I'm in Here.

They sped through the trees, running at breakneck speed together as they felt the familiar chakra signal ahead of them. A grin spread on Naruto's face and Sakura couldnt help but let one stretch across hers as well.

"We found him Sakura! We-"

The signal flickered out quicker than they could take a breath.

Sakura paled and they picked up speed, soon falling through the branches, hearts beating fast.

They saw him.

Blood splattered on dirt, black hair matted, hands cut and bruised and blood puddling around his head and chest.

Sakura ran to him, hands glowing green, maneuvering his body onto his back. When he was in that position though, the glow faded from her hands, and she cried out at what she saw. The pinkette's stumbled backwards and fell onto her butt at the sight.

Empty sockets stared up at the duo and a substantial hole was etched into his chest where his heart would've been.

Sakura screamed, wrapping her arms around her tiny form and rocking back and forward. Naruto stared unable to do or say anything to help out the young pinkette as she cried over their best friends body that laid strewn out on the forest floor.

She trembled and cried - the pain, the pain, the fucking pain - that she felt when she saw her teammate, her first love, her brother, slaughtered like some pig in the dirt. Naruto fell to his knees next to her, crying as well, as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

They had left Konohagakure to find him, and they had found him indeed, but not in the way they wished.

Itachi, Itachi!

Her mind quivered at the mere thought of facing the ANBU officer again. She didn't want to, Not like this. They'd promised- she'd promise- to bring him back and were hot on his trail only to find his body like this. Destroyed and defiled among the dirt like he was nothing. Like he wasn't their cold-hearted teammate, like he wasn't their brother, like he wasn't a son, like he wasn't someone important.

Sakura's tears blurred her vision and her stomach churned in revulsion at the gory sight before her and her whiskered best friend. She threw up bile on the forest floor and hung her head in defeat and screamed louder.

They had failed.

Itachi had expected many things.

Some said he could see the future - Shisui perhaps- but he knew deep down that he was a practical man who could see the brutal bitch that was reality and stare her right in the face. Despite this simple fact though he was not prepared to see Sakura and Naruto come through the gates that day in Konohagakure.

At least, not alone.

The pinkette had promised him that she'd come back with Sasuke- dead or alive were her words- or not at all if they could not find him. Judging by the somber looks on their faces and her tear tracks down her pale cheeks did he guess the latter and his heart -what was left of it- fractured.

The renown Uchiha Itachi fell to his knees at the sight of what was left of Team 7 and the scroll the Haruno held like a weight that could not -would not ever- be lifted.

The Kyuubi holder looked just as solemn. His blue eyes were dulled and his posture sagged; gone was the cheerful persona and the spark in his eyes that once held hopes and dreams. They were replaced by terror and a gut-wrenching sadness that could never be erased.

The two were immediately flocked by ANBU and despite being put in chakra restraints, the pink haired girl's grip did not waver on the scroll in her hand.

"Itachi?" Shisui asked, and the heir gestured to the two who were surrounded. The other Uchiha's breath halted and he glanced back down at his best friend. What in gods' name could he say now?

The heir's fiancée was back after three years, but his little brother was not.

His cousin merely dragged the heir to his feet and when Itachi's eyes met the hers tears trailed down her cheeks once more.

"I'm so sorry." and the heir knew she was too. She had lost a brother as well and her words sent Itachi reeling and leaning onto his cousin, his best friend, for support. The group disappeared and Itachi started, wordlessly, to the Hokage tower.

"Tsunade won't let you see them." Shisui whispered.

"S-She has too." Itachi had never stuttered before. "He was my brother, she is my fiancee." And he was off. Running ontop of roof-tops at break-neck speed. His cousin, tried to keep up, but faltered at the heir's persistence to see the result of their own self-assigned mission after three years.

He arrived at the door and rushed inside, up the stairs, barely in time to see a wisp of her long pink hair disappear into the room of the Hokage herself. His teammates stopped him outside the door. Whispering their condolences, as they had already guessed why the two were back without his brother.

Shisui held him back, kept him from going inside the room as he heard Sakura's sobs and Naruto's cries of anguish before their Hokage. Despite this, when Itachi heard that 'poof' he shoved his way through and stumbled in the room in time to see his brother's body surrounding by flowers placed on the floor.

Tsunade waved off the ANBU and the door closed in time for no one to hear Itachi scream.

"Sakura." The girl stiffened at her name.

