Chapter 9: Feel

From the scene at with Tobirama and Hashirama, Sakura felt such a conflict of emotion that she couldn't stand it. She ran and kept running until she didn't know where she was.

Tobirama…the reanimation… She fell to her knees on the forest floor. Her head spun with everything that had happened. It all seemed to have blown up so fast. The dinner had been so nice. She was finally starting to feel a little calmer around Mito, and the conversation was making her laugh and feel at home. Then Tobirama said those things about Shouta. It was so hard for Sakura to remember the differences between the times. All the lines in her life were getting blurred. In this era, injuries like what Shouta had were written off, and he was cast aside, just like he had been before she came along. But in her time, that wasn't the case. Her generation had forced change through the indomitable will of people like Naruto and Lee and Tsunade. The views on the way things happened in their world were changing under their influence, and through people like Gaara, who embraced the new way of leading.

Sakura wasn't going to give up on cases like Shouta, just like Tsunade hadn't given up on Lee. Lee's determination was more obvious than Shouta's, but Sakura could see it in his eyes. She saw the helplessness he felt, she saw the hope, the life that their first session had brought him. He was in pain, but he still did it. She was going to get him in form, she was going to give him back the hope he'd lost.

A rustling to the side snapped Sakura to attention. She looked up and saw a very large deer coming out of the forest. Sakura froze, suddenly realising where she was. Four more deer appeared behind the lead, and Sakura sat very still as they surrounded her. She slowly stood, and the deers eyed her warily. She knew that by now the Nara had been alerted that there was an intruder in their forest. The deer wouldn't let her stand. Every time she moved, they came closer, their front hooves pawing at the ground. So she sat still and waited, wondering how she was going to explain what she was doing.

"It's Lady Sakura!"

She heard the surprised voice of a Nara somewhere close. From the trees came several members of the clan. Shikaru stepped forward, his hand rubbing along the side of the deer who was the leader. Sakura gave him a weak smile.

"So, how are you doing, Shikaru?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"I was just about to go to sleep," he said. "You look like you could use some tea."

"Tea would be nice," Sakura replied.

He held out a hand to her and lifted her to her feet. Sakura tried to ignore the strange looks she was getting from the other Nara. Shikaru let out a breath.

"All right. Go home and keep this quiet until Lady Sakura and I have a chat," he said to his clansmen.

They disappeared back into the shadows and the deer melted back into the forest, and it was just Shikaru, Shikata and Sakura left. Shikaru was giving her a hard look and Sakura felt her cheeks redden.

"I'm so sorry," she apologised.

"Father, let's go back to the house," Shikata said.

Shikaru nodded and Sakura followed them back to the house quietly. She had calmed down from her earlier outburst, but she still felt anger towards Tobirama for what he said about Itachi, and she couldn't quite feel sorry for saying that he was the reason for so many deaths and that she was disgusted by him. Her anger was too close to the surface to regret those words yet. Shikaru left Sakura and Shikata in the dining area of the house.

"Are you okay?" Shikata asked, concerned.

Sakura saw he was looking at her dress. It was dirtied with the forest floor. She stepped onto the balcony to brush it off before she came back inside.

"Sorry," she said to him.

"You didn't answer my question," Shikata replied. "Are you okay? Your hands are shaking."

Sakura looked at her hands in surprise. They were shaking. She hadn't realised. She closed her hands into fists.

"I guess not," she said quietly.

Shikata frowned and she tried to give him an assuring smile, but it fell flat. Shikaru returned with tea and set the table for them all to sit at. Sakura didn't bother to argue with him. They all sat.

"I think there are some things that you should explain," Shikaru said, breaking the silence.

"I apologise for trespassing. I was just... running and I didn't know where I was," Sakura explained lamely.

Shikaru looked at her.

"You're dressed for a dinner party, and that's not what I was referring too."

Sakura frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been coming here for a few weeks now, playing shogi, and talking with my son. You think I haven't been listening or paying attention?" Shikaru asked.

Sakura swallowed.

"Who are you really?" Shikaru asked her with the most serious look she'd ever seen on his face.

