Title: Rebuild
Full Summary: Somewhat AU. Following Pein's Invasion and Uchiha Sasuke's return, Haruno Sakura struggles to cope as Konoha struggles to rebuild itself. The terrifying, familiar poison of yesterday's past is back. Learning how to trust again is not an easy task - especially when her life is a spin-cycle of betrayal. Bang and beat, rinse and repeat.
Pairing: SasuSaku
Inspiration: Make Love & Human After All - Daft Punk, Sleep to Dream (Swimming With Dolphins) - Klaypex, Complicated - Rihanna, Your Biggest Mistake - Ellie Goulding, Nothing - The Script, Never Let You Go - Third Eye Blind, Your Call - Secondhand Serenade, Vultures - John Mayer
I tell you how I feel, but you don't care. I say "tell me the truth," but you don't dare. You say love is a hell you cannot bear, and I say, gimme mine back and then go there, for all I care. This mind, this body, and this voice can't be stifled by your deviant ways. So don't forget what I told you, don't come around - I got my own hell to raise.
~ Fiona Apple
Water Country was beautiful. They were at the edges of the border, gazing at fog-swept marsh far in the distance. Naruto and Sakura shared a long look, stomachs churning with excitement and anxiety.
"Perhaps we'll get to see Tazuna," Naruto remarked, and Sakura gave a slow smile, thinking of the bridge-builder and his family.
"And the Great Naruto Bridge," Sakura laughed, tucking her hair behind her ears as Kiba gave an uproarious start.
"I thought you were kidding!" the Inuzuka boomed, staring incredulously at the boisterous blond. The brunette strode toward Naruto, switching his gaze between the two teammates. "There really is a bridge named after you? I thought Naruto was bluffing!"
"I'm hurt," Naruto declared, but he couldn't stop the wide grin from spreading across his face. Sakura laughed and smacked the blond's arm, grateful to start the day off so light-heartedly. They certainly needed it right now, more than anyone could know.
"Oi, what're you blabbering off about?" Suigetsu demanded, teeth flashing in the sunlight.
"Naruto has a bridge named after him - Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke and I were on an escort mission to Mist, but the local Yakuza didn't want the bridge to be finished and thus tried to take Tazuna's life. We defeated both Zabuza and Haku; both hired by the Yakuza. Tazuna later named his bridge after Naruto," Sakura smiled fondly, reminiscing. "I remember I thought Sasuke died," Sakura laughed, mirth bubbling up inside her. Naruto joined her in raucous laughter.
"Yeah, Sakura-chan, you were like, sobbing over his body! Oh, geez..." Naruto wiped away a few tears brought on by his laughter, and Sakura laughed even harder.
"Oh god, I was such a weirdo. The first thing he said to me when he woke up was, 'Sakura, you're heavy.' I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or incredibly offended." At this Kiba gave a bark of laughter. "Good thing I didn't have my super-strength back then... I probably would've killed him by accident." Sakura finished, grinning.
Karin pushed her spectacles up and surveyed the throng of ninja, feeling so out of place. Confusion welled up inside her - she hadn't ever seen Sasuke act like they claimed. The Sasuke she and Suigetsu knew was cold, menacing, and dangerous. If anyone had done what Sakura had, he would've killed them in a heartbeat. She couldn't see him as anything but untouchable. Six months ago, she would've surveyed the pink-haired woman and would've sized her up, trying to figure out what made her so special. Karin would've thought that Sakura seemed faded, flighty and unreliable. But now... Karin's hand drifted up to the puckered scar on her chest, tracing the forked lines right above her heart. Sasuke had tried to kill her. He'd almost succeeded - if it hadn't been for Sakura. She'd zipped right in and grabbed her, not even pausing to muse over the fact that this was the girl Sasuke'd picked over her. This was her replacement. But Sakura hadn't given a shit. And in that moment, Karin realized what made her so beautiful. Sakura had gone for Karin even though her world was standing right there, even though everything she'd ever wanted was at her fingertips. Instead, Sakura had chosen to save Karin's life. Karin stared at Sakura, wondering how she remembered that day.
