Thanks for the reviews! They really inspired me to continue writing ^^
PS I do not own "Naruto" it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto ©
I know it's hard to keep an open heart
When even friends seem out to harm you
But if you could heal a broken heart
Wouldn't time be out to charm you...
"November rain" by Guns 'n Roses
Sasuke startled and snapped his eyes open. He had fallen asleep. Again. He looked at the sweating, barely conscious kunoichi in the bed. The bruises on her face had almost healed but the blood soaked bandage wrapping her abdomen was still as gory as the first day he put it. He couldn't do much. After Naruto had helped them escape, the Uchiha ran to the nearest village and looked for an inn. He couldn't risk to barge in with Sakura in his hands. Most likely the owner would just freak out and chase them away and right then Sasuke didn't really want to "convince" the old man. Once he got a room, the Uchiha sneaked in it with Sakura.
That's when the hard part began. He had to stop the bleeding from her abdomen but the shinobi didn't know even the simplest medical jutsu which was taught once you become a jonin. He had to rely on his own survival instincts which had helped him multiple times before where he was in Sakura's condition. He cleaned the wound as much as he could, the kunoichi's hissings and painful groans made his hand insecure and trembling. Sasuke never imagined that this would require such strong will and detachment from the thought that right now you were causing pain to the other person.
The Uchiha had wrapped hand-made, from the sheets on the bed, bandages around her abdomen, hoping that Sakura's organism would handle the wound on itself. Because he couldn't do anything else to help her. He didn't have money even to pay for the inn but somehow he managed to convince the owner to pay after few days, lying him that he had come here to look for somebody who owed him money. Sasuke had to leave her alone and go to the next village. He had heard that there were few missing nins put up in an inn there. If they were good enough he may secure himself and Sakura the money they needed.
For the first time in a while he got lucky and managed to come across the group of shinobi calling themselves "Tora". They were nothing special, Sasuke could even describe them as weak. But surprisingly the bounty on their heads was high. He didn't dwelled on why was that he just killed them and dragged their bodies to the exchange point. When he got the money the Uchiha ran back to the village he and Sakura had stayed.
It had been two days since then. The kunoichi had woken up only once and he managed to give her water. He hadn't slept ever since he had taken a nap in his compound in front of the bathroom door. His strength left him and his eyelids were heavier than he could stand, they were closing and he couldn't do much to open them again. Then his body would tense and he would wake up startled at the thought that somehow Zetsu could have followed them. The Uchiha had removed the transplant from under his skin on the arm that the freak had given him. It was some kind of transmitter resonating with Zetsu's chakra.
Sasuke sighed heavily and lifted his head from the edge of the bed where he had eased it. Sitting on the hard floor for hours wasn't exactly considered taking a break. But he had booked a single room. First it was because the inn owned didn't know about Sakura and secondly because it was cheaper and he had to take care of their finances. It would be troublesome to leave the kunoichi again in her condition. He had promised Naruto that he would take care of her. Putting himself in danger was a worthy price to pay for the years of egoism and indifference. Being with Tobi and Zetsu wasn't exactly his own choice. The ridiculous masked man had manipulated him into coming with him with empty promises for revenge on Konoha. Later when Sasuke found out that the only thing that he cared for was the completion of his own goal, the boy tried to leave them, finding some lame excuse but it was already too late. He had signed a contract with the devil and there was no coming back alive.
The Uchiha stirred and stood up, stretching his limbs. They were stiff. Suddenly, Sakura groaned louder and he glanced quickly at her direction, kneeling on the floor again. He grabbed her hand and pressed it slightly, "Sakura…", he whispered. The kunoichi opened slowly her eyes, they were unfocused and lingering.
"Sasu…ke.", she mumbled and the Uchiha smiled at her. That was the first word she was saying since she had lost consciousness five days ago.
"I can't stop the bleeding…", he said quickly with widened eyes.
The pink-haired kunoichi gulped difficultly and opened her mouth to answer but she coughed and choked. It took her few seconds to regain her composure, "Burn…it…", the words were rolling heavily from her mouth.
