Disclaimer: Naruto was made by Kishimoto.
Bring Me To Life
Summary: After Sasuke left, Sakura didn't know what her purpose in life was anymore. Her presence has becoming nothing. When three years pass, Sasuke comes back to Konoha. At his return, Sakura is at a mix of emotions. "Save Me From The Nothing I've Become."
Chapter 4 – The Mission
((SFX: Knock knock knock!))
The harsh poundings against her door echoed throughout Sakura's apartment.
Emerald eyes slowly fluttered open upon the noisy strikes, feeling groggy as she had been abruptly woken from her nap. Her mouth tugged downwards in a frown. Strangely, her sixth sense was telling her something bad was going to happen, yet she couldn't decipher what this warning could mean, as it was just a gut feeling.
Sitting up from the sheets of her mattress, she quickly dressed into her kunoichi uniform. She gathered a few weapons together swiftly as she placed them in the pouch located at her hip.
As she flexed her fingers, she sat at the edge of her bed, staring at the hardwood floor. It had been a mere five minutes and the poundings still had continued. By this time Sakura had deduced that it was a shinobi at her door, as whoever it was must have been able to tell she was home just by reading her chakra signature. After all, the blossom-haired girl found no point to hide her chakra reading, sensing no threat from whoever was at her door.
Just thought I'd ask you to bother you, her alter ego began, drawling her statement. If someone asked you how you felt about Sasuke-kun, what would you say right now?
I don't know, but I doubt anyone would ask me so straightforwardly, unless it was Naruto, Sakura answered to her inner self.
Whilst she had had her little conversation with her alter ego, she had sauntered towards the door leisurely, seeing as the person had stopped their abrasive knocking, probably hearing her footsteps approaching the door, she assumed.
After twisting the doorknob, she jerked it open, peeking her head out her door.
"Yes?"
An ANBU shinobi with a traditional animal mask dawning his face stood at her door. "Hokage-sama wishes to see you," he spoke rapidly, arm outstretched as he dropped a scroll in the palm of her awaiting hand.
The kunoichi arched an eyebrow at the statement, unrolling the scroll as jade eyes glimpsed upon the piece of parchment. There were only four words, but they were frank.
You have a mission, it read.
Easily recognizing her mentor's handwriting, Sakura gave a brief nod, understanding what the simple text meant. She thanked the ANBU with a hardly genuine smile before making a simple hand seal, vanishing with a poof.
She found herself in front of the Godaime's office, before the door that entered one inside. Pulling open the door, letting herself inside as she was sure Tsunade was expecting her, she strolled in unhurriedly.
Sensing another presence, emerald pupils glanced over to the right, viewing the form of Sasuke leaning against the wall with his head pointed downwards, eyes closed with arms folded brusquely over his firm chest.
Upon seeing this, the kunoichi gave the blonde sannin a somewhat baffled look, her expression changing almost instantaneously upon glimpsing Sasuke's onyx eyes snap open and look directly at her through her peripheral vision.
She felt her body stiffen unconsciously under the Uchiha's heated gaze, forcing her legs to walk over and sit indolently in an idle chair placed conveniently a few feet in front of the Godaime's desk.
"Sakura, Sasuke, as you both must know I have summoned the two of you here because I'm assigning you a mission." Gold eyes flashed, focused on the two shinobi before her.
Resuming his former position as charcoal eyes drew to a close, the raven-haired ninja leaned back against the coarse wall.
"What's the mission about?" inquired Sakura, listening intently to the words of the legendary medic nin.
"It's simple – I need you to retrieve information on the Akatsuki. According to the ANBU Black Ops, witnesses have confirmed some seeings of the members around the area of the former Sound Village. Sasuke, I'm sure you are familiar with the territory." As she finished her last sentence, her solid gaze flickered over to the Uchiha prodigy.
Upon the confirming intonation of that statement, Sasuke merely remained silent as ebony pupils revealed themselves once more, locked onto the ground.
Sakura, keeping her poise of sitting tall and straight with her hands placed in her lap neatly, wavered to the Uchiha as well. Her gaze averted itself as quickly as it had glimpsed upon him, pointing her stare towards a corner of the wall. Tsunade didn't miss the very discreet flash of sadness that had crossed in her eyes.
