"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

The Caged Raven

Chapter 16: Distant Memories

They say that distant memories are like a dream. It will fade away and when it comes back, you can't be sure if it is really a memory or just a figment of a dream. Did it really happen or is it all just in the head?

She saw a glimpse of what seems like a distant memory but couldn't be quite sure. It was a warm place with the petals of her favorite flowers dancing in the breeze. The warm glow of the sun kissed her skin, making her shiver with contempt. She was standing in the middle of the field of flowers with her eyes closed. Her attention was drawn away when she heard a boyish laughter and giggling. The voices grew in number and she could hear several voices laughing and talking. For some unknown reason, the voices brought comfort to her and made her feel safe, as if she is…home.

'Home?'

The thought surprised her. She twirled to look behind her where she could see several people walking and running towards her. They were children, no older than pre adolescence with their innocent grins. A little puppy came galloping towards her with an excited bark, followed by a boy with strange red markings on his face. Then, more people came following one after another. A girl with pink hair, a boy with dark glasses, then an older woman with ruby eyes and many others. They all seemed to be welcoming her in some way. Who are these people?

Then a boy with the most beautiful blue eyes and sun kissed skin caught her attention. The boy was standing before her now with an outstretched hand and cheeky grin. She felt warmth radiating from his innocent smile. She knew this boy…no, she knew every single one of these people!

The boy didn't say a word but she could understand the meaning behind his outreached hand. It was an unspoken "let's go home."

The thought of it seemed so tempting to her she was about to grab hold of his hand when she heard a soft whimper from the distance. Her eyes travelled to the source of the whimpering. She turned around to see a tree not too far from her with a young boy with the darkest hair she has ever seen and beautiful fair skin. His head hid between his arms where they were propped on his knees. She didn't understand why she didn't notice him earlier. It puzzled her why the boy isn't with the rest of the people with a bright smile.

Something is telling her that this boy is special and he needed her. A dark, lonely and menacing aura could be felt with each sob he emitted. She could hear his voice croaking softly and begging.

"Please…I don't want to be alone. Don't leave me!"

She walked towards the boy with her arms open, ready to embrace him. It was until she felt a tug on her hand. She looked at the blonde haired boy who looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Come home with us."

Oh, how it sounded so tempting but the other boy who is crying before her tugged at her heart. She didn't know why but she felt like she has a strong connection with him. She could tell that he didn't belong with the others, abandoned and an outcast.

The blonde boy received an apologetic look before his hand was gently brushed off.

"I'm sorry. I can't go because that boy needs me more."

She ran towards the crying boy and embraced him.

"You'll be okay now, I promise. I'll take care of you," she whispered.

The gust of wind picked up with a loud howl, swallowing the voice of the blonde.

"Hinata! Come back home with us. We're your family, Hina—"

"—ta! Hinata!"

Hinata awoke with when she felt someone jerking her awake.

"Are you alright? You were crying in your sleep."

It was dark but she could see the silhouette of a man hovering over her. It took her awhile to be able to focus in the dark.

"Sorry. I just had a dream."

"Was it a nightmare?" Sasuke asked worriedly.

"I don't remember…"

Honestly, she didn't remember anything about her dream. All she knew is the feeling left behind by it. It was the feeling of bliss, contempt but at the same time sad and lonely.

"I'll go get you some water." The futon shifted as Sasuke got up.

Hinata made a quick move to grab his hand with her shaking one.

"Don't leave. Please…I don't want to be alone."

She felt a pang of déjà vu, but quickly brushed it off without another thought. Sasuke patted her head softly before settling himself back into the futon. Their hands were intertwined as they both slowly drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

Menma has been sleeping in his chamber, until Madara has summoned him.

"You wanted to see me?"

Madara sat on his 'throne' with an impatient finger tapping against his armrest.

"Menma, I need you to keep it low for the time being. I don't want you to be messing up my grand plan because of your stupid and foolish actions. Behave boy."

Menma gritted his teeth.

"Yeah, yeah I get it! How many times are you gonna repeat the same damn thing old man!"