The Uchiha's eyes popped out. "Burn it? How am I supposed to do that?! I barely managed to wipe out the blood from her and she wants me to burn the wound?! Without anyanaesthesia…", "Sakura, I can't…do that…"
"The kunai…was…", she swallowed hardly again before continuing, "…lightning…enhanced.", the kunoichi frowned and knitted her brows in painful grimace, "It won't…stop bleeding…on its own."
Sasuke cursed and ran fingers through his hair. Why did it have to be her that got stabbed? The kunai was meant for him. If it had been him, she would have saved him. And now what? She was dying because he had no balls to do as she told him. He had to do it for her sake. He shouldn't think about the tears she would cry nor the pain she would feel. The Uchiha stood up and rummaged in the backpack that he filched from the missing nins. There should be some alcohol in there. His fingers got hold of a bottle. Sasuke pulled it out and opened it, smelling its contents. Methylated spirit. It should work.
The shinobi kneeled to the bed again, unwrapping the soaked bandages. His eyes travelled to Sakura's face. She was still conscious, breathing heavily. When he removed the swathe, Sasuke caressed her cheek, wiping off the sweat on her face, "It's gonna hurt."
The kunoichi choked at her attempt to chuckle, "I...know."
Sasuke reached for the gas lantern and lifted the glass lid. The shinobi took off his belt and gave it to Sakura to bite it. The kunoichi obeyed with closed eyes. There was no need for her to know when would the pain start. The Uchiha prepared a piece of clothe from the sheets which he would use to burn the alcohol. The dark-haired shinobi licked his lips. Once he start there was no turning back. He was doing it for Sakura's good, to save her life.
He quickly poured some of the spirit inside the stab wound and his hand trembled as the kunoichi groaned loudly, curving her face in painful grimace and bit the leather belt between her teeth. He kept the clothe above the flame until it flared. He brought it carefully to the wound and held his breath as he pressed it to the skin for a second. When he pulled his hand away, his eyes quickly turned to Sakura. Her eyes were popped out with pupils moving chaotically and tears rolling on her cheeks but the kunoichi didn't utter a word. The alcohol inside the wound was burning and a tiny steam jet was coming out of it. There was a sickening sizzling as the fire burned the torn skin. Nauseating smell of burnt flesh filled Sasuke's nostrils and he held his breath, closing his eyes. When he looked again, the pinkette had lost consciousness. He stood up and buried fingers in his scalp.
The Uchiha grabbed a towel from the bathroom and held it under the water until it was soaked. He went back to Sakura and put it on her forehead. He had to wait. His body slid down on the floor and he eased his back at the bed, closing tiredly his eyes. The exhaustion completely took over his body and he fell asleep instantly.
"I can't find them, Leader.", Zetsu entered the room where Tobi was sitting, "He really took out the transmitter."
The masked man suddenly jumped, screaming and crashed the table next to him. His body was trembling in fury, "This little brat...", his voice was low and forced the other member to make a few steps back, "How does he dare to mess my plan? Now I have to rethink everything from the beginning...", the mask unwhirled and revealed Madara's face, "Zetsu."
"Yes, leader.", the man bowed politely, trying to please him.
"Prepare another clone eye for me. This one is useless again.", the Uchiha growled.
"As you wish. But I have to remind you that you don't have much time.", the freak responded still bowing, "Soon, you'll have to transplant this with your own eye. Or you might lose it.", Zetsu straightened his back, "The fake environment that I managed to create for it, soon will stop working."
"I know.", Madara said lowly, "There's no other choice. Bring him to me. I'll be forced to use him sooner that I thought."
Zetsu bowed again and sank into the floor, disappearing.
Naruto sneaked into the hospital room and closed quietly the door behind him. The Jinchuuriki turned around and met Kakashi's curious glare, "Hello, Kakashi-sensei.", the boy whispered.
"Yo, Naruto. I expected you to come sooner.", the Copy nin gave him an eye crease.
"I had told Tsunade that I was taking a break for a week out of the village. I came back few hours ago. ", the blond shinobi sighed.
"Did you get there in time?", the jonin asked with fake indifference.
"Barely.", the blonde sat on the chair next to the bed and looked intensely at his former sensei.
He lifted his head to meet Naruto's gaze, "What do you mean barely?"
