someone's perspective

flashback

flashback thoughts

Back to the Hospital

Sakura unlocked the door to her office and headed straight for her ever so enticing, comfortable looking, couch. With an exasperated sigh, she lowered herself onto the piece of furniture beneath her.

Much better. Now, where was I before the idiot came in and unhinged all my plans for the day. Right... saving lives. Then again, it is my day off so I don't have any patients scheduled. Hmmm, what to do. I probably should get started on that pile of paper work on my desk. But then again, I could just stay here and rest. Yeah, I like that idea.

Sakura closed her eyes and started to drift to sleep when...

"SAKURA!"

The one and only 5th Hokage herself, Tsunade, invited herself right into said girls office and disrupting her (almost) sleeping self. Lifting her hands to cover her eyes, Sakura let out a small groan and proceded to say,

"Shishou, whatever it is, it better be important. I was this close to sleep. This close." This last phrase was further emphasized by Sakura lifting her arms in the air and making a pinching motion with her thumb and forefinger.

"I apologize, Sakura. I just thought that you might want to know your, old friend's (air quotes), punishment."

At this, Sakura bolted up from her prostrate position on the couch.

"And said punishment would be..."

Tsunade just shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly said, "I don't know, the elders decided to give him something like a year without leaving the village and six months without training."

Sakura eyed her mentor suspiciously, suspecting there was something she was keeping untold for a certain reason. But said reason was unknown to this particular kunochi.

To protect you. God you're dense for the smartest one in your year.

That's Shikamaru, not me. Besides, what is she protecting me from in the first place?

Correction, Shikamaru is the tactical genius.

Ugh, whatever floats your boat. But you're still not answering the question.

You just aren't asking me the right one.

Well then, pardon me, what happens to be the right question?

Isn't telling you kind of ruining the point.

This is ridiculous. Just tell me.

Fine Ms. Snappy Pants. The right question isn't what is she protecting you from, it's why.

What's the difference?

You know, sometimes I think I'm where all the genius comes from. The difference is that what she's protecting you from just gives you one answer. But why she's protecting you gives you two answers.

And those answers would be?

Kami-sama, you get who or what she's protecting you from, but you also get the reason behind why she feels she needs to protect you.

Ah, that is smart.

Thank you.

Don't get to happy, we're the same person, after all.

(Tsunade's POV)

So, here I was, completely taken away from my precious paperwork *coughsakecough* and I didn't even get a thank you from my prize student. This generation, whatcha gonna do. All I get in response from her is, what seems to be, silence. Pure silence. For two minutes. Maybe she's just processing everything but her facial expressions keep changing. Maybe she has spilt personalities and she's arguing in her head!

Yeah, right. Stupid idea there, WAY to much sake this morning. I was about in intervene when I noticed it. And when I say it, I mean the giant bruise forming on the girls neck. How had I not noticed it before? And... is it just me or is it shaped like a hand? Like someone was trying to strangle her? Strange, who would want to...

Uchiha.

The name of a certain raven haired man was thought with such malice Tsunade's whole body shook a little. Her eyes narrowed into slits and she took a step towards the girl. She placed one finger on Sakura's neck and started to trace the outline of the hand along the girls neck. Tsunade's eyes softened as she looked at the girl in front of her.

"Sakura..."

(Normal POV)

Sakura's eyes snapped out of their semi-glazed trance as amber clashed with soft emerald. It was then that the girl realized her teachers hand was on her neck, tracing the outline of...

Shit... Sasuke's hand. How could I forget about that.

I told you, because I'm the smart half.

Shut it, you didn't remember either...

That's not important. Think of something to say before she flips.

Tsunade's eyes hardened once more and she forced the name through her slips with so much vile,

"Uchiha."

To late.

"Shishou, you don't understand. It's not what it looks like."

Tsunade dropped her hand and took one step back. "Really, Sakura? Because it seems to me like Sasuke tried to strangle you to death."

"... it wasn't his fault." Sakura couldn't bare to meet Tsunade's eyes.

"After everything you said to me this morning, you're still protecting him. Because, unless I'm mistaken. Strangulation requires one person placing their hand on anthers wind pipe and squeezing. Or, you placed Sasuke's hand on your throat and made him press down hard enough to leave an almost perfect imprint of his hand on your throat." Tsunade let out a semi-laugh full of mocking rip through the heavy atmosphere."

"There's more to it than that. I mean, he placed his hand there, but I said some things that gave him every right to do it."

"Tsunade turned away from Sakura and asked, "And what exactly did you say to make him so angry, Sakura?"

Sakura took a deep breath and started to recreate the dialogue that was exchanged between her and the avenger. "Well, it all started when..."

(brief flashback)

"Get over yourself, Uchiha-teme. Like I would ever say your name out loud."

"Ah, but Uchiha is my name, part of it anyway, Sa-ku-ra."

