A/N: All right all though this is not my first time writing fanfiction, it is new for me to post fanfiction. I would love to know what people have to say about this story but please don't just hate on me.
With that said...I have to say, and it pains me to do so...I do not own the Naruto Universe nor do I own any songs that maybe in here and I sadly never will...but I do however own the creativity it took to write this fanfiction and the oocs in it.
This fanfiction is rated MA or R for any language, violence, or sexual themes/content.
All this being said and done with I hope you enjoy reading Time never heals every wound!
End A/N.
Chapter 4: The anniversary
Dark rain clouds gathered in the sky as I worked in my garden. It had always been this way. I would work in my garden in the early morning while the rain clouds gathered their tears. Every year it rained on this day. I was sure it was our clan weeping on us from up above, but Sasuke never thought anything of it.
The first year had been the hardest. Sasuke withdrew into himself until even I, his twin wasn't allowed in. I struggled to stay afloat on my own. I read countless books on cooking just so we could eat. I then looked to gardening when Sasuke completely abandoned me. That was when I started coming to Uncle's house.
His backyard had a garden already started though it was overgrown with weeds and dead plants. I read books on gardening and cleared out the garden beds while Sasuke brooded and became darker and further away from me. There was nothing I could do besides take care of him though. I had tried several times to push my way in but he would only take his anger out on me instead of talking to me. So I gave up after awhile.
The day came marking the first year that had come and gone. Sasuke and I were six years old and already I feared for the day when Sasuke would leave me completely. I knew he would, I wasn't blind. I followed him into our family hideout. I read the scroll after he had gone. I saw the way something in his eyes changed. I watched the light fade from them.
I spent the morning in my garden carefully planting new seeds while the storm clouds grew. I cooked Sasuke and I our lunches and our offerings. I went in search of my brother and dragged him off to the grave yard. I made him place his offering and get down on his knees to prey as the sky let lose its tears. And then I watched my brother walk away.
It had been the same way every year since the first. This year was no different. I made up our offerings. I searched high and low for my twin and when I found him things changed. He was with his team instead of being alone. I watched him for a while before I walked up to them at training ground three.
"Oh hey Mina! " Naruto bounded over to me while Sakura walked calmly over. Kakashi-sensei eyed me from his spot in a tree. But Sasuke stayed where he was, neither looking at me nor making a move to.
"What brings you to training ground three Miss Uchiha?" Kakashi-sensei asked as he looked towards Sasuke then back towards me. I bowed to him in respect but before I could speak someone else did.
"I'm not going this year." I snapped my head towards my twin. Never once had he refused me. Never once had he glared at me so intently. Never once had I feared that my brother was too far from the light to be saved. But on this day I was.
"Sasuke you have to go." I tried to keep my voice from sounding weak and pleading but I failed. Sasuke walked up to me and grabbed my arm tightly and dragged me away from his team. Once far enough away he let go and I stumbled back.
"I told you I'm not going this year or any other year after. I'm done with it!"
"Sasuke you can't be done with it! You made a promise to me! A promise on this day eight years ago! You promised to never leave me alone in this world! You promised it Sasuke!" My twin raised his hand and slapped me across the face. Never had he touched me like that. He would only yell and brake things. Never had he hit me before.
"I lied to you Mina! I fucking lied to you. All these years I have lied to you about that promise. All these years I've put up with your bullshit offerings and prayers and visits to the grave yard, but not anymore! I thought when I made you move out that you were done with me. That you'd finally given up, but no you had to keep coming back and bugging me. Making sure I ate. Making sure I kept the house clean. Making sure I trained. Making sure I studied."
" Let me tell you something Mina, you're not my mother nor will you ever be! She's dead Mina! Dead! Along with father and everyone else! And you can thank Itachi for that! You can thank him for taking away our family! Our clan! Our lives! But you don't mina! You think he did it for some goody goody reason because you can't handle the fact that he betrayed us! You can't handle the fact that he doesn't love us-"It was my turn to slap Sasuke. And I did hard. I glared at him with my hand still raised from the slap.
Sasuke stared at the ground his head still turned from the force of my slap. Then he glared and his jaw set and he turned once again to face me. In that moment I feared for myself instead of my twin. The look of killer intent that was in his eyes made me want to run, but I couldn't leave him. Not now. Not after all these years of trying to save him.
I stood my ground when Sasuke raised his hand. His eyes turning red with the activation of his sharingan. The one black tear drop mark swirled into place. I knew I was in trouble. I knew it but couldn't find it in me to abandon him. Even though it was clear that he had turned his back on me long ago.
Sasuke balled his fist and slammed it into my face. Hard. I fell back onto the ground and he followed sitting on top of me delivering blow after blow to my face. I started seeing stars and black spots danced across my vision but I do not fight back. Nor did I block.
So when the punches stopped suddenly I forced my eyes open. There holding Sasuke back was Naruto, Kiba and Shino. Hinata ran up with Kurenai-sensei and fell to her knees beside me quickly trying to heal my cut up face. She knew only enough healing jutsu to stop the major bleeding which I thanked her for.