"Find out what you can. I want every single detail in the mission report. I expect you not to leave any information out." She lowered her folded hands from in front of her mouth. "Don't let your guard down," she added.
Sasuke pushed himself off the wall with the balls of his feet, his expression blank as he walked over towards the door. Sakura stood up, brushing herself off lightly as she turned to follow suit. But just as she was about to do so, she craned her neck, looking at her teacher with a side-glance.
"Tsunade-shishou, how come Naruto, Sai, or Kakashi aren't coming?" she asked.
I didn't expect having to deal with Sasuke alone, not without Naruto… the blossom-haired girl thought, absent-mindedly biting her lower lip.
Naruto was like the weight she could fall back on when things grew wrong, as he understood most what it was like to lose the ties once shared with the raven-haired shinobi. She didn't mind admitting that he had grown into her best friend as time grew by, as he seemed like a brother to her. He always knew when and how to cheer her up, especially when it came to the cautious topic of the Uchiha.
In the intervening time, upon hearing the question, the Uchiha himself had halted in his steps, keeping his back facing towards the Godaime. It was clear to tell from his posture that he, too, was awaiting the medical sannin's answer.
Tsunade couldn't help but give her apprentice a small smile at the query. "The three aren't going with you two, Sakura, because they are out on another mission I have sent them." Seeing a small flash of worry etch across emerald orbs, the blonde woman briskly added, "It's a simple mission, they'll be fine."
Sakura gave her a forged smile, nodding as she turned to leave after Sasuke, silently noting that the Uchiha prodigy had already left, resulting in him being a few yards ahead of her as she walked out. She loitered in front of the Hokage's mansion for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. She was brought out of her task when she saw a familiar blur flash before her.
"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing?" questioned the girl softly.
Emerging in front of her, his sword of Kusanagi strapped securely to his back, he glanced back at her. His onyx orbs performed a slow blink, his face nonchalant.
"Testing you," he stated simply.
Her lashes rised as she glimpsed upon him, a few silent minutes passing by. She brushed past him as she ambled by, only to abruptly halt when he flashed in front of her once more.
"Move," she commanded lightly, her hand on the side of his shoulder as she shoved him aside. The blossom-haired girl walked a few strides before she felt a strong hand grip firmly against her shoulder. Sakura couldn't help the shudder she felt underneath his warm touch, noting that for someone with such a cold disposition, his body held a vast amount of warmth.
"If we're going on the same mission," the owner of the hand on her shoulder spoke, his voice rich and velvety smooth, "then we should cooperate."
The kunoichi almost laughed bitterly. She had remembered her young, foolish genin days, reminiscing on how she had wanted the same deep voice he spoke with praising her on her growing strength. Mentally, she shook her head, a bittersweet smile playing on her lips. Like that would ever happened, she had long come to reason.
"I cooperate with you fine," she replied briskly to him in an undertone.
Sasuke released the tight grasp on her shoulder, unsheathing his katana as the blade scraped against it's case. He saw Sakura flinch ever so slightly upon hearing the sound, and he used the sword to block her path, holding it out directly in front of her.
"Prove it," he retorted with vague challenge in his intonation.
Ebony eyes glimpsed upon the flare that had erupted in her large sea green pupils, watching her whisk her head away as pastel pink hair framed her face, hiding her expression.
"I'm going to go supply for the mission," she stated vigorously, rapidly vanishing from sight.
Sasuke's mouth quirked. Her emotions are still a nuisance.
Sakura gathered all of her weapons and her medical supplies in a matter of a few minutes. The kunoichi knew that going on a mission that had to do with the renowned Akatsuki, especially along with Sasuke, wasn't going to be as simple as she expected.
She was fully aware that if the Uchiha had received any word of Itachi being somewhere nearby, or if any sign of his whereabouts were made, that Sasuke wouldn't care leaving her behind and vanishing in a heartbeat, completing the task he had sworn his life's purpose to being.
But what if he already killed his brother? A small voice in the back of her head questioned.
Sakura roughly shook her head, ridding herself of the thought, followed by ridding the thoughts that trailed afterwards.
"I'm going on a mission, not on a date," she practically spat the last word. "Professional, that's what I have to keep this as. Professional terms."
