Author's notes: awww, I'm terribly sorry for not updating it for soooo long. I had his tough winter exam period, but it's over now and I'll be able to add chapters regularly.
Thank you for reviewing) Keep on doing it)
Chapter IV
Chapter Four summary: the fateful meeting. She's been waiting for this for so long, thinking about it all the time and it finally happened.
Sasuke was nowhere in Konoha. Tsunade had received an important mission, the Uchiha was called for, and the Head of Police Department was off duty for the time being. And still Sakura felt odd when her feet lead her to the familiar street.
'What am I doing here?' - she asked herself in bewilderment as she stopped close to her usual watching position. Sasuke was on a mission. He wouldn't come here tonight. And yet the firm habit was overwhelming, she was there again.
In perplexity she observed the dusty road, the Ichiraku, the nearby buildings. The view has become so native. She would easily describe any tiniest detail of it if asked. Automatically her look turned forward farther along the street until the corner which Sasuke usually disappeared behind.
She knew all too well which house he went to, she had once tracked him down. Not realizing her own movements the girl had been following her husband's steps but once turning to a small quiet lane she collected herself.
'Here we go Sakura. Time to stop and think about what the hell you are doing here,' – she uttered to herself slowing down the pace. – 'Sasuke is not there so what for did you come?'
Her eyes no matter what the mind was saying gazed to the left side of the narrow road at a small house. She stopped before it thoughtfully beholding its stained windows and white door. The house seemed abandoned.
Sasuke. That's the place he keeps on going to. To the man who has ruined his life. The man he had been aiming to kill. All his life. The elder brother of his.
A slow elusive feeling overpowered Sakura every time she saw Sasuke walk by the Ichiraku, now gushing over her with new strength. Knowing that the answers to the torturing questions were near was flowing in the air.
Sasuke goes there instead of returning home.
She became resolute and stretched her arm out to the doorbell. One hour-like minute of agonizing suspense passed followed by the sound of slow quiet steps behind the door.
A wave of horror covered her. Dear god, what is she doing? Is she sane? Is she in her right mind to come here?
- Who's there? – was the hushed voice on the opposite side of the door
Fear rolled up to her throat making it hard to speak. A huge amount of will-power was needed to suppress panic. They are in the middle of Konoha. No jutsu is allowed. He is blind.
And still her mutter sounded harsh, stifled as she forced out,
- It's Sakura, wife of Sasuke…
A few seconds of silence replaced by clicking of the lock and the door was ajar. Although Sakura was aware of whom she would see, she couldn't but step back. Sleek black hair, pale face so frighteningly resembling Sasuke's and plain casual clothes instead of Akatsuki's usual cloak. But the eyes once sparkling with the scarlet flames of deathly Sharingan were now dark and colorless.
- Yes? – he said politely
Sakura sighed convulsively trying to pull herself together.
- I hate to disturb you, - she mumbled taking her eyes off his face. – I… came to ask you… about Sasuke
Tone childish, uncertain, timid died down leaving the ragged words hang in the air. She swallowed nervously picking at the hem of her skirt staring down at her ordinary shinobi sandals. To look him straight in the face, that she couldn't do for under the blank blindness of the black eyes she felt utterly awkward.
To the girl's astonishment he then moved a little sidewards to let her in. After a moment's hesitation she mentally narrowed her lids and stepped forward. Her bare arm accidentally slid along the fabric of his shirt and a rush of shiver ran up her body. To touch him was the last thing she wanted. Door softly closed behind, lock gave another click and her heart skipped a beat.
She went past him into the house through the darkened passage into the kitchen. The room appeared small, almost too tiny being as Sakura has got used to the spacious ample rooms in the Uchihas' mansion. Gloom seemed to reign there in every single corner. Windows, covered with thick curtains, let ever so little sunlight in. It was clear though, why should a blindman bother about such things?
With a simple gesture he pointed to a chair near the table sitting down in the other one. Sakura was amazed at how confident, how easy were his actions and there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary in his conduct. He must have perfectly learnt the position of each item in the house and he wouldn't be likely to want to rearrange the furniture.
The kunoichi caught herself at the thought that they were sitting in entire silence and she threw an irritated glance at Itachi. Her eyes, used to the profound shade of the kitchen, at last could clearly discern his features – calm, expressionless as always.
'So what? Gonna sit like this forever?' – Inner Sakura getting rather nasty
Once she arrived here, once she came to Uchiha Itachi she had to do something. Let's say, why the heck has she got there?
- Itachi-san? – she called shyly
He turned his head in the direction of her voice showing his attention.
- I need to ask you something. I'm sorry to disturb you. That's about your brother Sasuke
She lapsed into silence doing her best to collect ideas. Which words to pick to speak to the S-class criminal who killed his own clan at the age of thirteen? She was constantly repeating to herself that her husband used to be so furiously hating him, the desire to get rid of him has transformed into paying him daily visits.
Oh yes, her dear husband.
- He's unkind to you?
Sakura nearly bounced off her seat at Itachi's question, so unexpectedly loudly it banged.
- Unkind? No, not that at all. He's not unkind, he is… - she stumbled and then blurted out. – He is aloof. He comes back home and greets me snapping a few words but he is distant. Looks like I'm just a device, a tool to revive the clan. I'm a thing. And then I learnt about his coming to you, his regular visits and I thought you might know what's going on, what's wrong with him… what I should do.
Her voice turned from crying into whisper and faded soon after. They sat still for awhile.
- You are that girl with pink hair I met on my way to Suna, am I right?
Sakura nodded in embarrassment and then recalling he couldn't see her she mumbled humbly,
- That is so
- He told me about you
She had an unpleasant prick inside, Sasuke never spoke about Itachi.
- Why did you marry him?
She startled. After she collected ideas the girl replied,
- I've fallen in love with him early in my childhood and been keeping this love in my heart for all these years even when he wasn't there. And one day he came back and the war began. I was so taken aback by his proposal and couldn't say no. I mean it is Sasuke, my precious love, and he was asking me to become his wife! In my head revolved one and the same thought – he loves me.
Muteness.
- And now? Are you still in love with him?
She slightly blushed raising her eyes to look at Itachi. His face unchangeable, unmovable as ever expressed nothing.
- Yes, - a quiet yet firm reply. – Yes I do. And that's why I want to understand him
There was a feeling that a shade of an emotion ran across his face. Which emotion was that she failed to catch. In a second Sakura was sure she had been seeing things.
- My brother is… ill, - Itachi slowly pronounced
Sakura leaned forwards, her eyes open wide.
- I hope some day he will love. I want him to
Something in his tone made her shiver as if from a draught. A dreadful, abnormal, almost irrational thing.
'Itachi? He wants Sasuke to love me? What was it all about?'
Itachi got up from his seat and came up to the window. Sakura's gaze followed him. The room perused in gloom and his silhouette became indiscernible against the curtains. The sun must have already set.
Sakura flinched all of a sudden. To stay there was the last thing she wanted. She rose to her feet drawing the chair back.
- I'd rather go now, - she carefully enounced turning to the man. – I'm sorry for the intrusion. And… thank you
- It's alright, - Itachi calmly answered
Followed by Sakura he went through the dark passage. The kunoichi thought she was apparently the only one whom he has had a chance to speak with recently. Except for Sasuke of course.