Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Masashi 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 14 – Reunite
Sasuke and Sakura walked side-by-side back towards the hospital of Konohagakure.
The blossom-haired girl still had her fingers intertwined with the Uchiha's, and despite Sasuke's growls for her to release his hand, she would simply smile at him and silently refuse, tugging onto his hand further. Regardless of her refusing to listen to him, the raven-haired male didn't bother to pull away his hand, not wanting to have to deal with her nagging if he did so.
As the two strolled leisurely through the streets of the village Hidden in the Leaves, odd stares from mere residents passing by occupied the presence of the pair, a few even gossiping to one another in whispers.
Sasuke glared at them at each strange look he received. What the hell are they looking at? He would snarl in his mind with each bizarre gawk.
Sakura, who didn't at all seem bothered by the peculiar looks she was receiving (though truth be told, she hadn't noticed at all), continued her pace through the roads, a content smile on her pretty, porcelain face.
Soft breezes blew by, picking up fallen leaves as they danced playfully in the gust of wind. The pair's hair whished lightly to the side from the draft as well.
"Sasuke-kun," Sakura began after a few moments. "I'm really glad you're not dead."
She smiled at her accidental bluntness, but it was a genuine smile nonetheless. She took a small intake of air before she continued.
"I thought… I thought I was going to lose you. I hated thinking of that… but I'm glad you're here, really. I just wanted you to know."
Eyelids hooded over onyx orbs at her statements, a few moments of serene silence taking place between the two.
"I already knew," he eventually replied in a soft murmur.
Thick lashes lowered over emerald pupils as Sakura could feel her smile spread a little more across her face.
Heaving out yet another sigh, Naruto ran a hand through his spiky, blonde hair.
Him, along with Kakashi and Sai, were still placed in the hospital. The artist sat serenely against a chair in the waiting room with his legs crossed whilst Naruto constantly paced the small area in aggravated circles. Meanwhile, Kakashi leaned against the wall calmly, one hand pocketed in his pants as the other held his prized orange novel, Icha Icha Paradise, in front of his face, his only visible coal eye glazing over it's contents bemusedly.
"I still don't think Sasuke-teme's dead," spoke Naruto gruffly, breaking the content silence.
"Is it so hard for you to accept the death of your former teammate, dickless?"
Naruto scowled at the black-haired painter, thrusting his fist threatening in the air. "Shut up, you prick!" Then he frowned grumpily, "And who the hell are you calling dickless?!"
Sai looked at him with a blank expression, answering monotone, "You."
Naruto slumped his shoulders, too over exasperated to shout to the black-haired male his reply.
Man, Sai's so much like Sasuke-teme, it's like he's his long lost twin, thought the kyuubi vessel grouchily in his head. Upon the thought, cerulean eyes saddened. I wonder how Sakura-chan's doing…
Kakashi peered over his book, looking curiously at a rarely silent Naruto. "Why so quiet, Naruto? I least expected this silence with you in the room."
The blond let out a weak laugh at the comment directed towards him. "Ha-ha, very funny, Kakashi-sensei." His azure gaze flickered over to the silver-haired jounin. "How do you think Sakura-chan's doing?"
A crinkle formed underneath Kakashi's mysterious mask, the lines showing that he was frowning. "She's a strong girl, Naruto. Just give her some time."
Naruto's head titled downwards, his eyebrows knitting together as he glowered. In the intervening time, Sai leaned forward, elbows resting against his knees as his hands folded together, placing themselves in front of his mouth.
"Death of comrades in a shinobi's life is not uncommon, Naruto. One must comes to terms with this if one desires be a true shinobi,"
Upon the conclude of his terms, the copy ninja remembered the words of his old teammate, Obito Uchiha.
"It's true in the world of ninja, those who don't follow the rules are called trash. But, those who don't take care of their friends are lower than trash!"
"I know that!" Naruto complained, his voice persistent. "It's just…" His gaze wavered from the masked face of Kakashi's to a corner of the room, realizing he had truly nothing else more to add.
The ex-ANBU closed his orange novel, the sound making a small pop. His charcoal gaze continued to observe Naruto's clear emotional distress.
"What you are dealing with is understandable," the wise silver-haired man stated. "Just don't let it affect you so much."
"Yeah, yeah," answered the blond vacantly, his gaze still pointed to the corner of the cement wall as he waved his hand up and down, dismissing the subject.
Naruto's body ambled over to where Sai was seated, the loudmouth ninja plopping in an idle chair a few seats away from the artist. His hands covered his face, his fingers grasping strands of sun-kissed blond hair. He exhaled a heavy sigh.
"Stupid teme…" he muttered under his breath with other incoherent sounds. "Dying on us, damnit…!"
Kakashi chuckled lightly at the comments, despite the distress of news of his the Uchiha, his own former pupil, losing his life.
I never meant to deal with it like that, mused the ex-ANBU to himself. You sure are a handful, Naruto.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun, this way. Just a little farther," Sakura's sweet voice affirmed, pulling the Uchiha towards where the rest of Team Kakashi was.
Naruto's ears perked up instantaneously upon hearing the voice of his pink-haired teammate.
"Sakura-chan?" he questioned, rounded azure eyes blinking in confusion as he arched a brow, baffled. "Why did you say Sasuke-teme's name?"
Sakura appeared from the distance, dragging a silent Uchiha behind her.
"Because, he's right here, Naruto," the kunoichi spoke softly, a true, genuine smile plastered on her pretty face.
Cobalt eyes widened vastly Sakura's claim, expanding even more when he saw the raven-haired male behind her, a tranquil expression on his pale face.