Sakura, Sakura, fucking Sakura.

I hate my name ! She hissed the last part in her mind, but was brought back to reality by the Uchiha matriarch's hand on her shoulder.

Do not look at me like that. The pinkette's mind screamed at the loss of her teammate, her friend, her brother.

They lost a son too, Her mind hissed and the girl winced, glaring the mirror in front of her.

She was dressed in a black layered kimono since it was nearing winter. The Uchiha fan splayed proudly on her back and she frowned at the sight of it.

For the past three years she was unknown in the countries she visited with her teammate, the Kyuubi Container, and now she was here being paraded around as the Uchiha Heir's fiancée.

The future matriarch.

And i fucking hate it.

If anything Haruno Sakura wanted to hide in a hole. Bury herself until she could see no more and wish to die there without remembrance.

But, fate was cruel. She had to go on with a hole in her heart for the one she would always miss no matter what, and for the one she could not save in time despite her and Naruto trying their hardest.

They searched. Followed every lead, exhausted every resource, went everywhere for their teammate to bring him home… but in the end it was all for nothing.

I can't even look him in the eye.

Her fiance, his brother, she'd failed him and that's what killed her the most.

"You're not alone in this Sakura." Mikoto muttered behind her. The pinkette turned, eyes wide to see the Uchiha Matriach's facade crack slightly.

Sakura let out a strangled sob and quickly placed her hand over her mouth to keep more from escaping.

"Mother." Itachi stood in the doorway. Mikoto nodded, placing her hand on Sakura's shoulder before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.

Itachi's stress lines had deepened and there was a hint of bags under his eyes.

You failed him, Inner hissed in her ears. You fucking failed him, you failed everyone, you're weak, you weren't fast enough, you should've-

Shut up! Sakura hissed and Inner receded to the darkest part of her mind.

"She's talking to you, isn't she ?" Itachi's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she winced.

"Does it matter?" Sakura hissed, her hand falling to her side. Her green orbs met his black ones and she sighed. "Does any of this," she gestured between them. "Even matter?"

His mouth set into a firm line.

"I've already lost my brother Sakura I can't lose you too." At his words she visibly flinched and her hands clenched.

"I still love you." She whispered. "I'm just so tired and I..." Sakura shuddered. "I just-" she sighed.

A knock resonated and Shisui opened the door.

"It's time."

The funeral was small.

With the now Rookie 9, Team 6 as well as Sai was there along with his family. Tsunade was there as well with Shizune, Jiraiya, and Kakashi.

Naruto remained at her left the entire time, gripping her hand tightly along with Kakashi at her right.

Once it ended everyone slowly left, wishing their condolences to his family and the rest of Team 7, until only the three remained.

Shisui convinced Itachi to leave with his parents despite his reluctance to leave his fiancée alone.

"She needs time." His cousin whispered as he led them back to the estate.

Naruto fell to his knees, gripping the freshly laid dirt beneath him. He cried openly, dirtying his black kimono without a care. In his left hand he held onto his best friend headband so hard his knuckles turned white.

Sakura wrapped herself around him, sobbing as she stared at the name on the black marble that would forever be carved into her heart.

Kakashi's fingers traced the name, his face twisted in sorrow. His other hand resting on the pinkette's shoulder tightly.

Naruto's tears dried and he looked at Sakura. She winced and he wrapped his arms around her, his face burying into her chest. He started crying again but Sakura's tears were gone, she only felt numb.

Her arms fell around him, gripping onto him tightly. Whilst her long pink hair fell forward, shrouding whatever expression she held.

"What is the punishment for you two leaving?" Kakashi asked and Sakura looked up at him, green eyes cold.

"Nothing." She frowned. "A generous donation from the Uchiha caused the council to look the other way."

"And your engagement?" Naruto's shoulder only twitched now, his cries subsiding.

"I don't know."

Fingers twitched.

Green eyes wide.

Itachi, Itachi, Itachi.

Sakura sat up in bed, stomach clenching painfully as she rubbed her eyes.

Nightmares- too many nightmares - had been plaguing her lately every time she closed her eyes.

They were all the same though.

Her mind flashed painfully to the image seared in her mind and she stumbled to the bathroom in time to vomit the bile in her stomach.

Itachi.

It'd been six months since she'd returned, five since Naruto had left with Jiraiya.

The numbness washed over her painfully after noticing she was alone now, and Sakura barely went outside anymore at all other than to train or buy food.