Hoisting her traveling bag over her shoulder, she headed towards the gates of Konohagakure. There, already waiting with his light traveling equipment alongside him, was her mission partner. She watched Sasuke gaze over the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf village, her mind absent-mindedly what he was thinking.
He remained in the same position for a few more seconds before craning his head towards the kunoichi. He had sensed her presence when she was practically a few miles away, his senses set on focusing on her chakra signature to maintain his knowledge of her whereabouts.
Upon ebony orbs glimpsing on her porcelain face, he made a motion for them to leave with a simple tilt of his head towards the outskirts of the village. Sakura lowered her eyelids slightly, nodding absent-mindedly in compliance at his small command.
Crouching lower somewhat, the two soon vanished, leaping up into the trees. The blossom-haired kunoichi followed the Uchiha, knowing that he was silently leading the way towards the Hidden Village of Sound.
A few minutes into their travels were when Sakura decided to voice the thoughts that had been bothering her throughout the passing time.
"Do you remember the times you were with Orochimaru?" she questioned calmly, hesitating somewhat when she said the snake sannin's name.
Sasuke's response wasn't immediate, taking a few more miles jumping amongst the branches when his answer was finally voiced.
"I could care less about the remnants of him," he retorted gruffly. "He was merely my tool to become stronger so when the time would come that I would face a certain man, I would destroy his very existence once and for all. He won't escape… not like last time."
Sakura continued her way, knowing whom he was referring to from his statement. I could understand his desire to become strong, but did he need to break off his emotional ties to do so?
"But still…" she continued softly. "You didn't need to sever your ties with us. Let alone almost kill Naruto."
"You made me weak," he retorted flatly.
Thick lashes lowered over emerald eyes. She despised the feeling of her heart wrenching at his words.
"We've grown stronger, Naruto and I," murmured the blossom-haired medic nin, knowing she caught the ears of the Uchiha.
"But you aren't the strongest," replied he coldly. "I only settle for the best."
"Then why did you bother coming back?!" Sakura shouted at him, her eyes welling up with seething, furious tears, "Do you expect things to go back to normal? Do you expect us to not give a damn if you decide to leave again?"
Shadowy obsidian eyes squinted at her demanding questions, halting their continuing path as he landed lightly on a branch. Sakura followed suit, landing on the same branch but a couple feet away from him, making sure to keep her distance. The palm of her left hand rested against the coarse bark of the tree, liht pants escaping her lips.
"I returned because I had business in Konoha I needed to take care of," he answered her evenly.
"Like what? What would be so important that you had to return?"
"Why do I have to explain anything to you?" His tone was laced with annoyance, sending a harsh scowl towards the girl's direction as he pointed accusing, squinted eyes at her.
She returned his fierce glare with one of her own before defiantly breaking the intent look. She leaped forward, hearing him follow her small lead a mere second later.
"Which way?" she questioned softly, letting him take the lead as she saw his onyx eyes shift around the area before picking up speed whilst heading towards a certain direction.
He silently led her, making turns here and there as Sakura followed his every step diligently.
Soon the moon shone brightly in the sky, offering the light needed for the pair to continue their travels. A few moments later, as the stars twinkled in the heavens, Sasuke came to a pause, tilting his head upwards as onyx orbs glazed across the sky.
"It's not too far from here," he spoke monotone.
A few seconds later, Sakura appeared behind him, her state drained with fatigue, despite the kunoichi's attempt to hide her worn out condition.
Ebony eyes averted from the atmosphere to his pink-haired teammate. He gave one look over, then pointed his stare to the forest.
"Let's stop here."
After catching her breath, Sakura snapped her head towards him, her expression aghast as she gaped at him. "What? But you just said it wasn't too far from here!"
"You're weak and exhausted," the Uchiha pointed out flatly. "You are of no use if you can barely remain standing."
The young kunoichi scowled at him, feeling her self-confidence fading. He barely had a look of exhaustion on his face or body, and compared to him, she knew she must have looked horrible.
"I can make it," she pushed on, her voice laced with determination.
"No, you can't," he rejoined. "We're staying here, and I'm not dealing with the issue any longer."