"But—I thought—He was—Wait a minute! What's going on?! Sasuke-teme was dead!"
Sakura smiled kindly, "That's what I thought too, Naruto. I'm not sure how he made it, but it was a miracle that he did."
Naruto stood up abruptly from where he sat, gawking at the sight before him.
"Che, loud as ever, dobe?" commented Sasuke nonchalantly, a knowing smirk gracing his features.
Naruto scowled at the light insult before giving a sheepish grin that stretched ear to ear, practically leaping on the Uchiha as he engulfed him a tight hug.
"You're such a bastard!" shouted the kyuubi container, chortling.
If it weren't for the fast reflexes of an Uchiha, Sasuke would have fallen backwards from the immense weight suddenly glomped on him. Instead, his body leaned back somewhat, giving a warning growl for Naruto to release him. However, the dense blond shinobi didn't take notice and continued practically squeezing the life out of the raven-haired male.
"Let. Go. Now," Sasuke commanded somewhat forcefully, finding it suddenly harder to breathe.
Sakura giggled, at the sight of the two reunited best friends. "Naruto, you're crushing Sasuke-kun. I think he's turning blue…"
Naruto snickered, letting go of the annoyed raven-haired ninja. A widely crooked, sincere grin fixed itself on his face. "You idiot! Next time you come back from the dead, tell me! Holy shit, you scared me half to death, you asshole!"
"Humph, loser."
Naruto grinned at the familiar reaction. "Bastard."
Just as Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, Sai cut him off. Onyx orbs immediately averted to the painter.
"I find Sasuke-kun being alive a perplexity. One who has done well, full of good karma, would understandably receive this 'miracle' you speak of. But, one full of negative karma – how could one be graced?"
Intense ebony eyes narrowed at the assertion of the artist. "Are you saying I should be dead?"
With a blank façade, Sai innocently glanced back at him. "That is correct, Sasuke-kun."
His charcoal gaze averted to the floor before Sasuke suddenly vanished. In the mere blink of an eye, he held Sai up by his neck in a solid grasp, lightly strangling the area. His movement looked only as though a blur of black.
"If everyone weren't here, you'd be dead by now," he murmured, retaining his stoic nature.
Sai calmly looked down at Sasuke, not intimidated by the least, as he had simply gave his own opinion. "I'd be intrigued to see you try, Sasuke-kun."
The response only caused Sasuke's grip to tighten, his eyes to squint.
Kakashi sighed indolently. "That's enough, you two. You're as bad as Naruto living without a week of ramen."
"What?! A week of no ramen?!" exclaimed Naruto with instant panic, only to be harshly calmed by Sakura.
"Naruto! This is a hospital, keep your voice down!" the medic kunoichi whispered brashly to him.
Sakura then strolled over to the Uchiha, seeing as the raven-haired male hadn't bother to release his hold on Sai as he still held the painter a few feet above the ground. The blossom-haired kunoichi gently placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun. Let Sai go – need to get upset, right?"
After a few more moments, Sasuke released his grip, letting Sai drop harshly against the floor. In spite of that, the painter landed lightly on the balls of his feet.
"Well, I see you have an obedient pet there, Sakura," Sai commented ingenuously, a tranquil look remaining on his face.
Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets. "No point in fighting someone who won't give a challenge," he replied back unperturbedly.
Do they always fight? Inner Sakura wondered aloud.
Shouldn't they be getting along because they have similar personalities? outer Sakura pondered in return.
"Give it a rest, guys," Kakashi said in a bored tone. The silver-haired jounin looked over at the Uchiha Prodigy. "Now, Sasuke, are all of your injuries healed? You look like a beat up piñata."
Yeah, since we beat him in a fight! exclaimed her alter ego proudly, holding up the peace sign with a arrogant cackle. Sakura couldn't help but smile at the thought.
"We just did a few things out before we came here," Sakura replied for the Uchiha, knowing his pride wouldn't let him reveal what had really happened.
She mentally smacked herself across the face. Is that really the best I could think of?
You didn't even think of it, you more just blurted it out, retorted her inner self smartly.
Sasuke remained silent, as aforementioned his haughty ego not bothering to deny the allegation.
Kakashi nodded at the unconvincing reason, knowing all too well that Sakura was lying. "Right. Well, then, does that mean you are too weak to train, Sasuke?"
The said male briefly shook his head, onyx orbs glancing over at his former teacher.
The silver-haired man nodded, a ghost of a smile underneath his mysterious mask. "Good, then let's go. We have nothing to do here in the hospital anyway, might as well put the free time to good use."
"Wait, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura interrupted the leaving, "I have to take Sasuke-kun to Tsunade-shishou's office. She thinks he's dead, remember?"
Kakashi nodded once more, "Ah, of course. Go ahead, Sakura."
Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, "Aw, no fair! Why can't I come with?"
The ex-ANBU shook his head, cleverly remarking, to the blond "If you go, then who would Sai spar with?"
The kyuubi vessel slumped his shoulders in defeat, "Yeah, that's right…" Then a foxy grin grew on his face, "Besides, the more training I get, the faster I'll be Hokage! Dattebyo!"
Sakura smiled at the familiar determination laced within Naruto's usual booming voice. Emerald eyes then diverted from the sight of the blond to the Uchiha beside her.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun, we should get going."
The raven-haired male merely gave a short nod at her proclamation.
Forming a few simple hand seals, Sakura gave a smile to the other idle members of Team Kakashi whilst Sasuke remained with his usual stoic demeanor.
((SFX: Poof!))
Following the hand seals, a small blast of smoke swallowed up the form of the two shinobi, and once the fog had cleared, the pair was long gone.