Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Ch 30 Judgement

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Sakura came back in a mad rush. Her head felt like it was going to explode, but it didn't matter how excruciating her headache was, her body was still able to very noticeably express its feelings. Fiercely shaking she felt extremely cold, like her entire body was on a bucketful of ice. Goosebumps had literally placed themselves all throughout her body from how chilly she felt. Even through her heavy shivering she could tell her skin was cool and clammy to the touch. She couldn't feel it very well due to the numbing sensations that are taking over her, but she could see the droplets of perspiration trailing down her skin. Somewhere in the background she could hear a distant dripping sound. At first she just believed it was the beads of sweat making their way down the floor, but as she stares down at the cold gray stone she saw directly beneath her eyes the mysterious drops falling on the floor.

I'm crying.

It was only until her lungs felt a piercing ache that she noticed she hadn't been breathing. She takes a breath of air that ended up sounding like a choking sob - or was it just her?

Her old wounds felt like they had reopened and she was no longer able to maintain her stoic state - or what shadow she had of it. When she first came here it was easier to treat the past like it never happened. If you just ignore it, it goes away, but it didn't.

Now her past has caught up with her with a vengeance. She's feels like she's twisting into herself. There is also a terrible ache in her stomach, like a knot that refuses to disperse and the world seems to be spinning quickly.

Too quickly.

She hastily turned to the side and emptied whatever contents she had in her stomach onto the stone cold floor.

And everyone else in the room, the people Sakura was too numb to notice until now, collectively react in a state of shock and confusion.

They definitely weren't expecting this: the scenes of her past were going round and round, like a replay, a mindless mantra, in their subconscious. Sasuke, Neji…Sakura.

Just then she heard her name being called out. Again.

She heard it the first time, but wasn't sure, she remembered - or maybe she never did?

"Sakura."

Right now, in that second, she was in a state where she didn't care what the hell happened and didn't want to answer to anybody.

She knew exactly who it was, but didn't have the courage to face them. Unfortunately her body was doing all sorts of weird things today, so she simply obeyed, too weak to defy her nonsensical head.

"Kimimaro…"

Apparently sometime during her interrogation, the entire Akatsuki had been brought in and placed right behind her. By the broken hearted look on his face, she would guess he saw enough of the show.

"Was that…" he paused, unable to get the painful sentence out in one go.

"You were comparing me to him. All this time…it was all about him."

He used to think that was a good thing because she told him she used to had a crush on him. Now, it seemed to deflate his very being.

"Tell me... Sakura, was -"

"Yes," she whispered quickly, not letting him finish. As if she couldn't feel any lower. She might as well reveal all her secrets.

"What?"

"Yes, he's the reason why I wouldn't be with you."

And probably the reason why I couldn't be serious with anyone.

Then cautiously, slowly she looked up at the man in question. Sasuke was standing there in front of her looking as lethal as ever. His cold eyes held a look of a dark promise, his entire body was tense from the radiating anger coursing through his body, and to make it worse, his hands had closed and fisted themselves.

At that very moment, if looks could kill, she knew she was worse than dead.

Still as mean and angry as he looked, he still was nothing like the man she had married.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke was feeling lost and confused and as usual that translated to the only feeling he knew how to release; how to act out - anger.

"…"

He couldn't even get his short 'hn' out due to the intense feeling that he was experiencing. Does this mean everything I know was a lie? He thought.

After a long silence and death glaring her to the edge of her sanity, without even saying a word to her, Sasuke simply turned around to walk out. Before he could reach the door he stopped.

He had to know.

"Why…Sakura?"

"Wha-?"

"Why!" Sasuke shouted, losing his composure and sputtering.

Was that it? Was that all? All I am to you? A monster…I'm the monster?

With incredible speed Sasuke jerked his body around to angrily face off with her. This conniving, twisted, insane woman… his precious woman.

"We were married?"

I don't understand…"How could that happen! Why did that ever happen! My family…" Sasuke had to pause, because it seemed as though he was having trouble breathing. It was an impossibility. He had never even dreamed of dealing with this reality that Sakura had presented to him; although it was not exactly a dream. More like a nightmare.