The pink-haired shinobi sighed, realizing there was no point to argue. She crossed her arms over her chest, her head whisking to the side with a small huff.
"Two hours rest only," she stated frankly. "I'm not risking failing the mission."
At her announcement, onyx orbs gazed solidly at her for a few moments before giving a hint of a nod.
The two didn't waste time setting up for camp. Sakura began pitching up the tents whilst Sasuke ventured out into the woods in search of firewood. A good five minutes later he had returned with plentiful logs in his hand.
Sakura almost laughed at this fact, noting how he made it seem like he knew the forest by the back of his hand. But then she remembered that the area was close to the Sound village, and he was probably used to camping out if he ever did leave the premises, which the kunoichi was sure he did fromtime to time.
Her emerald eyes flickered over to him as she saw him make a few hand seals in blinding speed, performing the Uchiha clan's renowned Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu.
Fire blew from his mouth as he lit the flames, the burning inferno crackling as a few sparks flew.
Sakura sat in front of the heat, her body soaking up the warmth as she tucked in her knees against her chest as her arms wound around her legs, her head settling atop her kneecaps.
"Why am I so weak?" she murmured to herself softly, absent-mindedly.
"Because you let your emotions control your actions," answered Sasuke emphatically.
The skilled medic nin looked up at him. "How could I not?" she questioned, further probing, "Don't you ever feel guilty, bad, anything?"
"I did. But I don't let it get to me anymore – it only distracts. Akin to what it's doing to you."
Sakura sighed at his vague response. I know what he says makes sense for the life of the shinobi, she thought to herself. But… I'm just not the type of person who can give up my feelings so easily.
Dark jade eyes glimpsed over at the young Uchiha beside her a few feet away. "Sasuke-kun…" her noted how her mind habitually added the friendly honorific suffix to his name.
Upon hearing his name, the raven-haired male glanced at her for a moment. "Hn," he grunted in return.
"Can I ask something… sort of personal?" Seeing him turn his head fully facing her, she took that as a sign for her to continue, as he most likely didn't bother to care. "When…" she started, licking her chapped lips. "When was the Uchiha massacre?"
Unconsciously she shut her eyes tight, knowing that the subject of the massacre was a very touchy subject, especially when speaking to the only person that had survived from the manslaughter.
She heard him make no sound, no movement whatsoever, not even a flinch. Emerald eyes fluttered open as they blinked a few times, seeing as his body was squared with the fire, his arm outstretched as he took a piece of wood and tended to the flames.
"Eight years ago," he answered her briskly, his gaze not leaving the smoldering flames that reflected vastly in his dark obsidian eyes.
Sakura did the math in her head, taking her only a few seconds. Eight years ago, we were all seven years old. He was only seven…? She frowned at his realization, feeling pity for the raven-haired male beside her. Eight years… it makes sense, he had years of getting his emotions out of his way.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories," her apology seemed automatic to her, her knees still tucked under her head. She slowly rocked back and forth, trying to get the blood flowing through her veins.
"It doesn't matter. Get rest, we're taking the night off."
She still felt sympathy for the Uchiha, and soon she found herself being lead by her instinct.
She had scooted over to him, leaning ever so lightly against him as her head came in contact with his broad shoulder. She had felt him stiffen beneath the contact, but soon the muscles relaxed. She found herself soon almost slanting her side against him, finding him to be strangely comfortable.
Her eyelids felt heavy as bricks instantaneously as thick lashes lowered over large sea green eyes. Sleep overwhelmed her exhausted form almost instantly, her chest rising evenly along with her steady breathing.
Upon feeling her body grow limp, onyx orbs glimpsed over at the pink head of Sakura's. Swiftly he moved, scooping up the girl bridal style before carrying her inside her separate tent, lying her in her sleeping back before walking out.
He resumed his original location, his expression blank as he sat with one knee propped up, his elbow resting against it as his hand hung in front of his upper torso, clutching a log.
Dark ebony pupils continued to stare at the fire, adding in logs from time to time. He decided he wasn't going to get any sleep, but instead stay up and keep watch whilst he let Sakura regain her strength through her sleep.
She really needs to let her emotions go… he thought, even though somewhere deep in the recesses of the back of his mind he was thinking the exact opposite.