She was only a shell.

Grief consumed her and fear made her withdraw from the one person she loved.

Itachi.

She wiped her mouth cleaned and headed to the kitchen, but stopped in her tracks noticing a figure there.

"What are you doing here ?" She poured a glass of water. He only watched her. "Itachi?"

He was next to her in a flash, his black hair unbound she noticed, and his hand cupped her cheek.

"Stop running from me Sakura." Her eyes went wide, staring into his black ones, and before she knew it her armor cracked.

Pieces fell and her stomach twisted painfully as tears began to fall.

She hit his chest , trying to push him away, and sobbed as his hands reached to hold her near him.

"I failed you!" She yelled. He winced and she struggled more. "I fucking failed you Itachi! How can you even look at me? How can you even love me!?" Sakura screamed.

He held her to him as she cried and screamed at him. Everything she held in bubbling and boiling over into one tantrum that had been overdue for months.

Sakura's knees went out and he carried her to her room, and sat on her bed as she cried harder and curled up against the Uchiha heir.

"What if I lose you Itachi ?" She whispered. His black eyes went wide and he met green eyes just as wide as she rocked herself, gripping onto him tightly. "I can't lose you, I can't lose you." She whispered again and again.

Itachi shuddered, and laid down with her as she refused to let go of him.

"You die Itachi." He looked at her as she whimpered. "You always die in my dreams Itachi, just like Sasuke... Always like Sasuke."

Three days later Itachi went to visit Sakura only to see that she was gone.

"Stop squirming, these eyes weren't yours to begin with." The man beneath her flailed and screamed profanities while at the same time began begging her to stop. Sakura paused and she sighed. "Fine, have it your way." Chakra scalpels formed and she merely slashed through the man's throat beneath her.

Grinning, she crossed her legs on her seat on his chest, placing the man's bleeding head in her lap, and began to work again.

Tsunade leaped from building to building, her ANBU guard following close behind.

"Shisui, go get Itachi, meet us at the gate." Shisui nodded, and flickered out of sight as Tsunade sped up.

Landing in front of the gates she frowned next to Genma.

"The reports? Are they correct?" The man nodded, gulping, and soon Itachi and Shisui appeared next to them.

"Lady Tsunade, what-"

His eyes widened as his words fell short. A figure emerged from the darkness of the woods. Long pink hair was bound in a thick braid, her black clothes were stiff with blood and dirt, while a large battle axe rested over her left shoulder the blades caked in dry blood, and in her right hand was what startled everyone the most.

In a cylinder made of glass and protected by chakra was the last thing the Uchiha heir expected to see.

Sasuke's eyes.

"Sakura.." She walked up to him, green eyes shining dangerously and placed the container in his hands.

"A greedy man hired some rogue ninjas to kill him, he transplanted Sasuke's eyes into his son." Sakura looked at her Hokage and grinned lazily, a bloodthirsty look still lingered in her green eyes. "They're all dead." Her fingers drummed against the handle, before pulling out a sealing scroll and placing the massive weapon back into it.

"Any trace left that it was you?" Tsunade asked and Sakura frowned.

"Ne, Tsunade I thought you knew I was better than that." She gave her a cheeky grin before sauntering up to Itachi and kissing him on the cheek. Itachi shuddered at her kiss and she frowned momentarily before a razor sharp smile stretched across her pale face.

"My dear," He stared at her with red eyes spinning wildly with the Mangekyou. "I thought you'd like my gift."

"Sakura," He began, but paused momentarily at the jar in the hand, staring into the eyes that floated seamlessly in the liquid.

These eyes had seen many things in their lifetime. They had seen a life, grow up seamlessly in their life. They had seen friends, family, loved ones, in their hosts' lifetime.
Despite all this though Itachi grimaced and stared at his fiancee. She winced and her grin fell as she looked at him. Her face twitched and he thought she was going to cry before everyone who had gathered around the gates, but her eyes remained dry and she sighed.

"I got them Itachi." His eyes went wide at the sudden thought of her torturing the people who took his brothers eyes. "I killed them all." His arms wrapped around her and she relaxed in his grip. Sakura pulled out of his arms and smiled despite her realizing the situation she was in.

"I avenged him."

oh my sweet baby jesus. i wrote this and posted this when i drank too much. PLEASE let me know if there are any mistakes, confusion, or etc.

Thank you for everyone who've followed or favorited my story.

review or not.