"I am very serious this time. Moreover, there is something I need you to do for me."

"What?"

"There is a child I need you to bring back to me."

"Tsk. Great, so now you want me to play nanny?"

"Menma!"

Madara's patience is slowly wearing thin and Menma could clearly see that. It's a wise choice for him to keep silent for now, but of course his smart mouth got the better of him.

"…So where's this brat you want?"

"This child does not exist yet."

"How the hell am I supposed to kidnap a child that's not even born yet!"

"But it will be in the future."

"That's funny old man. How are you so sure that this child you speak of is going to be born in the future? You're being senile."

"No. This child will be born I am sure of it."

"Well, there are a bazillion of other babies you can kidnap so how do you know it's the right one?"

"Because it's a special child. It is the child of the prophecy."

'Oh, great! Another one of his so called prophecy pep talk'

"—this child will change the world!"

Menma is beginning to think whether his master has really gone crazy because of the fact that he never had any children and wants one really badly.

"I want you to bring the mother as well."

"You greedy bastard. Not only do you want the kid but the mother too? Man, I feel bad for the husband…"

"I made an important deal with someone. Make sure you get the mother as well or I will send you to the other realm."

A zombie-like figure emerged from the ground like some sort of plant. The 'thing' stood next to him with an awkward smile on its face.

"Zetsu here will be your guide as well as your supervisor. He will report to me your every action. Do not try to do anything foolish because I will know."

Menma itched for the day when he could finally get the opportunity to kill his master and finally be free. Then, a thought came to mind.

'The brat will be his weakness!'

Thus, he started think of a grand plan that will ensure his freedom.

They have already moved to their new home for about a few months now. It took Hinata awhile to adapt to the new surrounding. She's already beginning to feel at home already but it's only a matter of time before they have to move again. Sasuke made sure that they move inconsistently rather than having a certain fixed time to move. He reasoned that if they were to move in a pattern, it would make their moves more predictable by the enemies. Winter came and as time would have it, their love has slowly begin to blossom.

The home that they reside in now is more humble compared to the ones they lived in before. It's small and isolated deep in the mountains. It's the dead of the winter and both its inhabitants were cooped up inside sitting next to the warm fire.

Sasuke and Hinata shared a blanket as the two stared at the pot cooking on the red embers of the flame.

"Rest a little, Hinata. I'll wake you up once dinner is ready."

"I'm fine," she said as she battled with her eyes slowly closing.

It's the familiar dream again. She doesn't know if it's the same dream or if she even had the dream before, but it felt nostalgic. She could hear her name being called over and over. It sounded so alluring with its soft and melodic tune like a mother's voice.

Sasuke went to take a warm bath while letting Hinata rest. The winter is cold, colder than any he's experienced. When he's outside, he could feel the cold biting through his skin like ants. Anyone stupid enough to travel in this harsh winter would die for sure. He drained the water from the tub and refilled it with fresh warm water for Hinata.

'Maybe she would like a bath before dinner'

He dried his hair with a towel when he stepped out of the bathroom. The old wooden floor creaked beneath his weight. The house is quiet save for the sound of the howling wind beating the window outside and the gentle crackle of the fire. Come to think of it, the house felt a little bit colder than before. Sasuke tried to ignore the small sinking feeling in his stomach when he made his way to the sitting room, where Hinata is sleeping. He scanned the area to see that the previously occupied spot is now empty. It wasn't the sound of the wind that was beating against the windows, but the wind beating against the swinging opened door against its frame.

Hinata walked in a trance-like state in the harsh blizzard, clad in her sleep wear and bear feet. She continued forward ignoring the ice biting through her skin. She felt nothing but cold numbness leading to her self-destruction.

The soft voice she heard stopped and in a flash, images flooded through her mind. Hospital, blood, flames, betrayal, tears, agony…memories. She wondered if these are all really her memories or if it was just one of her dreams but they feel so real! She cried. Cried at the realization that her whole life is a lie, cried at the realization that she no longer has her friends or family, and cried that everything, her village, has been destroyed because of her.