"When I arrived, Sakura was lying unconsciously on the ground in critical condition but still alive. Sasuke was suffering heavy chakra depletion but he somehow found strength to stand in Darui's way, protecting her.", the Kyuubi host sighed, "The whole squad was murdered. Only Darui himself was alive. If I had been a second late, Sasuke would have been killed and most likely Sakura as well."
Kakashi narrowed his eye, "What happened with them?"
"I let them go.", Naruto smiled.
"Darui would tell everything to the Hokage and the Raikage.", the Copy nin growled, "As if Tobi announcing war to Kumo and Konoha wasn't enough. Now we have to deal with Tsunade-sama as well. She won't leave things like that when she finds out that Sakura was involved in the murder of Cloud nins."
"I took care of Darui. He won't talk about it.", the blonde bit his lip, looking at the floor, "I don't think we would see Sasuke and Sakura anytime soon. And I hope it does stay that way for the time being."
"What are you talking about? Won't Sasuke return to Tobi? Akatsuki needs its every member for this war.", Kakashi knitted his brows.
"I don't think Sasuke was ever truly one of them.", the Jinchuuriki grinned, "He's not going back."
The Copy nin sighed heavily. "I don't know what to think."
"Think about getting better. We don't know when the war may start. We have to be prepared."
"And you... exactly from where did you find out about the war declaration? It was supposed to be top secret.", Kakashi raised his eyebrow.
"Oh, that...well, I overheard baa-chan's conversation with the old man when I went to the office to report that I have returned.", the boy grinned foolishly and Kakashi rolled his eye, "Anyway...I'd better go. Catch up with you soon."
Naruto stood up and walked to the door. He pressed the handle and turned around to smile once more to his ex-sensei, "Oh, I almost forgot...Sasuke says, "Thanks."." The boy walked out of the room without looking back anymore.
Kakashi frowned, "Thanks, my butt...". A slight smile appeared under his mask as he settled himself more comfortably in the bed.
Darui walked down the hall, heading to the Hokage's office. Right now Tsunade and the Raikage had an important meeting, probably concerning Uchiha Sasuke. That was the reason he was called here to give his report, not in Cloud. Suddenly a flashback passed through his head, making him to freeze in his steps.
Naruto gripped his collar and forced him to rise on his feet, "How dare you attack, Sakura-chan?", the young boy's voice was low almost like growling, "You could have killed her."
"She's accomplice of Uchiha Sasuke.", he replied angrily staring at those blue eyes.
"And you had an order to bring Sasuke back alive, didn't you?", the Jinchuuriki yelled, pushing him back. Darui lost balance and thumped on the hard ground staring at the blonde before him. The Jinchuuriki closed the distance between them and bowed down, pointing his finger at his face, "You're not saying a word about seeing Sakura here."
Darui narrowed his eyes, "As if I'm going to listen to a brat like you. I had orders and you hampered me. I'm going to report you to the Hokage. She's going to take good care of you.", he slapped away Naruto's finger.
The Jinchuuriki growled furiously, "Nobody except Hatake Kakashi knows that I'm here...", Naruto grinned viciously closing his face to Darui's, "If you were to be killed here, nobody would suspect me. And believe me...if you think Kakashi will give me away, you are so~ wrong. He sent me here.", the blonde's eyes changed from sapphire blue to bloody red. The crimson irises shrank and trembled, "He would actually throw a party. You see...We don't like you.". Darui shivered from the intimidating red chakra that was emitting from Naruto's body."Now, I'm gonna say it one more time: You're not telling a word about Sakura being here...Am I clear?"
The man nodded slightly and suddenly the Jinchuuriki grinned brightly, "See? It wasn't so hard? Ne?", the boy tapped him on his shoulder and pulled him up on his feet...
Darui trembled from the memory. He wasn't used to be threatened. Usually he was the one threatening the others. The white-haired man walked to the door of the office and knocked waiting for invitation. As he heard the dull "come in", the Cloud shinobi walked inside, greeting the Kages.
"How did it go?", the Raikage asked with curved eyebrow.
Darui bowed apologetically, "No good. My subordinates were all killed."