Sakura looked away. Trust a Nara to figure out that she was keeping secrets. Coming over so regularly had left her guard lowered.

"You could always ask Lord Hokage if you're suspicious of me," Sakura said. She turned to Shikaru. "But I expect you haven't done that because you know he won't answer you. Are you asking me from curiosity or because you think I'm a threat?"

Shikaru gave a wry smile.

"If you were a threat, Lord Hokage wouldn't have made you one of the most important people in the village. He might be optimistic and idealistic, but he's not easily led around."

"Curiosity then," Sakura answered, giving him her own wry smile. "Trust a Nara to be too observant and curious."

Shikata looked between the two of them with a frown.

"Why are you being like this?" He asked. "You're friends, aren't you? You said we were friends."

Sakura clenched her teeth and felt guilt in her stomach.

"Sometimes friends have secrets," Shikaru answered.

Friends. Kakashi's voice echoed in her head. Shikaru was her friend. Not a close friend like Matsuri, or Tobirama or Hashirama, or even Madara. But Sakura wondered if that was because she was holding part of herself back, or because their relationship felt different than just regular friends. She looked at Shikaru and then at Shikata. She liked them both a lot. Shikaru was almost twice her age and Shikata was a little younger than her, but what did that matter, in the end, if she trusted them.

"Some secrets are dangerous," Sakura murmured. "But still need to be shared."

She looked at the two Nara, her hands around the warm cup of tea.

"You understand that my secrets are S-class? Above that, even."

Shikaru nodded. Shikata also nodded after a moment. She studied them both. Shikaru had a glint in his eyes, ready to hear and have his own suspicions confirmed. Shikata looked anxious.

"Hashirama's going to kill me," Sakura muttered.

Shikaru smirked a little, and Sakura gave him an annoyed look. She wasn't going to get out of this without telling him something, and Hashirama was going to have to speak with Shikaru in any case after hearing about this. Maybe he could chew out the Nara for being too curious. Sakura decided to take the leap and trust them.

"My name is Sakura Haruno," she said after a moment. "Two years ago, I was a chunin from Konohagakure, a member of Team 7, a student of the Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan and Fifth Hokage Tsunade. At the end of the Fourth Shinobi War, the sons of the Sage of Six Paths brought me and Itachi Uchiha from our time into the Warring States Era to put a stop to events that would lead to the resurrection of the ten-tails."

There was a silence between the three of them.

"Well that was a little more than I was expecting, but I'm glad I wasn't too far off the mark," Shikaru grinned.

"You're from the future?" Shikata asked with a disbelieving frown.

She gave Shikata an apologetic smile.

"The only way I could know how to beat you in shogi was because one of my friends was a Nara, and a genius tactician, and he needed a partner who'd be a challenge."

"I knew your style of playing was familiar," Shikata said, crossing his arms over his chest.

She looked back at Shikaru.

"Are you satisfied?"

"Somewhat. I have so many more questions now, though," he replied, leaning back on his chair.

"What a surprise," Sakura mumbled.

"At least I can understand why you've dropped Haruno from your name now," Shikaru said. "It would certainly raise questions if you're parents were to give birth to you again."

"The history I grew up with and what's happening now is already extremely different. But just in case - " she shrugged, "things might be different or they might be the same."

"So, two years ago. Was what Madara said true? That you and Itachi were the reason for the alliance?"

"It would have happened anyway. But we sped things up, I think. There weren't that many records left in my time of this era."

Sakura looked at the tea in her hands.

"Itachi was the one to ask about the history of Konoha," she said quietly.

"Fourth War," Shikata said. "There were four wars?"

Sakura gave a sad smile and nodded.

"The Fourth War was a lot different to the others," she said. She looked at Shikaru. "I can't say anything else. This doesn't affect just me, do you understand?"

Shikaru gave a nod. Sakura imagined he'd look very comfortable with a cigarette in his hands.

"Of course. You still need to answer for your trespass, however," he said with a sly grin.

"All that information wasn't enough?" Sakura asked.

"What were you running from?" Shikaru asked. "You've trusted us with the past. Why not the present?"

Sakura chuckled.

"Maybe they're intertwining," she said.