flashback
Sakura burned. She was on fire with desperation, agony clawing fiercely at her chest. Sasuke stood in all his dark glory, and she ached for him like a dying man does for water. Every molecule of her body strained to be near him, like a fierce gravitational pull. But he was not the Sasuke they knew. He was covered in blood, black eyes awash with sadistic malice. Sasuke held Kusanagi in a loose grip, glinting crimson-red in the sunlight. Sakura could've sworn it was a year she stood there, torn between an inferno of desire and terrible horror. But then the smallest of sounds reached her ears, and with mounting panic she realized it was someone's last, dying breaths. A quiet gurgle arrested her attention, and she whipped her head around, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from Sasuke. And then the full gravity of the situation hit her like a truck. Danzo and Sasuke's teammate lay in a stiff embrace, blood seeping in widening circles around them. What horrified Sakura was the wound in both of their chests - and Sasuke's smirk slammed into her. Sakura's eyes widened, she gasped, and that was all it took. Sasuke disappeared from her mind, and she was off like a shot, wresting Karin from Danzo's cold embrace. The dying girl gurgled and bright red streamed from her lips in rivulets, teeth wet and glimmering with blood. Karin's eyes were dulling, hazed over with pain. Tremors ran down her body - the aftermath of chidori. Sakura forced the ramifications from her mind, trying not to think that it was Sasuke who'd done this - and who just stood there, in his sickening, vicious triumph. Sakura's hands flared green, and just like that she was a supernova, working harder and faster than she'd ever done in her life.
Nothing mattered but the dying girl in her hands. Sakura didn't notice Sasuke's gaze upon her back, hot as fire. For the first time in her life she'd completely ignored Sasuke, and it was a triumph she was unconscious of.
Sakura passed a hand over her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. Crisp air filled her lungs, along with the scent of the forest and the remnants of their ashy campfire. Each step they took closer to Sasuke, the more Sakura wanted to run away. It confused and frightened her more than anything. For years all she'd ever wanted was SasukeSasukeSasuke; she'd dreamt and wished for the day. But as each hour passed, dread mounted and festered within her, turning her insides to ice. Suddenly she no longer wanted to find him - she wished she could turn tail and run forever. Then she wouldn't have to think about their problems, her feelings - all she would have to think about was getting away.
Caught up in her musings, Sakura didn't notice Naruto beside her until his hand found hers, and she could feel the tremble of excitement in his palm. His hand dwarfed hers, encompassing it in sheer size and warmth. Naruto's skin was hot to the touch, always around 100 degrees. Sakura theorized it was the kyuubi's chakra and power that kept his temperature up, red-hot chakra mixing with his own beneath the surface. She gave him a shaky smile, hoping he would pass it off as nervousness. It seemed he did, because he ran his tongue across his lips, a tic of his. It let her know he was feeling antsy, too. Sakura could feel it in his hand, could feel the energy pouring off him in waves.
"I'm scared," Sakura quietly admitted, pitching her voice low so only Naruto could hear.
"Me too, Sakura-chan," the blond breathed out, giving her hand a squeeze. And just like that, relief washed over Sakura. She smiled, leaning into his side.
"I love you," she whispered, breathing in his scent. He smelled of masculinity, with a fresh hint of pine and an underlying aroma of instant ramen. Naruto mumbled the words back, stroking soothing circles onto the back of her hand with his thumb. They stood together, strong and a brilliant picture in the morning sunlight, silently waiting to move forward. And as Kakashi drew up the rear, they shared identical grins. It was time to bring Sasuke home - and then Sakura would figure out how to deal with the turmoil inside her. They'd wanted this for far too long to screw up now.
The Great Naruto Bridge greeted them like an old friend, and Naruto and Sakura pretended to shield their eyes from the sun, but Kakashi could see the light tears in their eyes. They'd come full circle now, and they were finally beginning to close the tumultuous chapter in their life - and start anew. The bridge was huge. It spanned between the main continent and the smaller islands of Water Country, scores of people currently milling about it.
Facing the bridge that spanned the gap between yesterday and tomorrow, Sakura felt the hopelessness melt from her shoulders. For reasons she couldn't explain, confidence straightened her shoulders and lengthened her spine. But then the moment was gone, like the sun shining brilliantly for several seconds on an intensely cloudy day. Worries and doubts crept and slithered up her spine with each step toward the islands, replacing her flash of confidence. Sakura shook away the ideals of the thirteen year old from her genin days, tilting her head to the sky and praying to whatever was out there for strength and bravery. She was fatigued, rundown and weathered. Her wings were torn and tattered, and she barely had any strength to fly. But she had feet, and she had legs. So that was what Sakura did. She didn't lean on wishes and hopes and dreams anymore, she simply tried to face reality. Loving Sasuke was exhausting, and not just in the romantic sense.