Kakashi-sensei grabbed a hold of Sasuke by the back of his shirt and took him away. Kurenai-sensei followed them. Naruto and Sakura where told to go inform the Hokage immediately. And my team was instructed to take me home.
Shino walked over to Hinata and I and offered me his hand. I took it and was pulled up to a standing position. I didn't stay that way long as the world spun and I lost balance. Shino caught me effortlessly and hoisted me onto his back.
"S-Shino! I can walk no need to carry me!" I panicked as my face heated though no one could tell cause of how bruised it was turning. Shino made no move to set me down so I sighed and accepted the help.
"Hinata can you get the basket please?" Hinata nodded at my request and picked up the basket that help the offerings to my clan. I relaxed against Shino as we started towards town. Shino was nice and warm so soon I found myself tired and sleepy. Before I fell asleep though it started to down pour making my jolt full awake.
"Shino let me down I have to do something today!" Shino shook his head. Kiba looked over at us.
"What's so important that you skipped out on us today and got Sasuke all pissed off?" I looked away and fought the burning tears but couldn't. Shino stopped when he felt my hot tears against his cheek.
"It…it's the eight year anniversary of the Uchiha massacre." Shino turned his head to look at me and Kiba looked at me as well. Hinata looked down sadly already knowing what today was.
"I have to go visit them…at the grave yard…and give them their offerings…Sasuke…he…he wont come anymore. That's what we fought about…he broke his promise….to me… He left me alone in this world…and he lied to me…all these years…" I couldn't hold it in any longer. All the pain and suffering that I had shut inside came flooding out in ranging sobs. Shino's grip on me tightened as he started walking again.
"You're not alone anymore Mina. You have us, your team." I looked at Shino shocked.
"Yeah bug boy's right! You aren't alone you got us!" Kiba chimed in pointing to himself and Akamaru.
"S-Shino is r-right Mina. I too am h-here for you!" Hinata said proudly while smiling a gentle smile. I looked at each of my teammates. I cried harder then but happy tears this time. Shino continued on Kiba and Hinata following.
I was set down ten minutes later in front of the Uchiha memorial stone. It wasn't as big as the third shinobi war memorial stone but it was small either. It was in the shape of the Uchiha crest and was made out of smooth stone. Every person that was lost on this day eight years ago had their name etched into this stone.
I looked back at my team to find them at the edge of the grave yard. I turned back to the stone and bowed. I then got done on my knees and placed the offerings by the stone and lit the in-scents. I sat there in silence for a long moment.
"I'm sorry everyone Sasuke isn't coming anymore. I couldn't save him." Thunder cracked loud in the sky as it rained harder. My tears mixed in with the rain that poured down on me.
"I haven't given up though. I know what brother Itachi did was wrong…but I know he did it for good reasons…Sasuke…Sasuke wants to avenge your deaths by killing our older brother…But that will not bring you back to us…it will not bring him peace or happiness…no it will only bring more pain into our lives…" I looked up at the countless names etched into the stone. I ran my hand over each one before letting my hand fall back down.
"I'm sorry I have failed to keep my promise to you…Mother…Please forgive me." After I said that I stood up on shaky legs. Shino was by me in a moment picking me back up after a quick bow of respect to my clan.
"Where did Hinata and Kiba go?" I asked looking for the rest of my team.
"Naruto came and got them. The Hokage wanted to talk to them about what happened." I nodded and leaned into Shino as he made his way out of the grave yard. The rain pelting down on us the whole way to my house.
"You want to some hot tea?" I asked as Shino took off his shoes and placed them by the door. He nodded his head and I disappeared into the kitchen on wobbly legs. I filled the kettle with fresh water and set it on the stove. I reached into the cupboard for the cups but couldn't reach them. I stood on my tippy toes and reached but only made myself dizzy. I wobbled and held onto the counter top.
Shino came in and saw me wobbling by the stove. He walked over and picked me up bridal style and walked up the stairs. He placed me in my room and made sure I was steady.
"Get changed. I'll fix the tea. Call if you need me Mina." With that he turned and left shutting the door behind him. I stared at the door for a minute before I pealed my wet clothes of my body. I wobbled over to my closet and pulled out black sweat pants and a way to big blue shirt.
I wobbled my way down the stairs and into the kitchen after getting dressed. My wet hair hang tangled and matted around my face. Shino took one look at me and ordered me to the couch. I grumbled on my way but didn't fight him for I knew I would lose.
Soon Shino came in carrying the tea tray. He set it down on the coffee table and poured me a cup and added three sugar cubes before handing it to me. I stared at him until he gently placed the cup in my hands making sure I had it.
"How did you know I liked three sugar cubes instead of just one?" I thought I saw Shino's cheek color a light pink but I could have been imagining it…
"When Kurenai-sensei took us to that new tea house I noticed you put three sugar cubes in your tea without even tasting it first." I blushed and looked down at my tea.
