AN: Thanks to Gigicerisier for betaing for me. Thanks to Kishimoto for making Naruto, which I do not own. Thanks to kikikun for making that first SasoSaku picture I've ever seen that got my heart fluttering, and thanks again to Gigi for making so many many more that forced me to open word and type my little heart out. There are a fewlines that ran through my head when I was writing this.
"If it was up to me, I would have figured you out" – The Suffering (Coheed and Cambria)
"Smile for your friends Sakura, wave to them, and say goodbye because your my little toy now." – kikikuns Sasori in my first SasoSaku picture (At the time I didn't even know who Sasori was. n.n Found at deviantart .com / deviation /21254113/
---
For the next few horrific months Sakura had lived her life in fear. It started on the very first day when she wondered if the past event had really occurred or not. Her logical mind assessed her state, and her worn clothes and the date on the calendar. 'The past week really did occur.' Inner Sakura grumbled as Sakura looked around the comforts of her own room.
The whole day she had acted spontaneously, hugging and crying every person she saw. She ended relationships that she did not want to have, and started new ones with people she wanted to meet. That night she waited outside the village for him to come and take her like a monster in the night. The hours passed by and eventually she drifted off to sleep. She awoke that morning with dew on her skin and a beautiful hand sized marionette that had a remarkable resemblance to her.
Her teeth clenched and her cheeks flushed as anger and confusion overtook her. Why had he not appeared? Had he decided to leave her in the village, moved by her tears and actions towards her friends?
Somehow, Sakura doubted it. The walk back to her home led her through a wide array of unpleasant thoughts.
'He never did say how long I had.' Sakura realized. How long DID she have to spend time with Naruto and say goodbye to everyone she cared about? A day? A week? Months, or even years?
The idea sickened Sakura. It created a deep pit in her stomach and cotton in her mouth.
After the first week Sakura had finally seemed to relax. And when the anniversary of the first month wondered by, she had repeated her actions just like she did on her first day back.
Her teachers, Kakashi and Tsunade had worried about her and wondered if it had to do with her cousin in Sunagure she had left to visit that week.
Apparently, the great ninjas of Konoha would call off a search for a valued medic if they found a note saying that said medic was visiting a sick relative. To be fair, Sakura did have a few relatives she knew about in Suna, but none the family had contacted in years. Her parents were always away on business to tell her teachers otherwise.
Her teacher's fears were drops in the bucket compared to Naruto's concern. He compared her to Gaara each passing day as he remarked on the circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, her lack of hygiene from her ruffled hair and dirty clothes, and even the small of blood.
The last one was because Sakura found herself training alone more and more. A small part of her was hoping that Sasori would return and end her agony while she was away from the eyes of the villagers. Another part was to forget the fear and worries and grasp the small hope that maybe she could become stronger and overpower the Akatsuki and live the rest of her life normally.
'And find Sasuke.' Inner Sakura agreed. Sakura relaxed against a tree, out in a secluded spot in the Konoha forest. She was too tired to notice the cuts and bruises across her body from the days training. Even if she did, she couldn't tell if if her bruises were ones she got that day, the day before, or the day before that.
'If only Sasuke could see you now.' Inner Sakura ranted. Sakura took a deep cleansing breath, and then winced at the painful exhale. Her heart was beating so fast from her exercises that Sakura could barely breathe. Even so, it was more than she could have gone three years ago. A small smile graced Sakuras lips as she raised her hand and observed the patterns made on her skin from the splotches of light coming through the leaves.
'My stamina was so low...If I could go back in time, then maybe I could have stopped...' Sakura halted her thoughts. Such meaningless hopes were going nowhere. Sasuke was gone, but Sakura knew he would not give his body to Orochimaru. It was ludicrous. He would never avenge his clan that way!
'If only I knew what the Akatsuki knew about Orochimaru.' she thought for probably the hundredth time since her first fight with Sasori.
The days went by in the same manner. Wake up at dawn, train with Tsunade, mission around noon, then train upon return until her body gave out, littered with a few Ichiraku Ramen dates with Naruto.
The only thing that broke her boring routine was her 16th birthday. Somehow Naruto had found out the date and had informed everyone he knew. Imagine how surprised Sakura was when she went to meet Naruto at Ichiraku Ramens and found half of the villages ninjas there with her. He said it was to make up for the two years he was gone.
Sakura beamed at his thoughtfulness, and decided to ask Naruto when his birthday was after the events were done with.
"Hey, you really didn't have to." Sakura gushed as Naruto ushered her over to a seat where a large cake was decorated with her name on it. "Really...thank you, Naruto." she said kissing the boy on the cheek. Naruto flushed red and grinned widely at the gesture.
