that kind of food anymore. This Temari also noticed and asked her if she missed that kind of stuff anymore.

Sakura seemed to like laughing whether it was inopportune or not, but you needed that anytime. "I did at first, but not anymore. Price to pay when someone saves your life."

Hanaru found herself blurting it out. "Did your husband do that job?"

There was a moment of silence, and in that time, she feared she jumped the gun since she barely knew the woman other than through gratitude and ease. Temari's gaze flickered back and forth, saying nothing but also worried, and planned to step in if things got out of bound. Only she got nothing but kindness and willingness for understanding.

"It's actually what happened. Has Itachi ever said anything about us?" she asked. Hanaru shook her head.

"Very little to none."

"Maybe it's for the best," Sakura answered, sighing. "Well, it happened in 1918, the first year of the pandemic. I was one of the first young girls to try and become a physician, but it seemed nurse was more available for me. You know the Meiji era when we were slowly bringing western influence to us?" Both human girls nodded. "Well, it was one of the worst in recent years, and we were still traumatized by the horrors of the war. In fact, when the war was ending, we were still in the early months of the nightmarish influenza." Her eyes hardened like rocks.

"It was a monstrosity: the young and healthy taking the brunt of the damage more than the elderly and the middle-age, no matter better or worse. And it happened all over the globe! Not even traditional medicine could cure!" she said angrily, clenching her fists and slamming them so hard on the island table enough to nearly crack the surface. Oh, damn, enough to make me jump out of my skin! And poor Temari!

"My parents were among those to go," Sakura said quietly, a tired sadness present in the air. "I felt like a failure for not saving them both, just like so many others, and all the doctors felt the same."

And if WWI wasn't enough to senselessly claim lives, then this sure as hell did the trick. Here was a girl whose parents were taken by the plague, had her whole life ahead of her and was fighting to save as many lives as she could for one reason which was to never fail again, as well as simply because she had a heart of gold to care.

Sakura relaxed her posture, leaning forward. "It wasn't long before I would end up one of the few in the medical staff to become one of the victims."

At this time, Hanaru was taking another drink of her bottle and nearly choked. Temari blinked numerous times, jaw slackened a little. But neither girl could utter a word even though they saw this coming.

"I would have been dead if Sasuke hadn't come to my side," the pinkette finished with a shine to her eyes.

"Yeah, how did you meet him?" Temari asked, finally having it in herself to bring out a fish and rice dish from the refrigerator to share with, except one wouldn't be able.

Green eyes sparkled. "Happened to be simple as me often seeing him, but only at night, and I did think that was strange, until he told me he was a rookie police officer who worked the night shift. And he was," she said. "I had suspicions, too, when he didn't seem to eat or drink anything, but for some reason, I wasn't afraid of him. He even showed me how to defend myself after one time he saved me from a pervert." She winked then and there.

"You could say that, even though we never talked about it, he surprised me when I was feeling worse than the lowest pits of hell when I was coughing up blood and -" She halted when she remembered the humans were eating and didn't deserve to lose their appetite at the bodily discharges that came with disease. "Okay, scratch that. But long story short: he knelt over me and sank his teeth into my throat. What happened hurt at first, and then it turned into something so good beyond words." Her pallid cheeks turned a faint shade of pink like the flower she was named for which faded when its time was up. "I was basically on fire, in an inferno, and it was excruciating until it subsided like being in a hot spring. Next thing I knew, I was parched and needing something.

"I was afraid to even bite the neck of someone that I spent my entire youth trying to save, especially if they were on the brink of death - but I was told that I had no choice since I was very thirsty."

She drank a human's blood the first moment she changed, because not even an animal was available. The thought chilled her to her bones. "And did they turn into a...?" Hanaru hesitated, but the question was answered.

"Oh, no. Neither like me or a ghoul. Because Sasuke simply put the man under the influence before cutting him in a place where he wouldn't die - the wrist - and I drank enough but not everything. It was...bittersweet, but I didn't want to feed on humans, since it wasn't my nature to take from them. The human side still wanted to GIVE. He knew that, and so he introduced me to feeding on animals and donor blood."

Temari swallowed a rice and salmon piece before she answered. "Vegetarian, is that the word to call you guys?"