Thinking about it again, Sakura felt nauseous.

"I apologise for the intrusion, I really didn't know where I was," she said again. "I had an argument with Tobirama that ended badly."

Shikaru gave her a searching look and finally nodded. She released the tension she'd had in her shoulders.

"Very well," he said. "As your punishment, you can give Shikata some taijutsu lessons."

Sakura gave him a look.

"Seriously?" She deadpanned.

Shikaru laughed.

"Sure. Why not? He'll join those morning sessions with the other two."

Shikata pouted sulkily.

"I don't want to."

Shikaru caught her eye when Shikata looked away, he seemed to be begging her. Sakura sighed and accepted.

"Fine," she said. "Tomorrow is a free day, and we have a session the day after. But come in three days time, okay?"

"Troublesome," he muttered.

Shikaru smiled happily.

"Good." He stood and stretched. "Now this old man is tired, so go home."

"So polite," Sakura said.

She stood and patted Shikata's head.

"You should see Hashirama tomorrow," she said to Shikaru.

He looked like he'd consider it.

"Good night," she said to Shikata.

"Night," Shikata said.

Sakura left the Nara house with a tired sigh, wondering if she'd made the right choice in trusting them. Probably, she decided. The Nara she knew were loyal to Konoha, and she had no reason to believe that Shikaru or Shikata were any different. She strangely felt a little lighter after telling them, and maybe a little closer to them. She smiled as she walked home.

Sakura's body was pumping with adrenaline. The war was over. She stood on the battlefield, surrounded by her teammates, by the reanimated past Hokage, the recalled spirits that the Sage of Six Paths summoned, the tail-beasts and she saw Itachi and Shisui across from her.

The war, it was over, finally. Sasuke was coming home. Everything was going to be okay.

But something was wrong. Something else was happening.

She felt herself being torn into pieces. Her arms and legs felt like they were ripping away from her body, and she screamed.

But when she looked down, her limbs were growing back. She looked up to see Naruto looking at her with confusion.

"Why are you freaking out, Sakura?" He asked.

Sasuke gave her a look.

"What's the problem? You're arms and legs will grow back. You're not even alive."

"You've been reanimated," Kakashi said.

Sakura looked down. Somehow a mirror was in her hands. She held it up to her face, her hand was shaking. Her eyes were green, but where it was once white, they were now black.

Reanimated. She was dead.

Tobirama came and stood beside her.

"See," he said, pointing across the field at Itachi. "This way you can be together forever."

Itachi's eyes were black.

He smiled at her. A smile devoid of emotion. He took a step and was somehow immediately before her.

"Sakura, don't you want to be together forever?" He asked, lovingly caressing her face.

Sakura stepped back, her heart thumping in her chest.

No, not like this. She didn't want this. But…

She looked up and saw Itachi's outstretched hand. Gods, she missed him. She started to reach out to him before she felt two hands on her shoulders. She turned and saw Asura and Indra there, holding her back.

"Let me go," she said. "I don't want anything to do with you."

They were silent. The world around her disappeared and all that was left was darkness.

"Sakura."

She whipped around and saw Tenji standing there, leaning on his walking stick, a smile on his face.

Sakura gasped as she woke up, her hand went to her chest. She panted and sat up. Her other hand fisted the blanket and she stared without seeing at the bed. A sick feeling churned in her stomach. She lay back on the bed and put her hands over her face.

"What a horrible dream," she murmured.

But there was something about it. She closed her eyes. Tenji. Asura and Indra. Something about them. She sat up again, realising something, was it possible for her to contact Asura and Indra again? Her heart started racing. Could she go there? Did Tenji leave the temple intact? Plans started racing through her mind and suddenly she couldn't think of anything else. She had to go. She just knew it, somehow, she had to go. She quickly changed into her mission gear. She bound her chest, slipped on her qiapo, pulled on her leggings and skirt, elbow and knee pads. She wrapped her thigh and attached her weapons pack.

She paused. Matsuri. She had to go see Matsuri.

She put on her headband, tied her hair back in a high ponytail Ino would have been proud of and left to see Matsuri. She went quickly, taking a route that she wouldn't be seen by anyone else. She landed lightly on the grass outside her house and knocked on the door. Matsuri answered with a frown.

