(A/N) Uh…don't know what to write for this one because my brain is pretty much fried. This is a pretty emotional chapter, so beware. Um…enjoy? Yeah, that's it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Painted, or Evans Blue.

Painted

Beauty in the Eyes of a Killer

Let them say all that they want

I'll wipe away your painted wings

Till your heroes come

If you doubt it'll look so new

Then the venom in your eyes

Will control you

"You look pathetic."

The words came from Ami, who was in the hospital with a few minor injuries. She had become a great kunoichi after taking an apprenticeship to Ino, despite her hate for the girl. Sakura couldn't tell if she was upset over her death; the woman was good at displaying a hateful façade.

Sakura didn't say anything. It wasn't worth it. They both knew she was right.

"You've heard the rumors, right?"

Ami was becoming increasingly sadistic as Sakura set her broken arm. Still no answer. It encouraged Ami.

"They say you want to kill yourself."

She snapped the splint. Ami looked pleased with herself.

"Do you know why I'm telling you this?" This time, she didn't wait. "All of these years, you've had an ego as big as your forehead. I'm glad that you've finally realized how weak you really are. I bet everyone else is happy that you stopped pretending to be strong. We all know that being Lady Hokage's apprentice didn't change anything."

She never stopped. Her words encompassed an epoch and consumed her mind. She realized the truth scared her more than anything. She didn't want to hear all of her mistakes and her broken pride.

"Sakura, I'll take over."

"Lady Hokage!" Ami practically shouted her name.

The woman smiled weakly. She walked over to the bed, her cane gently taping the floor with each feeble step. Click, click, click. The sound remained in Sakura's memories. It was a sound of weakness, of despair. It was a sound that made the world broken. The Hokage was a shell, and the cane only emphasized that.

"No, you don't have to," she said.

She didn't want to see the Hokage like this. Just like Ami's vehement words, it scared her. She was just a scared little girl, thinking that since her mentor was crumbling, so was her village. The medic's strength had come from the now-weak woman.

"Do you want me to kick your ass?!" the Hokage asked.

Tsunade still had her spirit. It made Sakura even more afraid. She bowed and left the room. A cloud of ANBU filled the hall, and she looked at them resentfully. Tsunade didn't need so many guards before. She ran away from them and ended up in the storage room. She felt the tears, but refused them and as she sat on a box, she fell into herself. Ami was a better person than she ever hoped to be, and it made her feel even weaker. She was even feebler than the Hokage.

For once, she wished Itachi was there with his darkness and indifference. He never showed. He wanted her to work this out on her own.

-

At home, Itachi had prepared a dinner. He wasn't a very good cook. She guessed it was because he never had to prepare a delicious feast for a feeble girl. She was thankful to have something hot to eat. They sat across from each other silently, but not awkwardly. He asked nothing, and she answered nothing. They were a content couple.

"You listen to them, don't you?"

The question tore the silence gently, as if not wanting to make it disappear. Sakura looked at Itachi.

"I don't have a choice. I hear them when I go out, and their whispers…they hurt more than the cuts."

Itachi didn't touch the food. It was all hers. "You should ignore them."

He managed to anger her, even though she was trying to make all of her emotions fade. "You don't know what it's like," Sakura said, her voice bordering on a growl. "Don't preach to me as if you know everything."

Itachi knew she wasn't going to eat. She was killing herself, and sustenance would only keep her alive. He took away the uneaten food and said," I'm not preaching."

He would give her all the wisdom of the world if only he knew it. If he knew how to preach, then he would. However, he couldn't help her before helping himself. He could only stay as she said.

There was a knock, and Sakura went to answer it. As soon as she opened the door, a pair of arms flung around her.

"I've missed you, Sakura."

She stared behind him, not moving, not breathing. She convinced herself that he wasn't there, that his arms weren't around her. This isn't real, she thought. He's not here, and I'm not here, and this is just a nightmare.

"Sakura?"

The voice and the body felt too real. It was then she had to tear herself from the denial and face that the person in front of her was there, with concerned blue eyes and wild blonde hair.

"Naruto, you're…"

She couldn't say anything. Naruto thought it was because she was overwhelmed with happiness. He was as dense as ever.

"Can I come in?" he asked, his smile too painful to look at.

She looked away. "I…just need some time."

He understood and walked out of the threshold as she closed the door. She would need a lot of time. She would need forever.

-

Sakura laid in her bed, trying not to let the emotions take over her. There was so much anger, and so many memories, she didn't know what to do with them. Why did he decide to come back after so many years? Surely he didn't expect her to welcome him back with a cheerful smile and open arms.

"Are you going to forget about him?"

Itachi was there, in that chair. He wouldn't go away, and strangely, she didn't want him to.

"I'll try," she murmured.

She'd been trying for so long just to not think about it anymore. She just wanted the memories to leave, and not trouble her with their happiness. The edge of her bed dipped down as Itachi sat on it.

"And what if you can't?"

Sakura didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to acknowledge everything she tried to forget. She just wanted everything to disappear. Itachi wanted to tell her to listen to Naruto. To forgive him. But he knew his words wouldn't help. He knew that he couldn't be her savior, if only for a little while. He'll just try to stop the pain until someone else can successfully help her. Maybe that someone was her. He wouldn't know.

All he could do was remain with her and try to convince her not to give up. He wanted her to see the world as it was, with colors and hues and brilliant shades. He wanted her to care. All he could do was watch her break and mourn and fall into a thousand pieces before him.