"I killed everyone! This can't be real." Sasuke brought his hand up to his head as if he couldn't, wouldn't process what he just saw.

It was impossible! It couldn't happen! It wouldn't!

Why...

Why...!

WHY!

The hand he had on his forehead began to slowly slide upwards. Sasuke's face was beginning to turn to a shade of pink from the trouble he was having breathing. A distinct vein pops its way out into the middle of his forehead. He brings up his other hand and fists both into a handful of hair.

This is crazy. It couldn't be happening. It can't!

"Konoha-!" Sasuke began, but was swiftly cut off.

"That's enough, Sasuke…" Itachi with all his authority sounds off; he has finally stepped in.

Sasuke is about to respond the way he usually does: rude and rebellious, but Itachi gives him an "Aw hell na! Don't even try," look, which is super scary. Itachi's "Aw hell na!," looks have always frightened Sasuke, even when he was a little kid. So it didn't come as a surprise when Sasuke decides he is done and just leaves the room in a giant hissy fit.

"Anyone who is not the leader of another nation, please leave the room." And Itachi was back, alright. In all his Uchihaness he softly, but sternly calls the hearing back to order.

As Sakura looks up at him she sees the strong silent man she has known all her second life. Of course his eyes don't meet her. His attention was busy elsewhere doing the important task of treating everyone else in the room to his infamous death glare.

Sakura is so sure that no one would dare defy Itachi.

Then sure enough as soon as Itachi was finished with his sentence…giant protests errupted.

"But sir!"

"I am not leaving my Kage-"

"He would be left unprotected!"

"My counsel-"

Well so much for that thought.

The counselors begin advising their leaders against it and the bodyguards fervently remind their leaders of the safety issues that could happen should they leave.

But in the end…

"I agree. Leave me Temari, Kankuro."

"Gaara!"

They both shouted at the same time, but Gaara simply raised his palm up to silence them.

"The Hokage is right. This conversation should only be for the Kage's ears only."

The other Kage's agreed and reluctantly all their people left the room, until it was only the five great leaders.

Sakura is dragged off to a private room by Tsunade, Jiraya, Anko and Ibiki.

Under less stressful circumstances Sakura would have jokingly said to them 'Wait, I don't think I have enough detail to handle me,' but as it was Sakura gloomily looks at the ground and allows them to do with her as they pleased.

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(Back in the Kage's room)

The five kages are still seated at the semi circular table made out of wood. Mei Teirumi the Mizukage of the Land of Water, discreetly fidgets in her hard seat; wood is of no comfort to her aching back. It has been a long day. When they brought Sakura in, it was just noon. By now the sun has long gone and the kages have yet to reach a verdict. Onoki the Tsuchikage had missed his nap time and is agitated that he has to deal with such an insane trial. He's too old for this! This tragic story, and such a tragic story it is. Exhausted he sighs and looks back down at his overlapped hands. Just what where they going to do? Even A, who is always mad, is staring off into the distance. Mind you he still has his angry face, but nevertheless he is also stumped. Meanwhile Gaara while he momentarily felt confounded now has regained his confidence in his best friend. There is no way he is ever going to betray her. Then there's Itachi. Itachi…well no one knows what Itachi is thinking, but it could go either way.

"This is a disaster," Mei tiredly complained.

"What are we going to do with the girl now? " Onoki the Tsuchikage expressed exactly how everyone else in the room feels- confused.

Successfully sounding both intrigued and bored Mei answers Onoki's question with the understatement of the century.

"This certainly has never happened before and we all certainly never believed it could happen."

"Doesn't matter whether her story is true or not! That girl caused a war that could have ended the very ninja life we have today." The Raikage's tone would have made Naruto proud.

"What war? It was merely an act of unification." Gaara knows Sakura, there is no way Sakura is a bad guy.

"Unification! You actually believe her story?" Again with the loudness, "A" makes sure he gets his point across that Sakura is a criminal and can't be forgiven.