"Sakura, what's wrong?"

Sakura took a breath.

"Can you trust me?"

Matsuri looked at her with concern.

"What's going on?"

Sakura shook her head.

"I just.. there's something I need to do. So, just make sure you take care of yourself until I get back."

"Sakura, you're scaring me," Matsuri said.

"I'm sorry. It's just - Indra and Asura - Otsutsuki."

"Who?"

"The Sage of Six Paths, his sons. I've just - "

"Sakura, calm down. You're so agitated."

Sakura gave her a quick hug.

"I love you, Suri. Don't worry about me, okay? Just don't say anything to anyone until they come here, okay?"

Matsuri stared at her.

"…Okay," she answered slowly. "I don't know what you're doing, but be safe."

Sakura nodded. She left and returned home, packing a travel bag. She felt manic. Her whole body pulsed with adrenaline. Slinging the bag over her shoulders, she sighed and looked around the little house. She didn't feel much of a connection to it. It was just a place to sleep and keep her things. But there was a house she did feel a connection to, and it had been neglected for far too long.

Sakura stood out the front of the house in the woods for a while before she finally opened the door and went inside. Dust. She smelled that first. Saw the layer of it across everything. It was undisturbed, exactly as she remembered it, exactly as they left it. She clenched her jaw and took another step inside and closed the door. She ran her hands over the couch, her fingers left a trail in the dust that covered it. She smiled softly and painfully as she remembered the days and nights she spent curled up with Itachi.

She looked at the kitchen, imagining he was there, cooking for her. He was so much better than her. He was always so much better than her at everything, but she loved that about him. He never made her feel like she wasn't good enough, he met her as an equal. He elevated her. Sakura swallowed as she stood in the doorway of the bedroom. The futons were folded against the wall. She could remember the nights they spent lying beside each other. She remembered the first night they spent together when they made love and he kissed and held her so gently. She rested her head on the doorframe and closed her eyes tightly. This place was full of memories.

She found a piece of paper and sat at the table in the kitchen. She'd decided already that she as going. She felt guilty for leaving without a word to anyone. She wouldn't be back for almost two months, but she just had to do this. There was only one person she knew that would be able to find her, that would come here. It was strange, writing a note to him in this house. But Madara…She closed her eyes. Madara loved her and despite how much she wanted to deny it, he knew and understood her enough. It was in this house that she'd shared dinner with him, that she'd almost lost herself in the heat of the moment with him.

He'd come here, and he'd come for her, and she needed to put as much distance between her and him as she could. He scared her. She wasn't ready for what he was offering.

Sakura left the note on the table. She left the house and she picked some flowers in the forest before she laid it them on Tenji's grave outside. She was about to leave for good when she sighed. One last thing to do and then she would go. Madoka was at the hospital, so she broke into his house and left a note for him too. She'd have a lot to answer for when she came back, but for right now, that was the last thing on her mind.

Unlike the first time she had made the trip with Itachi, Sakura was almost at full strength. She knew that Itachi hadn't been traveling as fast as he could've been if he were alone, so the month-long estimate for the trip was accounting for her. The terrain was also another factor. But she remembered it roughly. He'd been conservative, but Sakura wasn't in the mood for conservative. This time, she was sure she could make it to the mountains in less than three weeks. It would be a good work-out for her, and keeping ahead of Madara was her main priority in any case. Unfortunately, she underestimated his speed. On the fifth day, she made camp early and waited for him to catch her. It didn't take long.

She sat cross-legged in the clearing, meditating and resting. He walked the last few hundred feet to her. Each step closer, she felt her heart rate increase. She kept her breathing even. Only when he stood directly in front of her did Sakura open her eyes.

He stood in a manner very like him. His face was calm and impassive. His hair was a little windswept. He had his arms folded over his chest. His weight was back on his left foot. He wore his red armour over his black Uchiha style garments.

"Hello, Madara," she greeted him.