"Then I guess Sasuke wasn't alone? How many were they?", Tsunade asked with narrowed look. She noticed the bandage around his ankle. It was no simple cut wound; there was no blood on it. Most likely it was broken or dislocated. There were no other signs of injuries on his body, except a slight black eye.
"He was alone, Hokage-sama.", the man licked nervously his lip.
"He managed to kill all of our man alone?!", the Raikage stood up from his chair, "How?"
"Everybody on the squad was chakra-depleted from breaking out the genjutsu he placed around their hideout...", Darui mumbled.
"Their...hideout?", Tsunade asked calmly with a smile on her face.
"I assumed that it was Akatsuki's.", he answered quickly realizing the mistake he made.
"How come you are alive?", the Raikage asked him with dark aura surrounding his large body, "I know you. You are not a cowered to hide in the bushes while your people fight."
"He injured my ankle and managed to escape. I guess that his chakra was low.", Darui sighed feeling the sweat on his forehead.
"May I have a quick look?", Tsunade smiled and stood up from her armchair, walking to the shinobi. As he nodded, the Hokage kneeled down, taking off the bandage. The ankle's skin was a mixture of blue-green-purple-yellowish hues. She sent a little chakra inside to define the damage. His talus was broken. This kind of injury could be caused only by sending a precise flow of chakra inside his ankle. None of his others tendons, bones and ligaments was torn or damaged in anyway. This could be the work only of a medic. Tsunade knew only four medical nins capable to do this. Herself, Shizune, Kabuto and Sakura. The Hokage smiled reassuringly at the Cloud ninja, "You'll be OK. Only one small bone is fractured. Go to the hospital."
Darui nodded and excused himself, leaving the Kages alone.
A lightning slashed the sky and the first drops fell on Sakura's forehead. The kunoichi winked and averted her gaze to the sky above her. It was pitch black with no stars. Here and there small, puffy greyish clouds were standing out on the dark background. She felt a male hand caressing her cheek. Her green eyes searched for the face of the man. Once they were set on him, she met a tempting coal stare. The depth of his gaze was pulling her down in the abyss. Limitless. No boundaries. They were like the sky above her.
The kunoichi raised on her toes, lifting her hand, and buried fingers in his scalp, enjoying the silk sensation that his silver locks left on her skin. He smiled and her heart skipped a beat. He was so beautiful, sensual and tempting. Sakura felt butterflies appearing in her stomach, they were fluttering with their small wings, tickling her, tying a knot in her lower abdomen. She saw him closing his face to hers and her pulse fastened. She wanted him to kiss her, she needed to feel his lips on hers. And when finally he pressed them against hers, the butterflies ignited and transformed into a scorching fire. The need grew into necessity and necessity into vital, life-saving craving for his touch.
Everything suddenly became dull and insignificant, the world around them blurred and only they were on focus – like one of those amazing old black & white photographs where the author emphasized on the girl holding a postcard with a woolly ink on the back. Only they mattered nobody else, nothing else. Not the rain, not the place, not the time. To simply be in his arms and never let go...
Sakura snapped open her eyes and stared startled at the ceiling. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks. Why was she crying? The kunoichi tried to pull out her arm from under the blanket but something was pressing it down and her eyes travelled to the side of the bed. She saw Sasuke's head, eased on the edge with arms bended under it for a pillow. He was sleeping heavily. The pink-haired girl tried to move but once she flexed the muscles on her abdomen a stabbing pain pierced through her and she took a sharp breath. That's right. She was injured. The kunoichi sighed and pulled out her other hand from under the covers. Staring at it she tried to channel some chakra in her fingers. Soon they flared irregularly in greenish light. Her expression darkened. She didn't have full control over it. It was too dangerous for her to heal herself.
Her eyes travelled to Sasuke's face one more time. There were dark shadows under his eyes. How long was she unconscious? Where were they? Why they haven't met with Zetsu and Tobi yet? Sakura sighed and reached to caress the Uchiha's head. The moment her hand touched his hair, the shinobi gripped her wrist tightly startled, glaring at her with his sharingan.
"Sasuke...", the medic whispered, looking at the boy softly, "It's just me."
