Accidentally

Chapter 16: Reflection

Alternate name:

I've Come to Terms with the Fact that Everything I Know is a Lie

Deidara bent down and forward, hugging Sakura firmly. Sakura sat, stunned, for a moment or two. Her lip quivered, though, and that tough and spirited act she always had up began to fall apart.

People always call me smart, she thought, shoulders hiking up, People always call me strong...

Her arms reached around Deidara's waist. But I'm still so weak.

She grabbed him back tightly, brow furrowed and tears rising.

And look at what I've done...! I'm so fucking stupid.

She buried her face in the crook of his neck, gritting her teeth, and a sob slipped out.

What have I done? What have I...dammit! Why would I do something like this?!

She realized, slowly, that the reasoning she'd used with Shikamaru had been all wrong. Pein was closer to the truth, but still had missed the bull's-eye. Sakura didn't give two fucks about Sasuke. If he wanted to be an idiot, that was fine. Leave her out of it.

Something had pulled her here. If she'd had no particular aim of where to go when she'd left, how did she end up in that particular clearing on that particular night?

Coincedence is bullshit...she started, as a tear spilled slowly, Everything is inevetable...

Her eyes had slowly gotten wider, and by this time she was gaping. Her grip on Deidara loosened, and she heard him grunt in question. She scowled and roughly pushed him off of her. He gave her an incredulous look as he stumbled backwards. She glared at him, clenched her jaw, and threw several kunai at his chest. They hit.

The clone bled purple.

"DAMMIT!" she screamed, twirling and kicking the clone across the grass and through the trees.

It couldn't possibly be...!

"FUCK!" she yelled, smacking herself on the head.

Spinning and running toward the base, she practically ran through the closed door, leaving it in shards behind her as she raced. Throwing the door to Pein's office open, she found both he and Zetsu amiss. She cursed again and left the room.

Sakura ran frantically through the base, shrieking for one of them, anyone, to answer her call.

She got nothing.

Bolting back out of the building, Sakura ran to where she and Sasuke's battle had taken place, and traced where she had sent Sasuke flying. First checking where Kabuto had been left, it was to her chagrin to find him gone. It gave her some hope, though.

"Please..." she whimpered, tears momentarily stinging her eyes, "Please tell me..."

Sakura followed the path, and upon sight of many fallen trees, jogged down the center of the trail.

When she looked at the end of it all, she fell to her knees. She slapped her hands together into the Tiger seal.

"RELEASE!"

Nothing changed.

"RELEASE! release! Release...!" she tried, but everything remained the same.

Sasuke was still there, and he was dead.

She hung her head. "R-Release," she whined.

It won't work, child. This is no genjutsu.

Sakura's head shot up at the voice, shock written all across her features. That voice. That god-forsaken voice. Sakura tried to scowl, but she just couldn't. All of her strength and resolve had left her.

Now get up, and come to me. You must, child.

Sakura almost obliged. Just as she was going to submit, all too easily, a hand shot out to grab her wrist. Sakura glanced downward slowly, eyes wider than ever.

"Sakura...don't go. Please."

"S...Sasuke..." she whispered.

She smiled weakly. "Sasuke!"

She jumped forward, caging her arms around his neck. He winced slightly, but placed a hand on her back. Sakura srtained to smile, when everything in the atmosphere told her to cry.

"Get away from him, Sakura," called a voice behind her, and she felt Sasuke stiffen.

"Shikama-" she was cut off as she tried to pull away from Sasuke to look at their visitor, only to find that Sasuke's arm wouldn't let her go anywhere.

"Beat it Nara," Sasuke called coldly, glaring intensely at the boy.

Shikamaru's gaze hardened. "He's not the real Sasuke, Sakura."

Sakura frowned. She couldn't turn around to see her friend, as Sasuke would have none of it. She tried to lightly push herself away from him, but he relented not.