His eyes flashed with anger, which didn't surprise her. His mouth set into a hard line. Sakura slowly got to her feet, and assessed him, preparing herself for what she knew was about to happen. His eyes spun red. She raised her arm, blocking the hit that came at her quick as lightning. She ducked and kicked out, but he dodged her and brought his knee to her face. She flipped backward, pushing up of the ground and twisting mid-air to attack him with a flurry of punches and kicks. He nimbly evaded them all, his eyes flickering side to side as he anticipated all of her attacks.

Sakura's own shinobi sensors honed in on him. Each time he tried to get a hold on her, managed to twist and turn her way out of his grip. Her hand itched to take a kunai from her pack, but she knew the second she did it the fight would escalate to another level that she wasn't prepared to compete at, not against him. Madara suddenly used the flicker step to get behind her, and Sakura's reaction was too slow. He gripped her arm with one hand and kicked out her legs, turning her around as she fell, until she was caught under his body in a position that would dislocate her shoulder if she moved.

Her chest heaved. He was so much faster than her, the fight had taken all her concentration to last a measly three minutes.

"What are you doing, Sakura?" Madara growled above her.

His hair fell over his shoulders creating a dark space between their faces.

"Something I have to," she panted in reply.

He gave her a hard stare.

"Hashirama ordered me to bring you back."

"You won't," she said, not breaking eye contact.

"Why shouldn't I?" His eyes flickered from her eyes to her mouth and back.

"I need this," she said, almost pleading. "I've given my life for Konoha. I'll accept any punishment, even if it means I can't go back, but I'm still going to do this."

Madara let go of her arm but he didn't move from above her. She swallowed thickly. His armour was heavy and pressing down on her.

"You knew I would come," he said, his voice quieter, lower.

She gave a slow nod. She felt the change in the air between them. His face was closer than it was a moment ago.

"Why didn't you come to me? I would've helped you."

His voice took on a husky tone. Sakura's throat felt thick, her stomach coiled. She could feel his breath on her face. Her heart clenched in sudden fear. She blinked and turned her face away from him, breaking the moment.

"This is for Itachi," she said, her tone flat.

Madara stayed above her for a moment longer before he rolled off her. Sakura stayed where she was with her face turned away.

"Even if you take me back, I'll still escape the village and do this, no matter how many tries it takes."

"Do what you want," he said.

His voice was back to normal, but it was emotionless.

Sakura hated that she felt regret whenever he got to close.

Madara kept a close eye on her, but he rarely spoke and Sakura didn't bother to try and make conversation. If he wanted to talk to her, he would.

They made good time, often traveling through the night, resting only for a few hours. It reminded her of her missions with team 7, but it was so much quieter. More painfully, it was similar to the exact journey she'd made with Itachi, the only difference was how much more intense the atmosphere was. At sunset on the thirteenth day, she stood a the top of a tree and estimated another three days if they kept their current pace.

She climbed down and told Madara.

"Do you wish to continue through the night?" He asked.

Sakura shook her head.

"No," she replied.

The closer they came, the more afraid she became. What if Tenji had sealed off the entrance? She hid her fear with rational-sounding words.

"We may as well rest since we're so close. Plus, I'm tired."

Madara didn't respond to her more than giving her a long look that she couldn't hold. She turned away and set up camp.

Sakura sat on a bench near the gate of the village, swinging her legs, kicking the loose stones. She felt a rumbling and braced herself on the bench when the world around her suddenly exploded and she was standing above the ruined Konoha, watching Hinata protect Naruto from Pein.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and was spun around into the Fourth Shinobi War. Madara stood above them all, the smile of a conqueror on his face. She felt despair, seeing Kakashi and Obito disappear into the Kamui time-space.

There was so much death around her.

"Sakura!"

She heard Itachi call out for her.

She turned to see him across the battlefield. A fireball split the battle and the landscape transformed into the Valley of the End.

The Nine-Tails and Hashirama faced off against one another.

Sakura was alone in the forest. Lost. Unable to move. Something took hold of her ankle and dragged her into the earth. She struggled and struggled, but she couldn't get free. She cried out for Itachi, but voices of things she couldn't see laughed at her, telling her that he was dead, dead, dead and was never coming back.

Sakura cried and screamed, and felt herself shaking and -

"Sakura. Sakura, wake up!"