The Uchiha closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them again, the sharingan was deactivated. He let her hand free and stood up with unpleasant grimace. His body was stiff. The dark-haired shinobi sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her, "Sakura...How are you feeling?"
"Well...Stabbed.", she smiled barely, "But alive."
Sasuke sighed relieved, "I worried that I might have done something wrong..."
"Thank you. You saved my life.", the kunoichi reached and put her hand over his in his lap. Sasuke's body shivered under her touch and he said nothing. Sakura looked around her, "Where are we?"
"In some small village near the Fire country border. I couldn't get further away because you needed help.", Uchiha sighed and grabbed the towel which had fallen at some point from Sakura's forehead. He tossed it between his fingers, not knowing what to say.
"When are we meeting with the others?", the kunoichi murmured indifferently. She wanted to know how much time she had to calculate her new plan.
"Why are you asking? Do you miss them?", Sasuke's expression darkened.
"No. But I'm puzzled why they haven't come here to get you..."
"They are not coming.", he interrupted her, averting his gaze from hers.
"Why?"
"I got rid of the transmitter that Zetsu had implanted in my arm.", Sasuke rolled his sleeve and Sakura saw the badly made stitches.
"But that means...", she looked at him with widened eyes.
"Yes. I left Akatsuki.", the Uchiha looked through the window next to the bed.
"NO!", she yelled suddenly, "You can't!"
"What do you mean I can't?", he glared at her, "I put my life on the line so I can save yours. They were going to kill you once my eyes were healed! Why can't you understand that?", his voice was more high-pitched than usual.
"I do understand it! I accepted it as my fate!", Sakura covered her face with hands sighing deeply, trying to calm herself down, "I did all this with the sober mind that I was going to die in the end, whether you kill me or they... I did this because Tobi threatened to attack my village... I made a choice. What am I going to do if he raids Konoha? My sacrifice would be in vain...", Sakura's eyes filled with tears, "I won't be there to save my friends."
"You wouldn't have been there either way.", Sasuke growled at her, "His plan was attacking Konoha from the very beginning. There was no other option. So you wouldn't have had the chance to help your friends..."
"But I would have been dead...I would have died thinking that I made the right choice... And now I have to live with the guilt, the regret and the pain.", Sakura winked and her tears rolled on her cheeks, she averted her gaze, ashamed from her surge of emotions.
Sasuke knitted his brows in frustration and clenched his fists angrily, standing up from the bed, "I made a promise to Naruto. I'm not going back on my word."
The kunoichi turned her head and stared at him confused, "Naruto? When?"
"Kakashi had sent him after Darui. He saved us.", Sasuke looked at her. Her eyes were glittering from the tears but they were livelier than a second ago.
"And Naruto just let you go?", the medic raised her brows.
"He's changed indeed.", Sasuke took a deep breath, "I don't want to argue with you. You're still weak and I'm trying to save my energy. Truce?"
Sakura pouted and then bit her lower lip, "Truce."
The Uchiha smiled and sat back on the bed, "Are you hungry?"
"Not really.", Sakura murmured, playing with the hem of her blanket.
"Spill the bean.", the male shinobi raised an eye brow accompanied with a slight curving of the corners of his mouth.
"What are we going to do now?", she looked at him.
"Once you are able to move we're leaving. It's too dangerous to stay here.", the black-haired boy scratched his forehead, "I was thinking of going to a small autonomous country not far from here. It's actually more like a city-state. I have an acquaintance there who can help us until we can stand on our feet by ourselves."
"We have to warn Konoha about Tobi's plan... I can't let him catch them unprepared.", Sakura glared at him with adamant gaze.
"It's out of the question to go there. I'll be killed in an instant and you'll be captured.", he shook his head.
"We'll write a letter to Kakashi or Naruto.", the kunoichi gazed upon him with wide dazzling eyes, begging.
"You mean that I will write it? I highly doubt that you can hold a pen now..."
"Please?"
"And then you want me to send it with one of my summons..."
"Come o~n...", she fluttered her eyelashes.
"And risk exposing our location to Zetsu and Tobi?", Sasuke frowned.
"It's about Konoha, Sasuke.", Sakura smiled slightly.