Their first stop was the Tazuna's - but the man that opened the door was far too young to be the bridge builder, and far too old to be his grandson.
"We're looking for Tazuna-san," Sakura said a bit bemusedly, casting a confused glance to the large team behind them. The man's eyes surveyed her and her squad with great interest, eyes wide in excitement. His wife came to the door, placing a hand somewhat possessively on his arm and giving Sakura her best pearly-whites.
"Tazuna?" the man said slowly, scratching his head with a free arm.
"Built the Great Naruto Bridge?" Sakura asked, hoping to jog his memory. "Used to live here, has a daughter and a grandson..."
"Ah! Tazuna-sama," the man exclaimed a bit reverently, nodding enthusiastically. "I'll take you there!"
"As will I," stressed his wife, and Sakura thought that if looks could kill, she'd be long gone.
"Great, thank you so much, we don't mean to bother you - " Sakura paused to gesture at her large team, who were attracting droves of attention from passerby. The locals were quite apprehensive, giving them a wide berth. Sakura didn't blame them - after so many years of being rife with violence and death, Water Country was only beginning to heal. She guessed that they hadn't seen such a large gathering of shinobi in a long time, and the last time it happened destruction had wreaked the village.
"Oh, no problem at all!" gushed the husband, who'd rarely seen a team of benevolent ninja. He'd wanted to be a shinobi, but there was no ninja school save for the Hidden Mist, and his mother had vehemently refused to send him. His wife glared daggers at the back of his head, but he seemed not to notice as he stepped outside.
"Tazuna-sama's house is just up this way," the man explained, the grin on his face wide enough to rival Naruto's.
"Excellent!" Naruto exclaimed, giving out a whoop of celebration. Sakura caught up with her exuberant teammate, trying not to smile at his antics.
"So, you're shinobi, right?" the wife questioned. "What kind of missions do you go on?" This was directed at Sakura, who wanted to sigh in exasperation.
"Yes, we are, ma'am. Most of my missions are highly classified. The mission depends on the shinobi's rank."
"Explain to us, we've got lots of time," the man butted in, pointing at the winding staircase up a steep hill.
"The missions are ranked from A to D based on importance and risk. D-rank missions are the lowest and are given to genins, and they can be silly things such as chasing cats or a low-profile escort mission. They are generally localized and usually aren't dangerous. It could be something as simple as transportation, and they are accompanied by their sensei, who is usually a skilled Jounin. The ranks are genin, chuunin, special-jounin, jounin and then Hokage. C and B-rank missions are usually assigned to chuunin, who are more skilled than genin but are not as advanced as jounin. Very few make it to jounin. A-rank missions are always given to jounin. There's a rank of missions above A, and that's S-Class. S-Class missions are reserved for ANBU members, an elite group of shinobi who have been recommended from the pool of jounin. S-Class missions are usually assassinations, surveillance or infiltration." Sakura explained it efficiently, and by the time the man was done asking questions about the Konoha hierarchy and had moved onto her weapons pouch, they'd reached the top. Somewhat relieved, the group thanked the couple and waved them back down the hill.
Naruto predictably bounded forward first, barged right on through the gate and rapped smartly on the door with his knuckles.
"Coming!" rang a young boy's voice, and within several seconds the door swung open to reveal a grown Inari. His hair had grown out some since they'd seen him, somewhat spiky at the top. He'd lost the hat and Sakura could tell the boy was going to be handsome a few years down the road.
"Naruto! Sakura-san! Kakashi-sensei!" Inari crowed out in astonishment, giving them an ear-splitting grin as he stepped back to yell into the house. "Grandpa, mom! You'll never believe who's here!" Inari's mother and grandfather came to see what the ruckus was about, and both gasped in delighted surprise. The rest of the retrieval team looked on as excited greetings were exchanged. The bridge builder soon invited the entire squad in, and as they settled around the dining table, Tazuna finally asked why they were here.
"Simply not visiting - especially not with these numbers of ninja," he quipped, smiling around at the throng of young adults.
"We're here to bring Sasuke home," Naruto revealed, eyes downcast. "We have intel he's stationed here, on one of the smaller islands." Drawing in a deep breath, Naruto began the long, sad tale of their lost teammate, starting with Sasuke's defection. Sakura chimed in at points as well, and the group sat long into the night, listening to Naruto and Sakura's incredible journey.