She opened her eyes and saw Madara Uchiha above her, his eyes wide and worried, his hands gripped her shoulders. It was Madara. Her mind flickered back to her dream, where she'd seen him try to destroy everything she knew, and she was there again, facing off against the enemy. She had a kunai to his throat, flipped him onto his back and straddled him down before he could react. Her teeth were bared. Just one swipe and she could end everything and save everyone.

She felt him release her shoulders and drop his hands to the ground. He looked at her with surprise and then she frowned when she saw resignation cross his features. He relaxed under her and Sakura grew confused.

"Sakura," he said her name softly. "It was a dream," he said. "Just a dream."

Slowly, Sakura recognised the position she was in. She saw the kunai in her hand. She saw Madara beneath her. Her face twisted from something feral to horrified. She whipped the kunai at a tree and leaped away from him. She looked at her hands, not recognising what had just happened. Madara stood and walked over to her.

She backed away from him.

"N-no," she stammered. "Don't come over here."

He didn't stop. Sakura kept backing up until she was caught between a tree and Madara.

"I don't - I - I can't - what - "

Sakura couldn't find the words to say. She didn't know what to say or do. An apology, an explanation, her mind was confused.

"Sakura, look at me," he said firmly.

She swallowed and, eventually, she looked up at him. Her heart hammered in her chest. He wasn't the same. The Madara in front of her now, he wasn't the one that she'd battled against back then. He rested his forehead on her head and she froze under its touch.

"Just breathe, Sakura, breathe," he said quietly.

She realised she was panting heavily. She tried to do what he said. She took a breath in, and then out. In and out. Slow, controlled. She felt the hammering in her chest slowly calm. He lifted his head and looked in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she breathed, she lowered her eyes.

Her hand gripped his shirt and she leaned into him. She hadn't dreamed of the war like that for a while. Madara let out a breath above her. He stepped back, but she didn't let go of his shirt.

"Sakura?"

"Will you lay down with me?" She asked quietly.

"I .. shouldn't," he said with a strained tone to his voice.

After a second, she let go of his shirt.

"Will you let me talk for a while then?" She asked.

"Okay," he said.

She lay back down on her bedroll and she talked about the past. She told him things she hadn't spoken about with anyone else. About Naruto and Sasuke, and how she felt being in a team with them, how they made her feel weak and stupid, and then how they became her goal. She told him about the Akatsuki, and how Obito had pretended to be Madara Uchiha, using his name to intimidate the world. She talked about how Konoha was destroyed by Pein, and how all the shinobi villages formed the alliance.

Then she talked about the war, and she told him everything. She told him how he broke the reanimation jutsu, how he made himself immortal, how he almost killed them, how he became a jinchuuriki but was betrayed and used to revive Kaguya by Zetsu. She told him that he and Hashirama had finally settled their differences when he died.

Madara listened to it all quietly, not saying a word. Sakura realised she was crying at some point. Everything she described to him about who he had been for her and her friends, it hurt her to imagine it again. She couldn't see him as that person anymore, and she felt pain for him. She was drifting into sleep, half-dreaming when she felt him lay beside her and wrap his arms around her, hugging her from behind.

"I'll never be that person, Sakura. I'll die before I hurt you."

She wasn't sure if she dreamed him whispering that or not.

Sakura's heart almost stopped when she saw the cave opening was undamaged and waiting. She ignored the fear and anxiety in her body and walked to the entrance. She took a deep breath, feeling out with her chakra for the seals. She frowned.

"Can you see if the seals are active?" She asked Madara.

He closed his eyes and when he opened them, his Sharingan was active.

"Nothing," he said after a moment. "Is there supposed to be?"

Sakura swallowed.

"I don't know."

She walked forwards, wary and ready for anything to happen. Tenji was crafty, but surprisingly, nothing happened and it only caused more and more anxiety. Madara used his chakra to light one of the torches on the wall. They walked through the tunnel and Sakura almost collapsed in relief at the sight of the temple. Everything was intact.

"What is this place?" Madara asked with some awe.