"Konoha's not what you think it is.", he rolled his eyes and sighed, "But, fine. As long as you promise me that you won't try to go back there or do anything stupid without first consulting with me..."
"Ok.", Sakura's eyes brightened.
"...And you're going to let me wash you up...", he wrinkled his nose.
The kunoichi gawked at him stupidly.
"What?", he frowned, "You haven't taken shower for a week. You smell worse than Naruto's fart..."
"That's the worst insult you could have said to a girl!", she popped her eyes with shocked expression.
"It won't surprise me if Zetsu finds us. The stink probably is spreading for kilometres...", Sasuke chuckled.
Sakura looked around her to see if she had something to throw at the boy but since she found nothing she only growled irritated, "You'll regret this."
"Oh, I highly doubt it.", Sasuke smirked and went to the bathroom to get a basin and a soap.
A cloaked figure crept from the shadows, followed by Zetsu. The man drew close to Madara and stood silently, staring at the orange-masked shinobi, which mask now was resting on his head. Tobi raised his head and glanced indifferently at the new comer, "What took you so long?"
"We ran into some hunter nins. Zetsu grumbled that he hadn't eaten yet today.", the man sat on the chair across the table, "So, what do you want from me?"
Madara narrowed angrily his gaze, "Sasuke left us along with the medic. I need to change my plan.", he shot the shinobi in front of him crimson glare, "I want you to begin cloning white Zetsu."
"I'm not ready. It's gonna take several months to reach the number of clones you wanted.", the younger man sighed.
"I don't care how long it will take. It's all up to you now. I have to keep my powers for the rest of the plan.", Tobi grunted and turned around on the chair.
"You have to replant your own eyes. The cloned ones aren't good for you anymore.", the other shinobi mumbled, "With Sasuke gone, are you sure you'll be able to cast the genjutsu?"
Madara frowned but nodded slightly, "Just do your part of the deal and I'll give you the world on a silver plate."
The younger ninja jerked barely visible but said nothing.
"How's the leg?", Tsunade smirked, sitting in the chair next to Kakashi's bed. She had just kicked out Naruto from the room, who had made another camp in there. That boy would never grow up.
"Itchy.", Kakashi gave her an eye crease.
The Hokage sighed heavily and traced a line with glowing finger over the gray plaster. A dull crack was heard and the plaster snapped open in half. The blonde removed the pieces and examined the jonin's leg, "Everything seems fine. It's healed completely. You can start your training anytime you want."
The Copy nin's eye widened for a second but then a smirk spread on his face, "It's not every day that I can hear that from your mouth, Hokage-sama."
"I've never kept you in hospital longer than needed, Kakashi.", she glared at him annoyed.
"Whatever...", he gave her another eye crease, "Now... Tell me... What do you need from me, Hokage-sama?"
She stood there quiet for a second and when she spoke, her voice was trembling, "Do you understand the position you're putting me in? The position you're putting yourself in! If the Raikage finds out about you covering for Sakura, he'll force me to take measures!", her tone was high-pitched, "And it won't be because I want to, but because he'll spread the word all around. Everybody's going to find out. The Daimyo, the Elders, the rest of the shinobi in Konoha... How far do you intend to protect her, Kakashi? She chose this. At least we know that much."
Kakashi's gaze darkened, "How far am I willing to go for her? Seriously? You are asking me this, Hokage-sama? The question is: How far areYOU willing to go for her?"
"I have a responsibility to look out for my village, Hatake. I can't just simply throw it away for Sakura.", Tsunade frowned staring at the silver-haired man.
"And that's exactly why, she chose to tell ME, not you.", the Copy nin stood up and stretched his body, grabbing his pouch from the night table, "She knows that and she respected your responsibilities to the village."
"She killed Cloud shinobi, Kakashi. Even if I want to make excuses for her, I can't find any.", the blonde shook her head.
"How about... "She didn't hurt any of the Kumo nins."", the Copy nin growled.
"That's no excuse, Kakashi. It's a lie..."
"No, it's not.", the man closed his eyes letting out his breath, "She couldn't kill anyone. She was injured. Sasuke fought with Darui's squad on his own. And as a result, Sakura ended up badly injured in her attempt to save Sasuke. And I don't blame her for taking the attack instead of him, despite her weak state. He had saved her life not once during those months. If I was in her place, I'd probably have done the same."