His damn smirk just kept getting bigger and bigger. That was it, no holding back.

"Yeah, and you're also the only one left with that name. Except for, Itachi, of course. But then again, you know all about that." Stupid, stupid, stupid. What are you doing? What are you freaking SAYING. We're suppose to ignore him and be the bigger person, not get added to his, "people I must kill list."

Hearing that name from her lips was like a kunai ripping straight through his heart and pulling it out slowly. Before he registered what he was doing, Sasuke had his hand clasped on her trachea. With each word leaking from his mouth he clamped down on her windpipe a little more.

"Don't. You. Ever. Say. His. Name. Again. He stopped being an Uchiha a long time ago. You don't know shit about this, Haruno. So don't pretend you do. I should kill you for saying something like that.

Sakura looked up to met his eyes for the second time that day. This time instead of cool onyx she was meet with boiling crimson. Crimson, what a good color to describe him. It was all he knew when he thought of his past or his future. It was the color of blood, it was the color that defined Sasuke. The color that defined an Avenger.

Sakura found the strength to wheeze out her next words. "Then why don't you, Sasuke? What's stopping you? You said you had cut all the ties that held you to this village, don't tell me you were lying."

"SHUT UP!" Sasuke slammed her against the wall one more time and tightened his grasp on her throat.

"Do it *cough* Uchiha, make your brother happy. Do exactly what he *cough* wants you to do." Sakura's vision was starting to black out.

"You don't know anything, how could you? Your life was nothing like mine so don't pretend you can even guess what I've been through, what I'm going through."

"I may not know much about your past, Sasuke, but I know enough to know that you're playing Itachi's game. Being his perfect little lackey."

Sakura started a coughing fit and Sasuke released his vice grip, letting her slide to the ground.

"Don't ever say something so stupid again. Ita... He is no longer a part of my life. The day I kill him I will never look back. So just stay out of it."

(end flashback)

Tsunade let out a breath and turned to face her student. The girl's eyes were downcast with her bangs blocking them. She looked ashamed.

"Sakura, I understand why you said those things. But I also understand why Sasuke did what he did. I won't say he had the right to, but you treaded on some pretty thin ice there."

Sakura lifted her eyes to met her mentor's.

"I know that, but it doesn't mean I didn't mean it. It doesn't mean that it's not the truth."

"I know that, Sakura. I know that."

"Well then, I should probably get back to work so..."

Sakura was mid-stride on her way to her desk when Tsunade's next sentence stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Do you still love him?"

"Why would you even..."

"That's not an answer, Sakura."

"That's because I told you my answer this morning."

"I know you what you told me this morning, and I don't believe a word of it. It's complete and total bull."

"Well, it's the truth. Maybe you're just not good at reading people."

Tsunade stomped her foot on the ground (non-chakra infused) and Sakura jumped a little. "DAMN IT SAKURA! This acting like you feel nothing for him thing isn't cute or funny. It's frustrating. The both of you have already lost so much and the fact that you're not even willing to get close to him because of your stupid ego is..."

Sakura had had enough. She didn't want to hear anymore about this subject. It was bringing up really, really, really unwanted memories.

Mommy! Daddy! Please, you can't leave me. Please.

"Out."

"Sakura," the hardened edge to her eyes had gone. Tsunade knew she had crossed a line with that last comment.

"Get. Out. Leave me alone, okay? I don't need to hear this. Not from you, not from anyone. I know how I feel so don't tell me that you do too. You don't. Know one does. So please. Just leave me."

Tsunade knew there was no arguing with that. She made her way over to the door. Before she closed it, she looked over her shoulder and said, "I'm sorry, Sakura. But I was just saying what they would have told you. They wouldn't want you to live this way. Not when there are so many people out there who care about you."

With that said, Tsunade shut the door and walked away.

With the sound of the door clicking back into place echoing across the office, Sakura slumped into her chair and cradled her head in her hands.

"DAMN IT!"

Sakura punched her desk, cracking it in half and sending the papers (which some poor nurse had just gathered and piled up again after this morning) through the air and crashing to the floor. Before she knew it she was lying on the floor of her office in fetal position, being attacked by a flowing stream of un welcomed memories.

She doesn't know anything.

You're starting to sound like Sasuke.

I am nothing like him. How is he suppose to know how I feel?

I would think he would be the only one who knows exactly how you feel.

Shut up, please, just shut up.

______________________________________________________________________

Hola! Thanks to those who have reviewed/favorited/or added to alert list! Hope you all liked the new chapter.

Next Chapter:

Back to an Alliance (title may change)

"Sasuke, stuff happened to Sakura while you were out on your power scavenger hunt."

"What kind of stuff, dobe?"

"It's not my story to tell... Hey teme! Where you going?"

It might have been a trick of the ear, but Naruto could have sworn he heard, "Sakura."