"Ah…oh! Uh there should be some clothes in the master bedroom upstairs that should fit you… that is if you would like to change into dry clothes…" Shino nodded and went upstairs to change. I took a sip of my tea and hummed contently as the warm liquid made its way down my throat.
I caught a glance at myself in the mirror that was across the room. I groaned as I got up to look closer. I looked horrible. Black and blue blotches covered my face and my right eye was swollen. I looked like someone took a bat to my face.
Shino appeared in the mirror behind me making me jump and turn around. He was wearing a long sleeved blue shirt with the Uchiha symbol on the back of it along with a pair of grey sweat pants. I smiled at him when I saw he still had his sunglasses on.
"You should be sitting down Mina." I rolled my eyes then winced when my right eye hurt. Shino guided me back over to the couch and handed me my tea cup again before he sat down in the arm chair next to the couch. He poured himself some tea and placed one cube of sugar in it. I wrinkled my nose when he took a drink.
"What?" He asked when he took notice of my wrinkled nose.
"How can you drink it with only one sugar cube?" Shino laughed softly. I stared at him while my face heated up. I had never heard Shino laugh before. It was…nice and soothing. I liked it.
"Not everyone likes their tea unbearably sweet Mina." Shino said with a chuckle. I blushed more and pouted.
"So? Not everyone likes their tea so bitter." Shino merely shook his head with a smile on his face. That's when I realized I could see the rest of his face. Shino was handsome and kind of cute. I blushed as I stared at his small gentle smile.
A knock at the door brought me back to land. I tried to get up but Shino fixed me with a look so I sat back down. He went to get the door in my stead.
"Wow! Bug boy is that you!" I laughed as Kiba's voice drifted into the living room followed by the sound of him getting smacked in the head. Soon everyone was settled into more living room with tea cups in hand.
Naruto and Sakura had come along to see how I was and where the ones to knock at the door. They didn't have to say it because I knew Kiba would have just barged in instead. Hinata and Sakura brought me an ice pack for my face to help the swelling.
Shino sat next to me on the couch while Hinata sat on my other side. Kiba was seated on the floor with Naruto at the coffee table and Sakura was sitting in the chair. I smiled at everyone and asked if they wanted anything to eat only to be given a look by Shino.
"But Shino! She's a god in the kitchen! You have to let her cook us food!" Kiba complained at my imprisonment. Sakura did Shino the favor of getting up and smacking Kiba. Hinata stood and made her way to the kitchen.
"I-I'll cook us s-something s-since l-lunch w-was skipped…" I smiled and nodded towards her. Kiba and Naruto cheered at the thought of getting food after all. Shino sighed and shook his head. There was another knock at the door and Sakura got up to get it.
"Oh Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei come in!" I stiffened when I heard Kakashi-sensei's name. He was with Sasuke wasn't he? Please Kami tell me Sasuke is not here! I'm not ready to face him yet…
Shino grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently until I looked at him. He gave me a quick reassuring smile before letting go and heading into the kitchen for more cups. I watched him go before I turned to face Kakashi-sensei and Kurenai-sensei as they walked into the living room.
"Sasuke is in a meeting with the Hokage for what he has done to you Mina. You don't have to worry about him right now." Kurenai-sensei said gently. Kakashi-sensei nodded before talking two chairs from the dining room and bringing them in the living room one for Kurenai-sensei and one for himself. Kurenai-sensei thanked him before she sat down.
Shino came in and offered them tea. Kakashi-sensei refused politely but Kurenai-sensei accepted happily. Everyone chatted to each other until Hinata called dinner ready. Kiba and Naruto hurried to the table ahead of everyone else. Shino shook his head along with Sakura as they helped me to the table.
Hinata had fixed rice balls and omelets along with a simple spring salad. It was rather good and refreshing. I could tell Kiba approved of the omelets seeing as he ate ten of them. I was once again imprisoned to the couch as Shino, Naruto and Kiba cleaned the kitchen. I sat with Sakura and Hinata on the couch talking with our Sensei's.
"What happened Mina if I may ask?" Kurenai-sensei asked me. I looked down at the ground.
"Sasuke has fallen from the light Sensei. His only goal in life is to kill our brother Itachi for the Uchiha massacre. That won't bring them back nor will it bring him peace or happiness. It will only bring hurt and more pain." I shook my head gently.
"I have tried to shake him from that path, but he won't listen to me…and today, the anniversary of the massacre, he fell even further into darkness…" I started shaking not from the cold but from the fear I felt for my twin.
"Don't worry Mina! I won't let him fall in completely!" I looked up at Naruto. He stood there with Shino and Kiba behind him. "That's a promise! And I never go back on a promise!" I stared at him as tears fell from my eyes. Finally I nodded. Maybe Naruto could do what I had failed to do? Looking at him now I could tell he was never going to give up. Yes if anyone could save Sasuke it would be Naruto.
"Thank you, Naruto. Thank you, everyone." I said through my tears.