"Sasuke," said Shikamaru dangerously, "Let her go. He's a clone, Sakura. He's one of them."

Sakura's face went blank. Her eyes scanned back and forth as she thought.

"He's lying. It's the other way aroun-"

"Sasuke's not here anymore, Sakura. Kabuto took him away." Shikamaru paused. "He's alive. Just barely."

Sasuke scoffed, leaning his head onto Sakura's.

"He's the clone, Sa-ku-ra," he whispered in her ear, "Take my word for it. You love me, don't you?"

It was silent, and Shikamaru panicked for only a second. After a sharp intake of breath, Sakura had made her mind up. She breathed a laugh, and Sasuke pulled her back to look at her.

Sakura's face was coy, and as she turned around to stick her tongue out at Shikamaru, she also moved closer to Sasuke. She laced her arms gently around his neck, and with only a little bit of chakra...

Snapped it in half.

A gagging sound was heard from the creature in front of her as she stood and moved away from it.

"Rule number three in the Sasuke handbook," she said, sneering at the thing, "He neglects to give any shits."

She then turned around, pretty much flying at Shikamaru. He caught her, but they fell back onto the grass anyway. She hugged him tightly.

No way is this a clone, she mused happily, I know my Shika-kun from countries away if he calls.

Shikamaru sighed and laid his head back onto the ground. Holy fuck had it been a long day, and far from over at that.

OoOoOo

"You see, I went looking for you after you and the green-haired guy disappeared into the base, but I couldn't walk through the door. There was a seal, Sakura. A seal to keep Ninja out."

Sakura tilted her head, frowning. "Then how was I - or the Akatsuki, for that matter - able to go in and out? Was...was it all a lie? Were the real Akatsuki never there in the first place...?"

It was logical enough, all things considered. Sakura just didn't want to accept it.

All that praise Pein had given her, was that Anbu report fake? Was Tobi never really kicked across the landscape in front of the base? Did Konan not hold her when she cried for the first time, or rifle through her closet? Did Itachi not pet her head and call her chan?

Kisame was never a good cook? Zetsu had never grinned at her? Kakuzu never pulled that kunai out of her ass? Hidan never semi-raped her?

Deidara never cared?

And...

Sasori was never revived? He'd never told her that he didn't hate her?

Despite her efforts to not think about it, her eyes stung with tears. Shikamaru rubbed her back slowly, sighing quietly. They were the Akatsuki; that was Deidara that had hugged her back there. It was his appearance, and his thought process. His feelings.

But not his motives.

Not his nerves that moved his body.

She and Shikamaru were sitting on the stoop-like thing in front of the base's entrance.

"Kabuto almost caught me," he said.

"So he has something to do with it?" asked Sakura.

It would make sense; that voice she'd heard earlier, it'd silenced the second the Sasuke clone snapped to life. It was almost identical to Orochimaru's voice.

Sakura pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head in her arms.

"What're ya gonna do now, Saks...? Solve the mystery or come back home?"

There was a long moment of silence. Shikamaru could hear her muffled huff as she sat up again.

"I'm going to find my boys."

OoOoOo

Hola~ Short little chapter for you guys and being you. ;3

All Sakura knew has suddenly turned to hell! Resolution is awaiting, pretty much planned out, but first a break. :D

How long would you like this story to be? I'd love to keep adding on forever, but conclusions are satisfying as well...I've got an idea or two up my sleeve for sure on other stories I'm prepared to write, but it's like cheating on this story if I start them now. D:

Also, I read ALL of your reviews :3 They honestly make my freakin' day. Thank you all so much for sticking with this lazy-ass story 3 I would normally reply, but I feel like it would be a huge pain to go into PM and thank everyone for being awesome, it'd get annoying for you all to hear how grateful I am 33

NTM you guys just say the funniest shit. XDDD

Adiossss~~

Remember the name,

~Raven100

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OBAMA 2012 BITCHEEEEeeeesssSsSsSSSSSSs~

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