"Heehee. No problem Sakura-chan." he replied scratching the back of his head.
"Enough with the talk, it's time for presents!" a very drunken Hokage proclaimed. She shoved past everyone and sat next to Sakura, plopping a heavy present on the table.
"Special scroll, written by me. Everything there is to know on chakra medicines. I may test you on it." she said while giving Sakura a half drunken noogie. Sakura fought her way out of her masters grip and smiled brightly. The two years had made Tsunade her surrogate sister.
"The world doesn't need two Tsunades." Jiraiya complained, presenting his unwrapped present to Sakura. It was a beautiful portrait of Sakura done in chalk pastel colors.
"Ah...thanks Jiraiya-sama." Sakura said as she admired of the beauty of it. She had halfway expected a gag gift from the perverted sennin, but this was quite shocking.
"Yes, yes. It's nice, isn't it?" Jiraiya said admiring his masterpiece. "There are many different body shapes, and you pull off the petit look rather nicely, which counters the Tsunade inside you."
"ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?" Tsunade raged, lifting him off the ground. "I'll show you!"
"OI! TAKE IT OUTSIDE!" the owner of Ichiraku yelled. Tsunade did just that by throwing him outside like a peice of trash. A loud noise said that he probably hit the building across the street and knocked down a wall. Sakura gulped. A drunken Tsunade was even more frightening than a drunken Lee.
"Ne, Sakura-chan, open mine next!" Naruto said, pushing his present in front of the birthday girl. Sakura unwrapped the paper to find a stuffed slug with a zipper on it.
"You put your money in it. Now we match!" Naruto explained, holding his own frog money pouch.
"Fancy a game of chance for all the money in that pouch?" Tsunade asked, pointing at Narutos frog.
"Any time, Obaa..." Sakura covered his mouth.
"No gambling tonight, sensei." Sakura said sternly. Tsunade pouted and sat back down.
"Is it time for our presents?" Shino asked producing his gift from the inside of his coat. It was a bouquet of blue roses.
"I haven't seen roses this color before." Sakura mused as she smelled the flowers.
"My bees helped me cross pollinate breeds until I got the right color." Shino said somewhat proud of himself.
"Hai...Shino is a very good botanist." Hinata agreed, handing Sakura her present. "Mine isn't so good though. It's just some healing creams I made myself."
"HEY! Don't put yourself down like that Hinata!" Kiba yelled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a brotherly noogie. "We talked about that, remember?"
"Hinatas healing creams are made with lots of care and love. Don't take them for granted." Shino said, placing a hand on the blushing Hinatas shoulder.
"Of course!" Sakura replied with a comforting smile. Naruto was shaking his head in the corner mumbling things like "So freaking weird…."
A basket of sweets and goodies were placed in front of Sakura. Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji were all looking very proud of themselves.
"We all made these together with love too. There would be more but Chouji kept eating the mix." Ino told Sakura.
"I was testing the quality to ensure it's deliciousness!" Chouji shot back.
"Troublesome…" Shikamaru grumbled.
The Ino-Shika-Chou team was shoved out of the way by a green blur. Sakuras hands were seized by Konohas own green beast and he placed them in his hands.
"SAKURA-SAN! On the eve of the 16th year of your youth, I offer my undying love and protection! That's my good guy promise!"
Sakura winced at his nice guy sparkle. Had he been training all these years to perfect it? Lee's rantings were cut short when Tenten placed her foot on his back and shoved him to the ground.
"Idiot. That's no present for a girl. Here Sakura, this is from all of us." Tenten proclaimed, making a sweeping gesture to Lee and Neji off in the corner. He nodded at Sakura and Sakura waved at him.
Sakura took the gift and realized it was a new set of sharpened kunais. What else could she expect from one of Konohas finest weapons master?
Sakura smiled and thanked them. She leaned over to the dazed Lee at her feet and patted him on the head. "And thank you too Lee."
Kakashis gift was far more interesting. Somehow some of his summoned dogs had managed to be a daddy, and Kakashi had given Sakura one of the puppies. It was an adorable thing just old enough to be taken away from its mother. It was white with brown spots, leaving Sakura curious as to which of Kakashis dogs was the father. Sakura had named it Satsu. Kakashi showed her how to open up the summoning portal and bring out Satsu when needed, all though he and Sakura agreed it was better that they waited until Satsu had spent enough time with Sakura training before they put it to use. Kiba
offered to help her train it be a loyal tracker dog, to which Sakura gratefully accepted.
"A party, huh?" a rough familiar voice said from the doorway of the overcrowded restaurant. The owner of the voice glanced over the now quiet area and rested her gaze on the pink haired koinichi in front of the large cake surrounded with presents.
"Ah, you're birthday, pinky?"
