Chapter 2

unrequited

A green light was the only light that resonated in the dank and damp cave. The only sound she could hear was her own heart beat. Her hands burned as she struggled to pour as much healing chakra she could into his damaged body. Squeezing her eyes she forced the unshed tears to disappear. Her tears would do her no good, they never did. Turning her head, she gazed deeply at his bruised and torn masked face. Her concentration could not be broken as she continued to put together what was left of her teammate. She knew the night would be long, but she was willing to do anything for him. Anything but give him what he truly wanted. For her to give up on him would be unimaginable. Even if she got in huge trouble every time she illegally left the village to save him. There were perks to being the student of the Hokage after all.

Hanging her head, she bit her lip as the light faded from her hands. Ignoring the weakness in her limbs she slowly applied bandages to wounds she could not heal. She grabbed her travel blanket from her pack and draped it over his newly bandaged chest. As fatigue began to take over she rested her head over his heart and continued to listen to it throughout the night, savouring the only time it truly was beating for her.

"Hey forehead this place does clean up quite nice." Ino voice echoed from the couch as Sakura put her last dish away. She had come over earlier this morning to "help", which basically consisted of Sakura putting everything away and Ino lying on her bed or sofa telling her where to put things. So much for making it mine.

"Told you pig."

"What are you doing with those boxes?" Sakura turned her head to see Ino slung over the back of her sofa digging through an un-labelled box.

"In the back storage closet," Ino turned to her head, yawned and flopped back on her sofa mentioning something about how she should do that so they could go get something to eat.

Sighing loudly, Sakura picked up the boxes and carried them down the hall way. Opening the closet door she knelt on her knees and began shoving them in the back of the closet. Slapping her hands together she was about to get up before noticed something strange in the back corner. Leaning over on all fours she crawled under the first shelf. An odd coloured floor board with a tiny hole in it practically screamed at her. Biting her lip in curiosity Sakura reached towards it.

"What are to doing forehead?" Startled suddenly, Sakura jumped and banged her head on the shelf above her. Turning her head around, Sakura glared at her grinning friend who was crouched behind her. "Well are we going to get some lunch?" While rubbing her head Sakura stood and muttered an "alright" before grabbing her coat from her bedroom.

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Opening the door to her apartment, Sakura quickly went to drop her groceries into the kitchen before walking back towards her hallway. With a determine look on her face she shrugged her coat off and quickly tossed it on her bed before heading for her storage closet.

All throughout her lunch she couldn't stop thinking about the ominous floor board in her closet. She barely remembered the gossip Ino had been discussing all throughout lunch. Frowning slightly, Sakura opened the closet door slowly and crouched down. Reaching back into the closet her slim fingers reached towards the hole and pulled the off-coloured floor board from its place. Licking her lips in deep curiosity, Sakura slipped her hand slowly in the hole. Feeling around the dusty crevice, her fingers came in contact with soft velvet fabric. Sakura grasped her hand around the solid material. Just as she was lifting the item out, a knock on the door startled it out of her hands as her head banged against the shelf. Swearing, Sakura crawled out and started walking down her hallway towards the insistent knocking on her door.

"Well hello there little lady you must be my new neighbour." The old looking woman held out a basket of muffins and jam while sizing her up like fresh meat. "You are as young as they say." Her crinkly smile warmed Sakura's heart when she was immediately reminded of Chiyo from three years ago.

"Oh hi," Smiling back at the old woman Sakura reached out for the basket and invited her in for tea.

"We haven't had a young girl like you in this building in a long time." The statement caused Sakura to bite her lip as the old woman took a sip of tea smiling softly.

"I hope my age is not going to be a problem. I kind of get the feeling some people are uncomfortable with me being here." Sakura stated, clearly remembering the look of disdain of an elderly tenant on the first floor.

The old woman placed her cup down swiftly on the table, a small grimace on her face. "Just ignore all those old croons. If anyone gives you a problem you come straight to me. It's about time we had some youth in this building." Sakura eyes widened a fraction while an embarrassed flush rouse from her cheeks. Sighing softly she was about to thank the old woman for her kindness when she realized she had no idea what her name was. Sakura began apologizing profusely for her rudeness. The old woman only laughed.

"My dear you can just call me Megumi. There's no need to apologize I didn't ask for your name either."

Smiling back softly Sakura replied, "Haruno Sakura."

"Well it has been a pleasure to meet you Sakura, but I should get these old bones home." Standing up Sakura walked Megumi to the door thanking her for the muffins and the welcome.

After Sakura closed the door she leaned her head against it for a mere moment. Well at least someone in this building is on my side. Sighing softly Sakura went over to put the dirty cups in her sink before glancing down the hallway. Putting a hand on her grumbling stomach she immediately pulled out a muffin and began eat it methodically. It could really be anything underneath there. 'If people stopped interrupting us we could figure it out' Inner Sakura chimed. Scowling in exasperation, her inner curiosity and inner self officially annoyed for one day, Sakura set the half eaten muffin down on the table and all but ran towards her storage closet.

For the third and final time that day, Sakura got down on all fours, crawled in her closet, reached down the open floor board and grasped the item tightly in her hand before dragging it out. Sakura crawled backwards out of the closet a relieved sigh escaping her lips. Clutching her treasure in her hands she began un-wrapping the fabric.

"It's a book." Sakura said softly while running her hand down the rose coloured spine. A strange but not unfamiliar feeling made Sakura shiver. Sakura glanced down her hallway, licked her lips and opened to the first page.

AN: First off, thanks for the reviews ^.^ so if you didn't pick it up, cause i just kinda shoved it in there, Sakura is 18 i was thinking of places i could pop her age in there but it became annoying so shoved some Chiyo from Early Shippuden.

AS for spoiler warnings there may be a few, espeically after I watch the Kakashi Gaiden. ^.^ so be warned. (;.;) sorry for the cliffy :P