-

Naruto was at the hospital the next day. He was uncomfortable, standing there with flowers. When Sakura walked in through the doors, he held them out to her.

"I'm sorry," he said.

What he didn't say was what he was sorry for. Sakura didn't take the flowers and walked away, not willing to talk to him. He followed.

"Listen, I never meant to-"

"What?!" she asked, letting her mask crack. "Leave without telling me where the hell you were going? Come back without a damn explanation as to why? What did you never mean to do, because I sure as hell want to hear your sorry excuses."

She walked away, feeling something new inside her. It was fury and it felt good.

-

Sakura didn't see Itachi when she got home, and didn't really notice. There was something inside her, something that pushed past the defenses she put up. Naruto gave some sort of rebirth to her. For once, she didn't need to tear open her skin and bleed. She felt anger within her, and she let it stay for a while, making its home inside her chest.

-

Itachi knew eventually the Akatsuki would interfere.

"You know your mission," Pein said, his hologram flickering like a candle. "You need the bijuu within Naruto."

His own hologram was steady. "Yes."

In reality, he was pondering what happened that day. Sakura had erupted at Naruto, and it was all the blond could do not to let his jaw hit the floor. He could tell she needed him, even if he only gave her pain. At least he gave her something. He wasn't sure if he wanted to take that away from her.

He returned to her house to find her asleep on the couch, probably after watching the fuzz on the screen again. She really needed that fixed. Not finding a blanket anywhere and not wanting to move her, he unclasped his cloak and draped it over her. He sat down in a chair and watched her as he always found himself doing.

She was peaceful, something new and comforting. She didn't toss and turn, but just slept until he made the mistake of standing. Opening her eyes, she saw his hazy outline.

"Itachi?" she asked, rubbing her tired eyes.

He sat back down and Sakura soon fell asleep again. He was somewhat glad she found reassurance in his presence. However, he knew that she shouldn't. His presence is the one thing she can't count on, because she could never trust him. He couldn't even trust himself.

-

In the morning, Itachi was there, asleep in her chair. She smiled sleepily, something she hadn't done in a while. Letting the cloak fall, she went into the kitchen to make breakfast. It seemed by letting one emotion reveal itself, she brought the others to the surface. Even though she was reluctant, she let them roam in her consciousness for a while.

She felt Itachi's hand grip her own on the pan's handle. "Sit," was all he said.

Sakura was finding him to be quite a homemaker. "You do realize you're a horrible cook."

"Do you think you're better?" he asked quizzically.

Thinking about it, she never had any culinary skills. In her preteen years she was too busy concerned with her looks and a certain boy and in her teenage years she was too busy trying not to get killed in training and perfecting her skills. She never had time to take cooking lessons or anything of the sort. Then again, Itachi was pretty bad.

"Still, I do know when the food is done."

He acknowledged Sakura's claim and sat. She hummed softly, and Itachi thought he never heard a more beautiful sound. There was a knock on the door and they both knew it was Naruto. No one else visited anymore. She walked into the living room, and thought about opening the door. Then she remembered she was mad.

"Sakura, I know you're not going to let me in," Naruto called. Outside, he was leaning against the cold wood, wondering what he was going to say. "I…I'm stupid. So, so stupid for everything I did. Sasuke, too. And even Kakashi. The only one who used their brain was you. You were always the smart one, and always knew what to do. The three of us…we didn't. That's why we all left. We were all lost and trying to find something. I was trying to find strength, Sasuke was trying to find revenge, and Kakashi…he was trying to find a family. But you…you knew you had everything you needed right here. So you stayed like we should have."

Sakura leaned her head against the door, and shut her eyes. Naruto had changed, she could tell, and she listened to his words as if they would save her.

"So…please don't hate us. And please don't be mad. What am I saying…of course you should be mad, but…" Naruto struggled for the words. "I guess I'm trying to say, give me a second chance. And Sasuke. And forgive Kakashi. Open up, Sakura."

She backed away. Open up? After all this time, he expected her to open up? She ran into her bathroom, looking for something she can use. There were only aspirins and other medications, towels and soaps. She went into the kitchen and looked at the burner on the stove. It may be different, but it was still a form of release. She pushed up her sleeve, but Itachi grabbed her arm. She felt the tears, and willed them away. She wouldn't cry, not after all of this time. Itachi pulled her into an embrace and she decided to let the tears come. She didn't stop until the food was burnt.

-

Naruto had remained in front of the house. He leaned against the door, sleeping, and fell in when Itachi opened it. He gasped and stood, forming the hand seals for a jutsu.

"I'm not here for you," the Akatsuki said, and Naruto halted the jutsu. "Come in."

He knew it was a command and entered. The two sat in the living room. Itachi turned the broken television off. It was uncomfortable and awkward.

"What-"

"I'm not answering any questions," Itachi said coldly, and Naruto shut his mouth at his tone. "I only want to tell you that no matter what she says, she wants you to keep trying."

He looked at the Akatsuki. "I…think I understand. But how do you know this?" The blonde remember what Itachi told him and said," I just hope I can do something."

"No one can do anything," Itachi said. "Only she can help herself."

Naruto thought about it. He was right. Leaving, he knew he wasn't going to tell anyone about Itachi. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to do anything bad. Said Akatsuki walked into Sakura's room and sat in what became his chair, watching the girl with tears on her face.

Nothing ever looked so beautiful.

-

(A/N) So, how'd you like it? I decided to divide it up in shorter sections. Did you think it was extremely stupid? Horrible? Tell me in a review for Thanksgiving leftovers!