Sakura stifled a giggle. "I never thought of it that way, but I guess you could say we are. But that's not all." And then another voice interrupted her, not rudely though.

"Because my brother and I started out as monsters, before we changed that part of ourselves, and I didn't want her to be the same way," Sasuke stated as he glided into the area. "So, I gave her a little just to satisfy her thirst, and ceased before it was too late." He came right up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He nuzzled his face into the crook where her neck and shoulder met, making her giggle and twitch in his embrace.

Uh, oh. We'd better get the hell out of here before it gets too hot.

Temari read her mind, picking the dish up and rushed out of the room with her. Now that left one thing to do that involved her grandmother, since the doctor said she was opened for visitors, but not for a long time.

This was Hanaru's chance to say what she'd wanted to the woman.

"Hope they don't tear that kitchen up," she joked to Temari who only snorted with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

They arrived upstairs in Tsunade's bedroom, but she wasn't alone, and that didn't count Shizune who was just leaving. She grinned at their arrival and left the door open - which gave the girls the opportunity to see Jiraiya sitting near Tsunade's bedside, tired from having enough blood drained from him. When he saw them, he lazily grinned, too, at their arrival, and the well-endowed woman followed his gaze.

"You came," Tsunade said, reclining comfortable back against the pillows. "Thank you, Hanaru, for coming."

She shrugged. "What was I supposed to do?" she answered. "Just stand by, even though I couldn't handle a bitch like that just yet?" This earned laughter from all three with her.

"That's my girl!" Jiraiya cheered. "She gets it from both you and her mother." Playfully, Tsunade slapped his hand when it came to rest on her covered leg.

"So," Hanaru said, coming further in and stopping until she was next to her grandmother, "while I'm glad you're going to be fine, I wanted to ask you something. And it involves a new painting I made that will go on display next month. I'd love you and Grandpa to go there like New Year's."

~o~

Since the Akatsuki were behind everything, confirming all their suspicions, there left what to do until the night of strike. And it would be wise if his mistress would order him to go to Iwa in the near future.

Where the constructions are being done, and other hot spots. After all, there aren't many people in the world who would think to enlist the undead for their bidding.

During the Second World War over sixty years ago, the research bases for underground Nazi groups and others on Japanese soil had to have been destroyed. Itachi remembered killing every last maggot found himself. But since they were coming back, he would be ready for them, and this time his family would be with him like before.

That also meant Hanaru would finally get a taste of greater blood spilled, possible she could see her friends die before her eyes, and that he didn't wish for her to see - though he was certain she would be mortified if she saw him slew human enemies, but she had to understand because they were opposing, would she? He had to find out.

While her grandmother was recuperating, he was issued with her training once more, and he had to not go easy on her this time.

It was this night that he even told her one of the harshest lessons that she would not have to learn the hard way.

And tonight he finally told her about Madara Uchiha, and that he'd been the one to save him from death and make him into what he was now - but more on the details another time. Until she surprised him with the limited, known historical facts the Hyuuga briefed her on when she visited her brother.

But she didn't know the intimate details, and that would be his promised next time. Except HOW to tell her...

Sakura came with him, having no busy days managed in between, so that she could master her hands to repair any broken bones the human would sustain. In the weeks before her next opening addition, she desperately needed more to get not only her negative energy into the open, but because she really wanted to fight. Brute strength wouldn't be all that was necessary, but long range shots. Which was why Shizune was going to have a hand-held caliber manufactured for her size and also carry the firepower needed.

She got to finally see his brand new Crow - more weight, cartridges and surprises than the last. And she refused to hold it unlike last time, already knowing what it was. All of this was after Sakura healed her and reset any bones back into place. It was painless because she had anesthetic injections to those parts, given time to kick in before she got to work. At least I can take her back home myself. She won't be able to move her arms herself, since that was where most of the damage went, and to her left side.

Seeing her come at him, on his instructions which were intent to kill, was a thrill more than before. He found he enjoyed this side of her when he told her that the small, basic stuff was over.

Afterwards, he told her she would finally see her request soon.