"This is the last temple dedicated to Ninshu, the Sage of Six Paths teaching. Tenji's home," she replied. "It was brought here by the Uzumaki for protection, apparently."

"Not surprising," Madara muttered. "They're far too knowledgable and secretive."

Sakura and Madara made their way down the stairs and when Sakura crossed the bridge, she was hit with that same familiar chakra from the first time they came. She froze. Everything she'd hoped for, could it happen? She turned to Madara.

"Please. Wait. Don't go into the temple until I come out, okay?"

"Are you certain?"

He looked around warily. She put a hand on his arm.

"Please."

He looked at her and then gave a reluctant nod. Sakura dropped her pack on the grass and walked forwards, a little nervously to the temple. The last time, all she and Itachi had done was walk inside. She hoped it would be the same. She stepped through the door, and the world went black. Sakura's heart pounded as the familiar chakra plane surrounded her. She spun around, looking for someone, anyone.

"Sakura."

She turned to see the brothers standing there.

"Asura. Indra," she said with a little relief.

"Why have you called us here?" Indra asked.

Sakura swallowed.

"Itachi's dead," she said to them.

They both gave her looks that meant they knew.

"He died doing what you asked him to," she said. "Can you - is there any way - " she looked at them desperately. "Can you bring him back?"

Asura looked at her sadly.

"Sakura, I'm sorry."

She stared at them and then she laughed without humour.

"I guess I should've expected that," she said. "Why would I think you could actually help me?"

Neither of them said anything to her. She felt all her hope drain out of her. Everything she'd built up in her heart just disappeared. What had she been hoping for? She felt stupid, standing before them.

"Sakura, is my incarnation with you?" Indra asked after a moment.

She looked at him.

"Madara came with me," she replied slowly.

Indra closed his eyes.

"He is at peace," he breathed. "A peace I never felt."

He opened his eyes and looked at Sakura with a small smile.

"Thank you," he said with sincerity.

Sakura tried to smile back at him. It felt more like a grimace.

"There's someone here for you," Asura said, lightly touching Sakura's arm.

"What?" Sakura asked.

Asura gave her a little smile and nodded behind her. She turned and a shock jolted through her body.

"I - Itachi?" She breathed, her voice breaking.

He gave her that familiar closed-eye smile, his head tilted slightly to the side.

"I've missed you, Sakura."

She took a step forward, her hands tentatively reaching for him. Her fingers brushed his skin, his clothes.

"Is this real?" She whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"It's real," he whispered, holding her tightly.

Sakura felt her insides shatter and tears poured out of her eyes. She clutched onto him sobbing, disbelieving that it was real. It was him. Itachi. He soothed her, running his fingers through her hair.

"It's long," he murmured.

She sniffed, letting him go.

"Yeah," she said, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "Do you like it?"

"Of course I do," he said. "I loved your hair short, and I love your hair long."

Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a wet, teary kiss.

"I miss you," she said to him, leaning her head into his chest. "I really miss you."

"I know," he said, holding her close. "I've been watching over you."

She stiffened, thinking about everything she'd said and done, and everything to do with Madara. She felt a pang of shame and swallowed her regret and doubt.

"Sakura, you're so strong, so beautiful. You should be proud of yourself."

She stepped back.

"I don't know how to do this without you," she said, her lips trembling. "I don't want to do this without you."

He gave her a sad smile.

"It's okay to feel lost and afraid and sad," he said. "But you've been living without me all this time."

"But it hurts!" She cried. "It hurts so much."

Itachi looked at her a moment. A long look with thought in his eyes, mixed with sorrow. He stepped forward and tapped her forehead, harder than usual.

"Who are you?" He asked her.

Sakura remembered this familiar game.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," she answered quietly.

"And?"

"And I'm the student of Kakashi Hatake and apprentice to Fifth Hokage Lady Tsunade, a member of team 7."

"And?" Itachi asked, smiling still.

Sakura sniffed.

"I told you. What else is there?"

"And you're Lady Sakura," he said. "Head Medic-nin of Konoha, Head of Konoha Medicine, counselor to Lord Hokage, friend of Matsuri Uchiha, teacher to Hikari Shimura and Shouta Uchiha."