"How do you know all of this?", Tsunade whispered.
"Don't dwell on Hows, Tsunade-sama.", Kakashi attached the pouch to his belt and put the Icha Icha book in it, "Sasuke was there to protect Sakura, when you sent people to kill her.", Kakashi said with low voice, "You should think about that instead.", the silver-haired jonin made a handseal and disappeared in a poof of white smoke, leaving the Hokage speechlessly staring at the empty bed.
"See, now's better, right?", Sasuke wiped out the drops of water from Sakura's face. Throwing to one side the damp towel, he combed her messy wet pink locks with fingers. Now that the mud and blood was taken off her hair and face, the Uchiha smiled. It took him forty minutes to wash her up but the result was worth it.
The kunoichi reached and played with a lock between her fingers, she pressed it at her nostrils and took a deep breath, "It smells like soap.", she wrinkled her nose from the strong aroma.
"Don't say it as if it's a bad thing.", Sasuke scolded her and helped her settle on the bed comfortably. He had asked her to lie transversely on the mattress, so that her head was hanging. There was no other way of washing it up without getting foam in her eyes.
"I'm not. It's just that it smells like...milk.", she frowned. Sakura still remembered the lady from the grocery store next to her apartment. The old woman was always smelling like freshly boiled milk. It was nice the first few times but then it became kind of repulsing.
"Milk's nice.", Sasuke smiled and then his face frowned weirdly in attempt to suppress a yawn. In the end the boy was forced to cover his gaping mouth with the back of his hand.
"How long has it been since you've last taken a good sleep.", Sakura asked him with curved brow.
"I don't know."
"Well, that's too damn long.", the kunoichi smiled softly and slid on the bed carefully not to reopen her wound. Once she made some more space on it the pinkette tapped with hand on the sheet, "Lie down. I don't need you passed out."
"I'll lie on the floor. There is not enough room for both of us and I don't wanna trouble you. You need rest more than I do.", the Uchiha shook his head and stood up from the chair that he had dragged next to the bed.
"Shut up and do as I say.", Sakura frowned, "It's not like we haven't slept in the same bed before."
"But we were younger and...smaller.", he sighed, smirking.
"And we had Naruto with us, which is worse.", the kunoichi tapped once more, smiling, "Don't disobey direct orders from an injured girl."
Sasuke let out his breath and then lied down next to her, careful not to hit unknowingly her wound. The softness of the mattress wrapped around him, helping him relax his muscles. It was comfy and cosy under the same blanket with Sakura. The boy felt his eyelids growing heavier with every passed second. He turned to one side, looking at the girl beside him. She was staring at him but nobody said a thing. There was no need for words. They had each other's backs. Sasuke smiled and surrendered before the need to sleep.
Once his breathing evened, Sakura tilted her head to one side. What was she going to do now? It was vital to send Konoha the information about Tobi's plan. With every passed day the threat above her home was spreading further. Was this the only way? To run and hide? Was she really unable to protect her dear ones? No, she had to believe in them. Like they believed in her. Kakashi, Naruto, they all trusted her judgement. But was she trusting herself? Her objective had changed so many times since she left Konoha. Wasn't she just fooling herself? Filling her head with delusional thoughts that she was doing this in order to protect Naruto? Wouldn't it be better if she went back and take responsibility for her actions?
Sakura closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head. No, she mustn't have doubts about this now. It was too late. The only thing left for her was to get better and hide until there was chance to return. She licked her lips and looked at the sleeping boy next to her. What was going to happen to him? He was international criminal and even Akatsuki was after him. He had risked his own life to protect her. Her of all people. Did it mean the same thing to him as what it meant to her? Probably not. But he was her teammate and she never really stopped loving him. It didn't matter in what way she had loved him – like a brother, like a lover or just like a comrade. But the fact was that she did.
Her primary objective now was to get better, she'd think about the rest once the knife is pressed to her throat. The kunoichi smiled and relaxed. The sleep took over and her breathing aligned with Sasuke's...
TBC