"Glad to know." She winced, standing up, and he carried her bridal style for the transportation. He materialized into the crows before taking them both right to the source that was her and Temari's apartment building. "Damn it," Hanaru said, managing to hold onto his neck when he took her up the stairs, his coat tail swishing behind him. "You should keep doing that, or I just wish I could do it myself and get me and Temari anywhere faster!" He chuckled.

"Perhaps someday it will be." She yawned and bowed her head against his shoulder.

"I wish you had warm body heat, Itachi. Makes me want to sleep right now..."

Her soft breath and her perfume made his nostrils flare and his skin crawl again, which hadn't happened for a good while, and it was the same as always: unwelcomed but oh, so intoxicating. A thought then crossed his mind that if something happened to her either on that night or before -

No, don't even think about going there.

~o~

Goddamn, aren't things getting harder and harder!

Itachi had told her humans were fragile compared to his kind, and he was ever right - but never did she think she would feel broken bones after each session, and then Sakura would be the one to heal her afterwards. After jabs with the stake - and intent to kill, which meant he was dead serious

"When you're faced in a life or death crisis, it's either you or them. You're likely to unfortunately come face to face with humans who serve undead masters. Seldom do you see that nowadays, but nothing is ever certain."

Never had she once thought about killing an enemy human; stun, yes, defend even, but NEVER kill. Itachi really knew how to drill into her, and she had every reason to believe his words. Out there was a much bigger world than the one she and Temari and their boys endured.

One element of satisfaction she did get: Madara Uchiha was the one to make Itachi into the creature of the night he was now.

Now she was home, safely in her bed. The tea was needed, but the herbs were no longer required since, for some strange reason, she slept much better than ever lately, and supernatural shit screwed her brain for life. Maybe that Senju blood in her veins deemed it so natural that she wasn't scared anymore. And her brother okay despite having a monster in him, same with Gaara, and both having not killed anyone. And her best friend bustling around to do things for her while the anesthesia in her limbs and side were taking time to wear off...

Hanaru was so tired, but she didn't want to sleep, because she found herself remembering that second and longer time when she finally rested her hand on the necklace to return to her parents on the other side.

~o~

"Mom. Dad."

"You came back, honey," Kushina said, beaming brightly, being the one to go forward and getting her into the suffocating bear hug she remembered - and the flood was released because it had been so many years. Seven years old she had been when they were both taken from her and Naruto.

Minato laughed and came up to his girls. "Kushina, don't kill her!"

"I missed my baby," she replied, releasing Hanaru. "We've been watching you and your brother." She cupped her face in both hands. "I'm so proud with what you're doing - but are you sure you'll be able to handle your lineage?" Now she was worried. To assure her, Hanaru wrapped her arms around her mother.

"I hope I can. I could have gone the rest of my life not knowing, but Naruto being snatched...it was like Grandpa said, it was meant to be."

Her father was very sad, but that was an understatement. "You sound just like me when he first told me everything." He shook his head. "A parent's duty is to believe unconditionally in their children, even protect them from the big picture, but it's foolishness when you have to leave the future to them," he said, having his turn now with his daughter.

"Dad," was all she could get out, overwhelmed.

She felt Kushina's fingers wove through her hair from behind, speaking again. "Itachi isn't human, but he's a good man - with more than a lot in his psyche. I was the one to suggest that he guard you and your brother one day if something happened to us...and because of what happened when you were still a child, the last time we would be a family," Kushina said, sounding faraway now. "That last time, when I wished we could have just been a normal, happy family, and we could have been there to teach you everything we knew..."

Could have taught me everything... Hanaru wished that, too, but didn't her mom just say -? "I wish so, too, but did you say I had the sight before? I don't even remember." She turned her attention back to her, and Kushina laughed lightly.

"You were only six years old, so of course you don't remember, sweetheart..."

July-September, 1918: Rice riots - a series of popular disturbances erupt throughout Japan over the precipitous rise in the price of rice causing extreme economic hardship, particularly in rural areas where rice was the main staple of life.

It's been hard to write the reunion between Hanaru and her parents. I want an emotional impact, but I can't seem to think beyond her learning about her gift and how proud they are of her. Let's see how more (maybe) goes in the next chapter.

Review please!