"W-What h-have I-I d-done!"

She grabbed a kunai hidden within her garments and begin to stab herself again and again, trying to gauge out the agony that's tearing her apart.

"I don't deserve to live! I don't deserve to live-!"

She kept repeating her words like a mantra until her voice was nothing more than a gurgle of blood. Hinata lay in the cold snow under her own pool of blood.

The heavy snowfalls were beginning to quickly cover the foot tracks. Sasuke needed to hurry if he wants to get her back as soon as possible. It's almost impossible to see through the thick snow and he isn't even sure where the tracks were taking him. He couldn't see anything beyond one feet ahead. Although his nose is numb from the cold, just like the rest of his body, the faint smell of copper alerted him. His eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before him.

"Gods no!" he yelled.

"No, no,no,no—!"

Words of 'no' streamed out of his mouth in an endless sobbing mumble. He huddled her bloody cold form against his chest and patted her cheek gently.

"Please, wake up. Say something Please-!"

"Hinata Please… I don't want to be alone! Don't leave me!"

Please…I don't want to be alone! Don't leave me!

"…Sa…su…ke"

she could feel his warm tears splash against her cold cheeks.

"H-how did this happen?"

"…why…" he could barely hear her voice but could clearly read her lips.

Why? Why what?

Hinata saw his confusion through her half hooded eyes.

"I…remembered…everything…"

Sasuke swallowed hard. This isn't how things are supposed to turn out to be! They were supposed to live happily together for the rest of their lives with children. Their children! He expected punishment for the terrible sins he's committed but not this! The heavens can take away anything from him, even his damn eyes but not her!

"I…lost….everything…'cause of…you…myself…not forgive…" she chocked on her breath.

Sasuke's mouth trembled. He held her hand in a tight grip. His mind went into a frenzy trying to remember and recite all the medical jutsus he had memorized. His hand glowed green with chakra.

'I need to at least slow down the bleeding!'

"Hinata please you have to listen to me. I was a selfish bastard who's blinded by nothing but greed for vengeance. I used every under handed method I could to get what I want. I destroyed other people's happiness just for my own selfishness and I know that there will come a day when I will be judged and punished. I can't apologize to you because no matter how many times I say sorry, nothing's going to get fixed! Everything that I told you about our life together in the past was a lie! But, I swear everything that happened after I started living you was real!"

"Our life together since that day was real! My love for you is real my feelings are sincere. I've really fallen in love with you Hinata. You're all that I have right now and I ask the gods that if they are to punish me, they can take away anything away from me…even my eyes…just anything but you! Please give me a second chance. I'll make you the happiest person on earth. I'll give you anything and everything just please, don't die on me like this. I can't stand living alone anymore."

He started to choke on his own sobs. His words were becoming unclear with all the hiccupping and sobbing but Hinata still listened. Then she realized that had no right to put all the blame on him. It was her fault for being weak. It was also his fault for being weak. Both of them were at fault. They were individuals who fed at their own grudge and vengeance when their own people betrayed. They were two beings that reflected each other. They both lost too much, yet they still want another chance to build back what they have lost: love and family.

"I want to have lots of children with you! I want to have enough children to rebuild a clan. I want to have many children so that neither of us will ever feel lonely. We'll always have company and our children will always have company as well! We'll have a life where there's no betrayal, conflict or hate. Our family will be filled with lots and lots of love—"

Sasuke doesn't know what he's saying anymore. He's beginning to lose himself in his jumbled train of thoughts and wishes. Even so, his ideals set Hinata at ease. She felt like she should give him a second chance because that's what she wanted too. A second chance in life.

She bit back the smile at the random thought that came across; Sasuke is a very ugly crier. His entire face is wet from his eyes and nose and it made her want to cry too but doesn't have the strength to do so.

"…Don't…want to….die."

"I won't let you! Just hang in there p-please!" he begged.

"Lo…ve…you…"

Her breathing ceased as she lay there motionless in her lover's arms.