Sakura looked at him and bit her lip. She was those things now. But he wasn't a part of those things. He cupped her cheek with his hand.

"It's okay, Sakura, to live and be who you are."

She nodded shakily, her eyes tearing up and overflowing.

"All I ever wanted was for you to live and be happy, even if it's without me."

"I don't know how," she breathed.

"Moving on and letting go doesn't mean forgetting," he whispered. "It doesn't mean you don't love me."

Sakura closed her eyes.

"I'm scared."

"I'm always watching over you," he said quietly. "I know how much you love me, I can feel it."

He leaned down and kissed her lightly. It felt like a kiss good-bye.

"Don't go," she whimpered.

"I love you, Sakura," he said.

"I love you too, Itachi," she said crying.

"Don't be afraid, Sakura. Allow yourself to feel what you've been denying," he said.

"I really love you."

Her entire body was trembling. He gave her another tap on the forehead. This was was lighter, softer, gentler.

"And I will always love you."

Itachi faded from her sight and Sakura stood staring at the space he faded from with her fists clenched and shaking. Tears fell from her eyes, falling into the darkness around her.

"Thank you, Itachi," she whispered.

Sakura raised her head a few moments later and turned back to the Otsutsuki brothers, who each had different expressions. Asura was openly crying, Indra looked remorseful and pained. Sakura looked at them and was overcome with laughter. After a moment of surprise and uncertainty, Asura laughed with her a little, and even Indra cracked a smile.

"There's something else we need to tell you before you leave," Indra said.

Sakura sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Please don't give me another mission," she pleaded.

Asura shook his head.

"No. You've done enough, Sakura." He smiled, wiping his own tears.

"The flow of time is not a construct to be grasped, and when time is interrupted, many things can happen," Indra said.

Sakura frowned.

"What else happened? Did someone else come back from the future?"

"Yes," Indra replied. "But not to this moment."

"I don't understand."

"You're making this overly complicated, Indra," Asura said. "Look, Sakura. Our dad basically did something like what we did, but in a different way."

Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"Okay…" she said. "With who?"

"He sent three souls back to their childhood," Indra answered. "Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha, and an already passed on soul."

Sakura froze.

"Kaka - What?"

Asura smiled.

"Kakashi and Obito suffered greatly from what happened, and now they have been given another chance."

"This is confusing," Sakura muttered. "Kakashi is in his past, as a child, now?

"Yes," Indra said.

"But the present… Kakashi won't be born for years," Sakura said.

"It's a little confusing," Asura said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah," Sakura said. "But… Does that mean he'll live and know this history? And.. he'll know who I am?" She felt her chest flutter with hope.

Indra nodded.

"He will."

Sakura felt her face break out in a sudden smile, overwhelmed with the thought of all the possibilities. But mostly… Kakashi.. he was definitely going to live. She looked at them both.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you."

Indra nodded.

"This will be the last time we meet, Sakura Haruno."

"I'm glad we're parting on sort of better terms now," Asura said guiltily.

Sakura shrugged.

"I guess…" she thought of Itachi. "I guess I'm moving forward, and letting go."

Asura surprised her by hugging her.

"Keep our incarnates safe, Sakura. Keep them in line."

She nodded, her gaze turning back to where Itachi had been.

"Good-bye," she said to them.

Indra and Asura faded, and the black chakra world became the inside of the temple again and Sakura stood inside alone once more. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

Moving on, she thought. Maybe now she could. She rubbed her forehead, feeling a pang of sadness, but also, something softer. Memory that wasn't draped in hurt and pain. Thank you, Itachi.

She walked out onto the balcony of the temple to see Madara pacing back and forth across the grass. He looked tense and worried. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned her head on the frame of the open temple doorway.

Feel what you've been denying.

She swallowed and felt a little lift in her heart.

Madara stopped when he noticed her standing there, and she looked at him. Just looked. Looked at his dark hair, his dark eyes, his broad shoulders and strong body. There was a resemblance in the Uchiha family that was undeniable, but Madara was not Itachi. She let a soft smile spread on her lips and saw his look change from concern to surprise and then uncertainty.

Maybe it was time to try and feel again.