"The Sutori Sharigan is a technique that cannot be meddled with. It allows watchers to see the true answer to their questions. None of our staff or shinobi have warned Sakura; there is no way she could have known of the interrogation today." Itachi always the voice of reason.

Everyone else stays silent allowing him to speak, even A who usually interrupts whoever he wishes has enough respect for Itachi to let him speak.

"However, the entire world knows of Sakura's crimes…"

"She cannot go unpunished."

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(Back to Sakura)

Some time passed before they brought Sakura back in. The Kages had to finish their talk among themselves about the current issue at hand before they could decide what steps to take next. AKA they were deciding what her punishment would be, which she imagined would be some kind of horrible death.

Escorted by Tsunade and Jirayia Sakura is lead back to the chamber, tied up and placed in the same chair. Then Tsunade and Jirayia are asked to leave the chamber again and again they begrudgedly leave.

There they sat, all six of them. Just like the beginning. Facing off with Sakura, now about to deliver their swift judgment.

"Sakura."

She looked up once more into the now stoic eyes that had once said: I love you. That had once filled with worry over her safety and promised her protection no matter what the cost. Does he still feel the same way now? Sakura wondered.

"We had not predicted that your reasoning for committing these various crimes would be as such. Apparently, appearances can be misleading, a cold fact we had all come to face," Itachi icily proclaimed. His words were filled with more than one meaning and Sakura felt both were not very good.

Yeah, that would be a no I don't feel the same way about you. Not only a no, but a no way in hell!

With Itachi's cold look and his cruel words Sakura's spirit dims down. Well this is it. No more running away. She knew it was always going to come to this. It was just too much. Too many murders, too many lies. Too much.

She was going to die.

But then he said the most wonderful word in all existence - well, wonderful at least to Sakura right this moment.

"However…"

However? Did he just say 'however'? Dare she even dream of smiling again?

"We have come to an agreement, that without your assistance our nations would not be as unified as they are now. You have prevented a war that could have catastrophically impacted the world we live in today."

"After completing a head count among our shinobi we have also come to learn that there were no casualties." After he said this Itachi just stays quiet. As if he were still having to think things through. Looking her over to double check his decision. Always wanting to be sure of what he is doing.

Sakura was on her last nerve. Just tell me already, am I going to die? What's my punishment? TELL ME! To be honest the suspense wasn't making her feel very friendly, so she just looked at them right back and gave them all a blank stare.

I'm not going to give them anything else. If they want to see me cry and beg for mercy, well that's just too bad.

Sakura sat up straight, and decided to do the whole 'shoulders back and head high' thing and even jut out her lips for emphasis. That's right, I'm jutting out my lip. What now?

Itachi didn't even blink. If anything he started to look, dare she say, bored? In fact all five hokages didn't care for her show of force, but at least Gaara looks like he's arching an eyebrow. Well, he would if he had eyebrows...whatever you know what I mean.

Itachi flawlessly ignores her and continues on with his speech.

"Therefore taking these accounts into consideration we have decided to let you go."

"What?" Shocked, Sakura instantly dropped the 'big and bad routine'. This news was a huge curve ball that she wasn't expecting to deal with. Could it possibly be true?

"You're free to go." He repeated. The way he tells her of this marvelous news was so effortlessly as if he were about to place an order for dango or something. Whatever, Sakura could care less the way it was said, all that matters was that he said it.

Sakura was free!

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*Author's Note*

Hi there!

Goodness this was such a long chapter. Or it took long to get it to you. Yes, I have fallen victim to something called life (AKA school and work). Ah me, I just can't escape! Nor do I want to. But it was far too long, for that I do apologize. And I appreciate to all who have stuck with me. You guys are amazing!

I wanted this to be as perfect as possible, so I went back and forth with one of my beta's. The amazing Rawr Supertastic

As you have noticed this is not the end. How many more chapters? Well I usually say one more left, but...who knows?

I hope its one, but that's up to how it plays out in my mind and on paper.

We still have some unfinished ends to tie up don't we...Neji anyone?

Most importantly pls tell me what you liked and what you didn't like.

So now what happens? What's she going to do? Get married and settle down? IF she does with who do you think?

With love,

Claja