"16th, Temari-san." Sakura replied proudly as she cuddled the new dog in her lap. Temari tilted her head and gave a small (scary) smile at the warmth that radiated from the group.
"Enough with the formalities Sakura. You helped save both of my dumbass brothers. So did blondie over there." She nodded in Narutos direction. The sand-nin sauntered over to Sakuras table and placed her hand on it.
"Well look, we never repayed ya, so why don't you come over to Sunagure and I'll get you and Naruto into Sunagures best spas.
Naruto immediately pumped his fist and yelled his agreement. Sakura wondered if Naruto even knew how fancy the Sunagure spas could get. After all, in a country full of heat and sweat, who would know better the best way to relax and get clean then they?
'But what if Sasori comes looking for me and doesn't find me? He'll take it out on the villagers. I wouldn't be able to find Sasuke anymore and…'
'FORGET THAT! IT'S A SUNA SPA!' Inner Sakura raged. 'The bastards stalking you anyway, and he'll be less likely to kidnap you in his hometown where people would know his face.'
"I'LL DO IT!" Sakura yelled in a very Naruto-esque fashion.
The idea of a relaxing vacation in Sunagure had put Sakura in an elated mood for the rest of the party. For her whole journey home, she forgot all of her problems. She didn't even care that her parents were working late when she returned home, or that her door was wide open and her lights were on. It happened many times when her Mother decided to clean her room.
But what she did care for was that somebody was lying down on her bed.
"SASORI!" Sakura almost shrieked.
"I forgot what a human bed was like." Sasori commented, as though he were merely on some tour or her room. He was flipping through pages of…
'Oh no…' Inner Sakura rumbled like a volcano about to erupt.
'He didn't….' Inner Sakura continued as the book read DIARY on the cover.
"You keep your strings in plain view. If I wandered in here I would have thought it was some silly little girls room, and not a shinobi. Have you learned nothing, yet?"
Sakura calmly walked over to the foot of her bed and cracked her neck. It somewhat reminded Sasori of one of the desert snakes about to strike.
"Comfortable?" she asked quietly, with a more than fake smile on her face. Sasori tilted his head as he analyzed her. 'Interesting…'
"Things don't need comfort." Sasori replied simply. A second after he spoke, Sakura launched her fist into the foot of her own bed and it shot straight up. Sasoris cable extended from under his Akatsuki robe and lifted him above the standing bed and place him toe to toe with Sakura.
"And a Happy Birthday to you." Sasori said.
"They're expecting me to go to Suna tomorrow. If you think I'm leaving with you today then they'll know something's wrong, and they'll find me." Sakura told him.
"Konohas hunter-nins can never find their criminals. You know that." Sasori challenged. Sakura rose to his bait as he expected.
"You don't want to be found. I do."
"Do you now?" Sasori asked, gesturing towards the window. "What is out there? Your family is non-existant. Your friends will come and go as the seasons. You will find more knowledge with us then you will with your master."
Sakura was silent for a while. Months of anticipation and waiting and insomnia had weakened her will. This was all too much for her.
"One week." She said.
"One more week to say goodbye?"
"One more week to decide."
"Done." Sasori said with a note of finality. "I know you are too intelligent to be deciding whether you're coming or going. You know your choices are whether I am taking you by force or coming willingly."
"I could warn the Hokage. My friends will come and find me, and every available ninja from genin to jounin." Sakura said quietly, clenching her fists in her hand. All of a sudden she felt so very tired. He was outmatching her on the intellect level, just like he was last time.
"Could you accept the casualties? All of your ninjas against the Akatsuki. Many will die. Some may be us, but most of the bodies would be casualties for the Leaf. Do you want their blood on your hands, Sakura?"
Sakura shuddered. She hated it when he said her name. It didn't deserve to be said by such a loathsome scum.
"I don't." she whispered.
"Then…."
"Then wait a week. Let me make arrangements." Sakura sighed. She was backed into a corner. And she hated it. She had trained so hard so that her skills would make her useful to her friends. The one time she had become a real use with her own strength it blew up back in her face.
"All right then." Sasori said. He grasped Sakuras hand and placed something in it. He pulled her arm to him and whispered "Happy Birthday" into her ear before he opened her window and jumped out. Sakura slumped to the ground and leaned against her dresser. She wanted to just curl into a ball and sleep on the floor right there, but instead she decided to open up her palm and take a peak at her present.
It was a summoning scroll. And Sakura didn't want to know what sick monstrous creation would be brought into the world if she tried it.
She was snapped from her thoughts when she heard a noise at her window. Sakuras heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't deal with Sasori again.
However it wasn't the aggravating puppetmaster at her window, but her teacher, Hatake Kakashi